QT 12/4/2025 Gen 38:1-11, Cultural practices

Genesis 38:1–11 (ESV) —

1 It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2 There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her and went in to her, 3 and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. 4 She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. 5 Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. Judah was in Chezib when she bore him.

6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother’s wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. 10 And what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death also. 11 Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, till Shelah my son grows up”—for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained in her father’s house.

 

NOTE: First, the law had not been written yet, so there is no commandment from God on the subject. Second, God would include this requirement 400 years later (Deut 25:5-10). At the time, it was custom, called the levirate marriage. In the future law, the son-in-law could refuse and the sister-in-law was free, but also alone. The practice was intended to provide for the well-being of the widow as well.

 

The heart of the story is the overall evil and wickedness in what will be royal line, Judah. The first son Er was wicked in the sight of the Lord. Onan's actions in regards to Tamar (spilling seed on the ground) was wicked in the sight of the Lord. Both men die early for their wickedness. Judah, himself, acts wickedly in pretending to give his third son to Tamar. He does protect Tamar by keeping him in his house. I have to wonder if his wife Shua influenced his actions. In any case, it is a sad story, and typical of the moral failures in the family of the patriarch.

 

What do we learn? This cultural practice, while later affirmed by God, was considered the right thing to do (again, culturally). There are many cultural practices which are right and good. Fortunately today, we have God's word to review practices against the truth. I find that today's culture seems to allow destroying / attacking another person's goods if their views are in opposition to your own. Most people would see that as wrong, but a growing progressive faction is adding violence as an acceptable cultural practice when the ideas are not what they like. This does not agree with God's word.

 

PONDER:

I know the phrase "polite society" seems out of place today, but it is closer to Jesus' command to love one another, even your enemy. How am I doing at loving others?

 

PRAYER: Father, help me to see where I am following practices which are against your word. And help me to see where I am not practicing actions that you command.

QT 12/3/2025 Gen 37:23–36, The start of a very long pity party

Genesis 37:23–36 (ESV) —

23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. 24 And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

25 Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 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. They took Joseph to Egypt.

29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes 30 and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?” 31 Then they took Joseph’s robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son’s robe or not.” 33 And he identified it and said, “It is my son’s robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.” 34 Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. 36 Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.

 

NOTE:  There is some irony as the brothers sit to eat, while Joseph is in the cistern presumably to die of hunger, and yet Joseph would someday feed the entire group. Once again, not all the brothers are present at the same time (I believe some were watching the flock, at all times). Judah is present as the trade caravan passes by and convinces the other brothers who were there as well to sell the boy rather than have blood on their hands. Some commentators suggest that Judah was only interested in the profit to gain from Joseph's life. And that, this is the reason for Joseph returning the gold in their baskets later in the story, to test them. I could be wrong but I disagree. I don't believe Judah or Reuben were interested in the boy's death, and both looked for ways to keep him from death. Judah's plan protected himself from his brother's reprisal, whereas Reuben risked the anger of the other brothers if he was to rescue the boy and return him. Reuben's plan may have been an attempt to redeem himself in the eyes of his father, after Reuben's own earlier sin.

 

Jacob's response to Joseph's death is a 22-year pity party. The passage says he mourned for many days, but many of his responses during the coming famine suggest that he still was not over the loss, even after 22 years.

 

It is good to mourn. It is very good to feel pain. It is good to shed tears. I believe, it is okay even to be angry at God (for a time). But ultimately, we cannot live in an eternal pity party. There comes a time, when you (I) must rise from the ashes and start living again. Yes, there will be reminders. Christmas seems like one of those times where a previous pain, maybe even one that came during the holidays, attacks once again. It's okay to feel hurt. But I say again, at some point we must return to the land of living. We must be back in the "giving" and not living in the "getting" of pity.

 

PONDER:

1. What pain have I not let go?
2. Am I living or only grieving? When will I be ready to move ahead in life?

 

PRAYER: Father, I have been there. I know that pain. It hurt. I was mad. But thankfully, at some point, I began to live again, instead of waiting for another shoe to fall in my apparently miserable life. Thanks for lifting me out of despair and giving me hope, and life once again.

QT 12/2/2025 Gen 37:12-22, The will of God cannot be thwarted

Genesis 37:12–22 (ESV) —

12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” 14 So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15 And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” 16 “I am seeking my brothers,” he said. “Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” 17 And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” 21 But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” 22 And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father.

 

NOTE: At any one time, not all of the brothers are at the base camp. In order to watch the flock, I am sure they took shifts, and depending on the size, some could beyond eye sight. So the term "brothers" may not refer collectively to every one of the brothers. This is supported by verse 21, "But when Reuben heard it …," where he is clearly not involved in the initial discussions. In fact, his plan to rescue him later, puts him in a different group. In my mind, the four brothers of the two servant women were most likely the ring leaders. Potentially, Simeon and Levi, who were known for their violence, could possibly be added. Except for Judah, the two remaining brothers (not counting Benjamin) are younger and went along with the crowd. Reuben disagrees but does not really voice his disagreement. In the next passage, we see that Judah had second thoughts as well when he proposes selling him to a Midianite traveler.

 

God had a plan in this but God does not encourage sin. God uses the sin and brings about something good despite our sin. He is never caught off guard. The dreams of Joseph shared prior, show that God knew all along how things would work out.

 

What do we learn? "No one" does something to you that hurts you in a way that God does not know or will not use for your good. Yes, people do hurt us, but they cannot hurt the will of God. He will bring about good in any and every situation.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I blame others for my misfortune?
2. Am I looking to see how God can bring good out of the evil brought about on me?

 

PRAYER: Father, your plan cannot be shaken. Your will cannot be thwarted. It may take circuitous routes, but never out of your will. Help us to trust and obey, even when we seem defeated.

QT 12/1/2025 Gen 37:1-11, Don't show favoritism

Genesis 37:1–11 (ESV) —

1 Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.

2 These are the generations of Jacob.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.

5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

 

NOTE: The first thing to note is that his bad report concerned four brothers, all born of Bilhah and Zilpah (I'm never sure whether to call them wives or concubines. The son's names are Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. The four oldest sons (Reuben, Levi, Simeon, Judah) of Leah, as well as two younger (Issachar and Zebulun) are not involved in the bad report. Joseph would be the oldest of the working boys, Benjamin is still quite young.

 

This problem of favoritism is compounded by the fact that the twelve sons split in four groups depending upon their mother. Rachel was the preferred mother by Jacob and he appears to have made Joseph his favorite with Benjamin a close second. This is clearly noticed by the brothers and begins to produce a lot of jealousy and anger. The special gift, a cloak, makes it considerably worse. It does not sound like a coat that one would do any physical work wearing.

 

Joseph, as seen later in life, is an intelligent young man with a passion for organization and business. I would not call him a leader because he does not show any of those skills. In fact, sharing his dreams to his family certainly is not a good way to lead.

 

I have always felt that Joseph was prideful. I think his father is guilty of encouraging a false sense of pride. The dreams are true dreams and maybe should have been shared in private with his father.

 

What do we learn from this? We learn the same lesson Jacob should have learned watching his parents, favoritism is not a good way to raise your children. Your children should never know you favor one over the other. Likewise, neither should the mother or father favor a child. I think it is natural for daughters to do certain things with only the mother and the sons to do certain things with only the father. But beyond that, both parents must make a concerted effort to include each and every child as special.

 

PONDER:

1. How do I treat each of my children? If they are older, then I would add, even now?
2. Do I show any favoritism?
3. For those who have grandchildren, the same rules apply. How do I treat each of my grandchildren?

 

PRAYER: Father, give us (my wife and I) wisdom and we help raise our two young grandchildren. Help us to establish a strong foundation based on biblical concepts, rooted in love.

QT 11/28/2025 Gen 36:31-43, The secret to spiritual greatness

Genesis 36:31–43 (ESV) —

31 These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the Israelites. 32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom, the name of his city being Dinhabah. 33 Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place. 34 Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 35 Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, reigned in his place, the name of his city being Avith. 36 Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. 37 Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth on the Euphrates reigned in his place. 38 Shaul died, and Baal-hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place. 39 Baal-hanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his place, the name of his city being Pau; his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezahab.

40 These are the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their clans and their dwelling places, by their names: the chiefs Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 41 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 42 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 43 Magdiel, and Iram; these are the chiefs of Edom (that is, Esau, the father of Edom), according to their dwelling places in the land of their possession.

 

NOTE: At the time of Moses, no kings had arisen in Israel, although God had promised kings to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel). My guess is that these are the line of Kings to Esau up to and including the 40 years of wilderness. Edom has many successes including the defeat of Midian in Moab. As noted earlier, secular greatness develops faster than spiritual greatness. God takes his time to train up men and his people.

 

As an example, Paul (Saul of the time during Jesus), spent probably years training under Gamaliel before meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus. Paul immediately starts sharing the gospel, but God has to remove him from the scene. He then spends another 13 years in the desert learning from God directly. I think we want to be spiritual giants directly once we truly know the Lord. We don't want to take the slow boring steps of discipleship. We think we already know 90 percent of what we need to know. Someone once told me (although I find I only agree with it in part), that after a few years of intensive seeking God, you know 90 percent of all you ever will know about the bible, but you will spend the rest of your life seeing how it applies to your life. I'm not sure I completely agree.

 

What have I found to be true about spiritual growth? You will feel you have learned 90 percent of the basics within a few years of a spiritual birth. As the years continue, you will reach a point where you will realize how little you know (it can take 10-20 years). Then each year after, you will learn new things you did not realize that you did not know. And yes, you will continue to see new areas where the word of God should be applied to your life.

 

Someone once did a study on Paul's growth. After his training by Gamaliel, and his 13 years in the desert with the Lord, he says in Philippians that he has not perfect yet, in his first letter to the Corinthians, he says he is the least of the Apostles because he persecuted the church, in his second letter to the Corinthians, he talks about a thorn given him in the flesh to keep him from being conceited and how he felt weak, and finally in his first letter to Timothy, he calls himself the foremost of sinners, the worst. Saul's 20 years of active ministry, 33 years after his rebirth, had taught him how sinful he was.

 

I think we get spiritual growth wrong. It is not what you know, but it is who you know. And as you know God more, you realize how little you know and how sinful you are, and you cry out like Isaiah: "Woe is me ..."

 

Isaiah 6:1–5 (ESV) — 1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

the whole earth is full of his glory!”

4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

 

PONDER:

1. Am I in this (a walk with God) for the short run or the long run?
2. Am I willing to wait upon God as he trains me and prepares me?

 

PRAYER: Father, I am certainly guilty of pride and running to get ahead. Unfortunately, I was getting ahead of you, and you had to slow me down to listen. Thank you for these days to remember and I pray to continue to learn from you.

QT 11/27/2025 Gen 36:15-30, Handling scripture correctly

Genesis 36:15–30 (ESV) —

15 These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: the chiefs Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz, 16 Korah, Gatam, and Amalek; these are the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Adah. 17 These are the sons of Reuel, Esau’s son: the chiefs Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah; these are the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 18 These are the sons of Oholibamah, Esau’s wife: the chiefs Jeush, Jalam, and Korah; these are the chiefs born of Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau’s wife. 19 These are the sons of Esau (that is, Edom), and these are their chiefs.

20 These are the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan; these are the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom. 22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan’s sister was Timna. 23 These are the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. 24 These are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah; he is the Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness, as he pastured the donkeys of Zibeon his father. 25 These are the children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah. 26 These are the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. 27 These are the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. 28 These are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. 29 These are the chiefs of the Horites: the chiefs Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 30 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan; these are the chiefs of the Horites, chief by chief in the land of Seir.

 

NOTE: Esau's family is large. And God includes a partial genealogy of the Horites. Esau's family intermarries with the Horites. Ultimately, Esau's family dispossess the Horites of their lands and their titles, becoming Kings in the land and partially fulfilling God's promises to Isaac and Abraham. Slightly humorous is the mention of Anah, the guy who discovered the hot springs while pasturing his father's donkeys. Even though these events are written down over four hundred years after their fulfillment, the details are important. Israel will spend time traveling in the wilderness, not far from Edom, and will come in contact with many of these tribes. The information is not invaluable in maintaining friendly relationships with the Edomites as the move around south and west of them.

 

It is a lot of information saved for posterity, and shows the bible authenticity. Some names will change at different points in history, but that happens in marriage and for other reasons, further increasing the historical authenticity. The stories are written as history, just as the stories of Adam, Cain, and Noah are written. There are lots of details and never once is there a suggestion of myth. They are written in the common language of the people. We need to be careful to read and learn, and not spiritualize too much. I know I slightly spiritualized the wrestling match between God and Jacob. It was a real physical event, but it also, in retrospect, seemed to symbolize Jacob's life with God so far. I think if we are careful not to change the meaning of events we can see pictures that God wants us to see.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I believe scripture as it is written?
2. Do I try to insert my ideas into historical stories without any evidence of such truth in the whole of scripture? That is another hermeneutical principle, scripture interprets scripture.

 

PRAYER: Father, I pray we would be careful in our handling of the word of God. It is true and historical. It is meant to be read by the common man. I suppose I would have been one of the heretics of Luther's day. Teach me and use me for your good in my world I live in.

QT 11/26/2025 Gen 36:1-16, Historical facts about Edom

Genesis 36:1–16 (ESV) —

1 These are the generations of Esau (that is, Edom). 2 Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, Oholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite, 3 and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, the sister of Nebaioth. 4 And Adah bore to Esau, Eliphaz; Basemath bore Reuel; 5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

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. 7 For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together. The land of their sojournings could not support them because of their livestock. 8 So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir. (Esau is Edom.)

9 These are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir. 10 These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Basemath the wife of Esau. 11 The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 (Timna was a concubine of Eliphaz, Esau’s son; she bore Amalek to Eliphaz.) These are the sons of Adah, Esau’s wife. 13 These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These are the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 14 These are the sons of Oholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau’s wife: she bore to Esau Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

15 These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: the chiefs Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz, 16 Korah, Gatam, and Amalek; these are the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Adah.

 

NOTE: Esau is also blessed, as can be seen by his large family and his large possessions. Esau chooses to leave the promised land and dwell in the hill country to the south. The land was given to Jacob, not by Isaac, but by God. The promised seed, the blessing to the whole world is now carried by the family of Israel. Was Esau correct in leaving? I don't know. Edom disappears in time, but Israel remains today. Was Esau's choice wrong. No, it was God's will to use the second child, not the first born to Isaac.

 

God fulfilled his promise to Isaac. He actually blessed both of his sons. Kings came from both. But one family, the slightly smaller one at this point, is the most important for the history of the world.

 

How does this apply? I've never got a lot out of genealogies, although they are interesting. It does provide a tremendous historical basis for scripture. The amount of names recorded by Moses is amazing. The stories are not myth but history.

 

PONDER:

How do I feel about the stories of Genesis? Do I believe they are historical fact?

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for your truth. You have provided a history of salvation to the world that is complete in what is important. It is up to us to read and obey.

QT 11/25/2025 Gen 35:16-29, Making a good impact or ruining generations

Genesis 35:16–29 (ESV) —

16 Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor, and she had hard labor. 17 And when her labor was at its hardest, the midwife said to her, “Do not fear, for you have another son.” 18 And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem), 20 and Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb. It is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day. 21 Israel journeyed on and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder.

22 While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine. And Israel heard of it.

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. 23 The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant: Dan and Naphtali. 26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

27 And Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned. 28 Now the days of Isaac were 180 years. 29 And Isaac breathed his last, and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

 

NOTE: Benjamin is the only son born in the land. When the land is distributed among the ten tribes, his portion will include the area of his birth, near Bethlehem. Reuben, the oldest, loses his position as first born because of his sin, he ends up accepting land on the other side of the Jordan (by choice). Simeon's (partner to the Shechem massacre) portion is so far south, his tribe will essentially be forgotten. Levi, becomes a special tribe (because of Moses and Aaron), but receives no land. Their inheritance was God himself. Judah, the fourth oldest becomes, in essence, the firstborn and leader. Ultimately, the kingship would end up in Judah, and even more importantly, the line of the Messiah.

 

Our actions can have long-term consequences on our families. Reuben's consequence are an extreme, stretching thousands of years, there are others in history with similar impacts (Benedict Arnold for one). I think our actions do have consequences on the next generations in our family. In most cases, they will not be as severe. But for men especially, how we lead our family spiritually can have tremendous consequences. It is never too late to change. It may not make a difference, but it might, and in my mind, that alone is worth the change.

 

PONDER:

1. How have I lived my life in terms of its impact on my children?
2. What should I be doing now in terms of its impact on my family?

 

PRAYER: Father, because of the problem of our sinful nature, none of us can be perfect. We will fail repeatedly. But through obedience to your word and the indwelling of the Holy Spirt, upon belief in Jesus as the propitiation for our sins, we can live differently. We can experience the sanctification of our lives that results in a better person slowly but surely over time. Help us in our battle with our sinful self and the enemy of our soul to be the witness we should be.

QT 11/24/2025 Gen 35:1–15, Listening to God as he changes our direction

Genesis 35:1–15 (ESV) —

1 God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.” 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. 3 Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, so that I may make there an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.” 4 So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears. Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree that was near Shechem.

5 And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. 6 And Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him, 7 and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother. 8 And Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried under an oak below Bethel. So he called its name Allon-bacuth.

9 God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. 10 And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. 11 And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. 12 The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.” 13 Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. 14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it and poured oil on it. 15 So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.

 

NOTE: Jacob has come first circle. He is back at the place where he made his first vow:

 

Genesis 28:20–22 (ESV) — 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21 so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, 22 and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”

 

God has provided for him, despite the selfish prayer he made last time, God provided. And God repeats his renaming of Jacob which he first did in the wrestling match (actual wrestling but also symbolic of Jacob's last 20 years with God). Technically, after he had made peace with Esau, this (Bethel) is where he should have gone. Now in fear of his neighbors (near Shechem), and the command of God, he finally goes to Bethel. And Jacob does something which may have been on his mind, eating away at his conscience, and that was to purify himself from all the foreign gods. Some may have come over with the residents of Shechem. Certainly, by now, he knows of Rachel's theft of her father's household gods. The only thing I would disagree, he should have melted them down, rather than buried them.

 

Now, he is back to where he promised, and the foreign gods have been destroyed. At this point, God renews his promise to Jacob, and repeats his renaming as Jacob as Israel.

 

God is very gracious to Jacob. Despite his repeated failures, at each point he is renewed and moves ahead. He is certainly NOT a perfect man, but I believe he has faith, and he is seeking to do God's will.

 

In my experience and in my reading of the bible, most of the time God gives second chances, sometimes even more. But while there is the promise of forgiveness, there is no promise of second chances. Failure to obey can go in many directions. One can be closed off from going into the promised land, as Moses later would find true. One can be told a second time to go to Nineveh after disobeying God. There is no rule. But the one thing I have learned is to repent and seek God again when we fail. As the ruler of Nineveh will say, "Who knows, God may yet repent and turn from his fierce anger" (Jonah 3:9).

 

PONDER:

1. Is there something God has told me (or asked me) to do, that I have not followed through upon?
2. How do we remain in God's will? I hope it is by seeking him and his purpose for my life, and NOT by bringing him along for the ride.

 

PRAYER: Father, I do want to serve you, not my selfish desires. I think it took Jacob a long time to figure that out. Too often we care more about being happy, than in serving you. Sometimes serving you is hard and not what "I" would want to do. But I am convinced there is no greater thing than to serve you and know you.

QT 11/21/2025 Gen 34:24-31, Life without morality

Genesis 34:24–31 (ESV) —

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

25 On the third day, when they were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and came against the city while it felt secure and killed all the males. 26 They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house and went away. 27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister. 28 They took their flocks and their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field. 29 All their wealth, all their little ones and their wives, all that was in the houses, they captured and plundered.

30 Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. My numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household.” 31 But they said, “Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?”

 

NOTE: It is not clear if Jacob had other daughters. One of the thoughts why Dinah's birth is mentioned is because of this incident, and that there were other daughters, just not central to the larger story. We don't know. There are no nice words to put on this incident. It was a massacre. The original guilty party was Shechem and possibly Hamor since he did not seem to reprimand his son. It seems like it could have been avoided if Jacob had exercised some leadership, and not left things up to his sons. I begin to wonder if Jacob was always a poor leader. Was he not able to control his grown up children? Is that the reason he will feign sorrow for 20 years after the presumed death of Joseph? Did he try to manipulate and control his sons through his sorrow?

 

Maybe a more likely scenario is that Jacob could not control two of his sons, Simeon and Levi. In that case, Jacob and Reuben (the oldest), in good faith, negotiated the treaty, but Levi and Simeon, in their rage, acted alone. Jacob does single the two out for rebuke.

 

The fear of the neighboring tribes is now a new trial. This is the result of the evil actions of Levi and Simeon. We experience the consequences of our actions, but God also allows painful things to cause us to seek him.

 

One last thought to try to make sense of all this, where is God mentioned in the story? This story is all about the flesh, from Shechem's rape of Dinah to Simeon and Elijah's rage against Shechem and the people of the town. No where in the story do we have any indication that Jacob or his sons sought God's leading. In fact, I begin to doubt Jacob's training of his sons. Murder is wrong -- why do they neglect the moral aspects of their actions.

 

PONDER:

1. What do my actions say to my children?
2. What am teaching them in my words, and more importantly, what am I teaching them by my life?

 

PRAYER: Father, I pray for wisdom to live correctly before my children. I pray my actions would give them a different example of life than what they see in the world.

QT 11/20/2025 Gen 34:13–23, Violence and scheming are not the answer to problems

Genesis 34:13–23 (ESV) —

13 The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah. 14 They said to them, “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. 15 Only on this condition will we agree with you—that you will become as we are by every male among you being circumcised. 16 Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters to ourselves, and we will dwell with you and become one people. 17 But if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter, and we will be gone.”

18 Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor’s son Shechem. 19 And the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacob’s daughter. Now he was the most honored of all his father’s house. 20 So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, 21 “These men are at peace with us; let them dwell in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters as wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only on this condition will the men agree to dwell with us to become one people—when every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised. 23 Will not their livestock, their property and all their beasts be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will dwell with us.”

 

NOTE: The passage and story is told by God to Moses. So we get some insight into the morality of the situation. We are told upfront that the answer is deceitful. Whatever happens is born out of deceit. We also see that the father, Hamor, is still there and we must assume Jacob is too, so the solution is partially acceptable to Jacob. I have a little difficulty with the solution because there is more to being Hebrew than circumcision. It would also require the destruction of foreign gods and the belief that Yahweh is the one God only of the entire creation. The proposed solution appeals to the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes. "Their daughters … their livestock … their property." I find it fascinating that all the men of Shechem agreed, and that the procedure was so disabling that they could not hold a sword to defend themselves. Although more likely is that none of them had swords. If a sword was needed, one would obtain weapons from Hamor, the ruler of the town -- most people did not waste money on a sword unless they also had a lot of money.

 

What do we learn? Violence is not the answer to life's problems. The rulership of Israel passes from Reuben (adultery with one of Jacob's wives), through Simon and Levi (because of their murder of a town), to Judah (the fourth child). Judah begins to assert a greater leadership role in the family.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I rely on deceit to gain my way?
2. Do I go to violence to handle a situation? Violence is never appropriate and should only be used in defense of one's self or the helpless.

 

PRAYER: Father, Jacob's family is a picture of communities and families today. We are seeing more and more people lie and attack other violently. As Christians we should never involve ourselves in those actions.

QT 11/19/2025 Gen 34:1-12, Making hard decisions before they go off the rails

Genesis 34:1–12 (ESV) —

1 Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land. 2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her. 3 And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. 4 So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this girl for my wife.”

5 Now Jacob heard that he had defiled his daughter Dinah. But his sons were with his livestock in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came. 6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him. 7 The sons of Jacob had come in from the field as soon as they heard of it, and the men were indignant and very angry, because he had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing must not be done.

8 But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him to be his wife. 9 Make marriages with us. Give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. 10 You shall dwell with us, and the land shall be open to you. Dwell and trade in it, and get property in it.” 11 Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, “Let me find favor in your eyes, and whatever you say to me I will give. 12 Ask me for as great a bride-price and gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. Only give me the young woman to be my wife.”

 

NOTE: I have a tendency to be pretty harsh on Jacob on this passage, especially verse 5. On the other hand, would have I done differently? Would going into a rage when I heard of the rape do anything? I can't undo the sin of others. I can be angry, righteously angry, but it is not as if you could do a whole lot back then. You can't call the police. You can't call the FBI for inter-state crimes. Your choices are limited. You can meet with the offending party and demand some recompense and say "no" on principle to marriage. I doubt the "king" (leader) of Shechem will give his son to you for slavery or jail (since they didn't really do jail). So, it is physical violence between the two parties or some type of negotiated arrangement. While most societies accept marriage, not many cultures accept the idea of sex only within the confines of marriage. I doubt Shechem did.

 

Hamor approaches Jacob and offers a bride price and an economic "best nation" status for trade. Technically, Israel was forbidden to inter-marry. The latter will be formalized in the law, but it was already a practice. Waiting for the adult children to show up does not help. The best solution was recompense and if the individual was serious about marriage, he would have to go through the process of becoming a Jew. I don't know if that was formalized at that time.

 

What do we learn from the story? I genuinely don't know what the best option was. I do know the end of the story, and I know that was not the correct solution either. If there is one thought, it is that Jacob should have taken the lead in the matter, or at the very least sought God for wisdom. He does neither.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I pass off decisions that I should make and are expected of me?
2. Do I fear making decisions on hard subjects?

 

PRAYER: Father, you have made me leader of my family, and in some cases some spiritual entities. Help me to be bold in the decisions, and to seek you in all cases.

QT 11/18/2025 Gen 33:1-20, God at work in ways we didn't even see

Genesis 33:1–20 (ESV) —

1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants. 2 And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. 3 He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4 But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5 And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6 Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down. 7 Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down. And last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. 8 Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” 9 But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” 10 Jacob said, “No, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. 11 Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Thus he urged him, and he took it.

12 Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go ahead of you.” 13 But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and that the nursing flocks and herds are a care to me. If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die. 14 Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”

15 So Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” 16 So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. 17 But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

18 And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram, and he camped before the city. 19 And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. 20 There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

 

NOTE: Unless you've read the story before, everything points to Esau getting payback for the stolen blessing (and birthright). Although as I have mentioned before, Esau has been running the estate for over 20 years now and essentially owns it. Rebecca is dead and Isaac was having trouble seeing 20 years ago. But the amazing thing is that God has been working in Esau's life as he was working in Jacob's. Esau, his brother who had sworn to kill him, runs and falls on him, kisssd him, and together they weep. God has blessed his brother as well such that Esau tries to turn down the gift, but in typical eastern tradition, graciously accepts. Why did he come with 400 men? He came to protect his brother and even offered some of the men to protect him on the way to where he would settle. It is a beautiful story of forgiveness.

 

PONDER:

1. I know I worry about many things, but the key is to give those worries to God. I am not saying the issue will go away, but I am saying that God will bring about something that no worry could do better.
2. What are my worries?
3. What do I refuse to trust God concerning?

 

PRAYER: Father, I pray for this presentation that I am giving today. I pray for good attendance. I pray it will go will. I pray that I can mix a talk on AI and finding jobs with an identification of Christ as my savior. I give to you all the worries of what can go wrong.

QT 11/17/2025 Gen 32:22-32, Wrestling with God, not with life

Genesis 32:22–32 (ESV) —

22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.

 

NOTE: The wrestling match is understood better at the end of the passage. Jacob was left alone and wrestled with God. God's tremendous power is evident in his touching Jacob's hip and putting it out of joint, and that Jacob understood that his life was spared. But God wrestles Jacob at his own strength. Jacob figures it out and realizes that the real blessing in life that he wanted was not what he could scheme or come up with on his own, but it was God's blessing.

 

For myself, it is also a metaphor of a period of time that probably began with Jacob's terrible prayer / vow at Bethuel.

 

Genesis 28:20–22 (ESV) — 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21 so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, 22 and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”

 

Twenty years later after being out schemed and cheated by Laban, but rescued by God at every point, Jacob's new prayer is different.

 

Genesis 32:26 (ESV) — Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

 

Gone are the deals, just a plea for God's blessing.

 

Twenty years is a long time to learn a lesson. The new name is a reminder to Jacob (as well as the limp) that he was only partially wrestling with Laban but was really wrestling with God.

 

Genesis 32:28 (ESV) — Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

 

How did he prevail? He prevailed by giving up. He prevailed by recognizing God in his life. He prevailed by not demanding the things of the world, but rather a relationship with God.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I wresting with God and not realizing it? I think I was a year or two ago.
2. What is the lesson I learned and how am I doing at implementing it?

 

PRAYER: Father, I trust you for the things you are doing. I don't understand them all but I believe you are in control. You will provide, my job is to give to you my worries.