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[Chaplain]

Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him: “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father; and take yourself a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother.” Genesis 28:1-2

Isaac blesses and instructs Jacob not take a Canaanite wife.

1. Isaac called Jacob and blessed him: Perhaps now Isaac resigns himself to what his wife Rebekah told him was the LORD’s will all along - that the older would serve the younger and that Jacob, not Esau, would receive the birthright. So he sent Jacob on with blessing and instructions.

i. "There is that recognition, by Isaac, that the Abrahamic blessing and covenant is to pass on to Jacob. Isaac possibly realized that this might be the last time that he would have any kind of relationship with his son, Jacob; so, he places upon him this great blessing that had been passed on to him by Abraham." (Smith)

2. You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan: It is essential Jacob not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan, as his brother Esau did. Jacob is the one who inherits the birthright and carries on the seed of the Messiah.

“May God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may be an assembly of peoples; and give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and your descendants with you, that you may inherit the land in which you are a stranger, which God gave to Abraham.” So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Padan Aram, to Laban the son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau. Genesis 28:3-5

Jacob is given the blessings God promised to Abraham.

And give you the blessing of Abraham: Essentially, this is the aspect of the birthright that Esau despised, but Jacob (who seems equally unworthy) will gain. Jacob is the one to carry on God’s promise to Abraham.

i. Essentially, Jacob is promised a land, a nation, and a blessing, even as Abraham was (Genesis 12:1-3).

Were Jacob's deeds/works enough to earn the blessings of God?

To you and your descendants with you: Jacob is by no means worthy of this blessing. Each of the four parties in this whole birthright mess were in the flesh somewhere along the line. The amazing thing is that God could bring any good out of all this, and this is an example of a triumph of God’s sovereignty.

i. "But if it is by grace (His unmerited favor and graciousness), it is no longer conditioned on works or anything men have done. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace [it would be meaningless]." Romans 11:6a

What was one of the worst consequences Jacob experienced because of his sins?

So Isaac sent Jacob away: Tragically, this is the last time Jacob will see his father or mother.

Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take himself a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,” and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padan Aram. Also Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac. So Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had. Genesis 28:6-9

Esau continues walking in the flesh.

Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob: Now the blessing and the birthright seem important to Esau. They were important enough to him that he determined to impress his father by marrying non-Canaanite women when he saw that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother.

i. "Esau knowing that his father was not pleased with his wives, went to Ishmael, his uncle, and married his daughter Mahalath. He thought this would please his father and mother." (Smith)

Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. Genesis 28:10-12

God appears to Jacob as he is running away.

Then he dreamed: In this desolate wilderness, Jacob had a significant dream as he used a stone for a pillow (which would seem to cause strange dreams).

i. One can only imagine the strange flood of feelings in Jacob at this moment: the fear, the loneliness, the isolation, the excitement, and the anticipation. This was an absolutely strategic time in Jacob’s life.

ii. "Jacob dreamed. Someone said that a long journey, a guilty conscience and an uncomfortable bed are things that dreams are made of. He had a long journey, his feet were sore and aching and the whole scene of Esau threatening to kill him is heavy on his mind and so he lies down in weariness and dreams." (Smith)

Jesus is the ladder that Jacob sees.

A ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it: In Jacob’s dream, there is now access to heaven. Jacob now knew God was closer than ever and there was real access and interaction between heaven and earth.

i. Jesus made it clear in John 1:51 that He is the access to heaven. He is the means by which heaven comes down to us and by which we can go to heaven. He is the “ladder.” And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” (John 1:51)

ii. Jesus is this way to heaven. He does not show us a way, He is the way. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: “I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.” Genesis 28:13-15

Jacob has a personal encounter with God.

I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac: Jacob had no doubt heard about the great God who appeared to Abraham and to Isaac, but now this same God has a personal encounter with Jacob himself. This was a life-changing experience for Jacob.

God comforts Jacob.

The land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants: These words are for comfort and hope in the life of Jacob, at this critical crossroads in his life. Essentially, God repeats to Jacob the terms of the covenant He gave to both Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3) and Isaac (Genesis 26:2-5).

i. Before, Isaac told Jacob the covenant was his (Genesis 28:3-4), but now the voice of God Himself confirms it.

God gives a prophecy about Jesus.

In you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed: "All the earth will be blessed through the Messiah, who is to come from Jacob. Abraham was promised that through his seed all the earth would be blessed. This is "seed" singular as of one and not of many, for it is a reference to the Messiah. Now the promise is repeated to Jacob and will later be repeated to David." (Smith)

God tells Jacob that He will be with him every step of the way.

I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you: God gives to Jacob the same kind of promise found in Philippians 1:6: being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. God won’t let us go until His work is complete in us.

i. "No doubt Jacob had a lot of misgivings as he was running away. He might have been thinking that there were a lot of perils and uncertainties in the future. It was a long way to Haran and a lot of things could happen between Bethel and there, and he might never arrive in Padan-aram. Maybe he would never come this way again. So, God speaks to him and tells him that He will be with him and bring him back to the land." (Smith)

ii. Jesus said, "And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!” Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously. Genesis 28:16-19

Like Jacob, many of us forget get that God is with us at all times.

1. Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it: Jacob was right in sensing the presence of the LORD there, but he was wrong in perhaps thinking God was in some places and not in others. David knew this: Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? (Psalm 139:7)

i. "The night before Jacob had no consciousness of God. His heart was filled with fear and uncertainty about the future. He was tired and lonely and had no thought of God until after this dream and he realized that God was in this place. Many times we find ourselves in a place of anxiety, pressure, trouble and not knowing what the future holds for us. We know what is behind us but not what is in front of us. We can't go back, but we're afraid to go on. In that point of anxiety and concern we're not aware of God's presence. We're not aware of the Plan of God in our life. We can't see His hand on us in these circumstances. It seems that we're desolate and that God has left us. Not so! Just as the LORD revealed himself to Jacob, that He was in that place; surely, the LORD is with us. He has said that He would never leave us or forsake us." (Smith)

2. How awesome is this place! From his fleshly perspective, Jacob puts too much emphasis on a particular place. He doesn’t realize that if the presence of the LORD is not with him in every place, then God can never fulfill His promise to him.

"Jacob worships God, naming the place Bethel (house of God)." (Guzik)

He called the name of that place Bethel: The city of Bethel plays an important (though not glorious) role in Israel’s history. It is second only to Jerusalem in the number of times mentioned in the Old Testament.

i. Later, when speaking to Jacob, God refers to Himself as the God of Bethel (Genesis 31:13).

ii. Bethel would eventually become a high place, notorious for idolatrous sacrifice (1 Kings 13:32, Hosea 10:15, Amos 4:4).

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “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. And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.” Genesis 28:20-22

Jacob makes a deal with God, and how many of us do the same thing.

If God will be with me: This can be also translated “since God will be with me”; but knowing Jacob, he undoubtedly means it in the sense of “if God will be with me.” God has given him a promise, yet he is still making “deals” with God, even promising God money if He makes good on His promise.

i. The way Jacob prayed, it was evident God’s mere word was not enough for him. He had to see God do it before he would believe. Are we the same way? God says, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19); He says, “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.” (Nahum 1:7) Do we believe these things before we see them?

Jacob tells God the terms of his contract.

Keep me in the way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on: Here, Jacob sets the terms of his covenant with God. He is laying down the deal for God, instead of humbly receiving what God said would be the deal.

i. Jacob isn’t very submitted to God. God will teach him submission in a very tough situation, through his Uncle Laban.

ii. "Jacob is a wheeler-dealer and you will find that out in the following chapters. He is making a deal with God now. If God will feed and cloth him and bring him back to the land then he will accept Yahweh as his God and give Him a tenth of all that he possesses." (Smith)

The differences between God’s promise and Jacob’s vow.

Jacob made a vow: Unfortunately, there is a great contrast between God’s promise and Jacob’s vow. One is totally God-centered; the other is terribly man-centered.

i. God’s promise (Genesis 28:13-15):
· I am the LORD God.
· I will give to you.
· I am with you.
· I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken.

ii. Jacob’s vow:
· If God will be with me.
· And keep me.
· In this way that I am going.
· Give me bread and clothing.
· So that I come back to my father’s house.

iii. How much better if Jacob had prayed like this: “Because You promised to be with me and to keep me and to provide for all my needs, and to bring me back to the land which you swore to give to my fathers and to me, I will be completely Yours, God.”

iv. God is gracious enough to not call off the whole deal when He saw such a carnal response from Jacob. Instead, He is willing to be called, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Exodus 3:6).

 

[Chaplain]

So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East. And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth. Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth. And Jacob said to them, “My brethren, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.” Then he said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.” So he said to them, “Is he well?” And they said, “He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.” Then he said, “Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.” But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.” Now while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. So she ran and told her father. Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things. And Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month. Genesis 29:1-14

Jacob arrives at a covered well and meets Rachel.

1. And came to the land of the people of the East: Because the LORD blessed his trip, Jacob returns to the land that his mother came from, being also the land of his grandfather Abraham.

2. My brethren, where are you from? In an age before clearly marked roads and signs, Jacob didn’t know where he was until he asked some of the locals, and he discovered he was at his destination.

3. Water the sheep, and go and feed them: Jacob definitely seems like he is trying to get rid of the shepherd boys, probably so he can be alone with Rachel.

4. Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth: Jacob also knew he had come to marry one of the daughters of Laban (Genesis 28:2), so he is more than willing to show kindness (and perhaps his strength) to Laban’s daughter Rachel.

5. Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept: Initially, Rachel must have been quite surprised when a man she never saw appears before weeping and greeting her with a kiss. Yet she heard of her relatives (Rebekah is her aunt) who lived in the Promised Land, and she understood Jacob is from this family.

Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?” Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance. Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.” And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her. Genesis 29:15-20

Jacob is given the choice of becoming his uncle's servant.

What should your wages be: This might sound like a nice offer, but really Laban let Jacob know if he wants to stay around, he must stay as a hired servant. Jacob was the son of a man of tremendous wealth. Certainly he was not lazy, but he wasn’t used to hard work. Servants did the hard work back home. But now Jacob is the servant.

i. Jacob’s reaction in this situation will reveal much of his character. This demonstrates the principle that you never know what kind of servant you are until others treat you like a servant.

Why would Jacob would want to become a servant?

Now Jacob loved Rachel: Not only was Rachel beautiful of form and appearance, but she was also the first friendly face Jacob met in the area. It is understandable why he had a “love at first sight” attachment to Rachel.

i. There is dispute as to exactly what the phrase “Leah’s eyes were delicate” means. Some think it means her eyes were bad, and she couldn’t see well. Others think it means her eyes were “dull,” not beautiful and full of life like her sister Rachel’s eyes.

An old wise custom that is missing from modern engagements.

I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter: The offer to work for seven years was essentially a dowry. Though Jacob came from a family with great wealth, he left home penniless. Before he could take a woman in marriage he had to provide a dowry to demonstrate he was fit to support a family and to compensate for the taking of the daughter.

i. Seven years was a very generous offer, far above a normal dowry. Jacob didn’t want to risk a refusal. When Laban saw how badly Jacob wanted Rachel, he knew he could take advantage of him.

How time flys when a person is in love.

They seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her: We notice the great love he had for her. The seven years of labor without pay (except for room and board) seemed to pass as quickly as a few days.

i. In this ancient culture, Jacob was not allowed to spend as much time as he wanted with Rachel. There were strict social guidelines keeping unmarried men and women apart from each other.

ii. This clearly demonstrates an important principle: true love waits. Jacob was willing to wait seven years for Rachel.

iii. In 1990, it was reported that in response to the excesses of the sexual revolution, some 400 concerned single adults have joined the National Chastity Association. Member Elaine Marsh, a 35-year-old legal secretary from Orange County, described her commitment to celibacy before her marriage: “It comes from my religion, but it’s more than that,” she says. “I just feel it’s such a precious part of yourself, you don’t give it to someone when you haven’t made the commitment of marriage.” Founder Mary Meyer says the group isn’t against sex: “I love hand-holding, I love kissing, I love caressing, I love sex,” she says. “But even more than I would love to experience these things right now, I want to be able to have a relationship where I can experience them forever.” This is the kind of wisdom and heart Jacob had.

iv. In the 1990s there was a successful campaign among teens titled “True Love Waits.” It persuaded them to take the following pledge: “Believing that true love waits, I make a commitment to God, myself, my family, those I date, my future mate and my future children to be sexually pure until the day I enter a covenant marriage relationship.” One 18-year-old named Rick said he used to be one of the guys who would come into school on Monday morning and brag about his sexual exploits. His views changed when he became a Christian two years ago, and now he is happy to take the pledge. “Sex is something God made to say, ‘I love you,’” he said. “If you have sex with everybody, you can’t say I’ve saved this one thing to say, ‘I love you.’ “

Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.” And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?” Genesis 29:21-25

After seven years, Jacob is ready to be married.

Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her: These words are clear enough. Even though Jacob waited and the time went quickly because of love, when the time was done he was done waiting.

Jacob's uncle switches daughters on him at the last moment.

He took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her: It was possible for Jacob to be fooled because of the wedding customs of the day. According to those customs the wife was veiled until she was finally alone with her husband in the “honeymoon suite.” If it was dark by the time Jacob and his new bride were alone together (something Laban would not have difficulty arranging), it helps explain how Jacob was fooled.

Why would both daughters agree to deceive Jacob?

He took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob: We assume that Leah was in agreement with this. “She may have loved Jacob secretly. She may have considered this her one chance to get a husband. She may have thought this an unsought, and therefore justifiable, opportunity to steal a march on her sister.” (Leupold) Yet even it she was not in agreement, she was under the absolute authority of her father.

i. The absolute authority of the father in the home in that culture also explains why Rachel “agreed” to this.

Jacob deceived his brother Esau, and now he is the one who is deceived.

So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah: We can Imagine how Jacob felt - and how Leah felt, and of course how poor Rachel felt. All this was because of Laban’s sin. Or, perhaps one should say it was because of Jacob’s sin - now the deceiver is deceived.

An example of reaping what a person sows, and how God will use our own sin to teach certain lessons.

Why then have you deceived me? Significantly, Laban’s deception towards Jacob is similar to the deception Jacob put upon his father Isaac and his brother Esau. This is an example of Jacob reaping what he had sown. Jacob exchanged the younger for the older; Laban exchanged the older for the younger.

i. When Jacob deceived his father and cheated his brother, God did not change His plan to choose Jacob to receive the birthright. Instead, God took Jacob to the school of hard knocks to discipline him. This shows that our disobedience may not derail God’s plan for our life, but it will greatly affect how we end up experiencing it. You may spend 20 years working for someone like Laban while God teaches you a few things.

ii. Though we can see this is God’s correction upon Jacob, it in no way justifies Laban’s deception. The fact God does work all things together for good never excuses the evil acts God works for good.

iii. "It says in Galatians 6:7, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." Adoni-Bezek, when he was captured and they cut off his thumbs and his great toes, said, "“Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to gather scraps under my table; as I have done, so God has repaid me..." (Judges 1:7). This is a law that God has established within nature. Whatever a man sows, that he also reaps. It is a necessary law in order to keep order in nature. Life would be almost impossible, chaotic at the least, if this were not a law of nature. If you did not reap what you sowed, the whole agriculture industry would be chaotic. The law of sowing and reaping is not just valid in the physical universe, but the bible declares it is also valid in the spiritual realm. Watch what you sow into your mind, because you become what you have planted in your mind!" (Smith)

And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.” Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also. And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid. Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years. Genesis 29:26-30

Jacob's uncle justifies his sin. Are we any different?

It must not be done so in our country: This excuse by Laban basically says, “Well, didn’t we tell you? We don’t do it this way around here. Thought you knew.” The only reason Jacob submits to this clever trick of Laban’s is because he had no other option. But Laban’s “reason” was really nothing more than an excuse.

In the Bible, a week can refer to seven years.

Fulfill her week.… Serve with me still another seven years: Here it is clear that a biblical “week” can refer to seven years—an especially important understanding with regard to the prophecy concerning the seventy weeks of Daniel (Daniel 9)." (Courson, J. (2005). Jon Courson's application commentary : Volume one : Genesis-Job (139). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.)

What is God trying to teach Jacob, by having his uncle offer him the choice of serving another seven years for the woman he loves?

Serve with me still another seven years: The second seven years made up Jacob’s post-graduate work in the school of hard knocks. Jacob’s “major” in the school of hard knocks was “You Reap What You Sow.”

i. "Laban is a crook. Later on, in the story, Jacob accuses Laban of changing his wages ten different times in the years he worked for him. Laban is a despicable kind of a person, but Jacob always got the best of him on every turn." (Smith)

What is a deceptive manipulator?

And he served with Laban still another seven years: Laban is a perfect picture of a deceptive manipulator. He ends up getting exactly what he wanted (both his daughters married). Yet, this will turn out badly for both himself and his daughters. Oftentimes, God judges manipulators by giving them what they in their sinful desires and methods want and allowing it to be loss for them.

i. The problems in this family can be seen immediately. Not only has Jacob married two sisters, but he also lets everyone know one is favored and loved more than the other. Ultimately, all these problems stem from Laban’s manipulative deception, and the prior sin of Jacob that brought it upon himself.

ii. Well, then, what should Jacob have done? Some say Jacob should have gone to Laban and told him to correct the whole mess, and simply be married to Rachel and let Leah be Laban’s problem. Others believe that according to the standards of the culture, he could not have put Leah aside, because she was unable to marry another after having been given to Jacob. Perhaps, he should have done the best he could in the situation, which would have been to love his two wives equally. What a mess!

A case of polygamy.

He gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also: We don’t practice polygamy, but we do practice “serial marriage.” We can think of polygamy as “mass marriage” in the sense we speak about “mass murder”: someone who marries more than one at the same time. But there is also “serial murder”: where a murderer kills many, but one at a time. In our modern culture we multiply wives to ourselves; we just do it one at a time.

i. "There could be advantages to having many wives, but there would also be many disadvantages. I think the disadvantages would far outweigh the advantages. There was a rivalry and jealousy between Jacob's wives and it must have caused him grief at times. When God saw that Leah was hated, He made her very fruitful in bearing children; while, Rachel, not able to have children became envious and sort of hateful. It became a very trying circumstance as we will see as we read on." (Smith)

ii. We can’t do anything about our marriages that have broken up in the past, but we can do all we can before God to make sure that from now on, it is one partner for all time.

 

[kinggroin]

I just realized, Jesus wore sandals/flip-flops

 

[Chaplain]

I just realized, Jesus wore sandals/flip-flops

lol

 

[Emwitus]

I just realized, Jesus wore sandals/flip-flops

like a boss. So i will continue to where sandals/flip/flops are as we call them, slippers..lol

 

[Chaplain]

When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. Genesis 29:31

Why God doesn't want polygamy.

1. When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved: God’s compassion on Leah is touching. She is truly the innocent party in all of this mess. God can minister to a wife and meet her needs even when the husband acts in an ungodly manner.

i. “Wretched Leah sits sadly in her tent with her maid and spends her time spinning and weeping. For the rest of the household, and especially Rachel, despises her because she has been scorned by her husband, who prefers Rachel and is desperately in love with Rachel alone. She is not beautiful, not pleasing. No, she is odious and hated . . .. There the poor girl sits; no one pays any attention to her. Rachel gives herself airs before; she does not deign to look at her. ‘I am the lady of the house,’ she thinks, ‘Leah is a slave.’ These are truly carnal things in the saintly fathers and mothers, like the things that usually happen in our houses.” (Luther, cited in Boice)

2. When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb: Isaiah 54:5 says, "For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is His name." God can meet the needs a hurting wife has, needs that are neglected by the husband.

So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.” Genesis 29:32

Jacob's first son.

She called his name Rueben: The first child born to Jacob, through Leah, is named Reuben by Leah, meaning “behold, a son.” This is her statement to Jacob and all others that the LORD had looked upon my affliction.

i. Reuben is the firstborn son of Jacob; he is the logical one to inherit the promise God had made to Abraham and passed on to Isaac and then to Jacob.

The mistake that many women still make even to this very day.

Now therefore, my husband will love me: Jacob, even though he did not love Leah, still would have sex with her. Unfortunately, men are much more able to detach sex from love than women are. Worse yet, Leah was painfully aware of the fact Jacob did not love her, even though he was obviously having sex with her.

Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. Genesis 29:33

Jacob's second son.

She called his name Simeon: The second child born to Jacob, through Leah again, is named by Leah Simeon, meaning “hearing.” Leah hopes all will notice the LORD has heard her.

Jacob continues to have relations with Leah, even though he doesn't love her.

Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved: Apparently, the birth of Reuben did not turn the heart of Jacob towards Leah. She is still aware he does not love her, though he is still having sex with her.

i. Of course, Jacob and Leah were married, so there was nothing sinful in sexual relationship. But this plainly shows that Jacob, like most any man in the flesh, was able and willing to have sex with someone he did not love.

ii. Women should never think a man loves them just because they have sex. A 1993 Los Angeles Times article interviewed young men to find out their views on sex. One man named Christian (17 years old) explained how things work between men and women: “We’re just not sentimental. That’s why we’re men . . .. We like girls, we don’t love them . . . You see a girl and you just think, yeah, she’s really pretty and the first thing that comes to mind is you want to have sex.” He then explained how he seduced a girl: “You start kissing her and hugging her and little by little you start touching her.” After sex, he explained many boys dump the girls. “Girls get mad, but they don’t take it hard. They get over it.”

iii. This is the kind of man a woman might have sex with in the misguided effort to keep him as her boyfriend, because he has deceived her into thinking he loves her. How dangerous can this be? Consider the words of a woman who caught AIDS from a Ventura man who knew he was infected but never told her: “All I wanted is someone to love me, and now I’m going to die for that. I don’t think I should have to die for that.”

iv. A 1995 survey asked the following question: “Have you ever had sex with a woman you have actively disliked?” 58% of men answered “yes.”

She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. Genesis 29:34

Jacob's third son.

Therefore his name was called Levi: The third child born to Jacob, again through Leah, is named Levi, meaning “attachment.” Leah still lives in the hope her husband Jacob will love her and become attached to her through the birth of these sons.

Leah continues to believe that having a child will make Jacob love her.

Now this time my husband will become attached to me: The pain in the heart of Leah is as evident as the hardness of Jacob’s heart, and as evident as his fleshly attitude towards his wife Leah.

And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing. Genesis 29:35

Jacob's fourth son.

She called his name Judah: The fourth son born to Jacob, again through Leah, is named Judah meaning, “praise.” Apparently, Leah has stopped naming her children to reflect the pain and longing in her heart. Now she focuses on God and can praise Him.

i. "Leah had four sons in rapid succession and then quit bearing; while, Rachel remains barren. In that culture, the greatest thing a woman can do is bare a son for her husband. If you are unable to give your husband a son, he can divorce you. Major Hadad, in Lebanon, had four beautiful daughters and his wife was about to give birth to her fifth child. He asked for prayer that God would give him a son. He was about to lose the respect of his army, because he had all girls. When the fifth child was a girl, it was a great disappointment. The culture today is the same and if it is a boy, they make merry and have a good time; but, if a girl, there is no celebration." (Smith)

God’s plan for Leah.

Now I will praise the LORD: To some extent, and for some period of time, Leah has allowed the LORD to meet her need, and she can now praise God! Leah knew the LORD better, driven to Him by the neglect of her husband.

i. Leah, though she was neglected by Jacob and despised by Rachel, had a great purpose in God’s plan. The two greatest tribes came from Leah, not Rachel: Levi (the priestly tribe) and Judah (the royal tribe). And most importantly, the Messiah came from Leah, the uglier sister, who was neglected and despised, but learned to look to the LORD and praise Him.

Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die!” And Jacob’s anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” So she said, “Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, and she will bear a child on my knees, that I also may have children by her.” Then she gave him Bilhah her maid as wife, and Jacob went in to her. Genesis 30:1-4

Rachel begins to lose it because she is barren.

Give me children, or else I die! Despite Rachel’s great beauty, she also was near despair. No doubt, Leah often said, “If I only had my sister’s beauty and the love of my husband as she does.” And, no doubt, Rachel often said, “If I only had sons like my sister.” Beautiful or plain, we all have our problems. Stop looking to how God deals with others and set your eyes on Him!

Jacob becomes angry at Rachel.

Rachel envied her sister . . . Give me children, or else I die . . . Jacob’s anger was aroused against Rachel: The tension in this family is apparent. At least Jacob saw the hand of God in the matter, even though he stated it to Rachel cruelly.

i. Can you imagine how vain Rachel was, knowing Jacob worked 14 years with no pay out of love for her, and knowing Jacob would not have worked one day for Leah?

History repeats itself.

1. Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, and she will bear a child on my knees, that I also may have children by her: Much like Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham in a surrogate-mother type arrangement (Genesis 16), Rachel gives her maid Bilhah to Jacob.

i. On my knees refers to the custom where the husband impregnated the surrogate while the surrogate reclined on the lap of the wife, and how she might even recline on the wife as she gave birth. The symbolism clearly showed the child was legally the child of the mother, not the surrogate, who merely “stood in” for the wife both in conception and birth.

2. She gave him Bilhah her maid as wife:This does not mean that Jacob actually married Bilhah. It means Jacob did with Bilhah what a man should only do with his wife.

And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. Then Rachel said, “God has judged my case; and He has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name Dan. Genesis 30:5-6

Jacob’s fifth son.

1. She called his name Dan: Jacob’s fifth son, born to him through Bilhah, the maid of Rachel, is named by Rachel Dan meaning, “judgment.” Because of her own envy, she viewed this child born of the flesh as a victory and a vindication for her.

2. God has judged my case; and He has also heard my voice and given me a son: “Can a woman get so low that she will hit her sister over the head with a baby? Rachel did.” (Barnhouse)

And Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. Then Rachel said, “With great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and indeed I have prevailed.” So she called his name Naphtali. Genesis 30:7-8

Jacob’s sixth son.

She called his name Naphtali: Jacob’s sixth son, born to him through Bilhah, the maid of Rachel, is named Naphtali by Rachel, meaning “wrestle.” Relationships in this home have broken down to the point where Rachel will openly acknowledge this “baby competition” between her and her sister by naming the new baby wrestle.

How sin divides families.

With great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and indeed I have prevailed: This seems strange. How do two sons prevail over four? Perhaps she meant it in the sense that now Leah seemed to have stopped having children.

 

[Chaplain]

When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and gave her to Jacob as wife. And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. Then Leah said, “A troop comes!” So she called his name Gad. And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. Then Leah said, “I am happy, for the daughters will call me blessed.” So she called his name Asher. Genesis 30:9-13

Jacob has three more sons.

1. She took Zilpah her maid and gave her to Jacob as wife: Leah, who has stopped bearing children, figured she could use the same “surrogate mother” method to increase “her” number of children, so she gave her maid Zilpah to Jacob as Rachel gave her maid Bilhah to Jacob.

2. She called his name Gad: Jacob’s seventh son, born to him through Zilpah, the maid of Leah, is named Gad, meaning “troop” or “good fortune”; the wives of Jacob are still using their children as pawns in a power struggle within the home.

3. So she called his name Asher: Jacob’s eighth son, born to him through Zilpah, the maid of Leah, is named Asher, meaning “happy”; Leah is more concerned about the status the child will bring her (all the daughters will call me blessed) than about the child himself.

Now Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?” And Rachel said, “Therefore he will lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.” When Jacob came out of the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have surely hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” And he lay with her that night. And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. Leah said, “God has given me my wages, because I have given my maid to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar. Genesis 30:14-18

What are mandrakes?

Found mandrakes in the field: The mandrake is a root, called “love-apples” in Hebrew. They were thought (and still are among some peoples) to increase fertility in women. Because Leah had the mandrakes, she knew Jacob would have relations with her, believing there was a greater likelihood she would become pregnant.

i. We don’t know if the effect of the mandrakes was something biological, or if it functioned more as a placebo. But under the guiding hand of God, the mandrakes seemed to “work” in the case of Leah and Jacob. Whatever strange agencies God may allow to be used (such as mandrakes), the real factor is His sovereign will (God listened to Leah).

Why would God only want one man and one woman in marriage?

You have taken away my husband: The hostility between Leah and Rachel is as obvious as it is painful. It must have been terrible living in a home where one wife believed the other had stolen her husband from her.

i. This confirms the wisdom of God’s original plan, as expressed in Genesis 2:24: one man to be joined to one woman in a one-flesh relationship.

ii. “Is it any wonder that this family had a history of strife and bloodshed? Children reflect the atmosphere of the home.” (Barnhouse)

iii. Later, Leviticus 18:18 forbids the marrying of sisters, and this shows why!

Then Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. And Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name Zebulun. Genesis 30:19-20

Jacob’s tenth son.

So she called his name Zebulun: Jacob’s tenth son, born to Leah, is named Zebulun, meaning “dwelling.” In the pain of her heart, she still waits for her husband to truly love her and live with her, and she hopes the sheer quantity of sons will win his heart to her.

Afterward she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah. Genesis 30:21

Jacob finally has a daughter.

1. Afterward she bore a daughter: Finally, after ten children, Jacob becomes father to a daughter through Leah, who is named Dinah. Apparently, there was nothing symbolically significant in her name.

2. The ungodly competition has, in one sense, ended. Leah and the two maids will have no more children.

i. But the wives fought each other as in a poker game:

“I bid one wife, loved and beautiful.”
“I bid one wife and four sons.”
“I’ll match your one wife and raise you a concubine and the concubine’s two sons.”
“I’ll raise you another concubine and two more sons by her; plus two more sons on my own, and I’ll throw in a daughter. I’ll stand with one wife, one concubine, six sons, and one daughter.” Nobody was the winner at this competition.

Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. Genesis 30:22

Why does God close the wombs of some women, but open the wombs of other women?

And opened her womb: The idea of God’s sovereignty over the womb is a persistent theme in the Bible; God granted twins to Rebekah (Genesis 25:21); He opens the womb of Leah (Genesis 29:31), and closes the womb of Hannah (1 Samuel 1:5). The purposes of God in opening one and closing the other may be completely unknowable, but God has His purpose.

And she conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” So she called his name Joseph, and said, “The LORD shall add to me another son.” Genesis 30

Jacob's eleventh son.

1. So she called his name Joseph: The eleventh son born to Jacob, through Rachel, is named Joseph, meaning “may he add”; Rachel feels she has been “vindicated” by the birth of one son, but longs for more children to continue the competition with her sister Leah.

2. At this point, none would think this eleventh son would end up being the key son used to further God’s redemptive purpose through this family. Yet Isaiah 55:8-9 is true: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

And it came to pass, when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, “Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my country. Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know my service which I have done for you.” And Laban said to him, “Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the LORD has blessed me for your sake.” Genesis 30:25-27

"Jacob knows it is time to go back to Canaan." (Guzik)

Send me away, that I may go to my own place and to my country: Though Jacob was in Haran with Laban and his daughters for more than 14 years, he knew that he belonged in the land promised to him by God, through the covenant made with his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac. After 14 years, Jacob still called the Promised Land my country.

Uncle Laban and the occult.

Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by experience that the LORD has blessed me for your sake: Laban knows Jacob has been an invaluable worker for him. Laban says this knowledge was learned by experience. Literally this means, “learned by divination.” Laban practiced occult divination and by this he knew the source of blessing.

Then he said, “Name me your wages, and I will give it.” So Jacob said to him, “You know how I have served you and how your livestock has been with me. For what you had before I came was little, and it has increased to a great amount; the LORD has blessed you since my coming. And now, when shall I also provide for my own house?” So he said, “What shall I give you?” And Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. If you will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep your flocks: Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted sheep, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be my wages. So my righteousness will answer for me in time to come, when the subject of my wages comes before you: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the lambs, will be considered stolen, if it is with me.” And Laban said, “Oh, that it were according to your word!” Genesis 30:28-34

"Jacob negotiates a deal with Laban to start building a flock of sheep and goats for himself." (Guzik)

1. The spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be my wages: Jacob will take the speckled and spotted offspring, but will separate the currently speckled or spotted animals from the rest of the flock, so the odds are set against him. Allowing the speckled and spotted sheep and goats to remain in the flock would increase the likelihood of more speckled and spotted offspring coming from the flock at large.

2. Laban said, “Oh, that it were according to your word!” This is an agreeable deal to both parties. First, it was a foolproof way to distinguish between the flocks of Laban and Jacob. As well, Laban liked the deal because the odds were stacked in his favor. Jacob may have proposed the deal because he was willing to trust in God.

So he removed that day the male goats that were speckled and spotted, all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had some white in it, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and gave them into the hand of his sons. Then he put three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks. Genesis 30:35-36

"The agreement is made, and the flocks are separated." (Guzik)

1. Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks: Jacob now will care for the large flock of his father-in-law Laban, made up of solid-colored animals, and Jacob will receive any speckled or spotted offspring of this flock. Obviously, if there was a way Jacob could encourage these solid-colored sheep to bring forth spotted and speckled offspring, it would greatly increase his personal wealth.

2. He put three days’ journey between himself and Jacob: So there would be no mixing of the flocks, Laban’s sons took care of all the existing speckled and spotted sheep and goats, keeping them a three-day journey from the main flock. Jacob himself would take care of the solid-colored flock of Laban, as well as their speckled and spotted offspring, which belonged to him.

Now Jacob took for himself rods of green poplar and of the almond and chestnut trees, peeled white strips in them, and exposed the white which was in the rods. And the rods which he had peeled, he set before the flocks in the gutters, in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink, so that they should conceive when they came to drink. So the flocks conceived before the rods, and the flocks brought forth streaked, speckled, and spotted. Then Jacob separated the lambs, and made the flocks face toward the streaked and all the brown in the flock of Laban; but he put his own flocks by themselves and did not put them with Laban’s flock. And it came to pass, whenever the stronger livestock conceived, that Jacob placed the rods before the eyes of the livestock in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods. But when the flocks were feeble, he did not put them in; so the feebler were Laban’s and the stronger Jacob’s. Thus the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks, female and male servants, and camels and donkeys. Genesis 30:37-43

Jacob and the Mendellion Law.

1. Jacob took for himself rods of green poplar and of the almond and chestnut trees: When Jacob put these branches in the the drinking troughs of the flocks it apparently increased the number of speckled and spotted offspring from the solid-colored flock Jacob managed on Laban’s behalf.

2. So the feebler were Laban’s and the stronger Jacob’s: Jacob also used selective breeding to increase the strength and vitality of his flock. We don’t know exactly how this method worked. It is possible Jacob knew more about animal husbandry than we do today; but it is more likely Jacob did the best he knew, and God blessed it.

a. "Jacob had approximately eighty years in the observation and workings of husbandry.
He probably knew by experimentation and observation what is now known as The Mendellion Law concerning the dominant and recessive genes. Knowing that in the solid colored animals that there could be the recessive spots and stripes." (Smith)

Why did God bless Jacob?

Thus the man became exceedingly prosperous: The ancient Hebrew says, “the man burst out exceedingly exceedingly.” God blessed Jacob, but it was not because Jacob was especially good. It was because of the promises God made to Jacob (Genesis 28:13-15) and the covenant made to Abraham. In the same way, blessing comes from the LORD to us, not because we are great or good, but because of the covenant God has made with us through Jesus, and promises He has given us in His word.

i. We may note Jacob’s principles for prosperity:

· Don’t make wealth your goal (Genesis 30:25-26)
· Don’t be afraid to work for others and try to increase their wealth before or as you work to increase your own wealth (Genesis 30:27)
· Work hard, dedicating yourself to your employer’s success (Genesis 30:26, 31:38-42)
· Trust God (Genesis 30:31-33)

 

[Chaplain]

Now Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has acquired all this wealth.” And Jacob saw the countenance of Laban, and indeed it was not favorable toward him as before. Genesis 31:1-2

Laban’s sons become filled with envy.

Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s: It wasn’t that Jacob had taken anything belonging to Laban. Rather, it was that his wealth was increasing in proportion to Laban’s wealth. The problem wasn’t that Jacob stole, it was that Laban’s sons were filled with envy.

a. Envy will distort the truth. Jacob had not taken anything of Laban’s, but envy will lie.

Laban’s sons sin of envy infects Laban.

The countenance of Laban . . . was not favorable toward him: The envy of Laban’s sons poisoned Laban’s heart against Jacob. Before, he was entirely pleased with the agreement.

a. Envy is bad not only on its own, but also for the company it keeps: for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? (1 Corinthians 3:3) For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there (James 3:16).

b. Instead, Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy (1 Corinthians 13:4).

c. God wants to deliver us from envy: For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another (Titus 3:3).

d. Is envy a small sin? It put Jesus on the cross: For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy (Matthew 27:18).

Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.” Genesis 31:3

God instructs Jacob to return home.

1. Return to the land of your fathers: Even if Jacob never knew it, God prepared him for this time. First, God gave him the desire to go back home (Genesis 30:25). Then his present circumstances became unbearable. Finally, the LORD gave personal direction to Jacob. God often leads us in the same pattern.

a. "It is interesting how God prepares us for a move. It is sort of a disruptive pattern to our routines. Things aren't like they were. The circumstances change and things aren't as pleasant anymore. God begins to stir up things around us. This is often the purpose of God as He is ready to move us on. Probably, by nature, we are homebodies. We like to feel comfortable and secure in our home. There is nothing wrong with this feeling, but sometimes God wants to move us on and we may be reluctant to move because we are content there. So, God may begin to create situations that make us uncomfortable where we are and we begin to think about moving again." (Smith)

2. And I will be with you: This confirmed the direction of God in Jacob’s life.

a. "God is giving Jacob His word that He will be with him. Once we have the word of God, we, then, step forth in faith. Faith in the word and not in our feelings. Many people step forth in the faith of their feelings, but we need to step out in the faith of God's word." (Smith)

So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flock, and said to them, “I see your father’s countenance, that it is not favorable toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me. And you know that with all my might I have served your father. Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me. If he said thus: ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore speckled. And if he said thus: ‘The streaked shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore streaked. So God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. And it happened, at the time when the flocks conceived, that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted. Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am.’ And He said, ‘Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.’ “ Genesis 31:4-13

God protection over Jacob.

But the God of my father has been with me: Even though Laban tried to cheat Jacob, God protected him all the time. We don’t have to fear what man can do to us when God is on our side.

a. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? (Psalm 118:6)

Jacob tells his wives what is on his mind.

You know that with all my might I have served your father: This shows Jacob knew his wives were aware of his righteous conduct and Laban’s unfair treatment of him.

a. "Jacob is going to tell his wives how he feels. Separating is not going to be an easy thing. Laban is going to be reluctant to let them go and may try to keep them by force. Jacob is probably seventy or eighty miles away from the others. He may have moved his flocks near the southern borders and so he sends for Rachel and Leah to tell them what is on his heart." (Smith)

God reminds Jacob of the place where he had his first encounter with Him.

1. I am the God of Bethel: God told Jacob to go back to Bethel, back to the place where he first encountered the LORD in a personal way. This is a way of returning to one’s first love and first works (Revelation 2:4-5).

a. I am the God of Bethel: it is good for us to remember times and places where the LORD did great works for us, and met us in wonderful ways. As we remember them, God reminds us He is still the same God Who met our needs then and wants to meet our needs now.

2. The Angel of God spoke to me in a dream: Significantly, there is much more to what the LORD said to Jacob than what was reported in Genesis 31:3. Genesis 31:3 is completely true, but there was more to it than this simple bare word from the LORD.

Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? Are we not considered strangers by him? For he has sold us, and also completely consumed our money. For all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children’s; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.” Genesis 31:14-16

Did alimony exist during the book of Genesis?

Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? Their support was significant. This is a huge undertaking, moving such a massive family so far. If not for the support of his wives, Jacob perhaps would not have done what the LORD had told him to do.

a. "The dowry that was given was, in a sense, alimony in advance. Women had no rights in that culture and day. They could not get a divorce, but their husband could divorce them for any reason or cause. In order to protect women, a dowry was arranged in advance. The father of the bride was to watch over and manage this trust so that the bride could be financially taken care of in case she was divorced by her husband. Jacob had served seven years each for Leah and Rachel. These were years of great prosperity for Laban. He should have set aside this money, in a trust, for his daughters; but, he spent it on himself and they resented it." (Smith)

Jacob's wives finally agree on something.

Whatever God has said to you, do it: This may be the first time in quite a while when the sisters Leah and Rachel agreed on anything. They can agree in uniting against a common foe - their father Laban.

Then Jacob rose and set his sons and his wives on camels. And he carried away all his livestock and all his possessions which he had gained, his acquired livestock which he had gained in Padan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father’s. And Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee. So he fled with all that he had. He arose and crossed the river, and headed toward the mountains of Gilead. Genesis 31:17-21

Jacob sneaks away because of fear.

Jacob stole away, unknown to Laban the Syrian: God has already told him to go and promised him safe passage. Jacob is clearly acting in the flesh, because has no need to be afraid of Laban or to sneak away.

a. “He could have announced his departure and gone in the glory of an army with banners. But fear made it impossible to reap the full measure of blessing. He sneaked away into the will of God instead of departing in triumph.” (Barnhouse)

Theories on why Rachel stole her father's idols.

Rachel had stolen the household idols that were her father’s: Rachel took her father’s household idols (teraphim). She may have wanted them because perhaps she worshipped these idols and did not want to be without them. Perhaps she did not want her father to inquire of them, using them as tools of divination to catch them (as he may have previously done, Genesis 30:27). Or perhaps it was because such idols were often used as deeds to property and she thought this she was taking her “inheritance.”

a. Perhaps Rachel stole the teraphim simply to get back at her father, whom she felt had mistreated her, her husband, and her whole family. Jewish traditions say Rachel took the teraphim because she wanted to keep her father Laban from idolatry.

Jacob's long journey.

Headed toward the mountains of Gilead: It was nearly 300 miles from Haran to the mountains of Gilead, but the journey was longer and tougher psychologically for Jacob than anything else. He is leaving the place of safety, where he has lived in a comfortable servitude, to go to a place where God has called him, but dangerous enemies abound (like his brother Esau, who swore to kill him).

And Laban was told on the third day that Jacob had fled. Then he took his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead. But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, “Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.” Genesis 31:22-24

God warns Laban to leave Jacob alone.

God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night: God’s speaking to Laban in a dream shows he had evil intention towards Jacob. God is protecting Jacob.

So Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mountains, and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mountains of Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob: “What have you done, that you have stolen away unknown to me, and carried away my daughters like captives taken with the sword? Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp? And you did not allow me to kiss my sons and my daughters. Now you have done foolishly in so doing. It is in my power to do you harm, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.’ “ Genesis 31:25-29

"Since God had warned Laban to speak softly to Jacob, he was trying to be nice and made up this story, with a lot of hypocrisy, about a going away party." (Smith)

Why did you flee away secretly: Laban first tried to shame Jacob with kindness (“We wanted to throw you a party!”). When that didn’t work (we can only imagine the stony faces answering him), he did what most bullies do - he boasted of his ability to harm Jacob.

“And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?” Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’ With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them. And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, into Leah’s tent, and into the two maids’ tents, but he did not find them. Then he went out of Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent. Now Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. And Laban searched all about the tent but did not find them. And she said to her father, “Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise before you, for the manner of women is with me.” And he searched but did not find the household idols. Genesis 31:30-35

What are idols?

Why did you steal my gods? Jacob, not knowing his beloved wife Rachel stole the household idols, proclaimed his innocence and pronounced a harsh curse on the thief, not knowing actually put a curse on his own wife.

a. "Rachel took these little idols. They're called the "terriphim," and they were idols that were used for purposes of divination. They were thought to be oracles through which God spoke to the people and were often used for guidance." (Smith)

b. "There is a code that is called the "Hammurabi Stone." A code of laws which are quite extensive and are in many ways parallel to the commandments that God gave to Moses. In one of the laws of the Hammurabi code, it deals with the subject of stealing another man's idols and it was a capital offense. So, Jacob, no doubt, familiar with the code of Hammurabi after spending several years in the area of Babylon, told Laban to search and whoever had the gods, let him die. He also told him to look around and if he saw anything that was his to take it with him." (Smith)

c. Who is behind all idols? "What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods? No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons." (1 Corinthians 10:20)

Rachel deceives her father.

Rachel had taken the household idols, put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them: Rachel learned the ways of deception well from her father. She succeeded in deceiving her father about the idols.

a. “Amid much that is sad and even sordid in this story . . . amid craft, deceit, and lying on almost every side, we cannot fail to see the hand of God overruling and making even the wrath of man to praise Him.” (Griffith Thomas, cited in Barnhouse)

Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban, and Jacob answered and said to Laban: “What is my trespass? What is my sin, that you have so hotly pursued me? Although you have searched all my things, what part of your household things have you found? Set it here before my brethren and your brethren, that they may judge between us both! These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock. That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. You required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes. Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.” Genesis 31:36-42

"Jacob rebukes his father-in-law Laban." (Guzik)

1. Then Jacob was angry and rebuked Laban: It isn’t hard to see these words building up in Jacob for 20 years. He has practiced this speech over and over again in his mind.

2. What is my trespass? How faithfully did Jacob serve Laban? It was an ancient custom that a shepherd could bring the torn carcass of a sheep to his owner, as evidence that he was brave enough to not let the wolf devour it or take it away, and thus the shepherd would be excused. But Jacob says he didn’t even do this, and every animal that was attacked, he made good out of his own flock.

3. Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had been with me: Jacob saw God’s place in all this. Unfortunately, nowhere does Jacob say, “He is my God.”

And Laban answered and said to Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and this flock is my flock; all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne? Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.” So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. Then Jacob said to his brethren, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap. Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. And Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore its name was called Galeed, also Mizpah, because he said, “May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from another. If you afflict my daughters, or if you take other wives besides my daughters, although no man is with us; see, God is witness between you and me!” Genesis 31:43-50

"Jacob and Laban make a covenant." (Guzik)

1. All that you see is mine: Laban lays claim to all this that is already out of his hand. He says, “It is mine, but Jacob, out of the generosity of my heart, I’ll let you have it.”

2. May the LORD watch between you and me when we are absent one from another: In this covenant, Laban expresses how suspicious he is of Jacob. The idea of Mizpah (“watch”) is “If you do wrong, God will see it and may He punish!”

a. “In effect, the pillar of Mizpah meant, ‘If you come over on my side of this line, the pact is void and I will kill you.’ The covenant breaker would need God to take care of him, because the other would shoot to kill.” (Barnhouse) Mizpah was never meant to be a nice sentiment - despite what your “Mizpah coin” might say.

Then Laban said to Jacob, “Here is this heap and here is this pillar, which I have placed between you and me. This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, and the God of their father judge between us.” And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac. Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread. And they ate bread and stayed all night on the mountain. And early in the morning Laban arose, and kissed his sons and daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned to his place. Genesis 31:51-55

Should we have some separation from in-laws?

I will not pass beyond this heap to you: The best solution for Jacob’s in-law problems is for him to separate from Laban. In fact, they erect a pillar to be a barrier between them.

a. There is wisdom in having some separation from in-laws. The Bible does say, therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife (Genesis 2:24), though the separation in Jacob’s case is indeed extreme!

How we need to be free of the Laban's of the world.

Then Laban departed and returned to his place: After a proper good-bye, Laban sees his daughters and grandchildren for the last time. “This is the last we hear of Laban in the Bible, and it is good that this is the end of him. Laban is of the world, and Jacob needed to be freed from this world in order to live wholeheartedly for the God of his fathers.” (Boice)

a. Morris on Laban: “Rather than seeking to follow the truth of God’s plan as witnessed by Jacob, he merely resented and coveted the blessing of God on Jacob. He finally ended up with neither. His life constitutes a sober warning to a great host of semireligious but fundamentally self-worshipping and self-seeking men and women today.”

b. So, Rachel and Leah were wrong to look to their father Laban for their portion or inheritance (Genesis 31:14) once they were married to Jacob. He now was their portion and inheritance. “Since you are saved and joined to Christ, appraise the world and ask, ‘Is there yet any portion for me?’ If you think there is, you are mistaken.” (Barnhouse)

 

[Chaplain]

So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s camp.” And he called the name of that place Mahanaim. Genesis 32:1-2

One of the reasons God wants His children to be separated from the world.

The angels of God met him: This wonderful revelation of God’s presence and care came after Jacob finally separated from Laban, the worldly man. Separation from the world brings greater insight to the believer.

a. "It is interesting that after the tension and the battle, the angels of God were there to meet him and to minister to him. After Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, the angels came and ministered to Him." (Smith)

Are angels with us at all times?

This is God’s camp: Literally, Jacob observed he was in a double camp. He was not alone; God had a camp of angels with him at Mahanaim.

a. It was not as if God’s angels just joined Jacob. They were with him the entire time. Now Jacob could see God’s angels with him and it provided great encouragement.

b. Angels, though “higher” beings than us, are ordained by God to be our servants (Hebrews 1:14) and they minister to us even as they ministered to Jesus (Matthew 4:11). In 2 Kings 6:15-17 Elisha’s servant had his eyes opened to see the tremendous angelic host surrounding them.

c. John Paton, a missionary to the New Hebrides Islands, told of how one night hostile natives surrounded his missions headquarters, intent on burning the Patons out and killing them. He and his wife prayed through the entire night, and when daylight finally came, their attackers all left. A year later, the chief of the tribe became a Christian, and Paton asked the man about that night. The chief replied, “Who were all those men you had with you there?” The missionary explained only he and his wife were there. The chief insisted he had seen hundreds of big men with shining garments and swords circling the mission headquarters, so the natives were afraid to attack (Billy Graham in Angels, God’s Secret Agents, page 3). That night in the New Hebrides Islands, there certainly was a “double camp”!

d. The author of the book of Hebrews wrote, "Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!" (Hebrews 13:2)

Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. And he commanded them, saying, “Speak thus to my lord Esau, ‘Thus your servant Jacob says: “I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now. I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your sight.” ‘ “ Then the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” Genesis 32:3-6

Jacob is looking for peace by sending messengers ahead to his brother, Esau.

1. Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother: Jacob, seeking to reconcile with his brother (who 20 years before swore to kill him), first began by humbling himself and sending the message, “your servant Jacob.”

2. I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants: Jacob isn’t bragging. He wants Esay to know that he is a man of wealth and that he has not come to take anything from Esau. We see Jacob trying to get inside Esau’s head and answer Esau’s concerns.

a. "Basically, he is sending them on to Esau to let him know that he is coming back and really doesn't need anything. He's not coming back to get his inheritance or get his share of what belongs to his father, Isaac. He's a wealthy man in his own right and is just wanting to come home and make his peace with Esau." (Smith)

Why would Esau come with 400 men to meet Jacob?

He also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him: When the messengers return, Jacob heard news that made his blood run cold. Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men. Because Jacob could not bring himself to think the best of Esau (for understandable reasons), he was convinced the 400 men are an army intending to destroy him and his family.

a. "It doesn't sound like the kind of welcoming party that Jacob is looking forward to. Possibly, Esau had heard that Jacob was coming back and had rounded up these four hundred men; because, it was in his mind to kill his brother. He, perhaps, was seeking to fulfill the vow he had made. He had planned to wait until his father, Isaac, had died; but, here was a chance to get Jacob when he was still out of the land and Isaac would never know." (Smith)

So Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies. And he said, “If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the other company which is left will escape.” Genesis 32:7-8

One of the main reasons God doesn't want us to sin is because He knows past sins can come back and haunt us.

Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: When Laban confronted Jacob with a hostile militia Jacob boldly stood up to him and spoke his mind (Genesis 31:36-42). But with Esau, Jacob was afraid to meet him. This was because Jacob knew he was in the right with Laban, but he knew he was in the wrong with Esau. Shakespeare was right when he wrote, “Conscience does make cowards of us all.”

a. In a similar way many Christians are crippled by their past. Their past sin haunts them and they have difficulty believing that Jesus really settled it all and that He wants them to move on and trust in Him.

b. "Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety." (Proverbs 29:25)

Like Peter falling into the ocean when he walked with Jesus on water, Jacob forgot about God and His promises.

Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: Before Jacob left home, after his brother swore to kill him, Rebekah told Jacob until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send and bring you from there (Genesis 27:45). Rebekah never sent for Jacob and therefore he had every reason to believe 20 years had not diminished his brother’s anger.

a. But Jacob also had every reason to believe God would protect him. He seems to have forgotten God had a special camp of angels there to protect him. His great fear and distress is not appropriate for someone who is protected by God.

b. Jacob should have said, “I don’t know if Esau is coming to me in peace or in war. I hope for peace, but if it is war, I trust God will protect me.”

What can happen to us when we give into fear (panic).

He divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies: In splitting his company, Jacob used man’s wisdom to prepare for Esau’s coming. He should have trusted God could protect all he had. Jacob forgot about God’s “two camps” and was tried to make his own “two camps.”

Then Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you’: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies. Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children. For You said, ‘I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’ “ Genesis 32:9-12

How do we fight against fear and unbelief?

Then Jacob said: After first reacting in fear and unbelief, Jacob did the right thing. He went to the LORD and prayed a good prayer, full of faith, thanksgiving, and God’s Word.

One of the reasons our prayers fall short.

The Lord who said to me, “Return to your country and to your kindred, and I will deal well with you”: Jacob’s prayer had God’s word (what God said in Genesis 31:3). He also quoted God’s promise “I will surely treat you well . . . “ (remembering what God said in Genesis 28:13-15).

a. Many of our prayers fall short because there is none of God’s Word within them. Often there is none of God’s Word in them because there is little of God’s Word in us. Jacob remembered what the LORD had said to him.

Jacob remembers its about grace, God's grace.

I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies: His prayer had thanksgiving. Jacob understood he was not worthy of what God did for him or what he was asking God to do, but he relied on what God promised and not upon his own worthiness.

James wrote, "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." (James 1:5)

Deliver me, I pray: His prayer had faith. He boldly asked God to do something, and gave humble grounds for why the LORD should fulfill His word.

i. George Mueller, a great man of faith and prayer, was once asked what was the most important part of prayer. He replied: “The 15 minutes after I have said, ‘Amen.’ “ No matter how great Jacob’s prayer was, his faith will be seen in what he does after his prayer.

So he lodged there that same night, and took what came to his hand as a present for Esau his brother: two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals. Then he delivered them to the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass over before me, and put some distance between successive droves.” And he commanded the first one, saying, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, saying, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going? Whose are these in front of you?’ then you shall say, ‘They are your servant Jacob’s. It is a present sent to my lord Esau; and behold, he also is behind us.’ “ So he commanded the second, the third, and all who followed the droves, saying, “In this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him; and also say, ‘Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us.’ “ For he said, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.” So the present went on over before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp. Genesis 32:13-21

After his prayer, Jacob reverts back to deceiving and trusting in his own abilities.

1. Took what came to his hand as a present for Esau his brother: Jacob sent such an impressive gift because he wanted to make it completely clear to Esau that he did not need or want anything from him. It also could have been a carnal attempt to buy his brother’s good favor.

a. "After Jacob prayed and laid out the whole situation to God, recognizing that he was afraid in that he didn't have the strength or the manpower to battle with Esau and his four hundred men, he turns around and starts to scheme on his own. We are so much like Jacob, God help us! We put it in God's hands and then we start to scheme and plot on our own. This was one of Jacob's problems and became a tremendous weakness with him." (Smith)

2. I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me: In all likelihood, Jacob is a perfect example of the principle “when all else fails, pray.” And as soon as he finished praying, he took up us own strategies again.

a. After all, if Jacob really trusted God, he would be at the head of the procession to meet Esau, not the tail.

b. Jacob hoped, “perhaps he will accept me,” but in Jacob’s mind, perhaps not. Jacob also thought, “Perhaps he will kill me just like he said he would.”

c. "Our greatest natural strength becomes a spiritual barrier and a problem to our spiritual development. The fact that Jacob was able, by his cunning, to get by and to do so many things; he took advantage of his brother, Esau, and bought the birthright. By his cleverness, he disguised himself as Esau and got the blessing from Isaac and he outwitted Laban and got the strong herds. Now, he puts it all in God's hands and then immediately reverts back to his old scheming ways and seeks to appease Esau." (Smith)

3. So the present went on over before him: This gift is a good example of the way we trust in our ability to do things and make things happen apart from trusting God. We like to sing the song:

All to Jesus, I surrender, all to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live.
I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.

a. But we, so often like Jacob, mean, “I surrender all the goats. If that isn’t enough, I surrender all the sheep. If that isn’t enough, I surrender all the camels . . .” But what Jacob would not do is surrender himself.

b. "God is wanting to work in Jacob's life. He has chosen Jacob to be one of the patriarchs, the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. God has chosen that the Messiah would, one day, come from Jacob and one of the tribes. Jacob has been chosen by God for special privileges, but, he is still not usable; so, God has a problem. Jacob is not fully surrendered to God. God can't do all he desires to do for you until your life is completely surrendered to Him. As long as you can get by with your wit, your cunning and your devices; God is apt to let you go, but He will put the squeeze on you. God put the squeeze on Jacob when Laban came, but he put up the stones and made a non-aggression pact with Laban and got out of it. Now the word has come that Esau is coming and the squeeze is on and so he prays; but, he turns right back to his scheming again. He hasn't fully surrendered his life and so, God can not do the full work He is wanting to do in Jacob's life. It takes complete surrender and so God has to deal further with him." (Smith)

 

[Chaplain]

And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had. Genesis 32:22-23

"Jacob sends all his possessions over the river." (Guzik)

He took them, sent them over the brook: This is a demonstration of his faith, because Jacob left himself no retreat. If Esau wanted to attack his group, they would quickly be backed up against the river.

The benefits of being alone.

Sent over what he had: Jacob spends the night alone. This is his last night on the east side of the Jordan, and he probably spent the night in prayer.

i. God had to get Jacob alone before He dealt with him. While all the hustle and bustle of the huge entourage was with Jacob, he could busy himself with a thousand different tasks. But once he was alone, God could command his attention.

ii. Think of all Jacob had to pray about: thanking God, remembering all the LORD did for him, wondering how God would fulfill His work in him. This was a significant turning point in Jacob’s life and he knew it.

Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. Genesis 32:24-25

Jesus wrestles with Jacob all night. But why?

1. A Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day: Jacob didn’t wrestle with the Man. Instead, a Man wrestled with him. Jacob didn’t start out wanting anything from God. God wanted something from him. God wanted all of Jacob’s proud self-reliance and fleshly scheming and came to take it, by force if necessary.

2. A Man wrestled with him: As the following verses show, this was no mere man. This is another “special appearance” of Jesus in the Old Testament before His incarnation in Bethlehem. This was God in human form.

How long did the match last?

Until the breaking of the day: We can only imagine what this scene looked like. Perhaps sometimes it looked like a barroom brawl, and perhaps at other times it looked like an intense wrestling match.

a. “How did Jacob ever manage to keep up his struggle throughout the entire night? I do not know. But I do know that his determination to hang in there was no greater than our frequent determination to have our own way and eventually win out over God.” (Boice)

b. "Of all of the things that you don't need the night before a major confrontation, is a wrestling match all night long. When you want to be alert, sharp and at your best and instead you are worn down by a wrestling match. Many times we find ourselves wrestling with God over a situation. God is dealing with us on issues and we wrestle with Him, not wanting to surrender. God was wrestling with Jacob to bring him to the place of surrender so that He can do all that He wants to do through this man, but Jacob is a tough nut. He won't give up and he keeps wrestling." (Smith)

Jacob doesn't give up.

He saw that He did not prevail against him: As the fight progressed, it seemed Jacob was pretty evenly matched against the Man. But the match was only even in appearance. The Man could have won easily at any time, using supernatural power.

i. Sometimes we feel man really can contend with God. A man or woman in rebellion against God might seem to do pretty well. The “match” is even in appearance only. God can turn the tide at any moment, and is allows the “match” to go own for His own purposes.

ii. It isn’t hard to imagine Jacob working so hard and feeling he is getting the best of his “opponent,” until finally the Man turns the tide in an instant. Jacob must have felt very defeated.

And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” Genesis 32:26

Has God conquered you?

Let Me go, for the day breaks: The Man let Jacob know this won’t go on forever. Even though Jacob clung to him desperately, Jacob has lost. A better, greater Man defeated Jacob.

a. This is an invaluable place for everyone to come to: where God conquers us. There is something to be said for every man doing his “wrestling” with God, and then acknowledging God’s greatness after having been defeated. We must know we serve a God who is greater than us, and we cannot conquer much of anything until He conquers us.

Jacob asks for a blessing.

I will not let You go unless You bless me: This wasn’t Jacob dictating terms to God as he did on previous occasions. God did overcome Jacob here, and we know from Hosea 12:3-5 makes it clear: He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength he struggled with God. Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed; he wept, and sought favor from Him. He found Him in Bethel, and there He spoke to us; that is, the LORD God of hosts. The LORD is His memorable name. Jacob sought this blessing with weeping. He knew he was defeated, yet desperately wanted a blessing from this Greater One.

a. "A lot of times it is difficult to understand the full truth of the story by reading words on a page. Words on a page do not give you tonal inflection. I think that because we don't hear the tonal inflections, we, oftentimes, misinterpret scripture. In the Garden of Eden when God said to Adam, "...Where art thou?" we often hear that as the words of an arresting officer ready to do him in. I think if we had heard the voice in the garden we would have heard the sob of a heart broken father. We need to hear the tone of voice. Fortunately when Hosea makes commentary on this he gives us the tone of voice. Hosea says in chapter twelve, verse four, "Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him..." So, Jacob was not demanding from a place of strength, but he was crying out from a place of weakness. He was now defeated. Jacob's plan was to run if all failed, but now God has put an end to that plan. He has put his hip out of socket and there is no way that Jacob can run. God has brought Jacob to the place of total surrender as he weeps and prays for God's blessing." (Smith)

God answers one of Jacob's past prayers.

Unless You bless me: According to his past, Jacob was always clever and sneaky enough so he never felt the need to trust in God alone. Now he can only rely on the blessing of God.

a. Jacob has been reduced to the place where all he can do is hold on to the LORD with everything he has. Jacob can’t fight anymore, but he can hold on. Not a bad place to be.

b. Here, God is answering Jacob’s prayer in Genesis 32:9-12. But before Jacob could be delivered from the hand of his brother, he had to be delivered from his own self-will and self-reliance.

c. Jacob thought the real enemy was outside of him, being Esau. The real enemy was his own carnal, fleshly nature, which had not been conquered by God.

So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.” And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there. Genesis 32:37-29

Like Jacob, we all must confess our sins in order to be forgiven, and so that God can work in us and change us.

What is your name? Jacob must have felt a sense of shame, admitting his name was “Jacob,” meaning “con-man, sneaky, cheater.” Yet, this was who he was, and Jacob had to admit to it.

a. We all want to name ourselves favorably. We say, “I am firm; you are obstinate; they are stubborn fools.” God wouldn’t allow Jacob to cover up his name.

b. "Jacob responds to God and says his name is "heelcatcher," "supplanter." One who takes advantage of one by catching his heel. I'm a heelcatcher who has gotten by with my wits and my cunning. The blessing is that, no longer will you be Jacob or "heelcatcher," but you will be Israel or "ruled by God." You will no longer be a self-sufficient, self-made man, but you will be a man ruled by God." (Smith)

c. "God wants to change your character from a carnal man to a spiritual man; from a life governed by the flesh to one governed by the Spirit. That's God's intention for you. Does God have to cripple you to do it? I hope not! I hope that we will not be so foolish as to wrestle with God until He has to bring us into full submission to Him. If God has to use that measure, one day we might say with Paul, "...Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (IICor.12:9). The day came when Jacob rejoiced in the crippling, because of the work; the power of God was manifested in his life when he came to the place of surrender to God." (Smith)

God changes Jacob's name to Israel.

Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel: The name Israel is a compound of two words: sarah (meaning, “fight,” “struggle,” or “rule”) and el (meaning, “God”). Some take the name Israel to mean, “He who struggles with God” or “He who rules with God.” But in Hebrew names, sometimes God is not the object of the verb but the subject. Daniel means “God judges” not “he judges God.” So this principle shows us Israel means, “God rules.”

i. From this point on, he will be called Jacob twice as often as he is called Israel. Apparently, there was still plenty of the “old man” left in Jacob.

Jacob won the fight because he lost it.

For you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed: Jacob prevailed in the sense that he endured through his struggle until God thoroughly conquered him. When you battle with God, you only win by losing and by not giving up until you know you have lost. This is how Jacob prevailed.

Jesus asks Jacob why does he needs to know His name.

Why is it that you ask about My name? The Man probably refused to tell Jacob His name because He figured Jacob should already know it, and it turned out that Jacob did know exactly who this was.

Jesus blesses Jacob.

And He blessed him there: Surely, this was the blessing of being defeated by God. It was the blessing of the passing of the old (Jacob) life, and the coming of a new (Israel) life. It may also have had to do with the great idea of the blessing of Abraham, and meeting Jacob’s immediate needs for security in the midst of fear. Whatever Jacob needed, God’s blessing provided at the moment.

And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip. Therefore to this day the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank, which is on the hip socket, because He touched the socket of Jacob’s hip in the muscle that shrank. Genesis 32:30-32

How did Jacob see God when the Bible says no man has ever seen God?

For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved: "A theophany is the appearance of God in the form of man. No man has ever seen God, but Jesus has made Him known to us. The fullness of the Godhead bodily dwells in Jesus. When the Old Testament speaks of seeing God, they have seen God in the form and in the person of Jesus Christ." (Smith)

"The memorials of this event." (Guzik)

1. Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: The first memorial is a name. Jacob named the place Peniel (“Face of God”), because he did know the name of the Man who wrestled with him. He was the same One who wrestled with Jacob all his life.

a. Jacob also understood it was only by God’s grace and mercy he escaped from this episode with his life. No man should be allowed to wrestle with God and live, but God was gracious.

2. He limped on his hip: The second memorial was a perpetual limp. Jacob would remember his being conquered by God with every step he took for the rest of his life. This was a small price to pay for such a great gift.

For those that want to study this chapter a little more, here is a topical study of Genesis 32:26 entitled “Prevailing in Prayer”.

 

[Chaplain]

Intro to Genesis 33.

"As a background for chapter thirty-three, let's go back and see what God said to Jacob in chapter thirty-one, verse three. "And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee." So, he has the word of God to start out on. God is saying to go back to your family and your land and He would be with Jacob. Jacob is on his way back now and he sends his servants ahead to tell his brother Esau that he is coming home and that God has blessed him with a great abundance of goods. He is evidently seeking to indicate to Esau that he is not coming back to claim his birthright or any kind of sustenance from the family. The servants returned with the message that his brother was coming to meet him with four hundred armed men. Jacob recognized that this was an unusual kind of welcome and he was fearful. He prayed for the LORD to help him and reminded God of the promises he had made to Jacob. Either the LORD directed Jacob or he did it by his own scheming, but he set out to restore his relationship with Esau. He did this by building him up and calling him lord and referring to himself as his servant. Then he sent before him the different groups of animals which were to be a gift for Esau. Now in chapter thirty-three, we come to the showdown where Esau and Jacob meet." (Smith)

Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. And he put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last. Genesis 33:1-2

"Jacob’s careful preparations." (Guzik)

1. He divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants: These preparations were not necessarily carnal. Often the LORD leads us to do very practical things when we follow Him. But the placement of the family shows Jacob was not shy about showing his favoritism to Rachel and Joseph.

2. He put the maidservants and their children in front: At least Leah got more protection than the two maidservants Bilhah and Zilpah did.

Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. Genesis 33:3

What did bowing mean in Jacob's culture?

1. He crossed over before them: The best thing about Jacob is now, after being conquered by God, he leads the procession coming to meet Esau.

2. Bowed himself to the ground: Jacob already sent over gifts and showed he didn’t want to take anything materially from Esau. But by bowing down, he showed he is submitted to his brother and wanted no social power over him.

a. "According to the ancient tablets, which are a famous archaeological discovery, and deals with laws and customs of that period, when you approached a king you were to bow seven times. By this, Jacob was acknowledging Esau's lordship over him." (Smith)

b. Of course, if Jacob didn’t take things into his own hands more than 20 years ago this would not be necessary. Isaac’s promise to Jacob, Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren (Genesis 27:29) would be more immediately fulfilled.

c. We often simply mess things up when we try to “help God out” in the flesh. God never needs us to sin to help Him further His plan in our life.

But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. And he lifted his eyes and saw the women and children, and said, “Who are these with you?” So he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” Then the maidservants came near, they and their children, and bowed down. And Leah also came near with her children, and they bowed down. Afterward Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed down. Genesis 33:4-7

"Esau warmly greets Jacob and his family." (Guzik)

Esau ran to meet him: This probably terrified Jacob. Surely, he thought his life would soon end. Instead, God was working in Esau, and he only wanted to bless Jacob.

The world says, "Let's talk about the past." God's Word says, "Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead." (Philippians 3:13)

Fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept: Esau and Jacob did not feel a need to “work out” the past. God worked in both their hearts and there was no need to dredge it all up again. What was past was past.

Then Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” And he said, “These are to find favor in the sight of my lord.” But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” And Jacob said, “No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me. Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” So he urged him, and he took it. Genesis 33:8-11

In Jacob's culture, what would it mean if an enemy accepted your gifts?

1. So he urged him, and he took it: This was as important to the reconciliation as Jacob’s giving the gifts. When Jacob gave such generous gifts, it was his way of saying to Esau he was sorry and when Esau accepted the gifts, it was his way of accepting Jacob and saying he was forgiven.

a. In that culture, you never accepted a gift from an enemy, only from a friend. To accept the gift was to accept the friendship.

Jacob shows that God had become his resource for contentment.

I have enough . . . I have enough: Both Esau and Jacob have a blessed testimony: I have enough. Godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6).

a. "Esau questioned the droves that he had met on the way and now he asks about the people that are with Jacob. Jacob told him they were his children and that the LORD had blessed him with plenty. There are two different Hebrew words used for "enough." The one used when Esau said he had enough was "Rab" and the one used when Jacob said he had enough was "kol," which means, I have everything. Jacob had learned that God was his resource and when God becomes your resource, you have everything. Others may have a lot, but there is that total sufficiency which is ours when we have God." (Smith)

Then Esau said, “Let us take our journey; let us go, and I will go before you.” But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are weak, and the flocks and herds which are nursing are with me. And if the men should drive them hard one day, all the flock will die. Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant. I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock that go before me, and the children, are able to endure, until I come to my lord in Seir.” And Esau said, “Now let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, built himself a house, and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. Genesis 33:12-17

Jacob remains afraid of his brother.

Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant: Jacob was glad to be reconciled with his brother, but didn’t want to be too close to him. He was still afraid of Esau.

The battle between the Spirit and our Human (sinful) Nature.

Jacob journeyed to Succoth: Unfortunately, Jacob still acts like “Jacob,” because he said he will go far to the south with Esau to the area of Mount Seir. Instead, he allowed Esau to go a few days beyond him and then headed towards the north to Succoth.

a. It’s hard to try to be Jacob and Israel at the same time. We could have called him Jak-iel or Israe-ob.

b. Why is Jacob still struggling to be the new man God has changed him into: "The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions." (Galatians 5:17)

Then Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan Aram; and he pitched his tent before the city. And he bought the parcel of land, where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for one hundred pieces of money. Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel. Genesis 33:18-20

Jacob disobeys God again, and settles in a carnal, evil place that will hurt his family in the not to distant future.

And he pitched his tent before the city: It is good Jacob came to the Promised Land, and he settled there. But he falls short, because it seems God directed him to return to Bethel (Genesis 31:13).

a. "When he came to Shechem, he bought a parcel of land and dug a well. This is the well where Jesus met the woman of Samaria. The well is still there today outside the ancient ruins of the city of Shechem. Shechem is at the foot of Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. It is in a valley close to the capital city of the northern kingdom which was Samaria. It was Mount Gerizim where the men would stand to bless the people as they came over Jordan and they would stand on Mount Ebal to recite the curses. All of this was in the area where Jacob came and pitched his tent." (Smith)

Jacob will waste part of his life living in a place God never said to go to.

Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel: Though he made an altar, it was obedience God wanted first, not sacrifice. Jacob will bear bad fruit and waste time because he is in a place he shouldn’t be.

a. "Jacob erected an altar and called it "God, the God of Israel" and this is the first time that Jacob has used the new name that God had given him. He has, now, come back into the land; but, is still not totally obedient for God had said to return to the land and to his family. His family are some eighty miles south of Shechem in Beer-Sheba. His disobedience became costly." (Smith)

 

[Chaplain]

Some new sermons, and a question/answer study:

(Right Click/Save As)

Hard To Answer Bible Questions Answered

1. What is the unpardonable sin?
2. Are God and Jesus one in the same?
3. If all of our sins are forgiven, what is God going to judge us for when we die?
4. Will we know if our loved ones are in hell for eternity when we get to Heaven?
5. What type of affect does secular music have on Christians?
6. The closer we get to God, are we going to be attacked more?
7. What happens when a Christian dies?
8. Why is it so hard to witness to our friends about Jesus?
9. What do we need to do to walk with Jesus again (if we have not been walking with Him anymore)?
10. What do we do if we are full of anger?
11. How do we share Jesus with others without arguing?
12. What does it mean to grieve the Holy Spirit?
13. What is the difference between the indwelling, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
14. Do I have to speak in tongues to be full of the Holy Spirit?
15. Can demons appear to people as angels?
16. What does the Bible say about bad language and cursing?
17. Does the Bible say anything about Children growing up in broken homes, and how to get strength through those trials?
18. How to stop slacking when it comes to daily devotions?
19. What to say to underage Christians that justify drinking?
20. Where was Jesus' soul during the 3 days that he was in the tomb?
21. If God knows all of our actions, then why does He give us freewill?
22. What to say to friends that have backslidden?
23. How do people become evil?
24. Why does Satan have to go to God before he can tempt a person?
25. How powerful is prayer?

9.23.12 - Implications of Denying the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)

"The implications of denying the resurrection are serious, but the most serious offense is that it charges God to be a liar by revealing something that is untrue!" Pastor Xavier Ries

1. The first implication is that it contradicted the gospel and the proclamation. vs. 12-13
2. The second implication is that if Christ is not risen the preaching of the apostles was worthless. vs. 14
3. The third implication is that if Christ is not risen their faith was of no value. vs. 14
4. The forth implication is that if Christ is not risen they were found to be false witnesses for God. vs. 15-16
5. The fifth implication is that if Christ is not risen, they were not justified before God for their sins. vs. 17
6. The sixth implication is that if Christ is not risen, then those who had died believing were lost eternally. vs. 18
7. The seventh implication is that if Christ is not risen, our hope in Christ is only for this life on earth, then we are living under a false hope. vs. 19a
8. The eighth implication is that if Christ is not risen we are of all men most to be pitied. vs. 19b

10.14.12 - The Proper Response to Heresy (Galatians 1:6-9)

10.21.12 - How to know the will of God (Romans 12:1-2)

 

[Chaplain]

Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her and lay with her, and violated her. His soul was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman. So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this young woman as a wife.” Genesis 34:1-4

"This chapter contains one of the most shameful incidents in Israel’s history." (Guzik)

Now Dinah the daughter of Leah: Leupold’s homiletical suggestions on the chapter give us an idea of this: “We may well wonder if any man who had proper discernment ever drew a text from this chapter . . . It is rightly evaluated by the more mature mind and could be treated to advantage before a men’s Bible class. But we cannot venture to offer homiletical suggestions for its treatment.”

a. When the Bible shows its leaders and heroes in such terrible, stark truth, we can know for sure that it is a book from God. Men don’t write about themselves and their ancestors like this.

Jacob's past disobedience to God hurts his family.

Went out to see the daughters of the land: Remember, Jacob brought his family to a place God didn’t really want them to be. It seems God directed him to return to Bethel (Genesis 31:13), and his time spent in the city of Shechem did much harm to his family.

a. Jacob chose a place to live for all the wrong reasons. He wanted to be close to the city (Genesis 33:18), though the city was ungodly. God called him to Bethel. Jacob’s poor choice of a place to live left his family open to ungodly influence.

What could happen if a woman traveled unsupervised among the Canaanites?

Went out to see the daughters of the land: Dinah’s desire to do this understandable but unwise. It is obvious Jacob did not make sure she was properly supervised. To allow her to socialize unsupervised in a pagan town was a real failure on the part of Jacob and Leah.

a. “Unattached young women were considered fair game in cities of the time, in which promiscuity was not only common but, in fact, a part of the very religious system itself.” (Morris)

b. “This occurrence serves to illustrate the low standard of morals prevalent among the Canaanites. Any unattended female could be raped, and in the transactions that ensue neither father nor son feel the need of apologizing for or excusing what had been committed.” (Leupold)

c. But try telling this to a teenager like Dinah! Teenagers often want it all, and they want it now. It is almost impossible for them to see the benefits of waiting for certain things until they are more mature.

d. A way this difficulty has been measured has been called the marshmallow test. A researcher gives this choice to a four-year-old: “I am leaving for a few minutes to run an errand, and you can have this marshmallow while I am gone, but if you wait until I return, you can have two marshmallows.” Researchers at Stanford did this test in the 1960’s, and a dozen years later they found the kids who grabbed the single marshmallow tended to be more troubled as adolescents. The one-marshmallow kids also scored an average of 210 points less on SAT tests. Learning to delay gratification is important!

How our compromises in our walk with God affect those around us.

Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her and lay with her: Jacob’s lack of attention and protection was partially at fault in this tragedy. His own compromise made him less able to stand up to his own children and guide them as he should.

a. Jacob’s children knew he told his brother Esau he would go south with him, but Jacob went north instead. They picked up on this and other areas of compromise and used them to justify their own compromise.

Shechem rapes Dinah, and now claims to love her. Really?

He took her and lay with her, and violated her: As for the young man named Shechem, his soul was strongly attracted to Dinah and he even spoke kindly to her. Yet we cannot say he loved her, because he violated her.

a. It was a soulish love Shechem had for Dinah, not a spiritual or godly love. He loved her for what she could be and give to him, not for what he could be and give to her. His heart is shown in the words get me this young woman as a wife. It was a soulish “get me” kind of love.

b. It is possible for a man to be attracted to a woman and to show kindness to her for reasons having nothing or little to do with love. In their desire to connect romantically with a man, women often forget this.

And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter. Now his sons were with his livestock in the field; so Jacob held his peace until they came. Then Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. And the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved and very angry, because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, a thing which ought not to be done. Genesis 34:5-7

Jacob isn't angry that his daughter was raped.

Jacob held his peace until they came: Jacob shows a distinct lack of outrage here. He seemed to take the defilement of his only daughter easily. His refusal to do what is right in regard to his family will encourage two of his sons to do something, something ungodly in response.

a. When God-appointed heads do not take appropriate leadership, it creates a void, which is often filled sinfully.

Dinah’s brothers respond.

The sons of Jacob . . . and the men were grieved and very angry: In this culture, the brothers had a greater responsibility to protect their sister than the father. They will “protect” Dinah’s honor in unwise and sinful ways.

But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife. And make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters to yourselves. So you shall dwell with us, and the land shall be before you. Dwell and trade in it, and acquire possessions for yourselves in it.” Then Shechem said to her father and her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. Ask me ever so much dowry and gift, and I will give according to what you say to me; but give me the young woman as a wife.” Genesis 34:8-12

One of the reasons God does not want us marrying unbelievers.

Make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters to yourselves: This was a dangerous challenge to Jacob and his family. Irresponsible intermarriage with the Canaanites could prove especially harmful for this family with such a destiny in God’s redemptive plan.

a. "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God." (2 Corinthians 6:14-16)

Can any act make up for the rape of a person?

Whatever you say to me I will give: Hamor and Shechem probably thought themselves generous. But their manner of negotiating the arrangement of the marriage insulted Dinah and her family even more with a “just name your price” attitude. They acted as if money and marriage could make her disgrace go away.

But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. And they said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a reproach to us. But on this condition we will consent to you: If you will become as we are, if every male of you is circumcised, then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to us; and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. But if you will not heed us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and be gone.” Genesis 34:13-17

Jacob's sons willfully deceive so they could repay for the rape of their sister.

a. If every male of you is circumcised, then we will give our daughters to you: Hamor and Shechem agreed to such an extreme demand because circumcision was not only practiced among the Israelites - other ancient peoples also had the practice. Therefore they knew of the practice from the rituals of other nations.

a. "This covenant with the requirement of circumcision was almost blasphemous. This was a sacred mark between God and His people Israel and here they were requiring these heathen to take the sacred mark of consecration to God. These people knew nothing of consecration to God; so, they were taking the sacred things and treating them blasphemously." (Smith)

2. For that would be a reproach to us: Simeon and Levi have evil intention in this plan. Yet they cover it up with spiritual words, and used Dinah as a cover for their intended evil.

a. They felt justified because the men of Shechem treated their sister as a prostitute (Genesis 34:31), but they prostituted the sign of God’s covenant for their own murderous purpose.

And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. So the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. He was more honorable than all the household of his father. And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying: “These men are at peace with us. Therefore let them dwell in the land and trade in it. For indeed the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters to us as wives, and let us give them our daughters. Only on this condition will the men consent to dwell with us, to be one people: if every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. Will not their livestock, their property, and every animal of theirs be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us.” And all who went out of the gate of his city heeded Hamor and Shechem his son; every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city. Genesis 34:18-24

"Hamor and Shechem convince the men of the city to go along with the plan." (Guzik)

1. Their words pleased Hamor and Shechem: Despite the obvious sacrifice involved, Hamor and Shechem were pleased with this plan. Beyond the obviously deep attraction Shechem has for Dinah, they were also undoubtedly pleased to begin to marry into a family so large, wealthy, and influential.

2. Will not their livestock, their property, and every animal of theirs be ours? It is amazing what men will do for both women and wealth. A whole city of men submits to circumcision so they can take their daughters to us as wives and take their livestock, property, and every animal of theirs.

Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males. Genesis 34:25

Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, kill all of the men of the city for the rape of their sister.

1. When they were in pain . . . each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males: This was not only a brutal, deceptive act, but it also disgraced God’s covenant of circumcision. Surely, with this clever act of violent deception, Simeon and Levi showed themselves to be the children of Jacob from a bitter, competitive home environment.

a. In pain: “Crudely performed, circumcision could be quite incapacitating, particularly after two or three days.” (Kidner)

2. Came boldly: “The boldness with which they executed their foul plan shows the hardness of their hearts.” (Barnhouse)

And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went out. The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled. They took their sheep, their oxen, and their donkeys, what was in the city and what was in the field, and all their wealth. All their little ones and their wives they took captive; and they plundered even all that was in the houses. Genesis 34:26-29

Do two wrongs make a right?

1. They killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword: Certainly, they justified this murder and theft by saying they and their sister had been disgraced, but the punishment clearly does not fit the crime.

2. They plundered even all that was in the houses: Simeon and Levi probably thought God blessed their murderous plans with great success.

Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I.” But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a harlot?” Genesis 34:30-31

Jacob's selfishness blinds him to the truth of the situation.

You have troubled me by making me obnoxious: Sadly, Jacob is only concerned with himself. There is no concern for God’s righteousness or the death and plunder of innocents. This is Jacob, not Israel in action.

a. "Jacob indicates a weakness of character in dealing with his sons here. What they had done was not excusable, but it should be noted that the whole issue arose because of Jacob's disobedience. Often that one step of disobedience compounds into a major issue. We step out of God's will and start to do our own thing and even though we may rationalize it, it is disobedience to God's will for us. Incomplete obedience, that failure to submit your life to the will and plan of God, can lead to all kind of problems and to disasters such as happened to Jacob. You will find yourself in situations and wonder how you got there; but, it all began with moving away from the center of God's will. There are places where you and I, as a child of God have no business being. If you go into those places, you are stepping out of the purpose and plan of God for your life and you can find yourself enmeshed in all kinds of tragic situations just because you're where God doesn't want you to be." (Smith)

b. “Jacob! You brought that trouble on yourself. You passed your own deceitful nature into your boys. You set them a constant example of guile. They heard you lie to Esau at Peniel and start northwest after he went southeast. They saw your interest in the fat pastures when you pitched your tent in Shechem. You said nothing when Dinah was violated . . . Talk to God about your own sin before talking to these boys about theirs.” (Barnhouse)

c. Jesus said, "“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye." (Matthew 7:3-5)

Simeon and Levi, though correct about their sister being treated like a harlot, end of reaping what they sowed many years later.

Should he treat our sister like a harlot? Simeon and Levi were correct that Dinah had been treated like a harlot. Yet, their reaction was certainly ungodly.

i. When Jacob was about to die, he prophesied over each of his 12 sons. This is what he said about Simeon and Levi: Simeon and Levi are brothers; instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place. Let not my soul enter their council; let not my honor be united to their assembly; for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they hamstrung an ox. Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel. (Genesis 49:5-7) He saw Simeon and Levi for who they were, but he rebuked them far too late.

ii. The prophetic word of God through Jacob proved true. God did in fact both divide the tribes of Simeon and Levi, and scatter them among Israel. But, significantly, the way it happened for each tribe was different. The tribe of Simeon, because of their lack of faithfulness, was effectively dissolved as a tribe, and the tribe of Simeon was absorbed into the tribal area of Judah. The tribe of Levi was also scattered, but because of the faithfulness of this tribe during the rebellion of the golden calf (Exodus 32:26-28), the tribe was scattered as a blessing throughout the whole nation of Israel. Both were scattered, but one as a blessing and the other as curse.

 

[dysonEA]

Some new sermons, and a question/answer study:

(Right Click/Save As)

Hard To Answer Bible Questions Answered

Awesome, wasn't expecting it to be Greg Laurie! I watch him every sunday morning. Love his preaching.

 

[Chaplain]

Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.” Genesis 35:1

God tells Jacob to return to Bethel.

1. Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there: The whole Shechem incident was because Jacob went to Shechem instead of Bethel, where he was supposed to be. We often end up in much difficulty and bring much difficulty to those around us, because we do not go where God tells us to go.

a. “The only cure for worldliness is to separate from it.” (Barnhouse) Jacob had to leave Shechem and go to Bethel.

b. Genesis 34 does not mention God once, and is one of the most sordid chapters in Israel’s history. Genesis 35 mentions God over and over again, more than ten times, plus 11 more times in names such as Bethel and Israel.

2. Make an altar there to God: This turning back to the Lord will especially have a good effect on the children of Jacob. This reminds us the best thing parents can do for their children is to be in God’s will themselves.

a. As Jacob looked back on his walk with God, the first meeting with God at Bethel must have seemed like a high point. But to his credit, Jacob refused to think the best years of his life with God were behind him. He returned to his first love - he returned to Bethel, and God blessed it.

b. "Jesus, when he addressed Himself to the Church of Ephesus, said, "“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love." (Rev.2:2-4). God is bringing Jacob back to Bethel where he had made his commitment to Him. Jacob had promised that if God would be with him on his journey and bring him back into the land that he would give Him a tenth of all he had. God had kept His side of it, but Jacob had not. God was with Jacob and blessed him while he was in Padan-aram; but, when he came back he settled at Shechem and seemed to leave God out of his life. The ten years around Shechem had its effect on his family and they became polluted by its morals and now Jacob is fleeing for his life. God takes him back to Bethel where he had his first encounter with Him. God will often take "you" back to Bethel to remind you from where you have fallen; so, repent and go back and do your first works again. God will call you back to your first love and the excitement you felt when you first met Him." (Smith)

And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.” So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem. Genesis 35:2-4

How important are godly parents in the lives of children.

Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves: Jacob’s family only got right with God after Jacob himself did. This again shows us the tremendous leadership role men have within the family. A man resisting God will see the same effect in his children. A man who gets right with God will see the effect in his family also.

a. Jacob’s children kept foreign gods because their mother did. Rachel clung to the household idols of her father (Genesis 31:19). No matter how hard we try to teach our children godly conduct they will still do what we do.

b. "Notice God didn’t say to Jacob, “If you deal with the pagan gods in your family, then I might give you a second chance.” No, God said, “Rise and let us go to Bethel.” Perhaps it was because Jacob was so amazed by this that he said, “It’s time to clean up—not so God will call us, but because He has called us.” That’s what grace does. When I realize how kind and good and benevolent and merciful God is to me day after day after day, it causes me to want to put away my trinkets and toys that are not of Him. Too often, we think, I’ve got to get my life cleaned up and maybe then I can hear God’s voice; maybe then He’ll lead me again. No. God is ready to lead us today right where we are—and because of that we say, “Lord, You’re so good. I don’t want the things of the world any more.”" (Courson, J. (2005). Jon Courson's application commentary : Volume one : Genesis-Job (160). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.)

Paul wrote, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." (Romans 13:14)

And change your garments: This was important because “Throughout the Bible, garments symbolize character. The inward life of the unregenerate is compared to a polluted garment.” (Barnhouse)

a. Jude 23 gives the idea: but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. Ephesians 4:22-24 gives a similar exhortation: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Why did they get rid of the earrings?

And the earrings which were in their ears: Apparently, the earrings also had a pagan connection. Though some “reason” could be made for keeping the earrings, they got rid of them nonetheless.

a. It is important for everyone to take stock of what they may have in their home that is ungodly or occultic, and promptly get rid of those things.

b. In the book of Acts we see something similar happen: "Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars. So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect." (Acts 19:18-20)

And they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. And he built an altar there and called the place El Bethel, because there God appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother. Genesis 35:5-7

God protects Jacob even after all the sins he committed.

The terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob: Obviously, it would be fair of God to leave Jacob to the consequences of his sinful lack of leadership in the family. Yet, God’s grace covered Jacob even when his sin had made he and his family vulnerable.

Jacob finally learns a lesson God has been trying to teach him for a long time.

He built an altar there and called the place El Bethel: Though Jacob had sinned, he now did what was right before God, despite the danger, trusting God’s protection. He might have justified a lack of obedience because of fear, but he trusted God instead.

a. It dangerous for Jacob to set out to Bethel but it was more dangerous for him to disobey God. The only thing to save him was a radical obedience to the LORD. No matter what the circumstances look like, the safest place is do the will of God.

b. God is never against feeling and doing. He is a God of powerful and passionate feeling, and He commands us to be doers. Yet feelings and doing are completely insufficient foundations for the Christian life. The first questions cannot be "How do I feel?" or "What do I do?" Rather, it must be "What is true here? What does God's Word say?"

Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the terebinth tree. So the name of it was called Allon Bachuth. Genesis 35:8

"The death of Deborah, Rebekah’s beloved nurse." (Guzik)

1. Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died: We know nothing of this woman before this account; seemingly, she came with Rebekah as a companion when she came from Haran to marry Isaac. Obviously, she was a beloved member of the family, because they named the place where she was buried Allon Bachuth, which means “Oak of Weeping.”

a. "When Isaac married Rebekah, her father gave her Deborah as her nurse and she came back with Rebekah and lived with them. She was probably the governess for the children and so, Jacob had known Deborah all of his life. Oftentimes the nurse would have the full care and training of the children as they were growing up. After Rebekah died, Jacob, probably, visiting his father in Hebron may have insisted that Deborah come back and live with him and now she is quite old. Perhaps the trauma that they just went through, at Shechem, was too much for her and Deborah, who has played an important part in their lives, dies." (Smith)

2. Rebekah’s nurse: Many commentators assume for some reason, she came to be in Jacob’s household, coming from his mother’s household, but we do not know for certain if this is the case.

Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel. Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.” Then God went up from him in the place where He talked with him. So Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it. And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him, Bethel. Genesis 35:9-15

The amazing blessings that await all of us when we obey God.

Then God appeared to Jacob again . . . and blessed him: When Jacob finally arrived at the place God told him to go, Jacob immediately found great blessing. God appeared to him, God blessed him, and God called him by his new name (Israel).

a. The reminder of the new name was important, because Jacob had been acting like Jacob instead of Israel. Yet, God wants to set his mind on what God made him. God does the same with us, reminding us who we are in Him. God wants us to remember and live in the great names He gives us.

2. God appeared to Jacob again: Relationship is restored. This is an excellent example of what it means to return to your first love, as in Revelation 2:4-5: Jacob remembers to go back to Bethel. He repents by getting rid of all the idols, and he does the first works by building an altar and worshipping God as before.

a. "It's an interesting thing how God so often waits for us. He's always there waiting. We often stray in our hearts from God. There is a song that says, "You may be a million miles from the gates of peace, but you're one little step from God." It's so easy to drift from the path, but it's hard to get back. Here Jacob had been journeying thirty years, traveling here and there messing things up and now he is desperate and fleeing for his life and so he comes back to Beth-el and God is waiting to bless him. How wonderful is the patience of God." (Smith)

The Apostle Peter wrote, "I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught." (2 Peter 1:12)

The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land: God granted Jacob a precious reminder of his place in God’s great covenant, begun with his grandfather Abraham. In this, Jacob did not need to hear anything new from God. He just needed to be reminded of what was true, and encouraged to cling to it all.

Jesus leaves Jacob.

Then God went up from him in the place where He talked with him: Seemingly, God appeared to Jacob here in bodily form. God blessed Jacob remarkably after his return to his first love. Much blessing waits for us until we do what God tells us to do.

What is a drink offering?

He poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it: Appropriately, Jacob performed sacrificial acts of worship to the God who has blessed him so much.

a. The idea of a drink offering is found often in the Bible. Exodus 29:40-41, Leviticus 23:13, and Numbers 15:5-7 show the drink offering was made with wine poured out in sacrifice before the LORD at His altar. Paul considered the pouring out of his life before God to be like the pouring out of a drink offering at God’s altar (Philippians 2:17; 2 Timothy 4:6).

b. Jacob’s heart of worship shows gratitude towards God. When we look back on life, we should never have the attitude that says, “I was robbed.” Instead our heart should say, “God has blessed.” This will probably determine if we will be perfectly miserable or perfectly delightful as we get older.

 

[Chaplain]

Awesome, wasn't expecting it to be Greg Laurie! I watch him every sunday morning. Love his preaching.

Greg is a gifted teacher, and I am also blessed by all God has done through him.

 

[Chaplain]

Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor. Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, “Do not fear; you will have this son also.” And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin. Genesis 35:16-18

Benjamin is born.

1. Rachel labored in childbirth: There seems to be none of the contentiousness and competitiveness surrounding the birth of this last son, possibly because they are all older at this time, but more so because they are now in the Promised Land and it just isn’t as important anymore.

2. In childbirth: We don’t know how long Jacob stayed at Bethel, but it is possible this last child was conceived at this place where Jacob came back to his first love for the LORD.

3. She called his name Ben-Oni: Rachel named this last child - who before would have been seen as a cause for rejoicing and victory in the competition with her sister - she named this child Ben-Oni, meaning “son of my sorrow.”

a. Ultimately, this shows the futility of Rachel’s competition with her sister Leah. Now at the time of her final “victory,” all she found was sorrow.

4. But his father called him Benjamin: Jacob wisely names the child Benjamin, which means “son of my right hand.” Perhaps he rightly sensed the special place God had for this child, or perhaps he simply prized Benjamin so greatly because he was the final link between him and the woman he loved most.

The meaning behind the name Benjamin.

Benjamin: The right side was associated with greater strength and honor, because most people are right handed. Benjamin (son of my right hand) therefore has the idea of “son of my strength” or “son of my honor.”

a. The idea is expressed in passages like Exodus 15:6: Your right hand, O LORD, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has dashed the enemy in pieces.

b. The LORD is our strength and honor, as in Psalm 16:8: I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

c. God’s strength and honor are for us: My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me. (Psalm 63:8) Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me (Psalm 138:7).

d. Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, the position of strength and honor, and we sit there with Him! If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1).

So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. Genesis 35:19-20

Rachel dies.

Rachel died and was buried: Rachel’s death was in tragic fulfillment of the curse Jacob himself pronounced on the one who stole the idols of Laban (Genesis 31:32).

a. In Genesis 30:1, Rachel pleaded with Jacob, Give me children, or else I die! As it happened, both became true. She had children and died as a result.

Are believers exempt from trials?

Jacob set a pillar on her grave: This also shows that even when we get right with God and return to our first love it doesn’t mean life becomes a bed of roses. There are constant challenges for us to trust God.

a. The Apostle James wrote, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:2-4)

b. We cannot prize comfort more than getting right with God. For some, comfort is their idol - a false god they worship with constant pursuit and attention. Some only want a comfortable life, not a godly life. The symbol for some Christians is a Lazy-Boy recliner, not a cross.

i. Many Christians fail to realize that we are in a war for the lives of those around us. As Paul wrote, "Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them." (2 Timothy 2:3)

Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard about it. Genesis 35:21-22a

Even though God forgives us when we confess our sins, we will always reap what we sow.

Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: Reuben was the firstborn. We might expect the highest conduct from him, and might expect him to most seriously receive the covenant of his fathers. Yet, here he sinned in a most offensive way against his father and entire family.

a. However, we don’t have to wonder about where this sinful conduct was bred. In this home so filled with strife, contention, competition, and the pursuit of the flesh, it was almost to be expected.

What does Israel (Jacob) do about this evil in his family?

Israel heard about it: Through their sin, Reuben, Simeon, and Levi “disqualified” themselves from the high calling of Abraham’s blessing. It will be up to the fourth son, Judah, to bring forth the Messiah.

a. "Israel didn't take any action against Reuben at this time, but when he pronounces the blessings upon his sons in the forty-ninth chapter; he takes away the birthright from him." (Smith)

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: the sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; the sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin; the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant, were Dan and Naphtali; and the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maidservant, were Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan Aram. Genesis 35:22b-26

The reason God used Jacob's messed-up family.

1. The sons of Jacob were twelve: From what we have seen in the last few chapters, this is no “all-star team.” “We are greatly amazed in reflecting upon the event as a whole that descendants of the worthy patriarch Abraham should almost immediately after his time already have sunk to the level upon which Jacob’s sons stand in this chapter.” (Leupold)

2. These were the sons of Jacob: It is actually a pretty messed-up family. God will use this family, but not because they are such great candidates, but because He has chosen them by His grace alone.

Then Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt. Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. So Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. Genesis 35:27-29

"Jacob visits his father Isaac one last time." (Guzik)

1. Jacob came to his father Isaac: More than 20 years ago, Jacob left his home thinking his father’s death was at hand. Now, quite unexpectedly, he has the opportunity to see his father one last time before his death.

i. We should remember our times are in God’s hands. We may expect a long or short life for others or ourselves and be quite wrong. Only God knows.

2. His father Isaac: There seemed to be nothing dramatic between Isaac and Jacob at this meeting. It was possible Isaac was incapacitated by old age.

"Jacob and Esau bury their father together." (Guzik)

His sons Esau and Jacob buried him: The sons had already been brought together by God’s hand. Now they work together again, united by the death of their father.

Now this is the genealogy of Esau, who is Edom. Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite; Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebajoth. Now Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel. And Aholibamah bore Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan. Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the persons of his household, his cattle and all his animals, and all his goods which he had gained in the land of Canaan, and went to a country away from the presence of his brother Jacob. For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together, and the land where they were strangers could not support them because of their livestock. So Esau dwelt in Mount Seir. Esau is Edom. Genesis 36:1-8

Esau's fears turn out to be unfounded.

Their possessions were too great for them to dwell together: Esau’s cry to Isaac Have you only one blessing, my father? (Genesis 27:38) proved unfounded. Because he was a descendant of Abraham God blessed Esau, and blessed him in the only way he really cared about: materially.

And this is the genealogy of Esau the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir. Genesis 36:9

Background on Edom and the Edomites.

1. Esau the father of the Edomites: Edom and the Edomites are mentioned some 130 times in the Bible. They were an important group of “neighbors” to Israel.

· When the Israelites came through the wilderness to the Promised Land in the time of Moses, the Edomites refused them passage through their land (Numbers 20:21). This was a source of great discouragement for the nation (Numbers 21:4).
· Even so, God commanded special regard for the Edomites among Israel: You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother (Deuteronomy 23:7).
· In the days of Saul, Edom was made subject to Israel (1 Samuel 14:47), and David established garrisons there (2 Samuel 8:14). But later, in the days of Joram, the son of Ahab, the Edomites became independent of Israel (2 Kings 8:16-22).
· Several of the prophets spoke about and against Edom, including Jeremiah (Jeremiah 49:17-18) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 25:12-14).
· Herod the Great - the one who tried to kill the young child Jesus - was an Edomite. From the time Islam conquered the Middle East, the region has been virtually unoccupied, except for a few Bedouins and military outposts. It has been brought to nothing, as Obadiah had prophesied (the entire book of Obadiah records an extended prophecy against Edom).

2. The Edomites in Mount Seir: The Edomites also held the rock city of Petra, which can only be reached through narrow, winding gorge. Petra was so defensible that it was said that a dozen men could protect Petra against a whole army.

These were the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, and Reuel the son of Basemath the wife of Esau. And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. Now Timna was the concubine of Eliphaz, Esau’s son, and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons of Adah, Esau’s wife. These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. These were the sons of Aholibamah, Esau’s wife, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon. And she bore to Esau: Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. These were the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn son of Esau, were Chief Teman, Chief Omar, Chief Zepho, Chief Kenaz, Chief Korah, Chief Gatam, and Chief Amalek. These were the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. They were the sons of Adah. These were the sons of Reuel, Esau’s son: Chief Nahath, Chief Zerah, Chief Shammah, and Chief Mizzah. These were the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom. These were the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. And these were the sons of Aholibamah, Esau’s wife: Chief Jeush, Chief Jaalam, and Chief Korah. These were the chiefs who descended from Aholibamah, Esau’s wife, the daughter of Anah. These were the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these were their chiefs. These were the sons of Seir the Horite who inhabited the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir, in the land of Edom. And the sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam. Lotan’s sister was Timna. These were the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. These were the sons of Zibeon: both Ajah and Anah. This was the Anah who found the water in the wilderness as he pastured the donkeys of his father Zibeon. These were the children of Anah: Dishon and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah. These were the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. These were the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. These were the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. These were the chiefs of the Horites: Chief Lotan, Chief Shobal, Chief Zibeon, Chief Anah, Chief Dishon, Chief Ezer, and Chief Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, according to their chiefs in the land of Seir. Now these were the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel: Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah. And when Bela died, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place. When Jobab died, Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. And when Husham died, Hadad the son of Bedad, who attacked Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his place. And the name of his city was Avith. When Hadad died, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. And when Samlah died, Saul of Rehoboth-by-the-River reigned in his place. When Saul died, Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place. And when Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor died, Hadar reigned in his place; and the name of his city was Pau. His wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. And these were the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their families and their places, by their names: Chief Timnah, Chief Alvah, Chief Jetheth, Chief Aholibamah, Chief Elah, Chief Pinon, Chief Kenaz, Chief Teman, Chief Mibzar, Chief Magdiel, and Chief Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom, according to their dwelling places in the land of their possession. Esau was the father of the Edomites. Genesis 36:10-43

Esau didn't want to be part of God's plan of redemption.

These were the chiefs of the sons of Esau: When we see the kings and chiefs among the descendants of Esau, we see more clearly what God meant when He said, Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated (Malachi 1:2-3 and Romans 9:13). Esau was obviously a blessed man but he was hated and rejected in regard to being chosen for a critical role in God’s plan of redemption.

a. “If God blesses so abundantly those who are not chosen, what is the magnitude of His blessings for those who are chosen? If nonspiritual people experience such outpourings of merely common grace, how great must the special grace of the regenerate be!” (Boice)

Many of the descendants of Esau turn out to be ungodly.

She bore Amalek to Eliphaz: Notable among this list is Amalek. From him came the Amalekites, notable enemies of Israel (Exodus 17:8-16; Deuteronomy 25:17-19; 1 Samuel 15:1-8).

i. In addition, the names of the descendants of Esau don’t reflect a godly heart.
· Dishon (Genesis 36:21) means “gazelle”
· Alvan (Genesis 36:23) means “wicked”
· Ithran (Genesis 36:26) means “advantage”
· Aran (Genesis 36:28) means “mountain goat”
· Baal-Hanan (Genesis 36:38) - his name embraces the false god Baal.

Theories on why Jobab could be Job from the Book of Job.

Jobab the son of Zerah: “Many have supposed that Jobab is the same as Job, so remarkable for his afflictions and patience; and that Eliphaz . . . was the same who in the book of Job is called one of his friends: but there is no proper proof of this, and there are many reasons against it.” (Clarke)

a. "We want to mention a few of the genealogy which we might have an interest in; such as: Eliphaz, the son of Esau and his son was Teman. It might be the same Eliphaz the Temanite that was Job's comforter. Later on in the genealogy, it talks about Jobab who could have very possibly been the Job of the Book of Job. If you're trying to put the Book of Job in a historic perspective, as far as the time of the Book; it is quite possible that Job lived shortly after Jacob and that he was not of the tribes of Israel, but rather a descendent of Esau." (Smith)

 

[Chaplain]

Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. Genesis 37:1-4

The story of Joseph.

Joseph, being seventeen years old: Thus begins one the remarkable life stories of the Bible and all literature. “He was loved and hated, favored and abused, tempted and trusted, exalted and abased. Yet at no point in the one-hundred-and-ten-year life of Joseph did he ever seem to get his eyes off God or cease to trust him. Adversity did not harden his character. Prosperity did not ruin him. He was the same in private as in public. He was a truly great man.” (Boice)

a. Enoch shows the walk of faith, Noah shows the perseverance of faith, Abraham shows the obedience of faith, Isaac shows the power of faith, and Jacob shows the discipline of faith. Along these lines we could say that Joseph shows the triumph of faith. Joseph never complained and he never compromised.

b. Joseph is also a remarkably powerful picture of Jesus.

Does God want us to have favorites?

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children: These chapters stand out for the insight they give us into an obviously troubled family. From the beginning, we get the impression Joseph is sort of a pampered favorite of Jacob, who doesn’t mind tattling on his older brothers at all.

What did the tunic signify?

Also he made him a tunic of many colors: Jacob’s favoritism of Joseph was plain to all, including Joseph and his brothers. As an outward display of this, he gave Joseph a tunic of many colors. This signified a position of favor, princely standing, and birthright. It was a dramatic way of saying he was the son to receive the birthright.

a. The real idea behind the ancient Hebrew phrase for “tunic of many colors” is that it was a tunic extending all the way down to the wrists and ankles, as opposed to a shorter one. This was not what a working man wore. It was a garment of privilege and status.

What can happen when we show favoritism.

They hated him and could not speak peaceably to him: Jacob’s favoritism of Joseph was an obvious source of conflict in the family. The brothers naturally hated him because the father favored him.

Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.” And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. Genesis 37:5-8

Joseph explains his first dream to his brothers.

1. Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more: At best, Joseph showed a great lack of tact. Surely he knew how much his brothers hated to hear this dream, which set him above his brothers.

2. Shall you indeed reign over us? The brothers understand perfectly the meaning of the dream: one day Joseph would reign over them and have dominion over them.

a. Also relevant to this dream is the fact that it involves sheaves of wheat. Joseph’s ultimate position of status over his brethren will have much to do with food.

Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.” So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind. Genesis 37:9-11

Joseph's lack of wisdom in sharing his dream with his family.

Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers: If Joseph was unwise in telling the first dream (knowing how irritating it was to his brothers) he was even more wrong sharing this second dream, especially because it set him not only above his brothers, but also set him above his father and mother.

a. Joseph seems to be afflicted with the sort of pride often apparent among the favored and blessed. He is so focused on how great his dreams are for him, he doesn’t begin to consider how the dreams will sound in the ears of others.

b. At this point, Joseph is a contrast to Jesus. Jesus wants us to be as He was on this earth: an “others-centered” person. Joseph seems to fall short in this area.

c. Though Joseph was wrong to tell these dreams, they certainly did come true. One may receive a wonderful message from God that He does not intend them to publish to others. Joseph showed a proud lack of wisdom here.

Didn't Joseph's mother die?

Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you? This portion of Genesis possibly isn’t in strict chronological order. Back in Genesis 35:16-20, Joseph’s mother Rachel died. This portion of Genesis seems to backtrack somewhat.

a. Probably, the transition point is in Genesis 37:2: This is the genealogy of Jacob. This likely ends the record preserved by Jacob himself (who recounted the death of Rachel), and the next line begins the record preserved by Joseph himself. These same kinds of transitions are found in Genesis 5:1, 6:9, and 25:19.

What do the stars, moon, and sun represent?

The sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me: The idea of the stars, moon, and sun representing the family of Israel is repeated in Revelation 12:1. That passage speaks of Jesus coming from the nation of Israel.

a. "To interpret a symbol, you need to go back to where it is used in scripture and see how it is used there. There is in Hermeneutics the Law of First Use and also the Law of Expositional Constancy. Whatever the use in one area of scripture is also the use in another area of scripture. The Expositional Constancy is extremely important in the understanding of the Parable. In seminary, I had a professor who told us not to preach on the parables until we had been preaching for thirty years. I respected him, but thought he didn't know my capabilities; so, the very first year I preached on the parables. I knew what they meant; I thought I had them all wired. I've repented! I have only begun to understand the parables by using the Laws of Hermeneutics. Here, the sun, the moon and the eleven stars refer to Jacob and his wife and sons or the nation of Israel. If these symbols refer to the nation of Israel in Genesis, then it is foolhardy to try to interpret the woman with the sun, the moon, and the twelve stars in Revelation as anything but Israel." (Smith)

Then his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” So he said to him, “Here I am.” Then he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.” So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem. Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, “What are you seeking?” So he said, “I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are feeding their flocks.” And the man said, “They have departed from here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ “ So Joseph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan. Genesis 37:12-17

Jacob sends Joseph as a messenger to his brothers.

To feed their father’s flock in Shechem: There seems nothing strange about this errand, except Joseph’s brothers are in Shechem, a place where this family was influenced and harmed by worldly influences.

a. "Why would they go back to the place that they had to flee from? Shechem was some fifty miles away and you wonder why they traveled such a distance." (Smith)

Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him. Then they said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is coming! Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ We shall see what will become of his dreams!” But Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, “Let us not kill him.” And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him”; that he might deliver him out of their hands, and bring him back to his father. Genesis 37:18-22

Joseph’s brothers plan to kill him.

1. Look, this dreamer is coming! It isn’t hard to see how unwise it was for Joseph to tell his dreams in the way he did. It only made his brothers hate him. They derisively call him this dreamer.

2. We shall see what will become of his dreams! They decide to defeat Joseph’s offending dreams by attacking him. Without intending to, they put Joseph’s dreams to the ultimate test. If the dreams really were from God, they cannot be defeated by the hatred of the brothers.

a. "You see how they are trying to thwart the purposes of God by doing away with the dreamer. How often we find ourselves trying to change the plans of God. The Bible says, "Woe to him who strives with his Maker!" (Isa.45:9a)." (Smith)

Reuben's mistake of trying to be nice to everyone.

But Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands: Reuben - who at another time committed incest with his father’s concubine - took a small measure of leadership as the eldest, figuring he could save Joseph from death and rescue him later.

a. Reuben could have simply rose up and said, “This is wrong! We can’t do this!” He didn’t because he wanted to do right by Joseph without alienating his brothers. His desire to be nice to everyone will fail to prevent a great evil. The good Reuben wanted to do (bring him back to his father) will not happen.

So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt. So Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.” And his brothers listened. Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt. Genesis 37:23-28

Like Jesus, Joesph robe/coat is ripped.

They stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him: The tunic of many colors was the sign of the father’s special favor. The brothers must have had a perverse pleasure as they ripped it off Joseph, and it must have been particularly painful for Joseph to have it torn off him.

a. Each believer in Jesus Christ is given special assurance of the Father’s favor. Certainly, many spiritual enemies want to rip from the believer the assurance of the Father’s favor.

The prophet Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." (Jeremiah 17:9) The following proves this verse to be true.

And they sat down to eat a meal: The heartless character of these brothers is clear - they could eat a meal with Joseph nearby in the pit. They could sit down and enjoy food while their hearts were bent on murdering their brother.

a. Later, Genesis 42:21 describes the conviction of sin they ignored at that moment. In that passage the brothers said: We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us. When Joseph was cast into the pit, he plead with his brothers, and the ignored his cries as they ate their meal.

b. “A physicist could compute the exact time required for his cries to go twenty-five yards to the eardrums of the brothers. But it took twenty-two years for that cry to go from the eardrums to their hearts.” (Barnhouse)

c. This is a shocking demonstration of the depravity of the human heart - but it isn’t the last demonstration. For example, in 1995 Susan Smith deliberately drowned her own children and lied to the country about the children being kidnapped. We usually think someone who committed such an act would be overwhelmed by remorse, but her ability to put on a false face about such a horrific crime shows how deceitful our hearts are.

Like the Jews handing over Jesus to Pilate (a gentile), Joesph's brothers sell him to gentiles.

The brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver: The account is so shocking as to be numbing. We don’t know if we should think more highly of Joseph’s brothers because they decided to spare his life or less highly of them because they figured they could get rid of him and make a few bucks at the same time. Apparently they considered that their brother was only worth twenty shekels of silver.

i. It was Judah who said, “After all, he’s our brother, so let’s only sell him into slavery instead of killing him.” And this was the son of Jacob who would become the ancestor of the Messiah.

Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes. And he returned to his brothers and said, “The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?” So they took Joseph’s tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood. Then they sent the tunic of many colors, and they brought it to their father and said, “We have found this. Do you know whether it is your son’s tunic or not?” And he recognized it and said, “It is my son’s tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces.” Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, “For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. Genesis 37:29-35

How compromises in our righteousness will hurt us and those we love.

Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes: Reuben tore his clothes as an expression of utter horror and mourning because his weak stand for righteousness accomplished nothing. Joseph may as well be dead, because his father who loved him so would never see him again.

How do we know if our relationship with God is off? When we do not love our fellow man like ourselves.

We have found this. Do you know whether it is your son’s tunic or not? This shows the cruelty of the sons of Israel was not directed only towards the favored son, but also towards the father who favored him. This was both a heartless way to bring the news and an unconscionable lie.

No one will ever escape God's Law of sowing and reaping.

Jacob tore his clothes: This was an expression of utter horror and mourning because his loved son is gone. His grief is understandable, but his failure to see the truth of eternal life is not.

a. "We have that law of God of sowing and reaping. Jacob, earlier, had killed a little goat to deceive his father. He put the fur on his wrists, fixed the meat to taste like venison and gave it to his father to deceive him in order that he might get the blessing. He used a goat to deceive his father and now, his sons are using a goat to deceive him. They killed a goat and put the blood on the tunic of Joseph. Jacob is reaping what he sowed many years ago." (Smith)

b. This is also a powerful illustration of the principle that if we believe something to be so, it may as well be. Joseph was not dead, but as long as Jacob believed he was, as far as Jacob was concerned, Joseph was dead. In the same way, the Christian has in truth been set free from sin, but if Satan can persuade us we are under the tyranny of sin, we may as well be.

Now the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard. Genesis 37:36

Joseph goes to Egypt.

Now the Midianites had sold him in Egypt: Egypt was a large and thriving kingdom for at least a thousand years before Joseph came. The Egyptians were wealthy and had massive natural resources. They were educated and had no real enemies at the time. When Joseph came to Egypt, some of the pyramids already looked old and the Sphinx was already carved. But in God’s eyes, the most impressive thing about Egypt was that Joseph was now there. “Though stripped of his coat, he had not been stripped of his character.” (Meyer)

In the last chapter of Genesis, Joseph says the following to his brothers, "You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good." (Genesis 50:20) The story of of Joseph is about God working in him, and accomplishing his plan for mankind.

Sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard: Even in the midst of this horror, God did not depart from Joseph. In some ways the story will get worse - and when it does, God will still be with Joseph. God is working not only for Joseph himself, but also for the larger purposes of God’s redemptive plan.

i. We can thank God for His great plan.

· If Joseph’s brothers never sell him to the Midianites, then Joseph never goes to Egypt.
· If Joseph never goes to Egypt, he never is sold to Potiphar.
· If he is never sold to Potiphar, Potiphar’s wife never falsely accuses him of rape.
· If Potiphar’s wife never falsely accuses him of rape, then he is never put in prison.
· If he is never put in prison, he never meets the baker and butler of Pharaoh.
· If he never meets the baker and butler of Pharaoh, he never interprets their dreams.
· If he never interprets their dreams, he never gets to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams.
· If he never gets to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, he never is made prime minister.
· If he is never made prime minister, he never wisely administrates for the severe famine coming upon the region.
· If he never wisely administrates for the severe famine coming upon the region, then his family back in Canaan perishes from the famine.
· If his family back in Canaan perishes from the famine, the Messiah can’t come forth from a dead family.
· If the Messiah can’t come forth, then Jesus never came.
· If Jesus never came, you are dead in your sins and without hope in this world.

 

[Chaplain]

It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her and went in to her. So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him. Genesis 38:1-5

What happens when we marry or hang out with people who don't love Jesus.

Judah departed from his brothers . . . And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her: Through an ungodly and unwise marriage to a Canaanite woman Judah fathered three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah.

a. "They're really dwelling in the land as strangers and the boys are getting to the marriageable age. They can't go to Laban and find a girl to marry as the family there had been corrupted in idolatry; so, their choice for a bride is rather limited. Judah picked Shuah, a Canaanite, who he might have hoped he could convert to a belief in the one true God. It doesn't indicate by the scripture whether he was ever successful in doing this." (Smith)

b. It isn’t hard to see the sons of Israel rapidly being corrupted by their Canaanite neighbors, and what the future will bring if they continued in that land. God had a plan to bring them out.

2. Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite: Judah, the fourth-born son of Jacob through Leah (Reuben, Simeon, and Levi were before him) had not yet distinguished himself as someone great among his brothers. He was the one who suggested they sell Joseph into slavery (Genesis 37:26).

Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him. Genesis 38:6-7

Why would God kill a wicked person?

Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him: We are never told what Er’s wickedness was, but obviously it was bad enough that God brought immediate judgment upon him. Growing up with a father from such a messed-up family and with a mother who was a Canaanite did not lead Er in a godly life.

a. "“And the Lord slew him.” Oftentimes, when people read a phrase like this, they say, “How brutal of God to slay a man for being wicked.” But they fail to realize that a man can become so wicked it is actually an act of mercy for the Lord to put him out of his misery. When the Bible talks about the sin unto death (Romans 6:16), it is not referring to a single sin, but rather to a life of sin. There comes a time when the Lord will put such a person out of his or her misery, and in so doing, protect others. You see, the problem with wickedness is that it’s contagious. Wicked people draw other people into their depravity. So, the Lord in His wisdom and mercy, deals with the problem decisively." (Courson, J. (2005). Jon Courson's application commentary : Volume one : Genesis-Job (173). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.)

And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother.” But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD; therefore He killed him also. Genesis 38:8-10

In the times of Genesis, "it was a common practice that if a man married and he died before he had any children, his next oldest brother had to take his wife and marry her and raise up children in the name of the dead brother." (Smith)

Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother: According to the custom of levirate marriage (later codified into law in Deuteronomy 25:5-10), if a man died before providing sons to his wife, it was the duty of his brothers to marry her and to give her sons. The child was considered the son of the brother who died (Onan knew that the heir would not be his) because the living brother was only acting in his place.

i. This was done so the dead brother’s name would be carried on. But also it was so the widow would have children to support her. Apart from this, she would likely live the rest of her life as a destitute widow.

Where do Catholics get the idea of forbidding contraception?

When he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother: Onan refused to take this responsibility seriously. He was more than happy to use Tamar for his sexual gratification, but he did not want to give Tamar a son he had to support but would be considered to be the son of Er.

a. Onan pursued sex as only a pleasurable experience. If he really didn’t want to father a child by Tamar, he should never had sex with her at all. He refused to fulfill his obligation to his dead brother and Tamar.

b, "The displeasure of God was not the emitting of the seed on the ground, but his failure to fulfill the obligation of raising up an heir for the dead brother. So both brothers have been slain by the LORD. It is possible that they had been raised in the practices of the Canaanites by their mother. Thus God wasn't going to allow them to be of the line of Judah from which the Christ would come and He eliminated them early in life." (Smith)

c. Many Christians have used this passage as a proof-text against masturbation. Indeed, masturbation has been called “onanism.” However, this does not seem to be the case here. Whatever Onan did, he was not masturbating. This was not a sin of masturbation, but a sin of refusing to care for his brother’s widow by giving her offspring, and of a selfish use of sex.

Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house till my son Shelah is grown.” For he said, “Lest he also die like his brothers.” And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house. Genesis 38:11

Judah begins to suspect that Tamar isn’t good for the family.

1. Lest he also die like his brothers: One can understand Judah’s hesitancy to give his last son as a husband to Tamar. God already judged two of her previous husbands. Judah essentially vowed he would not give Shelah as husband to Tamar as custom and righteousness commanded, but he would simply put her off on the issue.

2. Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house: This was no place for a young, childless widow to be, when there were additional brothers in her husband’s family who could fulfill the obligation they owed to their late brother. None of this was the fault of Tamar. All the blame belonged to the sons of Judah.

Now in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died; and Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told Tamar, saying, “Look, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.” So she took off her widow’s garments, covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place which was on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as a wife. Genesis 38:12-14

Judah’s wife dies.

Now in the process of time the daughter of Shua, Judah’s wife, died: "Judah's wife died an early death as she was probably in her forties. He has spent his time of mourning and now is going off to shear sheep, which is always "party time." (Smith)

"Judah’s wife dies, and Tamar realizes Judah will never give his last son to fulfill the obligation to her." (Guzik)

1. She saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given to him as a wife: Tamar did not want to face what would be a very difficult existence in that culture or in any culture: life without any husband or children.

2. She was not given to him as a wife: Tamar didn’t have the option of just finding another man to marry. She was under the headship of her father-in-law Judah, and he had to give her a husband. He determined whom and when she could marry.

Tamar disguises herself to look like a prostitute to deceive Judah.

So she took off her widow’s garments, covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself: "Usually pagan worship was associated around the procreated capacities of man. They revered the marvelous power of the creating of life through a sexual union. This was a major part of the Canaanites religious belief and worship. Every Canaanite woman had to devote herself, for a period of time, as a prostitute to raise funds for the Temple. It was an accepted practice among these people. So, Tamar put on the attire of a temple prostitute and veiled herself so Judah couldn't recognize her." (Smith)

When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face. Then he turned to her by the way, and said, “Please let me come in to you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. So she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” And he said, “I will send a young goat from the flock.” So she said, “Will you give me a pledge till you send it?” Then he said, “What pledge shall I give you?” So she said, “Your signet and cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” Then he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. Genesis 38:15-18

"Tamar sets a trap for Judah, and he has sex with her." (Guzik)

1. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, because she had covered her face: After negotiating the price, Tamar demanded a pledge of the future payment of the agreed-upon price (a young goat).

2. Then he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him: When Tamar conceived, it certainly was not intended by Judah, but it was definitely planned by both Tamar and God.

a. "The signet was the ring stamp that you could put into the wax and sign with to prove that the merchandise was yours. Incidentally, this is where the custom has come from in giving a ring to the bride. Tamar is asking for a guarantee that he will keep his vow to give her a goat. The engagement ring is a pledge of love or a guarantee that a man makes to the woman he has asked to be his wife and this is where it started." (Smith)

So she arose and went away, and laid aside her veil and put on the garments of her widowhood. And Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her. Then he asked the men of that place, saying, “Where is the harlot who was openly by the roadside?” And they said, “There was no harlot in this place.” So he returned to Judah and said, “I cannot find her. Also, the men of the place said there was no harlot in this place.” Then Judah said, “Let her take them for herself, lest we be shamed; for I sent this young goat and you have not found her.” Genesis 38:19-23

Tamar disappears.

Judah sent the young goat by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand, but he did not find her: Judah sends a friend to pay Tamar, and to retrieve the pledge he left with her. Because Tamar has disappeared, he gives up the pledge, leaving it in her hands.

And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has played the harlot; furthermore she is with child by harlotry.” So Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “By the man to whom these belong, I am with child.” And she said, “Please determine whose these are; the signet and cord, and staff.” So Judah acknowledged them and said, “She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.” And he never knew her again. Genesis 38:24-26

What happens when people do whatever they feel like doing?

1. Please determine whose these are: Tamar, acted shrewdly and vindicated herself against the charge of harlotry. She makes the logical appeal of noting that the one who hired her is just as guilty as she.

2. She has been more righteous than I: however, even Judah could see through to the real issue. He was at fault for not providing for Tamar a son through his last son Shelah.

Now it came to pass, at the time for giving birth, that behold, twins were in her womb. And so it was, when she was giving birth, that the one put out his hand; and the midwife took a scarlet thread and bound it on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” Then it happened, as he drew back his hand, that his brother came out unexpectedly; and she said, “How did you break through? This breach be upon you!” Therefore his name was called Perez. Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet thread on his hand. And his name was called Zerah. Genesis 38:27-30

Why does Jesus' genealogy mention people like Perez in it? So that people understand that Jesus identifies Himself with sinful man.

Therefore his name was called Perez . . . his name was called Zerah: Matthew 1:3 and Luke 3:33 each list Perez as an ancestor of Jesus the Messiah. God took the son of this ungodly situation and put him in the family line of the Messiah, despite the fact that neither Judah or Tamar were examples of godliness.

a. "The line from which Joseph came happened to come through Perez, the son of Judah and Tamar. The next woman we have in the line, in Matthew's gospel, is Rahab, the harlot in Jericho. The next woman in the line of Christ is Ruth, the Moabitess and the last and the fourth in the line of Christ is Bath-sheba, the wife of David and formerly the wife of Uriah. Four women named, only, in Matthew's Gospel. All of them outside of the Jewish race, for, even Bath-sheba was a Hittite. All of them had shady experiences in their past. It speaks of the "grace" of God. We may not have the most honorable past and we may be ashamed of it as we look back; yet, God does not disqualify us or kick us out. He would rather wash us, cleanse us, forgive us and then use us as trophies to His grace." (Smith)

b. It also reminds us these sons of Israel were by no means an “all-star team.” They were a corrupt and problem-filled family.

 

[Meus Renaissance]

Every faith has its devout followers. And every faith sees people converting to it, and away from it. What bounds the vast majority of these people together is that they were born into that faith. You will acknowledge that you may have very well been born into another faith and become devout following that message. How do you interpret this?

 

[Chaplain]

What bounds the vast majority of these people together is that they were born into that faith. You will acknowledge that you may have very well been born into another faith and become devout following that message. How do you interpret this?

I have heard similar views quiet a few times. It is true that many people are born into a family of people that have certain beliefs. To some, they are influenced by their surroundings and become followers of the faith their family believe in. To others, they choose not to believe in those beliefs and do their own thing in life.

Knowing this, I would like to explain some things from a Biblical perspective.

1. For a person is not a true Jew or Christian just because they were born of Jewish/Christian parents. A true believer is one whose heart is right with God. This occurs when any person, in any part of the world, repents and believes in the death (God in Christ dying on the cross) and resurrection from death of Jesus. This is called the Gospel. God wants a changed heart produced by His Spirit. The fruit of this belief will be seen in the actions of the individual person.

2. God is always looking for people who want to worship Him in spirit and in truth. This means, that regardless of where a person is or from, that God will reach them in some capacity and share with them the truth about His Son. God knows if people really want to know His truth or just be religious. God does not want religious followers. God wants children who will have a relationship with Him, and live their lives like Jesus lived (1 John 2:4-6).

3. The third point will be addressed by a quote from a commentary:

“What about the Pygmy in Africa who has never heard the gospel?” God will judge that Pygmy by what he has heard, and how he has lived by it. Of course, this means that the Pygmy will be guilty before God, because no one has perfectly lived by their conscience, or perfectly responded to what we can know of God through creation.

a. The problem of the “innocent native” is that we can’t find an innocent native anywhere.

b. “What about the Pygmy in Africa who hasn’t heard the gospel?” is a good question, but there are two far more important questions:

· What about you who hear the gospel, but reject it? What excuse is there for you?
· What about you, who are commanded to take the gospel to that Pygmy in Africa (Matthew 28:19), but refuse to do it?

 

[Chaplain]

Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. Genesis 39:1

What does name Potiphar mean?

Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him: The name Potiphar means “devoted to the sun.” It was a name connected with the Egyptian religious system.

What were Potiphar's positions?

1. An officer of Pharaoh: The ancient Hebrew word officer may be translated “eunuch.” It was a common practice in ancient times to make those highest in the royal courts eunuchs, to ensure they would be wholly devoted to their king. Because this practice was common, the term came to be used for all who served in important positions in a king’s court, whether they were eunuchs or not. So we really don’t know if Potiphar was a eunuch.

2. Captain of the guard: The idea behind this title means “chief of police,” or probably more precisely, Potiphar was head of Pharaoh’s “Secret Service,” his personal security force. He was a highly trusted official in the government of Egypt.

The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. Genesis 39:2-3

What is God trying to teach us when we have problems or go through trials?

The LORD was with Joseph: Joseph’s trial was probably worse than any of us have gone through. Yet God did not abandon him even in the smallest way. If God allowed Joseph to be a slave, then he would be a successful man even as a slave.

a. We often complain to God that He put us in a terrible or difficult place. Yet God’s will is that we trust Him to bless us and make us successful (as He measures success) wherever we are.

b. "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:2-4)

God is in control regardless of our circumstances.

He was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian: Even at this early point when it seemed Joseph had no control over circumstances - and indeed, he had none - God overruled the evil or capricious choices of man to accomplish His eternal purpose.

Joseph shows Potiphar that God exists through his actions.

And his master saw that the LORD was with him: By his trust in God, diligent work, and blessing from God, Joseph showed Potiphar that God was real. Our bosses should see the difference Jesus makes in our lives by the way we work.

a. "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:17)

So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field. Thus he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. Genesis 39:4-6

Joseph lives for God despite being a slave. What is the result of this decision?

1. He made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority: Because of God’s blessing and Joseph’s faithfulness, God made sure Joseph was advanced in his position, even as a slave.

a. It would have been easy for Joseph to do what we so often do: “write off” his present position because it seemed so bad (he was a slave, after all). But Joseph believed God could bless him right where he was, so he didn’t wait for a better situation to be blessed by God.

2. The LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake: After the same principle, blessing can be brought upon our workplace because of our presence of godliness.

God often takes His time in changing us. Why?

Thus he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand: Clearly, Joseph rose to the top, but it took a while to happen. Joseph was 17 years old when he was sold into slavery (Genesis 37:2). He was 30 when Pharaoh promoted him (Genesis 41:46), and had been in prison for two years before that (Genesis 41:1). So, he was in Potiphar’s house for 11 years. It took 11 years for the full measure of God’s blessing to be accomplished in Joseph’s life.

a. 11 years seems like a long time. Many think if advancement is from God, it must come quickly. Sometimes this is the case, but not normally. Normally, God allows good things to develop slowly. Human children have the longest development time both in the womb and in childhood compared to animals. It takes many years for an acorn to become an oak; a squash grows overnight.

b. "One of our problems is our nearsightedness. We never see what is far off, but only that which is near. This is a problem in our Christian walk, for, God is often working out processes in our life which will not come to fruition until further down the road. As we are going through these present situations, we can not see what may happen further on. We don't realize that God has this problem all worked out and planned and years from now we may see what He has been doing. In the meantime we question God and give Him a bad time. God must get tired of our unfaithfulness. We are so nearsighted that we can't see how this is all going to work out and so we complain and question God as to what He may be doing. With hindsight we can look back, and what we thought were boils were really blessings. There came the day when Joseph looked back and said, "Wow! All the way God's hand was on me." (Smith)

Joseph is trusted because of his work ethic and integrity.

He left all that he had in Joseph’s hand: Imagine Joseph as a hard worker. When he came to Egypt, he was at a great disadvantage. He knew nothing of the language, culture, customs, or ways of doing business. He had to get up early and stay up late to both do his job and to learn Egyptian ways.

a. Luther said, “Accordingly, Joseph was not only good and chaste, and not only diligently poured out prayers to God for his master, for the king, and for the whole land of Egypt, but he was also a most vigilant overseer and manager of the domestic tasks.” (cited in Boice)

b. "Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free." (Ephesians 6:7-8)

Joseph, a good looking guy.

Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance: Joseph’s appearance is of special note. The Bible only calls two other men beautiful: David (1 Samuel 16:12) and Absalom (2 Samuel 14:25).

And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her. Genesis 39:7-10

The Apostle Peter wrote, "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8)

His master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” Potiphar’s wife was undeniably forward towards Joseph. If Potiphar was indeed a eunuch, it shows that his wife looked for sexual activity elsewhere.

a. Perhaps Potiphar was a eunuch, and the marriage was purely a ceremonial arrangement, so she felt free to seek sexual relationships outside the marital bond.

b. Of course, Joseph was an attractive man, and this had something to do with it. That he seemed “out of reach” to Potiphar’s wife surely was a factor. She would not be the first or last woman who desired to seduce a man out of a sense of challenge.

c. Also, it seems that in the ancient world, the code of morality for women in Egypt (even married women) was loose. Egyptian women had a reputation for immorality in the ancient world.

Potiphar’s wife asks Joseph to commit adultery with her.

Lie with me: This was bold and strong temptation to Joseph. It reminds us that when we face strong temptations, other have faced the same. Satan wants you to think your temptation is terribly unique; that no one you know could understand what you are going through. But there is no temptation that has overtaken us except what is common among men (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Joseph shows us how to resist temptation.

She spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her: Joseph showed remarkable faithfulness towards God, Potiphar, and himself by resisting this temptation for so long - perhaps up to 11 years.

a. Joseph let his faith be known. Potiphar (and others, presumably) knew Joseph was blessed because of his relationship with God (Genesis 39:3). Joseph had to have said something about his relationship with God for this to be the case.

b. Joseph kept busy. You don’t advance the way he did unless you are a busy worker. An old Turkish proverb says, “Men are usually tempted by the devil, but an idle man positively tempts the devil.”

c. Joseph was careful to never be alone with his temptation. Joseph wisely even avoided being alone around Potiphar’s wife (or to be with her).

d. Joseph called the act what it was: sin. He referred to this sin set before him as this great wickedness and sin against God. We want to call sin by another name. Hostility and temper are “self-expression.” Pride is “self-esteem.” Gluttony is “the good life.” Covetousness is “trying to get ahead.” Perversion is “an alternative lifestyle.” Adultery is “a cry for help in a bad marriage.”

e. Joseph knew how greatly his sin would affect others. Often times we want to deny the harmful effects our sin will have. When we look at a charred mountainside, and all there is left is ashes and ruin, we despise the careless person who started the fire. Sin is no less destructive. Joseph never gave in to the illusion that he could do this and never be discovered, or somehow it wouldn’t matter.

f. Joseph knew that his sin was a sin against God. One might justify sinning against another person who has done us wrong, but how can we sin against God? David reflects this same heart in his prayer of repentance: Against You and You only have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight (Psalm 51:4). Of course, David had also sinned against Uriah, against Bathsheba, against their child, against his family, and against his people; but those were of far less consequence than his sin against God.

g. Joseph just said “No!” He refused. Sometimes it just comes down to that. We have to refuse and say “no” to sin, even when we feel like saying “yes.” Knowing the fleshly inclination of men - their ability to detach sex from romance and love, and be promiscuous - this is wonderful obedience on the part of Joseph.

How we view God will affect how we live.

How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? Obedience is much easier when we know who God is. “When I regarded God as a tyrant, I thought sin a trifle; but when I knew him to be my father, then I mourned that I could ever have kicked against him. When I thought that God was hard, I found it easy to sin; but when I found God so kind, so good, so overflowing with compassion, I smote upon my breast to think that I could ever have rebelled against one who loved me so, and sought my good.” (Spurgeon)

a. "Joseph realized that all sin is against God. You may rationalize, in your mind, what you have done to another; but, your sin was against God. You may think you got by with it, but God saw it and He will judge you for it. Talking to God, David said, "Against you and you only have I sinned." All evil is done in the sight of God. With this awareness: I am something special, I am God's child, the man is trusting in me, sin is a great wickedness and sin is against God; Joseph was able to thwart the advances of Potiphar's wife." (Smith)

But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, that she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside. Genesis 39:11-12

Joseph resists Potiphar's wife brazen attempt at seduction.

1. When Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, that she caught him: Potiphar’s wife knew Joseph was avoiding her, so she made a deliberate plan to entrap him. Surely, it was she who made certain none of the men of the house was inside.

2. She caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside: Joseph resisted this tremendous moment of temptation when he ran outside. Joseph did what we are all supposed to do when faced with this kind of situation: he fled and ran. 2 Timothy 2:22 makes it clear: Flee also youthful lusts.

a. If we are not actually running towards sin, we have a tendency to at least linger in its presence. But we are commanded to do the only safe thing: run away from these lusts of the flesh, and run as fast as we can.

b. The KJV says at Genesis 39:12, He left the garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. Joseph got him out. No one else was going to get him out. God provides a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13), but you have to take the way out.

3. He left his garment: The idea is not that he ran away naked, but that his outer garment was stripped off. Essentially, he left in his underwear.

4. Fled and ran outside: Joseph had to know this stand for purity would cost him dearly, but he considered it worth it.

 

[Chaplain]

And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside, that she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, “See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. And it happened, when he heard that I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me, and fled and went outside.” So she kept his garment with her until his master came home. Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me; so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside.” Genesis 39:13-18

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice: It must have offended and grieved Joseph to be accused under such an outrageous lie. Yet he did not seem to defend himself against this false accusation, even as Jesus was silent before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7 and Matthew 27:13-14).

So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, “Your servant did to me after this manner,” that his anger was aroused. Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison. Genesis 39:19-20

Joseph sent to prison for life for the false accusation of attempted rape.

Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison: It seems that Joseph was given a sentence of life imprisonment. This was a hard penalty, but the normal punishment for such a crime (attempted rape) by a slave upon a high official’s wife would likely be death. Joseph was given a merciful sentence.

What was going on in Potiphar's mind during all of this?

His anger was aroused: Potiphar went easy on Joseph because he suspected his wife’s role in the matter. The anger aroused may have not been directed towards Joseph, but against the wife for manipulating him into a situation where, to save face, he had to dismiss the man who made the whole household run well.

a. “Death was the only penalty Joseph could reasonably expect. His reprieve presumably owed much to the respect he had won; and Potiphar’s mingled wrath and restraint may reflect a faint misgiving about the full accuracy of the charge.” (Kidner)

b. "The plot thickens and it grows darker. First he is sold by his brothers as a slave, then he has to go through the pressure of this woman trying to seduce him and now she files these false charges against him and he is in prison. Joseph doesn't say, God, where are you? God, how can you allow this to happen to me? God, I'm innocent, this isn't fair. Joseph doesn't speak up in his own defense. He doesn't answer the charge, but submits to the whole thing. Amazing person this man, Joseph. The only thing that you can deduce is that Joseph was so committed to God that he realized that all things work together for good." (Smith)

But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing. The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper. Genesis 39:21-23

How is it that Joseph continues to prosper?

But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy: If God blessed Joseph in the pit, if He blessed Joseph the slave, we are not be surprised to see Him bless Joseph in prison. None of these terrible circumstances derailed God’s plan for Joseph’s life.

a. The dominating theme is Joseph succeeded because of the blessing of God:

· The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man (Genesis 39:2)
· His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand (Genesis 39:3)
· The LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had (Genesis 39:5)

b. Even after Joseph is falsely accused and thrown into prison, God still blesses:

· But the LORD was with Joseph (Genesis 39:21)
· The LORD was with him (Genesis 39:23)

c. “It is but of little consequence where the lot of a servant of God may be cast; like Joseph he is ever employed for his master, and God honors him and prospers his work.” (Clarke)

Joseph is promoted despite the lies others have told about him.

The keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing: As it was in the house of Potiphar, Joseph rose to the top, becoming the chief administrator of the prison. Through his experience in both places, God sharpened the administrative skills Joseph needed to one day save his family and save the whole world.

a. "The LORD can be with us, even in the most adverse circumstances and cause us to prosper. As we will find out next week, God's hand is in all this imprisonment. It's a part of God's long range plan. What if Joseph had given up and escaped out of prison? He could have fouled up God's whole plan. I wonder how many times we foul up God's plan by bailing out when the pressure is on? When we get too impatient to wait on God and go on in our own fleshly way, we can mess up the whole plan of God. Do you realize that Joseph was confined for years? Yet, God is working and even in the experience, God's hand is on him. In the overall sense, God is working out such a fantastic program. God is working in your life. Maybe you're going through some heavy waters right now and you can't understand your circumstances, but if you're a child of God, all things are working together for good. If you will just commit your ways unto God, you will find that God is going to bring you such victory and glory that it will be hard to believe." (Smith)

It came to pass after these things that the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker. So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; so they were in custody for a while. Genesis 40:1-4

Who was the butler and the baker?

The butler and the baker of the king of Egypt: The butler was in charge of Pharaoh’s wine. The baker was in charge of Pharaoh’s food. They were imprisoned because they offended their lord, the king of Egypt. It is difficult to tell if it was in a minor or a major way. Considering how the account will develop, it is probable there was a plot to murder the Pharaoh (perhaps by poisoning).

a. But we never lose sight of the over-arching reason: whatever external reason they were sent to prison, they were really there to meet Joseph.

Did Potiphar really believe that Joseph tried to rape his wife?

The captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: This favorable treatment of Joseph by the captain of the guard shows that Potiphar did not really believe the accusations his wife made against Joseph. We know this because Potiphar himself was the captain of the guard (Genesis 39:1).

Joseph models how a boss should be to those under him.

And he served them: Though Joseph had a position of high authority in the prison, he did not use it to make other serve him. He used his high position to serve others.

a. Jesus said, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)

Then the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation. And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were sad. So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in the custody of his lord’s house, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?” Genesis 40:5-7

"Joseph shows concern for the butler and baker." (Guzik)

Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were sad: This is a window into the heart of Joseph. Men who are consumed with anger and bitterness do not take a concern for the personal problems of others like this.

Joseph shows us how to avoid self-centeredness.

Why do you look so sad today? It would be easy - perhaps technically true - for Joseph to think that because of all the wrong done against him, everything should revolve around his own feelings and hurts. Instead, he cared that the butler and the baker looked so sad one day.

a. This is one of the keys to living like Jesus: being an others-centered person. Joseph could have justified certain self-centeredness in his life (“I have to take care of myself right now”), but he did not.

And they said to him, “We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.” So Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.” Genesis 40:8

"Joseph invites them to tell him their disturbing dreams." (Guzik)

Tell them to me, please: This was not a case of mere discussion of dreams for the sake of curiosity or a form of fortune telling. Joseph saw these men were clearly disturbed by their dreams, and approached the dreams from a desire to meet their needs.

Joseph knew God could tell him what the dream was about.

Do not interpretations belong to God? Joseph has experience with dreams. His two dreams about his future greatness antagonized his family (Genesis 37:5-11), and he was mocked as the dreamer (Genesis 37:19-20).

a. Joseph was confident that God knew what the dream was about. He was like the one boy who told another, “My father and I know everything.” When the other boy asked a hard question, the boy just said, “That’s one for my dad.” Joseph knew he and his Father together knew everything.

Every dream is not from God.

Do not interpretations belong to God? God may certainly speak through dreams and many passages of Scripture show this (Genesis 20:3; 28:12; 31:11; 31:24; Numbers 12:6; 1 Samuel 28:6; Joel 2:28; Matthew 1:20; 2:13; 2:22). However, not every dream is a revelation from God. We must be careful about putting too much weight on dreams.

a. Dreams can come just because our minds are busy: A dream comes through much activity . . . For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity (Ecclesiastes 5:3, 7).

b. The Bible warns of false prophets using dreams to give weight to their message (Deuteronomy 13:1-5, Jeremiah 23:25-28).

 

[Chaplain]

Then the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “Behold, in my dream a vine was before me, and in the vine were three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes. Then Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” And Joseph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days. Now within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand according to the former manner, when you were his butler. But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house. For indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon.” Genesis 40:9-15

"The butler explains his dream." (Guzik)

In my dream a vine was before me, and in the vine were three branches: Though this dream was from God, God used figures and pictures that made sense to the butler (a vine, grapes, and serving the Pharaoh wine).

God tells Joseph the meaning of the dream.

The three branches are three days. Now within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place: There are aspects to this dream that could not have been guessed, such as the three branches representing three days. Joseph’s interpretation of this dream came from God, not his own wisdom.

a. Joseph was bold enough to give an interpretation that could be proved right or wrong within three days. In only three days, everyone will know if Joseph was correct or not.

Joseph asks the butler not to forget him, and to help him get released.

Remember me when it is well with you: Joseph asked the butler to work for his release. Though Joseph showed godly character in the Egyptian prison by not becoming angry and bitter in his heart, he wasn’t stupid either. He wanted to get out, and used appropriate means to do so.

a. Joseph could have had “fatalistic faith,” saying, “Well, if the LORD wants me out of prison, He will do it, and I won’t have to do anything.” It is true that Joseph will not get out of prison until the LORD wants it. But none of that precludes Joseph taking wise and good steps to accomplish what he thinks to be God’s will. The butler won’t remember until God wants him to anyway.

When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and there were three white baskets on my head. In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.” So Joseph answered and said, “This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you.” Genesis 40:16-19

The baker sees that Joseph had given the first dream a good interpretation.

When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good: The baker was encouraged that his companion had a good interpretation of his dream, but he found out his dream did not tell of good to come.

Joseph tells the baker the truth about the Pharaoh ordering his death.

1. Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree: Joseph was just as faithful to deliver the heavy message as he was to deliver the happy message. This is the mark of a godly preacher, who does not fail to bring the whole counsel of God.

a. “How many there are who are willing to preach the cupbearer’s sermon but are unwilling to preach the baker’s sermon!” (Boice)

2. The birds will eat your flesh from you: This is a disgraceful death, but Joseph must have understood that the fate of the butler and the baker was each according to justice. Whatever crime they were suspected of, the butler was innocent but the baker was guilty.

Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. Then he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. Genesis 40:20-23

"The dreams come to pass exactly according to Joseph’s interpretations." (Guzik)

Now it came to pass on the third day: The three days until Joseph was proved right must have been agonizing for the butler and the baker (though more so for the baker), yet Joseph was found to be a true messenger of God.

The butler forgot about Joseph once he got out of prison.

Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him: Here Joseph is wronged again. He thought that butler’s kindness might mean his release from prison, but it was not to be. God had another purpose.

a. "I'm sure, at this time, that Joseph had a glimmer of hope, thinking when this guy gets to the Pharaoh and tells him my story; surely, the Pharaoh will pardon me and I will split for home and get back to my father. That is exactly what God didn't want him to do. God didn't want him going home. He had a task for him to do here in Egypt. So God allowed the butler to forget about Joseph. For two years Joseph continued there in the prison, forgotten by the butler. Two years in which the time seemed like an eternity to Joseph." (Smith)

b. "Where is God? I believe, that Joseph was praying the whole while that God would free him, that God would plead his case, that God would work on his behalf. He trusted in God, but it seemed like heaven was silent, and that God was deaf. Surely, he had a right to challenge the goodness of God, the love of God; because Joseph couldn't see the end of the story. It's hard for us to get the full impact of it because we "know" the end of the story. If you would close the book right here at the end of chapter forty, and say, "Boy what a sad thing, the butler has forgotten him." You could easily jump to the conclusion that God is not fair, that God is not good, that God is not loving. When you see the rest of the story unfolding as it begins to unfold in chapter forty-one, you say God is so good and you have a totally different concept of Him. Now that is where the big problem lies, as we are in the midst of our trials we can't see the whole story." (Smith)

c. "What is it to charge God foolishly? God doesn't love me. If God loved me then why would this happen to me? I don't think that God cares for me at all. I don't think that God is interested in me. I think that God has forgotten all about me. That is charging God foolishly, but, we sometimes do that because we are making our judgments on incomplete data." (Smith)

d. All men God uses greatly, He first prepares greatly. Few are willing to endure the greatness of God’s preparation. God orders both our steps and stops.

Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river. Suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow. Then behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the river. And the ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine looking and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke. He slept and dreamed a second time; and suddenly seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, plump and good. Then behold, seven thin heads, blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them. And the seven thin heads devoured the seven plump and full heads. So Pharaoh awoke, and indeed, it was a dream. Genesis 41:1-7

Why God kept Joseph in prison for two more years.

At the end of two full years: Joseph was in prison - forgotten by the royal butler - for two years now. But God had a purpose in the delay, and now the purpose is explained. After all, if God wanted it, the butler could have remembered Joseph a year or more earlier. But God moved in His perfect timing.

Pharaoh’s dreams.

Pharaoh had a dream: In Pharaoh’s dream, seven fat cows came out of the waters of the Nile and were consumed by seven gaunt cows. Then in a second dream, seven thin heads devoured seven fat heads of wheat.

Now it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh. Then the chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying: “I remember my faults this day. When Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, both me and the chief baker, we each had a dream in one night, he and I. Each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. Now there was a young Hebrew man with us there, a servant of the captain of the guard. And we told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us; to each man he interpreted according to his own dream. And it came to pass, just as he interpreted for us, so it happened. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.” Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh. Genesis 41:8-14

Pharaoh's magicians and wise men can't interpret his dreams. Why?

Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them: Egypt’s magicians were impressive, yet they could not interpret the dreams. Pharaoh knew they were significant, yet no one could give a suitable explanation of their meaning.

a. "Later on when Moses demands the release of the children of Israel from Pharaoh, he took his rod and threw it down and the rod turned into a serpent. The Pharaohs magicians, did the same thing. Then Moses serpent ate up all their serpents. These guys had some pretty powerful demonic stuff going for them, but, "Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." (I John 4:4). These magicians of Egypt were really into the magical arts of the occult. They were into Satanism, and the spirit realm and were probably able to interpret dreams that came from the satanic realm; but, this dream came from God and they were unable to cross a spiritual barrier here and so, could not interpret the dream of the Pharaoh." (Smith)

God's plan for Joseph is finally revealed.

1. I remember my faults this day: The butler finally remembered Joseph and confessed the wrong he did against him. He recommended Joseph to Pharaoh as a man who interprets dreams.

a. "Two years later when the Pharaoh was troubled by this dream and no one being able to interpret it, God brought Joseph into the mind of this butler. God's timing is now perfect. Gods plan is ready now to go into operation. It was for this reason, God put the evil thought of selling him as a slave into the minds of Joseph’s brothers. It was for this reason Potiphar's wife set her eyes upon Joseph and cried, "rape," when he refused to seduce her. It was for this reason that Joseph spent time in jail that he might meet the butler and that the butler spent time in jail that he might meet Joseph and the ultimate purpose that Pharaoh might meet Joseph." (Smith)

2. Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon: When it was in the timing of God to get Joseph out of prison, it all happened quickly. Often, we feel there are long periods of time when God doesn’t do anything, but when His timing is right everything can come together in an instant.

a. "When Paul stood amidst the Greek philosophers, the Epicureans there on Mars Hill; he was standing above the forum, and down below was the Agoura, (the market place) where you could see the great temples at either end. Paul said, "You are very religious people. I have been going through your streets, and I have been observing your worship. I have seen all of the altars that you have. As I was walking down a street there in the market place, I saw an altar and it was inscribed to the Unknown God. I would like to tell you about that God. He is the God that created the whole universe and in Him we live and we move and we have our being." God is working out details and circumstances in your life. Jesus said, "There is not a sparrow that falls to the ground but what your Father isn't aware of it." Now if your Father is that aware of sparrows, how much more is He aware of you and the situations of your life. One thing that Jesus taught us and that is Gods complete concern for man. With the very intricate details of man; such trivia as: how many hairs there are on your head. God knows your life fully and completely and He is bringing about all circumstances of your life. Now with Joseph we are about to see the plan of God unfolding and we will begin to understand a little better as we move along in our reading some of the hardships and grief, the sorrow, and the problems that he faced earlier in his life." (Smith)

b. During the times we think God isn’t doing anything, He is doing the work most important to Him: developing our character and transforming us into the image of Jesus Christ.

And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.” So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” Genesis 41:15-16

Joseph tells Pharaoh that it is not him who knows what the dream means, but only God.

1. It is not in me: Pharaoh gave Joseph a golden opportunity to glorify himself, but Joseph will have none of it. He did not use this as an opportunity to glorify himself before Pharaoh, but only to glorify God.

a. "We find this so many places through the scriptures. These men that were so used of God were men who were never willing to take credit for the gift of God. Yes, he was anointed of God. God had given him a gift to interpret dreams, but it was by Gods power. When Daniel was brought before Nebuchadnezzar to interpret his dream, he said to Daniel, I understand you can interpret dreams and Daniel said, "No you got it wrong king, I can't interpret dreams but there is a God in heaven who knows everything and He is able to give you the understanding of your dream. If only we would learn to give God the credit for what He has done. It is such a shame today that so many people are going around taking bows for what God has done. Well, we have discovered this formula and we will be glad to train you and teach you how you too can be a great success. Put down your money and we will make a success out of you. We have the formula, we have the answer. Man is so willing to take credit for what God has done, to take the glory and stand up and take the bow. It is not in me, Joseph said, God will give Pharaoh the answer of peace." (Smith)

2. God will give Pharaoh and answer of peace: Joseph seems much wiser and perhaps more humble than he did before, considering the way he told his brothers his previous dreams in a self-glorying way.

a. God’s work of character building was being accomplished in Joseph even when he perhaps thought nothing was happening.

 

[Thorndyke]

"God put the evil thought of selling him as a slave into the minds of Joseph’s brothers." (smith)



...Why would God do that? I can understand the idea that he can use bad situations for His will but am I interpreting this incorrectly as God literally putting an evil thought into someone's mind?

 

[Emwitus]

"God put the evil thought of selling him as a slave into the minds of Joseph’s brothers." (smith)



...Why would God do that? I can understand the idea that he can use bad situations for His will but am I interpreting this incorrectly as God literally putting an evil thought into someone's mind?

I've always thot it out as God lets evil things happen and not particularly cause them imo tho

 

[Meus Renaissance]

Today I learnt an interesting component in support of the resurrection of Christ; the testimony of the two women cited in scripture. In ancient times, the testimony of women - particularly of those like Mary Magdalene - would not have been accepted in courts or matters of serious concern, so its very unlikely that the authors would have added this unless they were certain the event occurred as described.

 

[Chaplain]

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “Behold, in my dream I stood on the bank of the river. Suddenly seven cows came up out of the river, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow. Then behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such ugliness as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt. And the gaunt and ugly cows ate up the first seven, the fat cows. When they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were just as ugly as at the beginning. So I awoke. Also I saw in my dream, and suddenly seven heads came up on one stalk, full and good. Then behold, seven heads, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them. And the thin heads devoured the seven good heads. So I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.” Genesis 41

"Pharaoh tells Joseph his dream." (Guzik)

They were just as ugly as at the beginning: More details of the dream come out on the second telling. When the skinny cows ate the fat cows, they themselves did not become fat.

Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do: The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years; the dreams are one. And the seven thin and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads blighted by the east wind are seven years of famine. This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt; but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land. So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe. And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.” Genesis 41:25-32

God shows Pharaoh the future.

The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do: The seven cows and seven heads of grain each represent seven years. There will be seven years of plenty and abundance, then seven years of want and famine. The years of famine will be so bad that the good years will be forgotten.

a. "There is one interpretation for both dreams and God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. God has placed in the heart of kings His mind, His will. Interesting, that God did exactly the same thing to Nebuchadnezzar. Both of these men were pagan kings, yet, God spoke to them in dreams revealing the future and what He was about to do." (Smith)

What was the purpose of repeating the dream twice?

The dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God: Joseph saw the confirming hand of God in the repetition of the dream. He knew the principle of by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established (Deuteronomy 19:15), even if he didn’t have it written in Scripture yet. The repetition also gave Joseph a sense of urgency: God will shortly bring it to pass.

God uses evil situations and the evil of others for good.

God will: Joseph knew the matter was entirely in the hands of God. God had a purpose for the dream, a purpose for the timing, a purpose for the famine, a purpose for Joseph being in jail, and a purpose for everything.

“Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine.” Genesis 41:33-36

All of the years Joseph had spent in prison and Potiphar's, the skills God wanted him to learn, are finally used to save the lives of a nation.

1. Let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years: Joseph shows both his boldness and his gift of administration. No responsible administrator would present such news without also suggesting a plan to meet the coming crisis.

2. That the land may not perish during the famine: Joseph sensed there was a reason why God gave this word to Pharaoh. It was so he could prepare for the coming crisis. This wasn’t just gossip from heaven to earth. It was an urgent call to action.

God loves working with mankind.

Select a discerning and wise man: God picks a man when He has something to accomplish. He uses people to further His plan. “God always works through men performing tasks on the earth.” (Barnhouse)

So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him over all the land of Egypt. Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnath-Paaneah. And he gave him as a wife Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. So Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. Genesis 41:37-45

The first mention in the Bible of a person be filled with the Spirit of God.

In whom is the Spirit of God: This is the first mention in the Bible of the Holy Spirit coming upon a man. Pharaoh saw that Joseph was filled with the Spirit of God.

a. "They recognized that there was a quality in Joseph that set him above the crowd and that he wasn't an ordinary person. Joseph had gone through thirteen years of severe testing, trails, hardships and still there was that quality about him. What was it they saw? They recognized the Spirit of God in him. Oh, what a difference the Spirit of God makes in our lives. How we need the Spirit of God in control in our lives. Can we find a man like this in whom is the Spirit of God?" (Smith)

God will often take years to develop our character .

Only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you: Joseph has now gone from the pit to the pinnacle, but it took some 13 years to happen. From the outside, Joseph looked like an “overnight success,” but it was more than 13 years in the making.

a. Joseph is a good example of a man who seemed to have all the gifts and talents for leadership, but God developed his character and talents over many years. Gifts and talents may be impressive and immediate, but character is what God looks for and always takes time to develop.

What does Joseph's new name "Zaphnath-Paaneah" mean?

And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnath-Paaneah: Jewish legends say each letter of Joseph’s Egyptian name means something. Linking them all together, the name is “Seer - redeemer - prophet - supporter - interpreter of dreams - clever - discreet - wise.”

a. More likely the name means, God Speaks and He Lives, referring to God’s word coming through Joseph, his own preservation, and the way he has preserved the country.

Is there any background info on Joseph's new wife?

And he gave him as a wife Asenath: Jewish legends (fabrications, really) say Asenath was really the daughter of Dinah and Shechem, who was many years earlier abandoned at the border of Egypt, and she was adopted into the family of an Egyptian priest.

Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth abundantly. So he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them. Joseph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable. Genesis 41:46-49

"The seven years of plenty came to pass." (Guzik)

1. He gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt: Joseph did what was right. He actually stored up the grain during the seven years of plenty.

2. Joseph gathered very much grain: It seems it was customary for Pharaoh to take 10% of the grain in Egypt as a tax. Essentially, Joseph doubled the taxes over the next seven years (Genesis 41:34 mentions one-fifth, that is, 20%).

And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.” And the name of the second he called Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.” Genesis 41:50-52

Joseph has two sons and his state of heart at this time.

1. Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: From his Egyptian wife, Joseph fathered Manasseh, whose name means “forgetfulness.” This was because God made Joseph to forget all the previous pain and trial in his life. His second son is Ephraim, which means “fruitfulness,” because God made Joseph fruitful in Egypt.

a. We can’t be doubly fruitful until we are also forgetting. In his book The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis described hell as a place where no one forgets anything, remembering every slight, every cruel exchange of words, every wrong ever done to them, and everybody is utterly unforgiving. But in heaven all these things are put away because all things have become new.

2. For God has made me forget . . . For God has caused me to be fruitful: Joseph did not forget the faith of his fathers even though he rose to great glory in Egypt and had an Egyptian wife. As a sign of this his children were given Hebrew names not Egyptian names.

Then the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt ended, and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.” The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt. So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands. Genesis 41:53-57

God used Joseph's suffering to help millions of people.

1. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread: Because of Joseph’s wise preparation, Egypt became a supply source for the whole region, which experiences this severe famine.

2. So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain: The people in Canaan - including Joseph’s family - also suffered from this famine. But God made wise (though unexpected provision) for them by sending Joseph ahead of the family.

a. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Joseph did not have Romans 8:28 on paper, but he had it in his heart. A Christian today may very well have it on paper, but not on the heart.

"So far in the Book of Genesis, Joseph is a remarkable picture of Jesus Christ." (Guzik)

1. Was a shepherd.
2. Loved by his father.
3. Sent unto his brethren.
4. Hated by his brothers.
5. Prophesied his coming glory.
6. Rejected by his brothers.
7. Endured unjust punishment from his brothers.
8. Sentenced to the pit.
9. Delivered to the pit, though a leader knew he should go free.
10. Sold for pieces of silver.
11. Handed over to the Gentiles.
12. Regarded as dead, but raised out of the pit.
13. Went to Egypt.
14. Made a servant.
15. Tempted severely, but did not sin.
16. Falsely accused.
17. Made no defense.
18. Cast into prison, and numbered with sinners and criminals.
19. Endured unjust punishment from Gentiles.
20. Associated with two other criminals; one is pardoned and one is not.

a. Some associate the butler, with his wine, and the baker with the elements of communion. Along the same lines, some associate the three-day period before their case is resolved with the three days before the resurrection of Jesus.

21. Showed compassion.
22. Brought a message of deliverance in prison.
23. Wanted to be remembered.
24. Shown to have divine wisdom.
25. Recognized as having the Spirit of God.
26. Betrayed by friends.
27. Glorified after his humility.
28. Honored among Gentiles while still despised or forgotten by his brethren.
29. Given a Gentile bride.
30. Was 30 years old when he began his life’s work.
31. Blessed the world with bread.
32. Became the only source of bread for the world.
33. The world was instructed to go to him and do whatever he said to do.
34. Was given the name “God Speaks and He Lives.”

 

[Chaplain]

"God put the evil thought of selling him as a slave into the minds of Joseph’s brothers." (smith)

...Why would God do that? I can understand the idea that he can use bad situations for His will but am I interpreting this incorrectly as God literally putting an evil thought into someone's mind?

There are at least two verses in the Bible that allude to this. But I can't find them. I will talk to some friends about this to see if they remember where these verses are.

That being said, God does use the evil of others for specific purposes. At the end of Genesis, Joseph said that all the evil that the brothers did was meant by God for good. (Genesis 50:20)

I've always thot it out as God lets evil things happen and not particularly cause them imo tho

We each have freewill when it comes to listening to the thoughts in our head. We can either listen to them or ignore them. The brothers knew it was wrong try and kill their brother, put him in a pit, and sell him as a slave. God knew all of this was going to happen, and used it to save the lives of millions of people through the food shortage that would come 13 years later.

On a side note, please pray for the following situation:

Mali’s Sharia Nightmare [Excerpts]

The Islamist group Ansar Dine (Defenders of Faith), along with its other Islamist and al-Qaeda allies, is creating a terrifying Sharia-run state in northern Mali, complete with public floggings, group amputations, and death by stoning.

Ansar Dine, along with the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (Mujao) and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), first gained control over northern Mali in April after it commandeered a rebellion originally launched by ethnic Tuareg separatists against the Mali government.

Since then, as part of their consolidation of power in the region -- an area roughly the size of Texas -- the Islamist Ansar Dine and Mujao have been busily imposing Sharia law in the towns and cities of northern Mali, including the region's largest cities of Timbuktu, Kidal, and Gao.

To that end, the Islamists have issued edicts against a wide range of acts they deem to be "haraam" (forbidden), behaviors such as smoking or selling cigarettes; drinking or selling alcoholic beverages; listening to music; failing to attend daily prayers; or women failing to cover themselves appropriately.

For those unfortunate enough to run afoul of these restrictions, the punishments are exceedingly harsh, punitive measures which include public beatings, floggings, amputations, and summary executions, such as death by stoning.

Carrying out the punishments are designated Islamic police, assisted in their tasks by a growing cadre of child soldiers, some as young as 11, who have been recruited into the Islamist ranks to serve as spies, guards, cooks and patrol officers.

Of course, figuring what type of punishment is appropriate for the crime committed is determined by the nuanced complexities of Sharia law, intricacies explained by Oumar Ould Hamaha of the Mujao in the recent case in Gao of a group amputation in which the right hand and left foot of five suspected thieves were cut off.

Hamaha said the Islamists amputated the right hand and left foot of the men because "According to the Sharia, the men had to face double punishment for theft and highway robbery. The sentence for theft is to cut a hand, and the sentence for highway robbery is cutting the opposite leg."

While theft may result in the loss of several appendages, it's a markedly better punishment than for those accused of having children out of wedlock, as was the case of a young couple who was stoned to death in July by members of Ansar Dine in the Malian town of Aguelhok near the Algerian border.

http://frontpagemag.com/2012/frank-crimi/mali’s-sharia-nightmare/

 

[Chaplain]

When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” And he said, “Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die.” So Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “Lest some calamity befall him.” Genesis 42:1-4

Why do the brothers react strangely to the news that they need to go Egypt?

Why do you look at one another? Jacob noticed a strange expression among the brothers when Egypt was mentioned, because the brothers knew it was likely Joseph was sold as a slave there. Their conscience made them feel terrible any time Egypt was mentioned.

a. “The father has noted the look of perplexity in his son’s faces” . . . literally, the phrase means, “to look questioningly one at the other.” (Leupold)

b. “The word Egypt in their ears must have sounded like the word rope in the house of a man who has hanged himself.” (Barnhouse)

c. Joseph’s brothers had lived with a terrible secret these 20 years. They never talked about it but it never left them. Any mention of Joseph or Egypt would dredge up the guilt. They needed to be set free from the power of this terrible secret

What happens when we let pain remain in our hearts?

1. Lest some calamity befall him: The impression we have of Jacob from this chapter is of a man who is bitter and pessimistic about everything. Because of this calamity, he believes another disaster is on the way.

2. Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin: In keeping with this attitude, he demanded Benjamin be left behind. Though he had 11 sons only one was a son of his beloved wife Rachel, and Jacob felt he must protect him.

a. Yet, if Jacob only knew! If he could only trust the hand of God which he could not see! In fact, the only reason there is grain in Egypt to provide for their needs is because God sent Joseph on ahead. God knew what He was doing.

b. Famine is not a good thing, but God used it. God can and does use material need and lack in our life to get us to do things we normally would never do. Normally, the brothers would never go to Egypt. But need drove them to Egypt.

And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth. Genesis 42:5-6

Joseph's dreams become true.

1. Bowed down before him with their faces to the earth: They knew that in this time of famine, their lives literally depended on this Egyptian official. Therefore they paid him great respect by bowing.

2. With their faces to the earth: Obviously, this reminded Joseph of the dream he had some 20 years before, that his brothers would bow down to him (Genesis 37:5-8).

a. When Joseph’s brothers plotted murder against him and sold him into slavery they did it specifically attempting to defeat his dreams (Genesis 37:19-20). Instead, by sending Joseph to Egypt, they provided the way the dreams would be fulfilled.

b. The great and glorious truth of God’s providence is He can and does use the evil actions of man towards us to further His good plan. This never excuses man’s evil, but it means God’s wisdom and goodness are greater than man’s evil. Surely the wrath of man shall praise You (Psalm 76:10).

Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them. Then he said to them, “Where do you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.” So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!” And they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. “We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men; your servants are not spies.” But he said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land.” And they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and in fact, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more.” But Joseph said to them, “It is as I spoke to you, saying, ‘You are spies!’ In this manner you shall be tested: By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of you, and let him bring your brother; and you shall be kept in prison, that your words may be tested to see whether there is any truth in you; or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies!” So he put them all together in prison three days. Genesis 42:7-17

"Joseph interrogates his brothers and puts them into prison." (Guzik)

Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted as a stranger: Joseph, speaking through an interpreter (he did not yet want to reveal that he speaks Hebrew), did not reveal his identity to his brothers, but instead treated them roughly.

Why did Joseph not reveal himself to his brothers at this time?

Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them: Joseph was not playing games with his bothers. Some commentators believe that if it were up to Joseph, he would have revealed himself to his brothers right then and there. But God recalled the dreams to his mind and guided him to be an instrument for the correction and restoration of the brothers.

a. God can, and must, sometimes use ways we think are harsh to call us to where He wants us to be. We must never resent it, because it was the hardness of our hearts that demanded it. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word. (Psalm 119:67)

The brothers lie that Joseph was dead.

One is no more: This was a lie, and the brothers knew it. They had every reason to believe Joseph was not dead, but living a horrible life of slavery. Perhaps they had repeated the lie to themselves so often they came to believe it.

Then Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God: If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined to your prison house; but you, go and carry grain for the famine of your houses. And bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so. Genesis 42:18-20

"Joseph gives the terms for their release from prison." (Guzik)

1. Do this and live: After three days in an Egyptian prison, the brothers ready to agree to whatever Joseph wanted them to do. This was good, because Joseph was clearly in control.

2. If you are honest men: Joseph’s demand was clear. They had to prove they were not spies by proving they were honest and that they told the truth about the brother back home. The brothers agreed to this (And they did so) but only reluctantly, because they knew their father would never want to part with Benjamin.

What would it mean that an Egyptian said that they feared God?

I fear God: Joseph didn’t want his brothers to fear him as much as he wanted his brothers to trust him. If the brothers were wise enough to consider what this really meant, it would be a great comfort to them.

a. "Now that should have given them a little bit of insight. Here is an Egyptian (as far as they are concerned) who were very polytheistic; yet, he is declaring to them, I fear God." (Smith)

Then they said to one another, “We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us.” And Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not speak to you, saying, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us.” But they did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter. And he turned himself away from them and wept. Then he returned to them again, and talked with them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. Genesis 42:21-24

The power of guilt, and the only cure for removing guilt.

We are truly guilty concerning our brother: They thought this mess was before them because of the way they treated Joseph before, and their conscience was pricked. This was a good sign. The quickness with which they associated these events with their sin against Joseph probably meant they often remembered their sin against him.

a. There was not a completely logical connection between their current situation and their previous treatment of Joseph. But a guilty conscience sees every trouble as sin’s penalty.

b. "They realized that though they had tried to get rid of the sense of guilt for what they did to their younger brother, still it is coming back and haunting them. Guilt is so hard to get rid of. You may think that you have suppressed it, you may think that you know you have gotten that out of your mind and now you are free, but given the right set of circumstances that haunting guilt is still there and rises as a spectator." (Smith)

c. "From a psychological standpoint, guilt creates the subconscious desire for punishment which is manifested in self injury, accidents or in neurotic behavior patterns. Guilt can drive you crazy. It can make a nut out of you, make you do nutty things. That is why when you go to a psychologist after you are doing all these weird, quirky things, the first thing he seeks to do is find out what you feel guilty about. He gives you a battery of tests, and finds out what you are doing that makes you feel so guilty. You have a subconscious desire to punish yourself and thus you have started the neurotic behavioral pattern. You are doing all these weird things to bring upon yourself the disapproval from your peers, rebuke, and punishment; because, subconsciously, you desire to be punished for the wrong you did. From a spiritual point, guilt will destroy you." (Smith)

d. The United States government has something called the Federal Conscience Fund, which collects money people send in because they know they cheated the government in some way. People have sent in money because they took army blankets for souvenirs, for cheating on postage, or on income tax. But our consciences are notoriously weak or corrupt. One man wrote the IRS and said, “I cheated on my taxes and can’t sleep at night. Here is a check for $100. If I still can’t sleep, I’ll send the rest I owe.”

e. "The only thing that I know that can effectively remove guilt is the blood of Jesus Christ. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9). "...And the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." (I John 1:7). It will do for you what no psychologist can do. It will wash the slate clean. You have got to get it washed, otherwise psychologically it will make you a neurotic and spiritually it will destroy you." (Smith)

How do we keep our conscience in 100% working condition?

Therefore this distress has come upon us: In these words we hear the conscience of the brothers at work. Some describe the conscience as the “sundial of the soul.” It tells time well enough when there is light, but in darkness it is of no use. At night, you can shine a flashlight on a sundial and make it read any time you want it to. When the light of God’s word shines on our conscience, it is reliable and trustworthy.

a. Otherwise, our conscience can be like a circus-trained poodle. Whistle once, it stands up. Whistle twice, it rolls over. Whistle a third time, and it plays dead.

b. "Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water." (Hebrews 9:14a, 10:22a)

The lesson God is teaching Joseph's brothers.

He turned himself away from them and wept: Joseph was overcome with emotion as he saw and understood this work of God in the conscience of his brothers. God had to do a profound work in the hearts of these brothers for the relationship to be reconciled.

a. There could be no quick and easy “We are sorry, Joseph!” in this situation. God will guide events so the brothers see their sin clearly and repent completely before Joseph is revealed and relationship is restored.

b. Yet even before the restoration, Joseph will not allow himself to be bound by bitterness and hatred. He still loves his brothers and wants to be with them (he returned to them again, and talked with them).

Simeon goes to prison.

He took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes: Joseph retained Simeon as a prisoner to guarantee the return of the brothers. Simeon was not mentioned as having a prominent role in the selling of Joseph, as both Reuben and Judah were (Genesis 37:21-28), so we don’t know exactly why Simeon was chosen. Perhaps he volunteered.

Then Joseph gave a command to fill their sacks with grain, to restore every man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. Thus he did for them. So they loaded their donkeys with the grain and departed from there. But as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed at the encampment, he saw his money; and there it was, in the mouth of his sack. So he said to his brothers, “My money has been restored, and there it is, in my sack!” Then their hearts failed them and they were afraid, saying to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?” Genesis 42:25-28

How fear sometimes makes us blame God.

1. Their hearts failed them and they were afraid: They were terrified because they were already suspected as spies. Now they can be accused as thieves also.

2. What is this that God has done to us? The guilty consciences of the brothers are hard at work, bringing every adversity back to God.

Then they went to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan and told him all that had happened to them, saying: “The man who is lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country. But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies. We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is with our father this day in the land of Canaan.’ Then the man, the lord of the country, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, take food for the famine of your households, and be gone. And bring your youngest brother to me; so I shall know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. I will grant your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.’ “ Then it happened as they emptied their sacks, that surprisingly each man’s bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid. Genesis 42:29-35

The brothers return to Jacob and tell him what happened.

1. We are honest men: The same brothers lied to their father some twenty years before, saying that Joseph was killed by a wild animal when they sold him to slave-traders.

2. One is no more: The brothers repeat the lie again, and will be proven dramatically wrong.

And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me.” Genesis 42:36

Jacob loses it.

You have bereaved me: Jacob obviously lost his trust in the ability of God to do more than he can see or understand. Jacob could not rest in faith, trusting God to take care of the things which he did not know.

a. "Peter said that one of our problems is that we only see that which is near. The nearsightedness of the believer. My inability to peer into tomorrow, into next week and next month. Looking at my situation today, looking at the difficulties that I am facing, I am often prone to cry out with Jacob, everything is going against me. That is only because I don't know the full plan of God. Jacob didn't know the full plan of God. He didn't realize that this rough lad in Egypt was none other than Joseph, the son, whom he loved. He didn't realize that before long he was going to be embracing Joseph, weeping together with him for joy. He didn't know the wonderful things that God had in store for him in the whole renewing of the family ties. Being able to see only up to this point, he cried, "All things are against me." Not so, Jacob." (Smith)

b. Jacob’s heart sang this song: “No one loves me, this I know. My misfortunes tell me so.”

2. All these things are against me: There was a sobering contrast between Jacob and Joseph. Joseph had far worse circumstances, but he never took the attitude all these things are against me.

a. The motto of too many Christians is all these things are against me. Instead, our motto should be Romans 8:28: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.” But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.” Genesis 42:37-38

"Jacob refuses to let Benjamin go back to Egypt with them." (Guzik)

1. Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you: Reuben did the best he could, making the dramatic gesture to allow Jacob to take Reuben’s own two sons as surety, but Jacob would have none of it. He would not allow Benjamin to go to Egypt.

a. "If I don't bring him back safely, then kill my two sons. Ah! Reuben, you are still unstable you are making wild accusations, what good would it do to kill two of Jacob's grandsons? It is sort of a wild thing to say. Now twenty years has passed and we don't know much of what has happened to the brothers of Joseph; but, we do know quite a bit about what happened to Joseph. We were following him, but meanwhile back home, all we know is that one story of Judah and Tamar in chapter thirty-eight. What we do find out is that the other sons got married, and had children which was a natural conclusion. Reuben had two sons and he promises them as a surety for Benjamin." (Smith)

2. My son shall not go down with you: Apparently, Jacob didn’t think too much of Simeon. It didn’t matter to him that Simeon spent the rest of his life in an Egyptian jail.

 

[Chaplain]

Now the famine was severe in the land. And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, “Go back, buy us a little food.” Genesis 43:1-2

"Jacob gives the order to get more food." (Guzik)

1. When they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt: Perhaps Jacob originally thought they had enough to tide them over, so that they would never need to go back with Benjamin, and never need to go back and get Simeon. But they ran out of food.

2. Go back, buy us a little food: Necessity drove Jacob to do something he would normally never do. We might imagine Jacob prayed so hard for the famine to break, and asked God to send relief. We might imagine Jacob became angry and bitter against God for not answering those prayers. But God knew what He was doing and had something so much better for Jacob than he could ever imagine.

But Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’“ And Israel said, “Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother?” But they said, “The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ And we told him according to these words. Could we possibly have known that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time.” Genesis 43:3-10

Jacob arguing for the sake of arguing.

Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother? Jacob clearly was grasping at straws. They must have discussed this question a hundred times before.

Judah finally does the right thing.

I myself will be surety for him: Judah put his own life on the line as a surety for Benjamin. This is the first good thing we see Judah doing. Previously, he was the one who had proposed the sale of Joseph. He was the one who wronged his daughter-in-law Tamar and had sex with her as a harlot.

a. Previously, Satan may have directed his attack against Joseph because he believed he was the one who would ultimately bring the Messiah. To this point, God had not revealed which of the 12 it would be.

b. Satan not only hated the children of Jacob for what they were, but also for what God would make of them. He directs the same kind of hatred against believers today, as Satan considers the destiny God has for His people.

And their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and carry down a present for the man; a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. Take double money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight. Take your brother also, and arise, go back to the man. And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!” Genesis 43:11-14

"Jacob sends them with money and gifts for the Egyptian leader." (Guzik)

1. Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and carry down a present for the man: Perhaps Jacob remembers how well it seemed to work when he showered Esau with gifts (Genesis 33:10-11).

2. Take double money in your hand: They took double money with them to Egypt to buy grain and the Egyptian leader’s favor. Since ten brothers went to Egypt and they took double money, there were 20 units of money. This answers exactly to the 20 pieces of silver they sold Joseph for (Genesis 37:28). The words for silver and money are the same.

3. I am bereaved! "I will step out. I will take the consequences. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved. I just have to commit it into the hands of God. I can't do anything about it. It is out of my control." (Smith)

a. Esther made a similar statement when her cousin Mordecai was insisting that she go in to Ahasuerus, the king, and plead for the people. She sent word to Mordecai saying, "All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days" (Esther 4:11). Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die” (Esther 4:13-16).

So the men took that present and Benjamin, and they took double money in their hand, and arose and went down to Egypt; and they stood before Joseph. When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my home, and slaughter an animal and make ready; for these men will dine with me at noon.” Then the man did as Joseph ordered, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house. Now the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, “It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may make a case against us and fall upon us, to take us as slaves with our donkeys.” Genesis 43:15-18

The brothers are fearful.

Now the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house: Perhaps they figured that the kindness from the Egyptian leader was just the prelude to an execution.

a. "It is a plot and we can see the whole picture now. He has taken us into his house, he is going to really nail us because the money was there in our sacks. He is just looking for an excuse to fall upon us and to kill us and make us slaves, take our donkeys, man we have had it." (Smith)

When they drew near to the steward of Joseph’s house, they talked with him at the door of the house, and said, “O sir, we indeed came down the first time to buy food; but it happened, when we came to the encampment, that we opened our sacks, and there, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; so we have brought it back in our hand. And we have brought down other money in our hands to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.” But he said, “Peace be with you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. Genesis 43:19-23

"The brothers explain about the money, and are treated well in Joseph’s house." (Guzik)

Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money: This was not a lie, because he really did have it, and he gave it back. It really was because of God’s goodness (if they only knew) that they had the money back.

So the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed. Then they made the present ready for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they would eat bread there. And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth. Then he asked them about their well-being, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” And they answered, “Your servant our father is in good health; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves. Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your younger brother of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” Now his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. And he went into his chamber and wept there. Genesis 43:24-30

Joseph shows love to his brothers.

Gave them water, and they washed their feet: The brothers expected to be taken as slaves and have everything stolen (Genesis 43:18). Yet Joseph treated them with kindness. This love and goodness from Joseph will win them over.

a. The brothers received the blessings of love and kindness from Joseph without knowing who he was. In the same way, God showers love and blessing upon man even when man doesn’t know whom the blessing comes from.

Why did Joseph not reveal himself to his brothers?

Now his heart yearned for his brother: Joseph was especially affected at meeting his only full brother, Benjamin, whom he last saw as only a small child.

a. "Joseph’s heart was pounding, his stomach churning, his eyes were weeping, yet he didn’t reveal himself to his brothers. Why? Because there was still work to do. There was still testing to take place. Just the same way Jesus passionately wants to be with you and me, His Bride. But He hasn’t yet come for us because there’s still work to do in us. It is true that Jesus is in heaven preparing a place for us (John 14:2). But He’s also preparing us for the place. And when we’re ready, He’ll take us home—either through the Rapture or through death. When the time is right, when the work He wants to do has come to completion, He’ll take us home one way or the other. Therefore, if we’re still here, it means there’s still work to do—not just through us, but in us." (Courson, J. (2005). Jon Courson's application commentary : Volume one : Genesis-Job (191). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.)

Then he washed his face and came out; and he restrained himself, and said, “Serve the bread.” So they set him a place by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves; because the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. Genesis 43:31-32

The racism of the Egyptians.

The set him a place by himself: Joseph did not eat with his brothers because at the time, Egypt was one of the most racist societies on earth. The believed that Egyptians came from the gods, and all other peoples came from lesser origins. There was absolutely no social mixing with foreigners in the Egypt of Joseph’s day.

Why would God have Jacob's family move to Egypt?

And the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves: The Egyptians would not even eat with Joseph, much less these strangers from Canaan. Even with all his status and power, Joseph could still not eat with “real” Egyptians.

a. “It is known from Herodotus that Egyptians so abhorred things foreign, that priests, at least, ate and drank nothing that was imported, nor would they use utensils for eating that had been used by Greeks.” (Leupold)

b. Herein is the wisdom of God. God will bring the entire family of Jacob into Egypt, where they will be isolated from the surrounding people for some 400 years. In that time, they will multiply greatly, increasing to the millions. If God had allowed them to remain in Canaan, they would have simply assimilated into the corrupt and godless peoples of Canaan. The rape of Dinah and its aftermath (Genesis 34) and the sin of Judah’s sons and Judah with Tamar (Genesis 38) revealed this danger.

c. God not only had to take the family of Israel out of the corrupt environment of Canaan, but He had to put them among a racist people who would not intermarry or even mingle with them. God simply sent Joseph on ahead to make the arrangements.

And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked in astonishment at one another. Then he took servings to them from before him, but Benjamin’s serving was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him. Genesis 43:33-34

Joseph seats his brothers in their order of birth.

The firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth: No wonder the brothers were filled with astonishment. The arrangement of the brothers was so amazing because they sensed it couldn’t happen by chance. Statistically, the odds of placing 11 brothers in their precise order of birth are something like 1 in 40 million.

Why does Joseph give more food to his youngest brother?

Benjamin’s serving was five times as much as any of theirs: Joseph wanted to see how the brothers reacted when the younger brother (in this case, Benjamin) was favored, because they resented it so much when Joseph was favored by his father.

a. Joseph wanted to see if there was a change in the hearts of his brothers, or if they were the same men who threw him into a pit and were deaf to his cries for help.

b. This may be his whole motivation in asking for Benjamin. He wondered if they would take care of Benjamin on such a journey, as they failed to do with Joseph.

c. We should expect if we fail in a test somewhere, God will make arrangements for us to “take the test” again another time. This is a sobering reason to take the test “well” the first time.

And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money.” So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys. When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Get up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing.’ “ Genesis 44:1-5

Joseph tests his brothers hearts.

1. As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away: The brothers left Egypt in high spirits. They were treated well, had their sacks full of grain, and Simeon was out of prison. Their father’s fear of something horrible happening would not be fulfilled.

2. Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money: As before, the grain sacks of the brothers are topped off by the money they paid for the grain, but this time, Joseph has his special silver cup put in the sack of Benjamin.

a. Why is Joseph doing this? Some might think he is simply using his position of power to torment his brothers in revenge for their cruelty towards him; but knowing the character of Joseph, this isn’t the case. He is guided by the hand of God, testing the hearts of his brothers, and bringing them to complete repentance.

"Did Joseph use the cup for divination?" (Guzik)

He indeed practices divination: We know from other sources that ancients did use sacred cups as divination devices. It is possible Joseph did also, because there was not yet specific revelation from God that such a practice was forbidden. Yet, it was not Joseph who said he used the cup for divination, but his servant, who may have wrongly assumed Joseph’s spiritual insight and wisdom were more due to this cup than to his relationship with the living God.

So he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words. And they said to him, “Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from us that your servants should do such a thing. Look, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.” And he said, “Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless.” Genesis 44:6-10

The brothers say they didn't steal anything.

1. Far be it from us that your servants should do such a thing: The brothers confidently stated they they did not have the cup. This shows that they had a healthy trust in each other. If they did not trust each other they would have immediately wondered which brother stole the cup.

2. With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves: They were so confident they did not have the cup (and trusted each other so much), they declared the thief should be killed and all the others taken as slaves.

3. Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave: Joseph did not repeat their offer of a death sentence because he wanted no bloodshed. But he had a plan for taking the brothers up on the suggestion of guilty parties being taken as slaves.

Then each man speedily let down his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack. So he searched. He began with the oldest and left off with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city. Genesis 44:11-13

Joseph's brothers show that they have changed.

1. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack: The reaction of the brothers shows that this was the worst thing imaginable. Not only that the cup was found among them, but that it was in Benjamin’s sack - their father’s favorite son, the one he worried about the most. Now Benjamin was sentenced to a life of slavery in Egypt - if not death.

2. Each man loaded his donkey and returned: When Joseph was taken as a slave the brothers allowed him to go and thought nothing of it. Now they are willing to stand with Benjamin as he faces slavery or death. This demonstrates a significant change in the heart and attitude of Joseph’s brothers.

 

[Chaplain]

So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there; and they fell before him on the ground. And Joseph said to them, “What deed is this you have done? Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?” Then Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; here we are, my lord’s slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found.” But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father.” Genesis 44:14-17

The brothers plead with Joseph.

They fell before him on the ground: This demonstrates that the brothers were desperate to gain favor with the Egyptian official to obtain the release of Benjamin. They knew it was a real disaster to lose Benjamin and bereave their father.

The Apostle James wrote, "For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws." (James 2:10)

God has found out the iniquity of you servants: With these words, Judah revealed God’s work among the brothers. In Judah’s mind, the bothers are now destined to live the rest of their lives as slaves in Egypt because they sold Joseph as a slave some 20 years before.

a. The brothers were innocent of the sin of stealing the cup but were guilty of far greater sins. In the same way, we can pride ourselves because we are innocent of some sin or another, yet we are guilty of far greater. You can’t hide from your sin. Time does not erase the guilt of your sin. Only the blood of Jesus can.

b. "Guilt hangs on like a plague. You may repress it, you may bury it in the inner recesses of the sub-consciousness, but, it is still there. Sooner or later it comes out to plague you." (Smith)

c. This resignation to slavery in Egypt is all the more significant considering these were middle-aged men who came from lives of privilege and status.

Benjamin's brothers stand up for him.

Here we are, my lord’s slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found: With these words Judah insisted that the brothers will stick by Benjamin, though he was the favored and more greatly blessed son. If they quickly abandoned Benjamin it would show little change of heart from 20 years ago, when they abandoned Joseph.

i. There is a purpose for this even in Benjamin. Benjamin was most innocent of all, yet he still needed to be purged of all self-confidence and brought low.

Then Judah came near to him and said: “O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s hearing, and do not let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even like Pharaoh. My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father or a brother?’ And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, who is young; his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him.’ Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’ And we said to my lord, ‘The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.’ So it was, when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him the words of my lord. And our father said, ‘Go back and buy us a little food.’ But we said, ‘We cannot go down; if our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we may not see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons; and the one went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn to pieces”; and I have not seen him since. But if you take this one also from me, and calamity befalls him, you shall bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.’ Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life, it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.’“ Genesis 44:18-32

"Judah tells Joseph the whole story from the beginning." (Guzik)

1. Then Judah came near to him and said: Of Judah’s speech, F.B. Meyer wrote: “In all literature, there is nothing more pathetic than this appeal.” H.C. Leupold wrote, “This is one of the manliest, most straightforward speeches ever delivered by any man. For depth of feeling and sincerity of purpose it stands unexcelled.” Barnhouse called it “the most moving address in all the Word of God.”

2. Surely he is torn to pieces . . . I have not seen him since: With these carefully chosen words, Judah does not say that Benjamin’s brother is dead - only that Jacob said, “Surely he is torn to pieces” and that Judah had not seen him since.

3. When he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die: 20 years before, Joseph’s brothers showed a callous disregard of their father when reporting Joseph’s “death” (Genesis 37:31-33). Judah shows they were now greatly concerned for the feelings and welfare of their father. This is more evidence of a change of heart.

“Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?” Genesis 44:33-34

Jesus said, "There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." (John 15:13)

Please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord: Judah dramatically offers to lay down his life for the sake of Benjamin. This is a dramatic change from 20 years before when the brothers did not care about Joseph, Benjamin, or even their father Jacob.

a. Judah shines forth as one willing to be a substitutionary sacrifice, out of love for his father and for his brethren.

b. "Judah is passing the final test here. He is unwilling to forsake Benjamin to his fate and on top of that he is now offering to be a substitute for Benjamin. Let me take his place, take his guilt and become your slave; but, return him to his father. Here we see that Judah becomes a very beautiful type of Christ in taking the place and penalty of the guilty. Christ, our substitute, took our place and died for our sins. It was from the tribe of Judah that the Messiah was to come. Here he is volunteering to be the substitute for his brother." (Smith)

Proof that Joseph's brothers changed.

How shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me: Judah was the one who suggested selling Joseph 20 years earlier. (Genesis 37:26-27) Here he sensitively offers to lay down his life for the favored brother. This display of sacrificial love is another example of transformation in the brothers.

i. Moses was willing to offer himself for the salvation of Israel (Exodus 32:31-32), and so was Paul (Romans 9:1-4). Sacrificial love is evidence of our transformation (John 13:34).

ii. Through this chapter there is remarkable evidence of the changed hearts of Joseph’s brothers.

· They did not resent it when Benjamin was given the favored portion (Genesis 43:34)
· They trusted each other, not accusing each other of wrong when accused of stealing the cup (Genesis 44:9)
· They stuck together when the silver cup was found. They did not abandon the favored son and allow him to be carried back to Egypt alone (Genesis 44:13)
· They completely humbled themselves for the sake of the favored son (Genesis 44:14)
· They knew their predicament was the result of their sin against Joseph (Genesis 44:16)
· They offered themselves as slaves to Egypt, not abandoning Benjamin, the favored son, their brother (Genesis 44:16)
· They showed due concern for how this might affect their father (Genesis 44:29-31)
· Judah was willing to be a substitutionary sacrifice for his brother out of love for his father and his brethren (Genesis 44:33)

Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Make everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; does my father still live?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence. Genesis 45:1-3

Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers.

1. Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him: Joseph ordered all the Egyptians out of the room and was then alone with his brothers. His great emotion showed Joseph did not cruelly manipulate his brothers. He was directed by God to make these arrangements and it hurt him to do it.

2. Joseph made himself known to his brothers: This probably means that Joseph said he was Joseph and showed his brothers that he was circumcised. Jewish legend says the brothers could never believe this high Egyptian official was Joseph unless he showed he was circumcised.

Joseph's brothers are stunned.

But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence: Because of the punishment they anticipated, the great emotion of Joseph, his manner of revelation, and the total shock of learning Joseph was not only alive but right in front of them, the brothers were dismayed. The ancient Hebrew word for dismayed (bahal) actually means, “amazed” or “frightened” or even “terrified.”

a. Come near to me in Genesis 45:4 implies the brothers cringed back in terror. Jewish legends say the brothers were so shocked that their souls left their bodies and it was only by a miracle of God their souls came back.

b. Their dismay is a shadow of what will happen when the Jews see Jesus for who He is again: And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10)

And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Genesis 45:4-8

Joseph says God is the one who orchestrated all of the events that occurred.

1. God sent me before you to preserve life: Joseph did not diminish what the brothers did (whom you sold into Egypt). Yet he saw that God’s purpose in it all was greater than the evil of the brothers.

a. When we are sinned against we are tempted to fail in one or both of these areas. We are tempted to play “let’s pretend you never did it,” or we are tempted to fail to see the over-arching hand of God in every circumstance.

b. It is fair to ask, “Why was Joseph in Egypt? Was it because of the sin of his brothers or because of the good plan of God?” The answer is that both options are true.

2. God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance: All Joseph’s sorrows were for a purpose. God used them to preserve his family and provide the conditions for it to become a nation. Joseph was a victim of men, but God turned it around for His glory. None of it was for a loss.

a. If this family does not go into Egypt, then they assimilate among the pagan tribes of the Promised Land and cease to become a distinctive people. God had to put them in a place where they could grow, yet stay a distinctive nation.

b. Rabbi Harold Kushner wrote a remarkably wide-selling book titled When Bad Things Happen to Good People. It sold more than a half a million copies before going to paperback and was on the New York Times best-seller list for a whole year. The whole point of his book is to say God is all loving but not all powerful, that God is good, but not sovereign. So, when bad things happen to good people, it is because events are out of God’s control. Kushner advises his readers to “learn to love [God] and forgive him despite his limitations.” This certainly is not the God of the Bible!

3. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God: Joseph realized God ruled his life, not good men, evil men, circumstances, or fate. God was in control, and because God was in control all things worked together for good.

a. "Joseph sees behind the obvious material things and he realizes that his coming to Egypt was providentially ordained by God. It was a part of God's plan for the preservation of the family from this famine that was going to come. Twenty years before the famine, God prepared for the family of Jacob to be preserved by sending Joseph ahead to Egypt. Joseph had to go through a lot of pain, a lot of suffering, a lot of hardship in order for the purposes of God to be fulfilled. How often the purposes of God are fulfilled through temporary pain, and suffering. I am certain that Joseph did not understand the plan of God when he was being carried away to Egypt, pleading with his brothers and their turning a deaf ear to him. I am certain that Joseph wasn't aware of the plan of God when he was sitting in that Egyptian jail after the false accusation of Potiphar's wife. But now God is completing the cycle; Joseph is over the land and can see that the whole purpose of God was the preservation of Israel." (Smith)

“Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph: “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry. You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children, your children’s children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have. There I will provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine.”‘ And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.” Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him. Genesis 45:9-15

"Joseph tells his brothers to go home and to bring their father and find protection from the famine." (Guzik)

1. Thus says your son Joseph: When Jacob heard this it was one of the greatest days of his life. He had the joy of learning that the favored son, who will save his brethren, who was given up for dead, is now alive.

2. He kissed all his brothers and wept over them: Joseph did not exclude those who had been especially cruel to him. His heart was open to his brothers both as a group and as individuals.

3. After that his brothers talked with him: This was a wonderful conversation. There was a lot to catch up on.

Now the report of it was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” So it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and depart; go to the land of Canaan. Bring your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land. Now you are commanded; do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come. Also do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’“ Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them carts, according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey. He gave to all of them, to each man, changes of garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments. And he sent to his father these things: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and food for his father for the journey. So he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them, “See that you do not become troubled along the way.” Genesis 45:16-24

"Pharaoh and Joseph send the brothers home with many gifts." (Guzik)

1. Joseph gave them carts, according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey: The sons of Israel received transportation, provision, garments, and riches because of who their favored brother was. Pharaoh blessed the sons of Jacob for Joseph’s sake.

i. “To return to Canaan with ‘carts from Egypt’ was the cultural equivalent of landing a jumbo jet among a tribe of isolated savages. It would be the stuff legends are made of.” (Boice)

Joseph warns his brothers about arguing on the way home.

See that you do not become troubled along the way: The idea behind the words “become troubled” is literally become angry or quarrel. Joseph knew as soon as these men left his presence they would be tempted to act in selfish, unspiritual ways. They had to anticipate and guard against this.

Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them. But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived. Then Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.” Genesis 45:25-28

"Jacob hears the good news - that Joseph lives." (Guzik)

1. He did not believe them: Jacob was told Joseph was dead and believed it. Then he was told Joseph was alive, and he did not believe it until his sons told him the words of Joseph and showed him the blessings that came to them through Joseph. Then he believed Joseph was alive, though he had not yet seen him.

a. The only way people will know Jesus is alive is if we tell them His words and show them His blessings in our lives.

2. It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive: Knowing that the favored son was alive - back from the dead, as it were - changed Israel’s testimony from all these things are against me (Genesis 42:36) to it is enough.

a. This testimony of faith comes from Israel, not Jacob. When Jacob was in charge, we saw a whining, self-pitying, complaining, unbelieving type of man. But Israel, the man God conquered, had a testimony of faith.

 

[Chaplain]

So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” And he said, “Here I am.” So He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.” Genesis 46:1-4

Israel stops at Beersheba.

Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba: This was the southernmost outpost of the Promised Land on the way to Egypt. He stopped there to honor God with sacrifices.

a. Both Abraham (Genesis 22:19) and Isaac (Genesis 26:23) lived for a time at Beersheba.

b. Israel’s grandfather Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba many years before and had called on the name of the LORD there (Genesis 21:33). Isaac received a special promise from God and built an altar for sacrifice there, calling on the name of the LORD (Genesis 26:24-25). It was probably at this very place Israel sacrificed.

God speaks to Israel.

God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night: More than 40 years before, when Jacob was about to leave the Promised Land, God spoke to him in a dream (Genesis 28:12-17). Now, when he is about to leave the land again, God brings reassurance through a dream again.

God tells Israel not to be afraid by reminding him of his plan for him.

1. Do not fear to go down to Egypt: This indicates that Israel was afraid to go to Egypt. Jacob may have remembered Abraham had gone to Egypt in a time of famine once before, and it was a manifestation of his unbelief, and much evil eventually came from it (Genesis 12:10-20). He also may have remembered God told his father Isaac not to go down to Egypt (Genesis 26:2).

a. Also, Jacob knew God told Abraham that his descendants would be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years (Genesis 15:13). As Jacob led his family into this foreign land, he did not know what the future held. At the same time, he knew the future was in God’s hands.

2. I will make of you a great nation there: God told Israel what His purpose was in bringing this large family or clan down to Egypt. Because of the exclusive, segregated nature of Egyptian life, Israel’s descendants could grow as a large, distinct nation there. Egypt will become a “mother’s womb” to Israel as a nation.

a. "These are the things that God promised: I will be with you, I will make you a great nation while you are there, I will bring you back again and Joseph will put his hands upon your eyes. This is a reference to death. Joseph will be there when you die, he will be the one to minister to you. It is interesting that when a person is dying, they often want those that they love and are close to them to be by their side in death. Of course with Jacob his desire, no doubt, was to have his son Joseph near him in death and God assures him such will be the case. He will be the one who pulls your eyelids down over your eyes." (Smith)

Then Jacob arose from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives, in the carts which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. So they took their livestock and their goods, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him. His sons and his sons’ sons, his daughters and his sons’ daughters, and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt. Now these were the names of the children of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt: Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn. The sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puvah, Job, and Shimron. The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the persons, his sons and his daughters, were thirty-three. The sons of Gad were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. The sons of Asher were Jimnah, Ishuah, Isui, Beriah, and Serah, their sister. And the sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel. These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob: sixteen persons. The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife, were Joseph and Benjamin. And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. The sons of Benjamin were Belah, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. These were the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: fourteen persons in all. The son of Dan was Hushim. The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and she bore these to Jacob: seven persons in all. All the persons who went with Jacob to Egypt, who came from his body, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six persons in all. And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two persons. All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy. Genesis 46:5-27

"Listing of Jacob’s family who came with him to Egypt." (Guzik)

1. All his descendants he brought with him to Egypt: This shows the great faith Israel had. He brought the entire family down to Egypt. No one was left behind to continue a presence in Canaan. Jacob knew they would be back.

2. The sons of Judah were: The sons of Judah are of special note because this is the Messianic lineage. The line of descent so far goes like this: Abraham - Isaac - Jacob - Judah - Perez - Hezron (Luke 3:33-34).

3. All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy: The total number of males of this clan was 70 - 66, plus Jacob himself, Joseph, and his two sons. This large family will become a nation of more than two million over the next 400 years.

a. Like many great works of God, Israel had a slow beginning.

· From the time God called Abraham, it took at least 25 years to add one son - Isaac
· It took Isaac 60 years to add another son of Israel - Jacob
· It took 50 or 60 years for Jacob to add 12 sons and one daughter
· But in 430 years, Israel will leave Egypt with 600,000 men
· It took this family 215 years to grow from one to 70, but in another 430 years they grew to two million.

b. In Acts 7:14 Stephen says that there were 75 who went into Egypt. This is because Stephen quoted from the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, which says 75. The number in the Septuagint is not wrong, just arrived at in a different way, specifically adding five more sons (or grandsons) of Joseph born in Egypt.

Then he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to point out before him the way to Goshen. And they came to the land of Goshen. So Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while. And Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive.” Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘My brothers and those of my father’s house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. And the men are shepherds, for their occupation has been to feed livestock; and they have brought their flocks, their herds, and all that they have.’ So it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ that you shall say, ‘Your servants’ occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.” Genesis 46:28-34

Judah leads Israel in to the land of abundance.

Then he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to point out before him the way: It was fitting for Judah, of the Messianic line, to escort Israel into Goshen, the land of abundance.

Israel finally meets Joseph.

Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive: This reunion of Israel with Joseph is more than he ever dreamed before. This is a dramatic change from all things are against me (Genesis 42:36).

a. "Here is this emotional, dramatic, scene where Joseph whom Jacob loved so dearly, and thought he was dead, were reunited. At one time Jacob thought all things were against him, but, he didn't know the plans that God had for him. As they are there weeping on each other's shoulders, it is almost more than Jacob can believe. The son that I thought was dead, is not only alive but is here and I am seeing him. It is just a beautiful, beautiful picture." (Smith)

Joseph warns his family.

Every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians: The Egyptians were agricultural in the sense of farming crops. They considered sheep unclean, and therefore detested shepherds.

a. "It is true that in the Egyptian art uncovered by archaeologists, shepherds are always dirty looking and usually crippled. They are looked upon with scorn by the Egyptians. Egypt at this time had the highest culture of any place in the world. Here is a bunch of hick farmers coming into this cultural area and the culture of Egypt looked down upon shepherds. They were an abomination. They didn't want anything to do with them. No doubt in God's plan to keep his people separate from the Egyptians, he allowed, in the process of time, this feeling in the hearts of the Egyptians towards shepherds; so, that there would be no intermarrying or intermixing. God wanted to keep them a pure and separate people, though they lived in the land of Egypt. Otherwise, Pharaoh could have said, "Come on, move on in and there would have been a mixing of the two races. The family of Israel would have been swallowed up by the Egyptians and that would have been the end of the story. To keep the Israelites a separate race through which the Messiah would come, he had placed in the Egyptians this abhorrence towards shepherds. Just tell the Pharaoh that you are shepherds. That will turn him off and you can have the land, he will be glad to let you stay here in Goshen." (Smith)

Then Joseph went and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers, their flocks and their herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; and indeed they are in the land of Goshen.” And he took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh. Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we and also our fathers.” They said morever unto Pharaoh, "For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.” Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know any competent men among them, then make them chief herdsmen over my livestock.” Genesis 47:1-6

Is Earth our home? No!

For to sojourn in the land are we come: "Notice they didn't say, we have come to dwell or we have come to stay, we have only come to sojourn. The bible tells us concerning the fathers: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; that they dwelled as strangers and pilgrims on this earth. We don't belong to this earth, we are just passing through. We are strangers and pilgrims here. It is sad when we start feeling at home in this corrupted society. The more I read the newspaper and watch Television, the more I realize that I am an alien. I don't belong in this mess. I am a stranger and a pilgrim here, I am just passing on looking for that city whose maker and builder is God. I am going to dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (Smith)

"Pharaoh gives them the best of the land." (Guzik)

Dwell in the best of the land: This blessing is all because of Joseph. He saved Egypt - and much of the world - from terrible famine, and now the whole family of Israel is blessed and received an inheritance because of Joseph.

Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How old are you?” And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh. Genesis 47:7-10

We are all pilgrims on Earth.

The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years: Jacob confessed he was on a pilgrimage. He knew that his real home was somewhere else: heaven.

Jacob tells the truth about his life.

Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life: This was not a cynical statement by Jacob. He recognized that the general character of his life (lived in the flesh) and the length of his life did not compare both to eternity and to the lives of his ancestors.

a. "Jacob confessing few and evil have been the years of my life, but I have not attained to the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage. Seeing that life is just a pilgrimage; I don't belong here, I am just passing through. There is an eternity that I am living and looking for. The person who lives for today is a fool. The wise man lives for eternity." (Smith)

b. Jesus said, "Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." (Matthew 6:19-21)

What would it mean for Jacob to bless Pharaoh?

So Jacob blessed Pharaoh: Pharaoh acknowledged Jacob was a man of God by accepting his blessing. In the Egyptian religion, Pharaoh himself was thought to be a god. They considered Pharaoh the human embodiment of Ra, the sun god. This means that it was remarkable that he allowed Israel to bestow a blessing on him.

a. "Here is a guy who is king of the greatest nation of the world and this old man, who is just a shepherd, blesses him. We are told that Melchizedek blessed Abraham and, surely, the lesser is blessed by the greater; but, this old shepherd, that God had chosen to be the father of the race that would bring the Messiah into the world, is greater in the eyes of God than the king of the greatest empire of the world in that day." (Smith)

And Joseph situated his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. Then Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household with bread, according to the number in their families. Now there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought; and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. So when the money failed in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For the money has failed.” Then Joseph said, “Give your livestock, and I will give you bread for your livestock, if the money is gone.” So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the cattle of the herds, and for the donkeys. Thus he fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock that year. When that year had ended, they came to him the next year and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord that our money is gone; my lord also has our herds of livestock. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands. Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants of Pharaoh; give us seed, that we may live and not die, that the land may not be desolate.” Then Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine was severe upon them. So the land became Pharaoh’s. And as for the people, he moved them into the cities, from one end of the borders of Egypt to the other end. Only the land of the priests he did not buy; for the priests had rations allotted to them by Pharaoh, and they ate their rations which Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their lands. Then Joseph said to the people, “Indeed I have bought you and your land this day for Pharaoh. Look, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. And it shall come to pass in the harvest that you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh. Four-fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and for your food, for those of your households and as food for your little ones.” So they said, “You have saved our lives; let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.” And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have one-fifth, except for the land of the priests only, which did not become Pharaoh’s. Genesis 47:11-26

"In the later years of the famine, Joseph arranged ways for the people to purchase food with whatever they have to give." (Guzik)

1. So the land became Pharaoh’s: In the process, the power and wealth of Pharaoh was multiplied greatly. In times of national crisis the power of central government often increases.

2. In the harvest that you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh: Joseph wasn't unfair. He fed the people when they would have starved, and in return asked for one-fifth (20%) annually from the produce of the land. Many people today would be happy with only a 20% tax.

a. "They levied a tax of 20%, but the government took care of you. It wasn't a bad deal. We have so many taxes: property taxes, sales taxes, and income tax. If you figure out all the money you are paying out in taxes, you will find that your tax rate is much higher than the 20% that they had to pay. They had a pretty good deal. They got four fifths of the food they planted and gave only one fifth to Pharaoh." (Smith)

So Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions there and grew and multiplied exceedingly. And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the length of Jacob’s life was one hundred and forty-seven years. When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt, but let me lie with my fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” And he said, “I will do as you have said.” Then he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. So Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed. Genesis 47:27-31

"The multiplication of the family of Israel." (Guzik)

1. Grew and multiplied exceedingly: This was certainly true. In some 400 years, this became a nation of some two million or more people.

2. Multiplied exceedingly: Henry Morris calculates the initial group of five (Jacob and his four wives) grew into a clan of about 100 in 50 years (the 100 includes the 70 of Genesis 46:27 plus a few wives of the sons not mentioned and grandchildren). That is a growth rate of just over 6% per year. At that rate, there would be several million descendants by the time of the Exodus 430 years later.

"Israel makes Joseph vow to bury him in Canaan." (Guzik)

Please do not bury me in Egypt, but let me lie with my fathers: Israel knew Egypt was not his home. He belonged in the land promised to he and his descendants. He clearly believed and understood he was the inheritor of Abraham’s covenant.

 

[Chaplain]

Now it came to pass after these things that Joseph was told, “Indeed your father is sick”; and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph is coming to you”; and Israel strengthened himself and sat up on the bed. Then Jacob said to Joseph: “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’“ Genesis 48:1-4

Jacob’s tells Joseph the promises given to him by God.

1.God Almighty appeared to me at Luz: Luz is another name for Bethel, where Jacob first met God. Jacob vividly remembered this outstanding encounter with the LORD.

2. Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you: Jacob’s phrasing is reminiscent of exact promises God made to Abraham in Genesis 17 (see Genesis 17:2, 17:6, and 17:8). Abraham was careful to pass down the exact words of God’s covenant with him to the inheritors of the covenant, because the exact words of God were important.

“And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. Your offspring whom you beget after them shall be yours; they will be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance.” Genesis 48:5-6

"Jacob adopts Joseph’s sons as his own." (Guzik)

1. As Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine: Reuben and Simeon were the first and second born of Israel. Jacob receives the two sons of Joseph as adopted into the family at the highest level (as if they were the first and second born).

a. And, perhaps, they are “replacements” for Reuben and Simeon, who were in a sense disqualified from positions of status and leadership in Israel’s family because of their sin (Genesis 34:25, 35:22).

2. They shall be mine: Jacob’s adoption of Manasseh and Ephraim explains why there are 12 tribes often listed in different combinations. Because of this adoption, there are actually 13 sons of Israel. The 12 were born, but Joseph was divided into two tribes.

a. Therefore as the tribes are listed through the Old Testament, they can be juggled and still remain 12 tribes. There are more than 20 different ways of listing the tribes in the Old Testament.

b. As a number, 12 is often associated with government or administration in God’s eyes. There are 12 tribes, 12 apostles, 12 princes of Ishmael, 12 pillars on Moses’ altar, 12 stones on the high priest’s breastplate, 12 cakes of showbread, 12 silver platters, silver bowls, and gold pans for the service of the tabernacle, 12 spies to search out the land, 12 memorial stones, 12 governors under Solomon, 12 stones in Elijah’s altar, 12 in each group of musicians and singers for Israel’s worship, 12 hours in a day, 12 months in a year, 12 Ephesian men filled with the Holy Spirit, 12,000 from 12 tribes sealed and preserved through the tribulation, heaven has 12 gates of 12 pearls, and 12 angels at the gates, the New Jerusalem has 12 foundations, each with the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb, it’s length, breadth, and height are all 12,000 furlongs, and the tree of life in heaven has 12 fruits. The number 12 is special to God.

“But as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).” Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?” And Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place.” And he said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.” Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!” So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth. Genesis 48:7-12

Joseph honors his father with reverence.

He bowed down with his face to the earth: Joseph lived his own life as a high official of Egypt for many years, and had no contact with his father during that time. Yet it has not diminished the reverence he has towards his father.

a. "So Joseph brought them from beside his knee, they, no doubt, had come up and knelt by their grandfather as he was sitting there on the edge of the bed. Joseph pulled them back and bowed with his face to the earth, to his father, in reverence for this old patriarch." (Smith)

And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn. Genesis 48:13-14

"Jacob puts the favored hand on the second-born, despite Joseph’s efforts." (Guzik)

1. Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand: The right hand in the Bible always has the idea of the favored position because generally speaking, the right hand is the hand of strength and skill.

a. The right hand is associated with God’s strength (Exodus 15:6), favor (Psalm 16:11), and help (Psalm 20:6). This is why Jesus is described as sitting at the right hand of God the Father (Mark 14:62).

2. Guiding his hands knowingly: Israel knew exactly what he intended to do. He deliberately chose the second-born to receive a greater blessing than the firstborn.

And he blessed Joseph, and said: “God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day, the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; let my name be named upon them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” Genesis 48:15-16

"The blessing of Jacob upon Manasseh and Ephraim." (Guzik)

And he blessed Joseph: Israel gave the same blessing to both sons, but the son of the right hand received a greater proportion of the blessing.

a. This was fulfilled in Israel’s history. Both tribes were blessed, but Ephraim was greater as a tribe, even to the point where the name “Ephraim” was used to refer to the whole northern nation of Israel (see examples in Isaiah 7:8, 7:17, and 11:13).

The first time the word redemption is mentioned in the Bible.

The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil: "This is the first mention of redemption in the Bible. There is in hermeneutics, the law of first mention, where you go back to the first mention of the word in the Bible and usually it is quite significant." (Smith)

a. "The angel, who was the redemption, the redeeming angel, Jesus. Throughout the Old Testament He was called the Angel (messenger) of the Lord. The angel who redeemed me. The redemption of course through Jesus Christ. Here Jacob prophesying now and blessing Joseph speaks of the Father God of his father, the work of the Holy Spirit feeding me, shepherding me, tending over me and then the work of Jesus Christ redeeming me. Let my name be named on them and on the name of my father Abraham and Isaac and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth and they did. They became some of the largest tribes in Israel." (Smith)

Paul wrote, "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God." (Ephesians 2:8)

The God who has fed me all my life long to this day: Jacob’s testimony was a testimony of grace, not personal merit. He was not saying how faithful he was to God, but how faithful God was to him.

a. The phrase, “the God who has fed me” is literally “The God who has shepherded me.” This is the first mention in the Bible of God as a shepherd to His people.

b. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." (Psalm 23:1-4)

Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.” But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.” So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will bless, saying, ‘May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!’ “ And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh. Genesis 48:17-20

Joseph tells his dad to change the order of blessings on his sons.

This one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head: As the two sons of Joseph stood before Israel, the older (Manasseh) was before Israel’s right hand and the younger (Ephraim) was before Israel’s left hand. Joseph positioned them intentionally so the older could receive the right hand blessing according to custom. Yet Isaac deliberately crossed his hands and put his right hand on Ephraim’s head and his left hand on Manasseh’s head.

What does the idea of “firstborn” mean in the Bible?

For this one is the firstborn . . . truly his younger brother shall be greater than he: Ephraim was not the firstborn but God chose him to take the position of firstborn. Jeremiah 31:9 describes this: For I am a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn (Jeremiah 31:9).

a. This shows how the idea of “firstborn” in the Bible is often a position of pre-eminence, not necessarily meaning “first out of the womb.”

b. David had the position of firstborn, even though he was the youngest son (1 Samuel 16:11 and Psalm 89:27).

c. Jesus has the pre-eminent position of firstborn (Colossians 1:15), though this does not mean Jesus was literally the first “born” creature of God, because Jesus was not created.

Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers. Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.” Genesis 48:21-22

Jacob calls Joseph to lead.

1. Behold, I am dying: This is truly a passing of the torch to Joseph. Israel was the last of the three great patriarchs to pass from the scene.

i. “If Abraham dies, there is Isaac; and if Isaac dies, there is Jacob; and if Jacob dies, there is Joseph; and if Joseph dies, Ephraim and Manasseh survive. The Lord shall never lack a champion to bear his standard high among the sons of men. Only let us pray God to raise up more faithful ministers day and night. We have plenty of a sort, but, oh, for more that will weigh out sixteen ounces to the pound of gospel in such a way that people will receive it. We have too much of fine language, too much of florid eloquence, and little full and plain gospel preaching, but God will keep up the apostolic succession, never fear of that. When Stephen is dying, Paul is not far off. When Elijah is taken up, he leaves his mantle behind him.” (Spurgeon)

2. One portion above your brothers: This refers to Joseph being father of two tribes, while each of his brothers only fathered one.

3. Which I took from the hand of the Amorite: Apparently, while still in Canaan, Jacob battled for control of a portion of land from the Amorites, and he deeded the land to Joseph and his descendants. The descendants of Joseph would take this land some 400 years later.

The promises of God for each stage of the christian life.

God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers: This completes a wonderful work regarding Jacob’s recognition of God’s presence his life.

· I am with you (Genesis 28:15): God gives the young believer every possible assurance of His presence and grace

· I will be with you (Genesis 31:3): God expects the growing believer to trust He will be with us, even when we only have the promise of His presence

· God . . . has been with me (Genesis 31:5): God gives a glorious testimony to the mature believer, able to say how God has been with us, even when we haven’t felt His presence in the way we wished

· God will be with you (Genesis 48:21): God gives the mature believer the opportunity to encourage others with the promise of God’s presence

"Joseph as a picture of Jesus (list continued from the end of Genesis 41)." (Guzik)

35. His brethren were driven out of their own land.
36. In his second appearing, he did not first go to his brothers; they came to him.
37. He knew his brethren even while unknown and unrecognized by them.
38. He blessed his brethren without their knowledge.
39. He wanted all of his brethren to come to him.
40. There was a significant time gap between his initial relationship with his brothers and his second relationship to his brothers.
41. He offered his brothers a way of deliverance through substitution.
42. His “second coming” to his brothers had two appearances. He made himself known to his brethren at his second appearing to them.
43. He was revealed as a man of compassion.
44. His brothers repented of rejecting him, with great wonder and tears.
45. He allowed no fellowship (as in eating together) until his brothers repented and he revealed himself.
46. His brethren went forth to proclaim his glory.
47. He made provision for his brethren.
48. He prepared a place for his brethren, and he received them into it.
49. He brought Jew and Gentile together in the land.

A short summary of what we have studied so far.

"We have been laying a solid foundation with the reading of the Book of Genesis, for the rest of the Bible. It is important to lay a good foundation when you are building. As you read the rest of the Bible you will always be referring to the foundation that is laid in Genesis. The word Genesis means beginning. So this is the beginning of the universe, the beginning of sin, the beginning of redemption, the beginning of the race through which the Redeemer is to come. The foundation is all here in Genesis." (Smith)

 

[Chaplain]

And Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days: Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob, And listen to Israel your father.” Genesis 49:1-2

"What will befall the sons of Jacob in the last days." (Guzik)

Jacob called his sons: Jacob, in what amounts to his last significant act as a patriarch and as the heir to Isaac and Abraham, will one-by-one pronounce a “blessing” upon each son.

"This is the first conscious prophecy spoken by man in the Bible." (Guzik)

What shall befall you in the last days: Some of these are not so much “blessings” as they are prophecies regarding what God will do with these tribes in the future.

a. There were many prophecies announced by God (such as the promise of the triumph of the seed of the woman in Genesis 3:15), and other veiled prophecies by men, but this is the first knowing prophecy of the Bible.

b. Jewish traditions say as Jacob was about to bless his sons, he was ready to tell them the “great secret concerning the end of time.” But at that moment, the glory of God visited and left just as quickly, taking all trace of the knowledge of the great mystery, so he couldn't tell them.

Jacob realizes a spiritual truth.

You sons of Jacob, and listen to Israel your father: At the very beginning of the blessing, Jacob realized he was both Jacob and Israel, and his sons are sons of each. This was a place of spiritual maturity, realizing both what God made him (Israel) and what he had to battle against (Jacob).

a. "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions." (Galatians 5:16-17)

“Reuben, you are my firstborn,
My might and the beginning of my strength,
The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.
Unstable as water, you shall not excel,
Because you went up to your father’s bed;
Then you defiled it;
He went up to my couch.” Genesis 49:3-4

How did Reuben forfeit his firstborn inheritance rights?

You are my firstborn: As the firstborn of the family Reuben had claim to the inheritance rights of the firstborn, but he forfeited it through pride (The excellency of dignity) and immorality (you defiled it).

i. Reuben’s immorality with his father’s concubine Bilhah (the mother of his brothers Dan and Naphtali) is recorded in Genesis 35:22.

The future consequences of Reuben forfeiting his firstborn inheritance rights.

1. Unstable as water, you shall not excel: Because of Reuben’s instability the birthright ends up being divided. Usually the firstborn was the spiritual and social leader of the “clan”; but the rights of blessing, priesthood, and ruling authority were divided among the sons of Israel rather than being centralized in one.

a. Though we see the great wisdom of God in “decentralizing” authority among the sons of Israel, Reuben paid a high price for his instability. As much as anything, God looks for stable character in those who will lead His people.

2. You shall not excel: The tribe of Reuben never did excel. No prophet, no judge, or no king came from the tribe of Reuben. Reuben is a great example of how the first can be last (Matthew 19:30).

“Simeon and Levi are brothers;
Instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place.
Let not my soul enter their council;
Let not my honor be united to their assembly;
For in their anger they slew a man,
And in their self-will they hamstrung an ox.
Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce;
And their wrath, for it is cruel!
I will divide them in Jacob
And scatter them in Israel.” Genesis 49:5-7

How our past sins can come back and haunt us.

Simeon and Levi are brothers: The second-born son Simeon and the third-born son Levi received the same “blessing” for the same evil deed. They were instruments of cruelty when they wiped out all the men of Shechem in retaliation for the rape of their sister Dinah (Genesis 34:25-29).

a. Jacob, perhaps in weakness, did nothing at the time except register a small, self-centered complaint (Genesis 34:30). Yet he (and the LORD) remembered this event.

b. The sins of our past can come back and haunt us. Even when forgiven, they may carry consequences we must face for a lifetime.

What is the difference between godly anger and ungodly anger?

Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce: The real problem with Simeon and Levi was their anger (in their anger they slew a man). Their anger was sin because it was rooted in self-will (in their self-will they hamstrung an ox).

a. The Bible speaks of a godly anger (Be angry and do not sin, Ephesians 4:26) and an ungodly anger (Let all bitterness, wrath, anger . . . be put away from you, Ephesians 4:31). Often, the difference between a godly, righteous anger and an ungodly anger is self-will.

Jacob's prophecies about Simeon and Levi.

1. I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel: The prophecy of dividing and scattering turned out to be a curse for Simeon. The tribe of Simeon was the weakest numerically of the 12 (Numbers 26:14) and shared an allotment of land with Judah (Joshua 19:1).

a. In fact, the tribe of Simeon became small during the wilderness wanderings. They started out from Egypt being the third largest tribe (Numbers 1:23), but some 35 years later, at the second wilderness census of Israel, 63% of the tribe perished and they became the smallest tribe (Numbers 26:14).

2. I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel: The prophecy of dividing and scattering became a blessing for Levi. Because of the faithfulness of this tribe during the rebellion of the golden calf (Exodus 32:26-28), it was scattered as a blessing throughout the whole nation of Israel. They received no large tract of land, for the LORD was their inheritance, not land (Joshua 13:33).

a. So both Simeon and Levi were scattered, but one as a blessing and the other as a curse.

b. Washington Irving, the American writer, said: “It lightens the stroke to draw near to him who handles the rod.” When we suffer from our sin, we should draw near to God and anticipate that in mercy He will turn suffering into blessing.

“Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise;
Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
Your father’s children shall bow down before you.
Judah is a lion’s whelp;
From the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He bows down, he lies down as a lion;
And as a lion, who shall rouse him?
The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes;
And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
Binding his donkey to the vine,
And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,
He washed his garments in wine,
And his clothes in the blood of grapes.
His eyes are darker than wine,
And his teeth whiter than milk.” Genesis 49:8-12

Judah's blessing.

Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise: Judah wasn’t a completely exemplary character. He suggested a profit motive in getting rid of Joseph (Genesis 37:26). He did not deal faithfully with his daughter-in-law Tamar (Genesis 38:26), and he had sex with her as a prostitute (Genesis 38:18). But he did shine when he interceded and offered himself as a substitute for Joseph (Genesis 44:18-34). Overall, this blessing is an example of the riches of God’s grace.

i. Jewish tradition says after Judah heard what Jacob had to say to Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, he was afraid because of the evil he did.

"Judah inherits the leadership aspect of the firstborn’s inheritance." (Guzik)

You are he whom your brothers shall praise . . . as a lion . . . the scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet . . . to Him shall be the obedience of the people: Each of these refer to the ruling position Judah will have among his brethren.

a. In Revelation 5:5, Jesus is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

b. “The firstborn normally had two rights. First, he became the leader of the family, the new patriarch. Second, he was entitled to a double share of the inheritance, receiving twice as much as any of the other brothers.” (Boice)

Judah's prophecy.

Until Shiloh comes: The “leadership” prophecy took some 640 years to fulfill in part (with the reign of David, first of Judah’s dynasty of kings), and some 1600 years to fulfill in Jesus. Jesus is referred to as Shiloh, the name meaning, “He whose right it is” and a title anciently understood to speak of the Messiah.

a. From David until the Herods, a prince of Judah was head over Israel (even Daniel in captivity). The promise was that Israel would keep this scepter until Shiloh comes. Even under their foreign masters during this period, Israel had a limited right to self-rule, until 7 A.D. Then under Herod and the Romans, their right to capital punishment was taken away.

b. At the time, the rabbis considered it a disaster of unfulfilled Scripture. Seemingly, the last vestige of the scepter had passed from Judah, and they did not see the Messiah. Rabbis walked the streets of Jerusalem and said, “Woe unto us, for the scepter has been taken away from Judah, and Shiloh has not come.” Yet God’s word had not been broken.

c. Certainly, Jesus was alive then. Perhaps this was the very year He was 12 years old and discussed God’s Word in the temple with the scholars of His day. Perhaps He impressed them with His understanding of this very issue.

Judah’s material blessing.

Binding his donkey to the vine: This blessing also contains a description of Judah’s material abundance (the vine . . . the choice vine). Judah’s land was great wine-growing country.

“Zebulun shall dwell by the haven of the sea;
He shall become a haven for ships,
And his border shall adjoin Sidon.” Genesis 49:13

Zebulun's prophecy.

1. Zebulun: Jacob now skipped the birth order, moving to the tenth-born and ninth-born sons, but staying with the sons born of Leah.

a. The tribe of Zebulun was noted for its faithfulness to David, supplying the largest number of soldiers to David’s army of any single tribe: of Zebulun there were fifty thousand who went out to battle, expert in war with all weapons of war, stouthearted men who could keep ranks (1 Chronicles 12:33).

2. He shall become a haven for ships: The tribe of Zebulun seems to settle the piece of land sitting between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Galilee. Literally, shall dwell by the haven of the sea can be rendered “looking towards the sea.” Zebulun did look to the sea, both to the East and West.

“Issachar is a strong donkey,
Lying down between two burdens;
He saw that rest was good,
And that the land was pleasant;
He bowed his shoulder to bear a burden,
And became a band of slaves.” Genesis 49:14-15

Issachar's prophecy.

Issachar is a strong donkey: Issachar was a large tribe - third in size according to the Numbers 26 census. Because of their size and abundance, they were often targets of oppressive foreign armies who put them into servitude. Thus, they became a band of slaves.

a. “The meaning seems to be that Issachar was strong, but docile and lazy. He would enjoy the good land assigned him but would not strive for it. Therefore, eventually he would be pressed into servitude and the mere bearing of burdens for his masters.” (Leupold)

b. "He is going to be a lazy fellow. Issachar inherited the area that is known as the valley of Megeddo. That is, probably, some of the most fertile area in the land and they didn't have to do much work. Throw out your seed and it just grew. He became prosperous and lazy. That area is called the breadbasket of Israel and produces, even to the present day, an abundance of beautiful crops. It is in the area of Mt. Gilboa." (Smith)

“Dan shall judge his people
As one of the tribes of Israel.
Dan shall be a serpent by the way,
A viper by the path,
That bites the horse’s heels
So that its rider shall fall backward.
I have waited for your salvation, O LORD!” Genesis 49:16-18

Dan's prophecy.

1. Dan shall judge his people: The tribe of Dan did judge his people. They supplied one of the most prominent of the Judges, Samson (Judges 13:2).

2. Dan shall be a serpent by the way: But Dan was a troublesome tribe. They introduced idolatry into Israel (Judges 18:30). Jeroboam set up one of his idolatrous golden calves in Dan (1 Kings 12:26-30) and later Dan became a center of idol worship in Israel (Amos 8:14).

a. Some think the serpent by the way refers to the idea that the Antichrist comes from the tribe of Dan (based on Daniel 11:37 and Jeremiah 8:16).

b. Dan is left out of the listing of tribes regarding the 144,000 in Revelation 7:5-8. But Dan is the first tribe listed in Ezekiel’s millennial roll call of the tribes (Ezekiel 48). This is a remarkable sign of God’s redemption.

Jacob cries out for Yeshua (Jesus).

I have waited for your salvation, O LORD: The Hebrew word for salvation is “yeshuwah.” At this point in the prophecy, when Jacob is so near death, he called out for God’s salvation. He called out for Jesus.

“Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him,
But he shall triumph at last.” Genesis 49:19

Gad's prophecy.

1. Gad: The tribe of Gad supplied many fine troops for David (1 Chronicles 12:14).

2. A troop shall tramp upon him: In the days of Jeremiah (among other times) foreign armies oppressed Gad (Jeremiah 49:1).

“Bread from Asher shall be rich,
And he shall yield royal dainties.” Genesis 49:20

Asher's prophecy.

1. Bread from Asher shall be rich: In Deuteronomy 33:24, Moses again took up this prophecy regarding Asher: Asher is most blessed of sons; let him be favored by his brothers, and let him dip his foot in oil.

2. Royal dainties: "Asher's descendants will be bakers and provide the land with rich bread and cookies." (Smith)

“Naphtali is a deer let loose;
He uses beautiful words.” Genesis 49:21

Naphtali's prophecy.

Naphtali: Naphtali’s land was in a key portion near the Sea of Galilee, the region where Jesus did much of His teaching and ministry. It is fittingly said of him that he gives goodly words.

a. Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned” (Matthew 4:12-16).

b. "The tribe of Naphtali will be the poets and speech makers." (Smith)

“Joseph is a fruitful bough,
A fruitful bough by a well;
His branches run over the wall.
The archers have bitterly grieved him,
Shot at him and hated him.
But his bow remained in strength,
And the arms of his hands were made strong
By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob
(From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),
By the God of your father who will help you,
And by the Almighty who will bless you
With blessings of heaven above,
Blessings of the deep that lies beneath,
Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
The blessings of your father
Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors,
Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills.
They shall be on the head of Joseph,
And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.” Genesis 49:22-26

Joseph's blessings.

1. Joseph is a fruitful bough: This is more of an accounting of his life and a personal blessing. In a sense, Joseph’s tribes were already blessed when his sons received their blessing in Genesis 48.

2. The archers have bitterly grieved him: Though Joseph was shot at and hated, he was still a fruitful bough. This is because the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob. The idea is that God’s hands were on Joseph’s hands, giving him strength and skill to work the bow expertly. God was there, even when Joseph did not know it.

3. The Almighty who will bless you: Joseph was certainly blessed in his posterity. His tribes were some of the most populous. In this sense, he received the “material blessing,” the double portion aspect of the inheritance of the firstborn.

4. The blessings of your father have excelled the blessings of my ancestors: Jacob could say this because he was, for much of his life, a scoundrel. Now, at the end of his days, he saw just how good God was to him. He was forgiven much and loved much (Luke 7:47).

5. The Mighty God of Jacob: In his words about Joseph, Jacob listed five great titles for God. These titles show that Jacob did come to an understanding of who God is.

· The Mighty God of Jacob
· The Shepherd
· The Stone of Israel
· The God of your father
· The Almighty

a. This is much better than when Jacob referred to God as the God of Abraham or the Fear of his father Isaac (Genesis 31:53). Now he knows who God is for himself.

“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
In the morning he shall devour the prey,
And at night he shall divide the spoil.” Genesis 49:27

Benjamin's prophecy.

Benjamin is a ravenous wolf: This was the tribe with a reputation for fierceness. To see the great extent of this, look at Ehud (Judges 3:15-23), Saul (1 Samuel 9:1, 14:47-52), and Paul (Acts 8:1-3). The cruelty of the tribe in general is seen in Judges 19 and 20.

a. "The tribe of Benjamin produced the tough fellows. History tells how fierce the Benjamites were in battle. The first king of Israel, Saul, came from the tribe of Benjamin. There were a group of Benjamites who fought with David and they were skillful with the sling. They could split a hair at a hundred yards." (Smith)

All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them. And he blessed them; he blessed each one according to his own blessing. Genesis 49:28

"Jacob concludes his blessing of the sons." (Guzik)

And he blessed them: Some of the things mentioned regarding these tribes may seem a bit cloudy, but only because we may not know exactly their fulfillment until the age to come.

 

[Chaplain]

Then he charged them and said to them: “I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite as a possession for a burial place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah. The field and the cave that is there were purchased from the sons of Heth.” Genesis 49:29-32

"Jacob makes his sons promise to bury him in Canaan." (Guzik)

1. Bury me with my fathers: Though Jacob is now in Egypt, he knew he was not an Egyptian. He was a son of the promise, an heir of God’s covenant with Abraham, and he will be buried in the land promised to Abraham by covenant.

2. In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah: Egypt was filled with magnificent tombs, and because of the respect Jacob had he could have been buried like a Pharaoh. But he wanted to be buried in an obscure cave in Canaan, because Canaan was the land of promise.

And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people. Genesis 49:33

Jacob dies.

1. Breathed his last: This ends the life of the last of the great patriarchs, of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But God can and will raise up other great men to use after them.

2. And was gathered to his people: There are said to be three basic attitudes towards death. Among the ancient Greeks, they held to what can be called the death-accepting view. Our modern world is sold out to a death-denying approach. The Biblical approach is the death-defying attitude.

Then Joseph fell on his father’s face, and wept over him, and kissed him. And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. Forty days were required for him, for such are the days required for those who are embalmed; and the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. Genesis 50:1-3

Jacob honored by the Egyptians.

The Egyptians mourned him seventy days: Jacob was mourned for 70 days among the whole nation of Egypt. A royal mourning period in Egypt was 72 days. Jacob was obviously a greatly honored man.

a. "The art of embalming which the Egyptians had developed was a tremendous skill and even today, we do not know how they were able to embalm the bodies to preserve them as they did. It wasn't an easy process, and it took forty days to do the embalming. Not everyone was embalmed, only the very prominent such as, the Pharaohs. If the cave of Machpelah was accessible today, it would be fascinating to explore it and try to find Jacob's mummy. The others buried there such as Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah and Leah would, by now, be dust; but, Jacob's body is probably still preserved being embalmed after the manner of the Egyptians. The Pharaoh's bodies are still preserved, mummified bodies, and so you would probably be able to find Jacob and possibly Joseph because he was embalmed too." (Smith)

And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the hearing of Pharaoh, saying, ‘My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I am dying; in my grave which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me.” Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come back.’“ And Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.” So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, as well as all the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s house. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds they left in the land of Goshen. And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen, and it was a very great gathering. Then they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and they mourned there with a great and very solemn lamentation. He observed seven days of mourning for his father. And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a deep mourning of the Egyptians.” Therefore its name was called Abel Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan. So his sons did for him just as he had commanded them. For his sons carried him to the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as property for a burial place. And after he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers and all who went up with him to bury his father. Genesis 50:4-14

"Jacob’s body is brought to Canaan, and he is buried next to Leah, the wife who blessed him with his first four sons." (Guzik)

1. Joseph went up to bury his father: This was a dramatic burial. The entire clan gathered together to pay tribute to this man who was the last link with the patriarchs. The life of this man’s grandfather overlapped with the sons of Noah.

a. "They went past the Red Sea, over to the Eastern side of the Dead Sea, and up on the Eastern side of the Dead Sea until they came to the Jordan River. This was about the same route that their fathers will take later, under Joshua. They crossed the Jordan River and then made their way to Hebron where the cave of Machpelah was and there they buried Jacob. They came to Atad, which is actually on the other side of the Jordan in the area that today is called Jordan; but, it was the area of Moab at that time. They came to the threshing floor of Atad, where they mourned with a great and solemn lamentation for seven days." (Smith)

b. “Luther remarks that there is no burial recorded in the Scriptures quite as honorable as this or with such wealth of detail.” (Leupold)

2. They mourned there with a great and very solemn lamentation: This was, no doubt, a day of rededication of the sons of Israel to the God of Israel, the God of the great covenant made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.” Genesis 50:15

Joseph’s brothers are scared because of the evil they committed in the past.

1. Perhaps Joseph will hate us: They feared that perhaps Joseph would turn on them after Jacob’s death. Knowing human nature, this wasn’t an unfounded concern.

2. And may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him: Here they freely acknowledged all the evil which they did. What they worried about was justice. They feared righteous retribution. Joseph, with his high status and prestige in Egypt, was certainly capable of bringing this retribution.

So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.” ‘ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.” Genesis 50:16-18

"The unlikely story of Joseph’s brothers." (Guzik)

1. Before your father died he commanded: This story is probably concocted. They didn’t feel they had the moral right to ask Joseph for mercy, since they sinned against him so greatly. So they put the request for mercy in the mouth of their honored and dead father.

2. Joseph wept when they spoke to him: Joseph probably wept because it seemed his brothers thought so little of him and they doubted his character so greatly.

3. Fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants”: They backed up their plea for mercy with a genuine display of humility.

Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:19-21

Joseph recognizes an important truth about revenge.

Am I in the place of God? Joseph first understood he was not in the place of God. It wasn’t his job to bring retribution upon his brothers. If the LORD chose to do it, He would have to find another instrument than Joseph.

a. From a human perspective, Joseph had the “right” and the ability to bring retribution upon his brothers, but he knew God was God, and he was not.

b. Paul wrote, "Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good." (Romans 12:17-21)

God uses the evil people do for our good.

As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good: Joseph did not romanticize the wrong his brothers did. He plainly declared, “you meant evil against me.” Although this was true, it was not the greatest truth. The greatest truth was “God meant it for good.”

a. "The interesting thing is that even though God intended good, Joseph went through several years of real suffering and real testing before the good came out. Our problem is waiting upon God, waiting for the full cycle. The seven years or so that Joseph was serving in the house of Potiphar as a slave, we would have been plotting how to run away. The three years or more that he was in jail, we would have been planning an escape. We don't like to wait on God. We don't like this part of the story. We want to jump into the last chapter where they lived happily ever after. We don't want to go through all of the drama and the hardship and the trials getting to the good place. We want the goodies now, but yet, the purposes of God are not always accomplished immediately in our lives. It was years before Joseph could actually see what God had intended, the purpose and the plan of God. Often times in our own lives it is years before we see the real purpose of God for some of the hardships we have endured and the grief we have experienced. During this time, we find ourselves complaining against God. Why? So often God doesn't tell us why, He just says, "Wait on Me child." We get upset when God says, "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, wait, I say on the Lord." Don't tell me that, tell me what you are doing. When is this thing going to change? When are we going to get a turn for the better? When are we going to see the reasons and the purposes for these things? I want to know, I want to know now! I don't want to wait. And yet, I have to wait. Now, the tragedy is that so many times people jump out of the fire and strike out on their own. God hasn't responded and we've prayed for two whole weeks and nothing has happened. Obviously God isn't working and doesn't plan to work in this situation; so, we take things into our own hands. That is our problem. God doesn't always work His processes out in two weeks, but sometimes it takes years." (Smith)

b. Every Christian should be able to see the overarching and overruling hand of God in their life, to know that no matter what evil man brings against us, God can use it for good.

c. Joseph did not have the text of Romans 8:28, but he had the truth of it: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Alas, many of us who have the text do not have the truth.

d. Ultimately, our lives are not in the hands of men, but in the hands of God, who overrules all things for His glory.

e. There was an old minister who had a unique gift to minister to the distressed and discouraged. In his Bible, he carried an old bookmark woven of silk threads into a motto. The back of it, where the threads were knotted and tied, was a hopeless tangle. He would take the bookmark out and show the troubled person this side of the bookmark and ask them to make sense of it. They never could. Then the pastor would turn it over, and on the front were white letters against a solid background saying, “God is love.” When events in our life seem tangled and meaningless, it is because we can see only one side of the tapestry.

God used the evil that the brothers did to Joseph to save millions of lives.

To save many people alive: This was the immediate good in the situation. If this large family did not come to Egypt and live it would have perished in the famine. Had the family barely survived, it would have assimilated into the Canaanite tribes surrounding it. Only by coming to Egypt could they be preserved and grow into a distinct nation.

a. As said before, if Joseph’s brothers never sell him to the Midianites, then Joseph never goes to Egypt. If Joseph never goes to Egypt, he never is sold to Potiphar. If he is never sold to Potiphar, Potiphar’s wife never falsely accuses him of rape. If Potiphar’s wife never falsely accuses him of rape, then he is never put in prison. If he is never put in prison, he never meets the baker and butler of Pharaoh. If he never meets the baker and butler of Pharaoh, he never interprets their dreams. If he never interprets their dreams, he never gets to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. If he never gets to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, he never is made prime minister. If he is never made prime minister, he never wisely administrates for the severe famine coming upon the region. If he never wisely administrates for the severe famine coming upon the region, then his family back in Canaan perishes from the famine. If his family back in Canaan perishes from the famine, then the Messiah can’t come forth from a dead family. If the Messiah can’t come forth, then Jesus never came. If Jesus never came, then you are dead in your sins and without hope in this world. We are grateful for God’s great and wise plan.

Joseph loves unconditionally: "Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law." (Romans 13:10)

And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them: Because Joseph trusted the overarching hand of God, even in all the evil that came upon him through his brothers, he showed the love and compassion to them he did.

a. Often, the problem we have in loving others and in freeing ourselves from bitterness we may have towards them, is really a problem of not knowing who God is and trusting Him to be who He says He is.

b. So, what is they solution to not being bitter? Jesus said, "Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.” (Luke 17:4)

c. Joseph’s love for his brothers was shown not only in feelings and words, but also in practical action. He actually did provide for his brothers and their families.

So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father’s household. And Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also brought up on Joseph’s knees. And Joseph said to his brethren, “I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Genesis 50:22-24

"Joseph is still in Egypt, but his heart was in Canaan." (Guzik)

God will surely visit you and bring you out of this land to the land which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob: Joseph was the human agent most responsible for bringing this family to Egypt. Yet he knew that because of the covenant God had made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, this would not be their resting place. They were headed - eventually - back to Canaan.

Joseph dies.

He was put in a coffin in Egypt: According to this passage and Hebrews 11:22, Joseph was never buried. His coffin laid above-ground for the 400 or so years until it was taken back to Canaan. It was a silent witness for all those years that Israel was going back to the Promised Land, just as God said.

a. All during that time, when a child of Israel saw Joseph’s coffin and asked what it was there for and why it was not buried, they could be answered, “Because the great man Joseph did not want to be buried in Egypt, but in the Promised Land God will one day lead us to.”

God sometimes takes a while in answering prayers.

You shall carry up my bones from here: This promise was fulfilled some 400 years later, when Israel left Egypt (Exodus 13:19) This command showed that Joseph’s heart was in the Promised Land. It also proved him to be a man of great faith, trusting in things not yet seen (Hebrews 11:22).

a. Some promises of God take a long time to fulfill, and we must persevere in trusting God. George Mueller was a remarkable man of faith who ran orphanages in England. In a sermon preached when he was 75 years old, he said 30,000 times in his 54 years as a Christian he received the answer to prayer on the same day he prayed it. But not all his prayers were answered so quickly. He told of one prayer that he brought to God about 20,000 times over more than 11 years, and he still trusted God for the answer: “I hope in God, I pray on, and look for the answer. Therefore, beloved brethren and sisters, go on waiting upon God, go on praying.”

b. "Thus ends Genesis. The book that began with creation ends with a coffin. The book that began in glory, ends in a grave. The book that began with the living God, ends with a dead man. The book that began with the brightness of heaven, ends with bones in Egypt. Why?It’s the Holy Spirit’s commentary on the condition of man, the repercussions of sin, the need for a Savior. Joseph is the most Christ-like man in the Bible, and yet we see him in a coffin. Although Satan said otherwise, God had said, “In the day you eat of the forbidden fruit, thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:17). Joseph was a very good man, but the fact is that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and that the wages of sin is death (Romans 3:23, 6:23). Is there any way out? Is there any hope? Is there any plan? Yes! We’ll see God’s redemptive plan unfold in Exodus. We’ll not stay in a coffin in Egypt indefinitely, gang. We’re going to heaven. We’re on our way Home!" (Courson, J. (2005). Jon Courson's application commentary : Volume one : Genesis-Job (227). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.)

 

[Disheveled_Zen]

Very in depth stuff. Keep up the good work.

 

[Chaplain]

Genesis Chapter 1 part 1 - Who is God?
Genesis Chapter 1 part 2 - Day 1 and 2
Genesis Chapter 1 part 3 - Day 3 and 4
Genesis Chapter 1 part 4 - Day 5
Genesis Chapter 1 part 5 and Genesis 2 part 1
Genesis 2 part 2 - Adam in the Garden of Eden & God’s command to Adam
Genesis 2 part 3 - Eve, the first woman, comes on the scene
Genesis 3 - Man’s Temptation and Fall (part 1)
Genesis 3 - Man’s Temptation and Fall (part 2)
Genesis 3 - Man’s Temptation and Fall (part 3)
Genesis 3 (part 4) & Genesis 4 - Cain and Abel (part 1)
Genesis 4 - Cain and Abel (part 2)
Genesis 5 - The Gospel of Jesus in the genealogy of Adam's family
Genesis 6 (part 1) - Demons raping women, God's judgement on evil, and Noah
Genesis 6 (part 2) - Genesis 7 (part 1)
Genesis 7 (part 2) - Global or local flood?
Genesis 8 - God remembers Noah & God’s covenant with Noah
Genesis 9 - God’s Covenant with Noah and Creation
Genesis 10 - The Table of Nations & Satan counterfeits Jesus' story
Genesis 11 - The Tower of Babel and Abraham comes on the scene
Genesis 12 - God’s Call of Abraham and the many mistakes of Abraham
Genesis 13 - God Promises Abram the Land Again
Genesis 14 - Abram Rescues Lot and Meets Melchizedek
Genesis 15 (part 1)- Abraham's fears, doubts, and salvation.
Genesis 15 (part 2) - The contract between Abram and God
Genesis 16 - How we reap what we sow, and what happens when we help God out
Genesis 17 - God Reaffirms His Covenant with Abraham
Genesis 18:1-15 part 1- Jesus appears to Abraham & Sarah's sin of unbelief
Genesis 18 part 2 - "Abraham intercedes for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah"
Genesis 19:1-29 - The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
Genesis 20 - "Abraham lies about Sarah again and attempts to justify his sin"
Genesis 22 part 1 - The parallels between Isaac and Jesus
Genesis 22 part 2 & Genesis 23 - Sarah Dies and Is Buried
Genesis 24 - Isaac and Rebekah (part 1)
Genesis 24 (part 2) - "Isaac, Rebekah, Jesus, and the Church"
Genesis 25 - Abraham’s Death; Jacob and Esau Born to Isaac (Part 1)
Genesis 25 (Part 2) & Genesis 26 - Isaac Sins Like Abraham His Father
Genesis 27 - What happens when we choose not to trust God
Genesis 28 - Jacob Flees From Esau, meets God, and tries to make a deal with God
Genesis 29 Part 1 - Jacob falls in love, becomes a servant, and is deceived
Genesis 29 PT2 & Genesis 30 PT1 - The Children Born to Jacob
Genesis 30 Part 2
Genesis 31 - Jacob Flees From Laban to Canaan
Genesis 32 PT1 - Jacob meets angels, seeks peace, gives in to fear
Genesis 32 PT2 - Jacob wrestles with Jesus and loses, & God changes His name
Genesis 33 - The Meeting of Jacob and Esau
Genesis 34 - What happens when we choose to ignore God's warnings.
Genesis 35 PT1 - The amazing things that can happen when we return to God
Genesis 35 PT2 & Genesis 36
Genesis 37 - Joseph Is Sold Into Slavery
Genesis 38 - What happens when everyone does whatever seems right to them
Genesis 39 Part 1 - Joseph's character despite his outward circumstances
Genesis 39 PT2 - Genesis 40 PT1 - Joseph Interprets Dreams in Prison
Genesis 40 PT2 - Genesis 41 PT1 - Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dream
Genesis 41 PT2- all things work together for good to those who love God
Genesis 42 - How to get rid of guilt and keep our consciences clear
Genesis 43 & Genesis 44 part 1 - Joseph and his brothers are reunited
Genesis 44/45 - Joseph is Reconciled With His Brothers
Genesis 46 & 47 Jacob meets Joseph and Pharaoh
Genesis 48 - Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons
Genesis 49 Pt 1- The Blessing & Prophecies given to the Sons of Jacob
Genesis 49 Pt2 - Genesis 50 The Burial of Jacob; the Death of Joseph

 

[Chaplain]

Very in depth stuff. Keep up the good work.

Ty.

So you know, doing the Genesis study really helped me grow as a believer. I have seen God change and use me so much because of the things I learned from Genesis. My prayer for the neogaf family is that they would also grow, be conformed into the image of Jesus, be used by God to reach out to others in this world.

 

[Chaplain]

Now these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt; each man and his household came with Jacob: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. All those who were descendants of Jacob were seventy persons (for Joseph was in Egypt already). And Joseph died, all his brothers, and all that generation. Exodus 1:1-6

The opening of the book of Exodus is a continuation of the book of Genesis.

1. Now these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt: The first verses of Exodus reach back some 430 years. The story of the Exodus begins where the story Genesis ends: a large family with a crucial place in God’s plan of the ages and their migration to Egypt.

a. The Hebrew title for the Book of Exodus is taken from its first words: And These are the Names Of. In the original language, the first word of Exodus is and, marking its continuity from the Genesis account.

b. "So we can see how the first part of chapter one of Exodus is really just the continuation of the book of Genesis, again, written by Moses. It is interesting that the five books of Moses comprise almost one seventh of the entire Bible, that they comprise almost as much as two-thirds of the New Testament. Now if God devotes one seventh of the book to one particular period of history and study, it evidently is basic and foundational and God wants us to really know it and understand it." (Smith)

c. "When Moses originally wrote the first five books, there weren’t five books, it was just one book, one continuous book. It’s been divided into five, but it’s just a continuous story. Up until this point Moses had gathered together a collection of the stories in writing Genesis. Now he begins to give the history as he personally experienced it, and related to it. And so: the book of Exodus, written by Moses. There are some men who would like to challenge the authorship of Moses, but no greater scholar than Jesus affirmed that Moses was the one that wrote the book of Exodus, and I’ll take the word of Jesus over any of these kooks that might come along and think differently. Jesus made reference to Moses in the Book of Moses, and then He quoted from Exodus, calling it “the book of Moses.” That’s good enough for me." (Smith)

2. And Joseph died: Joseph was the remarkable great-grandson of Abraham who saved Egypt – and the world – from terrible famine because he listened to God’s voice speaking through Pharaoh’s dream. Because of his wisdom and administration, he was lifted to high and honored office in Egypt. Yet eventually, Joseph died and the status his family enjoyed died with him.

But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. Exodus 1:7

"The rapid multiplication of the children of Israel in Egypt." (Guzik)

1. The land was filled with them: Genesis 47:27 says, So Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions there and grew and multiplied exceedingly. They did indeed multiply exceedingly over the generations - so that the land was filled with them.

a. At Exodus 1:7: “The Hebrew deliberately repeats three verbs used in Genesis 1:21,22 which may be translated ‘were fruitful…swarmed…became numerous’.” (Cole)

2. The children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly: This family started with five people back in Haran: Jacob, Rachel, Leah, Zilphah, and Bilhah. Blessed by God, the family of Israel grew rapidly in their years in Egypt.

a. "So, as he describes the growth of the nation of Israel in Egypt, he uses the terms fruitful, increased abundantly, multiplied, who grew exceedingly mighty. The seventy who went to Egypt had indeed multiplied to 600,000 men above the age of 20, which means a possible population of as many as 3,000,000 people. So, indeed, they were fruitful, increased abundantly, multiplied as they were in Egypt. The LORD had prophesied to Abraham that his descendants would go down to Egypt and God would make of them a great nation there, but He would bring them up out of Egypt in 400 years. So, the 400 years of that sojourn in Egypt are about over. When Jacob prayed at Beersheba, God said, “Go down to Egypt,” or, “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt; I will make of thee there a great nation.” And so, God has kept His word; the prophesies that He made to Abraham and Jacob have now been fulfilled, a great nation has formed during this period in Egypt." (Smith)

Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.” Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses. Exodus 1:8-11

Why did the Egyptians not like the Jews?

1. Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them: The ancient Egyptians were famous - or infamous - for their proud sense of racial superiority towards all other people. It isn’t surprising to see them afraid and discriminating against this strong minority group in their midst, which looked as if it would not be a minority very long.

a. "It is thought that Joseph reigned during what was called the Hyksos dynasties, but now they have been overthrown. It was that Northern and Southern Egypt which were divided into two kingdoms, but they have been reunified and they no longer are indebted to Joseph, nor are they really caring about Joseph; it’s been almost 300 years since he died." (Smith)

2. In the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us: At the time, the Egyptians feared invasion from the Hittites of the north. If the Hebrews among them joined with the Hittites, it posed a significant threat to their security.

a. "Now, the fear of the Pharaoh was that they would go out of the land. They had provided a tremendous slave labor force for Egypt. And so many of the great monuments in Egypt were built by the slave labor of the children of Israel. They were fearful of losing this labor core. They were fearful that when an enemy would invade them that the Israelis would turn against them themselves, and Egypt could be overthrown. Their presence now in Egypt posed a threat. However, he was fearful of their leaving because of the loss of the tremendous labor force." (Smith)

Brutal slave drivers are put over the Jews to build cities for Pharaoh.

They set taskmasters over them…they built for Pharaoh supply cities: When the children of Israel were set to slave labor they built many of the great cities and monuments in Egypt - though not the pyramids, which were built much earlier. Since we don’t know exactly when this forced labor began, we don’t know how long it lasted. Some estimate the slavery lasted 284 years, others 134 years.

a. There is a famous wall painting on an ancient tomb from Thebes, Egypt (modern Luxor) – the tomb of the overseer of brick-making slaves during the reign of Thutmose III. “The painting shows such overseers armed with heavy whips. Their rank is denoted by the long staff held in their hands and the Egyptian hieroglyphic determinative of the head and neck of a giraffe.” (Kaiser)

But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage; in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor. Exodus 1:12-14

Trails either break us or make us grow.

The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew: This was God’s purpose for Israel’s time in Egypt. Egypt served as a mother’s womb for Israel, a place where they rapidly grew from a large clan to a mighty nation.

a. The nation could not grow this way in Canaan, because it was practically impossible to avoid intermarriage with the pagan and wicked inhabitants of Canaan. Egypt was so racially biased and had such an entrenched system of racial separation that Israel could grow there over several centuries without being assimilated.

b. This growth in the face of affliction has consistently been the story of God’s people, throughout all ages - the more they are afflicted, the more they grow. As the ancient Christian writer Tertullian said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”

c. Suffering and persecution are like a great wave that comes upon a ship and looks as if it will destroy it; but the ship catches the wave and just uses it to speed along.

b. "Now it is interesting that under these conditions, the children of Israel continued to multiply and grow. Probably one of the greatest weakening things that can happen to a nation is prosperity. Nations seem to become strong and grow under adversity. The same seems to be true of the church. In the early history of the church, the church was going through such severe persecution by the Roman government; the church was growing by leaps and bounds, tremendous growth in the early church. But when the church began to be prosperous, Christianity began to be an accepted religion, almost a state religion. In fact in many areas it did become the state religion, and in all of those areas the church became weak. Prosperity has a tendency of softening people, whereas adversity has a tendency of doing the opposite, making the people strong. So the Pharaoh in his endeavor to weaken them by the heavy labor and the rigorous labor, working with bricks, and stones, and really putting heavy burdens upon them did not have the desired effect of weakening them, but actually made them just so much stronger. They really all got in just tremendous condition." (Smith)

Nothing will ever stop God's plans for our lives.

They made their lives bitter with hard bondage: Because God’s purpose was to bless Israel, and fulfill His role for them in His eternal plan, no amount of affliction could defeat His purpose. The Egyptians tried their best through cruel slavery; but it did not work. The principle of Isaiah 54:17 proved true: No weapon formed against you shall prosper. The wickedness of the Egyptians could hurt the children of Israel, but could never defeat God’s plan for them.

a. Pharaoh thought it best to not kill them; but he did want them to be slaves.

b. In the midst of their cruel and harsh service, life must have seemed hopeless to the children of Israel, and the idea that God was working out His plan must have seemed very far away - yet it was true nonetheless.

Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” Exodus 1:15-16

"The king of Egypt tries to destroy Israel by ordering the death of all male babies." (Guzik)

1. Of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah: We shouldn’t expect that these two women were the only midwives for all the children of Israel. They were probably the leaders of some association of midwives.

a. “Shiphrah and Puah are two good Semitic names, of an archaic type….meaning something like ‘beauty’ and ‘splendour’ respectively.” (Cole)

Why would Pharaoh want all baby boys killed right after birth?

2. If it is a son, then you shall kill him: The king of Egypt commanded them to kill all the male babies, to utterly weaken and practically destroy the people of Israel within a generation.

a. We may see the command of Pharaoh as consistent with Satan’s plan of Jew-hatred through the centuries, as an attack against God’s Messiah and ultimate plan for Israel in His plan of redemption. Satan knew that the Messiah - the Seed of the Woman, the One who would crush his head (Genesis 3:15) - would come from the children of Israel. Therefore he tried to destroy the whole nation in one generation by ordering all the male children killed.

But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. Exodus 1:17

When is it OK to disobey the government?

1. But the midwives feared God: They probably feared Pharaoh and his power; but they feared God more. For them, the choice was clear. The civil government commanded something that was clearly against God’s command. The midwives did the only right thing: they obeyed God rather than men.

a. Jesus said, "Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28)

2. Saved the male children alive: They acted on the same principle as did the persecuted apostles in Acts 4:19, when Peter asked the civil authorities: Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.

a. Though generally we are called to obey the government and honor civic rulers (Romans 13:1-5), we are never called to put government in the place of God. Therefore if the government tells us to do something against God’s will, we are to obey God first.

So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive?” And the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.” Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty. And so it was, because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them. So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.” Exodus 1:18-22

Did the Hebrew midwives lie to Pharaoh?

Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women: Many people assume that the Hebrew midwives lied to Pharaoh when they said this. However, this may not be the case. The midwives may have told the truth, - perhaps indeed the Hebrew women were heartier than the Egyptian women, yet the midwives did not explain all the reasons why the babies were spared.

a. “This might be no lie, as many suppose, but a truth concerning many of them, and they do not affirm it to be so with all…So here was nothing but truth, though they did not speak the whole truth, which they were not obliged to do.” (Poole)

b. “We are not told whether the midwives were lying, or whether the quick delivery of ‘Hebrew’ babies was a biological fact…Even if they lied, it is not for their deceit that they are commended, but for their refusal to take infant lives.” (Cole)

For what reason did God bless the midwives?

Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: Even if the midwives deceived Pharaoh, that was not what God blessed; He blessed their godly bravery in obeying God before man.

Why did the Jews continue to grow despite all of their suffering?

The people multiplied and grew very mightily: The worse the persecution against God’s plan to multiply the children of Israel in Egypt, the more God made sure the plan succeeded. This is a wonderful example of the goodness and the power of God. Pharaoh said, “less” and God said, “more.” Pharaoh said, “stop” and God said, “go.”

a. If the battle were just between Pharaoh and the people of Israel, Pharaoh would have clearly won. But the real battle included God in the equation, and that changed everything.

b. God obviously won this battle; but He won His victory through some courageous individuals who were willing to stand up to the power of Pharaoh and do what was right.

God's blessing for the midwives.

He provided households for them: This was God’s blessing on the midwives - He enabled them to have children of their own. Usually, midwives held their occupation because they had no children of their own.

Pharaoh changes his plan.

Every son who is born you shall cast into the river: Seeing that his plan did not work, Pharaoh made a far more radical command, that all male children should be killed – apparently even Egyptian boys (Pharaoh commanded all his people).

a. The method Pharaoh commanded for the death of the male children of Israel became the divine provision for training the deliverer of Israel.

For those that want to take their studies deeper:

The Mosaic Authorship of the Pentateuch

 

[Chaplain]

And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. Exodus 2:1-2

Moses is born.

So the woman conceived and bore a son: The baby Moses opened his eyes to an unfriendly world. He was born in a powerful nation, but was of a foreign, oppressed race during a time when all babies such as himself were under a royal death sentence. Nevertheless, Moses had something special in his favor: he was the child of believing parents.

a. Moses was not the firstborn in his family. He had at least an older brother (Aaron) and an older sister (Miriam).

Who were Moses' parents?

A man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi: Exodus 6:20 tells us the names of Moses’ parents: Amram and Jochebed. Fanciful Jewish legends say that Moses’ birth was painless to his mother, that at his birth his face was so beautiful that the room was filled with light equal to the sun and moon combined, that he walked and spoke when he was a day old, and that he refused to nurse, eating solid food from birth.

Why did Moses' mom hide him for three months?

She hid him three months: The parents of Moses did not do this only because of the natural parental instinct; they did it also out of faith in God. Hebrews 11:23 describes the faith of Moses’ parents: By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command.

But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” Exodus 2:3-6

Moses’ mother shows that she trusted God.

Laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank: In a literal sense, Moses’ mother did exactly what Pharaoh said to do: put her son into the river (Exodus 1:22). However, she took care to put him in a waterproofed basket and strategically floated him in the river.

a. “The word for ‘papyrus basket’ is used only here and for Noah’s ark.” (Kaiser) “The Hebrew would be better translated by ‘papyrus basket’; the word is used elsewhere only of Noah’s ark.” (Cole)

b. But more so, this was a great example of trusting the child’s welfare and future to God alone. When Moses’ mother let go of the boat made of bulrushes, she gave up something precious, trusting that God would take care of it, and perhaps find a way to give it back to her.

Pharaoh’s daughter finds Moses.

The baby wept. So she had compassion on him: In God’s guidance, Pharaoh’s daughter found baby Moses. She was conditioned by her culture and upbringing to reject the Hebrews, but the cry of baby Moses melted her heart.

a. God had this beautifully planned for the deliverance of both Moses, and eventually for the people of Israel. He skillfully guided the parents of Moses, the currents of the Nile, and the heart of Pharaoh’s daughter to further His plan and purpose.

Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?” And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the maiden went and called the child’s mother. Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, “Because I drew him out of the water.” Exodus 2:7-10

God arranges for Moses' mother to raise him, so that Moses would grow up knowing Him.

Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages: Using both the clever initiative of Moses’ family and the need of Pharaoh’s daughter, God arranged a way for Moses’ mother to train him in his early years and be paid for it.

a. God rewarded the faith of Moses’ mother, both as she trusted Him in hiding Moses for three months, and also as she trusted God by setting Moses out on the river.

b. “No doubt it was in these early years that Moses learnt of the ‘God of the fathers’ (Exodus 3:15) and realized that the Hebrews were his fellow countrymen (Exodus 2:11).” (Cole)

c. "So interesting way that God has of working, Moses was able to grow up at home during the early years where he received the strong inculcating of the Hebrew traditions, endued with a sense of a nation of destiny. Certainly, it's a tremendous example of what the proverb declares, "If you train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not depart from it." Because in those early formation years, Moses had received such a strong foundation that it was strong enough that he was able to withstand all of the pressures of the many years of the education within the Egyptian schools. Don't underestimate the value of those early years. It is said that the Jewish mothers from the time the baby was first cradled in their arms, would begin to whisper in their ears, "Jehovah is God". I think for some of you mothers, one of the greatest things you can do is just whisper in your children's ears, "Jesus loves you". Paul wrote to Timothy, and spoke of how at youth he was taught in the scriptures by his godly mother and grandmother. What a heritage." (Smith)

Moses becomes the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter. What would it be like to grow up as a child in a royal family?

And he became her son: Being the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter, Moses was in the royal family. The ancient Jewish historian Josephus wrote that Moses was heir to the throne of Egypt and that while a young man he led the armies of Egypt in victorious battle against the Ethiopians.

a. Certainly, he was raised with both the science and learning of Egypt. Acts 7:22 says, Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds. Egypt was one of the most academic and scientific societies among ancient cultures. It is reasonable to think that Moses was instructed in geography, history, grammar, writing, literature, philosophy, and music.

b. Since he was of the royal family, we expect that as Moses went anywhere, he went in a princely chariot and his guards cried out “bow the knee!” If he floated on the Nile, it was in a magnificent ship with musical accompaniment; he lived the royal life. We also know that Moses’ Hebrew mother had an influence on his life, so he was certainly raised in the Hebrew heritage of his mother.

c. An ancient Christian writer named Origen had a fanciful allegorical way of interpreting the Scriptures, and what he does with this account of Moses and Pharaoh’s daughter is a good example of the peril of over-allegorizing the Scriptures. In Origen’s take on this passage:

· Pharaoh represents the devil
· The male and female Hebrew children represent the animal and rational aspects of the soul
· The devil wants to kill the rational character of man, but keep alive his animal character
· The two midwives are the Old and New Testaments
· Pharaoh wants to corrupt the midwives so that the rational character of man will be destroyed
· Because the midwives were faithful, God builds houses of prayer all over the earth
· Pharaoh’s daughter represents the church, and gives refuge to Moses - who represents the law
· The waters of the Nile represent the waters of baptism
· When we come to the waters of baptism and take the law into our heart - the royal palaces - then the law grows up into spiritual maturity

d. Clarke rightly says of this kind of interpretation: “Every passage and fact might then be obliged to say something, any thing, every thing, or nothing, according to the fancy, peculiar creed, or caprice of the interpreter.”

Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. Exodus 2:11

At the age of 40, Moses sees an Egyptian beating one of his fellow Hebrews, and his heart breaks as he sees this evil occur.

1. When Moses was grown: Acts 7:23 says this happened when Moses was forty years old. Up until then, he was trained and groomed to become the next Pharaoh of Egypt (according to Josephus), all the while aware of his true origins because of his mother.

a. Looked at their burdens: “The phrase means more than ‘to see’. It means, ‘to see with emotion’, either satisfaction (Genesis 9:16) or, as here, with distress (Genesis 21:16). Moses is one who shares God’s heart.” (Cole)

b. Hebrews 11:24-26 tells us some of what happened in the heart and mind of Moses as he looked at their burdens. It says that by faith, Moses deliberately decided to identify with the people of Israel rather than his Egyptian prestige and opportunity:

By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. (Hebrews 11:24-26)

c. Moses knew who he was. As much allure and ease there was in life as an Egyptian, he knew “That’s not me.” His faith in the God he served helped him to know who he was.

2. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren: Because Moses had a heart filled with sympathy and brotherhood (his brethren) toward his people, he could not stand by while one of his fellow Israelites endured a beating.

So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. Exodus 2:12

What happens when we forgot or ignore that God is with us at all times?

He looked this way and that way: These are the actions of a man who knew he was about to do wrong. Moses had several reasons for doing what he did, but his concern to hide what he did shows a troubled conscience.

a. "Now some say the mistake was "he looked this way and that way", but he didn't look up. We make that mistake so often. We look this way and that way, and then we act, not realizing that God sees us. He tried to hide his deed by burying the Egyptian in the sand." (Smith)

Why did Moses kill the Egyptian?

He killed the Egyptian: The Bible itself explains some of Moses’ thinking behind this action. Acts 7:23-25 explains that Moses did this to defend and avenge the beaten Israelite, but also with the expectation that his fellow Israelites would recognize him as their deliverer.

a. Now when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian. For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand. (Acts 7:23-25)

b. Just like Jesus, Moses could not deliver when he lived in the palaces of glory. He had to come down off the throne, away from the palace and into a humble place before he could deliver his people.

What can happen when we do things without God's anointing?

hid him in the sand: "Now this is a mistake that we often make. We know what God wants to do, we don't wait for God or His empowering to do it, we get out and we try to do in the energy of our own flesh, what we realize God desires to be done. But I want you to notice how unsuccessful he was in trying in the ability of his own flesh to do what God wanted done. He was not even successful in burying one Egyptian. Now when God was gonna do it, He wanted to bury the whole army, which He did later in the Red Sea. We must be careful about this zeal that we oftentimes feel for the work of God, where we start off without the anointing and the direction of the Holy Spirit. In the ability and the energies of our flesh accomplish the purposes and the work and the purposes of God, we, like Moses will end up in failure. The work of the Spirit can never be accomplished in the ability of our flesh. To do the work of the Spirit, I must be anointed, empowered, and directed by the Spirit of God. So many of my problems have arisen from this same mistake that Moses made. Having a consciousness of what God wants to do, having an awareness of the purposes of God, I try to fulfill the purposes of God without the leading and the direction, and the help of the Holy Spirit. I get ahead of God and every time I do, I botch things up just as Moses did. "He tried to hide the Egyptian." (Smith)

And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?” Then he said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” So Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is known!” Exodus 2:13-14

Moses is rejected by the Jews, the parallels between Moses and Jesus, and how God does things in ways we would never ever imagine.

1. Why are you striking your companion? Moses had reason to believe that his education, royal background, success, and great sympathy for the people of Israel would give him credibility among them. He here tried to intervene in a violent dispute between two Hebrew men.

a. We could say that Moses was first a murderer, and then a meddler.

2. Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Moses seemed to act like a prince given his royal background. He acted like a judge in that he determined that one of these men did the wrong. He seemed to be the perfect prince and judge for Israel, but they did not want him.

a. A prince has the right to rule and expects your loyalty. A judge has the right to tell you what to do, and to punish you if you don’t do it. In rejecting Moses they said to him, “We don’t want you to rule over us or tell us what to do.” People reject Jesus on the same thinking, and just like Moses Jesus was rejected at His first coming.

b. Both Moses and Jesus were:

· Favored by God from birth
· Miraculously preserved in childhood
· Mighty in words and deed
· Offered deliverance to Israel
· Rejected with spite
· Rejected in their right to be prince and a judge over Israel

c. Just like Jesus after him, Moses could not deliver when he lived in the palaces of glory. He had to come down off the throne, away from the palace and into a humble place before he could deliver his people.

d. Moses planned the deliverance of Israel the way any man would, and logically saw himself as the key man - because of his royal background, education, success, and sympathy for his people.

e. Moses had his plans, and they made sense from his perspective. Yet God’s plan was radically different. 40 years later, God led Moses and his brother Aaron to Pharaoh with a special stick that turned into a snake. Moses asked Pharaoh to let Israel go back to Canaan; Pharaoh said no, so God brought plagues of blood, frogs, mosquitoes, flies, cattle disease, boils, hail, locusts, and darkness. Finally God judged stubborn Pharaoh and Egypt with a plague on the firstborn of Egypt, Israel escaped across the Red Sea. The waters of the Red Sea came back and killed the Egyptian army, and the Israelites crossed the wilderness and came to Canaan. Such an unlikely plan would never come from man.

When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well. Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. When they came to Reuel their father, he said, “How is it that you have come so soon today?” And they said, “An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock.” Exodus 2:15-19

Moses leaves Egypt and goes to Midian.

1. Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh: Moses, fleeing for his life, probably felt that God’s plan for his life was completely defeated. He probably believed that every chance he ever had to deliver his people was now over and there was nothing he could do. At this point, Moses was right where God wanted him.

a. Moses probably had little idea of it at the time, but he was too big for God to use. Moses tried to do the Lord’s work in man’s wisdom and power and it didn’t work. After 40 years of seemingly perfect preparation, God had another period of preparation for both Moses and the people of Israel, to make them ready to receive Moses.

2. Dwelt in the land of Midian: If Moses went into the area of Canaan and Syria, he would have found no refuge - there was a treaty between Rameses II and the Hittite king to the effect that fugitives along the northern route to Syria would be arrested and extradited. So Moses went southeast instead, to Midian.

a. In that day Midian described the area on both the west and east sides of the Reed Sea, land that today is both Saudi Arabia (on the east of the Reed Sea) and Egypt (on the Sinai Peninsula, on the west of the Reed Sea).

Who were the Midianites?

The priest of Midian had seven daughters: Finally coming to Midian, Moses met the daughters of a priest of Midian - likely a descendant of one of Abraham’s other children through Keturah named Midian (Genesis 25:1-2).

i. Because of this connection with Abraham, we have good reason to believe he was a true priest, and worshiped the true God. God led Moses to this specific family at this specific time.

ii. Trapp on they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father’s flock: “They were not so delicately bred as our dainty dames are now-a-days, but did earn before they eat.”

The way of God's kingdom: To serve others.

Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock: In Egypt Moses enjoyed life as one of the royal family and was waited on hand and foot. In the distant desert of Midian, Moses finally had an opportunity to be a servant and he did a good job, working hard to help water the flocks of Reuel’s daughters.

a. “Since Moses still had his Egyptian clothing on, they judged him to be Egyptian in nationality.” (Kaiser)

So he said to his daughters, “And where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.” Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses. And she bore him a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.” Exodus 2:20-22

Moses becomes content, gets married, has a son, and God begins to change Moses.

1. Moses was content to live with the man: By taking a wife and having a son, Moses seems to give up on Egypt and his hope of being a deliverer for Israel. Moses was content with where God put him, even though Midian was very different from Egypt.

a. Zipporah: “We might translate as ‘warbler’ or, less kindly, ‘twitterer’; it is the name of a small bird.” (Cole)

b. Paul wrote, "Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have." (Philippians 4:11)

2. He called his name Gershom: This name – meaning “stranger” – was evidence of some loneliness, living apart from either the Egyptians or the Hebrews.

a. We make a mistake when we think that the years in Midian were a “waiting” time for Moses. They were instead, working years; he had never worked this hard in his life! God trained him, shaping him for his future calling, but Moses was certainly not “on the shelf.”

b. In Egypt Moses learned how to be somebody. In Midian he learned how to be nobody. “Much he had learned in Egypt, but more in Midian.” (Trapp)

Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them. Exodus 2:23-25

"God remembers Israel and turns His attention to them." (Guzik)

1. So God heard their groaning, and God remembered: If Moses “forgot” about Israel in Egypt (in the sense of turning his active attention away from them), God did not. God remembered (again, in the sense of turning His active attention towards them) Israel and their affliction.

a. When Israel groaned because of the bondage, it could be said, “Misery finally found a voice.” (Kaiser)

2. God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob: God did not turn His attention to Israel because they were such good people, but because of the covenant He made with them. He gives His love and attention to us on the same basis - the covenant relationship we have with God through Jesus.

 

[Chaplain]

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” Exodus 3:1-3

What was Moses' job while living in the desert?

Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law: For 40 years Moses lived as an obscure shepherd in the desert of Midian. At this point his life was so humble that he didn’t even have a flock of sheep to call his own - the sheep belonged to his father-in-law.

a. Tending the flock: “The Hebrew suggests that this was his habitual occupation.” (Cole)

What was God trying to teach Moses by living in the desert?

The back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God: Moses brought the sheep to this mountain, also later called Mount Sinai. Horeb probably means “desert” or “desolation,” and the name gives an idea of the terrain.

a. "Now no doubt Moses' experiences there in the wilderness were going to be necessary experiences. Number one, while he was there he was learning the lay of the land. As he was out there as a shepherd following the flocks through the Sinai desert and around Mount Horeb, he became very well acquainted with the area. He knew where all of the wells were. He began to know a little bit about the weather conditions. Really beginning to get a lot of good, practical savvy on survival in the wilderness. These things were all to be helpful for him in the big project that God had for him in leading the children of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land. So he was out there now learning in the school of experience, wilderness or desert survival which would prove to be very handy later." (Smith)

What was so special about the burning bush?

The bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed: It wasn’t just that Moses saw a bush burning; apparently, it is not uncommon for a plant like this to spontaneously ignite out in that desert. Nevertheless, two things were distinctive about that bush:

· The Angel of the Lord appeared…from the midst of the bush
· Though the bush burned, the bush was not consumed.

a. “Though the bush burned with fire, it did not crackle or diminish, no leaf curled and no branch charred. It burned, but was not consumed.” (Meyer)

b. The bush burning but not being consumed was a magnetic sight to Moses - it drew him in for a closer examination. Some think the burning bush to be a symbol of Israel, or the people of God more generally – afflicted but not destroyed, because God is in the midst of them.

c. Yet we can also say that the burning bush was a picture of the cross. The Hebrew word used to describe this bush is comes from the word “to stick or to prick,” this meaning a thorn-bush or bramble. We can think of the cross – where Jesus, crowned with thorns, endured the fires of judgment and yet was not consumed by them – and be reminded of the cross when we consider the burning bush.

d. I will now turn aside to see this great sight: Whatever exactly Moses saw, it was nothing normal. “To explain what happened here as a temporary mirage of reflected sunlight on some red leaves or a campfire of some Bedouin or even the phenomenon of Saint Elmo’s fire is to substitute our experience for Moses’ forty years in that area and his estimate that it was indeed unusual.” (Kaiser)

e. Clarke on the Angel of the Lord: “Not a created angel certainly, for he is called Jehovah, Exodus 3:4 and has the most expressive attributes of the Godhead applied to him…Yet he is an angel, malach, a messenger, in whom was the name of God….And who is this but Jesus, the Leader, Redeemer, and Saviour of all mankind?”

So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father; the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. Exodus 3:4-6

When does God speak to us?

When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look: God didn't speak to Moses until He had Moses’ attention. Often God’s Word doesn’t touch our heart the way that it might because we don’t give it our attention.

a. The burning bush was a spectacular phenomenon that captured Moses’ attention; but it changed nothing until Moses received the Word of God that came to him there.

Jesus calls to Moses.

1. God called to him from the midst of the bush: Moses didn’t see anyone in the burning bush; yet God, in the presence of the Angel of the Lord (Exodus 3:2) was there, calling out to Moses from the midst of the burning bush.

a. Undoubtedly, this is another occasion where Jesus appeared before His incarnation in the Old Testament as the Angel of the Lord, as He did many times (Genesis 16:7-13, Judges 2:1-5, Judges 6:11-24, Judges 13:3-22).

b. We say this is God, in the Person of Jesus Christ, because of God the Father, it is said No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him (John 1:18), and that no man has ever seen God in the Person of the Father (1 Timothy 6:16).

2. Moses, Moses! God’s first words to Moses called him by name. This shows that even though Moses was now an obscure, forgotten shepherd on the backside of the desert, God knew who he was, and Moses was important to God.

a. The double call (Moses, Moses!) implied importance and urgency, as when God called Abraham, Abraham! (Genesis 22:11), Samuel, Samuel! (1 Samuel 3:10), Simon, Simon (Luke 22:31), Martha, Martha (Luke 10:41), and Saul, Saul (Acts 9:4).

The reason God told Moses to not draw close, and to take his sandals off.

Then He said: God told Moses to do two things to show special honor to this place because of the immediate presence of God.

· He told Moses to keep a distance (Do not draw near this place).
· He commanded Moses to show reverence for God’s presence (Take your sandals off your feet).

a. Do not draw near literally has the sense of “stop coming closer.” Moses was on his way for an up-close examination of the burning bush when God stopped him short.

b. This was a holy place; and because God is holy, there will always be a distance between God and man. Even in perfection man will never be equal to God, though we will be able to have closer fellowship with Him than ever.

c. Take your sandals off your feet: Removing the sandals showed an appropriate humility, because the poorest and most needy have no shoes, and servants usually went barefoot. It also recognized the immediate presence of God. In many cultures, you take off your shoes when you come into someone’s house, and now Moses was in God’s “house,” a place of His immediate presence.

d. “As this sole must like in dust, gravel, and sand about the foot when travelling, and render it very uneasy, hence the custom of frequently washing the feet in those countries where these sandals were worn. Pulling off the shoes was, therefore, an emblem of laying aside the pollutions contracted by walking in the way of sin.” (Clarke)

God reminds Moses of his ancestors and covenant with them.

The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob: God revealed Himself to Moses by declaring His relationship to the patriarchs. This reminded Moses that God is the God of the covenant, and His covenant with Israel was still valid and important. This wasn’t a “new God” meeting Moses, but the same God that dealt with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

a. God would reveal Himself to Moses more intimately than He had to any of the patriarchs; yet it all began with God reminding Moses of the bridge of covenant they met on.

b. Some in the days of Moses might have thought that God neglected or forgot His covenant in the 400 years of Israel’s slavery in Egypt, since the time of the patriarchs. Nevertheless, God was at work during that time, preserving and multiplying the nation.

Why did Moses hide, and why was he afraid of God?

Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God: God told Moses to do what was appropriate for a creature before their Creator - to revere and recognize His holiness. Moses responded as a man who knew he was not only a creature, but also a sinful creature - he hid his face.

a. In his years in the wilderness of Midan, Moses must have often remembered how he murdered an Egyptian and how proud he was to think he could deliver Israel himself. Moses might have remembered a thousands sins, both real and imagined - now, when God appeared, he responded in a way completely different than he might have 40 years before.

And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:7-10

God tells Moses that He is going to help His people because He loves them.

1. I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land: God did not just then decide to give Israel the land of Canaan. It was the same land that He promised to the patriarchs some 400 years previous to this.

2. I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry: God wanted Moses and Israel to know His compassionate care for them.

a. To this point, Moses’ experience emphasized the separation between himself and God. Moses could never burn without being consumed. Moses could not speak from the midst of a fire. Moses couldn’t keep his sandals on in the divine presence. Moses was not the eternal God of the patriarchs. The separation between God and Moses was real; yet God would soon show His care and compassion to Moses and the people of Israel. God is separate, but not necessarily distant. God is separate; yet God cares and connects Himself to our needs.

b. "God declared, "I have surely seen, I have surely heard, for I surely know." In Hebrew it is, "Seeing, I have certainly seen, knowing I have certainly known, hearing I have certainly heard." It's an emphatic in the Hebrew. God declares the fact that He has seen, He has heard, He knows. These are the characteristics of God emphasized by Jesus Christ in the New Testament, "Your Father sees, your Father hears, your Father knows." These are characteristics of God that are always challenged by the unbeliever. "Is there any knowledge in the most High? How does God know?" They feel that they can hide from God. They scoff at the idea of prayer. Yet these characteristics are emphasized over and over by Jesus Christ. How your Father loves you, and His ear is open to your cry. How He sees, how He hears, how He knows. It's more than that. "I have come to deliver." God just doesn't see and say, "Oh, my isn't that terrible." He doesn't hear the cry and say, "Oh, what a shame." But He does something about it. Sometimes our friends offer us great sympathy. They see, they hear, they say, "Oh, my what a shame. That's so bad, that's just terrible. Oh my." "Thanks." But the Lord said, "I have come to deliver out of the hands of the Egyptians"." (Smith)

God loves to team up with us to help others.

I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people: In Exodus 3:8 God said, I have come down to deliver them. Then at Exodus 3:10 God said, Come now, therefore, and I will send you. If God said He would deliver them, whey did He use or need Moses at all? This shows that God often uses and chooses to rely on human instruments.

a. God could do it all by Himself, but it is most often God’s plan to work with and through people, as we are workers together with Him (2 Corinthians 6:1).

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” Exodus 3:11-12

Moses asks a question that most of us have asked at some point of our lives.

Who am I? 40 years before, Moses thought he knew who he was: he was a prince of Egypt and a Hebrew, God’s chosen instrument to deliver Israel. After forty years of chasing sheep around the desert, Moses didn’t have the same self-sure confidence that he once had.

a. "Interesting question. I think that everyone who is called of God probably asks that question, "Who am I, Lord, that I should be the one to do this?" I think that it is always valuable that we have a sense of our unworthiness as being an instrument through which God might do His work. I think that God had to bring Moses to this place, but Moses carried it a little far. "Who am I?"" (Smith)

God's cure for Moses' self-esteem problem.

I will certainly be with you: God’s reply is intended to take Moses’ focus off of himself and on where it should be - on God. Therefore, God never answered the question “Who am I?” Instead, He reminded Moses “I will certainly be with you.”

a. This was a great opportunity to deal with Moses’ “self-esteem” problem, but God ignored the solutions we usually use regarding this “problem.” Moses only had a self-esteem problem when he was too confident in his own ability to deliver Israel.

b. Who am I? This really wasn’t the right question; “Who is God?” was the proper question. God’s identity was more important than who Moses was. When we know the God who is with us, we can step forth confidently to do His will.

c. I will certainly be with you: After this, Moses had no right to protest further. From here his objections move from a godly lack of self-reliance to an ungodly lack of faith.

God encourages Moses with a promise.

When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain: As Moses tended his flock in the wilderness, it probably seemed totally unlikely that he would lead all three million of his people to this same mountain - but God promised that this would be so.

a. The sign that God had truly sent Moses may not have been the coming to Mount Sinai (which did not happen for many, many months). The sign probably refers backwards, to the sign of the burning bush and the encounter with God there.

b. "Now he was at Mount Horeb. "When you bring them out of the land, you're gonna worship Me right on this mountain. This will be the proof." It was here at Mount Horeb that he received the commandments." (Smith)

 

[Chaplain]

Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” And God said to Moses, “I Am Who I Am.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I Am has sent me to you.’“ Exodus 3:13-14

Why would Moses want/need to know God's name?

And they say to me, “What is His name?” what shall I say to them? Rightfully, Moses sensed he needed credentials before the people of Israel. Before, he thought he had the credentials because he was a prince of Egypt. 40 years of tending sheep took away his sense of self-reliance.

a. When God revealed Himself to man in the days of the patriarchs it was often associated with a newly revealed name or title for God.

• Abraham, in the encounter with Melchizedek called on God Most High (Genesis 14:22)
• Abraham later encountered Almighty God (Genesis 17:1)
• Abraham came to know the Lord as Everlasting God (Genesis 21:33), and The-Lord-Will-Provide (Genesis 22:14)
• Hagar encountered You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees (Genesis 16:13)
• Jacob met El Elohe Israel (Genesis 33:20) and El Bethel (Genesis 35:7).

b. So if Moses were to come to the elders of Israel as a representative of God, it would be logical for them to wonder, “By what name did He reveal Himself to you?”

What does "I Am Who I Am" mean?

And God said to Moses, “I Am Who I Am.” It might seem nonsensical to refer to one’s self with the phrase, “I Am Who I Am.” Yet it reveals something important about God – that He has no equal.

a. “There is no equivalent for God but God. If you place God on the one side of your symbol of equation (=), there is nothing to put on the other but Himself.” (Meyer)

b. The closest we come to an equivalent is to say, “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 4:16). Yet that is not exactly an equivalent, because you can’t turn it around and say, “Love is God.” God is love, but He is also greater than love.

c. This name I Am Who I Am is connected with the name Yahweh. “This pithy clause is clearly a reference to the name YHWH. Probably ‘Yahweh’ is regarded as a shortening of the whole phrase, and a running together of the clause into one word.” (Cole)

d. Yahweh was not a new name, nor an unknown name - it appears more than 160 times in the book of Genesis. Moses’ mother’s name was Jochabed meaning Yahweh is my glory. Moses and Israel knew the name Yahweh. God did not give Moses a previously unknown name of God, but the name they had known before. God called them back to the faith of the patriarchs, not to something “new.”

e. In the English-speaking world, for a time people pronounced Yahweh as Jehovah. The pious Jews of later years did not want to pronounce the name of God out of reverence, so they left the vowels out of His name and simply said the word Lord (adonai) instead. If the vowels of the word adonai are put over the consonants for YHWH, you can get the name “Jehovah.” All this came about much later; in the days of the Bible, the name was pronounced Yah-weh or Yah-veh.

God always existed, and is whatever we need Him to be in our times of need.

I Am has sent me to you: God told Moses His name was I Am because God simply is; there was never a time when He did not exist, or a time when He will cease to exist.

a. The name I Am has within it the idea that God is completely independent; that He relies on nothing for life or existence (Isaiah 40:28-29; John 5:26). Theologians sometimes call this quality aseity. It means that God doesn’t need anybody or anything - life is in Himself.

b. It is also connected with the idea that God is eternal and unchanging. “Strictly speaking, there is no past or future tense in the Divine Vocabulary. When God appears to employ them, it is by way of accommodation to our limited horizons.” (Meyer)

c. Also inherent in the idea behind the name I Am is the sense that God is “the becoming one”; God becomes whatever is lacking in our time of need. The name I Am invites us to fill in the blank to meet our need - when we are in darkness, Jesus says I am the light; when we are hungry, He says I am the bread of life, when we are defenseless, He says I am the Good Shepherd. God is the becoming one, becoming what we need.

d. In this, God’s name is both an announcement and an introduction. It announces God’s presence, and invites any interested to know Him by experience, to taste and see that the Lord is good.

In the New Testament, Jesus declared that He is "I Am."

I Am: This is a divine title that Jesus took upon Himself often, clearly identifying Himself with the voice from the burning bush.

a. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I Am [He], you will die in your sins. (John 8:24)

b. Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I Am [He], and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.” (John 8:28)

c. Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I Am.” (John 8:58)

d. Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I Am (John 13:19)

e. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I Am [He].” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. Now when He said to them, “I am [He],” they drew back and fell to the ground. (John 18:4-6)

Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’ Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt; and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”‘ Then they will heed your voice; and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’“ Exodus 3:15-18

"God tells Moses what to say to the elders of Israel." (Guzik)

1. Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: After four hundred years in Egypt, Moses had the job of announcing that now was the time for the children of Israel to go back to Canaan, and to take the land God promised to their fathers.

a. This was probably totally contrary to what the elders and people of Israel desired. In four hundred years, you set down roots. They probably had no desire to return to the Promised Land; all they wanted was to be made more comfortable in Egypt.

b. The first word had to come to the people of God (Exodus 3:16) and then to world (Exodus 3:18). Often God will not speak to the wider world until He speaks to His people and He has their attention.

2. This is My name forever: God here referred to the name just previously mentioned in the same verse, the Lord God (Yahweh Elohim). “Forever” emphasizes the eternal faithfulness of God to His covenant.

3. Then they will heed your voice: This was a precious promise to Moses. Forty years before, when it seemed that he had everything going for him, the people of Israel rejected him as a deliverer for the nation. Surely, he must be wondering why they would listen to him now, when it seemed he had nothing going for him.

a. But Moses had God going for him now; they would indeed listen to Moses’ message.

What was God's purpose in asking Pharaoh such a small request?

To the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him….let us go three days journey into the wilderness: God presented the smaller request to Pharaoh first so that the request would be as appealing and as easy to accept as possible. He did this so Pharaoh would have no excuse at all for refusing God and hardening his heart.

“But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.” Exodus 3:19-22

God knew Pharaoh would act selfishly and not let His people free.

I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go: God knew this from the beginning. He knew what it would take to move the heart of Pharaoh, and the plagues and calamities to come where engineered for a specific purpose and they were not haphazardly planned.

a. Moses asked God about how his fellow Israelites would receive the news of the deliverance from Egypt, but getting the people of Israel behind Moses was only a small part of the struggle ahead - what about the Egyptians? How would they ever agree to let this free labor force leave the country? Without Moses asking, God answered this question.

b. Clarke insists that the sense of I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand is better understood as I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, except with a mighty hand. The idea is plain enough – Pharaoh would not let go of them easily, so God would bring great judgment against Egypt to persuade him.

Why would the Egyptians give silver, gold, and clothing to the Jews when they left Egypt?

I will give this people favor…you shall not go empty-handed: God promised to arrange things not only to move Pharaoh’s heart, but also to move the heart of the Egyptian people so that when Israel did depart, they would be showered with silver and gold and clothing. This was not stealing or extortion, it was the appropriate wages for the years of forced labor.

a. In Deuteronomy 15:12-14, God says that if you have a slave, and his time of service is up, you shall not let him go away empty-handed. God was not going to let Israel leave their slavery in Egypt empty-handed; instead, they would plunder the Egyptians.

Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’” Exodus 4:1

Moses struggles with unbelief.

But suppose they will not believe me: It was not wrong for Moses to initially ask, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” (Exodus 3:11); this was a logical question considering how great the task was. Yet God answered this question more than adequately in Exodus 3:12: I will certainly be with you. After that point, and in this passage, Moses’ questions show unbelief more than sincere seeking.

Moses unbelief leads to a lack of confidence in God.

But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice: In Exodus 3:18, God promised that the leaders of Israel would listen to Moses. He said, “They will heed your voice.” When Moses made this protest he may as well have said, “But what if you are wrong, God?”

a. It was good when Moses had no confidence in the flesh; but it was bad that he then lacked confidence in God. In view of the burning bush, the voice of God, and the divine encounter, there was no place for Moses to say, “But.”

b. “We are ever prone, when God is calling us to some high service, to say ‘But,’ and this to introduce our statement of the difficulties as we see them.” (Morgan)

So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand), that they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” Exodus 4:2-5

One of the principles on how God teams up with people.

What is that in your hand? This reflects a precious principle regarding how God uses people - God used what Moses had in his hand. Moses’ years of tending sheep were not useless. Those years had put into Moses hand things he could use for God’s glory. God didn’t use the scepter that was in Moses’ royal hand when he lived in Egypt, but He did use the simple shepherd’s staff.

a. God likes to use what is in our hand.

· God used what was in Shamgar’s hand (Judges 3:31)
· God used what was in David’s hand (1 Samuel 17:49)
· God used the jawbone of a donkey in Samson’s hand (Judges 15:15)
· God used five loaves and two fish in the hand of a little boy (John 6:9)

"The first sign: Moses’ rod turns to a snake and back again." (Guzik)

1. He said, “A rod”: That rod of Moses would part the Red Sea. It would strike a rock and see water pour forth. It would be raised over battle until Israel won. It would be called the rod of God (Exodus 4:20 and 17:9).

2. It became a serpent: Not only did Moses’ rod become like a snake; it became a real snake that was frightening enough to Moses that he ran from it.

3. Reach out your hand and take it by the tail: We see the faith of Moses when he reached out to grab the snake when God commanded him to. The tail is the most dangerous place to grab a snake; yet Moses was unharmed.

a. In this little incident Moses learned how to do what God told him to do even when it was uncomfortable.

God tells Moses the purpose of the sign (the rod of Moses).

That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers…has appeared to you: This miracle would make the children of Israel realize that the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob was with them and that the God of the covenant had not forsaken them.

Furthermore the Lord said to him, “Now put your hand in your bosom.” And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, like snow. And He said, “Put your hand in your bosom again.” So he put his hand in his bosom again, and drew it out of his bosom, and behold, it was restored like his other flesh. “Then it will be, if they do not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, that they may believe the message of the latter sign. And it shall be, if they do not believe even these two signs, or listen to your voice, that you shall take water from the river and pour it on the dry land. And the water which you take from the river will become blood on the dry land.” Exodus 4:6-9

"The second and third signs: Moses is made leprous and whole again; water turns to blood and back again." (Guzik)

1. It was restored like his other flesh: Each of the first two signs had to do with transformation. Something good and useful (a rod or a hand) was made into something evil (a serpent or a leprous hand), and significantly, they were then transformed back again.

a. There was a real message in the first two signs. The first said, “Moses, if you obey Me, your enemies will be made powerless.” The second said “Moses, if you obey Me, your pollution can be made pure.” Doubts in each of these areas probably hindered Moses, and before those signs spoke to anyone else, they spoke to Moses. This is the pattern with all God’s leaders.

b. “The Hebrew word for leprosy covered a number of assorted diseases much as our word ‘cancer’ currently does.” (Kaiser)

2. The water which you take from the river will become blood on the dry land: The third sign was simply a sign of judgment. Good, pure waters were made foul and bloody by the work of God and they did not turn back again. This showed that if the miracles of transformation did not turn the hearts of the people, then perhaps the sign of judgment would. If they do not believe even these two signs, or listen to your voice shows that if the sign of judgment was only given when unbelief persisted in the face of the miracles of transformation right before them.

Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” Exodus 4:10

Just like many of us have done, Moses makes another excuse on why God will not be able to use him.

1. O my Lord, I am not eloquent: After these remarkably persuasive signs, Moses still objected to God’s call. Moses revealed that he was not confident with his ability to speak - slow of speech is literally “heavy of mouth.”

2. I am slow of speech and slow of tongue: It seems that Moses’ excuse was not justified. Clearly 40 years before this Moses was not slow of speech and slow of tongue. Acts 7:22 says Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds.

a. Those years of eloquence in Egypt ended 40 years before this. For 40 years, Moses only seemed to speak to sheep. His self confidence was gone; but he needed God confidence instead.

b. “Thus Moses’ complaint was not in defective articulation, but in his inability to take command of Hebrew and Egyptian (cf. Ezekiel 3:5, where ‘heavy of tongue’ = difficulty with a foreign language…).” (Kaiser)

So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” Exodus 4:11-12

God rebukes Moses' excuse.

Who made man’s mouth? The fact that Moses believed that he was not eloquent is completely beside the point. The God who created the most eloquent mouths who ever lived was on his side.

a. The Apostle Peter wrote, "Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you." (1 Peter 4:11a)

"A statement revealing the sovereignty of God." (Guzik)

Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? This is a dramatic statement revealing the sovereignty of God, and God revealed it in the context of an invitation to trust God and to work with Him.

a. There is not the slightest sense of fatalism in this declaration of God’s sovereignty. It is never “God is so mighty we can’t do anything,” but it is always “God is so mighty, He can work through us if we make ourselves available.”

Regardless of our inadequacies, God can use anyone for his purposes.

Makes the mute, the deaf…the blind: Some think this is cruel of God. Nevertheless the point here was not to analyze the origin of evil, but to show that God is so mighty that He can even call the mute, deaf, and blind to do His work. Moses’ perceived inadequacies didn’t matter at all.

a. If Moses was a poor speaker, was this news to God? Does God have trouble keeping track of who is deaf, who is blind, and who is mute? Does Moses really think God made a mistake here?

b. If Moses was a poor speaker, it didn’t matter - the mighty God said, “I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” By extension, God is sufficient for us, no matter what real or imagined inadequacies we have.

 

[Chaplain]

"President George Washington’s first federal Thanksgiving proclamation in 1789."

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be-- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

George Washington

 

[Chaplain]

But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.” So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and He said: “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God. And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.” Exodus 4:13-17

Moses finally reveals the true reason why he didn't want to be used by God.

Please send by the hand of whomever else You may send: Finally, Moses was done with excuses and showed the real state of his heart. Simply, he would much rather that God send someone else. His problem wasn’t really a lack of ability; it was a lack of willingness.

a. “It’s common for men to give pretended reasons instead of one real one.” (Benjamin Franklin)

God becomes angry at Moses. Why?

So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses: God was not angry when Moses asked, “Who am I?” (Exodus 3:11). He was not angry when Moses asked, “Who should I say sent me?” (Exodus 3:13). He was not angry when Moses disbelieved God’s Word and said, “suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice” (Exodus 4:1). He was not even angry when Moses falsely claimed that he was not and had never been eloquent (Exodus 4:10) - but God was angry when Moses was just plain unwilling.

a. There may be a hundred understandable reasons why Moses was unwilling, some of them making a lot of sense. Perhaps Moses really wanted to serve, but was unwilling because of past rejection. Nevertheless, the basic truth was that Moses was unwilling, not unable.

God offers Moses Aaron as his assistant, but this becomes a problem for Moses in the future.

Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well: When God brought Aaron to help lead with Moses, it was an expression of His chastening to Moses, not of His approval or giving in to Moses. Aaron was more of a problem to Moses than help.

a. Aaron did turn out to be a source of problems for Moses. Aaron instigated the worship of the golden calf, fashioning the calf himself and building the altar himself (Exodus 32:1-6). Aaron’s sons blasphemed God with impure offerings (Leviticus 10:1-7). At one time, Aaron openly led a mutiny against Moses (Numbers 12:1-8).

b. As these episodes unfolded, Moses surely looked back at why the Lord gave Aaron to Moses as a partner - because God was angry at Moses’ unwillingness.

2. I know that he can speak well: Aaron was a smooth talker, but a man weak on content. Moses had to put the words of God into the mouth of Aaron (you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth). In this sense Aaron was like a modern-day news reader, who does nothing but read what others have written for him.

a. Aaron wasn’t God’s spokesman; he was the spokesman of Moses. God doesn’t need leaders like this. It isn’t God’s way to have a man minister as a smooth talker but not be qualified for leadership. God wants to combine the offices of “talker” and “leader.”

So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” Exodus 4:18

"Moses asks leave of his father-in-law Jethro to go to Egypt." (Guzik)

1. So Moses went: When the fire faded from the burning bush and when the voice of God was silent across the desert, then it was upon Moses to obey, and to do what God told him to do. More than one person has had a spectacular burning bush type experience and then gone on to live as if nothing really happened.

a. Did Moses have any idea what he was getting into when he agreed to take the Lord’s call? Could he see the Egyptian army closing in, and God parting the Red Sea through Moses’ hand? Could he see the song of victory, the water from the rock, the manna from heaven, the battles won through prayer? Could he see vision of God on Mount Sinai, the voice of God from heaven, the tablets of stone, the golden calf? Could he see the tabernacle built, the priests consecrated? Could he see the spies sent forth into Canaan, the response of unbelief, and a thirty-eight year sentence to wander the wilderness? Could he see a lonely climb to the top of Mount Pisgah, where he would die looking out over the land of promise? Could he see the honor of sitting beside the Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration? Did Moses have any idea what he was getting into?

2. Please let me go: Moses was a good example of the truth that serving God doesn’t mean neglecting your employer. Moses made sure that it was clear for him to go.

a. “Even the call of God did not erase the need for human courtesy and respect for one’s father-in-law.” (Kaiser)

3. Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive: As well, Moses didn’t really tell his father-in-law the story behind his desire to return to Egypt. Perhaps he just felt it was too fantastic, and would rather let God demonstrate His Word through fulfilling it.

a. It is far more important - and more beneficial - for others to see the fruit of God’s guidance in your life than to hear you explain all you believe God said to you.

And the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.” Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand. And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.”‘ “ Exodus 4:19-23

God tells Moses that Pharaoh will not want to let the Jews go, and how evil makes our hearts harden.

The men who sought your life are dead…I will harden his heart: God knew Moses was safe in Egypt, and so eased his mind from this anxiety; but God also knew that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart, and that it would take the death of the firstborn before Pharaoh would agree to release the children of Israel.

a. Sometimes, it says that God hardened the heart of Pharaoh (Exodus 4:21). Sometimes it says that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Exodus 8:15). Sometimes it says simply that Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, without saying who did it (Exodus 7:13).

b. Who really hardened Pharaoh’s heart? We might say that it was both God and Pharaoh; but whenever God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, He never did it against Pharaoh’s will. Pharaoh never said, “Oh, I want to do what is good and right and I want to bless these people of Israel” and God answered, “No, for I will harden your heart against them!” When God hardened, He allowed Pharaoh’s heart to do what Pharaoh wanted to do - God gave Pharaoh over to his sin (Romans 1:18-32).

c. “Several times throughout Exodus, you can read that "Pharaoh's heart grew hard," and then the verse will say, "The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh." It is important to know, in order to properly understand, that there are two Hebrew words involved in the one word "hardened." They are both translated into English as "hardened," but the one Hebrew word implies a stubbornness, an act of rebellion; and that is the word that is used for the conduct of Pharaoh. He hardened his heart in stubborn rebellion against God. The other Hebrew words indicates "to make firm," like you would put a piece of clay in the fire to harden the clay and that is the Hebrew word employed for what God did to Pharaoh. So Pharaoh stubbornly rebelled against God, hardened his heart against God, and then God came along and firmed up his position. In other words, the Pharaoh had hardened his heart against God and God said, "Okay, if that is the position you want," and He strengthened him in that position." (Smith)

How did God view Israel?

Israel is My son, My firstborn: As a picture, God regarded Israel as His firstborn and God knew that there would be an exchange of His firstborn (Israel) and Egypt’s firstborn.

And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”; because of the circumcision. Exodus 4:24-26

The Lord wants to kill Moses. Why?

The Lord met him and sought to kill him: This is a mysterious event; but it seems that God is confronting Moses - in the strongest possible way - because Moses had not circumcised his son. God demands that this be set right before Moses enter Egypt and begin to fulfill the call of God.

a. "God had commanded that the Hebrew children should be circumcised on the eighth day. That circumcision was a mark of the covenant relationship of these people with God. They were to be people who were walking after the Spirit, not after the flesh, thus the cutting away of the flesh. It was a symbolic action by which these people were identified as God's people. The mark of their covenant relationship with God." (Smith)

b. There is often a point of confrontation in the life of the leader where God demands that they lay aside some area of compromise, and will not allow them to progress further until they do.

c. “There can be no doubt that for some reason unrecorded Moses had failed to carry out the divine instructions concerning circumcision… Obedience completely established, everything moved forward.” (Morgan)

Zipporah, Moses' wife, steps in and saves Moses' life. But why is she so angry?

Surely you are a husband of blood to me! Perhaps Zipporah objected to the rite of circumcision. She was not an Israelite and may have thought it a barbaric custom. Perhaps this was why God held Moses accountable (for not doing what was right, even though his wife didn’t like it), but disabled Moses so that Zipporah had to perform the circumcision itself.

a. Some wonder why Moses’ wife seems so bitter here. Perhaps for the first time she recognized the serious nature of her husband’s call and how important it was for their whole family to walk in the ways of the Lord.

b. "So here Moses was going to lead God's covenant people out of the land, and he had not even fulfilled that covenant mark in his own children, his own sons. Because of Moses' failure, God was just impressing on him that He meant business. Moses' wife suddenly realized that God meant business but she still sort of blamed Moses for it and seemed to be angry with him." (Smith)

c. “Stone instruments like [flint knife] were retained for ritual purposes long after the introduction of metal implements.” (Kaiser)

And the Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him. So Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him. Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. And Aaron spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people. So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped. Exodus 4:27-31

"Moses and Aaron present themselves to the people of Israel." (Guzik)

1. So he went and met him on the mountain of God: God told Moses that He would send Aaron to him (Exodus 4:14), and now it happens. God is showing Moses that He keeps His promises.

a. “Aaron, who came to meet Moses, could speak well; but he was a weak man, whose alliance with Moses caused his nobler younger brother much anxiety and pain.” (Meyer)

2. So the people believed: It happened just as God said. God had promised then they will heed your voice (Exodus 3:18), and the people of Israel did - and their excitement was real as they anticipated the deliverance of the nation.

3. When they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel: Years before when Moses offered himself as a deliverer to Israel, they rejected him. Now the time and the circumstances were right, and God’s destiny for Moses’ life would begin to be fulfilled.

Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’“ And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.” So they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” Exodus 5:1-3

Historical background on Pharaoh (s).

Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh: This confrontation took tremendous courage, and Moses and Aaron should be commended for their obedience to God in doing it.

a. Pharaoh was nothing like a public servant; the entire public lived to serve the Pharaoh. His power and authority were supreme and there was no constitution or law or legislature higher or even remotely equal to him.

b. The Pharaohs were said to be the children of the sun; they were friends to the greatest gods of Egypt and sat with them in their own temples to receive worship alongside them.

c. An inscription by a Pharaoh on an ancient Egyptian temple gives the idea: “I am that which was, and is, and shall be, and no man has lifted my veil.” (Meyer) The Pharaoh was more than a man; he considered himself a god, and the Egyptians agreed.

d. Having grown up in the royal courts of Egypt, Moses knew this well; but he also knew that Pharaoh was just a man. With the authority of the living God, Moses confronted Pharaoh.

God asks for the freedom of His people.

Let My people go: The fundamental demand of God to Pharaoh (through His messengers Moses and Aaron) was freedom for His people. God asserted that Israel belonged to Him, not Pharaoh; and therefore, that they should be free. Those who belong to God should be free, not bound.

Pharaoh asks the right question with the wrong heart.

Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go: Pharaoh knew of many gods, but did not recognize the Lord or His ownership of Israel. Therefore he refused the request.

a. Who is the Lord? Pharaoh did not have the right heart, but he did ask the right question. Moses asked Who am I? (Exodus 3:11) The relevant questions were not about the identity of Moses or Pharaoh, but who is the Lord? If Pharaoh really knew who the Lord was, he would have gladly released Israel.

What was God's purpose in asking such a small request?

Please, let us go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice to the Lord our God: Moses relayed the demand God first gave him back at Exodus 3:18. God presented the smaller request to Pharaoh first so that the request would be as appealing and as easy to accept as possible. He did this so Pharaoh would have no excuse at all for refusing God and hardening his heart.

Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor.” And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!” So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.” Exodus 5:4-9

Pharaoh counters God's request by punishing the Jews.

1. Why do you take the people from their work? Pharaoh not only rejected the idea of giving the Israelites three days off, he saw the request itself as a waste of good working time.

2. The people of the land are many now: Pharaoh knew that the previous attempts to cut the population of Israel had failed. They continued to multiply. This was good for Israel, but bad for Pharaoh.

3. For they are idle; therefore they cry out: To punish Israel for the request and to give them more work (“You seem to have enough time to make these crazy requests - then you must have enough time to work more!&#8221, Pharaoh commanded that the Israelites must gather their own materials (specifically, straw) for making bricks.

a. Straw has an acidic content that makes the bricks stronger. The use of straw in making bricks in Egypt during this period is confirmed by archaeology. “Bricks of all sorts have been found in Egypt, some with regularly chopped straw, some with rough roots and oddments, some without straw at all.” (Cole)

b. “Chopped straw was mixed in with the clay to make the bricks more pliable and stronger by first binding the clay together and then by decaying and releasing a humic acid.” (Kaiser)

c. “The eastern bricks are often made of clay and straw kneaded together, and then not burned, but thoroughly dried in the sun. This is expressly mentioned by Philo…‘because straw is the bond by which the brick is held together.’“ (Clarke)

And the taskmasters of the people and their officers went out and spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh: ‘I will not give you straw. Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it; yet none of your work will be reduced.’“ So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. And the taskmasters forced them to hurry, saying, “Fulfill your work, your daily quota, as when there was straw.” Also the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as before?” Exodus 5:10-14

"The Egyptian taskmasters carry out Pharaoh’s orders." (Guzik)

1. I will not give you straw…yet none of your work will be reduced: The immediate effect of the work of Moses was to make it worse for Israel, not better. Confronting the evil of Egyptian bondage would not be quick or easy. This was a significant test of Moses and Israel.

2. And the taskmasters forced them to hurry… Also the officers of the children of Israel…were beaten: The freedom of all Israel was the goal; all Israel endured the difficult struggle before liberty was gained. The workers and their leaders didn’t confront Pharaoh, but were still connected to this work of freeing Israel from Egypt.

a. “Things commonly go backward with the saints before they come forward, so the corn growth downward ere it grow upward.” (Trapp)

 

[Chaplain]

Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you dealing thus with your servants? There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, ‘Make brick!’ And indeed your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own people.” But he said, “You are idle! Idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ Therefore go now and work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the quota of bricks.” And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble after it was said, “You shall not reduce any bricks from your daily quota.” Exodus 5:15-19

The children of Israel ask Pharaoh for help instead of asking God or Moses.

The officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh: In their trouble, the children of Israel did not turn to God; they did not turn to Moses. Instead, they looked to Pharaoh for help. They felt that their previous bondage was better than their current increased misery.

a. It is wrong to simply say that Israel loved their slavery. Exodus 2:23 says, the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and the cried out; and their cry came up to God because of their bondage. Yet what God allows and even performs in the work of bringing freedom made it feel worse, at least for a time.

Pharaoh's hate for the Jews: How Antisemitism is nothing new.

You are idle! Idle! Pharaoh was absolutely unsympathetic and cruel. He believed the problem was that Israel was lazy; more work and harder work would cure them of laziness. Pharaoh hated Israel and wanted them in perpetual bondage to him.

a. “Thus, they would be kept quiet and agitation would cease.” (Thomas)

b. Your daily quota: “Brick quotas are abundantly documented in Egypt.” (Kaiser)

Then, as they came out from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron who stood there to meet them. And they said to them, “Let the Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.” Exodus 5:20-21

How we point the finger at others when we have problems/trials, instead of looking at ourselves and asking God for help.

1. They met Moses and Aaron: The leaders of the children of Israel were not happy when they came from the presence of Pharaoh, and they thought it was all the fault of Moses and Aaron.

2. Let the Lord look on you and judge: The officers of Israel were certain that God was on their side, and anything that made the immediate condition of Israel worse was not of the Lord.

3. You have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh: They believed this was the wrong Moses did. When Israel was an obedient slave to Pharaoh, they thought he was their friend. Now that the idea of freedom had entered, Pharaoh showed how he felt about them all along.

a. Satan sometimes seems friendly to us when we accept his lordship; but when we start to be free in Jesus, he often will try to make life difficult for us.

b. Exodus 4:31 said So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped. After the counter-attack of Pharaoh, the faith, excitement, and worship of Exodus 4:31 was gone pretty quickly.

c. God allowed all this; in fact you could say that He designed it. In theory, God could have freed Israel from Egypt without a struggle on their part. Yet He knew that was not good or best for them; that for them to make the transition from slaves to free people of the promised land, that some testing and stretching was absolutely necessary.

d. Peter wrote, "So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world." (1 Peter 1:6-8)

So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.” Exodus 5:21-23

"Moses complains about the problem to God." (Guzik)

Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? It was a good question, and Moses did well to so boldly speak his heart to God. Yet Moses had already forgotten what God told him at the burning bush, that Pharaoh would not easily let go of Israel.

a. Moses did right in speaking his heart to God. “Happy is the man who when he cannot understand the divine movement and, indeed, doubts it has yet faith enough in God Himself to tell Him all his doubt. Those who face men, having the right to say to them, ‘Thus saith Jehovah’ have also the right to return to Jehovah and state the difficulties, and expose openly their own doubts and fears.” (Morgan)

b. Moses did wrong in forgetting what God had said. The Lord told him, I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go. (Exodus 3:19-20)

c. If God were to give Moses and extended explanation to answer the question, it might go like this: “Moses, I brought trouble because I am interested in more than simply freeing Israel from slavery; I want to transform them from a slave people into a people fit for My promised land. This doesn’t happen quickly or easily, and it involved countless expressions of both trust and surrender. Trust Me in this trouble, and I will use it for Israel’s good and My glory.”

d. "Moses is beginning his problems with the children of Israel. They are complainers and grumblers from the word "go". Here they're crying unto God, "Oh God deliver us." Now God sends a deliverer, and the first thing they do is start to give him a bad time. They continue to give him a bad time the rest of his life. I really feel for Moses and the task that he had in leading these people out and into the wilderness, that wandering in the wilderness. But we read how that Moses then went to the Lord and began to pour out his complaint to the Lord, "Lord why have You done this? Why did You send me, God? Things aren't getting better; they're getting worse since You sent me. The people aren't, they're worse off." You know quite often Satan, when you embark on a work of God, throws so many things in the way that things look like they've just gotten so much worse, you wonder, "Oh man, did God really tell me that?" Or, "Did God really call me?" He does his best to discourage you right at the onset of any program that you endeavor for God. You'd be amazed how many problems can arise when you make a commitment to God, you desire to serve the Lord. Not gonna be peaches and cream, not gonna be roses. Satan will do his best to discourage you. So often things look like they have just gone from bad to calamity because you've launched out in faith to do a work for God. Satan will do his best to hinder it and stop it at the beginning. He'll do anything to stop it, discouragement, lies, anything to stop that work of God that you endeavor for Him. So that secret is "just keep on". If God has called you to a task, "just do it". Don't get discouraged at initial responses." (Smith)

God uses our fears to teach us to trust Him and to die to our selves.

1. Why is it You have sent me? In this season of testing, the same old fears came crashing in on Moses: “I’m not the man God should send.” “God won’t come through.” “Pharaoh and the Egyptians are too strong.” There was still unbelief and lack of focus on God that had to be worked out of Moses.

a. “The agony of soul through which Moses passed must have been as death to him. He died to his self-esteem, to his castle-building, to pride in his miracles, to the enthusiasm of his people, to everything that a popular leader loves. As he lay there on the ground alone before God, wishing himself back in Midian, and thinking himself hardly used, he was falling as a grain of wheat into the ground to die, no longer to abide alone, but to bear much fruit.” (Meyer)

b. Moses probably thought that the dying to himself was finished after 40 years of tending sheep in Midian, but it wasn’t. It never is. God still will use adversity to train us to trust in Him until the day we go to be with Him in heaven.

2. Neither have You delivered Your people at all: It seems that despite God’s previous warning, something in Moses hoped that it would all come rather easy. Yet God’s deliverance was real, and would soon be seen for Israel. Israel felt that it was sometimes difficult to be in God’s will; but they would see how much worse it was to be against God’s will.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” Exodus 6:1

God reminds Moses that He is in control, and that he needs to keep his eyes on God.

1. Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh: Carrying the story from the previous chapter, Moses was discouraged by what he thought was God’s lack of action and help. God’s reply to Moses showed that He wanted him to know that the Lord was in control of it all.

a. Moses was discouraged because he was too impressed by Pharaoh and not impressed enough by God.

2. For with a strong hand he will let you go: God promised that not only would Pharaoh let the children of Israel leave; he would drive them out with a strong hand. This seemed impossible after Pharaoh’s initial reaction to Moses and the message from the Lord.

a. This was a wonderful, grace-filled message to Moses. God said in effect, “Moses, not only will Pharaoh let them go; with a strong hand he will drive them out of Egypt.”

b. “This was the divine declaration made in answer to the statement of human difficulty…. Everything began with a solemn charge to Moses. It is first and answer to the complaint which God’s servant uttered in His presence. It was a message of divine self-assertion and, therefore, necessarily a message of grace.” (Morgan)

And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name Lord I was not known to them. I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant.” Exodus 6:2-5

God reminds Moses that He is Lord.

I am the Lord: In reminding Moses of the great name of God (Yahweh), He confirmed that he remained the covenant-making and covenant-keeping God, who would absolutely fulfill His promise to Moses.

a. “When all human help has failed, and the soul, exhausted and despairing, has given up hope from man, God draws near, and says, I AM.” (Meyer)

b. "How many times we think we're in the driver's seat? How many times we think we ought to be controlling the situation? I'm sure that these people are falling after this "command God" bit, and are going around ordering God like He's some kind of a little puppet or robot. That God is saying to them, "Hey, wait a minute. I am the Lord. Who's in control? Who's guiding these things? Who's governing over these things? Moses, I am the Lord." Many times we try to take that position away from Him, but He needs to remind us who He is. And we need to be reminded of who He is because there is a danger of forgetting who He is, as we are so prone to exalt ourselves or to exalt man, and forget that He is the Lord. When we forget that He is the Lord, then we fall into that category that Paul was referring to in Romans chapter one. "Who when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God" (Romans 1:21). They began to take things in their own hands. They began to live as though God was their servant, rather than they were God's servants. We need to be reminded that He is the Lord, and not only that He is the Lord, but of the greatness of His power and His wisdom and of His glory." (Smith)

God reminds Moses of His promises to the patriarchs.

I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name Lord I was not known to them: The patriarchs were privileged to know the God who made the covenant, but for them the covenant was barely fulfilled. The patriarchs knew God as the Maker of the covenant. Moses and the generation of the Exodus would know God as the One who fulfilled the covenant.

a. The patriarchs knew the name Yahweh (it is used some 160 times in Genesis); but the great application of the name referred to God who kept and fulfilled the covenant: I have also established My covenant with them. “The patriarchs had only the promises, not the things promised.” (Kaiser)

How God wants each of us to know Him on a personal and intimate level.

As God Almighty: In addition, though the patriarchs knew God Almighty (El Shaddai), they did not know Him as extensively and intimately as He would reveal Himself to Moses and his generation. They knew the power of God, but didn’t have the same personal relationship and revelation Moses would come to know.

a. For us, God wants to be more than God Almighty - He wants us also to know Him as a personal, promise making and promise keeping God, whom we can trust in everything. Believers should ask themselves if they really know God by such names.

b. “The supreme need in every hour of difficulty and depression is a vision of God. To see Him is to see all else in proper proportion and perspective.” (Morgan)

c. "God wants you to have a neat, beautiful relationship with Him. He wants you to feel a perfect freedom of just coming in anytime even with the most trivial things. He wants to have that kind of relationship. And thus God is expressing, "Look they knew Me as God Almighty, I revealed Myself to them. They knew Me as God Almighty, but they didn't really know that relationship of intimacy that I want you and the people to experience as I take, and begin to watch over you, and I begin to care for you, and I begin to put the food on your table." (Smith)

How each of us need to remember the promises of God for our lives.

I have remembered My covenant: God had remembered His covenant; now Moses was called to remember his God.

a. "Sometimes because of time delays, we feel that God has forgotten His promises. In the last days the Bible says, "Scoffers will come saying, Where is the promise of the coming of Jesus Christ?"(2 Peter 3:4). Because of the time delay men will scoff. "God is not slack concerning His promises as some men count slackness, but is faithful"(2 Peter 3:9)." (Smith)

“Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the Lord.’“ Exodus 6:6-8

God’s promise of the seven “I wills” to Israel, and how they apply to us. How it's all about the Grace of God.

1. Therefore say to the children of Israel: The previous statement seemed to be more for Moses himself (Exodus 6:2-5). This following word was given for the benefit of Israel as a whole.

2. I am the Lord: God went to the furthest length possible to confirm this covenant with the children of Israel. In seven separate I will promises, God said, “I’m going to do it. You can count on me.”

a. The promises were glorious, and equally so in their spiritual application to believers today:

· I will bring you out (Salvation)
· I will rescue you from their bondage (Liberation)
· I will redeem you (Redemption)
· I will take you as My people (Adoption)
· I will be your God (Revelation)
· I will bring you into the land (Direction)
· I will give it to you as a heritage (Provision)

b. “Each of these verbs are in the Hebrew past (i.e., perfect) tense instead of the future tense, for so certain was God of their accomplishment that they were viewed as having been completed.” (Kaiser)

c. There is a strong contrast with the later five I will statements of Satan in Isaiah 14:13-15. The great difference is that Satan was powerless to make any of his “I wills” come to pass. God is more than able to fulfill each of His promises.

3. And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: For the first plainly stated time, Moses was to tell Israel what God ultimately promised - to not only deliver them from the bondage of Egypt, but to also give them the land promised to the patriarchs.

a. I will bring you out: “A great deliverance; but nothing to that which Christ hath wrought for us from the tyranny of sin and terror of hell.” (Trapp)

b. "But I'll tell you when God begins to promise, and He begins it by saying, "Hey, look I am the Lord, and I will, and I will", and there are seven "I wills" there of God; what God will do for His people. And because the history of the children of Israel is typical history, and it typifies the child of God coming out of bondage through the Red Sea, baptism, into a new relationship of faith with God in the wilderness and on in through the death of the old life, and the old self into the land of promise, a life of richness and fullness; we can take these "I wills" of God to Israel and we can apply them to our own lives as God is promising." (Smith)

c. "We see seven “I wills,” seven statements of promise made by God. The one thing we don’t see is a single, “If you…” because such is the nature of the gospel. The gospel is the expression of God’s furious love toward us. It’s all about what He has done and nothing about what we must do. The gospel is nothing short of the best news the world has ever heard: Our sin is forgiven. The price is paid. The work is done. About to be beheaded, when Paul wrote to his protege—Timothy, he didn’t say, “Be strong in righteousness” or “Grow in your understanding of theology.” No, as good as those things may be, Paul’s final word to Timothy was, “Grow in grace.” The degree to which we understand that grace is not the beginning point but the only point, is the degree to which we’ll find ourselves wanting to study, desiring to pray, eager to worship as grace does its work in our hearts day by day." (Courson, J. (2005). Jon Courson's application commentary : Volume one : Genesis-Job (248). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.)

4. I am the Lord: With this God concluded the promise by reminding all of His covenant making and covenant-keeping name.

 

[Chaplain]

10.28.2012 - Jesus is God (Colossians 1:16-17)

“As all creation necessarily exists in time, and had a commencement, and there was an infinite duration in which it did not exist, whatever was before or prior to that must be no part of creation; and the Being who existed prior to creation, and before all things-all existence of every kind, must be the unoriginated and eternal God: but Paul says, Jesus Christ was before all things; ergo, the apostle conceived Jesus Christ to be truly, and essentially God.” (Clarke)

11/11/2012 - A Shameless, Arrogant Nation (Jeremiah 2:26-3:5)

"It is a tragic thing when God turns a deaf ear to man. When God said to Jeremiah, "Ephraim is given over to her idols. Let her alone. Don't pray anymore for their good, for if you do I'm not going to listen." That's a sad day when God turns a deaf ear to man and God said that day is coming. If you persist in following after strange flesh, strange gods and the worship of these strange gods, there will come a day of trouble and you will call upon God. But He said, "I won't hear, I won't answer." "Many will come in that day," Jesus said, "saying, 'Lord, Lord, open unto us.'" He'll say, "No, I never knew you." Those are heavy words that we need to consider seriously." (Smith)

11/14/2012 - Wholehearted Devotion (Mark 14:3-9)

"She did what she could—her gift of costly nard in an alabaster flask was broken and poured out to prepare Jesus for his burial. But the disciples condemned her—scolded her for the extravagant gift. Is that how we view those who are extravagantly sold out to Christ? Through this text, we learn from her sacrifice and Jesus' commendation to the heart of what we do be done in extravagant devotion to God." (Alistair Begg)

"Rick Warren and Joel Osteen acquiesce to Oprah [Excerpts]"

On October 5th, 2012, Southern Baptist preacher Rick Warren sat down with New Age/New Thought high priestess Oprah Winfrey for an interview. Although Oprah claims to be a Christian, she most assuredly is not as [shown in past articles]. Joel Osteen, who is said to be "one of America's most influential spiritual leaders," appeared on the show prior to Warren to promote his new book, I Declare: 31 Promises To Speak Over Your Life. Around 45,000 people attend Lakewood Church each Sunday to hear Osteen preach the word-faith prosperity gospel "lite." It's really not surprising that he was invited to appear on "Oprah's Life Class." The duo has become fast friends ever since she and Tyler Perry attended a Lakewood service some months back. They soon discovered how like-minded they are. In fact, Osteen has this Oprahesque declaration on his website: "The words we speak set the course for our life. If you want to know what you're going to be like in five years, listen to the words you are saying about yourself today."

Pastor celebrity James MacDonald was once asked to comment on the "seeker movement," and he replied, "The seeker movement [should be] subtitled: How to Fill Your Church with Tares." Later he publically affirmed Rick Warren in a tweet, even knowing that the seeker movement that filled churches with heathens was the brainchild of "possibility thinker" Robert Schuller.

Now, let's get to my questions: Why did Rick Warren agree to do an interview with Oprah? Moreover, why would he want to be associated with word-faith heretic Joel Osteen? We discover after the fact that he did not use the opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost, many of whom were tuned into the show. No. Instead he used his time with Oprah to pass on his sage advice to the audience, peppered with a few Bible quotes -- taken out of context!

Former New Ager and astrologer Marcia Montenegro watched the 3 hours of live taping on Oprah's Life class. I think the following excerpt about what she observed clearly identifies the sort of pastor Rick Warren is: "Although Rick Warren has had New Age Dr. Oz at his church (along with a supposedly Christian doctor who also endorses some New Age practices), I was hoping he (RW) would somehow give the gospel in the midst of his motivational advice, but he never did. He used the imagery of a poker game to explain [that] we are dealt certain cards, and then gave a teaching on this that sounded like moralistic self-help programs I've heard so many times, throwing in a few Bible quotes taken out of context or misquoted. It was something almost any New Ager could accept. God becomes a tool for self-improvement and success."

http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/mwest/121012

"The Upcoming Psychologized Generation"

By McMahon, T.A.

When Dave Hunt and I wrote The Seduction of Christianity more than 25 years ago, the conservative evangelical church was more than pleased that we were addressing some of the erroneous teachings and practices of the Charismatic and Pentecostal churches, particularly those that promoted the unbiblical prosperity and healing doctrines. Yet that enthusiasm was short-lived when many such readers got to chapters 12 and 13. Why? Those chapters addressed the biblical problems with psychological counseling in the church, a phenomenon that had installed itself within evangelical Christianity in a major way.

That was more than a quarter of a century ago, and one might guess (or hope) that the body of Christ would have become aware of the preponderance of studies from some research psychologists who demonstrate that psychotherapy is not only practically worthless but is even quite harmful in many situations. Few, however, have taken notice. As a consequence, psychotherapy has become so accepted among evangelicals today that rarely is anyone aware of the dangers.

How did the evangelical church slide into such an astounding lack of discernment? The fundamental reason is shockingly simple: most Christians, including many who claim to look to the Bible as their authority in all matters of living their lives in submission to the Lord, give only lip service to the sufficiency of God’s Word . In other words, they contradict their professing belief in biblical authority by looking elsewhere for solutions to solving life’s problems, primarily by turning to so-called authorities or “experts”—and particularly to psychologists. This is a tragic mistake because God’s Word is sufficient: “ According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue ” (2 Peter:1:3). The Word of God is the Manufacturer’s Handbook, with instructions for humanity regarding “ all things that pertain to life and godliness.” What exactly are the “all things”? Certainly everything that pertains to or involves moral issues and anything that is sin related—either how to avoid it or how to repent of it. Clinical psychology cannot deal with sin—although most if not all of the issues for which people turn to psychotherapists are due to sin. The outcome of seeking psychotherapeutic help is always destructive for the faith of the believer for what should be obvious reasons.

Psychological counseling is an anti-biblical replacement program for the Manufacturer’s Handbook. Its essential doctrine is that self , which is declared to be innately good , is the key to solving all of life’s problems. Therefore, foundationally, it stands in direct opposition to the Scriptures, which declare that self , i.e., man, is innately sinful (Jeremiah:17:9). If self, also known as the heart of man, is “deceitful above all things and desperately wicked” as the Bible declares, then self is the problem rather than the solution. Just as a leopard cannot change its spots, there is nothing within self that can change its sinful nature. Nothing in the theories or practices of psychotherapy can change this fact. So why would psychotherapists, in view of all of the horrendous evil that we see demonstrated daily throughout the world, hold to a premise that simple observation denies? They have no choice. Without God, only self remains. And so the delusionary charade based upon the innate goodness of man goes on (as well as the terrible consequence) for people who have turned from God to a deified self.

The good news is that God knows the problem that besets humanity and He has provided the solution through His Son—a solution that will change the heart of every human who will turn to Him and accept His offer. Christ’s full payment for the sins of humanity not only makes those who receive His payment for themselves new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians:5:17), but they are also sealed with the Holy Spirit of God, the only true Counselor and Comforter of all believers. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit is the One who enables the born-again Christian to understand the Manufacturer’s Handbook and live out its instructions (John:14:26; Zechariah:4:6). That’s what the Bible declares; so why would those who profess to believe in the Bible forsake its wonderful claims? Jesus announced that He came that those who believed in Him “might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John:10:10).

So why do believers look elsewhere? One of the major reasons is simple—and therefore correctible. If a believer is not reading his Bible and is relying on other sources for his biblical intake, he will have only a vague idea of what’s in it, and much of his thinking about it may be deluded or distorted. That contributes to one’s having a serious lack of confidence in God’s Word. Such a person is rendered incapable of recognizing what’s biblical and what’s not. Yet the condition is hardly hopeless. Biblical discernment doesn’t depend upon scholarship or knowing Greek and Hebrew or attending seminary or having an apologetics degree from a Bible college. It’s simply a matter of a believer’s disciplined reading (meaning every day!) of the Word of God, followed by a willingness to apply what one is reading to one’s life. How can a believer expect to recognize truth from error if he or she is not disciplined in reading and doing what the Scriptures teach? Biblical discernment is basically a matter of comparing what’s being promoted or taught in the world or the church with what the Bible teaches. A person cannot make that assessment if he is doubtful about biblical content. What is needed is the very thing that the Jews in the synagogue of the Greek city of Berea were commended for: they searched the Scriptures daily to see if those things that the Apostle Paul was preaching were true to the Scriptures (Acts:17:10-11). If those Jews were so commended, how much more important it is that believers today follow their example.

Sadly, from my observation over more than three decades, the evangelical church has succumbed to nearly every seductive device the Adversary has dished out, all in support of his major strategy: to destroy the effectiveness of God’s Word in the church , as well as in the world. The seductive program began in the Garden of Eden with Eve: “Yea, hath God said…?”—a ploy to get her to rethink God’s commandment not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God had indeed declared to Adam, “…for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis:2:17). Satan then denied God’s command by telling Eve, “Ye shall not surely die…” (Genesis:3:4).

It is important to note that the sowing of doubt followed by the denial of the truth of God’s Word has been the Adversary’s tactic in his quest to destroy mankind ever since. His chief strategy is to undermine the Scriptures . To the degree that a believer turns from the Word of God—whether through apathy, laziness, being spoon fed, having a self-serving interest, turning to outside sources, being deceived, listening to extra-biblical misinformation, etc.—to that degree his ability to discern has deteriorated. Without biblical discernment, a believer is ripe for any and all of Satan’s deceptions, which brings us back to what may be the Adversary’s most effective contemporary scam: “psyching out” the evangelical church.

It began, as most seductions do, in small doses and influences, all of them somewhat subtle and appearing to make sense. In the mid-20th century, psychologists such as Erich Fromm began writing about love, and in particular the value of self-love. Abraham Maslow, in the 1940s, included self-esteem near the top of his “hierarchy of needs.” Evangelicals took note. Norman Vincent Peale and psychiatrist Smiley Blanton early in the 1950s established the American Foundation of Religion and Psychiatry. The Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS), took root at the same time. Also, at that time, the American Psychiatric Association set up luncheons around the US, in which psychiatrists suggested to the religious community that working together to meet the needs of their flocks would be a match made in heaven. As that relationship grew, it was gradually impressed upon the pastors and priests that they were ill equipped to deal with most of the issues of their congregations’ problems of living. Many pastors fell into that erroneous idea and returned to school to earn degrees in psychology.

What began as a trickle turned into a flood from the 1970s through the 80s. Psychologist James Dobson released his book, How to Build Self-Esteem in Your Child: Hide or Seek . Robert Schuller’s book Self-Esteem: The New Reformation was sent out gratis to 250,000 pastors. Toward the end of the 1980s, the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), an organization that strongly endorses the integration of psychology and the Bible, had its beginning. Today it boasts on its masthead: “Nearly 50,000 Members and Growing Stronger Every Day.” The list of leaders who have spoken at AACC conferences consist of a Who’s Who ? of the evangelical community. My Middle Eastern friends would characterize what I’ve described early on as “the camel getting its nose in the tent.” It should come as no surprise, then, that years later the camel is right at home within the tent. That “beast,” however, has displaced God’s way and His truth and is causing much destruction within the body of Christ.

Unless there is a dramatic recognition of the antibiblical nature of psychological counseling and its “spiritualized” counterparts (inner healing, Theophostic Counseling, Bethel’s Sozo, etc.), the worst is yet to come. What makes me think so? It has to do with our upcoming generation of evangelicals. Many are aware that evolution is a false science—a pseudoscience—thanks to the teaching and influence of organizations such as the Institute for Creation Research and Answers in Genesis and individuals such as Carl Kerby, Jobe Martin, and many others. Psychological counseling, however, is also a pseudoscience (which we have documented in numerous articles and books that we have offered for years). Can you name any ministries equivalent in influence to that of ICR or AiG that are pointing out the pseudoscientific nature of psychotherapy ? Not that there aren’t some out there, but they are small voices crying in the wilderness.

Now here is the really bad news. Our evangelical young people are being led by the pied pipers of so-called Christian psychology and through the greed of professing Christian universities to become practitioners in an antichrist field. It’s tragic enough that the upcoming generation is functionally biblically illiterate—they know how to read, and they have Bibles but don’t read them (See this issue’s NewsWatch), but add to that grievous condition the fact that they are being ushered into psychology. A survey by the prestigious Princeton Review noted that psychology was listed as the number-two major among college students. It’s very likely that the percentage is even higher for Christian students at professing Christian colleges because of their belief in the myth that psychology is a scientific way of helping people and that jobs may be available for them as counselors at evangelical churches. There is also other encouragement for them to seek such careers.

Dr. James Dobson is one of the many highly influential evangelicals ushering this next generation into psychotherapy. He writes: “Christian psychology is a worthy profession for a young believer, provided his faith is strong enough to withstand the humanistic concepts to which he will be exposed” ( Focus on the Family, Dec. 1988). Dr. Dobson couldn’t be more wrong in his counsel to young believers. To begin with, “Christian psychology” is a misleading term. According to CAPS, “there is no acceptable Christian psychology that is markedly different from non-Christian psychology…as yet there is not an acceptable theory, mode of research, or treatment methodology that is distinctly Christian” (From a paper presented at the Western Association of Christians for Psychological Studies, 1976, cited in Psychoheresy by Martin & Deidre Bobgan, Eastgate Pub., 1987, p.5). As noted, scarce is the young believer today whose faith is strong enough and whose discernment level high enough (because of his study of the Word of God) to withstand the onslaught from such a pursuit. And finally, it isn’t merely a matter of being able to stand against some of the humanistic concepts in psychotherapy. No, the entire field of psychological counseling is rooted in the humanistic concept of self.

It is also rare that a Christian academic institution would reject psychology for biblical reasons (although there are a few). Some offer psychological counseling for the same reasons that they teach evolution in their so-called science departments—they accept it by faith. But it’s also a matter of “filthy lucre,” i.e., it’s an economic proposition: students keep the school afloat financially. If the school does not offer psychology, “the number-two most popular major,” the students will go elsewhere; if they go elsewhere, the school sinks economically.

What all of this leads up to is a generation of evangelicals who will have been heavily psychologized and further conditioned against the belief in the sufficiency of the Word of God . And because most of the church is supportive of the psychological way, there will be few warnings regarding the spiritual disaster that lies ahead.

Is there any hope of averting such a tragic end result? Yes…but the term “hope” may seem a bit optimistic. Nevertheless, we have a potential remedy and encouragement from the Book of Nehemiah. Upon returning to Jerusalem from Babylon, Nehemiah was confronted by a development that outraged him: the Jewish leaders had given to Tobiah, the servant of the wicked Sanballat and enemy of Israel, a “ chamber in the courts of the house of God .” Nehemiah’s response, as a man of God, as a type of the Holy Spirit, as a watchman who oversaw the building of the wall surrounding Jerusalem for protection, was God ordained: “And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber ” (Nehemiah:13:7-8).

Unless today’s men of God, shepherds of God’s flock, those whom God has privileged in leadership positions do likewise with the “psychological stuff” that is in the church, they are unwittingly contributing to the last days apostasy (2 Timothy:3:1-2). And by failing to warn this and the next generation, their “blood,” i.e., the resulting spiritual destruction, will fall upon those who will be held accountable—those who could have done something but did nothing. It doesn’t have to be that way. TBC

 

[Thorndyke]

Re: "Psychological Counselling"
What is there definition of this? Like when I read "Psychological counseling is an anti-biblical replacement program for the Manufacturer’s Handbook" I think....really? REALLY? Maybe my definition of what I think Psychological counselling is is different from what they are saying because If they just mean going to a psychologist/psychiatrist for help is bad then...like...wtf. Are they saying that seeking psychatric help from a professional (whether Christian or not) is not necessary? That through the Bible and God this is how people with emotional issues will recover? Or is it more that seeking psychological treatment based on principles not on the Bible is the issue. That seeking someone for something like cognitive behavioural theory treatment is wrong?

 

[Chaplain]

Re: "Psychological Counselling"
What is there definition of this? Like when I read "Psychological counseling is an anti-biblical replacement program for the Manufacturer’s Handbook" I think....really? REALLY? Maybe my definition of what I think Psychological counselling is is different from what they are saying because If they just mean going to a psychologist/psychiatrist for help is bad then...like...wtf. Are they saying that seeking psychatric help from a professional (whether Christian or not) is not necessary?

This is their definition:

"Psychological counseling is an anti-biblical replacement program for the Manufacturer’s Handbook. Its essential doctrine is that self , which is declared to be innately good , is the key to solving all of life’s problems. Therefore, foundationally, it stands in direct opposition to the Scriptures, which declare that self , i.e., man, is innately sinful (Jeremiah:17:9). If self, also known as the heart of man, is “deceitful above all things and desperately wicked” as the Bible declares, then self is the problem rather than the solution. Just as a leopard cannot change its spots, there is nothing within self that can change its sinful nature."

That through the Bible and God this is how people with emotional issues will recover?

This is what they say:

"The good news is that God knows the problem that besets humanity and He has provided the solution through His Son—a solution that will change the heart of every human who will turn to Him and accept His offer. Christ’s full payment for the sins of humanity not only makes those who receive His payment for themselves new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians:5:17), but they are also sealed with the Holy Spirit of God, the only true Counselor and Comforter of all believers. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit is the One who enables the born-again Christian to understand the Manufacturer’s Handbook and live out its instructions (John:14:26; Zechariah:4:6)."

One of the reasons Jesus comes to live in a person, is to renew their minds, thoughts and emotions. As Paul wrote:

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

Or is it more that seeking psychological treatment based on principles not on the Bible is the issue. That seeking someone for something like cognitive behavioral theory treatment is wrong?

I think that many people go to psychological treatment because they are living in sin, and that sin is damaging their lives. God designed the body to work in such a way that when we sin, it shows up in areas of our lives. People do not understand why they are depressed, so they pay someone to try and explain to them why they are depressed. The reason they are depressed is because they continue to live selfishly, and the fruit of these choices has manifested in pain. God offers the solution by telling each person to die to ourselves (our will), live for Him and others.

This is different than if a person actually has a mental problem. Where they have no choice in the matter. If a person needs help they should go get it.

I hope you saw the differences.

 

[Chaplain]

So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage. Exodus 6:9

Why did the Jews not listen to Moses? Because they trusted in Pharaoh and their Egyptian gods more than they trusted in God and Moses.

1. But they did not heed Moses: After Moses spoke what God told him the children of Israel were still stuck in miserable unbelief. They probably would have said that they did not doubt God, but they doubted the messenger - Moses.

2. Because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage: This is why Israel doubted both God and His messenger. Their centuries of slavery made them think like slaves instead of people of the covenant. Pharaoh was bigger in their eyes than God was.

a. Anguish of spirit: “The NIV weakly translates ‘their discouragement’; but it was the inward pressure caused by deep anguish that prevented proper breathing – like children sobbing and gasping for their breath.” (Kaiser)

b. Many Christians find themselves in the same place. They find it hard to trust God and believe that He is for them. This is why Paul says we must not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:1-2). The children of Israel needed their minds renewed, and we do also.

c. Ezekiel 20:5-9 shows why God was so small and Pharaoh was so big in Israel’s heart during this time. Ezekiel explained that they trusted the gods of their oppressors, worshipping the gods of the Egyptians. This is why they didn’t trust God, and His messenger Moses. The reason why God did not judge Israel at the time was because He didn’t want His name profaned among the Gentiles.

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the children of Israel go out of his land.” And Moses spoke before the Lord, saying, “The children of Israel have not heeded me. How then shall Pharaoh heed me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?” Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, and gave them a command for the children of Israel and for Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. Exodus 6:10-13

Moses continues to focus on himself instead of God.

How then shall Pharaoh heed me: God told Moses to repeat what he had unsuccessfully done before (Exodus 5:1-2). Moses felt this approach had failed once, so there was no sense in repeating it. This approach failed to persuade even the people of Israel; it seemed that it would never work with Pharaoh.

a. Note the ground for Moses’ discouragement: For I am of uncircumcised lips. Previously, he objected because he believed he was not eloquent (Exodus 4:10). Now he objected because he believed he was not worthy for the task. “That inability was now born of a sense, not as before of his lack of eloquence, but of his uncleanness.” (Morgan)

What lessons was God teaching Moses with His request of his obedience?

1. Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, and gave them a command: God wanted Moses to be persistent in their obedience; not to look at Pharaoh, not to look at the children of Israel, not to look at even himself - but to look at God and God alone.

a. Moses wanted to quit after the first setback. God had much to do in his heart before Moses would be ready to deal with all the discouragement ahead as he led Israel to the Promised Land.

b. God was building endurance in Moses, the ability to stick with God’s plan and will even when it didn’t seem to work. This is faith; this is patient endurance in the Lord.

2. A command for the children of Israel and for Pharaoh: Moses had to understand that this was God’s will, not merely a few suggestions for Israel and Pharaoh. This was His divine command that would be accomplished, one way or another.

These are the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. These are the families of Reuben. And the sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. These are the families of Simeon. These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. And the years of the life of Levi were one hundred and thirty-seven. The sons of Gershon were Libni and Shimi according to their families. And the sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. And the years of the life of Kohath were one hundred and thirty-three. The sons of Merari were Mahali and Mushi. These are the families of Levi according to their generations. Now Amram took for himself Jochebed, his father’s sister, as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. And the years of the life of Amram were one hundred and thirty-seven. The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri. And the sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Zithri. Aaron took to himself Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Nahshon, as wife; and she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. And the sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These are the families of the Korahites. Eleazar, Aaron’s son, took for himself one of the daughters of Putiel as wife; and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites according to their families. These are the same Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said, “Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.” These are the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt. These are the same Moses and Aaron. Exodus 6:15-27

“Tread gently here! This is a private burying-ground, the last resting place of the founders of a family to which the world is deeply indebted for priceless service.” (F.B. Meyer)

1. The sons of Levi according to their generations: In the tribe of Levi, there were three main families - Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Each of these families would be given specific duties in the service of the Lord and His tabernacle.

2. She bore him Aaron and Moses: This passage not only tells us the ancestors of Moses and Aaron, but also some of Aaron’s descendants. His sons listed here are Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar; and his grandson through Eleazar, whose name was Phinehas.

a. This portion is important because the priesthood that will eventually come from the family of Aaron will be passed down to his descendants. Therefore it was important to know exactly who his descendants were.

3. The sons of Korah (cousins to Moses and Aaron; their father Korah was Moses’ uncle) will also play part in a significant event before Israel reaches the Promised Land (Numbers 16).

And it came to pass, on the day the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, that the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “I am the Lord. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you.” But Moses said before the Lord, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh heed me?” Exodus 6:28-30

Moses objects to God instructions again.

1. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you: God previously commanded Moses to speak to Pharaoh. After the first disappointing experience, Moses now hesitated in his obedience.

2. I am of uncircumcised lips: This may refer to Moses’ idea that he had a speech problem, or it may be his understanding that he was a sinful man, and therefore unworthy to be used.

a. Moses’ feeling may be similar to that of Isaiah, later recorded in Isaiah 6:1-8. Isaiah knew that he was a sinner in God’s presence, and sensed that the center of his sin was in his lips - as in speaking and communicating in a way that didn’t glorify God. God could deal with Isaiah’s unclean lips, and He was more than able to deal with Moses’ uncircumcised lips. God was also perfectly able to deal with the things in our life - real or imagined - that hinder us from being used by Him.