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I read Genesis 29, 30 and part of 31. I still am struck by how Jacob didn’t get it. Jacob is the patriarch of the Twelve Tribes, shouldn’t he get it fron day one? Shouldn’t he be walking around giving glory to God at all times? I find it humorous that after the way he fought with Esau that he himself id deceived into marrying Leah and then after he gets Rachel he lives with continuous sibling rivalry. God can be funny.
Anyway, Jacob makes a deal with Laban to get the spottled, speckled, etc portion of his flocks. He then goes through some elaborate scheme to make the animals only bare spottled and speckled offspring. Two things jump out. First, Jacob is still conniving and deceptive. Second, he believes that his superstitions are what make the animals bare the spotted offspring. Did he forget that God told him he would bless him? How bad must Esau have been for God to not have simply said “This guy is pathetic. I’m going to be true to what I promised Abraham and Isaac, but I had better go try and do it through Esau.” Throgh this entire process, Isaac never gives God the glory. It is only what he has done that makes it all possible. in 31 he does admit that God protected him during all of this.
I guess I have to wonder if we, if I, ever do this. God has made promises to me about my future. So, when things go well do I give God the glory or do I believe that it happened because of my abilities? I can tell you this, I truly believe that without God I am nothing. So, if I am not gving Him the glory, CALL ME ON IT!
Genesis 28, Jacob takes a nap, has a dream/vision about angels going up and down a ladder, God speaks some promises to him and then he wakes up. After waking up, he says “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.”
Jacob doesn’t seem to really get it. He seems lost. He has deceived or manipulated his brother twice. He has the blessing of his father, but it appears to mean nothing to him besides the monetary gain. Now he meets with God and he gives an if/then statement. I am very glad that God held up His end of the deal so that Jacob ended up making Him his God. Otherwise, things might not have ended up so well.
Today I read Genesis 28. It was good!
Have you ever told a story and embellished just a little to make it sound better? You ever tell most of the truth becasue “what’s the difference?” I certainly have done these things. Abraham and Isaac did a bit of it, too.
I was reading Genesis 27 this morning (Jacob takes Esau’s blessing) and have been having a hard time recociling in my mind Jacob’s deception. Holy Spirit showed me that it isn’t that different from what his father and grandfather did. So, like I mentioned in an earlier post, the sins of the father get carried down. Abraham and Isaac both deceived others regarding their wives being their sister. Look at the growth of the deception from generation to generation. Abraham tells a “half truth” as Sarah was his half sister. Isaac tells a full on lie as Rebekah isn’t his sister at all. Then we move to Jacob. He moves beyond lying about who someone else is and decides to lie about who he is. The first two did it to save their butts and Jacob does it to get stuff.
I guess Dad is trying to show me that even the little things that I do and say matter. The things I allow in my life today can manifest in bigger ways in my children. My job is t protect them, not to set them up for failure or struggles. I know I tend to stretch a story for no reason. Whether we caught 5 fish or 4 doesn’t really make a difference to the story, but one would be a lie. Interestingly enough, my sister told me this weekend that God is dealing with her on this matter. She tends to embellish. I wonder what the big man is up to.
Papa, please forgive me for the times I have stretched or ben the truth; the times I have lied. I know that is not the man you have called me to be. You have called me to be a man of truth in the big stuff and the smal stuff. You have called me to be a man of character and integrity, even when “it doesn’t matter”. I repent of lying and ask that you keep all lies from my mouth. Help me to stop in mid-sentence to ensure that I always speak the truth. Protect my children. I cut of this sin, right now in Jesus name. This ends with me and goes no further. I love you, Daddy and I thank you for showing me these truths in your Word.
Reading Genesis 26:12-35 today. In this story, Isaac’s men keep digging wells and the Philistines (who have said they won’t harm Isaac or his family) keep claiming them. So, Isaac moves on. He doesn’t fight them or argue, he simply moves to another location and digs another well. He keeps moving and digging until no one else claims them. And then it says in verse 24 “And the LORD appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for My servant Abraham’s sake.”” What struck me was that in Genesis 26:2-5 God had said pretty much the same thing. I also imagine that Abraham had told Isaac that God had promised these things as well. So Isaac knew this yet, God kept telling him.
It is clear to me that Isaac knew God was going to bless him. Why else would you walk away from the water that you had just found? Only a man who understood that God was his provider would do such a thing. Isaac did not need the water that the Philistines were taking. He knew that God would provide more. There is much freedom and relaxation when you know that God has made promises to you and you make choices and decisions based upon that knowledge.
Still, God comes to him and tels him what he already knows. Now, the Bible doesn’t say this, but I imagine that Isaac might have become discouraged at times, or might have had the tendency to become discouraged. We know his dad liked to take matters into his own hands fromt time to time. God, simply shows up and continues to tell him, to reiterate and reinforce the knowledge that he will be blessed.
It is a good thing when Papa continues to tell us things. It helps us to stay focused and not get distracted by the other noise around us.
I feel like I am reading genesis for the 1st time. There are so many details in the stories that I have forgotten or that I am seeing for the first time. So, what’s up with Isaac? Famine comes… again, God’s chosen moves… again, God’s chosen lies out of fear and tels everyone that his wife is his sister.
Did Abraham not tell Isaac the story about him doing that a couple of times? Or did Isaac know the story and assume that since it worked for Dad, it will work for me? I simply find it interesting that the sins of the father (lying and manipulation) come back out with the son. Makes me want to continue to examine my life to ensure that I am not setting my son up for misfortune in the future.
I read more about Ishmael’s kids, and about Isaac having Jacob and Esau. Nothing great or revealing.
Read the story of Abraham negotiating for Sarah’s buiral plot. Not sure the significance. I know it means that Abraham actually purchased the first piece of property within the area that would become the Promise Land.
Anyway, God said write something and then come back and spend some time with me. So, that is what I am doing… or just did.
Jeremiah 33:3 really jumped out at me today. God is speaking to Jeremiah and tells him to call to Him and He will answer and will show Jeremiah great and mighty things, which he does not know.
I believe that is exactly what Papa wants from me today. Hey! John! Call to me and I will answer. I’ll show you great things that you do not know. Too often I run through the day on my strength and look to God for the big decisions; even the big daily decisions. I do not, however, call upon Him to answer me all day every day. I beleve that God wants us to call upon Him all the time.
As I read Genesis 22 this morning, I couldn’t help but wonder what Isaac was thinking. We’re told about Abraham’s obedience and that he is blessed because of it in verses 16 and 17. I simply wonder what the impact was on Isaac. Did it make him honor God more? Did he learn the fear of God at that moment? If that was me, I would have been messed up; you talk about a reason need to go on Quest. That one even would probably shape the rest of your life.
Your Dad makes you carry the wood for an offering, then makes the alter with the wood, then binds you to the wood, and finally raises the knife to kill you. You’re pretty much scarred at this point. Lots of inner healing needed. However, we’re never told anything more about the affects on Isaac.
I’m also struck by the parallel with Jesus. God sent His son to atone for our sins. Jesus had to carry His cross and was then killed on the cross to cover our sins. Abraham took his son, made him carry the wood for it and then is going to sacrifice him to atone for his sins. The difference is, Isaac was not a pure and spotless lamb. Isaac could not be a burnt offering for Abraham. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice whereas Isaac would have simply been a sacrifice.
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