Jacob and his family are on the cusp of entering Bethel when tragedy strikes. His daughter is assaulted. Her brothers are rightfully furious and decide to exact revenge. The passage is one of high emotion and complex issues and we’re diving right into it this weekend ..read more

After years of serving Laban, Jacob is headed home. His brother is coming for him and he has just wrestled with God, leaving him with a limp and a new name. In Genesis 33, he comes to the moment he has likely been dreading for decades. He can’t run. He can’t hide. He must now face the man from whom he has taken everything ..read more

After two decades of tricks and deception, Jacob and Laban finally part ways in dramatic fashion. A complicated chapter of Jacob’s life is finally over. Increasingly, both men also recognize the evidence of God’s hand at work in their lives. As we’ve seen repeatedly in past weeks, this episode comes with complicated questions ..read more

In Genesis 30, the toxic relationship between Jacob and Laban escalates as Jacob tries to return home and Laban convinces him to stay. Even though Jacob agrees to remain with Laban and allow him to experience more of God’s blessing, he also continues in his tactics of deception and betrayal through the way he cares for their joint flock of sheep and goats ..read more

After marrying Leah and Rachel, Jacob’s family begins to take shape, albeit in dysfunctional ways. Feeling overlooked by her husband, Leah seeks value in her childbearing. Rachel, feeling shamed by her initial barrenness, begins to compete with her sister’s fertility. Meanwhile, God is continuing to ultimately use the dysfunction for his glory ..read more

In Genesis 29, Jacob has met his match. In this chapter, he meets Laban and his two daughters. Jacob offers to work for the right to marry Rachel, only for Laban to trick him into marrying Leah instead. The deceiver finds himself deceived, but it also sets up the formation of the household that would eventually become the twelve tribes of Israel ..read more

Jacob has swindled his brother out of his birthright. He has tricked his dying father into giving him his brother’s blessing. He has alienated his family and is now living on the run. In this lonely place, God visits him in a dream and offers the same promise he has given Jacob’s father and grandfather. This week, we take a look at this blessing and the significance of this moment in Jacob’s life ..read more

NOTE: Due to technical difficulties, this week's recording has some choppy audio. We apologize for the inconvenience. Jacob has swindled his brother out of his birthright. He has tricked his dying father into giving him his brother’s blessing. He has alienated his family and is now living on the run. In this lonely place, God visits him in a dream and offers the same promise he has given Jacob’s father and grandfather. This week, we take a look at this blessing and the significance of this moment in Jacob’s life ..read more

Some stories in Genesis are difficult to digest. The story of Jacob stealing his brother’s blessing is one of them. It’s an episode that puts God’s sovereignty on display as he works through an imperfect family to accomplish his purposes. This week, we’re looking at this complex scene, what it reveals about the character of God, and what it shows about those chosen as part of his plan ..read more

As we continue our journey through Genesis, we see an encounter in Genesis 26 between Isaac and Abimelech, the king of the Philistines. As Isaac enters Abimelech’s land, God repeatedly reiterates his covenant promise with him, yet we also see Isaac encounter struggles in this foreign territory and even respond sinfully. What do we make of this complicated story?  ..read more