Bible Reading Reflection from Genesis 41-50

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (LRAU), a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟜𝟙:𝟜𝟝

"Then Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, as his wife. And Joseph went forth over the land of Egypt."

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were very determined to marry their own people. Later, Moses instructed them to avoid intermarriage.

Here, Joseph married a daughter of a priest of a false god! Hmm!

There are some exceptions in the Bible like that for some things, also like Balaam's donkey talking, etc. However, exceptions are not the rule.

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟜𝟚:𝟚𝟙

"Then they said to one another, "Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us."

Their sin haunted them! Sin always haunts us especially in the days of our adversity. That's one of the many reasons why we should live a godly life.

When something bad happens to us, it's natural to think or question if it has anything to do with the sins committed before.

It could be, or maybe not, but it robs away our joy, peace, and even hinders us from earnest and fervent prayers because it fills us with guilt, shame, and fear!

Mortify sin!

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟜𝟛:𝟚𝟟

"Then he asked them about their welfare, and said, "Is your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"

Joseph indeed loved his father. Do we love and care and have concern for our father as Joseph did? Furthermore, Joseph must have learned about his father’s condition more accurately from Simeon the prisoner! BTW, Of course, he knew they still had a good gene to live long! [His ancestors lived long]. Love cares to know!

 

𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕤 𝟜𝟜:𝟛𝟛

"Now, therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers."

Judah offered to be a slave to free his brothers.

No wonder, why Jesus was a descendant of Judah!

 

𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕤 𝟜𝟝:𝟠

"Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt."

Almost every time Joseph opened his mouth, he mentioned God, even when he was testing his brothers. This guy is full of the doctrine of God, theologically called Theology Proper: Study of the doctrine of God.

The Sovereignty of God is his breath of life. RC Sproul should have named his son Joseph. 😂

 

𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕤 𝟜𝟞:𝟛𝟘

"Then Israel said to Joseph, ‘Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.’"

Jacob was so satisfied to see his choicest son alive to the point he is ready to die. Well, God restored that peace he had lost for a long, long time. Jacob the deceitful guy was graciously blessed by God in an amazing way he had not even dreamt of before!

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟜𝟟:𝟚𝟜

"At the harvest you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four-fifths shall be your own for seed of the field and for your food and for those of your households and as food for your little ones."

No Indian will like Joseph. Indians love freebies.

Even when there was a natural disaster, Joseph didn't give out for free.

Even when they were starving, they were made to sell their lands, houses, and themselves. Hmmm! Freebies???

And Joseph's wisdom and generosity are shown in allowing them to retain 80 percent of their work, but to pay 20 percent to Pharaoh.

Indians struggle to pay taxes and tithes.

Joseph is not our man. We would want to lynch him! 😬

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟜𝟠:𝟝

"Now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are."

Let's test your Bible Knowledge:

Q1. How many tribes of Israel were there?

Q2. How many Apostles were there?

Answers: 13 tribes of Israel and 13 Apostles.

Who were they?

And so, Jacob's word became reality to the extent that Joseph’s children are mightier than the rest. And the kingdom Israel is often called the Ephraim!

 

𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕤 𝟜𝟡:𝟛𝟛

"When Jacob finished charging his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people."

What a way to die! Fully in control (or at least is conscious of). Said everything he wanted — words of blessing.

No pain, no complaints, no sickness, no threats, no regrets, no unfulfilled desires, no surprises, no fear.

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟝𝟘:𝟙

"Then Joseph fell on his father's face, and wept over him and kissed him."

Do I love my father as Joseph did? It's not a reflection but a conviction I have been having for some time.

I see how ungrateful and unloving are children towards their parents!

BTW, this is the third time I've read through the book of Genesis in the last 7 months!

 

 

 

Bible Reading Reflection from Genesis 31-40

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (LRAU), a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟛𝟙:𝟜𝟚

"If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night."

Certainly, you won't like to have Laban as your father-in-law. A selfish, greedy, irresponsible, reckless, and profligate man. Jacob endured him for 20 years. Sons-in-law may need to learn a lot from Jacob.

Jacob was protected, preserved, and prospered by God. Jacob saw the faithfulness of God in the life of his father, Isaac. Also, the faithfulness of Isaac towards God was what helped him to endure Laban. God intervened in the affairs of Laban and Jacob, warning Laban while saving and prospering Jacob!

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟛𝟚:𝟚𝟞-𝟚𝟠

"Then he said, "Let me go, for the dawn is breaking." But he said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." So he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." He said, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed."

Have you spent praying all night and prevailed like Jacob? Or spent fasting day and night till your prayers were answered, or till God opened your eyes to see something?

Jacob is a patriarch because he was such a man. He wrestled against all, even against God, and God let him win!

We are a bunch of lazy, weak, and timid people, right? 😬 Bunch of cowards. ☹ We love to talk about Jacob's deceit, but hardly about this virtue.

We are different from God, in that, God overlooked his deceit and blessed him! Jacob is far, far righteous than us! 🙂

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟛𝟛:𝟠

"And he said, "What do you mean by all this company which I have met?" And he said, "To find favor in the sight of my lord."

Perhaps, Jacob won Esau's favor by his trick again. At the least, he persuaded Esau to receive the gift anyway!

We may need a person like Jacob who can really persuade others, nah? And how sad when it's to cheat, deceive others; but how pleasant when it is to bring peace, harmony, and unity!

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟛𝟜:𝟚𝟜

"All who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and to his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city."

The people followed the leader for their selfish interests. They wanted the favor of the leader. They wanted the properties of Jacob. It's a deal they don't want to refuse [Godfather’s dialogue 😎].

And they were all rightly punished!

If a politician or bureaucrat is corrupt, it's likely his supporters and followers are as well. And they shall be thrown out altogether.

That's why let's make our practice not to associate with people of blemish character!

 

𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕤 𝟛𝟝:𝟚

"So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods that are among you and purify yourselves and change your garments."

How God hates idols! Some idols were to have good luck. Some idols were for prosperity. Some idols were for fertility, etc. It's like Hindus who have different gods and goddesses for different desires.

They must trust God for everything. Well, when we put our trust in other things than God for anything, we are equally guilty as the Israelites. And remember how God hates them [foreign gods]!

We put our trust in money, degrees, jobs, this and that. Well, we must trust one another, but our trust has gone corrupt to the extent of forgetting to trust God. God is the one who upholds us!

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟛𝟞:𝟞

"Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his livestock, all his beasts, and all his property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan. He went into a land away from his brother Jacob."

Esau was perhaps a good man. Instead of driving his brother away, he decided to move away.

Or was it because Esau saw Edom as a much better place, and Jacob persisted to endure in Canaan no matter what because it's a promised land?

Perhaps, the first one. Let's give credit to Esau at least in this! 🙂

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟛𝟠:𝟚7

"Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver."

First, God prevented his death by putting him in a pit that had no water. He wasn't drowned to death.

Second, God prevented his death by selling him to be a slave. He wasn't starving to death!

No trials, no temptations, no schemes of hell, no hatred of man, no policies of government can thwart the plan of God. The choicest son of Jacob is destined to be the choicest son of the land by God.

The schemes of Satan, his brothers, etc. and etc. turned the choicest son into a despised slave. Whom God is after, often, the devil is after; but God will win, and the man though he suffers will endure!

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟛𝟠:𝟚𝟜

"Now it was about three months later that Judah was informed, "Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the harlot, and behold, she is also with child by harlotry." Then Judah said, "Bring her out and let her be burned!"

Judah wanted to burn Tamar for being unfaithful to the marital law. However, he himself had refused to fulfill it by not giving his son. He thought it was okay for him, but not for her! Hypocrite! Double standard. Double life. Evil. Wicked.

But he was shown his color by Tamar. And Tamar was not only vindicated, but God blessed her! Evangelist Matthew inducted her in the hall of the ancestry of Jesus Christ, the great Redeemer.

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟛𝟡:𝟡

"There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?"

Joseph's doctrine of God's sovereignty is what keeps him holy and godly.

His doctrine of sin is what makes him abhor sin.

His doctrine of sanctification is what makes him overcome temptation.

His doctrine of a high view of sexuality and marriage is what makes him flee away!

Watch your doctrine lest you fall!

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟜𝟘:𝟚𝟛

"Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him."

Notice the two important words, "Yet" and "but"

How sad! "How can you/he do this to me?" we would ask.

Forgetfulness! May we remember that!

My grandfather said years ago that “forgetfulness is a demonstration of Unlove.”

Don't forget!

 

Bible Reading Reflection from Genesis 21-30

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (LRAU), a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟚𝟙:𝟙𝟟

"God heard the lad crying; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, ‘What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.’"

Hagar's life was destroyed by her master and mistress. They were supposed to protect her, provide her and preserve her. However, they have molested her, driven her out, and even left her to die.

What a [bad] master and mistress! Do you have a complaint against your boss, employer, CEO, CM, PM, DC, etc.?

Well! God didn't seem to be very angry with Abraham and Sarah like we would want God to do against our employer who misused [have wronged] us. Think about that, next time you curse your employer or those in power.

Hagar and Ishmael were crying, but it's not recorded any of their complaint or their curse. And God had compassion for them. That's the way how we go through any injustice: not by cursing others, but by crying out to God for His compassion.

And v20-21 furthermore reveals how God was with them throughout their days. Hagar is a good example of a victim, actually!

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟚𝟚:𝟙𝟘

"Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son."

Some people didn't believe that Jesus died to satisfy the demands of the Father. They said that it would be tantamount to child abuse.

I heard that even N. T. Wright endorsed a book that says the concept of Atonement is portraying a child-abusing God.

Well, God asked even a mere man, Abraham to kill [forget about abusing] his son, the horrific death of sacrifice, cutting the body in half. It's not even strangling to death. It's not a 5-minute kill. It's hours long sacrifice.

Why wouldn't God kill His Son, if a mere man Abraham could? God could because Jesus was more willing, even than Isaac. Moreover, Jesus is God, He can raise Himself up. And He rose again!

Call it child abuse, or whatever, that's the Gospel.

Some may say that loving and getting married to one woman is selfish, why not share spouses? Redefining good and evil. Calling good evil and evil good!

Sin makes people stupid. Professing to be wise, they are fools!

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟚𝟛:𝟙𝟛

"He spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, 'If you will only please listen to me; I will give the price of the field, accept it from me that I may bury my dead there.'"

Mighty people are honoured everywhere. They get freebies [favour and gifts] everywhere.

They [even] often misused their privilege. They often owed many things to many people and hardly realize those.

Suppose, you are DC or SDO and your son is crying for ice-cream, any of your staff members would be quick to get ice-cream for him.

Abraham isn't interested in freebies. He is not taking anything for free. He paid them well!

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟚𝟜:𝟛-𝟞

"So that I may make you solemnly promise by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth: You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living"

“Be careful never to take my son back there!” Abraham told his servant."

Determined. Faithful. Conservative. Wise. God-honouring.

Tired of people who are quick to compromise. Professing and becoming liberals, they have no spine to die for, just protesting, disdaining, and killing others. Look at Abraham!

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟚𝟝:𝟠

"Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people."

Wow! He lived his life to the full! A satisfying life lived. It's not only Abraham's faith or his life we love, we may as well like his death!

He died a happy man, a satisfied man! Let's think about that!

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟚𝟞:𝟚

"The LORD appeared to him and said, 'Do not go down to Egypt; stay in the land of which I shall tell you.'"

What a chapter is this. It begins with famine and ends with prosperity. It begins with Abraham fearing Abimelech, and ends with Abimelech fearing Abraham!

The challenge was real. The circumstance was hard. But God's commandment was true as well. Isaac obeyed and behold what a change of fortune!

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟚𝟟:𝟚𝟘

"Isaac said to his son, 'How is it that you have it so quickly, my son?' And he said, 'Because the LORD your God caused it to happen to me.'"

Using the name of God to deceive his own father and brother. Well, how many times have we sinned in the name of God?

Telling lies, insincere confession, disingenuous expression using “Raguang Zaozian pan khou rui" [“by the grace of God”] in unrighteous achievement, activities, etc.

Even for richness through corruption, job through bribery. Achievement through cheating. Successful exam result through copying etc. Huh!

Children of Jacob!

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟚𝟠:𝟞-𝟟

"Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram to take to himself a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he charged him, saying, 'You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,' and that Jacob has 𝕠𝕓𝕖𝕪𝕖𝕕 his father and his mother and 𝕙𝕒𝕕 𝕘𝕠𝕟𝕖 to Paddan-aram.”

There's a good thing in Jacob despite his deceitful nature. (Like Loki in Marvel Cinematic Universe, huh?)

He obeyed his father and mother. What does the Bible say concerning children obeying their parents?

Furthermore, he didn't marry a Canaanite woman, for which his grandfather Abraham would be grateful.

Esau disobeyed. BTW, [do you remember] why was King Saul rejected? To obey is better than what...? [1 Sam. 15:22-23]

Jesus obeyed to the point of what? [Phil. 2:8]

And how do we make disciples of all nations? Teaching them to what? [Matt. 28:19-20]

And what did Jesus say of our demonstration of love for Him? If you love Me, you will what? [John 14:15]

And that lovely hymn sings, "To be happy in Jesus is but to trust and...." What? [Obey!]

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟚𝟡:𝟚𝟙

"Then Jacob said to Laban, 'Give me my wife, for my time is completed, that I may go in to her.'"

Jacob stayed in Rachel's home. They loved each other. Obviously, everyone knew them. Everyone had no problem with their affection for each other. It was 7 years already. Yet Jacob and Rachel maintained their sexual purity.

What that [stupid wicked] people cannot maintain their purity!? What [stupid wicked] people have a live-in relationship before their marriage!

What [wicked stupid] people went on date to have sex and see if they can be together!

What [wicked stupid] people compromised their marriage bed before marriage!

We will see again in Joseph [a chaste faithful young man]. Indeed, Jacob, his father had been a role model for Joseph to maintain his sexual purity!

 

𝔾𝔼ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝕊 𝟛𝟘:𝟛

"She said, 'Here is my maid Bilhah, go in to her that she may bear on my knees, that through her I too may have children.'"

Sin is messy, ugly, and dirty, huh! It doesn't stop there. Leah did the same! If this is not messy enough, look, Jacob took advantage of them!

Leah was sad that Rachel, her own beloved sister will not give up on her husband Jacob. Yet she is more than willing to give her ordinary maid to Jacob for her selfish sense of security!

She didn't want Jacob to sleep with even her own sister, who actually had always been his real lover. Yet she had no problem, Jacob sleeping with someone under her control, her maid! What a selfish hypocrite!

Indeed, it was plain jealousy, a jealousy that leads to greater sin, a kind of sin which is far beyond logic, irrational, stupid, wicked, and unimaginable!

The Scripture recorded it to show the stupidity and wickedness of sin. Sin is always around us, we must be on guard at all times!