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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 22-24

Rabbit Trails

As usual, a lot of ground is covered today and my goal is not to cover everything (it would take us well over a year just to get through Genesis at that rate) but to single out a few points of interest that you may have overlooked.

Today’s primary rabbit trail is utterly fascinating and goes back to YHWH being a God of patterns.

🌿Have you ever considered the parallels between Abraham and the sacrifice of Isaac and YHWH and the sacrifice of Messiah? We’re gonna talk about that!

Here are just a few things to note:

🌿First of all, we need to be aware that as readers of Scripture we are often privy to information that the characters are not privy to. One example of this is that at the beginning of chapter 22 we are told that God is testing Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son. Abraham had no idea this was a test.

🌿Now for the parallels between the sacrifice of Isaac and that of our Messiah:

• YHWH gave his only son. At this point Isaac is Abraham’s only son (having banished Ishmael).
• Jesus carried his own wooden cross upon which He would die and Isaac carried the wood that was intended to be used to bring about his death.
• Isaac asked his father where the lamb was and Abraham told him YHWH would provide it. YHWH provided a ram as a sacrifice then and later would provide His own son, who would also be a sacrificial lamb. It is no coincidence, either, that both were males.
• The ram served as a replacement sacrifice for Isaac. Messiah serves as a replacement sacrifice for us.
• Three days after He was crucified Messiah rose again. Three days after Isaac was condemned, he arose from the altar, still alive. (Genesis 22:4 tells us it was the third day)
• Note: Three days means three days and three nights Matthew 12:40 – this is important information to retain for later.

🌿How old was Isaac? Most Bible stories depict Isaac as being a young boy when this event took place. However, many scholars believe he was in his twenties or possibly older. The Hebrew word used here for boy is also used to refer to a young man and sometimes even a man. Check that out here: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/genesis/22-5.htm Click on the number above “and the boy” to see other places where this word is used in Scripture. Yesterday, many were estimating and presenting Scripture to show he could have been 13-14. Either way you look at it, he was not a young child. 

Further, in Genesis 22:6 Abraham takes all of the wood needed for a burned offering and places it on Isaac’s back, keeping for himself to carry a lit torch and a knife. The wood was surely heavy and his son had to have been large enough and strong enough to shoulder a man’s burden. 

If, in fact, Isaac was stronger than Abraham at this time (he carried the heavy load and Abraham the light), this depicts a far different scene when it comes to offering Isaac as a sacrifice. It is possible that Isaac realized what was happening and willfully obeyed his father. We do see he was bound but we see no protest made from him. Just another possible angle you might want to consider. He was his father’s son, after all. It is possible that this story is about not only one who was willing to obey even if it meant sacrificing his only son – but possibly a son willing to be sacrificed in his obedience. Just a thought – and another parallel. 

🌿Sarah dies – Abraham’s beloved wife Sarah passed away and He went to great lengths to bury her in the land they were currently in, even though they were considered aliens (it would later become part of Abraham’s promised land). Much esteemed in his time, he was offered the land he requested as a generous gift. However, we see Abraham going to great lengths to purchase the land rather than accept it as a gift. He even paid a very high price for it. It was illegal to sell or give land to a foreigner and so this would surely be challenged generations later. By paying a higher than usually price, Abraham would have made sure there was a far lesser chance of anyone challenging his rights to the land or taking it from his descendants by claiming it did not belong to him. 

It is important to note that Abraham used money of the time in this transaction. We may hear, form time to time, that folks only made grain, fruit, and livestock offerings in these days because they didn’t have currency. That is simply not the case. 

🌿Interesting facts for people who like to know things

• 24:2-8 are the last recorded words of Abraham in the Bible
• When Abraham’s servant asks to meet Rebecca’s family he is introduced to her brother, Laban. Laban will go on to father Rachel and Leah. Jacob (Rebecca and Isaac’s son) will have to deal with him later once he falls in love with Rachel.

Thought of the day: YHWH is a God of patterns. Keep your eyes open as we read through His word because you will see this time and again.

Also, remain cognizant of the fact that YHWH is timeless, omnipotent, and all knowing. He is the source of wisdom and His word is a solid foundation we can always depend on to be a sure guide in our lives. It does not change with the wind, fashion, cultural attitudes, or even church decrees.

“I am God, I do not change”. ~Malachi 3:6

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 Link: Preston rolls<- Please visit and share this link. It is a tremendous help to me! Thank you.
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*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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Beginning today, I’m emailing these notes out every day to whoever would like them. Click here to join my Bible Study email list.

GOOD MORNING TO YA SIBLINGS!
Today’s readings are Genesis 19-21

Rabbit Trails

A note: Our group is very large and we are just now getting into the Word but have covered so much already. One of the things I’ve noticed is that it can be natural for us, in the early stages of getting into the Word after being in the world, to question YHWH for allowing things to happen. The world teaches us to blame YHWH for things that we do, assuming that He was okay with what happened simply by the nature of it happening. Understanding comes when we turn that around and realize that just because a human did something, does not mean YHWH sanctioned it – even in the Bible. 

As I’ve said, the Bible does not whitewash our spiritual forefathers. We see them do stupid things. We see them lack faith. We see the Father reveal a plan and when He doesn’t act fast enough in their minds, they decide they must take matters into their own hands. This happens time and again. Today, when mankind does stupid or evil stuff we tend to blame the Father for allowing us too. That tendency can bleed over into our reading of the Word. I encourage you to step back from these stories and begin to see the developing pattern of YHWH’s way vs Man’s way. As humans, we tend to be defensive and question YHWH first when we should question our own actions first instead. Instead of judging man by YHWH’s standard, we tend to judge YHWH by man’s standards. Just be aware when you see yourself doing this and start turning it around. This will transform your understanding of YHWH’s Word. Remember HE is the straight edge to which all else must line up. Not the other way around.

Another thing to keep in mind: we live in a time of sound bites, cliff notes, and one sentence summaries of news stories that would have been pages long just two decades ago. And so, we come to the Bible, the most important book we will ever read, with that soundbite attention span. The two do not go together. The Father reveals Himself to each of us in His time, as we are ready, according to His will and purpose. Even if you have spent a lifetime never reading or studying the Word, do not feel as if you have now entered a race. You are here to learn, you have set your heart to read (and hopefully do) His Word, and He is honoring that. We are being given a LOT of information each day. You do not have to eat everything on the table and you do not have to clean your plate. It is okay if you read it, take what you can, and then allow time to digest. The goal has never been to read the Bible one time. The goal is to become a Bible reader. You will come around the bend again. 

However, if the pace feels a bit much, I have some advice that will change everything. Rather than reduce your time in the word, increase it. Find something else in your life that isn’t fruitful and give that up instead of giving up your time with the Father. I know this seems to go against reason but trust me on this – or rather, trust Him. Do you trust Him? If you do, when tempted to step back from Him, step closer instead.

So much happens in our readings today but I want to pull back a bit and talk about the big picture when it comes to Lot and his choices.

🌿In looking at this story we are told that that Abraham and Lot were very wealthy in both possessions and livestock. So wealthy that the land could not support both of them. In Genesis 13:5-6 we read:

“And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together”

🌿Abraham decided to be generous and give Lot his choice of the land, taking for himself whatever Lot did not choose. Lot chose what he felt was the best of the land and separated from Abraham.
This is disheartening but we see his character coming out. 😞

🌿Now when we return to Lot again we find that, although he had great wealth and huge flocks when he left Abraham, he is now living in a house inside the city walls of Sodom. I don’t think for a minute that Lot didn’t know full well that Sodom was located in the area he chose to go and I’m sure that the reputation of the city was well known to all.
He left Abraham as a wealthy man with more than enough land to graze his flocks and live in peace and in a short amount of time moved his entire family within the city walls of one of the most perverse cities in history up until that point.
Think about this in relation to how parents make decisions on where to move today. If we have a family and decide to move we look at how well the schools perform, if the crime rates are low, the culture of the community, etc.
Lot had a choice between beautiful pasture land as far as the eye could see and a city whose culture was known as complete debauchery and he essentially says:
“That’s where I want to go right there, in the middle of everything! Where the parties never stop, the wine flows constantly, and anything goes!”
Clearly, this is man who hasn’t put his family before his own desires.
From there we see decision after decision that leads him further down this path that grows darker by the day.

💥AND YET that path is studded with opportunities to turn back, moments where his uncle intercedes for him, and clear instances where decisions are being made time and again that will take him towards or away from YHWH.
He chooses to go further away each time.
Even when the angels lead him out of the city and they suggests he go to the hills, he chooses to head towards another city instead, still preferring the ways of the world to the peace of a Godly life.
This is hard to read.
But you know what is even harder? Living it.
God gave Lot many opportunities to be separated from “the world” and walk in His ways, even going so far as to send angels to rescue him. But in the end, Lot chose the world. If our lives were examined, would the Father find us doing the same? Think about this for past, present, and future reference. Something to think on. 

This reminds me of the words of YHWH in one of Moses’s farewell speeches from my favorite chapter in the whole Bible:

“See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.”

-Deuteronomy 30:15-20

More Notes:
🌿Hagar and Ishmael being exiled: It is important to note that the Bible does not whitewash our forefathers. They were fallible men and women at times and we see the truth of this. YHWH’s Word shows us that He sees all: The good, the bad, the ugly. And yet He still offers a way back to Him. Grace upon grace. But does this mean we do not have consequences for our behavior? Absolutely not.
The harsh treatment of Hagar and Ishmael will go on to have ramifications that still resonate today.

🌿Genesis 19:31 leads us to believe it is possible that Lot’s daughters thought the entirety of mankind had been destroyed. The sisters remark on how there is not a man left on earth who can father their children other than their father.
Note that they witnessed the astounding destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and Genesis 19:28 tells us that even the next morning from a distance Abraham saw dense smoke rising up from the area like a furnace.

🌿The two sons born of sin between Lot and his daughters are called Moab and Ammon. In Deuteronomy 23:3 we will see that these two tribes are singled out as ones for God’s people to avoid:

“No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, not even in the tenth generation.” 

Lot has left quite the legacy in how he chose to live his life on his own terms, rebelling against YHWH’s wisdom. A pattern for his descendants has been set. 

Thought for the day:
In what ways are we choosing the world over YHWH in our lives?

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 link: One Skillet Chili Bake  <- Clicking this helps support my day job and gives me more time to focus on the Word!
Leave your greetings and rabbit trails on the group discussion thread. We love getting to know you and you commenting is what helps us to do that! You don’t have to share anything deep unless you want to, a simple Good Morning is great! Also, please know that there are no dumb questions in our Fellowship group. We are ALL learning together.

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*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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GOOD MORNING SIBLINGS!

Today’s readings are Genesis 16-18

Rabbit Trails

Today we see a name change and I have to apologize because I have been using Abraham as Abram’s name all this time and the Father had not yet changed it. Y’all kept up really well, though!

Interesting note about name changes:

Unlike Abraham and Jacob, One of the most famous “name changes” in the Bible never actually happened. Paul’s name was never changed. He held dual citizenship as a Jew and as a Roman citizen and his name simply translates differently between Hebrew and Greek. Similar to how my husband’s name is Richard but his high school Spanish teacher called him “Ricardo”. Okay that was kinda weird but hey, it’s high school Spanish class and she had to keep it interesting.🤣

Noted instances of Paul still being called Saul after His repentance (please note that I said repentance, not conversion. Paul had no need to convert as he already worshipped the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob):

• By Messiah Acts 9:4
• Acts 9:17
• By the Holy Spirit Acts 13:2

Here is an interesting article on it with some good Biblical evidence to help increase understanding: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/no-saul-the-persecutor-did-not-become-paul-the-apostle/

(Important: I just found this article. I do not know the doctrinal bent – if any – of this site, but the article is helpful.)

🌿Also, more covenants!

I’ll leave learning about those to you but I do want to point out that the type of circumcision performed in the Bible was not even remotely as invasive and severe as what takes place today. This will help you understand the lack of hesitancy (although I’m sure there was some) in having it done. And that is all we will say about that. 

🌿18:1 THE FATHER APPEARS TO ABRAHAM! WOW! Note that the Father appears in human form here, walking, talking, etc. It is important to know that this happened. Someday, you may encounter some doctrine that knowing this simple fact disproves. 

🌿Some have expressed an interest in explanations of Biblical names so it is worth noting (in case y’all are ever on a game show with this as a question and a million dollars on the line) that the names we refer to key folks in the Bible as bear little (and in some cases none at all) resemblance to what their mama’s called them.

Their names have been given English “translations” and that is what we are familiar with. A humorous meme that I saw once said “So tell me again how Jesus lived in the middle east and had friends named Peter, James, John, and Matthew?”

The reason that is so funny is because transliterated, their names would sound more like:

• Peter – Kefa
• James – Ya’akov*
• John – Yohhanan*
• Matthew – Mattityahu

*There was no J sound in Hebrew. What we pronounce with that sound now used to be a Y sound.

This is just interesting to know. Aren’t you AMAZED at the many facets of wisdom and knowledge in the Bible? We have just got started!

🌿Also, I use the word “translations” in quotes because in some translations the apostles were given entirely new names rather than use what their name would normally translate to. A noted instance of this is the name of James. As you can see from his pronunciation, that name would more accurately translate to “Jacob”. In fact, the Biblical patriarch we know as Jacob shared his name and his name was translated to Jacob but with the KJV translation but James was suddenly given a new name entirely.

🌿Genesis 17:12 shows us that servants (in addition to relatives) and foreigners living in Abraham’s household were also able to be part of this covenant. Understanding of the importance of this information will grow as we continue to read. In other words, keep this in your back pocket. We’ll pull it out later. 

🌿While Isaac is the grandfather of the twelve tribes of Israel, Hagar’s son Ishmael will also go on to be the father of twelve tribes (Genesis 25:16). His people will be very wealthy, just as God promised, and to this day we still see that his descendants, the Arabs, have tremendous wealth but know precious little peace.

🌿Note: Islam traces its roots back to Ishmael.

In fact, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all consider Abraham (yes, our Abraham that we are reading about) to be their patriarch.

🌿Just to be clear where I stand on all of this, there is one true God and we are saved by Grace through faith alone, not of ourselves, in His son who we commonly refer to as Jesus (pronounced Yeshua in Hebrew) as our Messiah. I am most definitely not of the opinion that “all religions worship the same god”.

However, Judaism is a noted exception in that they DO worship the same God as we do, but some (not all as we are often led to believe) do not yet see Jesus (Yeshua) as the Messiah. There are a myriad of reasons for this -and knowing each should draw our compassion, love, and even repentance rather than scorn- but this is all part of God’s plan and serves his purpose. We will see this purpose unfold as we read through the Word this year. Check out Romans 11:25.

Anti-Semitism has no place in the life of a follower of YHWH. In fact, if you’re not already feeling the love for our Jewish brethren, you’ll find yourself going further and further in that direction the deeper we get into the Word! 

Furthermore, as you will likely notice in our reading this year, prophecy is coming true at a rapid rate and reconciliation between the branches of YHWH is already taking place with more on the horizon. This family reunion is going to take place sooner than we think!

So excited to be on this journey with y’all!

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

Leave your greetings and rabbit trails on the group discussion thread. We love getting to know you and you commenting is what helps us to do that! You don’t have to share anything deep unless you want to, a simple Good Morning is great! Also, please know that there are no dumb questions in our Fellowship group. We are ALL learning together.

MAY YHWH BLESS THE READING OF HIS WORD!

Print This Post

*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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