God at Work

When Abraham's wife Sarah died at the age of 127, Abraham buried her in the land of Canaan.

Abraham then sent his oldest and most trusted servant back to Abraham's homeland to find a wife for Isaac among Abraham's own relatives.

Isaac married Rebekah, his first cousin once removed.

The story of how this marriage was arranged is quite lovely. The hand of the Lord was in it, and his will was followed with dignity and self sacrifice (Gen 24).

Satisfied with all this, Abraham died at the age of 175, and was buried where his wife lay.

Rebekah was barren, so Isaac prayed and God answered, thus Rebekah conceived and bore twins Esau and Jacob.

Just as God was at work in the story of Jacob's grandfather and father, so he is in the story of Jacob (Israel) too.

This lesson looks beyond the sojourns and adventures of Abraham, to those of Isaac and Jacob, especially the latter. These are recounted in Genesis, chapters 22 through 36.

Bible Summary (Genesis 22-36)

Birth of Rebekah (22)

Sarah dies and her burial is arranged in Canaan (23)

Rebekah marries Isaac (24)

Abraham dies and is buried in the same place as Sarah (25)

Birth of Esau and Jacob (25)

Jacob takes the birthright that Esau despised (25)

Isaac among the Philistines, deceives them re Rebekah (26)

Isaac digs again his father's wells, settles in Beersheba (26)

Esau's ill-chosen marriage (26)

Jacob steals Esau's blessing (27)

Jacob flees from Esau, goes north from Beersheba (27, 28)

Jacob's dream of a ladder to heaven (28)

God repeats to Jacob his seed promise to Abraham (28)

Jacob arrives in Haran, meets Rachel at the well (29)

Jacob lodges with his uncle Laban, Rebekah's brother (29)

Jacob marries Leah and Rachel, Laban's daughters (29)

The births of Jacob's sons, except for Benjamin (29, 30)

Jacob increases his flocks despite Laban's unfairness (30)

Jacob flees with his family and flocks south to Gilead (31)

Laban persues Jacob; Rachel conceals stolen idols (31)

Laban and Jacob settle their differences, make a treaty (31)

Jacob sends gift herds to Esau preparing to meet him (32)

Jacob given the name Israel when he wrestles with God (32)

Jacob meets Esau peacefully yet reservedly (33)

Jacob, family and flocks go further south to Shechem(33)

Jacob's daughter Dinah is raped by Shechem (34)

Schechem's city is ransacked by a ruse (34)

Another move further south to Bethel and Bethlehem (35)

God confirms that Jacob is to be known as Israel (35)

Rachel dies giving birth to Benjamin (35)

Jacob's twelve sons listed (35)

Jacob comes to Hebron, buries his father Isaac (35)

God at Work

new Point("3")Bible Summary (Genesis 22-36)

Bible Summary (Genesis 22-36)