Genesis: Jacob and Joseph

Jacob and Joseph

Text: Genesis 37

Outline:

A. 37:1-2, Jacob settles in the land.

B. 37:3-4, Robe of many colors.

C. 37:5-11, Joseph's dreams.

D. 37:12-36, Brothers sold Joseph.

Comments: Jacob settled in the land. There is nothing wrong in an attempt to find a quiet place, especially after years and years of fight for survival. Yet, Jacob jumped the gun – he thinks that all the troubles are passed, and now his favorite son can help him managing his estate. He should've learned from the father of faith – Abraham (Genesis 28:13) – that the current state is not forever (Hebrews 11:9-10; 13:14). Strife for permanent makes one solidify or petrify. When the challenges come, he is unable to adjust.

Genesis: Jacob returns to the LAND

 Jacob returns to the land

text: Genesis 32 – 35

Outline:

a. 32, Jacob meets with Esau

  b. 34, Dina's incident

c. 35, Getting rid of the idols and birth of Benjamin

Comments: Jacob settled his deals with Laban. Now, he is on the move toward the river than he needs to cross to return to the land. But he gets a report – his brother comes toward him, supported by 400 men. What Jacob is going to do? He needs a time alone...

Genesis: Jacob and Laban

Jacob and Laban

text: Genesis 28-31

Outline:

A. 28:10-22, Jacob's Dream.

B. 29:1-30, Jacob's Marriage.

C. 29:31-30:24, Jacob's Children.

D. 30:25-43, Jacob's Wealth.

E. 31, Jacob flees from Laban.

Comments: Jacob leaves mom and dad, getting father's blessing the right way (Genesis 28:1). The main “task” is to reach uncle Laban – Rebekah's brother. He gets there, and gets married. In his 20 years his wives bear him 11 sons and at least one daughter. Then, the time to return home came, Jacob flees Laban.

Genesis: Isaac - the story of two sons

Isaac – story of two sons

Text: Genesis 25:19 – 28:9

Outline:

Introduction: Birth of Esau and Jacob, 25:19-26

 a. Grown “boys”, part I, 25:27-34

   b. Attack of the Philistines, 26:1-33

 a'. Grown “boys”, part II, 26:34-28:9

   c. Esau takes two wives, 26:34-35

     d. Blessing of the sons, 27

     d'. The real blessing of Jacob, 28:1-5

   c'. Esau take third wife, 28:6-9

Comments: The character of Isaac is one of the most complex in the Bible. He had to go through the sacrifice experience (Genesis 22), mourned for his mother for about 3 years until he was comforted by his wife Rebekah (Genesis 23 and 24). And prayed for his wife to be able to bear a child (Genesis 25:21). Then the boys grew and he preferred one over the other... for better or for worse... that's the story.

Genesis: Abraham and Isaac

Abraham and Isaac

Text: Genesis 17 – 25

Outline:

A. 17-18, Announcement of his birth.

B. 20-21, Birth of Isaac and an immediate attack.

C. 22, Certainty of God's promise.

D. 23-24, Delegation Abraham sends to find a wife for Isaac.

E. 25, End of Abraham's life.

Comments: The story of Isaac begins even before his birth. The LORD comes twice to Abraham (Genesis 17 and 18), telling him that he will have the son of the covenant (Genesis 21:12). Note that news about birth of Isaac is given in the context of Abraham's circumcision. Circumcision for Abraham, as the sacrament of the Holy Baptism for us, marks a new beginning. In Abraham's new beginning there is a son (being fruitful), and building of covenant relationship with the neighbors (glorification, Genesis 21:22-33).

Gospel of Mark: Triumphant Entry

Triumphant Entry

txt: Mark 11 – 13

Outline:

A. 11:1-11, Triumphant Entry to Jerusalem

  B. 11:12-26, Fig tree imagery

  B'. 11:27 – 12:44, Jesus in the Temple

A'. 13, Foretelling of destruction of Jerusalem

Comments:

A. Triumphant Entry. While there can many things be said about the Palm Sunday, I'll mention only two/ First, Jesus enters for the Eastern side of Jerusalem, goes to the center and ends up in the Temple area. It is important to note, for this path is a return from the World to the Garden. When Adam is banished from the Garden, he goes eastward to cultivate the Land (Genesis 3:24). Then Cain kills the brother in the Land, and as a punishment he goes even farther East to the World (Genesis 4:16). The Second Adam – Jesus – reverses the trajectory, He brings people back to the presence of God, to the Garden-like Temple.

Second, the fact that Jesus us coming on a donkey does not make His a lesser king. The difference between a donkey and a horse is a military associations or lack of thereof. King on a horse is a king of force, king of [military] might (1 Kings 10:26, the second problem of Solomon). While the kingdom of God should've been spread by the Word and relationships, without military pressure (Deuteronomy 17:16 vs. 17:28-20). Jesus, entering a city on a donkey, shows Himself as a ruler (Judges 12:13-14). Yet, His rule is based on His own sacrifice (Mark 10:45).

B. Fig tree imagery. Next day – Monday of the Holy Week.

a. 11:12-14, Fig Tree is cursed b. 11:15-19, Cleansing of the Temple a'. 11:20-26, Fig Tree cursing explained

The fig tree should be a fruitful tree. The point was a season, but the fact Jesus and disciples went to the Temple – expecting fruits, and finding none...

B'. Jesus in the Temple.

a. 11:27-33, Authority of Jesus b. 12:1-12, Parable of the Tenants c. 12:13-34, Big three attack Jesus

a'. 12:35-37, Who is Christ b'. 12:38-40, Beware of scribes c'. 12:41-44, Widow's offering

When the Temple is cleansed the Messiah can come in. Teaching them – the rulers and the leaders that they are NOT the owners of the sacred place but the tenants. He confronts them with the ugly truth of their hearts – they are ready to kill the HEIR. I guess, He hoped (hopelessly) that they will be shocked by His knowledge and by the depravity that consumed them. Instead of repentance they were seeking to arrest Him (Mark 12:12).

Then the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes colluded together (even though they kinda hated each other – enemy of my enemy IS my friend, right?) and attacked Jesus from three different angles: (1) submission to the foreign ruler (Caesar) – Jesus distinguished the vertical and horizontal relationship of the rule. (2) Convoluted question about the marital status after the resurrection (even though the Sadducees didn't believe that there will be one) – Jesus catches them in their hypocrisy, having a chance to proclaim the God of LIFE nit death (Mark 12:26-27). (3) The scribes could not come up with anything smart – they just a question from the 1 grade Law book – tell us the great commandments. I can even see Jesus' face with a smile almost saying: “Seriously?”

And the He puzzles them: How a great king who passed into glory by now (David) call Messiah the LORD, and we are still waiting for Him – they were never thinking this deep about the Scripture. Therefore, Jesus got no answer.

A'. Foretelling of destruction of Jerusalem.

Jesus foretells the destruction Signs of the close of the Age Abomination of Desolation Coming of the Son of Man Lesson of the Fig Tree No one knows the Day or the Hour

This is a complicated topic. And I'll share my notes as a suggestive thoughts. First, Jesus starts by talking about the Temple building/complex. Second, the Abomination of Desolation is an important concept in this prophecy (foretelling). Third, unpredictable nature of the events.

Suggestions: First, we know that by 70 AD Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed. Therefore, He must be talking about the events that were fulfilled while some of the hearers still lived. We can LEARN from these losses, but the fulfillment already happened many-many years ago.

Second, abomination of desolation could not be done by Gentiles. In the past history it was always done by Jews, to be precise – priests (1 Sam. 4, and Ezekiel 8-11). They acted in a such a way that would drive the presence of God OUT of the sanctuary.

Third, at the end of the day – NO ONE knows the exact date or an hour – so, any predictions on our part and attempts to speed up the Armageddon to prepare for “the Third Temple” are futile.

Genesis: Abraham and Lot

Genesis: Abraham and Lot

text: Genesis 13 – 19

Outline:

Trip to Canaan, 12

Lot separates from Abraham, 13

Special military operation to free Lot, 14

LORD's Covenant with Abraham, 15 – 17

Doom of Sodom and Gomarah, 18 – 19

Comments: Most often we are talking about father Abraham as the one who went to Canaan. But he was accompanied by his wife Sarai, nephew Lot with his wife and daughters. Along with this, they had quite a number of servants (think about 318 men well trained for a night special military operation). We can think of about a 1000 people or so who went initially together with Abram to the land. Therefore, apart from challenges of relationship with the outsider – people of Canaan, Egyptians etc. – there is an inner dynamic in the camp. That's what we are going to concentrate on.

Genesis: Post Flood

Genesis: Post Flood

Text: Genesis 8:13 – 13:18

Structure: I'm sure you'll be surprised if I would tell you that the third lesson in out study of Genesis has a Biblical Waltz outline: A+B+C, related to being formless+empty+dark. Just like Genesis 1:1-2, and the Great Fall, people will face the same three challenges, and barely avoid another great judgment.

I. 8:13-19, God initiates the New World

A. 8:20-22, Noah builds the altar, formation of the merciful relationship with the LORD

  B. 9:1-7, God's blessing: be fruitful and multiply

    C. 9:8-17, Glorification, the colorful sign of the covenant – the rainbow

II. 9:18-19, Initiation of the story of the sons of Noah

A'. 9:20-28, Ham crosses the boundaries – breaking the form

  B'. 10:1 – 11:9, People don't want to fill the earth – building of the city and the tower.

    C'. 11:10 – 12:20, Abram is called to go into the land and interact with the “others.”

Comments: It's important to note that the flood had two purposes: cleaning the earth and protecting Noah with his family. I don't think that God expected everything to be perfect after the Flood – on one hand, we don't see the same magnitude of “badness” as we saw before (cp. Genesis 6:11). On the other hand, Noah and his sons are descendants of Adam – bringing the original sin into the New World with them. It's not a contraband of Methuselah (cp. Movie Noah, 2014), it's the sinful nature that began to play out in a corrupt way to distort the new beginnings...

Quasimodo transformation

Quasimodo transformation

I am sure that many of you are familiar with Victor Hugo' character Quasimodo. Even you did not read a lengthy The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, you probably saw a movie or a musical. If not that – what about the Disney cartoon? You know the disfigured guy who lived in the attic of the Paris cathedral. His love for Esmeralda. His fight for her... But do you know how he got his unique name?

Genesis: The Great Fall

Genesis: The Great Fall

text: Genesis 2:25 – 9:19

Structure – giant Biblical waltz

A. Sin against the form/boundaries, 2:25 – 3:24

  B. Sin against the filling/being fruitful, chapter 4

    C. Sin against the light/glorification, 5:1 – 6:8

A'. New beginning – Water covers the earth 6:9 – 9:19

Introduction: Most often people talk about the Fall, meaning the events of the Garden of Eden and their consequences. And it is totally justified. At the same time, have you ever thought why Adam didn't drop dead at the appearance of the LORD. Why God allowed their lives to unfold – through Cain to the Flood. That's why it is important to talk about the Great Fall – the point when God decides to start over (saving 8 souls total, see 1 Peter 3:20). To follow the lesson you need to remember the main pattern of creation that we talked about last time – forming, filling, and glorification.

GENESIS: Creation Story

Creation Story

text: Genesis 1:1 – 2:24

Outline:
1^st story, 1:1 – 2:3, 7 day of creation

2^nd story, 2:4 – 2:24, creation of man

Comments: Isn't it interesting and intriguing that Bible begins with the creation account. Not 10 commandments, not the Fall. The Flood could've been a great beginning – while Noah is in the Arks, God tells him the story of creation and fall – which led ultimately to the Flood. No, Bible starts from the very beginning. It tells you something – that God is the creator. No simply the One who put everything in its place, but the One who constantly creates – old things do not suffice, they have to be transformed (Isaiah 43:18-19; Isaiah 65:17 and 2 Corinthians 5:17; Revelation 21:5).

Therefore, the creation account is not simply a sequence of disconnected acts or events – it is a profound pattern we always need to return to. Fulfilling our life vocations, doing church work, or anything else – being the bearers of God's image we are bound to mimic His initial action of creation.

PSALM 87

Psalm 87

There are two main parts:

(a) vv. 1-3 – Zion vs. dwelling places of Jacob

(b) vv. 4-7 – Zion vs. other nations 

A. Zion vs. dwelling places of Jacob

Holy mountain – mountain is a higher ground, remember that the first great judgment was the Flood. After the Flood Noah builds the altar – mini-mountain – lifting up or elevating the place of worship above the ground as a remembrance of the Flood.  

  City founded by the Living one – interesting to notice that the first city was founded by wicked Cain, build on a spilled blood of his brother Abel. It should not be surprising for us – the great technological progress needs a sacrifice. So, should Christians leave cities? No, for our city of found by Jesus, who didn’t sacrifice “a brother” but spilled His own blood for our citizenship.  

    The gates are protected by Himself – if the gates are secure, the city/citizens are safe. He is protecting us by His Word and Sacraments – marking the perimeter of the city.  

      City of God is a place where the glorious things are spoken – it is easy to understand the claims of the pagan deities: many sacrifices, lots of smoke (and mirrors). Yet, Jesus has a different glory – dying for the ungodly, see Romans 5:6-8.    

 

B. Zion vs. other nations

vv. 4: 5 geography pointers

Rahab – Egypt (see Isaiah 30:7) – West

Babylon – East

Philistia and Tyre – seashores

Cush – Ethiopia – deep south

Dr. Martin Luther commented on this: it shall be a city as wide as the earth is, and in it shall be born Ethiopians, Egyptians, Babylonians, Philistines, residents of Tyre, and peoples of other lands and tongues. (RPL, p. 206)

v. 4b-6: Zion IS a birthplace for the God of LIFE is the founder of the city. Two things here: first, Zion is a place where the first commandment can be fulfilled – Genesis 1:28a: be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth. Second, It is paralleled with the idea that other places are places of spiritual death, as a place of absence/rejection of God.  

 

Conclusion:

v. 7: the words of singers and dancers (!).

Two words about dancers – it might look like a discotheque reading. It reality, we have a dance to perform every Sunday (at least), it’s called Divine Service or Liturgy. When a congregation is standing up in a proper time, when it sits down, when clergy, elders, and laity move in the appointed way – it is a liturgical and biblical dance.  

All my springs are in YOU: Springs are the sources of life in the desert climate: no water – no life, very simple.

Jesus identifies Himself with the springs of the living water – John 7:37-39.

He is the founder of the City of God – Revelation 21:10-14.       

 

Prayer: Thanks be to YOU, our heavenly Father, because You have called us into the Church of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and have begotten us again unto a lively hope through the Gospel. Keep us steadfast in the faith, that we may remain living stones in this Your spiritual temple to our last day, and cause us to rejoice over Your salvation. Amen.  

LENT: EXODUS 6

Lenten devotions: Exodus 6 

(please read the chapter before reading this devotion).

Chapters 5-6-7 begin a long action dialog between Moses and the LORD. God asks/tells Moses to do something – pharaoh retaliates – people complain – Moses goes to God, and ... circle repeats. So, you shouldn’t be surprised when the chapter opens with God’s answer (if you want to know what the “question” was, please read chapter 5). There are two main parts of the chapter: revelation of the name and the genealogy of Moses and Aaron. For the sake of time and space I’ll take upon a task to talk about the name.

To set the stage God promises to Moses that He will do triggering pharaoh to send them (sons of Israel) out and even drive them out (Exodus 6:1). Again, the post size doesn’t allow me to explain it in full, but please note the similarity of Adam’s exodus from the Garden [of Eden]. LORD God sent Adam out and drove him out… (Genesis 3:23-24).

LENT: EXODUS 5

 Lenten devotions: Exodus 5 

(please read the chapter before reading this devotion).

This chapter is one of the pivotal points in the story of Exodus. The book begins with a new pharaoh arising to power who knew no Joseph (Exodus 1:8). This phrase is a “euphemism” (if you will) for a lack of recognition of the heritage that Joseph left behind. His gift to Egypt was true religion, faith in the LORD, the Living one. The pharaoh who didn’t want to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors decided to abandon the faith, be new, be progressive.

Then he died, and God sent the messengers to the new pharaoh – Moses and Aaron came to ask for permission of worship. People of Israel would go into the wilderness, for three days, and worship their God – YHWH, the Living One, the LORD. But the new pharaoh, who probably was a “classmate” of Moses at some point said something that practically sealed his doom: Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice and let Israel go?” (Exodus 5:2).

Advent Readings: Luke 3

Luke 3

The life of Jesus is intertwined with the life and rule of earthly authorities. The chapter begins with a historical setting: 15^th year of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was a governor of Judea, two Herodian brothers rule the territories of Galilee, Iturea and Trachonitis etc. Then, right before a description of Jesus’ baptism, St. Luke goes into a historical “jump” – incarceration of John the Baptizer by Herod (royal character). Then the chapter ends with the genealogy of Jesus.

There are many debates over genealogy itself and its difference from the one in Matthew. I think it is the “royal” context that unlocks the mystery of Lukian presentation. Unlike Herod or his brother Philip, who track their authorities to Rome, and even Caesar whose power doesn’t go further then a couple of centuries, the Royal authority of Jesus goes beyond the human appointments or people’s approval. His royal status goes back to God himself (Lk. 3:38).

That’s why when the voice comes from heaven saying “You are my beloved son,” the combination of Gen. 22:1 and Psalm 2, we should understand it as a statement of Divine inauguration of the King of kings and the LORD of lords!        

Overview of the Bible: Book of Genesis

 

Overview of the Bible: Book of Genesis

Title: English: Genesis – origin(s)   Hebrew: B’reshit – in the beginning (head of)

Date of writing: 1446 – 1406 BC or earlier (Gen. 5:1)  

Date of Narrative: Creation (4004 BC or 4158 BC [K-D, I:414]) to about 1600 BC

Structure:

Intro: The story of creation 1:1 – 2:3
1. Toledoth of heaven and earth, 2:4 - 4:26 2. Toledoth of Adam, 5:1 – 6:8  3. Toledoth of Noah, 6:9 – 9:29 4. Toledoth of son of Noah, 10:1 – 11:9 5. Toledoth of Shem, 11:10-26	6. Toledoth of Terah, 11:27 – 25:11 7. Toledoth of Ishmael, 25:12-18 8. Toledoth of Isaac, 25:19 – 35:29 9. Toledoth of Esau, 36 10. Toledoth of Jacob, 37 – 50

Toledoth – “signifies literally the generation or posterity of anyone, then the development of these generations or of his descendants” (Keil-Delitzsch, I:71).    

Main themes:

Creation:		Non-living realm	Living souls realm
	Form	2. Firmament	5. birds and fish
1. initial light	Emptiness	3. grains and trees	6. animals and humans
	Darkness	4. celestial lights	7. Sabbath

Light – the godly people are witnesses and bearers of light into the world (Gen. 5:23; 15:5; 32:31; 37:9-11; 41:6)

Family patterns: Husband-wife, Father-son, brother-brother relationship

Sin: breaking the boundaries, eliminating others, rejection of witness  

Main Characters:

Before after the Flood	After the Flood
Adam, Eve Kain, Abel Lamech Seth, Enoch (5:23) Noah and Shem, Ham, and Japheth	Nimrod, Melchizedek (king of Salem) Abram/Abraham (17:5), Sarai/Sarah Lot, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Esau Judah, Joseph, Potiphar, Pharaoh

 

Creationist outline of the Book:

		Before the Flood	After the Flood I	After the Flood II
	Form/Father	2:25 – 3:24	9:20-28	Isaac
1:1 – 2:24	Empty/Son	4:1-26	10:1 – 11:26	Jacob
	Dark/H. Spirit	5:1 – 6:8	Abraham	Joseph

 

Reflection in other parts of the Bible:

Theme of Creation: Ex. 25 – 31 (7 speeches creating the Tabernacle); Is. 1:2; 65:17-18;  

Justification by faith: 15:6 – Habakkuk 2:4 – Galatians 3–4 

Lutheran teaching:

Creation: Small/Large Catechism part I

Baptism: Formula of Concord, Epitome XII:8 Gen. 17 – Col. 2:11-12

Holy Communion: Formula of Concord, SD VII:75-76

Lutheran Hymnody:

Gen. 28 – Nearer my God to Thee (LW, 514).

Gen. 3 – O sing of Christ (LSB, 362).        

Relevancy of the Book:  

Reading the Book of Genesis, we see that God is a loving creator of the world. And the within this world we can learn the proper patterns of behavior (personal, family, and society), relying on the grace of God.    

Memory verses:

1:26 God said: “Let us make ADAM in our own image, after our own likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and all the earth and over every creping thing that creeps on earth”.

50:20 You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.