January 11/12, 2014 (Week-End Reading)
Genesis 27-31
I remember a film/play entitled, “A Lion in Winter,” about King Henry II of England in his waning years and the struggles and infightings among his sons (Richard, John and Jeffrey), his wife (Eleanor) and others. After one particularly horrendous row, Katherine Hepburn (playing Eleanor) whispers dryly to Peter O’Toole (playing her husband, Henry), “What family doesn’t have its ups and downs?”
This is how I feel after reading Genesis 27-31. On the one hand, I am appalled at what Rebekah’s and Isaac’s favoritism has led to. On the other hand, well… “What family doesn’t have its ups and downs?”
Rebekah takes on herself the responsibility for helping God keep his word (Genesis 25:23) to her. Jacob, the heel-grabber, reluctantly goes along with it, and is forced to tell an out-and-out lie, at one point (Genesis 27:24). And when Esau returns from the hunt and brings his meal to Isaac, family dissolution is inevitable. I feel sorry for Esau, when he cries, “Do you have only one blessing, my father?”
In Genesis 28-29, Jacob gets a taste of his own deceptive medicine. How would you like to wake up on the day after your wedding with someone else? And Jacob is bound to seven more years of servitude, if he wants the girl he thought he was marrying. Jacob’s interesting practices with the flocks of Laban may or may not be deceptive or occult, but in the end, even this part of the family dissolves, and Jacob flees his uncle, who pursues him. After all, Jacob was taking Laban’s two daughters with him. Laban and Jacob make an uneasy truce at the end of Genesis 31. “May the Lord keep watch between you and me…” is not a sweet hope, but a suspicious one.
And, as if this weren’t enough, Jacob must now face his estranged brother Esau! “What family doesn’t have its ups and downs?”
P.S. See you Monday. (If this is inexplicable to you, trade in your Bible-in-one-year brochure for an up-to-date one that combines most Saturday-Sunday readings!)
Pastor Gary
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Friday, January 10, 2014
DAY TEN GENESIS 25-26
Genesis 25-26
Abraham dies, and now we learn what became of Isaac. We know he married Rebekah. We learn the strange circumstances of her pregnancy: twins fighting within. And we find out that God spoke directly to Rebekah before God spoke to Isaac: the older twin will serve the younger. And we quickly learn the effect of that word: Rebekah favored the younger, Jacob, and Isaac favored the elder, Esau. When the two are still rather young, Jacob jumps at the chance to “buy” Isaac’s birthright from Esau, who doesn’t seem to care about it. So far, not so good.
Now, finally, in Genesis 26, “the Lord appeared” to Isaac. We’ve been waiting for this. How long could Isaac ride on Abraham coattails? So God affirms all the essential elements of the Covenant with Isaac:
· God’s presence
· Land of Promise
· Offspring as numerous as the stars
· Blessing that will extend to the whole world
And just to prove it’s not because of Isaac’s righteousness, even after he imitates his father’s deception (We’ll call it “Sister Act 3”), God appears yet again to make certain Isaac gets it.
God’s persistent attentions to the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, despite their obvious flaws, is a real encouragement to me.
See you tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
Abraham dies, and now we learn what became of Isaac. We know he married Rebekah. We learn the strange circumstances of her pregnancy: twins fighting within. And we find out that God spoke directly to Rebekah before God spoke to Isaac: the older twin will serve the younger. And we quickly learn the effect of that word: Rebekah favored the younger, Jacob, and Isaac favored the elder, Esau. When the two are still rather young, Jacob jumps at the chance to “buy” Isaac’s birthright from Esau, who doesn’t seem to care about it. So far, not so good.
Now, finally, in Genesis 26, “the Lord appeared” to Isaac. We’ve been waiting for this. How long could Isaac ride on Abraham coattails? So God affirms all the essential elements of the Covenant with Isaac:
· God’s presence
· Land of Promise
· Offspring as numerous as the stars
· Blessing that will extend to the whole world
And just to prove it’s not because of Isaac’s righteousness, even after he imitates his father’s deception (We’ll call it “Sister Act 3”), God appears yet again to make certain Isaac gets it.
God’s persistent attentions to the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, despite their obvious flaws, is a real encouragement to me.
See you tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
Thursday, January 9, 2014
DAY NINE GENESIS 21-24
Genesis 21-24
There are a number of babies being born and gathered into thankful families in and around our church, but none so longed for as the baby born to Abraham and Sarah, 99 and 90 years old respectively.
In chapter 21, the long-awaited, divinely-promised boy is born. At first, Sarah laughed in disbelief, now she laughs for joy, and down through the ages God’s people laugh with her! As for Abraham, before he believed, and God reckoned his faith to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6), now his faith has become sight. He can hold his little boy!
What will God do for the other son and mother? Does Isaac’s birth mean that God will toss Hagar and Ishmael aside? No! God cares for them and makes provision for them (Genesis 21:15-21).
All seems right with the world now that Abraham and Sarah have a son, and Hagar and Ishmael are cared for. All that’s left to do is settle a water dispute between them and Abimelech’s tribe. But wait…
Is it possible?
Does God command Abraham to kill the very son God had promised? Two things: 1) Yes, God does call us to offer back to Him the gifts He has given us. When we do so, we are imitating the Lord, who gave up His One and Only Son for us. But what about the child sacrifice, the murder that God commanded? 2) Yes, God seems to violate His own code here. This account is quite nearly inexplicable to us. The only help we get are the indications—in the text itself—that Abraham believed God would somehow continue to keep His promise, either through a resurrection or, as it turned out, some other avenue. Read Hebrews 11:17-19, the New Testament commentary on Genesis 22!
It’s a sad day for Abraham and Isaac when Sarah dies, but Abraham turns his grief into one of the most remarkable expeditions in Scripture, sending his trusted servant (possibly, the former heir, Eliezer, from Genesis 15:2) to find a wife for Isaac from the family back in Mesopotamia. The success of this mission is a comfort to Isaac in the loss of his mom and proof to Abraham that God is still keeping His promises!
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
In chapter 21, the long-awaited, divinely-promised boy is born. At first, Sarah laughed in disbelief, now she laughs for joy, and down through the ages God’s people laugh with her! As for Abraham, before he believed, and God reckoned his faith to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6), now his faith has become sight. He can hold his little boy!
What will God do for the other son and mother? Does Isaac’s birth mean that God will toss Hagar and Ishmael aside? No! God cares for them and makes provision for them (Genesis 21:15-21).
All seems right with the world now that Abraham and Sarah have a son, and Hagar and Ishmael are cared for. All that’s left to do is settle a water dispute between them and Abimelech’s tribe. But wait…
Is it possible?
Does God command Abraham to kill the very son God had promised? Two things: 1) Yes, God does call us to offer back to Him the gifts He has given us. When we do so, we are imitating the Lord, who gave up His One and Only Son for us. But what about the child sacrifice, the murder that God commanded? 2) Yes, God seems to violate His own code here. This account is quite nearly inexplicable to us. The only help we get are the indications—in the text itself—that Abraham believed God would somehow continue to keep His promise, either through a resurrection or, as it turned out, some other avenue. Read Hebrews 11:17-19, the New Testament commentary on Genesis 22!
It’s a sad day for Abraham and Isaac when Sarah dies, but Abraham turns his grief into one of the most remarkable expeditions in Scripture, sending his trusted servant (possibly, the former heir, Eliezer, from Genesis 15:2) to find a wife for Isaac from the family back in Mesopotamia. The success of this mission is a comfort to Isaac in the loss of his mom and proof to Abraham that God is still keeping His promises!
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
DAY EIGHT Genesis 18-20
Genesis 18-20
Genesis 20 contains Sister Act 2!
But it’s chapters 18 and 19 that catch our attention and won’t let it them go!
Who were the “three men,” who appeared to Abraham? Apparently, one was the LORD, and two were angels, but all three appeared to Abraham as humans, whose feet could be washed and who could eat a meal, as well!
What news did they bring? Two flashes:
What news did they bring? Two flashes:
Sarah would give birth to the son of the promise. When Sarah laughed, the LORD took notice and said, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” We must remember that.
Sodom and Gomorrah were about to be destroyed. When God breaks this news, Abraham somehow finds the courage to question and cajole God into agreeing NOT to destroy the towns, if just 10 righteous people can be found. Of course, if it was really God, God knew there weren’t 10 righteous people there, but somehow I think it pleased God for Abraham to care so much.
The angels have quite a time rescuing anyone out of those wicked places. The men of the town seem brutally evil, Lot’s daughter’s husbands-to-be think Lot is joking, and Lot’s wife looks back. Even after he and the daughters escape, he’s too frightened to live again in a town.
Sodom and Gomorrah were about to be destroyed. When God breaks this news, Abraham somehow finds the courage to question and cajole God into agreeing NOT to destroy the towns, if just 10 righteous people can be found. Of course, if it was really God, God knew there weren’t 10 righteous people there, but somehow I think it pleased God for Abraham to care so much.
The angels have quite a time rescuing anyone out of those wicked places. The men of the town seem brutally evil, Lot’s daughter’s husbands-to-be think Lot is joking, and Lot’s wife looks back. Even after he and the daughters escape, he’s too frightened to live again in a town.
How much depended upon Lot’s choices earlier on! And how much depends upon ours!
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
Pastor Gary
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
DAY SEVEN Genesis 15-17
Genesis 15-17
There is an awful lot of “cutting” in these chapters.
After God promised Abram offspring as numerous as the stars, we read the famous words: “And Abram (Abraham) believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6) And immediately God instructs him to cut a heifer, a goat and a ram in half! A little later, after Abram fell asleep, God spoke to him of the future and allowed him (while still sleeping, I suppose) to watch God, in the form of a “smoking fire pot and flaming torch,” pass between the pieces of animals he had cut!
Two chapters later (17), the LORD appears yet again to Abram and instructs him to cut himself, his son, Ishmael, and all the male members of his household in a very uncomfortable and private place.
What is all this “cutting?”
“Cutting” is part of the root meaning of the word, Covenant. When we use the word, we are normally thinking of an agreement—if two parties are involved, or a promise—if just one is involved. Chapters 15 and 17 are the chapters where God’s covenant is “cut” with Abraham and his descendants. In Chapter 15, God promises Abram offspring, and then backs it up by passing between the pieces of animals Abram cut. In ancient culture, both parties would pass between the pieces, saying, in effect: “May we become like these animals, if we do not keep our covenant!”
In Chapter 17, God commands Abraham to “cut” some more, only this time, the “cutting” will hurt him. Circumcision is called “a sign of the covenant” because it gave Abraham a chance to agree with God’s promise!
If we chose to name ourselves Covenant United Methodist Church, it would remind us that there is pain in the keeping and the cutting of God’s promises.
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
There is an awful lot of “cutting” in these chapters.
After God promised Abram offspring as numerous as the stars, we read the famous words: “And Abram (Abraham) believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6) And immediately God instructs him to cut a heifer, a goat and a ram in half! A little later, after Abram fell asleep, God spoke to him of the future and allowed him (while still sleeping, I suppose) to watch God, in the form of a “smoking fire pot and flaming torch,” pass between the pieces of animals he had cut!
Two chapters later (17), the LORD appears yet again to Abram and instructs him to cut himself, his son, Ishmael, and all the male members of his household in a very uncomfortable and private place.
What is all this “cutting?”
“Cutting” is part of the root meaning of the word, Covenant. When we use the word, we are normally thinking of an agreement—if two parties are involved, or a promise—if just one is involved. Chapters 15 and 17 are the chapters where God’s covenant is “cut” with Abraham and his descendants. In Chapter 15, God promises Abram offspring, and then backs it up by passing between the pieces of animals Abram cut. In ancient culture, both parties would pass between the pieces, saying, in effect: “May we become like these animals, if we do not keep our covenant!”
In Chapter 17, God commands Abraham to “cut” some more, only this time, the “cutting” will hurt him. Circumcision is called “a sign of the covenant” because it gave Abraham a chance to agree with God’s promise!
If we chose to name ourselves Covenant United Methodist Church, it would remind us that there is pain in the keeping and the cutting of God’s promises.
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
Monday, January 6, 2014
DAY SIX Genesis 12-14
Genesis 12-14
As I read this again, the word that kept coming to me was “choices,” especially the choices Abram made.
Abram chose to go. The LORD had told Abram to go, “so Abram went,” it says. Don’t you wonder how he decided to obey the Voice?
Abram chose to “sojourn in Egypt” during a famine. Do you realize how many of God’s people “sojourned” there? Let’s see, after Abram, we have Joseph, then his entire family. Later, Jeremiah went there, against his will. And, most importantly, Mary, Joseph and Jesus fled there to escape King Herod. Egypt is an important nation in the history of God’s people.
Abram chose to pass Sarah off as his sister; after all, she was his half-sister (Genesis 20:12). But still, even the partial deception is troubling.
Abram chose to rescue Lot. Noble was Abram’s family loyalty! And his victorious rescue opened the door for him to meet the mysterious priest/king Melchizedek, who we’ll hear about as we preach through Hebrews!
Abram chose NOT to accept gifts from the King of Sodom. He didn’t want to be “beholden’” to him.
Abram’s choices were, overall, pretty good, with the exception of Sister Act 1 (Genesis 12:10-20). But the choice that stands at the center of these three chapters is not Abram’s, but Lot’s. I remember the Bible Story book from which I was read to as a child. It was entitled “Lot’s Choice.” And so, “Lot chose for himself all the Jordan valley…and pitched his tent near Sodom.” It might as well say, “He chose to pitch his tent near sin,” for the next we read of Lot, he is in Sodom.
How much turns on the choices we make!
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
As I read this again, the word that kept coming to me was “choices,” especially the choices Abram made.
Abram chose to go. The LORD had told Abram to go, “so Abram went,” it says. Don’t you wonder how he decided to obey the Voice?
Abram chose to “sojourn in Egypt” during a famine. Do you realize how many of God’s people “sojourned” there? Let’s see, after Abram, we have Joseph, then his entire family. Later, Jeremiah went there, against his will. And, most importantly, Mary, Joseph and Jesus fled there to escape King Herod. Egypt is an important nation in the history of God’s people.
Abram chose to pass Sarah off as his sister; after all, she was his half-sister (Genesis 20:12). But still, even the partial deception is troubling.
Abram chose to rescue Lot. Noble was Abram’s family loyalty! And his victorious rescue opened the door for him to meet the mysterious priest/king Melchizedek, who we’ll hear about as we preach through Hebrews!
Abram chose NOT to accept gifts from the King of Sodom. He didn’t want to be “beholden’” to him.
Abram’s choices were, overall, pretty good, with the exception of Sister Act 1 (Genesis 12:10-20). But the choice that stands at the center of these three chapters is not Abram’s, but Lot’s. I remember the Bible Story book from which I was read to as a child. It was entitled “Lot’s Choice.” And so, “Lot chose for himself all the Jordan valley…and pitched his tent near Sodom.” It might as well say, “He chose to pitch his tent near sin,” for the next we read of Lot, he is in Sodom.
How much turns on the choices we make!
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
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