Genesis III Notes XIII. Two Nations

Transcription

1 XIII. Theme: Two Nations 29-Aug-04 Genesis 36:1-37:1 No Duguid Chapter Esau was materially blessed by God and grew into a great nation; however Esau turned his back on spiritual things and became the example of a profane or godless person who is rejected by God. Key Verses: Gen. 36:1, 31; 37:1 1 Now this is the genealogy of Esau, who is Edom. 31 Now these were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel. 1 Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. Review Last week we covered Genesis 35. This is a chapter of correction and completion. Correction, because there is still abiding sin that must be dealt with. We see Jacob s family put away their remaining idols, bury their spoils of war, and purify themselves. We also see that sin remains, as in the case of Reuben s incest with Bilhah, Jacob s concubine. There are three deaths in the chapter: the death of the Rebekah s nurse Deborah; the death of Rachel in child birth; and the death of Isaac in his old age. These deaths are reminders that the curse of sin is still present. But the chapter is also one of completion. Jacob finally returns to Bethel and fulfills his vow he made many years before. Jacob demonstrates a growth in maturity by focusing on the God of Bethel rather than the place of Bethel. He names his altar El Bethel, which means the God of the House of God. God makes his final (personal) appearance in the book of Genesis to Jacob at Bethel. Once again, the covenant promises are repeated and strengthened. Israel is to become a great nation in the Promised Land. Jacob s line will eventually produce kings and ultimately will produce the Messiah, Jesus Christ. We close the book on Rachel and Isaac. Although Jacob lives on, his twelfth and final son Benjamin is born and the torch is effectively passed on to the next generation. The first of many lists of Israel s twelve sons is given to us here, a reminder that God s promises are coming to fruition and that this family is finally on the way to becoming a great nation. As we leave Jacob behind, remember these last pictures of him. True, he was a supplanter and a deceiver; he was a man who struggled with his father, his brother, his uncle, his wives, and his sons. But he also struggled with God, and the Scriptures say he prevailed. He received the blessings and the promises of God through the goodness and grace of the Lord. As we watch him limping to Bethel, we see a man who has learned the hard way through many years that it is better to dwell in the house of God than it is to live elsewhere in the world. His worship at Bethel is in obedience to the word of God and in response to God s goodness to him over the course of his life. God continually calls each generation of believers to rekindle their faith. Let us, like Jacob, put away the idols and pleasures of this world that still cling to us, purify ourselves, and worship God in obedience to His word and in response to His goodness to us. With Jacob s return to Bethel and to full obedience, the spotlight naturally moves on to the next generation. Will they learn the same lessons their father learned? Israel s obedience is never more secure than the obedience of the current generation. So it is also in the church. Genesis III Notes. Doc p. 113 DSB 9-Sep-05

2 Introduction So, today we come to the end of the road. This is our last study in the book of Genesis for this quarter. On the surface, the subject matter seems a bit dry. We have left the Jacob Cycle behind, and today we are looking at Genesis chapter 36, which is the genealogy of Esau, Jacob s brother. Essentially, this chapter is a long list of hard-to-pronounce names from the distaff line. Not the most compelling of reading! But, if you read the list carefully, and compare it with the rest of Scripture, then some hidden lessons begin to emerge. Hopefully, today we will be able to get beyond the surface and dig some meet out of this genealogy. Before we read the list of names, I first want to make a few comments about the structure of the passage. Remember that Genesis is structured as a series of Offspring narratives. After the account of Creation, there are ten sections that are headed by the formula This is the offspring of or These are the descendants of What I ve been calling the Jacob Cycle is one of these sections: it starts in Genesis 25:19 This is the genealogy of Isaac Thus, the entire Jacob Cycle is really the story of Isaac s descendants Jacob and Esau. Since Isaac dies at the end of the Jacob Cycle, we need to start a new section. Before we get to the section describing Jacob s descendants which is the Joseph story starting in 37:2 we first have a shorter section telling us about Esau s descendants. Again, this is the pattern that the book of Genesis follows. Before covering the chosen line the Seed line in detail, a shorter genealogy is given of the line that is not chosen. So, we have all of the offspring of Noah listed before focusing on the seed line of Terah and Abraham; we have the short genealogy of Ishmael before focusing on the seed line of his brother Isaac; and now we have the short genealogy of Esau before focusing on the seed line of his brother Jacob (the story of Joseph). Next, I want to point out to you that we actually have two sections in front of us, both covering the genealogy of Esau. The first section is Genesis 36:1-8, which covers Esau s family in Canaan and their migration to Mount Seir. The second section is Genesis 36:9-43, which is a longer account of Esau s family in Mount Seir. Many scholars believe that this second genealogy was inserted to the text somewhat later than the first genealogy. If you look at 37:1 about Jacob, it seems to echo and contrast with the end of the first section about Esau: 36:6-8 Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the persons of his household, his cattle and all his animals, and all his goods which he had gained in the land of Canaan, and went to a country away from the presence of his brother Jacob. For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together, and the land where they were strangers could not support them because of their livestock. So Esau dwelt in Mount Seir. Esau is Edom. 37:1 Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. Note that 37:2 starts the final section of Genesis: This is the history of Jacob. So, it seems likely that the second genealogy of Esau (36:9-43) was inserted between 36:8 and 37:1 at a later point. That doesn t make it any less inspired or any less important; in fact, it raises our curiosity to understand why it is here and what it is trying to teach us. Genesis III Notes. Doc p. 114 DSB 9-Sep-05

3 A. The Sons of Esau (36:1-8) 1. Wives (36:1-5) The first problem we have to deal with in this genealogy is the names of Esau s three wives. Earlier in the narrative we learned that Esau married two pagan women who were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah (26:34-35). Later, after Isaac and Rebekah send Jacob away to Haran to marry a proper wife, Esau tries to please his parents by marrying a granddaughter of Abraham Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael (28:6-9). The problem we face here is that the names of the wives in Genesis 36 do not match the names given in Genesis 26:34-35 and 28:9. Genesis 26:34-35; 28:9 Genesis 36:2-3 Judith, daughter of Beeri the Hittite Aholibamah, daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite Basemath, daughter of Elon the Hittite Adah, daughter of Elon the Hittite Mahalath, daughter of Ishmael. Basemath, daughter of Ishmael. James Boice provides an explanation: The easiest explanation of this difficulty is that each wife had more than one name, one perhaps for living in the culture of Canaan and the other for living in the Hittite culture. Adah is the same as the Basemath of Genesis 26:34, for both are identified as the daughter of Elon the Hittite. Similarly, the Basemath of Genesis 36:3 is the same as Mahalath, for both are said to be the daughter of Ishmael. This leaves Aholibamah (the cheer on game day in Tuscaloosa?) to be identified with Judith, though in this case the wives are said to be descended from different fathers. It is probably the case that the two fathers are actually one also, they too having been known by different names. Remember, Esau becomes know as Edom, Jacob as Israel, Abram as Abraham, Sarai as Sarah, and so on. Place names also changes (remember Bethel and Luz?). So, it is entirely possible that they have different names, although I do confess that it is rather confusing! Having dealt with the names of the wives, I want you to notice a very important detail in verse 2: Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan. Eveson comments: These words recall his ungodly way of life. He had no real interest in his family roots. The chosen family meant nothing to him. Instead of keeping himself apart from the sinful people around him, he came into the closest possible union with them, again to the detriment of his soul and his offspring. Jacob went to his family in Haran to find a wife; Esau integrated into the culture around him. Throughout our study of Isaac s family, we have continually been reminded that Esau is a profane or godless person (Heb. 12:16). We are again reminded of that here in his choice of wives. The nation of Israel is constantly admonished to separate themselves from Canaanite culture and to not intermarry with them. But all too often the people of Israel follow the example of their uncle Esau rather than their father Jacob. Paul gives us the same admonition in 2 Cor. 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 2. Exodus (36:6-8) In verses 6-8 we have another exodus. Unfortunately, this is the wrong kind of Exodus. Instead of leaving a pagan land for the land of promise, Esau takes his three wives and five sons and leaves the Promised Land for good. This departure is consistent with the anti- Genesis III Notes. Doc p. 115 DSB 9-Sep-05

4 blessing given him by Isaac: Behold your dwelling shall be away from the fatness of the earth and away from the dew of heaven from above (27:39). James Boice describes the land of Edom: Edom was the territory bordering Judah to the east and south. That is, it was east of the Jordan River and extended southward from the borders of Moab to the Gulf of Aqaba. On the eastern side, Edom was bordered by the desert. It was approximately twenty to thirty miles wide and about one hundred miles long. The northern and eastern areas of this territory contain parts fit for cultivation, but these are not what gives importance to the land. The importance of Edom was due to two factors. First, it was situated along the trade routes between Syria and Egypt and was therefore in a position to profit from this trade. Trade brought business, and the inhabitants grew rich on tolls extracted from the many caravans. The second factor was Edom s natural strength and security. The central area is characterized by red sandstone cliffs that rise to heights of more than five thousand feet above sea level. These are easily fortified. Edom s major towns were Teman in the south, Bozrah in the north, and Sela (the capital, hidden away in the most inaccessible part of the sandstone highlands). Sela was later called Petra. Eveson points out: Like Lot, Esau moved east away from the land which God had promised to give to Abraham s descendants. In doing so Esau turned his back on God s gift and on the places that had become precious to his grandfather and father. Esau lived by sight rather than by faith. In addition to this negative comparison to Lot, there is also a parallel with Ishmael. Ishmael also moved east, away from the Promised Land (25:17-18). Esau and Ishmael both had the opportunity to live close to their brothers. As we have discussed before, the line of blessing went from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob. Although Ishmael and Esau could have stayed close to their brothers and shared in God s blessings, they chose to go east and leave God behind. (In Genesis, traveling east is a picture of exile from God.) The second genealogy is now inserted here. In general, it consists of four parts: 1) the chiefs of Esau; 2) the sons of Seir; 3) the kings of Edom; and 4) the chiefs of Edom. Note: the second genealogy is repeated for the most part in I Chronicles 1: B. The Chiefs of Esau (36:9-19) 1. Key Descendants (36:9-14) In this section, we have a repetition of the three wives of Esau and his five sons: Eliphaz son of Adah, Reuel son of Basemath, and Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah, the sons of Aholibamah. But here we learn about some of the grandsons of Esau. In particular, I want to focus on a few of them, whose names become important later in the Bible. Notice that three of the sons of Eliphaz are Teman, Kenaz, and Amalek. Interestingly, Amalek has a different mother than the other sons of Eliphaz. What do we know about these three names? First, let s look at Amalek. He became the father of the Amalekites, a separate nation. Perhaps because his mother was a concubine, his other brothers ostracized him, forcing him to live apart. The Amalekites are always presented in the Scriptures as the enemies of the Israelites. The Amalekites opposed Israel on the Exodus. Joshua led the fight against them, and they prevailed as long as Moses arms were uplifted in prayer (Ex. 17:8-16). The Amalekites drive the Israelites back in their futile attempt to enter the land after they follow the advice of the ten spies and rebel against God (Num. 14:25-45). And the Amalekites are constant invaders and oppressors during the period of the Judges (cp. Jdg. 3:13; 5:14; 6:3, 33; 7:12; 10:12; 12:15). David and Saul also fight the Amalekites during their reigns. Remember how Saul Genesis III Notes. Doc p. 116 DSB 9-Sep-05

5 failed to obey God by killing Agag, king of Amalek? For that sin he lost his kingdom. Because of their opposition during the Exodus, God tells Israel in Dt. 25:17-19: 17 Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, 18 how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God. 19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD your God has given you rest from your enemies all around, in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, that you will blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget. I don t know what happened to Amalek, but I do know that they have been blotted out. Thus is the fate of the enemies of the people of God. Second, let s take Teman. The name appears 19 times in the Scriptures; 4 times here in Genesis 36; 3 times in I Chronicles 1, which is a parallel passage to Genesis 36; 6 times in 5 different prophets, where it is used as a synonym for Moab (Jer. 49:7, 20; Ez. 25:13; Amos 1:12; Ob. 1:9; Hab. 3:3); and 6 times in the book of Job referring to one of Job s friends Eliphaz the Temanite (cp. Job 2:11; 4:1; 15:1; 22:1; 42:7,9). Now isn t that interesting? Teman is the son of Eliphaz and the grandson of Esau. Later on, one of his descendants, another Eliphaz is a friend of Job. Eliphaz the Temanite in the book of Job is descended from Esau and lives in the region of Edom. In fact, Job, who is from the land of Uz, also lives in the region of Edom, because the book of Lamentations indicates that Uz is in Edom (cp. Job 1:1; Lam. 4:21). Is it possible that Job is also a descendant of Esau? Could be, based on where he was from. Regarding Eliphaz, Jordan comments: Though Eliphaz s faith was weak, he was saved in the end as Job prayed for him (Job 42:7-9). We see from this that true faith was not absent from Esau s descendants later on. Finally, let s look at Kenaz. It is likely that Caleb the Kenizzite was a descendant of Kenaz, the grandson of Esau. Caleb along with Joshua were the two spies who gave a good report of the land (Num. 32:12). Caleb later received his inheritance in the land (Josh. 14:6, 14). Caleb s younger brother was named Kenaz, and his son Othniel was the first of the judges of Israel (Josh. 15:17; Jdg. 1:13; 3:9, 11). Caleb s grandson was also named Kenaz (1 Chr. 4:15) (Jordan). So here is an example of a godly family descended from Esau. How did Caleb and his family prosper? By aligning themselves with the children of Israel. Just like Ruth the Moabitess, or Rahab the Canaanite, Caleb the Kenizzite was grafted into the people of God. 2. Twelve Tribes (36:15-19) In verses 15-19, the sons and grandsons of Esau are given to us again, although this time they are called chiefs. In verse 16, there appears to be an extra son of Eliphaz another Korah (Korah was a son of Esau by Aholibamah). The Samaritan Penteteuch omits this Chief Korah. Korah is not named in the first list of the sons of Eliphaz (36:11). He is also not named in I Chronicles 1, the parallel passage. So I think it is best to assume that there is one Chief Korah, the son of Esau rather than the son of Eliphaz. To what does the designation of chief refer? Eveson says: The term chief is associated with the word for a thousand and seems to have been an Edomite name for a leader of a tribe. These sons and grandsons had become heads of tribes which formed the Edomite nation. When we consider that there are twelve chiefs listed here (excluding Chief Amalek, who essentially becomes his own nation), we have here the twelve tribes of Esau, or the twelve tribes of Edom. Of course, these twelve tribes of Edom stand in contrast to the twelve tribes of Israel, which are still in the formative stages. Genesis III Notes. Doc p. 117 DSB 9-Sep-05

6 C. The Sons of Seir (36:20-30) The next section changes gear slightly. Instead of descendants of Esau, this section describes the sons of Seir, who were inhabiting the land that Esau later moved into and claimed for his own. Essentially what we see here is the further intermingling of Esau s line with the ungodly pagans around him. One of Esau s three wives is Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the (grand)daughter of Zibeon the Hivite (36:2). But in these verses we learn that Zibeon the Hivite is descended from Seir the Horite (36:20, 24-25). Thus it seems as if the Hivites and the Horites refer to the same people. We also learn that Eliphaz concubine Timna, the mother of Amalek (36:12), was also a Horite. She is the sister of Lotan, the son of Seir the Horite (36:20, 22). So Esau s family had strong connections with the Horites of Mt. Seir. The Horites were the original inhabitants of Mt. Seir. We first met the Horites of Mt. Seir in Genesis 14:6, when the kings from the north came and attacked Canaan in the days of Abraham, carrying away Lot amongst others. Later on we learn from Dt. 2:12 that the Horites formerly dwelt in Seir, but the descendants of Esau dispossessed them and destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their place, just as Israel did to the land of their possession which the LORD gave them. So, the Horites were the original inhabitants of this area, but Esau joined himself to them by marriage, moved in, and later took over the whole operation. This destruction of the Horites was in the providence of God, according to Jos. 24:4 To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave the mountains of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. Eveson points out: Not all the Horites were destroyed; some of Seir s descendants were absorbed into the Edomite community. This conquering and subduing of the original inhabitants of Edom by Esau s family anticipated the conquering of Canaan by the Israelites nearly five hundred years later. D. The Kings of Edom (36:31-39) The next section in the history of Esau lists eight kings of Edom. The kings of Edom resemble the later Judges of Israel, in that there is no hereditary ruler and no recognized capital city (Baldwin). The death of each king is noted apart from the last, which may indicate that Hadad was alive in the time of Moses (Eveson). After 40 years in exile, the nation of Israel wanted to march through the nation of Edom, but the king of Edom refused them passage (Num. 20:14-20). Perhaps it was this King Hadad, although he is not named in the book of Numbers. Eveson points out the purpose of this section: One of the main reasons for mentioning these Edomite rulers is to show that there were kings in Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel (36:31). Though Esau, who is Edom, was first in achieving nationhood and kingly rule, Jacob, who is Israel, had to wait many centuries for these promised items to find some fulfillment. Their complete realization comes with the promised Seed who defeated the ruler of this world and set up a kingdom which is everlasting. As in the days of Cain, worldly people seem to advance rapidly. The kingdoms of this world seem to flourish at the expense of the kingdom of God. But though it delays, wait for it. E. The Chiefs of Edom (36:40-43) Here we have some more chiefs. Eveson again gives the explanation: The list of chiefs in the final paragraph (36:40-43) has names that seem to have more to do with administrative districts. The heads of clans had given their names to the districts over which the chiefs governed under the king. They not only took the land; they possessed every part of it. They Genesis III Notes. Doc p. 118 DSB 9-Sep-05

7 administered the whole land in a most effective way. Unlike Esau, Israel was slow in possessing and administering the land. F. Jacob (37:1) And then there s Maude I mean Jacob. While Esau is out there starting a nation, what is Jacob doing? He s living in the land of Canaan like a stranger. He s not going to be there long. He s going to migrate south to Egypt with his entire family, such as it is a total of seventy souls. It will be almost 500 years before the nation of Israel leaves Egypt and re-enters Canaan. During that time, the family of Esau has grown into a nation, with kings and chiefs and administrative districts and fortresses and cities and land and a stable economy. What does Jacob have? Not much by worldly standards. He is a stranger and an alien. Kings and land have been promised to him by God, but it seems as if his older brother has beaten him to the punch. But Jacob had one thing his brother did not have the promises of God. Ross says: Secular greatness in general grows up far more rapidly than spiritual greatness. The promised spiritual blessing demands patience in faith, and emphasizes that waiting while others prosper is a test of faithfulness and perseverance. God will give the promised blessings to Jacob s seed, but only after long refining and proving of the faith. Eveson puts it this way: Jacob had none of these earthly blessings that had been promised him. But he did have the blessing of knowing God and he was prepared to wait patiently for the rest. All things considered, it is better to have Canaan in promise than Mount Seir in possession. Conclusion In conclusion, I would like to address a few remarks about Esau and his descendants. First, let s consider how God blessed Esau. Remember the oracle in the womb? Two nations are in your womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger (25:23). For most of our class we ve concentrated on the older (Esau) serving the younger (Jacob). But notice that God prophesies that there are two peoples, two nations, not just one. Although we have focused on Jacob and the arduous process of him becoming Israel, we mustn t forget that God had determined in His good providence to make Esau into the nation of Edom. And that is exactly what Genesis 36 tells us. Over and over again we are reminded that Esau is Edom (36:1, 8, 9, 19). Esau has become a nation, just as God promised. Boice puts it this way: Esau was not the son of promise. Jacob was. Yet God prospered Esau and made him into the great nation of Edom, the strength of which is indicated by the lists of kings and chiefs in this passage. If God blesses so abundantly those who are not chosen, what is the magnitude of his blessings for those who are chosen? If non-spiritual people experience such outpourings of merely common grace, how great must the special grace of the regenerate be! Second, let s make a final review of Esau s spiritual condition. Sadly, despite his reconciliation with Jacob, there is no indication that he ever embraced the God of his grandfather Abraham, the God of his father Isaac, and the God of his brother Jacob. He despised his birthright (25:34), which means more than just the double portion of the physical inheritance. Esau also despised the spiritual blessing that went along with it. In the case of Abraham s family, that included being the heir of the Messiah to come. Esau showed no spiritual sensitivity in marrying into pagan communities. Instead of taking a wife from his own family that would be a blessing, his marriages to pagan women were a source of grief to Isaac Genesis III Notes. Doc p. 119 DSB 9-Sep-05

8 and Rebekah (26:35). Instead of separating himself from the world, he joined himself to it. He allied himself to the Horites of Mt. Seir and became rich and powerful in that mountain stronghold. While he might have gained material advantage, the spiritual blessings of God were lost to him. In addition, James Boice points out that there seems to be no spiritual regard passed on to the next generations. He asserts this by an analysis of the names of the Edomites. In Esau s line there are no great spiritual names. The names are sensual. Here are what some of the names mean: ornament, hyena, perfume, pure gold, rest, gazelle, wicked, bald, hawk, restorer, advantage, turtle, swift, mountain goat, jubilation, fold, mouse. Only two names in the first generation are godly: Reuel, which means friend of God, and Jeush, which perhaps means God helps. That s it. Only two names out of 81 in the chapter contain the name of God. Clearly, the things of God are of little concern to this family. Remember, the final word on Esau comes from the book of Hebrews: 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears (Heb. 12:16-17). Third, the spiritual attitude passed on by Esau to his family affected his descendants. True, there were godly people in the line, such as Job, Eliphaz the Temanite, and the family of Caleb the Kenizzite. But the vast majority of the Edomites remained hostile to the people of God and outside of God s saving grace. Remember how the Edomites refused passage to the children of Israel on their way to conquering the land of Canaan. Well, later on in history, the Israelite king David conquered Edom in an obvious fulfillment of the oracle that the elder will serve the younger (2. Sam. 8:13-14). Although Edom was incorporated into the Davidic kingdom, Edom still maintained its own identity. The prophets Obadiah and Jeremiah (49:7-22) prophesy Edom s destruction. In the fifth century BC Edom lost their independence and from about 312 BC they were controlled by the Nabateans, who may be descedants of Nebajoth, the son of Ishmael and the brother of Basemath, the wife of Esau. Boice continues: In this period, Edom was called Idumea, the place from which Herod the Great, an Idumean, came. From the time of the Mohammedan conquests, the region has been virtually unoccupied except for Bedouins and, in recent history, military outposts of the modern state of Jordan. It has indeed been brought to nothing, as Obadiah foretold. A sad end to a nation closely associated with the people of God. Finally, consider God s sovereign grace in election. Malachi tells us: I have loved you, says the LORD. Yet you say, In what way have You loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? Says the LORD. Yet Jacob I have loved; 3 But Esau I have hated, and laid waste his mountains and his heritage for the jackals of the wilderness (Mal. 1:2-3). Eveson explains: It would be wrong to conclude from this that every Edomite is damned and every Israelite saved. The passage is referring to God s choice of Jacob to be in the family line that would lead to the Messiah. The prophet s words are taken up by the apostle Paul to show that being a child of God is not dependent on birth, or what a person does, but on God s choice and calling (Rom. 9:6-29). Not all who belong to Israel are the Israel of God. Jacob have I loved, stands for all who have been chosen and called by God, however deprived their background and rebellious their past, but who by God s grace trust the promise of God in Christ. Esau have I hated stands for all those who are excluded from Genesis III Notes. Doc p. 120 DSB 9-Sep-05

9 salvation in Jesus Christ, however privileged their background and religious their lives, and who in the end remain stubbornly opposed to God and his Christ. Esau had every advantage to believe the promises but he deliberately went his own sinful way. Be like Jacob and let nothing hinder you from finding the blessing of sins forgiven. Amen. Close in Prayer. Next week: End of class Fall Quarter 2004 starts! Genesis III Notes. Doc p. 121 DSB 9-Sep-05