Congregational Bible Study (30 mins.) lfb lessons 12, 13.
Lesson 12 Analysis: Jacob Receives the Inheritance
What was Esau like?
Esau was the eldest son; he loved the countryside and was a good hunter. At that time, when his father died, the eldest son received more land and money than his brothers, which was called an inheritance.
For Isaac's family, the inheritance also meant being part of the promises Jehovah had made to Abraham. Esau didn't care about Jehovah's promises or the family inheritance; he focused more on his immediate desires, such as food.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Esau was a man who loved the countryside and was a good hunter, but he also showed that he valued his immediate desires more, as he disregarded the family inheritance and Jehovah's promises by exchanging them for a simple plate of food.
Esau was the oldest son. He loved the countryside and was a good hunter. Because he was the oldest son, he should have received more land or a larger share of the inheritance. This inheritance also meant being part of Jehovah's promises, but Esau didn't care about Jehovah's promises or the family inheritance.
What was Jacob like?
Jacob was the youngest son. He liked being at home and valued Jehovah's promises and the family inheritance. He was prudent and knew how to recognize what was important, although he acted shrewdly when he told his brother Esau that he would give him the food in exchange for the inheritance, thus receiving his father's blessing.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Jacob was a quiet man who preferred to be at home. Unlike his brother, he greatly valued Jehovah's inheritance and promises, and although he made mistakes, he showed interest in spiritual matters and obeyed his parents' advice to flee from his brother Esau to protect his life.
Jacob preferred being at home. He was a very spiritual person and would have liked to be the firstborn to receive that inheritance, but it wasn't possible. So he said to his brother Esau, "I'll give you some of this stew if you give me the inheritance."
Why did Jacob receive the blessing, and not Esau?
Jacob received the blessing because he valued Jehovah's promises and the family inheritance, while Esau didn't care about them. When Esau came home tired after hunting all day, he smelled the food Jacob had cooked and asked for some. Jacob replied that he could, but that he must first promise him the inheritance. Esau's response? "I don't care about that inheritance. Keep it. I want to eat." Furthermore, with the help of his mother Rebekah, Jacob got Isaac to bless him before Esau could claim him.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Jacob received the blessing, not Esau, because Rebekah helped Jacob appear before Isaac in place of his older brother. Furthermore, Esau had shown that he did not value the family inheritance or Jehovah's promises, while Jacob did value them very much.
The biblical account in Genesis 25:29-33 says that Esau actually sold his birthright to his brother. He despised it and even said, “What good is that to me?” And Genesis 25:34 adds, “So Esau despised his birthright.”
Esau didn't value the birthright because he exaggerated and said, "I'm about to die, what good is this right to me?" But this was a product of his desperation, and since he didn't value the privilege Jehovah had given him, he didn't value it at all.
Esau, unlike his brother Jacob, did not value spiritual things; therefore, he did not understand the importance of his family inheritance or Jehovah's promises.
What does it teach us about Jehovah?
This account shows us that Jehovah values those who value spiritual things and trust in his promises. Esau despised the family inheritance and Jehovah's promises, but Jacob, with a sincere heart, longed to share in the blessings promised to Abraham.
We learn that Jehovah doesn't look at appearance, physical strength, or human achievements, but rather at the attitude of the heart and the sincere desire to draw close to him. Jehovah rewards those who demonstrate faith, spiritual appreciation, and obedience, even if they don't seem important to the world.
What practical lessons can we learn?
This story teaches us the value of listening to and following the advice of Jehovah and our parents. When Esau became angry and sought revenge, Jacob obeyed his parents' instructions and fled for his life. This shows that accepting wise advice can save us from difficulties and help keep us safe, both spiritually and physically.
By putting into practice the counsel of the Bible, our parents, or mature brothers in the congregation, we demonstrate humility and increase our chances of receiving Jehovah's blessing and protection.
Lesson 12 Analysis: Jacob and Esau Make Peace
Why did the angel bless Jacob?
The angel blessed Jacob because he persisted and did not give up during the struggle, asking him to bless him. The angel said, “Let me go,” but Jacob replied, “No, not until you bless me.” In the end, the angel blessed him. This showed Jacob that Jehovah would protect him and would not allow Esau to harm him.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
The angel blessed Jacob because he did not give up during the struggle and showed great perseverance in holding on to the blessing. This demonstrated his faith and trust in Jehovah, which assured him that God would protect him and would not allow Esau to harm him.
Jacob did everything he could: he prayed, he planned a strategy to win his brother over, and he even wrestled with the angel until he was blessed. This teaches us that even though we have many blessings assured or promised by Jehovah, we must fight with all our might to obtain them.
How did Jacob make peace with his brother?
Jacob made peace with Esau when some of his servants informed him that his brother was approaching them with 400 men. Jacob was afraid that Esau wanted to harm him and his family, so he prayed to Jehovah, “Please save me from my brother.” Jacob sent him gifts—such as sheep, goats, cattle, camels, and donkeys—before meeting him. Later, when they met, Jacob bowed down to Esau seven times, and Esau hugged him. They wept and were reconciled.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Jacob made peace with his brother Esau by sending him gifts—such as sheep, goats, cattle, camels, and donkeys—before meeting him. He then went out before his family, bowed to Esau seven times, and the two embraced and wept, making peace.
Genesis 33:1-18 tells us that that morning Jacob saw Esau and the 400 men who were with him far away. Jacob went out ahead of his family to meet his brother, and when he arrived, he bowed to him seven times. Then Esau ran to Jacob, embraced him, and kissed him; the two wept and made peace.
This story teaches us that if there is a disagreement with a brother or sister, or anyone else, we should make every effort to restore a good relationship and try to restore what we had before. Likewise, if someone has done something to me and shows a desire to make things right, I have no problem accepting it and being as close as before.
You can see how truly spiritual Jacob was, because he prayed to Jehovah and asked for wisdom, and Jehovah helped him act in this way. He also prepared gifts—sheep, goats, cattle, camels, and donkeys—to soften his brother's heart. But most importantly, he sought Jehovah's guidance and thus took the right steps.
It's important to note that as soon as Jacob saw his brother, he took the initiative to honor him and bowed down to him, not once, not twice, but seven times. This demonstrates the humility and respect he felt for his brother, and that what mattered most to him was making peace with him.
Esau teaches us that it is possible to uproot resentment and bitterness, because at first he wanted to kill his brother. He cultivated that resentment for many years, and even after Jacob returned, he still harbored that feeling. However, he managed to uproot it. This shows that it's not about saying, "I can't forgive," but, in essence, saying, "I don't want to." If we truly set our minds to it, we can remove that feeling from our hearts.
We could say that Jacob could have argued that it was his brother who sold him the birthright and that, therefore, he had no right to be angry. But that didn't matter to him. He truly loved his brother so much that he was willing to make things right with him.
What does it teach us about Jehovah?
It teaches us that if we pray to Jehovah, He hears our prayers and gives us courage in times of fear. When Jacob was afraid that his brother Esau would attack him with 400 men, he prayed, and Jehovah strengthened him and showed him that he was not alone and that nothing would happen to him.
What practical lessons can we learn?
We learn that through sincere prayer, Jehovah gives us the courage to face difficulties. Jacob prayed to Jehovah for help before meeting Esau; in the same way, we can pray in times of fear and receive peace and the assurance that we are not alone.
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