BibleProject | One Story: Foundations of the Bibleনমুনা

After running, scheming, and wrestling with God, Jacob ends up walking with a limp toward a new future. When God tells him to move back to Bethel, Jacob obeys and acknowledges God’s protection throughout his tumultuous life. God reaffirms his unwavering promise to bless the world through Jacob’s family. God is advancing the Edenic blessing to “be fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1:28) with his promise of land, descendants, and kings to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3, 17:16). God continues to honor this promise through Jacob and, eventually, one of his sons.

But Jacob’s previous acts of deception continue to result in envy, rivalry, and contempt within his family. He lavishes preferential treatment on his favorite wife’s oldest son, Joseph, by giving him an expensive robe. Adding insult to injury, Joseph tells his jealous brothers about his dream where they all bow down to him. It’s the last straw. Joseph’s brothers try to murder him before selling him to slave traders, who drag Joseph down to Egypt in chains.

The brothers present Joseph’s bloodied and tattered robe to their inconsolable father as proof of his death. Every generation of Abraham’s family seems bent toward deception and chaos. How will God bring order and beauty out of this mess?

Today’s video explains how these tragic episodes of human failure fit into the unified story that leads to Jesus. When we go back to the beginning of the story, we can better see how Jesus is the answer to a broken human family who continually struggles to be faithful covenant partners.

Reflection questions:

• Where else have you seen a deception involving a slaughtered goat in the story of Jacob’s life? Does the connection reveal anything you had not previously seen in this story?
• Why do you think God chose to reveal himself and his purposes for the world through the history, struggles, and meditations of one people group—the descendants of Abraham’s family?