Tag: Genesis

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When we can’t see a solution.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Abraham was now a very old man, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. One day Abraham said to his oldest servant, the man in charge of his household, “Take an oath by putting your hand under my thigh. Swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.” Genesis‬ ‭24‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Genesis 24 is the grand story of “a wife for Issac.” Genesis 23 closes with Sarah’s death at 127 years old and Abraham purchasing the perfect burial place for his beloved.

This chapter opens with two facts: One, Abraham is super old and God has blessed him immensely! But there is one major problem hanging over the patriarchal promise to Abraham – Issac.

Issac is not the actual problem, but the fact that he is now 37 years old, makes him a kind of “past his prime, bachelor. “ What happened? The relationship pool for Isaac was entirely and solely Canaanite women – a “no go” for the son of promise! Here’s the dilemma, Ab is old, now Isaac is aging quickly as well. There doesn’t seem to be a supernatural solution to a big human problem. Since Isaac is clearly the carrier of hope for the plan of God, wouldn’t you expect some kind of miraculous intervention? Why didn’t God send the woman of Issac’s dreams and the fulfillment of God’s promise to Canaan?

Abram marrying his own wife, Sarai seemed completely unexpected, if not just random. In Genesis 11, we find the that Abram married Sarai. We also find that Terah, was THEIR father. Abram’s wife Sarai was his half-sister, Terah’s daughter. When God called Abram to leave Haran to head towards Canaan, Sarai happily went with him. Abram and Sarai had experienced so many miracles to get them to this point in Genesis 24. The heaven fell silent.

Because Abraham realized his own age and that Isaac had not yet had been a successful suitor, he made a plan. He asks his most trusted servant and loyal friend to swear to finding a wife for Isaac. Abram makes him promise to not allow Isaac to marry one of the locals and sends him all the way back to distant Aram-naharaim. Abram’s servant asked a great question, “But what if I can’t find a young woman who is willing to travel so far from home? Should I then take Isaac there to live among your relatives in the land you came from?” Abraham was vehemently opposed to this; “He will send his angel ahead of you, and he will see to it that you find a wife there for my son. If she is unwilling to come back with you, then you are free from this oath of mine. But under no circumstances are you to take my son there.” The rest of the story is a beautiful, quite romantic miracle, that eventually leads Abraham’s servant to bring Rebekah home to meet Issac.

So what’s the point? There are many lessons to be learned here. I believe this is a great example of what happens when we know God has a plan and maybe even a promise, yet we see no movement, no answers out there. Abraham was in this same dilemma for a moment. But what happened? Abraham made a plan. And, he was very specific about what he wanted. A wife for his son, from his own tribe that is willing to leave her family and in faith come to marry someone she’s never met nor ever heard of. I love that Abraham even told his servant that there would be a supernatural assist in the process! “He (God) will send his angel ahead of you.” And that’s exactly what happened.

When I read this story, I see the fulfillment of one of my favorite Proverb – 16:9, ”The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” Maybe not all promises are fulfilled through miracles from heaven. What if God is waiting for our faith and a solid plan? Have you heard a promise from God? Do you feel that He has called you to be something or do something, but you’ve seen no movement, no action? Do what Abraham did and so many others after him – make a godly plan and go for it. You’ll find that as your foot rises in faith, and returns, just before hitting the path of your destiny – that God has restructured your future to make your path straight.

Prayer

Dad,
Oh, what a wonder you are! You are not only the way maker, you are the path straightener. You are good. You are faithful to your Word and your promises are true and trustworthy. Thank you for your patient love towards us. Amen.

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Circuitous ways of God.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

I am Joseph!” he said to his brothers. “Is my father still alive?” But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them. “Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭45‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

From a dreamer, to a pit and prison, then second to the Pharaoh. How does God do it?

God didn’t make Joesph naively, arrogantly, tattle on his older brothers nor blab his extraordinary dream to them. God didn’t make the brothers HATE their spoiled, aka, “well loved” son of Rachel & favorite in the family. God didn’t make Jacob send the young lad to spy on his boys. God didn’t make the boys decide to kill the dreamer and throw him into a pit. God didn’t make Judah convince his brothers to sell Joseph into slavery and make some extra money.

Then there’s the whole providential encounter with Potiphar who happened to be captain of the guard for Pharaoh. Potiphar, seeing Joseph’s potential and God’s blessing, promoted him to manage his entire estate! Of course Potiphar’s wife had other plans and entrapped him, forcing Potiphar to save face and throw Joseph into the king’s prison.

All along God was working out timing and details to position Joseph where he needed to be, when he needed him to be there. That timing meant that Joseph had to wait it out in prison, being passed by even though he had become skilled in interpreting dreams. Finally the time came when the Pharaoh had a very disturbing dream, a dream, he knew was critical for his life and the lives of those he ruled over. The king’s cupbearer remembers Joseph and Pharaoh sends for him.

Joseph had learned humility, and lots of patience. Joseph had spent 10 years as a slave and 3 years as a prisoner. 13 years for God to build character in Joseph and put together an extraordinary plan to save Israel. Joseph confidently told the Pharaoh, “It is beyond my power to do this, but God can tell you what it means and set you at ease,” (Genesis‬ ‭41‬:‭16‬).

We look at the incredible success story of Joseph and often forget the difficult seasons for God’s plans to come together – PERFECTLY! God’s timing is amazing. This is why Joseph, when looking back on his life and all the pain-points had time to process what had to happen – “It was God who sent me here ahead of time!” Humans did what humans do, but God used every moment to fulfill His will!

Are you facing a difficult season in your life? God has not abandoned you. He is with you. It may very well be a part of plan that requires seasons of waiting or even suffering. Have you come through a time that was horribly dark and you felt your life was over and all your dreams were crushed? Looking back, can you now see some purpose, or timing of why things happened the way they did? I pray you see God’s hand of provision and purpose in your previous shadows. God knows and sees, and ultimately has purpose in everything, even if we can’t immediately see it. Trusting Him and staying very close, keeping our heart open and soft builds our faith and protects us from bitterness, blame and anger.

Prayer

​Dad,
When I was young I would have never been able to see the providential opportunity in Joseph’s story. Yet, now that I am older, I not only see it clearly, I am able to understand through my own experiences of frustration, confusion and lots of questions with no answers. Trusting you, kept me sane. Leaning into you, kept my heart soft. Listening to your Word and being obedient, helped me forgive and release those who hurt me. I am thankful for your timing – it is not only perfect, it is beautiful. Amen.

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Struggling with a mixed-marriage.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh.” But the Lord said, “No, you did laugh.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭18‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It is clear that the amazing story of Abram and Sarai had deep personal struggles in their marriage because they were not equal in the one of the most important, spiritual values as a couple. They were not equal in their faith!

In the beginning of their relationship they were both lacking a general sense that God is real and wanted to lead them, and bless them. Right at the start of their marriage they discovered Sarai was barren (‭‭Genesis‬ ‭11‬:‭30‬). That will rock any couple that desires to have children.

God directly speaks to Abram and tells him to leave, but does not tell him exactly where to go. Abram’s faith grows and he obeys (Genesis‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭3‬). Arriving at each new city, Abram builds an altar and dedicates it to God.

Abram’s faith wavers when it comes to his beautiful bride, Sarai. Approaching Egypt he tells Sarai, please tell them you are my sister, fearing they will kill him and take his wife and possessions ‭‭(Genesis‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬). The Pharaoh of Egypt thought she was so hot, he took her into his own concubine and gave Abram a massive amount of gifts (animals and servants). God sent plagues on Pharaoh and he figured out that Abram lied about Sarai being his wife, not his sister (Genesis‬ ‭12‬:‭17‬)!

Later, arriving in Canaan, God again speaks to Abram reassuring him of the promise to bless him (‭‭Genesis‬ ‭13‬:‭14‬-‭17‬). Abram’s faith grows again. After rescuing his nephew Lot from a kidnapping, he meets with a mysterious man named Melchizedek, a “priest unto God.” Oddly, Abram gives Melchizedek a tithe, a tenth of all Abram had captured while saving Lot (Genesis‬ ‭14‬:‭20‬). Now his generosity grows as does his faith.

Again, God visits Abram in a vision, promising him a flesh and blood heir, a son and it will NOT be an adopted servant (Genesis‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬). Abram believes God and the declares him righteous because of his faith (Genesis‬ ‭15‬:‭6‬). But Abram’s faith wavers when it comes to believing God about this promise of inheriting the land as far as his eyes could see. so God makes a permanent blood-pact, or covenant with Abram, guaranteeing God’s own life as collateral (Genesis‬ ‭15‬:‭18‬). Just think about how many times God spoke directly to Abram and how many times he repeated His promises to him! Multiple times! Abram’s faith was growing, through struggles of doubt, but also through reassurance of fulfillment. Abram’s faith was soaring, but Sarai’s was SHRINKING!

By the time we get to Genesis 16, Sarai couldn’t stand it anymore. The couple was wildly wealthy in land, animals and servants, but there was no heir to secure their future! Sarai convinces Abram to take their future into his own hands by controlling their own destiny – take their Egyptian servant named Hagar and produce and heir! “So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt” (Genesis‬ ‭16‬:‭1‬-‭4‬). What a mess! Sarai in her pain and frustration blames Abram -“This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong—you or me!” (Genesis‬ ‭16‬:‭5). Ishmael is born but he and the mother were kicked out of the family, left to wander the desert where God saves them. This created a permanent rift between the Jews and the Arabs that still exist today!

God continues to speak to Abram, changing his name to Abraham and reaffirming His promises. God introduces another physical, contractual reminder to Abraham – circumcision, the cutting of flesh of foreskin for all males (Genesis‬ ‭17‬:‭10‬-‭13‬). God also changes Sarai’s name to Sarah, preparing her to receive the promised heir as well. Just a note, when Abraham heard God tell him the promise was still valid, even though he was 100 years old, and Sarah was 90, he laughed in disbelief (Genesis‬ ‭17‬:‭17‬). A year later Ishmael was born. And God’s promise became a reality. Ishmael became the father of twelve princes, and God made him into a great nation.

The point, God met with and personally spoke with Abraham multiple times and each time his faith grew. Abraham learned faith, it did not come to him naturally! Sarah did not have any of those personal experiences with God. She only heard about the promises from her husband, Abraham. Abraham’s faith journey was deliberate, Sarah’s was difficult.

This verse above sums it up well for this mixed marriage of spirituality, Sarah laughed because she struggled in her faith, and she lied about laughing because she was afraid! She wasn’t just afraid of being caught, laughing at the Lord’s promise, she was afraid to believe, afraid to have faith because she had lived focused on her fears and her decision to take control of her own destiny – convincing Abram to have sex with their young maidservant. Sarah’s laugh was a bitter reminder of how hard it is to believe God at his word!

Prayer

​Dad,
Faith is a serious thing with you! Believing you, trusting you, is paramount and vital to our relationship with you. Abraham believed and you saw it as righteousness! When I believe it is still seen as righteousness. Faith pleases you. It is hard for us to have that unseen, often unfelt leap to trust you. Yet, you know it is what makes this whole journey possible. And, it’s not just saying we believe, it’s living in such a way that proves that we trust you. I believe, I trust you. Thank you for your Word that reminds me and challenges me to live in that faith relationship with you! Amen.

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Handmade by God.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Several verses start with the powerful words, “God said…”

God said (’ĕ·lō·hîm way·yō·mer, amar: to utter, say).

God spoke:

  • And light existed out of nothing.
  • And a divide separated sea from sky. And the water (qavah: wait) or collected.
  • And vegetation, fruit and trees (min: kind, species) according to their own kind.
  • And in the (raqia: expanse) let (maor: a luminary) light appear, one smaller one to govern the night, and a larger one to govern the day.
  • And living creatures (chay: age, ne·p̄eš: living being) in the waters and the sky. Even great sea creatures (tannin: serpent, dragon, sea monster), all according to their kind (lə·mî·nê·hem).
  • And every sort of animal (chay, ne·p̄eš – living being) beast (wə·ḥay·ṯōw), creeping things (wā·re·meś), cattle (bə·hê·māh) all according to their kind (lə·mî·nāh).

But in verse 26 God said something different.

God said let us make…(na·‘ă·śeh). Let us make mankind (adam: man, mankind) in our image (bə·ṣal·mê·nū, tselem). All the other things God created, He spoke into existence. Then when it comes to humans, God fashions, makes us. As humans, we are exclusively different than all other creatures.

“The soul is first, in God’s image. This, as suggesting an external likeness, may refer to man’s reason, free-will, self-consciousness, and so on. But it is, secondly, in God’s likeness, which implies something closer and more inward. It refers to man’s moral powers, and especially to his capacity of attaining unto holiness.” But the third characteristic is dominion – having both authority and responsibility for all the rest of creation. Finally, it is God that determined the two physical differences between them – male (zakar) and female (neqebah) He created them.

I love the picture in Genesis 2:7, Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and man became a living person. God (yatsar: to form, fashion) formed us out of the dust (aphar: dry earth, dust) and breathed (neshamah: breath) into his nostrils, the breath of life, and man became a living soul (nephesh: a soul).

Everything God created is good, but we are very good because we bear God’s image.

Prayer

Dad,
This who idea of we are, who made us, is so important when we are searching for meaning in our lives. I would think this makes the quest for answers so much easier. I would never really had a chance to discover purpose or even a future if you had not found me and offered me a new life. I am forever thankful for the way you have loved me and led me since I was just a teen. Amen.

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The search for answers.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Bring out the people who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. Gather the nations together! Assemble the peoples of the world! Which of their idols has ever foretold such things? Which can predict what will happen tomorrow? Where are the witnesses of such predictions? Who can verify that they spoke the truth? Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

People search with eyes that do not see and listen with ears that do not hear. Sounds like a riddle, right? When it comes to looking for answers though, it’s not a joke.

Is Isaiah’s point that we, as human beings, have physical eyes and ears, but what we lack is a solid spiritual perception? God confidently puts out the universal challenge. Get the world together and ask them about their “gods!” Which one predicts the future? Which one sticks around long enough to witness their future, let alone verify that they are true and came to pass? Lies get buried in a myriad of time. The more time, the less likely anyone was around or will be around to prove their “truth.”

Take the fake-god/religion of evolution. The lies just keep adding a few million or billion of years hoping that our limited understanding just believes that anything might be possible given enough time. Time doesn’t verify truth! There were no single cell organisms proclaiming truth or making promises of the future of humankind. Who was there? Were there witnesses to this impossible unscientific “fact?” Even with eyes to see and ears to hear, we are blind and deaf to truth.

What about all the other fake-gods peddling their “truth.” They demand obedience, sacrifices of time, money and belief. What do they promise? What do they really know or give back – NOTHING. Their hucksters promise knowledge, enlightenment and strange glories of an afterlife, but who can verify that it’s true? None of them can fulfill on their fake promises, because it’s all based on lie. Name one prophecy, one prediction that has come true. And, who was there to record such promises? And who will be the one to validate that those promises have come true?

God speaks to Isaiah who captures and records God’s words. The promises from the beginning of the earth and creation of human beings are well known. And the fulfillment of those promises have been verified to be true. The promises God had John write down and recorded in Revelation will be the same – it will all happen just as God said it would.

In all the searching for answers, I pray that people take a hard look at what God has promised. A hard look at what has already come true. And, a really hard look at how it all ends. God has and always will be trustworthy and true.

Prayer

Dad,
It’s all been written and recorded. It’s all there. The answers we seek as humans are all found in You through your Word. We’ve done some amazing mental gymnastics to avoid the truth. We’ve believed in fake gods, fantasy theories of our beginning, all while seeing and hearing what we want just to get answers that will never be true. Answers that will never satisfy, never fulfill, never save us. We are such an interesting bunch! Thank you for your enduring patience and mercy for those who look, but have yet to find You. Let your undeniable love penetrate our selfish theories and moral avoidance of truth. Amen.

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Despising our own designs.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would. ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭21‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This moment, recorded in history, was a highly celebrated moment. Not just for Sarah and Abraham, but for all of us as well. Why would we need to celebrate a miracle of overcoming infertility and God coming through on His promise to this antique couple? Because, God’s promise to Abram, wasn’t just for this random, ancient bedouin leader. It was for all the human beings and all the promises thereafter! If nothing else, history teaches us the facts about God’s ability and trustworthiness to keep his promises to all humankind.

Yet, in this brief moment of celebration, there is also this disturbingly deep moment of human frailty, of weakness, of bitterness. When we force God’s promise by making something happen by pure human will and desire – the consequences are devastating. Abraham and Sarah had already made their own “child of promise” because they did not trust God’s timing! Note that Moses wrote about Isaac’s birth, “this happened at just the time God had said it would.” But God’s time is NOT our time! We get itchy, impatient, and impulsive. Thus, we scheme and create our own plan… “just in case,” we tell ourselves. What a mess we make of things.

Sarah harassing Abraham to get busy with making a baby with Hagar, was just supposed to be a backup plan. Because, obviously, God was running out of womb-time with Sarah? Abraham too easily complied! No sex puns necessary here. As soon as the “deed” was done, Sarah was immediately torn. “She” had given themselves an heir, but knowing that her husband had known this other woman, this young servant in their family was more bitter than expected. Sarah knew it, but so did Hagar. It’s recorded, in ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭16‬:‭4‬-‭5‬, “So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt. Then Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong—you or me!” Sarah & Abraham’s plan started deteriorating immediately.

Here in this celebratory moment of Isaac being born, Abraham throws a massive party. And at this party, things go sideways for the family. The moment is captured in this one little verse, ”But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing.“ Genesis‬ ‭21‬:‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬. But wait! There is a critical note that some versions capture. The Hebrew word her is “tsachaq,” to laugh. But it is often translated as “mocking,” or “scoffing.” Was Hagar mocking Sarah and her newborn baby? Yeah, it’s absolutely possible. Did Sarah see Hagar laughing and just interpret her levity as some kind of leverage of power in the family dynamic? That’s possible as well. All I know is these moments clearly tell me that there was deep jealousy mixed with remorse for the decisions that were made fourteen years earlier. Now, here at the party, all that conniving and convincing Abraham to “go into,” (euphemism for sex) “my servant,” no longer seemed like a good plan.

How many times have we decided to help God out by designing our own plans, “just in case” God didn’t come through on a promise? And, how many times have we completely regretted, even despised those plans when they turned out to be a disaster or a massive disappointment? When will we learn to trust God, not just with His plans, but also His timing. It’s tough! Wisdom tells us to make plans, but let God direct our steps. Our plans must not only be prayerfully made, but held lightly! For God will lead. God will direct. If we would be patient with both His fulfillment and timing.

Prayer

Dad,
Normally, this would be just a great lesson on decision making, and trust, in how and when You direct our lives. But this is more than just a lesson! I have seen many friends wreck their own lives by trying to get what they want, or even impatiently try to get what you have promised. Life seems to be filled with chasing dreams and opportunities, but sometimes having disastrous results. It’s not just with friends though. I have personally experienced these moments to grasp an opportunity, only to discover it was NOT your will or your way. I have often felt the pressure to give up on faith in a promise when things looked difficult or impossible! Of course, I am thankful for your mercy and your supernatural ability to work out all things for good, even when I have botched it, or missed it. I would rather trust you on the front end, rather than trusting you after looking at all the calamity I had caused. Your ways are always good because You are good. Amen.

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God chooses outliers.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

”The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Just to be transparent. These exact verses came up a year ago, but I have recently been in a sermon series called, “Stepping into God’s Story,” so I’ve been marinating in Abram’s call all week. I’m copying over some discoveries from my notes, because it is absolutely fascinating to see how God chooses and who He chooses to allow them to partner with Him to save humanity. Here’s what we know about Abram…

▫️His dad was an idol worshiper. The Bible confirms that his father, Terah, was an idolater, worshiping other gods (Joshua 24:2)
▫️ He was considered to be a pagan, a non-God or multi-god believer.
▫️ God pursues him, speaking to him, promises are made.
▫️ At 75 years old – he listens, believes, and obeys God.
▫️ Abram was wealthy.
▫️ Sarai was stunningly beautiful, but barren, she could not have children.

And even though God reminds Abram several times that He will keep His promises, Abram still has a lot of questions. He BELIEVES, but tries to figure out how the promise could be fulfilled because he and Sarai were barren and old! Abram asks God how it will happen!

Maybe you were taught or believed that you could not ask God questions. Maybe you were taught that questions equal doubt or disbelief. I am here to tell you – that’s just not true. Here we have the most famous, ancient patriarch of Judaism asking God a lot of questions! Now, I realize, God did not answer him with specifics, but continued to reinforce His promise and His ability to fulfill that promise. It’s almost a comical dance that takes place when Abram asks about his future kids, God says “look at the stars, count them – that’s how many kids you’ll have.” God didn’t give details He gave an object lesson in truth and trust! Isn’t that beautifully FRUSTRATING! We want details, God just says, “TRUST ME.” Faith over form! Let God handle the details. Thats hard for us as “checklist,” scheduled, calendared people! We want to control the details and the timeline, but that is not our job. Our job is to believe and obey!

Abram and Sarai get themselves in the biggest mess by trying to circumvent or help God with His plans! Sarai gets weary of waiting, gives up on God’s plan, and makes her own. She convinces Abram to use their slave girl as a surrogate to produce an heir. The Ishmael/Isaac story is one of the most famous feudal fiascos of all time! And, we are STILL paying the price for that decision thousands of years ago.

A couple of things we can learn from all this: 1. God often chooses the least likely people to accomplish His purposes. Maybe God is calling you to listen, obey and follow, no matter where He leads. 2. God makes and keeps His promises. Through the Holy Spirit, God wants us to listen for His voice, His leading. God wants us to believe and have faith in Him. God wants us to obey and follow him, even if no one else does.

Prayer

God,
As I read Your living Word, sometimes I have to remind myself that life is, or can be, very simple. By listening, believing and obeying – it becomes so uncomplicated. Not easy, but simple. Faith is difficult but also very freeing. Looking back on my life I know this to be true because you chose me – the outlier, the underdog, the underperforming nobody. This alone brings gratefulness and joy. It brings a humble confidence, not at all in myself, but in you. It also has me convinced, if you can do this wondrous work in my life, you can do it through anyone! It has not been easy, but it has been good, because you are good. Amen.

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The Promise.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

”When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!“ ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭17‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Nothing captures the depth and breadth of God’s promise keeping ability like the story of Abraham. I am a huge fan of quality shows and movies and one of the best depictions of Abram & Sarai’s story is the 2023 movie, His Only Son. David Helling wrote and directed this little project for the ultra-low price of $250K. It showed in theaters and made over 13 million dollars worldwide! Sure, there are critics of this film’s slow pace, minimal dialogue and small cast. However, the movie captures the environment of ancient Israel, and it was shot in the Mojave Desert, California! Here’s the point that think Helling made crystal clear – for God to physically, audibly, supernaturally, connect with a human being and make a contract of such magnitude is mind-blowing!

This is Yhvh, Yahweh himself, telling Abram He is El Shadday, Almighty God! And Yahweh doesn’t just tell Abram about this contract, this promise, this covenant. Yahweh goes so much further than just making or “cutting” a contract with a human being. In ancient days, a contract between two men was “cut,” by taking a knife to the thigh or arm making a blood covenant or blood bond. You can see the idea, by what we would know as becoming “blood brothers.” When there is a familia bond of blood, there is no breaking it.

But how does one “cut” the thigh of God? There was another way to make a blood covenant, which was just as effective as cutting one’s own flesh. It was the cutting of an animal and using their blood as the substitute for your own. If you’re thinking what I was thinking, it would be, “wouldn’t it be easy to break this ‘substitute’ blood bond?” I mean it’s just the life of an animal. The answer is horrific!

You see when this kind of contract is made with a substitutionary animal there is a caveat. The two contractual parties would mercifully kill the animal, then cut the animal in two, laying each half on either side of a sloped ravine, where the blood of the animal would run and pool in the middle. Then each party would walk through the blood, barefoot, having the blood splash onto their clothing. Here’s the serious part. When this physical, blood walk was done it was understood that if either party BROKE the contract, the blood covenant, the other party could rightfully take the life of the promise-breaker by physically doing to them what they had done to the animal! Can you believe this! Both parties took the blood walk.

Now you know why most ancient contracts were done by cutting a small incision on the thigh or arm! This substitutionary animal contract was expensive, time consuming and very serious! This kind of contract would normally be saved for major contracts between nations over land or joining their tribes together. Here’s the thing, God made the animal sacrifice contract with Abram! And God didn’t just do this with one animal, he had Abram choose five animals! Five animals representing a sacrifice from the most expensive (the heifer), which the wealthy could afford, to the least expensive (pigeon), which the poor could afford. God himself mercy-killed the animals and cut them in half (except for the two birds). Genesis 15:9-18 gives the whole account. After all the animals were laid out, Abram did not walk through the blood pact, committing to the contract. The most shocking part, God himself blood-walked the covenant! Whoa.

Here in this chapter, God asked Abram to take his people, his men and have them “cut” a covenant as well. We know it as circumcision. All of this is amazing when you see the full picture of God’s story, His plan and promises being fulfilled over thousand of years of human history. But you know what? The promise to Abram, later, Abraham was also to all who would follow, even Gentiles (Non Jews). How? These people would not take a blood-walk, not make the substitute animal promise, but would eventually have faith that Jesus was that one who fulfilled our inability to keep the contract with God, He became the blood sacrifice, not a temporary one, like with animals, but the final, eternal one to fulfill the contract that we broke. And according to the covenant rules, Jesus what not just die, but also give his blood as the payment. What should have been done to each of us, was done to Him.

How can this be? What does it require from us today? The same thing God required of Abraham – FAITH. Faith to believe. Genesis 15:6, “Abram believed in the LORD and He counted it to him as righteousness.” The Apostle Paul echos this in Romans 4:20-24. So it is with us as well, “God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.”

Prayer

Dad,
What can I say? What can I do? But offer this heart, Oh God, completely to you. That song by Hillsong is true. I am eternally grateful for the fulfilled contract through Jesus and the fulfilled promise of life with you here and for eternity! Amen.

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Just taking what you want.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“One day Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, went to visit some of the young women who lived in the area. But when the local prince, Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, saw Dinah, he seized her and raped her. But then he fell in love with her, and he tried to win her affection with tender words. He said to his father, Hamor, “Get me this young girl. I want to marry her.” Genesis‬ ‭34‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This story out of Genesis captures more than just the brutality of ancient times on the plains of ancient Egypt. The story captures the heart and nature of humankind – see, want, take. You may say, this is purely “mankind,” but there are numerous stories where women of that day are just as conniving, just as brutal, especially when it comes to revenge or righting a wrong.

This Hivite prince simply sees a young foreign girl and decides to take her. No impulse control, no moral boundaries, just an entitlement of his character and position. It is very interesting that Genesis adds this commentary, “but then he fell in love with her.” Ah, after forcing himself on her, violating her physical body, he THEN tries to sweet-talk her into marriage? This didn’t go over well then and wouldn’t go over well, even today. As you read the entire chapter, you discover that Dinah’s brothers were not going to forgive and forget. They never intended on allowing a covenant between them and the Hivites to take place. There was no way a peace pact based on a rape was going to stick.

They contrived a wickedly brilliant plan. Get the males in the tribe to submit to physical circumcision, thus pretending to allow a intermarriage to take place between their men and Israel’s women. Question: Would tricking their enemies into circumcision, causing physical pain among ALL the males, be sufficient for justice? Apparently not for Simeon and Levi. They wanted full and swift justice in the form of total annihilation of that tribe’s bloodline.

Maybe an inappropriate euphemistic application was enacted here by Jacob’s sons, “those who live by the sword, shall die by the sword.” Thus, the same physical part of Shechem’s body would not only be cut away, but his member, having been used in a violent act, would bring the total destruction of his legacy.

Was Shechem’s behavior deplorable? Yes. Was the double, bloody act of revenge, by the brother’s, toward the entire tribe justified? No! Although it was effective in communicating a powerful fear-based message to Israel’s enemies, it still begs the question – was it right? Was it overreacting, overreaching in its application of justice? Jacob himself seems to think so!

Jacob chastised his sons and told them they brought a curse upon their entire family! “Afterward Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have ruined me! You’ve made me stink among all the people of this land—among all the Canaanites and Perizzites. We are so few that they will join forces and crush us. I will be ruined, and my entire household will be wiped out!” The brothers argued back, which tells us they did not agree with Jacob, “would you rather the locals see our sister as a prostitute?

That brutal act towards their once, accommodating neighbors, put out the word that Israel could not be trusted in sharing the land as well as trading goods and services. Even though Abraham had purchased property in Shechem, Jacob made the decision to pull up roots and move the entire Israelite tribe to Bethel, a city 20 miles away. These cycles of brutality and revenge would play out many times over. And, these very human cycles still persist today.

This is still the results of our sin, our selfishness our self-determination to do what we want, when we want to do it. It makes me think about all the times that God is blamed for human brutality OR blamed for not preventing such atrocities. These are our issues that God came to redeem and restore to righteousness. And to make that restoration complete and legitimate, God sent his son, Jesus, to endure the total brutality of death on a criminal’s cross. The irony is not just Jesus’ innocence, but his complete sinlessness that makes this grace so shockingly beautiful.

Prayer

Dad,
As I read these ancient accounts of humanity, I see their dark shadows of sin permeating all facets of life. There is violence and revenge, but there is also stories of beauty, grace and forgiveness. This story is a compounded tragedy where power perpetrates on innocence, but then anger and revengeful rage, takes hundreds of innocent lives as well as enslaves the abandoned women and children. We ache, we agonize in anticipation of your final judgment and justice. And, in the midst of all that, I find that I am not innocent nor deserving of grace, yet it was extended towards me. Justice was purchased and applied on my behalf.

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The longest feud in history.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price and paid the amount he had suggested—400 pieces of silver, weighed according to the market standard. The Hittite elders witnessed the transaction. So Abraham bought the plot of land belonging to Ephron at Machpelah, near Mamre. This included the field itself, the cave that was in it, and all the surrounding trees. It was transferred to Abraham as his permanent possession in the presence of the Hittite elders at the city gate. Then Abraham buried his wife, Sarah, there in Canaan, in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre (also called Hebron). So the field and the cave were transferred from the Hittites to Abraham for use as a permanent burial place.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭23‬:‭16‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Some of these Biblical references hold the deep secrets to thousands of years of conflict between modern nations and people groups. Within the long love story between Abram and Sarai (now Abraham and Sarah) we find the ending of Abraham’s dear wife, Sarah. Abraham wants to purchase and secure a proper burial place in the massive, expanse of desert between the Mediterranean Sea and the country of Jordan. There was basically just miles of land filled with sand with a few alcoves or caves that popped up on the desert floor. Hebron.

Here’s a couple of interesting facts about this transaction, which was clearly documented among two people groups, later to become nations. Abraham legitimately bought the land from one of the prominent Hittite leaders. Their descendants of the Hittites eventually merged into Turkey. However, Abraham had two bloodlines, remember? One was Ishmael, the other Isaac. Ishmael (although he was a Canaanite, went on to eventually become the cultural father of Islam, but not directly the Arabic patriarch everyone assumed. It turns out that Ishmael’s mother, was an Egyptian, and believed to be one of the Pharaoh’s daughters herself! When God saved mother and son in the desert, Ishmael went on to get married and have children. Those children became princes and princesses of the royal lineage of Egypt itself.

I always wondered where the bitter, rage-filled turmoil came from between Israel and the Muslim cultures. They both share the same ancient patriarch/father – Abraham! It is well known that Islam believes that their beloved prophet was a direct descendant of Ishmael, who was Abraham’s first born son. Making matters even more complicated, the city of Hebron, where Abraham and Sarah are buried would be considered “co-owned” by both “heirs,” Ishmael and Isaac. If you think that’s wild, do a little study on the Pharaoh’s daughter who ended up becoming the maidservant of two powerful bedouins in the desert – that’s right, Abram and Sarai. You don’t think that forcing Hagar out into the desert would create a historical tension between Israel and Egypt as well? What’s the point? When we make human choices out of our own free will to take shortcuts to accomplish something God had already promised, like Abram and Sarai impregnating Hagar to force and heir. Look at the massive, historical, cultural turmoil that ensued because of that one decision! Just look at where we’re at today, Judaism and thus Christianity, is still locked in bitter, religious, even political and social division because of that decision. Yet God clearly wants redemption of ALL people. And Jesus alone is the one and only true reconciliation for all nations, cultures and people! The longest feud is between God and humans, but history tells us there is still bad blood between the Jewish people and Muslims. Only Jesus blood can reconcile both us to God and brother back to brother.

Prayer

Dad,
I’ve long realized that a lack of faith also has awful consequences. When I am impatient or unwilling to wait for your will to be done and I make selfish, short-cut decisions, I must realize that those decisions have repercussions and ramifications for my future, but also the future of others in my family and close friends. Help me trust. Help me be patient and obey. Give me wisdom to see and have faith to believe. Amen.