Genesis 1 – In his book, The Good Book, author Deron Spoo gives us perspective on what we should treasure about Genesis 1. In his opinion, the primary purpose of this first chapter is to affirm that …
Genesis
50 posts
Genesis 2 – Sometimes we fall into the trap of believing that God’s wrath is greater than His grace. In Genesis 2, we read of God’s unbelievable grace when allowing Adam to roam freely in creation. And …
Genesis 3 – Blatant evil is not our greatest threat as believers; it is deceptive evil wrapped in a package of truth. But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may …
Genesis 4 – I’ll be honest, this story has always confused me. Why was Abel’s offering acceptable to God but Cain’s was not? All we know from the story here in Genesis is that Abel offered the …
Genesis 5 – Genealogies are boring, but they are important. They provide historical context and fill in many of the factual details. It is assumed this is not a complete genealogy, because most Biblical genealogies aren’t. With …
Genesis 6 – What does the text mean when it says the “sons of God” saw the “daughters of men” were beautiful and took wives for themselves? The phrase “sons of God” is used in other places …
Genesis 7 – The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s feeding trough, but Israel does not know; My people do not understand.” Isaiah 1:3 HCSB There are a lot of themes throughout the Bible …
Genesis 8 – Mount Ararat and the Araratian plain, seen early morning from near the city of Artashat in Armenia. (Source: Wikipedia) The ark landed upon the mountains of Ararat (pictured) and the flood was finally over. …
Genesis 9 – Noah was unique in the sense that his life spanned two different worlds. He saw the corruption of the world before the flood and, unfortunately, he witnessed the corruption after as well. Overall, Noah’s …
Genesis 10 – Here in Genesis 10, we are introduced to an individual whose full-fledged insurrection led to all sorts of rebellion among humanity. Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on …
Genesis 11 – Josephus wrote of how the Tower of Babel originated from the heart and mind of Nimrod. “Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God. …
Genesis 12 – “Faith is not a mushroom that grows overnight in damp soil; it is an oak tree that grows for a thousand years under the blast of the wind and rain.” Donald Grey Barnhouse None …
Genesis 13 – Between chapters 12 and 13, we see a spiritual maturity unfolding in Abram’s life. His journey into Egypt illustrated his lack of trust in God’s provision. Now, we read that he has decided to …
Genesis 14 – Here in Genesis 14, we find the bizarre story of Melchizedek. Melchizedek came to Abraham after his defeat of Chedorlaomer and his three allies. He gave bread and wine to Abraham and his men …
Genesis 15 – God spoke, Abraham believed. Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:6 NASB I love that we see the first expression of the Gospel here between …
Genesis 16 – Think about all the stressful situations that Abraham, Sarai, and Hagar now faced from one sinful decision. Does Sarai have a right to be mad at Abraham and to despise Hagar? Should Abraham raise …
Genesis 17 – The question we all ask ourselves at one point or another is, why circumcision? First, in the context of what God is speaking to Abraham, the covenant is dealing specifically with fathering nations. Circumcision …
Genesis 18 – I have to admit, I’m not a great intercessor. I sometimes fall victim to the attitude that “the Lord will do what the Lord will do.” But the Bible prescribes a persistent, faith-filled prayer …
Genesis 19 – I find it interesting that there were two angels sent to Lot’s house to save four people. There was a hand for each person God desired to save. In other words, there is nothing …
Genesis 20 – Once again Abraham lied. Once again he told a foreign king his wife was his sister. And once again he was rebuked by a foreigner. It seems to me, in His grace, God withholds …
Genesis 21 – In previous chapters, we may have been tempted to wonder, “Why has God stuck with Abraham for so long?” Commentators and scholars have wondered why the Bible is so brutally honest about the struggles …
Genesis 22 – God was faithful to Abraham and through this relationship, obedience was continually being renewed. God’s faithfulness was a catalyst for Abraham’s faith. But like James writes, faith must be proven. It is not found …
Genesis 23 – It is significant that the age of Sarah is given when she dies. This is not the case with other matriarchs. Rebekah’s death is not even recorded and Rachel’s death is only highlighted by …
Genesis 24 – Consider the picture we get of Christ’s relationship with the church from Isaac and Rebekah… Just like Rebekah was chosen before marriage, believers in the body are part of God’s chosen people. Just like …
Genesis 25 – In the music industry, most fans hate sellouts. According to Wikipedia, “selling out” is a common expression for the compromising of a person’s integrity, morality, authenticity, or principles in exchange for personal gain, such …
Genesis 26 – In Genesis 26, God reiterates His promise made long ago to Abraham. Being a descendant, Isaac was still under this covenant relationship of God. Let’s look at exactly how God describes His relationship with …
Genesis 27 – What a story! As a Chicago fan, this is kind of like watching the Green Bay Packers play the Minnesota Vikings. There is no one to root for! First, we have Isaac. Though …
Genesis 28 – Promises, promises. Jacob was a slick wheeler and dealer as we will find out later. He certainly didn’t deserve Isaac’s blessing or a divine dream, but God was faithful despite. This fact alone is …
Genesis 29 – Jacob is here in Genesis 29 doing “Jacob-like stuff.” Like a smooth-talking used car salesman, he approaches these shepherds as if they were his long lost buddies from college. His reference to it being …
Genesis 30 – Jacob married sisters… just think about that. Rachel had her husband’s love but could not produce sons. Leah could produce sons but did not have her husband’s love. It was a recipe for disaster. …
Genesis 31 – Jacob was such an interesting blend of integrity and deception. On one hand, he heard intimately from God and was honest in his dealings. On the other hand, he would waste no time deceiving …
Genesis 32 – There are three points that really stick out to me in this chapter. Separation from the world will often allow us to become aware of God’s greater revelation. In Genesis 31, we learn that …
Genesis 33 – There are simple but profound lessons found in this story. How many times have we stressed over a situation that ended up going much better than we had anticipated? Jacob wrestled with God the …
Genesis 34 – There are so many issues here and they are glaring. What is clearly evident in this story is that one disaster builds upon another when we refuse to obey God. Jacob’s refusal to go …
Genesis 35 – Which is more dangerous, heading to Bethel or disobeying God? We often justify disobedience with fear. We often convince ourselves that safety is more important than a total commitment to Jesus. But the truth …
Genesis 36 – The bullet points of Esau’s life were not great. God blessed him and his family, but the blessings were only material in nature. Long before, Isaac and Rebekah were concerned about Esau’s choice to …
Genesis 37 – “Enoch shows the walk of faith, Noah shows the perseverance of faith, Abraham shows the obedience of faith, Isaac shows the power of faith, and Jacob shows the discipline of faith. Along these lines …
Genesis 38 – Social media has become a giant in today’s culture. It’s a place you can project the best version of you. It’s a space where you can share your best pictures and your best life …
Genesis 39 – Set against the backdrop of Joseph’s brother Judah pursuing a harlot who was actually his daughter-in-law, here we have a polar opposite response. Genesis 39 is a valuable lesson on dealing with temptation. Joseph …
Genesis 40 – We now learn that Potiphar did not really believe the accusations brought against Joseph. In Genesis 39, we read that Potiphar was “an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard.” Here in …
Genesis 41 – Joseph began as a shepherd of animals and become a shepherd of men. He, like Jesus, was loved by his father but despised by his brothers. He, like Jesus, was prophesied to receive authority …
Genesis 42 – According to Wikipedia, The Conscience Fund is one of three gift funds maintained by the United States Department of the Treasury. It was put into place for voluntary contributions from people who have stolen from …
Genesis 43 – There are several tests going on in Genesis 43. Jacob’s faith is being tested. Will he trust God and allow his son Benjamin (the only other son of Rachel) to cross over to Egypt …
Genesis 44 – Judah goes from schemer to savior. He goes from loving himself to understanding pure, unconditional love. He was the first to suggest selling Joseph years before but now he is the first to offer …
Genesis 45 – Finally! After several chapters of agony, Joseph is finally reunited with his brothers. There is much we could discuss but I want to focus on the response of Israel/Jacob. In Genesis 42:36, Jacob said, …
Genesis 46 – Genesis 46 contains an ancient treasure documented only four times in all of Genesis. It is a simple but powerful phrase God would use to draw His people into total obedience. Do. Not. Fear. …
Genesis 47 – The famine was severe. There was no food. Our lives feel like this sometimes don’t they? All of us have some kind of built-in measurement for how much stress and suffering we can experience. …
Genesis 48 – From Jacob (Israel’s) sons, the 12 tribes would be formed. This can be confusing when you factor in Genesis 48. Jacob brings Joseph’s sons to him and actually adopts them as his own. This …
Genesis 49 – What did Jacob’s prophecies mean long-term for these sons of Israel? Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength and the firstfruits of my virility, excelling in prominence, excelling in power. 4 Turbulent as water, …
Genesis 50 – It is always fascinating to me when we come across a chapter in the Bible that captivates us with incredible detail and then quickly moves across history with sweeping summaries. We get both in …