Whatever conclusions you draw about Jacob’s character (or the lack of it), you have to grant that he had some help getting there. His grandfather and father struggled with telling the truth at times (Genesis 12:11ff, 20:1ff, 26:7ff), while his mother, Rebekah, instigated and served as his accomplice in the deception of his father, Isaac (27:5ff).Continue reading “Limping Into The Sunrise (1)”
Category Archives: Genesis
When God Shows His Colors
The story of Noah begins the second cycle of the Genesis narrative (Brueggemann). In the first cycle, we see the creation of the world followed by rebellion—first through Adam and Eve, then by Cain, and finally Lamech (4:19ff). In the second cycle, we see rebellion (6:5ff) followed by re-creation, as God destroys the world inContinue reading “When God Shows His Colors”
What Happened in the Garden?
It’s easy to look at Adam and Eve eating the fruit from the tree and think, “What’s the big deal? Their curiosity got the best of them and they messed up. That’s no reason to bring down the universe, is it? Who did they hurt? What is it about eating some fruit that justified theContinue reading “What Happened in the Garden?”
Why Did God Create Man?
God created man to bless him—fully, richly, and deeply! In the creation account we hear words like blessed, fruitful, fill, subdue, rule over and I give all made in reference to him (Genesis 1:28-29). The highest expression of man’s favored status lies in the truth that he is made to be an image-bearer of the Trinity (v. 27). In this, man has cosmicContinue reading “Why Did God Create Man?”
On a Hill Far Away
There are passages of Scripture that are profoundly rich, deep and endlessly expansive. They seem to tower over other texts and have a life of their own. They challenge, inspire, and speak to us on multiple levels. That’s more than a subjective impression, Christ said as much in Matthew 22:34ff and again in 23:23. IContinue reading “On a Hill Far Away”
Happy Father’s Day from Mount Moriah
Imagine three things concerning Genesis 22: Abraham’s father (Terah), was still alive, Father’s Day was part of the Hebrew culture, and Abraham and Isaac’s trip to Moriah happened over the course of a Father’s Day weekend. If all of that were true, then Terah could have received a postcard from his son saying, “Happy Father’sContinue reading “Happy Father’s Day from Mount Moriah”
A Great Plan for Life
Every spring at graduation, the years’ honorees hear an insidious untruth proclaimed over and over. It is delivered with the absolute best of intentions and from the purest of heart—but that will not change its—falsehood or its potential harmfulness. What am I speaking of? “You can be anything you want to be.” Those eight wordsContinue reading “A Great Plan for Life”
Embracing The Unpredictable
It was probably a good thing that Abraham and Sarah didn’t have any children when God called them away from Mesopotamia (Acts 7:2; Hebrews 11:8ff). We’re not given any details about how it all transpired so we have to use our imagination, but when Abraham poked his head inside the tent and told Sarah to startContinue reading “Embracing The Unpredictable”
Crazy Hope
Abraham is 100 and Sarah is 90 when they have Isaac. It’s been 25 years since God initially told Abraham He would make him a great nation. Over those years, Abraham and Sarah have waited patiently and some times not so patiently (as in the case of Hagar). But God has his own timetable and He bringsContinue reading “Crazy Hope”
Adam And The Hallelujah Chorus
After God created Adam, He said this: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18). If we were reading Genesis for the first time, we’d be struck by the fact that the phrase not good is used in connection with the creation. Throughout the firstContinue reading “Adam And The Hallelujah Chorus”
