Genesis 28

Isaac blesses Jacob and sends him away for a wife

Isaac gives Jacob a proper blessing before he dies. He tells Jacob that he does not want him to take a wife from the people nearby but to go and get a wife from the children of his uncle, Rebekah's brother. This is still part of the same people that were a part of Abraham's family. As we know from the book of Judges, mingling with those that have other God's has a heavy price to pay. 

Upon hearing the news that his brother Jacob has been sent away for a wife, Esau decides to make his lot with the descendants of Ishmael.He takes a wife from those people and seems to delight in the doing what is contrary to his parents will and sound advice. Sin will make people do seemingly senseless things. 

As Jacob heads off on his journey, let us not forget that he has to leave anyway because his brother Esau vows to kill him after their father's death.He knows he may never see his parents or brother again. He is lonely, but just as we are without hope, that is when God shows up. Jacob dreams of a ladder ascending up to Heaven and God reaffirms his covenant with him and his forefather Abraham. We have the same promise that if we serve God faithfully, he will never leave us nor forsake us and will give us eternal rest. 

After Jacob wakes up, we takes his stone pillow and makes an alter to God for his covenant. The place is name Bethel, meaning God is in this place, or house of God. From this we have the phrase that Jacob will use later in Genesis saying 'let us go back to Bethel'. We use it now to mean let us return to where we got our first blessing and promise of God. 

Genesis 12 & 13

Genesis chapter 12 & 13

Not long after we meet Abram he is told to talk himself and his possessions and leave everything he has ever known. Anything that God asks us to give up in this world is not to be compared with the glories he has in store for us. Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Abram does as he is told and steps out by faith. God promises him that he will be the father of a blessed people. God is quick to show us what is in store if we will only listen and obey.

As Abram leaves Haran and goes out with just his family and his nephew Lot, he quickly finds the land of the Canaanite which we know are the descendants of Ham. Abram wastes no time to build and altar and make a sacrifice to the Lord for his mercies. We should all be quick to go to God in prayer and not only pray for those in need, but to give thanks for the many wonderful blessings he gives us.

As God would do again years later to show himself strong, a famine sends Abram and his people down to Egypt.While their, Abram fears that someone will take his wife because of her beauty and thinks up a lie to protect her. It turns out that is is not the lie, but the hand of God that protects her and brings her back safely to Abram. So it will be in our lives as well; it is not our own doing but the hand of God that will deliver us.

In the thirteenth chapter Abram is leaving Egypt and we hear that he has great possessions. He returns to Bethel (which is a place and theme that will also be visited again years later) and builds and alter again for the Lord. Thanking God once would only suffice if he only was good to us once but God's mercies are renewed every day and we should be thankful everyday, building many private alters of prayer to God.

With all this great possession comes great problems. Lot and Abrams servants can not get along and they need to put distance between their property. Make sure that we may from time to time need time and space from other people. We may need time alone in solitude, but we are never to separate ourselves from God at anytime. Here Abram separates himself from Lot but not from God. Lot seems to separate himself from both Abram and his God.

Abram gives Lot the choice of the land he wants to dwell in and Lot takes the easier more pleasant land. Make no mistake, that we can live in the best of times and with the best of intentions and still not serve God. Abram takes the harsher land and still lives and increases in the Lord.

Lot chooses the land closer to the wickedness of Sodom. Abram, after making the better choice, is reminded by God of the covenant. If we stay in close proximity to God, he will remind us and encourage us of the promises that are yet to come. So the chapter ends with Abram doing what he always does, and that is sacrificing to God for his blessing and the promise to come.

Final Week of September Judges 21

Judges chapter 21

I want to make it clear that I have enjoyed going through the book of Judges. Within this book lies many of my favorite histories between Gideon and Sampson. I believe all of God's word is good for edification and encouragement. The final chapters though are somber and disheartening. I am aware there are still lessons to be learned and to hold these stories in remembrance may very well keep us from serious trouble.

Given these facts, this final chapter doesn't appear to offer much consolation in the choices made by the Israelites. All the tribes swear that they will not allow their daughters to marry into what is left of the tribe of Benjamin. I don't see anywhere that they were commanded by God to do this. If you notice, they swear among themselves, then go to God for advice. That was the wrong order back then, and that is the wrong order to seek God now. Go to God in prayer before you make your decisions, not the other way around. Then, when they see that the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead didn't come out to fight with them, they decide to go kill off the men of that city so that those woman can be wives to Benjamin. It also does not say that this was God's plan, it is just what they decided to do. God spoke to them when they went to battle against Benjamin, but he's not talking to them now, and I'm not so sure they would be listening.

So after this spectacular plan to kill off the males and married woman of Jabesh-gilead there is not enough 'virgins' for the remaining men of Benjamin. Make sure that if you make plans and leave God out of it, whatever is accomplished in the end, won't be enough to satisfy the need. Only God fulfills peoples lives and purposes for their lives. The tribes decide then that they will take the virgins that come out to dance at Shiloh at the time of one of the Holy days. Notice, that these people whom are going to be 'robbed' of their daughters are part of Israel so you would think that this breaks their vow. Well, in Numbers the 30th chapter are the commandments about vows. This doesn't indeed brake the letter of those commandments except that the Israelites who will have their daughters taken obviously won't know about this vow. It is more or less a sham, but they get to keep letter of the law so they think it is fine.

You can clearly see by all of this why God sent his son to die for our sins and make it a matter of faith and not works. You can always play tricks and find ways around laws, but you can not find a way around the feeling of the heart. God knows our very thoughts.