The Bible begins in the beginning and so should we. Click here to see the Genesis notes you may have missed. 

Good afternoon, Siblings!

Saturday’s readings are Genesis 32-34

Rabbit Trails

Today, I’m excited so forgive me if I hyper focus on a particular portion of our passage because it is a GAME CHANGER if we just open our eyes to it.

First, I’ll point out a few other things before I get into what I’m so excited about.

🌿Genesis 32 shows Jacob fearful that his brother, Esau, would attack him and his family. But we see in 32:12 that Jacob chose to go to the Father with his concerns and more importantly, remind himself of the promises of YHWH. 

🌿Later on in that chapter we see Jacob wrestling with a man but this verse is huge: 

Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have wrestled  with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Genesis 32:28

Wow. I mean, can you imagine hearing that said to you? This piece of Biblical history is extremely important to know. This is not the first time we have seen YHWH declare Himself in Human form and the text is clear in these cases we’re reading that it is YHWH Himself. There is just a lot to wrap your head around. I have much more to say about this in my private notes but this one passage steps on the toes of a lot of doctrine so I’ll keep my public notes simple: The text is clear this was YHWH and the Father has always always always remained so very near to us. 

🌿Other places we’ve seen the Father appear in human form so far: 

• Genesis 16:9-13
• Genesis 18:1-33
• Genesis 22:11-14

🌿Jacob wrestled with YHWH.

I don’t know about y’all but I spent a good bit of my life as a Christian thinking I was hiding things from the Father. I didn’t question Him openly (outside of my own private thoughts), I pretended to be cool with all the circumstances that befell me when bad times hit, and I was a master at hiding my frustration when I felt like His word didn’t make sense.

And then, some years ago, the whole concept of wrestling with God really hit home with me.

Jacob WRESTLED with YHWH.

So let us reason this out here.

YHWH KNOWS when we are angry with Him.

He knows when we are hurt or confused with Him.

He knows when we are questioning His actions or a decision or a purpose.

So what are we doing when we come to Him and pretend we aren’t doing any of these things?

We are acting as if we can pull one over on the almighty, as if He isn’t God enough to know what is really happening within us. 

Do you see the ridiculousness in all of that?

So here is what I want to encourage you to do today:

WRESTLE WITH HIM

If you’re mad, be honest with Him. If you’re frustrated with Him, tell Him. I’m not saying be disrespectful or irreverent in any way, just honest.

Be honest with Him, He can take it.

HE ALREADY KNOWS IT.

So often, I’ve found, when I had a problem or issue, YHWH was patiently waiting on me to come to Him with it. But instead I wasted precious years working on it of my own accord until I finally came down to the last straw and that is when I turned to Him.

We, as believers, have got to train ourselves not to treat YHWH as a last resort if we want Him to be our first line of defense.

When you’re wrestling with something, wrestle it out with YHWH. He can take it. 

And when you are done, you will be blessed for it and your faith strengthened as a result, just as Jacob/Israel was.

Wrestling with YHWH – meeting Him head on and not letting go until he was blessed through the encounter- changed Jacob’s identity.

Wrestle with Him. Seek His will. Search His word. Seek His face. Don’t give up until you see it, until you know, until you find shalom, the peace that only He can give.

Seek Him EARNESTLY, with ALL your heart, with every fiber of your being.

HE WILL BE FOUND. 🙌🏻

You will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with all your heart. ~Jeremiah 29:13

     “Hear, O Israel! YHWH is our God, YHWH is one! “You shall love YHWH your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” ~Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Israel has wrestled with YHWH, and this amazing story is just getting started.

🌿Jacob to Israel, What’s in a name? 

Up until this point we have seen Jacob both rise and fall to the occasion before him. He has behaved tempestuously more often than not. 

But at this moment, a new man is born. Israel means “to wrestle or struggle with God”. 

Jacob has matured, he has faced YHWH face to face, struggled with Him, and figuratively prevailed in beginning the transformation into the man he is to be. I see this akin to stepping up to the plate. In this moment, he is recognizing not only who he is but who he is in YHWH’s eyes, demanding blessing as he resolves to submit himself too YHWH.

He named the place where they wrestled Peniel, which means “face” in Hebrew. No longer living of his own accord, he faced the Father, saw His Face (can you imagine!), acknowledged who He was, and Israel was born of that.

For each of us, stepping into the will of the Father can be as simple as that first turning and facing the truth of our Father.

Genesis 33:11 shows us another glimpse of the new man, Israel. 

“Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because YHWH has health graciously with me, and because I have enough.” 

Y’all, that is beautiful. Our hearts should be so turned as well. 

Test everything, hold tight to what is good – and HE is the only source of good.

Our Friday Blessing:

May YHWH bless you and keep you;

YHWH make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

YHWH lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Numbers 6:22-27

And May YHWH Bless the reading of His word!

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Today’s links: Monster Cookies Everyone Loves and Grandmama’s Chocolate Pound Cake 

Catch up on all of our Genesis Posts here
Fellowship Members: Click here to visit our Facebook group to discuss today’s readings,  Click here to visit our prayer request thread

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I’m emailing these notes out every day to whoever would like them. Click here to join my Bible Study email list.

The Father’s Word begins in the beginning, and so should we. Click here to see all of the Genesis notes you may have missed.

GOOD MORNING, Siblings!!

Today’s readings are Genesis 27-29

How are you doing with your reading? Do you realize we are over halfway done with Genesis already?! WHEW!

Amazing things happen when you start to read the Bible like this. What once felt like a haphazard collection of random stories bursts forth as a cohesive timeline comes to life. Characters take on life and we are able to trace YHWH’s promise and His will as He orchestrates the very passage of time.

Are you beginning to see it? Things we once felt were hard to understand, when we commit to reading them for ourselves, begin to make sense in a way we never imagined possible.

We begin to notice details, recognize recurring characters, patterns, roles, and through it all the character of YHWH is revealed to us time and again.

🙌When YHWH’s people commit to reading His Word, everything changes.

Rabbit Trails

Details, details, details! It is amazing how much information can be put into so few words and today’s three chapters are another example of that.

Let’s dive in and swim around a bit! 

🌿Genesis 27 Chapter Notes🌿

🌿Isaac knew that YHWH had set aside Jacob to receive the rights of the firstborn but he clearly favored Esau and sought to follow his own wishes instead.

🌿Clearly, Esau knew Jacob was to be considered firstborn as well as we read in Genesis 27:36 he says “He supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright and here now he has taken away my blessing!”.

🌿Jacob’s transliterated name is “Ya’akov”. Yes, that “Y” is pronounced as a y because there was no J sound in Hebrew. His Hebrew name is ג’קוב . Now, since we don’t have those characters in our alphabet we have to do something called “transliterate” his name. This means we find the closest sounding corresponding letters in our alphabet in order to take his name from Hebrew to English. From there, we get Ya’akov and then our modern translators decided to call him Jacob. Recall that Jacob and James (the book of James) actually share the same Hebrew name. 

🌿The birthright and blessing were two different things. Knowing he had no claim on the birthright of firstborn, Esau had sought to be blessed with an inheritance of wealth from his father.

🌿Interesting note: Isaac was 137 years old at this time. He was around sixty years old when Jacob and Esau were born (Gen 25:26) so that would put Jacob and Esau well into their seventies at this point in history. Didn’t see that coming, did ya? 

🌿Rebecca’s deception: It would seem Rebecca favored Jacob whereas Isaac favored Esau. Regardless, YHWH was very clear in what was to be. As Isaac made known he was going to bless Esau, though, Rebecca used deception to ensure YHWHs will was done. Ironically, her deception was not necessary. All she had to do was to trust in YHWH. Instead, her son ended up running for his life and harboring guilt over his part in this for much, if not all, of his life.

🌿Genesis 29 Chapter Notes🌿

🌿Pattern alert: Mesopotamia was Abraham’s birthplace and where he sent a servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac. Now, Jacob returns to the same place for the same purpose. (There are other patterns in today’s reading as well)

🌿Gathering at the well – Wells were a big gathering place for folks in these days, especially country folks. People and animals needed water on a regular basis so outside of the cities, wells were a big center of society and social life. A well was usually owned by someone – either a dignitary or a local family. The large rock over the well would have served multiple purposes: To keep out critters and dirt and to prevent just anyone from coming around and getting the water unless the owner had allowed them to. Generally, people would bring their flocks to be watered and pay the owner for the water. The owner would then roll away the stone for them. It appears in 29:8 that the shepherds could have been waiting on the owner to arrive and do just that when Rachel appeared. The scene that plays out next feels almost comedic to me. While the other men are patiently waiting on the designated person or owner to roll away the stone, Rachel walks up with her father’s sheep. Jacob is instantly smitten and immediately rolls the stone away himself to water her flock.

🌿Note: the kiss Jacob gave Rachel was most likely one of greeting, not of a sensual nature, as was the custom. We gotta get out minds out of the gutter 😉

🌿The wedding deceit – ugh. It always comes full circle, doesn’t it? Jacob deceived his father and now his father in law has deceived him.

🌿A word about Leah having weak eyes: This is a translation of a Hebrew idiom that many believe means she wasn’t very pretty whereas we are told Rachel was very beautiful. We can gather this is the probable meaning from the use of “but” right after we are told that Leah has weak eyes, BUT her sister is very beautiful. 

🌿Leah was the firstborn and by rights she would have been married off first. We don’t see a record of Jacob consulting YHWH as to which women he was to marry but it is easy to imagine YHWH chose Leah as Jacob’s first wife when we see that He immediately blessed Leah upon her marriage with many sons. Not only that, but her sons would go on to be the Levites, the line of priests specifically ordained by YHWH, and the line of Judah, YHWH’s special and set apart chosen people.

🌿Interesting note: Levi is not pronounced like the jeans. Instead, it is pronounced “Leh-vee”. Don’t you feel cool now? 

🌿How long did Jacob REALLY have to wait to marry Rachel? Many people think he worked seven years, married Leah, worked seven more, and married Rachel. That’s not what the Bible says though.

The Bible says he worked seven years, married Leah, finished out their wedding week (seven days), and then married Rachel. From there, after he had married Rachel, he worked an additional seven years to fulfill his additional obligation. Crazy what we learn when we read it for ourselves!

🌿And in other wedding news: Esau married an Ishmaelite (28:9). The two rejected sons (Esau and a descendant of Ishmael) formed a union that will further set into motion a pattern of war and enmity between their descendants and YHWH’s people that will carry on through the return of Messiah. Hang onto your hats, folks.

📌Important events: The twelve tribes of Israel are being born!! Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah are born in chapter 29. Eight more to go! They’ll be born soon so keep your eyes open. 

🌿Play the name game – If you want to dig around and go deeper, check out the meaning and significance of the name of each son of Jacob. Often, in reading the Bible, if we want to know more of what is going on in the context, the background, and the untold parts of the story we simply have to look at the meanings of the names of the key (and supporting) characters. This is can lend great insight anytime we want to dig deeper into a story or understand the character of a person, the state of mind of their parents at the time of their birth, etc.

🌿Backtracking a bit: My husband got to our readings yesterday and wrote this comment in the facebook group. It makes a very good point that I think is important for us all to realize when it comes to Bible translations: 

Regarding: Genesis 25:18 Within the different Bible translations there seems to be quite a variation in the final half of this verse.  Some translations such as the ESV state (about Ishmael’s death) “He settled over against all his kinsmen.”  Others such as the NIV state “And they lived in hostility toward all the tribes related to them.”  Some translations indicate no conflict at all such as KJV – “He died in the presence of all his brethren.” Or the CJB – “he settled near all his kinsmen”.   

History shows us that there were and are still conflicts between Issac’s people (Israel) and Ishmael’s people (Arabs). That isn’t necessarily up for debate here.  It boils down to what the original Hebrew said and what the translators interpretation or assumed context was.  

This is a prime example of some of the differences you may find in the translations.  Christy and I will use many different translations as we study the Father’s word as there is no single translation that is perfect.  As you walk through this study and learn more and more about the father, you’ll learn his characteristics and attributes.  That (along with he Holy Spirit of course) will help you recognize the cases when you might need to dig a little deeper.

Test everything, hold tight to what is good – and HE is the only source of good.

MAY YHWH BLESS THE READING OF HIS WORD!

Today’s Recipe: Easy Stuffed Baked Apples 
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Catch up on all of our Genesis Posts here
Fellowship Members: Click here to visit our Facebook group to discuss today’s readings,  Click here to visit our prayer request thread

*These Bible notes are part of my Bible Reading Plan in conjunction with my Front Porch Fellowship. In the interest of time needed to devote to the Front Porch Fellowship, my family, homeschooling, and my work on SouthernPlate, Bible posts here do not have comments turned on. If you wish to take part in a discussion or ask questions, please join my Front Porch Fellowship next time membership opens up. It only opens once per year and the next window will be late summer of 2020. Thank you! 

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I’m emailing these notes out every day to whoever would like them. Click here to join my Bible Study email list.

The Father’s Word begins in the beginning, and so should we. Click here to see all of the Genesis notes you may have missed.

GOOD MORNING, Siblings!!

Today’s readings are Genesis 25-26

Whew. There is a lot of information in these chapters!

Rabbit Trails 

I want to start by sharing something Kendra Ziebell shared in our group yesterday:

Just finished reading all of the scripture and notes before I have to leave for work. It’s nice to start my day with this so I can have that as my focus during the day. It’s such a different focus than checking Facebook. That bogged me down and my head and heart were never in the right place the rest of the day. This way, my mind is on God. It’s funny how all of these lessons are always there. He’s always teaching. It’s just the student’s eyes and ears haven’t been opened. I am starting to see parallels in my own life now and I’m feeling like I’m actually part of His family now. This may seem silly but we have a new rescue dog at our house that was aggressive when anyone would come up our home. It was so bad that we had to hire a trainer. She said that the dog becomes aggressive because she doesn’t believe that we will protect her and so she has to come out fighting. When she trusts that we are in control, she can relax and not be aggressive. And it’s worked! We show her we have control and she’s safe and she is much more relaxed. And it hit me…I am that rescue dog. When I don’t have faith that God is in control, I tend to be more angry and aggressive with people. When I let him take over my situations, there is peace. Thank you for letting me be part of this amazing journey. Hoping to have faith like Abraham today. 

Amen! Now let’s dive in!

🌿These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life, 175 years. Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. Genesis 25:7-8

I just find a lot of shalom in that verse. Remember, shalom is a wholeness of peace that can only come through the Father.

🌿In Genesis 25:11 YHWH makes it perfectly clear that Isaac was inheritor to the promise He had given Abraham.

🌿We read in Genesis 25:19-23 that YHWH made a covenant with Rebecca, telling her that the older would serve the younger. This being in place, we can see Jacob’s natural zeal for his YHWH-declared birthright and the blessing of his father at a very young age. This is predestined and the will of YHWH and yet, people often view Jacob in a negative light for his behavior. But if we read in Genesis 25:34 we see that Esau gave very little care for his own birthright and was flippant in giving it away.

🌿The passage below had me chuckling a bit. Do you remember when Abraham lied about Sarah being his sister because she was so beautiful he feared people would kill him to have her? I reckon Isaac is his father’s son and they like the pretty ladies!

So Isaac settled in Gerar. When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he feared to say, “My wife,” thinking, “lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah,” because she was attractive in appearance. Genesis 26:6-7

🌱Isaac’s crops: In Genesis 26:12 we are told that Isaac reaped 100 times what he had sown in terms of crops. This is an easy verse to just read through and not pay attention to but it is worth noting that this is not possible without supernatural intervention. 

🌿Pattern alert: Isaac’s firstborn son was not to be considered His firstborn. This is a repeating pattern that took place with Abraham in that Ishmael was born first but he was not to be given the firstborn birthright either, the second born, Isaac was, just as with Rebecca.

🌿As we continue reading the Word, you’ll find that YHWH repeats Himself often. Sometimes He does this through patterns, sometimes with His words. When does a parent repeat themselves? When it is important. Time and again, you’ll see key instructions repeated in the same paragraph. Anytime the Father speaks, we as His children should sit up a little straighter and pay attention. When He repeats Himself, triply so.

🌿Covenant alert:

• In Genesis 12:3 recall that YHWH has promised Abraham that He will bless all the people of the earth through him.
• In Genesis 26:3, Today we read about the Abrahamic Covenant being renewed with Abraham’s son, Isaac with the stars referenced again as a means of doing so.

First of all, it didn’t need to be renewed. YHWH said it and declared it for perpetuity and that was that. But we humans tend to quickly forget, lose faith, and need reassurance. YHWH doesn’t operate in time as we do and time doesn’t affect Him as it does us. He knows this and in His compassion and lovingkindness he reminds us of His promises.

🌿26:4 “So that all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your heirs.” In this context, “nations” doesn’t refer to countries but groups of people.

🙌Remember this promise. Through the blessing of Messiah, we are heirs to this.

Seriously, y’all. We are often conditioned to look at the Bible as a dusty old book with words that don’t make sense. But when we dive in like this, reading from the beginning, and come to the realization that this is the story of our own heritage, it comes to life! Not only that, but it breathes new life into us. YHWH’s Word is such a tremendous blessing for His children. Thank you for joining me at the feet of our Father each day!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🌿Go back to Genesis 15:5-6. Let’s read this part together now:

*And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.*

YHWH brought Abraham outside, pointed his gaze towards heaven and spoke those words.

Oh my goodness, just thinking of it takes my breath away. But do you know what touches my heart even more?

When Abraham looked up at that sky, one of those stars represented me. 🙂

When he looked up at that sky, one of those stars represented you. 🌟

Let that sink into your heart.

🌿Sidenote: YHWH counted Abraham as righteous because of his faith, because he believed what the Lord said. Abraham was an obedient man in many ways but that didn’t make him righteous, his faith did.

👉His obedience was not the root of his salvation, but the fruit of his salvation. Such is the same for us. Time to check your fruit! 🍇🍏🍋🍒

Somedays my notes will be novels, somedays they will be shorter. You get a shorter day today!

Test everything, hold tight to what is good – and HE is the only source of good.

May YHWH bless the reading of His Word!

Today’s recipe: Candied Apples That You Eat With A Fork!
Print This Post
Catch up on all of our Genesis Posts here
Fellowship Members: Click here to visit our Facebook group to discuss today’s readings,  Click here to visit our prayer request thread

*These Bible notes are part of my Bible Reading Plan in conjunction with my Front Porch Fellowship. In the interest of time needed to devote to the Front Porch Fellowship, my family, homeschooling, and my work on SouthernPlate, Bible posts here do not have comments turned on. If you wish to take part in a discussion or ask questions, please join my Front Porch Fellowship next time membership opens up. It only opens once per year and the next window will be late summer of 2020. Thank you! 

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