You Can Read the Bible Guided Podcast

When we first met Jacob, at his birth, he was grasping the heel of his brother, then cheating Esau out of the birthright.  Jacob, the striver, the one who wrestles with God and man.  Jacob, who could alternate between strong and weak, between faith-filled and bewilderingly obtuse.   He is one of the most complicated characters in the Bible.

Jacob is now living in Egypt, and close to death.  In today’s reading he calls in Joseph and grants a blessing to both of Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.  Whether this double inheritance is Jacob’s response to Joseph rescuing the family, or merely a persistent favoritism of Rachel’s child, the author is silent.

In chapter 49, the twelve brothers are assembled so Jacob can “tell you what will happen to you in days to come.” He then offers an odd mix of blessing, prophecy, and rebuke, some of which looks backward, and some of which looks to the future.  It is a most intriguing passage, and one that will echo through the story to come.

In the closing scenes, listen for details that call us all the way back to Abraham, as Jacob’s heart longs for an eternal connection with his father and grandfather.  Listen also for the wife that is buried there, in the cave of Machpelah.  Again, the complications abound for this very human being.

Not even in passing could Jacob avoid causing tension, as Joseph’s brothers fear that he was simply being kind to them while dad was alive.  Joseph’s response is one we can carry with us.  Marvel again at how he perceives the hand of God in all that has happened.

And then, as Joseph himself is about to die and be buried with honor in Egypt, he makes a final request, with a voice of future promise: “When you go home, take me with you.”

Our verse for this week is Hebrews 11:8: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Genesis 48 through 50.  Now let’s read it!

Eleven sons of Israel stand in silence, awaiting the verdict of the twelfth.  When they had returned from Egypt the first time, and found the money still in their sacks, it says, “…their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, ‘What is this that God has done to us?’”  What might be going through their minds now – ensnared in a trap so cleverly set…with no hope but for the mercy of this Egyptian viceroy?

Let’s remember who knows what as we enter the story today. You know that this viceroy is Joseph, but they don’t.  You know, and the brothers suspect, that they’ve been deliberately set up.  But no one, not even you, know why they’ve been set up.  Joseph has thus far hidden his motivations, even from the author.  Train your mind to stay disciplined and live in this moment as long as it lasts.

Chapter 45 is among the most powerful passages in the Old Testament.  Note how the author conveys the emotions of these moments.  Listen especially to Joseph’s own understanding of his situation, his reading of history, and see if you agree with his statement: “…it was not you who sent me here, but God.”   I won’t spoil any more for you.  The story stands on its own.

In a story driven by dreams, there is one last vision in store: “Jacob…I am the God of your father.  Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you a great nation.  I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.”  

I’ll end today a little differently.  First, I’ll remind you of our verse for the week, Hebrews 11:8: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Now, I’ll lead you into today’s reading with Judah’s closing remarks from chapter 44, as Jacob’s sons are bowed to Joseph, their future in his hands: “Now therefore, please let [me] remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers.  For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me?  I fear to see the evil that would find my father…”

Our reading yesterday ended in tension, with Jacob preferring to leave Simeon in an Egyptian jail, rather than risk Rachel’s remaining son, Benjamin. Listen today to how Jacob berates Judah and his brothers for even speaking of Benjamin to the Egyptian officials. Watch how the dialogue again reveals each man’s character. Remember that they are father and son as you listen to their exchange, listen to where Jacob’s attention is focused, and listen to Judah’s solution.

So much happens in the next two chapters that you might need to slow down and read it again. Benjamin does go to Egypt, and, as you can expect, draws the attention of the story. There will be nothing but tension as Joseph finds inventive ways to torment them. I’ll leave it to you to decide, more than twenty years after they sold him away, whether Joseph is simply returning the favor, or testing them for some greater purpose.

The climactic scene takes place in Joseph’s house. Read it slowly, drinking in every word, as though you have no idea how it ends. Only Benjamin stands accused. His brothers are free to turn their backs on him and save their necks. What will Leah’s sons do when they can be rid of Rachel’s children – once and for all?

The futures both of this family, and of the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, hang in the balance.

And then Judah steps forward. He speaks of the hand of God, of their dead brother, of the vow he had made, and of the “evil” that will find his father. As you listen to Judah speak, remember his own story: whose own sons were strikingly evil; who broke his word to Tamar; who thought they should sell Joseph, instead of killing him outright.

As we did when Joseph stood before Pharaoh, let’s pause in that terrifying breath after Judah is finished, and consider all that stands to live, or die, in the next moment.

Our verse for this week is Hebrews 11:8: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Genesis 43 and 44. Now let’s read it!

As we begin this week, Joseph is in prison, sold by his brothers, falsely accused by Potiphar, and forgotten by the king’s cupbearer. We don’t yet know how much time has passed, but he was in Potiphar’s house at least long enough to be promoted to chief steward, then in prison long enough to become an overseer of the inmates. Now, it’s two more years until his next opportunity arises. Dwell on this: Joseph has spent over a decade with no idea whether his story would ever be redeemed.

But in chapter 41, the story once again turns on a series of two dreams. The key actor in this sequence is Pharaoh. The leader of the Egyptian world is so troubled by these dreams, and so convinced that they mean something ominous, that he is willing to take help from anyone – even an imprisoned foreign slave.

So Joseph is called to Pharaoh’s court, the culmination of all we’ve hoped for, and the singular moment in Joseph’s life. God has prepared him for this with tribulation and heartbreak, but also with moments where Joseph could see that God had worked through him. He has every reason to resent, but also reasons to hope. And one response will step forward here.

There is a two-part climax to their exchange. Listen to how Joseph credits his interpretation, and then goes for broke when he realizes he has Pharaoh’s ear. If you’re reading, take a break at the end of Joseph’s speech, and dwell in that eternal moment before Pharaoh responds – Joseph closer to life, and to death, than he’s ever been before. Also, think about what Joseph says about the meaning of having two dreams – and the hope that might be renewed about his own dreams, from long ago.

Our verse for this week is Hebrews 11:8: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Genesis 41 and 42. Now let’s read it!

Yesterday’s reading dropped us off in Egypt, where traders have sold Joseph to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard. At the outset today we take a detour – back to Canaan – for a peculiar story about Judah.

Now, you’ll remember that Judah was Jacob’s fourth-oldest son. He’s the one who proposed selling Joseph, so they could both get rid of Joseph and turn a profit on it. His sons, Er and Onan, appear to be no more noble than their dad, and Judah gets caught in a web of deceit and self-protection.

You might come to the end of this story and ask, “What in the world was that?” Either the author has a purpose in adding this account, or he doesn’t. Stay tuned!

In chapter 39 we’re reacquainted with Joseph, and the text emphasizes both that Joseph brought prosperity to Potiphar’s house, and that Potiphar recognized that the LORD was behind it. But you probably can sense that there is yet another storm on his horizon.

When you reach the story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, let the sense of entrapment seize you. What can Joseph possibly do? He knows that God has made him prosper and caused Potiphar to trust him. He sees that giving in to her would be a sin against both Potiphar and – importantly – against God. Is it possible that he’s left with no choice but to remain righteous and hope for the best?

Joseph’s reward is prison, but even here the inmates and warden see there is something different about him. Pay attention to the number of times the author notes, “the LORD was with Joseph.” We’re being reassured that something is going on well beyond Joseph and his current position.

In the next chapter, notice how boldly Joseph takes on the dreams of his fellow prisoners. He seems to know that something well beyond him is going on too. But as our week’s readings end, we find Joseph, and the promise, imprisoned, and forgotten.

You’re in for a rollercoaster of emotions today, so I’ll leave you now with our verse for the week, Galatians 4:28: Now you brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

Genesis chapters 38 through 40. Now let’s read it!

Given what happened in Shechem, it’s no surprise that Jacob is again on the move. But the text is explicit that Jacob is not running away: he’s following the LORD’s instruction to head to Bethel.

Here at Bethel Jacob receives the same gifts that were given to Abraham and Isaac: an appearance, and a promise. “Nations and kings will come from you, and your offspring will inherit this land.” This promise becomes especially poignant as we reach the end of Isaac’s life.

After the brothers reunite to bury their father (just as Isaac and Ishmael had reunited at Abraham’s death), the camera shifts briefly to Esau and his descendants. Esau, whose kingdom was remembered as “Edom,” settled to the Southeast of the Dead Sea. The genealogy reveals a robust kingdom that predates, and then coincides with, Israel’s.

At the beginning of chapter 37 you’ll read the phrase, “These are the generations of Jacob.” This is a formula you’ve heard before, going all the way back to “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth” in Genesis 2. It’s a formula that highlights the beginning of a new section, or chapter. Even though we’ve known Jacob for a while, now that Isaac is dead, this is now the story of Jacob’s family, not his dad’s.

And what a story it is! We pick up with the sons of Jacob when Joseph is seventeen and his brothers – sons of his father’s wives-who-aren’t-named-Rachel – are all considerably older. Joseph has dreams, moxie, and most importantly, his father’s favor. But his brothers have a plan. Watch how the author uses the dialogue to both reveal each man’s character, and push the plot forward.

At the beginning of today’s reading, we hear Jacob call the LORD, “The God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” That belief will be tested, both for Jacob and for his children, in the story to come.

Remember this week’s verse is Galatians 4:28: Now you brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

Genesis chapters 35 through 37. Now let’s read it!

After twenty years away, Jacob is heading home. He returns a wealthy man, with wives and children and flocks and servants. Having received the blessing of his father-in-law, and, more importantly, a complete separation of assets, he is free to establish his own presence in the land of promise.

All that stands in his way is Esau, the twin brother whom he had swindled. Esau, the brother who had sworn to kill him.

The moment of reunion has been in the background of our story since chapter 28, and surely in the back of Jacob’s mind, for over twenty years. I won’t ruin the dramatic setup, or Jacob’s maneuvering, or the eventual meeting with Esau for you, but I think you’ll see that it is all typical Jacob stuff. And maybe you’ll smile.

While this story unfolds, pay attention to how attentive Jacob is to the LORD’s presence and activity through it all. He sees God’s angels at Mahanaim. He prays for protection and reminds God that this return journey was all God’s idea. And he has the great wrestling match that brings Jacob his new name: Israel, the one who has “striven with God and with men, and has prevailed.” Jacob’s legacy is two sides of the same coin: both heel grabber and God-wrestler.

Jacob lands in a new home in Canaan and our reading today ends with a sour account having to do with his daughter, Dinah. I encourage you to keep your focus on Jacob throughout – how he deals with the treachery, how his sons Simeon and Levi treat him, and, most importantly, from which of Jacob’s wives Dinah and Simeon and Levi all come.

The author is leading us to see the storm that is threatening this family. And not just this family, but the promise that was made to Abram: “to your descendants I will give this land.” Will the LORD be able to overcome what this family is doing to itself?

Remember this week’s verse is Galatians 4:28: Now you brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

Genesis chapters 32 through 34. Now let’s read it!

If you’re reading through the Old Testament for the first time, you might be startled by what you’re finding here. I’ve warned you before that God has chosen to reveal Himself through very human stories. This Bible isn’t the “good parts version,” and if it is, then I’d hate to see the version with all the bad stuff in it.

Today we catch up with Jacob and Rachel and Leah, still living and working for the women’s father, Laban. Jealousy and deception catch up with everybody here. Leah is jealous of Rachel because Jacob loves Rachel more; Rachel is jealous of Leah because Leah is able to have children; Jacob feels ill used by Laban, but then gets back at him by strengthening his own flocks; and finally, Laban’s servants are jealous of Jacob’s wealth. Everybody got that?

So, given all that you know about this family, what do you think Jacob is going to do? Take off while Laban is away, of course!

I reminded you yesterday that you don’t have to like these characters. You’re allowed to acknowledge now that this family has some serious stuff going on. Even though they don’t seem to be aware of it, you’ve surely picked up on the three-generation cycle of jealousy and deception. And you can probably detect that this is all going to end badly. It’s a well-crafted story, but one that’s also all too familiar.

But the subject of the Bible is God, isn’t it? See how Leah reflects on the LORD’s favor, how the LORD “remembers” Rachel, how God pushes Jacob back to his true home, and protects him from Laban’s wrath. Also listen to how Jacob refers to the LORD twice – as the “God of Abraham” and “the Fear of my father, Isaac.”

Remember this week’s verse is Galatians 4:28: Now you brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

Genesis chapters 30 and 31. Now let’s read it!

Today we get to know Abraham’s grandchildren even better and you probably won’t like what you see. Remember how deception was both Abraham’s and Isaac’s Achilles Heel? Today it comes back around in a fury.

In the first half of today’s reading Isaac is old and looks like a dupe, but there’s more to it than that. First, he obviously loves his wife and wants to please her. For example, right after Rebekah’s and Jacob’s treachery to get Jacob the birthright, Rebekah then wants to get Jacob safely away from his brother. So, she throws a fit about Esau’s Hittite wives. This gets Isaac to take Jacob aside and recommend that he head back to Haran to find himself a wife. This would be cute in another context – an older couple that has figured out how to get things done.

Second, and more important, it is not a failure of character to be deceived. Isaac might look weak, but he’s also being wronged. He would obviously know about the insane jealousy between his twin boys, so perhaps he should have been more cunning, but he wants to be able to trust his family.

In the second half of today’s reading, the camera follows Jacob to Haran (which is in modern-day Syria). Here we are reacquainted with Laban, Rebekah’s brother, who is now in charge of the family. If you think the deception has been bad to this point, you ain’t seen nothing yet. The promise that the LORD gives to Jacob on the journey fades into the background once Jacob gets to work in Haran.

Now, I’m going to warn you about something: You might not like any of these characters after today’s reading. In fact, you are allowed to not like them. They are characters in God’s story, but the story is not ultimately about them.

You might also be bothered by the favor that the LORD pours out on Jacob as he flees, but remember, there were two sons to choose from. And one sold his birthright for a bowl of stew. The author’s commentary on this is that Esau despised his birthright. Heavy words that will haunt both of their futures.

And while Jacob seems to get away with his conniving, The LORD is still “The God Who Sees.” Watch how the LORD responds to Leah’s plight at the end of our reading.

This week’s verse is Galatians 4:28: Now you brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

Genesis chapters 27 to 29. Now let’s read it!

The big question that guides today’s reading is this: “Will the LORD favor Abraham’s descendants in the same way He was to Abraham?” It’s hard for us who know the next 1,800 years of the story, but try to imagine the questions that must have filled Isaac. After all, the last time we saw him he was lying on an altar with his father’s knife over him.

This question gets answered, in two ways. First, in chapter 24, when Abraham’s servant is sent back to Aram to find a wife for Isaac. And second, in chapter 26, when there is a famine in Canaan and Isaac considers throwing in the towel on the family property.

Now at the end of last week we recounted the names for God that had been used thus far: Melchizedek’s “God Most High,” Hagar’s “The God Who Sees,” and Abraham’s “Everlasting God.” Add to this Abraham’s claim at the beginning of today’s reading: “God of Heaven and God of Earth.” These are terms of wonder as well as worship.

They are also terms referring to a very specific God – Yahweh, or the LORD. Be careful not to read the future into the past: these people believed in the existence of many, many deities. This Yahweh was unique for the very personal way in which He revealed himself to Abraham, called Him, and showed him favor. But to everyone else Yahweh, or the LORD, was just one of the gods.

In today’s first story, pay close attention to how people are experiencing the LORD. When Abraham calls Him “the God of Heaven and God of Earth,” he’s making a bold, universal claim that would have startled the original characters. Abraham’s servant experiences the LORD through Abraham, constantly referring to the LORD as “The God of My Master, Abraham.”

And finally, after hearing the servant’s story, Laban and Bethuel offer a humbled confession: the LORD has spoken, and there is nothing more to say. These characters all come to recognize that they are a part of something bigger, and that the LORD is behind it, even if they aren’t moved to believe themselves.

This week’s verse is Galatians 4:28: Now you brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

Genesis chapters 24 to 26. Now let’s read it!