God of Covenant: Genesis 12-50 Session 10

 

Welcome to session 10 of Jen Wilkin's God of Covenant Genesis 12-50 study.  These are my notes from that session which concentrated on Genesis 48-50.

Genesis 48

Verses 1-2. The names Jacob and Israel are still going back and forth.  Jacob at this point is very weak nearing death.

Verses 3-7.  He is still expressing the loss of Rachel.  He is now also doing something very interesting.  He's saying he wants Joseph's sons born in Egypt to be his adopted sons.  If you're familiar with the story, we know that Ephraim and Manasseh become two of the 12 tribes.  But how does that work if there are already 12 sons that Jacob has from his marriages?  We will see from the prophecies that were spoken over them there are two tribes that will sort of vanish into the rest of the tribes, Jen says.  Also, when you remove the name of Joseph, you end up with a total of 12.  Basically, you have a number of 12 sons and a number of landed tribes within the nation of Israel - tribes who have an alotted land portion.  The list of names in that are not identical, she says.  This will be talked about later.

Verses 8-10. Why does it play out this way in these verses?  What does Israel/Jacob know?  Jen says this: "he can't rely on his physical senses to be certain of who it is he is about to bless so he says "who is here?" Bring them close also.  He needs to kiss them and embrace them so he can verify their identity.  He does not want to fall in the situation he was placed in when Laban married him to Leah and when he deceived his father Isaac.  Joseph is about 56 years old at this time, so his sons are probably in their early 20s.

Verses 11-12. These sons of Joseph sat on Jacob's knees.  There's something going on in the Hebrew language here, Jen says, that we can pay attention and learn from.  Remember the baby wars story?  Look at Genesis 30 where it says about Rachel - "on my behalf". In Hebrew, this would be "on my knees."  We understand at the time this was legal to say the child will be adopted as my own but it was after the case the adoptive parent was there at the birth to catch the child on her knees when the child was born.  What we are seeing here is most likely a reference to that same idea - that they have been brought to the knees in a symbolic way to note that they are now going to be his adopted sons.

Interesting to note that one son is of an Israelite woman and the other an Egyptian pagan woman.  In the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh we see a "firstfruits" fulfillment of the grafting of the Gentiles into the family of God, per Jen. 

Verse 13. Joseph is steering them forward in their birth order so the oldest will receive his blessing and the younger as you would expect.

Verse 14. Now here what is Jacob/Israel doing?  He is intentionally crossing his hands before he gives the blessing that the younger receive the blessing of the firstborn. 

Verses 15-16. He is (Jacob) reiterating the key ideas of the original covenant that was given to Abraham.  Notice that three times he mentions God.  Why is he repeating the name of the God of Israel with such consistency?  One probable reason is because of where Ephraim and Manasseh grew up - Egypt.  He wants them to understand this blessing comes from YHWH.  Interestingly, "the God who has been my shepherd" - we note that Jacob was a shepherd and so he understands this, but this is the first place in all of scripture where God is referred to in the terms of a shepherd.

Verses 17-20. Jacob here finally comes to understand.  He's not acting here out of his own will.  These are meant to be prophecies from the Lord.  Jacob finally understands to submit his will to a God who makes the last first and the first last.

Verse 21. Notice the significance of this statement in verse 21. Back in Genesis 28:15, God said to Jacob "I am with you." Again in chapter 31:3 God said "I will be with you." In chapter 31:5 and 35:3 Jacob acknowledges "God has been with me." Now he assures his offspring "God will be with you."

Genesis 49

Verses 1-4. Reuben here is not to be forgiven. You will see this if you follow Reuben's tribe throughout the OT. They have very few descendants and none who are of note in the rest of the Biblical record.

Verses 5-7. What do we see in these verses?  He's referencing that terrible day in Shechem due to, in many ways, his inaction.  Because of this incident, they also are removed from his favor in his final words.  Judah is now left in the place of honor.  Simeon's tribe does actually get dispersed to other tribes in the OT.  Their borders get undefined.  What about the tribe of Levi - the priesthood? They were not given a land allotment.  So these prophecies come true later on in Israel's history.

Verses 8-11. The longest prophecy is to Judah who is in the line of Christ and to Joseph who is a type of Christ.  We can see Christ in these passages.  Look at verse 10 - we see this reference to royalty.  This is the line through which David will come - Judah. We know that Christ has been prophesied as the King who will sit on the throne of David.  The phrase "until tribute comes to him" - "until it comes to whom it belongs" is another interpretation.  Read it again with this translation: the septer shall not depart from Judah, nor the rulers staff from between his feet, until it comes to whom it belongs.

Remember when Jesus enters into Jerusalem He intentionally rides in on the foal of a donkey.  Also, in Revelation we see Christ pictured wearing a robe dipped in blood.  There are many ties between Revelation and Genesis.

Verse 13-21. Prophecies about the other sons.

Verse 22. Joseph's prophecy gives five different names for God.  All of these blessings we can hear spoken over the person of Christ. "Almighty" the word for El-Shaddai, many commentaries trace back to the Hebrew word "Shad" which actually means "breast."  God as nourisher.

The 12 tribes excludes Joseph and Levi, but includes Ephraim and Manasseh.  The number 12 means completeness.

Verses 28-31. Notice "my wife" here.  Leah at last dignified in death.  Israel will be buried by the wife he married first.

Verses 32-33. Israel dies.

Genesis 50

Verses 1-3. Even the Egyptians are called to mourn for the father of Joseph.  Think about the sovereign God in this.  You know what the Hebrew practice was for burying their dead? Many Jews practice this still.  When someone dies, they are buried within 24 hours.  But when Jacob dies and requests that he would be buried in the land of Canaan, and dies in Egypt, he dies in an ancient land that has made an art form out of death.  So Jacob passes away in the place that was most capable of preserving his remains so they can be carried back to Canaan as a down payment that that land will be theirs!

Verses 4-6. Pharaoh shows a sign of great respect and trust.  You can contrast this with Exodus 1.  The first statement after the geneology is "now there arose a king in Egypt who did not know Joseph." But now, here, he does.

Verses 15-17. A lot of statements here.  Another deception in these verses by the brothers.  Notice how Joseph responds "Joseph wept when they spoke to him." Why? Because he wanted the years of deception to be passed, most likely.

Verse 18. Another acknowledgment of what Joseph had said years before "fell down before him."

Verse 19-20. This is not personal.  Good has come from this is what Joseph is saying.

Verse 21. He said he will provide for them so don't fear.  Joseph was kind and comforting.  

We need to ask ourselves, as in verse 20, "am I in the place of God?"  Many live trying to be exactly that.  Let's let God be God. For us, we can have the same relationship with the God that Joseph served.

Verses 22-26. The original audience who hears this know the story of the Exodus.  They know the awaiting promise and that Joseph spoke of what is going to happen.  He died at 110 years old.  Abraham 175.  Isaac 180.  Jacob 147.  Why not let him live longer?  Look at Enoch's story: a small lifespan but the most righteous life.  Joseph had a short life lived well.  Exodus picks up the story right where this paragraph leaves off.

In Hebrews 11 the names and events correlate to Genesis.  Notice at the end it says "though commended through their faith did not receive what was promised" (verse 39).  Verse 40.  What does this verse mean?  It means they saw only part of what we look back on and see in full.  We see the story of redemption from beginning to ending.  How much more should we look back on the finished work of Christ and celebrate the riches that are ours in Him. In doing this, their stories are brought to perfection and completion.

Look at Hebrews 12:1 - what is this great cloud of witnesses witnessing? The sense of the text here is that they stand witnessing the faithfulness of God to all generations.

The God who said He will do it will surely do it.

 

Welcome to Session 9 of Jen Wilkin's Genesis study.  These are my notes for this study.

The original audience would be thinking of how did the children of Israel end up in Egypt?

Chapter 41 was where we left off the story.  There we saw Joseph in a position to give bread to the world.  We also looked at 16 parellels between Joseph and Christ (look at the blog post "Tracing the Picture of Christ in the Life of Joseph").

Joseph was a "type" pointing to the greater reality that we see in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.

Genesis 42

Verses 1-5. Notice here what is happening: the old favoritism line is still rearing its head.  The famine Joseph predicted begins to reach Canaan.  It's severe enough that Jacob tells his sons to go get grain.  They will die without it. Notice Jacob's tone though here: "why are you looking at one another?"  He doesn't understand why they didn't initiate this on their own.  Who does he send? The sons of Leah. He holds back Benjamin because of his old favoritism - Rachel and her offspring.  He feared harm would happen to Benjamin.  He doesn't fear harm to the others but he does to Benjamin.

Verses 7-14. Why does Joseph keep accusing them of being spies?  He's trying to set up a test so he can learn a little bit about them - their motives.  Have they changed or are they still the same? They do give Joseph some important information: their father is still alive.  He knows also that they believe he is dead.  They also say "sons of man." Why? They are appealing to the fact that being spies is an unlikely scenario.

Verses 15-17. Why does Joseph say for them to bring Benjamin there? Probably a motive would be he wants to ensure that Benjamin is protected during the time of famine.  How unexpected is all of this? Let's see what 3 days locked up does to them, maybe Joseph is thinking.  

Verses 18-21. What do we see happening among the brothers with their dialogue? They have examined their conscience and they begin to believe that their misfortune comes from the mistreatment they gave to Joseph.

Verse 22. What is happening here with Reuben's words?  Reuben is now being the guy that everybody hates - the "I told you so" guy.  What was Reuben's main concern back then regarding Joseph? An act of self-preservation.

Verse 23. Joseph was understanding all of their conversation, even though there is an interpreter between them.  Apparently, Joseph is not speaking their native language that is why they do not recognize him.  The Egyptians had a very different cultural style than the Hebrews as well.  The Hebrews would have had full beards. Joseph was probably clean shaven.

Verse 24. Joseph wept.  He heard them expressing regret of what they did to him.  Simeon is bound.

Verse 25-35. Joseph sends them away with grain and their money.  They feared.  They trembled.  They tell their father all.

Verse 36. How does Jacob respond? (Notice too that he's "Jacob" again and described as "their father"). Classic Jacob "me."  This whole thing is a problem for him. Never mind the collective harm that could come.

Verse 37. What is Reuben doing in this verse?  He's doing what Reuben does - making a play to regain his father's favor.  How does Jacob take it?  See verse 38.

Verse 38. He immediately rebuffs him.  Hurtful speech by Jacob.  Disregard for Leah's sons endures.

Genesis 43

Verses 1-5. The brothers return to Egypt.  Why? Because the famine is very severe and they have run out of grain.

Verse 6. Notice Jacob is called "Israel" again.  He does not want them to take Benjamin, even though this is the only choice they have of getting grain and Simeon is still there.  It's still about him (Jacob) being mistreated.

Verse 8. We were told to keep our eye on Judah.  Judah uses Jacob's language in the desperation of the situation.  Judah has shifted the issue of "me", "mine" of Jacob to a "we" situation.

Verses 9-10. Once again, we see Jacob as we saw him in Dinah's story: frozen, unable to act and locked up in fear.  Judah appears to be a chastened and changed man.  What does he do? He offers to stand surety for Benjamin.

Verses 11-14. How does Israel respond? We see it here in these verses.  He says to take double the money.  It's not that they can't pay.  It's just they don't have the resources where they are - they can't get grain unless they go to Egypt.  But they think it's a matter of money.

Verses 15-22. We see next Joseph planning a feast for them in his house.  The brothers think it's a trap to do with the money they found in their sacks.

Verse 23. Notice what the steward says: "peace to you....." What we are seeing here is a loving act of deception in a story that has been full of unloving deception.

Verses 29-32. He still has to see if anything has changed.  He's still not sure about them.  We find later on why the Egyptians cannot eat with the Hebrews.  They believe that the herdsmen whole trade was an abomination but this will end up being for the protection of the Hebrew people.

Verse 33. Why would they look at one another in amazement? Because somehow Joseph knows their birth order.

Verse 34. Things began to relax a little bit here.

Genesis 44

Verses 1-12. Once again, Joseph tests them.  The final test is the silver cup hidden in Benjamin's sack.  The brothers apprehended.  The cup is found in Benjamin's sack.  Benjamin must remain as his servant.  The brothers are, of course, devastated.

Verse 13. They are going back thinking they cannot take Benjamin with them.  What does Joseph say Benjamin's fate will be? A servant in Egypt.  They didn't see a problem with doing that to Joseph but now they have changed.

Verses 14-17. Look what happens with Judah.  He speaks up for them all.

Verses 30-44. Judah basically says he is pledged to protect Benjamin.  He will remain in place of Benjamin.  Judah has changed.  Judah becomes a substitute.  He wants to bear the cost.  He wants to take on the punishment himself.  We see Judah:

• become like a firstborn
• look an awful lot like the one who will come through his line: Jesus Christ Himself

Genesis 45

Verses 1-3. "They were dismayed." Of course! They thought he was dead and they were responsible for it.  Now, Joseph is powerful.

Verses 4-8. Wow! "I told you so." Joseph does what he has done throughout the story - he is a virtuous man.  Joseph understands that God is always with him.  He wants his brothers to understand that it was God in all of this.  He wants them all to dwell in Goshen.

Verses 13-15. Reunited and re-establish a relationship.

Verses 16-23. He shares his joy also with Pharaoh.  Pharaoh is pleased.  Joseph sends them back with the things they will need for their journey to and fro.

Verse 24. "Do not quarrel on the way."  Jen will come back to this.

Genesis 46

Verses 1-3. Why do we need God telling Jacob again that He will make him into a great nation?  Because "Egypt" is considered self-reliant, so the assurance is given to Jacob that going to Egypt is exactly what He wants him to do.  It's not about self-reliance now but about a famine.

Verse 4. You have this statement that He will go down with Israel to Egypt and also bring Israel up again.  You can hear that in two ways: as a promise to Jacob the man but to the original audience they would know God was talking about them.  What does "also bring you up again" mean in this case? He's going to ask that his bones be carried out of Egypt to Canaan.

Verses 5-7. All came to Egypt.

Verses 8-22. Here are groups of lists of names.  The total coming to Egypt were 70.  What we have seen are geneologies used in specific ways.  They are not primarily concerned with giving us an accurate list of descendants.  They are concerned with teaching us something that is happening about the names.  When we see here 70 names, we can see a pattern that has been common in Genesis of a multiple of 7x10.  Two numbers that signify completeness.  We can know that the number that came in was the complete number.

Verses 28-34. We see that Jacob and Joseph are reunited.  Joseph will coach them on what they need to say.  They needed to let them know they were herdsmen.  This way, they could live in Goshen outside of Egypt (where they can be fruitful and multiply).

Genesis 47

Jacob's family settles in Goshen.  Jacob also has an audience with Pharaoh.  He speaks a blessing over him. What is being indicated here is that Jacob is the greater and Pharaoh the lesser.  Moses preserves this in the text because he wants the original audience to know that there was a time when the ruler of Egypt bowed to the rules of Israel.

The plight of the Egyptians begins to deteriorate over the course of the chapter, to the point that they are selling their livestock in exchange for food.  They end up indenturing themselves.

What is happening with the people of God?  They are thriving in Goshen.

Verses 27-31. Why is Jacob so adamant to not be buried in Egypt?  Because he finally understands that his God is the God of Abraham and Isaac and is the God who has promised the land of Canaan to the Children of God. They may not dwell there now, but he wants his bones put there as a deposit that they will return one day.

Conclusion

Jen makes comparatives of Joseph with Jesus.  This story is a promise.  It's a picture of what the individual knows of salvation.  It is a picture of what the family of God knows of salvation.  It points toward a deep place of hope that though we may now feel that we live in a land of famine, she says, that we are headed to a place where hunger and thirst are completely met in the person of Jesus Christ.

Tracing the Picture of Christ in the Life of Joseph

 As promised, these are the 16 analogies Jen gave in session 8 of tracing the picture of Christ in the life of Joseph with a concluding notes.

1. We see a beloved son deeply loved by his father who sets his favor upon him.

2. A son who is hated for his words who prophesies his coming exaltation - just as Christ did.

3. We see a son sent forth by his father, and when he comes to those who should have received him gladly, he is rejected - just like Jesus.

4. Not only is he rejected but his brothers plot to kill him - just as the Jews plotted to kill Jesus.

5. His brothers listen to his words and disbelieve him - just as the Jews disbelieve Christ.

6. He is striped and sold to the Gentiles - Jesus was sold for a pittance, 30 pieces of silver.

7. He is tried by the Gentiles - just as Jesus' trial before Pilot.

8. He is handed over to justice though he had done nothing wrong - Jesus is handed over and held prisoner.

9. Joseph suffers between two companions - one who perishes and another who was saved - just as Christ hangs on the cross between two thieves.  One he tells will be with him in paradise.

10. Joseph is delivered alive from his judgment - just as is Christ at the appointed time.

11. Joseph is given the name "revealer of secrets" - A very Christ-like name if you think about it (Luke 10:22).

12. Not only this (#11) but did you notice in the story of Joseph, he is given a new name in the way Christ receives the name above all names.

13. Not only that, but Joseph is exalted over all of Egypt - Phil. 2:9-10 Jesus exalted.

14. Joseph is given outward signs of his status.  We see Jesus clothed in righteousness and honor and authority in the book of Revelation.

15. Joseph's glory is acknowledged by all, as the glory of Christ will one day be acknowledged by all.

16. Joseph becomes the source of bread to the world. John 6:32-33 Jesus is the bread of life.

God cannot wait to bring hope to His people.

Conclusion

I hope you remember this week that every day is a day to celebrate the announcement of Christ in the story of Joseph to see that the faithfulness of God stretches all the way back to 3500 years ago in the words of scripture. Also that we should follow Joseph's example to trust God in our circumstances and to wait patiently, that we should remember His faithfulness to us in the past.

There is a day coming when Christ will be exalted to the highest place who will exalt those who also have been humbled.  So we should humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord for He will lift us up.

The other that can be taken from this story, Jen says, is that those who are called to conform to the image of Christ, we too are called to share the bread of life with a world who is perishing with a spiritual famine.  We become the bread of life that is distributed from baskets to feed the 5000.

God is quick to show us this in the life of Joseph.  Thanks be to God!

God of Covenant: Genesis 12-50 Session 8

 

We begin chapter 37 of Genesis to get some firm answers about how the children of Israel end up in Egypt.

This is introduced with the story of Joseph.  The story of Joseph is one of the clearest places that we see a type of Christ.

We understand already the tensions that exist in Jacob's family.  Joseph is the favorite son of Jacob because of his love for Rachel.  Rachel's children know it and Leah's too.  We see in this story how favoritism transfers into the lives of those children.  Rather than placing their anger on their father Jacob, they place it on Joseph.

Genesis 37

Verses 1-4. The familiar phase "these are the generations."  It introduces the life of Joseph and explains how the Israelites came to be in Egypt.  Joseph is bringing a bad report to his father about the brothers.  This would be highly offensive to the brothers, since Joseph is a younger brother.

"A robe of many colors" can also be interpreted "a coat of long sleeves."  Not clear which is the correct interpretation, Jen says.  She also says the coat of long sleeves describes the coat of an overseer.  If it's a coat of the overseer, it explains why Jacob is treating Joseph the way he is - bringing a report of his brothers.  

Joseph is consistently portrayed as a man of character.  We want to make sure we interpret these verses in light of the whole story of Joseph, Jen says.  If there is a failure in Joseph here at 17, it's probably also his youth and naivety, and not a moral failure.

Verses 5-8. Their emotion towards Joseph was hate.  This dream is going to happen.

Verses 9-11. Why do you think Jacob is more circumspect about the dream?  One thing is he loves Joseph, but there is another reason - Jacob had a dream as well of the heavens being opened remember?

Verses 12-23. Immediate obedience of Joseph.  He is going to follow his overseer role to check on his brothers.  But where? Shechem - a place of violence and danger.

Verses 14-17. Why is this man even in the text?  Because we see the sovereignty of God here.  The distance between Shechem and Dothan is a few days and during the time Joseph is wandering, a caravan is traveling down a caravan route toward Dothan.  The caravan that will carry him to Egypt.  If he would have arrived to Dothan early, he would have missed it, but the Lord arranges for things to happen.

Verse 18. How did the brothers recognize Joseph from afar? The coat.

Verses 19-22. What is Reuben doing? Reuben made a gross miscalculation in the former chapter.  He is out of favor with Jacob.  His status as firstborn is on the line.  As the firstborn, he will be held accountable for Joseph's safety.  He is interjecting himself into the way things are going in such a way that he can restore himself to favor with his father.

Verses 23-25. Very callous about Joseph, very uncaring - "they sat down to eat."  The caravan comes.

Verses 26-27. Who speaks up next? Judah.  We will want to pay attention every time we see his name in the text.  He's the one from whom the line will come.  It says "his brothers listened to him" in verse 27.  This is significant.  Where does he fall in the birth order?  He's #4.  The fact that they listened to him reveals the shift of family relations that has happened.  They know that Reuben, Simeon and Levi are on the outs because of Shechem.  Who is raising up to firstborn status now? Judah.  

Verse 28. 20 shekels was the going rate for a slave.

Verses 29-30. What was Reuben's concern? that he be preserved.

Verses 31-32. What do they not say? Our brother's robe or not.  What is the answer to their question "am I my brother's keeper?"

Verses 33-36. The sons of Jacob practice deception on their father with goats blood and a robe.  Jacob practiced deception on his father with goats hair and a robe.  He is reaping what he has sown.

Genesis 38

Without the story of Judah and Tamar we cannot possibly understand the rest of the story about Joseph.  This will be a pivotal moment in his development.

Verses 1-5. Judah has taken a Canaanite woman and had 3 sons with her.

Verses 6-7. Not a lot of data on Er.  All we know is that he was wicked and God struck him dead.

Verses 8-9. It was a provision in the law for the protection of a widow (Deut. 25:5).  Onan stands to inherit the double portion as long as there are no children from his wife and himself.

Verses 10-11. God acts justly on Tamar's behalf.  Onan dies.  She is sent back to her father's house because Judah doesn't want his third son to die.  So the story that follows should be read in the light that Tamar now is in a dangerous situation.  She is now considered a second class woman with two failed marriages.

Verses 12-14. Tamar does a desperate act.  She knows that justice has been withheld from her so she seeks it on her own terms.

Verse 15. Tamar knows her father-in-law's character that if he sees a prostitute, he will avail himself to her.

Verses 17-18. Why does she ask him for those items? Proof of his identity.  In Ruth, Tamar is celebrated as a righteous woman.  She gives birth to two kings.  David and Absalom name daughters after her.

Verses 20-23. Judah is not concerned that she cannot be found.

Verse 24. Judah has the power of life and death over this woman.

Verses 25-27. "She is more righteous than I" he says.  He's saying she is righteous and he is not.  This is a moment of awareness for Judah that will shape his behavior moving forward. He understands himself in a way he hasn't before.  This woman is contending for the justice he should have given her and he has failed to bring about justice.  We will see his own sense of justice shaped by this moment.

Verse 27. Notice what the Lord does.  The last shall be first again.  Perez comes out first.  He ends up in the line of the geneology of Christ.  Why? Because he comes from the union of Tamar and Judah. Tamar's name shows up in the geneology with only a handful of women listed there.

We are to see her as a righteous example of a Canaanite woman who entered into the line of a Jewish savior.  She represents the bringing in of the Gentiles into the kingdom.  In the geneology, the men there behaved terribly.  Tamar's name there isn't for us to say "oh God can use anybody even a prostitute."  The geneology through Christ demonstrates how God works through people who are broken and fallen and through people who are righteous.

Genesis 39

Joseph is working for him as his steward.  He rises to favor as a steward and ends up being in charge of all he has.  Things go well for a while but then....

Verse 6.  This tells us Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.

Verses 7-9. Joseph does not want to offend God.  He understands that God is with him everywhere he goes.

Verse 10. Do you hear the repeated and persistent nature of how she comes after Joseph?  He is consistent and persistent in his refusal.

Verses 11-18. Joseph doesn't feel safe to even remain in the room with her.  He flees.  But in the following verses, she accuses him of attempted rape.  She tells her husband.

Verse 19. Potiphar's response.  It doesn't say his anger was kindled against Joseph.

Verse 20. Joseph is put in prison.  Do you know what the penalty was if Joseph had in fact attempted rape? It was death.  Jen says she suspects Potiphar's anger was kindled against a woman he knew pretty well.  He finds a way to spare the life of Joseph by sending him to prison because he knows he's a man of integrity.

Verse 21. We have seen Joseph laid low then exalted to a position of honor and now we see the cycle repeat with his time in prison.

Genesis 40

He meets a cupbearer and a chief baker who have also been in prison.  They have dreams.  They tell Joseph who interprets their dreams.

Verses 14-21. Joseph asks one thing of the cupbearer that is when he is restored to remember him.  Both dreams are fulfilled but the cupbearer forgets Joseph.

Genesis 41

Verses 1-24. Two years have passed.  Pharaoh now has a two sets of dreams that are saying the same thing.  The cupbearer remembers Joseph and Joseph is sent for.

Verse 25. Consistent pattern here when Joseph interprets the dreams.  We see Joseph always attributes the interpretation to thwat God is doing.  The interpreters that worked for Pharaoh would not do that.  There is going to be 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine, Joseph tells Pharaoh.  Joseph also has a plan.

Verses 33-36. Joseph tells his plan to Pharaoh.  Joseph brings blessing to a land that has held him captive.

Verses 37-40. Joseph is placed over the entire household.

Verses 41-42. The signet ring would signify authority.  The clothing would signify dignity.  The chain would signify honor.  So he clothes him in authority, dignity and honor.

Verses 42-46. Pharaoh called him Zaphenath-panah which means "revealer of secrets."  Joseph was 30 years old when he entered Pharaoh's service.  So what do we know? 13 years had passed from the time he was thrown in the pit until the time he rose to power over Egypt.  He also gets married.

Verses 50-52. Two sons are born to Joseph - Manassah which the text tells us is about forgetting.  Ephraim also which means being fruitful in the land of his affliction.  God gives him the gift of forgetfulness and fruitfulness.  To the original audience they would hear these names and it would connect some dots for them.  These two names will become two tribes that are spoken of in later portions of the Bible.

Verses 53-55. Egypt was known as the "bread basket" of the ancient world.

Verses 56-57. Can you see how Joseph is whispering to us the Christ?

Jen then gives analogies to trace the picture of Christ in the life of Joseph in this session.  I will post those in another post called "Tracing the picture of Christ in the Life of Joseph."

God of Covenant: Genesis 12-50 Session 7

 

Welcome to Session 7 of Jen Wilkin's God of Covenant Genesis 12-50.  This session was particularly long, so my notes are quite many. She tackles Genesis 34-36.  Let's get started.

Jen gives us a view of women in Genesis.  She says that it can be tough on women.  It's a real opportunity to think through what it was like to be a woman in a near ancient Middle Eastern culture.  

We can also examine the implications for us as women today: what it means to be a follower of Christ as a female. 

In this session Jen will talk about probably the most intensely vulnerable stories about women in all of scripture.  She began with Dinah - the only female name who showed up in the baby wars list of names when Rachel and Leah were having their children.

We finished up our last session with Jacob having gone through a major shift.  He now understands that God is not just a God of Abraham and Isaac but is the God of Israel - his God.

We can probably relate to the process he has gone through where we first began to be drawn to the things of the Lord.  We understand God as someone else's God.  Over time, we came to understand He is the God of me.  The implications of that are we would live lives of obedience.  So Jacob receives a new name - Israel. It means he strives with God but also God strives.

It's good to hold both those meanings in view when we think how we relate to God and God relates to us.

We're going to see in Jacob's life that:

• He wrestles with his former self
• Moves forward with his life

He's endured a great deal as well as his family.

We know that when he had his dream and saw a ladder extending to heaven, he made a pledge to God that he would return to Bethel.  We also saw God refer to Himself twice as we looked in the previous week, as the "God of Bethel."  When he has the opportunity to move about freely and live wherever he wants, Jacob instead of going to Bethel he goes to Shechem.

It's in Shechem we see our story where the result of his delay or detour becomes immediately disastrous.

Genesis 34

Verse 1-4. There seems to be some conflicting messages in this text:

• Does he love her?
• Does he not love her?
• How are we supposed to feel about Shechem?
• Added confusion about a city named Shechem and a person named Shechem

Basically, Hamar the father has named the city after his son.  Hamar's favorite son.  Shechem acts like the favored son of a wealthy father - he takes what he wants when he sees it.

Dinah is immediately connected to Leah.  This should jump out to us because what we will see for the rest of the story of Genesis is this friction that continues to exist between the children of Leah and the children of Rachel.  God is going to use it to accomplish His ends.  We need this story in this session to set us up for what we are going to find out in the life of Joseph.

Dinah is the daughter of Leah.  It says she "went out to see the women of the land."  What does that mean?  She's a teenager going out to see what everybody is up to, like most teenagers.  She's living near a city now and interested to see what's going on.  She probably wasn't particularly supervised.  Why do you think she would have been unsupervised?  Perhaps because she is the child of Leah and Leah's children are treated with a level of disrespect.

We will see that idea played out as we take a look at how her sons act in future chapters.

Things don't go well for Dinah.  Shechem sees her and rapes her, humiliates her.  He decides then he wants to keep her.  It says "his soul was drawn to Dinah."  It tells us this after it tells of what he has done.  We cannot turn this horror into a romance.  We must follow with the flow of the text.

He tells his father "get me this girl for my wife."  A tone of entitlement.

Verse 5. Says he "held his peace until they came."  What we want this to say is "and Jacob sought the Lord." Or "Jacob demanded his daughter back" or "demanded restitution."  Instead, we see him do nothing.

Verses 6-7. The sons offer aid or a solution "as soon as they heard of it."  I hope when it hits you when you read verse 7 the way it should, Jen said.  In a historical narrative it's very rare for the author to state an opinion or a moral judgment on what is going on in the text.  They assume you'll be able to follow the moral flow of what's happening.  Moses leaves nothing to our imagination here.  He goes out of his way to repeat that this is a terrible thing that happened.

Verses 8-12. What do we see here? 

• Daddy coming to clean up the mess with money and power
• Shechem trying to use smooth speech to sweeten the deal with a generous bride price

Hamar has suggested intermarriage of their family's.  This is an unattainable suggestion.  There is no way the sons of Israel can agree to this.  It is forbidden for them to marry Canaanites.

Verses 13-17. Notice the language used here.  We see this deceit setting up Hamar and his people.  Jacob, the deceiver, will reap the whirlwind of his deceptive patterns in his sons.  Notice the language in verse 17 "we will take our daughter, and we will be gone."  Though Jacob has not treated his daughter the way he should, her brothers are determined to honor her, to give her the protection she should have had.  Their motives are right.  Their method a disaster.

Verses 18-22. Circumcision being told to the men of the city.

Verse 23. This is the selling point.  If you do this, we get all their stuff.  They intend to plot against Israel just as Israel tends to plot against them.

Verse 24-26. All the males killed.  Notice the detail we have in verse 26 - they took Dinah out of the house of Shechem after they had killed Hamar and Shechem.  Days had gone by and she is still there.

Verses 27-29. They captured all and plundered all.  What are we seeing played out here?  Is it justice? No.  This is revenge.  This is where the punishment far exceeds the crime, although the crime is a terrible act, Jacob's sons have used the sacred sign of God's Covenant as a cover for murder.

You are probably familiar with the name of Levi.  Why? Who will descend from his line? The priests of God.  Note: God can work through anyone.  This very line is the one who is called to shed the blood of animals on behalf of the people of Israel.

Verse 30. Notice the "I" and "me" in this verse.  Jacob is concerned about himself.

Verse 31. Jacob finds himself an outsider in a foreign land but also now a target of hostility from everyone they encounter.  His statements though are revealing. "Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?"  Do you hear them stating what Cain should have said about Abel? "We are our sister's keeper."

Things have spiraled because Jacob did not act.  Bitterness and awareness of neglect amongst the sons.

Notice also that in this chapter of 34, God is not mentioned.  He drops out of the narrative completely.

Genesis 35

Note that the very first word is "God".  He's mentioned 11 times in Genesis 35.

Verses 1-3.  God tells Jacob to "arise, go up to Bethel." He's saying go where you said you were going to go - Bethel.  There is also the statement "put away the foreign gods."  Wait a minute!  Remember from the last session that Rachel had stolen the household gods and concealed them in her saddle bag.  It's not clear how long Jacob has known they were there.  It appears they were not just among them but were being put to use.  Worship of foreign gods along with worship of the One True God.

Jacob is here not being called Israel.  After this terrible situation, Jacob is ready to give undivided devotion to where it goes - God.  He says "purify yourselves" and also "change your garments."

Verse 3. Jacob has had a major revelation.  God has not just been with him at Bethel but "wherever I have gone."

Verse 4. Jacob "hid them under the terebinth (the foreign gods) tree that was near Shechem." Trees in Canaan were places of idol worship.  In other translations "hid" sometimes is "buried."  What is he doing?  Holding a funeral for foreign gods in the very place they were worshiped.  This is the first burial, but there will be more to come.  For us: we do this too.  "I will worship God and _______."

Verse 5. Important detail here "a terror from God fell."  God miraculously deflects the attentions of these enemies.

Verse 8. Why do we have this detail?  We've not met her nurse.  Most commentators think this is an oblique way of pointing out Rebekkah has already died with an indicator of another passing away - our second burial is Rebekkah's nurse.

Verses 9-15. This is a repeat of years earlier.  Jacob needed this again.  He needed to know God would fulfill His Covenant still through his line.  The Covenant was unilateral and no way depended on Jacob's showing up and fulfilling his part.  God's grace is shown here.  Jacob will understand it at a deeper level than before.  God will repeat this process until Jacob's death.

This is the Christian life: 

• We sin and we find restoration
• We remember the name given to us
• We receive again the blessing
• When we sin, we know the process will take place
• We know we must grieve our sin

What Jacob is learning through this process is to turn from sin because he hates it.  His life and our life are a process of looking at things we've told ourselves for years.  "Oh, it will be fine.  It's harmless."  We come to see it for what it is and burying it in the ground where it stays buried that no resurrection of our false gods occurs.

Verses 16-19. Rachel giving birth and dying.  She calls the son Ben-oni which means "son of my sorrow." Jacob calls him Benjamin "son of my right hand."  "Rachel was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is Bethlehem). This is a little whisper of things to come.  It is a favored child born to a mother who describes him as the son of her sorrows to a father who describes him as the son of his right hand.  Bethlehem - whispers of the Christ.

Verse 20. Moses here is appealing to their sense of the local sites (the Israelites) that there are.  He's saying these are actual sites you can go visit.  Remember, this is 650 years in their past.

Verse 21. Notice he's Israel again.

Verse 22. This verse is like it was just thrown in there.  What's the problem here?  Bilhah is Rachel's servant.  Obviously, there is a problem with Reuben sleeping around to begin with but Reuben is what order in the birth order?  He's the firstborn.  Simeon is #2 and Levi #3.  Simeon and Levi have just committed a terrible act, and now the firstborn also commits a terrible act.  It's significant because women were viewed as property and on his father's death, this concubine would have belonged to Reuben.  So when he sleeps with his father's concubine, he is saying to Jacob "I wish you were dead."  It's a huge insult to Jacob.  He is enraged and we see Reuben function not as the firstborn but as something cast off.  We will see that continue on as the narrative moves forward.

Verse 23-26. The sons of Jacob are listed.  They are listed off for us.  The original audience would have listened to this with a great source of familiarity and comfort.  The names are not quite all there in the way we would expect.

Verses 27-29. Two adversarial sons joined in a final act of unity at the death of their father.  Jacob is the fourth burial we see in a very short space.

Violence and death looming large over these chapters.  Jacob buries his past.  We will see though that even though Rachel is dead, he will continue to show favoritism to her even in memorium. Leah would have lived out the rest of her life in that shadow.

Genesis 36

We get that familiar phrase in verse 1 "these are the generations of Esau."  We hear this massive list of descendants that came from Esau.  How many in the list of Jacob's descendants? 12.  How many for Esau? 81.  It says there were so many of them that it became a burden.  They couldn't be in the same area as Jacob because their possessions were too great for them to dwell together (verse 7).

They separate.  We have this list of 81 names and it's pretty revealing.  Remember Esau married two women who were Canaanites and then married a woman who was descended from the line of Ishmael.  The original audience can identify with this list of names and they became enemies of God.

Of this giant list of names, only two contain the name of God: the "El" in them.  Most connotes some sensual pleasure like the name Ado which means "delight".  One of the names Bael-Hannon includes the name of "Bael."  Though Esau forgets God, we see this played out in his descendants, God remembers His promise to Esau to make him a great nation.

God does what He says He will do.  But once again, we see the vast multiplication on the side of the family tree where we don't want to see it.  We turn to those who are called the chosen people of God and say "why only 12?"  The Lord is at work and will do exactly what He says He will do because He remembers His promises.

Conclusion

When we remember God, we're broken of our idolatry, we bury our idol.  One of the idols we bury is us.  This is why scripture speaks so often of a death to self.  We bury our idols and we die to self.  We find we too are blessed and are renamed once again.

The difficult stories we find in these three chapters have a deep impact on the rest of the story we will see as we enter into the life of Joseph.

God of Covenant: Genesis 12-50 Session 6

 

We have reached Session 6 of God of Covenant by Jen Wilkin.  These are my notes from this session.

Genesis 29

Jacob picked up the same pattern from his home of origin.  This is the story of Jacob and Rachel.

Verses 1-6. Jacob sees Rachel.

Verse 7. Narrowing the playing field. 

Verses 8-10. Jacob notices Rachel and also the sheep.  Moses wants them to remember that Laban is Rebekkah's brother. Laban - first noticed what Jacob has - all the jewels.  Rich! Jacob is going to meet his match in Laban.

Verses 16-21. Laban has two daughters - Leah and Rachel.  Leah's name means "wild cow." She also has "weak eyes." She is the oldest. Leah doesn't meet the cultural standards of being beautiful and desirable like Rachel.  Rachel on the other hand means "ewe lamb" and is beautiful. 

Verses 22-28. Jacob served Laban for 7 years to get Rachel but instead Laban gives him Leah.  She was covered.  Jacob's senses are compromised.  Irony of Isaac being deceived by Jacob. He worked another 7 years for Rachel.  Leah could not refuse her father.  

What did we learn about marriage in chapter 2?  One man, one woman, one flesh - but not here.  God works through a bad situation for His glory.

Verses 31-36. Leah was hated!  But produced male heirs.  Rachel of course became jealous of Leah.  Such a sad story.  Theology getting worse in this story.  Baby wars begin.  Leah is saying "love me."  She doesn't feel love from Jacob.  The fourth child is Judah.  It is through Leah that the seed will come.  Laban cheating Jacob, but Jacob decides to do things his way with the sheep.

Chapter 30

The children who are born between Leah and Rachel.  Every name has a meaning.

Chapter 31

Jacob returns home.  Laban pursues Jacob.  An oath is sworn between them.

Chapter 32

Esau and Jacob are to meet.  Jacob finally prays "Oh God of Abraham and Isaac" but not yet "Jacob."  Jacob wrestles with God.  "What is your name?"  A confession comes "Jacob" the deceiver.  He renames him to Israel - he strives with God or so I strive.

Verse 29. Jacob asks, "what is your name?"  God doesn't answer.  God breaks, blesses and renames.  For us as well.  This occurs at the Lord's table - broken, blesses the communion and He is given a new name above all names.

Chapter 33

Jacob goes to Shecham.  He names the altar "The God of Israel." Acknowledges God as his God.  Jacob's name (Israel) waffles back and forth between those names in later chapters and so will his behavior. Why? Because being broken, blessed and renamed is an initial way of coming to God. Also, something we are reminded of repeatedly.  We'll see that play out in the next several chapters.

Leah is pointed out as a type of Christ.  A type is when you find a character that is pointing you toward what is more fully revealed later on in scripture. 

What do we see in Leah? There was nothing in her appearance where she would be desired. The one who was rejected but given a place of honor being the one Jesus' line comes through.

Conclusion

What about us? Is there a hopelessness to our story? Leah is one who does not see her plot line resolved neatly in her lifetime, but it resolves beautifully in God's timeline.  

Can you trust the Lord with your current circumstance?  what is what you are enduring now, the uncertainty you face with the rejection you bare doesn't resolve in your lifetime but bears fruit in your children or in their children.

God of Covenant: Genesis 12-50 Session 5

 

Welcome again to God of Covenant Genesis 12-50 by Jen Wilkin.  These are my notes from Session 5.  

Genesis 25-28

Barrenness again in the chosen generation.  Why?  Because God wants us to see His plans go forward in the miraculous.  

Isaac prays for his wife.  Something Abraham did not do.  "The older shall serve the younger."  We see the cultural norm being bucked.

"Grasps the heel" - Jacob (cheater).  Favoritism  revealed - Rebekkah loved Jacob.  Isaac loved Esau.

Jacob self-reliant attitude. 

Chapter 26

God stops Isaac from going to Egypt.

Verses 3-5. Reassuring Isaac of the promise.  He was Abraham's God and He will be Isaac's God.

Verses 6-7. Repeats the same problem again "she is my sister."  Sounds familiar doesn't it?  God blesses Isaac in his disobedience.  Just as He did Abraham.

Esau married a Canaanite woman.  Isaac is determined to pass the blessing onto his favorite child.

Chapter 27

Verses 6-10. Rebekkah is arranging by trickery what has already come his way.

Sensual nature of Isaac "food such as his father loved" - three times.

• Touch
• Taste 
• Smell

Jacob means "deceiver."  Isaac had planed to give all to Esau despite God's decree.  And through the evil plan of Jacob, God still works out His righteous plan.  Herod the Great is a descendent of the line of Esau so "you shall break his yoke from your neck" happens.

Jacob flees to Laban Rebekkah's brother.  

Chapter 28

He has a dream (John 1:51).  The ladder - stairway (Christ Himself the go between).

Verses 19-22. Jacob speaks in conditional terms.

Christ waits to bear your words to God and God's words to you.

This concludes Session 5.

God of Covenant: Genesis 12-50 Session 4

Welcome to Session 4 of Jen Wilkin's God of Covenant Genesis 12-50 Bible study.  These are my notes from this session. 

Chapter 21

These two phrases are repeated: "As He had said" and "As He had promised." There is an establishing of exactly who this child is "born to him", "Sarah bore him."

Isaac means "he laughs." Sarah laughed too.

Verses 1-7. God says "is anything too hard for the Lord?" No there isn't.

Sarah now finds joy in the Lord too.  No more bitterness.  No circumstance is too hard for the Lord.  No heart is too hard for the Lord.  The theme of laughter continues "Hagar laughing."

Verse 10. Isaac versus Ishmael.  Sarah wants nothing to do with Hagar and her son Ishmael.

Verse 11. "On account of his son."  This was plan B initiated by Sarah.

Verses 12-14. There are some things to point out here:

• Sarah having a plan about Hagar.  Abraham listened.  He listened at this time to Sarah instead of the Lord
• This time the Lord says "listen to Sarah."

Verses 15-17. "And God heard." Ishmael means this.

Verses 17-18. She hears the promise reiterated to her.

Verses 19-21. God meeting with a Gentile woman at a well.  Demonstrates great mercy to her in her hour of need. Here is God's complete faithfulness to all parties:  Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Isaac and Ishmael.

In Galatians 4:21-27, what does this mean?  Born through flesh and born through promise.  Ishmael born according to the will of man.  Self-preservation.  Isaac born of the will of God.  A picture of our salvation:

• By obeying the law they can save themselves
• But we can see salvation as by the will of God Himself

"Abimelech" is the leader of the philistines.  Abraham makes a treaty with him in verses 22-34.  It's a title and not a name.  There is mutual respect between them.  A Covenant is made of peace.

Verses 33-34. What can we know? "Many days" means a significant amount of time had passed.

Genesis 22

Time reference "after these things."  A significant portion of time has passed.  Isaac may be 19.  Abraham is very old.  There is a call and response "Abraham" "Here I am."  This is the third or fourth test Abraham has faced.  "Do you trust me?"  God called him out of Ur to let go of his past.  And now, God calls him to let go of his future.

Verse 3. Abraham obeys.  It says "and his son Isaac".  It doesn't just say "his son."  

Verse 4. Don't miss this! This is a story pointing to Christ - "on the third day." 

We saw:

• The willingness of a father to sacrifice his son
• The son labored under an effective death sentence for three days

Verses 4-5. Important things happening here.  He's "going to worship" is what he says.  When Abraham uses the term "worship", it's referring to the place of sacrifice.  Worship to them is the place of sacrifice.  They understood that to come to God in worship was to come and sacrifice (not like our worship today), at great expense.

Romans 12:1 - this is for us today.  The principle of worship being tied to sacrifice.  

Abraham says this "and come again to you" in verse 5.  This is a faith statement here.  Hebrews 11:19 gives insight.  Abraham believes the promise, believes God is a resurrection God.  He doesn't need convincing.  Wood laid parallel - Christ and the cross.  The father carrying the fire and the knife.

Verses 7-8.  "Together". NT crucifixion. Father and son moving in agreement for what's next.  Isaac would have had to climb willingly on the altar to be sacrificed - Abraham was too old to place this teen there.

Verses 10-11. The call is urgent but tender.

Verse 12. Did God just learn that Abraham fears Him?  No!

Verses 13-14. Abraham finally knows that it is by God's provision I am safe (Romans 8:32).  Do you know that whatever need you are currently facing, wondering if God will provide, that your greatest need has already been met.  

Verse 15. Don't you know Abraham needed to have this promise reiterated - "possess the gates of his enemies."  References to Christ.  

Verse 20. Offspring of Milcah - what? His brother Nahor's wife.  Setting us up for what's about to come.

Verse 23. Rebekkah.  letting us know that Abraham's great niece is about to enter the narrative and be significant to us.

Genesis 23

Abraham weeps at the death of Sarah.  It would have been the practice to be buried in their homeland.  Committed to that land.  God is capable and nothing is too hard for Him.

Genesis 24

"Put your hand under my thigh."  This is an oblique reference to circumcision.  He's saying "swear to me by the Covenant."  What is the importance of verses 3-4?  Isaac must marry a woman from the line of Shem. "You must not take my son back there."  Why?  He understands the risk.  Rebekkah comes and does exactly what the servant had prayed.

Verse 29. Laban.  Somebody just showed up with some money.  What does Laban do?  Hears the story.  "Ask her".  "I will go."  We see a picture of the church, a bride who willingly goes to be with a bridegroom.

Verse 60. The blessing.  This is what the Lord said to Abraham.  Rebekkah becomes the matriarch now.

Abraham, Isaac, servant and Rebekkah - father, son, servant is the work of the Holy Spirit retrieving a bride.  Delivers a bride who was in the clutches of a deceiver, Laban.  Then we have this bride (the church) who responds immediately and willingly.

• God the Father
• God the Son
• God the Holy Spirit
• The Church

Genesis 25

List of enemies of Israel.  Matthew 1:1 - the promise is fulfilled.  All the promises to Abraham come true in Christ.

Verses 12-18. What do we see being illustrated in the text?  Ishmael is a father of a multitude in his death.  

Do you have a current circumstance where God is as good as He said?  The Church of God does not shrink.  Anytime the Church faces opposition the Church grows.

This concludes Session 4 of God of Covenant

God of Covenant: Genesis 12-50 Session 3 Part 2

 

Welcome to my continued notes of Session 3 of God of Covenant.  This is Part 2 of a Jen Wilkin Bible study. This is a long session of many notes.

We saw: Covenant announced to Abraham.

We saw: Upon receiving the covenant news, Abram is tested with famine.  Act of self-reliance he goes to Egypt - echoes of the Exodus story.

• We saw: Covenant brought back into play, ratified by God alone.  Initiated and confirmed by God.  Abram unconscious.  God is the only one who can bring us from death to life.

We saw: Another scene where self-reliance ruled the day - Sarai (plan B).  We've seen trusting and faith and then wavering into self-reliance.

Chapter 17. Covenant of circumcision.

Verses 1-3. Abram has been waiting for 24 years by this time, waiting for the initial covenant message, waiting for itself to be true.  Thirteen years have passed since Ishmael was born.  It's natural to assume that in these 13 years (even though God has said), that Abram will feel an attachment to Ishmael.

Verses 4-5. What just happened with this renaming?  We know that names in the OT were meant to be prophetic.  "Abram" = Father of Many (not having any).  "Abraham" = Father of a multitude."  God speaks this name over him - so profound.  God speaks it; it's done (verse 5) "I have made you" - done.

Verses 6-8. God has a sign He wants associated with this covenant - circumcision.  Why circumcision? Because every male who is marked, the vehicle for begetting needs to bear this sign.  The means by which Abraham will become a great nation.  

• Needs to bear a tangible reminder that it's God's faithfulness that brings this about.  It's marked as a reminder of original sin passed from Father to son and also
• Marked as a warning that those who forsake the covenant, will be cut off.
• Marked as a promise because the seed of Christ will ultimately come through Abraham's line.

It's an appropriate sign (a bloody sign) because the parting of flesh and the shedding of blood are a reenactment of that covenant theme where Abraham lay unconscious and God placed the covenant in place.

Think about the sign for the New Covenant: baptism.  An un-bloody sign for the New Covenant.  Why? Because there is no longer any need for the shedding of blood for sins remission.  The final sacrifice has been made.  The covenant again ratified by Jesus. God's means for circumcision sign to be personal.

Verses 15-16. "Sarah" = princess.  "I will give you a son by her."  Hebrew "have given."  This thing is done.  Abraham and Sarah don't perceive it to be done but God says it's done.

Verses 17-18. Abraham bursts into laughter.  Why?  This is a different kind of laughter.  A joyful laughter of a man of faith.  "This is too good to be true" kind of laughter.  An underlying sentiment follows: Plan B could still work right?

Verse 19. God's response: "No. Sarah is your wife; call him Isaac" meaning "he laughs."

Verse 20-21. News flash! They have waited 24 years and now the time frame is given to them.  What else is going on here with these name changes?  Did you notice "Abram" became "Abraham" "Sarai" became "Sarah."  The "ha" sound here is meaningful.  The "Ru-ah" of God (Genesis 1-11) which is the Spirit and Breath of God that hovered over the waters of creation.  Breath of God also that was breathed into man when he was formed.

The breath of God that blew over the flood waters of the earth.  When the flood waters dried up.  The "ac" of God.  It's here now in these names.  Their plain human names combined with the breath of God.  They are enlivened and called to His purposes.

Typical of Abraham - he immediately obeys the covenant of circumcision.

Chapter 18. Another kind of laughter.

Verses 1-6. Abraham resting outside his tent at the heat of day.  "By the oaks of Mamre."  Oaks were the place where foreign gods were worshiped.  Specifically, fertility gods.  Here we have a question of the fertility of this chosen man of God.  Pattern: "lifts up his eyes."

We're not sure yet who the three men are.  He says "Oh Lord." We can get thrown off here.  This is a title of respect. 

Typical pattern of near ancient Middle Eastern culture and hospitality verses 4-5.

Verses 6. He's preparing a feast.  These things take time: Bread and meat.

Verse 8. Curds and milk brought to them.  Why doesn't he sit? He's standing ready to serve.  A sign of his humility.

Verse 9.  "Sarah, your wife." These three people are a manifestation of God.  God knows where Sarah is.  He is inquiring for the purpose of drawing people in.  "In the tent" you can hear every single thing going on.  Sarah hasn't heard the promise of a child from God yet.  God now is going to give this promise directly to her.

Verses 10-11. "The way of woman."  What does Moses want us to understand? No longer able to have a child now.  No hope of being fertile.

Verse 12. Is this the same kind of laughter that Abraham had? No.  It's a bitter laugh.

Verse 13. "Sarah laughed to herself in the tent."  Why did Sarah laugh? She is finding out what Hagar found out - He's the God who hears and sees.

Verses 14-15. Nothing is too hard for the Lord.  Why was Sarah afraid?  She realizes who these three men must be.  God responded to her life (Annanias/Saphira).  But here we see a longsuffering God.  Listen how Abraham and Sarah are spoken of in Hebrews hall of faith.  Hebrew 11:11-12.  Abraham was "as good as dead."  Romans 4:19 NIV "as good as dead."  Sarah's womb also dead.

What is the message? Dead.  God has them exactly where He wants them to be - where the only reason a child could come would be a miraculous one.  He intends to display to them and all that witness the event that He is a God who brings life out of death (praise you God!)

Verses 16-20. Tension being set up here.  If ever there was a lesson regarding the wages of sin, it's the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.  God is saying "should I conceal this from Abraham, who's going to need to understand the importance of righteousness?" - to keep the way of the Lord.  This is something Abraham needs to witness, a teaching moment.

Verses 20-21. "Out cry" = God hears.  "to see" = God sees.  God comes down "to see."  He did this in Eden, tower of Babel.  God wants to witness what's happening.  Why? He's bearing witness that He can beyond doubt establish the guilt of those He is going to see.  God's judgments are perfect and made with every fact in view.  We must understand this.  If we are tempted to look at His judgment and call them too harsh, we may be thinking that because our whole experience of going through a legal process where justice is melted out is with a judge who has limited facts and a jury as well.  Eye-witnesses don't remember things as well.  The judge here, the Lord, holds all the facts.

Verses 22-23.  Abraham questions.  God will never sweep away the righteous with the wicked.

Verses 24-25. "Yes." God will do what is just.

Verse 26. "Not only will I not make the righteous perish with the wicked, I won't even make the wicked perish, if there are 50 righteous." He keeps going down to 10.  Even if 10, He will not do it.

Here's what is NOT happening.  Abraham is NOT bargaining with God.  God knows how many righteous there are.  He's being patient with Abraham.  Why?  He's interceding for others.  Also, will learn a lesson about the severity of sin and the faithfulness of God to eradicate it.

Genesis 19. God Himself plus two angels.  Where was lot sitting? In the gate of Sodom.  Where lot came from: Pitched his tent toward Sodom; then living in Sodom; this indicates (at the gate) that in all likelihood he is a city leader.  Wow! 

Verses 1-2. We see a similar scene like when they found Abraham at the door of his tent. Verse 2 still.  They are messing with Lot.

Verse 3. What are they doing? Establishing his awareness of just how bad things are.

Verse 4. "All" - the people surrounded the house.  Why this language?  Establishing the guilt of the whole place.

Verse 5. "Know them." Sexual relations.

Verses 6-7.  "My brothers." "Wickedly."  Lot knows there is wickedness.

Verse 8. The view of women here in the Middle East: is she beautiful, a virgin, can she have a baby.  A trump card here.

Verse 9. Quickly the hands of brotherhood are severed as soon as their sin is pointed out.  A sojourner and now unwelcome.

Verse 10. Angels brought Lot back in and shut the door.

Verse 11. Struck with blindness.  They wore themselves out trying to find the door.  Set on doing evil.

Verse 12. Lot goes to the men who are supposed to marry his daughters.  The son-in-laws think he is joking (13-14).

Verse 15-16. "But he lingered." God promised "I will bless those who bless you."  Lot is being bailed out because of Abraham. 

Verses 17-20. "This city is near enough."  He's bargaining that he might go to Zoar - not the hills.  In chapter 14, Zoar was in a grouping of cities which included Sodom and Gomorrah.

Verses 23-26. Lot's wife.  Why a pillar of salt?  And what is indicated by her looking back?  She's going to miss it.  In this time period, what was salt used for?  A preservative.  She's preferring in her heart a fond memory of Sodom.  Don't look behind you when I deliver you from sin.  Luke 17-32-33 "remember Lots wife."  

Verse 27. Abraham knows now there were not even 10.

Verse 29. Delivers Lot for Abraham's sake.

Verse 30-38.  Daughters seek to secure offspring by incest.  Original context of the audience - verse 37.  Moab (Moabites).  Verse 38 - Ben Ammi (Ammorites).  "This is where those enemies came from" (original audience).

Chapter 20:1-7. Abraham again messes up. 

Verse 8. Role reversal.  Abimelech rises early to obey.  The pagan will lecture Abraham.

Verses 9-12. Who here is demonstrating a greater fear of the Lord?  Abimelech.

Verse 13.  Sarah is old here.  A good political alliance.  Abimelech sends Abraham with stuff.

Verse 16. "You brother."  Why is this important?  This story is worse because Sarah is probably already pregnant.  There must be clarity about who the father is.  God will jealously protect His covenant.

We await a better Savior!

This concludes Session 3 of God of Covenant.