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Promises Kept (Gen 12-50)
Gen 33 ended with Jacob moving to the city of Shechem. What was so significant about this move? Shechem was not Bethel, where God made a covenant with Jacob. In Gen 28:20, Jacob made a vow, where he promised that he would return if God was with him and protected him and provided for him. Throughout Gen 29-33, we read of God's fulfilment of His part, yet, Jacob did not return to Bethel.
At the end of Gen 32, Jacob wrestled with God and prevailed. However, the circumstances still had not changed. Esau was still on the way to meet him with 400 of his men. It is under these circumstances that Gen 33 begins.
In Gen 31, Jacob received his orders from God to leave Laban and go home but he had a big problem on his hands. For Jacob to leave Laban and to head home meant that he had to face Esau and his return journey took him through the land where Esau lived. Jacob and Esau parted on bad terms, with Esau threatening to hunt him down and kill him in Gen 27:41. Therefore, to return meant that Jacob had to face a lingering fear and problem in his life.
More changes take place in Jacob's life in Gen 31, but yet, we continue to see a faithful God who works ceaselessly through it all.
The previous studies have focused on Rachel and Leah, and the sons of Jacob. In this study, we'll take a closer look at Jacob, the man God chose to use.
At this point in Genesis, Jacob is living with Laban, and is married to both Leah and Rachel. Genesis 30:1-24 is an account of the domestic, marital life as told from the perspective of the sisters. It is one filled with much brokenness and pain, as with all life after Genesis 3. What can we learn from this passage?
The passage picks up after Jacob leaves Beersheba for Haran. Jacob was heading back to the land that Abraham came from in order to find a wife.
(A) Lessons from Jacob: blessing and call to holiness (v.1-5)
(B) Lessons from Esau: hardened and sinful heart (v.6-9)
Today's passage begins with a famine, and the writer took pains to distinguish it from "the former famine that was in the days of Abraham" (v1). The rest of the passage records for us Isaac's response, and his own journey of faith, but is careful to set up an important parallel to events in the life of Abraham.
This section begins with a genealogy, which was last seen in Gen 5. Genealogies signal divisions in the book of Genesis, and here, it signals the beginning of a new chapter.
It was the end of an 'era', with the death of the great Patriarch. Yet, God's plans and purposes still continue. This session serves as a transition from Abraham, to his son Isaac.
In Gen 24:1-28, we learn of the special task given to the servant of Abraham -- to journey back to his kindred and find a wife for his son Isaac. At the end of last week, we saw God's faithfulness in leading Rebekah to the servant. This study continues the narrative, as the servant interacts with Rebekah's family.
This chapter continues after the death and burial of Sarah in Gen 23. The theme of God's covenantal promise continues on throughout events in this chapter.
(A) The Proper Princess (Gen 23:1-3)
(B) The Princely Price (Gen 23:4-16)
(C) The Promised Property (Gen 23:17-30)
This chapter is a significant milestone in the narrative in Genesis. The passage begins with the words "after these things" in verse 1, implying that the writer assumed that the readers know events prior to this chapter -- that the world is a cursed broken one (Gen 3), and that through Abraham and his offsprings, God promised to bless it (Gen 12). Therefore, understanding this passage in its context, as well as its place in the larger storyline will help us uncover its richness.
In this study, we took a slightly different approach and did a close reading of not one, but two passages. The case of Hagar and Ishmael present a very complicated situation in the reading of the Bible. Thus we need to look at what the Old and New Testaments say together about this. Both the Old and New Testaments interact and ultimately point us to Jesus.
These verses take us to the lives of two different families.
Last week we read of how Abraham interceded on behalf of Lot in Sodom. Today, the passage focused on events in Sodom itself.
In today's passage, the narrative continues from where we left off last week. Abraham sent the visitors on their way as part of his great hospitality, and shows kindness to these visitors.
In Genesis, God stages an encounter with Sarah. The previous chapters have focused on God making covenants and reiterating His promise to Abraham. But in this chapter, the spotlight shifts from Abraham to Sarah.
