In our reading today, we move from Genesis to Exodus. In short, whether from pure ignorance to downright sin and doing it on purpose, man has tried to thwart God’s plan for His creation. Yet, God’s promises to Abraham are being fulfilled. As I read Exodus 1:7, I was struck that throughout all of the patriarchal shenanigans, God’s promises continue to occur despite mankind. I get tickled at our arrogance today in thinking that we have control over the environment. Have we forgotten that God is in control? We like to blame God for natural disasters but we don’t want to give Him any credit for being the Creator and in control of His creation. In Genesis 1:28, we see that the creation flourished under God. In Genesis 12:1-3 and Genesis 17:1-8, we see that God makes a covenant with Abraham and He fulfills that promise. We see it being fulfilled with Jacob (Genesis 35:11), and with the story of Joseph. In Exodus 1:7, we see it continuing to be fulfilled. If we continue to read the Bible, we will be amazed at how He continues to keep and fulfill His promises. I doubt all of our technology, science, and even bad environmental behaviors will stop God. Thank you God for keeping your promises and for the ultimate fulfillment of your promises through Jesus Christ. When are we going to learn that You are God and You know what You are doing? Let’s put our trust in Him!
Archive for the ‘Genesis’ Category
Day 26: Genesis 50:16 – Exodus 2:25 — Thank You God
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010Day 25: Genesis 48:1-50:14; Matthew 15:21-16:4
Monday, January 25th, 2010Not a particularly savory subject, but, have you thought about your last words on earth? The physical existence of this body from inception has one destination, the grave. As one person often reminds me, “Time will pass; it is what you do during that time that matters.” Our Old Testament reading for the day recounts the last day and hours of the life of the patriarch Jacob. As we look at his blessings we can see three wonders of life.
1. The importance of family. Jacob has his sons and little ones gathered around him. The cumulative respect, work, and love of a lifetime surrounded him. They had always “been there” in life, but as life goes on sometimes we do not see the true importance and precious relationships around us. I do not know any more of what Jacob was thinking than what our text says; I do not know any more of what the sons thought than what our text says. Their presence speaks loudly that they were together in life and to the end. Yes a time of “blessing”, the inheritance to come. but they had to be together, as long as possible; they were family. No doubt all of the “what if’s” and “I wish I had done’s” ran through them, and we can see those things haunting the boys later. In and for our families, let us look for those brief, fleeting, chance times to do rather than wish later, be a blessing now to those we love.
2. Heritage. What a scene–imperfect people, at time scoundrels, at times patriots, but always a people bound for an ultimate blessing in the plan of God as they followed His will. Notice that Jacob did not idealize or excuse his sons. He spoke plainly, telling them what was ahead based on their own attitudes, lives, and principles. Jacob made sure that they knew what to look for, sometimes many generations ahead. What a great, sacred, and terrifying trust he illustrates for us. We inherit, choose, and pass down life to the next generations. We parents spend time berating ourselves for mistakes, and if we didn’t we likely would not be “normal” and caring parents. The idea here is that we both receive from past generations and send on to the next one or even several generations principles, values, lifestyles, patterns, stories, and, yes, those dreaded genetic traits, by which we proudly or mournfully say, “he/she is just like me!” Some things are chosen for us, others we choose. Choose what you pass on to the next generation. Pass on faith, confidence in the “the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day.” (Genesis 48:15)
3. Reflection. What do I want on my tombstone? I have chisel in hand and have been carving away at it each day of my life. I really want it to speak of “the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day.” When you look back over your life, what do you want to say it has been about? That, friend, you create today. Later in his life, Solomon will say that the greatest pursuit is to fear God and keep his commandments, Ecclesiastes 12:13. Jesus does not hesitate to let us know that life is not about the things, it is about the life we give back to the God who gave Himself for us, Luke 12:15-21.
Question: What will you do today so that your last words and memories on this earth may be sweet?
Day 21: Genesis 41:1-57 — What is God doing in your life?
Thursday, January 21st, 2010Pharaoh calls Joseph out of jail and has him interpret a dream. This interpretation leads to Joseph’s rise to power and the ability to gather and store food for seven years to prepare for a famine that was coming. In our verse (Genesis 41:28) for today, I noticed a two things. First, Joseph is focused on God and not himself. Second, Joseph talks about what God is doing and will do. It occurs to me that we spend a lot of time talking about what God has done in the past like it has no relevance. Or, we talk about our hope for the future but it does nothing to change how we live today. Do we see the actions of God in our lives? I was talking with some of the teens in our Bible class last night. We were talking about the beauty of God and what he is doing. We spoke of the beauty of creation and how wonderful nature is. We discussed the beauty of our ability to create thoughts and pull abstract ideas together into speech. We talked about the beauty of a baby in our arms. Right, out of jail, Joseph could have complained about the sorry turn of events of his life, i.e., his brothers selling him off as a slave (Genesis 37:12-28), Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39:1-23), etc. But Joseph had God with him (Genesis 39:23) and He told of the things God was doing and would do.
Questions:
Are you having a bad day, week, or month? Are you constantly complaining about your lot in life? I want to suggest we take some time thinking about what God does. I was feeling a little down last night but after spending some time with the teens in my Bible class, I have to say my spirit was lifted. They were focused on what God has done, is doing, and will do. Talking of God sure changed my attitude. Better yet, when we see what God is doing, we get to work accomplishing what He wants done. What is God doing in your life? I’d like to hear some comments on this. Maybe it will change some of our attitudes and get us back to Kingdom business and not our self-induced pity parties.
Day 16: Genesis 32-33 — Apprehension
Saturday, January 16th, 2010I had noticed her already — somewhat quiet, attractive, nearly my age. Having been burned so many times before, I wanted to make fairly certain she would respond favorably before I made a move. So I sat through the day, pretending to mind my own business, pretending not to notice when she cracked a smile, hoping she didn’t catch me staring at her. Now here I am laying on the floor playing a board game, and she starts massaging my back with her feet.
Now, just months shy of 40 years later, I still let her massage my back once in a while.
So what is it about apprehension? This is what keeps the Maalox people in business, isn’t it?
He hesitates to ask a girl out because he’d rather not go out with her than risk having her say “no”. Then when he gets the courage to ask her, he discovers she would have asked first if she thought he would have said “yes”.
After applying for her dream job, and convinced she won’t even get an interview, she not only aces the interview, the salary she’s offered is more than the highball she was originally going to throw at them.
Twins. One the indoors-type, the other very much a play-outside-until-you-have-to-find-him-for-suppertime type. One, a sly mama’s boy who knows how to get what he wants even when it isn’t rightfully his. The other, a do-what-dad-said daddy’s boy.
Time heals all wounds, right? Not so fast, bigamy-breath. Here’s Jacob, some 14+ years after stealing the birthright from Esau, two wives and untold flocks later, and he’s ready to reconcile. He wants to reconcile. He wants to ask his brother for forgiveness and just put all of this behind them, except for one thing. That one little get-in-the-way thing that almost makes him go the other direction.
Apprehension. (Read Genesis 32:1-21 & Genesis 33:1-20)
Split the livestock, split the family, split the servants — send them to brother Esau in waves, the least-valued to the most-valued, then me. If he makes it to me and hasn’t cut them all down, I might have a chance.
Wait a minute — his arms are open! I expected clenched fists, and he comes with bear hugs! (What was it Jacob’s descendant Solomon wrote years later? Something about burning coals? Proverbs 25:21-22)
Don’t we do the same thing…
- …with regard to the church? “I can’t go back there. They know what I’ve done and there’s no way they’ll accept me.”
- …with regard to God? “I just don’t feel like God can ever forgive me. I can’t even pray. I just don’t know what to say.”
Questions
What are your thoughts on that? Shouldn’t the church hold members accountable for their sins? What right do we have to approach the throne of God with confidence? (God has revealed the answers to these questions in His Holy Word.)
Day 15: Genesis 30:25-31:55 — Our Story
Friday, January 15th, 2010If you have been keeping up with our readings, you have been introduced to some interesting characters. There is Abraham and the promise he received from God that he would be a blessing to all nations (Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 15:1-6). How in the world will Abraham ultimately be a blessing to all nations in the midst of constant threats to the promise? For example, Abraham goes to Egypt and gets in trouble and the promise is threatened. Yet, God turns this into something good and Abraham leaves Egypt rich with the resources to fulfill the promise. Or Abraham and Sarah cannot have a child and the promise is threatened because there will be no offspring to fulfill the promise. So, Sarah decides to help God out by giving her concubine to Abraham. But, God doesn’t need their help and in Abraham and Sarah’s old age, he provides them with a son. We have Jacob’s encounter with Laban. Jacob is known as a scoundrel and tricks his father and brother to obtain the birthright and blessing that were not rightfully his. Turn around is fair play, so Jacob gets tricked by Laban and has to work for years to get Rachel. Rachel has trouble having children and God comes through again. Then of course in Genesis 31, Jacob tricks Laban and conflict ensues. Ultimately, through all of these tales of flawed expectations, trickery, and sin, there is an interesting outcome. We learn that no matter what we do, we cannot thwart the plans of God. God is working to bring about His salvation throughout history and our failures.
Do you see the beauty of Genesis? It is a theological book that tells us who made us; where sin comes from; how bad we are as a people; and how God makes a promise and keeps it. Genesis is not just an ancient story of people who lived a long time ago. It is the epic story of mankind. It is our story. The characters of Genesis are just like we are. In each of the characters, we can see ourselves…what I have done or what I could do. I see the answers to our questions about life. Who am I? Why am I here? How did I get here? Why is there so much drama in my life? Why is there evil? Why do bad things happen? Where am I going? How will I get out of this mess? We learn from Genesis that when it is all said and done, God is in control of history. This is our story. We are about to move into the story of Joseph with all the struggles and successes of his life. Yet, when it is all said and done. I think Joseph helps us understand our story. Read Genesis 50:15-21. Our story is about how man does evil to the creation; to each other; and to God. God takes our evil and creates something good.
Day 11: Genesis 24:1-67; Matthew 8:14-34 — Whom do you follow: Jesus or pigs?
Monday, January 11th, 2010“Make sure to get a wife for him from back home, those girls are the best; and not one like my brother had. He worried dad and mom nearly to death with her!”
Jesus, my wife is sick, can you help her?
Jesus, the seas are rough, can you save us?
Jesus, I have demons in my life too big for anyone to cast out.
Jesus, you bring too many changes to my life–look at all the pigs! You took them all! Would you please leave?
Tasks and obstacles appear to stop us on the way to a full life, or even in the seemingly mundane task of “getting through the day.” And then there are the big ones: I want my children to marry the spouse that will help them be faithful to God. I want my wife to be well. I want the seas of life to be calm today. I want my demons of fear and self doubt to leave and go out of my life.
1. Eliezar made a promise, strange to us, but solemn to him and to Abraham, and then he prayed, prayed, prayed, and watched for the blessings in the goals he had to meet.
2. Jesus came into Peter’s home and healed his wife. Jesus was in the boat when the storm arose. Legion, Mark 5:9 , met Jesus and found the peace he needed.
3. Pigs, for others, were more important. Jesus appeared to change their lives to the point of taking away what they valued most.
Those crazy young people, yes, that was me one time, will meet someone and get married! And those worried parents, that’s me now, will pray that those kids find godly spouses. And our loved ones get sick; and we are beaten and bounced around by demons, mercilessly at times it would seem.
Jesus says: Follow me, look for me, even if you have no home to invite me into, no boat or car to take you to work, no strength to force life to be what you want it to be, no hope, no way to see the future. I will always be looking for you.
Do you say: Jesus, I will follow you, no matter what. I want you in my home, in my family, in my life. Or do you say: I don’t like all that change you bring, you ask too much from me. I will take the pigs.
Question:
How do I walk with Jesus in each day? What do I do when the issues, the needs, those storms and demons of life leave me hopeless and helpless? How do I make it through? What can I do to position myself in midst of the will of God?
Day 6: Genesis 11-13 – The Tower of Babel
Wednesday, January 6th, 2010
In archeology, a fragmented text was found in the ancient world of Mesopotamia called Eridu Genesis. It is part of ancient mythology that describes the goddess Nintur’s desire for man to build cities and to congregate in one place. She desired that mankind be sedentary and not nomadic. Could it be that the Tower of Babel is in response to this ancient goddess’ desire? Yet, Yahweh, our God wants man to be nomadic and He wants them to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 9:7). God wants man to populate the earth.
So, man comes together and builds this tower in opposition to what God wants. Man with his resources and technology builds a tower (Genesis 11:3). Man wants to make a name for himself because he doesn’t want to be dispersed over the face of the earth (Genesis 11:4). Once again, man doesn’t want to do what God desires for them to fill the earth (Genesis 1:22; Genesis 1:28; Genesis 9:1; 9:7). Now this tower was part of an ancient city and a typical ancient tower, known as a ziggurat, was square at the base and had sloping, stepped sides that led upward to a shrine at the top. These ziggurats were dedicated to gods. The idea is that a god would come down to his temple and be worshiped and then he would bless his people. The problem in this story is that the real God (Yahweh) came down (Genesis 11:5) and He was not pleased. So, the text uses a word play connects the name of the city (babel) with a verb confuse (balal), God confused Babel (Genesis 11:9).
I don’t know if you see the connections with man’s constant desire to make a name for himself…to take control of life…to be independent of God…but I do. Despite our science, technological or economic advancement, I see continued confusion in the world today, God continues to remind us that He is in charge and we are not. However, God did send His Spirit down on the day of Pentecost and “unbabel” His people (Acts 2:5-12). Peter stands up and preaches about what God has done in Jesus Christ (Acts 2:36). I think we might ought to come down off our towers and focus on Jesus. What do you think?
Day 5: Genesis 9-10 – קֶשֶׁת (qešet) bow
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
In our reading today from Genesis 9:1-10:32, I have picked out a verse from Genesis 9:13. I grew up with the image of the rainbow as a monumental visual representation of God’s love for us after the sinfulness of man was irradiated with the flood. Yet, as I grew older, I found that Sunday School did not always provide me with the deeper image. The word we translate for “rainbow” is a Hebrew word. It is qešet. It is used in the Old Testament for the weapon used by a hunter (Genesis 27:3) and warrior (I Samuel 31:3). Simply, a bow that an arrow is shot from. It was a common weapon in the ancient Near East, The tribe of Benjamin were noted archers (Judges 20; I Chronicles 8:40). Jonathan used a bow (I Samuel 20:20) and later the bow became the weapon of leaders and kings (II Kings 9:24). The bow is controlled by God (Genesis 49:24). The arrow finds its mark because of God’s guidance (I Kings 22:34; II Kings 13-16). The broken bow can represent divinely imposed defeat (I Samuel 2:4), and/or peace (God peaceably “hangs” his bow, Genesis 9:13).
What a great thing that God does. In Genesis 9:13, he hangs up His bow. God sees the bow in the sky and remembers that He will not take such drastic measures against us again. In fact, He plans to not make war against us in the way of a watery flood but in our new covenant, He plans to save us through His Son (His ultimate plan since the origin of sin).
Source: Harris, R. L., Harris, R. L., Archer, G. L., & Waltke, B. K. (1999). Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed.) (819). Chicago: Moody Press.
Day 2: Genesis 3-4 – Whatever Happened to Sin?
Saturday, January 2nd, 2010He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Genesis 3:11-13, ESV)
My wife told me about a t-shirt she saw a young boy wearing, It said, “I didn’t do it, It’s my brother’s fault.”
A man gets drunk and drives down the road late at night and hits a family in on-coming traffic and kills a child. We overlook the drunk and we get upset and blame God for not intervening to prevent tragedies. Of course, if God intervened, we would complain that He doesn’t really give us free will.
I was standing on a sidewalk, leaning against the wall, minding my business, and this young child walks toward me with her mother. The child is walking a little erratic and steps over to my side of the sidewalk and trips on my size 10½ tennis shoes and falls. “Oops”, I say and the mom yells at me for being in the way. I hate to point out again that I was minding my own business, leaning against the wall, and the child and mother were invading my space. Yet, somehow, I was blamed. It was my fault for doing nothing (notice how I blame the mother?)
More and more, I notice that we blame everyone and everything about our sins. What’s new? Adam blamed the woman God gave him and in the process blamed God. Eve blames the serpent. Everyone is innocent. This is the story of Genesis. The origin of sin. It is our story and it occurs to me that history continues to repeat itself. God makes something great and tells us the do’s and don’ts, we break the law and consequences happen but somehow God’s or someone else is to blame. Yet, in the end God will transcend our petty complaints.
God gives man free will and man chooses to sin. A t-shirt represents the philosophy of man…”It’s my brothers fault.” A drunk driver chooses to drive and is guilty of causing the tragedy. Parents defend their children at all costs. Whatever happened to sin? It hasn’t gone anywhere. It’s still right here before us.
God chooses to send His Son to redeem us but we have become too sophisticated to admit we have done anything wrong. The amazing thing is that our denial perpetuates our sin and we just grow increasingly neurotic. What’s the answer? It’s time to acknowledge sin is ever-present and claim our need for “the anointed one” (Christ).
Question:
Will we ever look at ourselves and see our sins and take responsibility for them?
Day 1: Genesis 2:1-3 – What Does Rest Mean To You?
Thursday, December 31st, 2009“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. ” (Genesis 2:1-3, ESV)
As we begin our daily Bible Reading for 2010, we are blessed with the story of the creation. The creation story is pretty well-known, but as you read into chapter 2, it is obvious that we are reading the completion process of the creation. On the seventh day, God finished His work and rested. I know that there are many theological arguments that can be made and are made. Putting them aside in the context of this brief posting, I want to focus on the model of resting that God gives us. God models rest. Rest is part of the created order. It will later be commanded because of man’s fallen nature. Rest is important to our created order. Yet, we have lived and we continue to live in a world that pushes us further and further away from rest. I myself have struggled with rest…endless deadlines…the demand to put more hours in…the weariness and exhaustion…selfishness… narcissism, etc. Why? Many of the projects once important are no longer satisfying. Is Genesis reminding us that God created all things and that we are under His control? Rest is essential for us to be what God intended.
At our church, we have been participating in 40 Hours of Prayer. In one of my prayer sessions, I was focusing on rest. To be quiet and listen to God. I had the hardest time. I could not be still, I was constantly interrupting the quietness with thoughts of things that need to be done. I felt as if my prayer had to be a to do list. I had to mark off each person on my list I was praying for. Is rest, is quietness, is being still and knowing who God is an activity or is the moment set aside for rest, a moment when we need to listen? I believe that quietness is not a time of emptiness, or worthlessness. In reality, these rare moments of quietness and stillness when we can really be still and rest, we come to know God. It is that moment of rest that is holy, it is a moment when God speaks and we are in awe of the silence. These are moments of substance!
Question:
What does rest mean to you? How do you dedicate (make holy) time spent with God? If God modeled a time of rest, why don’t we?