Monday, January 16, 2012

Bible Reading Challenge - Week 3 Day 1 Genesis 24-28

Our reading challenge for the day is Genesis chapters 24-28. I'll hit a few highlights. You make comments too and fill in the gaps. What strikes you as specially significant?

Genesis 24:1-25:18 Abraham finds a wife for Isaac. See the divine intervention involved. Also see the fact that the marriage is built on commitment, not on knowing and loving the person previously.

Genesis 25:19-26:35 Isaac's children set up a future conflict as Easau, the older, sells his birthright to Jacob. The family spends time among the Philistines where Isaac presents Rebekah as his sister, not his wife, causing problems similar to those faced by Abram and Sarai in Egypt. We do tend to fall into the same conflicts as our ancestors, don't we?

Genesis 27-28 Jacob deceives his father into giving him the blessing which Isaac had intended for Esau. It looks like the blessing Isaac could give was a one-time blessing, something which God would grant but could not be changed. How do we view the blessings we give? Do we bless and then revoke that blessing? Or do we trust that the Lord's blessing will work through our words as we pray God's blessing on others? See in Genesis 28 that God's blessing comes upon Jacob not because of Jacob's faithfulness but because of God's faithfulness.

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