The Chapter-A-Day thread. (3)

Genesis 27:

Now Isaac is getting very old. His eyesight is bad, and he doesn't know how much longer he has to live. Therefore he calls to Esau, his eldest son, so that he can bless him before he dies.

"And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death: Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die." ~Genesis 27:1-4



So here we have Rebekah, overhearing her husband Isaac, and she remembers God's promise that the younger will rule over the older.

"And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee. Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth: And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death. And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them. And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved. And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son: And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son? And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me. And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me. And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not. And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him." ~Genesis 27:6-23

Genesis 28:

So here we have a "key" to one of the reasons why God said this:

"And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness." ~Malachi 1:3

"As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." ~Romans 9:13



Esau's heart was evil and contrary. He DELIBERATELY did the very thing that would grieve his parents. This a clue to the kind of heart he had, that he never, ever repented of:

"When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan; And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram; And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife." ~Genesis 28:6-9

In the meantime, Jacob sojourns on, and comes to a place to rest and to sleep for the night, and as he sleeps, he has the most unusual dream:

"And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not." ~Genesis 28:10-16

And in the morning, Jacob wakes up:

"And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee." ~Genesis 18-22

Genesis 29:

This summarizes Chapter 29, basically.

Jacob sher 'nuff LOVED Rachel, didn't he?

Precious.

"And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her." ~Genesis 29:16-20

Genesis 30:

This is sounding REAL familiar.

Soooooooo Rachel is painfully aware of Leah, bearing Jacob not ONE, but FOUR sons, sooo she sorta' "panics" and decides to "help God out" and comes up with a brilliant idea.



"And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her. And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her." ~Genesis 30:1-4

This is becoming a drama of soap opera-like proportions, as each woman "races" to see who can bear the most children for Jacob.....

"And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan. And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son. And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali. When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son. And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad. And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son. And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher." ~Genesis 30:5-13

In the meantime, Leah bears Jacob six sons and then a daughter, and names her Dinah.

Genesis 31:

So Jacob is working for Laban, his father in law, all this time, and being short-changed, and tricked into marrying Leah, Laban's older daughter, etc.

Jacob doesn't seem to trust Laban (and for good reason).

God Himself acknowledges all the wrong that Laban had done unto Jacob, and tells Jacob this in a dream:

"And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I. And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee." ~Genesis 31:11-12



And God tells Jacob to leave, and return to his own land.

"I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred." ~Genesis 31:13

And Jacob does. He literally "flees".

"And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead. And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled." ~Genesis 31:20-22

And if it wasn't bad enough what Laban had already done to Jacob all this time, he "goes after" Jacob.

"And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead." ~Genesis 31:23

Then God steps in, and tells Laban to don't even THINK about doing harm to Jacob.

"And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad." ~Genesis 31:24

Laban tells Jacob to make a covenant with him:

"Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee. And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar." ~Genesis 31:44-45

Genesis 32:

Herein is a major "key" to Jacob and why God said this:

"As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." ~Romans 9:13

Now Jacob was in dire dire straits. He poured all that was in him, all of the angst,and utter and raw desperation out. And where did he pour all of it out to?

God.

He WENT TO God. And basically by doing this, he was "declaring" that only the living God could help him. He was demonstrating "faith" in God. He BELIEVED Him.

What PLEASES God?

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." ~Hebrews 11:6

Why was God pleased with Abraham?

"For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." ~Romans 4:3

So there came nightfall, and he found himself in dire straits. A presence came on the scene. Somehow Jacob knew it was God.

And what did he do in his sheer and utter desperation?

He wrestled him.

"And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." ~Genesis 32:24-26



So Jacob wrestles with God, and he prevails. Then God renames Jacob, and He blesses him.

"And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there." ~Genesis 32:27-29

Genesis 33:

So Jacob goes to meet his brother Esau and does not know what kind of reception there will be.

Much to Jacob's relief, Esau seems to embrace Jacob and his family with joy. There are tears and embracing, and Jacob acknowledges God as being good to him, when Esau asks who the women and children are.

Jacob replies:

Genesis 34:

"And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto 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 defiled her." ~Genesis 34:1-2

"And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males. And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out. The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.
" ~Genesis 34:25-27

Genesis 35:

"And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went." ~ Genesis 35:1-3

Genesis 36:

"Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan" ~Genesis 36:2

Genesis 37:

Joseph is sold into slavery.

"Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt." ~Genesis 37:28

Genesis 38:

"And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep. And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face. And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him." ~Genesis 38:13-18

Genesis 39:

Joseph is falsely accused by Potiphar's wife.

(Poor Joseph. Falsely accused. He must've surely felt that God had abandoned him yet one more time. How discouraging. Yet he hung in there, apparently TRUSTING in his God against ALL odds.)

How precious is THAT??!!

"And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home. And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me: And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out. And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisonerswere bound: and he was there in the prison." ~Genesis 39:11-20

Genesis 40:

Interestingly, God moved circumstances in His sovereign plan for Joseph. He arranged for two men to join him in prison, as His plan unfolded for Joseph:

"And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound." ~Genesis 40:1-3

Interestingly, Joseph had found favor with the captain of the guard, and he charged Joseph with the responsibility to minister to them. Joseph looks in on them one morning and they were sad because they had both had disturbing dreams and didn't know what they meant. Joseph interprets their dreams.

Joseph asked the chief butler to remember him to the Pharaoh.

Tragically, Joseph is forgotten.

Genesis 41:

So Joseph is in jail, forgotten for two years. (Yet he hung in there, trusting in God the entire time.....what a dear and Godly man.)

Precious.

Then Pharaoh dreams. It was a puzzling dream. And Pharaoh dreamed again. Another puzzling dream. And he was troubled, and he sent for all of his magicians and wise men. None of them could interpret his dreams. The chief butler speaks up about Joseph, and Pharaoh sends for Joseph. Joseph interprets his dreams and appoints Joseph ruler over all the land of Egypt, putting his own ring on Joseph's finger, and thus there is no greater in all the land, except for Pharaoh himself.

Genesis 42:

There is famine throughout the land (as Joseph, through God, predicted). Jacob hears there is corn in Egypt and sends ten of Joseph's brothers to Egypt to buy corn. And they see the Governor of Egypt, Joseph. They did not recognize Joseph, but he recognized all of them, but kept it a secret, and tested them.

Genesis 43:

The famine grew worse, and Jacob tells his sons to go to Egypt again to buy corn, but they are in a quagmire, because they were told if they ever see the governor's face again, their youngest brother must be with them.

Talk about between a rock and a hard place...

And of course Jacob does NOT want Benjamin goin' NO WHERE.

But he relents because the need is dire for the corn. And they take Benjamin with them.

Genesis 44:

Joseph tests his brothers to see if their hearts have changed, using Benjamin to do so. They beg Joseph to spare Benjamin.

Genesis 45:

It is revealed after all the suffering and injustice that Joseph endured, that God was, through it all, preparing him for such a time as this.

Phenomenal.

Genesis 46:

What is profound here, is that right here in the first verse, is an indication of Jacob's love of God. THIS is a "key" to why God re-named Jacob "Israel", etc. It is because of Jacob's heart for God and his obedience from his heart, which indicated a deep-rooted holy and pleasing "fear" of God, which is ALWAYS very PRECIOUS to our God.

Precious.

"And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac." ~Genesis 46:1