Tag Archive | jacob

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 24

Jan24

Day 24. Reading in Genesis 35 – 37. 

I invite you to read the scripture for the day and meditate on it. What stood out to you in today’s reading?

 

Genesis 35.

After that huge faux pas by Simeon and Levi in Shechem, Jacob feared for his life.  God – in His kindness – spoke to Jacob and told him to go south to Bethel (House of God), where he first encountered God when he ran away. So Jacob had everyone give him their idols and gold earrings, and he buried them under a tree. Then he made them all cleanse themselves before they journeyed away.  And GOD caused a supernatural terror to fall on all the people and towns they passed as a wall of protection. When they arrived at Bethel, Jacob-Israel built an altar and worshiped God.

  • So, where did all those foreign idols Jacob collected come from? Rachel stole her father’s “household idols,” which caused a curse on her (Genesis 31:32), but these seem like different ones.  Then I remembered that when Simeon & Levi killed all the men of Shechem and plundered the town, they brought away all the wives of the men as their servants (and possible spouses).  These had brought their Canaanite gods along.  
  • Are there things I hold like idols too dear to my heart? Lord, help me to identify and “bury” them away from me. “Cleanse me, O Lord, wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”

Rachel, pregnant again (Wow!), goes into labor. She has a hard time and dies as the baby boy is born. She breathes out his name with her last breath, Benoni, “Son of my sorrow.”  But Jacob names him Benjamin, “Son of my right hand.” 

  • They bury Rachel along the road near Bethlehem and set up a gravestone. (Remember after Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem how Herod killed all the baby boys, trying to get ride of the “new king.” Matthew 2:18 speaks about “weeping and lamentations… Rachel weeping for her children…”)

Jacob-Israel and all those with him finally make it to Hebron, where he spends just a little time with his father before Isaac dies. Esau returns, and together, they bury Isaac in the tomb where their mother and grandparents are buried.  And so now Jacob inhabits the promised land (and the blessings) of Abraham and Isaac. God has renewed his promises through Israel.

Genesis 36.

This chapter gives the lineage of Isaac and Rebekah’s first son, Esau. He became the nation of Edom and lived in Seif, south and east of the Dead Sea, in the high hill country. It’s interesting that the Amalekites (who will become Israel’s deadly enemies) were Esau’s descendants, and possibly also the Midianites.

Genesis 37.

The next generation begins. Jacob-Israel now has twelve sons. His favorite is the one he considers the “birthright son” because Joseph was the firstborn son of Rachel, whom Jacob considers his first wife. He lavishes attention and gifts on the young man, including one gorgeous coat that signifies Joseph as Jacob’s birthright heir. Of course, this causes a lot of jealousy and bad feelings toward the teenager. 

Also, Joseph has a series of dreams that (I think) God gave to him to keep to himself as a hope for those long days of slavery that were coming to him in Egypt. But the cherished boy openly shares his dreams with his brothers and parents. The dreams show him as chief among them, and the others bowing to him. (You can see how annoying this would be.)

So one day, when Joseph was on an errand for his father – wearing that fabulous coat – his brothers plot to get rid of him. Most of them want to kill him outright, but Rueben and Judah’s conscience (or perhaps concern for their father) keeps them from outright killing Joseph.  Reuben said to put him into a pit to die, but he planned later to rescue him and restore the boy to his father.

While Reuben is away, Judah suggests they sell Joseph to some passing Ishmaelites and get rid of the boy that way. His blood wouldn’t be on their hands, but they’d never see him again. (ho-ho, Judah! don’t you wish)  Plus, they’d get some money. 

This plan pleases the men, and they sell Joseph to the merchants, although he cries and pleads for them not to. “Ahhhhh. Sweet revenge!” they think.   Of course, Rueben is beside himself when he sees Joseph gone. (Maybe as the firstborn he feels some responsibility towards him or his father.)

They devise a cruel, wicked plan to deceive Jacob. This plan will get revenge on THEIR FATHER for his preferential treatment of Joseph. They take that despised coat that shows Joseph is better than them, tear it, smear it with goat’s blood, stomp it in the dirt, and…. present it to their father.  With false concern on their faces, they say, “Is this our brother’s coat?  It looks like a wild animal may have killed him.” 

AAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!  Jacob wails. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  His beloved wife Rachel is gone, and now their beloved, highly-favored, and adored first son is gone. OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHAAAAAA!  He can’t bear it. He wants to die.  He is NOT consoled even when his whole family tries to comfort him.  He weeps and cannot eat. Joseph, his beloved Joseph, is DEAD!

Down in Egypt, the boy is re-sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.

 

  • “Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.”  This truth came to mind as I thought about Jacob – that old deceiver – now experiencing MORE deception. And it’s still not over yet.
  • Lord, I know what James says is true in James 1:14-15. We are tempted by our OWN desires, and when desire has conceived, it gives birth to SIN, and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death.  Thank You, Father, that I know the end of the story, and after Jacob and all his sons experience the just rewards for their deceptions and they confess, your kindness will be revealed. 
  • Psalm 130:3-4. “If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with You, there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.”

 

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, days 28 & 29

Jan29

 Day 28 & 29 — (I combine Sunday and Monday reads.)  Won’t you read the Bible with me this year?   It only takes a few minutes.  (You can also listen to an audio recording.)

   Day 28 – Genesis 46-47  (Jacob settles in Egypt, Joseph manages the famine)

Chapter 46 sees the old man, Jacob/Israel packing up his family and goods and beginning the trek south. He stops briefly in Beersheba and sacrifices to God. God assures him it’s the right ting to do. “Jacob, Jacob, I am the God of your Father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you…”  

There were 66 family members in all in the caravan (70 persons in his “house” counting Joseph, his wife and sons). Before the Hebrews return, there will be 600,000 men, not counting women and kids.  God’s promise told to the Patriarch’s would begin to come true – they’d be as numerous as the sand, dust, and stars.

After 22 years thinking his fave son was dead, Jacob finally meets Joseph, the Vice-Pharoah in Egypt. What a scene! Lots of hugging and weeping.  Then Joseph settles them in the “prime” land of Goshen, away from the capital. He tells them what to say when he introduces them to the Big Man. They were to say they are “shepherds.” Egyptians do not like sheep, so Goshen is perfect.  At the meeting, Jacob blesses Pharoah, not the other way around.

In chapter 47, we see Joseph, relieved to have his family nearby, back to the seriousness of running the economy of Egypt in the remaining 5 years of famine. It looks like he is draining the hungry people dry, but they seem pleased to give up their money, land, and themselves to receive grain to eat and plant.

Jacob/Israel is coming to the end of his days. He’s lived in Egypt near his favorite son for 17 years.  He’s 147 now, and he calls Joseph to extract a promise from him.

“…promise to deal kindly and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt, but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place.  PROMISE!”  And Joseph swears it. (He will make a similar request before he dies).

Day 29 – Genesis 48-50 (the last chapters) – (Blessings & Promises)

In chapter 48, Jacob/Israel, knowing he will die soon, begins to gather his sons together for the Patriarchal Blessings. Joseph brings his two sons to his father (Manassah & Ephraim) to be blessed. Jacob “adopts” them as his own sons, giving them equal portions with the other 11 brothers. Remember three things here:

  1. Jacob considers Rachael as his “wife”
  2. Jacob considers Rachael’s first born, Joseph. as the one who gets the Birthright (double portion of his inheritance)
  3. In adopting Joseph’s sons and giving them equal portions with his own sons, he carries out this “double portion” in heritance for Joseph.

Again, as in all the sons of the Patriarchs, Joseph’s second son gets the greater honor – Ephraim over Manassah. And they are considered part of the 12 Tribes of Israel. When the united kingdom spits after Solomon dies, the Northern half is often called “Ephraim.”  (Judah is the name as the Southern half).

And finally, in chapter 49, Jacob gives his Blessing to all the sons, revealing both their character and the portions of the Promised Land that will be theirs. As before, he passes up Reuben, Simeon, and Levi (because of their wickedness) and proclaims Judah as the progenitor of the One who will bless all the nations on the earth, the Eternal King, the Lion of Judah (Jesus, the Messiah).

Then the old Patriarch dies.

Chapter 50 covers two amazing things. One, Jacob/Israel is embalmed as per the custom of the Egyptians. He is mourned for 70 days, then, as per his desires, he is transported to the Promised Land, and buried in the cave of Machpelah, where his grandfather/grandmother, father/mother, and Leah are buried. The Canaanite inhabitants are astonished at the great complany of Egyptians that attend the burial.

Two, after ALL THESE YEARS, still obviously feeling guilt, Joseph’s brothers come to him with a story (true or made up??) that before he died Jacob told Joseph to forgive them for selling him into slavery.

Joseph is astonished and cries out in grief.  He has long since forgiven them (even before they first came to Egypt).  He assures them AGAIN, that even if THEY meant it for harm, GOD meant it for good, in order to save all of them alive (and fulfill His promises to Abraham).

Do they finally believe him?  I hope so.

And then the time comes for Joseph to die (110). He extracts a promise from his brothers (and families) to “carry his bones” with them when they return to the land God promised them. (Joseph totally believed God’s words to Abraham that after 400 years, God would bring Israel back to the Promised Land.)

Then Joseph dies, his body is embalmed and placed in a coffin….”resting” in Egypt for 400 years.

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NOTES: 1) Exodus 13:19 tells how Moses made sure to collect Joseph’s bones before the “Children of Israel” left Egypt.

2) Joshua 24:32 tells how Joshua buried Joseph’s bones in the portion of land that Jacob had bought from Hamar in Shechem.