Monthly Archives: October 2011

Jacob’s Son Judah (Gen 38)

Posted on by

Bible Summary:

About the time Joseph is sold, his brother Judah leaves, marries, and has three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. Er marries Tamar but is killed before they have children, so Judah tells Onan to sleep with her to fulfill his brotherly obligation. Onan spills his semen on the ground knowing the children will not be his. Onan dies too, so Judah sends Tamar to her father until Shelah grows up.

Years later, Judah’s wife dies and he mourns her. With face covered, Tamar disguises herself as a prostitute on the street and sleeps with Judah. A few months later, Judah is told that Tamar is a pregnant whore. Judah orders her death, but Tamar proves that he is the father. He agrees he has failed in his obligation to give her Shelah to marry.

Tamar gives birth to twins. An arm comes out first, so the midwife ties a red thread around it. Zerah pulls his arm back in and his brother Perez is born first instead.

My Thoughts:

Family Obligations: Once there was a young couple who had a heated battle over where to spend the holidays between their families. They finally agree on a schedule and everything smoothes out between them. A week later, his mother calls crying about Uncle Jim who just passed away. The young couple argues over fitting the funeral, a four hour drive away, in for a great-uncle they barely knew. They decide not to attend.

Thanksgiving comes and goes with little fanfare, then a week before Christmas his mother calls, “I almost forgot to tell you, we won’t be home for Christmas.” He asks, “Why’s that?” She says, “Well, Uncle Jim gave everyone who attended his funeral $50,000 plus a two-week cruise. We’re all leaving Christmas Eve.”

Family obligations can be difficult to deal with – from holidays and weddings to funerals and caring for disabled members. Approach them each with love and you will be surprised how much easier they will pass for all. And, you never know what might happen.

Brothers Sell Joseph (Gen 37)

Posted on by

Bible Summary:

Joseph, Jacob’s first son by his cherished wife Rachel though twelfth of thirteen overall, turns seventeen. Jacob makes him a special robe, which proves to his brothers he is the favorite. Joseph’s half-brothers hate him even more after he reports bad things to father and later tells them of two dream where the family bows to him.

One day, Jacob sends Joseph after his brothers tending flocks in Shechem. Joseph catches up to them in Dothan, but his brothers see him coming and plot to kill him. Reuben tries to save Joseph and talks the other brothers into throwing him into a dry well instead. Upon seeing some travelers, the brothers decide to profit from Joseph, pull him out of the well, and sell him.

The Midianite traders take Joseph to Egypt and sells him to the king’s captain of the guard while the brothers deceive Jacob with Joseph’s robe soaked in goat’s blood. Jacob thinks Joseph has been killed by a wild animal. He tears his clothes off, puts on a sackcloth, and says he will mourn Joseph until he dies.

My Thoughts:

Fairness: Once there was a family get-together and everyone sat around a table talking. Mother got up, left, and returned with a cake. She asked each person if they would like some. One was watching her sugar and another was pretty full from dinner so they took small pieces. One was on a diet and another did not like the flavor so they declined a piece. One only liked frosting so asked for a corner. One took a large piece. The last two and mother had average size pieces. A third of the cake was wrapped up and stored in the freezer for later.

Most pieces were not the same and some people went without, but all were satisfied.

MLK Memorial

Posted on by

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C. yesterday (10/16/2011). I’m writing about this event since Dr. King has been one of my heroes. He fought for freedom in America and is a symbol of standing up, in a non-violent way, for what is right.

I was surprised to see a sculpture so stubborn, almost angry with crossed arms and a slightly furrowed brow, in a Stone of Hope when I always thought of Dr. King as a beacon of hope, more like a lighthouse or the eternal flame at President John F. Kennedy’s Memorial (see Washington Post MLK Memorial picture). I thought I would see something like Dr. King giving the I Have A Dream speech, showing the great orator passionately insisting that each person act, through non-violence, to uphold freedom and justice for all people (see MLK I Have A Dream picture).

Esau’s Descendants (Gen 36)

Posted on by

Bible Summary:

Esau, also called Edom, had three wives: (1) Adah who gave him Eliphaz and six grandsons, (2) Oholibamah who bore him Jeush, Jalam, Korah, and (3) Basemath, daughter of Uncle Ishmael, who gave him Reuel and four grandsons.

All Esau’s sons and daughters were born in Canaan. But, Esau moves his family to Edom when the land can no longer support his family and Jacob’s.

My Thoughts:

Genealogy: In biblical times, a man’s lineage was his most important contribution. Historically, large families were the norm across the world when more hands were needed on the farm. Today, families continue to shrink as the world moves to expensive city life.

Curiously, each person’s family tree branches out towards descendants and also back through ancestors. With so many branches, we all must be related somehow? I could be your cousin, 200 times removed!

Over-Population: At the time of Jacob and Esau, only 20 million people lived around the entire world (see middle of the Wikipedia World Population page), so it was easy to pick up and move when an area got crowded. With 7 billion people on the planet today (actually on 10/31/2011), it is getting much harder to find new ground.

Footprints in the Sand

Posted on by

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there was only one.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,

“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you, you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life
there has only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”

The Lord replied, “The times when you have seen only one
set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”

– Mary Stevenson

Jacob Loses Two Loved Ones (Gen 35)

Posted on by

Bible Summary:

God tells Jacob to move south to Bethel and worship Him there. Jacob tells his family to discard their foreign gods before they leave. Even though Jacob’s two sons killed all the men of Shechem, the people near there are too frightened to pursue them.

Later, Jacob leaves Bethel and heads south to visit his father Isaac in Hebron. Jacob’s wife Rachel dies along the way while giving birth to Benjamin. She is buried beside the road in what later becomes Bethlehem. Isaac lives to 180 and is buried by his sons Esau and Jacob.

My Thoughts:

Perseverance: Jacob endures many hardships: 20-years of labor for his uncle, fear of his brother’s 400 man army, his daughter’s rape, and now the loss of his wife Rachel and father. Jacob perseveres through it all with help from God in response to his faith in Him. When times are tough, talk to God. He will help you through. He does love you.

Loss of a Loved One: The hardest thing in life is to lose a loved one, especially unexpectedly. All of a sudden, life moves in slow motion. You are numb and looking for answers. What could I have done? How could I have better spent my time with them? Slowly things become easier as you carry on. In time, you start to feel again, you start to laugh again, and eventually you become you again. Hang in there until you are you again! God bless!

Jacob’s Daughter (Gen 34)

Posted on by

Bible Summary:

Jacob’s only daughter Dinah is raped by Shechem, the son of chief Hamor. Shechem then tells his father he wants to marry her. Hamor and Shechem bargain with Jacob and his sons for Dinah. Jacob’s sons require Hamor to circumcise all his males. Hamor agrees and gets approval from the townspeople to allow intermarriage by saying the Hivites could gain all the Hebrew wealth.

After all Hamor’s men are circumcised, Jacob’s sons Levi and Simeon avenge their Dinah’s disgrace by killing all the men of the village, including Hamor and Shechem, and taking all their possessions, women and children.

Jacob chastises Levi and Simeon for igniting a potential war with the other people of the area that could destroy his whole family. They reply, “We cannot let our sister be treated like a common whore.”

My Thoughts:

Revenge: Jacob seems more concerned about the repercussions against his family then the fact that his sons just killed all the men in the village. He understands that revenge is circular. Feuds can last for years or centuries.

Decisions: The story illustrates the difference between two decision-making styles. Jacob is more of a chess player, looking at everything at stake and the potential outcomes before acting in comparison to his reactionary sons who put the whole family in danger. It was a lot different back then with no laws, police or courts to settle issues like this and meter punishment.

Rape: After 4000 years, rape is still prevalent today. The United States is 6th in the world with 1 in 6 women having experienced at least an attempt (see Wikipedia Rape Statistics). Rape is never right, but I wonder if rates are higher in the U.S. because of suggestive TV shows, movies, and women’s clothing.

To Women: I am sure you have heard many times the defenses against UNknown attackers (take self-defense classes, carry pepper-spray, travel in groups at night, etc.), but be sure to learn what to do against KNOWN attackers.

Boyfriends are the hardest to deal with since so many other thoughts and emotions will distract you. Don’t be forced, bullied, or humiliated into doing it. If you do not want to have sex, you do not have to have sex. Say “no”, yell or scream “stop”, stand up and leave. If necessary, hit, slap, or kick him or lock yourself in the bathroom and call for help.

You may feel embarrassed, concerned about what your friends will think, or worried about how you are going to handle your relationship with him later. All this pales in comparison to what you will feel if you allow him to have sex with you unwillingly. It will affect the rest of your life. Be strong!

If he won’t listen about your wants and needs then he isn’t the right guy for you anyway. Don’t worry about losing him; you WILL find a nice guy. You are a beautiful person and you deserve better.

To Men: when a woman says “no” she means “no”. Respect her and yourself. Go for a long run, swim, or bike ride. Come back and talk to her. Let her know you will wait until she is ready.  You be strong too – in this way.

Jacob Meets Esau (Gen 33)

Posted on by

Bible Summary:

As Esau and 400 men approach, Jacob divides his family by the concubines first, then Leah, and finally Rachel and Joseph. To Jacob’s surprise, Esau runs up and hugs and kisses him. They both cry tears of joy.

Esau questions Jacob about the group of servants he met earlier. Jacob admits it was to gain his favor. Esau tells him to keep the animals since he has enough, but Jacob urges Esau to keep them.

Esau urges Jacob to leave for Edom. Jacob tells him to go ahead since they will be slow with the kids and animals. Esau leaves and Jacob goes to Sukkoth instead. Jacob finishes his journey back at Shechem in Canaan, buys a field for his camp for 100 silver pieces, and erects an altar to the God of Israel.

My Thoughts:

Caution: Jacob still shows caution towards Esau even though the warm welcome, likely since Esau arrived with an army, and finds his own place away from Esau’s Edom.

Israel: It is weird that Jacob does not go by Israel after being renamed, except for the reference to God of Israel. It sounds like each tribe had its own god, like Laban’s, so did we just end up with our God because Jacob’s family wrote the stories? I guess we will find more as we continue.

Risk

Posted on by

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool,
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental,

To reach out to another is to risk involvement,
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self,

To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss,

To love is to risk not being loved in return,
To live is to risk dying,
To hope is to risk despair,
To try is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.

He may avoid suffering and sorrow,
But he cannot learn, feel, change, grow or live.

Chained by his servitude he is a slave who has forfeited all freedom.

Only a person who risks is free.

The pessimist complains about the wind;
The optimist expects it to change;
And the realist adjusts the sails.

– William Arthur Ward

Jacob Faces his Fears (Gen 32)

Posted on by

Bible Summary:

On his return home, Jacob sends messengers ahead to tell his brother Esau how he had been delayed at Uncle Laban’s. The messengers return to warn him that Esau is on the way with 400 men. In fear, Jacob divides his people and animals in two, in hopes that one group might escape.

Jacob prays to God about his fear of Esau and reminds Him of His promise to keep them safe. Jacob sends hundreds of farm animals ahead as gifts to Esau in hopes of being forgiven for taking his birthright twenty years earlier. Later, he takes his wives, concubines, and eleven children across the Jabbok River to safety, and then returns alone.

A man arrives, wrestles Jacob until daybreak, and knocks his hip out of joint. Near daylight, the man asks to be let go, but Jacob demands to be blessed first. The man commends Jacob for successfully struggling with God and men, changes his name forevermore to Israel, and blesses him.

My Thoughts:

Fear: Jacob still fears Esau’s revenge for taking his birthright, even after twenty years in hiding at Uncle Laban’s. After bringing his family to safety, he fights his fears (the man) and wins. To honor this victory, the now bolder Jacob is renamed Israel.

Fear is everywhere today – in the news, on the streets, in our homes. We fear the shaky economy, losing our job, someone invading our home or stealing our car, “those people”, “that part of town”, getting cancer, failing, getting rejected, and so on.

But, fear is the only thing holding you back from a fulfilling and happy life. You need to put aside the fears you cannot control and push through the ones you can. Through repetition, the fear will diminish and soon disappear altogether.