Monday Reading Notes –– Genesis 12:10-13:18 (January 8)
The first section of readings from Genesis told about the history of the ancient world – creation, the flood, the confusion of languages, and the nations that came about because of it. It also traced the bloodline of Adam all the way down to Abram, the father of the nation of Israel, and the ancestor of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Now Abram (later Abraham) and his son Isaac, grandson Jacob and great-grandson Joseph become the main characters for the remainder of Genesis.
Genesis 12:11-13 – Abram’s actions reveal two things. Sarai must truly have been uncommonly beautiful, and it must have been common practice among many cultures to kill a man for his wife. Most people come down pretty hard on Abram for not trusting God to take care of him, but you’ll notice no rebuke from God toward Abram in this passage. While I don’t consider Abram’s plan ideal by any stretch, it seems to be a product of a violent and sin-filled age in which he lived. His example can move us to pray for trust and guidance in situations that challenge and frighten us.
Genesis 12:14-20 – Abram’s appraisal of Sarai’s beauty was accurate, apparently! God utilized this situation to accomplish His will. First, Pharaoh was kind to Abram, and he acquired wealth while he was in Egypt. Second, God brought about judgment on Pharaoh’s household, possibly for a culture of godlessness that would cause a man to feel he must lie to safeguard his life. Though Pharaoh asks Abram, “Why did you lie to me?” giving the impression he would have treated Abram well no matter what, the fact that God used the situation to bring that judgment on Pharaoh’s household says otherwise. Regardless, God used the whole episode to bring notoriety to Abram and glory to Abram’s God.
Genesis 13:1 – The Negev – you’ll see this word a lot. The Hebrew word simply means “south,” and when it is used with the definite article “the,” refers to the desert-wilderness region south and west of the Dead Sea.
Genesis 13:3 – The account of Abram obviously came from a person writing after Abram’s death, because Bethel did not get its name until the time of Jacob (see Genesis 28:19). At that point it was only a name of a place, and developed into a town later. (Bethel simply means “House of God.”)
Genesis 13:5-13 – Abram treated his nephew lot with a “golden rule” attitude, allowing him to choose the best pasture for his flocks. This decision protected Abram and his family spiritually and physically, as Lot moved closer to the city of Sodom which was extremely wicked, and Abram moved farther away from its influence.
Genesis 13:14-18 – God reiterates his promise from Chapter 12 to Abram, to confirm for him that He would continue to bless and prosper Abram in spite of not having the best land. One day, God promised, rather than being nomads in that land of Canaan (as Abram was), Abram’s descendents would call it their home.
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Tuesday Reading Notes –– Genesis 14:1 – 15:21 (January 9)
Genesis 14:1-12 – Don’t think of a king in the modern sense of the word, as in one who rules over a large kingdom. Rather, these kings were rulers over individual cities, family groups of people, or small regions, who had risen to power (most likely) because of their prowess in battle, influence, or both. Even in the ancient world, political divisions were common as was fighting between tribal groups.
Genesis 14:13-17 – Though Abram didn’t call himself king or have a specific “kingdom” to rule, with God’s help he had as much or more power than the other kings, and capably came to the rescue of his nephew lot, accomplishing what so-called “kings” had been unable to do.
Genesis 14:18-20 – A mysterious figure comes out to greet Abram after his victory – Melchizedek, who is called “king of Salem” and “priest of God most high.” He brings out bread and wine and blesses Abram after his battle. Abram gave Melchizedek of tenth of all the spoils.
Some thoughts about Melchizedek. His name means “King of Righteousness.” The word “Salem” also means peace, and it is very possible that this place where Melchizedek was king was the early name for the city Jerusalem, a place of special significance to God throughout the Bible. That Melchizedek was a “type” (analogous figure) of Christ is clear from Psalm 110, a messianic psalm. In verse four it describes the Messiah as “a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” The “order of Melchizedek” was unique, who was both king and priest. Jesus would also be king with “all authority” given to him (Matthew 28:18) and priest, offering the perfect sacrifice for all humanity for all time. Apparently Melchizedek and Abram were acquainted with each other. Perhaps Abram had worshipped with Melchizedek at Salem before. Some have seen Melchizedek’s gifts of bread and wine for Abram as a foreshadowing of the Lord’s Supper.
Genesis 15:1-3 – It’s odd that God would come to a man who had just bravely come to his nephew’s rescue and say, “Do not be afraid.” But the fear that God was talking about had nothing to do with battle, but with Abram’s doubts that God’s promise to make his descendents into a great nation would be fulfilled. God says, “I am your very great reward,” to which Abram responds, “What can you give me?” The only reward Abram was interested in was a son.
Genesis 15:6 – God repeated his promise from before, and Abram believed. His belief was righteous in God’s eyes, because belief is the highest form of obedience.
Genesis 15:7-21 – God promises that Abram’s descendents will possess the very land Abram is standing on right now. Abram wanted assurance. God’s word should have been enough, but it’s important to note that in response to this request, God gave Abraham a very unique and powerful sign.
The ritual that God and Abram shared was an ancient custom. When people would make a covenant with each other, the Hebrew verbiage is actually “cut” a covenant. When the sign of God’s presence (the smoking firepot and flaming torch) passed between the animal pieces, it was God’s covenant to Abram. Makers of the covenant, when they would go through such a ritual, are saying to each other, “Let this same fate be mine if I ever break this covenant.” God showed Abram a piece of the future in this vision, including the Israelites’ slavery in Egypt and Exodus. The covenant-making ritual was God’s assurance, “This will most certainly be done.”
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Wednesday Reading Notes –– Genesis 16:1 – 17:27 (January 10)
Genesis 16:1-4 – Hebrews 6:12 says that we must “through faith and patience inherit the promises. Sarai and Abram had not learned that yet. Perhaps Sarai’s shame about her own barrenness compelled her to give Abram her servant. Legally, the child would belong to Sarai as well, since Hagar was her “property.” This is yet another example of the consequences when God’s establishment of monogamous marriage is not followed. Due to social customs at the time, there were many examples of polygamous marriage among otherwise godly people in the Bible, but not a single example of a happy polygamous marriage.
Genesis 16:5-16 – The unhappiness of this situation got to be too much for all involved. Though Hagar was Abraham’s second choice as a wife, the fact that she conceived when Sarai could not caused her to forget her place and despise Sarai. Sarai, in turn, mistreated Hagar, who ran away. God treated Hagar graciously. After all, she was probably less to blame in the whole affair than anyone else. In verse 13, the angel of the Lord makes its first appearance. This is most likely the Son of God himself, appearing in the form of a human before his incarnation as Jesus of Nazareth. Every time the angel of the Lord appears in the book of Genesis, the author refers to him as an angel and “the LORD” interchangeably.
Genesis 17:1-8 – God appears to Abram again, introducing himself as El Shaddai, the Almighty God. This title emphasizes his ability to give Abram a child even though he and Sarai are past child-bearing years. It is very likely Sarai had already gone through menopause. God changes Abram’s name (meaning exalted father) to Abraham (father of many), and again promises that the entire land of Canaan will one day belong to his descendents.
Genesis 17:9-14 – Here God institutes the covenant of circumcision for the first time, which seems to us a very odd way to establish a covenant. Here are some thoughts as to why God may have chosen this as a sign of belonging to him.
- It was deeply personal, known only to the man’s parents, his wife, the man himself and God.
- It centered on the male sex organ, which transfers the seed of life to the next generation. In this way, God showed that He blessed the sexual act and its results.
- Since the male sex organ was so often misused in Abraham’s world at that time (and continues to be today), it was a way of showing that he and those of his family line were to be different in relation to their sexual conduct.
Genesis 17:15-27 – God changed Sarai’s name to Sarah, which means “princess.” God promised she would be the “mother of nations,” meaning Judah and Israel (through her grandson Jacob) and Edom (through her grandson Esau), but also meaning that all nations would be united by her greatest descendent of all, Jesus Christ.
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Thursday Reading Notes –– Genesis 18:1 – 19:38 (January 11)
Genesis 18:1-15 – How cool would it be to have the God of heaven and earth pay you a visit? It seems as if Abraham had an idea that these three men might be some special people, as he did not hesitate to show them the full measure of hospitality. He did it quickly, as if he knew they might be bringing him some news, and he wanted to get down to business. As was discussed about the “angel of the Lord” before, some theorize the spokesman of the three visitors may have been the pre-incarnate Christ, while the other two (as we find out later) were angels. When Sarah heard the news that she was going to have a child, even though
Genesis 18:16-33 – The Lord decides to confide in Abraham regarding plans for destruction of two wicked cities, Sodom and Gomorrah. Psalm 25:14 says, “The Lord confides in those who fear Him…” What a privilege for Abraham to be let in on the will of the Lord. The Lord speaks in human terms for Abraham’s benefit. Of course He didn’t have to go see for himself if Sodom and Gomorrah were really as wicked as reported, but He spoke in this way in order to share these plans with Abraham, and, I believe, to give Sodom and Gomorrah one last chance.
Abraham’s continued pleas for Sodom and Gomorrah, and God’s patience with him, shows us a truth about the character of God. He will always be patient with those who are motivated by mercy and grace – the qualities He loves the most. Never hesitate to ask God for His mercy for you or for someone else who needs it.
Genesis 19:1-29 – When the two angels arrived in Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot immediately invited them into his house. As with Abraham in the previous chapter, he showed them great hospitality. Perhaps there was something about their appearance that made him realize they were special, because he bowed down to the ground before them.
The depravity of Sodom and Gomorrah was as bad as God had expressed to Abraham. Not only did the men of the city practice homosexuality and want to commit homosexual rape, but it had permeated the whole city, and it was practiced openly, even proudly. Gay rights advocates have reinterpreted the Sodom and Gomorrah account, supposing their sin was really a lack of hospitality toward the two angels. Yes, but God has never destroyed a city for lack of hospitality, but when that is coupled with the all pervasive depravity of an entire city, that moved him to act in judgment.
It is hard to understand how Lot could offer his virgin daughters to these men instead. The simplest explanation is that his mind also was corrupted by living in that place. Of course, that solution was unthinkable, and it was then that the angels intervened. A similar and equally disgusting and heartbreaking incident transpired in Judges 19:20 and following. A sin-filled and male-dominated culture unfortunately regarded women as possessions or property at times.
The other question that always comes up is why Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt. Honestly, this story scared me as a kid. I always thought to myself how hard it would be to not look back when the place is being deluged with fire and brimstone. The word that most translations of the Bible render “looked back” can also mean “lagged back” or even “returned back.” It was more than just a backwards glance that doomed Lot’s wife, but an unwillingness to part with the life that had become so much a part of her.
The incest that happened between Lot and his daughters showed how their life in those wicked cities had affected them so that they thought sleeping with their father would be preferable to remaining without children.
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Friday Reading Notes –– Genesis 20:1 – 21:33 (January 12)
Genesis 20 – Here we have Abraham and Sarah’s pretense, part two. Again, I disagree with people who are too hard on Abraham for his “lack of faith” in this situation. Was it ideal that Abraham and Sarah deceived people about their marriage. Certainly not. But it seems as if the culture of the Philistines made them feel forced to do that. Clearly, as was true in chapter 12:10, God took care of Abraham. He brought about judgment to the Philistines (and perhaps conviction to end the practice of killing a man for his wife) and chose to bless Abraham as a result of it.
Genesis 21:1-21 – Polygamy always causes problems, and this case is no different. When God’s promise was fulfilled to Abraham and Sarah in the birth of Isaac, some sibling rivalry developed, with the older Ishmael, probably around 16 at the time, mocking young Isaac. Sarah wanted Ishmael and his mother to be sent away, not only to get rid of Isaac’s rival, but perhaps also to forget her foolishness in offering Hagar to Abraham so he could have a child. Though hesitant, Abraham received God’s assurance that Ishmael would be taken care of. God honored Abraham’s faithfulness by being kind to his son, and saved Ishmael and Hagar from dying of thirst. Eventually, Ishmael’s people also became a strong and numerous nation. It is claimed (although not provable) that Ishmael’s descendents are one of the groups that made up the Arabs, which is where the notion comes from that Muslims are also “children of Abraham” along with Jews and Christians.
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Saturday Reading Notes –– Genesis 22:1–23 (January 13)
This is the central chapter of the whole saga of Abraham because it gives us a clear picture of the sacrifice God was willing to give in Jesus Christ.
Genesis 22:1 – It says that God tested Abraham. The Bible tells us not to put the Lord to the test, but God can and does test us. The purpose of such tests is to further strengthen our faith and reveal something about the character of God, both of which happened in this occasion.
Genesis 22:2 – God’s instruction to Abraham was to “take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, whom you love…and sacrifice him.” Each word emphasized the level of obedience God was asking of Abraham, and the level of sacrifice God would one day be willing to make in giving his own son.
God directs Abraham to offer Isaac on a certain mountain in the region of Moriah. Today, the Dome of the Rock sits atop mount Moriah, the temple mountain and site of both Solomon’s and Herod’s temples. There were many mountain peaks in that area, as Jerusalem was built on four peaks. In other words, God was telling Abraham to take Isaac and sacrifice him in the same region where Jesus would one day be sacrificed. In fact, knowing God’s tendency for symmetry, I believe Abraham was directed to the precise spot where Jesus would be sacrificed one day. It also wouldn’t surprise me if it was the same day in the lunar calendar as well, although neither of these possibilities can be proven.
Genesis 22:3 – Who knows what Abraham may have thought, but his obedience was immediate. How could Abraham do that? He trusted God. That’s all there was to it. God had come through with a son when it should have been impossible. God could do anything. Hebrews 11:19 explains that Abraham even reasoned that God could raise Isaac from the dead if he wanted to.
Genesis 22:11 – It wasn’t until the point of no return that God finally intervened. In fact, it was the Angel of the Lord, which I believe to be Christ before he was incarnated to be Jesus of Nazareth, that appeared and spoke to Abraham. How appropriate that the one who would one day give his life for both Abraham and Isaac’s sins would be the one to save Isaac from this sacrifice.
Genesis 22:13 – To further foreshadow the sacrifice of God’s own son, a ram was provided for the sacrifice instead. Neither Isaac, nor anyone else, would ever have to be sacrificed for sin. Jesus himself would do that for us.
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