Blog

23
Sep 2019

Galatians 5 offers us three different, but interrelated ways to think about how to live the Christian life. Guard your freedom in Christ. 1-12 Serve one another in Love. 13-15 Walk in the Spirit. 16-26 The first speaks of our spiritual reality — knowing that God accepts us completely in Christ. The second speaks of our spiritual responsibility — to serve one another in love. The third speaks of our spiritual resource – we live the Christian life through the Spirit who lives within us. These three exist in unity, they never......

Read More


23
Oct 2017

Summary – The Gospel in Genesis 1-50 and in the City Genesis has introduced us to the Creator-Redeemer God who graciously gives mankind a garden-temple in which to serve God and from which to extend the worship of God throughout the earth. In Adam all mankind rebels against God and is banished from the temple-garden. Prior to banishment from the temple-garden, a promise is given of a second Adam, who would not succumb to Satan’s temptation and would finally defeat Satan. After the progression of sin and rebellion, mankind and the earth......

Read More


16
Oct 2017

Reunion and restoration to Canaan (47:28-50:26) As the story of Genesis winds down, we are wondering about the outcome of the Abrahamic promise that God’s people would bring blessing to the nations. Ironically, the people of God are in exile from their promised land; yet while living as strangers in the midst of a powerful nation, they have opportunity to be the bearers of blessing. Not only do they have opportunity while in exile to bless the nations, but here they receive the blessing of their father, who speaks to each of......

Read More


25
Sep 2017

Jacob’s family in Egypt (46:1-47:27) As Jacob and his family go to Egypt during the time of famine, he is assured by the Lord that the Abrahamic promise of numerous descendants will be fulfilled in Egypt and that the covenant family will eventually return to the land of promise. While in an alien land, God continues to bless Joseph with wisdom and influence so that he becomes a blessing to the Egyptians. God prospers His people as they settle in the alien land. ” 27 Thus Israel settled in the land of......

Read More


18
Sep 2017

The Refining of the covenant family (42:1-45:28) The covenant family has suffered brokenness due to their own sinful choices born out of jealousy, rivalry, and succumbing to pagan morality. If dependent alone on Jacob and his eleven sons, the covenant promise of blessing to the nations through the seed of Abraham would fail. Nevertheless, though in exile, Joseph fulfills the responsibility of Abraham’s descendants as he brings blessing to Egypt. Reconciliation and restoration come to this broken family from an unlikely person. The one who has been betrayed and most deeply offended......

Read More


11
Sep 2017

Joseph in Egypt (39:1-41:57) These chapters highlight the presence of God and His providence in the life of Joseph. Despite the injustice and betrayal of his brothers, Joseph experiences fresh grace which takes him through the trials of captivity and brings blessing to him and others in the midst of his troubles. The Lord gives grace to Joseph to flee the seductions of Potiphar’s wife; the Lord protects him while unjustly imprisoned, and eventually exalts him to the second highest position in Egypt. While the covenant family remains in the land of......

Read More


24
Aug 2017

Family disunion in Canaan (37:2-38:30) These chapters demonstrate the far reach of sin even among those chosen to bring blessing to the nations. The family disharmony that temporarily interrupts the advance of God’s purposes is eventually reversed by the gracious work of God. Joseph is the son favored by his father yet envied by his brothers. In their jealousy, they revert to a vicious act of casting their brother into a pit, selling him into slavery, then telling their father that he was killed by an animal. As we read this story,......

Read More


13
Mar 2017

Genesis 36:1-37:1 record the descendants of the rejected line of Esau. The prosperity of both Jacob and Esau makes it difficult for them to share the land of Canaan so Esau chooses the higher elevation of what is later called Edom. Esau takes multiple wives one of whom is a descendant of Ishmael, perhaps an attempt to bring some unity to the two lines that were not heirs of the Abrahamic promise. The Edomites create their own alien kingdom to the kingdom of God in establishing themselves in a fortress like land......

Read More


13
Feb 2017

In chapter 35, the Lord instructs Jacob to return to the place where Abraham had built and altar and where he had made a vow to the Lord after he had been assured by the Lord that the promise to Abraham belonged to him and his descendants.  Jacob returns with a serious commitment to shun idolatry and to worship the Lord. He is keeping the vow he made at Bethel that if the Lord brought him back in peace, then the Lord would be his God and he would honor Him as......

Read More


23
Jan 2017

Genesis 34 is one of those sad chapters in the history of redemption.  Jacob’s daughter, Dinah, is raped, humiliated, and then treated like a commodity to be traded for mutual benefits. Jacob appears ready to make the exchange of his daughter for the benefit of prospering in the land – the land already promised to him by the Lord. When Dinah’s brothers hear of the atrocity they first object because the Hivite’s do not bear the covenant sign of circumcision. It appears already that the covenant itself has become less significant than......

Read More


Enter a keyword to search…