Selah. It's a Hebrew word meaning, "Pause, don't rush on, stop and ponder this, think deeper." Instead of rushing through the Bible in a year or your prescribed chapter a day, what if you actually stopped and thought about what you read? What hidden gems or buried treasure could you uncover if you stopped to ponder the scriptures and let God reveal to you what lay beneath the surface? Come on a journey with me through the Word, beginning in Genesis and let's see what we can find when we dig a little deeper.
🤔Genesis 2:4,5 "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created...and every plant of the field before it was in the earth."
The word "generations" used here means "history". Did you know that every plant of the field had a history before it was in the earth? I always imagined that God spoke and plants and animals popped into existence at His word. But I think I've been mistaken. This verse says there is a history of every plant before it was in the earth. Selah. Think on this; ponder it.
Jeremiah 1:5 says, "Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee." We, too, had a history before being "planted" in the womb. In light of this scripture, when does life really begin? Another thing to ponder: 2 Corinthians 5:19 says that God is in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself. Reconciling means restoring relationship. Perhaps man knows no purpose or fulfillment until he comes to Christ because he was created to dwell with God and to return one day whence he came, before he was planted in the womb. Did we have a whole relationship with God that we were not aware of once we were conceived on earth? Hmm...
🤔 Genesis 2:7 "And the eyes of them both were opened and they knew they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons."
When God created Adam and Eve, they were naked and they thought nothing of it. After sinning, their eyes were opened to their nakedness and sewed coverings for themselves. I always thought it was because they had suddenly become embarrassed by their nakedness. As I pondered this, the Lord showed me that sin makes us vulnerable. Adam and Eve never had to worry about sunburn, windburn, bug bites, thorns, rashes or skin irritation before partaking of the forbidden fruit. These things entered creation with sin. Now their eyes were open to how vulnerable to the elements their bodies, previously protected by God, would be and they set out to protect themselves. Something to ponder: If we returned to right relationship with God, would we be less vulnerable to the harmful things of the earth? Would we find ourselves under God's protection once more? Something else to ponder: Our whole lives are spent trying to re-obtain everything God freely gave us in the garden: health, provision, protection, relationship. How damaging and far-reaching was one man's sin? How damaging and far-reaching is ours?
🤔 Genesis 2:16 "And thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee."
Women have been rebelling against this decree since God uttered it. "We were created equal!" they insist. And they are right. They were created equal and would have remained that way had sin not entered the picture. Part of the punishment for eating the forbidden fruit was that woman's desire would be for her husband and that he would rule over her. Women desiring men other than their husbands and women desiring other women is nothing more than rebellion against God and this punishment that was passed down through the generations through Eve. And no one likes to be ruled over, but we women have brought this upon ourselves. In refusing to submit to our husbands (as is fit in the Lord, Colossians 3:18 says. We don't have to submit to any ungodliness), we are rebelling against the punishment of God, sinning and subjecting ourselves to more punishment. Something to ponder: If we were to obey God in desiring our husbands and allowing them to rule over us, would God reward that obedience with a strong, successful marriage that was what God intended marriage to be? We know what failure to do so brings.
🤔 Genesis 3:22 "And the Lord God said, "Behold the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil..."
The word "know" used here means in the Hebrew, "familiarity gained through actual experience." It is the same word used when it said that Adam knew his wife. It is talking about having a personal, intimate relationship with. We were never to know (experience or have a personal, intimate relationship with) evil. That happened when Adam and Eve defied God's order not to eat from the tree in the midst of the garden. Back then they knew Good. They walked with it in the cool of the day. This is why God numbered man's days and shortened his lifespan after the fall. In His mercy, God did not want us to live forever experiencing evil and the sorrow it brings. There is a reason God tells us "No". Not to be mean, but to protect us. There is a reason we were expelled from the garden. Not punishment, but again, to protect us from an eternity experiencing evil. God is only good continually. Selah.
🤔 Genesis 8:21 "...And the Lord said, "I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake;"
Part of Adam's punishment for sinning in the garden was that the ground was going to be cursed for his sake. It would be difficult to till and grow food. But after the flood, when the whole world was washed clean and every corrupted thing (including the plants) had died, God lifted the curse. Mankind got a fresh start after the flood and so did the earth. Something to ponder: Was the land easier to farm after the flood? The ground was certainly softer. Was the crop that grew better quality, healthier, no longer under the curse? Was the beginning of organic food instituted not by man, but by God after the flood before man had a chance to corrupt it with pesticides and preservatives?
🤔 Genesis 9:3 "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things."
Mankind was created vegetarian, having all the fruits, vegetables and herbs of the garden as his food. Here, God gives them meat. This contradicts the doctrine of some denominations and religions of vegetarianism for religious purposes. Later on, some meats (like pork) would be considered unclean and off-limits because they had once again become corrupted, but immediately after the flood, every moving living thing was considered meat for man, given by God Himself. Today, with modern means of preserving meat and sanitation, all meat should be acceptable for man again, including snails and grubs that are delicacies in some parts of the world and the locusts that John the Baptist favored. We may choose not to eat certain meats, or any meat at all. That is up to our free will. But after the flood, it was all acceptable to God.
🤔 Genesis 9:6 "Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man."
This is God's mandate for the death penalty. We've become so concerned as a society about criminal's rights that we choose to just lock murderers away with other criminals. Does this improve conditions in prisons and make them more conducive to rehabilitation? What changes or improves in society when we employ this method? There would be less incentive to murder if the mandate of God in this verse were employed. And blood is shed in abortion, too. It is murder of an unborn child which God knew before he was planted in the womb (Jeremiah 1:5). Think on this: We could solve the abortion problem in this country if everyone who had or performed one received the death penalty. Don't get mad at me. I didn't say it. God did.
🤔 Genesis 10:25 "To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided;"
This is a direct reference to God scattering the nations at the Tower of Babel. Ham's grandson, Nimrod founded Babel in 2242 BC. Peleg, a grandson of Shem, was born in 2237. So, it was during his time the earth was divided when God scattered the people and confused the languages at Babel. God inserted this reference, "for in his days the earth was divided" to link the timelines of Shem and Ham and to give historians a reference to prove the validity of God's word through historical events. I wonder how many other barely noticed references to future works of God are scattered throughout the Word? Something to think about.
🤔 Genesis 12:5 "And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot, his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered...and went forth into the land of Canaan..."
Abram left Ur of the Chaldees to go to a place God would show him. Did you ever wonder why God would choose Canaan as the promised land to which he would give Abraham and his descendants? Remember in Genesis 9 when Ham went into Noah's tent and saw him naked? Noah pronounced a curse upon him. Genesis 9:26, "Blessed be the LORD God of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant." Genesis chapter 11 told us that Abraham was of the line of Shem. Canaan was one of Ham's sons and the land of Canaan was named for him. How could Canaan become Shem's servant as prophesied when his land was on the other side of the Red Sea (at this time) from Shem's? Someone from the line of Shem (Abram) had to go to Canaan and possess the land in order to fulfil the prophecy. Has God ever told you to move? Perhaps there is a reason you were sent to the place where you landed. Perhaps God was using you to fulfil a promise He had made to someone else. Something to ponder.
🤔 Genesis 12:12 "Say I pray thee, thou art my sister that it may be well with me for thy sake;"
Abram stayed a short time in Egypt when there was a famine in Canaan because Egypt had food. It was customary at that time, when foreigners entered the land for the kings to kill the husbands and take their wives if they desired them. Abram had a plan to keep this from happening to him. I have heard sermon after sermon about how Abram lied and was willing to give his wife to the heathen in order to save his own skin. I don't think that's true. Let's think deeper. First, Abram didn't lie. In Genesis 20:12, Abram identified Sarai as his "father's daughter, but not his mother's". She was his half-sister, and those marriages were common in the days after the flood when the earth was being replenished. Second, God had promised all the nations of the earth would be blessed through Abraham's seed. At this time, Abram had no seed. How would God's promise come true if Abram were killed. So, was this plan to call Sarai his sister Abram's or God's? Something to think about.
🤔 Genesis 14:18 "And Melchizedek, King of Salem, brought forth bread and wine and he was the priest of the most- high God."
This is the first mention of Melchizedek in the Bible. So, who was he? Some think he was Christ. Let's think about that. He was the King of Salem, which in Hebrew is Shalom, meaning "peace". Isaiah called Jesus the Prince of Peace. Melchizedek brought forth bread and wine. So did Jesus. As He broke it, he said, "Take, eat, this is my body broken for you." He said the wine was the new covenant in His blood. Melchizedek was the priest of the most-high God. Jesus is referred to as the great high priest in Hebrews 4:14-16. And what does Melchizedek's name mean? It has two definitions in Hebrew. The first is "to escape by slipperiness" and in Luke 4:30 Jesus slipped through a crowd and escaped after turning over the money changers' tables in the temple. The second meaning is "to release, rescue, or deliver" and we know that is what Jesus came to earth to do. All this points to the conclusion that Melchizedek could be the pre-incarnate Christ. Most interesting is this: Hebrews 7:3 states that Melchizedek had no earthly family lineage. He was "without father or mother". One more thought: Abraham must've believed he was Christ in the flesh, or else he wouldn't have tithed to him. So, what do you think? Something to ponder.
🤔 Genesis 15:8 "And he said, 'Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?'"
This is Abraham's response when God tells him that he will inherit the land God brought him to. Gideon did something similar when he put out a fleece to confirm the things God had told him. There is a big controversy in the church over this. Some say, "Don't do it! We are not to tempt or test God!" Others say it's ok. Jesus said that a wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign. What do you think? Let's ponder this for a moment. God did not get upset with either Abraham or Gideon but honored their requests for more information. Gideon was a timid man, hiding in a winepress. God had called him a mighty warrior. Gideon didn't doubt God. He had no confidence in himself and his ability to do the things God was calling him to. He wasn't even sure he'd heard God correctly and wanted to be sure before he took off on such a dangerous venture. Abraham on the other hand, wasn't asking God to prove he would give Abraham the land. He was asking Him how he would know the timing of such a thing. This is proven out in the next few verses. Every viewpoint in this controversy is correct. It all comes down to motive. Who are you doubting when you ask for confirmation? Yourself, or God? Or perhaps you are one that doesn't believe anything until you see it. If so, you lack faith and are part of that wicked and adulterous generation that seeks after a sign. Something to think about.
🤔 Genesis 15:16 "But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full."
Why does God do the things He does the way He does them? The Bible says His ways are not our ways. But rest assured, He has a reason for doing things the way He does. God told Abraham He would give the land of Canaan to him and his descendants forever. Abraham asked how this was going to come about and God responded that after Abraham died his descendants would be taken captive to a foreign land and become slaves, but in the fourth generation they would return to possess the land. God would give the land to the children of Israel to keep His promise to Abraham but waiting until the fourth generation after Abraham's death to do it served another purpose. Canaan was being taken over because the Canaanites were sinful and rebellious and would not turn to God. It was God's judgment against them. But verse 16 says the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full and they still had time to repent. God knew that by the time that fourth generation had arrived, the Amorites iniquity would be full, they would be beyond repentance and would reap what they had sown, and Abraham's descendants would then possess the land. We often think that God's promises delayed are a result of Him withholding them because we are not ready to receive them. What if our good God is really just extending grace to someone else before bringing the promise to pass? Something to ponder.
🤔 Genesis 17:11 "And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you."
Have you ever wondered why God chose circumcision as the sign of one who had covenanted with Him? Think about it. Our genitalia are reserved for use during our times of greatest intimacy. God desires an intimate relationship with His people. Also, any man will tell you that a cut in this area is extremely painful. What type of commitment would it take to willingly endure this and even do it to oneself? Then the area remains tender for a long time. God wants to commit to those who will remain tender toward Him. What a perfect illustration of covenant circumcision is! Something to think about.
🤔 Genesis 19:29 "And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain that God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt."
Why did God spare Lot and his family? Not for Lot's sake. This verse says He did it because He remembered His covenant with Abraham to bless those who bless Abraham. That included Lot. How many of our loved ones might be saved in spite of what they do, because God wants to honor our faithfulness? 1 Corinthians 7:14-16 says that the unbelieving husband is sanctified by his believing wife and vice-versa. How important is it to our families that we are faithful to God? Think about it.
🤔 Genesis 19:31 "And the firstborn said unto the younger, 'Our father is old and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth.'"
This statement simply was not true. There were men living in Canaan where their Uncle Abraham lived that could have been husbands to Lot's daughters. They had to have known that. So, what reasons could Lot's daughters have had for an incestuous relationship with their father? Let's think on this: 1) Impetuousness of youth. They got an idea in their head and acted upon it without thinking it out. 2) Their own lusts led them astray and they created a justification for it. Their husbands were just killed in Sodom. Lot's daughters were used to having sex, probably enjoyed it and were missing it, and Lot was the only one readily available. 3) Their minds got so corrupted by the sexual perversion of Sodom that it seemed a normal thing for them to do. Any of these explanations is likely and each as bad as the other. And yet, this entire scenario could have been avoided if Lot, after discovering how wicked Sodom was, had chosen to move his family away. So, was Lot ultimately reaping what he had sown? Who all paid the price for his decision to stay? What different lives might his daughters have had if he left Sodom? Something to think about.
🤔 Genesis 24:15 "And it came to pass, before he had done speaking that behold, Rebekah came out..."
Abraham was dying and sent his servant to Haran, where all his relatives lived to bring a wife back for Isaac. Abraham told the servant that God would choose the right one. The servant didn't know how God would do that or how he would know who God chose, so he prayed, "Let the woman who comes and says this certain thing be the one you've chosen so I will know it's her." And before he had done speaking, Rebekah came and spoke the words he'd asked to hear. This shows us two things: God already had Isaac's wife picked out and ready for the servant's arrival, and God already knew what the servant would ask as confirmation of God's choice. Have you ever had a prayer answered immediately - before you'd finished praying it? I have. It reminds me of the scripture that says God knows what we have need of before we ask or think. Something to ponder.
🤔 Genesis 24:67 "And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent and took Rebekah and she became his wife..."
When Jews married, they brought their brides to their father's house to a place they added on for the two of them to live in together. Why, then, did Isaac bring Rebekah to his mother's tent to make her his wife? Let's think about that. In doing so, Isaac installed Rebekah as the new matriarch, transferring Sarah's domestic authority, and making her the new mother of the clan after Sarah's death. It was a public declaration of her status as the rightful wife, as men would take concubines and subsequent wives into their own tents for consummation. This was the equivalent of a girl good enough to "bring home to mom". And finally, it ensured the continuation of the covenant. Abraham's descendants who would inherit the promise would now be borne by Rebekah as they had been by Sarah before her passing. So much symbolism in one act. How many other deep, symbolic things do we miss in our reading of the Word if we fail to stop and ponder the things we've read? Selah.
🤔 Genesis 28:8,9 "And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; then went Esau unto Ishmael and took unto him wives...of Ishmael, Abraham's son."
Genesis 25:28 said that Esau was Isaac's favorite son, while Jacob was Rebekah's. But now that had changed. Isaac had just given Jacob the blessing he'd intended to give Esau. A blessing of favor, effectively making Esau second-best in his father's eyes. Esau lost his status as his father's favorite, and he wanted it back. He knew Isaac wasn't pleased with Esau's choice of wives from among the heathen of Canaan. Isaac had just sent Jacob to choose a wife from among their own family in Padan-Aran. So, Esau thought he would regain favor by doing the same. Only he didn't. Think about this: Jacob went to choose a wife from the household of his mother's family (from the line of Shem. Remember the curse of Noah? Shem's offspring would be blessed.) Esau chose a wife from the household of Ishmael, Isaac's brother. The blessing of Abraham was to come through Isaac's line, not Ishmael's. Esau had chosen poorly again. It wasn't about choosing a wife from among family. It was about choosing one from among the people God had promised to bless to perpetuate the blessing. We are warned in the New Testament not to do anything from strife or vainglory. These were Esau's motivations for choosing another wife. God knew Esau's heart and mind and his propensity for making wrong choices. Perhaps that is why before their birth, God had told Rebekah "Two nations struggle in your womb, and the elder shall serve the younger." Something to think about.
🤔 Genesis 28:19 "And he called the name of the place Beth-El: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first."
We see a lot of names being changed in the book of Genesis: From Abram to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah, Luz to Beth-El, Jacob to Israel, etc. Why? Because the old name no longer fit or did the one bearing it justice. The Hebrew word for "name" means "nature, character, or authority." Abram would become Abraham, the "father of many nations". That would become his authority. Jacob would go from being a "supplanter, or deceiver" to Israel (meaning, "He will rule") and the city that had been named for the almond trees found there would now be known as "the house of God". Did you know that God desires to give you a new name too? Revelation 2:17 says, "To him who overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows saving he who receiveth it." What will your new name be? What will reflect your nature, character and authority at that time? Something to ponder.
🤔 Genesis 29:20 "And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days for the love he had for her."
2 Peter 3:8 says, "...that with the Lord, one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day." Now, I know this is establishing God as immortal and eternal, but let's consider something else this verse says in light of Genesis 29:20. If seven years felt like a few days to Jacob because of his love for Rachel, how much must God love us for a thousand years to be as one day? Just a thought.
🤔 Genesis 29:25 "...And he said unto Laban, 'What is this thou hast done unto me? Did not I serve with thee for Rachel? Wherefore hast thou beguiled me?"
Jacob had just worked for Laban seven years to earn Rachel as his bride, but in their tradition, consummation took place in the dark with the bride's face covered. Jacob didn't know until morning that Laban had sent Leah into his tent and Jacob had married her instead. Here Jacob was confronting Laban about the trickery. Galatians 6:7 says, "Be not deceived, God is not mocked, whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap." Do you suppose Laban tricked Jacob because Jacob had tricked Isaac into giving him the blessing intended for Esau? Was this reciprocity: what goes around comes around? Something to consider.
🤔 Genesis 29:31 "And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren."
Consider this: God is a God of justice. Laban used Leah to trick Jacob into marrying her before marrying Rachel. It was not her doing nor her fault. But Jacob didn't love her like he loved Rachel and he resented being tricked into marrying her. God saw that Jacob's treatment of Leah was unfair, so He showed favor to Leah. He did the same thing for Hagar when Sarah treated her roughly. He promised her son would be a prince of nations. Have you been treated unfairly? Watch and see what our just God will do for you. Have you treated another unfairly? What might God do on their behalf because of it? Something to think about.
🤔 Genesis 30:32 "...I will remove from thence all the specked and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle from among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and of such shall be my hire."
Jacob had served Laban over 14 years for his wives and children and had increased Laban's flocks greatly. Now it was time for Jacob and his family to return to Canaan, and he was due a portion of the cattle as well. So Laban couldn't accuse him of stealing any of the cattle not due him, Jacob said, "You keep the pure ones, and I'll take any that are mixed color, then when I leave it will be obvious that none of your cattle are among mine." It was a good plan. But consider this: Jacob purposely chose those considered inferior for himself. And verse 42 tells us that all of Jacob's flock were stronger than Laban's and Laban's were feebler. In the same way, God seeks out those who are imperfect. He uses the foolish of the world to confound the wise. Are you imperfect? Foolish in your own eyes or that of the world? Lacking somehow? Then you are the one who is likely to be chosen. Then God gives you His strength. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 He said, "My strength is made perfect in weakness. We become stronger than those in the world who were already perfect in their own eyes. Something to think about.
🤔 Genesis 37:27 "Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content."
Joseph's brothers conspired to kill him out of jealousy. When they saw Ishmaelites travelling to Egypt they decided to sell him instead. "Let not our hand be upon him." THOU SHALT NOT KILL. "And his brethren were content." Was it still wrong and a sin to sell their brother into slavery? Yes! But as long as they didn't kill him, their consciences were clear - they were content. This is one of the biggest lies of the devil. As long as we don't kill and don't commit adultery, we think we are good people. All the lying, promise-breaking, speeding, and other petty sins are ok and we are not troubled by them as long as we keep the Big 2 or even all ten commandments. The Bible tells us he who says he has no sin deceives himself and the truth is not in him. Ponder this.
🤔 Genesis 37:36 "And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar..."
Joseph's brothers first saw a caravan of Ishmaelites in Genesis 37:25. In Genesis 37:28, they sold him to the Midianites, and the Midianites sold him into Egypt in this verse. People use passages like this to say the Bible contradicts itself and to declare it untrustworthy. Let's dig a little deeper. Both groups descended from Abraham (Ishmael through Hagar, Sarah's handmaid, and Midian through Keturah, Abraham's wife after the death of Sarah.) Historians have documented that Ancient Near Eastern trade caravans often blended members from different but related tribes, making them hard to distinguish. The use of both names highlights their close connection and common identity as descendants of Abraham involved in long-distance trade. How many other seeming "inconsistencies" in the Bible might be debunked if we only dug a little deeper? I would venture to say, "all of them".
🤔 Genesis 38:7 "And Er, Judah's firstborn was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD slew him."
We read on a bit and see in verse 10 that Judah's second son, Onan displeased the LORD and he slew him also. What caused the children of Judah to be so wicked God had to kill them? Let's look at verse 2: "And Judah saw a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shuah and he took her and went in unto her." The children of Israel were not to marry the Canaanites. They were to marry within the pure bloodline, the lineage of promise. The Canaanites served false gods and partook in pagan rituals. These children were born into that lifestyle, surely taught such things by their mother. Who you marry (or sleep with) matters. It could adversely affect your children's lives or even cost them. Something to consider.
🤔 Genesis 42:21 "And they said to one another, 'We are verily guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and we would not hear; therefore, is this distress come upon us."
When something bad happens, it is human nature to say, "Why is this happening to me?" Joseph's brothers knew why. It is called reciprocity: Reaping what one has sown, what goes around, comes around. This is a Biblical principle. Their circumstances were a direct result of the way they treated Joseph when they sold him into slavery. When bad things befall us, it could be an attack of the enemy, a normal part of living in a fallen world, or we could be reaping what we've sown. We'd be wise in these times to search our souls and see if anything there needs repentance. The circumstance could be God's way of bringing unrepented sin to our attention. Something to consider.
🤔 Genesis 45:20 "Also, regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours."
Pharoah instructed Joseph to load up wagons and donkeys to send to Canaan to bring all Joseph's relatives (70 individuals) to Egypt. There were five years of famine to come and not only would Joseph's family have food, but "all the good of the land of Egypt" would be theirs including clothing and silver. They just went from rags to riches in a foreign land. Why? Because Pharoah (the heathen king) saw that God was with Joseph in that foreign land and honored him. We, too, are not citizens of this corrupt world but are merely passing through until we reach our true home of Heaven. However, we can be blessed in this place if it is evident that God is with us. Proverbs 13:22 tells us that the wealth of the wicked is laid up for the righteous. That's what happened to Joseph. It can happen for any believer who resists the urge to "fit in" and conform and chooses to "stand out" as one with whom God resides instead. Food for thought.
🤔Genesis 47:23,24 "Then Joseph said unto the people, 'Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharoah: lo, here is seed for you and ye shall sow the land. And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part to Pharoah..."
The famine was so severe in Egypt that when all the money in the land was spent for food, the people traded their herds and flocks to get more. When that was gone, they traded their land for food. They now had nothing and nowhere to live. Pharoah graciously gave them homes in cities in which to live. But then he gave them seed. This too, was Pharoah's and he told them that if they sowed it in the land when harvest came, they could keep 4/5 of the crop for themselves. Finally, they would have something to call their own, but it was all given to them from the generosity of Pharoah. Now consider the Christian. Bought with the blood of Jesus Christ. We belong to Him. Everything we have is His. He gives us the ability to gain wealth and only asks that 10% be returned to him. Yet how many of us fail to tithe, or grudgingly tithe thinking that we shouldn't have to? Something to think about.
🤔Job 1:6 "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them."
This happens three times in the book of Job. Are all the angels, including the fallen ones, required to check in with God from time to time to account for their actions? Hmmm. Something to ponder.
🤔Job 1:12 "And the LORD said unto Satan, 'Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand..."
There are two things to consider in this verse: 1) Satan told God if you touch all Job has, he will curse you to your face. God did not touch Job, or anything he had. He gave Satan permission to. It is in Satan's nature to afflict people without cause. God couldn't do it if he wanted to. It's against his nature. But he allowed Satan to in order to prove God's faith in Job was justified. 2) Satan couldn't afflict Job without God's permission and only within the boundaries God set. "You can take his stuff, but don't touch his body." When something happens to us, we can't blame God. He didn't do it. But we should ask why God would allow this to happen. Are we needing correction? Or is he testing our faithfulness as he did with Job?
🤔Job 1:16 "And while he was yet speaking there came also another and said, 'The fire of God is fallen from heaven and hath burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee."
"And while he was yet speaking there came also another..." This happened to Job three times in the space of Job chapter one. Before one tragedy had even been recounted, news came of another one and another one and another one, each progressively worse than the one before it. How do we respond when we are overwhelmed by tragic circumstances that come upon us so quickly, we don't even have time to breathe much less process them? Job rent his mantle and shaved his head (mourned his loss) and fell down on the ground and worshipped. It's normal and okay to grieve over bad circumstances but it's what we do next that matters. Do we allow it to make us angry and bitter, or do we recognize that our loving God is still in control? "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord," Job said. Something to think about.
🤔Job 2:10 "But he said unto her, 'Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?..."
Job called his wife foolish because she said he should curse God for all the tragedy that had come upon him. Job's remark shows such wisdom. We Christians do walk in the blessing of God, but God does not show partiality. He can't give us only good and allow no evil to come upon us. How fair is that? Yet Christians do seem to think that they are immune to bad things happening because of their relationship with Christ and think they've been treated unfairly when the bad times come. How foolish can we be? Something to ponder.
🤔 Job 2:13 "So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great."
Sometimes there are just no words that can help ease the pain or even convey how sorry we are that our friend is dealing with the things he is facing. Sometimes, just being there is enough. Sometimes well-meaning words unintentionally cause more pain. Sometimes silence is golden. Something to consider.
🤔Job 4:3-5 "Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest..."
Job was the one that was always the strong one, always the one with a word of encouragement for one going through a tough time. He strengthened those who were weak. Who was there for Job when he was having a tough time? When he was the one needing strengthened? His friends came to mourn with him, but did they uphold him when he was falling? No. They berated him for not being strong enough to handle it on his own. We need to remember those who are always there to support others. Times will come when they need support too. Pray for your pastors, teachers and mentors. Call them once in a while to see if they are doing okay. Those who constantly do for others often have no one to do for them. Something to think about.
🤔Job 5:15 "But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty."
When was the last time your mouth got you into trouble? It seems to happen to me a lot. We expect God to save us from the sword and the hand of the mighty, but aren't you glad he also saves us from our mouth? And the word "poor" used here does not mean those without finances, it means poor in spirit, the depressed, the lonely, those enduring circumstances similar to those of Job. In times like those, it's easy to let our mouths get us into trouble. Thank God he saves us from that as well. Think on that.
🤔Job 12:16 "With Him is strength and wisdom; The deceived and the deceiver are His."
Everything belongs to God; He is the only creator. We all know this, but have you ever really thought about this verse? The deceiver (Satan) is His. We saw in Job that the deceiver could only do what God gave him permission to do and had to stop at the boundaries that God had set. Satan belongs to God. But sometimes we (I) forget that those who are steeped in bondage due to deception are his too. Sometimes we think of them as very far away or irretrievably lost. The truth is, they are God's and need only acknowledge Him in their lives and they will be freed from deception and bondage. They will be found. That gives me hope for my lost loved ones. Something worth thinking on.
🤔Job 16:18 "O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place."
Job is referencing Genesis 4:10 where when Cain had slew Abel, and God said, "Thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. Here Job is begging God to let his own blood cry out to Him and for Him to hear that cry. Job was equating himself with Abel in this passage. Abel was righteous and was slain through no fault of his own. This was the circumstance Job found himself in as well. Job was reminding God that as Abel was righteous when slain, so was he. And this just reinforced God's claim to Satan. "Have you considered my servant job, who is blameless and upright." Something to consider.
🤔Job 19:23 "Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were written in a book."
And they have been. The book of Job in the Bible. Was Job uttering prophecy in this verse, or was God merely fulfilling the desire of his heart? Could it be both? Hmm...something to ponder.
🤔Exodus 4:19 "And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life."
Moses was chosen by God to deliver the people of Israel from the hand of Pharoah. He had to flee for his life into Midian. Jesus was chosen by God to deliver mankind from their sins. He too, had to flee for his life - into Egypt as a child. In each case, when the men which sought their lives were dead, the LORD told them it was safe to return. The enemy will always try to stop the deliverance God is trying to bring. If your deliverance is delayed, perhaps God has hidden his chosen instrument away until a safer time. If you've been hidden away, is it possible God wants to use you to help set someone free? Something to think about.
🤔Exodus 4:22 "And thou shalt say unto Pharoah, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:"
There is so much to consider in this verse. Jesus was not God's firstborn son, Israel was. Jesus was His only begotten. Begotten means produced through fathering, as directly generated by a parent rather than being created. This happened when the "Holy Ghost overshadowed Mary and that holy being which she was carrying would be the child of the Most High." Man was created by God in the garden of Eden. This is proof that those new age religions that tell you that man is divine is nothing but a lie. But in middle eastern culture, being the firstborn carried privileges. Everything that belonged to the Father would be their inheritance. God was also sending Pharoah a message. "As protective as you are over your firstborn, I am over Israel. Just like your son will inherit the throne, Israel will inherit mine." Also, the presence of a firstborn indicates there is a secondborn. We are they, the gentiles which have been grafted in. We don't have the privilege of the firstborn, but we are sons of God and inherit too. We are co-heirs with Christ. Lots to think about.
🤔Exodus 6:3 "and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them."
As I shared in my themed Bible study, WHATS IN A NAME, the name shows the nature, character and authority of a person. God goes by many names because he has so many characteristics and his authority is immense. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob knew Him as God Almighty (Shaddai, in Hebrew), but they didn't know Him as JEHOVAH. Some of the names for God used in the Bible are Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Rapha, Jehovah Shaddai, Jehovah Nissi, etc. You can think of Jehovah as God's first name. Here God was saying that the fathers of Israel knew God in a respectful way: they called him by his "last name". They didn't know his "first name". They didn't know Him personally. But today, we can. What a privilege. Do you know Jehovah? Is your relationship on a first name basis with God? Hmmm.
🤔 Exodus 7:12 "For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods."
Consider this: For every pure work of God, Satan has a counterfeit. It shouldn't surprise us that when Moses turned the rod of God into a serpent, that Pharoah's sorcerers and magicians could do the same with their enchantments. But notice that Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. God's power is supreme. Lies will always be swallowed up by truth. Don't settle for the counterfeits. They won't last. Trust in the real thing.
🤔Exodus 8:15 "But when Pharoah saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said."
How many times have we cried out to the Lord in our distress and God came and brought deliverance, but as soon as we have no more distress, we go right back to our previous doings and forget all about God until we need him again. "Respite" means a break, a short, temporary period of rest. That tells us that the trouble is not gone, it is just giving us a little break until it comes back. Job 14:1 tells us that the days of man are short and full of trouble. Don't harden your heart when you've been given respite. It won't last. We need God every minute. It's worth considering.
🤔Exodus 9:11 "And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians."
Until this time, God had been very patient with Pharoah's magicians duplicating the miracles of God. But then God had enough. "Be not deceived, God is not mocked.." God may be patient with the workers of iniquity and those serving the enemy. In His love, He may be giving them plenty opportunity to repent. But if they do not turn to Him, God will mete out their just desserts. "Don't fret thyself over evildoers". They may seem to get away with everything, but their time is coming. God's justice demands it.
🤔Exodus 10:21 "And the LORD said unto Moses, stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt."
Darkness is absence of light. John 1:4 says that in Jesus was life and that life was the light of men. God brought a darkness upon Egypt that was so thick it could be felt. A world void of light, a world without Jesus would be one full of evil. That evil would be so thick it would be palpable. Did God give Pharoah a preview what a world without Christ would be like? Just wondering...
🤔 Exodus 12:2 "This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you."
God changed the Israelite's calendar. He did something spectacular. He killed all the firstborn of Egypt but spared the Israelite's firstborn alive. It was a momentous event, worth celebrating, worth remembering. He wanted it to mark a new beginning in the lives of His people, so he instituted a new year. Has God done something momentous and spectacular in your life. Let it be a New Year for you. God's mercies are new every morning, Lamentations 3:22 tells us. We can have as many "do overs" as we need. Don't be afraid to change your calendar. God did. Something to think about.
🤔Exodus 12:38 "And a mixed multitude went up also with them;"
It wasn't only the Israelites that were delivered from the bondage of Egypt. Egyptians and others, a mixed multitude, went out with them. God's salvation is for "whosoever will". Some of the Egyptians saw the power of God and believed. Our just God wouldn't leave them behind. They got to go too. Who might be witnessing the power of God in your life and will choose to believe and come out of bondage? No one is beyond God's saving grace. Worth thinking about.
🤔Exodus 13:2 "Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine."
Ever since I was a young child, I had a desire for the things of God. Whenever a Sunday School bus came through the neighborhood, I wanted to be on it. My parents weren't religious. Where did this desire come from? I am firstborn. Was I set apart for God from my birth? Do all firstborn have that inborn desire for God like I have? If you read this, and you are firstborn, please drop a comment at the bottom of the page and share if you've experienced what I have and if it's possible that the firstborn are still being sanctified unto God. Enquiring minds want to know.
🤔Exodus 14:8 "...and the children of Israel went out with a high hand."
I wonder at the phrasing used here "with a high hand". When I think of a "high hand" two thoughts come to mind. Hands raised high in the air praising God, and a Royal Flush. The Bible also tells us they came out of Egypt with riches, and cattle and the good of the land. Their hands were full of good (high) things. Perhaps all three things are implied in this verse: they came out of Egypt blessed with wealth and high status, they were winners, and so were praising God. That's how I feel after God has delivered me too. "With a high hand". I like it.
🤔Exodus 20:7 "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."
We usually think of "taking the LORD's name in vain" as cussing, don't we? But is there more to it than that? I did a word study on "vain". The Hebrew word has several applications and they all apply. The first is "destructive". Therefore, asking God to damn someone or something would definitely be considered "vain". The next is "idolatry". When we ask the "baking gods" to let our pie turn out right, even jokingly, we are taking the LORD's name in vain. "Deceptive" includes false teaching, or speaking anything that goes against what is written in the Word of God. And finally, "uselessness" is the belief that there is no point in acknowledging, serving, or worshipping God because he doesn't exist, doesn't care or can't help any way.
Another misconception is that you have to use the word "God" or "Jesus" to take his name in vain. One's name refers to their nature, character, or authority. So, misusing any of these aspects of God in the ways mentioned above is actually taking his name in vain. How many of those examples do you see and hear every day? How many have you done lately? How many people think they never take the LORD's name in vain because they don't cuss? Something we really need to consider.
🤔 Exodus 20:24 "... in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee."
We put way too much emphasis in our society on where we go to church. I know some people who won't attend a function at another church when there is nothing going on at theirs because they feel like they are "cheating" on their church. I know many who like to attend church when they are out of town or on vacation, but feel they have to find their exact denomination, or "brand" or they can't go. The Hebrew word for "record" used here means to make mention or remember. If a church preaches Jesus Christ coming in the flesh, living a sinless life, dying for our sins, resurrecting on the third day, coming again to take his own or if they take communion "Do this in remembrance of me", you can attend that place and God will come to you and bless you there. It's not the name above the door that matters, it's what happens inside that determines if you should attend there. Something to think about.
🤔Exodus 30:12 "When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them when thou numberest them."
Everyone hates taxes. Some refuse to pay them. Some think they are unethical. But are they Biblical? Hmmmm. This verse is talking about taking a census of the people and requiring each to pay a half shekel (specified in the next verse). Today they take census and collect taxes. But here is where it went wrong: the ransom (tax) was supposed to go to the LORD, not the government. To what degree has government replaced God in our society? This ransom to God was supposed to be paid to keep plagues away. How rampant is plague and sickness in our world today? It is pandemic! Could that be because we are paying our taxes to the wrong party? Worth considering.
🤔Exodus 32:2 "And Aaron said unto them, break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters and bring them unto me."
The men of the camp came to Aaron and asked him to make them gods to lead them out of the wilderness because Moses went up the mountain to talk to God and never (yet) came back down. But where did the gold to make the idol come from? The wives and children's earrings. It is often our loved ones who pay the price for the wrongs we commit. Something to think about.
🤔Exodus 32:24 "And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf."
You've heard the expression, "Shit happens"? Perhaps you've said it yourself. I would like to submit to you that shit doesn't just happen. You don't cast gold into a fire and out walks a calf. That calf was made, fashioned, created. Time, effort, work went into it. It didn't just happen. Aaron was trying to minimize his culpability here. Saying "shit happens" does the same thing. Isn't it time we lay responsibility for the things that are done where it lies?
🤔Exodus 32:33 "And the LORD said unto Moses, whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book."
Here's a concept not taught in churches today, but I think has Biblical backing: You don't have to worry about getting your name into the Lamb's book of Life, you have to worry about keeping it there. I would submit that every created being's name is in the Lamb's book of Life when he gave them life. But that name can be blotted out for various reasons. Here God reveals that names are already in his book (before Christ came to earth) and why someone may have their name blotted out. Revelation 22:19 says that anyone who takes away from the words written in this book (The HOLY BIBLE) will God remove his name from his book of Life. Revelation 13:8 says that anyone whose name is not written in the book of life at the time of the antichrist shall worship him. Revelation 21:27 says that the requirements for entering the Holy City (heaven) is to be one who is written in the Lamb's book of Life. And Jesus said in John 14:6 that no one comes to the Father but by him. Take all these verses together and a picture forms. You are conceived in the womb, and your name is written in the Lamb's book of life. If during that life you do not accept Jesus' sacrifice for your sins, your name will be blotted out. (The only way to heaven is for your name to be in the book of life and no one goes there without accepting Christ). Various other things can get your name blotted out (read the Word). But they that endure until the end, shall be saved. It's a novel concept. But what if it's true? Worth pondering.
🤔Leviticus 6:13 "The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out."
Have you ever committed a sin you thought was too great for God to forgive? Or one too petty to bother him with? As God was setting up the temple and the priests, and the ordinances of law for the Children of Israel, he gave the command that the fire on the altar should never go out. This was the fire on which all the sacrifices for sin, for peace, for any other thing were to be offered upon. The fire was to never go out so that the altar was always ready to receive the sacrifice. God is always ready to forgive, or to receive our sacrifice of praise. He gave this instruction back in Old Testament times and it still stands today. God doesn't change. He was always ready to meet the people's needs then, and He is always ready now. Something to think about.
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