Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Jacob-what you sow is what you reap

Isaac and Rebekah have twins sons, while they were in the womb they were already fighting. Esau was born first but Jacob came out gripping Esau's heel, not wanting to let go. As the firstborn, Esau was to receive his family's birthright. This was the oldest son's right to the greatest part of the inheritance and to a special blessing from the father. Esau was a very carefree person who did not really care about his inheritance. Jacob on the other hand really wanted it and decided to take matters into his own hands.
One day Esau found Jacob cooking. Esau was hungry for some of his soup. Jacob knew this was his chance. He said, "First give me your birthright." Esau was so hungry that he agreed. Neither son told their father, Isaac of this trade. So my first treat tonight is chili soup.
Years later when Isaac was old and blind, he called for his son Esau, and asked him to prepare him a meal and then Isaac would give him his special blessing. Rebekah overheard Isaac, and asked Jacob to pretend to be Esau so he could get the special blessing.
Esau was an outdoors man who liked to hunt and was very hairy. So Jacob wore Esau's clothing so he could smell like him, and put goat hair on his arms and chest, so he could be hairy like his brother. He was able to trick his father since his father was almost blind. When Esau heard what Jacob did, he vowed to kill him. So Jacob left and went to his uncle Laban's house.

After Jacob arrived at his Uncle's house he met Laban's daughter Rachel and fell madly in love with her. Laban told Jacob if he worked for him for seven years he could then marry his daughter Rachel, Jacob agreed.
Rachel had an older sister Leah who was not married. It was not the custom for a younger sister to marry before the older sister, and since the brides face was completely covered, Laban was able to trick Jacob into marrying Leah instead of Rachel. It was also the custom to have more that one wife, so Laban again told Jacob that if he worked another seven years he could marry Rachel and he did. So we also are having wedding cake tonight.



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