Our fellowship in the word
Reading Guide for February 13-19, 2012
MON Genesis 32: Jacob feared his brother Esau because of his own deceit, so he called upon God. Jacob had a mysterious wrestling match with a man whom he soon realized was God himself. God hobbled Jacob and gave him the name Israel, strives with God, perhaps a portent of the nation’s future relationship with God. Jacob sent gifts on ahead to his brother hoping to find favor.
TUE Genesis 33: Though the reunion with Esau went well, Jacob (Israel) quickly put some distance between them. He purchased land in Shechem from Hamor’s sons and erected an altar to God, which he named El-Elohe-Israel, God, the God of Israel.
WED Genesis 34: Shechem, Hamor the Hivite’s son, raped Jacob’s daughter Dinah, but then loved her. Jacob and Hamor conferred over the matter, but Dinah’s brothers avenged her rape by convincing the Hivite men to circumcise themselves and, while they recuperated, killing them. Their actions brought strife between them and Jacob.
THU Genesis 35: When God told Jacob to go to Bethel and there make an altar to Him, he obeyed and called the place El-Bethel, which means God of Bethel. God renamed Jacob Israel and established His covenant with him. Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin. Jacob’s eldest son, Reuben (Leah’s son), slept with Bilhah (Rachel’s servant) perhaps to cause her to fall from favor and keep her from assuming Rachel’s place. After Jacob returned to Hebron, his father Isaac died.
FRI Genesis 36: Esau’s offspring are listed, some with their careers. From Esau came the nation of Edom, which later was subjected to the nation of Israel. God had told Rebekah that two nations were in her womb and that the older would serve the younger.
SAT Genesis 37: Whereas the report of Esau’s offspring is neutral, there is the report of strife among Jacob’s. Joseph’s self-promoting dreams (from God) and Jacob’s favoritism toward him angered his brothers. They sought to kill him but Reuben prevented them. Instead, they sold him as a slave and reported to their father that he was killed by animals. Joseph was sold to an Egyptian, Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard.
SUN Genesis 38: The odd customs in this account of Judah and Tamar are strange to us, but show the consequences when men act apart from God’s will. The narrator offers no comment on Judah’s actions nor Tamar’s response; only Onan’s actions are declared wicked in the sight of the LORD. Called levirate marriage, it was customary if a man had no offspring when he died for his brother to produce offspring by the man’s wife.
Our fellowship in the word
Reading Guide for February 20-26, 2012
MON Genesis 39: The LORD was with Joseph, so he rose to the highest authority in Potiphar’s house. Trustworthy, he fled the advances of his master’s wife, so she accused him of sexual assault. Joseph was imprisoned, but the LORD was with Joseph and he rose in authority there and had success in all that he did.
TUE Genesis 40: Pharaoh imprisoned his baker and cupbearer, and Joseph was assigned to tend to them. They recounted to him dreams that they had and because he had God’s favor, Joseph was able to interpret them. The cupbearer’s dream meant his restoration to his office. The baker’s dream meant his execution. Joseph asked that they remember him to Pharaoh; they did not.
WED Genesis 41: Two years later, Pharaoh had two dreams, so the cupbearer commended Joseph to him. Joseph told Pharaoh the dreams meant that God would bring seven years of plenty to Egypt followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh set Joseph over all Egypt and gave to him his daughter in marriage. Egypt enjoyed seven years of plenty followed by seven of famine.
THU Genesis 42: Jacob, protective of Benjamin, sent the others to Egypt for food. When they bowed before Joseph, he recognized them, but they did not recognize him. He created a ruse to get them to bring Benjamin to Egypt. He accused them of being spies, and made them leave Simeon until they returned with Benjamin. Jacob chastened them for having lost two sons, Joseph and Simeon, he was about to lose another, Benjamin.
FRI Genesis 43: Joseph’s brothers returned to Egypt with their brother, Benjamin, just as Joseph had commanded, along with the money they had found in their sacks, just as their father Israel had commanded. They were amazed at the graciousness of this powerful “Egyptian” ruler. Why was Joseph so gracious when his brothers had treated him poorly?
SAT Genesis 44: Joseph sent his brothers home with their money secretly placed in their sacks and his own silver cup in Ben-jamin’s sack. He then sent his steward after them to demand to know why they would steal his cup; he wanted to force them to leave Benjamin in Egypt. They pleaded with this “Egyptian” ruler saying that their father couldn’t bear to lose another son.
SUN Genesis 45: Joseph revealed his identity to them and the text says they were terrified, and rightly so considering what they had done to him. Joseph’s perspective on their actions against him rightly magnifies God’s sovereignty: “God sent me before you to preserve life.” Joseph told his brothers to bring their father and families to Egypt.