Genesis

http://www.krististephens.
com
A Note of Introduction
Hello!
I’m thrilled that you’re interested in studying God’s Word

with me! Before you jump into this study of Genesis,
allow me to introduce myself and explain what this study
is about.
I am a full time wife and mom who loves to teach God’s

Word through our local church and through blogging. These
studies spring from my training in the Bible department at Cedarville
University, alongside my own study of the Scriptures and time teaching
Bible studies based on the Old Testament books.
What you will find in this e-book is a “big picture” overview of Genesis. I
trust that what I have written here will be useful and helpful for you, but in
no way is this intended to be read in lieu of your own Bible study. In fact,
as you progress through these studies I assume that you are reading and
studying on your own as we go. These are my words, not God’s. While I
strive to be accurate in my explanations and applications, and while I have
found these things to be true in my study of the Scriptures, nothing can take
the place of your own time reading the Bible itself.
I pray that as you open your Bible to this magnificent first book, that God
will challenge and excite you through the study of His Word. I also pray that
through looking at the “big picture” of what God is doing in history that you
will gain a deeper understanding of your own need for Jesus Christ and
grow in your daily walk with Him.
May God bless you!
- ^Ü|áà|
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him,
rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught,
and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7
Page 1
http://www.krististephens.com
The power of His Word
Picture from Bible Picture Gallery: http://www.instonebrewer.com/bpg2009/
If you skim through Genesis chapter one, the very first words in the Bible, what does the
emphasis seem to be on? Let me point out some repetition:
1"...God created..."
3"Then God said...
4"And God saw...and God divided..."
5"God called..."
6"God said..."
7"Thus God made..."
8"And God called..."
9"Then God said..."
10"And God called...God saw..."
11"Then God said...God saw..."
We could go on, but that's surely sufficient! Who is in existence at this time? GOD. He's
the only one. Do you think it would have caused any confusion whatsoever if Moses had
used a personal pronoun here or there? Why the repetition over and over and over?
Because He is the point. It's all about God.
The other obvious repetition throughout that passage is the power of His Word. It's God
saying, calling, making (by His word)... His Word is powerful. It is trustworthy. When
He says something it happens!
Now look at Genesis 1:26-28. We're going to introduce here the idea of a "scepter" - a
Page 2
sign of power and authority, and the right to rule. Figuratively speaking, God the Creator
hands man a scepter in this passage. God created man and woman and now tells them to
rule over His creation as his "viceroys." God rules, through man, over creation.
Now, flip over to Genesis 3, which is the well-known account of the fall of Adam and
Eve. What exactly does Satan cause Eve to doubt?
God's WORD.
"Did God really say... You will not surely die..." Eve, did God really say that? Did He
mean that? Is what God said would happen really going to happen? He first questions and
then outright denies the validity of God's word!
And thus begins the rest of history. God speaking, and man doubting (often blatantly
ignoring and denying) the word of God. Did God say that? Did He mean that? Is that
really going to happen? YES - God's Word is powerful and trustworthy! I won't go into
detail with the effects of the fall in this post [we'll get into this more in Ecclesiastes], but
yes, what God said would happen does. Man and woman experience a very real spiritual
death and separation from God. They will experience physical death. Life will be difficult
and toilsome and frustrating. And one more thing...
...they've lost the scepter.
The "domain" that man and woman once had full authority over will now rebel constantly
against them. They will plant corn or roses or apple trees, and even after toiling and
sweating and blistering their hands in the work, they will get weeds and bugs and decay.
Animals that once would have submitted completely to Adam and Eve's rightful rule are
in rebellion and will attack them or flee from them or eat that corn they worked so hard to
grow. They will experience conflict in their marriage as the proper roles and authority of
the man and woman are challenged. The scepter is gone.
But there is a glimmer of hope!
After God tells them all about the frustrating life and ultimate death ahead of them, Adam
chooses that moment to turn to his wife and name her (see 3:20). Doesn't that seem like
weird timing? If you look back in 3:15, Adam knew what God was telling them. As God
was pronouncing His curse on the serpent, He says these words, "I will put enmity
between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your
head, and you will strike his heel."
Adam understood that this was a promise- one day, all would be set right. One day, one
of their children or children's children, the promised Seed of the woman, would have the
ultimate victory. This Seed would crush the serpent (Satan) on the head (a fatal blow),
while the Seed himself (Jesus) would be struck on the heel (a "flesh wound") and the
scepter would be returned.
He knew it would happen - God said it would. God's word is trustworthy.
Page 3
So, Adam's response in 3:20 isn't weird timing at all. It is a statement of faith in God's
promise. This is bad, but one day Someone will fix it. Someone who will come through
this woman's offspring. She's the key- she's the lifegiver. And so, he turns at that moment
and names her Eve, meaning lifegiver.
And the wait begins for the promised Seed...
Page 4
Redemption unfolding
Genesis 3:20-21: "'In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the
ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.' And
Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. Also for
Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them." (NKJV)
In the last post in this series, we looked at how Adam's naming of Eve was a statement of
his faith in God's promise of a Redeemer in Genesis 3:15. Here we have the continuation
of the story.
In 3:19, God tells them that the result of their sin will be death.
In 3:20, Adam shows his genuine faith in God's promise of redemption.
In 3:21, God slays an animal to cover their sin and shame.
What is that? The first salvation experience! Never forget that people in the Old
Testament were saved in exactly the same way as every person after the life of Christ -
they were saved through their faith in God's promised redemption in Christ. Adam and
Page 5
Eve didn't know his name, or that it would be thousands of years before He walked the
earth, but they knew Jesus Christ would come - because God said He would. He was their
way back - the Seed who would crush the serpent in a fatal blow.
Ok, so they're forgiven - everything's ok now, right?
3:22-24 "Then the Lord God said, 'Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know
good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat,
and live forever' - therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the
ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at
the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the
way to the tree of life."
Sin, even forgiven sin, has consequences. It must, for our God is holy. Adam and Eve are
forgiven and clothed, but the curse lingers on. The world will never be as it was. In this
midst of this very sad couple of verses, however, is a deep evidence of God's grace.
The thought of living forever seems very appealing to people - we love stories in
literature and film about the fabled Fountain of Youth! God created us as eternal beings,
and death, no matter how expected, never feels right. So why doesn’t God want them to
eat from the tree of life? Is He just punishing us with death?
Let me tell you - in a world of sinful people, where evil and atrocities are reinvented in
every generation in new and perverse ways, God is mercifully keeping them from the
prison of living forever on earth. Believers in Jesus Christ who truly walk with the Lord
understand this truth that the Apostle Paul stated most elegantly in the New Testament:
"To live is Christ, and to die is gain." Life on earth truly is a gift, and spiritually walking
with God, enjoying the gracious gifts of love and family and fulfilling work is amazing.
However, to be in the physical presence of Jesus Christ, rather than in the midst of death
and suffering and evil, is most definitely far beyond what we could possibly wrap our
limited human minds around. God is graciously making their experience on a cursed
earth a limited time engagement.
One more thought, just for fun. This garden, tree, cherubim, and sword - these were real,
literal things. How long do you think it was there? Most likely until the worldwide flood
in Genesis 6! For generations, people could go back and see this literal place. They would
see a literal cherubim waving a literal flaming sword to keep them from getting back into
the garden.
I have no real application for that :), just wanted you to get this out of a cartoon or flannel
graph picture in your mind and think about a real place. Our God is real. His word is real.
His redemption through Christ is real. Without it, we're just lost, sinful people covered
with shame rather than forgiveness, and there is no way back to the garden. Jesus is the
only way.
Page 6
The battle begins
Image from http://en.wikipedia.org
Imagine that you are watching some kids play a game, let's say soccer. They're all on the
playground, wearing their regular school clothes. You came in during the middle of the
game and hadn't watched them choose sides. They don't have any uniforms or way to
delineate who is on what team. Would you be able to tell the teams apart? Of course you
would - the way that they are playing offense or defense, the direction they kick the ball,
etc. would clearly show you which side they are on.
Extend this metaphor to Genesis chapters four and following. Some of these people are
on God's "team" - they know God, they walk with Him (we'll call them the "orange
team"). Some of these people are on Satan's team (we'll call them the "blue team"). How
can you tell the difference? By the way they play the game. [Never assume that all the
people in the Bible are making good choices - remember, the Bible isn't about these
people - they aren't there to give us a list of heroes. The Bible is about God.]
In the first verse of chapter four, Cain is born. Eve's statement is, "With the help of the
Lord I have brought forth a man." Guess what they are thinking? Rewind to the promise
in 3:15- all they knew was that a male "seed" from Eve's line would have the ultimate
victory. They had no idea how long this would take and all the intricate ways that God
would unfold His plan. So in their minds, Cain might be it! He's the one! Unfortunately,
he seems to be playing for the wrong team.
People have discussed for ages why Cain's sacrifice was rejected and Abel's was
accepted. Most likely Cain knew that a blood sacrifice was needed (God had established
that pattern by covering Adam and Eve with the skins in chapter 3.) But, no matter what
the reasons were, Cain obviously knew what God required. Look at verse 7 - “If you do
well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its
desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” Cain was clearly deliberately choosing not
to obey God. He wasn't just mistaken about the requirements.
Page 7
So, in chapter four, we have a 'blue' team member, who obviously rejects God's
requirements and then gets mad and kills a member of the 'orange' team - Abel. Now
keep reading in the chapter. What team is Lamech on? Take a wild guess. In verses 23
and 24, we find Lamech boasting to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Wives
of Lamech, listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, Even a young
man for hurting me. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-
sevenfold.” Hmmm...
Cain was bad. Granted. He killed his own brother in cold blood and then tried to cover
his own sin while talking verbally with God himself! But, at least Cain had the sense to
know that murder was not good. He tried to hide it. He was afraid of the consequences,
and God in his unbelievable mercy promises to protect Cain and avenge sevenfold
anyone who tries to hurt him.
Now think about Lamech. He's taken two wives (a violation of the clear order established
by God with Adam and Eve), kills a guy, boasts about it, and then says if anyone tries to
hurt him back he will avenge himself far beyond how God would avenge Cain. It's pretty
obvious that Lamech is all blue!
At the end of chapter four, Seth is born, and Eve makes another interesting statement.
"For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.” Another
Seed. Perhaps this is the one! Well, Seth is obviously not THE Seed that they're waiting
for, but his uniform does appear to be orange. Seth is born, Seth has a son (Enosh), and
then the text makes a point of pointing out that "at that time" people began to seek the
Lord.
Marching on to chapter five. Read verses 1 and 2 - do they sound familiar? "This is the
book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the
likeness of God. He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them
Mankind in the day they were created." Sounds quite a bit like Genesis 1:26-27! Why the
repeat? Read on to verses 3 and 4: "And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and
begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. After he begot
Seth, the days of Adam were eight hundred years; and he had sons and daughters." This
repetition seems to be a literary clue that we’re starting the story over.
This next chapter (chapter 5) is the account of the orange team (Adam, Seth, and their
descendants, and eventually Enoch - famed for walking with God), just like chapter 4
seemed to focus on the blue team (Cain, his descendants, and eventually Lamech). Note
the repetition:
"...all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died...
all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years; and he died...
all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years; and he died...
all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years; and he died...
all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred and ninety-five years; and he died...
all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years; and he died..."
Page 8
It goes on, but I think you see the repetition! :) What is the deal with the depressing list of
who is dying when? What are they waiting for? [the Seed!] What happens every single
time? [they die!] They know the Seed will come. God said He would. God's word is
trustworthy. There is a very real, very obvious spiritual battle going on, and eventually
the Seed will be victorious. They just don't know how long they're going to wait!
Page 9
The cuddly animals are not the point of Noah's Ark
Genesis chapter four: the blue team shows their "team spirit"
Genesis chapter five: the orange team is holding their own
Genesis chapter six... things start going downhill. Fast.
6:1-2 "Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and
daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they
were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose."
There is all kinds of debate about who the "sons of God" and "daughters of men" were. I
think the explanation that fits best with what has already been happening in the text is
that members of the "orange team" (the sons of God) started to intermarry with the "blue
team" (the daughters of men). Our lines are intermixing, and suddenly the righteous
remnant is dying out. The result?
6:5"Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every
Page 10
intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." The text goes on to say
that God was grieved and says he is going to have to "blot out" man from the earth. Only
Noah finds favor in the eyes of the Lord.
[Side note: it's fascinating to see the background for Noah's name in 5:29. 'And he called
his name Noah, saying, “This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our
hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed.”' What does that mean? They're
still looking for the Seed who will make everything right again. The Seed is the only one
who could bring comfort, or rest, from the work and toil resulting from the curse!]
We have one guy versus the rest of humankind. In fact, the rest of humanity is so wicked
that I'm sure it puts to shame the worst aspects of our society today. Check out the
wording again: "...every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."
Yikes. I would say the teams aren't exactly even anymore. Evil is winning by a landslide,
and the only solution is to wipe out the entire race of mankind. Not a pretty picture.
I hate to burst people's bubble, but cuddly animals happily climbing on board a cartoon
ark doesn't really fit with what's going on here. Our God is so holy, and mankind's sin
was so insidious, that God was forced to blot them out from the face of the earth. Noah
and his family weren't taking the animals for a happy cruise on the ark. It was their only
way to be saved from worldwide, catastrophic, unbelievable destruction.
[Isn't it weird that we decorate nurseries in Noah's ark themes? I've always found that to
be odd. Hey look, baby - worldwide destruction because of unthinkable evil! I have put
my foot in my mouth more than once saying this out loud, so please forgive me if you
have a Noah's Ark theme. I just wonder about these things sometimes...]
In Matthew 24 and Luke 17, the second coming of Christ is paralleled with the sudden,
complete judgment of the flood. Even though Noah had warned them, everyone was too
consumed with their own lives to listen and believe. And they all perished. The flood is a
sobering reminder that salvation is through Christ alone. You're either "on board" or
you're not. You're either inside when the doors are closed or you are swept away. No
matter how hard those people tried to swim against the current, they didn't make it. And
no matter how good our lives look or how hard we try to live a good life, we can't make it
without Christ. He's our only hope.
Back to Genesis. In 9:1, they get off the ark, and '...God blessed Noah and his sons, and
said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth."' Sound familiar? It's a repeat of
Genesis 1:26-27. So, we're back, right?! The scepter is back, the evil is gone... '“And the
fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the
air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your
hand."' Hmmm. Things still aren't back to the original design. Adam and Eve had the
rightful rule, the scepter. The animals didn't respond to them because of fear and dread,
they responded because Adam and Eve were God's representative rulers. And as you read
on through the chapter, it's obvious that sin is still a very real part of the human heart.
Page 11
In Noah's time, they were still waiting for the Seed, and his ultimate redemption. From
our time, He came once, and He will come again. The judgment will be swift. Examine
your heart and be sure you are safe within the blood of Christ. He is the only way.
Page 12
"...a tower that reaches to the heavens..."
I remember wondering as a kid what the big deal was about the tower of Babel. God is
anti-sky scrapers? He's threatened by man's technological abilities? No, unfortunately,
Babel is a vivid example of one of mankind's most common and insidious types of sin.
We're not building skyscrapers in our backyards, but we very well might be "Babel-
onians."
Genesis 11:3-4
"Then they said to one another, 'Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.'
They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, 'Come, let us
build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for
ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.'"
Right off the bat, let's look at why they said they were doing this. They don't want to be
scattered over the face of the earth. Doesn't sound too bad, right? Well, look at Genesis
9:1- the first thing God tells them when they get off the ark (along with the repeated
portion from Genesis 1) is that they are to "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth."
The fact that they didn't want to fill the earth is a direct act of rebellion against God.
Now, back up to their preceding statement: "...and a tower whose top is in the heavens;
let us make a name for ourselves..." This isn't just a science experiment to test out
building practices. They want to build something that reaches the heavens and they want
to make a name for themselves. They are trying to find significance, security, power,
importance, world peace and unity - but they want it on their own. "We're not doing this
your way, God. We want all this good stuff without having to bow the knee to your
authority."
Names are very important in the Old Testament. There was even a law that said that if a
man died without a child to carry on his name, that his wife should marry the next closest
relative. The first male child resulting from that union would carry on the dead man's
name so they would not be forgotten (remember the kinsman-redeemer in Ruth?).
But there is one name so important, so holy, that the Hebrews would not even speak it
out loud. They wouldn't write the whole thing out, and even after they wrote the
abbreviation they would throw the pen away and start with a new one. GOD's name is
Page 13
that holy, that powerful, that worthy of respect. The only reason we have significance is
because of Him. The only reason we exist, let alone have any true security, is because of
Him. When we seek to make a name for ourselves, showing ourselves to be significant
and worthy of honor, it really is blasphemous. We are not here to make a name for
ourselves and make ourselves famous - we are here to make God's name famous!
Can you see how the spirit of Babel lives on in our own hearts? We want the good things
God gives us, but we want them without Him. Consider the very well known lyrics by
John Lennon:
Imagine there’s no heaven, It’s easy if you try
No hell below us, Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today . . .
You may say I’m a dreamer, But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will be as one.
Imagine there’s no countries, It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace...
What is that? I'm sorry if this offends any Lennon fans, but that is pure blasphemy set to a
catchy tune. It is the modern day spirit of Babel. 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, and
a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be
scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.'
Psalm 115:1
Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth.
Page 14
Memory Loss
Image via Wikipedia
As I read through these first chapters of the Bible, I am always intrigued by the fact that
within a matter of a few generations, the entire population of the earth will forget God's
obvious presence.
The picture above is a timeline that I made from the genealogies and stated life spans in
chapters 10 and 11. In the fifth generation from Noah (and Noah is still alive), mankind is
living in direct rebellion to the Lord and God splits them at the tower of Babel. Five
generations after that, God singles Abram out (again, Noah is still alive!). We don't know
that Abram is the only guy following God at this point, but it surely doesn't seem like he's
in the majority. Why isn't the Truth of God's plan being passed down? Why aren't people
following?
Obviously, a big piece of this is the fact that man is inherently sinful. Way back with
Adam and Eve, we experienced a very real spiritual death. We are born sinful, we stay
Page 15
sinful, and even our best efforts to be "good" result in corruption and reveal our
depravity. Paul explains this very clearly in Romans 3:10-12: “There is none righteous,
no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have
all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good,
no, not one."
In addition to our inherent sinfulness, I wonder how much of this falling away from God
that cyclically happens is because people weren't teaching the next generation Who God
is and what He did. How could they believe the promise and enter into a relationship with
God if no one ever really explained the promises and character of God to them?
This is always very compelling to me, especially now as we raise our own children. We
must teach them the Truth! We must show them who our God is! They must know that
He is holy, we are not, and that faith in the promised one, Jesus Christ, is the only way
back to Him! I haven't seen a worldwide flood, had audible conversations with God, or
experienced His divine wrath on all of mankind, but I know whom I have believed. I have
seen the Truth of His Word in my life and in the world around me. I have experienced
His miraculous work in my own heart. I have seen Him answer prayer. Our children must
make the choice to follow Him for themselves, of course, but they have to hear and see
the Truth lived out.
It is no wonder that the pounding refrain we hear again and again in the book of
Deuteronomy is "DO NOT FORGET." We are prone to wander. We are prone to forget.
"Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your
eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach
them to your children and your grandchildren..." Deuteronomy 4:9
Page 16
Next step in God's master plan: Abraham
Today we're going to look at what is sometimes referred to as the "Abrahamic covenant."
[aka: God's promises He made to Abraham.] We will refer back to this "land, nation, and
leader" promise many, many times throughout these Old Testament posts... and it all
starts here in Genesis 12!
Genesis 12:1-3
Now the Lord had said to Abram:
“Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall
be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the
families of the earth shall be blessed.”
I have highlighted for you in that passage the three elements of God's promise:
1. Land
2. Nation
3. Leader
"Land" and "nation" are obvious. Where did I get "Leader," you ask?
In Galatians 3:8, Paul refers to this verse by saying, 'And the Scripture...preached the
gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.”' Where
is the gospel in this statement?
Think back to our earlier discussion about the promise of the "Seed" back in Genesis
3:15. One Seed, through the line of Eve, would have the ultimate victory over Satan and
deal him a deadly blow. He would make things right again. Now in Genesis 12:3, God is
Page 17
giving more details: The Seed would come from Abram's line, so through Abram, all the
nations of the earth would be blessed!
All three elements of this promise to Abram are not separate from the Seed promise in
Genesis 3:15. They are very much connected to one another. Let's look at each element in
detail and see how they relate to the Seed promise.
Nation
In Exodus 19:6, God tells the Israelites, 'And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and
a holy nation.'
What did a priest do? He taught the people about God and His requirements, laws, and
forgiveness; he served as a mediator for them before God. God tells Israel that the whole
nation will be a kingdom of priests. If they are all priests, who are they teaching? The rest
of the world!
Land
Most of the land given to Israel is not a lush, bountiful land. Why is this piece of land so
important? In the map I attached to this post you can see how Israel was really on the
crossroads of the world. All major world powers during this time would have to travel
through Israel, due to constrictions of water and desert that were too treacherous to travel.
Why put them there? If God had settled Israel in, say, North America, they wouldn't have
had the position of influence to truly function as a kingdom of priests, telling the world
about their God. God brought the world to their doorstep, and they were to tell everyone
Who God is and how his plan was unfolding.
Leader
This one should be obvious, after our earlier discussion. The Seed is the leader! He's
coming!!
Abraham, one man in the midst of a generation falling away from the True God, had been
given an unbelievable promise. He had no idea just how intricate the plan was, or how
long it would all take, but He knew it was true. God's word is powerful and trustworthy,
and He will continue to prove it to be so.
Page 18
That Abraham is a great guy, but...
...he's got some issues!
Please remember as you read through the Bible that, as we discussed earlier, the people
aren't the point. God did not give us Abraham's story in order to tell us how great of a guy
Abe was. God gave us Abraham's story to show us what a great God Abe had!
Now, Abram (his name hasn't been changed to Abraham yet) starts out great. In Genesis
12:1, God tells him to leave his homeland, following that (vs. 2-3) with the land, nation,
and leader promises that we've already discussed. In verse 4, what does Abram do? He
left! He obeys immediately. Abram's sincere faith was evidenced by his obedience to
God's command. Nice job, Abram. Now, let's keep reading chapter 12...
Hmmm. Abram barely gets started on his journey and he's teetered off our pedestal. In
verses 11-20, we have Abram being afraid for his life because of Sarai's beauty, lying to
Pharaoh, and generally doing his best to mess things up! :) God intervenes and brings
Page 19
Sarai back to him.
Now, skip to chapter 15 - God is restating and expanding the promise - the promised
descendants would come from Abram's own, biological children. That seemed pretty
impossible at this point, but God makes it crystal clear that it will happen. Abram's
response? Vs. 6: "And Abram believed God; then God considered him righteous on
account of his faith." (TLB)
Abram was not a righteous guy on his own. God considered him righteous because
of his faith in God's promises.
Check this out:

ch. 16: Abram and Sarai's big mess with Hagar. Bad move there, guys.
ch. 17: God clarifies his promises and says their son would come from Sarai herself. And
Abram laughs.
ch. 18: Jesus appears in the flesh to Abraham and Sarah, and says their son would be born
the next year. And Sarah laughs. And then lies [to Jesus himself].
ch. 20: Abraham lies and says Sarah is his sister (AGAIN!). God rescues her from
Abimelech.
We'll look at chapter 22 tomorrow, but note this point. Abraham was not a flawless, holy
man. He made some terrible mistakes. But, he believed God. His belief is what caused
God to look at him as righteous.
Romans 4:3-5 says, "For the Scriptures tell us Abraham believed God, and that is why
God canceled his sins and declared him “not guilty.” But didn’t he earn his right to
heaven by all the good things he did? No, for being saved is a gift; if a person could earn
it by being good, then it wouldn’t be free—but it is! It is given to those who do not work
for it. For God declares sinners to be good in his sight if they have faith in Christ to save
them from God’s wrath." (TLB)
No matter how "good" or "bad" we are, it is our faith in Jesus Christ that saves us. We
can't be good enough to earn heaven on our own. We can't be bad enough that He can't
save us.
Romans 3:21-24 "But now God has shown us a different way to heaven—not by “being
good enough” and trying to keep his laws, but by a new way (though not new, really, for
the Scriptures told about it long ago). Now God says he will accept and acquit us—
declare us “not guilty”—if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be
saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been
like. Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal; yet now God declares us
“not guilty” of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes
away our sins." TLB
Amen and thank you, Lord!
Page 20
The lesson of Mount Moriah
Genesis 22:1-2
Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him,
“Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Take now your son, your only
son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt
offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.
What in the world is going on here? [if you're not familiar with this story, please take a
moment to read all of chapter 22 on your own.] I have heard quite a few sermons on this
passage, and if you've been in the Church for any length of time, you probably have, too.
Unfortunately, I think that while many good applications are brought out of this passage,
we often miss the main point of this story.
Sometimes you will hear people explain that God was testing Abraham's loyalty. "Do you
love Isaac more than Me?" Sometimes people will say that God is testing Abraham to see
Page 21
just how obedient he will be. Would he do the unthinkable? What is really going on here?
Hebrews 11:17-19 gives us a big clue about the point of this story (always compare
Scripture with Scripture and let it explain itself!!)
"By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the
promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed
shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead,
from which he also received him in a figurative sense."
Ah - here's the big point! First of all, this passage is emphasizing Abraham's faith. Isaac
is important to Abraham, not just as his only beloved son, but as the key to God's
promises. Abraham and Sarah had waited, and waited, and waited, and waited for God to
fulfill His promise of a son. God did fulfill that promise in Isaac. Now, when God says,
"Abraham, go sacrifice Isaac on the mountain," the question is more than just where
Abraham's loyalty lies or who he loves more. The question is If Isaac is killed, could God
still fulfill the promises?
What does Hebrews tell us about Abraham's answer to that question? I like the way The
Living Bible states this:
"While God was testing him, Abraham still trusted in God and his promises, and so he
offered up his son Isaac and was ready to slay him on the altar of sacrifice; yes, to slay
even Isaac, through whom God had promised to give Abraham a whole nation of
descendants!
He believed that if Isaac died God would bring him back to life again; and that is just
about what happened, for as far as Abraham was concerned, Isaac was doomed to death,
but he came back again alive!"
[Keep in mind here: up to this point (Genesis 22), resurrection from the dead has never
happened!] Abraham's faith has been so matured, deepened, and galvanized, that when
God tells him to go sacrifice Isaac, Abraham believes that God will just have to raise him
from the dead again. Isaac's the key to the promises! God's word is powerful and
trustworthy! So, if Isaac dies, God will have to supernaturally raise him back to life
because no matter what, God is a faithful God and He will keep His word!
Perhaps you're still not sold that this is point. Check out Genesis 22:4-5.
Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham
said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and
worship, and we will come back to you.”
Abraham was absolutely planning to sacrifice Isaac. As a burnt offering, no less! He

would have to kill his son and burn him to ashes. But he truly believed that somehow,
someway, they would both be walking back down that mountain!
Now, before we fall into the sticky trap of elevating Abraham instead of God, let me just
Page 22
remind you that absolute faith and obedience against all odds has not exactly been
Abraham's lifelong pattern. This is a powerful testament to God's sanctifying work in a
fallen man's life. On his own, Abraham would not have gotten to this point. But through a
lifetime of obeying, then falling away, then being brought back, believing the promises,
doubting, being brought back... God has accomplished a mighty work in this man's life.
At the end of his life, Abraham believes God, no matter what - and that is a testament to
the gracious and merciful God of Abraham.
After listing great heroes of faith in Hebrews 11, the beginning of the next chapter
exhorts us to look to Jesus... "the author and finisher of our faith." (Hebrews 12:2) He
started this work of faith in our lives. And He will finish it. Wherever you are on your
spiritual journey, know this: salvation is not something you work for - it is a gift from
God. Becoming a man or woman of great faith is not a testament to you and your
character - it is the work of our faithful Lord and Savior.
Philippians 1:6 "...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good
work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ..."
Page 23
The heel grabber
Image from http://en.wikipedia.org
We are going to skip over a bunch of stuff and head straight toward Jacob, our next major
player in the book of Genesis. At the end of Genesis 25, Jacob and Esau, fraternal twins,
are born to Isaac and Rebecca.
Gen. 25:24-26 "So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were
twins in her womb. And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so
they called his name Esau. Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of
Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob."
First, I feel that I just must point out the description of Esau. Poor Rebecca! This is NOT
what a mother longs to see when she takes her first look at her baby! Yikes! Nathan and I
would someday like to have an Irish Setter named Esau - picture his red hairy ears
blowing in the wind... ☺
Anyway. You have this weird orangutan child and then comes the second, grabbing his
brother's heel. They name him Jacob, meaning "heel grabber," aka: deceiver. He trips
people up. Think about that annoying boy in your 6th grade class that would walk behind
you and try to kick your heels as you walk. That's what this means. He trips people up
and tries to supplant them. And boy, Jacob does his best to live up to his name.
In my opinion, Jacob is another Bible character that people assume is a "good guy"
throughout his life, just because we hear his name a lot. As we will study today, this is
not the case! Jacob is playing for the "blue team" for much of his life. He will eventually
switch sides, but it's a long journey.
Genesis 25:30-34
Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. And Esau
said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore his
name was called Edom. But Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright as of this day.” And
Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?” Then Jacob said,
Page 24
“Swear to me as of this day.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And
Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his
way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
This story does not really put either son in a very good light. Let's clarify first what the
birthright was. The older son would traditionally be given a double portion of the
inheritance. In other words, when Isaac died, Esau would have been given 2/3 of the
inheritance, and Jacob 1/3. Jacob's manipulation here is obvious, but Esau's not off the
hook, either. This was one impulsive, carnal, stomach-driven guy who clearly was not
acting in wisdom or valuing the importance of the birthright. That was a mighty
expensive bowl of lentil stew.
[We won't cover it in detail due to time, but check out the events of chapter 26 - Isaac
does the exact same thing Abraham does, claiming that his wife is really his sister!
Deception is definitely a family trait that Jacob has clearly inherited!]
On to chapter 27. This is the story of Jacob deceiving ("Jacobing") his father to steal the
blessing. The blessing is different from the birthright. Again, the birthright is a double
portion of the inheritance. The blessing transfers the supernatural blessing of God to the
next generation. In 26:12, God's blessing of Isaac is obvious. "Then Isaac sowed in that
land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him." Reaping
100 times what he sowed! That is unbelievable! It's an obvious supernatural occurrence,
and it's due to God's blessing. That is what Jacob really wants.
Now, read through this account and see how many times Jacob deceives ("Jacobs") his
father.
•I am Esau your firstborn (19)
•“How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “Because the Lord
your God brought it to me.” (20)
•And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s
hands; so he blessed him. (23)
•“Are you really my son Esau?” He said, “I am.” (24)
•...he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him... (27)
Over, and over, and over again Jacob purposely deceives his father. He even uses God as
part of his lie!
It's not clear what would have happened if Isaac had gone ahead and blessed Esau - after
all, God had told Rebecca before they were born that the older would serve the younger.
We do know that God did indeed bless Jacob. The rest we have to leave in the "questions
we will have to ask God someday" file!
For Rebecca and Jacob, this again boils down to an issue of whether or not they believe
the promises of God. He had said that Jacob would be the prominent son. If they truly
believed Him, they wouldn't have needed to try to manipulate and steal what they felt
was rightfully Jacob's. God's word is powerful, and it will be carried out. Ultimately,
Page 25
although God does bless Jacob and fulfills the prophecy despite the clear manipulation
and deception, be clear that God does not condone their lies. The Bible is crystal clear
about deceit.
"Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His
delight." (Prov. 12:22)
Deceit is, in some ways a very subtle sin. Especially when it runs in families (as it has for
Jacob), and lying to escape from danger or a difficult situation is second nature. God will
change Jacob's heart and character, but it will take time. May we echo the words of David
in Psalm 139:23-24 when he says,
Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting."
Page 26
Are you dreaming

dreaming Jacob's dream?
In Genesis 28, we find Jacob on his way to Uncle Laban's house in order to escape Esau's
murderous rage after the whole blessing deception scheme. He ends up laying down to
sleep with his head on a rock and he has a dream.
Genesis 28:12-13 says, "Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth,
and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and
descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: “I am the Lord God of
Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you
and your descendants..."
God goes on to restate the promises, originally made to Abraham, specifically to Jacob -
his descendents will be like the dust of the earth (nation), the land will be theirs (land),
and through them all the families of the earth would be blessed (leader). Jacob wakes up,
is afraid as he realizes he was in the presence of God Himself, and anoints the rock he
was sleeping on.
Page 27
We could have pages of discussion about this passage, but what we want to focus in upon
is the dream itself. Remember the wording: a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top
reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
(28:12). What's the deal with the ladder reaching to heaven? Access to God. God is
basically offering Jacob a personal relationship with Him - which is the only access to
heaven.
How does Jacob respond to God's offer? Check out 28:20-21.
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I
am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my
father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God.
In other words: Ok, God. IF you are with me and bless me and give me everything I need
or want and bring me back to my family, THEN you can have the privilege of being my
God. Is this a genuine response of faith and gratitude for God's amazing offer? I'm afraid
not. And Jacob's continuing deceitful, scheming character in the coming chapters will
show us that he hasn't changed at this point.
Now, keep all of that in mind and fast-forward to the New Testament. In John 1:51, Jesus
says “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of
God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” (The Son of Man is a title used
for Christ). The wording Jesus used would not be lost on the men he was speaking to at
this point- He was claiming to be Jacob's ladder! He is the only point of access to the
Father!
Through Christ, God has offered us an unbelievable gift - a way of access to Him!
Unfortunately, our wayward hearts often respond similarly to Jacob's: "If God will take
care of me and keep me safe and keep me comfortable and give me everything I want,
THEN He can be my God. [And if He allows me to experience pain or suffering or
sickness or the results of my own bad choices or if He just does things I don't understand,
all bets are off.]"
This isn't a genuine relationship with God. It's a weird way of trying to bargain with Him
to get what we want. Jacob didn't understand that the real treasure was knowing God.
All those other things were just peripherals. Abraham messed up time and time again, but
he understood this idea. God offered a unique relationship, and Abraham picked up and
left everything behind in order to follow. That is saving faith. Oh, may our hearts
respond with grateful, sincere faith when God offers us access to Him through Christ
Jesus our Lord.
Michael Card, a well known Christian musician, has a CD of lullabies. One of the songs
is entitled "Are you Dreaming Jacob's Dream?" I love it because it encapsulates the
meaning of this story in such a simple, yet profound way, and then sets it to a simple tune
I sing to my babies!
Page 28
Are you dreaming Jacob’s dream? Could that be why you’re smiling?
Could you not be a man like he, so wily and beguiling?
Do you see a ladder there, reaching up to heaven?
Do the angels fill the air? Could you reach out and touch them?
Jacob dreamed about Someone, a Way to heaven, God the Son.
And someday it’s my prayer for you that in your heart his dream comes true.
Page 29
Jacob no longer
Image via Wikipedia
From Genesis 29-32, 20 years go by that we won't dwell on here. Jacob goes to Laban,
works seven years to marry Rachel, is tricked by Laban and marries Leah instead, marries
Rachel a week later (!!), works another seven years for her... and all the while this family
is showing not only a lack of understanding of biology 101, but is also revealing a lack of
faith in God and His sovereignty. Jacob thinks his flocks are increasing because he has
them mate in front of striped sticks (hmmm...), Rachel and Leah are competing to see
who can have more sons (through themselves or their servants!)and earn Jacob's love,
and Laban is unethically using his nephew (and son-in-law twice over) Jacob.
Ahh, the family bliss. [And you thought your family reunion this summer was
complicated!] :)
In chapter 32, we find Jacob fearful for his life as he nears his reunion with Esau. In
verses 9-12, Jacob prays as we have never seen him pray before. Then Jacob said, “O
God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said to me, ‘Return
to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you’: “I am not worthy of
the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for
I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies.
“Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him,
lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children. “For You said, ‘I will
surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be
Page 30
numbered for multitude.’ ”
This is the first time we have seen Jacob acknowledging God's undeserved mercy and
blessing toward him, and expressing faith in God's promise to watch over him. And what
is God's answer to his prayer?
After dividing his family and possessions into two groups, hoping at least one of them
would escape if Esau attacked him, he sends them across a stream ahead of him and
prepares to spend the night alone. Then verse 24 says, "Then Jacob was left alone; and a
Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day." What? How random is that?? It seems
strange, but really it is God's answer to his earlier prayer. Please read this whole account
in your Bible (again, if you don't have a Bible handy go to www.Biblegateway.com) -
Genesis 32:24-30.
Who is this random man who wrestles with him? Jacob apparently knows - in verse 30 he
says, "...I have seen God face to face..."
He is wrestling with Jesus himself! (This is what is known as a "Christophany" - an Old

Testament appearance of Christ.)
So Jesus is wrestling with him and Jacob just will not give up. He is fighting and fighting
and fighting, so Jesus touches his hip socket, dislocates it, and forces him into
submission. Then Jacob refuses to let go of Him unless He blesses Him. Jesus asks Jacob
his name, he gives it, and then Jesus says he is no longer Jacob, but will be Israel.
Here is my rephrased version of this chapter.
Jacob, "the deceiver," the "heel grabber," finally cries out to God. He finally recognizes
that he is absolutely unworthy of all of God's blessings upon Him, and begs for God's
protection and deliverance. God's answer to the prayer? Jesus Himself comes and fights
Jacob into submission - it is a long struggle, but He physically forces Jacob to submit.
Jacob then clings to Him until he receives His blessing. Jesus asks him what his name is.
(Isn't that a strange question, since God created Jacob and knows him intimately? Again,
that should flag our attention - the point is not that Jacob's "hello, my name is:" tag fell
off during the wrestling match.) Jacob's reply?
Imagine the tension here. He is clinging to "the Man" he somehow knows is God Himself
and has asked for a blessing. Jesus looks into his eyes and says, "What is your name?"
And now Jacob has to say it: I am Jacob. I am a deceiver. I am a heel-grabber. And he
knows full well that he has done a bang-up job of living up to that name. Jesus hears his
answer and then replies, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel...
This change of name was very significant. He is no longer the deceiver. His name has
been changed because his character has been changed.
There are many, many people who get lost on the journey from Bethel (the place of
Page 31
Jacob's dream) to Peniel (the place of Jacob's wrestling.) We have been given an amazing
gift - the opportunity to know God Himself through Jesus Christ. Some people decide to
decline that offer and go on through life relying on their own intelligence, ability, or
craftiness. They even arrogantly think that any blessings they have in their lives have
been earned by their own efforts, failing to recognize God's mercy and grace that shines
on them every day.
Many times God allows a crisis point that turns into a place like Peniel to them. Maybe
it's a health crisis, a broken relationship, a miscarriage or other loss of a child, or reaping
terrible consequences from their own choices. They realize that all they have is on the
line, including their very lives. They realize that God has watched over them every step
and now desperately beg for his provision and protection. And when we ask, God will
come. We must yield to Him as Creator, Sovereign Lord, and Savior. When we are
broken, humble, and aware of our dependence on Him, begging for His mercy and saving
grace in our lives, He will ask for our name. He will not bless us until we admit our
character, until we agree with Him about the depth of our sin.
We all have sin. What is your name that you must admit to the Lord? "Deceiver"
(Abraham, Isaac, Jacob). "Prostitute" (Rahab, Mary Magdelene). "Murderer" (Moses,
Paul). "Adulterer" (David). Remember - people aren't in the Bible because they were
great. They're in the Bible because their God is great.
Those names listed above may be familiar to you, and their past is shocking. And you
know what? Their God was great enough to save them. Our sin can never be so bad that
God us unable or unwilling to wipe it away through Christ! But, we must recognize that
sin, confess it to Him, and ask for His blessing of salvation. And when we do, our "name"
changes, for we are covered with Christ's righteousness. We are "Jacobs" no longer.
Weak and wounded sinner, lost and left to die,

O raise your head for Love is passing by.
Come to Jesus, come to Jesus, come to Jesus and live.
-Chris Rice
Page 32
Joseph, Judah, and the God of Mercy
Image via Wikipedia
In Genesis 37, we have a very troubled family. Keep in mind that Jacob started his real
relationship with God much later in life. By that time, he'd had 2 wives, 2 concubines,
and 12 sons. The sons had grown up in a very dysfunctional household with four mothers
between them, two of whom were sisters - one who was loved, one who was unloved,
and two that were forced to marry Jacob to have children on behalf of the other two
wives.
Genesis 37:3-4 clarifies the situation further. "Now Jacob loved Joseph more than any of
his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day he
gave Joseph a special gift—a beautiful robe. But his brothers hated Joseph because of
their father’s partiality. They couldn’t say a kind word to him." (NLT) More family bliss!
Now, I have heard people defend Joseph valiantly when discussing this chapter. Some
claim he's just naive, some describe him as almost sinless. Let's face it. He's a 17 year old
boy, his father loves him more than the rest of his brothers and shows him extreme
partiality, and they hate him. They couldn't say a kind word to him. Don't you think he
knows that?
Verses 5-9: Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him
even more. So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: “There
we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood
upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.” And
his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have
dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have
dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed
down to me.” (NKJV)
He knows they hate him. He tells them he dreamt they would bow down to him. They
hate him even more (shocker!) Then he has another dream, and he tells it to them again!
Page 33
Hmmm... blameless?
Then one day Jacob sends him to find his brothers, who are tending the sheep some
distance away. Keep in mind he knew he would be wandering a quite a distance in the
wilderness. Look at verse 23-24 (I like the way the NIV says this): "So when Joseph
came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe - the richly ornamented robe he was
wearing - and they took him and threw him into the cistern..." He wore the coat!! A
richly ornamented robe. I'm guessing that isn't a big seller in the hiking apparel section
of Cabella's.
Another reminder: The Bible is not about the people. It's about God. Please do not get
upset that Joseph may not have been flawless. He's not the point!
Now, when the brothers see him coming from a distance, they start talking about killing
him. Two brothers offer specific plans for him: Reuben and Judah. Reuben (vs. 21-22)
persuades them not to kill him but to throw him in the cistern, planning to pull him out
later and take him back to Jacob. Judah, however, convinces them that they could profit
more from this situation by selling him. After carrying out their plan, the brothers return
home and Jacob is inconsolable and broken. The text says that all his sons and daughters
gathered to comfort him, but he "refused to be comforted." Is it a big surprise that we see
Judah leaving home in chapter 38? Imagine living in that household knowing what he had
been responsible for!
My summary of chapter 38: wow. Bad moves, Judah. [make sure you read it!]
Chapter 39: Well done, Joseph!
Judah's immorality and messed up life in 38 provide a stark contrast to Joseph's decisions
in chapter 39. Joseph, despite his integrity, ends up in prison for a very extended length
of time. After years of refining and strengthening, Joseph changes from a 17 year old
seemingly arrogant brat to a very godly man who humbly leads the most powerful nation
in the world safely through a famine and gives God the glory for it all. That is the work of
God's mercy and grace!
There is another story of grace happening, as well. Judah, responsible for selling his own
brother into slavery, and then father of a son through his daughter-in-law (but don't
worry, it's not that bad - he thought she was a prostitute! *sarcasm*), has an amazing
story of grace here in the end of Genesis, as well.
He obviously eventually returns to his family and we see him journeying with the other
brothers to Egypt to buy grain, surprisingly to all, from Joseph. After Joseph (to them just
a powerful Egyptian ruler) tells them that they must prove the truth of identity by
bringing back their youngest brother (Benjamin is Joseph's only full-blood brother and he
wants to see him!), Judah convinces Jacob to let him go by placing his life in pledge.
After the ordeal with the silver cup (see ch. 44), all the brothers return to Joseph together.
He tells them that only the "thief" should stay (did he ever really intend to reveal who he
Page 34
was to the rest of them? I'm not so sure!), and then we have Judah giving a heartfelt plea
in 44:18-34 that boils down to: My father loves him deeply. Please take me instead. That's
quite a change in our boy Judah.
In 46:28, Jacob entrusts Judah with the responsibility of going ahead of them to Egypt
and helping find the way, which makes me think that obviously some trust has been
rebuilt between them. In 49:10, Jacob gives a prophecy - the promised Seed, the true
possessor of the scepter, would come from Judah's line.
Our God is a merciful God. Some of us don't look that bad from the overall story of our
lives, and we may even have been the victim of some terrible crimes from no fault of our
own. But none of us are perfect. Perhaps we're a deceiver like Jacob, perhaps we've
destroyed the lives of others like Judah, or perhaps we're just arrogant like young Joseph!
No one is righteous. Not one. And God can redeem every story. I love that this story not
only shows God's work in the life of Joseph, but also in the life of Judah. Judah's story
was looking pretty bleak, but not one of us is a lost cause.
Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love.

Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.
Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.
Psalm 51:1-2 (NLT)
Page 35

Genesis

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Genesis

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

http://www.krististephens.

I’m thrilled that you’re interested in studying God’s Word

I am a full time wife and mom who loves to teach God’s

May God bless you!

The power of His Word

Picture from Bible Picture Gallery: http://www.instonebrewer.com/bpg2009/

Because He is the point. It's all about God.

...they've lost the scepter.

But there is a glimmer of hope!

He knew it would happen - God said it would. God's word is trustworthy.

And the wait begins for the promised Seed...

Picture from Bible Picture Gallery: http://www.instonebrewer.com/bpg2009/

Ok, so they're forgiven - everything's ok now, right?

The battle begins

Image from http://en.wikipedia.org

The cuddly animals are not the point of Noah's Ark

Picture from Bible Picture Gallery: http://www.instonebrewer.com/bpg2009/

"...a tower that reaches to the heavens..."

Image via Wikipedia

Next step in God's master plan: Abraham

That Abraham is a great guy, but...

Picture from Bible Picture Gallery: http://www.instonebrewer.com/bpg2009/

...he's got some issues!

Sarai back to him.

Check this out:

Amen and thank you, Lord!

The lesson of Mount Moriah

Picture from Bible Picture Gallery: http://www.instonebrewer.com/bpg2009/

Abraham was absolutely planning to sacrifice Isaac. As a burnt offering, no less! He

The heel grabber

Image from http://en.wikipedia.org

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Are you dreaming

Picture from Bible Picture Gallery: http://www.instonebrewer.com/bpg2009/

How does Jacob respond to God's offer? Check out 28:20-21.

Image via Wikipedia

numbered for multitude.’ ”

He is wrestling with Jesus himself! (This is what is known as a "Christophany" - an Old

Here is my rephrased version of this chapter.

Weak and wounded sinner, lost and left to die,

Joseph, Judah, and the God of Mercy

Image via Wikipedia

Chapter 39: Well done, Joseph!

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love.

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen