Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026

Jacob marries Bilhah, and she bears Dan and Naphtali—He marries Zilpah, and she bears Gad and Asher—Leah bears Issachar and Zebulun and a daughter, Dinah—Then Rachel conceives and bears Joseph—Jacob works for Laban for wages of cattle and sheep.

Jacob meets Rachel at the well—He serves Laban seven years for her—Laban gives to Jacob first Leah then Rachel in marriage—Jacob serves another seven years—Leah bears Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah.

Isaac forbids Jacob to marry a Canaanite—He blesses Jacob and his seed with the blessings of Abraham—Esau marries a daughter of Ishmael—Jacob sees in vision a ladder reaching up into heaven—The Lord promises him seed as the dust of the earth in number—The Lord also promises Jacob that in him and in his seed all the families of the earth will be blessed—Jacob covenants to pay tithes.

Rebekah guides Jacob in seeking blessings—Jacob is blessed to have dominion and rule over peoples and nations—Esau hates Jacob and plans to slay him—Rebekah fears that Jacob may marry one of the daughters of Heth.

The Lord promises Isaac posterity as the stars of heaven in number—In his seed, all nations will be blessed—The Lord prospers Isaac, temporally and spiritually, for Abraham’s sake—Isaac offers sacrifices—Esau marries Hittite wives to the sorrow of his parents.

Abraham marries, has descendants, dies, and is buried in the cave of Machpelah—His descendants through Ishmael are listed—Rebekah conceives, and Jacob and Esau struggle in her womb—The Lord reveals their destiny to Rebekah—Esau sells his birthright for a mess of pottage.

Abraham commands that Isaac shall not marry a Canaanite—The Lord guides Abraham’s servant in choosing Rebekah as a wife for Isaac—Rebekah is blessed to be the mother of thousands of millions—She marries Isaac.

How do you secure for yourself a blessing from God? You might say that the account of Jacob, grandson of Abraham and Sarah, is the story of a man who learned the answer to that question. In a culture where the firstborn son received a birthright blessing, Jacob was born second, grasping the heel of his twin brother, Esau. The name “Jacob” means “supplanter”—one who replaces someone else. Jacob lived up to that name by trying, more than once, to supplant Esau as inheritor of the birthright blessing because Esau was unworthy of it (see Genesis 25:30–34; 26:34–35; 27:36). The result was discord in the family, and Jacob had to flee for his life into the wilderness.

Years later, God commanded Jacob to return home. On the way, Jacob, in humility, again sought a blessing from God. The scriptures describe this time as a “wrestle” for Jacob, and he declared that he would not give up “except thou bless me” (Genesis 32:26). Then came the lesson—and the blessing. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel—meaning, among other things, “let God prevail.” Israel learned that to receive God’s most valuable blessings, His covenant blessings, it’s not necessary to supplant someone else. His blessings aren’t purchased or seized or won. He gives them freely to all who live up to the name of Israel—who let God prevail in their lives.

Somewhere in the wilderness east of Canaan, Jacob nervously awaited an encounter with his twin brother, Esau. The last time Jacob had seen Esau, about 20 years earlier, Esau wanted to kill him. Jacob spent all night in a wrestle, seeking a blessing from God. As a result of Jacob’s faith, persistence, and determination, God answered his prayers. That night Jacob’s name was changed to Israel, a name that means, among other things, “he perseveres with God” (Genesis 32:28, footnote b).

By Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Our modified Sunday service is to emphasize the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper as the sacred, acknowledged focal point of our weekly worship experience.