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Very Different Twins Title

Jacob Part 1 by Linda Sue Pochodzay Edwards

Text Version | Afrikaans | Italian



           “Come on…just this once…I need somebody to throw the ball so I can practice hitting it. Please come outside and play with me,” Zach begged his brother to no avail.

           Zeke was curled up on the big overstuffed chair with a book in his hand. “You always interrupt me right in the middle of the good part!” Zeke complained.

child reading a book

           Their older sister, Ann, came into the room when she heard the two boys squabbling. “It's all right, Zach,” she said. “I'll go outside and pitch a few balls for you.”

           “I just don't understand Zeke,” Zach complained to Ann as he picked up his bat. “I just don't know why he has to stay inside reading those dumb books all the time. He just doesn't know how to have fun is all I can say.”

           “Well, Zeke doesn't think those books are so dumb, and he's the one making the good grades in this family,” Ann replied. “You two boys are so different. It's hard for me to believe that you are twins, and I've lived with you all your life!”

boy with a bat

           “I know,” Zach said. “Sometimes I even have a hard time believing it myself. Somebody at church said we are a lot like Jacob and Esau! … Hey! Let's quit talking. Pitch that ball!”

           Ann picked up the ball and threw a perfect pitch. Zach gave it a good whack with the bat and sent it sailing over Ann's head and beyond second base. Ann went running after the ball while Zach made his way around all the bases and onto home plate.

           Meanwhile, Zeke was still curled up with his book anxiously awaiting the discovery of the hidden treasure.


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Isaac dearly loved his wife Rebekah and provided very well for her            Isaac dearly loved his wife Rebekah and provided very well for her. He had inherited everything that belonged to his father Abraham, and he was a very wealthy man. There wasn't anything he wouldn't give her, and there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. Isaac and Rebekah lived very happily together, except for one thing….

           Rebekah was sad because she didn't have any children. Every time one of her friends had a new baby, Rebekah would be glad for her friend, but inside, her heart ached. “Why, oh why, can't I have a child?” she wondered. “If only I had a child …. I would love him so much and would never let anything bad happen to him.”

           Her loving husband Isaac saw her sadness. He would put his arms around Rebekah and try to comfort her. “You know I will give you anything you could ever want,” he said to her. “I don't know why we can't have a family like the rest of our friends, but I will pray for you.” After he was sure Rebekah was feeling a little bit better, Isaac would go to his special place to pray.

           “Lord, please comfort my wife Rebekah. Help her to feel better and take her sadness away. You know how badly Rebekah and I want children. You promised to bless us and make us a blessing. You promised my father Abraham that he would have many grandchildren. How can that be if Rebekah and I don't have any children?”


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           Months and years went by, but nothing changed. Isaac kept praying to the Lord and trusting Him to keep His promise. He kept praying that Rebekah would be happy. He kept praying that they would have children. Sometimes it seemed that God just wasn't going to answer his prayers, but Isaac never gave up. For twenty long years Isaac continued to love God and pray to Him.

Rebekah prays            Rebekah started feeling sick and was in much pain. She went to her special place to pray. She cried out to the Lord, “Why is this happening? Why am I so sick and in so much pain? What's happening to me?”

           The Lord had compassion on Rebekah and spoke directly to her: “You are going to have twins. Even though they are twins, they are going to be totally opposite of each other. They won't look alike, they won't talk alike, and they won't like the same things. There will be a struggle between them and that struggle has already started. One will be stronger than the other, and the younger one will rule over the older one.”

           “Isaac! ISAAC! Come quick! I have great news!” Rebekah shouted.

           Isaac could tell from the sound of her voice that it was something extremely important and came running as quickly as he could. “What? What is it?” he asked as soon as he could catch his breath.

           “Isaac! OH, ISAAC! We are going to have children!” She was so excited she could barely get the words to come out of her mouth. “God has finally heard and answered our prayers. We are not going to have just one baby! We are going to have two! OH, Isaac! I can hardly believe it!”

           As they reached out and hugged one another, big tears of joy streaked down both of their faces. They thanked God that even though they were quite old, they were finally going to be parents. God had heard the cry of their hearts and was going to bless them with two little baby boys.


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Rebekah was radiant as she went
about her daily chores and made special preparations for her tiny new babies            Rebekah didn't remember ever being so happy. Her face was radiant as she went about her daily chores and made special preparations for her tiny new babies. Even though she was in a great deal of pain, nothing could take away her joy about finally being able to be a mother.

           The joyous day finally arrived. The first baby boy that was born was reddish in color and had a lot of hair all over his body. Isaac and Rebekah named him Esau. The second baby boy was light-skinned and gentle in nature. As soon as he was born, he reached out and grabbed his brother's heal. His parents named him Jacob.

As the boys began to grow the parents noticed great differences in the two children
just as God had told Rebekah            As the boys began to grow, the parents noticed great differences in the two children just as God had told Rebekah. Esau was a rough and tumbly little guy. He loved to be outdoors. He liked getting dirty, climbing rocks, and hiking. When he grew older he became a fantastic hunter. Isaac loved Esau's rambunctious ways and enjoyed the wonderful meat he would bring home from his hunting trips. Esau was definitely his father's favorite child.

           Jacob was totally different. Jacob was a quieter little boy who liked to stay around home. He enjoyed cooking and knew how to make a most delicious stew out of the vegetables he grew. Even though he stayed around home, he grew to be very strong and did an excellent job taking care of the farm animals. Rebekah could always count on Jacob to help her any time she needed him. He never ventured too far away. Although she loved both of her children, Jacob was definitely Rebekah's favorite child.

Continued in Part 2


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THINK!

1. Why was Rebekah sad?
2. How long did Isaac wait for his prayer to be answered?
3. What did the Lord tell Rebekah?
4. What were the names of the two babies?
5. How were the twins different?



REMEMBER:

God answered Isaac and Rebekah's prayers
and He will answer yours too.



A VERSE TO LEARN

“And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife…” (Genesis 25:21a).



LET'S PRAY

Dog and boy praying

****************************************************
Dear God, thank You for all the good things
You have sent our way. Help us to remember
to pray and know that You will answer our
prayers. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
****************************************************


CAN YOU FIND THIS STORY IN THE BIBLE?

           Genesis 25:20-28



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crayons

Rebekah hearing from God new
Esau and Jacob with Bible Verse
Jacob and Esau
Colour the Bible Book 1: Genesis - 2 Chronicles
Bible Colour and Learn: 01 The Old Testament
My Bible Stories Coloring Book 2
Twin Trouble (Jacob & Esau Learn to Forgive) Coloring & Activity Book, Ages 4-7

Action Bible Coloring Book
Coloring Through the Bible
Beginner's Bible Super-Duper Mighty Jumbo Coloring Book
Bible Stories Kids Love Coloring Book (ages 2 to 4)
Bible Verse Coloring Pages #2
Big Book of Bible Story Coloring Pages for Elementary Kids
Jesus Loves Me, This I Know, Coloring Book
My Bible Coloring Book
My Jumbo Bible Story Coloring Book
Children's Bible Coloring Books


child reading a book

Growing with God Student Manual (3rd Grade)
Jacob (read online)
Jacob and Esau Bible story for children (read online)
Jacob and Esau Booklet (printable)
Kingstone Bible Volume 1
Two Brothers, Jacob and Esau
Jacob Returns Home - eBook
The Birth of a Nation - Abraham to Joseph

365 Read-Aloud Bedtime Bible Stories

365 Activities For Kids:
A Bible Story And Activity For Each Day Of The Year


100 Bible Stories 100 Bible Songs w/2 CD
Beginner's Bible
Beginner's Bible for Little Ones
Bible in Pictures For Toddlers
Bible stories
Early Reader's Bible
The Children's Illustrated Bible
The Preschooler's Bible
Toddler's Bible
Pilgrim's Progress Comic
Children's Books
Spanish Children's Books
The Picture Bible (also in Spanish)


activities

Crossword Puzzle
Five Finger Prayer Activity
Jigsaw Puzzle (online)
Matching Activity (online)
Put the events in correct order
Story Cards To Keep and To Share
Word Search

Discover 4 Yourself, Children's Bible Study Series:
Extreme Adventures with God (Isaac, Esau and Jacob)


Worksheets

Best Book of Bible Activities
Bible Puzzles: Word Search
Big Book Of Bible Puzzles
Big Book Of Bible Story Activity Pages V1
Bingo
Children's Activity Books
Children's Puzzles
Christian and educational toys
Crossword Books
Encyclopedia Of Bible Games For Children's Ministry
Games
Jumbo Bible Activity Book 4
Memory Verse Games for Kids
Sticker Books The Humongous Book of Games for Children's Ministry
The Super Sized Book of Bible Puzzles


birds singing

Baby's Storybook
He's Got the Whole World in His Hands
Jesus Loves the Little Children
Lord Teach A Child To Pray
The Butterfly Song
This Is My Commandment

100 Ways To Know God Loves Me & 100 Songs
100 Bible Stories 100 Bible Songs
Action Bible Songs
Bible Songs on CD
Bible Songs on DVD
100 Singalong Bible Songs For Kids

Platinum Bible Collection of Classic Christian Songs on DVD

25 Favorite Sunday School Songs
Children's Music


CDs, DVDs and Videos

A Common Caterpillar (watch online)
Adventures in Odyssey® 272:
Two Brothers and Bernard, Part 1 of 2 [Download]


Bible Comes Alive, Volume 1 Your Story Hour, CD

Bible on the Go Vol. 04: The Story of Isaac and Rebecca;
The Story of Jacob (Genesis 24-25, 27-29) - Unabridged Audiobook [Download]


Daily Devotions with Oliver: Prayer (watch online)
DouglasTalks: Handcrafted by God - God Loves You Just the Way You Are (watch online)
Talk to the Shepherd (watch online)


Greatest Heroes of the Bible, Volume 3
Great People of the Bible: Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob & Joseph, DVD
Read and Share DVD Bible Volume #1
The Bible Stories: In the Beginning, 4-Movie Collection
The Bible Stories: Jacob, DVD
The Story of Jacob and Joseph

Read and Share DVD Bible
God's Story from Creation to Eternity (listen & watch online)
Bible Collection: Jesus TV Mini-Series [Streaming Video Rental]
The Jesus Storybook Bible Curriculum Kit
Bible story DVDs
Children's DVDs


crafts

Esau Toilet Paper Roll
Jacob and Esau crafts
Jacob and Esau painting craft

Bible Crafts
Bible Crafts & More (Ages 3-6)
Crafting the Word of God
Encyclopedia Of Bible Crafts For Preschoolers
Hot Crafts for Cool Kids pdf download
Maker-ific WOWS! (ages 8-12): 54 Surprising Bible Crafts

More! Bible Crafts on a Shoe String Budget:
Paper Sacks & Cardboard Tubes

(Reproducible: Ages 5-10)

Puppet Crafts For Kids



RESOURCES FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS

Five Finger Prayer Activity
Games Big Kids Can Play with Younger Siblings
Growing with God Teacher's Manual (3rd Grade)
Jacob and Esau
Lesson Ideas For Jacob and Esau
Genesis 25
Jacob Becomes Israel
Jacob and Esau by Charles Spurgeon
I Isaac Take Thee Rebekah
Israel: A Prince of God-The Story of Jacob Retold - eBook

Different Children, Different Needs:
Understanding the Unique Personality of Your Child ebook


Five Love Languages Of Children

Discover 4 Yourself, Children's Bible Study Series:
Extreme Adventures with God (Isaac, Esau and Jacob)


Bringing Up Boys DVD (James Dobson)
On The Way 3-9s Book 1 - Creation, Abraham & Jacob Curriculum
On The Way 11-14s Book 1 - Abraham, Jacob, The Messiah, Jesus Said 'I Am' & Ruth Curriculum

Free Bible story images
801 Questions Kids Ask About God
Absentee Postcards
African American Resources
Almost Every Answer for Practically Any Teacher
Bible for Children in 232 languages
Children's Ministry
Bible Memory Match Game
My Jumbo Bible Story Coloring Book
The Jesus Storybook Bible Curriculum Kit
Big Book of Bible Games
Bulletin Board helps
Chicken Soup for the Teacher's Soul
Children's Sermon
Church Supplies
Closing Prayer

FREE materials to Bible schools, Bible colleges, seminaries,
churches, missionaries & individuals worldwide


52 Games That Teach The Bible
Free educational videos
God's Servants Teach Me

God's Wisdom for Little Boys:
Character-Building Fun from Proverbs


Help! I'm a Sunday School Teacher
How To Lead a Child To Christ
King James Version Gift & Award Bibles

Leading Little Ones to God:
A Child's Book of Bible Teachings


Lord Teach Me To Pray For Kids
Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours
Memory Verse Resources
Object Talks
Opening Prayer
Parenting Resources
Pray & Play Bible for Young Children
Puppet Scripts
Review Activities for Bible Lessons
Seven Laws of the Learner
Spanish Resources
Sunday school resources
Sunday School Songs: Lyrics and Tunes (online)
Talking to God
Teachers' Reproducible Classroom Pages
Teaching Children Memory Verses Ages 4-5
Teaching Children To Pray Ages 4-5
Teaching to Change Lives
The Beginner's Bible Curriculum Kit

The Humongous Book of Bible Skits
for Children's Ministry


Vacation Bible School
What Every Sunday School Teacher Should Know
Children's resources



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