Genesis chapters 26-28

God's message to me: God does not change course. What He set out to do He does no matter what.

Promises: God will fulfill His promises. He doesn't change even when we do wrong.

Commands: Trust God.

Timeless principles: If God brings you to it He will bring you through it. God guaranteed Jacobs safety and prosperity during his travels and when he returned home. He also guaranteed he would return home and inherit the land he was running from.

How can I apply what I've learned: Take God at his word.

More to study: God told Rebbecca that there were two nations warring within her and that the elder would serve the younger. The birthright, or right of inheritance is for the firstborn. Ishmael would have gotten it but the first son of Abraham's wife was the one God chose. Esau would have gotten it but Jacob was chosen of God.

Jacob got the birthright his brother sold for a bowl of lentil stew. (personally, I don't like lentils so I find Esau remarkably stupid) Jacob got his fathers blessing which was to position him as the leader and make his brother his servant as God had promised. He got the blessing of both parents for marrying someone not from Canaan. His brothers wives annoyed his parents enough that this blessing didn't have to be taken by trickery. They would have given it just to avoid further frustration. Jacob inherited the line of Israel as God intended. The blessing, the birthright and the Covenant of being the father of the nation of Israel passed from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob just as God had planned.

This would not be the last time that God made the last to be the first, the least to be the greatest and the weak to overpower.

Notice that Jacob promises the tithe to God if he proves himself God by fulfilling the promise made. God doesn't call us to blind faith. He will(and did)prove himself rather than demanding blind and unfounded faith.