QT 8/20/2025 Gen 12:10-20, Trusting in all decisions

Genesis 12:10–20 (ESV) —

10 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, 12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.” 14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16 And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

17 But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go.” 20 And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.

 

NOTE: Abram's stories are an example of little faith alternating with great faith. In that sense, he is a lot like us, where fear alternates with our trust in God and what his word tells us.

 

Passage	Event	Live by Sight	Live by Faith
12:1-9	God calls Abram and promises him the land		Abram travels to the Land, traverses it, and build an altar
12:10-20	Abram moves to Egypt during a famine	Infers Sarai is his sister only
14:1-16	Lot is captured by 5 Kings		Attacks 5 Kings; rescues Lot
14:17-15:1	God reminds Abram to fear not	Abram had a lot of new enemies (implied fear)
15:2-6	God promises Abram his offspring will number like stars in heavens		Abram believed God
16:1-16 Abram is 86	Sarai convinces Abram to have child w/ Hagar	Abram & Hagar have Ishmael
17:1-8,15-21 Abraham is 99	God tells Abraham he will have a son in a year	Abraham laughs. Abraham suggests Ishmael be his son of promise
17:9-14,22-27	God commands Abraham to circumcise the males		Abraham immediately circumcises all males
18:9-15	God again tells Abraham that Sarah will have a son	Sarah laughs (reflects on Abraham -- did he not tell her?)
18:16-33	God tells Abraham about Sodom		Abraham prays for Lot & Sodom
19:27-20:18	Abraham moves to Gerar (The crisis of the seed)	Infers Sarah is only his sister
21:1-7	Isaac is born		Abraham & Sarah name him "Laughter"
21:8-21	Sarah wants Ishmael cast out		Abraham sought God's wisdom (implied in context)
21:22-34	Abimelech's servants seize a well (The crisis of the land)		Abraham reproves Abimelech and Abimelech's Army Commander
22:1-19	God calls Abraham to sacrifice his only son		Abraham takes his son to Mt Moriah to sacrifice
23	Sarah dies in the land		Abraham buries her in the land by legally purchasing a field and a cave
24	Isaac needs a wife		Abraham sends his servant to get a wife for Isaac (not from Canaan), and never to let his son leave the land

 

The interesting thing about this first story in Abram's life is that he assumes the Egyptians are immoral and willing to kill a man to get his wife. The Egyptians are quite disturbed that Abram put them in an immoral position by creating a situation that could have caused adultery.

 

I can remember traveling once to Europe and assuming that sin was rampant since God had been rejected by so many Europeans. And while there certainly was an acceptance of sin, people were nicer and more helpful than what I had imagined.

 

The message is not to assume, and to learn to trust. Not only did Abram "assume a situation," he developed a solution in his own mind, rather than doing the right thing.

 

PONDER:

1. It is good to use the mind God gave us, but it is not good to rely upon our thinking. How often do we bring God into our worries, concerns, and decisions?
2. Do we alternate between faith and sight?

 

PRAYER: Father, help me to bring you into all my decisions. I want to be prudent and smart and wise as a serpent, but I also want to trust you in all things.

QT 8/19/2025 Gen 12:1–9, Waiting upon God

Genesis 12:1–9 (ESV) —

1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8 From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. 9 And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.

 

NOTE: I have to include this for posterity sake at least. There is a progressive revelation of God to Abram. William Newell condensed it as follows:

 

1. As the LORD (Jehovah, His name as in covenant with His people), 12:1; 12:8; 13:4; 13:18.
2. God Most High (El Elyon, Creator—God Over and Owning All), 14:18–22.
3. Shield and Exceeding Great Reward, 15:1.
4. The Almighty God (El Shaddai), 17:1.
5. The Righteous Judge, 18:25.
6. The Everlasting God, 21:33.
7. The God of Providence (Jehovah Jireh), 22:14.

 

Stephen (in Acts 7), speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, tells us that God called Abram while he was still in Mesopotamia, and before he lived in Haran. Apparently, God renews the covenant after his Father died. Here we have the first record of God speaking to Abram and explaining the blessing that he would bestow upon the whole world through his seed. And as he does he uses his covenant name, Yahweh (yhwh).

 

Abram does not yet have a child, and the promise is to his descendants more than 400 years later. Our problem is that our focus is so near-term (here, now, next week) that we miss out on seeing what God is doing, which might take years to accomplish. Our job is to be faithful and to do the right thing. In time we will see God do amazing things through our lives. Just as God revealed himself (his names) to Abram over many years, so God will reveal himself to us -- it doesn't happen overnight.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I content where I am?
2. Am I waiting patiently and expectantly for the next step in my life?

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for these days. I don't know what will emerge out of them. But I need to trust you and wait upon you.

QT 8/18/2025 Gen 11:27–32, Don't get ahead of God, do the right thing

 

Genesis 11:27–32 (ESV) —

27 Now these are the generations of Terah. Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran fathered Lot. 28 Haran died in the presence of his father Terah in the land of his kindred, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 And Abram and Nahor took wives. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and Iscah. 30 Now Sarai was barren; she had no child.

31 Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there. 32 The days of Terah were 205 years, and Terah died in Haran.

 

NOTE: The passage is an illustration of God's sovereignty. We are told in Acts (by Stephen) that God called Abram out of Ur to go to the promised land. Here we see Terah taking Abram and others up to Haran. God uses Terah to move Abram half the distance, although Haran was a little farther north than necessary, it is where Terah chose to live. It could be that Abram persisted with his father because of his health. Once his father died, he continues to the promise land. As we will see in the next verse, God renews his call to Abram after the death of Terah.

 

Abram was faithful to the responsibility as the oldest son to his family. He stayed with his father, and buried him. Later, the land of Haran would provide multiple wives (Rebeccah, Leah, and Rachel) to his sons and grandsons.

 

Sometimes we wonder if we are moving in the right direction. But one principle that helps, is to do the right thing. Don't try to speed God up. Rather ask God, what is the right thing now? Abram's story is a story of obstacles, the biggest one being Sarai's barrenness. But there are actually twelve (Constable, 2003):

 

1. Sarai was barren and incapable of producing an heir (11:30).
2. Abram had to leave the Promised Land, which God had told him he would inherit (12:10).
3. Abram’s life was in danger in Egypt (12:11–20).
4. Abram’s nephew (heir?) Lot separated from Abram over a land  dispute (ch. 13).
5. Abram entered a war and could have died (14:1–16).
6. Abram’s life was in danger from retaliation in the Promised Land (15:1).
7. God ruled Eliezer out as Abram’s heir (15:2–3).
8. Hagar, pregnant with Abram’s son (heir?), departed (16:6).
9. Abimelech threatened Sarai’s reputation and child (heir?) in Gerar (ch. 20).
10. Abram had two heirs (21:8–11).
11. God commanded Abram to slay his heir (ch. 22).
12. Abram could not find a proper wife for his heir (24:5).

 

What are we to do when faced with obstacles? We need to do the right thing and we need to trust God for the rest. Don't get ahead of God.

 

PONDER:

1. What is the right thing, right now, in my life?
2. Where do I need to trust God and stop worrying?
3. What do I need to stop doing?

 

PRAYER: Father, I retired from work early to do ministry. But, instead I am doing daycare for two grandchildren. My initial thoughts have been that I am wasting good years where I still have a lot of energy and health. But, you have a different plan. I need to trust in what you are doing. In my very old age, I would probably regret missing these years with the babies, as I hear many people say. And who knows what will happen in 3-4 years when I am no longer doing day care. I just need to trust you. Thank you for where I am and what you have me doing.

QT 8/15/2025 Gen 11:10-26, Overwhelmed by grace

Genesis 11:10–26 (ESV) —

10 These are the generations of Shem. When Shem was 100 years old, he fathered Arpachshad two years after the flood. 11 And Shem lived after he fathered Arpachshad 500 years and had other sons and daughters.

12 When Arpachshad had lived 35 years, he fathered Shelah. 13 And Arpachshad lived after he fathered Shelah 403 years and had other sons and daughters.

14 When Shelah had lived 30 years, he fathered Eber. 15 And Shelah lived after he fathered Eber 403 years and had other sons and daughters.

16 When Eber had lived 34 years, he fathered Peleg. 17 And Eber lived after he fathered Peleg 430 years and had other sons and daughters.

18 When Peleg had lived 30 years, he fathered Reu. 19 And Peleg lived after he fathered Reu 209 years and had other sons and daughters.

20 When Reu had lived 32 years, he fathered Serug. 21 And Reu lived after he fathered Serug 207 years and had other sons and daughters.

22 When Serug had lived 30 years, he fathered Nahor. 23 And Serug lived after he fathered Nahor 200 years and had other sons and daughters.

24 When Nahor had lived 29 years, he fathered Terah. 25 And Nahor lived after he fathered Terah 119 years and had other sons and daughters.

26 When Terah had lived 70 years, he fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

 

NOTE: The story is a collection of historical facts pointing ultimately to Abram. It makes no sense to make up a genealogy, it could be disputed too easily. No, this is a factual history that culminates in the birth of a man whose faith would bless all the nations of the earth. He is not a perfect man, quite the opposite, he has many faults and many failings, but he picks himself up and seeks to do better each time.

 

Abram, like many other biblical characters, are examples of God's grace. They are not perfect, but God is building his story around them. He includes them, not because they deserve it, but because he chooses to bless them so. It is a little like the verse, "Jacob I loved, and Esau I hated." God did not hate Esau, but in comparison to the blessing he showed Jacob (making him part of the line of Jesus), his love for Esau was incredibly less. Jacob certainly didn't deserve his part. But God in his grace uses Abram, Jacob, David, and many others.

 

God uses us too, maybe not on such a grand scale, but for those who have responded to the good news, we are part of God's plan. We don't deserve it. But we do need to be faithful to our new role as children of God.

 

PONDER:

1. What is God calling me to do that I have not responded to yet?
2. Have I ever thanked for the incredible love he showed to me by someone sharing the gospel to me?

 

PRAYER: Father, help us to be serious about our work for you. Jesus' death saved us, it was nothing about us. We only responded to the invitation. But now, as believers, we have a responsibility to work hard for the kingdom (if we truly understand the grace bestowed upon us).

QT 8/14/2025 Gen 11:1–9, God's way versus Man's way

Genesis 11:1–9 (ESV) —

1 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” 5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.

 

NOTE: There are little hints throughout this passage of something wrong. God commanded man to fill the earth, but they settle in one place. The line of Cain seems to emphasize the construction of cities (after Cain's wanderings), and they are following that example. The use of the term "east" is usually associated with something bad happening, as in east of Eden, or Lot journey east to Sodom, or Jacob fleeing home and traveling east. It seems whether the direction is east or west, the word "east" is used in relationship to the event. They wanted to make a tower that reached into the heavens. They wanted access to the heavens. They wanted to make a name for themselves (pride). Some commentators suggest that Nimrod wanted to conquer heaven.

 

Obviously, God was not worried that man would succeed in conquering heaven. The concern has to be for man. Certainly, technology has offered many good improvements, but also has led man deeper into sin. Television, the internet, and various sorts of entertainment, have increased the sin upon the earth. Anger dominates because technology allows a person to feed their biases. And once again, increased leisure leads to sin, as it did before the flood. The confusion of the languages was for man's good, to slow things down.

 

Man tried to regain the security of the garden through human effort and technology. God's disgust with those efforts is a reminder that security is only gained through submission to God's rule. That is still true today, as hard as man tries to create a world through human effort.

 

PONDER:

1. How do I live my life -- dependence on God or on my own effort?
2. Do I recognize the traps that the enemy has laid out there to take me away from God?

 

PRAYER: xxxxx

QT 8/13/2025 Gen 10:21–32, We really need God to live life

Genesis 10:21–32 (ESV) —

21 To Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, children were born. 22 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. 23 The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. 24 Arpachshad fathered Shelah; and Shelah fathered Eber. 25 To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided, and his brother’s name was Joktan. 26 Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. 30 The territory in which they lived extended from Mesha in the direction of Sephar to the hill country of the east. 31 These are the sons of Shem, by their clans, their languages, their lands, and their nations.

32 These are the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, in their nations, and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood.

 

NOTE: From the descendants of Shem, we get Eber, which apparently is another name for Hebrews. Although it appears only Peleg's descendants seem to carry on the name. Most of Shem's descendants were in the Arabian peninsula, Mesopotamia, area in Iran, and possibly as far west as India. There is no one accepted view on what is meant be the earth being divided. I am going with the assumption that it was the scattering of the tribes after the tower of Babel incident. Certainly, a miraculous changing of languages would probably cause a separation of the tribes.

 

The importance of this section is that it explains the creation of nations. And the phrase in verse 32, "after the flood," highlights the fact that the flood changed everything. It was not like this prior to the flood. There were no nations, nor were there events that changed everything. Survival ultimately required moving into new places. Even centuries later, in the early years of the US, many people groups immigrated to the US because of overcrowding in the cities in Europe.

 

So what is the point? In one sense, these verses are the setup for the next story, the tower of Babel, a story which occurs in the midst of these generations, all descended from one man, and then are separated. Again, my guess is that this occurred around the time of Peleg's birth. The story is setting itself up for another fall of man, first in Eden, then in the time after Eden, and then in the time after the flood (tower of Babel). A fourth try will be when God chooses a nation from the line of Eber. That will also fail. Ultimately, every attempt of God is thwarted by Man's sin. The lesson should be clear, man cannot exist apart from God.

 

PONDER:

1. Who do I rely upon to live my life -- is it God or is it really just me?
2. What can I do to rely upon God more in everyday life?

 

PRAYER: Father, I need your help. My natural tendency is to live in my own strength. I know I need you. And I know I fail when I try to do things in my own strength. Give me grace and mercy to grow closer to you.

QT 8/12/2025 Gen 10:1–20, Leaving a godly legacy

Genesis 10:1–20 (ESV) —

1 These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood.

2 The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5 From these the coastland peoples spread in their lands, each with his own language, by their clans, in their nations.

6 The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. 7 The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. 8 Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.” 10 The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and 12 Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city. 13 Egypt fathered Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 14 Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom the Philistines came), and Caphtorim.

15 Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth, 16 and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, 17 the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, 18 the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Afterward the clans of the Canaanites dispersed. 19 And the territory of the Canaanites extended from Sidon in the direction of Gerar as far as Gaza, and in the direction of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. 20 These are the sons of Ham, by their clans, their languages, their lands, and their nations.

 

NOTE: This genealogy is horizontal and basically describes what happened to the three sons. Ultimately, 70 nations would precede from these three families. The number 70 is also the number of Abraham's descendants who went to Egypt. They represent a new beginning, and a microcosm of society where God rules. Except, God was seldom followed by the Israelites. They failed in their mission for God. Jesus had 70 disciples, and they too represent a microcosm of society based upon Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, and the filling of the Holy Spirit. There has been some success in this new entity, which we call the church. There are less than 200 dialects that do not have a bible in their own language. The gospel is rapidly reaching the point of having gone out to the ends of the earth.

 

Not much is made of Japeth's sons. They probably formed the nations on the northern coast of Europe, possible reaching east into Asia.

 

The sons of Ham move into Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Africa. Canaan's descendants mostly settled in Palestine. The list is long because most of Israelites history involves the nations descended from Ham.

 

What do we learn? Well, Ham continues to play a negative role. It is, as if, Cain's line jumped over to Ham. There are reasons (sexual immorality, idolatry, child sacrifice) God destroys the nations of Caanan (one of Ham's son) and gives the land to one of Shem's descendants. Nimrod, one of Ham's descendants, is referred to as a mighty hunter, but the Hebrew for mighty could easily be translated as tyrant. One commentator argues that he hunted man. It is not a pretty picture. In the bible, it references the sin of one generation passing onto others. It is always possible to change that path, it is not pre-directed, but parents do make a difference. What legacy am I leading for my own children?

 

PONDER:

1. What is the legacy I am leading for my own children, a man of God, or a man who is indifferent to God?
2. How do I go about changing my legacy if I am heading in the wrong direction?

 

PRAYER: Father, this time in the word every morning is changing me. As your Holy Spirit uses the word to illuminate needs in my life. I may only have a few decades left, but that is a lot of time to establish my legacy for good.

QT 8/11/2025 Gen 9:18–29, Standing apart in days of moral collapse

Genesis 9:18–29 (ESV) —

18 The sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the people of the whole earth were dispersed.

20 Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard. 21 He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,

“Cursed be Canaan;

a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”

26 He also said,

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem;

and let Canaan be his servant.

27 May God enlarge Japheth,

and let him dwell in the tents of Shem,

and let Canaan be his servant.”

28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 29 All the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died.

 

NOTE: While the account may appear trivial to today's modern readers, it violated deeply held beliefs of privacy. Ham could have handled it much differently, covering up his Father and not saying anything. But he didn't, and there are hints that he may have laughed at it. Constable writes, "The general lesson of the passage is that God blesses those who behave righteously, but curses those who abandon moral restraint.'

 

Incidents related to sexual perversion or immorality form a core of man's failures in the bible. In today's culture, that weakness is exploited through advertising, clothing, and entertainment. It is difficult to avoid. When society has attempted to protect us, it usually goes to an extreme making it easy for Satan and his forces to ridicule. But even though puritanical ideas are ridiculed, we should not forget that there is good in the reasoning, and there are probably things we should be avoiding, such a MA movies or R movies where nudity is involved. That is not an easy thing in the culture we live in, but the fact that it is harder is also an opportunity to stand out in our witness by being different and choosing to avoid sin. Our language and avoidance of cuss words is the simplest of ways to look different in our witness.

 

PONDER:

1. How am I living in relationship to those around me? Do I stand apart because of my beliefs or do I appear no different than those around me?
2. There is great anger toward Christians today. Jesus said as much would happen in the end times, Luke 21:17 (ESV) — "You will be hated by all for my name’s sake." Again, do we stand apart?

 

PRAYER: Father, at least in this country, we seem to be heading toward the end. But it is not just hear, Muslims are beheading Christians when governments fail, such as in Syria. Europe has much the same attitude as US toward Christians although with fewer believers. Africa too, because of Muslims, has attacked and killed Christian as AIDS ravages the continent. I'm not sure all that is happening in the far east or South America, but it does seem like we are closing in on the end days. A few years of law, order, and sanity will only make a sinful people desire something different. The reprieve in US will not last. Help us to stand up to the gospel in these days, especially as restraint seems to be removed.

QT 8/8/2025 Gen 9:8-17, Life is not as God originally intended, we rebelled

Genesis 9:8–17 (ESV) —

8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9 “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

 

NOTE: In my mind, this passage confirms a different type of climate on the planet prior to the flood, as well as confirming a universal flood and not a regional flood. Leupold writes,

 

“It is not impossible that with the Flood came altered atmospheric and cloud conditions, for geologic evidence points to an earlier age when a climate uniformly tropical prevailed also in the artic region.”

 

This covenant which God establishes is perpetual and unconditional. It is not dependent upon man, it is one-sided, completely dependent upon God. The previous covenant, the Edenic covenant was conditional.

 

Within this covenant is the continued command to procreate and care for the earth. Additionally, is the requirement for men to judge other men over issues such as capital punishment (government is required).

 

With God's covenant, what about regional floods? There is nothing implied that floods in general were no longer possible. In fact, the change in the climate from the post-Edenic to the post-Noahic guarantees floods and severe weather. Survival is much more difficult in this new world. Lifespans are greatly shorten. In a certain sense, the changes give less time for sin by occupying our lives with tasks that are more important. Floods do still happen, and now, so do earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Jesus even spoke to these issues, but his only response to these deaths, was that people need to repent. At first, that doesn't seem to answer the question, but it really does. Life is different because we rebelled. Death is around every corner. The only thing we can do is repent of our rebellion and return to God, through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

 

PONDER:

1. God has not abandoned us, we abandoned God. Why are we so quick to blame God when life does not go our way?
2. Have I repented of my sin and turned to Jesus for salvation? There is no other hope.

 

PRAYER: Father, this world is a hard place to live. There is catastrophe after catastrophe, but it is also not what you intended from the beginning. A new day is coming where you will rule on earth and we will be delivered from these sinful bodies. I look forward to serving you in that day.

QT 8/7/2025 Gen 9:1-7, Making an impact in this world

Genesis 9:1–7 (ESV) —

1 And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 2 The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. 3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. 4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.

6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man,

by man shall his blood be shed,

for God made man in his own image.

7 And you, be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it.”

 

NOTE: Things change quite a bit after the floor. No longer are people required to be vegetarian, but meat eating is allowed. The only prohibition is against the eating of flesh with its blood. Additionally, capital punishment is allowed by God requires a reckoning. That is, there needs to be a process to judge a man fairly before their life is taken. Many see this as the divine decree to establish governments, men appointed with the sacred responsibility of establishing law and order.

 

The original command to procreate remains. This is another area where we have moved away from the teaching of Genesis (God's original life manual). Nowadays, in some nations, there is not enough procreation to replace the current population. These nations are experiencing negative growth. Many couples marry with no intent to have children, which was never the desire of God.

 

PONDER:

What is the purpose of my life? Is it all about me or about the impact I can have in God's kingdom?

 

PRAYER: Father, I am well past the age of children. I am worn out caring for my children's grandchildren each day. But that doesn't mean I can't be involved in growing your kingdom. My job is spiritual children, and creating spiritual parents. I can grow the kingdom out of my community, church, and neighborhood. Lord, give me fresh ideas and wisdom as I seek to do that.

QT 8/6/2025 Gen 8:13-22, Getting serious about sin

Genesis 8:13–22 (ESV) —

13 In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried from off the earth. And Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry. 14 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth had dried out. 15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Go out from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—that they may swarm on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. 19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by families from the ark.

20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. 22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

 

NOTE: Interestingly, Noah sees that the water has dried up, but still waits almost two months for God to tell him to go out. And in the previous passages there were already things growing, as the bird did not return the second week.

 

God says "man's heart is evil from his youth" and "I will never again curse the ground because of man." I suppose, this would be a regular thing if it was not for God's promise. For now, everything will remain. Earlier in Genesis we see that God had another plan -- a son of man who would crush the serpent (Satan). So why the need for the flood? Although Satan has convinced the world that the story is a myth, the flood shows us the deadly seriousness of God toward sin, as well as a common theme of extended grace.

 

We have a tendency to not take sin seriously. In Job, he says

 

Job 28:28 (ESV) —

28 And he said to man,

‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,

and to turn away from evil is understanding.’ ”

 

God is trying to get our attention, and he uses many events in our life. The real question is not whether the bible is true, but whether I want to listen to God, or am I intentionally ignoring his word to me?

 

PONDER:

1. What is God trying to get me to do?
2. What is God warning me to stay away from?

 

PRAYER: Father, search me and know my heart. Reveal my stubbornness to myself. I want to be serious in regards to sin. I do not want it to reign in my life.

QT 8/5/2025 Gen 8:1-12, God's grace to mankind

Genesis 8:1–12 (ESV) —

1 But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided. 2 The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, 3 and the waters receded from the earth continually. At the end of 150 days the waters had abated, 4 and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. 5 And the waters continued to abate until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.

6 At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made 7 and sent forth a raven. It went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground. 9 But the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him. 10 He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. 11 And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. 12 Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove, and she did not return to him anymore.

 

NOTE: There is a fascinating chiastic formula in Genesis 6:9-8:22. One example of a chiastic outline looks as follows:

 

A Topic One

B Topic Two

C Topic Three

D Main point of section

C' Topic Three

B' Topic Two

A' Topic One

 

This is a particularly Jewish way of outlining or organizing thoughts. You move upwards to the main point and then back down. In Gen 6:9-8:22, you see it in the use of the numbers for the periods of time: 7, 7, 40, 150, 150, 40, 7, 7 or

 

7

7

40

150

Key point

150

40

7

7

 

Where does this pattern lead? It leads to the main point of the story,

 

Genesis 8:1–3a (ESV) — 1 But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided. 2 The fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, and the waters receded from the earth continually, …

 

Why is this important? Because God in his grace does not destroy all mankind. He shows grace to Noah. He didn't have to. But in his mercy and kindness, he saves mankind through Noah. He started a new godly line.

 

God is ever full of grace. Jesus is the greatest example of God's grace in his dying to pay the penalty of sin so that we could have a relationship with God again, and eternal life. God cares for us. Noah was the next step in a line pointing to a savior.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I appreciated God's grace to me?
2. Do I recognize how undeserving I am of his grace and mercy?

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for grace. There is nothing in this life I deserve except judgment and death, and yet, you have showered me with grace and salvation. And you also give mercy because of my constant failures. I thank you so much. Words fail in every respect when it comes to how much grace and mercy mean to me.

QT 8/4/2025 Gen 7:17–24, Too much leisure is not good for the soul

Genesis 7:17–24 (ESV) —

17 The flood continued forty days on the earth. The waters increased and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters prevailed and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the face of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. 20 The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. 21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. 23 He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark. 24 And the waters prevailed on the earth 150 days.

 

NOTE: There is no doubt that there is enough water to cover the earth. Scientists have discovered water equivalent to three times the volume of the current oceans under the crust and in the mantle rock. But, I don't think the mountains were very large prior to the flood, if they existed at all. I think that when the waters from the deep were released (vs 11), the crust (the land) collapsed (no water barrier) upon the mantle breaking up into large pieces that moved around under the waters. And since the surface area would be less, they pushed up against each other, creating mountains. The new connection to the mantle resulted in volcanoes and tsunamis. The lack of the water vapor covering created massive temperature change, causing wind, storms, and extreme climate events. Life became hard in most regions of the earth. Survival would take up most of people's time, unlike during the days of Noah. The fact that Noah could build a football-field-sized boat by himself in 100 years suggested that he had plenty of leisure time.

 

Leisure is good but leisure can lead to sin. Work is good, but frustrating because of sin. Work is a protection of sorts. There needs to be balance. But when work yields too much time to leisure, it is my opinion, that sin increases. That is why it is so important for a person to find volunteer work in retirement, preferably ministry if there are believers.

 

PONDER:

1. How do I use my leisure time?
2. Do I see work as a gift from God or a curse?

 

PRAYER: Father, the western world continues to increase in leisure time, and sin increases. It is interesting that with the increase in leisure, people are actually busier, why? Life becomes hectic with the increase in leisure. Or maybe it is just the cost of the toys to enjoy leisure that increases our need to work to afford these luxuries. I don't know. I do know you created work for our good. Help me to embrace work (taking care of my grandchildren) in my retirement days.

QT 8/1/2025 Gen 7:11–16, Factual events that we dismiss

Genesis 7:11–16 (ESV) —

11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. 12 And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights. 13 On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark, 14 they and every beast, according to its kind, and all the livestock according to their kinds, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, according to its kind, and every bird, according to its kind, every winged creature. 15 They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. 16 And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in.

 

NOTE: Kenneth Matthews (1996) comments "Unlike the Mesopotamian flood stories, the biblical account sets the event in a historical framework. For the author of Genesis the flood event is as real as the birth of Abraham." Of note is the commentary from the NT writers, who saw this story as a real event. Matthew, the apostle, writes in relation to the coming rapture,

 

Matthew 24:37–39 (ESV) — 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

 

Peter, the apostle, comments concerning God's delay in fulfilling his end time promises,

 

2 Peter 3:5–7 (ESV) — 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

 

Peter's point to scoffers (2 Pet 3:3-4) is that God's judgment is just as sure a fact as the first destruction of man through the flood.

 

It seems that not many people believe in Noah's flood, even among Christians. But, it is a fact, that cannot be ignored. God's destruction will happen by fire and it is coming.

 

What can we do? One, we can believe the bible. Two, if we don't know Jesus as our savior, we need to repent, believe, and receive Jesus. Third, if we do know the savior, we need to communicate the truths of the gospel through our lives and words.

 

PONDER:

1. Have I allowed the world's unbelief to cloud my thinking toward the bible?
2. What am I doing to tell people the gospel, the story of salvation to my friends and community?

 

PRAYER: Father, the bible has been pushed to the side as a collection of myths. That lie will doom people to eternity in hell. We need to stand up to  faith in the only book in the world that truly gives life, peace, and factual hope for man.