One thing leads to another

Pray: Ask God to speak to you through his word today

Consider: Have you ever told a half-truth that got a bit out of hand?

Bible Reading:  Genesis 12:11-20

Insight: Although in her mid to late 60s, Sarai was considered to be a very beautiful woman and her fair skin would have made her particularly attractive in the eyes of the Egyptians. Although the Egyptians had a reputation for being sexually unrestrained Abram thought that they might prefer to murder him than to commit adultery with his wife!

If we read on to Genesis 20:12-13 it would appear that this half truth about Sarai being Abram’s sister was an arrangement that they made before they left Haran. It is a half-truth because we also learn there that Abram and Sarai had the same father but different mothers. However this half-truth really doesn’t put Abram in a good light. Although he may have thought that any marriage rituals would have taken time and that he would be able to leave Egypt with Sarai before they took place, he is still a man, that through fear, risks his wife’s reputation and monogamy in order to save his own life. He had also forgotten that promise from God that his children would inherit the land of of Canaan – how would that come about if God didn’t have a plan to care and protect Abram?

The princes, sons of Egypt’s principal priests, did see Sarai and recommended her to Pharaoh, the official king of Egypt. We don’t know which Pharaoh it was at the time, but he seems please to invite her into his harem, with a view to making her a secondary wife. Abram could hardly object to this if he was telling everyone she was his sister.

Marriage negotiations were often accompanied by gifts to relatives as a kind of payment, and Pharaoh seems to have been particularly generous towards Abram, increasing his flocks and herds significantly.

When disease or death or some other kind of calamity struck Pharaoh and his household, Abram’s lie was found out. Perhaps Pharaoh had received a dream from God or maybe Sarai or one of the household had informed him of the situation. Either way, he was not impressed and called Abram to account for himself. At this point Pharaoh could have killed Abram and kept Sarai for himself but as he didn’t, we can perhaps deduce that if Abram had told the truth in the first place nothing untoward would have happened. Still Pharaoh commanded some of his men to escort Abram and his household out of the country.

It is good to know that despite Abram taking matters into his own hands, his failings, sins or misjudgements, God is continuing to work His purpose out.

Pause: Stop and listen to the voice of God, don’t rush on.

Picture: Is there a picture in scripture or in the world around you that helps?

Ponder: Think more deeply. What else does this relate to and what else does scripture say?

5 This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. 6 That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. 7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. (Acts 7:4)

Pray: Spend time in conversation with God; be completely honest and open.

Promise: Decide what needs to change, commit to it and consider writing it in your journal.

Further Reading: John Goldingay, Genesis for Everyone.

Related articles

• Genesis 12.10-20 (9markspastor.wordpress.com)

So Abraham went

Pray: Ask God to speak to you through his word today

Consider: Are you someone who likes to know all the details about a trip before to set off or are you happy to just set off and see where you end up?

Bible Reading:  Genesis 12:3-6

Insight: So Abram went. He didn’t know exactly where he was going but he went all the same. He took with him his wife and his nephew and everything they had, mostly cattle, sheep, camels, slaves and their slave’s children. They headed across the Syrian desert and travelled south through Lebanon into what is now known as Damascus.

It would have taken some time to walk this distance with so many people and animals. They would have been living a nomadic lifestyle, resting at watering holes or alongside rivers and carrying their tents with them. They eventually rest at a beautiful place now called Nablus, that was then an open plain surrounded by strong sturdy trees possibly belonging to a priestly man or teacher called Moreh

Abram was obedient, doing as God had asked, seemingly without questioning and certainly without knowing the outcome. And God blessed him. As we heard yesterday, God made him someone that would bless others. The scale of this promise is highlighted by the way that Abram’s name has become a name that others use in their prayers. “God please bless ____, as you blessed Abram.” In Genesis so far we have seen over and over God’s desire to bless rather than curse, and we can be assured that this type of prayer is one that God is pleased to answer

Pause: Stop and listen to the voice of God, don’t rush on.

Picture: Is there a picture in scripture or in the world around you that helps?

Ponder: Think more deeply. What else does this relate to and what else does scripture say?

“So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Harran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. (Acts 7:4)

Pray: Spend time in conversation with God; be completely honest and open.

Promise: Decide what needs to change, commit to it and consider writing it in your journal.

Further Reading: John Goldingay, Genesis for Everyone.

Babylon become Babble-on

Pray: Ask God to speak to you through his word today

Consider: How many words can you think of that are different in English and American English?

Bible Reading: Genesis 11:8-30

Insight: Historians and language experts do not really have a good explanation for how languages have developed around the world and even here we don’t get much of an explanation about how God confused our speech. We are simply told that he did.Although Babel sounds like babble, it actually means confusion and is simply the Hebrew name for the city of Babylon.

Another effect was that the people were pushed to move away and spread to other regions, effectively taking up their commission to serve the whole earth.

Notice that there is a shortening of the years that people are living, before the flood they were living for for longer before they begun to have children. This illustrates that the story is becoming less of a parable and more historical fact.

Shelah literally means the sending forth of water and is perhaps named as a memorial to the flood. Eber means ‘the region on the other side’ and is probably named because his family moved across the Euphrates and emigrated south. Peleg means to divide. Reu means friend or friendship. Serug means to wind or twisting. Nahor could mean to snort or breathe heavy or it may mean to bore through or pierce. Terah means to delay, which is particularly meaningful for his life and the name may have been given to him later in life.

Like Genesis 5, this next stage of Jesus family tree is ten generations and ends with the birth of three sons. The maths doesn’t add up as far as the ages of Terah’s sons is concerned so we can assume that they are named here in order of most spiritual rather than age and of course it is Abram, the ‘Father of Elevation’ and father of Israel that is named first.

Here we are also introduced to other people that will be important in Abram’s epic life, that give him a life story worth telling. Haran dies, possibly in his father’s presence, leaving a grandson that needs caring for, Lot will cause trouble for Abram on more than one occasion and Abram himself marries someone who cannot have children.

Pause: Stop and listen to the voice of God, don’t rush on.

Picture: Is there a picture in scripture or in the world around you that helps?

Ponder: Think more deeply. what else does this relate to and what else does scripture say?

Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, for I see violence and strife in the city. (Psalms 55:9)

Pray: Spend time in conversation with God; be completely honest and open.

Promise: Decide what needs to change, commit to it and consider writing it in your journal.

Further Reading: John Goldingay, Genesis for Everyone Part 1.

The God who intervenes

Pray: Ask God to speak to you through His word today.

Memory Verses: “And afterward,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.” – Joel 2:28

Bible Reading: Genesis 11:3-7

Consider: What would it be like it everyone in the world spoke the same language?

Insight: One of the most common questions asked when debating Christianity and the existence of God is “if God is real then why do bad things happen, or why does he not step in and help?” Honestly, this can be a very difficult question to answer as sometimes we simply do not know why God has or hasn’t ‘got involved’. And at a first glance this story in Genesis 11 can seem to make the case of the Christian even more difficult. Things sound positive and yet God steps in and messes things up, doesn’t He?

Shinar is now very much a settled people group, like a city, and they have decided to build a tower. This was very common, as towers could be used to defend, protect the people from floods and to gather people in times of celebration or crisis. And they showed great creativity, finding new ways to build and construct their latest project. Surely these are all things for God to be pleased with, and to just let the people get on with?

Well sadly not everything is as positive as it might seem.

There was another reason why such towers were built, and it was not for protection or safety, but more to be like a shrine. The original hearers of this story would have known of Babylon and Mesopotamia, places where large towers were built, designed to assure people that God is present amongst them. This is why they wanted the tower to reach the heavens, so that they could elevate themselves to God.

However, God doesn’t need the tower. So God intervenes. He steps in and gets involved. He knows they are drifting away from Him, and the longer they settle as one people with their tower the worse it is going to get. So he forces them to scatter, by making them all speak different languages. I can’t imagine what that day must have been like for those people, but one thing is for sure, we can see that God does intervene, and when his ultimate plans and purposes are being jeopardised, He will make things happen.

We don’t always know why bad things happen, and we can’t explain everything that God seems to let happen, but we can know that God has a plan and He is very much committed to making it happen. We do know a God who intervenes.

Tell us: Do you find it hard to understand why God intervenes in this case, but doesn’t stop natural disasters or terminal illness? Share how this makes you feel and what questions it raises for you.

Prayer Ideas: Pray that you would always be aware of God’s bigger plan, and that you would be someone building for his glory and not your own.

Do: Ask someone today what they think about God. The conversation could be surprising.

Thank you to Tom MacDonald for this post.

The nations

Pray: Ask God to speak to you through His word today

Memory Verse: I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.(Isaiah 46:10)

Consider: Have you ever wished something bad on others?

Bible Reading: Genesis 9:26-10:20

Insight: Did you know that there are nearly 200 nations on planet earth today? Maybe this blows your mind and causes you to think about just how big the world is; or perhaps it is less than you thought it would be and you are not at all impressed. But now consider that here in Genesis we are told that all of the continents, nations, people groups, communities and families all originate and stem from Noah and his kids.

Noah had three sons named Shem, Ham & Japhet. Noah proclaims a blessing that Japhet and his family will extend (which is a clever play on words as this was the meaning of the name Japhet) and Noah was certainly right. Japhet would build his own family, and within three generations his family would include nations east and west including Greece and modern day Germany. Shem also receive a form of blessing, as Noah declares that they will be a nation focused on worshipping the one and true living God, YAHWEH, with God dwelling within them. Once again this blessing was to come true, as Shem and his descendant s were to include the Jewish people, whom God will call his own nation.

However, there is still another son, Ham, and this son has committed an unnamed sin. Rather than a blessing Noah actually hands out a curse to the youngest son of Ham, Canaan, meaning that they would be slaves. But is it really Noah’s job to be cursing his own grandchildren? Doesn’t this seem a little bit harsh?

The idea of cursing and blessing does not mean that Noah, or anyone for that matter, had the ability to affect the destiny of someone else. Instead, Noah is simply announcing the consequences of his sons’ actions. Blessings and curses work only at the will of God, and therefore if it is not from God a curse is nothing to be afraid of.

So what do we learn from this story? Rather than thinking we can bless and curse things and influence what God might do, instead we learn that there are often direct consequences of our actions, and sometimes actions can impact others, maybe even future generations!

Tell us: How do you feel when you consider the potential consequences of your actions?

Prayer Ideas: Thank God that he has blessed us so richly, and give him praise that now in Jesus Christ all of our sins and wrong doings can be erased.

Do: Why not bless someone with your words today? You might not change what God was going to do, but you never know you might just partner with God in making a difference to someone’s life!

I trace the rainbow through the rain

Noah cursing Canaan (illustration by Gustave Doré from the 1865 La Sainte Bible) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pray: Ask God to speak to you through his word today

Memory verse: “Cursed is anyone who dishonors their father or mother.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!” (Deuteronomy 27:16)

Consider: Has there been a time recently when you have not shown your parents or guardian/carer the respect that they deserve?

Bible Reading: Genesis 9:14-25

Insight: Whenever we see a rainbow in the sky it should remind us of the solemn promise that God has made to never flood the earth again. Because we have no real part to play in this promise, it is purely a sign of God’s grace and mercy. A sign for both God and man, that will stand for as long as humanity is upon the earth.

When the clouds gather and we stand facing them with our back to the sun, the rainbow appears. We can rely on God’s promise that the world will never again face devastation. So it is when we stand facing danger we can rely on God’s promises of grace and mercy

There may have been vines growing up after the flood but it appears that Noah planted a number of them together and ordered them in a vineyard. The Armenians have a tradition that Noah, after quitting the ark, went and settled at Erivan, a city full of vineyards; and that it was there he planted the vineyard, in a place where they still make excellent wine.

Being a man of the land, Noah would have been well aware of the effects of drinking fermented grape juice. Would this righteous man have been drunk on purpose? We don’t know, but it does go to show just how easy it is for things to go wrong for even the most righteous man.

Ham, was maliciously rejoicing and laughing at the state Noah had got himself into, perhaps even enticing his brothers to come and have a look for themselves. They though showed Noah the respect he deserved, covering him with a simlah, a type of outer cloak that people would wrap themselves in at night.

Canaan, would have been familiar to the first readers of Genesis. The Canaanites had a bit of subservient role towards the Israelites. It wouldn’t quite be slavery as we know it, it would be more like the people of Canaan doing the jobs that were too low or too menial for the Israelites to do. But how did the Canaanites become like this? Perhaps it is something to do with their attitude to sex. If you read Leviticus 18 you will see that the Israelites are told to avoid doing what the people of Canaan do and then it lists a whole load of examples of forbidden sexual relationships. The words translated sexual relations means ‘exposing someone’s nakedness’. It seems that the Canaanites reputation goes back a long way!

Pause: Stop and listen to the voice of God, don’t rush on.

Picture: Is there a picture in scripture or in the world around you that helps?

Ponder: Think more deeply. what else does this relate to and what else does scripture say?

Pray: Spend time in conversation with God; be completely honest and open.

Promise: Decide what needs to change, commit to it and consider writing it in your journal

Further Reading: John Goldingay, Genesis for Everyone Part 1.

A life for a life

Landscape with Noah’s Thank Offering (painting circa 1803 by Joseph Anton Koch) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pray: Ask God to speak to you through his word today

Memory verse: Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking. (Ezekiel 1:28)

Consider: Where was the last rainbow that you saw?

Bible Reading: Genesis 9:5-13

Insight: God emphasises that the blood of humans is holy and must not be violated because we are made in His image. Just as defacing my photo is a personal attack towards me, so defacing another human is a personal attack towards God.

I’m unsure whether this passage is a real justification for the death penalty or rather God simply stating what will happen if someone is killed wilfully and unwarrantably. It does say that murder should not go unpunished and God will seek out anyone who sins in this way. But the punishment for murder should come from God and not our own desire for vengeance which can lead to a spiralling routine of spilled blood.

Before the flood God made a binding promise to Noah and his family, now God makes it to Noah but for all of mankind and indeed all animal kind too. At the heart of it it is not a new promise but more of a confirming and a reestablishment of a promise that had been in danger of falling.

The rainbow or God’s bow, as in bow and arrow, is of his craftsmanship and is like his signature on the legal covenant document. The rainbow is a picture of God’s war bow hung in the sky as a sign that he is not coming to judge us, he is not at war with us. In Greek mythology the rainbow is a symbol that means ‘to speak’ and ‘peace’. In several other ancient cultures the rainbow also means peace or calm. I think Wordsworth said it well when he said ‘The bow in the hands of man was an instrument of battle; but the bow bent by the hand of God has become a symbol of peace’.

Tell Us: What does this passage tell you about God? Are there any changes that you need to make in your life as a result of reading this passage? Who will you tell about what you have learned about God today?

Prayer Ideas: Thank God for his promise of calm and for hanging his war bow up. Jesus tells us that murder begins in the heart, even being cross with someone and speaking badly about them can be like murder. Repent of the times you have had this attitude. Pray for someone who has hurt you. God has made a promise to you, pray that you would have the strength and courage to keep your promises to Him.

Do: Send us a photo of the next rainbow that you see.

Further Reading: John Goldingay, Genesis for Everyone Part 1.