In Genesis 28, Isaac tells Jacob to go away from Canaan to find and marry a woman in Haran, from the family of Abraham. Isaac blesses Jacob and sends him off to take a wife from among the daughters of his uncle Laban, saying “ May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. May He give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham.” As Jacob then journeyed toward Haran, he stopped to rest in Bethel and had a dream in which God spoke to him of the promises of blessings and the land of Canaan which would be given to Jacob and his descendants. God said also, “I am with you and will watch over your, wherever you go, and … I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Jacob awoke and realized that God was with him and he made a vow, saying “ (Since) God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s house, then the Lord will be my God” . Jacob models for us the proper response to God's promises that we claim--- our loyalty and commitment to Him as the Lord of our life.

Genesis 27 is the account of Jacob, with the help of his mother, deceiving his father into giving him the blessing that rightly belonged to his brother, Esau. His nearly blind father, Isaac, was in his last days and was planning to give his blessing to his firstborn son, Esau, as was customary. But, Jacob disguised himself with Esau's clothes and made his hands hairy like Esau with animal skin gloves. Isaac then blessed Jacob, saying "May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness--an abundance of grain and new wine. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you." When Isaac later realized it was not Esau, he trembled violently and said, "Who was it, then...that came and I blessed him?--and indeed he will be blessed!" Esau held a grudge against Jacob for stealing his blessing, saying "The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob", but their mother sent Jacob away to his uncle Laban in Haran. These events fulfilled the words of the Lord spoken to Rebekah when Jacob and Esau were still in her womb, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger."

Genesis 26 begins with a famine in the land and Isaac being directed by God to remain in Gerar and trust in Him for provision, rather than going down to Egypt. God reminds Isaac of the promises He made to his father to bless his descendants. So Isaac obeyed the Lord and stayed in Gerar, but he made the same mistake that Abraham twice made before. Rather than having faith in God, Isaac lies about his wife, saying she is his sister, in order to protect himself from any harm from other men in Gerar. The king, Abimelech, discovers the truth and becomes very angry and orders Isaac and his people to move away. Isaac had become very wealthy with his harvests, herds and flocks, so they moved away into the Valley of Gerar where they dug out and used the same water wells that Abraham had previously used. King Abimelech "saw clearly that the Lord was with Isaac" and made a treaty with him to avoid any future threats from Isaac's people.

Genesis 25 is the account of Abraham's death and the continuation of God's blessings and promises through his son, Isaac. Isaac's wife gave birth to twins, Jacob and Esau, whom the Lord had told her would become two separate nations. At the conclusion of the chapter, there is an account of Esau selling his birthright to Jacob for some food.

In Genesis 24, Abraham sends his chief servant to his native homeland to find a wife for his son, Isaac. With God's help and guidance, he returned with Rebekah and she became Isaac's wife.

Genesis 23 is about the death and burial of Abraham's wife, Sarah. Abraham wanted to honor Sarah with a proper burial and humbly asked to purchase a suitable place in the foreign land that he was living. He didn't assume that he had rights to the land, even though God had promised it to him, but humbly asked and paid the full price to Ephron.

Genesis 22 is the account of Abraham's faith being tested by God, who asks him to sacrifice his son. When Abraham had obeyed God and did not withhold even his beloved son, God said again, " I will bless you richly..multiply your descendants into countless millions.. they will conquer their enemies..through them all the nations of the earth will be blessed --- all because you have obeyed me." Abraham had gone to the mountain and was going to sacrifice his son as God had told him, but the Lord had stopped him, saying "Do not hurt the boy.. for now I know that you truly fear God" . The Lord then provided a ram as a substitute sacrifice instead, so Abraham named the mountain "The Lord Will Provide". This chapter not only demonstrates the amazing faithfulness of Abraham, but more importantly reminds us again of God's vast love for His children in the way he provides and cares for them. This account nearly brings me to tears every time I read it, as I try to imagine the emotional struggle Abraham must have experienced as he decided to obey God and demonstrate his commitment to God above all else, even to give up his precious son. We can't help but see the parallel with the sacrifice of Jesus, whom God gave up for us -- what amazing love !