Day 31: Exodus 18:1-20:17 “The First Judge and The Ten Commandments”

Chapter 18 starts with Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, bringing Moses’ daughter and two sons to visit Moses in the desert. Moses told Jethro all about their adventures. Jethro’s response is interesting.

11 “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.”

12 Jethro brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.

What a profound picture, but the Bible says God inhabits the praises of his people.

13-14 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When Jethro saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked what he was doing. “Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you?”

15-16 Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will. Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and laws.”

Jethro told Moses that what he was doing was not good and would wear out everyone. He advised Moses to teach the people the decrees and laws and to show them the way to live. He told Moses to select capable men from all the people, men who feared God, were trustworthy and hated dishonest gain, and to have them as officials over increments of people from tens to thousands.

22-23 “Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you. That will make your load lighter. If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

Moses did as he was advised and Jethro went back to his own country.

Wow. What a blessing to have a wise father-in-law. It also says a lot about Moses that he stood before God himself, yet knew when to listen to another man for counsel.

Chapter 19 begins by telling of the people camping in front of Mount Sinai three months to the day after leaving Egypt. Moses went up to God, and God gave him instructions to tell the people. If they obeyed, He would make them a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Moses told the elders of Israel, and they said they would do everything the Lord said.

Moses returned to God, telling him the elders’ response.

9 The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.”

God told Moses to consecrate the people, have them wash their clothes, and have them ready by the third day. He also told Moses to put boundaries around the mountain because if any man or animal touched it before the long ram’s horn sound, they would be put to death.

19:16-19 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.

How cool.

20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain.

God told Moses to remind the people that they couldn’t touch the mountain. He also told him to go get Aaron and bring him up the mountain as well.

20:1-17 And God spoke all these words: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

You shall have no other gods besides me.

You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 

Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Lord, thank you for your directions. You are a God of order, and you love us to live in unity. Help us to be unified as your people and help us to obey your laws and live in a way that is pleasing to you.

 

Day 27: Exodus 9:1-10:29 “More Plagues And More Miraculous Signs”

The plagues of blood, frogs, gnats, and flies weren’t enough to change Pharaoh’s mind. The Lord told Moses to go to Pharaoh once again and give him these words.

2-4 If you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them back, the hand of the Lord will bring a terrible plague on your livestock. But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.

6 And the next day the Lord did it. 

Pharaoh sent men to investigate and confirm that not one of the Israelites’ animals had died, yet he remained unyielding.

This plague is the first one to mention the Lord himself carrying out the plague.

Two things are different about the next plague. Verse 8 says the Lord gave instructions to Moses and Aaron, and God didn’t say to command Pharaoh first. Instead, He just told him to take handfuls of soot and toss it in the air in front of Pharaoh. Moses did so and festering boils broke out on men and animals.

11-12 The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils that were on them and on all the Egyptians. But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said to Moses.

The Lord told Moses to confront Pharaoh in the morning and tell him God said to let the people go.

14-19 “or this time, I (God) will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth.For by now I (God) could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. But I have spared you for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. You still set yourself against my people and will not let them go. Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now. Give an order now to bring your livestock and everything you have in the field to a place of shelter, because the hail will fall on every man and animal that has not been brought in and is still out in the field, and they will die.”

20-21 Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. But those who ignored the word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the field.

Moses stretched his hand out to the sky, and hail beat down everything in the land.

26 The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were.

By this time, the Israelites had to have changed their opinions toward Moses and Aaron. God was obviously up to something, and He was clearly sparing their lives and livestock.

Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said he had sinned and was in the wrong. Once again, Pharaoh asked Moses to pray to the Lord and said he would let the Israelites go. Moses said he would do so after he had left the city.

30 “But I know you and your officials still do not fear the Lord God.”

Moses left the city and prayed, and the hail stopped.

34-35 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts… just as the Lord had said through Moses.

10:1-2 The Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these miraculous signs of mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord.”

Moses went back to Pharaoh with the promise of a plague of locusts if the Israelites were not released. This time, Pharaoh’s officials told him to let the Israelites go because Egypt was ruined. When Moses and Aaron were summoned to come back, Pharaoh asked who exactly Moses wanted to go, and he said all of the Israelites. Pharaoh insisted that only the men could go “since that’s what you have been asking for.”

That wasn’t what they had been asking for, so the Lord told Moses to stretch his hand over Egypt to bring about the plague. The locusts devoured everything that was left after the hail, and Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron again.

16 “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. Forgive my sin once more and pray to the Lord your God to take this deadly plague away.”

Pharaoh knew what the Lord wanted, but he only asked for forgiveness and for the consequence to go away. He still wouldn’t obey.

21 The Lord told Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness will spread over Egypt- darkness that can be felt.”

Moses did so and total darkness covered the land for three days. No one could see anyone else or leave his place.

23 Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.

Pharaoh finally told Moses that all of the people could go worship the Lord. They just had to leave their flocks and herds behind.

Moses answered that they needed all their livestock for their sacrifices, and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart again.

Pharaoh told Moses not to come back again or he would die, so Moses agreed to not appear before him again.

Thank you for your word. May your power continually be made known in this world. 

 

Day 26: Exodus 7:1-8:32 “Patience In The Process Of Deliverance & The Plagues Of Egypt”

2-5 The Lord said to Moses, “You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgement I will bring out my people the Israelites. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.”

It’s interesting- God told Moses to do something, but then essentially said it wouldn’t work. “Go tell Pharaoh this, but he won’t listen to you.” Ever feel like God has told you to do something and it doesn’t seem to be working? I think those are the moments when we need to remember this story. God had a plan, and Pharaoh saying no was all a part of it.

Oh, and verse 7 says Moses was 80 and Aaron was 83 at the time. How’s that for a remarkable plan at that age!

I’m often surprised how many people aren’t aware of the power of magic and sorcery. As a young person, I was fascinated with the subject, but then learned that God forbids it. It’s not that other great spiritual forces don’t exist- after all, God is the one who created all spiritual beings. It’s just that God is the most powerful and in his love and jealousy has instructed us to only call upon the greatest power- himself.

Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and it turned into a snake. However, Pharaoh summoned the sorcerers and magicians who each threw down his own staff and had it turn into a snake.

12 But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

In terms of spiritual forces, I understand the excitement in the illusion of being able to conjure up things and perform miracles, however, God is the one and only Most High. He is the absolute supreme power.

The Lord told Moses what to do with Pharaoh the next morning-to take the same staff, tell Pharaoh what the Lord had to say, and instruct Aaron to hold the staff over the waters so that they would turn into blood.

Verse 20 says they did just as the Lord commanded, but it also says he struck the water of the Nile to change it into blood. The fish died and the river smelled. The Egyptians could not drink the water.

22 But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh’s heart became hard.

Again, Pharaoh didn’t believe Moses and Aaron. After all, his magicians had just replicated the same plague.

25, 8:1 Seven days passed after the Lord struck the Nile. Then the Lord said to Moses to go back to Pharaoh.

I imagine those days passed quite slowly for Moses and Aaron.

They returned to Pharaoh with the threatened consequence of a frog “infestation.” This time, however, Aaron stretched his hand over the waters as instructed.

7 But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts.

Pharaoh asked Moses and Aaron to pray for God to take the frogs away, and said he would release the Israelites. Moses asked Pharaoh for the exact time he wanted that prayer so that he would know “there is no one like the Lord our God.”

Moses prayed and the frogs died.

15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.

God told Moses to tell Aaron to strike the ground with the staff, and he did so.

17 All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats.

It’s interesting that at first, God told Moses to have Aaron stretch out his hand over the water, and he struck the water. The second plague, God told Moses to have Aaron stretch his hand over the water and he did so. The third plague, God told Moses to tell Aaron to strike the ground and he did so. Sometimes, God’s instructions are very specific.

It’s also interesting to note that the Bible says the Lord told Moses the instructions. Aaron must have had great faith to be able to be a part of such an important event while relying on the voice and instructions of the Lord through someone else.

18 When the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not.

19 The magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.”

God stepped it up another notch and told Pharaoh about the next plague. Swarms of flies would come on the land, but no swarms of flies would be in Goshen where the Israelites lived.

23 “I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This miraculous sign will occur tomorrow.”

Pharaoh told Moses and Aaron that they could sacrifice to God “here in the land.” It wasn’t what they had asked for, but Pharaoh was trying to bargain.

Moses responded that since their sacrifices were detestable to the Egyptians, they needed to go three days into the desert as God had commanded.

28 Pharaoh said, “I will let you go in the desert, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me.”

Moses had learned that Pharaoh could change his mind.

29 Moses answered, “As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the Lord, and tomorrow the flies will leave Pharaoh and his officials and his people. Only be sure that Pharaoh does not act deceitfully again by not letting the people go.”

Moses prayed and the flies left, but Pharaoh still wouldn’t let the people go.

Lord, thank you for your deliverance. Let me be confident in your ways even when they seem to take longer than I like or appear to not be working. Your ways are good and I trust you. Let them know you are the Lord.

 

Day 25: Exodus 4:1-6:30 “Moses Definitely Didn’t Seem Excited About His Calling”

13 But Moses said, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”

Moses had a lot of questions for God. How was this going to work? How would people believe that God had actually told him to say this?

God gave him 3 miraculous signs- the first was to turn his rod into a snake.

3-4 Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.”

I love how the Bible speaks so simply about what I imagine was a humorous sight and a moment of courage for Moses.

The next two signs were to turn Moses’ hand into a leprous hand and back again, and then have water turn to blood as it was poured on the ground.

Moses argued that he had never been eloquent, but God replied that it didn’t matter.

11 The Lord said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

Go, and he will teach you and help you. How many times do we wait to say yes until we know exactly what we need to say or how it will work. Perhaps we need to go anyway and trust God to equip and teach us when the time comes.

After God had done and said all of this, Moses still wanted someone else to do it.

14 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron? I know he can speak well.

Notice he didn’t pick the eloquent speaker to begin with.

15 “I will help both of you speak. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him.”

It’s remarkable how God just compared the idea of Moses instructing Aaron and using him as a mouth piece to God instructing us and using us a mouthpiece. It really is the same if we learn to tune our hearts and spirits to his voice.

Moses returned to his father in law and asked to go back to Egypt.

19 The Lord had said to Moses, “Go back, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead.”

He also told Moses to perform the miracles for Pharaoh, even though God would harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he would say no.

22 “Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.'”

Also, remember the king of Egypt had instructed the killing of all the newborn sons of the Israelites.

Apparently Moses’ son was not yet circumcised.

24-25 The Lord met him and was about to kill him, but Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched his feet with it.

Next time you’re having a bad day, just be thankful God’s not about to kill you but your mom saves the day by taking your foreskin off with a flint knife.

Just a thought.

God told Aaron to go meet Moses at the mountain, and Moses told him everything that had happened. They called together the elders of Israel to tell them and perform the miraculous signs for them, and they believed.

31 When they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.

Moses and Aaron went to the Pharaoh as instructed, however the Pharaoh decided that the Israelites should start working harder, so ordered them all to make the same amount of bricks as before, but now instead of Pharaoh’s people supplying the straw, they would have to find the straw themselves. The Israelite foremen started getting beaten for not keeping up with the new, more difficult standards and they blamed Moses and Aaron.

Moses returned to God and asked why He had brought about more trouble.

5:23 “I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”

Sometimes things get worse before they get better.

God reassured Moses that Pharaoh would let the people go and that the people would inherit the land he promised to Abraham.

6:9 Moses told this to the Israelites, but they didn’t listen because of their discouragement and cruel bondage. 

God told a frustrated Moses to go back to Pharaoh, but Moses asked why Pharaoh should listen to him if the Israelites had not.

Chapter 6 ends outlining a family tree and includes in verse 20 that Moses’ mother was married to her brother’s son.

I wonder if it would have been easier if Moses had just trusted God and done what he was told without trying to figure it all out. It seems like a lot of the battle was in his heart. Yes, things had just gotten worse, but in comparison to the peace that Joseph seemed to have in the midst of trials, I wonder if Moses had the same existing relationship with the Lord.

God, thank you for rescuing us. We may not understand your ways, but let us hold firmly to your word and promises no matter what our circumstances look like. Let us not doubt you based on sight, but trust you by faith. I believe you are for us and not against us. I believe your word is true. I thank you for all you have done and all you will do in my life, our lives, and the world. Convict our hearts today and forgive us where we have failed.

 

Day 23: Genesis 46:1-50:26 “Incredible Egyptian Favor & A Question About Eating Grain”

Israel and his sixty-six descendants set off for Egypt. On the way, he stopped at Beersheba to make sacrifices to God.

2-4 God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

“I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.”

God’s presence is a comfort, but it’s also protection. The only one greater than the angels (which includes the devil) is God himself. Israel was the promised line of Jesus and he trusted God, but in love, God didn’t ask Israel to walk by faith, believing in God’s protection; he assured him in a vision that he would be with him.

God cares about our peace. I believe if we seek God and ask Him for comfort and peace, then He will give it to us.

28 Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen.

When Joseph met up with his family there, he told them what to say to Pharaoh since all shepherds were detestable to the Egyptians. He chose 5 of his brothers and introduced them to Pharaoh.

6 “Settle them in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock.”

Obedience can bring favor to one’s entire family.

The famine continued. People eventually ran out of money to buy grain, so Joseph allowed them to trade their livestock (horses, sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys) for grain.

This is where I’m curious. Were the Egyptians vegetarian? It seems like there would have been plenty of livestock for them to eat, so I wonder what the livestock were used for if not food. If anyone knows, please comment below.

The people eventually ran out of livestock, so they asked Joseph if they could sell themselves and their land for food.

47:20-22 So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. They Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, and Joseph moved the people into the cities. However, he did not buy the land of the priests, because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had enough food.

Joseph gave the people seed to plant with the agreement that they would give a fifth back to Pharaoh.

Jacob lived in Egypt 17 years until he was 147. As his final days approached, he asked Joseph to swear that he would not bury him in Egypt, but rather where his father was buried. A while later, Joseph brought his two sons to introduce them to his father. Jacob told Joseph about the Lord’s appearance and blessing to him in Luz. He also told Joseph that his two sons would now be reckoned as Jacob’s, but that any born later would be Joseph’s. (I’m unclear about why/how they changed fathers, but it seems to be the same concept which Judah’s second son died to avoid.)

Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manasseh, gave Joseph an inheritance, and called the rest of his sons to prophesy about their lives.

Rueben was told that although he was firstborn and excelled in honor and power, he would no longer do so since he slept with Jacob’s wife and defiled his father’s bed.

Simeon and Levi were rebuked for their violence and anger (they killed all the men in Shechem). Jacob told them they would be scattered.

Jacob told Judah that his brothers would praise him and that the scepter and ruler’s staff would never depart from him. This was a considerably better word than the one for Reuben, though Judah had thought he had slept with a prostitute, but it was really his daughter in law.

The remaining sons primarily received good words. Jacob told them all to bury him in the same cave as Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah.

33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

Joseph had him embalmed and asked Pharaoh’s permission to go bury his father as he had promised to do.

Joseph went to bury his father and all of Pharaoh’s officials went with him- the dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt. When they returned, Joseph’s brothers became fearful that Joseph would finally take revenge so they said that Jacob had instructed the brothers to ask for mercy and forgiveness (thinking that he would be favorable if he thought it was as a favor to their father.) Joseph reassured them that God had been the one to orchestrate everything and that he was not angry.

Joseph reassured his brothers that God would come to their aid and take them to the land promised to Abraham. Joseph made them promise that when that happened, they would take his remains with them at that time. They agreed, and Joseph died at age 110.

Lord, thank you for Joseph. Thank you for his trials at an early age which helped shape the rest of his life. Thank you for his heart and understanding. Let me walk with the same faith, patience, and respect for others. 

 

Day 18: Genesis 30:25-33:20 “A Father-In-Law, Wrestling With God, and A Brother’s Reconciling”

After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob asked Laban if he and his family could return to his homeland. Laban insisted that they stay, saying that he had learned by divination that his blessings had come as a result of Jacob being there. Jacob felt that Laban’s attitude towards him was different. Also, the Lord told Jacob to go back to his relatives and that He would be with them.

This part is interesting because I have definitely seen this scenario in my own life. I think God sometimes prefaces a shift or move by decreasing the hospitality around us.

Jacob told Rachel and Leah that the Lord had instructed him to go back.

31:16 “Do whatever God has told you,” they said. At the end of the day, these women trusted their husband to hear from the Lord and lead their family.

Perhaps because of her own faith, Rachel stole her father’s household gods before she left. Since Laban had not approved of them leaving, Jacob took his family and left one day without his knowing. Laban found out about it 3 days later and pursued them, catching up with them a week later in Gilead.

24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”

Laban confronted Jacob, asking why he had run off without even letting him kiss his daughters and grandchildren goodbye. He also asked why Jacob had stolen his gods.

31-32 Jacob answered, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force. But if you find anyone who has your gods, he shall not live.”

Rachel had put the gods in her camel’s saddle and was sitting on them.

35 Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I’m having my period.” 

Jacob got angry with Laban’s accusations since he had no idea what Rachel had done, and Laban and Jacob made an agreement to keep peace between them. The next morning, Laban kissed his daughters and grandchildren and went home.

Jacob had been gone for 20 years, but he had originally left to escape Esau’s anger. As he approached his homeland, angels of God met him. Jacob sent messengers to Esau to assure peace, but they returned announcing that Esau and 400 men were coming to see them. In great fear and distress, Jacob divided everything and everyone into 2 groups so that at least 1 group could survive.

Jacob prayed to God, fearful, but remembering what the Lord had said about prospering him. The next day, he selected goats, ewes, rams, camels, cows, bulls, and donkeys to be sent ahead as gifts to Esau. Jacob instructed his servants to go in individual packs with distance between them. He hoped these gifts would make it possible for Esau to receive Jacob.

That night, Jacob sent his wives, children, and possessions across the stream, but he stayed back. A man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled the man.

26-28, 30 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” 

But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

The man asked him, “What is your name?”

“Jacob,” he answered.

“Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.”

So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, so he divided his children, putting his maidservants and their children first, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the back. Jacob went ahead and bowed to the ground as he approached Esau.

4 But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.

Esau wanted to accompany Jacob back home, but Jacob insisted that they go more slowly because of the children and young animals. Esau insisted that some of his men accompany Jacob, but Jacob insisted that he would come to him in Seir. Esau agreed and went to Seir, but Jacob went to Succoth where he bought some land for 100 pieces of silver and built a place for himself and his livestock.

Lord, I don’t understand your ways. Thank you for showing that your grace and mercy cover our failings. Your ways are bigger than our sin. If I am prone to judge Jacob for the way he treated his brother and wives, I’m sure I am prone to judge others as well. Forgive me and help me to love and accept all without finding fault or judgement. Help me to follow your ways.

 

Day 15: Genesis 25:1-26:11 “Medical Miracles, Conditional Blessing, and History Repeating Itself”

Abraham married another woman, Keturah, and had more children. He left his entire inheritance to Isaac, but gave gifts to his other sons while he was still alive. Abraham died at age 175, and Isaac and Ishmael buried him with Sarah in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre.

11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who then lived new Beer Lahai Roi.

Ishmael had many children and died at age 137.

20-21 Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah. He prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.

22 The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord.”

I love these verses because they show that God is able to provide medical miracles and even medical counsel.  He answered a prayer for infertility, and then He gave her wisdom about her babies in utero. God is the great physician and the same yesterday, today, and forever.

26-28 Isaac was 60 years old when Rebekah gave birth to Esau and Jacob. Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was a quiet man, staying among the tents. Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.

One day, Esau came in as Jacob was cooking some stew. He was very hungry and asked for some food. Jacob responded that he would give him some food, but only in exchange for Esau’s birthright, or inheritance. And so, Esau ate, and Jacob was given his older twin brother’s birthright.

Chapter 26 begins by telling of a famine.

2-6 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your seed all nations on earth will be blessed, because Abraham obeyed me and kept my requirements, my commands, my decrees, and my laws. So Isaac stayed in Gerar.

“through your seed all nations on earth will be blessed…” As a random aside, there are many places in Genesis  that reference Abraham and his “offspring”, having a footnote that says this word also means “seed.” I’m not sure why Bible translators have put the word offspring instead of seed, because in Galatians, Paul teaches on the purpose of the Old Testament Law, saying that it was to act as a guardian until the seed, which is Christ, came into the world. Paul teaches that the promise was made to Abraham and his seed, singular, meaning Christ, so that through Christ we would have the promises. It is because of Paul’s clarification of the Old Testament that I think it is important to use the correct word, rather than “offspring” which translators have chosen here.

I think it’s also important to note that God’s blessing to Abraham was conditional. “because Abraham obeyed me and kept my requirements, my commands, my decrees, and my laws.” Many times, we want to use the scriptural promises of God’s blessing without looking at the entire verse which outlines the requirement for that blessing. God’s Word is living and active, and I believe we can hold Him to it if we do our part as well. The Lord made a distinction here between laws, requirements, commands, and decrees. It’s a good reminder and conviction that sometimes I follow a law, but not a command. Sometimes I excuse my resistance to a “decree” because it’s specific to a situation, like Lot’s wife looking back, rather than something in writing that is concrete. This verse is a reminder that obedience is multi-faceted, but I am thankful that God desires to reward us “in every way” for that obedience.

Chapter 26 continues with Isaac following in his father’s footsteps.

7 When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful.”

Again? Seriously? I wonder if this was one of those things Abraham did and never mentioned to Isaac since he wasn’t born yet. We are our parents’ children, for better or worse, but we do have the power to break natural tendencies through the power of the Holy Spirit.

History repeated itself a little less severely. The king saw them kissing one day and questioned Isaac, upset that he endangered them all by keeping them at risk of taking Rebekah for themselves.

10 “One of the men might well have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”

Abimelech, the king, gave orders that anyone who touched Isaac or Rebekah in this way would be put to death.

Lord, thank you for answering prayer. Thank you for being exactly what we need, whether with a barren womb or in a famine. You provide in every situation. I know that my righteousness now comes from faith in Christ instead of the law, but I also know you still reward obedience. Help me to hear your voice and obey you. Strengthen us this day and please bless all those who are reading this word.

 

Day 14: Genesis 24:1-67 “Perhaps We Have Complicated The Process of Finding A Spouse”

Abraham was now old and the Lord had blessed him in every way. He made his servant swear that he would find his son a wife from among his own relatives and not from the Canaanites where he was living.

4, 8 “Go to my country and get a wife for my son Isaac. If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine.”

Sounds simple. I wonder where we started complicating marriage requirements.

The servant took ten camels and all kinds of goods. When he came to Nahor, he went to the well where the women were out drawing water. He prayed for a specific sign to know which woman was right.

The servant went searching for a wife to a place where there would be many women gathering, and he prayed. Again, sounds simple.

15 Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder.

Rebekah was the granddaughter of Nahor, Abraham’s brother.

16-17 The girl was very beautiful and a virgin. The servant hurried to meet her.

After she gave the servant and his camels water in the exact way he had prayed for as a sign, he took out gold bracelets and a nose ring, asked who her parents were, and asked if they could stay the night there.

She said they had plenty of room for him and his camels. Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord, saying, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master.”

I imagine God delights in our immediate praise and thanksgiving.

The servant told Rebekah’s family the entire story before dinner. Her brother and father responded, “This is from the Lord; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.”

Rebekah’s family had to have had an intimate trusting relationship with the Lord to feel peace that this was the Lord’s will. I’m sure they didn’t want their daughter moving off, but they were more concerned with God’s ways than their own. Oh, that our trust in God would be so great that our primary requirement in life and marriage would be His leading.

Abraham’s servant bowed down to the Lord when hearing this. Then he brought out gold and silver jewelry and clothes to give to Rebekah. He also gave expensive gifts to her brother and mother.

The next morning, the servant got ready to go back, but Rebekah’s mother and brother asked for ten more days with her before she left.

56 He said to them, “Do not detain me, now that the Lord has granted success to my journey. Send me on my way.”

How often are we on a mission, find our answer, and then try to delay action because we don’t feel ready?

57-58 They said, “Let’s call the girl and ask her about it.” So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” 

“I will go,” she said. 

So they blessed her and sent her on her way.

It speaks volumes that Rebekah trusted God enough to leave her land and family to go marry a stranger.

Isaac was in the field as the camels approached. When Rebekah asked who he was, she took her veil and covered herself.

66-67 Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Lord, Your ways may be different than the world’s, but they are best. Thank you for being a God who answers prayers and gives signs. Let me be a person who walks in faith, prayer, and obedience with my life. Thank you for the heritage of faith from Abraham and for making us co-heirs of his blessing through faith in Christ.