“A Certain Place”

January 24, 2024

January 24, 2024

Read Genesis 28-30, Psalm 24

What are some special places for you that hold a special place in your mind or heart with a spiritual connection? Maybe it was a church or a time away at a camp. Maybe it was somewhere out in nature where you felt the presence of God with you. In Genesis 28 we find such a place for Jacob. On the run from his brother Esau Rebekah suggests that Jacob should head to the land of her family to find a wife for himself. Along the way Jacob stops at Bethel. Jacob has a dream and sees a staircase going up to the heavens and then God speaks to Him in his dream. “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying” v. 13. God confirms with Jacob the same promise that He gave to his father Issac and his grandfather Abraham. Jacob will return to this place later and God is not through with him yet.

In chapter 29 Jacob makes it to Paddan Aram and much like his father Isaac secured a wife it centers around watering animals at a well. Jacob meets Rachel and asks for her as a wife and is willing to work for her father Laban for seven years. I love the summarization of Jacob’s work time for the seven years. “So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her” v. 29. Chapter 29 is the longest chapter in the book of Genesis. This is for a reason to draw the reader to the main story of the book. God has blessed Jacob with children that will become the twelve tribes of Israel. In this chapter we can also see the problems that arise from having multiple wives that fight over the love of Jacob. It is an interesting thought to think that no where in these verses does God command Jacob take more than one wife, but despite human choice God brings forth the 12 tribes of Israel.

In chapter 30 not only do Jacob’s wives and children increase but so do his flocks. Jacob and Laban make an agreement to split the flocks between them because Laban recognizes the blessing that have come from Jacob. In a stripes or solids game of division Jacob uses some sort of plan to increase the numbers of striped animals that he will keep for himself. What are we to make of Jacob’s strange breeding practices?  “He took fresh-cut branches… made white stripes on them by pealing the bark and exposing the white inner wood” v. 37, “placed them in all the watering troughs” v. 38, and “they mated in front of the branches” v. 39. There are 4 different thoughts from various opinions on this. 1. He was engaging in superstitious magic or as a rouse to appear so. 2. Some scientific explanations have to do with some medicinal properties we are unaware of.  3. They had no effect – Only God prospered Jacob. 4. Jacob was following God’s instructions (see verses 10-13).  

Psalm 24 starts with a declaration of David. “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; 2 for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters” vv. 1-2. We might have a certain place that is special to us, but the whole of creation belongs to the Lord. David declares that for all seek the Lord, the “God of Jacob” v. 6 they will receive a blessing. There is a repeated question in this chapter, “Who is this King of Glory?” Each time David response with the answer “The Lord strong and mighty” or the “Lord Almighty.” No matter if we are in or near our special place, we can take comfort knowing that the whole earth is the Lord’s.

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stick out to you? What do you notice about the relationships within families in these chapters? Add your thoughts below?

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Posted by John Weldon

“Death, Birth, and Everything in Between”

January 23, 2024

January 23, 2024

Read Genesis 25-27, Psalm 23

What kind of childhood did you have growing up with your family? Chances are that if you had at least one brother or sister you had your fair share of squabbles as a child.  Hopefully those will go away as you became an adult. There is a lot of ground covered in these three chapters of Genesis. Genesis 25 starts with Abraham passing away at the ripe old age of 175. The chapter gives us some background on Abraham’s wives that he took after Sarah died and the children that each bore. Apparently, Ismael comes back and both he and Isaac bury their father, Abraham.

The latter part of Genesis 25 describes the birth of Isaac and Rebekah’s twins, Jacob and Esau. These two boys fight from the very start, even from the womb, “The babies jostled each other within her” v. 22. And as it came time to give birth to them, “After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel” v. 26. The boys continue to fight over food and birthrights and ultimately over their father’s blessing when Isaac is about to die. An interesting discussion in these chapters is the revelation to Rebekah that Jacob the younger will be stronger and “the older will serve the younger” v. 23. Are Rebekah’s actions right, to help her son Jacob steal the birthright from Esau? Did she believe she was helping Jacob take his rightful place or were they sinful in deceiving her husband and other son Esau? There is plenty of blame to go on the whole family. Each of the parents showed favoritism toward a child and the children often acted impulsively with each other making careless choices with consequences.  

Genesis 26 tells a familiar story but with different characters. We find Isaac moves south to the land ruled by Abimelech because of a famine. Are we shocked at what takes place? Isaac apparently has picked up some bad habits from growing up around his father, namely covering your own rear. Isaac too lies to Abimelech for the same reason as his wife Rebekah. This time Sarah is not his sister, but his cousin. Some critics have suggested that this repeat in Genesis is just an error that occurred in copying the manuscripts over time, but a careful read of the texts shows nothing like this. The accounts are far different to be just a simple copyist error.

Psalm 23 is probably the most well-known chapters in the Bible. This psalm of David is beloved and memorized by so many. I would encourage you to slow down and read it carefully. You may know it and can quote it for memory, but take the time to meditate on each phrase and what it means. Shepherding was the most common occupation of the Israelites, and they would have easily identified with the theme. One thing I would point out to you is the personal nature of this psalm. The Lord is “my” shepherd, he makes “me” lie down, for you are with “me.” Often the slant against the Old Testament is that character of God is not very personal in nature. This just comes from a incomplete few of Scripture. Psalm 23 shows us that God is our shepherd.

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, themes do you see? What words repeat and bring attention to you? Add your thoughts below.

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Posted by John Weldon