Bible Readings 2024, Week 3; Jan.15-21
Jan.15; Gen 21-23; (bonus reading Ps.15).
1. Gen. 21:1-3; "The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac."
What is the meaning of the name Isaac?
2. Gen. 22:1-3; "After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 2 He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him."
How did the story of Isaac point to Christ and the cross? The underlined words give us a clue.
3. Gen. 23:19-20; "After this, Abraham buried Sarah, his wife, in the cave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 The field and the cave that is in it were made over to Abraham as property for a burying place by the Hittites."
Why did Abraham insist on burying Sarah in Canaan? Where was the Promised Land?
Jan. 16; Gen 24-25; (bonus reading Ps.16).
1. Gen. 24:1-4; "Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh. that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac."
Who was Abraham's trusted servant? What was his name? Please refer to Gen. 15:2.
2. Gen. 24:3-4; "that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac."
Why did Isaac need to marry a girl from Abraham's hometown?
3. Gen. 24:20-21; "So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels. 21 The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the Lord had prospered his journey or not."
God's providence and sovereignty provided a wife for Isaac. Do you believe in the wisdom and the providence of God? Do you have examples about the providence of God in your life?
Jan. 17; Gen 26-27; (bonus reading Ps. 17).
1. Gen. 26:24-25; "And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, "I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham's sake." 25 So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the Lord and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac's servants dug a well."
In Gen. 12-17, we read the covenant between God and Abraham. In this passage (Gen.26:24-25), God renewed his covenant with Abraham but with Isaac. Where do you find God's covenant with Abraham? Please refer to Gen. chapters 12-17.
2. Gen. 26:33; "He called it Shibah; therefore, the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.
Where is Beersheba? What is the meaning of Beersheba?
3. Gen. 27:35; "But he said, "Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing."
Did Jacob remorse what he did to his father and brother? Please read Jacob's repentance in Gen. 32:9-12.
Jan. 18; Gen 28-30; (bonus reading Ps. 18).
1. Gen. 28:10-13; "Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! 13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie, I will give to you and to your offspring."
How did the ladder of Jacob point to Christ? Please refer to John 1:49-51.
2. Gen. 28:19; "He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.
What is the meaning of "Bethel?"
3. Gen. 29:31; "When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now."
What did Leah mean by "the LORD has seen my misery?" Do you believe that God sees you and your needs?
Jan.19; Gen 31-32; (bonus reading Ps. 19).
1. Gen. 31:24; "But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad."
Why Laban is called Laban the Aramean?
2. Gen. 32:9-12; "And Jacob said, "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, 'Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,' 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. 11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. 12 But you said, 'I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.'"
How was this prayer the returning point for Jacob and his repentance?
3. Gen. 32:22-29; "The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, "Let me go, for the day has broken." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." 27 And he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." 28 Then he said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed." 29 Then Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And there he blessed him."
How did Jacob wrestle with God?
Please read Hos. 12:4. "He struggled with the angel and overcame him; he wept and begged for his favor. He found him at Bethel and talked with him there."
Did Jacob wrestle physically with God or in prayer? Please notice the underlined.
Jan. 20; Gen 33-35; (bonus reading Ps. 20).
1. Gen. 33:1-4; "Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two female servants. 2 He put the female servants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear. 3 He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother. 4 But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept."
This passage shows us how Esau, who was "the ungodly person," forgave his brother, Jacob. What lesson do we learn from Esau in this passage?
2. Gen. 34:25, 31; "Three days later, while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took their swords and attacked the unsuspecting city, killing every male. But they replied, "Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?"
Simon and Levi are revenged because of their sister, Dinah. Why is revenge a sin? Did Christ teach revenge or forgiveness?
3. Gen. 35:1-4; "Then God said to Jacob, "Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau. 2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. 3 Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone." 4 So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem.
We all face the temptation of having gods in our lives. What are the little gods in your life that divert you from worshipping the true God? Can you eliminate these little gods and focus on honoring our Lord? Please pray for that.
Jan. 21; Gen 36-37; (bonus reading Ps. 21).
1. Gen. 36:8; "So Esau (that is, Edom) settled in the hill country of Seir.
What was the other name for Esau? Where is Edom now?
2. Gen. 37:1; "Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, (sojourner) in the land of Canaan."
Canaan was the Promised Land; why did Jacob call it the land where Isaac, his father, was a stranger? Are we home or strangers on earth?
3. Gen. 37: In Gen.37, Joseph told his family about his dreams. How many dreams did Joseph have? Did all his dreams come true? Where and when?