Genesis 25:19-34
Key Verse: 25:23

(Genesis 25:1-18 records Abraham's life after the death of Sarah, and Abraham's death. The account of Ishmael's family shows God's faithfulness. Abraham was careful to protect Isaac's inheritance from the claims of other children. This genealogy is one of the "dividers" in Genesis.

* A FAMILY THAT PRAYS (19-23)

1. What was the problem in Isaac's family? What did Isaac do about it? How was his way of dealing with this problem different from the way his father Abraham had dealt with a similar problem? What can we learn from Isaac?

2. When and how did God answer Isaac's prayer? How long did they wait? (26) What might they have learned through waiting?

3. What was the discomfort Rebekah experienced during her pregnancy? Why was she concerned? What did she do? What does this show about her faith?

4. What was God's revelation to her when she came to him with her problem? What did this revelation mean practically to Jacob and Esau? What can you learn from the prayer lives of Isaac and Rebekah?

* JACOB AND ESAU (24-34)

5. How were Jacob and Esau different from one another at birth? What suggestions about their future characters are found in the account of their birth? (24-26). How were they different as they grew up? Why did Isaac and Rebekah differ in their view of the boys?

6. How did Esau come to sell his birthright to Jacob? What is the birthright? Why did Jacob want it? What does this show about him?

7. Why did Esau sell the birthright? Why does Genesis say that Esau despised his birthright? what does this show about him? (See Heb 12:16. Compare Ge 27:36;28:6?9)

8. In what respect is Jacob more fitted to be the covenant son than Esau? What can you learn from this chapter about God's ways of working?