With its descriptions of animal husbandry and strange rituals this passage leaves many scratching their heads. But we are not left in the dark about what God is revealing about himself. The following section (31:1-55) is something of an interpretive key as Jacob recounts the events. Taken together, we are given a glimpse into the […]

The birth of Jesus is a lot more than an exciting day wherein the God of the Universe gives the world a great gift. The birth of Jesus is the inauguration of a new kingdom that comes into our world of sin and chaos. Christ comes as the righteous ruler of this new kingdom, and […]

In his account of Jesus’ birth, Matthew places appropriate emphasis on the main thing: The Lord Jesus is the promised and long awaited Messiah. He was conceived miraculously in the womb of a virgin by the power of the Holy Spirit. This Jesus is the everlasting Son of God whose appearing was foretold by the […]

“And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” (Revelation 12:11) Advent appears against a dark backdrop. Jesus came into the world after an extended period of silence from God. And then, as if from nowhere, John […]

Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha’olam Those are Hebrew words spoken at the beginning of the Passover Seder. It is a prayer of thanks to God for His deliverance of the people of Israel from bondage in Egypt: “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe.”  To this day, observant Jews all over […]

As the story of Jacob unfolds we are once again caused to reckon with the mysterious and often confounding providence of God. How will God accomplish his covenant promises through such sinfully damaged raw material? “On the human plane the story demonstrates the craving of human beings for love and recognition, and the price of […]

Perhaps you have heard the term “hagiography.” It’s a word used to describe a biography which ignores or covers over the faults of its subject. Literally, the word means “holy writing.” It’s a way of presenting a sinner as a saint. One might expect the Bible to try to follow this practice in the record […]

Chapter 29 launches us into the next major phase of Jacob’s life. Having arrived safely in the region of Haran, Jacob discovers to his joy that he is near the household of his uncle Laban. In the heat of midday, Jacob was met with several reminders of the Lord’s providence. As though to highlight the […]

Chapter 28 launches the biography of Jacob as an independent personality, the patriarch of the next generation of the covenant family, the man who would eventually give his other name, “Israel,” to the descendants of Abraham. Coming on the heels of Esau’s threat, Jacob’s entry into the world as the next patriarch began in the […]

One of the things that Protestant Christians must understand is that if we get the doctrine of justification wrong we are getting the gospel wrong. But equally true is that if we get the doctrine of sanctification wrong we are getting the gospel wrong. As Reformed Christians we rightly treasure the biblical doctrine of justification […]