rape – Quest For Truth

Chronological Study (012/365)

June 9, 2024Tagged 'āḏôn, 'āhaḇ, Abrahamic, adon, Allon-bacuth, Asher, ben-'ônî, ben-oni, Benjamin, Bethel, Bethlehem, Bible study, Bilhah, binyamin, binyāmîn, camp, chronology, circumcised, circumcision, commentary, concubine, contended, contending, contends, dabaq, Dan, Deborah, deceit, deception, defiled, defilement, Dinah, dislocate, dislocated, dislocates, dāḇaq, El Shaddai, El-Elohe-Israel, Ephrath, Esau, Father in Heaven, Gad, Genesis, Genesis 32, Genesis 33, Genesis 34, Genesis 35, God Almighty, God's Word, H157, H1692, H3478, H3820, H4029, H4264, H4266, H4820, H5315, H6439, Hamor, Hebrew, Hebron, hip, Hivite, idolatry, idols, Isaac, Israel, Issachar, Jabbok river, Jacob, Jewish, Joseph, Judah, judaism, kill, Kiriath-arba, lave, lay with her by force, Leah, Levi, Lord, Luz, lēḇ, maḥănayim, maḥănê, Mahanaim, maiden, Mamre, messianic Judaism, miḡdal-ʿēḏer, migdal-eder, mirmâ, murder, Naphtali, nephesh, nep̄ešh, oak of Moreh, Old Testament, penû'ēl, peniel, Pentateuch, Penuel, Pointless Thorns, pointlessthorns, preincarnate, prevailed, prevails, Rachel, rape, raped, Rebekah, Rebekah's nurse, Reuben, royal priesthood, Shechem, Simeon, socket, son of the right hand, son of the south, Strongs, Tanakh, theophany, TNKH, Torah, who's your daddy?, Word of GOD, wrestled, wrestler, wrestles, wrestling, yiśrā'ēl, Zebulun, Zilpah, אָדוֹן, אָהַב, דָּבַק, יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵב, מִגְדַּל־עֵדֶר, מִרְמָה, מַֽחֲנֶה, מַֽחֲנַיִם, נֶפֶשׁ, פְּנוּאֵלLeave a comment

Genesis 32:1 – 35:27

THE GOD OF ISRAEL
(Genesis 32-33)

Genesis 32:1-2 says, “¹Now as Jacob went on his way, the angels of God met him. ²Jacob said when he saw them, ‘This is God’s camp.’ So he named that place Mahanaim.”

Reminiscent of Jacob’s vision of the ladder/stairway to Heaven (28:16-17), Jacob again is granted access to see into the spiritual realm. This time, he notices that the angels are with him, not merely going up and down between Heaven and earth. The word “camp” is the Hebrew word מַֽחֲנֶה [H4264] maḥănê (makh-an-ay’), which means a camp, host, or company, whether of soldiers or tribes. And the word “Mahanaim” Jacob chose to name the location is the Hebrew מַֽחֲנַיִם [H4266] maḥănayim (makh-an-ay’-yim), which is the dual of the prior word and means two camps. In other words, Jacob essentially exclaimed, “My camp is here, but so is a heavenly camp of the Lord’s angels!” Whereas Bethel (which means “house of God”), suggested a fixed location for GOD, this maḥănê (camp) implies that the Lord’s heavenly army is mobile. Indeed, GOD is with Jacob, just as He promised He would be (28:15).

In 32:3-5, knowing that he is returning to the land of his father, Jacob takes the initiative to reconnect with his brother Esau because he knows that he will eventually be forced to confront his past. Seeking to find favor in his brother’s sight, Jacob instructs his messengers to go ahead of him to Esau. In the Hebrew, word play is involved between 32:1 and 32:3 with the word מַלְאָךְ [H4397] mal’āḵ (mal-awk’), which does mean messenger when referring to a mere human, but is also translated to mean an angel when referring to the Lord’s messenger. So, the Lord sent messengers (angels) from His camp to meet Jacob, and Jacob decides to send messengers from his camp to meet Esau. When Jacob sends his messengers, he instructs them to address Esau as “lord” and to refer to Jacob as his “servant”. Now, when Jacob calls Esau “lord”, it is important to understand that Jacob is not referring to him as the Lord, or acknowledging him as a god; rather, the word “lord” is the Hebrew אָדוֹן [H113] ‘āḏôn (aw-done’), which means a king, a master, an owner, or someone who is in control. Thus, Jacob acknowledging and declaring himself to be in a lower position than Esau was an act of humility. In fact, this act of humility is a redemptive role reversal of when Jacob took advantage of Esau in order to acquire his birthright and blessing (25:29-34; 27:5-38). Essentially, Jacob’s actions declared that he was not first; moreover, he desired for Esau to be blessed.

In 32:6-8, Jacob’s messengers returned and stated that Esau was coming to meet him and that 400 men were with Esau. This news terrified Jacob. Why? Because in 27:41-42, the last memory he had of his brother is when his mother informed him that Esau intended to murder him. After all, with only 318 men, Abraham defeated the combined forces of four kings (14:14-16), so 400 men had the potential of completely wiping out Jacob and his entire line. Consequently, Jacob divided everyone and everything into two camps, thinking that if Esau attacked them, then at least one camp might be able to escape with their lives. Now, the Hebrew word used is מַֽחֲנֶה [H4264] maḥănê (makh-an-ay’), which is the same word that was used to describe the two camps of Jacob’s tribe and the angels of the Lord in 32:1-2. At first, Jacob was one whole camp, but then the fear of his brother tore him in half into two camps. But if the second camp was supposed to be the angels of the Lord who were with him, why did Jacob allow the fear of his brother to overcome him? Simply put, the reason is because Jacob was human and he allowed his emotions to overcome the logical truth that the Lord’s angels were with him. However, despite his fear, in 32:9-12, Jacob responded by turning to the Lord in prayer. Though Jacob did use GOD’s personal name (YHWH) for the first time, Jacob prayed to the GOD of Abraham and Isaac, revealing yet again that he had not committed himself wholeheartedly to a personal relationship with the Lord. In his prayer, he reminded the Lord of all that the Lord had promised him and then he requested for the Lord’s protection while also humbly acknowledging the fact that he was undeserving of all the love and faithfulness the Lord had already shown him, recognizing that he started with nothing and is now blessed to even be able to be two camps. Jacob reflected on his decision to walk with the Lord and how it brought him blessings. Why would the GOD of Bethel abandon him now? Truly, there’s only two paths we can walk in life, either the path of righteousness or the path of wickedness (Deuteronomy 11:26-28; 30:15-20; Proverbs 3:6-7; Ezekiel 18; John 3:18-21; Romans 1:28; 1John 3:4-10). C.S. Lewis might have said it best: “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ ” And so Jacob stayed where he was at while waiting for the Lord to guide him under His protection.

In Genesis 32:13-21, Jacob attempted to spend the night where he was at, but apparently was unable to sleep. While waiting for the Lord to respond to his prayer of protection, Jacob formulated a plan and then took action. Jacob decided to send ahead of him a peace offering gift of over 500 animals for Esau to keep for himself. This gift was larger than many towns would have been able to pay in tribute to conquering kings even at later dates, indicating just how much GOD had blessed Jacob. Not only did Jacob send over 500 animals, but in a tactical move of defense, he sent them one drove at a time, and put a space between each drove. If Esau and his men had in mind to conquer and plunder, this would have potentially saved them the trouble of exerting energy in battle. After sending the peace offering ahead of him, Jacob was still unable to sleep and so in 32:22-23, he decided to send everyone and everything across the shallow point of the Jabbok (yab-boke’) river to continue their journey even though it was still dark outside.

However, in 32:24-32, this decision to send everyone and everything across the river left Jacob alone on the other side, and abruptly, “a man” wrestled with him until daybreak. Thus, Scripture reveals a theme of mankind’s unceasing desire to wrestle against each other and against GOD. At first, Leah and Rachel wrestled against each other (30:7-8), then Laban and Jacob wrestled against each other (29:25; 31:26-30), and now Jacob finds himself wrestling with a mysterious “man”. Now, when this “man” saw that Jacob wouldn’t allow Him to prevail against Jacob, the “man” dislocated the socket of Jacob’s thigh where it meets his hip and then He told Jacob to let Him go because the dawn was breaking. Jacob, however, said he refused to let go until the “man” blessed him. In response to Jacob’s request to be blessed, the “man” asked Jacob, “What is your name?” And Jacob answered, “Jacob.” However, the “man” said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” Jacob then asked for the name of the “man”, but His response was only, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And then the “man” blessed Jacob. And then as it is written, Jacob named the place Peniel because he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” And then as the sun came up, and the “man” was gone, Jacob continued his journey, limping.

As previously discussed in the topic of theophany, the “man” in this story is none other than the preincarnate Christ, the Lord Himself. For this reason, Jacob named the location פְּנוּאֵל [H6439] penû’ēl (pen-oo-ale’), which means face of God or facing God. It is also the reason the Lord said to Jacob, “you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” How did Jacob prevail? Because he refused to give up; he was determined to be blessed. Jacob refused to let go of the Lord and so he received the Lord’s blessing! Hosea 12:3 will later recount this event by saying, “In the womb he took his brother by the heel, And in his maturity he contended with God.”

Now, even though Jacob said that he had seen GOD “face to face”, that does not mean he literally saw the entirety of the Lord’s face. Not only is this an expression that describes personal or intimate contact, but we must remember that the entire wrestling match happened during the darkness of night. For this reason, I believe the Lord instructed Jacob to let go of Him prior to sunrise so that Jacob would not be able to see His face entirely. In fact, the Lord chose to dislocate the socket of Jacob’s thigh to initiate a conclusion to the wrestling match because Jacob refused to let go until he received a blessing. However, to receive His blessing, Jacob had to answer a simple question: “What is your name?” And Jacob answered, “Jacob.” But why did Jacob’s answer of such a simple truth earn him the blessing? Because Jacob’s history had been centered around lies regarding his identity. In Genesis 27:18-19, Isaac asked Jacob who he was, but Jacob lied and claimed to be Esau, the person who rightfully deserved the blessing. But this time, Jacob told the truth and humbly confessed his character flaw and his true identity – he is Jacob, the heel grabber, deceiver, and supplanter (25:26; 27:36). In his past, Jacob had been determined to be blessed even if he had to receive his blessing through deceitful deeds. Though Jacob is still seeking to be blessed (which is a good desire), he is now humble and desires to receive blessings through honesty and hard work. Due to Jacob’s character development over 20 years of being deceived by Laban, Jacob was now humble enough to receive the Lord’s blessing. Hence, the Lord renamed him from Jacob to “Israel”, which is the Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל [H3478] yiśrā’ēl (yis-raw-ale’), which means God’s power, God prevails, God fights, or God contends. Thus, the Lord made it known that every blessing and victory Jacob will ever receive will not come from Jacob’s own power out from deception, but due to the Lord’s power, holiness, love, and grace. However, the name Israel also has a meaning of contending with GOD, implying that Jacob wrestled with GOD and will no longer strive against man because all his struggles will now be taken directly to the Lord. And the fact that Jacob wrestled the Lord in the darkness and then became Israel when the sun came up showcases the image of salvation! Consider the following:

In Isaiah 9:2, the prophet speaks of hope in the Messiah and says, “The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.” And then Jesus quotes this verse in Matthew 4:16.

In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

In John 12:46, Jesus says, “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.”

In Acts 26:18, after Jesus blinded Paul (Saul) with light brighter than the sun, Jesus commanded Paul to open the eyes of both Jews and Gentiles “so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in [Christ].”

In Romans 13:12, Paul says, “The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

In Ephesians 5:8, Paul says, “you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light.”

In Colossians 1:13-14, Paul says, “¹³For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, ¹⁴in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

In 1Thessalonians 5:4-6, Paul says, “⁴But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; ⁵for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; ⁶so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.”

In 1Peter 2:9-10, Peter says, “⁹But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Therefore, Jacob – now Israel – is a representative of GOD-Almighty and now walks in the light as a chosen child of GOD of the royal priesthood. However, so that Israel would understand not to rely on his own power, the Lord dislocated the socket of his thigh; consequently, Israel continued on his journey, blessed by the Lord, but humbled and limping, no longer able to run away from the consequences of his choices. And this entire story paints a beautiful picture that when a person seeks the Lord in prayer and asks to be rescued, that person will encounter a wrestling match with the Lord due to his/her sinful nature of darkness. And when that person wrestles with the Lord while seeking the Lord’s blessing, that person will never walk the same again because that person will be changed, will become a new person, will not rely upon his/her own strength, and will rely upon the Lord. That person will be changed and will walk in the light as a chosen child of GOD of the royal priesthood! Israel became a wrestler who overcomes and receives blessings because the Lord took hold of him. The Lord taught Israel not to grab at the heel of any man, but to hold on to GOD and never let go. If you set out to grab onto GOD, GOD will grab hold of you! For this reason, it is written in James 4:8, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” And when the Lord grabs hold of you, truly, as it is written in 2Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” For this reason, it is also written in Revelation 2:17, “To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.”

In Genesis 33:1-3, Israel, now limping, and still having not slept the night before, yet sober and alert, looked up and noticed that Esau and his 400 men were coming toward him. With adrenaline flowing through his veins, Israel divided the children among the two maids, Leah, and Rachel, putting the maids and their children in front, Leah and her children after them, and then Rachel and Joseph last. Why did he do this? Favoritism. Israel positioned them according to prioritized favor, which would have allowed Rachel and Joseph the best opportunity to flee for their lives if Esau and his men attacked. And with Joseph being the only child listed by name, Scripture is setting the stage for his prominent position we will later see. However, in a selfless and masculine act of love, Israel then “passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother”, placing himself between the women and children and the potential threat. Before Israel wrestled with GOD, he planned to stay behind and use his servants as shields to protect himself (32:16-21); however, after receiving his new name and identity, he decided to go ahead of everyone in an act of sacrificial love. This is an example of how the love of GOD changes us from the inside out and realigns us with GOD’s will! The fact that he bowed down to the ground seven times showcases total submission, signifying to Esau that if he had any intentions of battle, then Israel surrendered in advance. Essentially, Israel gave honor to Esau while also requesting mercy and pleading for peace. And then 33:4 says that Esau ran to Israel. How would you feel in that moment if you were Israel, not knowing if your brother is running toward you with excitement or with rage? Yet the verse continues by saying that Esau embraced Israel and then they both wept. 20 years of emotions streamed down their faces in the form of tears. By Esau forgiving Jacob and not attacking him, Esau was showing Jacob the love of GOD (Matthew 6:12-15; 18:21-35; Mark 11:25; Luke 6:37; 7:47; 11:4; 17:3-4; 2Corinthians 2:7-8; Colossians 3:13). After all, as it is written, ‘the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1John 4:20; see also, 1Timothy 5:8).

In Genesis 33:5-11, Israel continues to address Esau as “lord” and refers to himself as “servant” while explaining that all the animals Esau had seen were a gift for him. Esau, addressing Israel as his “brother” declines the gift at first, but at Israel’s insistence, he finally accepts the gift. Esau’s acceptance of the gift was important to Israel because this was restitution for the wrongdoings he had committed against his brother 20 years ago. Now, in 33:10, when Israel said, “I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably”, he was not implying that Esau was like a god, but merely making a connection of the fact that Esau received him favorably and spared his life just like the “man” did who recently blessed him (32:30). If you remember, Israel believed he saw the “face of God” in that “man” who received him favorably, blessed him, and spared his life. Thus, to be received with such favor is like the encounter he had with the Lord. Therefore, when we act like the Lord, people will see the Lord when they look at us.

In 33:12, Esau says, “Let us take our journey and go, and I will go before you.” The minor details in the language are important. Esau used inclusive language such as “us” and “our” to communicate to his brother that there is no division between them. Further, Esau even offered to go before Israel, signifying that he will ensure Israel’s safety. However, in 33:13-18, Israel, still addressing his brother as “lord” and referring to himself as “servant”, explains that he is unable to travel with Esau and his men because their fast pace would be a strain on all the youth of the children and animals. And then for reasons unknown, Israel tells Esau that he would eventually meet him in Seir (say-eer’). However, the remainder of the passage goes on to state that Israel traveled in the opposite direction to Succoth and then on to Shechem, without ever mentioning Israel going to Seir. Why not? Did Israel lie to his brother? Did he visit him at some point later on yet Scripture doesn’t mention it? Scripture is silent on the matter, but the immediate context seems to imply that Israel won’t allow himself to trust Esau, and he simply desires to continue on his journey without meeting up with his brother. All known details seem to imply that Israel didn’t want to inform Esau where he was going or what he was about to do. Of course, that is mere speculation, but I believe it is a reasonable belief considering all available evidence.

Though Scripture does not say anything more regarding Seir, Scripture does state that the Lord brought Israel back safely to the land of Canaan into the city of Shechem, thus mostly fulfilling His promise made 20 years ago (28:15). And then 33:19-20 concludes with Israel purchasing some land in that city, fulfilling GOD’s promise to Abraham (12:7). Israel then possibly reconstructs the altar Abraham had built there, by building an altar and calling it “El-Elohe-Israel.” Why is this important? Because “El-Elohe-Israel” means “God, the God of Israel”. Therefore, Israel finally made the decision to have a personal relationship with the Lord rather than referring to the Lord as “the God of Abraham” or “the God of Isaac”. The Lord is now the GOD of Israel.

In Genesis 32:1-2, Jacob had been in awe that a camp of the Lord’s angels had been with him. But are you aware that a heavenly host of the Lord’s angels are with you wherever you are? Do you have the same sense of awe? If you could see them where you are right now, how would that change your perspective regarding your current circumstance?
In 32:3-5, Jacob took the initiative to restore the relationship with his brother. What followed was a successful restoration and an encounter with the Lord which concluded with the Lord blessing Jacob. But what about you? Is there a relationship that has been broken between you and someone else because of the wrong you’ve committed? If so, are you willing to take the initiative to restore that relationship?
In 32:9-12, Jacob’s first response to his fear and uncertainty regarding his future was to pray to the Lord. But what about you? Is prayer your last resort or your first response?
If there are only two paths we can walk, then there are really only two camps in which we can dwell. Where are you walking? In which campground do you dwell?
In 32:24-32, Jacob refused to let go of the Lord; consequently, he received His blessing. But what about you? Regardless of circumstances, are you determined to never let go of the Lord until you receive His blessing?
We must be persistent in our faith and refuse to let go of GOD until we are blessed (Matthew 7:7-11; Luke 18:1-8; 11:5-13)! Where in your spiritual life do you need the persistence and endurance of a wrestler?
In order for Jacob to be blessed by the Lord, he first had to confess his true identity and character flaws of being sinful. Only those who confess their sinful nature showcase a need for the Lord’s blessing. 1John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Are you willing to confess your sinful nature?
Every wrestling match Jacob ever found himself in, he came out victorious. Have you wrestled with your identity? Have you wrestled against your sinful nature? Have you wrestled against your pride? Have you wrestled against addiction? What things in your life do you need to wrestle against and come out victorious?
Jacob had been named after his character. But what about you? What if you were named after your character? What would be your name? Liar? Murderer? Pervert? Lustful? Angry? Cheater? Jerk? So… what is your name? Who are you? Confess your name and confess your sins. Wrestle with the Lord and ask for a new identity. What name do you want to have? What would you like to be called? Helper? Encourager? Trustworthy? Honest? Man of GOD? Woman of GOD?
Have you had a personal wrestling encounter with the Lord that ended up in you being changed and never walking the same again? If so, what is your story? And have you shared that story with anyone? If you have a testimony, are you willing to share your story? Just as we needed to hear Jacob’s story, don’t you think there are people who need to hear your story?
In Genesis 33:3, Israel placed himself between the women and children and a potential attacker even though he had been injured, he was exhausted, and without sleep. In John 15:13, Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” So, are you loving enough to place yourself between the enemy and those who are weaker or innocent?
In Genesis 33:10, Israel saw the Lord in Esau due to his lovingkindness. But what about you? When people look at you, do they see a reflection of the Lord? If you have been changed by the Lord, do you not realize that when people look at you, they should see a representative of GOD-Almighty who now walks in the light as a chosen child of GOD of the royal priesthood?

DEDICATION TO DINAH
(Genesis 34)

Genesis 34:1 says that Leah’s daughter, Dinah, went out one day to visit with other daughters of the land. But 34:2 says, “When Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force.” Now, Dinah was not to blame for Shechem raping her; Shechem would have been the only person condemned in this scenario. However, a curious question does arise regarding Dinah’s situation: why did she go out to visit with the other daughters of the land? Did she have a good reason to leave the safety of her home or did she go when she should not have traveled? In 1Timothy 5:13, Paul says that some young women, “learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention.” So, did Dinah go where she should not have been? We don’t know; Scripture is silent on the matter. But because Scripture describes this event as if it were a normal occurrence for Dinah, it seems likely that she was completely innocent. However, Dinah’s innocence seems to have been combined with complacency. Had she traveled alone? If so, it’s likely that her youthful immaturity led her to be isolated and vulnerable to the attack. But again, even if Dinah had somehow set herself up to enter into a dangerous scenario, Shechem would be the only person condemned in this scenario; Dinah was a victim. However, it’s always good to thoughtfully consider how events unfolded and why things happened the way they did.

It is written that Shechem is the son of Hamor the Hivite. If you remember, Genesis 10:17 informed us that the Hivites are descendants of Ham (one of Noah’s sons), through the Canaanites. They were indigenous inhabitants of the promised land, and they were usually referred to along with other groups such as the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, and Jebusites. Later in our chronological journey, the Lord will command the Israelites to conquer these people and take over the promised land (Exodus 3:8; 23:23; Deuteronomy 7:1).

Genesis 34:3 says, “He was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her.” Now, when it says that “He was deeply attracted to” Dinah, that English translation comes from two Hebrew words. First, the word דָּבַק [H1692] dāḇaq (dawb-vak’) means to stick to, to cling to, and hence, connected to [someone/something]. Second, the word נֶפֶשׁ [H5315] nep̄ešh (neh’-fesh) means soul, self, life, person, living being, that which breathes the breath of life. Therefore, the Hebrew literally means that Shechem’s soul had connected to Dinah’s soul and stuck to her. As a natural consequence of that sexual relation with her, he experienced and felt the power of GOD’s design of two becoming one (2:24). However, Shechem acted sinfully outside of GOD’s design because Dinah was not his wife and she had been unwilling to become one with him. And because his soul had connected to her, he realized that he “loved” her. Though the Hebrew word אָהַב [H157] ‘āhaḇ (aw-hav’) does mean to love, the irony of this situation is that the proper context of the scenario reveals the opposite. Obviously Shechem did not love Dinah; if he had loved her, he would not have raped her. The truth is that his initial feeling had been lust, not love. However, after he experienced the beauty of his soul connecting to her soul and becoming one with her, he then desired to love her. When Scripture says he spoke “tenderly” to her, the Hebrew word לֵב [H3820] lēḇ (lave) means the inner person, mind, heart, will, conscious understanding. Therefore, the Hebrew literally means that Shechem attempted to speak to Dinah’s heart, the inner most part of who she is, with the hope of her understanding his words. However, that action should have preceded the action of sexual intercourse. And because Shechem defied GOD’s design, he defiled Dinah.

In 34:4, Shechem spoke to his father, Hamor, and requested that he acquire Dinah to be his wife. In 35:5, Jacob heard that Dinah had been defiled. Scripture doesn’t state how Jacob heard, but it seems likely that Dinah went back home and shared the horrible news with her father. However, because his sons were tending livestock in a field, Jacob decided to stay silent until his sons returned home. According to James 1:19-20, Jacob’s initial silence seems to be wise, for it is written, “¹⁹But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; ²⁰for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”

In Genesis 34:6-10, Hamor went to Jacob in order to arrange a marriage between Shechem and Dinah. By this point, Jacob’s sons had also heard the news and arrived, extremely angry. In Hamor’s negotiation for marriage on behalf of his son, he presented an offer of intermarriage, saying, “give your daughters to us and take our daughters for yourselves.” The end goal of this deal would be to unite as one large tribe who would share all the land and resources within the land, thus ensuring their strength and survival. In 34:11-12, Shechem added that he would do whatever it takes and pay any price as long as he could have Dinah as his wife. Though a bride price was typical in the Ancient Near East, it is written in Song of Solomon 8:7 that money cannot purchase love. And how could Dinah ever love the man who raped her? How could Dinah’s father and brothers ever allow her rapist to purchase her? Because Shechem had defiled Dinah, in Genesis 34:13-17, Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father with deceit, telling them that they would only be able to agree to this deal if all males from their tribe became circumcised as they were, because uncircumcision was a disgrace to them. The Hebrew word for “deceit” is מִרְמָה [H4820] mirmâ (meer-maw’), which means deception with a malicious motive. This is the same word used in 27:35 when Isaac told Esau, “Your brother came deceitfully and has taken away your blessing.” Certainly, Jacob had once been known as a deceiver, but now his sons are far surpassing any deceitful ploy Jacob ever did because their motive in their deception is much darker than anything Jacob ever planned.

Surprisingly, in 34:18, the counteroffer Jacob’s sons presented seemed good and reasonable to both Hamor and Shechem. Now, I can understand why it might have seemed reasonable to Shechem since his desire to have Dinah was so strong, but I am surprised that his father, Hamor, would also believe the demand to be reasonable. What did Hamor have to gain from getting circumcised? But then 34:19-24 reveals an even greater surprise in that the entire tribe agrees to this demand as well. However, the details within those verses explains why they all agreed to the demand of circumcision. In 34:19, Scripture reveals that Shechem was the most respected person in his father’s household. Why? Well, 34:2 informs us that Shechem was “the prince of the land”. But if Shechem was the prince of the land, then it is reasonable to believe that his father, Hamor, was the king or chief of the land. And in 34:20-24, both Hamor and Shechem convinced their people that not only would they receive Jacob’s daughters for their wives, but all of Jacob’s livestock and property would become their own, and by becoming one large tribe, they would become stronger, which would better ensure their safety and survival from potential enemies. Thus, Scripture reveals a picture of deceit from both sides: Jacob’s sons have ulterior motives for convincing Hamor’s tribe to get circumcised; likewise, Hamor’s tribe has ulterior motives for allowing Jacob’s tribe to unite with them. Thus, this tense scenario is like watching two spiders who desire to eat each other – who will initiate the first move of attack and who will be consumed?

In 34:25-26, on the third day after Hamor’s tribe circumcised themselves, while they were still in pain, Simeon and Levi went through the city and killed every male of Hamor’s tribe with the sword. But why did they kill all of the males? Why not just Shechem? We truly don’t know the character of any of those males who got killed, but if Shechem was the prince of the land and his father, Hamor, was the king/chief of the land, then it would have been too risky to keep the other males alive. However, this was an evil deed because circumcision was the sign of the covenant between GOD and His people that would bring divine blessing (17:10-14). The only people who should be circumcised are those who worship GOD (YHWH) and acknowledge Abraham as their father in the faith. While Jacob’s sons were right to insist that circumcision would be necessary in order for both tribes to become one people, their decision to keep GOD out of their plans was wrong. So, not only did Jacob’s sons instruct Hamor’s tribe to do what GOD never commanded them to do, but then Simeon and Levi murdered all the males who received GOD’s covenant. But why did Simeon and Levi murder the males with the sword? Simeon was son #2 and Levi was son #3, both of them brothers to Dinah, sharing Leah as their mother.

After killing Hamor and Shechem, it is written that they took Dinah from Shechem’s house. This means that Dinah had been used as bait, living with Shechem in his house for at least three days until her brothers came and removed her from his house. Though it is almost certain that Shechem didn’t have another opportunity to rape her again due to him being circumcised and in pain, she still lived with her rapist for at least three days. In addition to the trauma Dinah experienced from being raped and then having to live with her rapist for at least three days, she also witnessed Shechem get killed by the sword. Through all of this, the true victim in this scenario had been overlooked; Dinah was neither consulted nor comforted. Can you imagine the trauma Dinah experienced?

In 34:27-29, the remainder of Jacob’s sons went through the city and took plunder from all the slain. In 34:23, Hamor’s tribe had schemed to take all of Jacob’s livestock, but in 34:28-29, in a great reversal, Jacob’s sons took not only all of Hamor’s livestock, but also the surviving children and females. Thus, many Hivites became absorbed into the tribe of Jacob.

In 34:30, angry with Simeon and Levi, Jacob told them that their actions caused the tribe of Jacob to be hated among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites. Further, believing that the other inhabitants would wage war against them, Jacob feared that they would be destroyed and erased from history. However, because Jacob had remained silent and never took action, Jacob’s sons challenged his leadership and authority and asked their father in 34:31, “Should he treat our sister as a harlot?” However, Jacob does not answer. Perhaps the inspired Scripture ends with Jacob’s silence as a reminder that Jacob’s failure to intervene at an earlier stage may have contributed to the outcome. Regardless, his silence seems to fit his character and calls to remembrance what is written in 25:27: “When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a peaceful man, living in tents.”

Genesis 34 is an often overlooked, avoided, and rarely discussed chapter in the Bible, but Dinah deserves some time for dedicated discussion. This entire chapter was included in the Holy Spirit inspired Scriptures as a dedication to Dinah due to the devastation and division caused by the lack of devotion to Dinah and her defilement. I, for one, am in absolute awe that the Lord loved Dinah so much that He made certain that her story would be included in sacred Scripture. But what about you? Do you truly comprehend how much love the Lord had for Dinah?
In 34:1-2, Dinah got raped by Shechem because she had most likely put herself in a dangerous situation due to lacking both situational awareness and self-defense training. But what about you? Do you go to places you ought not go? Even if you travel to places that are common, do you travel alone and make yourself vulnerable to attack? Are you aware of your surroundings at all times? Have you been trained in any type of self-defense course?
Have you been a victim of rape? If so, have you received counseling? Have you been able to heal both emotionally and spiritually?
Do the exegeted details of 34:3 help you to better understand the depth beyond the surface of sexual intercourse? Are you able to better understand GOD’s design of two becoming one?
Because Jacob remained silent and failed to follow through with any fatherly leadership (34:5), his sons decided to take matters into their own hands and they conjured up a plan to murder the tribe of Hamor (34:13-29). How would you have responded if you were Jacob?
Shechem freely chose to rape a woman named Dinah; consequently, Jacob’s sons murdered the entire tribe connected with Shechem and then captured all remaining children and females, absorbing them into their own tribe. Can you see how far the reach of sin can go? Do you understand how destructive sin can be when we allow sin to be master over us?
Are you able to put yourself in the place of Dinah and understand how she might have felt? Dinah had been a victim, but Jacob’s sons created multiple new victims by capturing the children and females alive. The children most likely witnessed their fathers get murdered. The females most likely witnessed their husbands get murdered. Are you able to put yourself in the place of all the children and females who got captured and understand how they might have felt?
In 34:31, Jacob’s sons essentially presented the argument that their actions of murdering the tribe of Hamor was justified due to Shechem defiling Dinah and treating her as if she had been a harlot. Though this type of behavior was common in the Ancient Near East, do you believe that their actions were justified? Why or why not?
As Christians within the new covenant, what does the Word tell us regarding seeking revenge?
As the chronological story of the Bible continues, we will see that Dinah is never mentioned again and that she faded into oblivion. But even when everyone else seems to forget, GOD remembers. When no one seems to notice, GOD notices. When no one else seems to care, GOD cares. When you feel all alone, GOD is present. Think: GOD’s love is the reason this chapter is dedicated to Dinah. So, what does GOD want us to learn from Dinah’s drama? First, we must not allow sexual passion to boil over into evil actions. Passion must be controlled. Sexual sin is devastating because of its eternal consequences (1Corinthians 6:15-20; 10:8-13). Second, we are called to overcome evil by doing good (Romans 12:21). Third, we are to love our enemies (Matthew 5:38-48; Luke 6:27-36). Fourth, we are not to seek revenge because GOD is the Avenger (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:17-19; Matthew 26:52).

WHO’S YOUR DADDY?
(Genesis 35:1-27)

In Genesis 34, Jacob failed to lead as a father after his daughter Dinah got raped; consequently, Jacob’s sons decided to take matters into their own hands and they murdered Hamor’s entire tribe and then looted the city. As a result, Jacob feared that the other inhabitants of the land would join forces to kill him and his entire tribe. However, in 35:1, GOD the Father does not fail to lead and He instructs Jacob to return to Bethel, dwell there, and make an altar there to Him who appeared to Jacob 20 years ago after he fled from his brother, Esau. Now, if you remember, in 28:15, the Lord said to Jacob, “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” But what was “this” land? Bethel – the location where the Lord revealed Himself to Jacob in the vision of the stairway to Heaven.

So, in 35:2-3, encouraged and emboldened by his encounter with the Lord, Jacob commands his tribe to get rid of the foreign “gods” among them, to purify themselves, change their garments, and then after doing so, they would all travel to Bethel in order to make an altar to his GOD who has been with him through everything and never left him. And surprisingly, in 35:4, everyone falls into line and acts in faithful obedience to Jacob’s command once again: “So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which they had and the rings which were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the oak which was near Shechem.”

Now, this oak tree is likely the same “oak of Moreh” (mo-reyh’) mentioned in 12:6 when Abram traveled to the “site of Shechem” where the Lord appeared to Abram and promised him that the land would belong to his descendants, and then Abram built an altar there to the Lord. But why did Jacob’s entire tribe have to be told to get rid of the foreign “gods” among them? Well, evidently the foreign “gods” Rachel stole from Laban (31:19) were still with her, but it’s also likely that some of the foreign “gods” came from the plunder they took after murdering Hamor’s tribe and looting the city (34:25-29). But Jacob commanded his tribe to get rid of those idols.

The burial of these idols at Shechem may be symbolically significant, implying that the wicked actions of Simeon and Levi reflect the influence of polytheism. In fact, later on in our chronological journey, we will see in 1Corinthians 10:20-22 that Paul says, “²⁰the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons. ²¹You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. ²²Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we?” Therefore, Jacob was preparing his family to properly worship the Lord for when they arrive in Bethel.

In Genesis 34:30, Jacob worried that all the other inhabitants of the land would unite together to kill him and his entire tribe; however, 35:5 states that GOD had placed a great terror upon all the surrounding cities so that they did not pursue Jacob’s tribe as they traveled. So, in 35:6-7, Jacob and his tribe arrive in Luz (which will later become known as Bethel) and Jacob builds and altar there, calling the place “El-bethel” (which means “God of Bethel”, or “The God of the house of God”). In 28:18, Jacob had only constructed a pillar to GOD, but now he constructs an altar to GOD, revealing a personal relationship with the Lord and acknowledging how GOD has been faithful to him.

Now, in 35:8, the narration seems to be abruptly interrupted and says, “Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; it was named Allon-bacuth” [al-lone’ baw-kooth’] (which means “oak of weeping”). But why is the death of Rebekah’s nurse mentioned yet the death of Rebekah is never mentioned? Why was there never any weeping for Rebekah mentioned? And why was Rebekah’s nurse with Jacob anyway? In 24:59, Rebekah’s nurse is briefly mentioned, yet without name. Here, a name of the nurse has been given as Deborah. It’s possible that her presence with Jacob suggests that she had been sent to him by Rebekah in fulfillment of her promise in 27:45 when she said, “I will send and get you from there”. Nevertheless, Scripture is silent on the matter and so all guesses are mere conjecture. However, one thing seems to be certain: the narration regarding Deborah’s burial is not an abrupt interruption; rather, it is a continuation of the previous narration and showcases a stark contrast to the burial of the false “gods”. No tears were shed while burying the false “gods”; to be rid of those false “gods” is a good riddance. However, there was weeping involved in Deborah’s death.

In 35:9-10, it is written that GOD blessed Jacob. This not only confirms the blessing he received from the Lord in his wrestling match in 32:29, but more importantly, it places Jacob on a par with Abraham and Isaac, of whom similar affirmations were also made (24:1; 25:11). Not only did GOD bless Jacob, but He also reminded him that his name was no longer Jacob, but Israel. So, not only did GOD bring Israel back to the place where he first encountered the Lord (28:10-22), but GOD made it known that the GOD of Bethel is the same GOD who gave Israel his new identity back in 32:24-32 after wrestling with Jacob and dislocating the socket of his thigh. Therefore, the Lord who revealed Himself at the top of the stairway to Heaven is the same Lord who wrestled with Jacob and gave him his new name of Israel. But in 35:11, GOD gives Israel a new name by which he can call the Lord: El Shaddai (which means, “God Almighty” or “God most powerful”). And this is how GOD revealed Himself to Abraham in 17:5-6, and also how Isaac referred to GOD in 28:3-4 when he blessed Jacob. And continuing in 35:11-12, GOD Almighty says to Israel, “¹¹Be fruitful and multiply; A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, And kings shall come forth from you. ¹²“The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, And I will give the land to your descendants after you.”

When GOD said, “Be fruitful and multiply”, it was the same command GOD gave to Adam and Eve (1:28) and Noah and his sons (9:1), but it was also the blessing Isaac spoke to Jacob before he fled from his brother (28:3). And when GOD said that nations and kings would come from him, that was the same promise GOD gave to Abraham (17:6,16). Therefore, GOD declares that Israel is indeed the one who will continue what GOD started through Abraham.

In 35:13-16, after GOD finished speaking, Israel set up a pillar, anointed it with oil, and then the entire tribe of Israel continued on their journey toward Ephrath (ef-rawth’). However, on the way, Rachel began to give birth, but she had great difficulty and suffered severely through her labor. In 35:17, a midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for now you have another son.” In fact, the birth of this son was exactly what Rachel had desired. In 30:23-24, after giving birth to Joseph, believing that GOD had taken away her reproach, she named her son Joseph, saying, “May the Lord give me another son” because the meaning of “Joseph” is “may he add”, which implied that her prayer was for GOD to give her yet another son. Therefore, this new son was the answer to Rachel’s prayer.

However, 35:18 says that Rachel’s “soul” departed from her body while giving birth. The Hebrew word translated here as “soul” is the same word that had been used in 2:7 when GOD gave Adam the breath of life and he became a “living being”. The Hebrew word is נֶפֶשׁ [H5315] nep̄hešh (neh’-fesh), which means soul, self, life, the inner being of a person, mind, living being, creature, desire, emotion, passion, activity of the mind, will, character, that which breathes, that which possesses the breath of life. This is the same word that had been used in 1:20,21,24,30 which describes all sea, land, and air animals that possess breath. Thus, Rachel breathed her last breath and her body died while giving birth to this new son. However, in her last moments, she named her son ben-‘ônî (bane-o-nee’), which means “son of my sorrow”. But Israel quickly changed the name of his son and called him binyāmîn (bin-yaw-meen’) [or, Benjamin], which means “son of the right hand”, which indicates a place of honor and status. In fact, Jewish commentators note that this name indicates that Benjamin was Israel’s favorite son and that this is consistent with the favoritism shown to both of Rachel’s sons. And later on in our chronological journey, we will see that in a different time period, Psalm 110 will show a similar meaning for this idiom. Therefore, Israel refused to allow Benjamin to be blamed for the death of Rachel and have that horrible character trait follow him his entire life; instead, Israel celebrated the fact that even through death another life came into existence.

But was Benjamin to blame for Rachel’s death? No; in fact, Genesis 30:1 says, “when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, ‘Give me children, or else I die.’ ” And in 31:32, after Rachel stole Laban’s “gods”, Jacob had said to Laban, “The one with whom you find your gods shall not live”. Consequently, Rachel’s death was ironic because she did not die because she had no children; rather, she died while giving birth to a child. Further, Rachel’s death seems to be fulfillment of Jacob’s curse because Rachel had been guilty of stealing Laban’s “gods” and they were in her possession at the time of Jacob’s curse.

Therefore, 35:19 says, “Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).” So, Luz later becomes known as Bethel (35:6); likewise, Ephrath will later become known as Bethlehem. Because these minor and seemingly insignificant details will become important later on, we must notate them now so that we will remember them later on when these details arise again.

In 35:20, Jacob set up a pillar over Rachel’s grave, and then 35:21 says they all continued on their journey until Israel stopped and pitched his tent beyond מִגְדַּל־עֵדֶר [H4029] miḡdal-ʿēḏer (mig-dal’-ay’-der), which means “tower of the flock”, indicating that it was a shepherd’s watchtower near Ephrath (Bethlehem).

And then 35:22 seems to once again abruptly interrupt the narration and states, “It came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it.” But why so abrupt? Why had evil infiltrated at this time? Why Reuben? Why Bilhah? Well, Dinah had recently been raped (34:2), Israel heard about that yet he failed to take action (34:5), and so Israel’s sons bypassed the authority of their father and took matters into their own hands, murdering all males of Hamor’s tribe, and looted the city (34:13-17,25-29). Further, Rachel had just died (35:18) and they were all traveling without knowing what to expect. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that everyone had been overwhelmed by emotions and most likely filled with anxiety/stress. But the fact that Reuben had sexual relations with his father’s concubine showcases his lack of respect toward his father. Possession of the concubines that belonged to the head of the tribe was presumably a sign of leadership in the tribe. Typically, when the father died, the care and ownership of the concubines (as part of his property) passed to the next head of the tribe. But to seize ownership of the concubines prior to the father’s death would be understood as an act of subversion and disrespect (comparable to seizing land or herds), but would not be unusual if succession to tribe leadership were contested. In this context, Reuben’s offense against his father circumvented proper succession procedures and implies that his father was powerless. Regardless of motive, this act was not as abrupt as it may seem while reading the text; rather, this had been building up like a volcano ready to erupt ever since Israel failed to lead as a father when Dinah got raped.

Reuben was the firstborn and Bilhah had been Rachel’s maid. Therefore, it is likely that because Rachel was no longer around to watch over Bilhah and keep her held accountable, Bilhah seized the opportunity to pursue either pleasure or purpose for herself. But why Reuben? I believe it is reasonable to assume that because he was the firstborn, this was in some way an act of rebellion against Israel on Reuben’s part and a prideful expression of his own authority as the rightful heir and future leader of the tribe. And because Reuben was the oldest son, he would have been the one closest in age to Bilhah. Now, we cannot know for certain, but Bilhah could have chosen to have sexual relations with Reuben because she knew he was the firstborn; consequently, it’s possible that Bilhah had hopes of becoming the main woman/wife of the new future tribe. However, it’s also possible that there existed no ulterior motives other than the primal pursuit of pleasure at the expense of purpose and that they had both been merely led by lust. However, this was not only a great sin against Israel, but also against two of Reuben’s brothers because Bilhah was the mother of Dan and Naphtali (30:4-8). But 35:22 states that Israel heard about this great sin and yet Scripture does not state that Israel did anything about it. And so Israel not only failed to take action against the great sin against Dinah being raped, but now he fails to take action against this great sin of Reuben having sexual intercourse with Bilhah.

And because this great sin involves multiple people, 35:23-26 explains once again the relation between all children in Israel’s tribe. But due to the birth of Benjamin, this list is now updated and complete:

LEAH	ZILPAH	RACHEL	BILHAH
Reuben (01)	Gad (07)	Joseph (11)	Dan (05)
Simeon (02)	Asher (08)	Benjamin (12)	Naphtali (06)
Levi (03)
Judah (04)
Issachar (09)
Zebulun (10)
[Dinah]

In conclusion to this new drama, 35:27 says, “Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre [mam-ray’] of Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned.” Again, the minor details that seem insignificant should be noted. Mamre was a site near Hebron where Abraham had settled (13:18; 14:13; 18:1) and where Isaac also later lived. The land of Kiriath-arba will later be known as Hebron. So, this one chapter (chapter 35) identifies three locations while clarifying their updated/current names, which indicates the time period it was written – the author wrote at a later time and explained what happened in the past. Therefore, GOD brought Israel to Hebron, which connected him with Abraham and Isaac, highlighting the fact that through Israel the continuance of GOD’s ultimate plan will be fulfilled.

However, a minor detail in 35:27 also reveals yet another omittance of Rebekah. An examination of Scripture reveals that Rebekah was omitted in chapter 30 (14 years after Jacob had fled from Esau), and she was omitted in 31:18 (20 years after Jacob had fled from Esau). Moreover, in 35:8, Scripture mentions the death of Rebekah’s nurse (Deborah) and the weeping that happened due to her death, but no mention is made of Rebekah’s death or any weeping that happened due to her death. And finally, 35:27 only mentions Israel’s father, Isaac, but Rebekah is omitted. And because Rebekah was omitted from all accounts, I think it is reasonable to believe that not only had Rebekah died long ago, but Scripture does not honor her for some reason. But what reason would that be? Well, the last bit of information we knew about Rebekah is that she favored Jacob over Esau and convinced Jacob to deceive his father / her husband Isaac in order to steal the blessing that rightfully belonged to her firstborn, Esau. Consequently, Rebekah might have been omitted because she was not honored. However, Scripture is silent on the matter and so that thought must remain as mere conjecture.

In summary, the sons of Israel disrespected and dishonored their earthly father, but Israel desired to revere and honor his Father in Heaven. And despite the dysfunction within Israel’s family, GOD still chose the Israelites to be His chosen people by which He will accomplish His ultimate plan for His creation. This chapter highlights how life here on this earth can seem to be falling apart, while all the divine pieces in the spiritual realm are falling into place. Even though everything seemed to be going wrong, GOD was causing all things to work together for good, for those who love Him, for those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

In Genesis 35:2, Israel commanded his family to get rid of their idols. Unless we, also, get rid of the idols in our lives, they can divert our focus and ruin our relationship with the Lord. Sadly, many people proclaim belief in GOD while at the same time showcasing loyalty to idols. Many people acknowledge GOD without living rightly for GOD. Is that you? Do you claim GOD while living a life of idolatry? An idol is anything that replaces the One true GOD in priority and position. Idolatry extends beyond the worship of idols and images and false gods. Our modern idols are many and varied. Even for those who do not physically bow before a statue, idolatry is a matter of the heart — pride, self-centeredness, greed, gluttony, a love for possessions and ultimately rebellion against GOD in any act of unfaithfulness. Are you placing anything or anyone above GOD in priority and/or position? Money? Pornography? Drugs? Alcohol? A sports team or player? A singer or musician? A social media platform? Who or what is receiving your devotion at the time when you should be devoted to the Lord and His Word? Are you merely acknowledging GOD but not living for GOD according to His will?
In 35:10, GOD reminded Israel of his new identity – he is someone who will not let go of the Lord until he is blessed; he is someone who holds onto the Lord while the Lord showcases His power on Israel’s behalf. Although everything seemed to be falling apart, GOD reminds Israel that with the Lord everything will fall into place. This was a reminder that Israel needed to keep his eyes on the Lord and obey His commands despite what things might look like in the flesh while in this physical world. Many people wrongly believe that Christianity should enable a life free from problems while only being blessed. As a negative consequence to this wrong belief, many people become disillusioned and abandon The Way and walk away from the Lord, disheartened and disappointed. Instead, we need to learn from Israel and become determined not to let go of the Lord until we receive the Lord’s blessing. However, we typically do not ever receive the Lord’s blessing until we endure the storms of life and prevail in holding on to the Lord. Problems and difficulties in this life here on this earth are inevitable and unavoidable; therefore, we might as well view them as opportunities for growth. After all, how can we prevail unless we have a problem to prevail over? If GOD says He is El Shaddai – GOD Almighty – and that nothing is too difficult for Him (18:14), do you believe Him or not? Who’s your daddy? Is He a good Father, or not (Psalm 103:13)?

Chronological Study (006/365)

February 12, 2024February 11, 2024Tagged Abraham, Abram, Angel of the Lord, bisexual, brimstone, eusebius, gay, Genesis 18, Genesis 19, Genesis 20, Genesis 21, Hagar, hand to the plow and looking back, homosexuality, intercede, intercession, intercessory prayer, lesbian, Lot, Lot's wife, Man of God, pillar of salt, queer, rape, Sarah, Sarai, Sodom and Gomorrah, sodomy, theophaneia, theophanies, theophany, transgender, transgenderism, transhumanism, wickedness, ZoarLeave a comment

GENESIS 18:1 – 21:7

INTERCESSION (Genesis 18)

In Genesis 18:2, Abraham encounters three “men”; however, he had already met one of them in earlier scenarios (12:7; 17:1). The One he had met before is the Lord Himself (18:1). Feeling honored by the Lord’s visit (18:5), Abraham offers the three refreshment and nourishment. They respond by telling him to do just as he said he would do. Ponder: do you only talk the talk or do you also walk the walk? Are you genuine in what you say? Are you honest? Are you a man or woman of your word? Will you follow through on what you say you will do? Are you able and willing to help? If you are able, you should also be willing. Proverbs 3:27-28 says, “²⁷Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it. ²⁸Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,’ When you have it with you.”

Because Abraham is both able and willing, he is quick to offer hospitality (Genesis 18:2-5). It is written that Sarah makes dough and bakes bread (18:6) while one of Abraham’s servants kills and prepares a tender calf for a meal (18:7), which Abraham then serves (18:8). But how long did that entire process take? Scripture doesn’t say, but life experience provides the answer that it was not a quick process. And yet the Lord was willing to patiently wait while the meal was being prepared. Why? Well, as the reader with knowledge of this story, we know that the Lord is there for at least four reasons. The Lord is there to:

provide Abraham with the opportunity to love others through practice of hospitality (18:4-5);
announce that Sarah will have a son at around the same time next year (18:10,14);
inform Abraham about the judgment He is ready to bring upon Sodom and Gomorrah (18:17,20);
provide Abraham with the opportunity to love others through practice of intercession (18:23-32).

Not only is the Lord patient throughout the entire meal preparation process, but it is also written that the Lord and his two angels take the time to eat the meal that was prepared for them. Meanwhile, Abraham patiently waits in the shade of the trees for them to finish eating (18:8). But why didn’t Abraham join them in the meal? I don’t know. Perhaps Abraham didn’t feel worthy enough to eat with them. Regardless, the entire duration of Abraham’s hospitable service seemed to take a lot of time and yet the Lord never seemed to be in a hurry, as if He simply enjoyed being with Abraham. This is yet another incident which showcases the Lord’s perfect timing of His perfect plan.

In 18:9, the Lord specifies that Sarah is Abraham’s wife, reminding us (the reader) that Hagar is not his wife even though he took her as a second “wife”. But GOD’s design does not change according to our desires; rather, it is our desires that need to change in order to come into alignment with GOD’s design. In 18:10, the Lord reveals the perfection of His plan by reminding Abraham and Sarah (17:21) that they will see for themselves His perfect timing because Sarah will have a son around the same time in the following year. In 18:12-15, Sarah laughs in doubt at the Lord’s message of her having a son, the Lord asks her why she laughed, reminds her that nothing is too difficult for the Him, Sarah lies and denies laughing, and then the Lord corrects her and calls her out for being a liar.

In 18:17, the Lord informs the two angels that He is going to reveal to Abraham the judgment He is about to bring on Sodom and Gomorrah. The two angels calmly walk away toward Sodom while the Lord stays with Abraham (18:22). It is written in 18:23 that Abraham approaches or draws near to the Lord so that he can intercede for anyone in Sodom who might be righteous. But what is intercession? It is a petition to the one in power, a request made on behalf of a person not present, for that person’s benefit (23:8-9). Specifically, it is approaching GOD on behalf of someone else to seek favor for that person. For example, as we will later see, in 2Samuel 12:16, David will fast and pray to the Lord for his child. And while this is a prerogative of prophets (Genesis 20:7; Exodus 32:32; Numbers 12; Amos 7:1-6), priests (Ezra 6:9-10), and kings (1Chronicles 21:17; 2Chronicles 30:18; Jeremiah 26:19), intercession is a ministry that belongs to all Christians because all Christians are in the priesthood (Isaiah 61:6; Acts 12:5; Ephesians 6:18; 1Timothy 2:1; James 5:16; 1Peter 2:4-10). And through intercession, we – the priesthood of saints – fulfill the Lord’s command to love others as we would love ourselves (Leviticus 19:17-18; Matthew 22:39). But how did Abraham intercede for the righteous? He appealed to the Lord’s own character of justice according to His holiness. In Genesis 18:25, Abraham says to the Lord, “Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”

But what about you? Do you love others enough to intercede for them? Are you confident enough to approach the Lord with a petition? It is written in Hebrews 4:16, “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Therefore, coming to the Lord is the first step we need to take if we want to intercede on behalf of loved ones. Not only is that the action we should take, but it’s also the action the Lord desires us to take. We do not approach a wicked worldly king who seeks reason to cut off our heads but a loving Heavenly Father who wants what is best for us.

GOD planned on destroying Sodom and Gomorrah because the people there were exceedingly wicked (Genesis 13:13), but Abraham cared about all the righteous people who might perish along with the wicked. He was a hero in the making and he didn’t even realize it. Abraham’s heart was full of love! He asked the Lord how many righteous people would need to exist for the city to be spared; eventually, he asked the Lord if He would destroy the city even if only 10 righteous people were in the city. GOD said that for even the sake of only 10 righteous people, He would not destroy the city. But why did Abraham stop at 10 people? We don’t know. But by the time he asked the Lord about 10 people, he asked the question six times. Perhaps he was too afraid to ask a seventh time, or perhaps he finally understood that the Lord would not bring judgment on the righteous. However, noteworthy is the fact that only four people were initially saved (19:15); therefore, we know that GOD is unwilling to spare a city due to only four righteous people within it. Nevertheless, the point is that the Lord rescues the righteous and He will not include the righteous in His judgment appointed for the wicked.

Many critics claim that Abraham successfully negotiated with GOD and changed His mind to reduce the number of righteous people required from 50 to 10. Did Abraham change GOD’s mind? No. Of course not. GOD knew in advance there were not even 10 righteous people in the city; in fact, that is the reason His judgment fell upon the city. GOD is patient and loving. Further, GOD also showed Abraham (and us) that approaching GOD with petitions is permitted so long as we understand that the answer will always come from GOD’s wisdom and will, not our own. However, many people present petitions while expecting their own wills to be accomplished. But what about you? Are you missing GOD’s answer to a prayer because you haven’t considered any possible answers other than the one you want to receive?

This exchange of words between Abraham and GOD was good for Abraham’s character and growth. GOD delights in our love for others; in fact, loving others is intertwined into the greatest commandment of loving GOD (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Mark 12:29-30). For this reason, it is written in 1John 4:20, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.”

We need to intercede for people just as Abraham had interceded for anyone in Sodom who might be righteous. We need to pray that the righteous people don’t get destroyed along with the wicked. Ponder: there are a lot of good people living in bad places; however, they are worth the time and energy it takes to pray for them. For example, as we will later see in our chronological journey, Rahab is a harlot (Joshua 2:1), yet she has a good heart (2:4), but she lives in a wicked location destined for divine destruction (2:9). Knowing this, she intercedes for her parents, siblings, and all who belong to them (2:13). And in the end, Hebrews 11:31 informs us that she ends up being saved and written into the Hall of Faith because she believed in the Lord and welcomed the Lord’s servants. But I also believe she was saved because she loved others as she would love herself, and so GOD received her intercession for others and then interceded on her behalf. But what about you? Do you know a good person who happens to be in a bad place in life right now? Are you willing to approach the Lord with a petition on behalf of that person? Are you willing to intercede for that person? In what ways can you invest into that person? How can you love that person as you would love yourself? Right now, I challenge you to spend time in intercessory prayer, presenting petitions to the Lord on behalf of others. Write down a list of people who need intercession, and then be faithfully obedient to intercede for them. May the Lord receive our petitions and act on their behalf. Amen.

THEOPHANY

Genesis 18:1 says, “the Lord appeared” to Abraham. Theophany is an appearance by GOD. The word “theophany” (much like “Trinity”) is not found in the Bible; however, by the early fourth century A.D., the term had come to be used in reference to GOD. Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea at that time, used the Greek term Θεόφάνεια theophaneia (theh-ah-fan’-i-ah) in reference to GOD’s appearances to people. The Greek word ἐπιφάνεια [G2015] epiphaneia (epee-fan’-i-ah) means to appear before, by, across, or over someone. The word ἐπί [G1909] epi (ep-ee’) means upon, on, at, by, before, across, or over. The word φαίνω [G5316] phainō (figh’-no) means to bring forth into the light, to become evident, to come into view, or to appear. Paul used the compounded word (epi + phainō) epiphaneia to describe the second coming of Jesus when our Lord will make His appearance before us and over us (2Thessalonians 2:8; 1Timothy 6:14; 2Timothy 1:10; 4:1,8; Titus 2:13). Why? Because it is written that when Jesus returns, He will be returning from the same place He was seen when He departed, which is from the clouds in the sky (Daniel 7:13-14; Zechariah 12:10; Matthew 24:30; 26:64; Mark 13:26; 14:61-62; Luke 21:27; Acts 1:9-11; 1Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 1:7; 14:14; 19:11). The word θεός [G2316] theos (theh’-ahs) means “God.” Thus, when theos and phainō are compounded, the new word theophaneia means GOD comes into sight and makes an appearance before humans.

The Bible says in many places that GOD “appeared” (Genesis 12:7; 17:1; 18:1; 26:2,24; 35:9; 48:3; Exodus 3:16; 4:5; Deuteronomy 31:15). Again, Genesis 18:1 says that “the Lord appeared” to Abraham. Several other passages say that people saw GOD (Genesis 32:30; Exodus 24:10; Isaiah 6:1). When Isaiah 6:1 says that Isaiah “saw the Lord,” it should be noted that “appeared” and “saw” usually reflect different forms of the same Hebrew verb רָאָה [H7200] rā’â (raw-aw’). The Lord appeared; hence, the person saw the Lord. Again, theophaneia means GOD comes into sight and makes an appearance before humans.

Closely related to these appearances are statements describing GOD’s presence and glory within a cloud and/or fire or that His presence came down upon the tent of meeting or filled the temple. During the exodus of Israel from Egypt, it is written in Exodus 13:21, “The Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.” And in 40:34, it is written, “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” GOD typically spoke to Moses from the tabernacle (Exodus 33:7-9; Numbers 1:1; 7:89). Later, when the temple was dedicated, 1Kings 8:10 says, “the cloud filled the house of the Lord.” This cloud is associated with GOD’s glory, and where GOD says He would dwell (8:11-12). Later on, however, GOD forsakes the temple because of the sins of Israel; hence, the cloud and GOD’s glory departs (Ezekiel 10:18). But throughout the Bible, the local presence of GOD is regularly indicated by the tabernacle and later by the temple, for this is the place where all offerings are given to GOD, and where people come before GOD.

However, it is evident that an appearance by GOD does not limit GOD to one particular place. During the dedication of the temple (prior to its destruction by the Babylonians), Solomon said in 1Kings 8:27, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!” In fact, GOD’s omnipresence is described all throughout the Bible (Psalm 33:13-14; 139:7-12; Isaiah 57:15; Jeremiah 23:23-24; Colossians 1:17).

Because GOD is omnipresent, He is in all places at all times; however, it is written that He makes visual appearances in specific locations at times. One of the most obvious scenarios when theophany occurs in Scripture is showcased in a sighting after Christ’s resurrection in Luke 24:13-35 when two disciples were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about everything that had taken place. While they were talking, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them, explaining to them how it was necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory. And then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. Jesus eventually stayed with them, ate with them, and then broke bread with them. And it is written, “31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. 32 They said to one another, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?’ 33 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, 34 saying, ‘The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.’ 35 They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.”

Jesus appeared and the two disciples saw Him. Again, theophaneia means GOD comes into sight and makes an appearance before humans. But what was their miraculous sign of confirmation? Jesus vanished and they no longer saw Him. A mere man cannot do that. The two disciples saw the resurrected Jesus (who is GOD). Again, Luke 24:27 states that “beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” But what are those things that the Tanakh (Old Testament) reveals about Jesus?

One of the examples from the Old Testament that Jesus most likely explained to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus is found in Exodus 33:18, when Moses asked GOD to show him GOD’s glory and then GOD allowed Moses to see His backside in 33:23. But whose backside did Moses see if GOD is Spirit (John 4:24; 2Corinthians 3:17) and no one can see GOD as Spirit? I believe it is evident that Moses saw the backside of the preincarnate Jesus Christ. Why do I believe this? Because in Exodus 33:21, Moses was told by GOD to stand on the rock. And who is the Rock? Jesus Christ (Deuteronomy 32:4; 2Samuel 22:2-3; Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 8:14; 28:16; Matthew 7:24-25; Luke 6:46-49; Acts 4:8-12; 1Corinthians 3:11; 10:4; Ephesians 2:20; 1Peter 2:4-8). Moreover, it is written that the Son brings glory to the Father and the Father glorifies the Son (Matthew 16:27; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; John 8:54; 17:5,24; Romans 6:4; Philippians 2:11; 2Peter 1:17). For this reason, it is written in John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” This Word of GOD is the same Word who created all things in Genesis 1 and so is genuinely GOD (John 1:1-3). For this reason, Paul wrote in Colossians 1:15-17, “15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Also, for this same reason, Hebrews 1:3, speaking about the Son, says, “He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.” Therefore, Moses saw the Father’s glory, who is the Son (Jesus Christ). However, it is extremely significant that Moses only saw the backside of Christ because the Lord already had in mind to turn His back on the old covenant of the sacrificial system through the Mosaic Law in order to put His face toward the new covenant of faith in Christ who is the full, final sacrifice. For this reason, as we will soon see in our chronological journey, it is written that as soon as the Law had been given to Moses, the Law had been broken and shattered (Exodus 31:18 – 32:20). Thus, all people who strive to enter the Kingdom by their own merits through the Law – even though they cannot fully obey the Law – will not be able to enter (Romans 3:21-31; Galatians 5:3; 6:13; James 2:10). For this reason, it is written that the Law and its continual temporary sacrifices were only a mere shadow of the good to come (Colossians 2:17; Hebrews 10).

But GOD does not always appear in the same form within Biblical theophanies. In Genesis 16:7-13, Hagar encounters the “angel of the Lord” and yet this “angel” possesses the power and authority to promise, “I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count.” Hagar’s response recorded in 16:13 says, “Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are a God who sees’; for she said, ‘Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?’ ” So, how is the “angel of the Lord” able to take ownership and promise something that only GOD can do? And why would Hagar call an angel “God”? And is this not a similar situation as when the “Lord” יְהֹוָה [H3068] YHWH (Yahweh) promised Abraham in Genesis 15:5 that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky?

As we will soon see, in Genesis 32:24-32, Jacob wrestles with a “man” and yet this “man” possesses the power to dislocate Jacob’s hip. In 32:28, the “man” possesses the authority to say, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” In 32:29, the God-man declines to share His name but then blesses Israel. In response, Israel proclaims in 32:30, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved” and then he names that location “Peniel,” which means “the face of God.” But how can a mere “man” possess the authority to change Jacob’s name to Israel? And why would Israel call a man “God”? Is it not similar to when the “Lord” יְהֹוָה [H3068] YHWH (Yahweh) changed Abram’s name to Abraham (Genesis 17:5)?

However, is it not written in Isaiah 42:8, “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images”? And is it not also written that Scripture cannot be broken, GOD’s Word stands forever, and that His Word will accomplish His desires and succeed in the matter for which He sent it (Isaiah 40:8; 55:10-11; Matthew 24:35; John 10:35)? So, how then, is it possible for a “man” or an “angel of the Lord” to receive GOD’s glory unless the “man” and “angel of the Lord” are GOD? After all, is it not written that angels refuse to accept worship and refuse to usurp the power and authority of GOD (Colossians 2:18; Revelation 22:8-9)? So, who then, is the “angel of the Lord”? Who is the God-man?

Well, as we will soon see, in Exodus 3:2-6, it is written that the “angel of the Lord” appears to Moses in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush, and then Moses took notice. It is written in 3:4-6, “4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ 5 Then He said, ‘Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’ 6 He said also, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ ” Therefore, the “angel of the Lord” is the “Lord” יְהֹוָה [H3068] YHWH (Yahweh).

Examine Judges 13:2-22. In 13:3, the “angel of the Lord” promises Manoah’s barren wife that she was going to conceive and give birth to a son. In 13:6, “the woman came and told her husband, saying, ‘A man of God came to me and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome.’ ” In 13:10-11, the “angel” is described as a “man.” In 13:17, Manoah asked for the name of the “man,” but in 13:18, “the angel of the Lord said to him, ‘Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?’ ” And finally, in 13:20-22, it is written, “20 For it came about when the flame went up from the altar toward heaven, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell on their faces to the ground. 21 Now the angel of the Lord did not appear to Manoah or his wife again. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the Lord. 22 So Manoah said to his wife, ‘We will surely die, for we have seen God.’ ”

Now, when the “angel of the Lord” promised Manoah’s barren wife that she was going to conceive and give birth to a son, was it not similar to when the Lord promised Sarah in Genesis 18:10 that she would conceive and give birth? And when the awesome “angel” “man” declared that His name was “wonderful”, is it not similar to what is written about our Lord Jesus in Revelation 19:12 in that “He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself”? In fact, the word translated as “wonderful” is the Hebrew word פִּלְאִי [H6383] pil’î (pil-ee’), which means wondrous, remarkable, or even incomprehensible. This same word is seen when David marveled over GOD’s omniscience in Psalm 139:6: “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high, I cannot attain to it.” And finally, is Manoah’s encounter not similar to Jacob’s encounter when he declared in Genesis 32:24-32 that he saw GOD even though they both encountered a “man”? And on both occasions, the “man” declined to provide His name? So, who is this God-man?

Ezekiel 1:26-28 describes “a figure with the appearance of a man” who possessed the radiance like that of a rainbow and “the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.”

In Daniel 3:25, Nebuchadnezzar, describing the miraculous and awesome theophany he witnessed in the fire of the furnace, said, “the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!”

Psalm 47:8 says, “God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne.” Why then, does Jesus say that He – the Son of Man – will be sitting on the throne (Matthew 19:28; 25:31; Mark 14:61-62)? Why does John describe GOD sitting on the throne, and yet the One sitting on the throne matches the description of Ezekiel 1:26-28 of “a figure with the appearance of a man” with a rainbow around Him (Revelation 4:2-3)? And why is the One on the throne also the Lion of Judah, Root of David, and the Lamb even though Jesus is the Lion, Root, and Lamb (Isaiah 11:1; Matthew 1:1-17; John 1:29; Acts 13:22-23; Romans 15:8-13; Revelation 5:1,5,12)? Therefore, it seems evident that the “man” whom Jacob and Manoah encountered is the “angel of the Lord” who is also GOD on the throne. So, who is this God-man?

In other passages, GOD is locally present and speaks, yet without explicitly appearing, which might also be classified as a theophany (Numbers 22:9,20; 23:16; Mark 1:11; 9:7; John 12:28).

And finally, my favorite scenario showcasing theophany occurs in Genesis 18—19. Again, in 18:1, the “Lord” יְהֹוָה [H3068] YHWH (Yahweh) appeared to Abraham. But what was the appearance of the Lord? In 18:2, it is written that Abraham saw three men. In 18:10, one of the men promised that around the same time of the following year Sarah would have a son. In the distance, Sarah laughed because she believed herself to be too old to have children. In 18:13, the Lord (YHWH), being omniscient, knew she laughed and then called her out on her lie after she denied it. In 18:14, the Lord (YHWH) promises that He will return at the appointed time the following year. In 18:17, the Lord (YHWH) said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” And then what happens in 18:20-22 contains extremely important details of this theophany: “20 And the Lord said, ‘The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. 21 I will go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.’ 22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the Lord.” And then from 18:23-32, Abraham attempts to intercede on behalf of anyone who might be righteous so that they might be saved. The Lord (YHWH) concludes by assuring Abraham that even for the sake of only 10 righteous people, He would not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. And then 18:33 ends by saying, “As soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham the Lord departed, and Abraham returned to his place.” However, 19:1 begins by saying “Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom.” And then 19:11 states that the two men (who were angels) possessed the power to strike the wicked men of Sodom with blindness. In 19:13, the two angels say, “we are about to destroy this place, because their outcry has become so great before the Lord that the Lord has sent us to destroy it.”

Let’s review the logic of this theophany as stated by the Scripture which cannot be broken:

The Lord appeared to Abraham;
yet Abraham saw three men;
but One of the men spoke as the Lord;
The One who spoke as the Lord remained with Abraham as the other two men went to Sodom;
the two men who went to Sodom were angels;
the two angels said they were sent by the Lord (from whom they had just departed, the One still talking to Abraham);
Therefore, the One who remained with Abraham and then departed from Abraham is the Lord even though He appeared in the form of a man.

So, who is this God-man? Well, if we examine all inspired scriptures together (because Scripture always interprets Scripture), what is the logical conclusion of this GOD-man? I believe the identity of this GOD-man is exactly as Jesus told His disciples after His resurrection on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:27, which states that “beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” The theophanies of the GOD-man is the preincarnate Jesus Christ.

In conclusion, the New Testament is the continuation and final fulfillment of the Old Testament; therefore, Christianity is the continuation and final fulfillment of Judaism. Jesus fulfilled the Law (Matthew 5:17). Jesus is GOD who tabernacled in a temple not made by human hands (Matthew 1:23; John 2:19-22; Acts 7:48; 17:24; Hebrews 8:2). Jesus is the second Person of the Trinity. And unless your faith is in the finished sacrificial work of Jesus Christ, there can be no atonement for your sins and you will die in your sins. There is no other way. Jesus is the Truth and His Word is Truth: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). If you reject the full and final sacrifice of Christ on the cross, then you will reject your only means of salvation and entrance into the Kingdom. For when Christ returns as King of kings (Psalm 2; Revelation 19:11-16), He is going to be searching all people for His Holy treasure in earthly vessels (2Corinthians 4:7; Ephesians 1:13-14), that is, all people in whom the Holy Spirit dwells. When He returns, if He finds the vessel empty, that vessel will be shattered with His rod of iron. Therefore, repent, for that Day is coming soon. And it is so easy to receive and accept this Gospel because it’s Good News — all the work has been done for you! For this reason it is written in Ephesians 2:8-9, “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

It is written in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” The Lord was loving and patient enough to walk with our fathers in the faith back then just as He is loving and patient enough to walk with us right now. For this reason, Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.“

DON’T LOOK BACK (Genesis 19)

Abraham (Abram) and Lot (his nephew) once traveled together, but Genesis 13:6-11 informs us that they both grew too numerous and their workers ended up fighting with each other; consequently, they agreed to go their separate ways so as to keep the peace between them. Prior to Abraham and Lot separating and going their own ways, Abraham gave Lot first choice at any section of land to be his own and Lot chose the best share of the land even though it meant living near Sodom, which was a city known for its sin (13:10-13).

Starting at 18:20, the Lord shared with Abraham that He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah due to their “exceedingly grave” sins. The two angels sent by the Lord arrived at the entrance of the city of Sodom and found Lot sitting there at the gate (19:1). But why was Lot there? The entrance of the city was the meeting place for city officials and other men to discuss current events, transact business, and where officials discussed important ideas and decisions, etc. This is why Amos 5:15 says, “Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate!” And so that area was a place of authority and status where a person could see and be seen. Evidently, Lot either held a fairly important position in the government or he associated with those who did. However, the incidents to come will reveal that Lot had no influence in Sodom; therefore, this informs us that Lot was mixed up with the elites of Sodom, unequally yoked with wickedness, hoping to blend in and belong in the city. We have no reason to think that Lot was alone in the gateway when the angels arrived, yet he was the one who interacted with the angels [who appeared as men]. And this is how everyone knew that Lot had welcomed and invited the men (angels) to his house as his guests (19:2-4). For this reason, Hebrews 13:2 tells us, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (Ponder on that for a moment: many of the humans you meet in this world could be angels. How many of them have you disrespected or refused to love?) This thought should be on our minds every time we encounter a stranger who is in need. After all, it is written that in all we do, we should be doing it as if doing it unto the Lord Himself (Matthew 25:31-46; Colossians 3:17,22-24).

Lot was hospitable to the angels and urged them strongly to stay with him instead of spending the night in the public square (Genesis 19:2-3). Why? Apparently, Lot had seen some things in the past and knew that the public square would be dangerous at night. What was Lot attempting to prevent from happening? What typically happened to travelers if they stayed overnight in the public square? Well, it is written that the evil men of Sodom surrounded his house and demanded to have sexual intercourse with the two angels [who appeared as men] (19:4-5). Therefore, the wicked men of Sodom were demanding to rape the other men. Shockingly, Lot offered his daughters to the sinful men of Sodom who desired to rape the angels (19:8). Rejecting Lot’s offer of his virgin daughters, thus revealing the depth of their depravity (Jude 1:7 refers to this incident as “gross immorality”), the evil men then threatened to treat Lot even worse than they planned to treat the angels. However, the angels saved Lot, brought him inside the house, and then struck the evil men with blindness (19:10-11).

Why did Lot offer his daughters to those wicked men? Lot’s daughters were not only virgins (19:8), but they were also betrothed to be married (19:14). How could a loving father offer his [virgin and engaged] daughters to be raped by a mob of sinful men in order to protect two strangers? Some scholars believe that Lot’s response was a mere figure of speech intended to prick the mob’s consciences and bring about conviction. If true, it would be as if Lot had said, “Do you truly intend to do such a wicked thing to my guests to whom I’m responsible? Such an act would be a sin against me as well! Why don’t you just rape my daughters instead? Either way, you will be sinning against them and me! Would you truly commit such an abhorrent act against one of your own citizens?!” Thus, the intended message would be equivalent to someone sarcastically replying to a mortgage company, “Why don’t you just take the clothes off my children’s backs and the food off their plates?! Your actions are wicked and criminal!”

However, Scripture does not state such a message and it does seem to be literal in the description of events of this story. Not only was Lot’s desire to protect the men (angels) from the public square a clue about the wickedness of the people in Sodom, but the wicked mob’s response in 19:9 makes it clear that Lot had no influential power in Sodom when they told Lot to “stand aside” and then said, “This one came in as an alien, and already he is acting like a judge; now we will treat you worse than them.” And then they “pressed hard against Lot and came near to break the door.” Therefore, it is doubtful that Lot’s response of offering his daughters was anything except cowardice in a moment of panic and fear. But even if Lot’s panicked mind had offered his daughters as a solution to appease the wicked mob, Lot’s proposal, which is so abhorrent to our modern minds, may have even been deemed meritorious in an ancient Eastern country, where people were bound by the laws of hospitality to their guests. Moreover, sadly, at that time and in that area within that culture, women were of lesser status than men. But it’s important to note that those customs were man’s cultural norms, not GOD’s Kingdom standard.

And so the wicked people put Lot in an extremely difficult position where he had to make an extremely difficult decision at a mere moment’s notice. Now, the difficulty arises from the description of Lot being “righteous,” which Peter wrote about in 2Peter 2:7. Lot’s desire to serve the angels, be hospitable, invite them into his home, and protect them reveals that Lot did in fact desire to be righteous. His desire to be righteous was showcased when he told the evil mob, “Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly” (Genesis 19:7). Well, how could he point out what is wicked unless he knew the standard of right by which to compare their actions? However, it also seems that Lot was only righteous relatively out of GOD’s favor to Abraham because it’s written that GOD saved Lot because “God remembered Abraham” (19:29). And though Lot’s soul was daily tormented by what he saw in Sodom (2Peter 2:8), it seems he was not tormented enough to convince him to leave such evil surroundings, and return to the healthy and virtuous life of the mountains. It seems that it was easier for him to coexist and partner with wickedness than to be set apart from the world. And though it was the custom of the day to protect guests at any cost, this abhorrent act of offering his [virgin and engaged] daughters to the mob reveals how deeply sin had been absorbed into Lot’s life. This is known as desensitization. For this reason, the ancient wisdom of Proverbs 13:20 tells us, “He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm.” And Paul warned the church of Corinth when he wrote in 1Corinthians 5:6 that “a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.” Paul also warned them later on in the same letter (15:33), “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals.’ ” But that is what happens when we allow a sinful society around us to influence what we think and do. It is for this exact reason that our modern society has become desensitized to evil, which is clearly evident to those who have spiritual eyes to see. And it is for this reason that Romans 12:2 instructs us, “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Later, in Judges 19:22-25, we will see that this same sinful scenario happens again where a wicked group of men have a demonic desire to gang rape a man passing through their town, but in that scenario, the man who was the guest seized his concubine, threw her out to mob, and they raped her and abused her all night until morning, and she ended up getting raped to death. And so according to that passage, it seems that this type of evil act was not uncommon for any city that was saturated in sin. In fact, sexual immorality will always be rampant wherever wicked people gather. It is a sign that the adversary is present, mocking GOD’s design. It is for this reason Paul wrote in 1Thessalonians 4:3-5, “3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God.” And in 1Corinthians 6:15-20, Paul explains that our bodies are holy temples and that we must flee immorality. And this sexual immorality is so evil that in Luke 17:28-30, Jesus uses Sodom and its wickedness to explain how it will be in the last days when He returns. And just to be clear, we are currently in the days of Sodom [if you haven’t noticed].

Whereas the book of Joshua reveals GOD’s faithfulness, the book of Judges showcases the Israelite’s failures through their faithlessness and their refusal to give up evil ways. The “judges” (deliverers) were not set up as models: their failures, weaknesses and immorality are simply recorded, not condoned, glossed over or glorified. This is why what is described in the Bible is not always prescribed. Because of our freedom of choice, GOD works with whoever is available. A sad cycle of sin and repetitive short-lived “repentance” calls attention to humanity’s tendency to stray and go their own way. The evils in the days of the judges were attributed to the fact that “there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6; 21:25). And this is exactly what happens when people refuse to acknowledge that there is indeed an absolute moral standard commanded by a King [who is Christ Jesus] (1Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16). Contrast that evil with the wisdom of Proverbs 21:2: “Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts.” Without GOD as the absolute moral standard and candid central core, the people placed their focus on what was relative and subjective, which transformed into common corruption. In the days of the judges, the Philistines advanced by infiltration (subtly from within) rather than outright war; pagan practices persisted because they had been accepted as normal and integrated into daily activities. Examine what is written in Numbers 25:1-3: “¹While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. ²For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. ³So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry against Israel.” Who invited the Israelites over there? Sexually immoral women. The entire 7^th chapter of Proverbs is about this very issue. People are seduced and led to their own slaughter because they don’t have the wisdom to recognize the enemy’s lure. You need wisdom to help you discern this so that you can flee the temptations of this world. In 1Corinthians 10:12-13, Paul wrote, “¹²Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. ¹³No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”

Any sin that becomes justified, accepted as normal, and integrated into daily life is a virus. Desensitization causes destruction and demise. Sexual immorality was the Trojan horse virus long before Homer’s Odyssey even existed! This is an ancient sin! After Cain murdered his brother, from his seed came the wicked Lamech who took for himself two wives (Genesis 4:19). That was the start of the deviation from the design, which was a demonic desire. And the immoral leaven contaminated the dough. But GOD’s Word clearly speaks of sex outside of marriage [one male and one female for one lifetime] as being immoral and adulterous (1Corinthians 6:13,18; 10:8; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1Thessalonians 4:3). And Hebrews 13:4 says, “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” A married couple cannot be “one flesh” (Genesis 2:24) if multiple “fleshes” are involved. A married couple cannot fully love one another if that love is divided among several other people. There cannot be true intimacy if what is supposed to be intimate is shared with others. Polyamory is not marriage. In no sense is a marriage supposed to be open to sexual activity outside of the covenant union of marriage – and yes – that includes pornography. The monogamous male-female union, which was introduced in Genesis between Adam and Eve, is the only model of sexual behavior consistently praised in both the Old and New Testaments (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:18,23-24; Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Deuteronomy 17:17; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 19:4-6; Romans 1:26-27; 1Corinthians 6:9-10; 7:2; 1Timothy 1:9-10; 3:2,12; Titus 1:6). The decision to disregard GOD’s design produced an avalanche of problems that buried any possibility of the Israelites ever working themselves into holy salvation. Multiple partners always created conflict, confusion, identity crises, and even led to idolatry (examine the lives of Abraham + Sarah + Hagar [Genesis 16:5-6; 21:9-11], or Jacob + Leah + Rachel [Genesis 29:17-18,30-31; 30:1-2,20,23], or even Solomon + 700 wives + 300 concubines). Even in David’s life, his sinful lust spilled over into his own family’s lives and affected them and caused disastrous results (2Samuel 11:1-12:23; 13:4-37). Further, David’s lack of discipline in that matter spilled over into Solomon’s life and it created disastrous results for Solomon as well (1Kings 11:1-8). Any addition to GOD’s design is a subtraction in quality of life and a division of loyalty, which ultimately leads to multiplied problems. The fact that all of these events were documented in the Bible is proof that GOD wants us to learn from their mistakes (Romans 15:4; 1Corinthians 10:6-13; 2Timothy 3:16-17). Again, it was all described, not prescribed. GOD provided for us examples of what not to do as well as examples of what we should do.

Now, let’s return to Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah. The narratives warn against assimilating to the evil practices around them. Likewise, Lot had allowed the sinful society that surrounded him to torment him so long as to finally influence him. Whereas he once lived near Sodom (Genesis 13:12), he eventually chose to live in Sodom (14:12; 18:26; 19:1-5), drawing closer to the ways of the world rather than GOD’s ways. And when Lot offered his daughters to the wicked mob, I believe he was unprepared to respond righteously and so he merely reacted in panic and chose to do an evil in hopes of bringing about some good. However, in stark contrast, it is written that we are not to do evil in hopes of achieving good; rather, we are to overcome evil by doing good (Romans 3:8; 6:1; 12:21).

Lot eventually attempted to warn his daughters’ fiancés about the impending destruction of the city, but they didn’t believe him or heed his warning. They thought it was a funny joke. Pause and ponder on this problem. Why didn’t they believe him? While it is true that they were wicked themselves, it’s also possible that Lot had lived amongst and associated with the ungodly people for so long that he was no longer a credible or believable witness for GOD. Had he compromised so much that he was no longer considered a man of GOD by those men? Or did they just think GOD was a joke? Regardless, rather than Lot changing people around him, he allowed the people around him to change him. And this, of course, is in stark contrast with the way Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego) had lived in the Babylonian exile when they refused to allow exterior circumstances to dictate their interior dispositions, corrupt their character, and wreck their witness (Daniel 1:8; 3:17-18). In fact, when it came time for an extremely difficult scenario to force Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego to make an extremely difficult decision, they were ready to respond righteously rather than merely react out of panic and fear. King Nebuchadnezzar said that if they did not fall down and worship his statue, they would be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire. But apparently they had thought about this ahead of time and had already made a decision long ago as to what they would do if that ever happened. They were prepared. They were deeply rooted.

Do those who know you see you as a credible and believable witness for GOD, or are you just one of the crowd, someone who blends in? If you were to warn someone close to you about a coming judgment, would that person consider your relationship with the Lord and take you seriously? For this reason, we are to live with higher standards. To make a difference in our culture, we must first decide to be different and live differently in faith and conduct. Which is more noticeable: that which blends in or that which stands out? But why should you blend in when GOD created you to stand out from the world (John 15:19; 17:14,16)? However, this does not mean that we should isolate ourselves from the world. It simply means that we never become one with the world’s ways. Jesus said “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one” (17:15). And, “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world” (17:18). And so we do not isolate ourselves from the world, yet we do not become the harlot who unites herself with the ways of the world. In James 4:4-5, it is written, “4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: ‘He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us’?” Therefore, as the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:32), we are to be faithful to Him alone even though we are still in the world. We are to change the world; the world is not to change us. Jesus said we are the light that is to shine into the darkness of this world (Matthew 5:14-16), yet too many Christians allow the world to convince them that their candle is offensive and so they cover their light with a basket in order to please demons who dwell in darkness. May it never be! We must be a city on a hill that cannot be hidden!

When it came time for Lot to leave, it is written that he hesitated (Genesis 19:16-17). Not only did he hesitate, but he had to be urged to leave and was pulled out by the hand. Why? I believe Lot feared the unknown and doubted the Lord’s direction (19:19). It is difficult to leave your comfort zone and enter into new areas of life. Lot didn’t know where he was going to go, but he knew where he was in that moment – he was in his comfort zone. In perhaps a state of confusion and panic, Lot asked to go to the village of Zoar (a word meaning “small”) (19:20). It’s fitting because Lot’s faith was small and he was shortsighted; he didn’t consider the big picture of GOD’s will. (Lot ended up going to the mountains anyway, just as the angels had instructed him to do; 19:30.) But again, was he ready to respond righteously or was he merely reacting out of panic and fear?

Now, Lot may have hesitated, but Lot’s wife didn’t merely hesitate — she looked back in disobedience and was turned into a pillar of salt (19:17,26). But why would GOD turn her into a pillar of salt just because she looked back? Was that fair? Scripture doesn’t say why she looked back, but I believe she looked back because she was unable to let go of her past and she was concerned about her worldly life. Many people would rather stay in a bad situation simply because it’s familiar rather than risk the uncomfortable and potentially frightening feeling of going into the unknown. How many unfortunate testimonies exist of abused and battered women who chose to go back to the men who abused them simply because they were in a familiar situation and were afraid to go forward into the unknown? I personally know a few females who would rather be with the wrong man rather than be single and live right with the Lord. Did Lot’s wife desire to be at the wrong place rather than go into the unknown of GOD’s will? People who allow themselves to stay in a harmful cycle of life will never get better until they desire to seek better. Perhaps Lot’s wife was trying to figure out a way they could stay rather than leave. After all, that’s usually what people tend to do when they are afraid to leave what is familiar. And because Lot did not have a wife prior to living in Sodom, it is reasonable to infer that Lot’s wife was from Sodom. Consequently, it seems evident she did not want to leave the only place she ever knew. In fact, when Jesus talks about Sodom as a parallel for the end times (Luke 17:28-32), He implies that Lot’s wife not only looked back, but also returned to the city and died in the destruction due to her disobedience. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that Lot’s wife was not the only pillar of salt in Sodom even though she is the example.

Understand this: when GOD tells us to go forward into His will, then we need to trust GOD’s direction and go (Proverbs 3:5-6). When GOD tells you to leave your past behind and not to look back, then don’t look back! You cannot move forward in life if you’re looking back and trying to go in reverse. When GOD gives you an opportunity for change and for a new and better life, do not look back. You must keep your focus on what’s ahead. Live your life in the present with the future in mind. Don’t look back. There’s a reason your vehicle has a tiny rearview mirror and a large windshield in front of you, right? We don’t stare into the rearview mirror while driving forward. The rearview mirror is for reference only so that it can help you drive forward. Your past is your past. Leave it there. It’s dead and gone. You can’t change it or resurrect it.

The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years because they complained against the Lord that He took them out of Egypt. They complained because in Egypt they had access to water and a variety of foods (Numbers 11:4-6; 20:3-5). They complained because they were uncomfortable on their journey to where GOD wanted to take them, which was a better land where they would live in freedom. Ponder on the absurd ungratefulness of their complaints! GOD took them out of slavery and yet they complained because their lives in slavery had been predictable, which made them comfortable. They were comfortable in their enslavement! And even after the Israelites had been punished for their rebellion and harlotry, subjected to Babylonian captivity, GOD later told them in Isaiah 43:18-19, “Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new.” For this reason, Paul, in Philippians 3:12-14, admitted that he had not yet reached the goal or become perfect, but he wrote “I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” And he then he wrote, “however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained” (3:16).

As Christians, we live up to a higher standard than the rest of this world and we should maintain that standard. Is GOD trying to take you into a new area in life? Are you holding onto something or someone of your past? Are you hesitant to leave your comfort zone and what is familiar because you possess a false sense of security due to predictability? It’s a false sense of security! Let go and let GOD love you, bless you, and guide you. Will it be difficult? Yes. We will endure growing pains, the pain of the Father’s discipline, and the pain of the world’s persecution. But will it be worth it? Yes. And is GOD with us the entire time? Yes. As David faithfully proclaimed in Psalm 23, the Lord is our Good Shepherd who is with us in that journey through the valley of the shadow of death. Why? Because He leads us to the water, restores us, and guides us. GOD was with the Israelites when they traveled, GOD was with David through the valley of the shadow of death, Jesus was with His disciples, and because the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), GOD will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5).

But why did Lot’s wife turn into salt? GOD could have turned her into anything, so why salt? According to Matthew 5:13, believers are supposed to be the salt of the earth. The Lord of lords and King of kings said we are the salt of the earth. That’s an easy verse to pass up and take for granted. Who does the Lord say we are? Who does He want us to be? Salt is a necessity of life and has been used as a seasoning, a preservative, a disinfectant, and even used on icy conditions. Are we preserving all the good qualities of life? Are we enhancing the ‘flavor’ of life? Are we a disinfectant, helping to eliminate the ‘germs’ of false doctrines? Are we being used for icy conditions? Are we thawing ice-cold hearts with the warmth of our love? Are we helping people gain traction on slippery slopes with the Truth? Our salty ‘flavor’ should cause people to salivate for the Savior. You may not think that what you do matters much, but GOD says you are the salt of the earth. So, everything you do matters. And everything you do not do matters as well.

But when Lot’s wife chose to disobey GOD, neglected to appreciate the blessing of moving faithfully forward, and placed her focus on her past by looking back, she lost her taste or flavor (her strength and quality). Another thing about salt: salt is bitter. If you place your focus on your past hurts, resentments, anger toward others, etc., you will turn into a bitter person and you will cause your own demise. Even if you place your focus on all the good things of the past, wishing to stay there, you will become the grumbling Israelite who lacks faith in where GOD wants to take you. I believe she caused her own demise because she couldn’t let go of that worldly life she had been accustomed to living. She was the salt that lost its flavor and so she became what was thrown out and trampled under foot. But what about you? Are you looking back longingly at a past situation you want rather than trusting in GOD and moving forward in faith? We all have moments in our past that were enjoyable that we sometimes prefer over our current situation. But we cannot make progress with GOD as long as we are trying to dwell in the past. And we definitely can’t make progress with GOD if our desire is to stay in the world and live by its ways. We cannot serve two masters; we cannot dine at the table of demons; we cannot partake in evil and the ways of the world while also serving the Lord (Matthew 6:24; 1Corinthians 10:21).

Also, it is noteworthy that both Abraham and Lot bowed before the angels and offered them hospitality and a meal; however, whereas Sarah served by baking bread (Genesis 18:6), there is no mention of Lot’s wife bowing or serving. In fact, her name isn’t even recorded, which calls to mind that only the names recorded in the Book of Life will be saved (Psalm 69:28; Revelation 3:5; 20:12,15; 21:27).

In regards to Christ’s second coming, it is written in Luke 17:28-33: “²⁸It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; ²⁹but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. ³⁰It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. ³¹On that day, the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back. ³²Remember Lot’s wife. ³³Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.”

By the words of our Lord, it would seem that Lot’s wife was more concerned about the old way of life than the new life promised by GOD; she sought to keep that old worldly life. But Jesus said that whoever is content to risk his/her natural life shall gain a life of a higher spiritual order. This is the same message Jesus spoke to His disciples in Luke 9:23-25 when He said, “²³If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. ²⁴For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. ²⁵For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?”

Simply put, this means that we must die daily to our own will and choose to live according to GOD’s will. Living according to GOD’s will is to trust in the Lord and act in obedience according to faith. In John 12:26, Jesus said, “If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.”

Therefore, we must follow Christ. In Luke 9:57-62, it is written: “⁵⁷As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, ‘I will follow You wherever You go.’ ⁵⁸And Jesus said to him, ‘The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’ ⁵⁹And He said to another, ‘Follow Me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.’ ⁶⁰But He said to him, ‘Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.’ ⁶¹Another also said, ‘I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.’ ⁶²But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.’ ”

Listen, this is a warning. Once we begin, there is no going back. Don’t look back. If you say you will follow the Lord, will you do so even if you experience uncomfortable circumstances and trials and tribulation? Just as Jesus is not at home in this world, neither are the children of GOD (John 15:18-20; 17:14-16). It is written in Matthew 10:37: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.”

Understand this: the spiritually dead cannot obtain true life (Matthew 23:27-28; Ephesians 2:1), and that is why people are dead in their sins and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). However, the one who follows the Lord, walking by the Spirit, will not be spiritually dead (Luke 15:24,32; John 3:3,36; 5:21,24-25; Romans 6:11; 8:10,14). The one who puts his hand to the plow is the one who does the work of the Kingdom. If the worker is to do a job well done, that worker must look straight before him at the line of the furrow which he is making. If he looks back while working, he will mar the work and miss the mark. In fact, the word “sin” in Greek is the word ἁμαρτία [G266] hamartia (ham-ar-tee’-ah), which as a verb, literally means “to miss the mark” (and so not share in the prize or get a section, allotment, or portion) – you missed out.

Now, atheists often present an argument against Jesus telling people they are not fit for the Kingdom if they put their hand to the plow and then look back. Why? For one, Jesus restored Peter after he had denied Jesus three times (John 13:38; 21:15-19). They view that as a contradiction. However, in light of GOD’s omniscience, it’s not a contradiction because the Lord knew Peter’s incident was a mere moment of stumbling, not looking back and desiring to be of the world (Luke 22:31-32). But another reason is that in 1Kings 19:19-21, GOD instructed Elijah to anoint Elisha as the new prophet to replace him. Elijah found Elisha while he was plowing a field. And Elijah went to him and threw his mantle on him. Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.” And Elijah told Elisha to go, but to consider what Elijah had done for him. Afterwards, Elisha followed Elijah. But if Elisha went back to his parents before following Elijah, did he look back after putting his hand to the plow? No. The difference here is that his parents must not have been spiritually dead and Elisha was fulfilling a commandment to honor his parents (Exodus 20:12; 21:17; Leviticus 20:9; Deuteronomy 5:16; Matthew 15:1-9) prior to his completely committed walk with the Lord, which he faithfully endured until the end (2Kings 13:20). He hadn’t started yet. And once he did start, he finished faithfully. In a parallel passage of Jesus describing the cost of discipleship, it is clear that He was speaking to those who already started following Him as disciples (Matthew 8:18-22). Thus, that man used his parents as an excuse not to continue following Jesus. Elisha, however, didn’t use his parents as an excuse not to follow the Lord; in fact, he was willing to leave them in order to walk with the Lord. Elisha even destroyed his old means of sustenance by sacrificing the oxen prior to departing (1Kings 19:21). By killing his oxen, he destroyed his old way of life and means of income. This sacrificial meal was more than a mere feast among farmers; rather, it was an offering of gratitude to the Lord who chose Elisha to be his prophet. He was completely committed and never looked back.

Jesus was always direct with those who wanted to follow Him. He made sure they counted the cost and set aside any conditions they might have for following Him. Despite what prosperity preachers peddle behind pulpits for the sake of packing their own pockets with profit, following Jesus will not be easy, nor will it be comfortable. Often it means great cost and sacrifice, with no earthly rewards or security. You may find that following Christ costs you relationships, financial loss, persecution, or even your death in martyrdom. And because Jesus made His expectations clearly known in advance, any expectation to be free of suffering, to prosper in absolutely everything you do, only increase and never decrease, or to be happy all the time is an unrealistic expectation which Jesus never promised. Jesus did not hesitate to demand complete loyalty.

Though the cost of following Christ is high, the value of being a disciple and a child of the one true King is far greater. Discipleship is an eternal investment which will yield eternal rewards. We must not fall away as Jesus explained in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:20-21): “²⁰The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.”

It is written in Hebrews 10:35-39: “³⁵Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. ³⁶For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. ³⁷ ‘For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. ³⁸But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.’ ³⁹But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”

This is a warning of destruction against those who retreat back to the ways of the world due to fear, apathy, or desire for worldly pleasures (2Timothy 4:10; Hebrews 2:1-3; 3:12; 4:11; 11:23-27). Rather than throwing away your trust in the Lord, throw away unbelief and the ways of the world just as no-longer-blind Bartimaeus had done when he threw away his cloak and jumped at the opportunity to follow the Lord (Mark 10:50). It is written in Proverbs 4:25-27: “²⁵Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. ²⁶Watch the path of your feet and all your ways will be established. ²⁷Do not turn to the right nor to the left; turn your foot from evil.”

How does one watch the path? It is written in Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” The Light of GOD’s Word keeps us looking faithfully forward on the right path (The Way), one step at a time. And it is only on this straight path you will enter through the narrow door (Luke 13:24; John 10:7,9). We are either in a covenant relationship or we’re not. We either remain committed or we compromise. We are either the faithful Bride of Christ until the He returns or, when He returns and finds us being unfaithful harlots, we will not be the Bride and will never enter the Kingdom. Either we look faithfully forward in complete commitment, or we look back, mar the work, miss the mark, we miss out, and fall away.

2Peter 2:20-22 provides wisdom concerning those who would be so ungrateful as to look/shrink back: “²⁰For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. ²¹For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. ²²It has happened to them according to the true proverb [Proverbs 26:11], “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

The beautiful Truth about GOD’s grace is that even if from a moment of struggle we have stumbled and strolled away from Him after knowing the Truth (as Peter did), we are still able to turn around (repent) and come back to Him just as the Prodigal Son had done (Luke 15:11-32). For as long as GOD grants us life here on this earth, it’s never too late to come back to the loving Father in genuine repentance. However, when it comes time for the Lord to lead us to our eternal destinations, the ones who turned their backs on the Lord will not be found in the Book of Life and brimstone will be their only reward. So, who will remain faithfully committed to the Lord until the end because they are deeply rooted? Who will lose their saltiness and become useless to their community? Who will shrink back to the ways of the world and fall away because they never had deep roots?

Questions to consider:

Just as the Philistine women and the daughters of Moab had infiltrated the Israelites from within rather than an outright attack from the outside, what do you believe has infiltrated America from within that is causing her to collapse in on herself? In media? Education? Government? Entertainment industry? Family? Science? Businesses? Even in churches?
Consider Lot in Sodom. What has been around so long within our nation that it has influenced our thoughts and actions? But are those things in alignment with GOD’s Word and GOD’s will?
What has our culture/society influenced us to think and do?
Have you been conditioned to accept something as normal? So much so that you have integrated it into your daily life? But is it normal? Or is it demonic desensitization and spiritual cancerous conditioning?
Have you assimilated to the evil practices around you without even realizing it?
In what ways do you believe you might be desensitized to the ways of this world and conditioned to partake in an evil agenda?
What do you now accept as being justified to do that you used to feel convicted about doing? What do you now accept that you once rejected? What do you now do that your younger self declared you would never do? What caused that change? What caused the acceptance of that change?
Are you unequally yoked with the ways of this world?
When it comes time for an extremely difficult scenario, will you be ready to respond righteously or will you be caught off guard and merely react in panic, causing some compromise in your character?
Has your hesitation to obey GOD ever stemmed from the false attraction to the pleasures of your culture’s comfortable environment?
Have you allowed fear of the unknown future to negatively affect the faith of your present walk?
Do you doubt the Lord’s direction or guidance?
Do you continually try to dwell in the past, complaining against GOD while He desires to take you to a new and better place?
When was the last time you hesitated to obey GOD? Why did you hesitate?
When was the last time you disobeyed GOD? Why did you disobey?
Are you just one of the crowd? Do you merely blend in with our sinful society?
Have you compromised so much that others around you no longer consider you a credible and believable witness of GOD?
Has the warning of GOD’s coming judgment become something you don’t take seriously?
If you do take seriously GOD’s coming judgment, wouldn’t that motivate you to share the Gospel with those around you in this world? Wouldn’t that motivate you to intercede on behalf of others?
Have you allowed the world to convince you that your light is offensive? Have you allowed the world to convince you to hide your light?
Who are you trying to please? People or GOD?

In Galatians 1:10, Paul wrote, “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.”

Remember the Lord’s commands. So, what should you now do? Allow the Lord to lead you in what to do next. But remember Lot’s wife. Don’t look back. We are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.

25 YEARS (Genesis 20:1 – 21:7)

In Genesis 20, Abraham, without looking back, continues to move faithfully forward on his journey. However, Abraham lies yet again, using the same tactic as he had before (12:11-20). And just like before, Abraham’s lie puts both Sarah and the king in compromised positions. In addition, the situation required GOD’s divine intervention to make right the wrong that Abraham created. Evidently, Abraham did not learn his lesson about lying. In fact, by once again giving in to the temptation to lie in order to save himself, he risked transforming a single sinful act into a habitual sinful pattern of lying. But what about you? What sinful habit do you now have because you had given in to the temptation long enough for it to become a habitual sinful pattern? Which is easier: to avoid the lion’s mouth from a distance or to escape the lion’s mouth while you’re already inside it? Is it easier to escape the harmful habit before it is formed or to break the habitual sinful pattern while you’re already in it? Did Abraham establish a careless and unrealistic expectation for GOD to save him and Sarah despite making sinful decisions? Is it acceptable to willfully sin while expecting GOD’s grace to save us from our sinful choices? No! We should never take advantage of GOD’s grace. In Romans 6:1-2, Paul says, “¹Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? ²May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” If we know the right thing to do and yet we do not do it, to us it is a sin (James 4:17). So, what about you? Are you still living in sin because you have taken GOD’s grace for granted? Abraham seemed to have believed that it would be better to deceive Abimelech than to trust in GOD to work in the king’s life. But should we assume that GOD will not work in a scenario simply because problems exist within that scenario? Isn’t GOD capable of changing hearts? In fact, GOD did work in the heart of Abimelech and even prevented him from sinning (Genesis 20:6). So, is anything too difficult for the Lord (Genesis 18:14)? And what about you? How many times has GOD worked in your heart and prevented you from sinning in certain situations? Have you not felt the change within due to the Holy Spirit speaking conviction (John 16:8)?

Abimelech ended up being an example of righteousness when he chose not to retaliate against Abraham (20:14-16), thereby providing us with an example of what is written in Matthew 5:38-41 in that we should turn the other cheek and even be willing to go the second mile for a perceived enemy. Abraham’s action was a sin against Abimelech yet the king chose to bless Abraham rather than seek revenge. Noteworthy is the fact that the name Abimelech means “my father is king”. And so this becomes a picture of how Jesus chose to bless us even though we sinned against Him. So, what about you? Are you willing to bless someone who has sinned against you? If not, why are you unwilling to live as GOD commands us to live? We need to be willing to bless those who have sinned against us. Have you ever blessed someone who sinned against you? If not, now is a good time to start forming new righteous habits to replace the old sinful habits.

In Genesis 20:7, GOD calls Abraham a prophet and tells Abimelech that Abraham will pray for him so that he may live. Not only is this the first occurrence of someone being labeled as a prophet, but Abraham once again is being provided with the opportunity to love others through practice of intercession just as he had the blessed opportunity to intercede for anyone in Sodom who might be righteous (18:23-32). In 20:14,16 Abimelech’s payment to Abraham and Sarah is like a reverse bride price. A bride price was paid by the groom to the family of the bride as surety that the marriage would take place. Here, however, the payment moves the same direction, but the woman is moving the opposite direction – from the would-be husband back to the family. Rather than a bride price, it is a restitution payment restoring the woman to her family intact. However, the text is clear that this is more than a mere social transaction because Abimelech indicates that by this payment Sarah is vindicated and is not guilty of adultery. And the exorbitant amount of 1,000 silver shekels is more than one could hope to earn in a lifetime. Again, because the name Abimelech means “my father is king”, this provides a picture of how the King of kings (Jesus) blesses us abundantly despite our sins, and the gift is more than we could ever hope to acquire by our own works.

Genesis 21:1-7 informs us that when Abraham became 100 years of age and Sarah became 90 years of age, GOD finally fulfilled His promise: Sarah conceived and then she gave birth to a son. In 20:6, GOD made it known that He prevented Abimelech from sinning and did not allow him to touch Sarah; in addition, Abimelech publicly cleared Sarah’s reputation before multiple witnesses (20:16). This is important because when Sarah gives birth to Isaac (21:2), we know that Isaac is the miracle child GOD promised would come from the combination of Sarah’s egg and Abraham’s seed (17:16,19,21), not from the seed of Abimelech. Once again, we must consider how the name Abimelech means “my father is king”. Sarah didn’t need to receive the seed of Abimelech for royalty to come from her line because from her line will ultimately come Christ Jesus – the King of kings! However, Abimelech, whom Abraham did not consider to be a child of GOD (20:11) ended up being a child of GOD (whose father is the King) because he proved that he had the fear of the Lord and also acted according to the will of GOD (20:4-5,14-16). Therefore, he was a child of GOD and so his Father is the King.

In 21:6, after giving birth, Sarah says, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.” Both Abraham and Sarah had once laughed at the thought of having a son in their old age (17:17; 18:12), and now Sarah laughs because GOD’s promise proves true. Hence, her son is named Isaac because Isaac means “he laughs” and GOD always gets the last laugh. However, the fulfillment of GOD’s promise took 25 years! That’s a really long time to wait for a promise! I believe there is at least one lesson to be learned from this length of longing: we need patience and we need to realize that GOD’s timing is the right timing, not our timing. Because of Sarah’s doubt, worry, and fear, she often forfeited the peace she could have felt had she only lived her life trusting in GOD’s promise. Sarah lived life with impatience and doubt because she wanted her desires to be fulfilled in her own timing.

But are we so different from Sarah? We live in a time when everything is being modified to suit our impatient needs: transportation has been designed and modified to get us to our next destination faster than ever before; our computers operate faster — we receive instant emails instead of waiting for postal mail; even when we order packages to be delivered to us, we often request same-day delivery; we have “fast food” locations to serve us instant meals; our phones download data quickly in order to provide us with instant gratification while performing web searches or while watching videos. It’s apparent that we have a ‘need’ for speed. We want it and we want it now! Well, GOD has a need for… patience. But have you noticed that people in our modern time seem to lack patience? Simply observe people driving on the busy streets during rush hour and you will notice that it becomes the hour for road rage. I’ve witnessed people in line at a grocery store who are so impatient they feel the need to play a game on their phones rather than pay attention to their places in line. This terrible impatient mindset is one reason why people often look back and walk away from GOD too early — they want answers from GOD and they want them now; people want miracles and they want them now! We live in a microwave society where impatient people desire immediate results. But GOD wants us to know that we must first try to be righteous without expecting any rewards, and we need to live by faith while being patient, waiting on His perfect timing while trusting in Him for the results.

Sadly, many adults nowadays are just as impatient as children. But should adults act as children? In 1Corinthians 13:11, Paul says that we are no longer children and so we need to put away childish things. A child will impatiently stomp his/her feet while grabbing for the desired item that’s nearby and just out of reach. The child wants that item and he/she wants it now! But good parents want that child to calm down, be polite, ask nicely, not to be so impatient, etc., and then the parents will give the child some dessert or a toy. But the parents also want the child to be grateful and to appreciate what was given to him/her and understand why he/she does not truly deserve to receive it. And on top of all that, the parents want the child to understand that the desired item is a blessing or luxury and that it should not be expected and that he/she will not receive it often — especially on demand. And yet as adults, many people are still somehow ungrateful themselves, stomping their feet and grabbing for what they believe rightfully belongs to them. Does age or experience earn us the right to be ungrateful? Does age or experience warrant entitlement? Some adults believe they have ‘earned’ whatever they received just because they’re adults and because they “paid their dues.” No — Christ Jesus paid all the dues. We’re still in debt to Him. We need to pay the debt and with interest. By interest, I mean that we all need to become interested in paying the debt. We need to do little by little every single day to pay it forward. That’s right – forward, not back. We can’t pay Jesus back. The debt is too great (Romans 3:23; 5:8; 6:23; 8:12; Colossians 2:13-14). But we can pay it forward. Whenever you become in debt to someone, you usually hear, “pay me back.” Well, we’re in debt to the Lord and yet He is only asking us to pay it forward, not back. Be righteous and give to others. Bless others even if they sin against you.

So, what about you? Are you currently throwing a temper tantrum like a child because your demands for life aren’t happening as quickly as you would like? What if your blessing from GOD won’t arrive until 25 years after the initial desire was given to you? I wasn’t able to preach at a church building until 20 years after making the decision to follow Christ. Do you need practice in patience? Not only are we told to put on patience (Colossians 3:12), but one of the fruits of the Spirit is patience (Galatians 5:22). If we walk by the Spirit, we will not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). Patience is a sign that we trust in the Lord’s perfect timing of His perfect plan. In what ways can you practice patience? In what ways can you refuse to receive immediate gratification today? Challenge yourself. Perhaps we could learn from David and choose to wait patiently on the Lord (Psalm 40:1). Perhaps while you’re waiting to receive, you can choose to give to others. You just might find that time seems to go by quicker while you are busy giving and serving others, being more concerned about their needs than your own.

Questions to consider:

Has lying become a habitual sinful pattern in your life?
What other sinful habits have developed in your life?
What sins do you justify with an expectation for GOD’s grace to cover even though you know the right thing you should be doing?
What righteous actions can you do from now on to replace the wicked actions?
Are you willing to bless others who have sinned against you?
Are you willing to challenge yourself to grow? Are you willing to act in faithful obedience to the Lord? If so, here’s your challenge: In prayer, ask the Lord to bring to your remembrance a person who recently sinned against you. Once the Holy Spirit has highlighted that person, ask the Lord for an inspired idea as to how you can bless that person. Once the Holy Spirit reveals to you how to bless that person, challenge yourself to act in faithful obedience to bless that person. Afterwards, spend time in intercessory prayer for that person so that the Lord may work in that person’s life.
What are you currently waiting on? Do you trust the Lord and His perfect timing of His perfect plan?
Is your father the King? Is the King capable?

Genesis

January 1, 2019April 5, 2019Tagged 1859, Abel, Abraham, Adam, adaptation, angel, anthropic principle, aperture, apologetics, beginning, bible, Bible study, big bang, big bang theory, C.S. Lewis, Cain, Charles Darwin, Christ, Christian, Christianity, circumcised, circumcision, cosmological, cosmology, cosmos, creation, Creator, darwin, Darwinism, demon, determinism, devil, dinosaurs, dna, Egypt, Esau, ethnic, ethnicity, Eve, evolution, evolved, faith, fall, fallen, famine, favoritism, fine tuning, flood, forbidden fruit, free will, Garden of Eden, gender, genealogy, Genesis, God, God's Word, Gomorrah, Heaven, Hell, historical, history, Holy, identity, incest, intelligent design, Isaac, Ishmael, Israel, Jacob, Jacob's ladder, Jesus, jew, Jewish, Jews for Jesus, Joseph, judaism, Lamech, life, Lot, Lucifer, macro, marriage, Melchizedek, Messiah, micro, mulatto, multiverse, naked, Noah, Noah's Ark, nudity, old earth, Pharaoh, photography, polyandry, polygamy, polygyny, predestination, prophecy, prophet, prophetic, race, racial, rape, redeemed, redemption, religion, repent, repentance, rest, restoration, restored, reunion, sabbath, sacrifice, sacrificial, Satan, Scripture, sermon, serpent, sex, sin, slave, slavery, Sodom, stairway to heaven, surge, teleological, thermodynamics, tithe, tithing, Tower of Babel, truth, type of Christ, universe, vitiligo, Word of GOD, worldview, wrestle, wrestler, wrestling, Yahweh, yom, young earth2 Comments

This article is part of a series. The series will examine every book of the Bible, but this particular article examines the book of Genesis. If you have not yet read the introduction to this series, you may read my introduction here: My Duty: The Revealed (Introduction)

On The Surface:

Genesis means “beginning.” This is the beginning of space, time, and all life. This is the telling of the Creator and His creation. GOD showcased His mastery as He created order in the cosmos and as He brought order to His relationship with people. GOD created everything perfect; one aspect of GOD’s perfection is revealed in His loving gift of free will, which was represented by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17). Adam and Eve had to make a choice: will they trust GOD’s definition of good and evil and live by His absolute standard or will they choose autonomy and define good and evil for themselves? This is where the adversary, Satan — depicted here as the serpent (3:1) — comes into the picture as an image of rebellion against GOD’s absolute standard. The serpent tells Adam and Eve that they will be like GOD if they possess all knowledge (3:5). This is the introduction to the origin of sin — pride. Through free will, the humans chose to sin and then sin separated us from GOD’s presence and Holy standard. Human relationships are a constant downward spiral due to the original sin. As a result of the separation (the Fall), people no longer had an accurate idea of who GOD is and what GOD is like; consequently, humans started to lose their identity. GOD’s love brought about a covenant with His chosen people so that sin would not win; GOD’s love will prevail. Even after the original sin, GOD makes a promise of victory (3:15) that foreshadows all that will follow throughout the entire Bible — GOD has a plan. However, the promise does not erase the consequences of sin; humanity will still need to persistently plow through the painful process until the promise arrives. In the fallen world, evil accumulates and sin piles up. Obstacles are overcome one by one as GOD demonstrates His love and mastery; however, the decision to be like GOD (3:6) causes widespread evil on Earth (6:5) and GOD decides to cleanse Earth with the great flood and start anew with Noah, who becomes the new Adam. But the downward spiral of sin begins again. Evil reaches a climax [yet again] with the tower of Babylon (11:4), which is an image of pride and arrogance and rebellion. This time, GOD scatters everyone, demolishing their pride and humbling the people. The point of all this is to reveal that GOD kept giving humanity a chance to do good and right by their own power and ability and they kept choosing wrong and doing what is evil. Humanity’s inability to save themselves will become the recurring theme throughout the entire Bible. So, it is at this point that GOD introduces the covenant to Abra[ha]m (12:1-3) and the main message of GOD’s plan for relentless rescue and restoration is known. But at this point in the story, GOD’s plan is like a mere seed being planted in a garden. We will later see how this seed (3:15) predicted the rise of a particular seed, Christ Jesus, who will destroy the serpent in the end (Romans 16:20; Revelation 12:9-10) and the original garden of Eden will be replaced by a new garden of Eden. GOD created, gave the gift of free will, and then established a covenant with a fallen people. GOD is personal and it is revealed in the historical writings of Genesis. As it will be evident in later books of the Old Testament, history is important because history is His story. Significantly, the Bible shows us the flaws in even its greatest figures. Honesty and history create credibility. In every instance GOD takes the initiative to love and reunite and restore. Timing is always a key element throughout Genesis and GOD’s blessings and promises always arrive exactly when they should arrive. The story flows from Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, and then to Joseph, who provides for us the picture of salvation through Christ. The book of Genesis ends with a promise that GOD would bring His people out from Egypt to the land He promised to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob (50:24). This promise begins to be fulfilled in Moses (Exodus 3:7-10).

Into The Depth Beyond The Surface:

[1:1] In the beginning (see John 1:1), GOD created! GOD is the Creator. But who or what is GOD?

GOD is Spirit and not a physical being like us (see John 4:24; Numbers 23:19; Colossians 1:15; 1Timothy 1:17; Psalm 50:21). GOD is: eternal (Genesis 21:33; Deuteronomy 32:40; 33:27; Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 57:15; John 1:1; Romans 1:20); infinite (1Timothy 1:17); transcendent (1Kings 8:27; 2Chronicles 2:6; 6:18; Isaiah 55:8-9; Romans 11:33); Creator of all (Genesis 1); Holy (Leviticus 11:44-45; 1John 1:5; Revelation 4:8; 15:4); Love (John 3:16; 1John 4:8,16); Spirit (Genesis 1:2; John 4:24); Truth (1Samuel 15:29; John 14:6; Romans 3:4); the absolute moral standard (Deuteronomy 27:10; Micah 6:8); just (Acts 17:31; Revelation 20:12); the One and only GOD (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 42:8; 43:11; 44:6; 48:12; 1Corinthians 8:6; 1Timothy 2:5; Revelation 22:13); One essence and three distinct persons known as the Trinity (Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; 2Corinthians 13:14); the Father is GOD (Matthew 6:9,32; John 4:23; 5:45; 6:27; Romans 1:7; 15:6; 1Corinthians 8:6; 2Corinthians 1:3; Philippians 2:11; Hebrews 12:9; 2Peter 1:17); the Son is GOD (Isaiah 42:8; 44:6; John 1:1,14; 5:18; 8:19,58; 10:30; 14:7-11; 17:5; 1Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 1:17; 2:8; 5:5-6; 17:14; 19:13; 22:13,16-17); the Holy Spirit is GOD (Genesis 1:2; John 3:5-6; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 8:9-17,26-27; Titus 3:5-7); omniscient (1Kings 8:39; Psalm 139:1-4,15-16; Isaiah 46:10; Jeremiah 1:5; Matthew 9:4; 10:29-30; 12:25; Mark 2:6-8; Luke 6:8; John 1:47-48; 4:18; 11:11-15; Acts 1:24; 1Corinthians 2:10-11; 1John 3:20); omnipresent (Psalm 33:13-14; 139:7-12; Isaiah 57:15; Jeremiah 23:23-24; Colossians 1:17); omnipotent (Genesis 1; Exodus 7:10-14:31; 1Kings 17:14-24; 2Kings 4:2-7; Job 42:2; Jeremiah 32:27; Daniel 2:21; 3:19-27; Matthew 8:1-4; 9:27-31; 17:24-27; Mark 4:35-41; 16:1-8; Luke 1:37; 9:10-17; John 6:16-21); and never changes (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17).
Why is GOD love? Even though GOD knows all, is everywhere at the same time, and possesses all power to do anything, He is omnibenevolent — GOD is absolutely good (Psalm 106:1; 135:3; Nahum 1:7; Mark 10:18; John 3:16-17; Galatians 5:22; 2Thessalonians 1:11; Titus 3:4)! GOD is the great I AM (Exodus 3:14)! When Jesus asks you, “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20), what will be your response (Matthew 10:32-33)?

[1:1] But what was GOD doing before He created? Did He merely exist in boredom, surrounded by void? Truly, The Lord’s ways and thoughts are higher, deeper, wider, greater and beyond our own (Isaiah 55:8-9); thus, not having a satisfactory answer to this question shouldn’t come as a surprise to us. However, we do know that the Trinity was fellowshipping (John 17:24) prior to creating (Psalm 19:1; John 1:3; Genesis 1:2). GOD is love and He is and isn’t lonely.

[1:1] But is it reasonable to believe that a Creator GOD exists?

Materialism and Naturalism simply cannot explain how the universe came to be. Using Dr. Frank Turek’s acronym S.U.R.G.E., five main lines of scientific evidence point to the definite beginning of the universe:
Second Law of Thermodynamics
Universe is expanding
Radiation Afterglow from the Big Bang Explosion
Great galaxy seeds in the Radiation Afterglow
Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity

Big Bang cosmology is a widely accepted theory regarding the origin of the universe, according to which the material universe or cosmos exploded into being. A radiation ‘echo’ that seems to come from everything was discovered by Penzias and Wilson. It was first thought to be a malfunction or static on the instruments, but research has discovered that the static is coming from everywhere – the universe itself has a low-level radiation from some past catastrophe that looks like a giant fireball. Agnostic astronomer Robert Jastrow said, “No explanation other than the big bang has been found for the fireball radiation. The clincher, which has convinced almost the last ‘doubting Thomas,’ is that the radiation discovered by Penzias and Wilson has exactly the pattern of wavelengths expected for the light and heat produced in a great explosion.”
Since the explosion (big bang), the universe has been expanding and developing according to conditions set at the moment of its origin. In addition, according to the second law of thermodynamics, in a closed, isolated system, such as the universe is, the amount of usable energy is decreasing. The universe is expanding and also running down; therefore, the universe cannot be eternal. If the universe is not eternal, it had a cause. Nature and natural forces did not exist prior to the Big Bang; therefore, nature and natural forces could not have been the cause. If the universe has a cause, it must be beyond nature – a supernatural intelligent Cause. If this Cause is intelligent, it must either be only one GOD or many gods. Logically, if we are looking for a cause that existed before the universe (nature) began, we are looking for a supernatural Cause.

Something exists, and
owes its existence either to nothing or to something.
Nothing cannot cause something.
There is, then, a Something, which is either one or many.
If many, the beings would be mutually dependent on another.
They cannot be mutually dependent for their existence. Something cannot exist through a being on which it confers existence.
Therefore, there must be one Being through which all other beings exist.
This Being must exist through itself.
Whatever exists through itself exists in the highest degree of all.
Therefore, a supremely perfect Being exists in the highest degree.

Humans are possible beings. Possible beings, whose essence is distinct from their existence. These beings do not have to exist; in fact, once they did not exist, for existence is not part of their essence. The First Cause must be an essential Being, whose essence is to exist. No being can produce itself. In order to cause its own existence, it would have to exist prior to its own existence. And possible beings are not possible unless there is a Necessary Being from whom they can receive existence. If a GOD exists and created the universe, this GOD would need to be an intelligent and Necessary Being who is all-powerful. The First Cause of all producible beings must be one (and not many), because:

it is perfect in knowledge, and there cannot be two beings that know everything perfectly, for one would know itself more completely than would the other.
it is perfect in will; hence, it loves itself more completely than it loves anything else, which means that the other infinite would be loved less than perfectly.
it is infinitely good, and there cannot be two infinitely good beings, for then there would be more than an infinite good, and this is impossible, since there cannot be more than the most.
it is infinite in power. If there were two with infinite power, this would mean that there would be two total primary causes of the same effect, and this is impossible, since there cannot be two causes each doing all the causing.
absolute infinite cannot be excelled in perfection, since there cannot be a more perfect than the wholly Perfect.
there cannot be two Necessary Beings, for to differ, one would have to have some perfection the other lacked (if there is no real difference, they do not really differ and are one and the same). But whatever a Necessary Being has, it must have necessarily. Hence, the one lacking what the other had necessarily would not be a Necessary Being.
omnipotent will cannot be in two beings, for then one could render impotent what the other wills omnipotently. Even if they agreed not to hinder each other, they would still be incompatible, for each would be the total primary (and direct) cause of any given thing that they agreed should exist. But an omnipotent Cause must be the total primary (and direct) Cause of what it wills. The cause agreeing to, but not directly willing, the effect would be only the indirect cause and hence not the direct (omnipotent) Cause of the effect.

Conclusion: Astronomer Robert Jastrow said, “That there are what I or anyone would call ‘supernatural forces’ at work is now I think a scientifically proven fact.” In addition, he also wrote, “The astronomical evidence leads to a Biblical view of the origin of the world.”
Robert Wilson, winner of the Noble Prize in Physics, observed of the Big Bang, “Certainly, if you’re religious, I can’t think of a better theory of the origin of the universe to match with Genesis.”
Science and logic support that the universe was created by One intelligent and Necessary Being, whom we can refer to as GOD.

[1:1] But if a Creator created everything, who created this Creator?

To answer that, we need only to know if The Creator (GOD) would exist contingently because only contingent beings need a cause. The answer is that GOD must exist necessarily because GOD exists by necessity of GOD’s own nature.
Things that exist necessarily exist by necessity of their own nature. An example could be abstract objects such as numbers. Many mathematicians would concur that numbers exist by necessity of their own nature.
Things that exist contingently are caused to exist by something else. A painting exists because an artist created it. A globe that many teachers use in classrooms only exists because it was created. Earth is the same – it exists contingently. How do we know this? Almost all physicists and cosmologists agree that at some point in the finite past the universe began to exist. In other words, there was nothing — no time, space, matter or energy — and then there was something. It is logically possible that the entire universe did not have to exist. But it does exist. Why? The universe doesn’t exist necessarily; rather, it exists contingently. The universe didn’t create itself because nothing cannot become something unless a certain Something creates that something. Therefore, creation comes from either GOD or abstract objects; however, abstract objects do not create anything; therefore, GOD is The Creator. It is argued that GOD created the entire universe and all humankind. The only adequate explanation of a contingent universe existing is that it was created by a non-contingent and supernatural Being. GOD exists necessarily. Who made GOD? That question is like asking “Who caused the ‘uncaused first cause’?” A “created GOD” is not even a coherent concept. But supposing that the universe has always existed and energy is eternal and uncreated, of course no one created it. And if it is meaningless to ask, “Who created energy or the universe?” since it has always existed, then it is equally meaningless to ask “Who made GOD?” since GOD has always existed. If energy and the universe is not eternal, it needs a Cause. On the other hand, if it has no beginning, it does not need a cause of its beginning. Likewise, if GOD had no beginning, it is absurd to ask, “Who made GOD?” It is a category mistake to ask, “Who made the Unmade?” or “Who created the Uncreated?” However, the vast majority of physicists and cosmologists agree that at some point in the finite past, the universe had a beginning. If the universe had a beginning, the universe exists contingently; therefore, the universe was created; GOD is the Creator and GOD exists necessarily. Conclusion: GOD was not created, GOD simply is.

[1:1-2] Why does anything exist at all? Why is there life at all? What is life? Why do I exist? Why do any of us exist?

Well, The anthropic principle states that the universe was fitted from the very first moment of its existence for the emergence of life in general and human life in particular. Not only does the scientific evidence point to a beginning of the cosmos, but it also points to a very sophisticated fine tuning of the universe from the very beginning that makes human life possible. For life to be present today, an incredibly restrictive set of demands must have been present in the early universe:

If the percentage of oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere were higher, fires would erupt; if lower, human beings would suffocate.
If the gravitational force were altered, the sun would not exist, and the moon would crash into Earth or sheer off into space. Even a slight increase in the force of gravity would result in all the stars being much more massive than our sun, with the effect that the sun would burn too rapidly and erratically to sustain life.
If the centrifugal force of planetary movements did not precisely balance the gravitational forces, nothing could be held in orbit around the sun.
If Jupiter were not in its current orbit, we would be bombarded with space material. Jupiter’s gravitational field acts as a cosmic vacuum cleaner, attracting asteroids and comets that would otherwise strike Earth.
If the thickness of Earth’s crust were greater, too much oxygen would be transferred to the crust to support life. If it were thinner, volcanic and tectonic activity would make life untenable.
If the rotation of Earth took longer than ’24’ hours, temperature differences would be too great between night and day. If the rotation period were shorter, atmospheric wind velocities would be too great.
Surface temperature differences would be too great if the axial tilt of Earth were altered slightly.

Agnostic astronomer, Robert Jastrow, summarized the theistic implications well: “The anthropic principle… seems to say that science itself has proven, as a hard fact, that this universe was made, was designed, for man to live in. It’s a very theistic result.”

The incredible balance of multitudinous factors in the universe that make life possible on Earth points to “fine tuning” by an intelligent Being. Astronomer Alan Sandage concluded that “the world is too complicated in all of its parts to be due to chance alone. I am convinced that the existence of life with all its order in each of its organisms is simply too well put together. Each part of a living thing depends on all its other parts to function. How does each part know? How is each part specified at conception? The more one learns of biochemistry the more unbelievable it becomes unless there is some kind of organizing principle – an architect for believers.”
Albert Einstein said, “The harmony of natural law… reveals an intelligence of such superiority that, compared with it, all the systematic thinking and acting of human beings is an utterly insignificant reflection.”

[1:1-2] Teleological Argument:

All complex design implies a designer.
There is complex design for the universe and within the universe.
The universe had a cause; therefore, there must be a Designer of the universe.

If one found a watch in an empty field, one would rightly conclude that it had a watchmaker because of its obvious complex design. Anytime we have a complex design, we know by previous experience that it came from the mind of a designer. Watches imply watchmakers; buildings imply architects; and paintings imply artists. The greater the design, the greater the designer. Beavers make log dams, but they have never constructed anything like the Golden Gate Bridge. A thousand monkeys sitting at typewriters for millions of years would never produce Hamlet by accident. Yet Shakespeare did it with relative ease. The more complex the design, the greater the intelligence required to produce it. We all know that the faces on Mount Rushmore were formed by an intelligent cause. It is not just that the natural causes never produce the kind of specified information shown on Mount Rushmore. It is also known by repeated observation that intelligent causes do produce this kind of specificity. Specified complexity points to an intelligent cause. But is there anything more complex than what humans create? Yes. The human body that tends to create.
Dr. Antony Flew had once been a leading spokesperson for atheism and was active in many debates. However, cumulative evidence eventually brought him to a conclusion he could not avoid. In a video interview in December 2004 he stated, “Super-intelligence is the only good explanation for the origin of life and the complexity of nature.”
What is amazing is that within the tiny space in every cell in your body, a DNA code is around three billion letters long! To grasp the amount of DNA information in one cell, a live reading of that code at a rate of three letters per second would take 31 years, even if reading continued day and night.
Coded messages imply an intelligent sender. In all of nature, only living cells have complex messages known as specified complexity. DNA. Even militant atheist Stephen Hawkings admitted that the genetic information in a single-cell animal would fill a thousand sets of an encyclopedia! If the genetic information in a one-cell animal exceeds that in a volume of the Encyclopedia Britannica, the information in the human brain is greater than that in the Library of Congress. Agnostic astronomer Carl Sagan once said, “The brain is a very big place in a very small space…. the neurochemistry of the brain is astonishingly busy, the circuitry of a machine more wonderful than any devised by humans.”
R.L. Wysong wrote, “The human brain weighs about three pounds, contains ten billion neurons with approximately 25,000 synapses (connections) per neuron. Each neuron is made up of 10,000,000,000 macromolecules. The human mind can store almost limitless amounts of information, (a potential millions of times greater than the 1015 bits of information gathered in a lifetime—I. Asimov), compare facts, weigh information against memory, judgment and conscience and formulate a decision in a fraction of a second.”
The mind or intelligence that explains anticipatory adaptations cannot be explained as a result of evolution (see notes for 1:31). The human mind cannot be explained by survival of the fittest or adaptation, for there is no reason these adjustments should produce foresight, and the human mind does not adapt to the environment but transforms it. Only an intelligent Being could have caused the specified complexity found in the DNA code in living things and in the expanse of the mind.
What about the eye? Even evolutionist Charles Darwin was dumbfounded by the eye when he wrote, “To suppose that the eye with all its inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances, for admitting different amounts of light, and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration, could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest sense.”
John Blanchard wrote, “The human eye is a truly amazing phenomenon. Although accounting for just one four-thousandth of an adult’s weight, it is the medium which processes some 80% of the information received by its owner from the outside world. The tiny retina contains about 130 million rod-shaped cells, which detect light intensity and transmit impulses to the visual cortex of the brain by means of some one million nerve fibres, while nearly six million cone-shaped cells do the same job, but respond specifically to colour variation. The eyes can handle 500,000 messages simultaneously, and are kept clear by ducts producing just the right amount of fluid with which the lids clean both eyes simultaneously in one five-thousandth of a second.”
And if the eye is such an amazing design, consider the human body as a whole. The human body is truly a definition of specified complexity; it is an elaborate communication system. There are 206 bones in the human body, several ligaments, tendons, cartilage, veins, a very complex digestive system, and even skin to act as a covering. Even the skin by itself proclaims intelligent design. Everyone has unique fingerprints consisting of either arches, loops, or whorls. Even identical twins don’t have the same ridges, valleys, or swirls. Identical twins are monozygotic, which means that they develop when a single fertilized egg splits in two, leading to two embryos. As they both came from the combination of the same egg and sperm, these twins have virtually indistinguishable DNA; however, they do not have the same fingerprints. What’s more amazing is that twins can possess completely different personalities from each other that simply cannot be explained by their DNA. If two who are twins were created from a single fertilized egg, why would thoughts, personality, and preferences in taste in attraction be so different?
Is there anything more complex than the human body? Yes. Earth. Is there anything more complex than Earth? Yes. The galaxy. Is there anything more complex than the galaxy? Yes. The universe. What could be greater than the universe? The Creator of the universe.

Final Thoughts: A summary by William Lane Craig for a Creator and intelligent design:

#1: Why anything exists at all

Every contingent thing has an explanation of its existence.
If the universe has an explanation of its existence, that explanation is a transcendent, personal Being.
The universe is a contingent thing.
Therefore, the universe has an explanation of its existence (from 1, 3).
Therefore, the explanation of the universe is a transcendent, personal Being (from 2, 4).

#2: The origin of the universe

The universe began to exist.
If the universe began to exist, then the universe has a transcendent cause.
Therefore, the universe has a transcendent cause.

#3: The applicability of mathematics to the physical world

If an intelligent Creator does not exist, the applicability of mathematics would be a mere happy coincidence.
The applicability of mathematics is not a mere happy coincidence.
Therefore, a Creator exists; intelligent design exists.

#4: The fine-tuning of the universe for intelligent life

The fine-tuning of the universe is due to either physical necessity, chance, or design.
The fine-tuning is not due to physical necessity or chance.
Therefore, the fine-tuning is due to design.

#5: The intentional states of consciousness in the world

If an intelligent Creator does not exist, intentional states of consciousness would not exist.
Intentional states of consciousness do exist.
Therefore, a Creator exists.

#6: Objective moral values and duties in the world

If a Creator does not exist, objective moral values and duties would not exist.
Objective moral values and duties do exist.
Therefore, a Creator exists.

#7: Miracles and personal experiences

If an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent Creator does not exist, then supernatural miracles could not exist in a natural, detailed, organized, and mathematical and scientific world of which everything always happens for a logical reason.
The supernatural has been experienced, witnessed, and documented in the scientific field; miracles have occurred which defied logic and reasoning within a natural and predictable environment.
Therefore, a Creator exists.

Conclusion: It is contrary to the universal scientific experience that life ever arises from nonlife. Just as nonbeing cannot produce being, nonlife cannot produce life. The evidence shows that nonintelligent natural laws do not have the ability to bring life or new life-forms into existence, to say nothing of human beings. Chance is not a rational explanation since a rational person should posit as a cause only that which is constantly conjoined to the effect. But the only cause constantly conjoined to specified complexity (such as is found in living things) is intelligence. Hence, only intelligence (not chance) should be posited as the cause of life. Rational or scientific thinking is not based on chance occurrences but on constant conjunction. Hence, to posit a nonintelligent natural force as a cause of specified complexity, one must show how it constantly conjoined to a purely natural nonintelligent cause. This has not been done. Since intelligence is the only cause constantly joined with design, then intelligence is the most reasonable cause to postulate for nature that manifests this same kind of design. An intelligent Creator/Designer is the most reasonable cause for the entire universe and all life within it. It was logically concluded that this Being would need to be one and not many; therefore, we can call this Being “GOD.”

[1:3-4] Darkness was dispelled on the first day, when GOD created light. Why is there light? Is darkness a thing to be overcome? GOD is light (John 1:5; 8:12); darkness is the mere absence of GOD’s presence and is void. But how can there be darkness if GOD is omnipresent? The simple answer is to say that darkness only exists now but will not exist in the life to come (Revelation 21:23-25).

[1:26] Us? Why the plural form? The plural pronoun “us” is simply required by the plural Hebrew noun, “elohim” which is translated “God.” The plural nature of the Hebrew word is designed to give a fuller, more majestic sense to GOD’s name. But is it a coincidence that the plural Hebrew noun translates to us? My personal belief is that it is also a reference to the Trinity (see notes for Matthew 3:16-17). Although the doctrine of the Trinity is not fully developed in the Old Testament, it is foreshadowed (Psalm 110:1; Isaiah 63:7-10; Proverbs 30:4).

[1:26-27] We are created in the image of GOD. If GOD is Spirit and we are physical beings, how is this possible? We are a reflection of GOD’s glory and character in our capacity for reason, creativity, humor, speech, and free will for love and all its characteristics.

[1:31] Was everything created in six literal days? The argument can be summed up as follows: Most scientific evidence sets the age of the world at billions of years; however, a literal interpretation of the Bible would lead one to believe that Earth is only thousands of years old. Whether one believes in a young or old Earth, both possibilities present problems. The arguments in favor of an old aged universe all possess presuppositions that cannot be proven because one must assume at least two things to come to the conclusion that the world is billions of years old. First, it must be assumed that there were no lead deposits at the beginning. Second, one must assume that the rate of decay has been unchanged throughout its entire history. Neither can be proven; hence, there is no way to prove by radioactive dating that the world is billions of years old. Likewise, dating Earth based on salt and minerals is also plausible yet unable to be proven. Though the calculations might seem absolute, one must first assume that there were no salts and minerals in the ocean at the beginning and that the rate has not changed. In addition, a worldwide flood (see notes for Genesis 8), such as the Bible describes, would certainly have changed the rate of deposits during that period. All of this is not to say that the universe is not billions of years old. It may be. However, the arguments in favor of great age all possess presuppositions that cannot be proven. However, a six-day creation would certainly be extremely difficult to believe if we accept that creation was completed in six successive, 24-hour periods of time. The usual meaning of the Hebrew word yom (“day”) is 24 hours; however, yom can also mean a span of time. The word yom means both a day and a span of time in the same book. So, which is it? Are we to assume that all vegetation grew to maturity so quickly? Or did GOD just create them already matured? Suffice it to say that the real conflict is not between GOD’s revelation in the Bible and scientific fact; it is between some Christian interpretations of the Bible and many scientists’ theories about the age of the world. The Bible does not make known the age of the universe, it simply states that GOD created it “in the beginning.” However, we must recognize that GOD is the GOD of miracles and nothing is impossible for GOD (Jeremiah 32:17,27; Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37). Thus, it is possible that GOD created everything in six days. I personally believe yom to mean a span of time based on the knowledge that GOD is patient and precise; consequently, I believe GOD would have taken creation through the process just as He takes humans through ‘the process.’

[1:31] What about evolution?

First and foremost, we must define our terms. What is evolution? Evolution has come to mean the theory of common ancestry. It is the belief that all living things evolved by natural processes from earlier and more simple forms of life. In regards to evolution, the evidence is simply insufficient; much of what Charles Darwin taught has been rejected and surpassed. Evolution is an unverified hypothesis, a suggested law that has not been proven, but is built on conflicting data, absence of data, and data that cannot be demonstrated. The only real evidence for or against evolution is in the fossil record. Every other argument for evolution is based on mere speculation. Even Darwin himself recognized this as a problem when he wrote, “Why then is not every geological formation and every stratum full of such intermediate links? Geology assuredly does not reveal any such finely graduated organic chain, and this, perhaps, is the most obvious and gravest objection which can be urged against my theory.”
So, what does the fossil record suggest? If evolution is true, then transitional fossils should exist; however, those transitional fossils have never been found. The fossil record includes two features particularly inconsistent with gradualism. Stasis: Most species appear in the fossil record looking much the same as when they disappear; morphological change is limited and directionless. Sudden appearance: In any area, a species does not arise gradually; it appears all at once and fully formed.
Since Darwin’s hypothesis in 1859, millions of fossils have been unearthed; however, the “missing links” that were needed to confirm his theory have never been found. In fact, the very concept of “missing links” begs the question in favor of evolution; therefore, we shouldn’t even use that term. The chain doesn’t even exist; therefore, the links do not exist and thus cannot be missing.
Macroevolutionary changes demand large-scale changes from one type of organism to another. Evolutionists argue that this occurred gradually over a long period of time. One serious objection to this view is that all functional changes from one system to another must be simultaneous. For example, one can make small changes in an automobile gradually over a period of time without changing its basic type. One can change the shape of the fenders, its color, and its trim gradually. But if a change is in the size of the piston, this will involve simultaneous changes in the cam shaft, block, and cooling system. Otherwise the new engine will not function. Likewise, changing from a fish to a reptile or a reptile to a bird calls for major changes throughout the system of the animal. All these changes must occur simultaneously or blood oxygenation will not go with lung development and will not match nasal passage and throat changes, autonomic breathing reflexes in the brain, thoracic musculature, and membranes. Gradual evolution cannot account for this. And in examination, it is what is “under the hood” that counts. And the gap between a primate and a human brain is immense. And this gap does not refer merely to the size of the brain but to its complexity and ability to create art, human language, and highly complex mechanisms.
Not one primate fossil find to date that has been subjected to objective scientific scrutiny is a strong candidate for the human family tree.
In 1860, Agassiz wrote, “[Darwin] has lost sight of the most striking of the features, and the one which pervades the whole, namely, that there runs throughout Nature unmistakable evidence of thought, corresponding to the mental operations of our own mind, and therefore intelligible to us as thinking beings, and unaccountable on any other basis than that they own their existence to the working of intelligence; and no theory that overlooks this element can be true to nature.”
Conclusion: In regards to evolution, there is a major difference between microevolution and macroevolution. Small adaptations have occurred within same-species, but there has never been a jump from one to another. There are two views of the origins of new life-forms. One says that everything came about by natural causes; the other looks to a supernatural (intelligent) cause. The overwhelming evidence is in favor of the latter. Many scientists claim evolution is the result of a mutation of the species; however, mutations are the corruption of a superior to an inferior. So, how can lower forms mutate or evolve to the human being, who is the highest of all living things? And finally, evolution simply cannot account for the origin of life or matter. Nothing cannot produce something. Nonlife cannot produce life. Because life exists, there must be a Source of life who is living. We can call this Source of Life “GOD.” Life without GOD is materialism or naturalism. But how can you know that you are nothing more than your brain unless you are actually more than your brain? Life without GOD cannot account for minds, morality, meaning, or personality. The materialist theory is not made of matter. What is a thought and how can one measure that thought? C.S. Lewis, quoting Haldane, wrote, “If my mental processes are determined wholly by the motion of atoms in my brain, I have no reason to suppose that my beliefs are true… and hence I have no reason for supposing my brain to be composed of atoms.” You might believe you are thinking freely about what you just read, but in reality your ‘thoughts’ are simply the consequences of neural ‘dominoes’ falling, one against the next. In a world of strict causal physicalism, free will (and freely reasoned thoughts) are simply an illusion. Naturalism is not able to explain either itself or the universe on a purely naturalistic premise. At heart, naturalism is materialism; materialism is atheism (see notes for Psalm 14); atheism will lead to either secular humanism or nihilism. Secular humanism relies upon naturalism, evolution, and moral relativism (see notes for Deuteronomy 27:10). Secular humanism, stealing from GOD’s absolute moral standard, can conjure up limited meaning, but cannot account for purpose. Without purpose, secular humanism slides on that slippery slope into nihilism, which is a dead end. Without GOD, life doesn’t exist. Without life, there simply cannot be an argument for evolution.

[2:1-2] GOD created everything knowing in advance that He would eventually destroy it all in order to create a new Heaven and a new Earth (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; 2Peter 3:11-13; Revelation 21) simply because GOD is love (1John 4:8,16) and desires for all to be saved (1Timothy 2:4; 2Peter 3:9)! Would you put your best into your work if you knew it wouldn’t be appreciated and it would get destroyed? Yet GOD loves us so much that He gave us His best even though He knew that we wouldn’t give Him our best until after we complete the test (Romans 5:8).

[2:2] Why did GOD rest on the seventh day? Was He tired? Sabbath means rest. GOD’s action of resting provided a healthy example for us to follow; thus the action was not to benefit GOD but to benefits humans. All throughout the Bible, GOD tells us, shows us, and then invites us to live by His example. Rest is appropriate and right! Are you receiving the rest your body needs?

[2:7] GOD spoke everything else into existence (1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24), but He was intimate and personal when He created us in His image (1:26-27)! We were shaped and formed! Though some translations say formed by “dust,” it may also be translated as “clay.” And this would make sense because the Lord is the Potter and we are the clay (Isaiah 29:16; 64:8; Jeremiah 18:6; Lamentations 4:2; Zechariah 11:13; Romans 9:20-21). And then we received the Breath of Life! We have value; however, what is the value of the chemical elements that make up our bodies? If humans are without souls, what would the body be worth based on the material value? We were formed from the dust of the ground. Without the Breath of Life, the body is a mere shell. The substance is dependent upon its Source. GOD spoke to the source to create the substance. Without the source, the substance dies. Water is the source of fish; if you take a fish out of water, it will die. If you pull the vegetation out of the ground, it will die. If you separate a human from the Breath of Life, he/she will die. Is death an instantaneous response to the separation? No. The death happens slowly. Does a flower automatically die once you pluck it from the ground? No, it slowly withers to nothing. A human without GOD is like a fish out of water or a flower plucked from the ground. GOD spoke to the source to create the substance! GOD spoke to Himself when He created us! Nothing else was created by GOD speaking to Himself. Only humans. But GOD is The Source of everything (Deuteronomy 8:3; Psalm 42:1-3; Matthew 4:4; 5:6; Luke 4:4; John 4:10-14; 6:35,41,48,51; 7:37-38; Revelation 7:17)!

[2:9, 16-17] If GOD knew Adam and Eve would sin, then why did He put the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden? Did they sin because GOD tempted them? First and foremost, GOD does not ever tempt anyone; in fact, each person is tempted when he/she is lured and enticed by his/her own desire (James 1:13-14). Trust is the foundation of all relationships and trust requires free will. The two trees provided the test of trust. Adam and Eve freely chose not to trust the Lord.

[2:16-17] Forbidden Fruit Examination:

Prosecution:

There exists four common objections to this specific Scripture:

If GOD is truly omnipresent (everywhere at all times) and omniscient (all-knowing), then why would GOD put the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden if He knew Adam and Eve would sin?
Even if GOD is truly omniscient and omnipresent, GOD cannot be truly omnibenevolent (all-good) because GOD didn’t care enough to prevent the serpent from tempting Adam and Eve and thus prevent them from falling into temptation. If GOD is a good Father, he would protect His children, not banish them out of the garden for something He caused.
Even if GOD is truly omnipresent, omniscient and omnibenevolent, GOD cannot be omnipotent (all-powerful) because GOD did not prevent the serpent from causing Adam and Eve to sin.
Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and did not die as Scripture promised. That’s an obvious contradiction!

Cross-examination:

“The first to speak in court sounds right—until the cross-examination begins.”
(Proverbs 18:17) -NLT

Defense:

The skeptic is right to first call attention to the nature of GOD (see notes for 1:1). For unless we understand who GOD is, we will never understand the reasoning behind anything in the Bible. Knowing that GOD’s thoughts and ways are far higher than our own (Isaiah 55:8-9), it is reasonable to expect that we will not understand everything. If your 3-pound, 15-centimeter brain could contain all knowledge about a god, then that god would be too small to be the real GOD. As it is, we don’t even possess all knowledge about the ocean within our own planet, much less the entire universe where our infinitesimal planet swirls about within our galaxy. So, do you truly expect to know everything about GOD who created the entire universe? Perhaps one day when we meet Him face-to-face, but not in this limited lifetime of learning.
But with that said, GOD has given us information from revelation in the form of GOD’s Word to provide us with answers to difficult questions. Granted, the skeptic will not trust the information from the Bible unless the Bible can be shown to be reliable and accurate. The investigation will reveal that the Bible is actually not full of contradictions, only apparent contradictions that require explanations. But even when the Bible can be acknowledged as reliable and accurate, one still needs to know if the Bible should be taken literally. Only after coming to the conclusion that the Bible is not only reliable and accurate but that the Bible is also inspired by GOD, the revelation can be trusted and then understood with the help from the Holy Spirit who speaks Truth and reveals Truth (John 14:26; 15:26; 1Corinthians 2:10).
So, it is first important to understand who we are talking about – the Creator GOD and the Source of all that exists. Second, we need to understand what we are talking about – GOD’s plan! GOD has not chosen to reveal every detail of His plan to us (Matthew 24:36; 25:13; Acts 1:7). We can only know what He chooses to reveal. And, since we are part of that plan, we are responsible to it, even if we do not fully understand it or approve of it. However, there are some things GOD has revealed to us:

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil wasn’t a bad tree. Everything that GOD made – including the tree – was “good” (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25). In fact, after creating Adam and Eve, creation was declared to be “very good” (1:31). The origin of sin in this story came from the serpent, Adam, and Eve; the tree didn’t sin.
Adam and Eve had every reason to trust GOD. The Creator did a good job creating them, and He placed them in a beautiful place where they had everything they needed. GOD was trustworthy, but Adam and Eve chose not to trust GOD.
Adam and Eve were created with freedom in mind. GOD places high value on our choice to obey Him, and He created Adam and Eve with freedom so that obedience would be possible. Life without freedom is not really life at all. GOD wisely gave them freedom, but Adam and Eve abused that freedom.
Adam and Eve were not ignorant of GOD’s boundaries. Just as wise teachers test their students on what they’ve learned, GOD tested them in their obedience. However, GOD didn’t test them on what they didn’t know. They knew which tree was off limits, and they knew the consequences if they ate from it. The rules were plain, but they violated the rules anyway.
GOD provided for Adam and Eve. Before GOD told them not to eat of the tree, He told them they were “free to eat” of every other tree in the garden (2:16). They were not in danger of starving, nor were they deprived of variety. They had an all-you-can-eat buffet in the garden, but Adam and Eve chose to place their focus on what they did not have rather than on what they did have.
The decision to sin opened the eyes of both Adam and Eve to the reality of evil (see notes for Isaiah 5:20). For the first time, they knew what it was to be evil, to feel shame, and to want to hide from GOD. Their sin of disobeying GOD brought corruption into their lives and into the world. Eating the fruit, as an act of disobedience against GOD, was what gave Adam and Eve the knowledge of evil – and the knowledge of their nakedness (3:7-13).
Adam and Eve did die just as Scripture promised. The Fall was a separation which led to an eventual physical death of Adam and Eve. The physical death wasn’t immediate though the spiritual death was immediate. For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
GOD’s plan is much bigger than the garden of Eden. His plan for His creation and His people did not end when Adam and Eve sinned. In fact, GOD’s plan from the very beginning was to redeem His people and His creation. The drama of the Fall and redemption could never have happened if the tree had not been in the garden. Adam and Eve sinned, but GOD’s plan was bigger than their sin.

Reasonable Response:

But why did GOD allow the sin? How could the permitting of the Fall be in alignment with the nature of the all-good, loving, and perfectly Holy GOD? From the first half of Romans 6:23, we know that the wages of sin is death; however, the other half of that verse provides the key to understanding why GOD permitted the Fall: “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The response to the perceived problem of the forbidden fruit is as follows:

GOD is love (1John 4:8,16)
GOD created humans in His own image(Genesis 1:26-27)and thus created us out from love for the purpose to love (Matthew 22:36-40).
GOD desires for us to know Him and for us to have a loving relationship with Him (Matthew 6:33).
For a mutual loving relationship to exist, free will is absolutely necessary.
From GOD’s omniscience, He knew that free will would be absolutely necessary and thus gave us the great gift of free will (see notes for Genesis 2:16-17).
Because GOD is omnibenevolent, He gives us free will and permits the consequences that come from created beings who possess free will.
Through GOD’s omnipresence and omnipotence, He created miracles in order to release the Israelites from slavery, set them up as a free people, and instituted the commandments and sacrificial system in order to reveal the standards of Holy perfection that are impossible to keep through a fallen and sinful people.
GOD set up the sacrificial system so that He could become the willing ultimate sacrifice on our behalf to atone for our sins.

Closing Statement:

Understanding that GOD is wisdom enables us to put everything into proper perspective in order to help us see that GOD foresaw the Fall from free will. GOD’s wise, good plan included sending His Son into the world that Adam and Eve ruined. Think about it: from eternity past, GOD ordained that He would become the victim of His own plan (Revelation 5). The Good News (the Gospel) is that He guaranteed our redemption by His sacrificial crucifixion and miraculous resurrection. GOD foresaw the separation and created in advance the relentless rescue operation to build the bridge of salvation for our redemption. That’s how much GOD loves us. GOD did for us what we could never do by our own efforts. GOD loves us so much that He allowed us the freedom to choose wrong so that He can help us to see what is right. GOD has allowed us to experience the Fall, evil, and pain and suffering so that we can be grateful for the life that is to come. This limited lifetime of learning will become our comparison for completeness in Christ. And when we’re finally with Him, Adam and Eve will probably be the first ones to tell you that GOD’s commands are for our good, not to restrict us. GOD is showing us that the best that humans can have apart from Him is pain and suffering. And that should be more than enough reason to trust in GOD in Heaven. Death is merely graduation into the real life. Where we end up will be our choice. And GOD loves you so much that He is going to allow you to choose where you end up: Heaven or Hell. So, what will you choose? GOD’s desire is that you will choose blessing over curse and life over death (Deuteronomy 11:26-28; 30:15-20; John 14:6).

[2:16-17] The concept of free will was introduced with Adam and Eve freely choosing to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But do humans truly possess free will? Did I truly decide to write this? Did you decide to read this? But what about predestination? Predestination is the biblical doctrine that GOD [in His sovereignty] chooses certain individuals to be saved. But doesn’t this contradict free will? Predestination does not contradict free will; rather, predestination simply needs to be rightly understood.
Conceptions of the nature of human choice fall within three categories: determinism, indeterminism, and self-determinism. A determinist looks to actions caused by another, an indeterminist to uncaused actions, and a self-determinist to self-caused actions. Suffice it to say that it all boils down to free will. Do humans possess free will? If GOD has all control, doesn’t GOD ultimately guide everything we do? So are we ultimately saved because we choose to seek GOD? Does GOD guide those who choose to seek Him? Or are we ultimately saved because GOD ultimately predetermined who was to be saved? But if GOD guides or chooses who is to be saved, that means that GOD also predetermined who is to go to Hell. But if that’s so, why would a loving GOD decide in advance for some people to go to Hell when this same GOD desires for all people to be saved (1Timothy 2:4; 2Peter 3:9)? If it is true that GOD predetermines our destiny, then it would also be true that it was predetermined that Judas would betray Jesus and then kill himself and end up in Hell. How could it be that Judas had been predestined to be one of the 12 disciples and then eventually betray Jesus? Did Jesus select Judas because He knew that Judas would eventually choose (by his own free will) to betray Him? Or are we to believe that Judas was predestined by GOD to sin and commit suicide? Is GOD a dominant dictator of all deeds, sinister psychopath, methodical madman and monstrous mastermind? Certainly not! It boils down to free will and a logical deduction.
Free choice is not doing what one desires (with GOD giving the desires); rather, it is doing what one decides, which is not always the same thing. Either moral actions are uncaused, caused by another, or caused by oneself. No action can be uncaused — this violates the fundamental rational principle that every event has a cause. Neither can a person’s actions be caused by others, for in that case they would not be personal actions and thus no accountability can be held nor charged. How can humans face the Judge and be held responsible for their sins if they themselves were not the cause of said sins? A complete determinist viewpoint is self-defeating. A determinist would insist that both determinists and nondeterminists are determined to believe what they believe. However, determinists believe self-determinists are wrong and ought to change their view. But “ought to change” implies freedom to change, which is contrary to determinism. If GOD is the cause of all human actions, then human beings cannot be morally responsible for their sins. But if that is so, how does GOD expect us to repent? Is that not a freedom of choice? Read and compare the following Scriptures: Matthew 13:53-58; Luke 13:3; John 3:16; 3:36; 6:60-71; 7:17; Acts 2:38; 16:31; Romans 7:18; 10:9-10; 1Corinthians 9:17; Philemon 1:14; 1Peter 5:2.
What is the difference between romantic sexual intercourse and rape? The difference is that romantic sexual intercourse involves mutual consent; both partners decided to willingly participate in copulation. With rape, one person has chosen to be involved in sexual intercourse and the other is an unwilling participant. Both acts involve sexual intercourse. What’s the difference? Free will. GOD provides us with free will to choose because GOD is love (1John 4:8,16). Just as you cannot force someone to love you (even if you force the person to have sex with you), GOD will not force anyone to do what they do not desire to do. In fact, that is the reason for Hell (see notes for Matthew 10:28). Hell is simply a quarantine for those who neither desire to be with GOD nor desire to do GOD’s will. If GOD determines in advance who is to be saved (and who will go to Hell), that would make GOD a monster to fear, not a loving Being to love and worship (1John 4:18). Why would a loving GOD determine to create any human with malicious intent to send that person to Hell? A loving relationship simply cannot be formed without free will.
Is GOD omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent? Yes. Does GOD’s control contradict free will? No. GOD knows you better than you know yourself. GOD knows what you will do and ultimately decide, but that does not mean that GOD forced you to decide such. Think of two players in a chess match. The champion does not force his opponent to choose his/her moves, yet the champion still wins. How? The champion of chess wins because he/she anticipates the opponent’s move and responds in order to overcome. In life, you choose your moves. But GOD knows you better than you know yourself and has already planned His next move in order to overcome what you’re about to do. GOD is able to do this because His thoughts and ways are much higher than our own (Isaiah 55:8-9). In GOD’s love, He continues to anticipate your moves and responds in such an overcoming manner that He continuously provides chances to repent and change. But it is up to the person as to whether or not they will accept Christ.
Just as a parent can often accurately predict what a child will decide to do when faced with a temptation to do wrong, it is the same for us and our Heavenly Father, except GOD always knows exactly what you will decide. But that doesn’t mean He likes or finds enjoyment from what you decide. In fact, the Bible is full of examples of humans making decisions that both grieve and anger GOD. Our loving GOD finds no pleasure in seeing you sin. Sadism comes from Satan; salvation comes from our Savior. And that is why Jesus became the sacrificial Lamb to atone for everyone’s sins. GOD anticipated humanity’s moves of consistent sin and GOD lovingly placed Himself on a cross for a cosmic checkmate. But because GOD is love, He allows the final move to be up to you. With every move you make, GOD has already anticipated your move and has gone before you to provide a way out and a way back to Him (1Corinthians 10:13). A sovereign GOD, in His wisdom and power, has determined that humanity should have free will, for there is no other way for a relationship to be eternal unless it is established from love. Will you accept GOD’s love or will you reject GOD’s love? In GOD’s sovereignty, He already knows who will choose Him and who will refuse Him. So, in that sense, GOD has predestined those who will be saved, but the predestination is out of His omniscience, not His omnipotence. GOD is not a supreme spiritual rapist of souls nor is He a domineering deity or predestination puppeteer. You alone decide where you will end up. And if you decide to end up with GOD, then GOD will act in His ultimate power to see to it that the creation will once again be reunited with the Creator. But if you decide to reject Jesus, a place of quarantine called Hell has been created for you. Why? Because GOD loves you too much to force Himself upon you. Yet those who come to the knowledge of Truth and then decided to leave the grace of GOD in order to seek their own way have rejected the greatest gift. For those who abandon the gift of grace after already knowing Truth, there is no other way (Hebrews 6:4–6; 10:26–29). The truth of salvation is simple: those who reject Jesus will not be forced to be with Him and they will be quarantined in Hell; however, those who accept Christ will dwell with Him.
The Gospel (good news) carries no meaning in a contaminated and corrupt culture that focuses on sickness and circumstances rather than sin and guilt, on passing the blame on others rather than accepting responsibility and confessing wrongdoings, and on the need for treatment and recovery rather than Truth and repentance. GOD chose to love you and save you — that’s why Jesus willingly sacrificed Himself for you. But you must choose whether to accept GOD’s love or reject GOD’s desire to save you. Indeed, you are free, but what will you do with your freedom and where will you go? (Genesis 4:7; Deuteronomy 4:29; 11:26-28; 30:15-20; Proverbs 14:12; 16:25; 10:9,17; 1Corinthians 8:9; Galatians 5:13; 6:7; 1Peter 2:16; 2Peter 1:5-10) GOD already knows what you are going to do and where you will go, but you still must work out your salvation (Philippians 2:12). May you stay on the straight path and choose to enter by the narrow door (Proverbs 4:25-27; Matthew 7:13-14; Luke 13:24-27). Are you truly saved (Matthew 7:21-23)? Greater than hearing or knowing GOD’s Word is actually living it out (Romans 2:13; James 1:22-25). Obedience is better than sacrifice (1Samuel 15:22). However, relationship is greater than religious acts (Deuteronomy 6: 5-6; Matthew 6:1; 22:36-40). Do you only know of Jesus or do you truly know Him (Matthew 16:13-17; John 8:19)? GOD gave you free will as a great gift out from His love. How will you decide to live? Your move…

[2:18] We are not meant to live life alone because we are not designed to live alone. GOD is the Father, Son, and Spirit; humans were created in His image (1:26-27). GOD is love (1John 4:8,16); love requires relationship. The Father loves the Son and the Spirit can be seen as the love between the Father and the Son. The Trinity (see notes for Matthew 3:16-17) is the perfect example of relationship. And if we are created in His likeness, then we were designed for relationship, whether friendship or romance within marriage. GOD said that it’s not good to be alone! It’s not good to be lonely! “Safety in numbers.” Evil has a harder time connecting with us when two or more strong-willed people unite (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). When we’re alone, it’s easier to become sad, lost, lose enthusiasm, and it’s easier to burn out. GOD doesn’t want us to be lonely or to be alone. Make friends. Meet people. Be sociable. Don’t be a hermit! Be a participant in the world. Are you lonely? It’s most likely your own fault. GOD created company. Look how many people are in this world! If you’re lonely, you’re either surrounded by evildoers or holding yourself in solitary confinement. Get out there and make friends! Don’t be a crab and hide all of your life! Do you hold up claws because you don’t want people to bug you? Or do you hold out open arms for people to hug you?

[2:20-24] GOD gave Adam many types of animals, yet Adam was unhappy and incomplete because he didn’t have a suitable partner. It was only when Adam received Eve that Adam felt complete. GOD takes us all through the step-by-step process of living and learning so that we will have a better chance of understanding. If you currently feel incomplete or unsatisfied, just know that this is a mere step in the long process of eternal joy. But if joy is truly what you seek, GOD will eventually require sacrificial love on your behalf. GOD used Adam’s rib to form Eve to show that they were actually the same created being, two halves of a whole — two become one (Matthew 19:5; Mark 10:8; 1Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 5:31). The female was not created as a separate being, second to the male. She was formed as part of the initial man, in order to be a suitable helper for the male, compatible, complementary, and complete just as the North Pole and South Pole are necessary for the whole to be complete as one. And because the two are one, if a man hates, hits, or hurts the woman, he hates, hits, and hurts himself. In fact, man was incomplete without woman; likewise, woman is incomplete without man. Relationship is essential to purpose. But why did GOD use Adam’s rib? Adam lost a rib, but what he gained was more than what he lost. Everything of value is worth the sacrifice that is required to obtain that something of value. The Hebrew word for rib is “tsela” and can even refer to the meaning that GOD used Adam’s side. In other words, Eve is the other half of Adam. This would explain why Adam exclaimed that Eve was bone from his bone and flesh from his flesh. This also explains why he calls her woman — she was taken from man. And because bone refers to strength and flesh refers to weakness, Adam’s declaration would be equivalent to a marriage vow: “In strength and weakness, whether good or bad, health or sickness, we are one!” Whether GOD created Eve from Adam’s rib or from his whole side, He accomplished the act in such a way that showed the woman was to complement and complete man in the integral union of marriage. Woman was created to be “beside” man, not beneath him nor above him. Side by side. Equal. And this would explain why there is neither male nor female, that all are one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28). Adam sacrificed some of himself in order to have Eve. Some people won’t donate any part of their bodies – not even to save a life – but Adam made the sacrifice of his side just to have Eve by his side and abolish loneliness from his life. He was thankful that he was able to make a sacrifice in order to abolish loneliness. What sacrifices are you willing to make in order to abolish loneliness from your life? Talk to people? Actually give someone a chance? Decide not to be judgmental about the way they look and instead make a decision to get to know that person’s character and personality? You may not have to give up a rib, but you will have to give up something in order to gain something. If you think about it, all that you’re really giving up is the loneliness itself and trading it in for the joy of fellowship or relationship.

[2:25] But if Adam and Eve didn’t feel shame about being naked, should we not feel any shame either? Is nudity acceptable? After all, isn’t it natural — the way GOD made us? Should we showcase our nude bodies and be proud of doing so? The short answer is: no. However, this short answer needs its longer explanation. Nakedness without shame was before the Fall; however, nakedness with shame was after the sinful rebellion (3:7). The knowledge of both good and evil brought with it vulnerability, insecurity, guilt, shame, and lustful desires propelled by our sinful nature. Adam and Eve were innocent and pure in the Garden of Eden, but were stained by sin after their eyes were opened. Because of sin, GOD created clothing to cover insecurities and shame as well as prevent temptation (3:21); thus, GOD regarded clothing as appropriate and necessary in a sinful and fallen world. The sad reality is that without clothes to cover our bodies, there would be nothing to prevent temptation toward sexual sin. Sexual relations are not sinful in and of themselves; however, they are designed to be between husband and wife only (see notes for marriage at Genesis 4:19). Nudity now has implications of sinfulness attached to it. With few exceptions, the Bible presents nakedness as shameful and degrading (Genesis 9:21; Exodus 20:26; 32:25; 2 Chronicles 28:19; Isaiah 47:3; Ezekiel 16:35-36; Luke 8:27; Revelation 3:17; 16:15; 17:16). The only passages in which nudity is free of shame are those that describe Eden’s idyllic setting or that deal with marital relations (Proverbs 5:18-19; Song of Solomon 4). We still live in a sinful and fallen world, surrounded by lust, immorality, and perversion. The innocence of Eden is gone. If we are to love GOD and love others as commanded (Matthew 22:36-40), we should not desire to tempt others into falling into sexual sin (1Corinthians 6:12-20). We are not to be a stumbling block to others (Romans 14:13; 1Corinthians 8:9; Galatians 5:13-14). In fact, this subject is so serious that Jesus even told us that whomever sets sight on someone with lustful intent has committed adultery in his/her heart (Matthew 5:28).

[3:1] Enter Satan. But this verse says, “serpent.” Is Satan the serpent? Yes; he is also known as the dragon and devil (Revelation 12:9; 20:2). But who is Satan? Satan is an angel, once called Lucifer, who was cast out from Heaven due to pride (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:12-19; Luke 10:18). There is no verse in the Bible that specifically states that Lucifer is Satan; however, Jesus said he saw Satan fall, and both Isaiah and Ezekiel describe the fall in passages that have double meaning. Lucifer means “morning star,” “son of the dawn,” “Day Star / Daystar,” or “shining star.” Lucifer became Satan after the fall; the very name means “adversary” or “one who opposes.” The change of name isn’t surprising; after all, whenever people changed into more devoted followers of GOD, their names had often changed to suit their new identities (Genesis 17:5,15; 32:28; John 1:42). Lucifer became Satan because he was no longer a shining example of GOD’s glory. Satan’s fall was caused by pride. This has always been Satan’s desire — to be GOD — and it is the very temptation he used in the garden of Eden to get Eve to disobey GOD (Genesis 3:5). Satan now opposes GOD and tries to thwart GOD’s purposes. Satan is also known as the accuser (Job 1:6; Zechariah 3:1; Revelation 12:10) and tempter (Matthew 4:1-11; 1Thessalonians 3:5). There’s only four chapters of the Bible where Satan is not implicitly present: the first two and the last two. The world begins and ends without Satan and sin. In this chapter, the scene is already set up for the great reversal and victory even though it seems to be the beginning of the end. Satan is described as being crafty, cunning, calculating, and indirectly deceiving. Satan didn’t approach Adam directly; the serpent’s tactic was to slither in from the side in Adam’s blind spot. If Satan can’t get to you, he’ll go after all you love (see the book of Job). Just as Satan went after the wife because he wasn’t able to get to the husband, Satan is after “the wife”/Bride of Christ because he wasn’t able to get to “the husband”/Bridegroom (Ephesians 5:22-33; 2Corinthians 11:2; Matthew 9:15; Mark 2:19-20; Luke 5:34-35; John 3:29; Revelation 19:7-9; 21:1-2; 22:17).

[3:1-6] The Devil is the deceiver and original liar (John 8:44; 2Corinthians 11:14). To question GOD’s commands is to question His love for us. To question GOD is to put GOD on trial; in fact, the Adversary is the accuser who desires to put GOD on trial (see the book of Job). Satan told a white lie (half truth) when he told Adam and Eve they wouldn’t die. There is a difference between the physical death and spiritual death. Adam and Eve died spiritually immediately; however, their physical deaths didn’t come until much later. And because of this spiritual death, Satan is known as the father of all lies and a murderer from the beginning. When the conniving Counterfeiter conjured up his plan to ruin life for Adam and Eve, he did it with intentions of ruining life for their children as well. Satan knew what he was doing — he is not dumb. Never underestimate the enemy. Satan will use the truth against us, but embellishing the truth, building his clever lies on the foundation of truth in order to persuade us to do or not do something. Think of the classic fairy tale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The evil Queen convinced Snow White to eat the poisonous apple in order to kill her. Snow White only saw the outer truth which was the apple, but she did not see the inner truth of the poison. Snow White had a Prince come to her rescue and save her, taking her out of death’s hands. We also had a Prince that saved us and took us out of death’s hands – Christ Jesus (Isaiah 9:6; John 3:16-17). Another example is the Seaweed Decorator Crab — it places objects on itself in order to disguise itself. Like the crab, the Counterfeiter also disguises himself (2Corinthians 11:14). The Seaweed Decorator Crab is the truth – it is what it is. But then it places different sets of truths on itself so that you only see those particular truths and can no longer see the truth of the crab. When the crab disguises itself in this manner, it makes it easier to catch prey. Likewise, Satan is the same. Satan distracts us with surface truth sometimes so that we may be easier prey. I call Satan “The Salesman” because he always tries to sell us on different sets of truths by highlighting the good about them without mentioning the bad in order to persuade us to take him up on his offer. You have a choice to make: Deal or no deal. But in the skillful art of negotiation, the key is knowing when to walk away. In fact, GOD will always provide us an escape or way out if we are seeking Him and His will (1Corinthians 10:13). If Satan is the Salesman, then you must be the Negotiator who seeks his/her Consultant (Christ) prior to making a damning deal. It’s important to realize that the Salesman will often present two options as if they are your only choices. This is the fallacy of false dilemma. Satan essentially presented Eve’s situation to her in this way: “Well, you could either not eat that fruit and forever be devoid of complete joy and never know your full potential or you could eat that fruit and be like GOD, know your full potential, and possess complete joy.” But there is definitely a third choice that could have been made! Eve could have responded by saying, “Or I could trust in GOD’s goodness, believe He wants what is best for me, and be content with all that I have already been given. Why do I need more when I’m already happy?”

[3:5-7] Satan’s reasoning was as if he presented a prize to Eve. The goal was to get Eve to doubt GOD’s goodness and then convince Eve that she no longer needed GOD because she could be GOD. This is an attack on identity. This is the original sin – pride. Satan also got Eve to redirect her focus from what she had to what she did not have. Eve then harped on what she believed was being withheld from her and she became self-entitled, believing she deserved what was forbidden. Verse 6 informs us that Eve was convinced — she had been convinced that she could not be content with what she had and she needed more. The battle was lost in the mind. The best use of free will is not in doing everything we want to do but in the discipline of choosing to act in obedience because we know what not to do (1Corinthians 6:12; 10:23). When GOD told them what not to do, it was for their own good. Whenever GOD tells us not to do something, it’s not because GOD loves bossing us around and enjoys withholding something good from us. No, it’s because GOD loves us and is giving us inside information, or helpful hints. When GOD gives us a list of what not to do (like the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1-17), He is basically giving us a cheat sheet of correct answers so we can pass the test easier. That is an act of love! But take notice of Eve’s actions: she looked, took, and then passed it on. The battle is often lost at first glance. Desire. Perhaps that is why Jesus told us that even a lustful look equates to adultery in the heart (Matthew 5:28) and the heart is where evil starts (Matthew 15:19). Sin is contagious and spreads like a virus (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43).

[3:1-7] The crafty counterfeiter is the subtle salesman. Satan is subtle. Not all ships sink because they hit icebergs; some boats sink because they get struck by an enemy’s attack, but then some boats sink due to a slow leak caused by negligence. Think: you are the boat. What kind of boat are you? How well do you believe your boat is constructed? Are you a boat that is merely tied up and docked at a port, unable to sail? Are you currently sailing out on the sea? If you were to get attacked by an enemy, who or what would be your enemy? How well would you respond under attack? Think: would a captain decide to set sail if he knew his ship would sink in the sea? Not many people believe they are going to sink and so they set sail. Even if you are currently sailing, do you believe you are impervious to an enemy’s attacks (1Corinthians 10:12)? How much faith do you possess in your boat?
Fingernails, toenails, and our hair all grow slowly and the change is subtle. Most people do not realize that it’s time to trim their fingernails or cut their hair until the nails and hair are already too long. The change happens so slowly that it usually goes unnoticed. The change happens so slowly that it never causes concern.
Change that happens slowly often goes unnoticed and is accepted and integrated into everyday life. This is how Satan operates. The adversary advances with slow movements and seemingly insignificant additions, subtractions, or replacements. Subtlety is the secret to Satan’s success.
Does a smart burglar bust open a front door, announce his presence and activate the alarm? Or does a smart burglar attempt to sneak in without attracting attention? Does a smart con artist shout and demand your valuables? Or does a smart con artist persuade you to do something by using convincing lies to direct you to a decision by your own free will? Satan merely suggests, but we don’t have to oblige in his request.
Truly, who has not heard and felt the enticing of the devil? His voice often sounds so reasonable and his message so easy to justify. It is an appealing, intriguing voice with dulcet tones. It is neither hard nor discordant. No one would listen to Satan’s voice if it sounded harsh or mean. If the devil’s voice were unpleasant, it would not persuade people to listen to it. C.S. Lewis said, “It does not matter how small the sins are, provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing.… Indeed, the safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”
Most people will not realize that a mosquito stole his/her life blood and replaced it with its saliva until they feel the need to scratch the itch of the wheal. A mosquito injects saliva into the body of its victim; the saliva serves as an anticoagulant. Mosquito saliva negatively affects vascular constriction, blood clotting, platelet aggregation, angiogenesis and immunity, and creates inflammation. Mosquitos can also transmit extremely harmful infections such as malaria, yellow fever, west nile virus, dengue fever, and filariasis.
Satan and sin is a lot like a mosquito. The change is so small that it usually goes unnoticed. That’s why people who get mosquito bites usually have quite a few. But even if the evil deed does get noticed, it gets nonchalantly brushed away because it’s too small to cause concern. If the deed that evil does is small enough, the evil will eventually accomplish what it set out to do. However, the consequences of the evil deeds are always felt. Either the mosquito bites itch and creates frustration, or the infection and disease will be felt. Aren’t you aware that evil deeds bring infections and diseases?
Imagine a cruise ship that accumulated tiny holes at the bottom of the boat due to rust and wear and tear. The holes were formed from the inside due to neglect of proper upkeep and a lack of preventative maintenance. The holes were created from the inside and corrosively expanded outward. Now, if neither the captain nor crew of the cruise ship alerts the passengers that the ship is taking on water, the majority of passengers will not realize that the ship is sinking until the water has already inundated so much as to cause a capsize. The water coming in from the bottom was never noticed by the privileged people up top who were never concerned with the bottom. It wasn’t until the gravity from the capsize that tipped over the patron’s Patron tequila that panic set in. What happened? Complacency created the catastrophe. No one was ready. No one was alert. No one was on guard. No one was sounding the alarm. All passengers were merely doing whatever made them happy. A problem with the pursuit of happiness is that purpose often gets neglected.
Evil is corrosive. Evil works to create tiny holes. The goal is to get evil inside so slowly as to go unnoticed until it’s too late. People usually don’t realize that they are sinking in life until it becomes obvious and they’re almost drowning. And only then will they want to change what they’re doing in order to be saved. Do people not typically desire to lose weight only after they realize they’re overweight? Do people not typically go to the dentist only after the pain from the cavity forces them to acknowledge the problem? Should we wait until pain forces us to acknowledge the problem?
Evil is corrosive and deliberately slow with its intentions. Enamel of your teeth can disappear over time due to corrosion. Many people will never notice until the day they suddenly feel the pain associated with the lack of enamel. The enamel of righteous living has been under a deliberately slow and precise attack for years. But the corrosion will eventually lead to a lot of pain and suffering.
Our world continues to take the line between right and wrong and push it farther away from Truth (see notes for John 18:38) — the line gets pushed farther every day. The instructions of GOD and the teachings of Jesus continue to be compromised year after year due to an extremely slow acceptance of that which is wrong. And because the changes have all happened slowly over time, people accept them and consider them to be normal. And because we have not yet experienced GOD’s discipline, humans continue to celebrate their wrongdoings.
Farther and farther we go down the gentle slope into the Nothing.
I think we will witness increasing evidence of Satan’s power as the Kingdom of GOD grows stronger. I believe Satan’s ever-expanding efforts are some proof of the truthfulness of this work. In the future the opposition will be both more subtle yet more blatant. It will be masked in greater sophistication and cunning, but it will also be quite obvious. We will need greater spirituality to perceive all of the forms of evil and greater strength to resist it.
Change has occurred so slowly over time that sin has been accepted because it was garnished on good and normal things as if it were the sprinkles on an ice cream cone. Evil is like mold in a house or moss on a stone. People have picked up the mossy stones, yet never wiped them clean before taking them back home. We thresh wheat, remove dross from gold, and purify our drinking water, so why would we not filter the rest of life?
The change happened so slowly that it never generated alarm, never caused concern. And now an accumulated large mass of change has been accepted over time; consequently, the change also has a growing snowball effect in that each new change becomes more bold and blatant. And it’s all been accepted in disguise under the notion of it either being able to bring us happiness or it being “progress.” But is it all truly progress? For what ultimate goal is this progress made? We are always making progress; we are always getting closer to a goal. But in which direction are we traveling? It is possible to travel with good intentions and still end up going in the wrong direction. Are we getting closer to praise or discipline? Every single step we take brings us closer to either Heaven or Hell.
Humans have a long history of justifying their wrongdoings. Do any of the following sound familiar to you?

“It’s just a little bit…”;
“It’s only…”;
“Just for a little while…”;
“It’s not like I’m doing…”;
“At least I’m not doing…”;
“It’s not like it’s going to kill me.”;
“Well, it makes me happy, so…”;
“It feels good, so…”;
“Everyone does it.”;
“If it doesn’t hurt anybody else, it’s all right.”;
“If it feels okay, it must be.”;
“It’s not that bad.”;
“I’m just going to do it one more time…”

These subtle entreaties make Satan the salesman to be the cunning counterfeiter.
Understand this: it does not matter how far you have traveled into the campground of sin — you can be forgiven and saved! Regardless of what you have done, Jesus will welcome you back Home (Luke 15:11-32). No one is too far out of GOD’s loving reach to be rescued! Jesus is the Relentless Rescuer! The only requirements are genuine repentance and to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. If only we could release pride and humble ourselves. It’s not too late!
How far from Truth will the line be dragged? The line between innovation and effrontery becomes evident through consequences.
Carl Sagan said, “One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.”
Ponder on the subtlety of Satan the salesman. What has he convinced you to buy? What has he convinced you to believe? Don’t buy into the bamboozlement of Beelzebul (Romans 12:2; 1Corinthians 16:13; Ephesians 5:10-11,15-16; 6:18; Mark 14:38; 1Thessalonians 5:6; 1Peter 5:8)!
Satan is subtle; evil is deliberate; sin is from Satan. But what is sin? And are all sins equal or are some worse than others? In its most basic form, sin is the breaking of GOD’s known Law. Augustine concisely stated that sin was something said, done, or desired that was contrary to the eternal Law of GOD. If sin is therefore viewed as a violation of the stated Law of GOD, how do humans come to commit the act of sinning? Another way of stating the question is this: Are humans sinners because they sin, or do humans sin because they are sinners?
To answer this question, we need to examine the nature of GOD (see notes for Genesis 1:1). The nature of GOD reveals that GOD is the absolute standard. GOD’s Word informs us that due to the Fall of Adam and Eve, all humans are sinful from birth (see notes for Psalm 53). Because all humans are sinful from birth, we all need to be saved. We sin because we are sinners; it is part of our nature. Because any sin causes us to fall short of the righteous standard, it is easy to see that all sin is equally condemning. That is, sin is a violation of the laws, edicts, and demands of a righteous GOD. To break one sin is as equally condemning as it is to break another sin. In Matthew 5:28, Jesus tells us that even a lustful look is adultery in the heart. Jesus told us that sin is still sin even if it is a desire to do wrong. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day taught that it was okay to think about anything you desired so long as you did not act on those desires. Jesus helped us to realize that GOD knows and judges a person’s thoughts as well as his/her actions (Psalm 139:1-2; Matthew 9:4; Luke 11:17; 1John 3:20). Jesus proclaimed that our actions are the result of what is in our hearts (1Chronicles 29:17; Matthew 12:34). Truly, the heart is the start.
The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 2:1-29 that to violate one law is in fact a violation of all the laws of GOD. Romans 6:23 defines all sin as deadly. Indeed, Galatians 5:19-21 helps clarify that many different sins are sufficient causes to keep us out of the Kingdom of Heaven. All sins are equally severe in the sight of GOD, and all sins produce death. Any attempt to categorize sin into varying degrees of gravity is an exercise in futility.
Although Jesus said that lust and adultery are both sins, that does not mean they are equal. It is much worse to actually murder a person than it is to simply hate a person, even though they are both sins in GOD’s sight. There are degrees to sin. Some sins are worse than others. At the same time, in regard to both eternal consequences and salvation, all sins are the same. Every sin will lead to eternal condemnation. All sin, no matter how “small,” is against an infinite and eternal GOD, and is therefore worthy of an infinite and eternal penalty. Conversely, there is no sin too “big” that GOD cannot forgive it. Jesus died to pay the penalty for sin (1John 2:2). Jesus died for all of our sins (2Corinthians 5:21). Are all sins equal in GOD’s sight? Yes and no. In severity? No. In penalty? Yes. In forgivability? Yes.
Application: What subtle sins are you attempting to justify? I challenge you to examine yourself thoroughly. I challenge you to study all of the changes that have taken place throughout history and to ponder about which changes were good (aligned with GOD’s Word) and which changes were bad (human agenda created to satisfy self). I also challenge you to merely be aware and observe the changes that are currently taking place. I further challenge you to call attention to and expose the changes that are not good. Change for the better can never be made unless we call attention to what is wrong and make every effort to be righteous and good. In fact, I want to challenge you even further to call attention to everything that is good. Do not just call attention to what is bad. We need to share all that is good as well. Both are necessary.
Is evil sucking the life out of you while you’re unaware? The Holy Spirt is the repellent against the Life Sucker. Are you a sinking ship and you’re unaware that you’re going down? Many people foolishly possess self-confidence; however, GOD’s Word reminds us that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38). When was the last time you went below deck to check your engine room? When was the last time you checked to see if the nuts and bolts were fastened? Are there any leaks? Are all components working properly? Are you alert? Are you aware? Are you on guard? Are you awake or sleepwalking? Are you willing and able to sound the alarm? Are you willing and able to be a messenger? Don’t allow evil to steal your life; don’t sink with sinners when you can walk on water with Captain Christ. Jesus is the captain who makes it all happen. Are you going to buy what the subtle salesman is selling?

[3:7-11] The first disconnect and loss was when Adam and Eve felt shame at their nakedness. Why would they cover themselves simply because they discovered they were naked? Why would that matter? Adam and Eve already knew each other and had previously seen each other naked on my occasions. So, why would the fact that they were naked disturb them now? Obviously, they had been ignorant of the concept of being naked because GOD asked them how they knew they were naked, implying that they should not have known they were naked. The concept of clothing had not yet been invented — clothing didn’t exist until GOD created it from animal skins (3:21) — but Adam and Eve created covering from leaves. By covering themselves, they uncovered their sin and also revealed that they no longer believed they were good enough. And that is exactly what Satan desired to accomplish; Satan wanted them to believe they weren’t good enough. But what caused Adam and Eve to believe they weren’t good enough? Did Adam and Eve suddenly become self-conscious and perceive each other’s glances as negative spotlights that highlighted insecurities? A newfound awareness of nakedness would create many questions. What was the cause of this insecurity they felt? Perhaps the sudden rushing wave of emotions created confusion and uncertainty. It was all so new to them and they most likely felt overwhelmed and simply didn’t know how to respond. But the one thing that is certain is that both Adam and Eve suddenly felt as if they weren’t good enough and that they needed to cover up their confusion and insecurities. They hid from themselves and they hid from each other.

[3:8-9] The second disconnect and loss was when they experienced fear and attempted to hide from GOD. But why would they have experienced fear? Again, guilt was a new concept to them and it created confusion. Due to the uncertainty and new insecurities, they panicked and also desired to hide from GOD as well as hide from themselves. It’s easy for us to look back in time and down on them in their situation and wonder how they could have been so ridiculous as to believe they could hide from GOD, but everything was new to them. Think about it: both Adam and Eve had to learn how to be human by themselves. We have had others to teach us and show us by example, but they were without that benefit. Plus, we have all attempted to hide our sins in one way or another, haven’t we? How many sins have you hoped to get away with in your lifetime? How many sins have you committed in secret?

[3:8-9] If GOD is omniscient, why would He inquire of Adam’s location? Well, when GOD asks us questions, it is not because He does not know the answer, it is for our benefit so that we may seek the answer (Mark 10:18). And even though Adam and Eve desired to hide from GOD, these verses reveal GOD’s desire to have fellowship with us — He made the effort to seek them even when they were making an effort to hide. Hide and Seek is a popular game children play. Think about this: it’s not fun to go hide unless you are eventually found. If you remain in hiding for too long, you will soon feel forgotten and/or get tired of hiding and come out of your hiding place. If the seeker decides not to seek, then how could the one hiding ever be found? Some people are hiding in their shame; however, some people are lost and don’t even realize they’re in the game. But GOD is the loving Father and Seeker who actively looks out for the lost (Luke 15:20,24; 19:10). Everyone who has a guilty conscience is without excuse (Romans 1:19-20; James 4:17). A guilty conscience is a warning signal GOD installed within us to let us know when we have violated the absolute moral standard. The “no regrets” lifestyle will be the biggest regret of your life. We are designed to learn from our mistakes. And this is why Adam admitted to GOD that he was somewhere he wasn’t supposed to be (hiding in fear among the trees). But we all need to answer the question GOD asked Adam: “Where are you?” So, are you in hiding? Are you lost? Where are you? Are you where you are supposed to be? GOD does not launch a monologue-missile toward you with intentions of destroying His target; rather, He asks questions and listens carefully, hoping for conversation that will lead to relationship.

[3:11-13] When confronted with sin, how do you respond? Adam refused to take responsibility for his action and he blamed Eve. How do you think that made Eve feel toward Adam? How did it affect their relationship? How would you feel if your partner in life shifted the blame onto you in front of GOD? But Eve refused to take responsibility for her action and she blamed the serpent. And though it’s not written here, the serpent (Satan) refused to look inward; instead, he tried to blame humans while putting GOD on trial (see the book of Job). But was Adam guilty? Yes. Eve certainly did give the forbidden fruit to Adam, but it was his decision to take it from her. Certainly, the serpent was guilty for convincing Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, but Eve possessed free will and did not have to choose to eat of the fruit. The victim mentality refuses to look inward and/or accept responsibility. What about you? Do you take responsibility for your actions or do you try to shift the blame onto others? Is it truly your parents’ fault? Does the blame truly fall on that person or people you have in mind? Are you completely blameless? Are you sinless? Certainly not (Romans 3:23). Is it possible that you have avoided looking inward and have refused to accept responsibility? Sometimes people truly are victims and are not guilty in certain situations such as rape or murder, but most people reap what they sow (Job 4:8; Proverbs 14:14; 22:8; Jeremiah 17:10; Hosea 10:12-13; Luke 6:37-38; 2Corinthians 9:6; Galatians 6:7-8). However, we must have the mentality that we are not victims; rather, we are conquerors in Christ (Romans 8:37-39)! And what do conquerors do? They overcome evil by doing good (Romans 12:21)!

[3:16-19] May we understand GOD’s words not as prescriptive but descriptive. Ponder on this: Adam and Eve got exactly what they desired. Eve desired to be like GOD, to know good and evil, and to be the one to make all of her own decisions. Adam was with her and also desired the same. However, getting what we want doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be what is best. How many times have you gone out of your way to get what you want only to later find out that it was not what was best? All of GOD’s commands are for our own good. Like a child trusts the parent(s) to give him/her what is best and right, we need to trust GOD that He wants the best for us and will give to us what is good (Matthew 6:26; 7:11; Luke 11:13; 12:24,28). Satan’s ultimate goal is for you to freely choose disobedience and rebellion. Doubt, discouragement, diversion, delay, and defeat will all amount to disobedience. Satan desires for you to question GOD’s goodness, focus on your problems rather than possibilities, keep your attention on attractive lures that will derail you, procrastinate and keep projects incomplete, and make you feel like a failure so that you will give up. Be careful about pursuing pleasantries. We can’t always get what we want — and that’s a good thing! The pursuit of pleasure can often lead us to pain. In fact, GOD tells Eve that her disobedience will bring pain for childbirth. Given the fact that Eve’s first son will later murder her second son (4:8), perhaps this foretold pain is less about the physical pain of giving birth and more about the emotional pain she will experience in seeing the violence and brokenness in her family due to everyone being born into sin (Romans 3:9-18; 5:12).

[3:20] It is interesting that following GOD’s judgment, Adam gives his female partner in life the name, Eve. The name Eve sounds like a Hebrew term that means, “to give life.” Even through death, life will come through her! There is hope in the midst of judgment! Life will conquer death! In fact, GOD even promised victory in verse 15 (Romans 16:20; 1Corinthians 15:25; Revelation 12:9-10).

[3:21] GOD covered them. This is a divine covering. Throughout the Old Testament, one of the meanings of “to atone” is “to cover.” It’s no wonder that GOD’s righteousness is compared to clothing, as is unrighteousness (“filthy garments”). Consider the father in Luke 15:22 who clothed his wayward son with the “best robe” upon the son’s return. It is also important to note that GOD covers Adam and Eve before they are expelled. Grace always covers the Law.

[3:22-24] Why would a loving GOD banish Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden? Did the punishment fit the crime? GOD is Holy and sin simply cannot coexist with holiness (1Corinthians 10:21). GOD still loved them, but sin must be punished. GOD is both justice and mercy. Even though Adam and Eve had to be punished for their sin, GOD had already made up His mind to love them, redeem humanity, and restore relationship through Christ Jesus. The big picture provides proper prospective and helps us understand GOD’s sacrificial love. GOD loves us so much that He allowed us to use our free will to make mistakes so that we can learn to love like Him. GOD only desired to prevent Adam and Eve (all of us) from living forever at that time because they (and all of us) were simply not yet ready to live eternally with a Holy GOD. Being able to rightly use free will to live in holiness requires not only a lifetime of training and practice, but because we are simply incapable of doing so, GOD needed to enact His plan for the relentless rescue operation of Jesus to atone for all of our sins. In the big picture, the banishment is only temporary. Revelation 21-22 reveals that humanity will not be banished forever; in fact, we will all live in His presence once again.

[4:1-26] The story of Cain and Abel reveal a lot about GOD’s plan for salvation and His absolute moral standard. Cain murdered his own brother, Abel, who happened to be a shepherd. Able’s name means, “keeper.” The shepherd was slaughtered like a lamb and the blood spilled on the ground became a curse. Cain’s prideful and arrogant response to GOD was essentially this: “Am I to watch over my helpless brother like he watched over his helpless sheep? Is he not Abel [able] to be his own master like I am my own master?” Cain’s name means “acquired” and he was a cultivator of the ground and worked only to benefit himself; Cain was only interested in receiving. This selfishness and wickedness is the essence of sin. Sin caused the death of GOD’s people. But GOD creates good from the bad; in 5:29, GOD brought Noah from the line of Cain and eventually wiped evil off the map with a cleansing water. Abel was more interested in giving than receiving. The contrast between Cain and Abel is that of receiving and giving; however, it is written that it is better to give than receive (Acts 20:35). Abel gave his best [lamb] as an offering to the Lord, but Cain only offered some of his crops. Not only was Cain’s offering without blood and blood is life and is necessary to cover sins (Leviticus 17:10-14), but Cain’s offering came from the ground, which GOD cursed in 3:17. Also, Proverbs 21:27 tells us that the sacrifice of an evil person is detestable, especially when offered with wrong motives. Obedience is better than sacrifice (1Samuel 15:22). We are not to give reluctantly, under compulsion or out obligation, but because we truly desire to give (2Corinthians 9:7). Simply put, we are to offer our best and do what’s right by trusting in the Lord (Psalm 4:5). GOD tells us that we must master sin or it will master us. Cain was the first murderer (4:8) and liar (4:9). He was without remorse and had no genuine repentance — he only cared about himself (4:13-14). However, it is written that Satan was a murderer from the beginning and the father of lies; furthermore, all who sin are children of Satan, not the Lord (John 8:44). Two distinct groups emerged out from Cain and Seth: those who showed indifference to sin and evil, and those who worshipped the Lord. In the great reversal, GOD makes the spilling of the Shepherd’s blood to be the blood of the Lamb, which becomes the atonement of our sins and gives us the power and authority to overcome sin and live as children of GOD. In which category do you find yourself? Are you indifferent to sin and evil or do you desire to be in alignment with GOD’s absolute standard? Like Abel, are you doing and giving your best? Cain only did the bare minimum required of him; he wanted to do only enough to merely get by. Cain also erupted when GOD disapproved of his choice. How would/will you respond if/when GOD says no? When Cain threw a temper tantrum, GOD basically told Cain to tune in to the right frequency and to get focused. No static. Tune in. Why raise the volume of your voice to get a point across? No matter how loud the volume is, if the radio station isn’t tuned in correctly, you will only hear static. When you raise the volume of your voice, you’re just making the static louder. Loud static does not effectively convey the desired message of harmonious music. In order to get the point across in communication, you must first tune in correctly to the right station. Once you do that, it doesn’t matter if the volume is loud, as long as it’s “Abel” to be heard and clearly understood. Don’t raise your voice while debating or arguing. We need only to calmly communicate (Proverbs 15:1-2,4; James 1:19-20). And do your best. That is, after all, the key – do your best. No one of greatness has ever done just enough to merely get by. Everyone of greatness gave it all he/she had — 100%, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365.2422 days a year. Everyone always says “365” but the “.2422” is important. A slight opening is all the serpent needs to slither in and lead us to sin. We must not give Satan that opportunity (Ephesians 4:27). We must be ‘Abel’ to bring our best even if we die trying in the process. It doesn’t matter if you’re the best at something, what matters is that you do your best. How can one fail if he/she never stops trying? Even in death, I’m certain that Able heard, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21,23; Luke 19:17).

[4:19] Lamech took for himself two wives, but GOD does not approve of polygyny / polyandry. There is a difference between acceptance of polygamy and approval of polygamy. To define marriage, we need only to examine the original design. Marriage should be defined as a covenant between one male and one female, both being of a proper age of maturity that would enable a mutual consent to a lifelong partnership that is designed to unite the two as one in a committed relationship of equal service in love. The union of the two as one should not be detached, divided, disconnected or divorced unless death separates them or the sin of sexual immorality defiles the covenant and creates a chasm between the commitment that would cause division. The monogamous male-female union, introduced in Genesis, is the only model of sexual behavior consistently praised in both Old and New Testaments. (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:18,23-24; Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; Deuteronomy 17:17; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 19:4-6; Romans 1:26-27; 1Corinthians 6:9-10; 7:2; 1Timothy 1:9-10; 3:2,12; Titus 1:6)
Jesus said that in the beginning, they were created male and female. In addition, Jesus said that a man will leave his father and mother and will become one with his wife. Marriage was clearly identified as a union between a male and a female. Furthermore, Jesus specifically mentioned father and mother. Why? Because father is male and mother is female. No living thing, until GOD made woman, was capable of becoming one flesh with the man. In Genesis 2:18, GOD pronounced the absence of woman as being “not good” because it left man alone and incapable of accomplishing GOD’s purposes for humanity in His world. Scripture conveys marriage as being closely tied to procreation (biology confirms this). In addition, we must realize that the design of marriage as 1 + 1 = 1 is an image of humanity in relationship with the One true GOD (Hosea; Ephesians 5:22-33). And if marriage is a picture of our relationship with GOD, then multiple wives or husbands would be the same as humans being able to have multiple gods; however, Scripture is clear that we are to only be in relationship with One GOD (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 22:37). Thus, GOD’s design for marriage was disregarded and broken when Lamech chose to be unfaithful to his first wife by taking a second wife. And just as GOD allowed divorce due to a hardness of heart (Matthew 19:8; Mark 10:4-9), GOD also allowed polygamy for the same reason. But again, the fact that GOD allowed it to happen does not mean that GOD approved of it. Another reason GOD may have allowed it was due to the fact that a woman’s value was unrecognized; women were viewed as property, and were typically unable to provide for themselves because men owned and controlled everything. In light of this, GOD might have allowed multiple women to be under the umbrella of one man so that they might at least have provision and protection. While definitely not ideal, living in a polygamist’s palace might have been better than the alternatives: prostitution, slavery, or starvation. However, the decision to disregard GOD’s design produced many problems. Multiple partners always created conflict, confusion, identity crises, and even led to idolatry (examine the lives of Abraham + Sarah + Hagar, or Jacob + Leah + Rachel, or even Solomon + hundreds). Any addition to GOD’s design is a subtraction in quality of life and a division of loyalty, which ultimately leads to multiplied problems.

[5:1] Neither science nor the Bible seems to be able to prove the precise age of the universe. Many critics and Christians alike proclaim a young Earth based on the genealogies found in the Bible. If the genealogy listing is closed (without gaps), then the creation of humankind would be placed somewhere around 4000 B.C., which flies in the face of all the historical and scientific evidence for a minimum date for humanity. But are the genealogies truly closed and without gaps?
The basis for the closed genealogy belief is found within Genesis 5 and 11 where names are listed along with age. The problem with the belief of a closed genealogy is that evidence of an open genealogy exists elsewhere throughout the Bible. Luke 3:36 proves gaps can exist elsewhere because Cainan is listed in this genealogy where he was omitted elsewhere. Also, the genealogy of Christ has at least one serious known gap. In Matthew 1:8, even though the text reads that Joram (Jehoram) was the father of Uzziah (Azariah), it is known from 1Chronicles 3:11-12 that three missing generations exist between Joram and Uzziah.
Exactly how many gaps there are in biblical genealogies and the length of time between those gaps are unknown. But gaps do exist; consequently, complete chronologies cannot be constructed. Since there are known gaps in the genealogies, the genealogies cannot be considered closed even from a strictly biblical point of view.
Other evidence throughout the Bible supports an open genealogy. Consider the following:

Scholars have noted that the symmetrical arrangement of Genesis 5 and 11 into groups of ten argues for their compression. Noah is the tenth name from Adam and Terah the tenth from Noah. Each ends with a father who had three sons. Compression certainly seems to be the case in Matthew 1, where there are three series of fourteen (with three generations missing). In addition, “other sons and daughters” are found written in the genealogies, implying gaps and suggesting compression.
Scriptures calls Jesus the “son of David,” though at least 31 generations separated David from the Christ.
The Ten Commandments provided a summary of GOD’s complete and perfect Law. The Ten Commandments were the minimum requirements, the basics. It is unreasonable to assume that GOD’s perfect Law would only consist of ten commandments when the law in our own finite and imperfect society requires a multitude of books to explain the laws by which we are governed. It is reasonable to assert that there are gaps in the Ten Commandments due to compression of the list. In fact, that list was even compressed further into only two commandments in Matthew 22:36-40.
There was a large gap of time (over 400 years) between the end period of the Old Testament and the beginning stages of the New Testament (intertestamental period) that seem to be shrouded in mystery. It seems as if nothing biblical happened in that time frame; however, it is unreasonable to assume that nothing happened in that span of time. A gap obviously exists in documented biblical history; however, the gap doesn’t mean that actual biblical events didn’t happen – they simply weren’t documented.
In Hebrews 11, the “Hall of Faith” lists only a few people as great people of faith; however, it is unreasonable to assume that there were not others who were full of faith. In fact, Hebrews 11:32-40 admits that other faithful people do exist but that time would not permit the writing of them all. Clearly, gaps exist in the list of the faithful due to compression. We can know this for certain because David’s three mighty men (2Samuel 23:15-17) are not listed in this Hall of Faith when they most certainly should be.
John 21:25 states, “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if they were written one by one, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written.”

At what length would the Bible need to be if it included all exhaustive information without omissions and summarization? How can an infinite GOD be captured in a book without the need for summarizing Truth into categories of major and minor? Thus, the evidence supports the view that the Bible does not give us a closed chronology but an outline genealogy. This being the case, there is no real conflict on this matter between the Bible and science nor between the Bible and itself. In summary, gaps exist because summaries exist. Therefore, it is still possible for the Bible to be relevant in an old aged universe.

[6:6] How could GOD be sorry? Was GOD admitting He made a mistake? No. GOD does not change His mind (1Samuel 15:29). GOD had a plan from the beginning. This plan involved “very good” creation (1:31) with the great gift of free will (see notes at 2:16-17). Just as a parent expresses sorrow over a rebellious child, GOD expressed sorrow due to our rebellion. GOD’s plan involved a cleansing destruction from water (6:17), a complete sacrificial atonement of sins (Hebrews 10:10), a cleansing death and new birth from water (Romans 6:3-4), and then a final destruction and cleansing of fire (Luke 17:29-30; 2Peter 3:10; Revelation 20:9). It pained GOD that His beloved people had to endure pain and suffering (see notes at Job 6:2) in order to attain salvation, but this life is the necessary furnace of faith for refinement (Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 18:3-6; Proverbs 25:4-5; 2Timothy 2:21) so that we can dwell in His holy presence. Remember: GOD loves us and wants us to live in His holy presence, but evil/sin and righteousness/holiness simply cannot coexist (1Corinthians 10:21).

[6:8-9] To say that Noah is righteous and blameless does not indicate that he was sinless; GOD’s Word tells us that no one is without sin (see notes at Psalm 53). In fact, David was called a man after GOD’s own heart even though he had sinned (1Samuel 13:14; 2Samuel 12:13; Acts 13:22). Proverbs 15:9 tells us that the Lord loves the one who pursues righteousness. So, what then, does it mean to be righteous? To be righteous is to be right with GOD. A heart that is right with GOD results in a life that bears “fruit” (Matthew 12:33; Luke 6:43-44; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:9); in fact, it is by love and its fruit that a person will be known as a disciple of Christ Jesus (John 13:34-35). In the Old Testament, men were declared righteous when they believed GOD and acted on it (Genesis 15:6; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23). Before Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4), people pursued righteousness by keeping GOD’s Law, seeking holiness, and walking humbly with GOD (Micah 6:8). Because no one can please GOD in our sinful state (Romans 8:8), no one is justified by rule-keeping but by the faith that enabled them to obey GOD (Romans 3:20; Galatians 2:16). Essentially, to be righteous, we need only to live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4). To live by faith (see notes at Hebrews 11:1), we must possess “belief that and trust in” — we must believe that the Lord exists and trust in the Lord for our ultimate good (Proverbs 3:5-8; Romans 8:28). GOD spared Noah because everyone else had chosen to live evil lives and walked away from GOD. Noah was the righteous one! Righteousness! We need to make that our goal! All over this world, there are competitions to see who is best at something, but who strives to be the most righteous person alive? Sure you can be the best athlete, the best speller, the best seller, the best fighter, or even eat the most hotdogs in one sitting, but who can be the most righteous? Who can be the best person? Not the best man at a wedding, but the best person. Who is the most righteous? Many people are attempting to break new world records, but who is attempting to be the most righteous? Shouldn’t we try? Of course we are not saved by works but by our faith (Ephesians 2:8-9); however, our faith should produce fruit. We will all most certainly fail at times to be righteous, but the point is to try – try your best!

[Genesis 6-8]

Even one person can make a difference. To make a difference:

You need to do what’s right in all circumstances and base your actions and reactions from the foundation of love.
You might end up alone and/or unpopular.
You need to persist in doing what is right regardless of the outcome.

Because Noah was found to be righteous, GOD spoke to Noah. GOD instructed him to build a large ship and then gather animals and get all of those animals in the ship. That’s three simple tasks; however, something that’s simple isn’t necessarily easy. And while Noah was constructing the ship, he was preaching to others, trying to warn them of what would happen if they didn’t change from doing evil and selfish and harmful things (1Peter 3:20). Dig deeper:

(1) Do what’s right in all circumstances

Noah was obedient to GOD and tried to live a righteous life. Everyone else had decided to live selfish lives, which led to bad decisions, which made sin multiply and sinners run rampant. In Noah’s time, evil was the plague with which everyone had been infected. And if Noah was the only one found to be righteous by GOD, do you think that Noah was popular? No. He was probably well known, but I highly doubt that many people thought too highly of him. Usually, doing what’s right when others want to do wrong makes you an outcast. After all, people just want to have ‘fun’ and have ‘a good time.’
Scripture states that only a total of eight (8) people were saved from the flood (7:13; 2Peter 2:5). Many scholars have debated about how long it took Noah to build the ark, but consensus says he had about 100 years to complete it. That doesn’t mean it took him 100 years to complete construction, but that’s about how long he had to complete it before the flood ever occurred. Ponder on that.
Noah spent about 100 years of preaching to others and doing what was right and getting shunned and doubted. Obviously, if only eight people were saved, that means that no one cared to listen to Noah. Think about that! Even after one single year of Noah preaching, the sinners he preached to hadn’t yet faced any consequences for their actions. So, why would they listen to Noah during the 2nd year, the 10th year, or even the 50th year? Especially the 99th year! After years of Noah preaching and constructing a ship in the desert, do you really think that he was popular for good reasons? People must have mocked him, laughed at him, called him crazy, and told him to be quiet and stop preaching. Yet Noah continued to build the ship and preach.
Can you imagine Noah constructing the ark? There were probably piles of wood everywhere, tools here and there, unused scraps laying about, and an unfinished project that sat there for a long time. Noah most likely heard scoffers often say, “You’re crazy! You’re not making a difference, you’re making a mess! You’re just making a fool of yourself! Your GOD is not showing up! You’ve been saying the same nonsense for years! You should just give this nonsense up and just lock yourself up in an insane asylum, old man! Or why don’t you just do everyone a favor and go kill yourself?”

(2) You might end up alone and/or unpopular

When there are many people who doubt you, it is common that one would feel alone, unpopular, and maybe even possess a feeling of hopelessness because nobody is listening. Satan usually takes those opportunities to infiltrate your mind with doubt and fear. Being a voice of reason amongst people acting unreasonable isn’t easy and can cause one to feel lonely. Feeling isolated in a populated place can be unfulfilling and potentially draining. Can you imagine the suffering Noah endured throughout 100 years of isolation, verbal abuse from unbelievers, and a consistent desire to know when GOD was going to fulfill His promise? After all, the promised flood certainly wasn’t happening. How many times do you think Noah might have questioned his calling? How many times do you think Noah asked GOD, “How long, Lord? How long will I have to wait?” The feeling of loneliness can override the calling from His Holiness if we allow it to do so. But becoming obsessed with what people think about you is the quickest way to forget what GOD thinks about you. The feeling of loneliness can potentially cause you to forget your calling in order to fit in with the crowd. But the wise Dr. Seuss once said, “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”
If you allow others to plant seeds of discouragement in your life, those seeds will grow into weeds and strangle the life out of you at your roots. Noah had to keep his focus on his calling and not the crowd. Again, the goal is simply said, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to accomplish. Simplicity is not often achieved easily.

(3) Persist in doing what is right

Longevity. Persistence. Never giving up. Always do what’s right regardless of the danger or fear involved. This is the most difficult part about making a difference. People often quit too soon. Sometimes, the hardest choice and the right choice are one and the same. To be someone special, you must set yourself apart from others and declare yourself as someone special. If being amazing means going against the flow (like a salmon swimming upstream), then do exactly that.
Salmon fish are unlike many other fish because they live in both fresh water and salt water. Not only that, but a salmon will travel hundreds to thousands of miles in order to do what they must do – spawn. Wouldn’t you agree that swimming hundreds to thousands of miles is not an easy task to accomplish? Not only do these fish continue to swim mile after mile, these anadromous and persistent fish will go against the flow and swim upstream to do what they know is right. Going against the flow is sometimes the only way to go. Yes — it will be difficult and sometimes dangerous or even deadly, but it can be quite rewarding as well.
Living a righteous life is like swimming upstream and facing the danger of bears, but it is what’s right. Bears will wait where tiny waterfalls are located in order to catch the salmon who are attempting to leap up in their efforts to continue swimming upstream. Satan and and his demons are like the bears and we are like the salmon. Evil waits until we are off balance in order to knock us down. Evil waits until we are out of our comfort zone in order to intimidate us back inside. Evil positions itself at the most difficult spots in our journeys in order take us out. Some salmon will see the bear up ahead, allow fear to overtake them, and decide to give up; some Christians see the challenge ahead, allow doubt and fear to overtake them, and they give up. Our sinful society will try to fill your head with doubt and fear and attempt to conquer your good with their evil; however, we are called to overcome evil with our good (Romans 12:21).
Being obedient for years while being mocked and unappreciated can wedge room within you for doubt to grow and maybe even depression to set in. But you must never give up. Most great things were achieved over a long period of time. A skyscraper doesn’t rise overnight and neither does a large ark.
Noah had to build his ark in order to float above the rest and rise to the top. Why did Noah have to build an ark in order to be saved? Because he was also in the act of saving others. He was being saved, but he was saving others as well. Noah saved his family and all of those animals so that creation could flourish once again. That’s symbolic for us — we need to build our “ark” to make our mark. The only way to rise to the top is to be the most righteous person you can possibly be. Be righteous. Don’t be righteous in order to claim superiority over others; rather, simply be righteous for the sake of being righteous. And also, by our action of building our “ark,” we will be helping others rise to the top with us. Noah built an ark. What is it that we should build? Our ship of devotion to Love, to GOD. How do we build our ship? By using all the necessary tools: Reputation, character, honor, integrity, honesty, purity, morals, principles, faith, etc… Build your ship of devotion with the indestructible materials that GOD provides for us and you will rise to the top when all others drown. Why did the others drown? Because they did not build an “ark!” Not only did they not build an ark, but they refused to join Noah in his ark. The others tied anchors to themselves — anchors of sin, misery, anger, lies, hatred, worry, doubt, confusion, fear, etc… They drowned because they tied themselves down with the anchor of Unnecessary Burden. We should all declare a friendly competition of righteousness between each other. Make it your goal to be the most righteous person you can possibly be at all times! The clock is ticking… every unproductive second that goes by is another moment of time in which someone else could be taking the lead as the righteous one. This is not a true competition. We’re not to strive to be better than others. That will only build our pride. Rather, we are to strive to be better today than we were the day before. If we are all living this out rightly, we will all be building each other up while building a ship of devotion to the Lord. Rise above!
Noah was righteous and so he built the ark. The ship took a long time to build. In order to fulfill your dream or calling, you must build your faith as you build the dream/calling. You can’t build your dream without building your faith! Noah wouldn’t have been able to build that ship of devotion unless he had also built up his faith in the process. Without faith, it’s easy to give up. The path to success is always under construction. Ensure to find ways to build your faith as you are building your dream/calling. And ensure to do what’s right and never give up. Remember: it’s better to suffer [unjustly] for doing right, if that should be GOD’s will, than to suffer [justly] for doing wrong (1Peter 3:17).
Only eight (8) people were saved due to Noah’s persistent efforts over about 100-year span of time. Ponder on that. That doesn’t seem like he made a difference, does it? What we do may not seem like it amounts to much, but the impact of what we do always has a farther reach than we realize. Only eight people were saved from Noah’s century-long efforts. But how many people exist in the world today because of those eight? Everyone.
Conclusion: The lesson to be learned is that it never seems as if we are making a difference while we are in the process of making a difference. And even if we don’t feel qualified to do what we have been called to do, GOD is with us and that’s all that really matters. After all, if GOD is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)?
Remember: the ark was built by an amateur and the Titanic was built by professionals. But also remember that you can make a difference by merely smiling and showing others what it looks like to have joy in your heart. After all, we will be known as disciples of Christ due to our love (John 13:35). There are many ways to make a difference, but persistence is required to make a big difference. Therefore, be persistent in love. Never give up. Noah’s ark was the hope. Faith was required to continually build the hope. But it was necessary to continually build the faith while building the hope. Hope does indeed float and rise above while others choose to drown in their sins.
Are you building your hope? Are you building your faith while building your hope? Do you desire to make a difference? Even if you build your faith and your hope, you must be willing to trust GOD for the results and take action based upon your faith. The three main points previously mentioned about making a difference can be expounded upon and expanded to seven steps to making a difference. The following seven steps reveal the order of the three main points: (1) Seek GOD; (2) know GOD; (3) obey GOD; (4) persist and endure in your obedience; (5) enter the ship of devotion; (6) be patient and allow GOD to work; and (7) leave your comfort zone and step out into your calling. In 8:15, GOD told Noah to leave the boat after he had been in it for a year. GOD also told him to release all he had gathered and relied upon, go build a new life and be fruitful. The last step just might be the most difficult of them all. Are you willing to to leave your comfort zone and safe way of living for the calling upon your life? Are you willing to let go of everything you have gathered and relied upon in order to accept the new life GOD has for you? Only then will you be able to be fruitful.

[Genesis 6-8] What about dinosaurs? Were dinosaurs real? Yes. The fossil records reveal the reality of dinosaurs. Did humans and dinosaurs coexist? In a ‘young earth’ view, we could have coexisted. In an ‘old earth’ view, it wasn’t necessary. Just as people acted as placeholders (Exodus 23:29-30) to prevent land from being overtaken by vegetation and/or animals, dinosaurs also could have been placeholders to prevent too much growth; in addition, they could have been used to spread seeds and fertilize the land while the environment developed for proper living conditions for man. But even if dinosaurs and humans coexisted, Noah would not have selected older (and bigger) animals past their prime. He would have selected the younger (and therefore smaller) animals of each kind. We must also remember that eggs are small and able to be stored easily. Regardless, dinosaurs are truly irrelevant to the story of redemption for humanity. See my other article for greater detail: “If The Bible Is True, What About Dinosaurs?“

[Genesis 8] Is there evidence of a universal flood? Before discussing the flood, the discussion of the ark is important. The ark was rightly designed for a universal flood; it had an accurate ratio (length to breadth to height) of seaworthiness. This ratio is what modern cargo ships use to withstand the strength of the sea. Next, it must be mentioned that Noah would not have known how to construct such a ship of seaworthiness as a desert dweller in such ancient days. And finally, the flood must have been universal (and not only across an isolated area) because the flood had been described in universal terms, the size of the ark suggests preparation for population larger than an isolated area, the duration of time (one year) indicates a large area from which the water would need to evaporate/recede, the mountains had been covered, and the nature of the flood was judgment (kataklumos; catastrophe) in which all people and animals were destroyed. And finally, GOD had promised to never do it again, which suggests it could not have been an isolated area because GOD has most certainly flooded isolated areas since that time. Jesus also spoke of Noah and the flood as being historical and used it as the parallel for the end times (Matthew 24:37-39; Luke 3:36; 17:26-27). In addition, Noah and the flood are written as being historical in Hebrews 11:7; 1Peter 3:20; 2Peter 2:5-6; 3:1-7. And if the flood — a judgment upon all people — was only in an isolated area, how did all people everywhere experience judgment? And if the flood is the parallel for the judgment of fire at the end of days, would that also only be an isolated area? And if so, why would the entire earth be destroyed? Why would we receive a new earth and a new heavens (Revelation 21:1)? The parallel in focus is judgment. All people outside the ark were judged for their wickedness just as all people outside of Jesus’ blood will be judged for their wickedness. Thus, the flood must have been a universal judgment. But is there evidence for a universal flood? Fossil records might argue in its favor due to findings on mountaintops throughout the world. In addition, more than 200 different cultures on all continents have stories about this kind of devastating flood.

[Genesis 9] Noah and his family stepped out of the ship onto an earth devoid of human life and Noah became the new Adam when GOD told him to be fruitful and multiply. Imagine looking at the desolation after the destruction and wondering how that new life without life could possibly be a promise to a blessing of future lives. But GOD made a covenant with a rainbow, promising to never destroy the earth and population again with water. The Hebrew language does not distinguish between a rainbow and a bow (weapon). This is significant because seeing the rainbow in the sky is like seeing a hunter’s bow hung up on the wall. As long as that bow is on the wall, the hunter is not using it and the creatures know they are safe. However, perhaps it surprising to know that the rainbow is in the sky for GOD’s benefit more than our own. GOD will see it and remember His covenant. The flood story began with GOD seeing unrestrained evil and destroying it, but ends with GOD seeing the rainbow and restraining Himself. So, what did Noah do upon exiting the ark into his new destroyed and desolate domain? His first priority was to build an altar to the Lord, make a sacrifice, and communicate with GOD. Noah’s first priority was to be in alignment with GOD’s will. His second priority was to get to work (9:20)! For whatever reason, Noah somehow ended up getting drunk on the wine of his vineyard and was found naked inside his tent. Even righteous men of GOD can sin. No one is exempt (1Corinthians 10:12)! Why did Noah get drunk? Did the deaths of all the other people weigh on him? Was he trying to self-medicate? Did he intend on getting drunk or did he simply end up drunk because he didn’t know when to quit? Where is the line between right and wrong? How close should one get to that line? The sad reality is that our bad choices have bad consequences that often negatively affect people around us — especially family. Ham is the one who found Noah naked, but he failed to respect his father enough to cover him. Instead, Ham chose to go tell his brothers (9:22). In a domino effect of disrespect and bad decisions, Noah cursed Canaan, the son of Ham (9:25). This curse was fulfilled when the Israelites entered the Promised Land and drove the Canaanites out (see Joshua). But what would have happened if Noah chose instead to correct rather than condemn? What if he chose to repent before reprimanding? What if he chose to forgive rather than fight? Noah lived another 350 years after the flood (9:28) — that’s a long time to restore the relationship with Ham and Canaan. But did that happen? Why or why not? How did Noah’s one decision to get drunk affect his family? How did Ham’s one decision to disrespect his father affect the future? Well, Canaan was cursed and eventually dispersed into Sodom and Gomorrah. Genesis 19 shines the light of truth onto the sad reality of consequences from the free will to live in sin: death and destruction.

[Genesis 9] If the flood destroyed all human life except Noah and his family, how is it possible for all racial and ethnic categories throughout the world to come from the lineage of Noah? The simple answer is to say that genetic mutation is possible and different DNA can provide various results in breeding. Think: vitiligo is a great example of how skin color is irrelevant to identity and only alters physical appearance. Also, examine the mulatto with mixed genes. Even in one generation the difference in skin tone and facial features is evident when compared to the parents. Now, consider how long humanity has existed and it isn’t difficult to recognize that centuries of different DNA pairings has produced different appearances of one human race. Also, consider the fact that humans tend to confine themselves to one geographic location and segregate themselves based upon appearance. The Chinese people live in China; the Africans live in Africa, etc. However, if those who looked different were to mate with each other, they would produce offspring who would look different even from themselves. Over time, this has happened. The human with mixed genes is a beautiful human because that person showcases the love of GOD for all people.

[11:1-9] In historical context, the Tower of Babel was a monument of disobedience. It was most likely a ziggurat. In 9:1, GOD commanded Noah and his family to be fruitful and multiply by filling the earth. In 11:4, humanity decided to do the exact opposite — the people united together with the goal of building a tower that would make them famous and prevent them from being scattered all over the world. The desire for fame was an issue of pride and their decision to build a tower was a desire for power. The people chose to consult each other for guidance and direction rather than seeking GOD and His will of infinite wisdom. The people became united. Unity can be a good thing so long as we are united for the right cause. For what purpose should we unite? Secular humanism says to unite in order to build towers for power and places of pride. Think: How many monuments do we build to boast of our own greatness while ignoring GOD? Mansions? The tallest skyscraper? Collections of trophies? Followers on social media? Are we trying to reach the “high places” in life while refusing to live in obedience to the low level of humility? How can we ensure that we are truly worshiping GOD rather than doing great things for our own glory? Even now, the tallest building that reaches into the heavens is about 3,000 feet (or 900 meters) in height; however, when viewed from space, it’s a mere spec and difficult to see. However, it is easy to see the irony or humor that GOD had to come down to see their structure. What can humans truly build while using pride as building blocks? Our tallest buildings still come up short when compared to the tallest mountains. So, what are you building? Why are you building it? Are you building it on the firm foundation of the Lord? Are you a Kingdom builder? For whose kingdom are you building? Are you building the church? Are you not aware that the body is the temple, together we are the body of Christ, that the body is the church and the church is the Bride? We most certainly should be building each other up, but it should be for the purpose of building the Kingdom. (read and ponder on the following: Genesis 12:7-8; Deuteronomy 32:4; 2Samuel 22:2-3; Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16; Matthew 6:33; 7:24-27; 16:16; Acts 4:8-12; 1Corinthians 3:11; 6:19-20; 10:4; 11:3; 12:27; Ephesians 1:22; 2:18-20; 5:22-33; 1Peter 2:6-7)

[12:1-2] GOD told Abram to leave everything and everyone he knew and to go to “the land” GOD promised to show him. What land? What’s there? Why go? What if…? Leave the known for the unknown? But leaving what’s comfortable is uncomfortable! However, GOD may be trying to lead you to a place of greater service and usefulness for Him. Don’t allow the comfort and security of your present position and situation to make you miss out on GOD’s plan for your life. You probably don’t know the long-term effects of most decisions you make. But shouldn’t the fact that there will be long-term results cause you to think carefully and seek GOD’s guidance before making important decisions? Are we going to act out of fear or faith? We have GOD’s Word and the Holy Spirit. When GOD tells us to go, we need to go. Take notice of the obvious contrast between 11:4 when the people said they would make a name for themselves and 12:2 when GOD told Abram that He would make his name great. Truly, if GOD is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)?

[12:10-17] Abram is sent to Egypt due to a famine just like all the people will be sent to Joseph in Egypt due to a famine. Imagine traveling hundreds of miles to an unknown land only to get there and find a famine striking that land, forcing you to travel to a different place where you are an unidentified foreigner. Abram told his wife, Sarai, to lie so that he wouldn’t die. This decision was based on fear, not love — there is no fear in love for perfect love casts out fear (1John 4:18). Love puts others first. Abram put himself before Sarai with this decision. Fortunately, GOD loved and protected Sarai as Abram should have done (12:17). As believers, we will find that when we make a determined decision to follow GOD, we will almost immediately encounter great obstacles that will challenge our faith. Just as Noah was a righteous man yet eventually sinned, Abram was a man of faith yet eventually lost faith. However, Noah’s moment of failure and Abram’s moment of flounder are mere flaws from finite and fallible beings. But as the entire Bible reveals, faith in the Lord is greater than our flaws.

[12:17-20] When Abram lied, his problems multipLIED! He could have been welcomed; instead, he was kicked out of that land. Abram’s life was not spared because he lied, but because of GOD despite the lie. Should a Christian ever lie or bend the truth? To answer that, we must know what GOD thinks about lying. GOD hates lies (Exodus 20:16; Psalm 119:29,163; 120:2; Proverbs 6:16-19; 12:22; 13:5; 1Corinthians 13:6; Colossians 3:9; Ephesians 4:25; 1Timothy 1:9-11; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18; Revelation 21:8). Lies are not good. But is there ever a time when it’s acceptable to lie in order to save ourselves or others? The Bible nowhere presents an instance where lying is considered to be the right thing to do; however, there have been a few times when it was the lesser evil out of two evils. Time after time, we see that falsehood leads to misery, loss, and judgment. However, even though lying is never the right thing to do, it might be a necessary lesser of two evils forced upon us in order to do what’s best in a sinful and fallen world and prevent an even greater evil. Even GOD’s chosen, Abram (Abraham), lied. Lying is not a good thing. Lying is bad, especially if you lie to good-natured people. However, in my personal opinion (which is prone to being wrong), lying to those who desire to do evil in order to prevent a greater evil seems wise to me. This is war after all. All around us. We are in a constant war to save souls and protect the ones that are already saved. In war, the ultimate victory is when you are able to use the enemy’s own weapon against himself to defeat him. However, I strongly recommend that you don’t ever lie. The consequence associated with the risk simply isn’t worth it. If you use a lie against evil it could be a good thing and could potentially save yourself and others. It’s possible to trick evil with its own evil. However, with one misuse of a lie, Abram was treated well because of her, but then got kicked out of the land once his lie was discovered. The lie that Abram told ended up hurting good people and caused Abram and Sarai to be thrown out. Also, how do you think that entire situation made Sarai feel? Her husband told her to be someone else’s wife just so he wouldn’t be murdered. I’m willing to bet she probably felt betrayed and hurt. And if that pharaoh had taken Sarai for sexual relations, the marriage covenant would have been violated and broken. Before you make your decision on whether or not to use a lie, you need to think about the consequences of your choice. Is the situation dire? Is it a life or death situation? Will telling the truth set you free or lead you to your death? But even if you escape physical death from your lie, will it lead to a spiritual death? Should you risk rotting your character because of this lie? To whom are you lying? Is the person evil? Would GOD want you to lie at that moment or tell the truth? Would your lie prevent an even greater evil? You better be absolutely certain that the other party is in fact an evildoer and darkness dweller before committing to the lie. If you lie to someone of good nature, things will certainly go wrong and be bad. Lying is a rotten thing to do, and it will rot any good situation. If you lie and don’t prevent a greater evil, you’ve rotted a portion of your character. A lie is a powerful weapon, but it is usually a weapon we end up using against ourselves. Is it worth rotting your character? A lie can be paralleled to the ring that is well known in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. We can hide behind the cloak of The Lie, and Frodo can hide behind the cloak of The Ring, but it hurts us. The Lie corrodes our integrity and corrupts future judgment. Frodo used The Ring with good intentions, did he not? But it still deteriorated his character, correct? Let us not forget that Gollum had also been a normal Hobbit named Sméagol; however, The Ring (The Lie) eventually corrupted him and changed him. The Ring is one and the same as The Lie. Frodo believed that he could hide behind the cloak of The Ring and it would save him; however, it only hurt him every time he used The Ring. Just as Sméagol and Frodo could not be saved behind the cloak of The Ring, we cannot be saved behind the cloak of The Lie – we might be spared for the time being, but it deteriorates, corrupts, and rots us from the inside out. The only true solution of Frodo’s dilemma was to destroy the ring; likewise, the only true solution to our dilemma is to put the lie where it belongs — in the fire. Do you know what happens when you make a practice of something? It becomes easier each new time you do it. Change within us is gradual and hard to notice (see notes at Genesis 3:1-7), but we are all changing every day based on what we choose to believe and do. So, is a lie ever right? No. Is a lie ever acceptable? Yes. But remember — acceptance of something does not mean an approval of that something. Is a lie worth it? In rare occasions, the lie prevents a greater evil (Exodus 1:15-21; Joshua 2:5). You have free will. Choose wisely. Here in this sinful and fallen world, a lie might prevent a greater evil. However, in the new Earth to come, lies will never be allowed (Revelation 21:8). So, shouldn’t we be practicing to live like we’re going to live in the life to come?

[13:4,18] Abram made a mistake by lying to a good person; consequently, he was kicked out of that land and he traveled back to where he came from. Along the way, Abram encountered the altar he had previously built to the Lord and there he worshiped the Lord again. Think: had Abram not previously praised and worshiped the Lord at that time in his past, he would not have had that helpful moment for his current struggle. Whenever anxiety of the future comes, allow yourself to fall back on the monuments of praise you have built in the past and remind yourself of all the times GOD has worked in your life in the past and then simply place your trust in GOD and move forward in faith. Your past praise presentation is the reminder for your current situation to help you move forward toward your future destination. When we stop making choices in GOD’s direction, our only option is to make choices in the wrong direction. Abram eventually moved on and built yet another altar to the Lord. How many monuments of praise and worship are you building?

[14:14-16] Lot had been captured, but Scripture tells us that Abram both cared to act and was prepared to act. First and foremost, do you care about others? Most people can say they care about others; however, multiple test subjects recorded by hidden cameras have revealed that fear often overrides care and concern and paralyzes people into indifferent inactivity. Many amateur YouTubers and television shows such as ABC’s “What Would You Do?” reveal that when a situation is hostile, most people choose not to get involved in order to remain safe themselves. A main reason behind the decision to hide in safety rather than getting involved is the fact that people don’t know how to respond because they never prepared themselves for the possibility of the problem. Would you freeze in fear or respond in righteousness with a relentless rescue operation? It would have been easier and safer for Abram not to get involved; however, he cared. But caring is never enough in a rescue mission — action is required! Not only did Abram care, but he was prepared to act. Abram had already taken the time to train his men for a situation such as this. Sometimes we must get involved in a messy or painful situation in order to help others. We should be willing to act immediately when others need our help. Have you trained yourself how to respond to evil situations? Bullying? Beating? Rape? Theft? Vandalism? What would you do? This is the picture of our salvation. Satan captured us in our sins yet Jesus cared to act and was prepared to act on our behalf. Jesus pursued and rescued! Our salvation is the relentless rescue operation!

[14:17-24] Who is Melchizedek? He was the king of Salem and a priest of GOD Most High (Hebrew: El-Elyon). His name means “king of righteousness,” and king of Salem means “king of peace.” He is the first priest/king of Scripture. Melchizedek ruled Salem, which became the site of the future Jerusalem. And what is Jerusalem to the Jews if not everything? Melchizedek gave Abram bread and wine, which represent the body and blood of Christ (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-23; 1Corinthians 10:16; 11:23-29). Abram tithed (gave a tenth) to Melchizedek just as the Israelites were to tithe to the Lord. Both Psalm 110:4 and Hebrews 5-7 make it clear that Melchizedek is a type of Christ, foreshadowing the future Priest/King of righteousness and peace.

[14:20] This is the origin of the tithe. Are Christians supposed to tithe? After all, Abram tithing to Melchizedek is a picture of all believers tithing to the Lord. Well, the Old Testament clearly instructs the Israelites to tithe in order to support the Levites and keep the storehouse full (Leviticus 27:30-33; Numbers 18:26; Deuteronomy 14:24-29; 2Chronicles 31:4-5; Malachi 3:8-10). But is tithing only for the Old Testament ancient Israelites? What about modern New Testament Christians? In Luke 11:42, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for tithing on items while neglecting justice and love for people. Many Christians have argued [and would still argue] that we are no longer obligated to tithe. They’re right; in fact, Jesus asks us to give everything, not just a mere tenth. If we are true disciples of Christ, we will be willing to give up everything in order to faithfully love GOD and others (Deuteronomy 15:10-11; Proverbs 3:27-28; Matthew 19:21; Luke 6:38; Mark 10:21; Acts 2:45; Romans 15:25-28; Galatians 2:10). But the key word is “willing.” GOD desires for us to give freely with a cheerful heart and not begrudgingly out of obligation (2Corinthians 9:6-8). But let’s not forget that even the Old Testament informs us that GOD desires faithful obedience over superficial sacrifices (1Samuel 15:22; Jeremiah 7:21-24; Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13). While a tithe (tenth) of one’s finances may be a good standard to use for Christian giving, it is clear the early church did not focus on a specific amount but rather on ensuring that all needs were met. This sometimes included giving much more than a tenth, as some believers sold their homes or land to meet the needs that existed in the church (Acts 4:34-37). So, are you legalistically concerned about fulfilling obligation to release a tenth of what you have or are you faithfully prepared to give everything you have in order to love GOD and love others? Do not forget that the widow gave everything she had and was praised by Jesus over the others who gave out from their abundance (Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21:1-4). Remember also that Cain did the bare minimum hoping to get by and was rejected by GOD; however, Abel gave his best and was accepted (Genesis 4:3-5). So, asking if Christians should tithe is to ask the wrong question altogether. Of course we should give! But should we limit our giving to a legalistic standard of only a tenth? Instead, we should ask ourselves, “Am I willing to give?” If yes, then, “What amount will be required of me to fulfill this need?” But the real question you should ask yourself is, “Am I willing to give up everything in order to faithfully love GOD, and love others?” If we are not willing to give up everything to follow Christ, we should ask ourselves if we are truly followers of Christ (Luke 14:25-33). We are called to count the cost so that we may be prepared for the project that lies ahead of us. Giving often involves more the mere money. Sometimes giving demands our time or even our lives. What is the cost of being a disciple? Everything. The cost of Christianity is sacrificial love. GOD wants your whole heart and entire life, not a mere tenth of the money He has allowed you to have.

[15:5-6] Abram had a weak moment of doubt about his future. So, GOD took him outside. Pause there for a moment and consider the effectiveness of this practical solution. Whenever we encounter doubt or a moment of exhaustion or weakness, we need to be taken outside of our present situation. If reading GOD’s Word doesn’t take you beyond your current situation due to your fixation on the perceived problem, then ask righteous leaders or a mentor to take you outside of your current perceived problem in order to attain proper perspective. GOD then told Abram to look to the sky and count the stars if possible. Pause there for a moment to consider the effectiveness of this practical solution. GOD had Abram examine the expanse of the galaxy beyond and to ponder on GOD’s greatness. How big can our problem actually be in comparison to the greatness of GOD Almighty who created the greatest miracle of life from nothing? And to appreciate the vast number of stars scattered through the sky, we need to be away from distractions. GOD took Abram outside. What was inside that GOD took Abram away from? Perhaps it was something as simple as walls and a ceiling that confined him and restricted his vision? What distractions do we need to walk away from in order to see with clarity and gain proper perspective? It was easy for Abram at that time to see the stars, but in the present time in which we live, its nearly impossible to see the stars in many locations here in the United States due to light pollution. But how many distractions are due to light pollutions? How many people stare at the light coming from the screens of their phones, televisions, or computers? Just as light pollution prevents us from being able to see the stars, light pollution from electronics often prevents us from focusing our attention on the One true Light (John 8:12). How many distractions do you need to walk away from in order to be able to see the big picture? Perhaps we can be reminded of GOD’s greatness by simply going outside our current situation and by examining evidence of GOD’s miraculous life-bearing creation that abounds and surrounds. Allow GOD to take you outside and examine the evidence of the Eternal One. Afterwards, ask yourself, is anything too difficult for GOD (Jeremiah 32:17,27; Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37)? Once we have proper perspective, we will have faith and we will be counted as righteous due to our faith.

[16:1-16] Sarai let go of her faith and allowed doubt to determine her decision — she decided to make her own way because she was tired of waiting on GOD to come through for her. Have you let go of your faith? Why or why not? How many times has your impatience led you to making the wrong decision? How many times have you made a mess because you decided to get your own way? Because of this, Sarai told Abram to sleep with Hagar. And Abram agreed to Sarai’s demand. But why did he agree? Did Abram also let go of his faith in that moment and give up on his hope in the Lord? In 15:4, the Lord told him that his heir will not come from his servant. So, why would he agree to Sarai’s reprehensible request? Did Sarai’s persistent plea drive him to disobedience? How many times have you given into someone’s demand or desire simply because that person’s persistence wore you down? Did Abram take advantage of Sarai’s emotional meltdown and allow himself to give into temptation to have sex with someone else? Regardless of the reason behind the choice he made, that decision which was determined by doubt was an act of disobedience against the design of marriage and the Designer Himself. Hagar became pregnant with both child and pride. In her pride, she was disrespectful toward Sarai. And reminiscent of the original Garden’s game of blame (3:12-13), Sarai accused Abram of guilt. And Abram, perhaps recognizing his part of the wrong done, attempted to restore his marital covenant with Sarai by empowering her to decide how to handle the mess that was made. Sadly, Sarai allowed sin to be her master and her dissatisfaction became her demonization and she hated Hagar and treated her so harshly that Hagar ran away. Abram, unsure of how to make the situation better, allowed the mistreatment of Hagar. But the only way to make our bad situations better is to repent of the wrong we’ve done and to commit ourselves to living right with the Lord! But Abram failed to be that person at that time. Consequently, the servant woman who had been pregnant and prideful was now humbled and hopeless and she ran away to become homeless. But the Lord sought her out via an angel, saw her, heard her distress, and found her at a spring on the way toward Shur (a word meaning “wall”). Think: when we hit a figurative wall in our journey, we will always find Him at the well! Both Hagar and the woman at the well (John 4:6-26) were seeking water (life) and the Lord revealed Himself to be the Living Water. This is the loving GOD we serve! GOD can turn a wall into a well! Despite humanity’s many mistakes and the pain and suffering that comes from wrong choices we make, GOD wants the best for us and desires to have a relationship with us. However, GOD spoke honest truth out from His love and told Hagar she needed to return to Abram and stop running away from her problems. After all, Hagar was hopeless and homeless because she had acted out of pride and attempted to take Sarai’s place by Abram’s side. But GOD also told Hagar the uneasy truth that her son will become a rebel and live in hostility against everyone. Has anyone ever cared enough about you to tell you an uneasy truth that would help change your life? Have you ever loved someone enough to tell someone an uneasy truth that could change his/her life? Because of GOD’s unfailing love to persistently pursue her and His willingness to tell her the honest truth, Hagar chose to use a different name for the Lord than she had previously used (16:13). What name had she previously used? Perhaps she called GOD a name that described Him as an invisible and uncaring deity. After all, she never had a personal relationship with the Lord until that moment. Up until then, she only knew GOD as Abram’s GOD. But this moment completely changed the way she knew and understood GOD. Hagar now knew: the Lord is there, He is aware, He does hear prayer, and He does care. Do you have a personal relationship with the Lord or do you only know of GOD based on what others have told you? In what ways do you try to get to know GOD better? Isn’t the one book of the Bible bound together not a collection of 66 books that all combine for the one purpose of giving us GOD’s Word? How well do you know GOD’s Word? Will you respond to GOD’s Word? How will you respond? Hagar realized that GOD’s way is the only way and she made the choice to act in obedience by returning to Abram and accepting the responsibility of facing her problems head on. Have you been running away from your problems? Do you need to accept responsibility for the choices you’ve made? If you’ve been running, you need to repent, return to doing what’s right and realign your life to GOD’s will. It is written that Abram named his son Ishmael. This is important because it means that Abram had not only listened to Hagar, but that he also believed her that the Lord Himself instructed her to give the son that name (16:11).

[17:1] Nothing of real significance happened in Abram’s life between the ages of 86-99 (16:16; 17:1), indicating that Abram at times lived for over a decade with no recorded revelation from GOD. Abram could have lived through 13 years of silence. Think: How do you live during the silence? What do you do while in the act of waiting? Truly, our actions during the silence reveal our true character. Do you live a faithfully consistent character? Are you the same at night as you are during the day? Are you holy only in a huddle yet sinful in seclusion? What actions do you think would accurately reflect the character of Christ during the silent nights of seclusion?

[17:9-14] Why the act of circumcision? GOD desires dedicated obedience to Him; to be obedient to Him, we must first trust Him; obedience in this act would definitely require trust. Why the male genital? As the sexual organ for reproduction, it is a sign that all life comes from GOD and belongs to GOD. The act was also a sign of the Israelites identifying themselves as and belonging to His chosen people in a covenant of holy living (Leviticus 20:7-8; Ezekiel 44:23; 2Corinthians 6:14-16). The act was also an outward symbol of ‘cutting off’ the old life of sin, purifying one’s heart within, and dedicating oneself to GOD. In this way, it can be seen as a parallel to the New Testament baptism (see notes at Matthew 3:1). Christians are no longer under the Law and are not required to be circumcised bodily (Acts 15; Galatians 2:1–3; 5:1–11; 6:11–16; 1Corinthians 7:17–20; Colossians 2:8–12; Philippians 3:1–3); rather, we are to circumcise our hearts (Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6; Jeremiah 4:4; Romans 2:25-29; Colossians 2:11-12; Galatians 2:16; Matthew 3:9; 1Samuel 16:7).

[17:15-27] Without doubt, we all experience doubt; even people of great faith deal with doubt when they experience a drought and find themselves living life without. But as Abraham models for us, we are not to worry while we wonder, “Why?” — despite his doubts, Abraham was obedient to GOD’s commands. GOD told Abraham to name his future son Isaac, which means, “he laughs.” At first, Abraham and Sarah laugh due to disbelief, but they will soon laugh at their disbelief (21:6)! How many times have you been able to laugh at your past disbelief due to your present relief? When in doubt, keep walking forward in faith. Both Abraham and Sarah doubted (17:17; 18:12), yet both Abraham and Sarah are listed in the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11:8-11)! Remember: despite doubt, follow through with faith!

[18:3-5] Abraham encountered three strangers and he offered them refreshment and nourishment. They responded by telling him to do as he said he would. Think: do you just talk the talk or do you also walk the walk? Are you genuine in what you say? Are you honest? Are you able and willing to help? If you are able, you should also be willing (Proverbs 3:27-28). Hebrews 13:1-2 suggests that we, like Abraham, might actually entertain angels. This thought should be on our minds every time we encounter a stranger who is in need. After all, everything we do, we should be doing as if unto the Lord (Matthew 25: 31-46; Colossians 3:17,22-24).

[18:14] Is anything too hard for the Lord (Jeremiah 32:17,27; Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37)? Does GOD need to take you outside (see notes for 15:5-6)? Ponder on the vastness of the universe and then zoom in to the intricate details of something as small as a fly and allow yourself to be in awe of the complex detail of its eyes and/or wings. Is anything too small for GOD? Is anything too big for GOD? Indeed, GOD is greater than the biggest problem yet found even in the infinitesimal and what seems to be invisible.

[18:22-33] Abraham approached, drew near, or came closer to GOD. Coming to the Lord is the first step in fighting for what’s right and interceding for loved ones. GOD planned on destroying a city due to the amount of evil that was happening within that city, but Abraham stood for the people. He was a hero in the making and he didn’t even realize it. Abraham’s heart was full of love! He eventually asked GOD if He would destroy the city even if ten people were good. GOD said that for even the sake of only ten, He would not destroy the city. Did Abraham change GOD’s mind? Of course not. GOD knew there were not even 10 innocent people in the city. But GOD is patient and loving. But GOD also showed Abraham (and us) that approaching GOD with requests is allowed so long as we understand that the answer will always come from GOD’s perspective and wisdom, not our own. Are you missing GOD’s answer to a prayer because you haven’t considered any possible answers other than the one you expect to receive? This exchange of words between Abraham and GOD was good for Abraham’s character. GOD delights in our love for others; in fact, loving others is intertwined into the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:36-40). We need to stand for people everywhere just as Abraham stood for those in that city. We need to make sure that the good people don’t get destroyed along with the bad because of the bad. Think: there are a lot of good people living in bad places; however, they are worth the time and energy it takes to stand up for them. Example? Rahab was a prostitute in a place destined for divine destruction (Joshua 2:1) yet she ended up being saved and written into the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11:31). Do you know a good person who happens to be in a bad place in life right now? How can you fight for that person? In what ways can you invest into that person? Have you approached GOD with intercessory prayers regarding this person?

[Genesis 19] Prior to Abraham and Lot separating and going their own ways, Abraham gave Lot first choice at any section of land to be his own and Lot chose the best share of the land even though it meant living near Sodom, which was a city known for its sin (13:10-11). The two angels arrived at the entrance of the city of Sodom and found Lot sitting there. Why was he there? The entrance of the city was the meeting place for city officials and other men to discuss current events and transact business. It was a place of authority and status where a person could see and be seen. Evidently, Lot either held a fairly important position in the government or associated with those who did. Lot was hospitable to the angels, but offered his daughters to the sinful men who desired to rape the angels. Why didn’t the men desire to rape Lot? He either knew too many people with important positions or was in an important position himself. Lot’s daughters were not only virgins (19:8), but they were also engaged to be married (19:14). How could a loving father offer his [virgin and engaged] daughters to be raped by a mob of sinful men just to protect two strangers? Although it was the custom of the day to protect guests at any cost, this abhorrent act reveals how deeply sin had been absorbed into Lot’s life. This is desensitization. Think: Lot eventually attempted to warn his daughters’ fiancés about the impending destruction of the city, but they didn’t believe him. Why didn’t they believe him? Lot had lived amongst and associated with the ungodly people for so long that he was no longer a believable witness for GOD. Rather than Lot changing people around him, he allowed the people around him to change him. Do those who know you see you as a witness for GOD, or are you just one of the crowd, someone who blends in? For this reason, we are to live with higher standards. To make a difference in our culture, we must first decide to be different and live differently in faith and conduct. Which is more noticeable: that which blends in or that which stands out? When it came time for Lot to leave, he hesitated (19:16-17). Not only did he hesitate, but he had to be encouraged to leave. Why? Lot feared the unknown and doubted the Lord’s direction. It is difficult to leave your comfort zone and enter into new areas of life. Lot didn’t know where he was going to go, but he knew where he was at the moment – he was in his comfort zone. Lot asked to go to the village of Zoar (a word meaning “small”). Lot’s faith was small and he was shortsighted; he didn’t consider the big picture of GOD’s will. Has your hesitation to obey GOD ever stemmed from the false attraction to the pleasures of your culture’s comfortable environment? Have you allowed fear of the unknown future to negatively affect your present? Do you doubt the Lord’s direction? When was the last time you hesitated to obey GOD? Why did you hesitate? Lot’s wife didn’t merely hesitate — she looked back in disobedience and was turned into a pillar of salt (19:26). Why would GOD turn her into a pillar of salt just because she looked back? Scripture doesn’t say why she looked back, but I believe she looked back because she was unable to let go of her past. Many people would rather stay in a bad situation simply because it’s familiar rather than risk the uncomfortable and potentially frightening feeling of going into the unknown. How many testimonies exist of abused and battered women who chose to go back to the man who abused her simply because she was in a familiar situation and she was afraid to go forward into the unknown? I personally know a few females who would rather be with the wrong man rather than be alone. Did Lot’s wife desire to be at the wrong place rather than go into the unknown? People who allow themselves to stay in a harmful cycle of life will never get better. Perhaps Lot’s wife was trying to figure out a way they could stay rather than leave. After all, that’s usually what people tend to do when they are afraid to leave what is familiar. Understand this: when GOD tells you to go forward into the unknown, then trust GOD’s direction and go. When GOD tells you to leave your past behind and not to look back, then don’t look back! You cannot move forward in life if you’re looking back. When GOD gives you an opportunity for change and for a new and better life, do not look back. You must keep your focus on what’s ahead. Live your life in the present with the future in mind. Don’t look back. Your past is your past. Leave it there. Is GOD trying to take you into a new area in life? Are you holding onto something or someone of your past? Are you hesitant to leave your comfort zone? Let go and let GOD love you and bless you. But why did Lot’s wife turn into salt? Think: Lot’s wife was supposed to be salt of the earth (see notes for Matthew 5:13-16), but when she chose to disobey GOD, neglected to appreciate the blessing of moving forward, and placed her focus on her past, she lost her taste (her strength and quality). Another thing about salt: salt is bitter. If you place your focus on your past hurts, resentments, anger toward others, etc., you will turn into a bitter person and you will cause your own demise. I believe she caused her own demise because she couldn’t let go of the past. Are you looking back longingly at a past situation you want rather than trusting in GOD and moving forward in faith? You can’t make progress with GOD as long as you are holding on to pieces of your old life. We can’t serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). Afterward, Lot ended up leaving the place he begged to go (19:18-21,30). Think: perhaps we don’t know what’s best for ourselves after all. Have you ever fought to get your desire only to regret it later in life? And while Lot and his daughters hid in fear, his daughters decided to get him drunk and have sex with him in order to become pregnant. The girls had also been desensitized. They were infected with the S.T.D. virus: Sin Til Death. The wicked ways of Sodom and Gomorrah infiltrated Lot and his family’s entire way of life. The pregnancy from evil incest was the fruit of being desensitized to sin’s destructiveness (James 1:14-15). Sin brings forth thorns and thistles (Genesis 3:18). It’s easy to focus the blame on the daughters; after all, they freely chose to do the evil deed. But Lot also made a wrong choice — he didn’t have to get drunk. In many cases, the Bible doesn’t judge people for their actions but merely reports the events. However, incest is clearly condemned elsewhere in Scripture (Leviticus 18:6-18; 20:11-12,17,19-21; Deuteronomy 22:30; 27:20-23; Ezekiel 22:11; 1Corinthians 5:1). Moab and Ben-Ammi were products of incest, but resulted from sin. They became the fathers of two of Israel’s greatest enemies, the Moabites and the Ammonites. Israel never conquered them. However, in the great reversal of GOD’s great love, the Lord created good from bad: Ruth, the great-grandmother of David and an ancestor of Jesus, was from Moab. The Savior literally came through everything either bad or unexpected! Our Savior is Light who shines through darkness (John 8:12)! Do you have a dysfunctional family? Have you come from a broken or sinful family? GOD can still use you to bring the good out from the bad! However, you must make a choice: will you be desensitized or baptized? Will you cling to the dead and sinful life or become a new creation in Christ (2Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20)?

[20:1-18] Abraham lied yet again, using the same tactic as he had before (12:11-13). And just like before, it did not work and the situation did not go well. And just like last time, GOD had to come to their rescue (12:17; 20:3). Abraham did not learn his lesson. In fact, by giving in to the temptation again, he risked turning a sinful act into a sinful pattern of lying whenever he suspected his life was in danger. What habit do you now have because you had given in to the temptation long enough for it to become a habit? Which is easier: to walk away before the habit holds you or to escape captivity while in chains? Was there a careless expectation for GOD to save Abraham and Sarah from their wrong choices? As if to say, “It’s okay because I know GOD will forgive me.” But is that acceptable? No (Romans 6; James 4:17)! Are you still living in sin because you have taken GOD’s grace for granted? Abraham believed it would be more effective to deceive Abimelech than to trust GOD to work in the king’s life. We should not assume that GOD will not work in a situation that has potential problems. Isn’t GOD capable of changing hearts? In fact, GOD did work in the heart of Abimelech and even prevented him from sinning (20:6). How many times has GOD worked in your heart and prevented you from sinning in certain situations? Have you not felt the change within due to the Holy Spirit speaking conviction? Abimelech ended up being an example of righteousness when he chose not to retaliate against Abraham (20:14-16), thereby providing us with an example of what is written in Matthew 5:38-41. Abraham’s action was a sin against Abimelech yet the king chose to bless Abraham. Are you willing to bless someone who has sinned against you? If not, why do you think you are unwilling to live as GOD commands us to live? Have you ever blessed someone who sinned against you? If not, now is a good time to start forming new helpful habits to counteract the old harmful habits.

[21:5-7] GOD promised to give Abraham a son from his wife, Sarah; however, it took 25 years for GOD to come through on His promise to them! That’s a really long time to wait for a promise! There is a lesson to be learned from this length of longing: we need patience and we need to realize that GOD’s timing is the right timing, not ours. Because of Sarah’s doubt, worry, and fear, she had forfeited the peace she could have felt had she just lived her life trusting in GOD’s promise. Sarah, like many of us, live life with impatience. We live in a time when everything is being modified to suit our impatient needs: all transportation (car, boat, plane, etc.) have been designed and modified to get us to our next destination faster than ever before; our computers operate faster — we receive instant emails instead of waiting for postal mail; even when we order packages to be delivered to us, we often request same-day delivery; we have “fast food” locations to serve us instant meals; our phones download data quickly in order to provide us with instant gratification while performing web searches or while watching videos. It’s apparent that we have a ‘need’ for speed. We want it and we want it now! Well, GOD has a need for… patience. And not too many people are able to be patient nowadays. Observe people driving on the busy streets during rush hour and you will notice that it becomes the hour for road rage. This terrible impatient mindset is one reason why people often walk away from GOD too early — they want answers from GOD and they want them now; people want miracles and they want them now! But GOD wants us to know that we must first try to be righteous without expecting any rewards, and we need to live by faith while being patient. Sadly, too many adults are still as impatient as children. A child will impatiently stomp his/her feet while grabbing for the desired item that’s nearby and just out of reach. The child wants that item and he/she wants it now! But the parents want that child to calm down, be polite, ask nicely, not to be so impatient, etc… And then the parents will give the child some candy or a toy. But the parents also want the child to be grateful and appreciate what was given to him/her and understand why he/she deserved to receive it. And on top of all that, the parents want the child to understand that the desired item is a treat and it should not be expected and that he/she will not receive it often — especially on demand. The parents want the child to learn how to be grateful. As adults, we’re still somehow ungrateful, stomping our feet and grabbing for what we believe to be ours. Does age or experience earn us the right to be ungrateful? Does age or experience warrant entitlement? Some adults think they have ‘earned’ whatever they received just because they’re adults and because they “paid their dues.” No — Christ Jesus paid all the dues. We’re still in debt. We need to pay the debt and with interest. By interest, I mean that we all need to become interested in paying the debt. We need to do little by little every single day to pay it forward. That’s right – forward, not back. We can’t pay Jesus back. The debt is too much (Romans 3:23; 5:8; 6:23; 8:12; Colossians 2:13-14). But we can pay it forward. Whenever you become in debt to someone, you usually hear, “pay me back.” Well, we’re in debt to the Lord but we are asked to pay it forward, not back. Be righteous and give to others. Are you currently throwing a temper tantrum like a child because your demands for life aren’t happening as quickly as you would like? What if your blessing from GOD won’t arrive until 25 years after the initial desire was given to you? Do you need practice in patience? Not only are we told to put on patience (Colossians 3:12), but one of the fruits of the Spirit is patience (Galatians 5:22). If we walk by the Spirit, we will not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). In what ways can you practice patience? In what ways can you refuse to receive immediate gratification today? Perhaps we could learn from David and choose to wait patiently on the Lord (Psalm 40:1). Perhaps while you’re waiting to receive, you can choose to give to others. You just might find that time seems to go by quicker while you are busy giving.

[21:9-21] After receiving a son of her own, Sarah banished Hagar and Ishmael from their presence. Though upset, Abraham allowed it because GOD told him to allow it. But why would GOD allow this to happen? After all, Hagar and Ishmael wandered aimlessly and almost died. But… GOD! Hagar and Ishmael were separated from Abraham’s care, but nothing can separate us from the love of GOD (Romans 8:38-39)! In fact, how will we ever learn to be dependent upon the Lord alone unless we are removed from everyone and everything we have become dependent upon? Is there someone or something you are depending upon that is blocking your relationship of trust with the Lord? Think: the Israelites were removed from comfort and complacency in Egypt into a hard life of wandering in the wilderness in order to teach them [and us] a valuable lesson: true freedom is found when we are released from the ways of this world and are dependent solely upon the Lord. GOD is our Provider (Deuteronomy 2:7; Proverbs 3:5-8; Matthew 6:25-33; 7:7-11; Luke 12:22-31; Philippians 4:19)! And “God was with the boy.” GOD is with us and for us; moreover, if GOD is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)? Eventually, Hagar arranged for Ishmael to marry an Egyptian! An Egyptian! Think: who ended up arriving just in time to buy Joseph’s life in order to save him from death (37:25)? Even at this very moment when all things seemed to be hopelessly wrong, GOD was putting His plan in place for Joseph (and all nations who would end up being saved through Joseph)! The next time you find yourself asking, “Why, Lord, did you allow this to happen?”, remember that GOD is putting His plan in place even in those moments of despair and doubt.

[Genesis 22] First and foremost, how will you respond when GOD calls you? Abraham, like many other giants in the faith, responded by saying “Here I am” (Genesis 46:2; 1Samuel 3:4; Isaiah 6:8; Acts 9:10). But how can one respond to the calling of GOD unless that person knows the Lord and recognizes the voice of the Father? But even if you recognize your calling, will you be committed to the calling enough to endure the test of faith? It is in the moment of testing when one must keep digging or diving deeper beyond the surface of difficult circumstances in order to discover divine destiny in the depth of Truth. GOD told Abraham to sacrifice his one and only son — the son he waited 25 years to receive! Essentially, GOD was asking Abraham to sacrifice his own plans and also his preconceived notions regarding the future. Keep in mind that GOD told Abraham that countless descendants would come from his son (15:5). Yet now he was being asked to kill Isaac? This test was not only for Abraham, but also for all of us who ever came after Abraham so we could learn from this. Now, Abraham didn’t respond immediately; he didn’t set out until the next morning. So, what did he think about all night? Did he sleep or was he restless? What would you have been thinking about during the night? Regardless, his thoughts didn’t deter him from moving forward in faith; he set out the next morning to Mount Moriah. It is written in 2Chronicles 3:1 that Moriah is Jerusalem. The journey took three days. What did Abraham think and pray about during those days and nights? Did he possibly pray, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39)? Abraham was certainly quite vocal with GOD in chapter 18, so why not here? Did he learn the lesson on faith or is this a case of Abraham praying for the deliverance of sinners yet refusing to pray for the deliverance of his own family? Did he accept this act as judgment upon himself? What was the conversation like between Abraham and Isaac? Doubt typically pops up during times of waiting. Three days is a long time to wonder if he heard GOD correctly. Here’s one thought that could have been conjured: “If I sacrifice Isaac, how will I ever have countless descendants? Should I follow through with GOD’s guidance or should I abandon the plan and make my own way?” Perhaps Abraham thought that because GOD performed a miraculous birth in Sarah’s womb once before, He would do it again and the descendants would come from another son. Regardless, his thoughts didn’t deter him from moving forward in faith. Upon arrival to the sacrificial location, Abraham told his servants that he was going to worship with Isaac and that they would both return. So, was Abraham lying when he told his servants that they would both return? Did he genuinely believe that? In Hebrews 11:17-19, it is written that Abraham had faith in GOD to fulfill His promise. Abraham did not understand how GOD was going to bring all things together, but he knew that GOD is good and GOD is able. Abraham believed that GOD was with him and for him and trusted in GOD to lead him to do what was best and right. Would GOD provide a substitute for the sacrifice? Would GOD bring Isaac back to life? Would GOD simply provide Abraham with another son? After all, Abraham told Isaac that GOD would provide a “sheep.” Did Abraham lie or utter prophecy? Understand this: we don’t need to understand how GOD is going to do everything; rather, we simply need to trust in GOD’s Word. Abraham had GOD’s literal Word to rely upon and so do we — the Bible! And because Abraham believed and trusted, he moved forward in faith. But what about Isaac? Was Isaac willing? After all, he knew he was tied up and placed on the altar. Isaac would probably have been around the age of a young teenager at that time. Because Abraham was very old and Isaac had youthfulness, strength, and energy in his favor, I can safely assert that Isaac also had amazing faith and acted in obedience to his father. Think: it only makes sense that the son would submit to the father and be a willing sacrifice (John 5:19; 10:15,17-18). Also, the binding of Isaac seems to foreshadow the binding of the sacrificial system as a whole! Because of Jesus willingly binding Himself to the cross, Satan and sin are ultimately bound and banned! So, GOD stopped Abraham from going through with the sacrifice! Why did GOD prevent the sacrifice? Because there is absolutely nothing we can do in our fleshly works to pay for the debt of sin (Romans 8:3,8; Ephesians 2:8-9)! GOD wanted Abraham [and all of us] to realize that GOD loves us so much that He was willing to pay the debt for us (John 3:16-17)! And then GOD provided a ram for Abraham! A ram, not the Lamb (compare 22:8,13)! The prophecy spoken by Abraham in 22:8 did come true, just not immediately! Jesus is the sacrificial Lamb (Isaiah 53:7; Jeremiah 11:19; John 1:29,36; 1Peter 1:18-21; Revelation 5:5-13; 6:1,16; 7:9-17; 12:11; 14:4; 17:14: 19:7-9; 21:22-27; 22:1-5)! GOD did for us what we were never able to do in our own power. GOD will give us everything we need to be complete and joyful. All GOD asks of us is to let go of our own plans so that He can guide us into what is best and right (Proverbs 16:9). Are you willing to let go and let GOD lead? Let GO(D). What are you withholding from GOD? Are you unwilling to let go of something or someone? Why are you afraid of letting go? How can you take hold of what GOD wants to give you unless you let go of whatever it is you’re holding onto? In the ram, GOD revealed to Abraham that the answer to his problem had already been provided for him! The solution to our sacrificial story is ahead of us. Abraham didn’t see the provision until he moved forward in faith. Faith is an uphill battle. That means that you can’t see what’s on ‘the other side’ of the mountain until you reach the top and get a better view of everything. The answer was up the mountain. Are you obedient in your calling to an uphill battle of faith? You can’t see the answer at the bottom in the valley! GOD provides for us, we simply need to have faith and believe that GOD will provide. There is always an answer, or cure, or blessing, etc. up the mountain where we can’t see that it exists. Our provision is already there waiting for our arrival. You’ll never discover your provision until you commit to making the climb. Think: once you’re at the top of that mountain, you will have the blessed opportunity to see where you’ve come from, where you are currently standing, and where you’re going. This is called proper perspective. It’s awesome to be able to have a comparison like that in your life. After commitment, we will have the necessary comparison to realize just how much GOD does love us.

[Genesis 24] The surface story in this chapter is about Isaac’s wife, Rebekah; however, beyond the surface is a story of servanthood. Eliezer was the servant of Abraham, but he was also a shining example of someone who serves the Lord. Eliezer accepted the challenge to serve (24:3,9), examined alternatives (24:5), promised to follow instructions (24:9), went the distance despite the danger (24:10), created a plan, submitted his plan to GOD, prayed for guidance, devised a strategy with room for GOD to operate (24:12-14), waited patiently and watched closely (24:21), accepted the answer with gratitude (24:26), explained the situation to concerned parties with clarity (24:34-49), refused unnecessary delay (24:56), and followed through with the entire plan (24:66). Have you ever approached a responsibility with this kind of single-mindedness and careful planning, while ultimately depending on GOD? Apparently, Eliezer had learned much about faith and about GOD from his master, Abraham. What have others learned from you by examining your life? But the story of servanthood doesn’t end with Eliezer; Rebekah reveals the heart of a loving servant as well! The main qualifying factor for Isaac’s future wife was that she not be Canaanite, thus causing him to be unequally yoked (2Corinthians 6:14). Apart from that, one of the qualifications for Isaac’s future wife that Eliezer desired to find was a woman who is willing to go above and beyond (24:14). Rebekah was physically beautiful, but Eliezer was wise enough to search for a woman whose character was as great if not greater than her charm. You might be beautiful on the outside, but how much time do you invest into your inner beauty? Rebekah’s spirit of servanthood was clearly demonstrated in her desire to go above and beyond average expectations — she had a heart for doing more than mere minimum matters. Do you have a spirit of servanthood? When asked to help, are you willing? Even better, are you willing to help even if no one asks you to do so? Servants are either reactive or proactive — which one are you? Which one should you be?

[25:18] In 16:12, the angel of the Lord essentially told Hagar that Ishmael would have an identity crisis. Think: Isaac was the promised son of purpose; in stark contrast, Ishmael was conceived out from sin and was a son of a servant. Ishmael was not produced from love within the blessed covenant of marriage; rather, he was created from a disobedient decision to doubt the divine promise of purpose. Whereas Isaac was celebrated in loving affection and given affirmation, Ishmael was only tolerated out of obligation. Ishmael grew up between the hostility that existed between Sarah and Hagar. Hostility was a seed sown into Ishmael’s life at an early age. Is it any wonder why Ishmael grew up to be hostile? For 13 years, Ishmael was the only child who could have been the fulfillment of GOD’s promise to Abraham. But the birth of Isaac and banishment from Sarah provided reason for Ishmael to question his identity and purpose in life. But he was named Ishmael, which means, “GOD hears.” Despite the dysfunctional family life, his name literally declared GOD’s love upon his life. Sure, Ishmael was conceived because Abraham and Hagar did what they never should have done; however, GOD loved Ishmael despite the sinful situation. Are you from a dysfunctional family? Are you from a broken home? Despite what others believe about your life, GOD hears you, sees you, and loves you. Much of what happened in Ishmael’s life cannot be blamed on him — he had been caught up in a messy web of mishaps that wasn’t his fault. However, his own actions showed that he had chosen to become part of the problem and not the solution. We may not be able to control what happens to us, but we can always control how we respond to everything that happens to us. Ishmael is the example of what will happen to the person who allows the identity crisis to overrule the identity of Christ within us (Romans 8:9-11). But what happens when we allow the Spirit within us to determine our destiny? The story of Joseph (Genesis 37-50). We are not children who are slaves to sin (Romans 6:6; Galatians 4:21-31); rather, we are children of the most high GOD and are more than conquerers in Christ (Romans 8:15-16,37)! Many people suffer from identity crisis because they simply do not comprehend who they are. We were created by the Creator in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). But if people accept the lie that we are cosmic coincidences that evolved from primordial soup into beings with characteristics of intelligent design, then they will either have to create their own identity or accept that they simply don’t have one and live a meaningless and purposeless life. However, the vain attempt to create your own identity is the identity crisis itself. If you have to create your own identity, then you already have an identity crisis.

[25:29-34] Esau made an impulsive decision to give Jacob his birthright (double portion of the family inheritance and position of future family leader) for some stew. Even though it was never his to give away, Esau traded a long-term benefit/blessing for a short-term pleasure and it negatively affected his life. Although Esau will later swear at Jacob, he is content here to swear to Jacob. Now, it’s easy for people to read Esau’s story and believe themselves to be better than Esau, but is this situation really so uncommon? It would be wise to take Jesus’ advice for us to first examine ourselves before we make a quick judgment about Esau (Matthew 7:1-5; Luke 6:37-42). Have you ever traded a long-term blessing for a short-term pleasure? Have you ever indulged in sexual relations prior to marriage in order to appease a short-term appetite in your pursuit for pleasure? If so, you traded a long-term benefit/blessing (keeping your virginity and purity sacred and holy for your partner in marriage) for a short-lived thrill. Have you ever spoken terrible words in the heat of the moment to satisfy your pride only for those words to cause lasting damage to the relationship and for you to live in regret of those words later on? Have you ever given in to your desire for destructive drugs? Even if you haven’t yet experienced the long-term consequences of your decision to secure short-term satisfactions, you most assuredly will sooner or later. Many people have lived out the Esau Syndrome. We can avoid making this mistake by comparing the short-term satisfaction with its long-range consequences prior to making a decision and putting that decision into action. Our desires can demand our attention so much that we often magnify them in our field of focus. I call this the Aperture Appetite. In photography, four main factors will determine if the background is blurry, leaving the focus solely on the foreground. (1) Aperture: A wide aperture equals a narrow or shallow depth of focus. (2) The distance from subject to background: The greater the distance between the subject and the background, the blurrier the background. (3) The distance between the lens and the subject: The closer the lens to the subject, the blurrier the background. (4) The optical length of your lens: All humans have the same lens. (Conclusion) So, putting everything together, if a person’s focus on a specific item or person is shallow and narrowed, the details of the surrounding scenario will be difficult to ascertain. The distance from the subject to the background will always be great because the distance between a person’s life here on Earth is a great distance away from the new life in eternity. If a person is literally too close to a subject, the surroundings will not be in the frame and will thus be unknown. Esau’s focus narrowed to the shallowness of the surface situation and he did not consider the surrounding scenario. The distance between Esau’s future and his present situation was great. Not taking that great distance into account, he made the mistake of allowing his lens to get too close to the subject. Because Esau was too close to the temptation and he allowed himself to have a narrow focus on that temptation, the background of eternal consequences became blurred. The unfortunate part about a blurred background is that deception blends in with the rest of the details. Therefore, Jacob’s deceitfulness went undetected because Esau’s desire dominated his discernment. This is the Aperture Appetite. Is your temptation in your frame at all? If it is, do you start to make it the point of focus? Do you draw closer to your temptation while keeping your focus on it? Here is an example of this Aperture Appetite in action: A man’s frame consists of multiple items and people in a particular place. In this frame, an attractive female with flirtatious facial features exists. The man narrows his focus onto the specific depth of field for the female’s features. The man then draws closer and closer to the female until the man’s frame consists of only the female in focus and everything else is just a blurred background. Unfortunately for the man, in that blurred background is that female’s innocent yet ignorant husband. The female might be married, but because her husband isn’t in his field of focus, that husband’s feelings and future will not be considered to be important. Acts of adultery are examples of the Aperture Appetite in action. Consider this: also in the blurred background, there was a homeless woman sitting on the curb, hungry and cold. But because that woman was in the blurred background, her feelings and future will not be considered to be important. Sometimes it’s good to narrow our focus in order to examine something or someone closely; however, we should be able to see the bigger picture most of the time. We need to set our sights on the Lord and keep our focus on Heavenly things rather than the ways of this world (Matthew 5:27-29; 16:26; John 17:14; 18:36; Philippians 3:8-11,20; Colossians 3:2; Titus 3:7; Hebrews 13:14; 1Peter 5:10). What are you willing to trade for the thing or person you desire? Do you ever find yourself willing to negotiate anything for immediate pleasure? Does your family, spouse, integrity, body, or soul get included in these deals? Do you sometimes feel that the important parts of life escaped while you were grabbing for your desire(s)? What’s in your frame? Where is your focus?

[26:7-11] Apparently, neither Abraham nor Sarah taught Isaac the lesson of lying they learned from their own experiences (12:11-13; 20:2). What kind of example are you setting for your children? Parents need to confess their mistakes to their children as they mature so that their children will not repeat their mistakes. If you have an opportunity to help someone learn from your mistakes, it would be loving of you to teach those lessons.

[26:12-25] The Philistines filled up Isaac’s wells with dirt! In ancient days, wells were sources of life! This was a declaration of war! The enemy basically told Isaac, “I’m not interested in your life and I don’t care if you die!” Are there people in your life who want to cover your life with the dirt of death? Is anyone in your life figuratively throwing dirt in your well? This act of wicked warfare happened after Isaac received blessings from the Lord. Understand this: the blessings of GOD will attract the attention of the Adversary. If you find yourself under attack, it’s probably because your enemy realizes your potential. Abimelech told Isaac to leave because the Philistines got too envious of Isaac and Abimelech didn’t want trouble because of him. He told Isaac that he was too big for their small-minded situation. When GOD works in your life and you become anointed for greater things, you will become too big to stay where you are currently at in your present-day life. You will no longer wear size ‘small.’ When you grow, you need something larger to fit in. In the 2003 movie, Big Fish, young Edward (Ewan McGregor) says, “Kept in a small bowl, the goldfish will remain small. With more space, the fish can grow double, triple, or quadruple its size.” Now, is it the size of the bowl that prevents the growth of the fish? Or does the size of the bowl dramatically deplete the quality of water within the bowl thereby depleting the life of the fish within the bowl? There are many factors that need to be considered, not just one or two. Regardless, humans do need room to ‘swim’ and grow, but we also need fresh water and not stagnant water – we need The Living Water (Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13; Zechariah 14:8; John 4:7-14; 7:37-39; Revelation 7:17)! We are designed to grow (1Corinthians 13:11)! Just as a child outgrows his/her clothes and environment, we spiritually outgrow our childish ways of selfish living and immature thinking. And if we refuse to leave our comfort zones that are too small for our futures, GOD will sometimes allow things to happen to us that will force us to leave so that we may grow. Isaac chose not to retaliate when the Philistines ruined his wells; instead, he chose to keep the peace by moving forward in faith. Instead, Isaac dug another well. But then he lost that well over arguments. So, he dug another well. But then he lost that well over hostility. So, he dug another well. And this time, his efforts worked in his favor. That was a lot of digging! How much digging will you have to do in life before you will prosper? How many wells are you willing to dig? Understand this: Isaac had to dig many wells before he was ever able to build the altar. We will most likely need to do a lot of work before our efforts finally work. But it’s important to note that Isaac dug another well after building the altar. Isaac’s work in life wasn’t done when he decided to praise the Lord. We can praise GOD even while we are still digging wells. And Abimelech eventually approached Isaac and wanted to make a peace treaty. What would you do? GOD’s Word tells us that we should desire to pursue peace (Psalm 34:14; 1Peter 3:8-12; Romans 14:19; 2Timothy 2:22-26; Hebrews 12:14). When GOD’s influence in our lives attracts people — even enemies — we must take the opportunity to reach out to them with GOD’s love. And because Isaac chose to love and pursue peace, Abimelech left him in peace (26:31). The small places or small-minded people (may it be your own family, friends, or the town you came from) might write you off or kick you to the curb (because they won’t understand you or agree with you), but they might also want you back again once you’ve grown. There are people who will try to get rid of you if they feel you are bigger or better than they are. Why? Envy. Pride. They won’t want to feel inferior. Yet, those same people will want you back in their lives if you become big. Why? Because you’re big! Example: Let’s say that you are from a small town yet have big dreams. Everyone in that town tells you that you’re “just a dreamer” and tells you to leave. They tell you that you need to go somewhere else, where all the dreamers can dream together. Let’s say you became famous because of your big dreams. That small town would ask you to come back for the very same reason they told you to go away, right? No one understood how ‘big’ Isaac actually was in the big picture. Well, no one understands how ‘big’ you and I are either. We are GOD’s anointed. We are GOD’s chosen! Look how large Earth is compared to us – it’s our place to grow! The sky is the limit! Literally! We have a world of possibilities available to us! Not only do we have Earth as our potential growing space, but what if we ventured beyond Earth into outer space? We are all capable of growing that much within ourselves. But if you choose to remain still when action is required, don’t be surprised if you feel like you’re drowning. If you choose to live the ‘easy life’ like a goldfish pet in a small bowl, don’t be surprised if living is anything but easy. Living the ‘easy life’ seems great until you realize that the water of that lifestyle becomes stagnant and unlivable. The Holy Spirit is The Living Water that hasn’t ceased to provide life, doesn’t stop flowing, and will never dry up. Fellow Christians: Leave your comfort zone and allow GOD to work in your life. We are the children of GOD-Almighty! We come from GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies! The King of all kings! We are children of The Most High! Of course we’re a big deal! All of GOD’s children are big deals! We were all created for great purposes! And now we are being called to fulfill our purposes. Don’t tell me you’re just not cut out for it – we were created for it! We were created out of love for the purpose of love. There are people in this world who are hurting – we are called to heal; there are people in this world who are lost in the darkness of sin – we are called to be lanterns who lead the way to the Lighthouse; there are people who think they know it all and don’t need GOD – we are called to live by example. I would like to tell you that life is a simple decision to either ‘sink or swim,’ but it’s a little more complicated than that. You can either choose the ‘easy life’ or you can strive to thrive, to not merely survive but to be fully alive. If you choose the ‘easy life,’ you will swim around just fine until you realize that your water is stagnant; unfortunately, it’s too late at that point. If you’re swimming in stagnant water, it’s just a matter of time before you succumb to disease, destruction, and death. The ‘easy life’ is a false sense of security. The ‘easy life’ is choosing to live for your own selfish desires rather than what GOD has called you to do. The ‘easy life’ is living a worldly lifestyle apart from GOD’s will. What many people don’t understand is that the ‘easy life’ is actually a life-sentence of imprisonment. Be careful of the path you choose to travel. Get out there and dig some wells! But remember to build altars of praise and worship as you go!

[27:5-45] Rebekah chose to favor Jacob over Esau. Favoritism creates identity crises and harms families. She heard Isaac’s plan to bless Esau and then she spoke to Jacob. We don’t always need to repeat or even speak about everything we hear. This plan to steal Esau’s blessing originated from Rebekah, not Jacob. Now, GOD already told her that Jacob would become the family leader (25:23), but she decided to take matters into her own hands. Perhaps she believed that what she was doing was right because GOD had told her it would happen anyway, but it’s never right to get ahead of the Lord’s plan with our own ambitions. Many people attempt to justify their wrong actions with reasons why they might be right. When thinking about a course of action, are you simply seeking GOD’s stamp of approval on something you’ve already decided to do, or are you seeking GOD’s guidance before deciding which direction to go? Are you willing to set your plan aside if the principles and commands of GOD’s Word are against the action? Rebekah wasn’t willing to initiate a clearance check on her initiative; consequently, she told Jacob to deceive his dad (her husband) by taking him his favorite meal. Obviously, Rebekah never shared GOD’s promise with Isaac because Isaac was never aware of the reversal of blessing promised to Jacob. If Rebekah had shared this with Isaac, she would not have felt the need to push Jacob into becoming a devil. Secrets only keep spouses separated. Two are designed to be one! Are you keeping any secrets from your loved one? Prayerfully consider breaking down those walls of secrets that separate and choose instead to be bonded in transparent love. A secret can easily slide down the slippery slope into becoming sin. Sin is a parasite that takes over its host. While under sin’s control, Rebekah used knowledge of Isaac’s weakness and desire against him. Understand this: the evil one will always use our weaknesses against us; the evil one will always use our desires as lures. Isaac’s weakness was his blindness and his desire was his favorite meal. Now, this was the first opportunity Jacob had to escape temptation. GOD’s Word tells us that GOD will always provide us with an escape if we’re willing to look for it (1Corinthians 10:13). And Jacob attempted a half-hearted escape by pointing out that his brother was hairy and he wasn’t. But sin is persistent and so was Rebekah — she told him to go get the goats. This was the second opportunity to say no to doing wrong, but he did as he was told. Rebekah then gave Jacob Esau’s clothing to wear. This was the third opportunity to escape; Jacob didn’t have to put on Esau’s clothes, but he did. And by doing so, he assumed a false identity. Rebekah then covered Jacob’s arms with hair. Who is Jacob now? Jacob was losing his identity! This was the fourth opportunity to escape, but Jacob stood idly by while she applied the hair. Rebekah then gave the food to Jacob to give to Isaac. This was the fifth opportunity to escape, but Jacob used the body gave gifted him with to take the bait to his dad. Isaac asked Jacob to identify himself. But who is Jacob at this point? He didn’t even know who he was anymore. This was the 6th opportunity to escape, but Jacob lied and asked for the blessing. Who had Aperture Appetite now? Jacob had become oblivious to the blurred background details of the devil at work because he narrowed his focus on the blessing he desired. Jacob’s weakness was his insecurity in his identity; his desire was the blessing of having an identity. Satan was at work. How could Jacob possibly ask to receive a blessing while living in sin? Have you ever desired to receive blessing while living in sin? What was your focus on at the time? Isaac then asked Jacob how he found the meal so quickly and Jacob had sunken so deep into the quicksand of sin that he even used the Lord to support his lie. This was the seventh opportunity to escape, but by this point, Jacob didn’t know how to escape without inviting a curse upon himself. “A curse? No! I must get the blessing! I’ve come too far to risk getting cursed!” He was in too deep. Isaac then asked Jacob to come closer so he could touch him. This was the eighth opportunity to escape. At this moment, Jacob could have confessed or even lied and played his actions off like a joke, telling Isaac he just wanted to trick him for fun. But his Aperture Appetite made him hungry for his desire for the blessing. Isaac asked one more time for Jacob to identify himself. This was the ninth opportunity to escape. Sin is a snare and Jacob was now ensnared. Jacob claimed to be Esau. Isaac then told Jacob to bring him the meal so he could bless him. This was the tenth opportunity to escape, but Jacob brought him the food. Isaac requested for Jacob to get close for a greeting kiss. This was the eleventh and final opportunity to escape. Jacob obliged and was blessed. But at what cost? Although Jacob got the blessing he desired, assuming a false identity and deceiving his dad cost him greatly. Some of the consequences are as follows: (1) He never saw his mother again; (2) relationship with his brother was damaged and Esau wanted to kill him; (3) he was deceived by his uncle Laban and used for labor; (4) his family became torn by strife; (5) Esau became the founder of an enemy nation; and (6) he was exiled from his family for years. Now, at a quick glance, it seemed as if one wrong decision led to years of pain and suffering; however, upon closer examination, we can clearly see that Jacob had eleven opportunities to escape from one wrong decision. Think back at all the times when you had made a wrong decision. How many opportunities did you have to escape prior to making the wrong decision? How many times has sin led us to “almost” or “not enough”? Jacob’s sin led him to that moment. As soon as Isaac finished blessing him, Esau entered almost before Jacob left. Jacob almost got away with it. Almost. The interesting part in this story is that Esau was so angry with Jacob that he neglected to see his own wrong in the situation, claiming that Jacob took his birthright even though Esau traded it away. Two brothers. One insatiable aperture appetite. Consumed by anger, Esau now narrowed his focus onto murdering Jacob. But if you recall, Cain also desired to murder his brother, but GOD told him he had to master sin before it mastered him (4:6-7). You can control your feelings by recognizing your reaction for what it is, praying for strength, and asking GOD for help to see the benefits you do have and the opportunities present even in bad situations. This all began by Rebekah hearing about Esau and then speaking to Jacob. And now Rebekah again hears Esau and speaks to Jacob, telling him to run away to go live with her brother, Laban. Rebekah’s last words to Jacob was that she would send for him to return once Esau’s anger had left him. But what did she know about the future (James 4:13-15)?

[28:10-22] While on the run, Jacob found a stone to rest his head against — you know someone is exhausted when he uses a stone for a pillow! But running from your mistakes in life will drain you and leave you empty. Do you keep running from the mistakes in your life or do you need to rest in the knowledge of GOD’s saving grace? In Jacob’s sleep, GOD gave him a personal encounter through a vision. Jacob’s response to this vision is interesting: he was afraid. Perhaps the best parallel to this situation is when Adam hid in the garden because he had been afraid due to the realization of sin in his life. When Jacob woke up, he realized for the first time that the Lord was present in his life. And so it is with everyone else in life: we are all asleep until we wake up to the Truth of GOD in our lives. It was not enough for him to be Abraham’s grandson; Jacob had to establish his own personal relationship with GOD (Matthew 3:9; Luke 3:8). It is not enough to hear wonderful stories about Christians in the world or in your family; you need to become part of the story yourself (Galatians 3:6-7). Jacob then took the stone — the hard and uncomfortable part of his life — and dedicated it to the Lord. What are the hard and uncomfortable parts in your life you need to dedicate to the Lord as you strive to know GOD better? Jacob declared that if the Lord was indeed with him and for him, then he would worship the Lord as his personal Savior. Whether Jacob was bargaining in his ignorance or making a pledge of allegiance, GOD blessed him. However, GOD also had some difficult lessons in place for Jacob to learn.

[29:1-30] GOD set up a divine appointment for Jacob to meet Rachel. Not only was Rachel his future wife, but she was also Laban’s daughter. Although Jacob deceiving his brother, deceiving his dad, and listening to his mother’s misguided words had never been GOD’s plan, GOD created good from the bad Jacob chose in order to create a new plan. Take comfort in knowing that your bad choices are not the end of your story — GOD can and will create good from the bad if you dedicate your life to His will. But of course, mistakes take time to correct. Jacob worked for Laban for free for about a month before Laban decided to give him any wage at all. This is revealing of Laban’s character. But when Laban asked Jacob what he desired his wage to be, Jacob told him that he would work for him for seven years in order to have Rachel for his wife. Why seven years? It was the custom of the day for a man to present a dowry, or substantial gift, to the family of his future wife. This was to compensate the family for the loss of the girl. Because Jacob owned nothing, he instead offered seven years of labor to Laban. Think: for seven years, Jacob worked hard for a woman he was not allowed to be intimate with [physically]. Yet it is written that his love for her was such that the seven years seemed to him but a few days. What were the conversations like during those seven years between Jacob and Rachel? Jacob worked seven years (at first) for Rachel — just to have someone to love! And it only seemed like a few days to him?! That’s devotion! But then Laban deceived Jacob just as Jacob had deceived Isaac, swapping Rachel for Leah in the concealment of night. But even in the concealment of darkness, would there not have been any conversation that would have helped Jacob identify Leah? Perhaps Jacob had been drunk? Can you imagine waking up seeing the dull eyes of Leah instead of the lovely face of Rachel (29:17)? Have you ever woken up next to a mistake you made? Jacob was furious. How natural it is for us to become upset at an injustice done to us while closing our eyes to the injustices we do to others. Reluctantly, Jacob agreed to work another seven years for Rachel! Laban benefited financially by using Jacob, but he never benefited spiritually. What good will that do (Mark 8:36; Matthew 16:26)? Jacob waited 7 years for Rachel, but worked a total of 14 years just to have Rachel as his wife. Most marriages nowadays don’t even last 14 years, but Jacob worked that long just to be married. Many males wouldn’t be willing to work 14 minutes for a woman, let alone 14 years. Actually, allow me to rephrase that: Many men would never be willing to work 14 minutes to earn their places in the privileged place of women’s hearts; however, many men would work countless hours to cheat their way into the private place under women’s panties. What are you willing to do in the name of love? Not lust. Love. There’s a difference (see notes at 1Corinthians 13). You should work hard for the one you desire to love and then appreciate the one you marry! Even Adam was excited to sacrifice his side in order to have Eve by his side! Many women, like Leah, are unappreciated. I believe that women are typically viewed as sex-tools and nothing more. Where’s the love? Where’s the passion? Where’s the devotion?! If you’re not willing to work for your partner then you don’t deserve to be with her/him! We need to have devotion to the ones we love and work for them. And of course, all females need to do the same for their husbands. If you don’t love someone enough to work hard enough to earn their love in return, you need to rethink how much you actually love that person. Not only do we need to learn how to work in such a way as to earn love, but we also need to learn how to appreciate love and how to wait for love. Truly, true love waits. We need to have patience. Love is worth the wait; love is worth the effort; love is worth the sacrifice. One moment of love is greater than years of accumulated lust. Lust will rust but love will last — love is forever! Do you have a girlfriend/boyfriend or husband/wife? How much effort did you put forth to earn entrance into that person’s heart? Were you truly grateful to have been invited into such a personal and private place? How much time has passed since you were granted access into the private sanctum of his/her heart? How much effort do you put forth now in comparison to how much effort you put forth when you were first given access into his/her innermost being? Do you take your access for granted? Are you aware that, if at any time you are no longer welcome there, you would be guilty of trespassing? Are you aware that you are not entitled to be there? Do you understand that it is a privilege and an honor to be there? Act accordingly. When was the last time you thanked your partner for granting you access into the most important area of his/her life? The lesson to be learned here is that love is worth the sacrifice. After all, GOD loved you enough to willingly sacrifice Himself just so you could be with Him (John 3:16-17).

[29:31-30:24] Ishmael/Isaac and Jacob/Esau taught us that favoritism in children create identity crises. But through Leah and Rachel, GOD reveals to us that having more than one spouse also leads to sad and bitter consequences. But these consequences are not limited to the spouses; they affect the children as well. In fact, the worst fighting and rivalry will occur between Leah’s children and Rachel’s children, and among the tribes who descended from them. And all this trouble comes into being because Laban put his daughter, Leah, in a horrible position: he forced Leah upon a man who neither wanted her nor loved her. And the Lord saw that Leah was unloved. Leah, like Ishmael, was put in a position in life she didn’t have much control over. But Leah, like Ishmael, also allowed herself to become part of the problem rather than the solution and she allowed the situation to create an identity crisis. If she wasn’t the favorite and most loved wife of Jacob, then who was she? If she was the throwaway daughter and no one’s desired prize, then who was she? After giving birth to her first child, Leah revealed how she felt toward Jacob in the name she gave their first son, Reuben. The name means “Look, a son!” It also sounds like the Hebrew for “He has seen my misery.” The name expressed her desire to be noticed by her husband. Leah thought that giving birth to a son would cause Jacob to finally love her. But Leah is not alone in her misery, is she? Many couples going through difficulties in their relationships believe that having a child will bring them closer together and fix their problems. However, a child only adds responsibility and stress and takes away from extra free time to bond one-on-one. Truly, a child should be conceived out from love within the confines of the marriage covenant. A child should also never be used as a pawn or bargaining piece in relationships. But Reuben wasn’t the solution to her problem. Leah gave birth to yet another son, believing that GOD blessed her because He saw she was unloved. Leah felt unloved and so she tried to earn Jacob’s love by having children with him. In what ways do you try to earn love from those who simply don’t love you? Do your attempts work? Does it bring satisfaction and fulfillment or does it eventually leave you empty once again? Understand this: love is freely given, never earned. Leah’s strategy didn’t work for her the first time and so she tried again a second time. To do the same thing over and over again while expecting different results is one definition of insanity or absurdity. But are we so different from Leah? How many times have you strived and strained to succeed by using the same ineffective strategy? Leah gave birth for a third time. The third time’s the charm, right? Wrong. Finally, Leah gave birth to her fourth child, Judah, and proclaimed that she will praise the Lord. In fact, Judah is related to the Hebrew term for “praise.” This is the answer! Not to making someone love you, but in recognizing your identity and reason to praise! Our identity is found in GOD alone! And from the line of Judah, came our reason to praise — Jesus (Genesis 49:9-10; Isaiah 11:1; Matthew 1:1-16; Luke 3:23-38; Hebrews 7:13-14)! Jesus came from the decision to praise the Lord! And as absurd as this seems, Rachel — the favorite wife who received Jacob’s love — became jealous of Leah because she was having children and Rachel was unable to have any children. In fact, she dramatically declared death upon herself if she couldn’t have children. Ironically, she would eventually die after giving birth to a child (35:18-19). Can you trust GOD when nothing seems to be happening? Are you able to be content with what you have while patiently waiting for whatever GOD has prepared for you? GOD has not forgotten you. Sin seduced siblings and a rivalry reduced relationship to a race to reproduce. Understand this: competition and comparison comes from the Counterfeiter. In their contest to create children, both Leah and Rachel gave their servants to Jacob as concubines. Jacob would have been wise to refuse, even though this was an accepted custom of the day. After all, how did this go for Abraham (16:1-5; 21:9-10)? Can you think of anything in your current culture that society has deemed to be acceptable even though GOD declares it to be wrong? The fact that custom is socially acceptable does not mean it is wise or right. Jacob neglected to look at the bigger picture of the emotional and spiritual health of his family. Rather than Jacob rebuking and correcting this unhealthy jealous behavior, he enabled his wives and allowed the rivalry to escalate into an unhealthy comparison-contest. Are you doing anything now that might cause future problems? Are you aware of the bigger picture? Are you enabling sinful behavior in others? When Rachel ended up being able to give birth to a child, she named him Joseph, which means, “may he add.” (Read the story of Joseph to see what he can add to your life: Genesis 37-50)

[30:25-31:1-55] After the birth of Joseph, Jacob desired to set out on his own with his large family; however, Laban was greedy and didn’t want to lose his labor. In yet another deceitful act, Laban attempted to manipulate the situation in his favor. Jacob began to notice a change in Laban’s attitude toward him. There is no need to beware so long as one is aware. Jacob became aware and then confided in Leah and Rachel to make them aware. Jacob proclaimed GOD to be over the entire situation and trusted in GOD to put things in his favor. When Jacob shared his plan to leave with Leah and Rachel, they quickly agreed to his plan because their dad had treated them poorly. The way you treat people matters! Eventually, they left and never even told Laban that they were leaving. Why not? Laban’s character (Proverbs 14:7-8; 18:2; 23:9). Laban’s character was so poor, in fact, that he didn’t even notice they were all missing until three days later! In a rage, Laban pursued them and finally caught up to them seven days later. But… GOD warned Laban in a dream to leave Jacob alone. Yes — GOD loved Jacob, but this was much bigger than Jacob and his family. All people were to be blessed from his line — Jesus was in mind in order that all could be saved. Laban showed belief in GOD; however, he was upset about his stolen gods. How could Laban show belief in GOD yet claim other gods? Many people acknowledge GOD without living rightly for GOD. Is that you? Are you claiming idols? An idol is anything that replaces the One true GOD in priority and position. Idolatry extends beyond the worship of idols and images and false gods. Our modern idols are many and varied. Even for those who do not bow physically before a statue, idolatry is a matter of the heart — pride, self-centeredness, greed, gluttony, a love for possessions and ultimately rebellion against GOD. Are you placing anything in priority above GOD? Whereas Laban was only interested in himself, Jacob learned how to live in obedience to GOD’s will. Jacob reveals that every time Laban had a loss, Jacob took it on himself. Why? Sacrificial love absorbs the cost! Jacob worked for a total of 20 years under Laban! How long are you willing to work for your blessing? How long are you willing to work and endure? If you’re unwilling to wait, work, endure and suffer, then it’s not love. Jacob eventually built a monument and invited his family to join him in the act of praise. Are we building monuments of praise? Are we inviting our family into the blessing of praise? The conversation between Jacob and Laban ended with Laban setting a boundary line between them to ensure peace. What boundary lines exist in life that we need to respect? How do we fail to do this? How can we be sure to do this?

[32:1-21] Jacob reached out to Esau. We should be willing to take the initiative and be the first one to reach out to restore broken relationships. It was a risk for Jacob and it will be a risk for you as well, but the risk is worth the reward. And before Jacob took action, he prayed. Prayer should always precede action. Jacob reflected on his decision to walk with the Lord and how it brought him blessings. Why would the GOD of miracles abandon him now? Truly, there’s only two paths we can walk in life (Proverbs 3:6; Romans 1:28; Deuteronomy 11:26-28; 30:15-20). C.S. Lewis said it best: “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ ” And so Jacob stayed where he was at until he knew what GOD wanted him to do. Finally, Jacob was no longer the lying, scheming, deceitful person who ran away from his problems. Instead of trying to live his own way, he sent a peace offering on ahead of him and he simply waited with the expectation that GOD will work.

[32:22-32] Jacob wrestled with GOD! Jacob refused to let go until he was blessed. We must be persistent in our faith and refuse to let go of GOD until we are blessed (Matthew 7:7-11; Luke 18:1-8; 11:5-13)! Where in your spiritual life do you need more persistence? When GOD saw that Jacob was unwilling to give up, GOD asked Jacob what his name was and he replied by saying, “Jacob.” That’s important. Why? Identity! GOD asked him to identify himself! This was a replay of when Isaac asked him to identify himself (27:18-19,24). Back then, Jacob lied and told his dad he was his brother, Esau. But this time, Jacob answered honestly. This is restoration. Names literally defined people in those days. Parents often chose names that reflected the situation at the time of the birth to suit their character. Jacob sounds like the Hebrew words for “heel” and “deceiver.” Jacob was born second. When he was born, he was grabbing the heel of his brother, Esau. Jacob’s life had five stages of wrestling. Jacob’s entire life was a grappling or wrestling match: first with identity, second with Esau, third with Laban, and now with GOD. But when Jacob wrestled with GOD, he became a different person. GOD gave him a new name and identity to suit his new character – because Israel was no longer Jacob – he became ‘GOD-Wrestler!’ This is redemption. Every wrestling match Jacob ever entered into, he came came out victorious. Have you wrestled with your identity? Have you wrestled against your sinful nature? Have you wrestled with your pride? What things in your life do you need to wrestle with and come out victorious? It was important that Israel (Jacob) admitted to GOD his name, because in doing so he admitted his character and confessed his flaws. Have you confessed your character flaws to GOD? You have to own up to your flaws and mistakes (1John 1:9). You have to admit your wrong-doings in order to get a better name. You can’t become a better person and acquire a better name if you can’t confess your mistakes and admit your flaws. This is repentance. What if you were named after your character? What would be your name? Liar? Murderer? Pervert? Lustful? Angry? Cheater? Jerk? So… what is your name? Who are you? Confess your name and confess your sins. Wrestle with GOD and ask for a new identity. What name do you want to have? What would you like to be called? Helper? Encourager? Trustworthy? Honest? Man of GOD? Woman of GOD? Israel wrestled with GOD and then walked away with a limp. When you wrestle with GOD and refuse to let go until you are blessed, GOD will see your persistent obedience and He will bless you! And if you refuse to let go, that means you’ll never walk without GOD. Yes — GOD blessed Israel (Jacob), but the Lord also made sure that he would never be able to run away from his problems again — He gave him a permanent limp. The moral of the story: once you wrestle with GOD, you’ll never walk the same way again because you will be a new creation in Christ (2Corinthians 5:7,17; Galatians 2:20). You will be a wrestler who overcomes challenges and challengers because GOD got a hold of you. GOD taught Israel not to grab at the heel of any man, but rather hold on to GOD and not let go. If you set out to grab onto GOD, GOD will grab hold of you! Draw near to GOD and GOD will draw near to you (James 4:8)!

[33:1-9] Before Israel wrestled with GOD, he planned to stay behind everyone else and use them as shields to protect himself (32:16,18,20); however, after receiving his new name and identity, he decided to go ahead of everyone in an act of sacrificial love (33:3). This is an example of how the love of GOD changes us from the inside out and realigns us with GOD’s will! And the restoration of the brothers’ relationship is a lesson of forgiveness. Will we get bitter or better? By Esau forgiving Jacob, he was showing Jacob the love of GOD (Matthew 6:12-15; 18:21-35; Mark 11:25; Luke 6:37; 7:47; 11:4; 17:3-4; 2Corinthians 2:7-8; Colossians 3:13). After all, anyone who does not love his family cannot love GOD (1Timothy 5:8; 1John 4:20). But when Esau suggests that Jacob follow him back home to Seir, Jacob offers an excuse as to why he cannot go and promises to meet up with him later. This seems to be an empty promise he either has no intentions of keeping or a true promise he later forgets. Regardless, it appears that even though Jacob was now Israel and shedding away his old life, there was still some of his old sinful self he had to shake and scrape off. In fact, even the apostle Paul struggled with his sinful nature (Romans 7:15). But be encouraged: change is a process and takes time. The snake that sheds its old skin only does so in time. In fact, the shedding of the old skin is the only way to experience growth. The snake also sheds its skin to remove parasites that may have attached to the old skin. Are you shedding? Do you find yourselves doing the very things you hate? Be encouraged: the fact that you hate those things reveals your growth. And those sinful things that you hate are the parasites trying to cling to you! Celebrate every area of growth! You may still have some dying flesh clinging to you and refusing to fall away, but praise GOD for the dead flesh that has already fallen off! For the snake to be able to shed its old skin, it must rub against rough or hard objects to help tear the old skin and rip it off. Change is not easy. Sometimes, change can be rather difficult. But when we rub against the rough and tough challenges GOD sets before us, we will be able to better rip and tear the old self off. What rough and tough challenges do you need to come against in order to experience the growth you desire?

[Genesis 34] This dedication is due to the devastation and division caused by the lack of devotion to Dinah. This is an often overlooked and rarely discussed chapter in the Bible, but Dinah deserves some dedicated discussion time. She was a teenager when she was raped by Prince Shechem the Hivite, who came from the lineage of Canaan (10:17). After raping Dinah, Prince Shechem declared that he loved her and wanted her to be his wife. But if he loved her, he wouldn’t have raped her. Shechem even offered to buy Dinah, but love can’t be purchased (Song of Solomon 8:7). Jacob failed to provide any fatherly leadership in this situation; consequently, his sons took matters into their own hands. The sons devised a deceitful plan with Shechem, promising that if he and his entire clan would be circumcised, they would give Dinah to him as his wife. The brothers did this because it was painful and probably degrading for them. But three days after they had all been circumcised, Simeon and Levi attacked and killed all of them with their swords and “took Dinah out of Shechem’s house.” This means that Jacob’s sons used Dinah [and her fresh experience of rape] as bait. This also means that Dinah had been with her rapist for three days until her brothers took her away again while she watched men get slaughtered before her eyes. In all this, the victim had been overlooked. Dinah was neither comforted nor consulted. Thoughtless avengers often hurt the original victims a second time and might even create new victims from innocent parties who happen to get in their way. In fact, innocent children had been taken captive by the band of brothers, most likely after watching their dads get murdered. Jacob was angry at his sons for their actions, but he did nothing. Because Jacob was silent, his leadership and authority was challenged. Meanwhile, Dinah was never mentioned again and she faded into oblivion. But even when everyone else seems to forget, GOD remembers. When no one seems to notice, GOD notices. When no one else seems to care, GOD cares. When you feel all alone, GOD is present. Think: GOD’s love is the reason this chapter is dedicated to Dinah. So, what does GOD want us to learn from Dinah’s drama? First, we must not allow sexual passion to boil over into evil actions. Passion must be controlled. Sexual sin is devastating because of its eternal consequences (1Corinthians 6:15-20; 10:8-13). Second, we are called to overcome evil by doing good (Romans 12:21). Third, we are to love our enemies (Matthew 5:38-48; Luke 6:27-36). Fourth, we are not to seek revenge because GOD is The Avenger (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:17-19; Matthew 26:52)!

[Genesis 37-50] Joseph was 17 years old — a teenager. He was a daddy’s boy; he was Jacob’s favorite. Jacob had been Rebekah’s favorite and it negatively affected Esau. Jacob probably didn’t intend to have a favorite, but Joseph was the only child from his favorite wife, Rachel, and Jacob most definitely did intend to have a favorite wife. Thus, the only child from his favorite wife became his favorite child. Granted, favoritism in some families may be unavoidable, but its divisive effects should be minimized. Parents may not be able to change their feelings toward a favorite child, but they can change their actions toward others; the others don’t need to be neglected, rejected, or separated.
Joseph had dreams. He knew they were special dreams and not something to fantasize about, but no one believed him and his brothers hated him for his dreams. How many dreamers have been hated? Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream and he got murdered because of his dream. However, MLK’s dream eventually came true. Joseph knew that he was destined to be someone special. Do you have dreams? Are they merely dreams? Something to fantasize about? Or are they GOD-given dreams that are deep within you that are leading you toward your calling? How can you tell the difference? You need to make sure the dream matches up with the big picture. By simply being obedient to GOD’s Word you will be on the right path. Here are four (4) ways to identify a GOD-given dream:

Is it in alignment with GOD’s Word?
Will it make you more like Christ?
Do your spiritual leaders agree?
Will it benefit others?

Not all GOD-given dreams will take you on a path directly toward your dream. In fact, GOD will often take us through bad situations so that we will honor and appreciate the dream when it finally comes true. Pain and suffering, despite seeming to be unfair, develops strong character and deep wisdom if we allow it to do so. Honestly, we will most likely experience twice as much bad as good while in the process of achieving the dream. GOD-given dreams are a process and we need to respect the process and be patient within the process. GOD must first refine and polish our character. Dreams are conceived long before they are ever achieved.
Joseph’s brothers allowed envy and jealousy to boil over into an anger that led to sin. Envy and jealousy can be difficult to recognize because they are so closely related and also because our reasons for them seem to make sense in the moment. We tend to justify our feelings with statements like, “Yeah, but…” But the longer you cultivate these feelings, the harder it is to uproot them. The time to deal with envy and jealousy is the very moment when you first notice yourself desiring to have what the other person has or when you start keeping score of others’ recognitions, awards, and achievements. We should be able to celebrate when others succeed and be content with what we have. Joseph’s brothers had their motives all wrong (James 4:1-3). So, what is the difference between envy and jealousy? Envy says, “I want what you have.” And jealousy says, “I have something and I don’t want you to have it, so I’m going to keep it for myself and you’re not going to get it.” Comparison, competition, unrealistic expectations, resentment, discontentment, and a lack of gratitude are all signs of trouble. Joseph’s brothers were envious of him because they wanted to be as loved and special as Jacob believed Joseph to be; after all, Joseph received a special colored robe and they didn’t. But they also wanted to have special dreams like Joseph received. But they were jealous because they didn’t want Joseph to take their father’s attention, leaving them to be without.

Joseph’s brothers tried to put an end to his dreaming and an end to his dreams – which meant putting an end to Joseph himself. Are you a ‘Joseph’? Has GOD given you a dream? Do people want to put an end to your dream? Do people not understand how much you’re actually worth? That you’re priceless? There will always be people who will want to put an end to your dream: the darkness dwellers. These people might even be a part of your own family.

When Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off his special robe and threw him in the cistern. They desired to rip off his anointing; however, nothing can separate us from the love of GOD and we will always have Christ even if the darkness dwellers rip apart our bodies (Matthew 10:28; Romans 8:38-39; 13:14; Galatians 3:27). When we are clothed with Christ, the enemy will do everything possible to rip our anointing away from us. But we should also be wearing love (Colossians 3:12-17). Even though Joseph’s brothers managed to rip off his robe and throw his body, they weren’t able to remove his anointing or the love within his heart. Exterior circumstances have no power to alter our inner disposition. Even when the adversary attacks us outwardly, Christ lives within us (Matthew 10:26-33; Romans 8:11; 1Corinthians 15:53-58; 1John 4:4)!

Joseph’s brothers decided at the last second that they would sell Joseph to be a slave rather than kill him because they didn’t want the guilt to be with them about his death. Judah reasoned that it would be too much trouble to cover up the crime (37:26) even though they ended up having to cover up their crime anyway (37:31). Their decision didn’t make them better people, it just made the situation better for Joseph. Sure – Joseph was sold as a slave, but his life was spared. Death would have taken Joseph into the joy of GOD’s presence; however, because he was still alive, he could have the joy to accomplish great things for the Kingdom of GOD (Philippians 1:18-26). He was sold into slavery by his own brothers for a mere 20 pieces of silver (about 8 ounces; 228 grams in weight). He was sold as a slave for a mere 8 ounces of earthly element! You can’t put a price tag on something that is priceless. Joseph was priceless. It didn’t matter that he had been sold to be a slave — even as a slave he was still priceless and very much usable for the glory of GOD. Perhaps he wasn’t considered priceless by the world’s standards and scale of success, but he was priceless to GOD. What else matters? GOD sent those Ishmaelites in order to keep Joseph alive. As long as you are not dead, GOD can and will use you for good. But you have to make yourself available to be used.

After being sold as a slave, Joseph most likely faced about a 30-day journey through the desert, chained, and traveled by foot. Sold as a slave? This wasn’t a part of Joseph’s dream! Where did this nightmare fit into the picture of his dream? Upon arrival into Egypt, Joseph was sold a second time, this time to Potiphar. And once again, his value went unrecognized. However, because the Lord was with Joseph, he shined. And Potiphar noticed. Finally, Joseph’s value was recognized, albeit not fully. Even when you are traveling through hard times, GOD is still with you. Watch what GOD can do in your life and what He can do with your dreams if you trust in Him to work in your life. However, you must remain walking forward in faith and not give up until GOD has blessed you. Joseph served with excellence as if unto the Lord (Colossians 3:17,22-24; 1Corinthians 10:31). Are you serving with excellence as if everything you do is for the Lord?

Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph, but he refused. This is yet another picture of the forbidden fruit. The ‘master’ gave everything to Joseph except that one thing. In this case, that one forbidden fruit was Potiphar’s wife. Unlike Adam and Eve, Joseph refused to take that forbidden fruit. Joseph chose to obey the great commandment of loving GOD and loving others (Deuteronomy 6:1-8; Matthew 22:36-40). You will go through trials and temptations on your way to fulfilling your dream. Satan can tell if someone is traveling in the right direction and the evil one will do whatever it takes to get you off the righteous path. And sometimes that means that Satan will be persistent with temptation. Potiphar’s wife propositioned and pressured Joseph day after day. Satan is persistent with the temptation to sin; thus, we need to be just as persistent in avoiding it! Potiphar’s wife even grabbed Joseph, but he tore himself away! We must do all we can to tear ourselves away from temptation! Ask GOD for an escape and take the exit (1Corinthians 10:11-13)! Not only did Joseph tear himself away from her, but he ran away! Run away from temptation! Remain faithful and obedient. Be strong-willed. Refuse, tear, run, prayer. P.R.A.Y. faithfully forward and blessing will come back to you:

Pause to pray; think before you act!
Remember GOD’s will via GOD’s Word!
Alignment check: is your next step toward Satan or Savior?
Yield to the Holy Spirit’s conviction and direction!
Application: do the right thing!
Receive peace about living righteously.
Praise GOD for having your best interest in His Word!

You must know what you want and what you are searching for long before temptation even arrives. If you already know what you want, what you’re looking for, things that would normally tempt you to stray from the will of GOD won’t even come close to tripping you up because you will already know, just like Joseph did, “This is not what I want. This isn’t what I’m looking for; this temptation does not match the picture I have of GOD’s will for my life.”

Temptation versus GOD’s will for your life can be compared to a game that is often found in magazines called, “Can you spot the differences?”. The original picture is placed on one side, and an altered picture is placed next to it on the other side and you have to figure out what is different about the altered picture. Upon examining the original picture, you will notice that in the altered picture there will be some minor details missing and/or some minor details that were added. At first glance, the pictures look the same. But as mentioned in the Aperture Appetite message (Genesis 25:29-34), the devil is in the details. And that is why it is so important to know the picture of GOD’s will for your life before you face your temptations. Satan tries to get you to accept the false picture as truth by being ‘close enough.’ But we need to be able to examine the temptation and realize that it is not the picture of GOD’s will! Potiphar’s wife tried to convince Joseph that she was the picture of his sexual fulfillment. She has breasts, right? She has a vagina, right? Close enough, right? Wrong! She did not match the picture of GOD’s will for Joseph’s life! One unmistakable clue was that she was someone else’s wife! If she was Potiphar’s wife, how could she possibly be the picture of Joseph’s wife? The “close enough” mentality is a mistake!

Temptation will never go away – that is why it is so important to have that picture of GOD’s will always present within your mind. You need to be able to always refer to the picture of GOD’s will in order to see whether or not something is the devil’s temptation or GOD’s invitation. Even though temptations may seem inviting, it is not an invitation. That’s why you need to decide now, have the picture of GOD’s will and refer to it for clarity in order to cast out confusion. The picture of GOD’s will reveals everything that is Love. Love is helping others who are in need, who are less fortunate, love is selfless, love enhances your life, and advances it forward. Love is what a person needs in order to grow and prosper. You need to decide right now so that you will know what to do later.

Do you remember when you were younger? When I was younger, I had the right direction in life. I made decisions for my life beforehand. I decided I was going to be a police officer, and then a firefighter, and then an astronaut, and then a dinosaur, etc… And many others have done this as well. We have all made impulse decisions about our future. But many of us have also made good decisions about our future in regards to purity. Many people have said they would never smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, smoke marijuana, do drugs, have sex before marriage, etc… Unfortunately for many people, because they all made those decisions when they were so young, doubt crept into their minds when the opportunity finally came and temptation knocked on their doors. They knew that they had decided a long time ago that they would never do any of that stuff… but then again… that was a long time ago and they were young and naïve, right? Wrong. If only most people would have stuck to the original plan of purity, things wouldn’t have happened that shouldn’t have happened. And perhaps things have happened that shouldn’t have happened. Oh well. Mistakes happen. That is the past. Don’t look back. From here on out, cement your decisions and stick to the picture of GOD’s will for your life. Stick to the plan. But how can you stick to the plan unless you know what the plan is? The Plan is written in GOD’s Word.
Decide right now: Yes or No. Is it something that will help you advance forward in your walk with GOD? Is it something that will enhance your life and make you a better person? Is it something that will lead other people to joy? Will it help others advance and prevail? Will it lead others to Christ? Will it glorify GOD?

I made decisions when I was younger to never try smoking. But somewhere down the line, I messed up and didn’t stick to the plan. Same thing with drinking alcohol. Unfortunately, the same thing with sex before marriage. I have only had sexual intercourse with one girl and it was only one time with that one girl. The girl had lied to me, told me she loved me and that she wanted a future together. But she used me. And I never saw her again after she left. I did not match that temptation to the picture of GOD’s will for my life; therefore, I slipped up and I sinned. I messed up. And because I messed up, I ended up running away from GOD because I believed the lie that I was no longer good enough for GOD. Fortunately, GOD’s grace showed me that He loves me despite my failures. Jesus relentlessly rescued me and saved me from myself. But restoration happens only after repentance. Understand this: temptation is so much easier to resist when you make the decision beforehand and understand why you made that decision. It’s not enough to merely make a decision; you have to own that decision! You must know why you’re choosing what you’re choosing and why you’re refusing what you’re refusing.

We must think everything through carefully and decide what to do or what not to do before the moment to decide actually arises. Those times in your life when you haven’t already decided what to do are the times when you get caught off-guard and end up making a hasty decision that you will later regret. You must be ready.

Joseph was ready at this point in the story. Joseph understood what he wanted and what he needed. Joseph had the picture of GOD’s will to refer to and that is why he resisted the temptation to have sex with his master’s wife. Joseph looked at the Big Picture — she wasn’t in the Big Picture! A woman most certainly did exist in the big picture, but Potiphar’s wife wasn’t that woman — the woman was actually the daughter of Potiphera (41:45)! Potiphar and Potiphera are fairly close, but close enough is not good enough! The devil is in the details! Joseph didn’t know who his future wife was going to be, but Joseph knew that Potiphar’s wife didn’t match GOD’s will for his life!

In chapter 37, Jacob was presented with Joseph’s robe covered in blood. In chapter 38, Judah was presented with his own seal, cord, and staff. In chapter 39, Potiphar was presented with Joseph’s cloak. In each case, incriminating evidence was presented; however, only in one situation was the evidence presented the actual truth. The brothers did have Joseph’s robe, but the blood on Joseph’s robe was not his blood. Potiphar’s wife did have Joseph’s cloak, but not for the reason she claimed. The ‘close enough’ mentality is the ‘evidently it’s evidence’ mentality. As Christians, we must never accept the world’s ways at face-value because there are always details in the depth beyond the surface of the conniving counterfeiter’s claims. Error is a parasite on Truth. Every error contains an element of truth. A simple example from arithmetic would be helpful to illustrate this point. For the sum 1 + 2, the correct answer is 3. Let us call the correct answer “T” to stand for Truth. So, in this case, Truth = 3. There is only one correct answer, but theoretically there are an infinite number of wrongs answers. If you take one of the wrong answers, say 4, you would see that, while it is wrong, it is, in a somewhat perverted sense, dependent on the right answer — it has no original existence but is derived by adding 1 to T, that is, T + 1. In the same way, another wrong answer, 2, is T-1. We could therefore say that, while the true answer is absolute, the incorrect answer is relative to the correct answer because it is arrived at by either adding to or subtracting from the right answer. Is it any wonder why GOD’s Word commands us not to add or subtract anything away from what GOD has revealed to us (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Revelation 22: 18-19)?

Where there is a privation of good, evil will be (see notes at Isaiah 5:20); consequently, counterfeits are inevitable to exist where evil exists since evil is a counterfeit of good. To find Truth, one must know what Truth is so that the counterfeit can be identified. Every counterfeit has been created by using Truth and then either adding to it or subtracting from it. We must know the big picture so that we can identify the lies!

Potiphar’s wife lied to her husband, telling him that Joseph tried to rape her, and that he ran away only after she screamed for help. Because of this, Joseph got thrown into prison. We do not know why Potiphar put Joseph into prison rather than killing him. Did Potiphar have reason to be suspicious of his wife’s story? Perhaps her actions in the past had not shown her to be so loyal to Potiphar? Perhaps her history when compared to Joseph’s history simply didn’t match up? Perhaps Potiphar was merely being cautious; after all, you can release an innocent man from incarceration, but you cannot resurrect him from the dead. That is, unless you are GOD. And that is exactly the story of our salvation! Sin is equal to prison plus death. Salvation is equal to freedom plus life. Not only can Jesus set us free from sin’s life sentence of captivity, but Jesus can raise us from the dead and give us a new life!

Understand this: sometimes, bad things happen to good people. Have you ever had something bad happen because you made a good choice that was right? It’s unfortunate and it doesn’t make sense, but it happens. One thing in common about great stories of GOD is that those great people in those great stories did not give up — they stood their ground and continued to walk in faith regardless of the horrible things that happened to them. We simply need to do our best and allow GOD to do the rest. You’ll see a lot of stories like that throughout the Bible. Those great stories are only great stories because of those great people choosing to do great things despite unfortunate circumstances. And those great people were only great people because they never allowed exterior circumstances to change their inner dispositions. As Christians, we can’t give up. The moment we give up is the moment we give up the chance for GOD to do a great miracle in us and for us. We must hold on to the hope that GOD loves us enough to eventually make everything right. Again, do your best and allow GOD to do the rest. It is written that even in prison, GOD was with Joseph.

I have two friends who are sisters. Their parents got sent to jail — the mom in one state and the dad in a completely different state, and neither state was the state in which my friends themselves lived in. Everyone had gotten separated. The parents got sent to jail even though they were innocent. They were just trying to help a family yet somehow placed their trust in the wrong person. I’m not going to go into the details regarding what happened, but they were in prison for a long time for something that they didn’t even do (just like Joseph). But GOD was still with them and they still continued to walk by faith, trusting GOD. They didn’t allow everything outside of them to change anything inside of them. They were a “Joseph.” They had dreams. And I now testify before you that GOD worked everything out for the best and they are now both out of prison years later and have united once again; moreover, they are still living for GOD.

The enemy will do anything to put an end to your GOD-given dream. GOD gives dreams within us. The enemy can do nothing to stop us from receiving our dreams, but the enemy can do things that will prevent us from perceiving our dreams. The enemy can only make us lose sight of our dreams, to lose meaning of them. The enemy can cause us to give up on our dreams. The devil desires to disrupt and derail our destiny. But we have dreams! It’s up to us to keep focused on them and to do all that we can do in order to accomplish those dreams. Only we can keep ourselves from our own dreams – the enemy only hinders us and tries to trick us. Satan can slow us down, but the evil one has no power or authority to stop us. We have free will. So, make a choice. Decide right now and then don’t lose meaning of your decision. You make a decision for a reason. Don’t forget what that reason is. Write it down if you must. Post it on the wall of your bedroom if it helps you to remember the reason behind your decision. The reason why I ever sinned when I said I never would is because I lost the meaning behind my decision to live right. I have a new meaning behind my decisions now, and I won’t lose sight of them ever again. I won’t forget the reasons. Think: it is written that the Lord was with Joseph in prison! And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. And before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of other prisoners. We need to have diligence in the dungeon! We need passion, persistence, positivity, and prayer in prison! GOD is with you and GOD is for you!

While in prison, Joseph noticed that Pharaoh’s ex-cupbearer and ex-baker were upset and so he asked them why they were upset. Take notice that Joseph took notice! The two other prisoners opened up to Joseph in conversation because they realized that he showed genuine care and concern about them. A simple action of compassion can be your open door of opportunity! Do you notice others? Do you notice their pain? Their suffering? Do you notice when someone is sad? Do you pay attention to body language? Are you asking people how they’re doing out of cultural convention or out of care and concern? The prisoners opened up to Joseph because he cared enough to form a relationship with them. They confided in him that they had dreams they couldn’t interpret. In that moment, Joseph pointed them to GOD. One secret of effective witnessing is to recognize opportunities to relate GOD to the other person’s experience. When the opportunity arises, we must have the courage to speak, as Joseph did. The person of cultural convention is merely there; however, the person who is confident in Christ will be there and also care. Compassion opened the door of opportunity to witnessing. It’s as simple as this: before people will ever care about what you know, they will first want to know that you care.

Joseph told the two prisoners that GOD interprets. Understand the subtle differences: GOD interprets; Satan interrupts; the Holy Spirit intercedes; we improve while we continue to move. GOD gives meaning; Satan means to confuse us. Even though Joseph asked the cupbearer to remember him when he was restored to his position, the cupbearer never gave Joseph another thought; he forgot all about him and Joseph remained in prison for two years. Like Paul, Joseph had thorns in the flesh (2Corinthians 12:7); however, like Paul, GOD’s grace was always sufficient because His power is made perfect in our weakness (2Corinthians 12:8-9). Joseph’s thorns were his brothers, Potiphar’s wife, and the Pharaoh’s ex-cupbearer. His brothers abused him, Potiphar’s wife lied about him, and the cupbearer forgot about him. Joseph had more than mere sexual temptation and frustration to deal with — he also had to confront and combat the temptation to become resentful, hateful, and depressed. How did he rise above? Why did he not give up? What kept him going? Faith in GOD. The big picture. The image of captivity was not in the big picture; therefore, he knew this was not his final destination. And if not the final destination, then it’s only a temporary situation.

The cupbearer forgot about Joseph and he remained in prison for two years. However… GOD never forgets about you. Pharaoh himself eventually received a dream — sent by GOD. GOD gave the cupbearer two years to speak up and do the right thing for Joseph, but he never did. He didn’t do it on his own, so GOD intervened and sent a message directly to Pharaoh and opened up doors of opportunity. Pharaoh tried everyone he knew, but no one could interpret his dream. GOD basically woke the cupbearer up and created an opportunity for him to do the right thing. And he did! He repented when he was reminded. Finally, the cupbearer remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh about him. Pharaoh sent for Joseph.

The cupbearer lost sight and meaning behind his prior decision to remember Joseph. Even a little thing such as remembering to mention someone at the right time is important. It was important because it meant either Joseph staying in jail for the rest of his life or being able to be free once again. The evil one wants you to be in prison. The enemy wants you held captive. The adversary got the cupbearer to lose meaning behind his promise which caused him to lose sight of his promise altogether. Tactics. The malicious magician uses slight of hand to redirect your attention to meaningless things so that he can make the main meaningful thing disappear. Satan’s goal is to get you to lose the meaning behind your decisions and promises, and then get you to lose sight of the promises altogether. Out of sight, out of mind. And because he gave you many meaningless things to captivate your attention, you find yourself busy with the distractions as he himself disappears, taking with him what is meaningful. Will you allow the magician to make your dreams disappear? What distractions in your life have captivated your attention? What meaningless moments have redirected you away from your purpose?

Even though Joseph was in prison for two years after the cupbearer was released, he was ready to be used by GOD when the time was right. He was ready for almost anything because of his right relationship with GOD. Are you ready if GOD calls upon you? Be ready for opportunities by staying close to GOD. But being ready doesn’t necessarily mean that we need to change and be different. The Egyptians altered Joseph’s outward appearance yet his inner character and faith never changed. To be ready, we simply need to be consistent in our faith. Joseph told Pharaoh the same thing he had told the cupbearer — GOD interprets. We need to give credit to whom credit is due. All glory goes to GOD. Pointing people to the Lord opens the eyes of those who do not see. It helps others understand and recognize the Source. Joseph gave glory to GOD, but GOD was generous and helped people to see Joseph as someone special. GOD was setting the wheels in motion – but not just for Joseph – GOD always weaves many great things together at once in a miraculous blanket of love.

GOD informed Pharaoh of a future famine and provided him the blessed opportunity to fill the storehouses so that all people might be saved when the famine arrived. Understand this: the ‘famine’ is much deeper than the surface of this historical context of food in Egypt. In Amos 8:11-12, the most devastating famine of all is not a lack of food or water, but a lack of GOD’s Word. Think: In Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4, and Luke 4:4, it is written that we do not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from GOD. Think: John 6:26-40 reveals to us that Jesus is the Bread of Life. The true famine that the people of this earth should fear is the time when prideful humans desire to live without the Lord. Without the Lord, there is no Life; without Life, there is only death. Without the Lord, there is no Light; without Light, there is only darkness. Think: In Matthew 6:25-33 and Luke 12:22-32, it is written that life is more than food and we are to seek first the Kingdom of GOD because everything else will be given to us through this choice. So, if the true famine is a lack of GOD’s Word, do you have a famine plan in place to fill your storehouse? A famine plan is a daily Bible reading plan. By filling your mind with GOD’s Word, you are filling your storehouse for whatever famine that may come your way. In this way, you will always be ready (Matthew 24:36-44; Luke 12:35-40)! Are you filling your storehouse? Will you be ready? Jesus is the true Storehouse and all who come to Him will be saved (John 3:16). The funneling system of the famine leads the seekers to the Storehouse — first Egypt and then the other nations. Actually, first the Jews and then the gentiles (Romans 1:16; 11:17-24).

Joseph was promoted from the prison to the palace in one moment! What was Joseph’s value then? Would he be valued at the price of a slave then? He became priceless in everyone else’s eyes just as he had always been priceless through GOD’s eyes. Joseph was once sold to be a slave by his own brothers, then bought as a slave again, eventually wound up in prison, and ended up in charge of the entire country of Egypt! However, his prominent position required a painful process. The process from pit, to prison, to palace lasted 13 years (37:2; 41:46)! In each situation, he learned the importance of serving GOD and others. Whatever your situation may be — even if undesirable — consider it part of your training program for serving GOD in preparation for eternity. Understand this: Heaven can be experienced in a moment, but the process is the prerequisite and requires a lifetime of training.

Examine Joseph’s timeline of events in order to gain a better understanding of the big picture. There were ‘give up’ moments and there were ‘press on’ moments. The bad moments are highlighted red; the good moments are highlighted in green:

Joseph had a GOD-given dream.
Joseph’s brothers hated him and his father didn’t believe him.
Joseph was almost murdered by his brothers, but was instead sold into slavery at the last second.
Joseph lived as a slave in a strange place far away from home.
Joseph was given favor in Potiphar’s home.
Joseph was accused of trying to rape Potiphar’s wife.
Joseph was thrown into prison.
Joseph was put in charge of the prisoners.
Joseph was given the opportunity to interpret the cupbearer’s dream.
The cupbearer forgot about Joseph.
Joseph remained in prison for two more years.
Joseph was given the opportunity to interpret Pharoah’s dream.
Pharaoh put Joseph as 2nd in command over Egypt.
Joseph’s family was reunited and restored.

Out of the 14 points listed, half of them are bad and half are good. Prior to Joseph being given the opportunity to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, there were seven ‘give up’ moments and only four ‘press on’ moments. The bad moments outweighed the good moments in the duration of time; however, Joseph knew that GOD is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful by choosing to love the Lord and accept His invitation to live according to His plan (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). Though Joseph’s life may have started out bad, it ended good. This is the great reversal.

Do you notice Joseph’s track record? It was horrible. His past made him seem worthless. Your past might make you seem as if you’re worthless too, but you’re not. You are priceless! Do you want to know how much you are actually worth? You actually had a price tag attached to you before you became priceless. What was the cost? Death. GOD went to an auction with the one we call Satan and all his demons — for you! Jesus paid the biggest price ever when He willingly sacrificed Himself — for you! But not for you alone. For all people. Christ Jesus paid the price in full and gave His life just so that you could actually have a life. It seems as if Jesus gave up all of His own dreams that He might have had here on Earth so that you could live for your dreams; however, His dream was fulfilled when He sacrificed Himself on the cross for us! Jesus’ dream was for all of us to have the blessed opportunity to dwell with Him. And look at all of the troubles and bad moments that Jesus experienced in order for His dream to be fulfilled. Your dream can come true, but you are going to have to go through your painful process of the refinery before you come out as gold (Isaiah 48:10; Jeremiah 9:7; Daniel 11:35; 12:10; Zechariah 13:9).

Because Joseph was obedient in his walk with the Lord, he ended up being at the right place at the right time and all people were saved from the famine. But then the focus of the story shifts from general redemption to personal reunion and restoration. This is the picture of our new resurrected life on the new earth and new heavens when reproach will be taken away and all things will be reconciled and every tear will be wiped away from our eyes (Psalm 116:8-9; Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 7:17; 21:4). In fact, Joseph was eventually blessed with children; the names of these children point to the GOD who both heals us from painful memories and how GOD can create good from the bad.

Joseph had concealed his identity from his brothers because he wanted to test their motives and reveal their true character. Like Jesus, it was not yet time for him to reveal his identity (Mark 1:34, 40-44; 3:11-12; 4:10-12; 8:29-30; Matthew 8:1-4; 13:10-15; 16:20; 28:19-20; Luke 5:12-15; 8:10; 9:20-21). Joseph tested his brothers by forcing them to bring Benjamin to him. Had they treated Benjamin the way they treated him or did their hearts change? This demand also ended up being a test for Israel (Jacob). After struggling with his emotions, he finally decided to let go and let GOD work. Let GO(D). The brothers panicked because the money they paid for food had been returned to them. Think: they didn’t need to pay the price because the price had already been paid for them (Isaiah 53:5; Romans 6:23; 8:3-4; 2Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:15)! Joseph’s original plan was to save only Benjamin because the others were dead in their sinful ways. The brothers could have abandoned Benjamin just like they had done with Joseph; after all, they had free will to choose a future of life with or without. However, they all offered to be servants, which was the right choice (Matthew 23:11-12; Mark 9:35; Luke 22:24-27). They became humbled and they repented. Understand the revelation of repentance: repentance brings redemption; after redemption there can be reunion; in reunion, there can be reconciliation; and reconciliation brings restoration. Unlike Judah and the other brothers, we should not wait until our errors force us to admit to wrongdoing. It is far better to admit our mistakes openly, to shoulder the blame, and to seek forgiveness. Judah’s sacrificial love revealed his changed life. What is greater than sacrificial love (John 15:13)?

In Israel’s (Jacob) last moments, he admitted that his life had been difficult. Understand this: life is not easy. In fact, many times, we are commanded to faithfully endure until the end (Matthew 24:13; 1Corinthians 9:24-27; Philippians 3:14-16; 1Timothy 6:11-16; 2Timothy 4:3-5; Hebrews 10:35-39; 2Peter 1:5-11; Revelation 13:10). But understand this also: through all the pain and suffering, GOD was with him and for him. Though Israel was physically blind, he still had spiritual vision (2Corinthians 5:7). And because Israel was able to see the big picture, he blessed Joseph’s children in the name of GOD the Shepherd (Psalm 23; 78:52,70-72; Isaiah 40:11; Jeremiah 23:2-3; 31:10; Ezekiel 34:11-16,22-24; 37:24; Micah 2:12; 5:4; Zechariah 9:16; Matthew 2:6; 9:36; 25:32; 26:31; Mark 6:34; 14:27; Luke 12:32; 15:4-7; John 10:7-18; Hebrews 13:20; 1Peter 2:25; Revelation 7:17). Like Israel, you should allow GOD to shepherd you as you trust in His provision and care. Just as our new resurrected life of reconciliation and restoration will only come after judgment (Psalm 62:12; Isaiah 24; Romans 2:5-6; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:11-15), the same was true for Joseph’s brothers. The way the men had lived played an important part in Israel’s blessing and prophecy. Our past also affects our present and future. What actions can you choose to avoid that will positively shape your future? Reuben lost his role as leader because he compromised his convictions and corrupted his character. Without convictions, lack of direction will destroy life. Reuben’s public and private life wasn’t one and the same. If your public and private integrity aren’t the same, one will destroy the other because we simply cannot serve two masters and live a double life (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13; 1Corinthians 10:21; James 1:6-8). From Simeon and Levi, we learn that violence only creates more violence and we should never live by the sword or else we will die in the same manner (Matthew 26:52). Yet Judah, who had sold Joseph into slavery and tried to defraud his daughter-in-law was granted a blessing. Why? Because Judah repented and showed sacrificial love and love covers a multitude of sins (1Peter 4:8).

Israel spoke prophetically over Judah that we was a lion. Both David and Jesus came from the lineage of Judah. Jesus is the Lion of Judah (Numbers 23:24; 24:9; Micah 5:8; Revelation 5:5)! Israel said that the scepter would not depart from Judah (Psalm 45:6; Numbers 24:17; Hebrews 1:8; Revelation 12:5; 19:15). Well, that’s because Jesus is the King of kings (Deuteronomy 10:17; Ezra 7:12; Psalm136:3; Isaiah 40:23-24; Ezekiel 26:7; Daniel 2:37; 7:13-14; Ephesians 1:21-23; 1Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16)! In fact, the books of Kings reveals that humanity needs a King of kings!

In the end, Joseph forgave his brothers and extended an invitation to them to live in the ‘kingdom.’ Joseph’s forgiveness was complete and an example for us to live by (Matthew 6:12-15; 18:21-35; Mark 11:25; Luke 7:41-48; 17:4; 23:34; John 20:23). He demonstrated how GOD graciously accepts us even though we don’t deserve it. In 50:19, Joseph asked his brothers if he were in the place of GOD. As Joseph, no, but as a type of Christ, yes! In 50:20, Joseph told his brothers that what they had intended for bad GOD intended for good. The Hebrew behind “intended” is the same as “plans” in Jeremiah 29:11! Truly, GOD intends a hopeful future for us with joy beyond imagination.

Has GOD given you a dream? Make sure your dreams are in alignment with the big picture of GOD’s will for your life. Remember: GOD-given dreams are not selfish ambitions that would help you alone; rather, if your dreams are to be fulfilled, they would help others in the process. If your dream causes you to rise up yet you are not pulling others up with you, that’s not a GOD-given dream. If your accomplishment or achievement hurts others or pushes them down, that’s not a GOD-given dream. When Joseph was promoted and was in charge, his position eventually led to all people being saved from a terrible famine and also his family reuniting with each other and finding restoration. GOD didn’t lift Joseph up for Joseph alone. Joseph demonstrated how GOD forgives us and showers us with goodness even though we have sinned against Him (Romans 5:8). So, if you have a dream and your dream is aligned with GOD’s will, then dream on and may GOD bless you as you continue to bless others!

Think: Joseph is a type of Christ!

Joseph	Parallel	Jesus
Genesis 37:2	Shepherd of father’s sheep	John 10:11,27
Genesis 37:3	The father loved him and chose him above all others	Matthew 3:17; 17:5; Mark 1:11; 9:7; Luke 3:22
Genesis 37:4	Envied by brothers and hated without good cause	John 7:5; 15:25
Genesis 37:7; 41:43	He would rule and all would bow to him	Isaiah 45:23; Matthew 26:64; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10
Genesis 37:13-14	Sent by father to brothers	Hebrews 2:11
Genesis 37:17-18	Was not received by his own	John 1:11
Genesis 37:18	They rejected and conspired to kill him	Luke 19:14; 23:21; John 11:53
Genesis 37:19	Called a dreamer/deluded	Mark 3:21
Genesis 37:23	Stripped of his garment	John 19:23
Genesis 37:24,28	Went into dark pit of the earth and came back out again	Matthew 27:60; 28:6; Mark 15:46; 16:6; Luke 23:53; 24:6; John 19:40-42; 20:2
Genesis 37:25	Taken to Egypt	Matthew 2:14-15
Genesis 37:28	Sold for the price of a slave	Matthew 26:15
Genesis 39:1-2	He was a servant	Luke 22:27; Philippians 2:7
Genesis 39:7-12	Resisted temptation	Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13; Hebrews 4:15
Genesis 39:16-18	Falsely accused	Matthew 26:59-61
Genesis 39:20	Bound and treated like a criminal	Matthew 26:55; 27:2
Genesis 40:2-3	Placed with two other criminals; one saved, the other lost	Luke 23:32
Genesis 40:13	Promised deliverance to a condemned man	Luke 23:43
Genesis 41:16	Speaks only what GOD speaks	John 5:19
Genesis 41:41	Exalted after suffering	Philippians 2:9-11
Genesis 41:46	Began public recognition at the age of 30	Luke 3:23
Genesis 41:57	He is the provision for the famine	John 6:35
Genesis 42:8	His own brothers didn’t recognize him	John 21:4; Luke 24:13-35
Genesis 45:1-15	Forgave those who wronged him	Luke 23:34
Genesis 45:7	Saved all people	Matthew 1:21
Genesis 50:20	Turned bad into good	Romans 8:28; 1Corinthians 2:7-8

Columbus Day?

October 8, 2017November 12, 2020Tagged 1492, abolition, abolitionist, agnostic, agnosticism, allah, allahuakbar, altruism, America, apologetics, apostle, atheism, atheist, August 12, August 3, bahai, BhagavadGita, bible, Bible study, bigot, bigotry, blackmagic, boat, buddha, buddhism, celebrate, Christ, Christian, Christopher Columbus, coexist, Columbus Day, confucianism, confucius, conservative, conservativism, controversial, controversy, culture, cure, dalailama, darwin, Declaration of Independence, democrat, democratic, democrats, discover, discovered, discovery, elightenment, enslavement, equality, eternal, eternity, ethic, ethical, ethics, ethix, evidence, evolution, examination, examine, faith, founding fathers, freedom, gender, genocide, God, God's Word, goddess, Greece, Greek, hadith, hindu, hinduism, historian, historical, history, holiday, immoral, Indigenous People's Day, injustice, intolerance, intolerant, investigate, investigation, islam, jail, jehovahswitness, Jesus, jew, jihad, josephsmith, judaism, Juneteenth, justice, kami, karma, koran, lds, left, left wing, liberal, liberalism, liberals, liberty, logic, Lord, loveislove, magic, mahayana, Mayflower, mecca, Messiah, monotheism, moral, morality, morals, mormon, muhammad, murder, muslim, narrow-minded, Native American, naturalism, naturalist, neopaganism, New Testament, New World, newage, Nina, occult, occultism, ocean, October 12, Old Testament, Onesimus, origin, pagan, Philemon, philosophy, pilgrim, Pinta, pluralism, political, politics, polytheism, priorities, priority, prison, Proverb, Proverbs, quran, race, racial, racism, racist, rape, reincarnation, relativism, religion, republic, republican, resurrection, right, right wing, Roman, Rome, sail, sailing, salvation, Santa Maria, Scripture, secular, secularhumanism, sharia, shinto, ship, skin color, slave, slavery, slaves, social, society, soul, Spain, spirit, spiritual, starofdavid, taoism, theology, theravada, timing, tolerance, tolerant, torii, toriigate, transgender, transgenders, truth, U.S., United States, USA, warlock, whitemagic, wicca, wiccan, witch, witchcraft, Yahweh, yinyang, zen5 Comments

When I wrote this article, it was Columbus Day of 2017 (the 2nd Monday of October). The discovery of America most commonly refers to Christopher Columbus’s 1492 transatlantic maritime expedition, in which he became the ‘first’ ‘Christian’ European to make landfall in the ‘Americas’ (A.K.A. ‘New World’). On August 3, 1492, Columbus and his crew set to sail the ocean blue from Spain in three ships: the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. A couple months later on October 12th, the ships made landfall — not in Asia, as Columbus assumed, but on one of the Bahamian islands. (Yes — Columbus ‘discovered’ America by accident.)

Because it was Columbus Day, I anticipated the controversial day to ignite the typical arguments amongst our divided nation. Many people believe that Columbus Day should not be celebrated because of the following reasons:

Christopher Columbus never actually set foot on the continental U.S.
America was not a vacant lot and the ‘discovery’ of America involved the enslavement and genocide of the Native American people. Therefore, people say we should instead celebrate Indigenous People’s Day.
To celebrate Christopher Columbus is to celebrate slavery, conquest, and murder.
According to the Pew Research Center, it’s already “one of the most inconsistently celebrated U.S. holidays.” Federal employees get the day off, but otherwise, workers in only 23 states receive a paid day off to mark the holiday.

Among the many arguments I expected to hear, one in particular was the one I cared most to discuss. Inevitably, I knew that at least one person would bring up how Christopher Columbus considered himself to be a Christian yet he also condoned slavery and participated in enslaving others. This usually brings up the argument that the Bible endorses slavery. But is this true? See my other article to fully investigate that subject matter, but the short answer is “No.”

So, should we celebrate Columbus Day? Personally, I don’t care if we celebrate it; however, I do believe it is important that we remember accurately our history, to know the important role it plays in our lives today, and to use that knowledge to better our future. I believe Christianty.com’s article, “Should Christians Honor the Legacy of Columbus?” states it best that Columbus’ “missionary drive which was prominent during his first voyage, in later voyages became subordinate to his love of wealth and position. Unfortunately, Columbus was not the last to lose sight of his spiritual goals when tempted with wealth and power.”

Was Columbus a Christian? Apparently so. Was he a perfect Christian? No. It is important to remember that good intentions can travel in the wrong direction. I believe an important question to consider is this: Was GOD able to turn the bad that happened into something good? And the answer to that is yes!

“People ruin their lives by their own stupidity, so why does God always get blamed?”
(Proverbs 19:3) -MSG

Columbus only played a small role in the beginning of America, but Christ was the foundation of America and the only reason why America ever became great:

In the Mayflower Compact, the Pilgrims declared their intention of planting a new colony and advancing the Christian faith.
Most of America’s Founding Fathers were active Christians, representing a variety of denominations.
Of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, 24 had received seminary education.
The December 27, 1982 edition of Newsweek magazine stated, “Historians are discovering that the Bible, perhaps even more than the constitution, is our founding document.”
After an intensive study of our nation’s religious history, the U.S. Supreme Court declared in an 1892 case, “This is a Christian nation.”

Are we still a Christian nation? Well, that’s up to us to decide. But should we tolerate tolerance that attempts to knock the very foundation out from beneath us to send our country crumbling?

And if you are hung up on the topic of slavery, it is important for you to know two things:

Christians abolished slavery while everyone else generally stood by and watched.
You are most likely a slave yourself without even realizing it.

In conclusion, I admit that I don’t celebrate Christopher Columbus today; instead, I celebrate the resurrection of Christ — just like I do every day! It is only in Christ we can experience true freedom. Christ is the foundation (Matthew 7:24-27)! Apart from Christ, you are a slave to your own desires. If you do not know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, I urge you to seek Truth (Matthew 7:7-8) with all your heart, soul, mind and strength!

To find out why I am a Christian, see my other article, “Why I Am A Christian“

Islam vs. Christianity

March 25, 2017May 5, 2019Tagged Abraham, Abu Bakr, Abu Da'ud, agnostic, allah, allahuakbar, alms, almsgiving, altruism, angel, angels, apologetics, assassin, atheism, atheist, bahai, BhagavadGita, bible, bigot, bigotry, blackmagic, buddha, buddhism, Bukhari, Christ, Christian, coexist, confession, confucianism, confucius, cult, dalailama, darwin, elightenment, evolution, faith, fasting, five pillars, Gabriel, gender, God, goddess, hadith, hijra, hijrah, hindu, hinduism, historical, history, Iblis, intolerance, intolerant, islam, jehovahswitness, Jesus, jew, jihad, jinn, josephsmith, judaism, kaba, kami, karma, koran, lds, logic, loveislove, magic, mahayana, Mahdi, mecca, Medina, misogynist, mormon, Moses, Mount Arafat, muhammad, muslim, narcissism, narcissist, narrow-minded, naturalism, naturalist, neopaganism, newage, Noah, occult, occultism, oppression, pagan, pedophile, pedophilia, persecute, persecution, philosophy, pluralism, polygyny, polytheism, pray, prayer, prophet, quran, Ramadan, rape, rapist, reincarnation, relativism, religion, revelation, sakat, salat, sawn, secular, secularhumanism, shahadah, sharia, Shi'ites, shinto, spirit, spiritual, starofdavid, Sunnis, sura, surah, taoism, terrorism, terrorist, theology, theravada, tolerance, tolerant, torii, toriigate, transgender, transgenders, truth, warlock, whitemagic, wicca, wiccan, witch, witchcraft, Yahweh, yinyang, zen17 Comments

If you are a Muslim pursuing Truth, may you first and foremost know that you are loved. This article is not an attack on you as a human being. However, it must be understood that Islam and Christianity cannot both be true. There are only ~~four~~ three possible outcomes to an investigation comparing Islam and Christianity:

Both Islam and Christianity are false.
Islam is true; Christianity is false.
Islam is false; Christianity is true.
~~Both Islam and Christianity are true.~~

The two largest religions emerged through Muhammad and Jesus. The Qur’an and the Bible both teach that Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, is the Messiah, is a great prophet, and will one day return to Earth. In fact, as I have already proved, we now know that anything good taught in the Qur’an is merely plagiarism of the Bible.

Islam teaches that Muslims worship the same GOD as the Jews and Christians but that the Jews and Christians lost some truth and picked up a lot of lies along the way. But does the Qur’an support that claim? The Bible reports that Jesus:

is GOD, the divine Son of the Father; the second person in the Trinity
died for the sins of humankind
rose from the dead

The Qur’an denies all three of these key Christian beliefs. The Qur’an is so opposed to these Christian beliefs that it condemns Jesus worshipers to Hell (Sura 5:72-73). Therefore, how can it be possible that Muslims and Christians worship the same GOD? The fact alone of the Qur’an condemning worshipers of Jesus to Hell is enough to settle the debate; however, there is a lot more evidence that needs to be addressed.

Islam roundly condemns worship of the Trinity (Sura 5:73), establishing in contrast its own core principle: Tawhid, the absolute oneness of Allah (God). Tawhid specifically denies the Trinity, so much so that it is safe to say the doctrine of GOD in Christianity is antithetical to the doctrine of the god of Islam. The god of Muslims and the GOD of Christians is not only different, but they completely oppose one another.

Muhammad clearly misunderstand the Trinity. The Qur’an itself gets the Trinity wrong. The councils of Nicaea and Chalcedon had occurred hundreds of years before the Qur’an was composed, yet the Qur’an views the Trinity as Father, Son, and Wife. For instance, when Allah asks Jesus [in the Qur’an] whether he told people to worship him and Mary alongside Allah, Jesus denies the claim. Was there ever such a view of the Trinity? Partially. The Barbelo Gnostics, from the end of the second century, are recorded to have worshiped Father, Son, and Mother; consequently, Muhammad may have gotten some of his references about Christianity from Gnostics. The Trinity is misunderstood and misrepresented by Muhammad. But that is to be expected; after all, Muhammad himself often accepted partial truths as whole truths and the Deceiver as the deliverer of truth.

Islam was founded by Muhammad, who failed to be superior to Jesus. In fact, Muhammad wasn’t even on par with Jesus — he fell short in many different ways.

The Qur’an provides only one test for knowing that Muhammad is a true prophet: Try to write a chapter as perfect as those in the Qur’an and you will come to understand that it cannot be done and that the Qur’an is divinely inspired (Sura 2:23-24; 10:37-38; 11:13-14; 17:88). If that is the test, I will accept the challenge.

Trenton’s ‘Sura’:

The photographer sees the beauty long before the others are capable of seeing the beauty. The others simply don’t see the beauty that the photographer sees and they declare the photographer to be weird, odd, or unusual. The others won’t recognize the beauty until after the negative develops and is enlarged. Once the negative develops and is enlarged, it somehow transforms into something colorful, vibrant, and positive. The beauty was always there, the others simply lacked the vision to see the beauty. The photographer waited his whole life to find the beauty only to watch the beauty end up with someone else who never saw nor appreciated the beauty prior to the beauty being developed and enlarged. But the photographer knows that the beauty deserves the best. Why should the beauty be confined to the negative in the darkroom or the photographer’s dilapidated and desolate domain when the beauty could be prominently displayed in a prince’s palace? The photographer may not possess the developed and enlarged version of the beauty, but at least the photographer was the first to witness the beauty and cared enough to see to it that the negative be developed into a positive outcome for someone else. It reminds me of a cotton field I once photographed: Some people spend their lives planting seeds and watering those seeds only for someone else to gather the harvest. Beauty exists for all to see – some only get to see the beauty while it still resembles a negative. It’s a challenge to see the beauty in the negative. Give it time. Beauty blossoms; beauty develops. But what is more noble? To capture and then release the beauty? Or to possess the beauty and keep it for yourself? The photographer can release the beauty yet still possess the memories in captured moments of time. It is difficult to let go, but it is noble.

The Meaning of Trenton’s ‘Sura’:

Creation of the universe and all life within.
Development and growth through learning in time.
Love defined. This includes storge love with family and phileo love with that particular interest toward specific individuals. This even includes eros love with the longing for intimacy. But mostly it is agape love which is selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional love.

I, Trenton, am the photographer in the story. I see much beauty in creation from the Creator. Much of the beauty goes unrecognized by many people. Though I see GOD’s beauty through the lens of my two eyes, GOD is the Developer and brings the light of Truth for proper exposure. GOD is the greatest artist of all time. I can only capture mere moments that reveal a portion of the beauty. GOD’s Word amplifies the beauty I see and enables the big picture of life to be seen on a larger scale. I share the big picture of life with others because it is selfish to keep it to myself. Even if I do not benefit from sharing this beauty, I know that others will benefit from it. And each individual I express phileo love toward can be seen as a portrait I invested everything to make. And after investing so much time and energy into the portrait, agape love demands that I release that portrait into the world in order for that portrait to affect the lives of others. Each portrait is a disciple who will testify of the agape love who developed the photographer who had once been a negative himself. GOD saw the beauty in me when I was a negative and I didn’t even see the beauty within myself. Likewise, now that I have been trained up in the agape love of Christ, GOD has enabled me to see the beauty in someone who has not yet developed. Just as GOD saw the big picture of my negative, GOD enables me to see the big picture of the negative in someone else. GOD equips me with my ‘camera,’ enables me to see what will be from what has not yet been, empowers me to teach the truth from the revealed, and enhances my efforts by placing blessing upon my actions. May GOD’s agape love be known.

Compare my writing [and the meaning behind what was written] with Sura 111. I believe that many would agree that what I wrote is superior in content and poetic rhythm. A Muslim may counter that the Qur’an is more beautiful when read in Arabic, but I can demand that what I have written is more beautiful in English. There is no logical connection between literary eloquence and divine authority. Also, GOD’s Word condemns Sura 111 (Proverbs 26:21; James 4:11-12; Matthew 7:1-5). Furthermore, Muhammad couldn’t even create a Sura without using GOD’s Word — Sura 93 was about 50% plagiarism from the Bible. It is quite easy to demonstrate the Qur’an’s test and at the same time reveal that the Qur’an fails its own highly subjective test for divine inspiration. If the Qur’an is divinely inspired, then what I have written can also be considered to be inspired. However, I am not so foolish as to entertain the idea of exaggerating my importance. I am a mere collector of Truth and messenger and teacher of GOD’s Word. And as a messenger of GOD and as a teacher of His Word, I boldly declare that Muhammad was an ignorant man who had the right intention half of the time yet traveled in the wrong direction the entire time. Further, I boldly proclaim Islam to be a demonic religion conjured by Satan who masqueraded himself as Gabriel.

“And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.”
(2Corinthians 11:14) -ESV

“Do not mix truth with falsehood, or hide the truth when you know it.”
(Sura 2:42)

“So do you believe in some parts of the Scripture and not in others? The punishment for those of you who do this will be nothing but disgrace in this life, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be condemned to the harshest torment: Allah is not unaware of what you do.”
(Sura 2:85)

“Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also…. and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.”
(1John 2: 22-23; 4:3) -ESV

“Who could be more wicked than someone who invents a lie against Allah, or claims, ‘A revelation has come to me,’ when no revelation has been sent to him, or says, ‘I too can reveal something equal to Allah’s revelation’?”
(Sura 6:93) [see also, Sura 6:93,144; 11:18; 29:68; 61:7-8]

“I swear by the planets that recede, move, and hide, by the night that descends, by the dawn that softly breathes: this is the word [spoken by] a noble messenger…. This is not the word of an outcast devil.”
(Sura 81:15-19,25)

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.”
(Matthew 5:33-37) -ESV

Muhammed swore by GOD’s footstool and tried to convince others that the Qur’an didn’t come from “an outcast devil.” However, Satan is the outcast devil who masquerades as an angel of light.

“Do not follow Satan’s footsteps, for he is your sworn enemy. He always commands you to do what is evil and indecent, and to say things about Allah that you do not really know.”
(Sura 2:168-169)

Muhammad got his ‘scripture’ from ‘Gabriel’ the ‘angel;’ however, the ‘scriptures’ Muhammad received contradict Christ and even deny Christ. And a denial of Christ comes from the antichrist (1John 2:22-23; 4:3). Used for Satan’s divisive purposes, Muhammad was a tool of evil worn down and then discarded. Worshipping the right GOD is one half; worshipping the right GOD in the right way is the other half. Paul noted that though the Jews worshipped GOD with sincerity, they did not pursue Him “according to knowledge” of Christ (Romans 10:2). Jesus told the Samaritan woman that “true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth” (John 4:23). His mention of “true worshipers” presupposes there are false worshipers, even among those who acknowledge the GOD revealed in the Old Testament. James notes that even demons believe in the one, true GOD, but it does them no good (James 2:19). To worship the right GOD in the right way, the answer is only found through Jesus (John 14:6).

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ ”
(Matthew 7:13-23) -ESV

Conclusion:

I’ll conclude by quoting both Jesus and Muhammad, even allowing Muhammad to have the final word:

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ ”
(John 14:6) -ESV

“Say [Prophet], ‘Have you ever thought, what if this revelation really is from Allah and you still reject it? Who could be more astray than someone who cuts himself off so far [from Allah]?’ ”
(Sura 41:52)

“Who could be more wrong than someone who invents lies against Allah when called to submit to Him? Allah does not guide the wrongdoers: they wish to put His light out with their mouths. But He will complete His light, even though the disbelievers hate it.”
(Sura 61:7-8)

Clearly, Jesus is Truth and the only way. But does that make Christians narrow-minded? Yes. But for good reason.

Again, I reiterate that if you are a Muslim pursuing Truth, may you understand that you are loved. Secondly, I recommend also reading the following books by Nabeel Qureshi:

In addition, I recommend reaching out to Naeem Fazal, lead pastor of Mosaic Church and author of “Ex-Muslim: How One Daring Prayer to Jesus Changed a Life Forever“

And just as Naeem Fazal’s life changed forever because he decided to investigate Truth and seek Jesus, my life forever changed when I did the same. See my other article, “My Testimony: From Agnosticism, to Atheism, to Christianity“.