Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 11: Jacob's Family

Good morning, everyone!

Today I'm reading Genesis chapters 32-34.

Chapter 34 starts with Jacob heading back to his homeland. He sends word to his brother that he is coming, and Esau starts out toward him with 400 men. Now, Jacob is afraid, and pleads with God to spare him, and then sends presents of some of his flock ahead of him, hoping to appease his brother.

Then, something really interesting happens. Jacob wrestles with God. And I don't mean mentally like we sometimes do.

Jacob meets a man on the road and wrestles with him until dawn. All night long. And the man tells Jacob to let him go, but Jacob refuses, saying "I will not let you go unless you bless me." (Genesis 32:26)

And thus, God changes Jacob's name to Israel, which means 'one who strives with God,' and blesses Jacob. But when Jacob asks the man's name, He says "Why is it that you ask my name?" and leaves. And so Jacob names the place Peniel, which means 'the face of God,' because he had seen God's face and lived to tell about it.

I find this really interesting for many reasons, but the one that really stands out today is what Jacob said to Him.

"I will not let you go unless you bless me."

I won't let go until you bless me. I won't stop asking until you bless me.

We can do that too.

Now, I firmly believe that not everything we ask for is to our benefit, and that we have to be willing to accept when God's answer is "no," or "not yet." However, sometimes what God wants from us is persistence. 

"God, I won't let go of You, I won't stop asking You, until you bless me."

Don't stop asking. Don't stop seeking. If it's still in your heart, it's there for a reason. Keep trusting and believing God. And don't let go of Him. Ever.

So, moving on in the reading today, we find Jacob meeting Esau.

And Jacob, still afraid, bows low, as though a servant, hoping to find favor in Esau's sight.

But time has healed old wounds, and Esau has prospered in Jacob's absence. Esau embraces his brother, and refuses the presents, for he has plenty, and entreats Jacob to come to his home.

So, the sons of Isaac are reunited, and all is well.

For a while.

And then something awful happens.

A young prince, Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, takes a liking to Dinah, Jacob and Leah's daughter. And he likes her so much that he "lay with her by force (Genesis 34:2).

Now, every version I've read of this verse says "lay with by force," or even "raped," if the version isn't censored.

I watched a mini-series recently, called The Red Tent in which Dinah and Shechem fall in love and the big crime is that he is a foreigner, or not one of God's people.

But nowhere, in any version of the Bible, have I found that to be the case.

The show was well done, and I don't think there would be a problem if you wanted to watch it. Just keep in mind that it's not the truth.

Moving on, we find Shechem and his father talking with Jacob, who already knows what Shechem has done. They want Shechem to marry Dinah, and for Jacob to agree that his family would intermarry with them.

Now Jacob's sons do a bad thing.

When they heard about Dinah, naturally, they were upset. But what they did was wrong too.

They lied, and told Shechem that he and his people would have to be circumcised in order to intermarry with them. It isn't an unreasonable request to Shechem, so he orders it.

Well, circumcision at an older age is pretty debilitating. So, on the third day, when everyone is incapacitated, Jacob's sons go and kill everyone, loot their houses, and take Dinah back from Shechem's household.

Jacob is very angry, and this is the first time that the sons are named. I don't know if these two just got singled out or if they were the only culprits, but Jacob gives Levi and Simeon quite the tongue-lashing. To which they reply that they did it on behalf of their sister.

Now, what actually makes me think about this passage, and it could just be that I watched The Red Tent, is that Dinah was still living in Shechem's household.

He took her by force. Did he kidnap her? Why did Jacob let her stay? Did he agree to give her over for the bridal payment, as a way to save her honor? Did she fall in love with Shechem? Was Jacob just waiting to get her back?

I don't think we will ever know.

In some ways, I can understand the actions of Jacob's sons. To them, it must have looked like Jacob had no intention of avenging their sister's honor, or of getting her back from the man who had taken her by force. They must have felt like they had no choice. But they did, as we all do, have a choice. And they chose wrong. I know that the Old Testament is full of fighting and vengeance, but that doesn't make it right. 

Romans 12:20 - Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," says the Lord.

Amid so many questions, one thing I can say is that this is not the last time we will find sons making poor decisions because of a lack of action from their fathers.

So, that's all today. I hope you're enjoying my musings on these Bible verses. If you ever have anything to add, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, or if you just want to say hello, please leave a comment below.

I hope you will join me tomorrow as I read Genesis chapters 35-37.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 9: Jacob

Hello friends!

It has been a busy morning. I had to take my poor car in to the mechanic for rodent damage.

Yep. You read that right. Rodents got into my car engine and chewed through some wires. Thankfully, the damage was minimal and it only made a few warning lights go off on my dashboard.

So, the appointment was really early this morning, and I wasn't able to post this morning.

Then Mom and I went shopping in the thrift stores. I found some great deals, including the cutest little orange ceramic cat.

Isn't he cute? I saw him in the store, and despite the slight flaw in his ear, I fell in love and knew I had to bring him home. So, he's sitting in the curio cabinet, among other much-loved treasures.

I love shopping in thrift-stores. Sometimes you can really find the cutest things!

Anyway, long story short, I have been really busy today, and while I did do the reading for my devotional this morning (I'll make a separate post on that when I finish it) I haven't had a chance to sit down and do my RBY challenge reading yet.

Yikes!

So, here we go!

Today, I'm reading Genesis chapters 27-29.

Well, no one can say that the people in the Old Testament were perfect.

I think that makes them great examples for us. Well, most of them. It makes them human.

First, Jacob took Esau's birthright. Now, he takes his blessing. With Rebekah's help. At Rebekah's insistence. By covering himself in animal skins, Jacob is able to trick his blind father into thinking he is Esau, who, by the way, was very hairy.

And Esau gets so angry about it that he wants to kill Jacob.

Talk about some family drama!

So, Rebekah sends him away to her brother Laban.

Now, on the way, Jacob spends the night on the road. One night, he has a dream about a ladder reaching to heaven where the angels of God were climbing (Genesis 28:10).

God speaks to him and shows him the land that he will give to Jacob's descendants, and promises to protect him.

Now, this is after Jacob did the bad thing of tricking his father and brother. 

God does not condone deceit, nor can He stay where sin is, but some choices, even some of our bad choices, can be a part of God's plan, so that He can get us where we need to be.

I would not be the same person today, and I would not have my awesome testimony of how far God has brought me, if I'd never messed up.

Jacob continues on his journey, and when he reaches Laban's house, he sees Rachel. Ah, Rachel. The gorgeous younger sister. It's sort of love at first sight for Jacob.

And he stays and works for his uncle Laban for a while, and Laban declares that Jacob should be paid for what he has done. Jacob wants only to marry Rachel. That's not a bad deal, as she loves him too.

So, Jacob works seven years for Laban in order to marry Rachel.

Side note: If you read love stories in the Bible, it is always the man who works to marry the woman. Never the other way around. Ladies, if he's not willing to work for it, drop him like he's a nasty thing you found on the bottom of your shoe. A real man will work to earn you, because the price of a godly woman is far above jewels (Proverbs 31).

Anyway, back to Jacob and Rachel.

Jacob works seven years before he can marry Rachel.

And Jacob marries Laban's daughter.

Only it's the wrong daughter. Remember, back in those days, wedding garbs would have been different, so she would have been veiled completely, and Jacob wouldn't have seen her until after they were married.

Laban didn't want his younger daughter to marry before the older. Also, the Bible says that Leah wasn't as pretty as her sister.

Jacob is furious, naturally. But he's married to Leah now, and there's nothing he can do about it.

Except work for another seven years and then marry Rachel.

Which he does.

Now, something interesting happens next. Jacob loves Rachel, but not Leah. In fact, even though the Bible doesn't say so explicitly, I can imagine that he might even be a little cold toward Leah.

And God sees this, and doesn't like the way Jacob is treating his first wife. So, He makes Rachel barren. Yep. I said barren. And Leah gives Jacob four kids.

Now, remember how I said earlier that even when we mess up, God can turn it around for His purpose?

Well, I consider marrying the wrong woman messing up. Even if it's not your fault. But God still had a purpose for them. Especially in this case.

Leah's four kids are named Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah.

Do any of those sound familiar? If not, don't worry. I'll talk more about why they're important later.

If you're impatient, you can read ahead. Tomorrow, I'll be reading Genesis chapters 30-31.

Read Through the Bible in a Year 2018 Day 8: Sand in Your Wells

Good morning, friends!

Today I read Genesis chapters 25-26. Let's get started!

So, first Abraham dies, and we get a list of his descendants through Ishmael.

And then we get into the story of Isaac and Rebekah.

Rebekah has twins: Esau and Jacob.

And at the end of chapter 25 is the infamous chapter where Esau sells his birthright for a bowl of soup.

Yep. His entire birthright, as the elder son, for soup.

Now, Esau is a strong hunter, and is favored by his father, naturally. But Jacob is more cunning.

Esau was pretty dramatic about the birthright, too. 

When Jacob insists that he exchange his birthright for the soup, Esau says "Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?" (Genesis 25:32).

About to die? Really? You've just come in from hunting, and you're hungry. But you're not starving. 

The original drama queen, everyone!

But all joking aside, this is very serious.

Jacob may have suggested it, but Esau agreed. Perhaps he thought Jacob was only joking (they were twins after all, and had grown up together). We can't really tell from the scripture here.

But we'll later learn that Jacob was very serious.

Not justifying it, but I really can't see anything else he could have done to get the birthright. He might have been clever, but Isaac preferred Esau, who could put meat on the table.

Speaking of meat, up next, there is none. There is a famine in the land, so Isaac moves his family to the land of the Philistines.

Where he lies about Rebekah being his wife, so the guys don't kill him.

I'm starting to see a pattern here.

Thankfully, nothing happens. Abimilech, the king, sees Isaac and Rebekah embracing, and knows she isn't his sister.

But naturally Abimilech gets angry, and sends Isaac and his family away.

And they close up his wells with sand.

Rude!

Isaac just digs up the wells again, though. And then Abimilech comes and makes peace with Isaac because he is afraid of conflict with him, having seen everything God had done for Isaac.

I find that to be a very encouraging message.

"God can still bless you, even when people put sand in your wells." ©Copyright 2018 Musings and Reflections of a Growing Christian Woman

He can even make your enemies your allies.

When people are doing stuff to hurt you, even when they put sand in your wells, keep praising God, and serving Him. He will eventually turn your situation around.

Just don't lie about your wife being your wife.

I really don't see how anything could follow that bit of wisdom, so I'm going to leave it there.

See you tomorrow when I read Genesis chapters 27-29.