Today we are reading from: Genesis 26:17-27:46; Matthew 9:1-17; Psalm 10:16-18; Proverbs 3:9-10
Yesterday we ended in Genesis after Isaac had imitated his dad in a bad way by lying about his wife. We see God grace override again, and now we will start with Isaac moving on in Chapter 26.
Verses 17-22 Isaac physically moves, and goes back to settle where his dad had been (Gerar). Only instead of following in his dads footsteps in the mistakes his dad made, now he reopens the wells that had been stopped up after Abraham had died and gives the wells the same names their dad gave them. There is a remembering of the faith his dad has had and the good in the life his father lived as well as Gods promises to Isaac.
They discovered a fresh water well. The herders quarreled for it and instead of fighting wih them Isaac takes the route of a peacemaker and he givs it up to them. He gives over what belongs to him in order to make peace. The second time around, same thing happened with a different well. Then at the third well he found no one bothered him for it so he saw it as God giving him room to flourish.
23-33 He moved on. God appeared to him and told him not to be afraid. Reminded him that the blessing to his father is to him as well. Isaac called on Gods name there and he dug a well. Although this reminds me of shades of his dad (in a good way this time) there are even more similarities. Abimelek comes to him asking for a peace treaty - just as they did with Abraham after seeing how God is with him. Isaac agrees.
After this peace treaty Isaac's servants dig a well and find water.
There is a lot of well digging in this chapter. A well would be a source of life wherever they went. An empty well is useless but a well with water would be a reminder of Gods provision. They have two wells that the initially let the Philistines have. The third one - nobody bothers them for so they stay there. But Isaac digs one more well, and a third dug well leads to water. He ends up back with two wells with water, and possibly a third- Even though he gave up two for peace. Neat. Do we give up stuff in the name of peace knowing that God will provide above what we give?
34-35 Esau marries a Hittite, who- along with her family, is a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.
Genesis 27
1-20 Issac can't see anymore so he calls over Esau to bless him but asks him to go hunt some of his favorite food and bring it before him.
Rebekah is listening and wants to beat Esau to the chase by preparing him food and using it to get Jacob the blessing instead. They need to trick him with a disguise though because Esau is more hairy. Jacob is worried but Rebekah is willing to take a curse in the place of her son if he does get caught.
Jacob says he is Esau and Isaac asks how he got the food so quickly:
“The LORD your God gave me success". Is his next lie.
21-29 Isaac has his doubts- especially recognizing Jacobs voice, so he touches him but their disguise causes enough confusion in the dad that he asks a second time if it is really Esau and Jacob lies again.
Then the dad eats the food and asks to kiss his son. He catches the smell of Esau's clothing (that Jacob is wearing) and that fully convinces him. So he blesses him. So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothing he blessed him with the richness of the earth and his brothers serving and bowing to him.
30-40 Esau walks in with his food and when Isaac realises he has been deceived he trembles violently. Esau weeps begging his dad for a blessing but Isaac says that his blessing to Jacob cannot be revoked and wonders how he could possibly bless him. Eventually he does think of a blessing for him but the only good part seems to be that at the end of his life he will throw of Jacobs yoke from around his neck.
41-45
Esau's grudge harboring towards his bro leads to a murderous heart. He plans to kill Jacob once Isaac dies. Rebekah tells her son Jacob to go away to his brothers house till Esau forgets and calms down because she doesn't want to lose both her children.
46 Rebekah thinks life will not be worth living if Jacob marries a Hittite woman and expresses this to Isaac before Jacob leaves.
Interesting things from this chapter: Isaac tried to reverse Gods prophecy. It didn't work. Jacob and Rebekah thought God needed their help through trickery instead of trusting. They lose each other in the process- when they could have had it all. God still blesses Jacob but it comes with a cost for his sin. Even when we use the devils tactics to accomplish Gods work - God still is faithful to what he has promised us- even though we do not deserve it. Trying to short cut Gods plan will inconvenience you in the end and give you consequences, but God does not abandon those who blow it by their sins. His grace is bigger then our failures and stupidity, even if we could have had better still! It is Gods grace that we don't get an idea of what we could have had if we showed more faith and obedience.
-----------
Matthew 9:1-17
1-8
When a paralyzed man is brought to Jesus, the teachers of the law get upset because Jesus tells him "your sins are forgiven". They understood well, that only God could forgive sins. Jesus knew their thoughts and said they were evil. Jesus points out that it is easier to claim to forgive sins then to heal a man who is paralyzed. He tells them he will show them He has the power to forgive sins - and tells the paralyzed man to get up and go home. When he does, the crowds are in awe and praise God over what Jesus is able to do.
9-13 Jesus sees Matthew a tax collector and tells him to follow him. Matthew does.
Jesus goes to Matthews home to eat with him and his shady friends which bothers the pharisees who question the disciples about it. Jesus point to the fact that the healthy do not need a doctor but the sick do. He says he has come to call sinners, not righteous people and quotes an old testament verse that talks about how God wants mercy rather then sacrifice. The Pharisees were good at giving up stuff but not at being merciful.
Often when we are very rule oriented in our faith= Grace is hard to deal with or to deal out.
Jesus Questioned About Fasting
So this feast they are having is on the same day that the Pharisees and Johns disciples are fasting. Fasting was done for both times of sorrow and times of repentance. John was thrown into prison. Johns disciples question why they (Jesus' disciples) are not fasting often like they (John's disciples) are.
15-17 Jesus answers with three parables. One talks about a bridegroom and the idea of their being a time to celebrate and a time for sorrow. Jesus coming was a time of celebration while his Crucifixion will be a time of sorrow.
The other two talk about mixing things that are old and new. He used examples of things they were very familiar with: wine and clothing. He talked about how you ruin the new when sticking the old on it and vice versa. That you can't mix the two. What did that have to do with the whole fasting deal and the time for mourning parable?
The Pharisees didn't recognize this was a new era. They wanted the rules applied right here with Jesus there, for the fasting and mourning to be put on during a time it did not make sense to do that. Jesus had come and you could not simply take your old ways and rules and try and put them on this time of the new covenant God was making through Jesus. Many in the new testament try and keep the old testament laws and are rebuked for trying to mix the two. It's not the way God is working- because it doesn't work.
Psalm 10:16-18
God will last. People wont.
Yet God encourages them, hears their cry and the desires of their hearts and defends the vulnerable, even though they are mortals.
Proverbs 3:9-10
Put God first, no left overs- live out your faith and he will bless you beyond what you can imagine.
No comments:
Post a Comment