Tag: genesis
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Praying the Promise Back to God – Genesis 32:11-12
Genesis 32:11-12Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot…
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From Panic to Prayer – Genesis 32:9-10
Genesis 32:9-10And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou…
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When Fear Creeps Back In – Genesis 32:6-8
Genesis 32:6–8And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; And…
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Wanting Peace Before the Meeting – Genesis 32:3-5
Genesis 32:3-5And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom. And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: And I have oxen, and asses, flocks,…
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Two Camps, One Journey – Genesis 32:1-2
Genesis 32:1-2And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. Jacob is heading home, but home is not simple. Not after twenty years away. Not with Esau still somewhere ahead. Not…
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Some Goodbyes Stay Cold – Genesis 31:54-55
Genesis 31:54–55Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount. And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place. After all…
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A Boundary Both Men Understood – Genesis 31:50-53
Genesis 31:50–53If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee. And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee; This heap be witness, and…
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When “The Lord Watch” Is Not Romantic – Genesis 31:48-49
Genesis 31:48-49And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another. This is one of those verses people pull out of its setting and…
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A Line Drawn in Stone – Genesis 31:44-47
Genesis 31:44–47Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee. And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did…
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Mine, Mine, Mine – Genesis 31:43
Genesis 31:43And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born? Laban’s answer tells you…
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Seen in the Night – Genesis 31:38-42
Genesis 31:38–42This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten. That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether…
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Burning Hot, But Missing the Whole Story – Genesis 31:35-37
Genesis 31:35-37And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the images. And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban…… and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass?…
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Sitting on the Very Thing That Bound Her – Genesis 31:30-34
Genesis 31:30-34And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father’s house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me. With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let…
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Held Back by the Hand of God – Genesis 31:28-29
Genesis 31:28-29And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing. It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good…
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The Song and Dance of a Manipulator – Genesis 31:25-27
Genesis 31:25-27Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead. And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword? Wherefore didst…
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God Knows the Way Men Work – Genesis 31:20-24
Genesis 31:20-24And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead. And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob…
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Leaving With More Than Flocks – Genesis 31:17-19
Genesis 31:17-19Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padan aram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.And Laban went…
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When the Lord Confirms the Call – Genesis 31:13-16
Genesis 31:13–16I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred. And Rachel and Leah answered and said, Is there yet any portion of inheritance for us in our father’s…
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The Dream Still Needed a Response – Genesis 31:8-12
Genesis 31:8-12 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.And it came to pass at the…
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The Mirror I Do Not Want to See – Genesis 31:4-7
Genesis 31:4-7 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock,And said unto them, I see your father’s countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.And your…
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When God Wants to Move You – Genesis 31:2-3
Genesis 31:2-3And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee. Jacob could see it on Laban’s face. Something had changed. The warmth was gone. The…
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Saved, But Not Yet Subdued – Genesis 31:1
Genesis 31:1And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father’s; and of that which was our father’s hath he gotten all this glory. Jacob had been saved back in chapter 28, but he was not yet subdued. He belonged to the Lord, but he was still…
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God Blessed It Anyway – Genesis 30:39-43
Genesis 30:39-43And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted. And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban’s…
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What Was Jacob Doing? – Genesis 30:37-38
Genesis 30:37, 38And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods. And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks…
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The Deal Was Barely Made Before Laban Started Cheating – Genesis 30:33-36
Genesis 30:33-36So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me. And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according…
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The Wages That Did Not Make Sense – Genesis 30:31-32
Genesis 30:31-32And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock: I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all…
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When Do I Start Providing for My Own House? – Genesis 30:28-30
Genesis 30:28-30And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it. And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me. For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the Lord hath blessed…
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The Blessing You Bring to the Place You Work – Genesis 30:25-27
Genesis 30:25-27And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country. Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I…
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When the Answer Still Doesn’t Satisfy – Genesis 30:21-24
Genesis 30:21-24 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah. And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: And she called his name Joseph; and said, The Lord shall add to me…
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Still Wanting a Home in His Heart – Genesis 30:18-20
Genesis 30:18-20 And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar. And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son. And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because…
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Bought for a Night, Blessed by God – Genesis 30:16-17
Genesis 30:16-17 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son’s mandrakes. And he lay with her that night. And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob…
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Trading Mandrakes for a Night – Genesis 30:14-15
Genesis 30:14-15 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son’s mandrakes. And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and…
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When Reinforcements Arrive – Genesis 30:9-13
Genesis 30:9-13 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a son. And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad. And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a second son. And Leah said, Happy am…
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My Wrestling – Genesis 30:7-8
Genesis 30:7-8 And Bilhah Rachel’s maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son. And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali. Rachel names this boy Naphtali, meaning “my wrestling,” and with that one name she tells you exactly what is…
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Trying to Help God Out – Genesis 30:3-6
Genesis 30:3-6 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees that I may also have children by her. And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her. And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. And Rachel said, God…
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When Beauty Isn’t Enough – Genesis 30:1-2
Genesis 30:1-2 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister… … and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. And Jacob’s anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? For the…
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From Chasing Love to Praising the Lord – Genesis 29:32-35
Genesis 29:32-35 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore…
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When the Heart Gets Divided – Genesis 29:31
Genesis 29:31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. A few verses earlier, the text said Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. Now the thing is stated more bluntly. Leah was hated. That is where polygamy leads. Man tries to improve on the order of…
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The Ache of Being Less Loved – Genesis 29:28-30
Genesis 29:28-30 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven…
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A Week That Is More Than Seven Days – Genesis 29:27
Genesis 29:27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. This verse is important because it shows very clearly that in Scripture a “week” does not always mean seven days. Here it is obviously tied to a larger unit, for…
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The Deceiver Deceived – Genesis 29:21-26
Genesis 29:21-26 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to…
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Genesis 29:19-20
And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and those…
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Love, Desire, and the Beginning of God’s Deeper Work – Genesis 29:16-18
Genesis 29:16-18 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. The Bible just tells it…
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Two Birds of a Feather – Genesis 29:12-15
Genesis 29:12-15 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son: and she ran and told her father. And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him…
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Strength at the Well – Genesis 29:8-11
Genesis 29:8-11 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep. And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel…
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Trying to Clear the Field – Genesis 29:5-7
Genesis 29:5-7 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep. And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it…
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Music to a Weary Man – Genesis 29:2-4
Genesis 29:2-4 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well’s mouth. And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the…
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Happy Feet on a Long Road – Genesis 29:1
Genesis 29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. I like the way this reads in the Hebrew. The phrase “went on his journey” carries the idea that Jacob lifted up his feet. In other words, he has happy feet. There is a spring in…
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If You Will Have Me – Genesis 28:20-22
Genesis 28:20-22 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: And…
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From Separation to the House of God – Genesis 28:17-19
Genesis 28:17-19 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar,…
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God Is Here and I Didn’t Know It – Genesis 28:16
Genesis 28:16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. I love this verse because it meets people right where they really live. Jacob wakes up and says, “Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.” Think…
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The Ladder and the Promise – Genesis 28:13-15
Genesis 28:13-15 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac… … the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt…
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Grace at the End of the Day – Genesis 28:10-12
Genesis 28:10-12 And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed,…
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Seeing But Not Understanding – Genesis 28:3-9
Genesis 28:3-9 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave to Abraham. And Isaac…
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Working It Out His Way – Genesis 28:1-2
Genesis 28:1-2 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padan-aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother. The…
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A Weariness That Reveals the Heart – Genesis 27:46
Genesis 27:46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me? Rebekah is worn down. That is the feel…
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The Long Detour of Human Help – Genesis 27:41-45
Genesis 27:41-45 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob. And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called…
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The Long War Behind Esau – Genesis 27:39-40
Genesis 27:39, 40And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother… and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou…
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The Blessing We Still Need – Genesis 27:38
Genesis 27:38And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. Esau had treated the birthright like it was nothing. Though it carried a double portion, he sold it off for a bowl of beans as…
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Standing With Them – Genesis 27:34-37
Genesis 27:34-37And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry… and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing. And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob?…
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He Shall Be Blessed – Genesis 27:30-33
Genesis 27:30-33And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said…
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The Direction of a Blessing – Genesis 27:28-29
Genesis 27:28-29Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed…
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The Words of a Blessing – Genesis 27:27
Genesis 27:27And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed: Secondly, the blessing includes a spoken message of valuable evaluation. Isaac smells the scent of Esau’s…
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The Touch of a Blessing – Genesis 27:24-26
Genesis 27:24-26And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless thee… And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he…
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The Voice and the Word – Genesis 27:18-23
Genesis 27:18-23And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son? And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may…
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Covered to Deceive – Genesis 27:16-17
Genesis 27:16, 17And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. Rebekah is clever, no doubt about it. She knows exactly how Isaac…
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Seeming and Being – Genesis 27:11-15
Genesis 27:11-15And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver, and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. And his mother said unto him,…
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God’s Work Must Be Done God’s Way – Genesis 27:5-10
Genesis 27:5-10And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it. And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may…
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I Know Not the Day – Genesis 27:2-4
Genesis 27:2-4And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death: Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me,…
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When Isaac Thought the End Was Near – Genesis 27:1
Genesis 27:1And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. We are coming now to a very human moment in Isaac’s life.…
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A Grief of Mind – Genesis 26:34-35
Genesis 26:34-35And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah. What a sad way to end the chapter. While Isaac is digging wells, building altars, and learning…
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The Blessing They Could Not Deny – Genesis 26:23-33
Genesis 26:23-33And he went up from thence to Beer-sheba. And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake. And he builded an altar there, and…
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Room to Be Fruitful – Genesis 26:22
Genesis 26:22And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land. I love this. Isaac had already gone through Esek, which was…
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Meek Enough to Keep Moving – Genesis 26:21
Genesis 26:21And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah. Again Isaac finds water. Again there is resistance. Again the blessing is followed by a battle. So he names the well Sitnah, a word that carries the idea of hatred. That is very revealing, because it…
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Contention After the Water – Genesis 26:20
Genesis 26:20And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac’s herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him. So Isaac finds living water in the valley. Wonderful. Refreshing. Necessary. But does that mean everything gets easy from there? Not at all. The very…
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Living Water in the Valley – Genesis 26:19
Genesis 26:19And Isaac’s servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. That phrase, “springing water,” carries the idea of living water. And when you hear that, it is hard not to think of Jesus saying in John 7:38 39 that out of the one who believes on Him would flow…
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Dig Again – Genesis 26:15-18
Genesis 26:15-18For all the wells which his father’s servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth. And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we. And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of…
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Still Going Forward – Genesis 26:13-14
Genesis 26:13-14And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. I love the way this is written because it gives hope to every one of us who knows what…
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Back Where He Belonged – Genesis 26:12
Genesis 26:12Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him. There is something beautiful here. Isaac had been humbled in Gerar. His fear was exposed. His lie came into the light. He admitted it plainly. No excuses. No polishing. No shifting blame. He just told…
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A Sin That Reaches Further Than You Think – Genesis 26:10-11
Genesis 26:10, 11And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us. And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death. Why would…
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Fear, Honesty, and a Husband’s Calling – Genesis 26:8-9
Genesis 26:8, 9And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife. And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou,…
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The Echo of the Border – Genesis 26:7
Genesis 26:7And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon. This does ring a bell, and it…
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Right on the Edge – Genesis 26:6
Genesis 26:6And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: That is a short verse, but it says a lot. God told Isaac not to go to Egypt. So Isaac obeys, technically. He stays in the land. But where does he stay? In Gerar, a border town, as close to Egypt as he can get without actually stepping over…
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Stay in the Land – Genesis 26:1-5
Genesis 26:1-5And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar. And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Sojourn…
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Trading Away What Matters – Genesis 25:31-34
Genesis 25:31-34And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread…
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A Bowl for a Birthright – Genesis 25:29-30
Genesis 25:29, 30And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. Now the scene shifts from the womb… to a pot. Jacob is cooking. Nothing…
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Loved Because He Loves – Genesis 25:27-28
Genesis 25:27, 28And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. Now the boys begin to grow, and the difference between them becomes even clearer.…
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Two Boys, Two Natures – Genesis 25:24-26
Genesis 25:24-26And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called…
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The Trouble Within – Genesis 25:22-23
Genesis 25:22-23And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall…
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A Barren Season That Didn’t Stay That Way – Genesis 25:19-21
Genesis 25:19–21And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac: And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord was…
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He Died Full. Ishmael Fell. – Genesis 25:18
Genesis 25:18 And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brethren. There is a striking difference between the way Abraham’s death is described and the way Ishmael’s death is described. Abraham died full. Ishmael fell. That says a…
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Two Lines, One Promise – Genesis 25:11-17
Genesis 25:11-17 And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi.Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham:And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according…
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Brought Together at the Grave – Genesis 25:9-10
Genesis 25:9-10 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre;The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife. There is something moving about this scene. Isaac…
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Dying Full – Genesis 25:8
Genesis 25:8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of yearsand was gathered to his people. There is something beautiful here. Abraham did not merely die old. He died full. That gets my attention because a man can live a long time and still…
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One Day at a Time – Genesis 25:7
Genesis 25:7 And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. I like the way that is phrased. It does not just speak of years in the abstract. It speaks of the days of the years. That is where life is really lived. Not…
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One Son at the Center – Genesis 25:6
Genesis 25:6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country. This is a strong picture. Abraham blesses the other sons, but he sends them away. Why? Because Isaac is the son of promise.…
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Everything Finds Its Place in Him – Genesis 25:5
Genesis 25:5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. This verse is short, but it carries a lot. Abraham gave everything to Isaac. He did not split it up. He did not hold the best part back. He gave all that he had to the son of promise. That is a beautiful picture…
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When the Song Fades – Genesis 25:2-4
Genesis 25:2-4 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. At first…
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A Sweet Fragrance in His Later Years – Genesis 25:1
Genesis 25:1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. There is something quietly beautiful about this verse. After the long years with Sarah, after the grief of losing her, after twenty years of living alone, Abraham marries again. Her name is Keturah, which means incense, or fragrance. That seems fitting because…
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He Sees Us Coming – Genesis 24:63-67
Genesis 24:63-67 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide; and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh…
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The Lord Is Watching for Us – Genesis 24:61-62
Genesis 24:61-62 And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way. And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahai-roi; for he dwelt in the south country. I love what is happening here because Isaac does not go…
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A Blessing for the Journey – Genesis 24:59-60
Genesis 24:59-60 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men. And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them. This is such a tender…
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I Will Go – Genesis 24:56-58
Genesis 24:56-58 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.And they said, We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth.And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said,…
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Just Stay a Little Longer – Genesis 24:54-55
Genesis 24:54-55 And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten;…
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Overflow from the Bride – Genesis 24:50-53
Genesis 24:50-53 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the Lord: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the Lord hath spoken.And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant heard their words,…
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Will You Let Her Go? – Genesis 24:37-49
Genesis 24:37-49 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:But thou shalt go unto my father’s house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman…
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Everything Given to the Son – Genesis 24:32-36
Genesis 24:32-36 And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that were with him.And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told…
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What Caught Laban’s Attention – Genesis 24:29-31
Genesis 24:29-31 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that…
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Led While Walking – Genesis 24:26-28
Genesis 24:26-28 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord.And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.And the damsel…
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The Spirit Dresses the Bride – Genesis 24:22-25
Genesis 24:22-25 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father’s house for…
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Beautiful in the Eyes of the Artist – Genesis 24:21
Genesis 24:21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not. I like the hush in this verse. Until now, the whole scene has been moving quickly. The servant ran. Rebekah hurried. Water was poured. Camels were served. Then suddenly everything slows down.…
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Running to Meet the Thirsty – Genesis 24:17-20
Genesis 24:17-20 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw…
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Beauty by the Water – Genesis 24:15-16
Genesis 24:15-16 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she…
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Grace Finds Her at the Well – Genesis 24:10-14
Genesis 24:10-14 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed… for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water…
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The Call Goes Out, But It Is Never Forced – Genesis 24:7-9
Genesis 24:7-9 The Lord God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my…
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Called Away to the Son – Genesis 24:5-6
Genesis 24:5-6 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again. The servant asks what sounds like…
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The Servant Sent on Heaven’s Business – Genesis 24:2-4
Genesis 24:2-4 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth,That thou shalt not take a wife unto my son…
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A Life Interpreted by God – Genesis 24:1
Genesis 24:1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. There are some truths the Lord chooses to teach not merely by command, but by portrayal. He gives us a life, a scene, a relationship, a moment, and says in effect, “Look carefully. This is…
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Made Sure – Genesis 23:17-20
Genesis 23:17-20 And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sureUnto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth,…
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Pay the Full Price – Genesis 23:16
Genesis 23:16 And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant. Abraham pays the full price. That is significant to me because this is the same man who would not…
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The Price Behind the Politeness – Genesis 23:12-15
Genesis 23:12-15 And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my…
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The Bargaining Begins – Genesis 23:10-11
Genesis 23:10-11 And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying, Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give…
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Just Passing Through – Genesis 23:7-9
Genesis 23:7-9 And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,That he may…
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A Mighty Prince in a Tent – Genesis 23:5-6
Genesis 23:5-6 And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead. I find this fascinating. Here is Abraham…
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Still a Pilgrim – Genesis 23:3-4
Genesis 23:3-4 And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. There is a lot of weight in those words,…
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Dying in Fellowship – Genesis 23:2
Genesis 23:2 And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. There is something deeply beautiful here, even in the middle of heartbreak. Sarah dies in Hebron. That matters, because Hebron speaks of fellowship. She dies in a…
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A Remarkable Woman – Genesis 23:1
Genesis 23:1 And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah. There is something tender about the way this chapter opens. After the great mountain top scene of chapter 22, we come into a house of sorrow. Abraham had been asked to place his…
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The Bride in View – Genesis 22:20-24
Genesis 22:20-24 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor; Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah…
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The Son Returns on the Third Day – Genesis 22:19
Genesis 22:19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba. This is a brief verse, but it carries a quiet weight. Abraham comes back down the mountain and returns to the young men. The journey continues. They rise up and head back…
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The Son Set Free – Genesis 22:19
Genesis 22:19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba. This is one of those quiet verses that says more than it first appears to say. Abraham comes back down the mountain to the young men. The journey resumes. Life moves on.…
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Blessed Through Another’s Obedience – Genesis 22:15-18
Genesis 22:15-18 And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy…
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Jehovah Jireh – Genesis 22:14
Genesis 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. Abraham names that place Jehovah jireh. The Lord will provide. The Lord will see. Both fit. Both are true. God saw exactly what Abraham needed, and God…
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A Ram Instead of a Lamb – Genesis 22:13
Genesis 22:13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. Right when it looks like everything is about to happen, Abraham…
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Stop, Abraham – Genesis 22:10-12
Genesis 22:10-12 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for…
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God Will Provide Himself the Lamb – Genesis 22:7-9
Genesis 22:7-9 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they…
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Together to the Place of Sacrifice – Genesis 22:6
Genesis 22:6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son, and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. This verse is loaded. Abraham takes the wood and lays it on Isaac. That alone is enough to stop…
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We Will Come Again – Genesis 22:5
Genesis 22:5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. There is a quiet confidence in what Abraham says here that is easy to miss if you read it too quickly. He tells the young…
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The Third Day Journey – Genesis 22:4
Genesis 22:4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. There is something about that phrase that slows everything down. “On the third day…” That means this was not a quick moment of obedience. Abraham had three days to think about what God had asked of him.…
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Early Obedience – Genesis 22:3
Genesis 22:3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. What grabs me right away is…
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The Father and the Son – Genesis 22:1-2
Genesis 22:1-2 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah… … and offer him there for…
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Planting Something for the Lord – Genesis 21:33-34
Genesis 21:33-34 And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God. And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines’ land many days. I love this because Abraham does not just settle a dispute and move on. He plants something. He marks that place with worship. The word…
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A Well Marked by Maturity – Genesis 21:28-32
Genesis 21:28-32 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have…
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Charity and Wisdom – Genesis 21:26-27
Genesis 21:26, 27And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant. I like the balance here. When Abimelech answers Abraham, Abraham does…
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Humility Is Not Silence – Genesis 21:25
Genesis 21:25And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away. I like this because it shows balance. Abraham had just been humble. He did not argue or defend himself. But when it came to the well, he spoke up. He did not stay quiet just to keep…
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Only What Is Real Can Wait – Genesis 21:24
Genesis 21:24And Abraham said, I will swear. I love how simple that is. Abraham does not argue. He does not defend himself. He does not try to clean up the past or explain why Abimelech should trust him now. He just says, “I will swear.” There is a quiet humility in that response that says…
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God Is With You Even in Ordinary Things – Genesis 21:22-23
Genesis 21:22, 23And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest: Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with…
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A Picture of Israel in the Wilderness – Genesis 21:18-21
Genesis 21:18-21Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. And God was with the lad; and he grew,…
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What Aileth Thee – Genesis 21:16-17
Genesis 21:16, 17And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. And God heard the voice of the lad; and…
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A Shrub in the Wilderness – Genesis 21:15
Genesis 21:15And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. This is where the story gets painfully real. Up to this point, there was still bread in the bag and water in the bottle. There was still something to manage, something to measure, something to stretch…
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Sent into the Wilderness – Genesis 21:14
Genesis 21:14And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. At first, this scene can be hard to understand. Abraham was…
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God Still Had Mercy on Ishmael – Genesis 21:13
Genesis 21:13And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed. This verse shows the tenderness of God. Isaac was the son of promise, but Ishmael was still Abraham’s son. And because he mattered to Abraham, he mattered to the Lord in this situation. God was not…
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Listen to Your Wife – Genesis 21:12
Genesis 21:12And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. This is one of those verses that can make a man smile…
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Two Sons Cannot Share the Inheritance – Genesis 21:9-11
Genesis 21:9-11And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of…
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From Milk to Meat – Genesis 21:8
Genesis 21:8And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned. That might seem like a simple little verse, but it carries more weight than you might think. Isaac reached the point where he no longer depended on his mother’s milk, and Abraham celebrated it…
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Laughter at Last – Genesis 21:3-7
Genesis 21:3-7And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. And Sarah said, God hath…
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When You Cannot Preach, You Can Still Pray – Genesis 20:17-18
Genesis 20:17, 18So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife. This is such a gracious turn in the story. Abraham had not exactly put…
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A Covering, Not a Coward – Genesis 20:16
Genesis 20:16And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved. There is a sting in Abimelech’s words, and I think Abraham felt it. Notice…
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Impressed by God – Genesis 20:14-15
Genesis 20:14, 15And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. Abimelech does not respond this way because Abraham had been so noble, steady, or admirable. Abraham had not…
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A Planned Compromise – Genesis 20:13
Genesis 20:13And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother. This verse makes it even more sobering. Abraham was not…
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Because I Thought – Genesis 20:7-12
Genesis 20:7-12… and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine. Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid. Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him,…
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Still His Prophet – Genesis 20:7
Genesis 20:7Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live… This is one of the most surprising verses in the whole story. If there was ever a moment when you would think God might distance Himself from Abraham, it would be here.…
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Integrity Matters – Genesis 20:4-6
Genesis 20:4-6But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. And God…
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Same Old Sin – Genesis 20:2-3
Genesis 20:2-3And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.…
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Still a Sojourner – Genesis 20:1
Genesis 20:1And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. Abraham is on the move once again. That is worth noticing because he has just come through a heavy season. He had interceded for Sodom. He had seen judgment fall. He had looked out and…
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What Sin Leaves Behind – Genesis 19:37-38
Genesis 19:37-38And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day. And now you see the long…
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When the Cave Starts Talking – Genesis 19:31-36
Genesis 19:31-36And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.…
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Too Late for the Mountain – Genesis 19:27-30
Genesis 19:27-30And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord: And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. And it came to pass,…
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Do Not Look Back – Genesis 19:23-26
Genesis 19:23-26The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But…
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Settling for Zoar – Genesis 19:21-22
Genesis 19:21-22And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. Zoar means little…
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A Little Compromise – Genesis 19:20
Genesis 19:20Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. Lot is still negotiating. The Lord said, “Go to the mountain.” Lot says, “How about a little city?” That is so much like…
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Afraid of the Mountain – Genesis 19:18-19
Genesis 19:18-19And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: This is so…
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Escape for Your Life – Genesis 19:17
Genesis 19:17And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. The message could not be clearer. “Escape for thy life.” Not improve your life.Not manage your…
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Lingering, Yet Loved – Genesis 19:15-16
Genesis 19:15-16And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand…
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When Nobody Takes You Seriously – Genesis 19:12-14
Genesis 19:12-14And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and…
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Pulled Back In – Genesis 19:9-11
Genesis 19:9-11And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. But the men put forth…
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How Far It Can Go – Genesis 19:8
Genesis 19:8Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. This is where it drops off…
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At the Door – Genesis 19:6-7
Genesis 19:6-7And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Lot steps outside, closes the door behind him, and stands there trying to reason with a mob already consumed with lust and violence. It is a sad scene, because…
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When a City Loses All Restraint – Genesis 19:4-5
Genesis 19:4, 5 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out…
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A House Still Open – Genesis 19:3
Genesis 19:3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. Lot knew exactly what kind of city he lived in. That is why he did not casually invite these visitors in.…
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One Step at a Time – Genesis 19:1-2
Genesis 19:1-2 And there came two angels to Sodom at even… and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom… and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and…
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How Low Mercy Will Go – Genesis 18:26-33
Genesis 18:26-33 And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: Peradventure there shall lack five of…
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The Judge Who Always Gets It Right – Genesis 18:23-25
Genesis 18:23-25 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous…
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Judgment That Is Never Rash – Genesis 18:20-22
Genesis 18:20-22 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now… and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. And the men turned…
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Bringing It Home – Genesis 18:16-19
Genesis 18:16-19 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the…
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Known and Not Condemned – Genesis 18:14-15
Genesis 18:14-15 … At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. There is something very gentle in this moment. Sarah laughs within herself.…
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Nothing Too Hard – Genesis 18:13-14
Genesis 18:13-14 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the LORD? That question reaches far beyond Sarah. “Is any thing too hard for the Lord?” The answer, of course, is no. But we do…
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Laughing for Different Reasons – Genesis 18:9-12
Genesis 18:9-12 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.…
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Lavish Fellowship – Genesis 18:6-8
Genesis 18:6-8 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. And…
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No Ordinary Visitors – Genesis 18:3-5
Genesis 18:3-5 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your…
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Running to Meet Him – Genesis 18:2
Genesis 18:2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him… and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, What a picture this is. Abraham is ninety nine years old, sitting in the tent door in the…
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In the Heat of the Day – Genesis 18:1
Genesis 18:1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. That phrase, “in the heat of the day,” feels significant. In Scripture, heat and fire often point to seasons of pressure, testing, and trial. And so often, that is…
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A House with a Standard – Genesis 17:27
Genesis 17:27 And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him. This verse shows us that Abraham’s obedience did not stop at the personal level. It reached into his whole household. The men under his care knew exactly where he stood. Abraham…
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Still Willing – Genesis 17:24-26
Genesis 17:24-26 And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. There is something deeply personal here.…
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Leading the Way – Genesis 17:23
Genesis 17:23 And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him. What stands out to me here…
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What Do You Want to Do Now – Genesis 17:20-22
Genesis 17:20-22 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set…
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Laughter, Not Striving – Genesis 17:19
Genesis 17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. God’s answer to Abraham is tender, but it is also very clear. Ishmael would not be…
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Leave the Choice with Him – Genesis 17:18
Genesis 17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! This is not just Abraham speaking as the head of a covenant line. This is a father talking about his son. Ishmael was not a theory to Abraham. He was flesh and blood. He was a boy Abraham loved. So when…
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From Contention to Calling – Genesis 17:15-17
Genesis 17:15-17And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be…
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The Mark of the Covenant – Genesis 17:9-14
Genesis 17:9-14And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin;…
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An Everlasting Covenant – Genesis 17:7-8
Genesis 17:7-8And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all…