We left off with a powerful story of a young man named Joseph. Years have passed and there sits on the throne a new king who has long forgotten what Joseph (the Hebrew) had done for the people of Egypt. He has grown tired of the Hebrews, they are multiplying and he feels threatened. Let's kill off all of the Hebrew boys by throwing them in the Nile and force the Hebrews to work as slaves for us.
Now God has a new plan, a new way to show His love, the next plot in The Story. A Story that shows a God full of love, mercy, power, and wisdom. He has a perfect plan to rescue man back unto Himself. As you read each chapter you should by now be seeing a pattern...."Jesus is Coming", "Jesus is Coming"....I have a way to rescue man from the fall. He will be your deliverer. Let's watch as the next foreshadowing takes place...along the Nile...the very place the Egyptians had declared the death of all Hebrew boys.
Moses' was born to a mother who does everything she can to save her sons life. She hides him for 3 months and when this is no longer an option....she builds a basket, places her son into the basket and throws him into the Nile! WHAT?? Doesn't sound like a great plan considering that this is not the Little Lehigh, this is the Nile. Were talking deadly snakes, alligators, deadly fish etc. What were the chances that the baby Moses was going to make it? What an act of faith on the mothers behalf. What love and courage it must have taken to complete such an act. His sister watches the basket going down river and where should it happen to land? Right in front of the palace a perfect place for a perfect God to develop His perfect plan. Pharaoh's daughter finds the baby, takes him in as her own, and get this asks baby Moses' Mom to nurse him!!! Oh Yes, God is good!
So now later ....Moses grows up in the palace, with everything that any child growing up could ever want. He is saved from the death sentence that he was given at birth, he was saved from the harsh slave life the rest of his Hebrew people knew, for he is royalty. Robes of fine linen, gold jewelry, servants, yes, he had it all. Yet, something was bothering Moses! What could possibly be bothering a man who had it all?
He takes a stroll one day and comes across an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave. Now being that he was a Hebrew but lived like an Egyptian he was torn. The mistreatment of the his people was more than he could bare, he kills the Egyptian. From that moment on his life would never be the same. He has to flee to the wilderness and hide. He must be there for years because he finds a wife and settles down to build a new life...no longer a Hebrew since birth and now no longer an Egyptian. He was a foreigner in a foreign land.
How honorable was his actions, not that killing the Egyptian was not an honorable act, but I am referring to the fact that he was so enraged by the treatment of his people that he was willing to throw all he had away to stand on their behalf. Perhaps this is why he was chosen....God was going to use him to deliver the people from the hands of the Egyptians but Moses was just going about it the wrong way. It was designed to be done through the power of God not the power of the man.
Meanwhile, God shows His burning passion for His people in this line. I have SEEN the misery of my people, I have HEARD them crying...I am CONCERNED. So...I HAVE COME DOWN...!
This should be a word of encouragement for anyone who is going through hard times....God sees what you are going through, He hears your cries for help, He has compassion for you, He is willing to come down to rescue you! What an awesome God we serve!!!!
As a result, Moses receives the call from God (via. the burning bush) and he now has his marching orders go back to the place where everyone hates you and tell Pharaoh to let my people go. What is Moses response? Who am I? What happens if they ask me who you are? I am not able to do this? Yeah thanks for the offer but ahhhh, please send someone else! I can feel for Moses at this point...He has lost his favor with the Egyptians, they all want to kill him. Also although he was a Hebrew the people only saw him as an Egyptian, in fact, not just any Egyptian but lived with the man who was in charge of the slave labor. Moses had to know that getting them to trust him at this point was virtually impossible.
God has Aaron (Moses' brother) to be his spokesperson. God will give the vital info to Moses who would tell Aaron who would in turn give the information to the people. So that is what happens.
Pharaoh refuses over and over again to let the people go. Plague after plague, God hardens Pharaoh's heart and he refuses. Why would God do this? Every time I read this line I don't understand. But then it dawns on me. God wanted the deliverance to be so powerful that maybe even some of the Egyptians would turn their hearts to Him.
(One powerful observation...Moses asks Pharaoh to let his people go that they might worship him in the wilderness! Not the Promise Land! If you cannot learn to worship God in the wilderness of your life, you may never have the privilege of worshipping him in the promise land!)
With each request and with each plague that follows the treatment of the people (who were just heard crying from their slavery) the work load becomes even more harsh. They begin to argue with Moses to stop what he is doing. But Moses does not give up. He continues until the final plague. The death of every first born animal and Egyptian boy. God protects his people by telling them to take the blood of a lamb and wiping the blood on the doorposts so the angel of death passes them by (The Passover). Finally this is enough for Pharaoh to break. He lets the people go.
Not for long though. He changes his mind quickly and sends his troops to go hunt them down and get them back to work.
Now God uses a cloud by day and a fire by night to lead the people The cloud and fire always stayed in front guiding and directing their journey. Except on one particular night. The army of the Egyptians is coming closer. God sends the people on ahead and the cloud goes behind them. Giving light to the Hebrews and darkness to the Egyptians. I can't help but recall Psalm 139 "I have hedged you before and behind and have laid my hand upon you". If you are willing to follow after Him he not only goes before you but in times of trouble he will guard you from behind.
God does a miraculous deliverance by way of the Red Sea, parting the waters for safe travel by the Hebrews, and let the waters come down upon the Egyptians...it says not one survived. Now after all of this happens what is the response of the people? Are they ready to worship Him now? Are they ready to break out in song and dance or fall down in grateful surrender? No. They are thirsty and there is no water, they are hungry and there is no food. They rebel against the misery of the wilderness. Arguing with their deliverer Moses. They want to go back to what they know! Misery and slave labor at least there they were not hungry or thirsty or lost!
How does God respond to their rebellion and ungratefulness? Miraculous blessing. Having water come from the rock (just as the rock Jesus would be stricken and living water would burst forth from Him). God has Moses strike a rock to bring forth water to quench their thirst. He uses a piece of wood to turn a bitter water into a drinkable water. Manna falls from the sky (not just for one day but for 40 years) Quail show up to fill their tummies. Their complaining continues. In fact the closing line of Chapter 4 says the Israelites ask Moses "Is the Lord with us or not?"!!!! What more did He have to do to prove His love????
Keep reading to find out!
What a powerful story of God's amazing power, grace, patience, love, and of course His divine plan. We all know how the Story will end. God will send a new deliverer that will deliver the people by way of His own life. Freeing the oppression of His people forever. Sadly, not many will receive it. Sometimes they choose to stay with what they know even if the slavery is harsh.
Do you find yourself in the wilderness today? You may not be able to see through the misery to notice God's divine intervention. You may even be asking is God with me or not. Let me tell you His is very much involved in every situation of your life. He has a divine plan for your deliverance. He has seen, heard, has compassion and will come to your rescue. We have to stop complaining about the situation and instead begin to worship Him IN the wilderness and see what happens! Remember faith untested is not faith at all!
One final Comment: As we are reading the Story and seeing each chapter unfolding you should by now begin to see that through each incredible adventure that God was using these situations to demonstrate what He was going to do through His Son Jesus.
My thought is this...If the entire Old Testament was a plan to send Jesus and the people were completely unaware...What stories are being written today through the lives of the people of this generation that may be demonstrating that Jesus is coming back....Jesus is coming back!!! And we are so caught up in "the lower story" of our lives that just maybe we are not paying attention! I think it is time that we begin to keep watch...Jesus is coming let's not get caught wandering and complaining in our temporary situations when our "Promised Land" or eternal destination is just a short time away!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
The Story Chapter Three
We left off last week explaning the story of Jacob (Israel). We told you all about his love for his wife Rachael and all that he went through to make her his wife. They try for years to have children but Rachael is barren. Finally, she cries out to God and gives her the desires of her heart a son, named Joseph. Although, Jacob has 10 other sons Joseph becomes his favorite child and goes out of his way to show his favoritism. He makes him a beautiful coat of many colors and drapes it around his sons shoulders. His brothers look on with envy and hatred. They dispise the boy who has told them all of his dreams....that one day all of them would bow before him. Talk about pouring salt in an open wound! If they weren't already furious about the coat imagine how much resentment came from that statement.
The story opens to find Jacob sending his son Joseph out to see how his brothers and his flock are doing in his field in Shechem. However, when Joseph gets there his brothers are nowhere to be found. He asks a man who is wandering in the fields alone if he knows where is brothers are. He tells them he heard them say "Let's go to Dothan". Dothan is a place outside of the land his father owns.
Notice, the father sends his son out to find his children and his flock. They had decided to leave their fathers land and go to a foriegn place. Sounds alot like the people of God. The Father sent His Son into the world to look for His children and they were not where they were supposed to be. When the church is not where it is supposed to be....don't be suprised when you find people wandering lost and alone! Like sheep without a shepherd.
Joseph finally finds his brothers who see him coming from a distance (of course it was probably not hard to notice him in the coat of colors). They devise a plan to kill him and quiet the annoying dreamer. However, his older brother Judah says hey why kill him when we can make some money off of him. So they strip off his coat soak it in blood so they can tell their father their was a terrible accident. They then sell him to the merchants for 20 pieces of silver (the going rate for a boy between the ages of 5-20). Most of the time people purchasing young boys would use them to complete harsh construction projects that were dangerous. However, Joseph gets sold to Potipher's house in the kingdom. The Lord was with him and granted him favor. He becomes the best servant and soon is in charge of his entire house.
The next scene....well, talk about a script straight from the latest episode of Desperate Housewives. Potiphers wife has the hots for young Joseph but he refuses her advances over and over again. So she tricks him to get him alone in her bedroom and grabs him by the coat. He gets so scared that he runs out of the house leaving the coat in her hand. Feeling quite rejected she screams out to the guards and makes up a story about Joseph that lands him in prison.
The Lord was with Joseph even in prison. He finds favor with the gurad and soon is running the whole prison. Everyone there loves and trusts Joseph. After helping out two cell mates with a dream interpretation he finally leaves the prison after two years and now finds himself working as 2nd in charge to the kingdom. Again the Lord is with Joseph and he finds favor. God gives him the wisdom to prepare for a faminie.
When the famine stricks who should come begging for bread and bow down before Joseph....His brothers. What is the response of Joseph? He tells them what you meant for evil, God meant for good, the saving of many lives. Including the lives of the very people that had brought him so much pain.
What drove Joseph through all of the hardships, trials, heartaches? Yes, the Lord was with Him but let's face it, it can be difficult when going through hard times to keep going. It was the dreams. God had shown Joseph a vision and plan for his life through dreams when he was still a young boy. Joseph believed what God said would happen and no matter what came against his purpose, he pushed on, he pressed through, he had his eye on the reward.
It was no accident that he was sold into Potiphers house and did not end up on the construction sites. It was no accident that he was taken into prison. It was no accident that God gave Pharaoh a bad dream that required the dreamer to come and interpret. It was all God's divine plan. Joseph understood this and that is why he tells his brothers...I can forgive you....it was God who brought me here....not you. And not for the glory of Joseph but for the saving of the lives of others.
What painful memory have you been holding onto and need to let go of? You may have gone through some horrible things caused by the hands of others...Understand that if you let God into those secret places not only can He heal you but even give you the strength to forgive them. Later if you are willing God will use those hard places to save many lives. Just as he did for Joseph as well as He did for me.
Has God given you a dream?
What roads will you have to walk to get there?
What will be required of you?
Will you become bitter when things get rough?
Will you do it to glorify yourself or God?
Joseph is a story that is referred to as a "type". Meaning that it was an example of Jesus.
Notice that the son was sent into the world to find his brothers. None of them were in the right place. Like the Pharisee's when the brothers seen him coming covered in his coat of glory they resented him and plot his murder. One of his own sells him out for silver and wrongfully accused they are taken captive. Now both sit as second in charge of the kingdom and are willing to forgive those who hurt them. Hmmmm....tell me God did not already have a plan in mind after the fall of Adam and Eve.
God does not do anything by accident His ways are not our ways...He can turn every test into a testimony! God already had a plan and purpose for your life laid out before you were even born trust that He is still working and is not finished with you yet.
Can I get an Aman?
The story opens to find Jacob sending his son Joseph out to see how his brothers and his flock are doing in his field in Shechem. However, when Joseph gets there his brothers are nowhere to be found. He asks a man who is wandering in the fields alone if he knows where is brothers are. He tells them he heard them say "Let's go to Dothan". Dothan is a place outside of the land his father owns.
Notice, the father sends his son out to find his children and his flock. They had decided to leave their fathers land and go to a foriegn place. Sounds alot like the people of God. The Father sent His Son into the world to look for His children and they were not where they were supposed to be. When the church is not where it is supposed to be....don't be suprised when you find people wandering lost and alone! Like sheep without a shepherd.
Joseph finally finds his brothers who see him coming from a distance (of course it was probably not hard to notice him in the coat of colors). They devise a plan to kill him and quiet the annoying dreamer. However, his older brother Judah says hey why kill him when we can make some money off of him. So they strip off his coat soak it in blood so they can tell their father their was a terrible accident. They then sell him to the merchants for 20 pieces of silver (the going rate for a boy between the ages of 5-20). Most of the time people purchasing young boys would use them to complete harsh construction projects that were dangerous. However, Joseph gets sold to Potipher's house in the kingdom. The Lord was with him and granted him favor. He becomes the best servant and soon is in charge of his entire house.
The next scene....well, talk about a script straight from the latest episode of Desperate Housewives. Potiphers wife has the hots for young Joseph but he refuses her advances over and over again. So she tricks him to get him alone in her bedroom and grabs him by the coat. He gets so scared that he runs out of the house leaving the coat in her hand. Feeling quite rejected she screams out to the guards and makes up a story about Joseph that lands him in prison.
The Lord was with Joseph even in prison. He finds favor with the gurad and soon is running the whole prison. Everyone there loves and trusts Joseph. After helping out two cell mates with a dream interpretation he finally leaves the prison after two years and now finds himself working as 2nd in charge to the kingdom. Again the Lord is with Joseph and he finds favor. God gives him the wisdom to prepare for a faminie.
When the famine stricks who should come begging for bread and bow down before Joseph....His brothers. What is the response of Joseph? He tells them what you meant for evil, God meant for good, the saving of many lives. Including the lives of the very people that had brought him so much pain.
What drove Joseph through all of the hardships, trials, heartaches? Yes, the Lord was with Him but let's face it, it can be difficult when going through hard times to keep going. It was the dreams. God had shown Joseph a vision and plan for his life through dreams when he was still a young boy. Joseph believed what God said would happen and no matter what came against his purpose, he pushed on, he pressed through, he had his eye on the reward.
It was no accident that he was sold into Potiphers house and did not end up on the construction sites. It was no accident that he was taken into prison. It was no accident that God gave Pharaoh a bad dream that required the dreamer to come and interpret. It was all God's divine plan. Joseph understood this and that is why he tells his brothers...I can forgive you....it was God who brought me here....not you. And not for the glory of Joseph but for the saving of the lives of others.
What painful memory have you been holding onto and need to let go of? You may have gone through some horrible things caused by the hands of others...Understand that if you let God into those secret places not only can He heal you but even give you the strength to forgive them. Later if you are willing God will use those hard places to save many lives. Just as he did for Joseph as well as He did for me.
Has God given you a dream?
What roads will you have to walk to get there?
What will be required of you?
Will you become bitter when things get rough?
Will you do it to glorify yourself or God?
Joseph is a story that is referred to as a "type". Meaning that it was an example of Jesus.
Notice that the son was sent into the world to find his brothers. None of them were in the right place. Like the Pharisee's when the brothers seen him coming covered in his coat of glory they resented him and plot his murder. One of his own sells him out for silver and wrongfully accused they are taken captive. Now both sit as second in charge of the kingdom and are willing to forgive those who hurt them. Hmmmm....tell me God did not already have a plan in mind after the fall of Adam and Eve.
God does not do anything by accident His ways are not our ways...He can turn every test into a testimony! God already had a plan and purpose for your life laid out before you were even born trust that He is still working and is not finished with you yet.
Can I get an Aman?
Monday, October 4, 2010
The Story Chapter Two
So last week we learned all about the Creator, the creation and then the "do-over". We left off with Noah exiting the ark to start the world from scratch. What happens next?....
For awhile everything was good. Noah's first act of love for God was building an alter and sacrificing to the Lord. Yet, man was still affected by the sin that started with Adam and Eve. It was not too long after Noah's wooden ship made of Cypress wood came to rest that sin was rampant in the land. People were turning to gods but not to the true God who gave them life and love. So God picks a new man among the people of the earth to begin a new chapter in His great plan of salvation. Abram.
Now for all of you gossip junkies...put down the steamy novel. Shut off the new episode of Desperate Housewives or if your younger Degrassi and listen to this story. (I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would find the Bible boring when there is so much drama taking place from beginning to end).
So God has Abram leave behind everything he knows to travel to a place that he hasn't even told him where it is. How would you like to do that? Just pack up your family leave behind everything and everyone you know and walk....I'll tell you when you get there. Later God tells Abram by the way I know you and your wife are like 70 years old but I know that you really want a child so don't worry you are going to have one. Abram can't believe it and neither can his wife Sarai...so Sarai says hey I got an idea take my servant Hagar and she can be like a surrogate mother. She can have the child for us. So Abram being the obeying man that he is takes Hagar as a second wife and she gives birth to his long awaited son Ishmael. The one who would finally get Abram's inheritance. Or wait....
God shows up and says Abram...this is not the son who will receive the inheritance Sarai will become pregnant and have a son you are too name him Issac he will be the rightful heir. Sarai laughs at this because she is way to old to have a baby. But just as God said miraculously Sarai becomes pregnant. Which of course did not go over very well for poor Hagar and Baby Ishmael. After the birth of Issac God changes their names to Abraham and Sarah. Hagar and Ishmael are forced to leave their camp.
Later God does the most unthinkable thing. He asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Issac. The son that he has waited for, for almost 100 years God asks for him back. So Abraham takes Issac up the mountain. Issac carrying his own wood unaware that his own father is about to sacrifice him on an altar. Whew! Can you imagine that scene?
Hey Dad, Where is the lamb for the offering?
Uh, we won't be needing one this time.
Really, why is that?
Because son, you are the lamb!
I am the what?
You are the one that the Lord requires.
Issac, is then tied up laid upon the altar as his father is about to sacrifice him. Just then an angel of the Lord shows up and stops him. Because you trusted and loved God enough to give your only son, God says he will provide the lamb. Seconds later there is a ram caught in a thicket for the sacrifice and Abraham unties his son and together they offer it to the Lord as a sacrifice.
(Note: This story was a preview of what is going to come later! God in his great love for us would give up his only son as a sacrifice for you and me)
Wow! What an amazing story! Not many of us love God enough to give up simple things in life...what if he required something as extreme as that?
The story doesn't end there. Issac grows up and has children of his own. Twins. Jacob and Esau. Esau was born first so he should be the one to inherit all that his father has. But Jacob who was a trickster and swindles the inheritance from his brother. Actually, Esau gave up the rights for something to eat!!!! Can you believe that! Everything my father owns will one day be mine. "Hey, Esau"..."If you give me (Jacob) the inheritance I will buy you a Whopper". "Oooohhh, okay. Deal". Or something like that!
After Jacob tricks his father into giving him the inheritance by dressing up like his brother Esau. And after apparently Esau's belly was full and he realized what he had just given up. Anger and hatred spread among the brothers. Esau wants to kill Jacob and so Jacob runs away to hide.
Jacob goes to live with another family. The father of the family Laban has a beautiful daughter named Rachel. He asks for her hand in marriage. The father says work for me for 7 years and shes yours. So he does. Finally the wedding day is here. He can't wait to start his family. Turns out after the "I do's" that the trickster is the one who is tricked (by Laban). He lifts the veil to find not Rachel but her ugly older sister Leah! When Jacob questions Laban about Rachel, Laban says well you can have her too if you work another 7 years. And so he does and finally he gets to marry the woman of his dreams.
Meanwhile, Jacob is busy having all kinds of children 10 to be exact with Leah and some maidservants. Like any reject and neglected wife, Leah longs for Jacob to love her...but she knows his heart is set on Rachael. Yet, she can give Jacob something that Rachael cannot....children. Rachael is barren (unable to have children) and is growing more and more jealous of her sister Leah. She cries out to God and finally God hears her cries and grants her a child Joseph. (Which we will learn more about in the next chapter). Later she would give birth once more to Benjamin. But while giving birth to Ben...Rachel dies.
Meanwhile, Jacob must go back to where his brother Esau lives because Levan and him have a falling out. Jacob is still afraid that his brother wants to kill him. So he sends him all kinds of gifts but is too chicken to go himself to give the gifts. So he sends over his wife, children and servants to bring the gifts as a bribe in exchange for his brothers forgiveness.
While Jacob waits on the return of his giftbearers to bring word of whether Esau recieved them and is willing to let bygones be bygones....God himself comes down to wrestle with Jacob. When he cannot overtake Jacob, God pops his hip and from then on Jacob would walk with a limp but blesses him and changes his name to Israel. Now that Jacob/Israel has been humbled by God he is ready to go to his brother and plead for his forgiveness. Turns out he didn't have to beg. His brother came running with open arms and embraced him. A beautiful story of God's ability to restore broken relationships.
Because of his great love for his wife Rachel Israel grew to love Joseph more than all of his sons. Yes, Joseph was his favorite and he was not afraid to let the world know it. Israel makes him a beautiful coat of many colors for all of his brothers to see and envy. And envy they did!
Find out this week what happens to Joseph as a result!
For awhile everything was good. Noah's first act of love for God was building an alter and sacrificing to the Lord. Yet, man was still affected by the sin that started with Adam and Eve. It was not too long after Noah's wooden ship made of Cypress wood came to rest that sin was rampant in the land. People were turning to gods but not to the true God who gave them life and love. So God picks a new man among the people of the earth to begin a new chapter in His great plan of salvation. Abram.
Now for all of you gossip junkies...put down the steamy novel. Shut off the new episode of Desperate Housewives or if your younger Degrassi and listen to this story. (I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would find the Bible boring when there is so much drama taking place from beginning to end).
So God has Abram leave behind everything he knows to travel to a place that he hasn't even told him where it is. How would you like to do that? Just pack up your family leave behind everything and everyone you know and walk....I'll tell you when you get there. Later God tells Abram by the way I know you and your wife are like 70 years old but I know that you really want a child so don't worry you are going to have one. Abram can't believe it and neither can his wife Sarai...so Sarai says hey I got an idea take my servant Hagar and she can be like a surrogate mother. She can have the child for us. So Abram being the obeying man that he is takes Hagar as a second wife and she gives birth to his long awaited son Ishmael. The one who would finally get Abram's inheritance. Or wait....
God shows up and says Abram...this is not the son who will receive the inheritance Sarai will become pregnant and have a son you are too name him Issac he will be the rightful heir. Sarai laughs at this because she is way to old to have a baby. But just as God said miraculously Sarai becomes pregnant. Which of course did not go over very well for poor Hagar and Baby Ishmael. After the birth of Issac God changes their names to Abraham and Sarah. Hagar and Ishmael are forced to leave their camp.
Later God does the most unthinkable thing. He asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Issac. The son that he has waited for, for almost 100 years God asks for him back. So Abraham takes Issac up the mountain. Issac carrying his own wood unaware that his own father is about to sacrifice him on an altar. Whew! Can you imagine that scene?
Hey Dad, Where is the lamb for the offering?
Uh, we won't be needing one this time.
Really, why is that?
Because son, you are the lamb!
I am the what?
You are the one that the Lord requires.
Issac, is then tied up laid upon the altar as his father is about to sacrifice him. Just then an angel of the Lord shows up and stops him. Because you trusted and loved God enough to give your only son, God says he will provide the lamb. Seconds later there is a ram caught in a thicket for the sacrifice and Abraham unties his son and together they offer it to the Lord as a sacrifice.
(Note: This story was a preview of what is going to come later! God in his great love for us would give up his only son as a sacrifice for you and me)
Wow! What an amazing story! Not many of us love God enough to give up simple things in life...what if he required something as extreme as that?
The story doesn't end there. Issac grows up and has children of his own. Twins. Jacob and Esau. Esau was born first so he should be the one to inherit all that his father has. But Jacob who was a trickster and swindles the inheritance from his brother. Actually, Esau gave up the rights for something to eat!!!! Can you believe that! Everything my father owns will one day be mine. "Hey, Esau"..."If you give me (Jacob) the inheritance I will buy you a Whopper". "Oooohhh, okay. Deal". Or something like that!
After Jacob tricks his father into giving him the inheritance by dressing up like his brother Esau. And after apparently Esau's belly was full and he realized what he had just given up. Anger and hatred spread among the brothers. Esau wants to kill Jacob and so Jacob runs away to hide.
Jacob goes to live with another family. The father of the family Laban has a beautiful daughter named Rachel. He asks for her hand in marriage. The father says work for me for 7 years and shes yours. So he does. Finally the wedding day is here. He can't wait to start his family. Turns out after the "I do's" that the trickster is the one who is tricked (by Laban). He lifts the veil to find not Rachel but her ugly older sister Leah! When Jacob questions Laban about Rachel, Laban says well you can have her too if you work another 7 years. And so he does and finally he gets to marry the woman of his dreams.
Meanwhile, Jacob is busy having all kinds of children 10 to be exact with Leah and some maidservants. Like any reject and neglected wife, Leah longs for Jacob to love her...but she knows his heart is set on Rachael. Yet, she can give Jacob something that Rachael cannot....children. Rachael is barren (unable to have children) and is growing more and more jealous of her sister Leah. She cries out to God and finally God hears her cries and grants her a child Joseph. (Which we will learn more about in the next chapter). Later she would give birth once more to Benjamin. But while giving birth to Ben...Rachel dies.
Meanwhile, Jacob must go back to where his brother Esau lives because Levan and him have a falling out. Jacob is still afraid that his brother wants to kill him. So he sends him all kinds of gifts but is too chicken to go himself to give the gifts. So he sends over his wife, children and servants to bring the gifts as a bribe in exchange for his brothers forgiveness.
While Jacob waits on the return of his giftbearers to bring word of whether Esau recieved them and is willing to let bygones be bygones....God himself comes down to wrestle with Jacob. When he cannot overtake Jacob, God pops his hip and from then on Jacob would walk with a limp but blesses him and changes his name to Israel. Now that Jacob/Israel has been humbled by God he is ready to go to his brother and plead for his forgiveness. Turns out he didn't have to beg. His brother came running with open arms and embraced him. A beautiful story of God's ability to restore broken relationships.
Because of his great love for his wife Rachel Israel grew to love Joseph more than all of his sons. Yes, Joseph was his favorite and he was not afraid to let the world know it. Israel makes him a beautiful coat of many colors for all of his brothers to see and envy. And envy they did!
Find out this week what happens to Joseph as a result!
Chapter One....In the Beginning
In the Beginning....GOD
Our story is set in the most incredible and somewhat fairy tale like surroundings. Endless trees producing every kind of fruit imaginable, yet to be named animals scampering through the forests, uncharted oceans pounding upon the untouched sands, unexplored mountains that reach the sky. God walks in the cool of the day with man. The man whom God Himself used His own breath to bring this being from the dust of the earth to life in His own image. Everything was good infact it was Very Good! There was no disease, sickness, anger, fear, stress, hatred, no everything was just as it was supposed to be. Later as we continue the story we meet a man named Noah. This man was chosen out of all of the people of the earth to save his family and two of every kind of animal just before God would flood the earth and wipe out all that He had created. What some might call a "do-over". So what went wrong? What happened between the pages from the walk in the garden to the door of the ark being closed by God Himself?
In God's great love He gave man a choice to be with Him. After all who would want to be loved by someone that was forced to love them? Without the freedom to choose it would not have been true love. He sets man in the garden, gives him authority over all of His creation and gives him only one rule to obey. The rule as anyone who is a parent will understand was there to protect him not to ruin his fun. The rule was simple you eat everything that you see except from the one tree for if you eat of its fruit (the fruit of good and evil) you will surely die.
Man (Adam) was responsible to also take care and protect his wife (Eve). Since Eve was not yet created the day that God told Adam the rules she gets second hand information from Adam who just happens to be standing next to her the day that changed the history of mankind forever. Eve is easily swayed by the serpent to taste the fruit. Doubt about God and His love for her is questioned. Did God really say that you should not eat? Maybe God doesn't want you to be as wise as Him? Maybe you should just taste it and see? Eve's faith in God's wisdom is broken and not only does she partake but gives it to Adam as well. Why did Adam stay quiet? Suddenly, both of their eyes are opened but wait...they are still alive? Did God lie? I thought He said they would die? What did they do next? Hide!!!
When God calls out looking for them they are cowering in shame. A new feeling that they had not know a few minutes ago. They pass the blame from one to another. The first sacrifice is made. God has to take the life of one of the animals that He created to use their furs to cover their nakedness. Then the most unthinkable happens next. God makes them leave the garden. No more casual walks in the cool of the day. They are cut off from the presence of their creator. The one that loved them more than anything in the world. Physically, they were alive. Spiritually, they were dead. Yet, God had no choice but to send them out. His love and protection of them was still the beat of His heart. "Least they eat from the tree of everlasting life and live forever". God was keeping them from further hurt and pain. Can you imagine living forever in shame, guilt, pain, sickness, hate, etc. So He sets angelic guards over the gates to stop them from furthering thier pain. While they wander through the desert in heartache. God is working on a plan to restore man unto Himself.
Adam and Eve's life is one of despair. Their choice has spread into the next generation. A few short chapters into the story and the first recorded account of murder takes place. Adam and Eve learn the pain of death-death of their son Abel commited by their other son Cain. Maybe for the first time they understand the pain that God felt in the garden. Watching your own children die and not being with them anymore has got to be the greatest pain any one person can experience.
Of course it doesn't stop there. Generation after generation to follow sin is spreading and man is becoming more and more sinful and further from God. God has to do something before it is too late. If the world had continued in this condition their would be no hope left of returning the people to a place of peace-or returning them to the garden where they could once again walk with Him.
He regrets having made man. Watching them destroy thier own lives is much more than He can bear. Yet, He has a glimmer of hope. Noah. And so the story continues through the one man who still loved God in the midst of a sinful world. God started over.
What will happen next? Will man come back to God? Will sin finally be done with?
Find out next week. Chapter 2 "The Story"
Our story is set in the most incredible and somewhat fairy tale like surroundings. Endless trees producing every kind of fruit imaginable, yet to be named animals scampering through the forests, uncharted oceans pounding upon the untouched sands, unexplored mountains that reach the sky. God walks in the cool of the day with man. The man whom God Himself used His own breath to bring this being from the dust of the earth to life in His own image. Everything was good infact it was Very Good! There was no disease, sickness, anger, fear, stress, hatred, no everything was just as it was supposed to be. Later as we continue the story we meet a man named Noah. This man was chosen out of all of the people of the earth to save his family and two of every kind of animal just before God would flood the earth and wipe out all that He had created. What some might call a "do-over". So what went wrong? What happened between the pages from the walk in the garden to the door of the ark being closed by God Himself?
In God's great love He gave man a choice to be with Him. After all who would want to be loved by someone that was forced to love them? Without the freedom to choose it would not have been true love. He sets man in the garden, gives him authority over all of His creation and gives him only one rule to obey. The rule as anyone who is a parent will understand was there to protect him not to ruin his fun. The rule was simple you eat everything that you see except from the one tree for if you eat of its fruit (the fruit of good and evil) you will surely die.
Man (Adam) was responsible to also take care and protect his wife (Eve). Since Eve was not yet created the day that God told Adam the rules she gets second hand information from Adam who just happens to be standing next to her the day that changed the history of mankind forever. Eve is easily swayed by the serpent to taste the fruit. Doubt about God and His love for her is questioned. Did God really say that you should not eat? Maybe God doesn't want you to be as wise as Him? Maybe you should just taste it and see? Eve's faith in God's wisdom is broken and not only does she partake but gives it to Adam as well. Why did Adam stay quiet? Suddenly, both of their eyes are opened but wait...they are still alive? Did God lie? I thought He said they would die? What did they do next? Hide!!!
When God calls out looking for them they are cowering in shame. A new feeling that they had not know a few minutes ago. They pass the blame from one to another. The first sacrifice is made. God has to take the life of one of the animals that He created to use their furs to cover their nakedness. Then the most unthinkable happens next. God makes them leave the garden. No more casual walks in the cool of the day. They are cut off from the presence of their creator. The one that loved them more than anything in the world. Physically, they were alive. Spiritually, they were dead. Yet, God had no choice but to send them out. His love and protection of them was still the beat of His heart. "Least they eat from the tree of everlasting life and live forever". God was keeping them from further hurt and pain. Can you imagine living forever in shame, guilt, pain, sickness, hate, etc. So He sets angelic guards over the gates to stop them from furthering thier pain. While they wander through the desert in heartache. God is working on a plan to restore man unto Himself.
Adam and Eve's life is one of despair. Their choice has spread into the next generation. A few short chapters into the story and the first recorded account of murder takes place. Adam and Eve learn the pain of death-death of their son Abel commited by their other son Cain. Maybe for the first time they understand the pain that God felt in the garden. Watching your own children die and not being with them anymore has got to be the greatest pain any one person can experience.
Of course it doesn't stop there. Generation after generation to follow sin is spreading and man is becoming more and more sinful and further from God. God has to do something before it is too late. If the world had continued in this condition their would be no hope left of returning the people to a place of peace-or returning them to the garden where they could once again walk with Him.
He regrets having made man. Watching them destroy thier own lives is much more than He can bear. Yet, He has a glimmer of hope. Noah. And so the story continues through the one man who still loved God in the midst of a sinful world. God started over.
What will happen next? Will man come back to God? Will sin finally be done with?
Find out next week. Chapter 2 "The Story"
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