Devoted to Scripture

https://netbible.org/bible/Genesis+38-40/

This is day 14 of our journey.

The contrast between Judah and Joseph starts with a troubling story of sexual misconduct by Judah and his sons with the Canaanite Tamar. In the midst of the sinfulness of man, we see God is always at work, and that the mistreated widow Tamar becomes a part of the family line that leads to the Messiah! Joseph, on the other hand, remains pure despite constant temptation and opportunity while enduring slavery in Egypt.  Instead of being rewarded for his faithfulness, Joseph is thrown in prison. While he is incarcerated, God continues to bless him and is at work in everything that Joseph does. By God's provision, Joseph is given the ability to interpret the dreams of a high official of Pharaoh.  Even after displaying the Power of God to his captors, the passage ends with Joseph still sitting in prison, forgotten.

Join me in Genesis 38-40 and marvel at God's faithfulness to both the righteous and the wicked.

Key verses:

Genesis 38:26

Judah recognized them and said, “She is more upright than I am, because I wouldn't give her to Shelah my son.” He was not physically intimate with her again.  

Matthew 1:3

Judah the father of Perez and Zerah (by Tamar), Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,  

Genesis 39:10

Even though she continued to speak to Joseph day after day, he did not respond to her invitation to go to bed with her.

Genesis 39:21

But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him kindness. He granted him favor in the sight of the prison warden.  

Genesis 40:8

They told him, “We both had dreams, but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me.”  

All Scriptures are from the NET.

https://netbible.org/bible/Genesis+36-37/

This is day 13 of our journey.

We are entering the final act of Genesis.  We are first told of God's blessing on the house of Esau (despite his brother's past deception) as his descendants becomes a great nation. We are introduced to Joseph; a teenage boy looking for a place among his older brothers.  Israel's preferential treatment of Joseph leads to jealousy and contempt from his older brothers who reject the boy, fake his death, and sell Joseph as a slave. Throughout this final act, we will see a contrast between Joseph and his brothers, specifically his brother Judah.

Join me in Genesis 36-37 as we see God's work of redemption in the midst of human wickedness.

Key verses:

Genesis 36:1

What follows is the account of Esau (also known as Edom).  

Genesis 37:3

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons because he was a son born to him late in life, and he made a special tunic for him.

Genesis 37:26

Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?  

All Scriptures are from the NET.

https://netbible.org/bible/Genesis+33-35/

This is day 12 of our journey.

God has been faithful to bring Jacob home to Canaan and, much to his surprise, Esau actually welcomes Jacob back! As they settle back into the promised land with their large company, they are noticed by the current inhabitants of the land. Jacob's daughter Dinah is raped and, as a result, her brothers Levi & Simeon, sinfully, slaughter every man in the city. God again states his promise to bless Jacob and his family and Jacob is given another son, Benjamin, but at the cost of his beloved wife, Rachel, who died shortly after childbirth.

Join me in Genesis 33-35 to witness God's provision through the joys and sorrows of Israel's return to Canaan.

Key verses:

Genesis 33:10

“No, please take them,” Jacob said. “If I have found favor in your sight, accept my gift from my hand. Now that I have seen your face and you have accepted me, it is as if I have seen the face of God.  

Genesis 34:30

Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought ruin on me by making me a foul odor among the inhabitants of the land – among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. I am few in number; they will join forces against me and attack me, and both I and my family will be destroyed!”  

Genesis 35:11

Then God said to him, “I am the Sovereign God. Be fruitful and multiply! A nation – even a company of nations – will descend from you; kings will be among your descendants!

All Scriptures are from the NET.

https://netbible.org/bible/Genesis+31-32/

This is day 11 of our journey.

After 20 years in Haran, God calls Jacob to return to Canaan with his family. Despite his Uncle Laban’s dishonesty, Jacob has become wealthy by the grace of God.  He slips away quietly with his family and possessions for fear of what Laban would do to him if he had announced his intention to leave.  Then, on his way to Canaan, Jacob remembers his reason for fleeing his home in the first place and the way that he had wronged his brother Esau.  Jacob receives word that Esau is on the way to meet him and is terrified.  He sends gifts ahead to his brother and then settles down for the night, only to meet a mysterious man and wrestle with him until daybreak.  Despite his injuries, Jacob refuses to yield until the man would offer him a blessing.  At this point, God reveals His favor, changes Jacob’s name to Israel, and blesses him. 

Join me in Genesis 31-32 and watch the father of Israel grow from one "who cheats" to a man who "strives with God"

Key verses:

Genesis 31:13

I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the sacred stone and made a vow to me. Now leave this land immediately and return to your native land.’”  

Genesis 32:10

I am not worthy of all the faithful love you have shown your servant. With only my walking stick I crossed the Jordan, but now I have become two camps.  

Genesis 32:28

“No longer will your name be Jacob,” the man told him, “but Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have prevailed.”  

All Scriptures are from the NET.

https://netbible.org/bible/Genesis+28-30/

This is day 10 of our journey.

Today we begin the crazy story of Jacob, his 4 wives, and 12 sons.  The reading is full of human deceit and trickery, but throughout the text, God’s provision and faithfulness toward Jacob are clearly evident.  After tricking his father and stealing from his brother, Jacob flees to his uncle back in Haran.  There he falls in love with his cousin, Rachel, and works for seven years to marry her, only to be tricked into marrying her older sister Leah instead.  He promises to work another 7 years and is given Rachel to marry as well.  Now, competing for the love and respect of the same man,  the sibling rivalry between the two women escalates into a conflict that will change the course of human history.  The sisters battle for Jacob's love by providing sons and concubines to their husband.  By the end of our reading today, he has 11 sons, a daughter, and a significant amount of family drama to deal with.  Despite the sin and poor decision making that brought Jacob to this turbulent era in his life, God faithfully fulfilled His promises and blessed Jacob with prosperity and his own flock to care for. 

Join me in Genesis 28-30 as we marvel at God’s faithfulness in spite of man’s petty foolishness.

Key verses:

Genesis 28:15

I am with you! I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you!”

Genesis 29:20

So Jacob worked for seven years to acquire Rachel. But they seemed like only a few days to him because his love for her was so great.

Genesis 30:26

Let me take my wives and my children whom I have acquired by working for you. Then I'll depart, because you know how hard I've worked for you.”  

All Scriptures are from the NET.

https://netbible.org/bible/Genesis+26-27/

This is day 9 of our journey.

Today, we read of God’s appearance to Isaac as He reaffirms the covenant that He made with his father, Abraham, and promises that those blessing will continue through Isaac's lineage. Then, as Isaac is approaching the end of his life, we see his son Jacob living up to his name (a word that means "he cheats").  Working with his mother, Jacob enacts a cunning plot to deceive his father, Isaac, into giving him the blessing reserved for his older brother (and, with it, the promises of God).  As a result of his scheming, Esau begins to plot the murder of Jacob.

Join me in Genesis 26-27 for a tale of the cunning and deceit of man contrasted with the power and sovereignty of God.

Key verses:

Genesis 26:24

The Lord appeared to him that night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.”  

Genesis 27:29

May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you.You will be lord over your brothers, and the sons of your mother will bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.”  

All Scriptures are from the NET.

https://netbible.org/bible/Genesis+24-25/

This is day 8 of our journey.

After the death of Sarah, Abraham sends his servant back to his hometown to find a wife for his son, Isaac. The servant takes this task to heart and prays for help and wisdom in finding the right woman. God, always faithful, answers the servant's prayers and selects Rebekah, the daughter of Isaac’s cousin. Rebekah makes a choice that would be unheard of in today's world: She agrees to leave her family and the life she had always known in order to travel to an unknown land and marry a man she has never met.  Upon arrival in Canaan, Rebekah marries Isaac and she gives birth to twin sons, Jacob & Esau.  These two sons are destined to be 2 great nations, nations that will quarrel for years to come.

Join me in Genesis 24-25 as the next generation of the family of promise enters the stage.

Key verses:

Genesis 24:27

saying “Praised be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his faithful love for my master! The Lord has led me to the house of my master’s relatives!”  

Genesis 25:23

and the Lord said to her,“Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples will be separated from within you.One people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”  

All Scriptures are from the NET.

https://netbible.org/bible/Genesis+21-23/

This is day 7 of our Journey:

The promised son is finally born...and to a 90 year old woman, no less! Isaac brings both laughter and strife into the home, as a result, Hagar and Ishmael are sent away. Reading on, God tests Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice the life of his son. Abraham passes the test, and at the last minute God provides a substitute...another beautiful example that points to the future Salvation through Christ. Today’s reading ends with the death and burial of Sarah as Abraham purchases land in Canaan as a burial plot.

Join me in Genesis 21-23 as we see God work in the life of Abraham and begin to understand the lengths that God has gone to to save us from ourselves.

Key verses:

Genesis 21:6-7

Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” 7 She went on to say, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have given birth to a son for him in his old age!”  

Genesis 22:8

“God will provide for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham replied. The two of them continued on together.  

Genesis 23:19

After this Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah next to Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.  

All Scriptures are from the NET.

https://netbible.org/bible/Genesis+18-20/

This is day 6 of our journey.

Today’s reading includes three stories of God’s faithfulness to Abraham. In Chapter 18, God reiterates his promise of a child born to Sarah, and finally gives a timeline for when it will happen. In Chapter 19 we read about the depravity and destruction of Sodom, but mostly about God’s care for Abraham by rescuing Lot. In Chapter 20, Abraham reverts to his old ways of relying on his own wisdom to protect himself, but even still, God blesses and protects him!

Join me in Genesis 18-20 as we read about a Holy, Faithful God who keeps every promise.

Key verses:

Genesis 18:19

I have chosen him so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then the Lord will give to Abraham what he promised him.”

Genesis 19:29

So when God destroyed the cities of the region, God honored Abraham’s request. He removed Lot from the midst of the destruction when he destroyed the cities Lot had lived in.

Genesis 20:11

Abraham replied, “Because I thought, ‘Surely no one fears God in this place. They will kill me because of my wife.’  

All Scriptures are from the NET.

https://netbible.org/bible/Genesis+14-17/

This is day 5 of our journey.

We have a PACKED reading today. We are introduced to the mysterious Melchizedek, only mentioned briefly here and in 3 passages in the New Testament where he is connected to Christ. Can you find them? Then God restates his promise to Abram about his many descendants. It speaks of their 400 years in Egypt and their return to the land of Canaan. But Abram isn't perfect, in chapter 16, Abram and Sarai attempt to bring about the promise in their own way. Despite his failings, God gives Abram the name Abraham and tells him that the promised descendants will come via Sarah, NOT Hagar & Ishmael.  

Join me in Genesis 14-17 as God reveals his faithfulness.

Key verses:

Genesis 14:18-20

Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (Now he was the priest of the Most High God.)  19 He blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by the Most High God, Creator of heaven and earth.  20 Worthy of praise is the Most High God, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.  

Genesis 15:5-6

The Lord took him outside and said, “Gaze into the sky and count the stars – if you are able to count them!” Then he said to him, “So will your descendants be.” 6 Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord credited it  as righteousness to him.

Genesis 16:15

So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, whom Abram named Ishmael.  

Genesis 17:5

No longer will your name be Abram. Instead, your name will be Abraham because I will make you the father of a multitude of nations.  

All Scriptures are from the NET.