Our reading challenge for the day is Genesis chapters 34-38. I'll hit a few highlights. You make comments too and fill in the gaps. What strikes you as specially significant?
Genesis 34 - In the case of Jacob's Family versus Hamor's Family, notice that Jacob and his sons, though wronged, used deception in a matter of religious conscience in order to accomplish their goal. There is never a biblical sanction for saying one thing about a matter of faith, such as circumcision, then acting in opposition to that statement. Everyone is about as wrong as wrong can be.
Genesis 35 - God renews the covenant with Jacob, now called Israel. We still see that the covenants are established by God out of his own good pleasure, despite the sinful attitudes and behaviors of the recipients of the covenant. This mercy of God should bring comfort to us when we see our own failure.
Genesis 36 - When we see lengthy genealogies like this we probably do well to observe that many of the tribal peoples we will meet later spring from these foundations. Knowledge of who one's people might be is important in the Old Testament, particularly as God traces the lineage of the Messiah to come.
Genesis 37 - Sometimes we idealize Joseph. I observe that he seems to have a haughty attitude and to treat his brothers and even his parents as someone who is superior to them. Of course that doesn't excuse deciding to sell him . . .
Genesis 38 - Consider the importance of raising up offspring for your deceased relatives. This was a serious issue in terms of inheritance and providing for future generations of a family. The sin of Er is not mentioned. The sin of Onan is that he refuses to risk his inheritance for the benefit of his older brother's widow. Judah? Guilty of self-protection. We don't find out much about Shelah. Yet we continue to see that the people of God's promise have just as many flaws as we do ourselves.
No comments:
Post a Comment