Let's play a little chess...

I know, it has been too long since my last post...  Can you say, "Life!" If you know what I mean. It is not that I haven't been reading. I just haven't been posting. I have been extremely tired and not feeling well at all.

Sorry!!!


Genesis 34:1 - 37:36

About a week ago I read Genesis 34:1-37:36 and reflected on it for several days to see what was in it for me. I am not going to go into alot of detail. I am going to just skim over the high points and land at Chapter 37.

In Genesis 34 Jacob's daughter Dinah gets raped and her brothers get revenge for against the man who raped her. It was an interesting reading. However, I really couldn't get a "deep message" out of it... not a whole lot to write about. In Chapter 35 Jacob returns to Bethel. Also, in this chapter Rachel and Isaac die. Again, good reading; but, not a whole lot to expound on. Chapter 36 goes into the descendants of Esau... who doesn't love the "begats and begots"?

So, now we are at Chapter 37...

Let's begin with just a bit of background information.

Joseph, now seventeen years old, was Jacob's favorite son because he was born in Jacob's old age. Jacob took special care of Joseph, giving him special gifts, like what we have always known as the "coat of many colors".  Now, we all know that when one child is favored over the others it often causes hard feelings, jealousy, even anger, and hatred. That is the case here. And, to make matters worse...

Joseph had a dream...
While in the field, along with his brothers, tending his father's flocks, Joseph had an amazing dream. Just like you and me, when something amazing happens we just have to tell everybody about it! Joseph went to his brothers to tell them about his dream, saying, "Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it." As you can imagine, Joseph's brothers didn't take too well to the dream. They mocked Joseph saying, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" The dream, and the fact that Joseph actually had the nerve to tell them about it, angered the brothers and made them hate Joseph even more. 
 
Now, if the first dream wasn't enough, Joseph had a second one! This time Joseph didn't just tell his brothers, he told his father too, "...the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." HOW RIDICULOUS, even his father rebuked him saying, "What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?"
 
Joseph's brothers had been tending the flocks in the field near another town. Joseph's father, Jacob, told Joseph to go check on his brothers to make sure that they were OK. When the brothers saw Joseph coming their anger and hatred for Joseph rose up and they began to plot against him. They even planned to kill him. Joseph's brother Reuben, wanting to rescue Joseph from death at the hands of his brothers, pleaded with them not to kill Joseph. "Let's not take his life," he said. "Don't shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him." Reuben wanted to save Joseph's life so he could take Joseph back to his father.

When Joseph finally reached his brothers, they attacked him, stripped his "coat of many colors" off of him, and threw him into the pit until they could decide what to do with him. They sat down to eat and noticed a group of Ishmaelites passing by headed to Egypt. One of the brothers, Judah, realizing the logic of Reuben's argument, said, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." The brothers agreed, sparing Joseph from a terrible death. Joseph was then sold to the travelers for twenty shekels of silver.

Not knowing that Joseph had been sold, Reuben went back to the pit and saw that Joseph was gone. He got upset, tearing his clothes. He ran to his other brothers to tell them that Joseph was gone. Realizing that this was the handiwork of his brothers, he didn't know where to turn or what to do... his brother was gone.

Now, In order to explain Joseph's disappearance to their father, the brothers who sold Joseph tore his coat, coated it with blood to make it look like a wild animal had killed him. They then took the coat home to their father. When Jacob saw the coat he knew that it was Joseph's... he knew that surely Joseph had been torn to pieces and killed by a wild animal. Jacob was destroyed by the death of his favored son. He vowed that he would go to his grave mourning the loss of his son and he refused to be comforted.

Meanwhile, Joseph was sold in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, captain of the guard.

Let's play a little chess...

• Brothers: Let's kill Joseph... CHECK
• Reuben: Let's not kill him. We can just throw him in the pit and leave him (I will come back and get him later to take him home)... No, that would be CHECK
• Judah: You are right. We won't kill him. We will sell him to the travelers... Now that is CHECK MATE

OR, IS IT?

You will have to keep reading the story of Joseph to find out.

The biggest thing that jumped out at me in this reading was Reuben. I see him as a valued pawn in God's hand, being moved into place to preserve God's plan.

Joseph's brothers, full of anger, jealousy, and hatred, planned to kill Joseph. Reuben was skillfully moved into place to plead for Joseph's life and eventually return him home safely to his father. Had Reuben not been moved into place, the likelihood is that Joseph would have been immediately killed upon his arrival. But instead instead of killing him, his brothers threw him into the pit and eventually decided to sell him.

Reuben's plan was to save Joseph's life and to take Joseph home safely to his father. But when the brothers made another move, this time without Reuben's knowledge, God still used Reuben's idea to "not kill Joseph" and they sold him instead. This ultimately preserved the plan of God for Joseph's future.

The moral of the story is...

God's plan will always come to pass. He may have to use different people, He may have to shift one piece of the puzzle and put another piece into place.

But, God's will and God's plan will ALWAYS come to pass!

Help me to stand....

Genesis 33:1-20

God, help me! Here he comes! And, he is running toward me...
Jacob looked up and saw him... He has 400 men with him! Look, he is running toward us! Quick, divide the children so that at least some will survive! I want the maidservants and their children first. Then I want Leah and her children. Rachel, I want you and Joseph to come last. I will go ahead of all of you to meet Esau. If anything happens to me...

The striking coldness of the fear! Jacob has no more time to figure out a plan, no more time to seek God's protection. The dreaded time is here. All he can do is face the music. He goes ahead of the women and children to meet his brother, bowing to the ground seven times as he approached. (Quick question... The bowing, was it a show of respect... was it humility... was it an act of contrition, asking for forgiveness... or, was it submission, out of fear? What do you think?)

Esau continues running toward him. Jacob stands there... frozen... lost... not knowing what to expect... not knowing what to do. Finally, Esau reaches Jacob. He trows his arms around Jacob, embracing him, and gives him a kiss. Jacob bursts into tears! I can almost feel the shock, the fear, all of the dread, every weight that has bound him for all of those years, falling off as his brother hugs him. The kiss, it says it all... forgiveness! The tears fell from not only Jacob's face, but also Esau's.

Can you believe it? Esau is not angry. He doesn't hate Jacob. In fact, Esau is happy to see him! Welcome home!

Side note... I can only imagine, had Jacob returned with a different spirit, a chip on his shoulder, things would have been quite a bit different. Had Jacob returned home with an "attitude" it may have been a totally different reception.
When you obey the voice of the Lord and walk in humility, God will take care of you.

"Who are all of these people that are with you", Esau asked.
"They are my family... my wives, my maidservants, and my children", replied Jacob.
"What is up with all of the flocks and herds that you are trying to give me?" said Esau
"They are gifts for you. I am giving them to you, hoping that you will let me find favor in your eyes.", Jacob said. (I believe that I heard an "I am sorry" in that. Did you?)

Esau's answer is amazing (verse 9-12)...
"I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.... Let us be on our way...".

Did you see what I saw?
I noticed something when Jacob tried to give the gifts to Esau...
Jacob continued to refer to Esau as "my lord".
Esau referred to Jacob as "my brother".
Jacob refers to his brother with a title of service, of subordinance...
Esau's refers to his brother with love and relationship.
Is it possible that Esau has had more of a heart change than Jacob?
Esau is the one who was wronged. He is the one who was manipulated into giving away his birthright for a bowl of stew. He is the one who had his father's blessings, blessings of God, stolen from him by the deception of his father. And now, he is the one who is welcoming his brother with totally unconditional love and forgiveness.
Esau didn't say "You can come home if...".
He simply ran to his brother, embraced him, gave him a kiss, and said let's go home!

To me, Esau is a perfect picture of how God loves us!

No matter what we have done...
No matter how wrong we have been...
No matter how bad we have done Him...
No matter...
No matter...

God comes running to us with His arms open wide. He hugs us. He gives us a big kiss. And, He says, "I am so glad to see you! Let's go home!
Oh yeah, I don't need all of the stuff that you are trying to give Me. All that I want is YOU! I am just glad that you have come home to Me! I love you! Welcome home!"

Thank You Jesus for Your love!
Thank You for Your forgiveness!
Thank You for the fact that both of them are mine, and they are mine unconditionally.
I know that I DON'T deserve either of them.
But, I know that they are mine because You love me!

Times have been really tough lately, Jesus.
I pray that You will help me to stand...
During times when it is hard to stand, I pray that You will help me to stand...
During the times when I don't want to stand, I pray that You will help me to stand...
Even during the times when I refuse to stand because of hurt, anger, resentment, rebellion, whatever the reason, I pray that You will forgive me and that You will help me to stand!
Jesus, Your word says, "Having done all, ... stand".

Jesus, help me to stand!

In our time of troubles...

Genesis 32:1-32


God has come to Jacob telling him to return back to the land of his father...
Jacob and his family set out on their trip back to Jacob's homeland. In doing this, Jacob knows that what he has dreaded for so many years WILL happen. He will finally come face to face with the person that he had stolen from, his brother Esau. He  has a great fear of what may happen when he sees his brother again, even after being gone for many, many years... rightfully so!

This fear can be seen through many things in this reading.

First, Jacob sent messengers ahead of him with a message for Esau... The message that Jacob sent shows his fear. (Not the fact that he sent it. But, the way that it was sent and even the content of the message itself.)

"This is what you are to say to my master Esau: 'Your servant Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban and have remained there till now. I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, menservants and maidservants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes.'"

Yes, the fact that Jacob sent the message could be looked at in two different ways.

1. The message could have been out of courtesy... letting a family member know that he was "passing through", that he was close by. It could have been a message intending to be cordial.
2.  It could have been a message sent out of fear.

I see the latter of the two. To me, in the very sending of the message I see Jacob's fear.  For example, when giving instructions to the messengers, Jacob refers to Esau as "my master" and to himself as "Your (Esau's) servant". This is directly opposite the spiritual authority "pecking order" that was spoken over Jacob when blessed by his father. According to the blessing, Esau was to serve Jacob. Here, Jacob is indicating the just the opposite. This could be seen as an act of appeasement... You're in charge (let's not stir anything up).

Also, Jacob makes it known in the message that he has been settled somewhere, with Laban... a relative. He has not been wandering... on the run so to speak. He makes it clear that he has established himself. He has "cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, menservants and maidservants". To me, if Esau saw that Jacob had been scared and running all of those years it could have been like when an animal senses fear, they attack. Jacob may have been sending a "subliminal message"... "I have been OK, so everything is OK" (walk softly... don't stir anything up... it will be OK).

The next indication of Jacob's fear in the message is not just an indication of fear. It could also be seen as an indication of repentance (to me). It is when Jacob says, "I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes". This is the most direct indication of fear yet. But, here Jacob is also asking for favor. This could also be seen as an act of humility, an attempt to defuse anger and hostility. I actually see him in my mind's eye as being bowed down when saying this. It is almost like an "I am sorry" without the "I am sorry". If you know what I mean.

Big picture...
I am going to send messengers to go to my brother, to let him know I am coming home. They are going to tell my brother, "Your servant Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban and have remained there till now. I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, menservants and maidservants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes." Hopefully, after hearing the message, he won't be angry anymore.

Shucks! Might not have worked like I thought...
The messengers come back saying, "We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him".

Having received the news, Jacob sees the worst. His brother is coming after him! IN GREAT FEAR AND DISTRESS Jacob divided the people, flocks, and herds that were with him into two groups in an effort of preservation.

Genesis 32:7-8
In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well. He thought, "If Esau comes and attacks one group, the group that is left may escape."

He then prayed to God... God, you told me it is time to go home. You said that you would make me prosper. I know, if I am to prosper, I have to be here to prosper... he can't kill me. God, I am not worthy of your kindness and faithfulness. I left home with only my staff and I am returning tremendously blessed. God, protect me from my brother's anger! Again, God, I know that you said you would prosper me and my descendants would not be able to be counted.

When all else fails... buy your way out of it...
Even with GOD'S promise, he still remains afraid. He selects a "gift" for his brother...
two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. He sent them ahead of himself in three groups, with space between them. Each group was told that when they encounter Esau and he asks to whom they and the animals belong, they are to respond, "They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my lord Esau, and he is coming behind us."

Surely, after my brother, Esau, has passed all three of the groups of my servants, each one having gifts for him, THERE WILL BE NO WAY THAT HE COULD STILL BE ANGRY AT ME!

Jacob sends the gifts ahead, but he stays behind.

That night Jacob sent his wives, his 11 children, his two maidservants, and all of his possessions across the stream...
Jacob was left alone.

During the night Jacob had a visitor...
Jacob wrestled with a man until daybreak. When the man realized that he was not going to prevail over Jacob, he touched Jacob's hip so that it was wrenched as he wrestled. The man told Jacob to let him go because it was daybreak. Jacob said,"I will not let you go uness you bless me". The man asked Jacob's name. When Jacob responded, the man told Jacob that he would no longer be called Jacob. From that point forward, he would be called Israel, "for you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome".

It is in the time of our fear, the time of our distress, the time when we are left all alone...

It is then that we wrestle with God...

It is then that He touches us...

It is then that He changes who we are!

Honesty is the best policy...

It has been a few days since my last post... SORRY!
I will do better.

Genesis 30:25 - 31:55

It's time to go home...
After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob went to Laban and asked for Laban's permission to take his wives and children and go back to his own homeland. Laban told Jacob that all of his livestock had really done well under Jacob's care and he really wanted Jacob to stay. Jacob even told Laban, "the LORD has blessed you wherever I have been".

Realizing the blessings of God, Laban told Jacob that he would pay whatever price Jacob asked to get Jacob to stay.

Jacob told Laban that the little livestock that Laban had when Jacob arrived had increased greatly under Jacob's care because of God's blessing. Jacob saw this as an opportunity to do something for HIS family. Jacob told Laban "Don't give me anything,"... "But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them: Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb and every spotted or speckled goat. They will be my wages. And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored, will be considered stolen." Laban agreed to Jacob's request.

Laban immediately removed all the male goats that were streaked or spotted, and all the speckled or spotted female goats (all that had white on them) and all the dark-colored lambs and sent them away with his sons, without Jacob's knowledge, so that Jacob could not take them. See what has happened here? Laban went right back to his deceiving ways. Even though Jacob had agreed to continue serving Laban, Laban, again, cheated Jacob.

Jacob continued with his agreement tending Laban's flocks. While tending the flocks Jacob took "fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond and plane trees and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches. Then he placed the peeled branches in all the watering troughs, so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat and came to drink, they mated in front of the branches. And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted. Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-colored animals that belonged to Laban. Thus he made separate flocks for himself and did not put them with Laban's animals. Whenever the stronger females were in heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they would mate near the branches, but if the animals were weak, he would not place them there. So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob. 

God honored Jacob and multiplied his flocks. Jacob became rich with large flocks, and maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys.

It wasn't too long before Jacob heard that Laban's son's had began to accuse Jacob of taking everything that Laban owned to build wealth for himself. Jacob, noticing that Laban's attitude towards him had changed, quietly sent word for his wives to come meet him in the fields. He told them that their father's attitude toward him had changed, that he had always been honest with their father. Even though Laban had changed his wages ten times, cheating him, Jacob continued serving in honesty and integrity, giving his best. He told them about a dream that God had given him, assuring him that God had seen the way that Laban was treating him, and that God was blessing him in spite of the way that he was being treated. He also told them that God said that it was time for them to go home, back to Jacob's native homeland. Both Rachel and Leah agreed that it was time to leave.

Jacob gathered his family and his belongings and quietly left without Laban knowing it. But, before they left, Rachel snuck into her father's tent and stole his idols and hid them in her things. She did this without Jacob, or anyone else, knowing it.

When Laban realized that they had left he chased them, finally catching them after seven days. After catching them, Laban asked Jacob why he left without telling Laban, why he didn't let him say goodbye, kiss his daughters and his grandchildren, why he left with no notice. He then asked Jacob, "why did you steal my gods?"

Jacob told Laban that he left secretly because he was afraid for his life. He was afraid that Laban would take his daughters away so they could not leave and kill Jacob. Jacob then told Laban, but, I did not steal your gods and no one with me dd either. He told Laban that if Laban found anyone that had stolen his gods, Laban could kill them (REMEMBER... Jacob did not know that Rachel had taken them). Laban searched everyone's tents and belongings. Finally he got to Rachel's tent. Before Laban entered the tent, Rachel put the gods in her camel saddle and sat on it. When her father came in, he searched everywhere but found nothing. Rachel looked at her father and said, "Don't be angry... I can not stand in your presence; I'm having my period". Laban never found the gods.

Jacob was very angry for having been falsely accused (so he thought). He told Laban that he had worked with honor and integrity  for 20 years, giving Laban the best, putting his own needs aside, preferring Laban and his needs.
Laban and Jacob then made a covenant that God would keep watch between them while they were away from each other. They offered a sacrifice and had a meal. The next morning Laban kissed his daughters and grandchildren. Then he left and went home.

What I have seen throughout this reading is that if we remain honest, if we do what is right, if we honor those in authority over us, God has our back! God will honor us. He will protect us. And, He will bless our integrity and honesty. He did this with Jacob. In spite of the fact that Laban kept cheating Jacob, Jacob stayed honest. Laban deceived Jacob by giving him Leah as a bride instead of Rachel... Jacob took her and worked seven more years for Rachel. Laban changed Jacob's wages ten times... Jacob kept on working without complaining. Jacob operated from a place of integrity, and God blessed Jacob and he became a rich man.
 
The hand of man, the hand of manipulation, the hand of deception can never gain anything even close to the blessings of God!
 
If God be for us, who can be against us...

Just Take It... It's Free!

Let me start with an update to my last post.

I originally posted the following: When Jacob woke from his sleep, he knew that surely the Lord was in that place and he did not know it. Jacob then made a vow that if God would keep him safe in his travels he would return to his father's house and give back to God a tenth of everything that God gives him. (This is the beginning of the tithe!!!!)

I received an email the next morning from a very dear friend, David, stating that the beginning of the tithe was actually with Abraham, in Genesis 14:17-19. I remember that. But, I did not make the association at that time. I told him that, in Genesis 14:17-19, Abraham gave 10% to a man, not God. David pointed out that Melchizedek was a man, he was a man of God, he was the "priest of Most High God. OK, I am on board, that was the beginning of the tithe. I will now say that this is the "second recorded instance of the tithe" (hope I got it right this time!).


Now, on to tonight's post!

Genesis 29:1 - 30:25
You don't always get what you pay for!
Running from his brother's wrath, Jacob arrives at a well in the field near the land where his uncle, Laban, lives. There he finds Rachel his cousin. He gives her a kiss and begins to cry. He tells Rachel that he is a relative of her father, a son of Rebekah. Rachel runs to tell her father that Jacob is there. As soon as Laban hears that Jacob is there, Laban runs to meet Jacob and brings him home. Laban tells Jacob that he is "his own flesh and blood" and offers for Jacob to stay with them for as long as he wished.

After Jacob lives with (and works for) Laban for 1 month, Laban tells Jacob that just because Jacob is a relative does not mean that he should work for free. Laban asks Jacob what he feels would be a fair wage. Jacob tells Laban that his youngest daughter Rachel is very beautiful and that he is in love with her. Jacob says that he will work for Laban for 7 years to gain Rachel's hand in marriage. Laban responds, "It's better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me."

Jacob's love for Rachel was so great that even seven years seemed as if it were only a few days! Having worked seven years for Laban, Jacob goes to Laban and says, "Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to lie with her."

Laban brings the family together and has a big feast to celebrate the wedding. As evening came, Laban gives his daughter to Jacob and Jacob lay with her.
The next morning Jacob wakes up next to his beautiful bride that he loved so dearly, so he thought! It was Leah, Rachel's older sister... Jacob had been deceived! Jacob  does not love Leah... he loves Rachel! Deceived and disappointed, Jacob goes to Laban. Jacob asks why Laban has deceived him. Because of his deep love for Rachel, Jacob says that he will work another 7 years for Rachel! Laban tells Jacob to finish the bridal week with Leah and then he will give Rachel's hand, in exchange for another seven years of work.

Jacob does as Laban instructed. He completes the bridal week with Leah. Then Laban gives Rachel to Jacob as his wife. Jacob, so in love with Rachel, works another seven years as he promised.


Side Note...
You reap what you sow!
Back home, Jacob had sown deception. He had deceived his father Isaac to gain the blessings, from his father, that belonged to his brother. Now, he is reaping the rewards of that which he has sown... Laban deceived Jacob by giving him Leah, whom he did not love, instead of the Rachel, the one that he loved so dearly.


Back to the reading...
Tit for tat...
When God saw that Leah was not loved by Jacob he opened her womb. Leah gave birth to four sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Surely, this would be enough to get her husband, Jacob, to love her! Seeing that Leah had given Jacob 4 sons, Rachel became jealous. Rachel was barren and couldn't have children. So she gave her maidservant, Bilhah, to Jacob so that she could give him children. Bilhah gave Jacob 2 sons. Now Leah becomes jealous AGAIN. So, she gives her maidservant, Zilpah, to Jacob, in hopes of giving him more children. Back and forth, back and forth this goes! Jealousy, one trying to out do the other. In fact, at one point, Rachel goes to Leah and asks for some mandrakes that Leah's son had brought from the field and Leah actually respond to Rachel's request by saying, "Wasn't it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son's mandrakes too?" WOW! What jealousy.


You gotta earn it...
I do see a pattern forming here. Jealousy is causing the two wives to engage in a competition for their husband's love. This has evolved into a belief system that many of us operate in today. For some of us we may not even realize that we are doing it. But, we do! It is a belief that we have to "earn" the approval, love and acceptance of others by our actions. We are performance driven! We even believe that we have to earn God's love! When really, it is freely given. All we have to do is to accept it and walk in it. This should be the same way in our earthly relationships. We should love UNCONDITIONALLY and be loved UNCONDITIONALLY. But we don't! It is based on performance. I will love you if you do... I will love you if you don't... As long as you don't hurt me, I will love... Stop it! Just accept and love! That is what Jesus does. He doesn't love us as long as we do right, as long as we don't hurt him. He just loves us!

HEART CHECK...

The belief that we must "earn love" is a stronghold in many lives today. Being honest, I know that I have struggled with it myself, and still do in some ways. Do you? Be honest with yourself... Do you feel that you have to act in certain ways or do certain things to be loved? Do you have to earn it? Or, maybe, you might be making others earn your love and acceptance by their actions. What about it? BE HONEST!

A while back I was reading a book entitled "Experiencing Father's Embrace", by Jack Frost. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to move from the stronghold of "having to earn love" into the freedom of "accepting the love that is freely given and walking in it".

Here's a link to Amazon.com if you want to get the book... http://www.amazon.com/Experiencing-Fathers-Embrace-Jack-Frost/dp/0768423481

Blessed through Deception

Genesis 27:1 - 28:22


What we see here is deception at its worst!

Rebekah over hears Isaac telling his oldest son Esau that he will give him his blessing soon because he does not know how much longer that he will live. But, first he wants Esau to go hunt wild game and prepare him a meal the way that he likes it. After eating he will give Esau his blessing.

Having  overheard the conversation, she recalls the word of the Lord while her sons were still in her womb... "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger." She feels that if Isaac gives Esau his blessing then Jacob must serve Esau... contrary to the word of the Lord.

Let's pause for just a moment and go back to Monday's post...

I described what I see in Rebekah... "I believe Rebekah to be a woman of faith, which will fit in well with Abraham's family. I see her as a woman of much conviction, a woman with little to no hesitation, a strong willed woman (this can be both good and bad). She is a woman that, if she believes something and desires to have it, will go after it with fervor."

Now let's look at this in light of Isaac blessing his son...

Rebekah, heard the word of the Lord, she believed it and she desired that it come to pass. When she saw something about to thwart "God's plan", as she percieved it, she came up with a plan of her own to make sure that "what God wanted " would happen. (Does this sound familiar at all? Hint... Ishmael)

Rebekah comes up with an elaobrate plan to decieve her husband into thinking that Jacob is really Esau so Isaac will give him the blessing. It worked! Isaac fell for it... You sound like Jacob. However, you feel hairy like Esau and you smell like Esau. Therefore, you must be Esau! Isaac gives Jacob the blessing rightfully belonging to his brother, Esau... "May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness— an abundance of grain and new wine. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed."

Very soon after Isaac gave the blessing to Jacob, Esau returned and went in to his father to receive the blessing. When Isaac realized that he had mistakenly blessed Jacob, he trembled violently and told Esau, Your brother came decietfully and took your blessing...
I blessed him—and indeed he will be blessed!" Esau became angry and begged for his father to bless him as well. Isaac replied, "I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what can I possibly do for you, my son?" (Doesn't this sound like the "word of the Lord being brought to pass by "the hand of man"? Oh, what a dangerous thing!)
Having heard that there was no more blessing to be given, Esau began to cry. Isaac goes on to tell Esau of his future... "Your dwelling will be away from the earth's richness, away from the dew of heaven above. You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck."

Esau is so angry that he vows to kill his brother, Jacob, after his father dies. Rebekah hears of Esau's plan to kill Jacob. She quickly goes to him, telling him of the plan and that he must leave. She instructs him to go to her brother Laban's home and stay there until it all blows over.

Rebekah realizes that she must have a reason for Jacob to leave. So, she told Isaac that Jacob needs to find a wife. She says, "If Jacob taskes a wife from among the women of this land, from Hittite women like these, her life will not be worth living".

Isaac Called for Jacob and tells him not to marry a Canaanite woman. He tells Jacob to go to the land of his mother's father and take a wife from the house of Laban, Rebekah's brother. He then blesses Jacob and sends him on his way. When Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him to Paddan Aram, the house of Laban, to find a wife because Isaac did not like the Canaanite women he married the daughter of Ishmael in addition to the other wives that he already had. (Sounds like rebellion to me!)

While on his journey to Laban's house, Jacob stopped for the night to sleep. During the night he had a dream in which he saw a stairway reaching heaven. Angels were going up and down the stairway. At the top stood the Lord! The Lord told Isaac the promise made to Abraham and his father, Isaac. His descendants will be like the dust of the earth... and all people on the earth will be blessed through him and his offspring.  When Jacob woke from his sleep, he knew that surely the Lord was in that place and he did not know it. Jacob then made a vow that if God would keep him safe in his travels he would return to his father's house and give back to God a tenth of everything that God gives him. (This is the beginning of the tithe!!!!)

(Update: I originally posted that this is the beginning of the tithe (See above). The next morning I received an email from a friend, David, stating that the beginning of the tithe was actually with Abraham, in Genesis 14:17-19. I remember that. But, I did not make the association at the time. I told him that, in Genesis 14:17-19, Abraham gave 10% to a man, not God. David pointed out that Melchizedek was a man, he was a man of God, he was the "priest of Most High God. Ok, I am on board, that was the beginning of the tithe.)

Like Father, Like Son

Genesis 26:1-35


Here We Go Again

There was a great famine in the land so Isaac took his family to Gerar, the land where Abimelech was King. The Lord told Isaac to stay right there in that land and not to go to Egypt. God told Isaac that he would bless his descendants and give them all of this land and confirm the oath that God had made with Abraham, his father. Isaac obeyed the Lord and remained in Gerar.

When Isaac was asked about Rebekah, Isaac replied that she was his sister because he was afraid that the men would kill him (Sound familiar?).

One day while King Abimelech saw Isaac caressing Rebekah. He called for Isaac and said, "She is really your wife! Why did you tell us she was your sister?" Isaac replied that he was afraid that the men might kill him because of her. Abimelech gave an order that no one was to mess with Isaac or Rebekah, under penalty of death. (I actually wonder if King Abimelech made the association that both father and son, Abraham and Isaac, told the same lie for the same reason to the same King.)

As time went by Isaac became extremely wealthy. In fact, he became so wealthy that Abimelech tld him to move away because he had become too powerful to be near them. Isaac moved to the Valley of Gerar. Isaac moved from place to place God blessed him.

Abimelech seeing that God had blessed Isaac, went to him asking to form a treaty that neither of them would harm the other. Isaac had a feast prepared for them, they swore the oath and Isaac sent them on their way.

The sins of the father do visit future generations. Don't they?

Married with Children...

Genesis 23:1 - 25:34


Genesis 24:1-67
After the death of Sarah, Abraham, realizing his days could be short as well, instructed his chief servant to swear that he would get a wife for his son, Isaac. The wife was not to come form the land of Canaan, where they were living at that time. She was to be from Abraham's home land and she was to be from Abraham's relatives. The chief servant swore an oath to do this.

Now, the way that Rebekah actually came to be Isaac's wife is really unusual...

A stranger from another land (the servant) comes to town; he sits down by the well; he asks for a drink; he puts a ring in Rebekah's nose and bracelets on her wrists; he asks who her father is and if he may stay the night with them at their house; and, now she is supposed to leave her family and become this man's master's son's wife.

Makes total sense to me!?!?

WOW! What a whirlwind of a story.

I want to take just a moment to tell you what I see in Rebekah. I believe Rebekah to be a woman of faith, which will fit in well with Abraham's family. I see her as a woman of much conviction, a woman with little to no hesitation, a strong willed woman (this can be both good and bad). She is a woman that, if she believes something and desires to have it, will go after it with fervor. She believed that God had sent someone to take her to her husband and she was ready to go!


(Here's a little side note: I am finding it difficult to try to keep these post brief. I am a very wordy person and I tend to find myself giving a great deal of detail. Sometimes I may just as well cut and paste the entire story. I just don't want to leave out anything that is important! Please bear with me as I refine my writing skills.)


Genesis 25:1-

Before Abraham's death he took another wife who gave him 6 other sons. According to my count, this would mean that Abraham had a total of 8 sons. He had 2 sons by Sarah and 6 by his second wife. When Abraham died he left everything to Isaac.

After years of marriage, Isaac came to realize that Rebekah was barren and could not have children. So, Isaac prayed for her to be healed. The Lord answered Isaac's prayer! Rebekah became pregnant with twins. As the babies grew in her womb, they were quite active. She asked the Lord about this. He replied,  "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger."

When the twin boys were born the oldest, Esau, was red and very hairy. The younger, Jacob, came out holding his brother's heel. As the boys grew, Esau was drawn to the outdoors and was a great hunter. Jacob was more of a homebody, staying around the tents. Jacob was very special to Rebekah, he was her favorite. While Isaac was partial to Esau.

One day, while Jacob was cooking, Esau came home famished. He asked for some of the stew that Jacob was cooking. Jacob refused, telling Esau that he would not give it to him until Esau first sold Jacob his birthright. They argued about it and eventually Esau sold his birthright to Jacob.

Form that point forward Esau despised his birthright.

I guess a good meal cost a pretty penny in those days as well...

Daddy, where is the lamb...

Genesis 21:1 - 22:24

Genesis 21:1-20
Just as surely as God had promised, Sarah delivered a son and right on schedule to boot, just as God promised. Abraham named his son Isaac. On the day of his weaning Sarah saw Ishmael, Abraham's son by Hagar, mocking Isaac and it angered her. She told Abraham to get rid of Hagar and her son. Now as you can Imagine, this distressed Abraham in a big way! she wants him to send his son, Ishmael, away. He took the matter to God. God told Abraham not to worry, do as Sarah asked. God reassured Abraham that his son Ishmael would be OK. He was destined to become a nation as God promised Abraham when Abraham was pleading for God to bless Ishmael before Isaac was born. (Note: this is the 2nd time that God told Abraham that Ishmael would become a nation. Looks to me as if God wanted Abraham to know that, even though Ishmael was a product of the "will of man" and not the "will of God", God would still bless him and keep him).

The next morning Abraham gave Hagar some food a skin of water and sent her and her son Ishmael on their way, wandering in the desert. When the water was gone Hagar sat her son under a bush and want a little distance away because she could not watch him die. Hagar sat down and began sobbing. I can feel the pain that Hagar must have felt... total and complete abandonment, rejection, helplessness! She had no food or water, no shelter, no way to care for her son, no way to stop the pain. She could do nothing but cry out to the Lord for help. (JewishEncylopedia.com says that Hagar prayed to God that He would take Ishmael instead of him dying a slow and painful death.) An angel of the Lord called out to Hagar, telling her "do not be afraid" God had heard the cries of Ishmael as he lay under the bush.

(Stop here for a moment. Does this sound familiar? Yes! When Sarah ran Hagar away, back in Chapter 16, the Angel of the Lord came to her by the well in the desert and said, "... you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for God heard you". The name Ishmael means "God has listens". I guess names and their meanings are important. What do you think?)

Back to the story...

God told her to take Ishmael by the hand, get him up, God will make him into a great nation. At that, God opened her eyes, seeing a well of water, she gave her son a drink.
God was with Ishmael as he grew up living in the desert of Paran. He eventually married a woman that his mother found for him in Egypt.


Daddy, where is the lamb...
 
Genesis 22:1-24
I again come back to a statement that I have said over and over since I began these postings, Abraham is a GREAT man of faith!

I have just written about how Abraham sent his son, Ishmael, to wander in the desert still believing a promise from God that He would make Ishmael a nation, in spite of what the natural eye told him. Now we find him going to "worship God" by sacrificing his "promised son", Isaac. Yes, I do understand that Abraham had promise after promise that his descendants would be as the dust and as the stars, they could not be counted, that he was to be the father of many nations, and all of this was to be through Isaac. But, God has now asked Abraham to do the unthinkable, the illogical. He has asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, the son through whom the blessing was to come, on the altar as an offering to God!

As they come near the place that God had described, Abraham said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you". (Did you catch that? Abraham said, "We will come back to you". Was that a show of faith? Did he truly believe that God would provide a sacrifice and spare his son Isaac? Remember, Abraham is a man of great faith. However, he did lie 2 times because he was in fear of losing his life. What are your thoughts on this?)

I can see him now, innocent and pure, trusting his father. Isaac picks up the wood and other essentials for the sacrifice. He looks around, searching, searching for something. He gets a puzzled look on his face. He looks in his Daddy eyes and says, "Daddy, where is the lamb?" Abraham, knowing what God had told him, looks down at his son, he places his hand on his son's cheek, choking back tears (I am sure), and replies, "God Himself will provide the lamb". With that they set off to worship the Lord.

After arriving at the place that God had told him about, Abraham builds and altar. He binds his son hands and feet and places him on the altar. (I can not immagine the feelings of either of the 2 of them... I SAT HERE INTEARS READING THIS STORY! As a father, I just can't immagine being told to kill my child!) Abraham takes out a knife and raises his hand to slay his son. He hears God call his name! "ABRAHAM! ABRAHAM! Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." Abraham looks up, through his tears he sees a ram caught in the thicket. He takes the ram and offers it to the Lord as a burnt offering. Because of God's provision, Abraham called this place "The Lord Will Provide".

God did provide the sacrifice! It was there waiting the whole time... waiting for Abraham to be obedient to God. Had Abraham said, "No" at any point along the way he never would have seen the faithfulness of God, the provision of God, nor would he have received the blessings of God that come with obedience!

Can you pass the test?

Better yet, can I pass the test?

Disbelief, Destruction, Despicable Acts, Deceit, and Defense

Genesis 18:1 - 20:18


What will it take for you to believe...

Genesis 18:1-15
Abraham now encounters 3 travelers, I gather that it may have been the Lord and 2 angels, he washes their feet and has a meal prepared for them. As they ate Abraham stood near. The Lord told Abraham that he would return at the same time next year and Sarah would certainly have a son by then. Sarah overheard and laughed!

Can you believe it? After all that Abraham and Sarah have been through with God, with Hagar and Ishmael, after all of the promises and the covenant, Sarah still does not believe that God will give her a son... What will it take for her to believe?

But God, what if there are only 10...

As the travelers stand to leave, headed toward Sodom. (This is where Abraham's nephew Lot and his people live.) The Lord tells Abraham that He has heard that the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah are so grievous that He must go see for Himself. Abraham knows that God is going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. So, he begins to plead for God to sprae them... "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? what if there are 50 righteous people in the city?" God says that if there are 50 righteous, he will spare the city. Abraham continues to plead, 45...40... all the way down to 10. God has mercy and says, "For the sake of 10, I will not destroy it."

Stop! You CAN'T go inside...

As the 2 angels arrive at Sodom, they find Lot sitting in the gate of the city. Lot, knowing what the angels of the Lord would find, pleads with them to go to his house instead of going into the city. The angels tell him that they will spend the night in the city square. Again, Lot insists that they go to his house instead. Finally the angels agree and go to Lot's house. before they go to bed that night, all of the men of the city, both young and old, came to Lot's house demanding that Lot send the angels out to them so that they could have sex with the angels. Lot goes out to the crowd saying, "No... don't do this wicked thing". He tells them that he will not send the angels out to them. To appease the mob, Lot tells them that he has 2 virgin daughters that he will give to them and they can have their way with his daughters. (Living in the midst of sin does have it's PRICE! Doesn't it?) The crowd continues to cry out for the angels, even threatening to do worse to Lot himself. The angels reach out and pull Lot inside to safety. The angels then struck the crowd of men with blindness so they could not find the door of the house.

Quick review...

When Abram (Abraham) and Lot part ways, Lot is given the ability to choose which land he desired to inhabit. Lot chooses the direction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Even though it is KNOWN to be a place of sin. Lot not only chooses that direction, he settles just outside the city of Sodom. He not only settles just outside the city of Sodom, he is found by the angels of the Lord to be sitting in the gate of the city. Baby steps, baby steps... we don't just wake up and find ourselves in the middle of sin one day. We get there one step at a time... this one thing won't hurt... well, I could do this JUST ONCE... I could get away with this, it's not too bad... You know the drill!!! Look where Lot ended up doing that.

Back to the story...

The angels tell Lot to get out of Sodom and to take all of his family with him because they are going to destroy the place because of the sin. Lot left the city with his family, all but his sons-in-law, they thought that he was kidding about what God was going to do to the city. The angels said "Flee for your lives... don't look back... flee to the mountains or you will be swept away." Lot tells the angels that he can not make it to the mountains. He begs that he may go to Zoar instead. The angels give their permission for Lot to go to Zoar, saying that they will spare Zoar so that Lot may flee there. They tell Lot to hurry because they can not do anything until he is safely there. By sunrise the next morning Lot had reached Zoar and the Lord destroyed the land raining down burning sulfur on Soddom and Gomorrah.

Lot's wife looked back and she became a pillar of salt... God told her, "Don't look back". God means what he says... both in promises and in judgement.

May it be known, the righteousness of Abraham is what saved the lives of Lot and his family. God remembered Abraham!

Live a righteous life, walk in faith...
WHO WILL GOD REMEMBER BECAUSE OF YOU?

After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot and his daughters were afraid to live in Zoar. So they moved to a cave in the mountains with no one around.

There is no one else around...

One day the older daughter said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man around here to lie with us, as is the custom all over the earth. 32 Let's get our father to drink wine and then lie with him and preserve our family line through our father."

Both of Lot's daughters became pregnant by their father. The older having a son named Moab, father of the Moabites. The younger, having a son named Ben-Ammi, father of the Ammonites.

Abraham does it again... just tell the truth why don't you...

Abraham and Sarah have now moved to the land of Negev, which is under the rule of King Abimelech of Gerar. Abimelech send for Sarah to take her as his wife.

God had something to say about that! ...

Genesis 20:3-7
But God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, "You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman."
Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he said, "Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? Did he not say to me, 'She is my sister,' and didn't she also say, 'He is my brother'? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands." Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her. Now return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all yours will die."

The next morning Abimelech summoned for Abraham asking him why he (Abraham) had lied to Abimelech saying Sarah was his (Abraham's) sister and not his wife. Abraham replied "There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife." Basically, he said that he lied because he was afraid; well, he didn't REALLY lie... it was half true...

Abimelech then returned Sarah to Abraham with a repentrant heart and made restitution to Abraham and Sarah for having done wrong (even though he did not know it). 

Sarah was a woman of promise! She had the mark of God upon her. God had promised a child to Abraham through Sarah. When Abimelech went to take Sarah as his wife God stopped him. He warned Abimelech in a dream that she was Abraham's wife, defending her and keeping her pure for the purposes of God's promise.

Even in the muck and the mire of the mess that we create God finds a way to bring about His promises.

Promises, promises... Do you need a little help God?

Absolutely amazing!

Remember Tuesday's post, "Even if we don't, He is..."? The last thing that I said in that post was, "I find it amazing that even when we don't trust God to be our shield, He still is!"

Well, guess what? Here we are, 3 days later, and in Genesis 15:1 God gives Abram a vision in which the word of the Lord came to him saying, "Don't be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." Isn't it awesome how God will speak to you, show you something, and then confirm it for you. Case and point, the word of the Lord spoken to Abram in this vision is EXACTLY the message that I was trying to get across! (I promise that I did not read ahead!) Abram told Sarai to lie because he was afraid... he did not trust God to be his shield... his protector.

Speak Lord, for your servant listens...



Genesis 15:1 - 17:27


Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen Spoil the Broth...

In the vision God promises Abram that his reward will be great. Abram replies to God, "O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless..." I can literally feel Abram's heart in what he has said to God. He has desired to have children, heirs of his own union, to receive his inheritance. However, he has none. This breaks his heart. In verse 3, Abram says to God, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir." At this point God reassures Abram that a servant will not be his heir. God says, "... a son, coming from your own body will be your heir".

This was not the only promise that God makes to Abram regarding his offspring. He takes Abram outside and says, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."

Even though God has promised that Abram would have a son "from his own body", it has not happened. Realizing this, Abram's wife, Sarai, talks Abram into taking her Egyptian maidservant, Hagar, as his wife for the purpose of Hagar bearing him a son. Abram agreed to Sarai's plan. (Oh, what a tangled web we weave...) Hagar becomes pregnant.

Finally, at last, a fulfillment of God's promise!
Or was it?

When Hagar learns that she is pregnant, she begins to despise Sarai. Sarai goes to Abram and says, "You are responsible for the wrong that I am suffering", speaking of what Hagar is doing to her. (Hold the phone... wasn't this Sarai's idea to begin with?) Abram tells her to do whatever she thinks is best. (I am not EXACTLY sure what he meant by this. But, honestly, it sounds like it could have taken a very bad turn!) Sarai began to treat Hagar so badly that Hagar ran away.

The angel of the Lord found Hagar by a spring in the desert. (Any time that I see "spring in the desert" my first inclination is "a place of refreshing/renewal during a very dry and difficult time. What does it mean to you?) The angel said to her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her... I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count". He then told her, "You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael (which means "God hears"), for the LORD has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers." Hagar returned to Abram, bore him a son, and he was named Ishmael.

Let's see... What do we have here?

We have 2 people, who have involved a 3rd person, trying to bring God's  promise to fulfillment. In doing so they have brought a son into the world who, from what the angel of the Lord has said about him, will have a very difficult life. Remember, "He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers." The hand of man fulfilling God's promise can have consequences that will affect not only those involved, but also generations to come.

Seeing what Abram and Sarai had done, God comes to Abram and says, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers." What I hear God saying here is, "Abram, I am God, I am God Almighty, I am capable of doing that which I promise. You must walk blameless before me. Do not try to fulfill my promises to you by your own hand. Wait on me. If I promise it to you, I will give it to you."

God then "confirms" His covenant with Abram telling him that he will be the father of many nations. At this point God changes Abram's name to Abraham, meaning "father of nations". As outward sign of God's covenant with Abraham, God tells him Abraham that he, his household, the generations to come, even those who he has bought with money... every male among them is to be circumcised. God is so serious about this covenant that he tells Abraham that any male not circumcised will be cut off from His people, for he has broken God's covenant. God also blesses Sarai, telling Abraham that she will surely give him a son, she will be the mother of many nations. In fact, kings will come from her. God then changes her name to Sarah.

In spite of all that God has promised and done, Abraham still looks at the natural and tells God that he and Sarah are too old to have children. He appeals to God saying, God "if only Ishmael might live under Your blessing". God heard Abraham's cry and reaffirms that Sarah WILL bear him a son, his name shall be Isaac, and God's covenant will be established with him as a covenant for generations after him. God also heard Abraham's HEART! God says to Abraham, "And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year."


An important point to remember...

We should never try to find a substitute for God's promise. If God promises... He will deliver. It might not be according to our timing. But, He will deliver!

Often in our impatience, we try to find ways to bring God's promises to pass and we end up with our own personal "Ismael", without the blessings of God. God will hear our heart of repentance and forgive us for not waiting on Him. However, the "product of our helping God out" often comes with many difficulties that we must be live with.

The blessings of God will always be found in God's promises, His plan.

Choices, choices... should we wait on God's timing, for the fulfillment of His promises? Or, should we ask, "Do you need a little help God?"

Which do you prefer...

Genesis 13:1 - 14:23


Genesis 13 picks up with Abram and Lot still traveling together. By this time both of them have accumulated much wealth, livestock, and possessions. But the land could not support them while they were together. Arguing broke out between Abram's herdsmen and Lot's herdsmen. Abram came to Lot and said, "Let's not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers." At this point Abram suggested that they part ways. He told Lot to choose the direction that he wanted to go and he (Abram) would go the other.

Lot looked and saw that the plain of the Jordan was lush and beautiful, it was like the garden of the Lord. He chose to go to the plain of the Jordan and departed toward the east. At this, they parted company. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot in the cities of the plain, near Sodom, which was known to be a place where the men were wicked and sinning greatly against the Lord.


Here is something of special note:

Abram, a man of great wisdom and faith gave his nephew, Lot, the first choice of which direction he would go and in what land he would settle.

Lot looked and saw the rich and lush fields, the beauty to the east. He saw the potential for a good life... on the doorsteps of sin and immorality.

What I see here is a total difference in HEART. Lot looked through the eyes of greed, seeking to have the best. He saw beautiful lands, lush fields, the ability to support his people and their livestock. He saw a rich and prosperous life! (Never mind the fact that sin would be on his doorsteps.) While Abram was operating from the heart of a peacemaker, giving Lot the first choice, the ability to choose the best, the most desireable land. In doing this Abram trusted God for His provision, his future and his blessings. He did not demand first choice to acquire what, "from the appearance", seemed to be the best of the best (which, by all rights, he could have done as the elder of the two). Instead, he totally trusted God for his provision and his future!

God rewarded Abram's pure heart with blessings. The blessings were not blessings of wealth, like an inheritance to be passed on to his children and children's children. God rewared Abram by blessing him with a legacy. A legacy continues to live on after you die. It is passed on TO and THROUGH future generations.

An inheritance will be spent and then it is gone... forever.
A legacy lives on and never dies!

Genesis 13:14-18
The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you."


Which do you prefer... an inheritance, or a legacy?


There is one more thing that I would like to say this evening...
If you choose to live on the doorsteps of sin, don't be surprised if you captured by the enemy, are carried away, and God has to chase after you to deliver you from the grasp of your captors. (see Chapter 14)

Even if we don't, He still is...

Genesis 11:1 - 12:20

My observation...

I see Abram as a man of great faith! When God spoke to him, Abram did it. This is exemplified in Genesis 12:1-9 when God told Abram to leave his home, his Father's family, and to follow Him (God) to another land. Abram did as God instructed. He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew, Lot, all of the people that they had acquired in Haran, and all of their possessions and set out.

Abram did it without question! He set out, following God, not knowing where he was going. All he knew is that he was following God. Abram, a man of faith following God. Because of Abram's great faith and obedience to God, Abram had God's hand of favor upon him. God had blessed Abram, saying, "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:2-3)

Now comes the twist... Here we have that man of faith about to enter Egypt and he becomes afraid, afraid for his life. He tells his wife Sarai, because of her great beauty, she is not to tell anyone that she is his (Abram's) wife. She is to say tht she is his sister. Truthfully, I am confused as to why he didnt trust God's hand of protection here as he had in the past... I guess that we all have one of those days (and some of us , more than one). As a result of this lie, Pharaoh takes Sarai as his wife.

Even though Abram did not trust God to protect him, God still defended Abram and Sarai by sending serious diseases upon Pharaoh and Pharaoh's household. This caused Pharaoh to call for Abram, returning Sarai to him saying, "What have you done to me?"... "Why didn't you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!" (Genesis 12:18b-19) With that Pahraoh gave orders to his men and sent Abram away.

I find it amazing that even when we don't trust God to be our shield, He still is!


Quick note: Yesterday's post was really long; so, I thought that I would give you a break!

From Curse to Covenant...

Let me start with an observation from yesterday's reading.

As I lay in bed this morning, pondering yesterday's reading on the story of Noah, I was once again reminded of the fact that God always protects His people, those who walk with Him. Though our entire world may crumble and fall, it may be totally and utterly destroyed (look at the situation of our nation and economy today), God WILL keep and protect His people. One more quick thought... He will even tell us what is to come, if we walk with him and listen.

Now, on to today's reading...

Genesis 7:1 - 10:32


Water, Water, Everywhere... (I hope the boards don't shrink)

Genesis 7:1-5
The LORD then said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. Take with you seven of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and two of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, and also seven of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth. Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made."
And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him.

Here I saw something that I have never thought of before... God told Noah to take 2 of every kind of unclean animal, 7 of the clean animals, and 7 of every kind of bird. There is a footnote that states that God was telling him to take 2 "PAIR", male and female and 7 "PAIR", male and female. I have always just thought that it was 2, 1 male and 1 female.

Interesting to think about!

I wonder...

Noah, his family, and the animals were on the ark for between 1 year 10 days and 1 year 17 days. I am really not sure if went into the ark on the day that God gave the command, or if it took Noah the 7 days to get all of the animals, etc., on the ark. Nevertheless, it is a long time to be shut up in a boat with a bunch of animals! Can you imagine the stench?


The Heart of a Father, Father God...

Genesis 8:20-21
The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.

When all was said and done, I can immagine Noah's heart to be swollen with thankfulness to God for his hand of protection and provision. To thank God, Noah built an altar and offered burnt sacrifices to God. This touched God's heart deeply. He was so pleased with both the offering and the Noah's heart that He made a promise to never destroy the earth again. Even though man may be evil, God promised never to do it again.

Oh, the heart of a Father!

God is a good God!


Have you ever thought about this?

Genesis 9:12-16
And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."

Picture of a rainbow taken from an airplane

God placed the rainbow in the sky as a sign of the covenant to never destroy the earth again. If you have ever seen a rainbow from the sky, what you likely saw was a rainbow in a "full circle". I like to think of it this way... the top of the rainbow, the part that we see from the earth, is OUR reminder of God's covenant. The bottom of the rainbow, the part that God would see (visible from the sky), is a reminder to God of His covenent to us.

My heart was truly touched when I read verse 16 when God said, "Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures...".

God put a reminder in the heavens for HIMSELF!!!!

Love covers a multitude of sins...

Genesis 9:20-23

Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father's nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father's nakedness.

When Ham found his father in a drunken sleep, naked and uncovered in his tent, he went to his brothers, Shem and Japheth, and told them. Instead of covering the nakedness of his father Ham revealed it to his brothers. Now, when Shem and Japheth learned of their father’s nakedness they backed into the tent, so they would not see his nakedness, and covered him. (Ham uncovered, revealed, his father's nakedness while Shem and Japheth covered his nakedness.)

In looking at this on a deeper level what I see is that if we find someone in error ("naked" in their humanity, their sin) we should not go around "spreading the news", in essence uncovering them. We should love them; we should not try to see them in their sin (back into the tent); we should respectfully cover them, and seek to help them turn from the error of their ways.

This principle is especially true when we deal with authority that God has put in place (ie: Noah, the spiritual head and priest of his family). If God is big enough and God enough to call that person to the place of authority, then He is big enough and God enough to correct that person in authority when they are in error. Please understand, I AM NOT giving authority the right to walk in sin. What I am saying is that we are all human and we all sin. Instead of trying to destroy that person we need to treat them with dignity and respect, helping them turn from their wickedness back to the ways of God. Instead of trying to tear them down and destroy them, love them, cover them, and help them find restoration!

Blessings and Curses...

Genesis 9:24-27

When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said, "Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers."

He also said, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem. May God extend the territory of Japheth; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his slave."

Yes, it is true!

There are blessings for doing right and there are curses for doing wrong.

When Noah found out what his sons had done he blessed Shem and Japheth, they covered him. Hold on, it doesn't stop there! There was a curse for Ham's uncovering of Noah's nakedness. However the curse was on Ham's son, Noah's grandson. There is something of note here... When we do wrong the consequences don't necessarily stop with us; They can go on to future generations!

What a mighty God we serve

Angels bow before Him

Heaven and earth adore Him

What a mighty God we serve

You're gonna do WHAT?!?!?

Genesis 6:1 - 6:22

Chapter 6 was pretty interesting!

Wow, what a change!

God originally made man in a perfect and sinless state. There was nothing between him and God. It was a perfect relationship, perfect unhindered fellowship between the Creator and His creation. By the time that Noah shows up things have REALLY changed!  The heart of man has turned, it is inclined to evil all the time, immorality is everywhere! the Bible says the "son's of God" were marrying the "daughters of man" and this grieved God very deeply. In fact God wished that He had never made man and He said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever". Here is when God shortened man's lifespan from up to 900+ years to 120 years.

Stop the presses!

Sons of God, daughters of man, and Nephilim... who or what are they? There is much controversy as to who each of them really was. Let's take a look at just one of them. Sons of God, some say that they were the Nephilim. OK, what were the "Nephilim"?

Now this made me stop to do a bit of research.

It was quite interesting!

I would suggest that you Google it and see for yourself. Here is a little hint on one of the beliefs as to who they were... Angel + woman = Giants!

Check it out to see the other beliefs. In fact, I would suggest that you look up each of them.. the sons of God, daughters of men, and the Nephilim.

Back to the story...

Because of the immorality and wickedness God pledged to wipe mankind from the earth along with all animals, birds and all creatures that He created. Now, God found Noah to be righteous, blameless among the people of his time, the Bible says that he walked with God. So, God told Noah what he was going to do, that he was going to "put an end to all people", he was going to destroy both them and the earth by flood. God did promise Noah that He would protect Noah and his family. So, God established a covenant with Noah. Truthfully, Noah must have really had a serious walk with God because if God had said that to me, I would not have been able to function, much less build an ark ON DRY LAND WITH NO WATER ANYWHERE AROUND.

Noah did exactly as he was told. He built the ark to all of the specifications that God gave him. He gathered food for he and his family, as well as the animals, to take on the ark as God had instructed. Oh yeah, here is something else that is amazing... once Noah was finished building that ark, the animals start showing up... 2 of every living creature on the earth, both male and female. Birds of every kind, every kind of creature that was on the earth! They just showed up and got on the ark. Seriously, I don't know that I would have been able to handle this! I would have freaked out!

Shhhh!!! Be quiet, listen, I think that I hear the sound of rain...

Take a little walk with Jesus...

Genesis 5:1-32


A few interesting thoughts...

Using the information given on the lineage from parent to the birth of the named male child, it appears that it was 1556 years from Adam's creation to the birth of Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Then, according to Genesis 7:6 (I know, I am jumping ahead), Noah was 600 years old when the flood came. That means that the flood was 1656 years after God created Adam. I thought that that was pretty neat.

Also, there are 2 well known Bible characters mentioned in this chapter:
1) Enoch - the Bible states that Enoch lived a total of 365 years. It says that he "walked with God and then he was no more, because God took him away."
Enoch "walked with God"... he must have walked with God in a manner unlike anyone else. You see there a very few people in the Bible that are spoken of in a manner such as this. Enoch is in the company of Abraham, who was called "a friend of God" and David, known as "a man after God's own heart". What an honor to be known in such a manner!

Wow, think about it, walking with God so close that you never die?
 
Imagine, you walk so close to God that He says to you, "Hey Enoch, it's time that we go home. You are closer to my house than yours. Why don't you just go home with me?"
Enoch never died!!! He just went home with God! Awesome!

2) Methuselah - I have always heard that he was the oldest man in the Bible. He lived a total of 969 years.
Methuselah was Enoch's son, born when Enoch was 65 years old. Let's see, Methuselah lived to a very old age and his father walked with God very closely. Could there be any correlation?
Could it be that if we live a life "walking close with God" then even our children, our descendants, will be blessed, even with "long life"?

Hmmm.....

Genesis 5:21-24 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away."


Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

To obey is better than sacrifice...

A quick note to get started. I went to church today! It was only the 5th time that I have gone since Easter of this year. At this time I don't have a church to call my home. I have not yet found one that I want to attend (I guess this is kind of like our President, Barak Obama, you won't find a home church if you don't go looking for one.).

I am not happy with myself! I used to be in church every time that the door was open. In fact, I used to be the first one there to unlock the doors and the last one to leave, locking them back. Truthfully, I have not even had the desire to go to church. I have allowed my anger and bitterness to steal my joy.

It is my prayer that I will find my peace and joy once again, find it in a measure that I have never know before, find it in abundance!

Please agree with me on this.


Genesis 4:1-26

Cain and Abel

Genesis 4:2(b) - 7
"... Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast."

I wonder...

Was God unhappy with Cain's offering because it was not a blood sacrifice from the firstborn, the best (fat) of the flock. (Remember my previous post... I believe that God set the example of blood covering for sin in the Garden of Eden when he covered their nakedness with the skin of a slain animal.) Maybe, God was unhappy with Cain's offering because it was fruit of the ground which had been cursed. Or, could it possibly be both?

What do you think?

In verses 6 and 7, God goes on to say to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

What I see here is that God is telling Cain that it is better to obey than sacrifice. I believe that God had told them that a blood offering from the best of the firstfruits is what He required. God wanted the best, not leftovers, and certainly not "fruit of a curse". Also, God is telling Cain that there is a heart issue here as well. Cain's heart was not right. If our heart is not right, it is a sin. Cain's heart was not to please God by doing what God desired. He was just going through the motions... doing the ritual. God said to Cain, "if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." Through this, God is encouraging us to do what is right and to be the master over sin. Never let sin rule in you. Wow, what a challenge!


An interesting thought...

Genesis 4:10 - 14  The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth". Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."

Up to this point the Bible only speaks of 4 people, Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel. However, when Cain is punished God tells Cain that he is banished from the land and will be a wanderer on the earth. Cain replies to God that "whoever finds me will kill me". This means that there are other people on the earth. Were they relatives of Cain?
Did God continue creating other people? Where did they come from?

Any thoughts?

Things that make you go hmmm...

As I mentioned before, I felt an overwhelming peace reading my friend's blog. So, please pardon me for copying him! I felt that I would do as he is doing and read through the Bible. What a better place to find love and encouragement during the darkest of times!



Genesis 1:1 - 3:24


Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness...

A few thoughts here:

First, the Bible says, "Let US make man in OUR own image, in OUR likeness...". What is up with that? Let "US" and in "OUR" image. The Bible is actually making reference to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We always think of God, the single being, creating the earth! And, second, it speaks of God creating man in His "image" and "likeness". To me this totally dispels the theory of evolution! The Bible does not say, Let us "evolve" man into Our image. It clearly states, "Let us MAKE man in Our image...".

Hey, why did God make man to begin with? He had the Angels. He had all the rest of creation. He could do anything with them that He wanted. What did he want, or need, man for? I believe that God wanted someone, that was like Him (in His image), with whom to fellowship, someone that would love Him and walk with Him by choice. I believe that God, the supreme being of all that is and all that ever will be, wanted to be loved, just as we want and NEED to be loved and fellowship with others. It is a very basic, but strong, need innate within us. We are created with the need TO BE LOVED and TO FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHERS (that is why God made Eve for Adam... remember, "It is not good for man to be alone..."). God wanted to be loved, He wanted to be loved by choice, not out of obligation or because we were created with that as our job. God wanted someone to choose to love Him and spend time with Him. He made man with a free will, free choice, the ability to accept or reject Him, to love Him, or to walk away from Him. This ability to choose, our free will, is first seen in Genesis 3:6, when Eve CHOSE to eat of the tree that God said not to touch. To me it is an awesome thought that God made man to have someone to walk with Him, to talk with Him, and to love Him! And, better than that, He gave us the ability, the freedom, to reject Him.

Genesis 3:21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.

This is the first blood sacrifice in the Bible! God spilled the blood of an animal to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve, to cover their wrongdoing. This, to me, is a foreshadowing of what we see throughout the rest of the Bible... Blood sacrifice to cover sin. In the Old Testament animals were sacrificed on an altar for the forgiveness of sins. In the New Testament God sent Jesus to be the sacrifice for our sins.

We were created as perfect beings, no sin, no pain, just us and God. Until the fall...

It was a perfect relationship! God would walk in the garden in the eve of the day visiting with His creation, just God, Adam and Eve. Wow, what an opportunity to exist in the total presence of God! Even when God found them in the garden, hiding their nakedness, and they told him that they had sinned (like He didn't already know), He loved them and provided a covering for them.

Thank God that he doesn't handle things like I do. When I reject God He still loves me, He covers me, and continues to pursue me to bring me back to Himself. He wants me to be in that "Garden of Eden relationship" with Him.

Thank you Jesus for Your patience with me!

Thank you for Your love and Your covering!