~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
Genesis 32:13-34:31 ~ Matthew 11:7-30
Psalm 14:1-7 ~ Proverbs 3:19-20
Old Testament - Today's Genesis chapter 32 starts off with Jacob preparing presents for Esau. Overall, I thought this was pretty smart. I suppose in some ways you could look at all this as bribery... :) But, I guess I thought Jacob was demonstrating some pretty good business / political principles here. This is something that I do struggle with at times in my own life - a balance of utilizing good business principles versus relying completely on God. I suppose you could argue that Jacob should have simply relied on God to prepare the way for Jacob's meeting with Esau. And this would be a good argument - Esau had become wealthy over the years himself, and seemed to have forgiven Jacob. I do think that while clearly our reliance should be on God and his work and providence first and foremost, that God also wants us to be actively partnering with him. So, I think after we first pray to God about a situation, we should also do the work that we are called to do by God for the situation as well. This is where I think good business / political principles can come into play - as long as they are clearly aligned with the will of God... Again... a fine line to walk, and a line that can only be blessed by the Holy Spirit. We cannot walk this line on our own power or smarts...
Chapter 32 closes out with Jacob wrestling with God.... or an angel... or God in the form of an angel... or Christ preincarnate?.... or Michael the archangel.... You can see there are a few views here on just who Jacob was wrestling with. :) Clearly, God ordained whoever was wrestling with Jacob and I do think it could have been God himself in maybe an angelic form. It was obviously not God himself in all of his glory..... ummmm... cuz he woulda whooped Jacob in a wrestling match! :) But, you do see the quick power of whom Jacob was wrestling in verse 25 when "he struck Jacob's hip and knocked it out of joint at the socket." Please do let us know your insights on who Jacob was wrestling this night in the Comments section below? Thanks.
Chapter 32 verse 28 is an incredibly important verse - ""Your name will no longer be Jacob," the man told him. "It is now Israel, because you have struggled with both God and men and have won."" This is interesting to know! Israel means "God struggles" or "one who struggles with God." It is also interesting I think to see that God gives people new names at times in the Bible, and the names are reflective of their new lives with God. Abram becomes Abraham. Sarai becomes Sarah. Jacob becomes Israel. Simon becomes Peter.
Commentary on Genesis chapter 32 at bible.org is at this link.
In Genesis chapter 34 Jacob and Esau meet again! I found verses 5, 6, & 7 interesting. Jacob presents his concubines and sons first - then Leah and sons - and then Rachel and Joseph. I read a commentary that he was keeping his favorite wife and son back, as the last presentation to Esau - just in case anything should go wrong with Esau and the introductions of his family... Meaning, if any violence erupted - Rachel and Joseph would hopefully be removed from it. It is interesting to see Jacob still relying on his smarts.... maybe more so than God's protection here? Hard to know... again, that fine line! :)
In verse 14 of this chapter we see Jacob being deceitful again - "So go on ahead of us. We will follow at our own pace and meet you at Seir."" He did not follow Esau and meet him at Seir, as we will see in the next chapter....
Genesis chapter 34 is a chapter where we see a lot of violence. It is interesting to note that the name of God ends chapter 33 and begins chapter 35, but is completely absent from this chapter.... As there is quite a bit going on in this chapter, I'm going to punt :) over to Bob Deffinbaugh at bible.org for his commentary on this chapter - surf down to about midway at this link.
New Testament - Matthew chapter 11 opens up with Jesus teaching about the importance of John the Baptist's ministry and the transitioning from the old covenant to the new covenant, which can be seen in verse 13 - "For before John came, all the teachings of the Scriptures looked forward to this present time." Basically, this could be rephrased that all of the Old Testament was prophesying about the coming of Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven.
Verse 20 is a convicting one - "Then Jesus began to denounce the cities where he had done most of his miracles, because they hadn't turned from their sins and turned to God." This is something for each of us to really examine ourselves on. Have we heard Jesus' teachings? Do we believe in his miracles? And in light of these things - have we turned from our sins? And have we turned to God?
Verses 28 through 30 are amazing verses for each of us to consider, particularly if we are struggling with the burden of sin or the burden of legalism or the burden of worry or the burden of regrets (and the list could go on... you fill in the blank for your life) in our lives - "Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light." Is there something in your life that you are carrying on your own that is weighing you down? Do you want relief and rest from this thing that you are carrying? Will you give it over to Jesus? Will you seek rest for your soul in Jesus?
Psalms - Psalm 14 could be seen at first glance as a discouraging Psalm for us as we look at verse 3 - "But no, all have turned away from God; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not even one!" I think it is good to keep in mind that there is truth in this verse - but also to keep in mind that this verse was written before Jesus came to the earth. Jesus will fufill the prophecies of the Old Testament and give us the hope spoken of in the closing of this Psalm in verse 7 - "Oh, that salvation would come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel! For when the LORD restores his people, Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice." Do you recognize the salvation that has come to us? Are you shouting for joy for this salvation? Are you rejoicing!
Proverbs chapter 3 verses 19 & 20 are so truthful. If you look at the amazing way in which nature works, I don't see how you cannot believe in God. Could all of this majesty around us be just random? Or do you believe as verse 19 teaches us - "By wisdom the LORD founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens"?
What verses or insights jumped out for you in today's readings? Please post up in the Comments section below!
Grace,
Mike
Sorry Mike--I put my thoughts togeather before I read your thoughtfull insights. I just couldn't wait for you to post (smile)
Genesis 32:13-34:31
I am stuck on the 28th verse of Chapter 32 and I implore any Biblical Scholars, especially any who have knowledge of Hebrew to give comments,
As per King James, “And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.”
I’m not stuck on how Jacob, now Israel, prevailed with God, I kind of got that, he prevailed by submitting his skill, cunning and his tendency to manipulate to the will of God. I’ve also read Bob Deffinbaugh,’s wonderful How to Win With God and Men, http://bible.org/page.asp?page_id=112, which lays down a great understandable (at least for me) argument. What I am mulling over is the name Israel and whether there is either a connection to Abraham’s wife, Sarah, or a play-on-word the two words, Sarah and Isral.
According to Crosswalk.com Israel, transliterated in the Hebrew is Yisra’el and its word origin comes from two sources, a Hebrew word transliterated as Sarah (Strong’s # 08280) and ‘el (Strong’s # 0352). Sarah means to: contend, have power, contend with, persist, exert oneself, persevere. ‘el: god, god-like one, mighty one The ‘el can be seen in, ELOHIM (El-o-heem), EL SHADDAI, to name just a few.
What I’m seeking is the relationship between the name God gave to Abraham’s wife (formerly known as Abram) Sarai to Sarah. Looking up Sarah, the name, in the Hebrew yielded, Sarah, transliterated, Sarah and given the Strong’s number, 08283. Sarah here means, noblewoman and the Word Origin is the same as Stong’s number, 08282 which is the masculine form of a Hebrew word meaning, prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
My mind is just running away with all kinds of possibilities. Sarai was old and past the age of childbearing, as per the scriptures. Yet God prevailed over a “dead” womb in the woman who had her name changed to Sarah, which I am referring back to the two word origins of Israel.
There is so much in the portion of scripture for today; however, I have been stopped dead in my tracks by these two name changes. I covet anyone’s input and I am offering up these questions to God and expectantly wait for an answer by any means God chooses to give it. … Ask and it shall be given.
Matthew 11:7-30
Jesus talks about John the Baptist in the part of Matthew calling him greater than all who have ever lived. Yet Jesus introduces a new period of dispensation when he states that in the Kingdom of Heaven the most insignificant person is greater than John. Even the religious leaders understood that John’s ministry was a great and significant one even if they failed to accept that he was proclaiming and preparing the way for Jesus, the Christ, and head of the Kingdom of Heaven. They were looking for a political rule and reign, while Jesus’ dominion was spiritual. What they failed to grasp is what the writer of the book of 2 Corinthians states, the spiritual is more real than the what is perceived by the five senses because what can be seen comes from what is unseen. The physical temple that was in Jerusalem was but a copy of what is in Heaven. (Hebrews 8:5; 9:24) The spiritual gives birth to the temporal, those things that are in the realm of, taste, touch, sight, hearing, feel and smell.
2 Corinthians 4:18: While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Jesus asks us or commands us to do better than the “heathen” we are to love our enemies. I feel this command is given so that we will be like Jesus. For God so loved the world that he gave…. He gave while we were yet sinners, enemies of God, rebellious to right living and thinking (righteousness). Because we are the recipients of God’s grace and graciousness, we should go and do likewise.
Psalm 14:1-7
A fool can only say in his heart that there is no God because he has chosen to reject any proof of God. I know that this is what a fool does because I was once that “fool” A fool is a person who is arrogant believing that what one thinks and says dictates the course of the world. When people tell me they don’t believe in God I don’t try to argue with them I just say, “I’m sorry to here that.” In the first chapter of Romans Paul clearly states that they, and what I had done in the past, exchanged the truth for a lie. In order to exchange something one must have had ownership of it at sometime in order to exchange it. I can’t exchange a gift if I don’t have possession of it in my hot little hands.
Romans 1
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator–who is forever praised. Amen.
Proverbs 3:16-18
Wisdom, understanding and knowledge: this reminds me of another passage in Proverbs that reminds us that wisdom is expensive and most people are unwilling to pay the price to acquire it. That is why many people cheat on exams; they are unwilling to do the studying to get the information to pass the test. How long should one study? Until you get it. For some that takes one sitting for others it may take reading and studying a passage, chapter or book 30 plus times. This has both a spiritual and practical meaning to me as I work in a Collage. Most people go to school to get the degree as if that is the goal, the goal is to enjoy the journey as you travel toward the degree, and then keep on going on the journey even if there is not degree. That same principal can be applied to getting into the Word. It is not how many verses you can memorize; but how many verses one can incorporate and apply to living one’s life.
Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
Grace and peace,
Ramona
Posted by: Ramona | January 16, 2005 at 04:48 PM