Now back to our regularly scheduled program ;)
Isaac had two sons; Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25:19-26). His older, Esau, was tricked out of his birthright by his younger brother Jacob and consequently leaves the people of God's promises and becomes another people group; the Edomites (Genesis 36).
Jacob was a “trickster” and spent his life deceiving others for his own gain but nevertheless God used him to carry on the family line of His people. From Jacob’s four wives we get 12 sons. These sons became the tribes of Israel (so named because Jacob’s name was changed to Israel in Genesis 32:28) after he wrestled with God (an event symbolizing his life up to this point).
Key Verse: Genesis 49:10 Jacob prophesied that Judah’s line would be the one to bring about the kings of Israel and the promised Messiah [Jesus].
Extra Reading and Takeaway: The story of Jacob illustrates to us that God sometimes chooses the most unlikely/unsuitable/unexpected people to achieve His purposes. Romans 9:10-13 tells us that we can apply Jacob’s story to our story; that it is primarily God who chooses us, rather than us choosing Him. And that none of us are too tricksy or sinful to be excluded from God's promises made to us through Jesus Christ.
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