anitasanecdotes

In Genesis 39 we see that Joseph was the prime example of a person who when given lemons, makes lemonade. Joseph is taken to Egypt and sold into the service of Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard. Through the Lord’s blessing Joseph is successful in Potiphar’s house. He becomes the overseer of all of Potiphar’s possessions.

Potiphar’s wife takes a liking to Joseph and propositions him. A man of integrity, Joseph refuses to do his master harm and sin against God. One day she catches hold of his garment and propositions him again. Joseph leaves his garment and runs away. Potiphar’s wife calls to members of the household and accuses Joseph of trying to assault her, showing them his garment. She repeats her accusation to Potiphar and he has Joseph thrown into prison.

While he is in prison Joseph gains the favor of the chief jailer and is put in charge of the prisoners. As the scriptures state: “because the Lord was with him…whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.”

Genesis 40 opens with Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker landing in prison with Joseph. One night both of them have a dream. Joseph has been given the gift of interpreting dreams. Joseph interprets the dreams correctly. The cupbearer is restored to the Pharaoh’s service, but he forgets about Joseph.

In Matthew 14 Jesus hears that John the Baptist had been killed by Herod. He goes to a deserted place to be alone but the crowd follows him, about five thousand men, besides women and children. Jesus spends the day healing the sick. In the evening the disciples want to send the crowd away to find food, but Jesus tells them to feed the people. The disciples reply that they only have five loaves and two fish. Jesus blesses and breaes the loaves and gives them to the disciples to distribute. Everyone eats to their satisfaction and when the disciples collect the leftovers they have twelve baskets full, one for each disciple.

He has the disciples get into a boat and start over to the other side while he says goodbye to the crowds. After he says goodbye, Jesus goes up the mountain to pray.  That night a wind arises on the sea and batters the boat. The next morning Jesus comes walking on the water toward the boat. The disciples are afraid when they see him but Jesus tells them it is he and not to be afraid. Peter challenges Jesus that if it really is he command Peter to come to him on the water. Jesus says for Peter to come and Peter gets out of the boat. Peter starts to notice the wind, becomes frightened and starts to sink. Jesus catches him and asks why Peter doubts.

After they get into the boat the wind stops and the disciples worship Jesus saying that he is the Son of God. As they reach land the crowds come again to be healed.

Both of the Testaments tell stories of faith. Joseph had faith that God would provide for him and God did. He also remained true to God in the midst of temptation. God continued to make Joseph prosper even in the most undesirable of circumstances.

The disciples, though, in the presence of Jesus and seeing his miracles time and time again, doubt. They cannot trust in Jesus’ ability to provide for them. Even when he is standing right there in the storm, they are distracted by the things they can see, the crowds of people and little food, the wind and waves, and they lose sight of Jesus’ presence. After Jesus calms the wind, they begin to see him for who he really is.

Which character are you in your journey of faith? Do you believe even in the presence of contrary evidence like Joseph? Or do you still doubt even in the presence of irrefutable evidence like the disciples?

Genesis 37 is the beginning of one of the best-known stories in the Bible. Jacob/Israel settles down in Canaan, the land of his father Isaac. Israel loves his son Joseph more than any of his other children. Joseph was the first son of his beloved wife Rachel.

Israel treats Joseph better than the others and gives him a special coat. The original Hebrew says it is a coat with sleeves. This description is confusing to us, but perhaps it describes a sleeved coat rather than the sleeveless cloaks that were often worn over tunics. The description was apparently confusion when the first translations came out and so traditionally it became a coat of many colors.

Joseph doesn’t do anything to endear himself to his brothers. He tattles on two of his brothers when they do something wrong. He has dreams which he interprets as his brothers bowing down around him. One time he even describes a dream in which his father and mother bow down. This is one time Israel rebukes him. All in all Joseph is a real pill.

One day his brothers take the flocks away. Apparently they are gone for quite a while so Israel sends Joseph to see how they are doing and then report back. Joseph finds his brothers. As he is walking toward them they plot to get rid of him. Reuben encourages them not to hurt him but only to put him in a pit and leave him there. Reuben plans to return for Joseph later. The brothers put Joseph in the pit but Judah convinces them to sell Joseph to Ishmaelite traders. When Reuben looks into the pit he discovers that Joseph is gone and realizes he will be responsible for what happened to him. The brothers had taken the coat, so they dip it in goat’s blood. They take it to their father and concoct a story that Joseph was attacked by a wild animal. Israel is distraught.

Joseph is taken to Egypt and is sold to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s captains.

In Genesis 38 Judah moves out and marries a Canaanite woman.  They have three sons. Judah marries off his first son Er to a woman named Tamar. Er is wicked and God kills him. According to the custom of the day, when the oldest son dies before he has children, a younger son is to marry the oldest son’s wife and the children they have will belong to the oldest son. Judah marries Tamar off to his second son Onan. Onan didn’t want to father Er’s children so he pretends to have sex with Tamar. God is not happy with Onan and he also dies. Judah’s third son is too young to marry so Judah sends Tamar home to live in her father’s house.

Later, Judah’s wife dies. Tamar learns this and seeing that Shelah, Judah’s third son is of marrying age and yet Judah didn’t marry her off to him, Tamar approaches Judah. She covers her face like a prostitute would. Judah does not recognize her and has sex with her for comfort. In payment Tamar takes Judah’s signet ring, his cord, and his staff.

A few months later, Judah is told that Tamar has been sleeping around and is pregnant. According to custom Judah has the right to have her killed for adultery. But Tamar comes to Judah with his ring, his cord and his staff. Judah realizes what Tamar has done and allows her to live in his house. She has twins. This is the Tamar who is listed in Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew.

Psalm 9 is a song of praise. It tells of enemies being defeated. It acknowledged the Lord to be the judge of the world, who judges people with equity. The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed and those in trouble. He deserves our praise.

Our 21^st century senses are often offended by the Old Testament texts we are reading. I find myself really disliking Jacob and the decisions he makes. It bothers me that he treats Leah so badly. While it is true that he loved Rachel and was tricked into marrying Leah, Jacob seems to have no trouble using Leah and her feelings of low self-worth to prosper. He has no qualms against deceiving others in order to get ahead and even when he is given the chance to make amends he takes the stance of trying to impress the other, gain the upper hand and still deceive. It is hard to believe that God would continue to bless this man who is so hard to take. And yet, it is through this flawed human that God has chosen to bring about His plan for salvation.

It should in fact be heartening that our “heroes” are presented as flawed beings. God didn’t choose perfect people to bless. He chose to “reckon” righteousness on unrighteous people. In other words, it is very clear that these people certainly would not be blessed based upon their own conduct. It is only by God’s grace that they remain the chosen people. It is God’s faithfulness even more that their faith that sees them through.

This is a message of hope to us. We, too, are flawed and make poor decisions at every turn. We certainly cannot expect God’s blessings based upon our actions. And yet, God chooses us to work out His plans even today. We may not like the people God has chosen, but we need to remember that often we are unlikeable, too, and God is still faithful.

Genesis 34 opens with what is in essence the date rape of Jacob’s only daughter Dinah by Shechem a Hivite man. Shechem says that he loves Dinah despite the fact that he forced her to have sex. Jacob decides not to do anything about this attack because his sons are away in the fields.

When Jacob’s sons return home they are furious about what has happened. Shechem’s father Hamor approaches them and offers a treaty between the two nations, suggesting that they marry the women in his land and they will be able to live there and prosper. Shechem also offers to pay a dowry in order to marry Dinah. The sons, having no intention of marrying a Hivite woman, say that the only way they could agree is if the Hivite men get circumcised just like the men of Israel. Shechem is so taken with Dinah that he convinces all the men to do this.

While the men are recuperating from this painful surgery Dinah’s brothers attack the city and kill all of the men. They kill Hamor and Shechem, and rescue Dinah from Shechem’s house. All of Jacob’s sons plunder the city and the fields by taking all of animals and people. Jacob complains to Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, that they have put his life in jeopardy to which the brothers exclaim, “Should our sister be treated like a whore?”

It seems incredible that Jacob would be more concerned with his own reputation over the life and treatment of his daughter. While the actions of the brothers are quite overboard they did care what had happened to Dinah. This all appears to be God’s way to force Jacob to move back to the land that God had given his father and grandfather.

God speaks to Jacob in Genesis 35 and tells them to go to Bethel and make an altar to God.  Jacob tells his household to get rid of their foreign gods and join him in worshiping the God who has been faithful to him everywhere he has gone. Everyone gives up their gods and they are buried near the city of Shechem. They go to Bethel to worship.

God appears to Jacob and makes permanent the pronouncement He made when He wrestled with Jacob. God changes Jacob’s name to Israel. He places upon Israel the blessing of offspring and land that He gave to Abraham and Isaac.

Rachel dies during the birth of a son Jacob names Benjamin (Son of the right hand or South). Israel now has 12 sons. He returns to his father Isaac and when his father dies Esau and Jacob bury him together.

Genesis 36 is a genealogy of the descendants of Esau who is known as Edom. It describes many of the lands that are situated around Israel’s lands.

Matthew 13 begins a series of parables or stories the Jesus tells. These parables are based upon the culture in which Jesus lives and as a story people would understand them. But Jesus’ parables contain meanings far deeper than the ones that most would hear in the simple story.

Jesus says that because the disciples are close to him they will understand the parables, but they also need special explanations. The disciples are given special insight into the deeper meaning of the parable. These insights are in the passage we read so we can know what Jesus means by the stories as well. All of the parables are about the kingdom of heaven and how we can become a part of it. They speak of nurturing the faith and being careful of distractions and evil. They also speak of the fact that the faithful are together with the unfaithful and will be sorted at the end of the age. It is important for us to bring out the treasure in everyone who hears the word.

Jesus goes to Nazareth and begins to teach. The townspeople reject him and he did not show them who he was through deeds of power. It we reject Christ’s word to us and do not believe we will be unable to see His activity in our lives. It is important for us to keep reading the word so that we may see Christ when we are out in the world.

As Genesis 32 opens we find Jacob and his caravan returning to his homeland. He meets some angels and makes camp. Jacob sends some messengers on ahead to his brother Esau. He had fled his home after stealing his brother’s birthright from him. Jacob’s messengers explain to Esau that he has been spending all this time with Laban and has become wealthy in an effort to gain Esau’s favor. The messengers return saying that Esau is coming with 4oo men.

Jacob is afraid that Esau is still angry with him over what he had done. He divides his possessions up into two groups in an attempt to at least save half of his wealth if Esau attacks.

Then Jacob prays. He reminds God that he told Jacob to come home. In an uncharacteristically humble and contrite moment Jacob acknowledges that he is unworthy of the steadfast love and faithfulness that God has shown him since he fled so many years ago. Perhaps he is feeling guilty of all the trickery he had used to get to this place. He asks God to protect him from Esau and admits his fear. Jacob then reminds God that God had promised that he would have a multitude of descendants.

Jacob gathers some of his animals together to give as a gift to Esau. He sends them in droves of goats, sheep, camels, cattle and donkeys with a space between each drove, perhaps in an effort to overwhelm his brother with his accomplishments. His servants led the animals ahead of Jacob with instructions to let Esau know that they belong to Jacob and Jacob is following behind them.

He sent his family and other possessions away and spent the night alone. In a very odd scene, Jacob wrestles with a man all night long. They contend without a winner until the man injures Jacob’s hip. Jacob asks for a blessing from the man. The man changes Jacob’s name to Israel, which means “one who strives with God” or “God strives” because he strove with God and humans and prevailed.  Jacob asked the man’s name but the man did not give it, then the man blessed Jacob. After the man left Jacob calls the place Peniel which means “the face of God” because believes he has seen the God face to face and lived.

In Genesis 33 Jacob finally meets Esau. He divides his family up presenting the two maids and their children first, then Leah and her children and finally Rachel and Joseph. He leads the group. Esau asks the reason for all the display of animals and Jacob answers that it is meant to find favor with Esau. Esau explains that he has enough on his own and doesn’t need these gifts. Jacob insists that Esau take the gifts because God has blessed Jacob so much.

Esau offers to accompany Jacob’s entourage to his home, but Jacob tells him to go on ahead and Jacob will follow slowly behind because of the children and young animals. Esau goes back to his home. Instead of following Jacob builds a house in Succoth. Jacob purchases some land and builds and altar called El-Elohe-Israel (God, the God of Israel). Is this meant to trick Esau again or is this move simply to allow his family and flocks time to rest after their long trip back to Canaan.

As Matthew 12 opens it is the Sabbath. Jesus and his disciples pass by a field of grain and because they are hungry the disciples begin to puck the heads off the grain and eat it. The Pharisees are quick to accuse them of breaking the law (Torah). From the time that God established the law with Moses, there have been those who have been charged with interpreting what the law means. Over time these people have made the law more and more specific. So by the time of Jesus, the commandment, “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy* (Exodus 20:8) now includes rules for how far one is allowed to travel, and edicts against doing any work. Harvesting is considered work and apparently popping the heads off of grain in order to eat it is harvesting. The law has become a means to break the follower and require them to make sacrifices to atone for their sin, rather than a way to help the believer practice their love of God and deal with each other in a manner that is acceptable to God.

Jesus cites a couple of situations in which the faithful have broken the law and it was allowed. For the second time Jesus says that the Pharisees don’t understand the phrase “I desire mercy and not sacrifice,” which is more of a paraphrase of some of the Psalms and the writings of the prophets than a direct quote of the scriptures. He is calling the Pharisees to account because they are more interested in judging others based upon their interpretation of the law and condemning rather than on showing any kind of mercy toward those who are suffering. Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man, which is a direct reference to the Messiah.

Jesus heals someone and again he is accused of working. Jesus states that if this man were a prized animal there would be no question that they would save it. A human is of much more value so it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.

Another day Jesus casts out a demon and again he is accused of being able to do this because of Beelzebul (a name for Satan). Jesus counters this time (the last time he did not respond) by saying that Satan would not work against himself. Besides if he casts out demons by the power of Satan, he ask how their own exorcists cast out demons. He then speaks about doing these things by the power of the Spirit of God.

Jesus enters into an argument regarding the fact that sin and even blasphemy (of which he has been accused) will be forgiven unless it is blasphemy against the Spirit. Even if people speak out against him they will be forgiven, but if they speak out against the Spirit they will never be forgiven. The offense is in calling things of God things of Satan.

The Pharisees should be able to see that God is at work. Instead they try to discredit Jesus by saying that Satan is at work. Jesus is angry that the Pharisees are leading people astray. The Pharisees are supposed to be speaking for God and Jesus is saying that they are not. He tells them that on the day of judgment they will be condemned for their careless comments. Jesus then alludes to his death and resurrection by comparing himself with Jonah. He goes on to explain that the Gentiles will recognize who he is (references to Ninevah and the queen of the South, the queen of Sheba) before these leaders will ever come to acknowledge that he is the Messiah.

Someone tells him that his family is wanting to talk with him. Jesus replies that those who do God’s will are his brother and sister and mother.

Soap operas have nothing on the Bible for plot twists.

Genesis 30 opens in the middle of a baby battle between Rachel and Leah. Leah, of course has been blessed with 3 sons at this point and Rachel is barren. Instead of pleading with God, she pleads with Jacob to give her children. Jacob, in anger, insults Rachel by saying God has withheld children from her. Like her predecessor Sarah before her, Rachel offers a servant to bear children on her behalf.  Unlike Sarah, Rachel believes God has judged her favorably and has given her a son whom she names Dan (“He judged”). Rachel is still Jacob’s favorite and Leah trades some of her son’s harvest for opportunities to lie with Jacob and she becomes pregnant each time. The battle continues between Rachel and Leah, and their maids (some men might say that Jacob got the best rewards out of this battle) until finally God remembers Rachel. He blesses her with the birth of a son, Joseph.

Jacob has been living with his father-in-law Laban all this time. He decides it is now time to go home. This becomes a battle of tricksters. Laban offers to pay Jacob for all of the years he has worked. Jacob says he will take the speckled, spotted and black sheep and goats from Laban’s flocks. Before Jacob goes to the flocks, Laban removes all these animals and gives them to his sons. In a great genetic experiment Jacob proceeds to pasture the flocks, he uses rods to separate the strong and weak sheep and goats. Despite the fact that the original flocks are all white, they continue to produce speckled and striped sheep and goats. Before Laban can get to them Jacob takes them and becomes very wealthy.

In Genesis 31 Laban’s sons are convinced that Jacob has stolen his wealth from their father. God tells Jacob to return to the land of his ancestors.  Jacob takes Rachel, Leah, the children and his possessions and they leave without telling Laban. Rachel also steals her father’s household gods. At this point God does nothing about this.

Laban realizes that Jacob and his family have left without his permission and that his gods are missing. He chases after Jacob. God appears to him in a dream and tells him not to say anything to Jacob neither good nor bad. When Laban catches up with Jacob he confronts him about leaving without telling Laban and that Laban’s gods are missing.  Jacob says he left because he was afraid Laban would take back his daughters and says that if Laban finds his gods, the person who has them will be killed. Laban searches and cannot find the gods, which are in a pouch hidden under Rachel.

Jacob is angered by the search and rehearses a litany of the things that Laban has done to trick Jacob and keep him from leaving. He credits the God of Abraham with protecting him enough to get away now with any possessions at all. Laban replies that at this point everything belongs to him. But instead of forcing Jacob to give it all back Laban makes a covenant with him. As has been done in the past Jacob gathers some stones together to mark the spot of the covenant “The heap of witness.”  At this pillar (Mizpah) Laban says, “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are absent one from the other.” He reminds Jacob that God will be watching what he is doing: if he mistreats Rachel or Leah or if he takes additional wives. The pillar becomes a boundary line which neither man is to cross. Jacob agrees and the next day they part company.

In Matthew 11 John the Baptist has heard about Jesus and is wondering if he is the coming Messiah. Jesus tells his followers the things he has been doing using phrases found in the writings of the prophet Isaiah. As they were leaving Jesus attests to the fact the John was the one coming before him prophesying the coming of the Messiah. John is Elijah returned before the Messiah comes.

He chides all those who have criticized John and then criticized him as well. He reproaches any of the cities that rejected him even after they saw his powerful deeds. He threatens that if they do not repent they will meet a fate worse than Sodom.

Jesus acknowledges in a prayer that the wise, rich and powerful have been left blind to the truth about him. They will only be revealed to those whom Jesus chooses. He then reaches out to those who feel powerless and tired, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Jesus has come to relieve those who recognize their weakness. He saves those who know they need saving. He loves those who feel unloved.

Before beginning with today’s blog I want to go back to a verse I missed in the first go around and just saw as I was preparing today’s Bible study. In Genesis 15, verse 6 states: “And he believed the LORD; and the LORD  reckoned it to him as righteousness.” Abram was questioning God’s promise of an heir and was disheartened because he had not children, thinking that his servant would become that heir. God takes Abram outside and shows him the countless stars in the sky and reassures him that he will have as many descendants. And Abram believes God.  Because of his faith God deems him righteous. Despite our continuing to sin we have been deemed righteous in God’s sight, just like Abram. While as we have seen he continued to make bad choices after this event, God didn’t give up on him. It was because of his righteousness that he later can plead for Sodom and Gomorrah and is allowed to save Lot and his family. It is because of his righteousness that Sarah has a son. But Abram’s righteousness was not earned. He was not righteous because of his acts, he was made righteous because of his faith.

In Genesis 22 God puts this faith to the test. After everything Abraham has been through God tells him to sacrifice his son Isaac: Isaac, the only son of his wife Sarah, Isaac, the one who brought them laughter in old age, Isaac, the one God chose to carry the covenant. God asks for Abraham’s son.

And Abraham obeyed God: no questioning as he did on that night just mentioned; no bargaining as he did with Sodom and Gomorrah; no fudging as he did when he went into foreign lands. Abraham simply gets Isaac and the supplies for the sacrifice and takes him to the place God designated. Isaac questions Abraham about where the sacrificial animal is and Abraham answers in total faith “God himself will provide the lamb.”

As Abraham is standing over his son with the knife in his hand the angel of the Lord stops him and Abraham finds a ram for the sacrifice. Abraham has proven his faith and the Lord has provided as he said he would all along. Abraham names the place Jehovah Jireh “The Lord will provide.”

God reiterates his covenant with Abraham.  Does it seem that maybe God was starting to doubt whether in fact Abraham did believe? After all there were so many times that it appeared that Abraham did not trust in God’s provision. And yet when it counted, Abraham showed his faith. I think that because God had given the promised son, Abraham’s faith changed. After that he truly believed what he said he believed all along. It went from his head to his heart and even though it might mean giving up what he had wanted so long, Abraham didn’t doubt that God would keep his promise.

In Genesis 23, Sarah dies and Abraham buries her.

In Psalm 5 David is praying to God. He acknowledges that God does not tolerate those who perpetrate evil. He recognizes that it is through God’s steadfast (long lasting) love that he is welcomed by God.
He implores God to lead him in righteousness and allow the guilty to bear their punishment.

In Psalm 6 David is pleading for mercy from God because he has sinned. He pleads with the Lord for that steadfast love to deliver him. He has found himself in trouble. Even in the midst of his anguish he acknowledges that god hears his prayers and will deliver him.

At the end of the last chapter Rebekah begs Isaac not to let Jacob marry a Canaanite girl and convinces him to have Jacob go to Laban’s house. In Genesis 28 we see Isaac charging Jacob to go to Laban and marry one of his daughters. Isaac gives God’s blessing to Jacob and sends him on his way. Esau seeing that Isaac did not like Canaanite woman goes to Ishmael and marries one of his daughters.

Jacob heads out toward Haran. In the evening he stops and sleeps. While he sleeps he has a dream. There is a ladder coming down from heaven and angels are going up and down the ladder. The Lord stands by Jacob and tells him that this place will become his home. God extends to Jacob the same blessing he gave to Abraham and Isaac and promises to keep him wherever he goes. Jacob awakes and names the place Bethel (House of God) because he believes he saw the gate of heaven there. He pledges to give God one tenth of all the receives when he returns to this place.

In Genesis 29 Jacob arrives in Laban’s land. He meets Laban’s daughter Rachel at the well and tells her that he is Rebekah’s son. She tells her father, who runs out to meet Jacob. Jacob tells Laban his story and Laban invites Jacob to stay with him. After a month Laban offers to pay Jacob for working for him. He asks what wages Jacob would like to receive. Jacob has fallen in love with Rachel and offers to work for Laban for seven years if at the end of that time he can marry Rachel. Laban agrees. Jacob works for seven years and is ready to marry her. Laban has two daughters Rachel and her older sister Leah. Leah has not yet married so when Laban takes Leah to Jacob without his knowing it. In the morning Jacob realizes that he has married Leah. When he asks Laban about it Laban explains that the oldest daughter must marry first. Laban says Jacob must work another seven years and then he can marry Rachel. Jacob does this and marries Rachel as well.

God sees that Jacob does not love Leah and allows her to have Jacob’s firstborn son, Reuben. She has two more sons Simeon and Judah. She hopes each time that Jacob will love her.

Psalm 7 opens again with David being pursued by an enemy. He asks God for protection. Then he asks God to judge whether his cause is just. After a pause he acknowledges that others are doing evil to them and God is the supreme judge who can judge him in his righteousness and them in their wickedness. He offers to God thanks and praise.

Psalm 8 is one of the most beautiful psalms. It contemplates the special place that our sovereign God has chosen for humanity. In the midst of this wonderful creation that God has made He has chosen a special place for human beings. There are many who believe that the reference to the son of man refers to Jesus. We have been given dominion over all of the creatures in God’s creation.

One might wonder what it means to have dominion over the creatures of the earth. Certainly many believe that it means that we can treat them as we wish. But if we consider that God is sovereign, has dominion, over us and treats us with love, respect and caring, we may come the realization that we are to care for the creatures of the earth and allow them to fulfill God’s original command to all of his creation: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.” God has given us a privilege and also a great responsibility to fulfill our being in the likeness of God.

As Genesis 26 opens we feel like “it’s déjà vu all over again.” This time Isaac and his family are in the middle of a drought and go to King Abimelech’s land. Isaac tells Rebekah to say she is his sister in order to keep him from being killed. Apparently, Abraham hadn’t shared his experience with Isaac and that this was not a good plan. Anyway, Abimelech finds out the truth and warns his people to leave Isaac alone.

Isaac prospers while he is on Abimelech’s land and his people get jealous, so Abimelech throws Isaac off his land. Isaac has trouble finding a place to settle because of water rights disputes. They finally settle at Rehoboth (which means “room”) because the Lord makes room for them there.

The Lord visits Isaac and blesses him because of his father Abraham. Abimelech comes to Isaac and agrees to a covenant with him that they will live in peace.

As you recall Jacob bought Esau’s birthright with a bowl of soup. Isaac still favored Esau and in Genesis 27 he is planning on giving Esau a blessing. Rebekah overhears Isaac’s plan and colludes with Jacob to have him receive the blessing instead.

Rebekah fixes a meal the way Esau would have fixed it. They put the skins of goats on Jacob’s neck and hands to imitate Esau’s hairy skin, dressed him in Esau’s clothes and Jacob goes into Isaac’s tent. Isaac is blind and cannot see that it is Jacob. He reaches out to touch Jacob, feels the fur, smells the clothing, and thinks it is Esau. He gives Jacob the blessing of the firstborn son that he would be lord over his brothers and receive blessings.

When Esau returns from the field and goes in to Isaac with the special meal. Isaac realizes what has happened and says that Jacob has received the blessing. Esau begs his father to bless him too, but Isaac says that only one can receive the blessing and Jacob has received it. Jacob lives up to his name which means “he supplants.”

Esau is furious over this turn of events. He plans to kill Jacob after Isaac dies. Rebekah hears this and tells Jacob to run away to Haran, to her brother Laban’s house. She promises to send for him when Esau forgets what he has done.

Again, we see two situations where deceit is used to try to get ahead. While both situations work out it is not without trial and hardship. Also, we are left wondering if the hurt will ever be assuaged and forgiveness can ever be given.

In Matthew 10, Jesus gives the 12 disciples authority to heal disease and cast out demons. He sends them out to the towns and villages of Israel. They are not to go to Gentiles or Samaritans. If they are welcomed then they are to give blessings, if they are not welcomed then they are leave, shaking the dust off their feet. He warns his disciples to be wary and prepared in case they fall into the wrong hands. But most importantly they are to trust that the Spirit will help them in their difficulties and will save them. Jesus lets them know that they may even be threatened with death but not to fear because they are the Lord’s.

Very few of us are called to this kind of commitment in our life of faith. But we must always be willing to give witness to Jesus even in the midst of ridicule and danger. Jesus promises us the reward of the righteous if we stand firm and continue to believe. What a different call this is than the life of deceit and trickery that we see in Jacob, and yet God’s protection was even with him. . And woe to the one who treats a believer badly. They will reap what they sow.

Chapter 24 is actually introduced at the end of chapter 22 where after the story of the sacrifice of Isaac we read this odd genealogy of Abraham’s brother Nahor and his wife Milcah. Abraham did not want Isaac to marry a Canaanite woman. He sends his servant (possibly Eliezer) back to his homeland with ten camels laden with gifts for the future bride and her family.

The servant arrives in the city where Nahor’s family lives and prays to Abraham’s God to show him who is to become Isaac’s wife. He asks that this woman offer him a drink of water and to water the camels also. While he is still praying, Rebekah, Nahor’s granddaughter comes to the well and does just as the servant prayed. He asks Rebekah if he might be able to stay at her house. She agrees.

Nahor is apparently dead because there is no mention of him, rather his wife Milcah and son Laban deal with the servant. They agree to allow Rebekah to marry Isaac. At first they want to delay her leaving but finally ask her if she is willing to go and Rebekah agrees. Isaac and Rebekah meet each other and become husband and wife.

As Genesis 25 opens, Abraham takes another wife and has many sons. While he gives to his sons during his lifetime and sets them up in places to the east of his home, upon his death Isaac receives all of his father’s estate. Both Ishmael and Isaac bury Abraham with Sarah. Isaac settles in Beer-lahai-roi, which ironically is the place named by Hagar after God promised that he would take care of Ishmael in Chapter 16.

Rebekah is barren (a common occurrence in the women God chooses to use for His purposes), so Isaac prays that God bless her with a child. God grants his prayer and Rebekah becomes pregnant with twins. The twins do not get along even in the womb. Rebekah asks God for some relief and God tells her that her twins represent two nations and that the younger of her sons will prevail over the elder. The twins are born with the younger, Jacob, grabbing at the heel of the elder, Esau.

Jacob loves Esau but Rebekah loves Jacob. After they grow up, the two men have an encounter. Esau comes in from the field famished. Jacob is cooking lentil stew. Esau wants some of the stew, but Jacob will not give it to him unless Esau gives up his birthright. He must have been really hungry because he agrees to Jacob’s demand. Esau gets his meal and Jacob gets the inheritance.

All of us are prone to short-sighted thinking. We are so concerned with our own needs and desires that we don’t consider the long-term ramifications of our decisions. We may regret our thoughtlessness but we have to live with the consequences.

Matthew 9 contains several encounters between Jesus and several religious leaders.  In the first encounter Jesus is approached by some people carrying a man who is paralyzed. He says to the man that his sins are forgiven. Some scribes take offense to this and accuse Jesus of blasphemy. Jesus responds to them by proving that he has the authority to forgive sins by healing the man. It doesn’t make sense to us that Jesus is forgiving sins by healing the man. But, we have to remember that in Jesus’ day illness was equated with sin. People were struck by illness, especially conditions like paralysis, blindness, and the like either because of their sin or the sin of their parents.  So, in a sense, if Jesus forgives them of their sins, he heals them, and conversely, if he heals them, he is forgiving them of their sins. Either way, he is doing what only God can do.

Next Jesus meets Matthew, who as a tax collector is considered to be a sinner. He calls on Matthew to follow him and Matthew responds. Jesus has dinner at his house with Matthew’s friends, also sinners. Some Pharisees criticize Jesus for doing this. Jesus responds to their criticism by stating that a doctor is needed by people who are sick, not those who are well. He paraphrases Hosea 6:6, speaking to them about how their priorities are in the wrong place by concentrating on receiving sacrifices and making people work for forgiveness, instead of offering mercy (“steadfast love” in Hosea), which is what God desires.

Then some disciples of John the Baptist come and question the way Jesus practices his faith. They concentrate on the pious practice of fasting and Jesus doesn’t. Jesus responds basically by saying that he is doing something new and the old practices no longer apply.

One of the leaders of a synagogue knows that Jesus can heal and Jesus tp heal his daughter who has just died. While Jesus is going to her a woman who has been bleeding for twelve years touches his cloak and Jesus heals her. Jesus brings the girl back to life and as Jesus leaves the house he meets two blind men whom he heals. Next, Jesus meets a person who has been made mute by a demon. Jesus casts the demon out. The Pharisees question by whose authority Jesus can do such things, saying that it must be by the ruler of the demons.   Jesus answers these accusations later.

Genesis 20 opens with another situation where Abraham tries to pass his wife Sarah off as his sister for his own preservation. When will he ever learn? God confronts King Abimelech with the fact that he is about to get not only himself but his whole country in trouble because he iw taking up with a married woman. King Abimelech pleads that he has as yet done nothing wrong, and God acknowledges that is true and He is keeping the king from sinning. God ten tells the king to let them go without doing them harm and Abraham would pray for him.

Abimelech confronts Abraham and we learn the reason he keeps calling Sarah his sister. She, in fact is his half-sister being his father’s daughter. Abraham said he thought that this was the best way save his life by telling a half-truth. Lying by omission is a pretty common practice. We figure that if at least the part that we share is the truth then it is all right to hide the whole truth. We try to protect ourselves from the consequences of what the whole truth might bring. In Abraham’s case, he is still trusting in his own cunning to get him through. God calls him to account by letting the king know the truth, but God also provides protection. One would think that eventually Abraham would figure this out. Time will only tell. Abimelech lets Abraham go. Abraham prays for Abimelech and God blesses him.

In Genesis 21 Sarah finally conceives and bear a son that they name Isaac, just as God had said. Isaac was circumcised on the eighth day in accordance with his covenant with God.

Even though God had blessed Sarah, she still was jealous of Hagar and Ishmael. She forces Abraham to cast them out into the wilderness. Abraham does not want to do this, but God promises to take care of them and to fulfill His promise that Ishmael will also father a great nation. God takes care of Hagar and Ishmael and he thrives.

Abimelech and Abraham have a brief conflict over a well, but they resolve it with a covenant and Abraham continues to reside in the land of the Philistines.

In Matthew 8, Jesus finished the Sermon on the Mount and comes down mountain. A man with leprosy asked to be healed. Leprosy was the name given to a variety of skin conditions. Lepers were considered contagious and so were outcasts in society. They could get no work and because they were considered unclean they could not worship in the temple. Jesus healed him and has him go to the priest with an offering of praise and ritual cleansing.

A Roman centurion comes to Jesus and asks him to heal a sick servant. Jesus offers to come to his house but the centurion says that Jesus merely needs speak the healing word and it will happen. Jesus commends him on his faith, which is greater than many of his followers. He tells his followers that even those outside of Israel will believe and be saved while many from Israel will not believe.

As Jesus enters Peter’s house he finds Peter’s mother-in-law ill with a fever. He touches her and she is well enough to serve him. Many are brought to him for healing.

Jesus and his disciples get ready to cross the Sea of Galilee. While they are going to the shore he encounters a scribe who wants to follow him. Jesus answers that if he were to follow he would have to give up his home. A follower of Jesus wanted to come later after burying his father and Jesus said he must follow now.  He wanted everyone to understand the cost of discipleship.

As Jesus and his disciples cross the sea they encounter a storm. Jesus sleeps through the storm. The disciples wake him and beg him to save them. Jesus chides them for their lack of faith and calms the storm.

Finally, when they reach the other side, Jesus meets to men who are possessed by demons. The demons recognize him and beg him to leave them alone. He casts them into a herd of swine that run into the sea and drown. The swineherds run off into the town and tell everyone what has happened. The townspeople beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood.

All of these situations deal with faith. As we encounter Jesus we may respond as any one of these people. We may fervently believe and accept his word for us or a touch of his hand. We may make excuses for why we cannot follow at this time. We may not trust when we find ourselves in trouble; either we will be like Abraham and take things into our own hands or like the disciples and worry and fret over our situation instead of trusting His presence to see us through. We may be afraid of Jesus’ power and ask him to leave us alone. We must decide how we will receive him.