Year 7, Day 31: Genesis 32

Theological Commentary: Click Here

For me, Genesis 32 is the crux of Jacob’s life.  It is in this chapter that Jacob shows his true humanity one last time.  Yet it is in this chapter that Jacob finally wrestles with God fully and completely.  It is now that Jacob has his name changed, indicating a change in his character.

Let’s start with where Jacob finds himself.  Esau comes out to meet him.  No wonder Jacob is afraid.  Jacob returns home a rich and wealthy man with many wives and even more children.  He has animals and slaves to spare.  The first person this wealthy man finds upon returning home is the brother that he twice cheated.  Jacob’s fear is measurable in this chapter.

Look at how Jacob deals with the situation.  First, Jacob gets mad at God and demands protection.  What does the human being do in the face of trouble?  He gets defensive, demanding, and comes to God in the midst of his frustration and fear.

Next, Jacob begins to lean upon his own strength.  He devises a plan to part with his own wealth.  He plans on giving Esau many small gifts to try and bribe him and win his favor.

Here is an interesting point.  Having come to God in anger and fear, Jacob doesn’t wait for God’s response.  Jacob sets out to solve his own problem.  Naturally, this raises the question.  Why do we turn and rage against God if we also don’t intend on giving Him an opportunity to respond?  At least Job had that part figured out!

In spite of Jacob’s plan, God does come to Jacob.  god does wrestle with Jacob.  It is a mighty struggle indeed.  In wrestling with God, Jacob finds out that God will be able to care for him.  In the end, Jacob is irrevocably changed.  His name is changed.  His hip is permanently thrown out of joint.  When we do meet God, it is a life-changing experience.  We’ll dive deeper into this thought tomorrow.

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Year 7, Day 30: Genesis 31

Theological Commentary: Click Here

We continue in our study of humanity and its sinfulness.  As Jacob becomes prosperous, Laban’s men become jealous.  They see Laban’s wealth diminishing while Jacob’s wealth grows.  They begin to be worried about themselves.  After all, Laban was their meal ticket.  He paid them, fed them, and cared for them.  He was their ability to care for their families.  If Laban’s wealth dwindled, their families would feel it, too.

Jacob decides to get out of Dodge as quickly as possible.  H talks to His wives about leaving.  When he does, we get a fabulous glimpse of why all of this is happening in the first place.  I love the honesty in the response of the women.  They ask what inheritance they now have with Laban.  After all, he’s already sold them as evidenced by making Jacob work for him as their price!

One of the fundamental qualities about human beings is that our nature is to learn from the actions of others.  Think about the last five or so days of our study.  What have we learned about Jacob?  Rachel taught him how to lie and cheat and make his life the best it can be at the expense of others.  Jacob learned how to be the way he was because of the people in his life.

How did Rachel learn to be manipulative, think only about herself, and be willing to use others to get what she wants?  She learned it from her dad, who did the exact same thing to her.  Jacob wanted Rachel, Laban sold Rachel to Jacob for the price of years of free labor.

Take a look at Leah.  Where did Leah learn to use her slave for her own benefit?  She learned that from Rachel.  She was content with life until Rachel got the better of her and got the upper hand.

Where did Jacob learn to cheat Laban out of his flock?  I remember Laban cheating Jacob out of seven years of hard work and giving him Leah instead of Rachel!  How did Rachel learn to steal the family gods?  She saw stealing modeled in her own home.  In every example we have, there is a pattern of learned behavior.  The sins of one generation is being passed on quite efficiently into the next generation.

Again, though, God shows us a better way.  Amidst all the generational sin at play in this chapter, look how it ends.  Laban comes to Jacob and peace is found.  Laban comes to Jacob and chooses the better way.  More importantly, look at what has to happen in order for this to be true.  Laban has to humble himself and be willing to listen to God.  There’s the secret.  When we are willing to be humble and listen, God can triumph over our human sinfulness.

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Year 7, Day 29: Genesis 30

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Genesis 30 is one of those chapters that always gets my attention.  I know it is coming.  I know the stories well.  I’ve heard the lessons from this chapter again and again.  Unfortunately, the sin found within is a study with which I am familiar.  When we want to take a close look at the sinfulness of humanity, this is one of the iconic chapters that gets lifted up.  Others in Genesis are the Cain and Abel story, the Apple in the Garden story, and the selling of Joseph into slavery.

What is the sinfulness that we see within these words?  Well, let’s start with Rachel.  She’s jealous that her sister – the ugly one – seems to be quite fertile.  She turns that jealousy into a quarrel with her husband.  That jealousy involves her maidservant and ultimately results in Jacob having sexual relations with her so that children are born!  Then, Rachel shows just what she thinks of Bilhah.  She takes Bilhah’s child and claims it for herself, giving it a name!  Unbridled jealousy turns into anger, frustration, sexual impurity, and the loss of value for the sanctity of other human beings!

Notice that it doesn’t end there, though.  Rachel’s jealousy is passed on into Leah.  Leah becomes jealous that she is no longer bearing Jacob children.  She follows Rachel’s example and gives her servant to Jacob.  If you’re counting, that’s three women that Jacob has given children to.  We also know that Rachel is in on the mix because she’s infertile.  The only way to know you are infertile is, well, to try and have children and not have success.  So Jacob’s now been with four women, probably the four women closest to him.  I can only imagine how those family meetings were handled.

But things still get worse!  Because Jacob is now going from bed to bed, the women start bartering and trading for his time.  Jacob’s wives start trading their husband for food!  What God created to be an intimate act that brings people together is not turned into an act for sale!  Quite literally, Jacob’s wives are selling sex.

Here is the interesting thing.  God is right there in the midst of all of this.  Do you hear the witness of Genesis?  God opened the wombs of the women.  God makes life possible.  God makes life possible, even when we are behaving horribly!  Even in those moments where we are not respecting God and certainly not respecting God’s gifts to us, God is still right there willing to bless us with grace, love, and mercy.

That doesn’t mean that God approves of what is going on.  That’s something that we absolutely need to remember as we read Genesis and the rest of the Bible.  Just because God works through our sinfulness doesn’t mean He approves of it.  What it means is that He is powerful enough to work through it and in spite of it.  God is willing to take what our sinfulness creates, redeem it, and use it for His glory.  That’s the greatness of God!

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Year 7, Day 28: Genesis 29

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Today we get to once more meet the family of Abraham left back in Haran.  This time we meet Laban, Rebekah’s brother.  Jacob comes to Laban ad falls in love with Rachel.  He agrees to work under Laban’s care.  After all, he can’t go back home with Esau angry at him!

Jacob does work, and by all accounts he works hard enough to fulfill his vow.  Seven years go by, yet they go by quickly for Jacob because of his love for Rachel. Once more we see characteristics of humanity.  When we have a goal, particularly a goal we find pleasing, time goes by well.  We work with a positive attitude because we believe in what we are doing.  We work well because the goal is fair, just, and especially desirable.

At the end of the seven years, though, Laban pulls a switch on Jacob.  After the party, Laban sends his older daughter, a girl far less attractive than Rachel, in to Jacob.  Here’s where the story starts to go awry.

First, shame on Laban for breaking his contract.  He agreed to let Jacob work for seven years for Rachel.  I think we are learning where it is that Rebekah learned her deceptive streak!  Many argue that what happens here to Jacob is simply payback for what he has done to Esau.  Perhaps that’s true.  Regardless, though, Laban is not absolved of his deception.

There are some that defend Laban culturally, saying that Leah would have to be married off prior to Rachel being married.  That may be true.  However, what is likely going on behind the scenes is that Laban realizes that Leah won’t likely find a husband.  If Rachel goes away, then Laban will be forced to find a husband for Leah, which will cost him significant resources.  Laban sees a way out here.  Laban can foist Leah upon Jacob and cause her to be Jacob’s mouth to feed instead of his own.  I believe that this is more of an issue resource management than cultural expectations.  Laban cheats Jacob because of what it would mean to have Leah left.

What we see in Jacob, though, is an unexpected twist.  Here we can see God at work.  Jacob realizes that he has been outmaneuvered.  His father-in-law tricked him into consummating the marriage with the wrong woman.  What Jacob doesn’t do is struggle.  He doesn’t try to outmaneuver Laban.  He doesn’t try to run away with Rachel.  He accepts Leah and works for Rachel.  What we see here is a moment of humbleness and obedience.

Once more the story of Genesis teaches us about the sinfulness of humanity.  It also reminds us that God is there in the midst of our work.  We may not get it right.  People around us might not get it right, either.  But God can redeem our actions.  He can work in the midst of our sinfulness.  He can change our hearts to make them something that they are not naturally on their own.  He can cause us to be humble and patient in the midst of adversity.

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Year 7, Day 27: Genesis 28

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Today we have the beginning of the redemption story of Jacob.  Naturally, that doesn’t mean that Jacob is going to get everything right in the future.  But it does mean that God does not abandon those who are dwelling in sin.  Do you remember all of the sin in the story yesterday?  God intervenes in this chapter and begins to right that ship.

Isaac sends Jacob away to his family back in the land that Abraham dwelled in.  Remember, this is also the land that Jacob’s grandmother, Sarah, came from.  It is also the land that Jacob’s mother, Rebekah, came from.  Jacob is really being sent among his kin to find a wife.

On the way, God comes and visits Jacob.  God gives Jacob a vision.  What is it that this vision means?  God is telling Jacob quite literally that He and His messengers come and go from heaven to the earth and back.  In other words, God is aware of what is happening on the earth.  God cares about what happens here.  God is powerful enough to do something about it, too!

But the dream is more than simply an ancient infomercial regarding the nature of God.  The dream is also a call to identity.  In this dream God calls Jacob to follow Him.  God also promises to prosper him as well.  If Jacob is willing to follow, God is willing to walk in life with Jacob.

God begins to turn Jacob away from His sinfulness by challenging His identity.  God begins to change Jacob by giving him a vision of what could be.  Jacob doesn’t need to be perfect before God visits, God knows that His presence will be a part of changing Jacob.

That’s how it is with all of us, too.  God knows that we need not be perfect before He comes to us and calls us.  His coming will be a part of our change.  His vision for our new identity will begin to mold us in His ways.

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Year 7, Day 26: Genesis 27

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Lies. Deceit.  Sin.  Falsehood.  Broken Relationships.  Stealing. Family Division.  This chapter has pretty much everything except murder.  And as we see by the end of the chapter, Esau’s planning that much so Jacob is sent away.

As we continue to read through Genesis, we get more glimpses at humanity and how we treat each other.  Don’t forget, this is Abraham’s family.  These are the people of God.  They sure aren’t living it, though. You would tell that these are God-fearing people by looking at the witness of their life.

Let’s take a good long look at Rebekah.  Here is a woman who meddles in her husband’s business.  She is eavesdropping and hears Isaac say something that she would rather countermand.  She schemes against her own husband, pitting her two sons against one another!  She employs her own son in an attempt to actively deceive her husband.  She encourages Jacob to lie, cheat, and steal.

Why does Rebekah do this?  Rebekah is not satisfied with Isaac’s leading.  She is ambitious for her own desires, not Isaac’s discernment.

Not that Jacob is equally complicit in this plan.  He takes what his mother has cooked into where his father is and then continues the lie.  He bears a false witness, quite literally!

Given all of this, do you know what I consider to be the worst part of this story?  Look at what Jacob says when he is asked by his father how he accomplished the task so quickly.  Jacob says that this has happened because God prospered his action.  Jacob doesn’t just lie, Jacob brings God in as his accomplice and witness!  Jacob’s witness threatens to tarnish the reputation of God!

This is humanity at its worst.  This is humanity when it is focused on accomplishing its own goals.  This is people interacting with each other without concern for the implications on the other people.

However, there is a silver lining.  This chapter shows us the grand power of God.  God can take a sinful lot such as this and still bring forth people who will serve Him faithful and transmit His ways into the world.  He can redeem even our darkest sinfulness.  This happens not because of our worth but through His.

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Year 7, Day 25: Genesis 26

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Role models are a powerful thing.  We learn from the people around us.  We pick things up.  Our behaviors usually rise and fall with the company we keep.  Want to be a person who makes good decisions?  Hang around people whose expectations involve making good decisions.  Want to be a person who is always in trouble?  Hang around people who are consistently finding ways to get in trouble.

If we read through the story of Isaac, this comes through crystal clear.  The most obvious way we see this is that Isaac models the sins of his father, Abraham.  When there is a famine in the land, Isaac turns to Egypt as Abraham had done.  When Isaac leaves his home, he tries to convince people that his wife is really his sister.  These are the tactics that Abraham did.  There can be little wonder that Isaac imitates his father.

However, this imitation is not all bad, either.  Does not Isaac prosper in a foreign land as Abraham did?  Does not Isaac find a way to live peaceably with his neighbors as Abraham did?  Does not Isaac dig wells and tend for those under his care as Abraham does?  Isaac learns many good patterns of behavior from his father, too.

I think this is a great lesson as we explore the witness of humanity as told to us in the book of Genesis.  We imitate the role models around us.  We learn from the people that we value.  If we pick good role models, we’ll pick up mostly good things.  Naturally, we will always be influenced by the sinfulness of others.  So we do need to be careful.  But for the most part, when we surround ourselves with good godly role models we will learn good godly things.

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Year 7, Day 24: Genesis 25

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Genesis 25 continues to give us a decent perspective on humanity – even among the righteous.  Let’s start with Abraham.  Do you hear what Abraham does after his wife Sarah dies?  Abraham takes more wives.  Granted, Sarah was dead.  There’s nothing particularly wrong with that action.  What is wrong is what happens when the kids come along.  The only kid who gets a notable inheritance is Isaac.  All of the other kids are paid off and sent along their merry way.  I find that rather interesting.  Naturally, Isaac is the boy of God’s promise.  However, what is the precedent that is created?  Furthermore, is that even God’s intention?

As we look further into the text, do you hear what the natural consequences to this human trait happen to be?  Isaac and Rebekah give birth to twins.  However, those twins are competitive.  They struggle with one another, even within the womb!  Human beings continue to wrestle and struggle and compete.  We still want to be the desired one while being content letting the others be the ones who are paid off and sent away.

Take a look at the last story in this chapter.  Jacob buys – or perhaps more properly, coerces – Esau into giving up his birthright.  Jacob is content taking what he wants and then tossing Esau to the side.  Even these brothers are not willing to be community without trying to get the best of one another, assert their superiority, and dominate over one another. 

Time and time again throughout this story of Genesis we have seen humanity at work.  Humanity doesn’t change.  We are who we are to the core.  Left to ourselves, we will demonstrate these traits again and again.  Only God can change us.

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Year 7, Day 23: Genesis 24

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Genesis 24 is all about obedience and trust.  The first place that we see obedience and trust is between Abraham and his servant.  Abraham asks the servant if he can trust him.  Then he sends the servant on a mission to find his son a wife.  Talk about the trust that Abraham had to place in the man!  He could have come back with anyone.  Abraham trusts that he will come back with a woman of God.

Naturally, the servant has to be obedient.  But in that the servant has to trust as well.  Do you read the parts that talk about the servant asking what happens if he can’t find a suitable bride?  The servant has to trust that Abraham will accept his discernment.  He has to trust that Abraham will release him should the task prove impossible.  Trust and obedience naturally go together.

As long as we are talking about the servant, do you hear the obedience and trust that he has in God?  No wonder Abraham trusts him!  The servant trusts God to be able to show him the right woman.  At the same time, the servant then has to be obedient to God once God shows him the woman to whom he should go!  Once more we see that trust and obedience are deeply connected.

And then there is Rebekah.  Here is a woman who meets a complete stranger and invites him home.  Of course, this would be the hospitable thing to do.  But she does more than that.  She listens to him.  She discerns his spirit.  She trusts him when he says that he will take her to a good man to marry.  She is obedient once she agrees to go.  Can you imagine the trust in God that you have to have to leave the only family you have behind and go to marry a person you’ve never met?

Trust and obedience often necessarily go together.  They complement one another well.  We can usually assert that one cannot happen in any grand way unless the other is also present.  It was true thousands of years ago; it is still true today.

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Year 7, Day 22: Genesis 23

Theological Commentary: Click Here

In this chapter, we hear about the death of Sarah.  There were two very interesting places of focus that my brain went to today.  First of all, do you notice how matter-of-fact this news is reported to us?  Sarah died at an old age.  Abraham mourned.  Then Abraham went to bury her.  There isn’t much emotion given here.

Naturally, this is not meant to be a play-by-play.  I’m sure Abraham had his moments.  I’m not trying to say that Abraham was an emotionless and cruel man.  We know he wasn’t.  But what I am trying to say is that life goes on.  Abraham has a very good attitude when it comes to the order of life.  Death is a natural part of life.  We can mourn it.  We don’t have to like it.  But it shouldn’t ruin our life when it happens, either.  We need to learn how to deal with it properly, put it into the greater perspective considering our eternal relationship with the Father, and surge ahead in life.

The second thought that hit me was how Abraham dealt with the native people of the land.  The second half of this chapter is a typical business transaction in the ancient world.  Here’s the typical process:

1. The subordinate (the one who is seeking something) offers a reasonable price.

2. The dominant (the one who has what is being ought) offers to give it for free.  Note, though, that it is expected that this offer will be rejected.  This offer to give it for free is meant as a word of hospitality designed to put the dominant in a light of graciousness, even if it isn’t real.

3. The subordinate acknowledges the graciousness of the dominant but insists on paying.

4. The dominant accepts the price.

This is pretty much exactly what happens here in this chapter.  This process is designed to reinforce hierarchy, reinforce the importance of generosity and fairness at the same time.

What neat about this is that because Abraham is treated in this manner, it shows that the native people of the land have accepted Abraham as one of their own.  Abraham has come in as a complete stranger and found a way to have himself accepted by the native people.  Note the contrast to what happens over the next 400 years when Joshua comes back and the Hebrew people are not accepted.  What it goes to show us is that individuals who are willing to conform are often accepted by the native people.  However, when massive groups of immigrants want to come into a land without desiring to conform, rejection and violence typically ensues.  In today’s culture, I think that is an incredibly important lesson to learn.

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Year 7, Day 21: Genesis 22

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Genesis 22 is one of those chapters that seems to make more and more sense each time that I study it.  I’m not sure if it is because familiarity with the passage breeds even more familiarity or if each time I study it I am 3 more years older and – hopefully – slightly more advanced in terms of wisdom.  For whatever reason, this chapter continues to unfold new things with each reading.

This chapter used to sound so foreign to me.  I used to ask what would possess a man to be willing to offer up his own son in a willing sacrifice, especially since such a sacrifice would be abhorrent to the God it was supposedly please.  However, I have since come to look more deeply into the words of Abraham and instead see a man of incredible faith.

For example, look at how Abraham answers his own son.  When Isaac asks where the sacrifice is, do you hear Abraham’s reply?  Abraham says that God will provide.  Abraham doesn’t say that he believes Isaac is the sacrifice.  Neither is Abraham trying to be coy with his words and hide the truth from Isaac.  Abraham genuinely does believe that God will provide.

How do we know this, given that Abraham even lifts up a knife against Isaac?  Look at what Abraham says to his servants.  He says that he and his son are going to go over and worship and then return.  Abraham believes that they will return.  Again, he is not trying to be coy and deceive his servants.  He genuinely believes that he and his son will return.  He has faith that God will provide.

So, why is it that Abraham lifts up a knife against his own son?  Honestly, Abraham is living out his obedience believing that God will provide.  God originally told him to sacrifice his son.  As hard as it is to do, he is living out his obedience.  But greater than his obedience is his faith in God’s promise.  God has already told Abraham that Isaac would be his heir and part of a lineage of uncountable generations.  Abraham believes the promise.  His faith is so great that he can act and believe in his obedience.

God does provide. The ram is provided.  Abraham believes into his obedience and at the last moment God rewards his faith and his obedience.

This makes me wonder what length I would go in obedience to God.  Thankfully, God is not asking me to sacrifice my immediate family.  But that doesn’t mean that Ha hasn’t asked me to make sacrifices.  This is a great day to contemplate just how happily I have been obedient to Him in my faith.

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Year 7, Day 20: Genesis 21

Theological Commentary: Click Here

I often think about the sins of one generation being passed down into the next.  We learn arrogance from others.  We learn greed.  We learn pride.  We learn anger.  We learn to hurt.  We learn to think about ourselves.  We learn to build walls.  We learn negative behaviors from those who are around us – those around whom we sent most of our time.

Granted, we do learn positive things, too.  We can learn to love, to share, too hope, to be humble, to think of others.  I don’t want this post to be completely negative.  We can learn good things if the community around us is good.  But that doesn’t change the fact that we learn bad habits, either.

As I read through this passage today, I couldn’t help but focus on Hagar’s son’s reaction to Abraham’s celebration with Isaac.  He laughs at it.  He scoffs.  He doesn’t join in the celebration; he sets himself against it.

Do you remember how Hagar treated Sarah after she became pregnant?  Hagar treated Sarah poorly, too.  Hagar has passed along her disdain for Sarah into her son so that he has disdain for Sarah and her child as well.

Realizing that God does ultimately watch over her and protect her, we should make sure that we understand that the person to blame for their dismissal from the camp of Abraham is Hagar.  She treated Sarah with contempt and she taught her child to do the same.

This causes me to sit back and wonder about myself.  What habits have I picked up from those around me?  What habits am I passing on to others?  Am I passing along my love that God imparts in me or am I passing along the sinfulness within?

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Year 7, Day 19: Genesis 20

Theological Commentary: Click Here

The judgment of a righteous man can sometimes be flawed.  This is important to remember, because it helps to keep us humble. Every single one of us is one tense moment away from making a bad decision.

Check out Abraham in this passage.  Once more Abraham goes into a foreign land and says that Sarah is his sister.  At the end of this passage, we learn that this isn’t actually a lie as Sarah is his half-sister.  But the reality is that he is saying this to avoid disclosing the truth that Sarah is his wife.  Intentionally not disclosing the truth is just as bad as lying.

However, this isn’t the worst of it in my opinion.  Look at what Abraham gives as the motivation for this act.  He does this act because he decides that there is no fear of God in the land.  Who is Abraham to make that determination, especially since Abimelech does seem to have some kind of relationship with God!  Abraham’s eyes are blind to the relationships with God that surround him.

These are both incredibly easy mistakes to make – mistakes that I have made rather often.  It is easy to avoid disclosing the truth to save face, protect oneself, or simply avoid a necessary conversation.  It is easy to feel like there is no love for God in a place when we truly are not in a position to make such a determination.  But these are mistakes.

If there is any consolation in this, we need to remember that Abraham was a righteous man.  He wasn’t perfect, but He was righteous.  God knows that we will make mistakes.  He cares more about our ability to repent and follow Him than our ability to live up to His perfection.

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Year 7, Day 18: Genesis 19

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Genesis 19 is primarily about faith versus unfaith.  No, I’m not talking about the judgment of Sodom.  Clearly, that is God judging sinful people who have absolutely no intention of repenting or changing.  They are judged horrifically, yet righteously.  They are wiped from the face of the earth with fire from heaven.

When I talk about faith versus unfaith, I’m talking about Abraham, Lot, and Lot’s wife.  Let’s take a look at Lot’s wife first.  In fleeing the city, she turns around and looks upon Sodom.  She turns into a pillar of salt.  She has trouble leaving the world behind.  She is likely putting on display that she really would rather have not left Sodom behind.  It’s too hard for her to let go of the worldliness around her, so she is judged into becoming a pillar of salt.

To confirm this, let’s look at Lot.  Do you see how Lot behaves?  Yes, Lot tries to spare the Lord’s messengers.  He knows the behavior of the city, thus he intercedes and invites them into his house.  But look at what happens.  Lot offers up his virgin daughters instead!  When the angels urge him to leave, Lot drags his heels!  Quite literally, the Bible is clear that even in the face of impending destruction, Lot and his family have to be dragged out of the city by the messengers of the Lord.  When they do get away, God tells Lot to go into the hills.  But this is too much for Lot.  He doesn’t want to live apart from the trappings of the world.  He argues to be allowed to go to Zoar.  This is the makings of a man who is struggling to have faith in God and leave the trappings of the world behind.

To confirm this even more, do you notice the short little story about Abraham in this passage?  Abraham has no trouble at all when he comes and looks at the destruction that God is doing.  Lot’s wife turns into a pillar of salt when she looks, yet Abraham looks upon the destruction and nothing happens at all.  This truly does give us the absolute confirmation of the difference between a person of faith and a person of struggling faith.  People with great faith can look upon sin and destruction and not waver.  People of faith have the righteous perspective necessary to live in the world yet be fully in relationship with God.

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Year 7, Day 17: Genesis 18

Theological Commentary: Click Here

In Genesis 18 we have two interesting interactions with the Lord.  Both Abraham and Sarah come face to face with God’s messengers and have dialogue.  However, the dialogues go two completely separate routes.

Sarah is eavesdropping by the door when she hears that she will bear a child within the next year.  Sarah laughs!  Truthfully, I think I would laugh, too.  The thought of an elderly woman giving birth to a child is next to impossible.  I would be prone to laugh.  Don’t get me wrong.  I wouldn’t laugh because I think it impossible for God.  Nothing is impossible for God.  I would laugh because of the impossibility for human beings.

However, where the interaction goes wrong isn’t Sarah’s laugh.  Where the interaction goes wrong is when Sarah lies about what she said.  God confronts her about her laugh and Sarah denies laughing.  Granted, she was afraid of getting punished for laughing at God.  By lying, however, she is only increasing her chance for punishment!  Human beings often compound wrongdoing in an attempt to escape punishment, only bringing greater punishment upon them.

In the other example, we see Abraham discussing the righteousness of people with God.  God sets a bar of saving Sodom if there are 50 righteous people.  Abraham begins to barter with God.  Notice that Abraham doesn’t bring God’s character into question.  He doesn’t question whether God is acting righteously at all.  Abraham is simply trying to find God’s limit of righteousness.  In doing so, notice that Abraham actually barters God the whole way down from 50 righteous people to 10 righteous people.  God allows Himself to be moved by Abraham because Abraham is respecting God’s righteousness.

We can learn a good bit about ourselves and God in looking at these passages.  We do enjoy conversation, even discussion.  We enjoy finding the limits set by other people.  We enjoy the probing that comes with socialization.  But we are also prone to lying when the greater community confronts us about our failings.  That is just who we are.

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Year 7, Day 16: Genesis 17

Theological Commentary: Click Here

No sooner do we leave the story of Hagar, hearing God’s call for her to obey Him and return to Sarah, that God comes to Abraham and reminds him of the covenant.  In fact, it is in this chapter that God changes Abram’s name (Exalted Father) to Abraham (Father of many nations).  Pay very close attention to what it is that God says.

God reminds Abraham that his offspring will be numerous.  God reminds him that his people will receive the land of Canaan as their inheritance. God reminds him that it is Sarah who will bear him a son.  God also reminds him that He can take care of Ishmael, too.

However, make sure that you keep reading.  Look at what God continues to say.  “You will keep my covenant.”  Abraham’s part of the deal is obedience.  Abraham’s obedience begins with submission to God.

Do you hear the continuation of the pattern that we started to hear in the example of Hagar yesterday?  Hagar was told to obey.  Then, she was told to submit.  She was told to submit in spite of any hardship that she might face.

This is the pattern.  God doesn’t ask for us to do grand things.  He doesn’t ask us to rule the world.  He doesn’t ask us to dominate over others.  God asks us to submit.  He asks us that we keep our covenant with Him by submitting to Him.

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Year 7, Day 15: Genesis 16

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Have you ever heard about the prosperity gospel?  It goes something this this.  God loves you.  God wants to bless you.  If God loves you and wants to bless you, then if you just do things the right way you’ll be rich, happy, and have an easy life.

The prosperity Gospel leads us to a place where we believe that we can evaluate our success at being obedient to God based on how things go for us.  It leads us to believe that the wealthy are closer to God, that those with easy lives are closer to God, and those who have few struggles are closer to God.

By the way, the prosperity gospel is utter hogwash.  Maybe you heard of a guy named Daniel, who was called to go into both a fiery furnace and a lion’s den because of his faith.  Or perhaps you’ve heard of a prophet Jeremiah who was hated by the people of his time and spent much of his time living in the prison of a besieged city!  Or perhaps you have heard of a man named John the Baptizer who was beheaded on account of his calling to speak the truth.  Or maybe you’ve heard of a guy named Jesus, who was crucified because it was God’s plan.  I could keep going.  Our prosperity and ease of life is a horrible measure of God’s love for us.

As another example, look at this woman named Hagar.  Her mistress asks her to bear a child with her husband.  She complies.  Granted, once she is pregnant she treats her mistress with contempt, which she shouldn’t have done.  That leads her mistress, Sarah, to mistreat her in return.  Hagar runs away, and Go finds her in the wilderness sulking.

But do you hear what God’s messenger says to her?  God doesn’t say, “Oh, I love you.  Let’s make your life easy.”  No, God says, “Go back to Sarah and submit to her.”

God doesn’t call us to the easy life.  God calls us to live in truth and submit to Him.  He calls us to submit to the authorities around us.  That’s why the true gospel is different than the prosperity gospel.  We can’t evaluate how close we are to God by how full our life is with pleasure.  We can evaluate our closeness to God by the level of obedience in our life.

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Year 7, Day 14: Genesis 15

Theological Commentary: Click Here

I think it is interesting to look at a person’s priorities in life.  We all have them, there’s no use denying it.  We all have things that make us tick.  We all have things for which we strive.  What’s neat about humanity is that these things are all different for each person.

Let’s look at Abraham.  God comes to him and says, “I am going to cause you to prosper.”  Do you notice Abraham’s response?  He immediately asks God what good it will do if he doesn’t have an heir.

Naturally, we need to understand the ancient mindset.  First of all, wealth wasn’t evaluated using bank accounts or even coins.  Wealth was evaluated by the size of your herd, the land you controlled, and the number of servants and slaves for whom you could provide.  Wealth was also determined by how many children for whom you could provide.

I firmly believe that when Abraham asks God about an heir, it isn’t an emotional plea for children.  I don’t honestly think that he is feeling sad because he is not a father.  I think that Abraham is evaluating God’s promise to him and realizing that when it comes to children, everyone will consider him poor because his lack of children demonstrates a possibility that he can’t provide for them.

For the record, I also wonder if this isn’t why God gives Abraham only one child.  God needs to give Abraham an heir, of course.  But could He also be keeping him humble by only giving him one as a check on his prioritization?

In the end, do notice that Abraham believes God’s promise.  God exposes Abraham’s character, potentially even a flaw.  God and Abraham even have a legitimate dialogue about God’s promise.  God accepts Abraham's critique, even!  But Abraham still believes.  Abraham trusts.  This is the important part of the story.  God comes to Abraham and Abraham listens and believes.

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Year 7, Day 13: Genesis 14

Theological Commentary: Click Here

You really know who your friends are when your life isn’t going well.  We are all familiar with the people who want to be our friends when we have something to offer.  If you’ve ever won something enviable, you know this feeling.  But that isn’t a true display of friendship.  Genuine friendship are people who are with you regardless of your situation.  They are there in the good times.  They remain there in the bad times.

For example, take a look at Lot.  He gets caught up in a war between the people living in and around Canaan.  He is defeated and taken captive.  His stuff is taken as plunder.  He’s a foreigner living in a foreign land.  He doesn’t have a family clan to defend him.  But he does have Abraham.  Abraham is a true friend.  Abraham comes to his defense, rescuing him from the hands of those who captured him.

However, it is often true that a friend of a friend is also a friend.  Notice that Abraham isn’t alone in coming to Lot’s aid.  Some of Abraham’s allies go with him to rescue Lot.  Lot is the beneficiary of Abraham’s friendships, too.

It is important to have friends.  We all like to have people to celebrate with us when things are good.  But we all also need people to be there for us when we need rescued.  We need people to remind us about joy and peace when life conspires against.

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Year 7, Day 12: Genesis 13

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Trust and generosity go together. They are accompanied rather well by concern for others.  These are the natural traits of those who walk with God.

Take a look at Abraham (Abram) in this passage.  He and Lot leave Egypt, knowing that the drought in Canaan is over.  While being in Egypt, their wealth prospered.  In other words, their flocks grew in size.  By the time that they get back to Canaan, they realize that their wealth is causing strife.  Their shepherds are starting to quibble among themselves as they try to provide water, food, and security for the flocks.

Look at Abraham’s response.  Abraham turns to Lot and says, “You pick.  Whichever you pick, I’ll take the other.”

This is a cool response for two reasons.  First of all, it shows Abraham’s perspective.  Abraham knows that God can prosper him wherever.  Abraham’s faith in God allows him the freedom to be generous with others.  Abraham’s trust that God will keep His word allows him to be gracious to Lot.  Our ability to be gracious and merciful starts with God.

Second, do you realize what Abraham could have said?  He could have said, “I’m older and wiser.  I have more than you.  You’re an orphan.  I’ll pick, and you get the privilege of leftovers.”  He had all the rights to do that, but he didn’t.  He set aside his privilege and allowed Lot the ability to choose.  He thought of Lot before his own rights.

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Year 7, Day 11: Genesis 11-12

Theological Commentary: Click Here

As we move past the flood account and draw closer to ancient human history, we get a very real perspective of humanity given to us.  I have always appreciated the Bible’s ability to give us an honest perspective of humanity.  These stories are not over-glorified accounts of magnificent human beings who are superior in every way.  These are human beings, flawed as us all.

Let’s start with the tower of Babel.  Here are a group of people who show simple human instinct.  They get together and want to build something with which they can make a monument of what they are doing.  They’ve created a society and a culture.  They set out to build a great tower to proclaim their greatness.  That seems like such a good, human idea.  But it’s not.  god knows that if these people build this monument, they will stay there and try to preserve what they have.  They won’t progress.  They won’t go forward.  They will try to constantly live in the past, contemplating how great they have become.

Then we move on to the witness of Abram’s father, Terah.  Do you hear that it was actually Terah who planned to go to Canaan?  No doubt God called him to go.  But he only got so far. He got to a place that looked nice and became satisfied.  He didn’t go the whole way to Canaan.  He found a place of contentment and stayed there.  That’s also a very human thing to do.

Finally, we hear about Abraham (Abram).  He hears God’s call and makes it the whole way to Canaan.  In fact, he stays there for a while and then heads off to Egypt because of a famine.  But while he’s there, he seeks his own glory and protection.  He lies about his wife.  He treats her like a sister, allowing her to be with Pharaoh and his household.  Naturally, God doesn’t approve and Pharaoh’s household suffers.  Abraham is caught in the act.  He lies to preserve his life and allow himself to prosper.  Again, that’s a very human thing to do.

Do you see what I mean?  These are very human people with human traits.  They aren’t perfect.  They aren’t superhuman.  They are simple people who love God but occasionally make mistakes. But God still continued to be with them, mistakes and obedience and all.

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Year 7, Day 10: Genesis 10

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Genesis 10 gives us a really neat geography lesson.  Yes, I’m serious.

First, we hear about the people of Japheth.  Japheth’s people go north.  These are the people of Asia Minor, Greece, Thrace, and southern Europe.  By and large, they are nearly irrelevant for the rest of the witness of the Old Testament.  But we’ll come back to this point.

Second, we hear about the descendants of Ham.  Ham’s descendants become the main opponents to God’s plan in the world.  These are the Egyptians, the Canaanites, the Philistines (specifically), and most of the other people found in the region of Israel.

Third, we hear about the people of Shem.  It is from his name that we derive the word Semitic.  These are Abraham’s people.  These people are the people who settled in the areas of Iraq and Iran.  The Persians are from Shem.  The Assyrians come from Shem.  The people of Lebanon and Syria come from Shem.

Why is all of this important?  Do you remember the odd little story about Noah’s drunkenness last chapter?  Pay attention, because this goes to show us that human beings don’t change much once we get an identity.

Remember that it was Ham that who could have cared less about Noah’s dignity.  It is Ham’s descendants that will be the primary antagonists to the Hebrew people throughout all time.  Ham starts off caring about himself and his desires and not caring about others.  It isn’t a surprise that these people by and large continue to oppose what God is at work doing in the world.

Also remember that it is Japheth and Shem who come along and preserve Noah’s dignity.  These are people who do care about others and do look to the needs of others before themselves. These are the people that God continues to use all throughout history.  Abraham comes from Shem.  The Assyrians, who God uses to judge his own people, come from Shem.  The Persians, who God uses to return His people from exile, largely come from Shem. 

Furthermore, do you remember the descendants of Japheth that we talked about earlier?  To whom does the Gospel spread after Christ’s death?  Who become the primary preachers and teachers for dozens of generations after Christ?  Naturally, it is the descendants of Japheth.

I think that it is really neat how these generations play out in connection to the story about Noah’s drunkenness.  It does truly go back to identity as a people.  I’m not trying to say that people can’t change their identity.  Through Christ, all things are possible, including changing identity!  But it is really a neat connection between identity and action.  It is also a really neat place that we can stop, sit back, and reflect on from where our identity come.

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Year 7, Day 9: Genesis 9

Theological Commentary: Click Here

At the end of Genesis 9 we have an odd little story that doesn’t get much press.  It starts off by telling us that Noah liked to work the ground.  I can imagine why someone who spent so much time on a boat surviving the flood found a passion for tilling the soil.

Noah grows plants.  In fact, Noah likes grapes – wine in particular.  He liked wine so much that one day he becomes dunk.  Noah struggles with impulsive behavior.  Mind you, there weren’t too many other people around at the time, so it’s not like this act had too many potential consequences.

Noah’s sons become aware of his state.  Ham, the father of Canaan, sees Noah and points it out to his brothers.  In other words, Ham demeans Noah.  Ham mocks his father.  Ham is willing to let his father’s reputation be tarnished in the eyes of others.  Ham demonstrates his humanity.  Ham is looking out for himself, not for others.

Noah’s other sons demonstrate their compassion for Noah.  Shem and Japheth go in and cover Noah in his drunken state.  They do what they can to help their father.  Noah had done something unwise, but Shem and Japheth showed that they cared more about Noah than their own enjoyment.  They cared more about saving Noah’s honor than trying to make themselves seem better by tearing Noah down.

This is a great concept to end this day upon.  When we have the opportunity to watch someone else fall, do we get others to look or do we reach out a hand and try to prevent as much of the fall as possible?  Are we looking out for ourselves or for others first?

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