January 2015 Bible Study companion

The Bible Study Companion

Reflections, questions, and observations on God’s Holy Word

January

More than a Bible reading plan, the Bible Study Companion goes beyond a mere reading of the Word. The Bible Study Companion asks difficult questions about the text. It searches for a deeper meaning behind the stories and events in the Bible. And it helps bring clarity to some confusing passages in the Bible.

The Bible Study Companion is a series of 365 daily readings that walks you through the Bible in Chronological order.

How to use the Bible Study Companion: Using the translation of your choice, read the scripture for each day.

For insight, observations, and questions about each day’s passages, refer to the study notes in this guide.

Make your own notes and ask your own questions as you study through the Bible as well.

Presented by Gregory L. Jones, Pastor West York Church of the Brethren http://www.westyorkcob.org

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January January 1: Genesis 1-3 Genesis Most traditional biblical scholars will teach you that Moses assembled the book of Genesis. It is a collection of verbal traditions, handed down over many generations, possibly combined with God’s enlightenment when Moses spoke with Him on Mt. Horeb. However, some critical scholars believe it was written by Ezra. They actually claim Ezra assembled the first five books of the Bible (the Pentateuch). But even they concede that this work included much of the writings of Moses. So it seems pretty clear that this work was given to the sons and daughters of Jacob (Israel), as they were leaving Egypt. This is actually a significant point. As slaves in Egypt, we are left to wonder what these people actually believed of themselves. Because many of these Jews were willing to go back to Egypt rather than follow God, maybe they needed a lesson on just who they are and who God is.

In Genesis, especially in the creation account, we see subtle references to the power of God over all of creation. Perhaps this is to show Israel how impotent the gods of Egypt truly are. For example, the lights in the sky are not gods. They were created by God. The readers of Genesis are introduced to sin and, notably, that there are those who live for God and those who live against God. The idea of right and wrong is introduced to the people of Israel. Now, maybe some of them knew this, but there is a chance many did not. And for those who did know the difference, Genesis is their written reinforcement stating that they are pleasing God by the way they choose to live.

Also present in Genesis is the idea that God is in control. He is sovereign. He is orchestrating events and using that which seems terrible in order to bring about His plan. So as the people of Israel were traveling to the Promised Land, perhaps they 3

would be able to draw strength from what they were facing by knowing what God had done in the past.

Genesis 1  Genesis 1:2 Several things are evident in this particular verse. First of all when God created the earth, water was already present. This tells me that the earth must have been spinning, for without gravity the water would have drifted off into space. The earth must have had an atmosphere, for without it the water would have evaporated. The earth must have been in its present orbit around the sun because too close and it would all be vaporized, and too far away and it would have all been ice.  Genesis 1:3 Part of the creation during the first day was to create heaven and the earth, and also light. If you read this section as "first God did this and then He did this", it is not going to make sense. But if it is viewed as a summary of the day's events, it does seem to work. The heavens appeared. The sun appeared.

The earth appeared, and God set it in motion that day so it would begin to rotate on its axis giving the earth an evening and a morning - the first day. Robert Jastrow noted, in his famous book God and the Astronomers, that theologians beat astronomers to the big bang’s discovery by many centuries. Isaiah 40:22 speaks of a sudden appearing of the heavens and earth. What's interesting is that when scientists speak of the "Big Bang", they do not speak of an explosion but of a sudden appearance of the universe. Evidence indicates that the universe exploded into existence. However, this explosion was not a disorderly event, rather one that was fine-tuned. 1 Out of nothing the universe suddenly appeared. Nobel Prize-winning scientist Steven Weinberg explains that this “explosion” isn’t like the kind we see here on earth when fireworks explode during the 4th of July. What he describes is an explosion which occurred simultaneously everywhere. In a blink of an eye there was light. 2 Bill Bryson wrote that in about three minutes 98% of everything in the known universe 1 The Case For a Creator by Lee Strobel, Chapter 5: the Evidence of Cosmology 2 Steven Weinberg, The First Three Minutes (1988)

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suddenly sprung into existence; every proton, neutron, electron, every atom, everything that exists began to exist. Think about it for a moment. In about three minutes all the Physical Laws which govern our universe were put into place; laws so precise that if any one of them varied by the tiniest amount, the universe would not be able to support life3. Unlike the uniform dispersion seen in a fireworks display, the universe has empty spaces here and there. Recent studies have mapped our cluster of galaxies in the universe. The images of this clustering are amazing. Each point of light in this clustering (called Laniakea) represents a galaxy. It’s easy to see from the image that not all parts of the universe are the same.

Some galaxies are round, some spiral. Some are elliptical. Some stars in those galaxies are grouped close together while others are far apart. But all are approximately the same age4 made up of the same basic elements; as if they came from the same source. For interesting reading on this, pick up a copy of A

Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel. It's a scientific read, but actually quite interesting (for us science geeks).  Genesis 1:6-8 On the second day God creates an oxygen atmosphere on the earth to support life.  Genesis 1:9-13 On the third day the waters are pushed back to expose a land mass. Please note here that at this point in creation the earth was already able to support life. It was not rocky and barren. There would have been nutrients in the soil already. Some claim that the earth was a ball of super-hot gas that eventually cooled, forming the crust of the earth. But if the earth’s crust was 3 Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything (2003) 4 Donald Hamilton, The Spectral Evolution of Galaxies as published in Astrophysical Journal 297 (1985)

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nothing more than a barren rock, where did the organic matter found in soil come from? Erosion? The breakdown of the elements? Everyone knows that it takes organic matter to support life. And organic matter sustains life. Without it the earth is sterile. So how could life begin in a sterile environment unless someone introduced life into that environment? Again the research indicates that there was a sudden appearance called the Cambrian Explosion; a sudden appearing of life. And it appeared on an earth ready to support life. 5 Geologists find that as they dig down through layers of earth they reach a point where evidence of life suddenly appears. And it is not the simple forms of life they discover, but complex organisms; red blooded mammals that give birth, not single cell amoebas or protoplasm. When I read this the only conclusion I can draw is that the earth was created old; old enough to be ready to support life. So even though radiometric dating of a rock says it is millions of years old does not mean it was in existence for millions of years. I suggest it was created that old. In a similar way, how old was Adam when he was created? God didn't create a fertilized egg that lay in an incubator for 9 months. He didn't create a baby. He created a man old enough to reproduce life. I think He did the same for the earth.  Genesis 1:14-19 The Genesis creation story speaks against the gods of humanity. The mystical religions called these clusters of lights gods (signs of the Zodiac). Genesis says it was God who created these clusters of light. He put them in place. He arranged them throughout the heavens. These stars are not gods. They are the creation of God. So on day four we are introduced to seasons. And the rotation of these lights in the sky is used to mark off the seasons, days, and years. Since seasons are caused by a tilt in the earth’s axis, perhaps this is when God tilted the earth ever so slightly so that as the earth rotates around the sun, different hemispheres receive more or less sunshine.

This does not mean that the sun, moon, and stars were created on day four. It means that God set the earth in position to mark off seasons.

5 The Cambrian Information Explosion: Evidence for Intelligent Design – Stephen C. Meyer, PHD

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 Genesis 1:20-23 On day five animals of all kinds are created. And notice how the text mentions that creatures were created according to their kind. How would someone from that time period know that creatures cannot reproduce beyond their own kind? Was this fact known back then?  Genesis 1:24-31 On day six God created man. Humanity was created in God’s image and in His likeness. I believe our physical attributes (two arms, two legs, one head, etc.) reflect the image of God. When the Angel of the Lord appeared to people in later times He always resembled a man. In God’s likeness means that man has a soul. We are more than simply flesh and blood.  Interesting how God thought it important to point out the days involved in Creation. He could have simply mentioned the different events. Why do you suppose God felt it necessary to mention the days?

Genesis 2  Genesis 2:4-6 This is not a “second creation” as some have suggested. The narrative simply focuses in on the details involved during the sixth day.  Genesis 2:7 I love how this verse makes the formation of Man seem so easy.

From the dust of the ground God formed the man. Sounds simple, right? But have you ever studied the human body? As a testimony to the awesome power of God, take a moment and consider the complexities of our bodies. Take white blood cells for example. Unlike red blood cells, the white ones can mold and bend their shape. They wander aimlessly through the human body without any purpose until, of course, the body is invaded. From fixing punctured skin to attacking invading bacteria, this army 50 billion strong wage warfare daily against anything that invades or attacks the body. Within 30 seconds, a white blood cell envelopes a germ, completely surrounding it. In about a minute the white blood cell will detonate a chemical explosion killing the germ that has become trapped inside, most of the time killing itself as well. Not to worry though. Inside your bones there is a factory making more white blood cells each and every day. And these white blood cells develop a “memory”. They remember the last invader 7

and the threat becomes “imprinted”. That way the next time that flu virus invades the blood stream, the white blood cells are ready to attack. Consider the human eye as well. There are over 107 million cells in the human eye. 7 million of these are called “cones”. This is what enables a person to perceive color. As the wavelengths of the light spectrum pass across these cones, each one of them fires off a message to the brain, enabling us to distinguish a thousand shades of color. Humans have three, responding to red, yellow, and blue. Most animals have none. Cats and dogs have two. The remaining cells in the human eye are called “Rods”. Rods do not distinguish color, but help us perceive light. Rods are so sensitive that their range of perceived light is a million points broad. Every moment our eyes are opened millions of signals travel to the brain, which combines each individual signal into an image that is recognizable. In an instant we can tell that two colors are different (we just don’t know that one is called pink and the other salmon). I’ve often wondered why humans developed three “cones” while most other animals did not. Why make the color scale so much more broad for us? The human ear is just as amazing. Strike middle C on the piano and your eardrum will vibrate 256 times a second (or 256 Hz). These vibrations on the ear drum are transferred to tiny bones in the inner ear known as the Hammer, the Anvil, and the Stirrup. They, in turn, send electrical signals to the brain which translate it into sound. Truthfully, the piano does not make a “sound”; it generates waves of compressed air that pound against the eardrum.

It’s the cooperation between the ear and the brain that allows us to perceive sound. Incidentally, the human eardrum will react to a sound so faint that it moves no more than a billionth of a centimeter. But the most amazing part of creation, at least to me, happens at birth. As a baby grows inside the womb, its lungs remain deflated. Babies do not breathe before they are born. Oxygen for the baby’s body comes through the umbilical cord. An artery travels from the belly button to the heart, mixing mother’s blood with the baby’s blood. Inside the heart there is a special valve that allows blood to flow directly from the left to right Atria (the two upper chambers of the heart). Only moments after the doctor cuts 8

the umbilical cord, the blood pressure changes in the baby’s heart, closing that valve. In that moment, blood is diverted to the lungs, and the baby takes its first breath. A baby’s first breath is not a cry of protest, but a cry of life. And as I think about this amazing transformation I am dumbfounded how this process could have evolved. Without these things in place, a baby would die either in the mother’s womb or suffocate shortly after birth. The complexity of the human body alone is just as amazing as the complexity of the universe we live in. All the elements necessary for life are woven together with amazing precision; each designed to function as part of the whole. Wiggle the small bones in your foot.

These bones are about half the diameter of a pencil, and yet they support us when we walk, or run, or play soccer. Rub your finger across the back of your arm. What you “feel” is the result of electrical signals being sent to the brain by specialized cells (450 of them in one square inch of skin); cells so sensitive that they can feel a line 2,500th of an inch deep. Marvel at a chemical called Keratin.

It’s a complex protein that oozes out of pores to become either a fingernail or a hair. In birds, this same protein pushes its way out of a follicle, grows erect and proudly unfolds as a peacock feather. Chemistry becomes beauty. 6  Genesis 2:15-16 Notice that man was allowed to eat the fruit from the Tree of Life but not from the Tree of Knowledge. What would have happened to humanity if Adam did eat from the Tree of Life? We know that he did not (Genesis 3:22). If he had, what chance would humanity have to ever be redeemed? Would we be stuck permanently in these bodies, forever in torment between the lusts of the flesh and the desire for holiness?  In Genesis 2:25, how would Moses, who is credited with writing this book, have known that Adam & Eve were naked but not ashamed? This is so outside human thinking that it is almost impossible to conceive! What person could possibly have imagined this? And, why was this bit of information necessary? It

6 For further reading on the complexities of the human body, I suggest a book written by Dr. Paul Brand and Phillip Yancey entitled Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. Many of the facts shared here came from this book

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is statements like these that convince me that God was the author. Moses was the scribe.

Genesis 3  Genesis 3:1-4 This whole dialog between Eve and the serpent raises a question: did Eve or Adam know what death meant? Since death did not exist, did they understand the concept? But since the serpent uses death in his whole lie, it leads me to believe that Adam & Eve did know what it meant. Even God mentioned it to Adam back in 2:17. Did you also notice that Eve added to the command given by God? She added, “If you touch it”, which is not what God had told Adam. Do you think Adam added this extra clause when he told Eve what God had said to him? Do you think this extra stipulation was wrong? I’m not sure. Why tempt yourself by touching the fruit and holding the fruit? Why put yourself in a situation where you have to overcome a temptation?  Genesis 3:12-13 So they play the blame game. Eve blamed the serpent, but Adam blamed God. Out of curiosity, whose punishment was worse, Adam or Eve?  Genesis 3:14-15 There’s a lot of speculation about the serpent, as mentioned here. Did the snake have legs at one time? Was the serpent able to speak?

Was it some mythological creature? We don’t know. But we do know that “it”, whatever “it” may be, is to remind humanity of the fall and the curse. If it is the snake, then may you be reminded that this world is under a curse every time you see a snake. This world is not as it was first created. This world, and all that is in it, has been cursed by death. Death entered a world that used to be good.

Death became a reality, and its sting has been felt almost since the dawn of time.

Incidentally, the seed of a woman would one day crush the seed of the great deceiver (the Satan). All who do Satan’s bidding are his offspring. Jesus called those who embraced lies and deceit the son of the Devil (John 8:44). So Christ, through His victory over death, crushes the Satan; the liar and the accuser.

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January 2: Genesis 4-6 Genesis 4  Genesis 4:5 – How did Cain know his offering was rejected? And have you ever noticed this before, it says that God did not accept Cain nor his offering.

Apparently Cain was not doing what was right, and of course God knew it. So no offering of Cain’s would be accepted.  Genesis 4:15 Cain could no longer survive by tilling the soil. He would have to survive in some other fashion. Did he eat the wild berries and the fruit that grew wild on the trees? Or did he learn to start taking what belonged to others? Did he become a thief as well as a murderer?  Genesis 4:17 – Cain’s wife. There’s been much speculation on this. She was even mentioned in the Scopes Trial. People use her to discredit the Bible. But most often the simplest answer is probably correct. More than likely she was simply a sister. Read Genesis 5:4. The biblical narrative at this point focused only on Cain, Abel, and Seth because they were key people in the narrative, not the only people in the story.

Genesis 5  Genesis 5:5 – 930 years old! Can you imagine living that long? No, the days were not shorter then, and no, someone did not mess up recording their ages. If you think about it, Adam was created not to die. How else could death become his punishment? People just naturally lived longer then. Not because of science or technology or healthy living, but because they were not made to die. But because of sin, death entered the equation. Don’t miss they key phrase here: “And then he died”.

Genesis 6  Genesis 6:1-4 This section is the source of a lot of speculation. There are basically 4 views on this section, discussed at length at http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/aid/v2/n1/who-were-the-nephilim. For 11

myself, I hold the view that Fallen Angels did not have sex with the women of the earth. I just don’t see how that is possible. Non-corporeal beings cannot interact with flesh and blood. See Matthew 22:30. Even God did not have sex with Mary. The Holt Spirit caused Mary to conceive. Again, the simplest answer seems to be correct. The Sons of God is a reference to those who followed God (descendants of Seth). The daughters of men are those who have “fallen away” from God. Drawn to their beauty, the sons of God chose the lust of the flesh over obedience to God. And their children (Nephilim is related to the Hebrew word “to fall”), would abandon that which is good, and fall away. My guess is that they became warriors instead of farmers; taking from others instead of working for themselves (see Genesis 6:11)  Genesis 6:15 The Ark, 450 feet long, 75 feel wide, and 45 feet high. That would have taken a long time to build (120 years perhaps?). However, here we see God providing a way to escape His judgment, much like He has done for us today. Through Christ, we have a way to escape the judgment to come.

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January 3: Genesis 7-10 Genesis 7  Genesis 7:1 – Unlike the Gilgamesh account (which records the flood happened because the gods couldn't stand all the noise humans were making), Genesis says the flood was God’s judgment over humanity’s wickedness.

Genesis 8  Genesis 8:1-19 Although the heavy rains only lasted 40 days (yea, “only”), apparently there was still showers for another 110 days. All the while the waters began to recede. 377 days after entering the Ark, Noah and the animals he had taken on the Ark destined for survival were set free. Yes, some animals were on the Ark destined to be eaten (see Genesis 8:20). Scientist will point to a high 13

concentration of a certain element present in a thin layer of rock that is found around the world. They say an asteroid six miles across crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. That crash created catastrophic effects on the earth and anything living on the earth. Now, I’m not going to argue that their hypothesis is false. It just might be true. But what I would like to point out is that God knew this was coming, and rescued a small part of civilization from the devastation. Oh, and for those who want to argue about where the Ark finally came to rest, just consider what part of the earth our earliest historical records come from.  Genesis 8:20-22 The rainbow is a symbol of God’s covenant, but here we see that the seasons will continue as well, provided the earth remains. Don’t miss that point in verse 22.

Genesis 9  Genesis 9:2 Apparently prior to this Man and animals got along pretty well. As they left the Ark it seems God spoke one more curse. I believe that when Christ returns to make all things new, even this curse will be lifted. A day will come when Man and animals get along once again.  Genesis 9:3 Apparently prior to this man had not eaten animal flesh. Yes, animals were killed, and animals were offered as sacrifices (see Genesis 4:3).

But God now says here that animal flesh may now be eaten. Yes, it is possible that Noah and his family began to eat animals like the others had been doing prior to the flood. Perhaps eating animal flesh was something everyone else had been doing except Noah. But I doubt it. I doubt God would tell Noah that it’s okay to start acting like those who had been wiped out in the flood. No, I think this was a new command from God.  Genesis 9:13 since it had never rained (see Genesis 2:5) this new sign in the sky would remind humanity of God’s covenant.  Genesis 9:18-23 Here we see the thread of God’s plan narrowing even further.

Ham saw Noah’s nakedness, but Noah curses Canaan. Why? The descendants of Canaan are the Canaanites who will constantly antagonize Israel (who traces 14

their heritage back to Shem). As we look at the nations of the world 600 years from this point it’s interesting to note that the descendants of Shem settle in Asia (Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, Aram), Japheth in Europe (Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, Tiras), and Ham in Africa (Cush, Mizraim, Phut, Canaan). By the way, on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) members of all three sons are present for the birth of the Church. The list of races covers all three of these areas.

Genesis 10  Genesis is written according to themes, not always in chronological order.

So Genesis 10:5 may be an event that took place shortly after chapter 11. I say maybe because the Hebrew word used here for language, Lawshown, can refer merely to a way of speaking, not a language that is unfamiliar to another speaker. It is similar to the difference we perceive when someone is from New York or from Alabama. The main point here is that people began to separate themselves according to their clan, which was against God’s will. Look ahead to Genesis 10:13. The “ites” are now being added to someone’s name. For example, I would be a Matthiasite, a descendent of Matthias, my great grandfather. As God was giving this history to the nation of Israel while they wandered in the wilderness, He was showing them which clans descended from Noah were part of God’s blessing and which were a part of God’s curse. Even the boundaries of the Promised Land are given in verse 19.  Genesis 10:8 Remember the name Nimrod. It will come up again later. Also the name Cush. And you may recognize the name Canaan. The land his descendants occupied would later be conquered by the descendants of Shem. See Noah’s curse in Genesis 9:26.

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January 4: Genesis 11-14 Genesis 11  The key to understanding God’s intervention here is found in Genesis 11:4. There’s nothing wrong in building a Ziggurat (large tower), but they had immense pride (make a name for ourselves) and blatantly disregarded the Lord’s command to spread and fill the whole earth ( Lest we be scattered). I've often wondered if this was all the people or just the ungodly ones. I've wondered if there were some who remained faithful to God. If so, was their language confused? Which of the world’s languages was the original? Or did God create a whole different set of languages and eliminate the one originally spoken before this event? I don’t know this answer. As you read this section and compare the history of the city Babylon, they are strikingly similar (visit http://www.biblehistory.com/babylonia/BabyloniaHistory_of_Babylonia.htm for more information). The huge Ziggurat is said to have been constructed in heaven as an expression of pride (Enuma Elish VI, lines 55-64). At the top of this step-like tower, there was a miniature temple to the god Marduk. It seemed these people were trying to set up an anti-kingdom, one in contrast to the Great I AM. It’s no wonder God intervened. So the people are hopelessly scattered; divided and cut off from one another. But out of this hopelessness, Genesis begins to narrow its focus upon one of those clans.

Genesis 12  I will forever be amazed that Abram left home, packed up everything and everyone, and left not knowing where he was going. Amazing. What did he do, just start walking? Did God tell him to take a right turn in Albuquerque? Man, I wish I had that kind of faith. And Sarai, wow. She tagged along even though she never heard from God. That took even greater faith. Reminds me of my family when I entered full time ministry. I went to Iowa feeling God leading me there. But my family didn’t hear from God. But still they went, trusting that I had indeed

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been led there by God. I have a great deal of respect and love for my family because of that. To them I am eternally grateful.  Genesis 12:8 here is significant. “Called upon the Name of the Lord” literally means he proclaimed Yahweh by name. Abram, in the midst of this Canaanite land, began to preach God. God had a witness in the land of Canaan.  Genesis 12:13. Just because Abram lied doesn't mean lying is acceptable. It only shows he was human. Critics love to discredit the Bible by pointing out that Abram lied. I suggest that the fact the Bible records Abram’s deceit authenticates that the Bible is indeed accurate and true. If the Bible was the fabrication of men, their greatest patriarch would have appeared spotless and blameless.  Genesis 12:18. How did the Pharaoh know that Sarai was the source of their plague? How did he know Abram had deceived him?

Genesis 13  Genesis 13:11 – This section of Canaan is a wasteland today. But apparently at this point in history is was fertile. Sulfur covers this area today. More information on this area can be found at www.bibleplus.org/discoveries/sodomfound.htm Genesis 14  Genesis 14:14 - Abram’s household could produce 318 trained men! His people must have been 4 times as large, yet not one of them was his offspring; no son, no grandchildren. I wonder how many of these people had followed him willingly.  Genesis 14:18 – My NASB Bible indicates that this Melchizedek is the same one mentioned in Hebrews 7. And by the way, the city called Salem is what we now call Jerusalem. I find it interesting that outside of Abram’s household there was someone who not only worshiped the Lord, but also helped others do it as well.

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January 5: Genesis 15-17 Genesis 15  Genesis 15:6 God made Abram a promise, and Abram believed Him (God). It was this belief that made Abram righteous, not following the Law. He was not circumcised; he did not know what food was clean or unclean. He didn’t know of ritual washing techniques. Abram’s belief is what caused God to see him as righteous. Then he (Abram) believed in the Lord; and He (God) reckoned it to him as righteousness.  Genesis 15:9-18 Ancient covenants were sealed between two people by having both parties pass between the rows of dead animals. In this case Abram never walks through. It’s as if God was saying “I will make this Covenant work”.

Genesis 16  Giving Hagar to Abram was part of a social custom at that time. If the man said, “Behold, you are my son”, the child became a legal heir. But God often does not work according to Man’s customs, which was the case here. Abram tells Sarai to deal with the problem as she saw fit. He washed his hands of the whole affair. By the way, Ishmael became the ancestor of the Arabs who are still hostile to the Jews.

Genesis 17  Circumcised at 99! What a painful thought. Can you imagine Abraham (as he’s now called) telling the other men in his group what God had asked them to do.

“You want to do what!!!” But this is what God demanded. I find it interesting that Isaac was conceived after this. The circumcision, being a sign of the covenant, produces a son who is part of the covenant.

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January 6: Genesis 18-21 Genesis 18  In Genesis 18:17 some biblical scholars suggest that two of these “men” were angels, but the One called “Lord” was the pre-incarnate Christ. However, there is a slightly difference reference here as opposed to Genesis 6:7. There He is referred as “The Angel of the Lord”. But considering that Abraham was able to plead for the righteous, it seems he was speaking with “The Angel of the Lord”.

Who else but God has the power to do as He wills? Angels merely carry out the Father’s will (well, the good angels, that is).  In Genesis 18:32 we find out that there were not even ten righteous people living in Sodom. That’s pathetic.

Genesis 19  In Genesis 19:5 the Hebrew word Yada has often times been translated as “sexual relations”. In the context, this has to be the correct translation. The word Yada does also mean “to know”, and as Walter Wink claims, the men of the town simply wanted to get to know these men; to be sociable. But if that were true, then why would God’s judgment burn against this city? Why could not the Lord find even ten who were righteous? And why would a mob of Heterosexual men want to have relations with two strangers who happened to walk into town? Why was Lot so insistent that they stay in his house? Why bar the door? Why suggest they take his virgin daughters? The same word Yada is used in Genesis 19:8, where Lot’s daughters are called virgins. It has to be viewed in the sexual context.  In Genesis 19:37-38, Lot’s children to his daughters become the Moabites and the Ammonites. And as Moses wrote down these events he reminds Israel that these people are their enemies. So often the people who opposed the nation of Israel were closely related to Israel, except these nations had their beginning in disobedience.

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Genesis 20  In Genesis 20:6 I like that God intervened before Abimelech could sin against God. I wonder how many times this may happen in our own lives, not getting what we desire, because God is trying to keep us from sinning. Does He withhold the desires of the flesh from us? Does God step in just at the right time even if we don’t ask for help? Does God sometimes take measures Himself to keep us pure? “Lead us not into temptation” we pray. Perhaps at times He answers that prayer so we don’t have to ask for forgiveness later.

Genesis 21  Not to be too blunt here, but in Genesis 21:2 it says that Sarah conceived. This husband and wife were how old? 100 and 90? And we all know what needs to happen in order for a child to be conceived. That tells me that they did believe what the Lord had promised. And they did their part to make sure it happened.

Okay, enough said about that.  In Genesis 21:23 Abimelech asks Abraham to make a covenant with him. He notices that God had blessed Abraham, but he seeks the covenant so Abraham will not deal falsely with him. It seems Abraham’s earlier deception with Sarah had given him the reputation of being a deceiver. I think all Christians must think long and hard what their actions today will say about them tomorrow.

January 7: Genesis 22-24 Genesis 22  Child sacrifice was well known in Canaan. This is how the god Molech was worshiped. A child was sent through the fire. But Abraham did not associate Yahweh with Molech. He did, however, demonstrate the magnitude of his faith and make the 50 mile journey to Mt. Moriah, the place where David would make his sacrifice, and the place Solomon would build the Temple. In Genesis 22:12 we find why God brought Abraham and Isaac on this journey; to see what 20

Abraham would withhold from God. How much am I withholding from God? What in my life is more precious than God? Genesis 23  Abraham wanted to buy a grave to bury Sarah, but Ephron wanted to give it to him. Abraham insisted in paying. This sounds strikingly similar to the exchange between David & Araunah in 2 Samuel 24:22. I guess men of great faith think alike.

Genesis 24  Don’t we sometimes pray just like this servant in verse Genesis 24:14? I’ve often asked God to do something so I might know His will. “Lord, if this is your will, then may the vote be unanimous.” I’m curious though. Do you think this is right?

And when He does answer according to the sign, does that mean He is with us and guiding us?

January 8: Genesis 25, 1 Chronicles 1 Genesis 25  Here we see that Abraham had other children, not just Isaac and Ishmael. And it’s interesting to note that both Isaac and Ishmael bury Abraham.  In Genesis 25:16 we read that Ishmael had twelve sons. And these 12 “Tribes” end up living in open hostility toward their relatives (probably meaning the descendants of Isaac).  In Genesis 25:32 it appears that Esau was not too bright. Selling his birthright to Jacob for a meal. But who was worse here? Jacob seems a bit like a schemer. It seems he had been waiting for the right moment to trick his brother into selling his birthright.

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1 Chronicles 1  The Chronicler is trying to draw a line down through history showing his readers how God was constantly at work to bring about something great through a particular people. Matthew accomplishes this same thing in his opening genealogy of Jesus (see Matthew 1:1-17). Here we see the thread move from Adam to Noah (1 Chronicles 1:1-4). We are introduced to the descendants of Japheth and the descendants of Ham, probably to help this remnant of Israel understand where their enemies had come from. Just about anyone familiar with Israel’s history would recognize many of the other nations mentioned in this chapter. They knew the Philistines (1 Chronicles 1:11), and would be familiar with many of the descendants of Canaan (1 Chronicles 1:13). These were the people who were constantly working against Israel throughout her history. And none of these nations received God’s blessing. Finally, we are given descendants of Shem (1 Chronicles 1:17-24), ending, of course, with father Abraham. The chapter ends with the Chronicler pointing to the other descendants of Abraham with the reader probably knowing that none of those other nations received the same promises Israel had received.

January 9: Genesis 26-28 Genesis 26  The Abimelech mentioned here is probably not the same one mentioned in Genesis 20:2. These events were 90 years apart. It is possible Abimelech was a title, similar to Pharaoh or Caesar.  There’s something to be said about the need to remain faithful here. God made a promise to Abraham because of his faith. But I think Isaac needed to demonstrate his faith as well. Just because Dad went to church doesn't mean that I will automatically be included in his promise. At some point a person must move from living under the faith of their parents into their own faith.

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 I appreciate Isaac’s gentleness over the well disputes. By rights he could have fought for them. I wonder if this was God’s way of getting him to move further away.  So many similarities between Isaac and his father. His deception about Rebekah sounds similar to Abraham and Sarah. And once again Abimelech comes out to make a treaty because of Isaac’s deceit.

Genesis 27  So how does this whole blessing thing work? Jacob tricked Isaac into giving him the blessing. But in Isaac’s mind it was really Esau. So if Isaac was thinking Esau at the time, even though Jacob was in the room, shouldn’t the blessing fall upon who Isaac was thinking of, and not to the one who heard it? What difference would the blessing make anyway? God had already spoken about the boys in Genesis 25:23. Everyone was at fault here. No one was demonstrating faith in God’s plan. Even Isaac tried to overrule God’s plan by trying to bless Esau (Genesis 27:4). Rebekah worked out of deception, not faith and love. She would reap nothing but pain from this, as once Jacob is sent away (Genesis 27:42-45), she would never see him again. Jacob and Rebekah might have won here, but they did not gain anything that God would not have given them anyway.

Genesis 28  I’d have strange dreams as well if I used a stone for a pillow (Genesis 28:10). But the place becomes significant much later when the nation of Israel returns here after the Exodus out of Egypt.  Genesis 28:20-22 sounds like a cheap prayer. “God, if You do this, and if You do that, then I’ll do this and that.” It sounds that way, but in reality it was probably more of a vow. However, don’t we sometimes make a bargain with God instead of a vow? For example, I know in my heart that I should have the attitude that says “I will worship God no matter what He asks me to endure”, but some days I find myself reminding God all that I've done for Him and all I’ve sacrificed for Him. Isn’t that the same as holding Him to His end of the bargain?

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January 10: Genesis 29-30 Genesis 29  Interesting that Jacob, the deceiver, is deceived himself (Genesis 29:23). Was this all God’s doing? Perhaps now Jacob understood how his brother Esau must have felt. Jacob probably had to wrestle with some conviction after this.  Genesis 29:32 says that Leah was unloved, but that sure didn't keep Jacob from sleeping with her. And not just once on his wedding night either. Something kept him coming back to her, even after he was given Rachel.  Here is a breakdown of Jacob’s family.

 To Israel these narratives (Genesis 29:31 – 30:24) were more than interesting little stories. The rivalry that appears here explains much of the tribal rivalry that followed. But Genesis is clear: God chose the despised mother, Leah, and exalted her to be the first mother. The kingly tribe of Judah and the priestly tribe of Levi trace back to her, in spite of Jacob’s love for Rachel and her son Joseph.

Genesis 30  Genesis 30:32. Black and multi-colored goats were rare. Dark colored sheep were considered an omen for good. So when Jacob made this suggestion, of course Laban agreed. But still the deceiver, Laban moved them out of his flock, a three days journey away.

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 So how did the sticks in the watering trough make a difference in the herd (Genesis 30:37)? I guess God played a part in this. Scientifically it makes no sense. But in spite of Laban’s treachery, Jacob’s flock begins to grow.

January 11: Genesis 31-32 Genesis 31  In spite of what Jacob has just said regarding God (Genesis 31:1-16) Rachel steals her father’s idols (Genesis 31:19). Did she take them because they were valuable, or because she wanted to worship them? According to the Nuzi tablets (15th century BC) to possess these idols meant the right to inheritance. Maybe she thought she could one day return to the land and claim it has hers.  Twenty years of frustration are vented by Jacob in Genesis 31:36. And somehow I think Laban deserved it. But I wonder if this prepared him for the day he would meet Esau.  The pile of stones in Genesis 31:52 marked out the frontier in the hill country of Gilead. Possibly near the Northern tip of Israel under the leadership of David.

Genesis 32  In Genesis 32:7 we see how fearful Jacob is. For 20 years he believed his brother would take revenge. I suspect this is because Jacob was treated the same way he treated his brother. Are not our eyes opened when we experience that which we have done to others? Life can be a harsh teacher sometimes.

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January 12: Genesis 33-35 Genesis 33  Notice in Genesis 33:2 that Jacob, now called Israel (see Genesis 32:28), lines up his family in order of importance. The less important ones were out front.

Rachel and Joseph were last.  To see Esau’s face as one sees the face of God (Genesis 33:10) was Jacob’s way of saying that this peaceful reunion surely had been the work of God.  Throughout this section we see Jacob call Esau “My lord”. But Esau referrers to Jacob merely as “My Brother” (see Genesis 33:8-9). Interesting reversal of the whole blessing thing that Jacob so desperately wanted. Reminds me of Proverbs 15:1. Apparently it works!  Genesis 33:12-17. Jacob did not travel back with Esau. Maybe he figured that old wounds might open up again if the two of them spent too much time together (just like Christmas gathering for some people). So Jacob heads off in the opposite direction.

Genesis 34  Shechem rapes Dinah, but then falls in love with her (Genesis 34:2). Of course this action is wrong, but then so are the actions of Simeon and Levi. Jacob is so angry with them (Genesis 34:30) that later on he denies them any blessing (Genesis 49:5-7).  Genesis 34:7 is the first reference to the people being called Israel  Jacob is not given a chance to reply. His son’s make the deal with Hamor (Genesis 34:13). But I would say that by his silence he approved of this idea. He could have spoken up. Perhaps if Dinah were his daughter by Rachel rather than

by Leah, he would have acted differently.  Don’t let Shechem fool you. He was not as respectable as he may at first seem.

Sure he went to dear old dad asking for the girl (Genesis 34:11). Sure he agreed 26

to pay a dowry. But look at what he schemes with the other men in town (Genesis 34:23).

Genesis 35  Jacob is called to move on to Bethel (Genesis 35:1-15). This was the place that he made all those vows to the Lord (Genesis 28:20-22). Bethel was about 15 miles south of Shechem. See Map below.

 It appears in Genesis 35:5 that the other people had heard about the massacre at Shechem.  Rachel dies in childbirth on the way to Bethlehem (Genesis 35:19). Interesting. I think we all know of another woman who traveled to Bethlehem while she was expecting.  In Genesis 35:22 it is possible that Reuben, Jacob’s eldest, was trying to replace his father as patriarch prematurely by this pagan procedure. But in the end he lost his birthright because of this (see1 Chronicles 5:1-2).

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 Listed in Genesis 35:23-26 are the names of the twelve sons of Israel.

January 13: Genesis 36-37 Genesis 36  We now move on the family of Esau. Since two of these wives’ names are not the same as those listed earlier (Genesis 26:34; 28:9), either the others had died or he favored these three among his six or the two took different names.  Esau was Edom. In fact all through the chapter the reader is reminded of this.

Certainly Israel would understand how important this was because she often struggled with the Edomites, Esau’s descendants (Genesis 36:43).

Genesis 37  Genesis 37:1 In contrast to what we just read about Esau, having chiefs, kings, and people to govern, I wonder if it bothered Jacob that while his brother’s control grew, his remained the same. Isn't it true that waiting while others prosper is a test of one’s faithfulness and perseverance?  Genesis 37:3 Jacob should have remembered what parental favoritism does to a family. For Jacob it meant separation from his mother (Genesis 27:1 – 28:5).

Because of his favoritism toward Joseph, the two of them would be separated for 20 years.  Genesis 37:8 Even before the dream the other brothers were probably thinking that Joseph would receive an extra portion of the inheritance just because dad loved him best. Then he comes along with these dreams. Why didn't he keep them to himself? Why go about bragging? Whatever the answer, God’s sovereign choice of a leader often brings out the jealousy of those who must submit.  Genesis 37:21 I’m not sure why Reuben intervened on his brother’s behalf. He certainly never showed that kind of integrity in the past.

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 Genesis 37:25 An Ishmaelite would have been a relative of these men, being the descendant of Abraham’s through his son Ishmael.  Genesis 37:34 Not only did these son’s have no regard for their brother, but they certainly didn't care about their father as well. Why would you allow this man to be so tormented? Why be so deceitful even to your own dad?

January 14: Genesis 38-39, 1 Chronicles 2 Genesis 38  Can you imagine being a part of the tribe of Judah, just freed from Egyptian slavery, and reading this account? Whatever we may be tempted to think about Tamar, Judah was in the wrong here (see Genesis 38:8). Its interesting that this was the practice even before the laws were given (see Deuteronomy 25:5-10).

Genesis 39  Genesis 39:1 This Pharaoh was probably Sesostris II (1897-1879 BC).  Genesis 39:18 This is the second time Joseph’s cloak was used to bring a false report against him.  Genesis 39:19-23 It is tempting to look at how a situation has gone from good to bad to worse and conclude that God has abandoned you. But the lesson we can learn here from Joseph is that no matter the situation, as long as we remain faithful in our service to God, He will be with us. God intends to accomplish something, and if we are willing He will do it through us. But often times the eventual outcome is beyond our comprehension; beyond our imagination.

Joseph was probably just thinking about prospering here in Egypt, gaining his freedom, and returning to his family with all his wealth. I imagine that not once did he consider the path God had planned all along. Isn't this exactly what happens in our own lives? Don’t we do exactly the same thing? We grumble and complain when things just seem to be working against us; when things don’t go 29

our way. Yet behind it all, God is working to bring about something we never imagined in the first place. I wonder when we humans will learn this lesson.

1 Chronicles 2  At last the Chronicler arrived at the people who were the focus of interest. Here we will begin reading familiar names; names that were part of God’s promise.

And yet even in this family tree we will begin to see a particular thread moving away from all the other clans and toward one in particular. Notice that out of the 12 sons of Israel (Jacob), only one son becomes the focus of attention (1 Chronicles 2:3). From the line of Judah, we next focus on one of his sons Hezron (1 Chronicles 2:9). The Caleb mentioned here is not the same as the Caleb who was Joshua’s contemporary. Notice here how the lineage continues to follow a precise thread until we are introduced to David (1 Chronicles 2:16).

January 15: Genesis 40-42 Genesis 40  Genesis 40:19 Can you image the next three days for this baker? “Oh, by the way, in three days you’ll be killed. Have a nice day”. I wonder what this guy did to make the Pharaoh so mad.  Genesis 40:23 We do the exact same thing to God. He answers our prayers. He restores our broken lives. His Son dies on the cross. And we do what? We forget all about Him. God pours out blessing after blessing and we barely give him a second thought.

Genesis 41  Genesis 41:1 I wonder if Joseph was keeping track of all those years. I also wonder if he entertained thoughts of getting even with the Cup bearer once he got out. I doubt it, but I know those thoughts would have been going through my mind.

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 Genesis 41:16 When Joseph said “God” in this verse, did Pharaoh know who he meant? In Hebrew God is called Elohiym. But I suspect Joseph was speaking Egyptian by now. Perhaps he used the word Eyah, which comes out of the Babylonian tradition. Whatever the word he used, did the Pharaoh identify the word God with the great I AM, or did he think of one of his false gods.  Genesis 41:45 Joseph has his name changed to something most of us can’t pronounce, he’s given an Egyptian wife who just happens to be the daughter of a priest who is also sun worshiper (Solomon’s one wife was Egyptian, and she led him astray – see 1 Kings 11:4), and he’s placed in a position of power. Do you think he felt that this was the end of what God was going to do for him? I know for most of us when things begin to turn around we figure this is where God wants us to be. But most of the time God has more that He is planning. This is what happens to Joseph . . .or Zaphenath-Panea, or whatever he’s now called.

Did he start thinking “At last, this is where God wanted me to be”, or did Joseph sense that there was more to this story? I wish I knew. I wish I knew when the journey God leads us on finally comes to an end; that here in this place is where God has been leading to all along.  Genesis 41:51-52 Although immersed in Egyptian culture, Joseph gives his sons Hebrew names. These two sons are actually given land for an inheritance. There is no land given simply to the tribe of Joseph.

Genesis 42  This section tells the story about how Israel ended up in Egypt in the first place.

They would remain there for 400 years, just as God had spoken to Abram in Genesis 15:13. Remember that this whole Genesis narrative was given to a group of slaves who had just been rescued from bondage. Not feeling like special people, God has given them this story so they might know that He is their God and they are His people. He had brought them to Egypt, and He had brought them out.

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 Genesis 42:13 Oh sure, one of them is not alive. It’s amazing that they've held on to this lie for 20 years (Joseph would have been at least 37 by now. He was sold into slavery at 17).  Genesis 42:21 The brothers think God is getting even with them. Perhaps He was, but not in quite the way they have imagined. I think a guilty conscience can be severe punishment. And that guilt could be the work of God.  Genesis 42:23 here we see that Joseph had indeed mastered the Egyptian language. But he did not loose his understanding of Hebrew. I wonder if he spoke it at home around the boys?  Genesis 42:25 Why do you suppose Joseph had their money returned to them?

Was he trying to make them feel guilty?  Genesis 42:28 As God was preparing to bring this family down to Egypt, it was necessary that they come with the Fear of God in their hearts. Not "be afraid of God", but respect Him. Hold Him in awe and reverence. The question they ask here (What is this that God has done to us) shows that they were beginning to see God in a whole new light. God was getting bigger and bigger while they grew smaller.

January 16: Genesis 43-45 Genesis 43  Genesis 43:9 Judah, one of the masterminds in getting rid of Joseph (Genesis 37:26-27), has surely repented. Here he places his life on the line for the safety of his youngest brother.  Genesis 43:11 Apparently the items listed here were not available in Egypt (see Genesis 37:25). They would hardly be an offering if they were readily available.

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 Genesis 43:16 Apparently the place where the brothers stood before Joseph was at some court near Joseph’s house, or just outside his house.  Genesis 43:23 When the house steward told the brothers to not be afraid, he used the Hebrew word Shalom. Apparently Joseph must have talked to this man about God. He even counsels them about the work of God in their lives. Notice also that he said he had indeed received the money. It might have been another person who put the money back in their sacs on their first trip (Genesis 42:25)  Genesis 43:32 Interesting how things seem to turn around. Here the Egyptians would not break bread with a Hebrew. Later on the Jews would not break bread with a Gentile. Strange, isn't it, how quickly we separate ourselves from people of a different culture? I’m glad Jesus doesn't know cultural barriers.  Genesis 43:33 The seating arrangements must have been quite ominous. They had to be setting there going, “whoa, wait a minute. This is freaking me out!”

Genesis 44  Genesis 44:1 This time the house steward gets the honor of stuffing their sacs full of money. Benjamin gets the Silver Cup; The Silver Cup. This is their final test. If they had not demonstrated compassion for Benjamin, chances are these brothers would have been left to wander, and God would have used Joseph to build a great nation.  Genesis 44:12 Tricky. Very tricky here. The steward knew exactly where the cup was. But searching this way built tension.  Genesis 44:13 God’s discipline had worked. At home dad did not try to hide the fact that Benjamin had become his favorite son. In Joseph’s house, Benjamin had gotten a larger portion of food than the rest (mom always did like you best!).

These were probably the same conditions that Joseph had experienced, creating jealously among his brothers. But this time they tore their clothes.

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 Genesis 44:15 Joseph probably did not actually use divination in discovering their treachery. He may have simply referred to it to enhance his brothers’ awe of him.  Genesis 44:16 Judah gives a passionate plea here. They have repented of their sin against Joseph ("God has uncovered my guilt"). Judah is willing to be a slave in place of his brother; the one dad loved more.

Genesis 45  Genesis 45:1-2 Joseph sends all Egyptians out of the room. But they heard him crying. I wonder how many of his servants and stewards knew Joseph was Hebrew? I wonder how many meals they had eaten with him not knowing his ethnicity. Anyway, someone then runs and tells the Pharaoh.  Genesis 45:8 Joseph makes a profound proclamation here. He recognized the Hand of God in the midst of adversity (my, that sound spiritual). He learned to praise Him in the storm. “Blessed be Your name”, says Joseph, on the road marked with suffering; when there’s pain in the offering. Lord, blessed be Your name”. Do not feel God has abandoned you today, for tomorrow you have no idea what He has planned for you. I’m not saying He’ll make you Speaker of the House or Secretary of the State. But none of us knows today what God might do through us tomorrow.

January 17: Genesis 46-47 Genesis 46  Genesis 46:1 Good job Jacob. It was smart to offer a sacrifice to God; to acknowledge that God was the master behind all of this. Sometimes I think we forget to do this; to give God thanks for the great things He has done in our lives and for our lives.  Genesis 46:4 God gives Jacob comforting words here. He was not abandoning the land he was promised. Jacob was obeying God’s direction. The land of 34

Canaan would still belong to Israel; it’s just that God would give it to them at a later time.  Genesis 46:28 Judah is given a leadership role here even though he is the fourth born son of Jacob. Interesting.  Genesis 46:29 I wonder if the brothers ever confessed to Jacob what they had done to Joseph.  Genesis 46:34 Shepherds were loathsome to the Egyptians. According to Adam Clarke it surrounded the fact that the Israelites sacrificed these animals which were sacred to the Egyptians. He also contends that in order to receive the land of Goshen, which was perfect for grazing livestock, his brothers needed to tell them that this was their trade. There are a number of other possibilities, but this seems to make sense.

Genesis 47  Genesis 47:3 Joseph’s brothers didn't listen very well. They did exactly what he told them not to do. They were supposed to tell the Pharaoh they tended cattle, not sheep.  Genesis 47:6 The land of Goshen is not mentioned in ancient Egyptian writings.

But the name it bore in later times was; The District of Rameses.  Genesis 47:10 I like the fact that Jacob blessed the Pharaoh, which would have been Sesostris III (1878-1843 BC).  Genesis 47:13-26 This section doesn't quite make sense to me. I’m not sure why Joseph took all their money, all their livestock and all their land. Perhaps this was at the Pharaoh’s command. I don’t know. But what it ended up doing was putting all of Egypt in bondage. The reference here to the priests sounds similar to what God would command for the tribe of Levi.  Genesis 47:28 Here we see that Jacob (Israel) dies. He died never seeing God’s promise fulfilled. But, Jacob played a valuable role in making God’s promise happen. Most often we are not the recipients of the promises God makes. But we 35

are the instruments through which He works to bring about that promise. I need to constantly remind myself that I may never see an earthly blessing for my obedience, but the generations to come will. I do not live faithfully for myself. I live in faithfulness to God today for those around me and for those not yet born.

January 18: Genesis 48-50 Genesis 48  Genesis 48:5-7 Here is the incident which gave Ephraim and Manasseh their portion of the inheritance. Jacob gives them the right of First and Second born of Jacob. This all unfolds when Joshua takes the nation back into Canaan (Joshua 16-17). Why did this happen? Look back to how upset Jacob was with Reuben when he slaughtered the men who raped his sister (Genesis 34:30), but what about Levi? He played a part in the slaughter. Where was his punishment for this?  Genesis 48:8-14 For four consecutive generations this reversed pattern was followed: Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau, Joseph over Reuben, and Ephraim over Manasseh. Here, Jacob reaches out and crosses his hands to bless his two grandsons. The custom was to bless the eldest with the right hand.

But here Jacob does the opposite, and is insistent that this is the way God wants it done. According to Judges 6:12-15 both men have significant descendants, Joshua from Ephraim and Gideon from Manasseh. Is there something I’m missing here? Do you see any significance in this action?  Genesis 48:22 Apparently while in Canaan, Jacob conquered this hill section from the Amorites (they lived in the hills of Canaan). It was near Shechem. Later Joseph is buried there (Joshua 24:32).

Genesis 49  The Son’s of Israel

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 Reuben – Dad was still upset with his eldest son because of his adultery (Genesis 35:22) Reuben was entitled to leadership and a double inheritance (1 Chronicles 5:1-2), but because he had the ungoverned impulse of boiling water he would fail in leadership. In the time of the Judges (Judges 5:15-16), the tribe of Reuben was characterized by irresolution.  Simeon and Levi – They were men of anarchy and not justice, men of uncontrolled anger and fury, with disregard for men and animals. Here was God’s moral judgment on their slaughter of the men in Shechem (Genesis 34:25-29).

Both tribes were later scattered; Simeon was largely absorbed into the tribe of Judah (Joshua 19:1, 9), but Levi was afforded an honorable dispersion because it was the priestly tribe (Joshua 21).  Judah – What an incredible prophecy here about the tribe of Judah. Of note is verse 10, specifically that last sentence where Jacob says, “Until Shiloh comes” (NASB wording). The NLT rightly renders this as “until the coming of the one to whom it belongs”. What Jacob has said here is that Judah will hold the leader’s scepter until the rightful owner comes along; that being the Messiah.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Jacob was speaking the words of God here. He wasn't making this up.  Zebulun – His tribe was to be enriched by sea trade, but the land did not actually border the Mediterranean (Joshua 19:10-11)  Issachar – He would receive land located in the fertile broad pleasant Plain of Esdraelon, and was often subject to invading armies.  Dan – His descendants would demonstrate that although someone is given a calling, they may not achieve that calling. Dan was to provide justice (“Dan” means “judge”), but the tribe chose treachery, like a snake by the roadside. In the time of the Judges the first major practice of idolatry appeared in the tribe of Dan (Judges 18:30).  Gad - Border raids were often experienced by the tribes settled east of the Jordan River (See 1 Chronicles 5:18-19).

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 Asher – This tribe settled along the rich northern coast of Canaan  Naphtali – These people settled in the hill country northwest of the Sea of Galilee.  Joseph – Although he received no land directly, the prophecy here about overcoming attacker reminds me that through his sons there was much victory.

Victory in battle was experienced by Joshua, Deborah, and Samuel, all of the tribe of Ephraim, and by Gideon and Jephthah, both of Manasseh’s tribe.  Benjamin – He is described as a violent tribe with a ravenous spirit. They raised their fists against their own brothers (See Judges 20:12-15). King Saul was from Benjamin, who becomes quite temperamental (1 Samuel 19:10).

Genesis 50  Genesis 50:1-12 Quite the caravan that took Jacob back to the cave to be buried.

I thought the statement by the local Canaanites to be somewhat interesting.

In Genesis 50:11 they said that this was a place of deep mourning for These Egyptians. But most of the crowd was not Egyptian. Did the family of Jacob already start dressing like Egyptians?  Genesis 50:14-21 Apparently Jacob did learn of his son’s treachery against Joseph. But here Joseph shows why he was such a grand leader. He saw things from a bigger perspective. He realized that life did not surround his comfort and happiness. Joseph understood that he existed to bring about the Lord’s plan. And if part of that plan involved slavery, lies, and imprisonment, Joseph was willing to accept that as part of God’s plan. Today, we've been lured into thinking that God’s plan surrounds our personal happiness and pleasure. We've lost the perspective that Joseph had. We see things from our own tiny little world. And when our tiny little world suffers a jolt or a bump, we shake our fist at God and call Him a scoundrel. How much longer will God put up with such selfish and conceited people?

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January 19: Job 1-4 Before I begin with the book of Job, I’d like to fill you in why I’ve placed it here.

Although it appears much later in your Bible, consider that Job more than likely lived to be 210 (See Job 42:16). This would put his age in the same category as Terah (205), Abraham’s father. Abraham lived to be 175. The Sabeans and Chaldeans (Job 1:15, 17) were nomads in Abraham’s time, but in later years they were not nomadic. Job’s daughters were heirs of his estate along with their brothers (Job 42:15). This, however, was not possible later under the Mosaic Law if a daughter’s brothers were still living (Numbers 27:8). The book of Job includes no references to the Mosaic institutions (priesthood, laws, tabernacle, special religious days and feasts). And finally, this point from Dallas Theological Seminary, “Several personal and place names in the book were also associated with the patriarchal period.

Examples include (a) Sheba, a grandson of Abraham (Genesis 25:3), and the Sabeans from Sheba (Job 1:15; 6:19); (b) Tema, another grandson of Abraham (Genesis 25:15), and Tema, a location in Arabia (Job 6:19); (c) Eliphaz, a son of Esau (Genesis 36:4), and Eliphaz, one of Job’s companions (Job 2:11; these two Eliphazes, however, are not necessarily the same person); (d) Uz, a nephew of Abraham (Genesis 22:21), and Uz, where Job lived (Job 1:1).

Job 1  Job 1:1 Whether Job made this statement about himself, or another person did, the fact that he was upright and blameless is also confirmed by God (Job 1:8) and by the Accuser; the Satan (Job 1:9). The point is that Job was not a willful sinner.  Job 1:2-3 Additional biographical facts about this man are given elsewhere in the Book of Job. He was highly respected (Job 29:7-11), a fair and honest judge (Job 29:7, 12-17), a wise counselor (Job 29:21-24), an honest employer (Job 31:1315, 38-39), hospitable and generous (Job 31:16-21, 32), and a farmer of crops (Job 31:38-40).

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 Job 1:6-8 Satan stood before God as the Accuser (see a similar incident in Zechariah 3:1). Apparently Satan still has access to heaven (See Revelation 12:10). The picture here could be quite alarming for some. Think about this for a moment. God is the One to first mention Job. Of course Satan knew of Job. He must have observed his righteousness. In this instance he stood before God not accusing him of unrighteousness, but that his praise and obedience had been purchased. And I can’t help but wonder how much different Job’s life would have been if God had just kept His mouth shut. So I am left to wonder if the things I endure on this side of Heaven are the result of God pointing out to Satan my faithful obedience.  Job 1:9-11 Again some great insight from Dallas Theological Seminary. “Satan’s subtle suggestion that worship is basically selfish hits at the heart of man’s relationship to God. The Book of Job does more than raise the question of the suffering of the righteous. It also, through Satan’s words, deals with the motives for godly living. Will anyone serve the Lord if he enjoys no personal gain from it?

Is worship a coin that buys a heavenly reward? Is piety part of a contract by which to gain wealth and ward off trouble?” [2] This is why I get so upset when some preacher comes along claiming that God will grant me riches on earth through my faithful prayers or obedience. A true believer must, and I say must worship God regardless of the circumstances they may face. Anything less than that is not worship. It’s bartering.  Job 1:20-22 I image Job’s response here caught Satan off guard. And the fact that he had no idea how Job would respond gives us some insight into Satan and all angels in general. They do not know what tomorrow will bring. They have no idea of the future. Also, Satan could not bring these calamities against Job without God’s permission. This convinces me that a redeemed person covered by the righteousness of Christ cannot be attacked, controlled, overpowered, or crushed by Satan acting independently of God. Therefore, any hardship that I may face and consequently blame on Satan has probably happened because 40

God had His reasons. And if God was behind my crisis, I can be sure that God will be behind my ability to make it through the crisis with my faith intact.

Job 2  Job 2:1-7 I’ll admit it seems a bit crazy to allow a man to suffer just to prove a point. But maybe God was trying to teach Job a lesson through all of this as well.

Maybe God was trying to teach the world a lesson. Maybe God knew that one day 4000 years later another distraught soul would look to heaven and wonder why their life has fallen apart. And through Job they would learn that they suffer not because God is angry with them, but because God knew their faith could endure the hardship.  Job 2:9 Isn't it nice to know that no matter what you have to go through in life that you have a loving wife to stand by your side? She tells Job to do exactly what Satan wanted Job to do.  Job 2:11 Who is the shortest man mentioned in the Bible? Not Zacchaeus, but Bildad the Shuhite (sorry).  Job 2:11-13 It’s hard to believe how painful Job’s disease must have been. His friends didn't even recognize him, he was that disfigured. They spend a week grieving with him, not just for him. What a noble gesture.

Job 3  Needless to say Job’s suffering, both physical and emotional, have wore him down. Like George Bailey he wished that he had never been born. I doubt he felt the world would have been better if he had not been born, but that he would have escaped the suffering he now endured. Does this mean that Job believed in the afterlife?  Job 3:8 For those of you who want to discuss Leviathan now, I’ll bring that subject up when we get to chapter 41. Just be patient.

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 This begins the replies by Job’s friends. They originally came to comfort. But hearing what Job had to say, now they try to correct. Throughout their speeches, the friends remained adamant in their theological position. Their view was that the righteous are rewarded and the unrighteous punished (Genesis 4:7-9); so Job, having willfully sinned, was in need of repentance. They figured that (a) all suffering is punishment for sin; (b) Job is suffering; (c) therefore Job is a sinner.

But this contradicted what God said of Job (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3). Sadly, this attitude is still prevalent today. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this same theology discussed at funerals. I actually heard one woman tell a grieving family that sometimes God will get even with us for what we've done.  Job 4:8 Here we see why Eliphaz had such an errant theology; he based his understanding of God only on personal experience. And creating a theology upon experience will lead you down the same path as this man did: believing something that contradicts God. These men didn't have the Bible, but you and I do. Every event and experience must be interpreted and understood according to the Bible. The Bible becomes my guide to understanding my experiences. That’s why we are reading through the Bible. It’s to help us understand God and to understand life.  Job 4:12-21 Although Eliphaz made this seem like some revelation from God, it sure doesn't match the other words we hear from God. We, the reader, were allowed to hear what God thought of Job. So when Eliphaz asserts that God had no regard for Job, we must assume these words whispered in a dream came from someone else. Get this; if the statement he made was true, that all people suffer because they are unjust and impure, then Eliphaz would be included too!  Job 4:16 That's an interesting statement. Eliphaz says he received this revelation in a vision. But I almost wonder who was speaking in the vision. This seems accusatory, not the Spirit convicting. I almost wonder if this was the Satan pointing this out. The obvious answer here is "no", but God will promise a solution to this dilemma one day.

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January 20: Job 5-7 Job 5  Job 5:1-7 Doesn't Eliphaz loose all credibility here? He just called Job a jealous fool. Oh, he used flamboyant words and poetic speech. But we, the reader, know why Job is suffering. Thinking himself so smart, he claims to speak for God. But he is the fool here, not Job.  Job 5:17 Eliphaz claims that what Job is experiencing is God’s discipline. Job need only confess his sin and all will be restored. But Job, you, and me all know that no sin was involved. I wonder how we might be able to tell the difference between God’s discipline and natural disaster. How can we know the difference between testing and discipline? I believe if we are being disciplined, God would reveal the reason. Like any good parent, you just don’t walk into the house and spank the child. You let the child know why they are being punished. Look at the Nation of Israel. God sent several prophets to tell them why they would spend 70 years in exile. He didn't just send in the Babylonian empire unannounced (Isaiah 1:20)  Job 5:27 It is not good practice to make judgments about God based upon your own personal observations. Most of the time they do not give you a full picture, as evidenced by Eliphaz’s certainty of something that was not true.

Job 6  Job 6:6 In effect, what Eliphaz said was like handing Job a rice cake. That’s not comfort food! Job wanted something that brought him comfort, not some low sodium and low cholesterol piece of cardboard that still left him hungry.  Job 6:10 Job asserts his innocence here. He has not denied the works of the Holy One.  Job 6:29-30 What Job was asking his friends to do is consider the possibility that their assessment of God might not be totally accurate. And this brought them to a

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crisis of their faith. In Job there was a situation they had never encountered before, and they refused to believe it.

Job 7  Job 7:1-5 This is a disgusting account of Job’s condition. It’s horrifying to think of someone suffering so badly. And then along comes some friends who tell him that he deserved this. No wonder Job was upset.  Job 7:20-21 Job asks God if he did sin. But his tone here is one of proclamation, not questioning. I grew up being taught that Job had incredible patience.

Truthfully, he didn't. He did not quietly endure his suffering. But, Job certainly was righteous.

January 21: Job 8-11 Job 8  Job 8:4 Bildad surmises that Job’s children must have sinned. That’s why God punished them. But unknowingly he insinuates that Job’s sacrifices did not work (see Job 1:5). Oh sure, this all took place before the Law was given, but that was Job’s way of purifying his children. If it worked in the past, why not this time. And if God had stayed His hand in the past, why not now?  Job 8:8-19 How could Job dare suggest that the accumulated wisdom of many others was wrong? Bildad believed that if the dead could speak they too would testify that people suffer because of their sin.  Job 8:22 Ironically, Job’s friends, who were presently acting like enemies, would be shamed (Job 42:7-9) Job 9  Job 9:2 “Who can be declared innocent in God’s sight?” Job asks. Well, actually no one can, unless we had someone pleading on our behalf. I love the fact that I

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will not have to stand before God all by myself. Standing next to all the redeemed will be Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Job 9:13 “the monsters of the sea”, or “the helpers of Rahab” as some translation read, is a reference to the Babylonian creation myth in which Marduk defeated Tiamat (another name for Rahab, and for Leviathan; compare Job 7:12) and then captured her helpers. Later Rahab became a nickname for Egypt (Psalm 87:4; 89:10; Isaiah. 30:7).  Job 9:14-20 The statements made here by Job echo the same statements I hear today by people who are distant from God and whose life is not a bed of roses.

They think they have God all figured out based upon their life experiences. Yet, as Job says, “He would not listen to me”, is not true based upon what we can read in the Bible. It’s possible that allowed Job to experience these things not just to prove a point back then, but to be a source of comfort for those living today.  Job 9:32-35 Read these words of Job carefully. Think about what he is asking.

Think about what Job desires. He wants to be at peace with God. Is this not the desire of most people? Don’t most people want to know who God is and why this earth is so hard to live in? And yet when God did become flesh and walk among us, most people didn't recognize Him, and even His own people rejected Him (John 1:10-11).

Job 10  Job 10 Job rehearses his speech with God. Shaking his fist heavenward, he demands an answer. In Job 10:7 he looks at God and says, “You know I’m not guilty”. I’m curious, how did Job know he was not guilty? And how did he know that God knew he was not guilty? How does a person know if they stand innocent before God? Well, today we can know because we have faith in the words of Jesus. He said if we believe then God will save (John 3:16). But what about Job? Was his assurance found in faith as well? If so, then in what promise did he have faith?

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Job 11  Job 11:6 Now we hear from Zophar, and each time the words of Job’s so called friends become more and more harsh. He is disgusted that Job would claim his innocence and that he would charge God with malpractice. Here he makes a rude, insensitive and brash statement that Job is probably not suffering as much as he deserved. Some friend.  Job 11:13-20 Like the other two friends, Zophar recommends repentance.

January 22: Job 12-14 Job 12  Job 12:5 Isn't this true? Don’t Christians extend more grace to the unsaved than they do to one of their own who happens to stumble? God’s grace does not happen just once. This is the image Job presents here; pushing someone down who has just happened to stumble. I see this too often. A Christian who has stumbled needs a helping hand, not a shove.  Job 12:9 Here’s an interesting insight on the book of Job. Apart from the narrative in the beginning and the end, where someone is telling the story, Job is the only one of the group to use the name of God in his dialog; Yahweh. He uses it here and also in Job 1:21. The friends use the Hebrew word El, or Elowahh; God. The way they used the word “God” seems descriptive, but the way Job used “The Lord” seemed relational.

Job 13  Job 13:1-5 Job wishes he could talk directly with God, not set around and debate with a bunch of simpletons. This whole dialog between these men raises a question. When a collection of people debate about a Spiritual matter, who wins?

Do we simply go with the majority? I suggest that we can’t, as demonstrated here. The majority was wrong. So when we are unsure about a certain Spiritual principle, or are at odds over certain behaviors, to whom shall we turn? The first 46

answer that comes to mind is scripture. God has already spoken to us through His word. And even though a specific instance may not be mentioned in the Bible, I believe there are enough proper attitudes addressed there that we can use to be our guide. Sadly, many Christians simply go with their feelings, and forget to rely upon the truth.  Job 13:20-28 Job desires an audience with God. He wants to know what he has done wrong. He can think of nothing and is convinced his sacrifices have covered his sin. Yet God has still allowed this great hardship; this season of suffering. It’s important we don't view Job as "sinless". God does not say Job was without sin, but that he was a man of complete integrity. Job feared God and stayed away from evil, and although he was blameless, he was not sinless.

None of us are. No one is free of sin. That is why we (humanity) needed a redeemer. Knowing this, it is then possible that God was using this situation to do a little teaching; a little convicting. There just may have been an attitude or behavior God was trying to change in Job. I hate to say this but can you imagine Job praying for his friends without experiencing this season of suffering? Without this time of trial, Job probably would not have been broken as he stood before God. If the topic of the innocent suffering had come up in a conversation, would Job be able to argue with conviction if he had not suffered himself? This time of trial humbles Job. It pulls him down off the mountain of the righteous and places him in the valley of the sinner; a place everyone must live. Until Job and the rest of us realize we are a sinner, we will not see the need for a Savior. Job behaved very well. Job was an outstanding man. His behavior even pleased God. But that didn't mean he was free of sin. Neither are we free of sin, even though we are good people. Good people need a Savior just as bad people need a Savior.

And if the good, blameless person does not learn this lesson, God just might step in to teach them this truth.  In Job 13:26 Job asks a very pointed question; why bring up my past? Why hold the sins of my youth against me? What Job said here mirrors what many of us wonder. We wonder just how far God’s forgiveness goes. I struggled with this for 47

a while myself. I was not sinless through my high school and college years. But even though I came bent and broken before God, calling on the blood of Jesus to wash away my sins, I still wondered whether or not those sins would be held against me at a later time. Like me, Job wondered whether God had truly forgiven him of his past sins or not. If not, then God is not true to His word. If He had forgiven past sins, and since Job had not sinned, then that left only one other explanation; Job’s misery and suffering was not deserved, which was his point all along.

Job 14  Job 14 After facing God with confidence, Job switches to a melancholy lament about life’s brevity and death’s certainty.  Job 14:13-17 Job asks a very interesting question here. He begins to ponder what awaits humanity. Can the dead live again? Observation up to that point said no. But if it were true, Job’s present troubles would be easier to endure. Amen to that Job! Like Job, I know most Christians long to be released from the chains in this life. And truthfully, death is actually a demonstration of God’s mercy. If humanity lived forever in the flesh, we would live out our lives trapped in an eternal battle between the lusts of the flesh and the desires of our Spirit. Without death, we would never be free of the sin that corrupts our lives.

January 23: Job 15-18 Job 15  Job 15:1-10 Eliphaz speaks again, and this time instead of presenting his side of the debate, he attacks Job’s character. People still do this today. When they know their argument is full of holes, they start attacking the person instead of presenting a new viewpoint or a new set of facts. If I were judging this case in court, I’d say Eliphaz just lost. If you find yourself on opposite sides of a viewpoint, never ever start attacking the other person’s character. Their character 48

has nothing to do with which view is right or wrong. But boy do I see this happen often in meetings.  Job 15:14 Yes, these words are true. But his claim is that Job must have sinned because of what he is experiencing. He points to the past and the observations of older men as evidence of this truth. It's possible he is referencing the Flood or perhaps what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah. Yet somehow this guy misses the whole point. There is no one righteous. Not even him. He deserves God's punishment just as much as Job.  Job 15:15 This is a rather bold statement. Is this true? I'd say it is not. To permit unholiness is to be less than holy. I don't think this fellow knew what he was talking about.  Job 15:21-35 Eliphaz gives 17 terrible troubles that befall a sinner. Thanks so much Eliphaz. Why don’t you give a nice paper cut and pour lemon juice on it next time.

Job 16  Job 16:5 Job reminds Eliphaz that if the situations were reversed, he would try to comfort, not condemn. You can almost feel the tension growing between Job and these other men, which makes Job’s willingness to pray for these men quite surprising. The fact that he does pray for them proves that his statement here is true. Had their roles been reversed, I believe Job really would have prayed.  Job 16:7-22 When reading this section I was suddenly struck by the similarity between Job and Noah. Although Noah did not personally suffer the loss of his health or his children, God looked at Noah and said the same things about him as He did Job (well, almost the same). Both men stood out amidst a wicked and sinful world. And both men became the instrument through which God revealed Himself to the world. God’s judgment was seen through Noah. God sovereignty was seen through Job.

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 Job 16:19 Job's only advocate for his innocence would not speak up in his defense. He remained silent. Oh, God was not the accuser here. The three council members watching Job were the accusers. By external observation they had already passed judgment. Job was guilty, and his misery was all the evidence they needed. Job declared his innocence and he wanted God to confirm this. The real lesson I see here is that none of us should ever judge the heart of a person based upon what that person might be experiencing.

Circumstances do not indicate holiness. And neither does holiness control our circumstances.

Job 17  Job 17:5 This harsh remark directed toward Job’s friends stands in contrast to what he will pray later on. Somehow being in the presence of God has that effect on people. It’s awfully hard to pray a curse against anyone when we stand before God, even those who oppose us.

Job 18  Job 18 Reading Bildad’s second speech made me wonder if there is a difference between the wicked and the common everyday sinner. He talks about how the wicked will be trapped and snared. He mentions their terror, disease, and misery.

He says that no one will remember their name. But do these things happen to the person who never intended to sin; who did not start their day looking to do wrong?

January 24: Job 19-21 Job 19  Job 19:25 Finally reaching his lowest point, Job makes an astounding proclamation. In a magnificent burst of faith Job says “I know that my redeemer lives”. Now what caught my attention here is his mention of a redeemer. Although Job felt God was against him, he knew that the one to ransom lived. It’s seems to 50

me that God spoke to Job when he was at his lowest point. And when he heard himself utter those words, Job could not contain his joy (Job 19:27). In the end this Redeemer would proclaim Job’s innocence.  Job 19:26 Job continues to utter words unheard up until this point. Not only did he mention a redeemer (or advocate) standing in his defense, but here Job mentions life after death. He says that even after his body dies, in his body he will see God. And the way the Hebrew text is phrased here it literally means “From the vantage point of my flesh I shall see God”. Most Bible scholars point to this proclamation by Job as the first reference to a resurrected body for the faithful. Amazing, isn’t it? Out of his anguish Job utters timeless truths about God. And all of these were missed by his friends.

Job 20  Job 20:8 Zophar’s second speech seems to imply that eventually the wicked on earth will be replaced with the righteous. I mean, why not? If the wicked will soon perish and their lives temporary, shouldn't the wicked die off? Sure, the wicked will vanish one day, but I don’t think Zophar was thinking of the Day of Judgment when all will stand before the throne of God. And here’s something I’m sure he didn't consider; a person is not righteous on their own merits, God declares someone righteous because of their faith, not because they follow a set of rules (remember Abraham?)  Job 20:15-29 Zophar is implying, in a round about way, that Job was wealthy because he was wicked. That’s why all his wealth was taken away.

Job 21  Job 21:4 I've always heard about the patience of Job. I have no idea where that quote came from. Apparently from someone who never read the book of Job.  Job 21:7-34 Job makes a valid point here, especially against Zophar who claimed that the wicked lived a brief life (see Job 20:8). Isn't it true that we see the wicked continue to prosper while the righteous are hunted down and 51

destroyed? Stern judgment in the life to come is the only possible corrective for this apparent triumph of wickedness (see Isaiah 5:14-15 or 2 Thessalonians 1:89).

January 25: Job 22-25  We now enter the third round of speeches in chapters 22-31. In cycle one Job's visitors implied that he was a sinner and appealed to him to repent. In the second foray they insinuated that he was guilty and stressed the terrible fate of the wicked, but voiced no challenge for repentance. In the third verbal battle they attacked him by accusing him of specific sins, and only Eliphaz again gave a call for Job to turn back to God. Job stood his ground in response during all three rounds of attack. He denied (a) the premise of their implications, (b) their assertion that the wicked always suffer, and (c) that he himself was a deliberate transgressor.

Job 22  Job 22:6-11 Without any evidence, Eliphaz accused Job of several social evils.

Again he is attacking Job's character because he cannot get his mind wrapped around the idea that perhaps Job is right. Perhaps Job really was being unjustifiably attacked by God. Rather than consider this option, Eliphaz starts making things up just to support his side of the argument. His theology is bankrupt.  Job 22:16 Perhaps Eliphaz is referring to the flood in Noah's day.  Job 22:24 How could Eliphaz prove that Job trusted in his material things?

Actually, it seems he did not (see Job 1:21).

Job 23  Job 23:8-9 I've had these seasons in my own life; times when God seems distant and quiet. I search the depth of my soul to feel His presence yet He is not there.

These distant times; these days when God is quiet, are the days my faith 52

grows stronger. For when God is near and when I feel the warmth of His love, being an obedient Christian is easy. I feel for Job, for I too have been to the shadow lands.

Job 24  Job 24 These are the accusations many bring against God even today. Why does God allow the innocent to suffer? Why do bad things happen to good people? Where was God when all those people died? Like Job we want answers.

And like his friends we say things that we should not. We try to make sense out of things we do not understand. We try to rationalize the things of eternity with finite minds. I suspect a lot of people who have shaken their fist at God will find themselves responding just like Job; shaking in their boots and telling God "never mind. My question doesn't matter now".

Job 25  Job 25 It appears Bildad is running out of wind. He simply reminds Job that it's a bit silly for a sinful human to try and schedule a court hearing with the Almighty.

January 26th: Job 26-29 Job 26  Job 26:5 That's interesting. Job is saying that the dead are conscious of their torment. I wonder how he knew? Well, I know how he knew, but do you know how he knew?  Job 26:7-10 Several facts Job shares here were not known or agreed on by scientists till a few hundred years ago. I'm not saying the Bible is a science book, but if the Bible is the word of God then you would expect it to get its science right.

Job speaks of evaporation (Job 26:8) and a round earth (Job 26:10). I think that's cool.

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 Job 26:14 How true Job. With what we see in nature, can we even begin to comprehend the power of God? Job 27  Job 27:4 Job says that his lips will speak no evil and that his tongue will speak no lies. Looking at his friends, you can almost hear Job saying, "Well MY lips and MY tongue won't do this, certainly not like YOURS!" Job 28  Job 28:4 Funny. I just never figured people living back then as mining. In the timeframe that we are reading Job, this event would have occurred somewhere between 2100 to 1900 BC. The Iron Age didn't begin until 1200 BC, at least according to the people who officially date things. I wonder who is right; the Bible or the people who lived 3200 years later. And the only reason I'm being mildly sarcastic about this is because too often someone will refute what the Bible says simply because it does not fit within what we today have determined to be so. In other words, Job must have been written later because here we read about people mining ore. But not once do we consider that perhaps our dating is in error, not the Bible.  Job 28:12-28 I really like this section. Job demonstrates in a somewhat sarcastic tone that men have looked everywhere for the meaning of life yet still return empty handed. In an argument that sounds strikingly similar to Solomon, Job says that God is the source of all wisdom. In God a person will find the answers to life. Wisdom begins first by fearing the Lord.

Job 29  Job 29:12-17 I fail to see how these friends could accuse Job of some hidden sin. Only a heart humble before God could produce such righteousness.  Job 29:21-25 At one time the words of Job brought wise counsel to his city. And what he said brought comfort to those who grieved, unlike the counsel given him by these three friends.

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January 27: Job 30-31 Job 30  Job 30 Job lamented his present misery, which contrasted so starkly with his predisease days. He now was disrespected socially (Job 30:1-15), in pain physically (Job 30:16-19), abandoned spiritually (Job 30:20-23), opposed socially (Job 30:24-26), and exhausted physically and emotionally (Job 30:27-31).  Job 30:20 I wonder what kind of response Job was looking for? How would he know that God had responded? I think we sometimes expect God to reply one way, but often times He responds in ways we did not expect or were not listening for. And God just might have replied to us but we missed His reply because we were waiting for some other way.  Job 30:26 Job did what all of us do; we expect to be rewarded by God for our good behavior. We strive to be Christ-like out of obedience and worship, not as a way to earn God's favor.

Job 31  Job 31:13-15 This is the sign of a truly humble man. Job did not consider himself above any one else, even his servants!  Job 31:30 This too is a great sign of a humble man. How many of us would withhold a curse toward those who have cursed us? How many of us would not secretly wish that a policeman would give that reckless driver a ticket?  Job 31:35 Job was asking his friends to tell him plainly what sins he was being charged with. If they could name even one, he would gladly confess. But all Job has heard has been speculation and lies.

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January 28: Job 32-34 Job 32  Since the debates had stalemated (thank God!), a young man named Elihu speaks up. He'd been silent all along, and had been able to listen to the entire debate. This kid is angry. He's angry at Job because he refused to admit that he had sinned, and he was also angry at the three friends because they lost the debate. He sounds like a teenager.  Job 32:10 No one asked you what you thought Elihu. But okay, go ahead and speak your mind.  Job 32:20 Okay Elihu, go ahead and speak. We're waiting.

Job 33  Job 33:2 Um, you said that already Elihu. Could you just go ahead and say what you want to say?  Job 33:12 Much of what Elihu says in this section repeats what Job has already said. It does prove that he was listening.  Job 33:14-28 Elihu's argument does not sound too much different that the other three. He does, however, suggest that perhaps Job missed God's reply through a dream (Job 33:15).  Job 33:33 In contrast to what Job said, Elihu claims that he can teach wisdom.

He really must have been a teenager.

Job 34  Job 34:11 Still the same old song and dance here. Be a good person and you will live a life filled with peace and prosperity. Sin, and you're life will be miserable.

Apparently some televangelist must have read this verse and not what God has to say at the end.

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 Job 34:30 Really Elihu? He prevents the godless from ruling? You need to get out more.  Job 34:32 This is exactly what Job has been asking God all along. He asked God to show him where he was guilty (Job 10:2)

January 29: Job 35-37 Job 35  Job 35:6-8 Elihu says neither our sins nor our goodness affects God. Is this true?

Does our conduct make no difference to God? It's true that the Lord is not swayed because of our conduct. When He shows mercy it is not because we have persuaded Him by being good. But does this also mean that God does not inflict judgment because we have been bad? That's a difficult question. I know His love is unconditional; that He made a choice to love us in spite of who we are. But what about this whole judgment thing? Is it true that I am not judged by God based upon my sin? I've always been taught that I did nothing to deserve God's love. But Elihu is insinuating that I did nothing to deserve God's judgment as well. This just doesn't make sense to me, but I'm not sure why.

Job 36  Job 36:2 One thing I've learned over the years is that God does not need me to defend Him. He desires that my life honor Him; that my life testifies to His glory.

But God will still be God even in my times of weakness.  Job 36:4 Elihu claims to have great knowledge, insinuating that his knowledge about God was greater than Job's. Later on, when God showed him that he was wrong, I wonder what became of Elihu's great knowledge then.  Job 36:21 All along the friends have been telling Job that his suffering has come because of some evil he has done; some sin he has committed. Here, Elihu says this suffering has come to keep him from a life of evil. This reminds me of a question I had asked earlier. Is someone evil just because they sin, or is evil 57

something far deeper? So which is it? If Job is evil I doubt his present troubles will make him repent & seek righteousness. Actually, this type of punishment would drive an evil person further away from God. But, if Job was righteous, God conviction does work. Elihu's argument doesn't work either way.

Job 37  Elihu paints a picture here of an ominous God, full of power and might. Why would a God this majestic be even remotely concerned about the pitiful life of mere humans? And yet Isaiah 40:11 says that this same powerful God holds His people close to his heart. He leads them gently and tenderly. Yes, this same God that Elihu described does indeed love and care for we human's, even in our failures.

January 30: Job 38-40 Job 38  Finally God answers, but His response was nothing like Job had anticipated. Job wanted a legal hearing. But instead of answering Job's questions, God asked him some questions. God does rebuke Job, not for any particular sin, but for presuming to challenge His ways. God is in charge of things, even in the dark times; the times of loss and suffering.  God answers Job by asking him more than 70 questions. And in His questions, God is in fact telling Job that His sovereign reign on this earth can be seen throughout all of creation. In The Creation can be seen the Hand of God. And if He can so order the intricate details of creation, He can also order the life of Job (See Matthew 6:25-34)  In these next several chapters I love the science mentioned here. Specifically in Job 38:4-7 God mentions the foundation and dimensions of the earth. You should read The Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel. Chapter six of that book

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deals with the location of our Galaxy within the universe and the location of our Solar System within our Galaxy. It's an interesting interview with Robin Collins.  I wonder if the other 4 men could hear what God was saying.  Job 38:15 Sounds quite similar to John 1:5  Job 38:21 Do you think God spoke with anger here? Or was He merely being firm?  Job 38:26 This is an interesting comment. God asks who makes the rain fall in a place where no one lives. This question points to God's rule over all the earth.

Pagans would worship a fertility god in hopes that it would water their crops. But here God implies that if no one lived in a barren place to offer sacrifices, then why does it rain in the waste land where no one lives. God the Creator is not limited by the actions of humans. He does not draw His strength from His creation. Instead, creation depends on God. God is the One who holds all things together.

Job 39  Job 39:13-18 As God described the Ostrich to Job, He painted an image of a rather stupid bird. And it's true. Read about the ostrich here http://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/1963/JASA12-63Howe.html. The point is, would Job ever thought about creating such a stupid bird? Would Job ever consider creating the Armadillo?

Job 40  Job 40:3-5 Job acts here as every person will when they meet God. Too often we get the impression that when we meet Jesus (God), we'll be giving Him high fives like He's our best buddy. But in reality we will fall at His feet in worship. Job got what he wanted. He wanted to stand before God. And his reaction should give us a clear indication in how we should regard God; with fear and trembling (not afraid, but with a fearful respect and awe). This was Job's reaction to meeting

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God through a whirlwind; God's total majesty was clouded from Job. Can you imagine what it would have been like to meet Him face to face? ď ś Job 40:6-14 It's one thing to live through suffering while asking God why, and to live through suffering demanding that God justify Himself. This is what Job had done. He did not take his suffering and loss too well. He never cursed God, but Job literally had put himself on the same level as God; as if God had to justify His actions. This is the sin you and I must be careful to avoid. When we face trails and hardships, we are free to wonder why; to ask why. But we may not demand an answer. This is the lesson to be learned here by God's response to Job. ď ś Job 40:15-24 Much has been said about what this Behemoth was. Some Bibles simply say Hippopotamus. I think I have read every argument imaginable. Each makes a certain amount of sense. For those that argue Behemoth was a dinosaur they point to Job 40:17. A hippo certainly does not have a tail like a cedar (although the text actually says that "He bends his tail like a cedar"). Other people argue that it must have been a Hippo, a Water Buffalo, or Elephant based upon Job 40:21-23. My biggest hang up on the Hippo theory is why didn't God just say Hippo? God mentioned real animals by their known name in Job 38:3939:30. Why would He suddenly change here? And he told Job to consider ("Look at" or "Behold") Behemoth. And if Job had no idea what God was talking about, the illustration makes no sense. God said He made Behemoth, so it's not like it was some mythological creature. I've studied this text for a month of Sundays and I can only draw one conclusion. It must have been a dinosaur. Now perhaps you ask why God didn't mention "dinosaur" or "brontosaurus". These creatures were not named dinosaurs until the 19th century. We have no idea what they were called back in Job's time. Either Job had actually seen one of these creatures or he knew that they existed at one time in the past. Perhaps he was aware of fossilized remains, and Behemoth (a beast of monstrous proportions) was what it was called.

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January 31: Job 41-42 Job 41  This is the longest description of an animal within the Bible. Leviathan, like Behemoth, was also created by God. Some have said that this is a description of a Crocodile, not the kind that we know today, but some giant species that lived along the Jordon. Perhaps the creature depicted here based upon fossilized remains. But does that look like the kind of creature that blows fire from its nose? Hardly. My only question to those who call leviathan a crocodile, why not just call it that? And to those who say God is speaking metaphorically I simply point out that the text does not transition from a figurative style to a metaphorical style. All along God had been pointing to actual events and animals Job had observed in the world. Why would He all of the sudden switch to describing ordinary animals in an abstract way? It just doesn’t make sense to me.

 Some claim that God was referring to the seven-headed sea monster Lotan out of Ugaritic mythology. That's just simply absurd. Was it a marine dinosaur that survived the flood? Job 41:10 is written in the present tense, as if this was a creature to be feared, not a creature that was feared at one time.  In Job 40:6-41:34 God was asking Job to subdue these monsters, a task he could not fulfill. And if Job wanted to set himself up as God's equal or God's superior (as seen by Job's demand that God explain Himself), then Job should be able to do God's job. Somehow the movie Bruce Almighty comes to mind here.

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ď ś Job 42:1-6 Job has had his eyes and ears opened to God. And any question he might have had in the past has since been forgotten. None of his present troubles concerned him. Job retracted everything. Nothing in this world is beyond God's control. Nothing, not even Job's present sufferings. Somehow I think this happens too many of us on the back side of our dark times. Once we pass through the shadow lands, we have a renewed appreciation for God. He is not the same in our eyes, and we are not the same in our own eyes. Hopefully, though, we see the depth of God's love and concern for us, not that we are insignificant in His eyes. ď ś Job 42:7-9 God points to Job and says "He was right", which is what Job had hoped to hear in the first place. But If God had simply began here, I think Job would have lost any humility he might have had to begin with. Job needed humbled before God could lift him up. ď ś Job 42:10-17 I think it's significant that God restored Job only after he prayed for his friends. I believe this is significant. It demonstrated that Job had indeed humbled himself and repented of his arrogance (see Matthew 6:15).

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