Jacob: Discerning God’s Presence

by John D. Barry; Derek R. Brown; Miles Custis; Douglas Mangum; Wendy Widder

Publisher:

Lexham Press

, 2013

Discerning God’s Presence

Jacob’s life was characterized by deception. He deceived his father to obtain his brother’s blessing and was later tricked by Laban. Throughout the many ups and downs of his life, Jacob struggled to recognize God’s presence. Even so, God remained with Jacob—just as He remains with believers today. In Jacob: Discerning God’s Presence, you’ll walk through life with Jacob and his family—learning along the way how their story is like your story.

 

Discover new meaning in the life of Jacob

Jacob: Discerning God’s Presence helps you dig deeper into the life of Jacob. Dig up the nuggets you might have missed. Discuss questions you’ve never thought to ask. Infuse your sermons with energy and conviction. Learn new ways to apply Jacob’s story in your life.

Get connected with others in your church. Jacob: Discerning God’s Presence is perfect for small groups, and it’s best used in conjunction with the complete curriculum package for your entire church. The topics in each small group Bible study integrate with your pastor’s sermons. Everything is centered on the Word, so you get a complete, shared Bible study experience with your entire church.

The entire program is designed for Logos Bible Software and Logos’ Faithlife Study Bible app. It combines text and visuals with today’s most advanced Bible study tools. All Scripture passages link to your favorite Bible translation and to the original language texts in your library.

This is the edition for individuals and group members. The complete church curriculum for leaders and pastors is available here. This version of Jacob: Discerning God’s Presence is a book featuring infographics, maps, thought-provoking questions, “writable” answer boxes, Bible study tips, an annotated reading list, and printable handouts. The complete church curriculum for leaders and pastors includes everything in the individual/group member version plus videos, small-group lesson plans, sermon outlines, and teaching slideshows.

The Studies in Faithful Living series

The Studies in Faithful Living series examines the lives of biblical characters who responded faithfully to God’s call. Combining narrative analysis with infographics, maps, and questions for reflection, each volume explores key events in these characters’ lives, combining the depth you expect from a biblical commentary with application and teaching insights. Each volume is available as an individual/group member version or as a complete church curriculum version for pastors/teachers.

Praise for the Studies in Faithful Living Series

Logos has taken group Bible study to the next level with their new Studies in Faithful Living series. Deeply engaging, biblically accurate, and filled with life-changing applications, this series is destined to be the go-to resource for lay leaders for years to come.

—Israel Loken, Chair, Bible and Theology Departments, College of Biblical Studies, Houston, TX

Top Highlights

“In the prologue to Jacob’s birth, we see that no circumstances or obstacles can prevent God from showing His loving faithfulness to His people.” (Genesis 24:1–67)

“Twice he benefited from deceit. For Jacob, deception developed into a character flaw he would wrestle most of his life. Only a painful encounter with God Himself (Gen 32:22–32) made Jacob begin to recognize the error of his ways.” (Genesis 25:29–34)

“In this volume, we examine the life of a twin brother who struggled against his own kin from the womb to old age, until eventually he learned what it meant to allow God’s presence to define his life. Unlike the lives of some biblical characters, Jacob’s journey is the antithesis of God’s desires for us. In spite of Jacob grabbing at his brother’s heel (and everything else), God continued to grab ahold of him. If Jacob had only responded in his early years, his life would have been filled with wonderment, beauty, and perhaps even positive life change for others. God doesn’t want Jacob’s earlier responses from us; he wants Jacob’s later response—recognition that God’s presence is with us always, everywhere.” (source)

“Jacob’s life is all about God’s presence, but that doesn’t mean he sees things that way.” (source)

“The ‘man’ blessed Jacob by changing his name from Jacob—the one who fought to get to the top—to Israel, meaning ‘God fights’ (Gen 32:28). His new name called him to believe that God would go before him and fight for him.” (Genesis 32:1–33:20)

Contents

Each chapter of Jacob: Discerning God’s Presence is structured to maximize your study:

• Setting the Stage:
  • Theme: Introduces the meaning and relevance of an event in Jacob’s life
  • Literary Context: Illustrates the conditions surrounding that event
  • Historical and Cultural Background: Presents relevant data about the ancient world
• A Closer Look: Gives a walk-through of the event while exploring issues of interpretation, original language, and theology
• Throughout the Bible: Examines discussion of the event elsewhere in the Bible
• Beyond the Bible: Treats references to the event in ancient documents and extracanonical texts and references and by theologians, the church fathers, and contemporary thinkers
• Application: Concludes the chapter by exploring the event’s relevance to your journey of faith

You’ll also find Quick Tips on difficult passages and Quick Bits of historical information, original language wording, and ancient thought.

8-Week Program

• Passing on the Promise (Genesis 24; 25:19–28)
• Birthright and Blessing (Genesis 25:29–34; 27:1–41)
• Dreaming of the Divine (Genesis 27: 42–46; 28:1–5, 10–22)
• Hired Help (Genesis 29:1–35; 30:1–24)
• Dueling Deceivers (Genesis 30:25–43; 31:1–55)
• Pleading for Protection (Genesis 32:1–32; 33:1–20)
• A Failed Father (Genesis 34:1–31)
• Renamed and Renewed (Genesis 35:1–29)

Product Details

• Title: Jacob: Discerning God’s Presence
• Authors: Derek R. Brown, Miles Custis, Douglas Mangum, and Wendy Widder
• Editor: John D. Barry
• Series: Studies in Faithful Living
• Publisher: Lexham Press
• Publication Date: 2013
• Format: Logos Digital, Paperback
• Trim Size: 6x9
• ISBN: 9781577995807

About the Authors

Derek R. Brown is a contributing editor at Lexham Press. He holds a PhD in New Testament Studies and Christian Origins from the University of Edinburgh and a Masters of Christians Studies in New Testament Studies from Regent College.

Miles Custis is the author of The End of the Matter: Understanding the Epilogue of Ecclesiastes, a Faithlife Study Bible contributing editor, and a regular Bible Study Magazine and Lexham Bible Dictionary contributor. He holds a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from Trinity Western University.

Douglas Mangum is an academic editor for Lexham Press. He holds a PhD in Hebrew from the University of Free State and holds an MA in Hebrew and Semitic Studies from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is a Lexham English Bible and Lexham Bible Guide editor, a Faithlife Study Bible contributing editor, a Studies in Faithful Living co-author, a regular Bible Study Magazine contributor, and a frequently consulted specialist for the Lexham Bible Dictionary.

Wendy Widder holds a PhD in Near Eastern studies from the University of the Free State, an MA in Hebrew and Semitic Studies from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and an MDiv from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. She is the author of Living Whole without a Better Half, A Match Made in Heaven: How Singles and the Church Can Live Happily After, and the coauthor of The Forest and the Trees: Helping Teachers Integrate a Biblical Worldview Across the Curriculum.

About the Editor

John D. Barry is the CEO and Founder of Jesus' Economy, a non-profit dedicated to creating jobs and churches in the developing world. He also serves as a missionary with Resurrect Church Movement, the domestic division of Jesus' Economy dedicated to equipping U.S. churches to alleviate poverty and plant churches. John is the general editor of Faithlife Study Bible and Lexham Bible Dictionary. He has authored or edited over 30 books, including The Resurrected Servant in Isaiah, Cutting Ties with Darkness, and the daily devotional Connect the Testaments. John formerly served as founding publisher of Lexham Press and is the former editor-in-chief of Bible Study Magazine. John speaks internationally on engaging the Bible, poverty, and spreading the gospel.