Justinomics

New Lenten Series!

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the lectionary of daily scripture reading appoints selections from Genesis every week day during Lent. 

Today is Friday of the first week of Lent. The reading appointed is Genesis 2:20-3:20.

This reading gives us an account of the creation of woman from man and the sin and fall of the first parents. 

I am reading from the book Genesis Creation and Early Man by Heiromonk Seraphim Rose of blessed memory. Find the book here. 

I invite you to tune in every day throughout lent until we finish the commentary.

Genesis 46-48

Genesis 39-45

The adventures of Joseph

Genesis 33 through 35

- Jacob and Esau meet, monogamy

- Violation of Dana

- Jacob called by God again

- Clothing is important

- Death of Rachel and Isaac

Today we read Genesis 36-38

- I told a little about the life of St. John the Barefoot, patron of the food pantry at Holy Transfiguration Church.

 - The long, cumbersome genealogy of Esau can reveal to us the serious implications our sins and mistakes can have for generations of our descendants or how our conflicts and struggles today can be the consequences of the actions of our forefathers.

- We read about the dastardly deed of the sons of Jacob, selling their hated brother Joseph to slave traders.

- This should remind us that today the slave trade is alive and well today and all the worse for being illegal. I urge all the listeners to tune in to the work of Million Kids, an organization that communicates factual stories about human exploitation through a couple of books by Opal Singleton and her weekly radio show called Exploited: Crimes Against Humanity. Tune in to the program at least once. It is a lot to listen to it every week, although the topics change and are interesting. She's trying to train the public in the work of ending this terrible crime.

Genesis 29-32

- Jacob with Laban

- Gains two wives, birth of eleven sons

- Jacob becomes Israel

BONUS EPISODE!

I am starting a new class this semester at the OrthodoxTheologicalSchool.org:

Survey of New Testament!

It has inspired me to read aloud for the listeners the Gospel of Matthew, and point out the structure so well described in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUh9Bsiee_U

 

Open your heard and rest your mind. I read half of this gospel in only 16th of my day, 1.5 hours. Your creator gives you time to read the Bible. You have 24 hours a day, just like everyone else. Most of us are not bonded slaves with no control of our time, though we may have many responsibilities. Those of us in freedom will be held responsible for our time. 

Therefore at least listen to the scriptures being read to you!

Genesis 26-28

Genesis 24-25

Abraham sends his Servant to find a wife for Isaac, Rebekah.

We did not discuss them in great detail, but a few interesting topics come up from this beautiful love story:

- Arranged marriage

- Courtship

- Modesty

- Life-long monogamy

I believe these are such important topics for our days. As we raise our chilren (my oldest is 13), we should raise them with an expectation that they will be getting married soon, that we the parents will find a spouse for them, that there will be an orderly, godly process to it that prayer and loyalty play a part, that the young men will seek a modest young lady, and the result is to be life-long marriage, divorce not being an option.

The story of Isaac and Rebekah reminded me of a song I heard over 15 years ago by a young man who is now an Orthodox priest in Indiana, Fr. Peter Jon Gillquist. I found this song on a youtube video. Please enjoy this complete concert from 2002. The song "Rebekah" is found around the 35 min. mark.

https://youtu.be/MvSEHQdM6_4?t=2175

Genesis 20-23