Church Minute

Joseph the Dreamer

Genesis first introduces Joseph as a seventeen-year-old young man who gives a bad report to his father, Jacob, about his other brothers. Jacob (Israel) had twelve sons, and these twelve sons would later become known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Joseph was Jacob’s eleventh son, and Joseph became Israel’s favorite son, whom Israel loved more than all of his other sons. At an early age, Joseph flaunted his father’s favoritism. Favoritism and rivalry have a sad history in the book of Genesis, leading to family jealousy, anger, and resentment, as Isaac favored Esau, Rebekah favored Jacob, and Jacob favored his wife, Rachel, over Leah. Israel made his son Joseph a colorful robe (coat of many colors or ornate robe), revealing Joseph’s privileged status within the family, and Joseph’s brothers became angry and jealous of Joseph’s colorful robe and their father’s favoritism toward Joseph. One night, Joseph had a divine dream of his future, which only made his brothers hate him all the more. In the Holy Bible, dreams and visions were a frequent method of divine revelation from God. Joseph informed his brothers of his dream, in which they were bundling grain (sheaves) from the field, and all the bundles of grain (sheaves) bowed down to his bundle of grain (sheaf). Joseph’s dream angered his other brothers, and they developed a jealous hatred of Joseph because his dream showed him reigning over them with dominion and authority. Then, Joseph had another dream from God about his future. In this second divine dream, Joseph informed his brothers and his father, Israel (also known as Jacob), that this time, even the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to him. Upon hearing the divine dream, Israel rebuked Joseph, asking him if his dream meant that he would reign and his family would bow down to him. Joseph’s brother became even more angry, bitter, and envious towards Joseph, but Israel kept the matter in mind. Joseph revealing his dreams to his brothers when he was seventeen was partly a matter of faith but also partly a result of youthful foolishness and pride, but Joseph would later grow into a wise and prudent leader. 
Sometime later, Israel’s other sons went to Shechem to tend and feed their sheep, and Israel sent Joseph to find his brothers in Shechem and later into Dothan. When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they hard-heartedly devised an evil plan and plot to kill their own brother Joseph out of envy and then lie to their father about Joseph’s death at the hands of a ferocious animal. However, the oldest brother, Reuben, heard of the plan, and he tried to save and rescue Joseph from his brothers’ evil scheme. Eventually, Joseph’s brothers took Joseph's coat of many colors and threw Joseph into a deep, dry well (cistern) despite Joseph’s plea not to be thrown into the cistern. Later, Judah and the other brothers sold Joseph to Ishmaelite and Midianite traders heading to Egypt for twenty shekels, and these traders sold Joseph into Egyptian slavery away from the Promised Land of God (Canaan). After selling Joseph into slavery, Joseph’s brother devised another evil scheme, and they lied to their father, Israel, saying that a wild animal had killed Joseph. 
Despite Joseph’s betrayal and slavery in Egypt, the Sovereign LORD God continued to be with Joseph with His divine mercy and favor (grace), and He blessed Joseph with His providential care, like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Sovereign LORD God allowed Joseph’s sale into slavery and later imprisonment to test and build Joseph’s character - patience, faith, and perseverance, and God always brings good out of evil. Joseph’s visionary dreams would come true when he was appointed governor over Egypt by Pharaoh and was responsible for the grain of Egypt, causing his brothers to bow down to him. Additionally, Joseph would become the prince and crown among his brothers, and Joseph received the rights of the firstborn, as Jacob had adopted Joseph’s two children, Ephraim and Manasseh. Royal rulers would come through Joseph’s youngest son, Ephraim, who would rule Israel’s northern kingdom, and also through Judah, who would become the ancestor of Christ Jesus, the Ruler and King of the world. Joseph’s name means “may He add,” and Joseph is the last of the Genesis patriarchs, following Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (also known as Israel).
 

Fighting God

One night, Jacob had another encounter with the Sovereign LORD God that would forever change his life. Jacob met a mysterious man while alone as he returned to the Promised Land of God (Canaan), and Jacob wrestled and struggled with this mysterious man in the dark until the breaking of dawn - a new day. Later, Jacob would acknowledge meeting the living God (Theophany), but Hosea 12:2-4 states that this mysterious man who met Jacob was the Angel of God. Now, the mysterious man wrestling Jacob could not overpower Jacob, so the mysterious man touched Jacob’s hip (thigh or sciatic muscle) and wrenched Jacob’s hip out of its socket. The socket of Jacob’s hip became dislocated, disabled, and crippled - a thorn of Jacob’s flesh as the mighty mysterious man wrestled with Jacob. Then, the mysterious man demanded Jacob release Him as the dawn broke. As they struggled, Jacob requested God’s favor (grace) and blessings with faith and persistence, as all good gifts come from God. Next, the mysterious man asked Jacob his name, and Jacob gave the mysterious man his name. However, the mysterious man announced to Jacob that his name would no longer be Jacob but Israel to transform Jacob’s life and identity. The name Israel means “Prince with God,” “God fights,” “God strives,” or “struggled with God” because Jacob struggled and strived with God and with humans and he prevailed in victory.  Then, Jacob asked the mysterious man for his name, but God blessed Jacob instead of giving His name. After receiving the divine blessing and new name, Jacob called the name of the place Peniel (Penuel), which means “Face of God,” for Jacob proclaimed he had seen God face to face, and the living God graciously spared and delivered his life. Then, the sun rose, and Jacob (Israel) walked with a limp on his hip, stopping Jacob’s proud self-sufficiency, natural strength, and self-reliance so Jacob (Israel) could rely only upon the living God by faith. The author of Genesis noted that the people of Israel do not eat the muscle (tendon) attached to the hip socket because God touched and dislocated the socket of Jacob’s hip in the muscle (tendon). Before Jacob struggled with God, Jacob was known and acted as a trickster, deceiver, and supplanter for grasping Esau’s heel at birth and also deceptively taking Esau’s birthright and their father Isaac’s blessings as the firstborn son. Jacob fled Canaan (Israel-Palestine) and went to Haran (Paddan Aram in Mesopotamia - the land of East) to run from his brother Esau and also to look for a wife. While away from Canaan, the Sovereign LORD God graciously blessed Jacob like Abraham and Isaac, and He multiplied Jacob with many possessions, servants, and wealth, as well as a large family, including a daughter named Dinah and many sons, which would later become known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Then, the Sovereign LORD God commanded Jacob to return to his father Isaac and the Promised Land of Canaan, and He promised to continue to be with Jacob, and Jacob obeyed God’s command. Jacob lived away from the Promised Land for twenty (20) years with his uncle Laban (his mother Rebekah’s brother) before returning to Canaan, and the holy angels of God were with Jacob as a ministering presence during his journeys. Eventually, Jacob returned to Bethel (Luz) in Canaan, where the Sovereign LORD God once again appeared to Jacob as before in Bethel, where God and His holy angels first met Jacob with Jacob’s vision of God and the stairway to heaven. Jacob (Israel) worshiped the Sovereign LORD God, and he commanded his household to have wholehearted allegiance and faithfulness to the Sovereign LORD God and no other idols. Then, the Sovereign LORD God appeared to Jacob and announced to Jacob that He is God Almighty (El Shaddai), and He promised to be with Jacob and bless Jacob with a family of kings and the land of Canaan like Abraham and Isaac, and He once again changed Jacob’s name to Israel. Notably, the Sovereign LORD God also blessed Ishmael and Esau (Edom) with a large family, possessions, wealth, and rulers (kings) as descendants of Father Abraham. The Messiah of God (Christ) who would bless the world would come through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and King David’s family line.
 

New Beginnings with Faith

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul (Sha’ul) and his ministry focused on proclaiming the Good News (Gospel) message of God’s forgiveness, salvation, grace, righteousness, and peace with a new spiritual life and new beginnings that come to all wholehearted believers in Jesus the Messiah (Christ) as Lord and Savior. This newness of divine spiritual life comes to everyone by God’s grace and mercy through repentance with faithful and dependent obedience, belief, and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, believers of Jesus get a reset button with a fresh start and a new heart, where we are reborn from heaven and adopted into God’s Kingdom as His children. The Sovereign LORD God of heaven and earth sent His Holy Son, Jesus the Messiah so His Son could give His sinless life and precious blood as a ransom and the final sacrificial Passover Lamb of God for our sins (propitiation) to deliver (redeem) us from Satans’ dark and wicked living and bring everyone back (reconciliation) together united as one people (Jews and non-Jews) into God’s Kingdom. According to the Apostle Paul, the Gospel message that brings heaven’s righteousness (justification) and new spiritual life only requires wholehearted repentance (turning from Satan’s evildoing) with faithful and dependent obedience, belief, and trust to Christ Jesus (Yeshua) as Lord and does not require Gentiles (non-Jews) coming to Christ Jesus first to become Jewish, circumcised, nor converted to Judaism. The Apostle Paul bases his Good News message of salvation by God’s grace and not our works on the Old Testament Scriptures and God’s promises given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Old Testament book of Genesis before the Law of God given to Moses at Mount Sinai (Torah or Oracles of God). Nevertheless, the Apostle Paul and the other New Testament writers do not ignore nor disregard the importance of the Old Testament Law of God, the holy prophets, godly and good living, nor the command of circumcision given by the Sovereign LORD God to Abraham for his descendants. The Apostle Matthew specifically wrote through his Gospel message proclaiming that Jesus, who is Jewish, is the Promised Messiah (Christ, Chosen, Anointed One) and Immanuel (“God is with us”) predicted in the Old Testament (Hebrew) Scriptures and that Jesus continued the Old Testament storyline of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, as well as the teachings of Moses and the holy prophets of God.  Since the Old Testament into the New Testament, the Sovereign LORD God has called ALL PEOPLE (Jews and non-Jews) to circumcision of the heart, which is walking blamelessly with wholehearted and loyal love, trust, and obedient faithfulness to Him and His commands as the only one and only true God of heaven and earth. The Sovereign LORD God is goodness and light, and He wants EVERYONE to turn from Satan’s dark deeds and faithfully walk with Him and His Son Jesus in dependent love and produce His good and holy fruit of righteousness - love, mercy, fairness, humility, truth, forgiveness, and peace. Jesus is LORD!

Meeting God

Jacob is the father of Israel. At an early age, Jacob was known as a deceiver, trickster, and supplanter after scamming and scheming to take away his brother Esau’s inheritance and covenant blessings of Abraham and Isaac. The Sovereign LORD God had already promised and ordained these divine blessings to Jacob before Jacob’s birth. Eventually, Jacob left his home in Canaan (the Promised Land of God, also known as Israel-Palestine) and traveled many miles in the desert, going to Haran (Paddan Aram in Mesopotamia). On his journey, the Sovereign LORD God of heaven and earth came to Jacob full of promises, protections, and blessings by His grace with mercy and not blame, disapproval, and shame that Jacob deserved. Jacob was not looking for God, but God looked for him on his journey. At sundown, Jacob took a stone pillow to sleep, and as he was sleeping, he had a wonderful dream from heaven. Jacob dreamed of a stairway (ladder) that reached from the earth to heaven, and the holy angels of God walked up and down this divine stairway (ladder). At the top of the stairway, the Sovereign LORD God came to Jacob and announced to him that He was the same God of his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac, and He promised that someday the land of Canaan (Israel-Palestine) would belong to him and his descendants (family). As with Abraham and Isaac, the Sovereign LORD God promised Jacob that his family would be as numerous as the dust on the earth, spreading throughout the four corners of the world, and through him and his descendants God would bless all people of the earth as they walked blamelessly with faithful obedience to the LORD like Abraham. The Sovereign LORD God promised to be forever present with Jacob with His love, abundant blessings, and protection, just like Abraham and Isaac. Thus, Jacob inherited Abraham and Isaac’s entire covenant blessings of God Almighty (El Shaddai). After his dream, Jacob woke up with joy, excitement, and reverential fear in God’s Presence. Jacob declared that the LORD (Adonai) was in this holy place, and he called this location the house of God, the very gateway to heaven. Jacob got up early the following day, took his stone pillow, and set up a memorial pillar. Then, Jacob poured olive oil over the monument pillar and named that place Bethel, which means “house of God,” although it was previously named Luz. Next, Jacob made a vow of devotion to the LORD as his God if the LORD would be present with him on his journeys with His divine protection and provision of safety. Jacob worshiped and devoted his life to the LORD God (Adonai), and he promised to give God a tenth (tithe) of everything the LORD graciously gives him, as ALL truly belongs to God.Notably, Abraham and Isaac also worshiped the Eternal God of heaven and earth and presented a tenth (tithe) from God’s abundant blessings and provisions like Jacob. After his encounter with God, Jacob’s life changed from a previous deceiver and trickster to a godfearing man of integrity! Jacob’s vision and dream of the Sovereign LORD God and his vision of a stairway to heaven looked forward to Christ Jesus our Savior. Christ Jesus is our stairway, ladder, and great vine between heaven and earth that mediates and gives everyone access to the Sovereign LORD God. Even more, Christ Jesus brings the fullness of Abraham’s covenant blessings and God’s abundant grace, salvation, and forgiveness to ALL PEOPLE through repentance with faithful obedience in Him as our Lord and Savior. Christ Jesus is the new Bethel (House and Temple of God) as the fullness of God lives inside Him. Jesus is the LORD!

Brothers Esau and Jacob

Isaac and his wife Rebekah wanted to begin a family. Isaac pleaded and prayed with faith to the LORD for his wife Rebekah because she was barren like Sarah, and the LORD answered Isaac’s plea, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant with two twin boys. Rebekah’s twin boys struggled within her womb, and Rebekah sought the LORD in prayer for answers and guidance. The Sovereign LORD God of heaven and earth, announced to Rebekah that she had two rival nations and two separate people living within her womb, and the older son would serve the younger son. Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, gave birth to her twin sons, Esau (Edom) and Jacob (Israel). Jacob had smooth skin, but Esau came out red, like a hairy fur garment and eventually, Esau became the father of Edom (Seir), which means red. Then Esau’s brother was born, and his hand grasped at Esau’s heel, so he was named Jacob, which means supplanter, cheater, or deceiver. Esau and Jacob grew, and Esau became a skillful hunter, outdoorsman, and man of the fields while Jacob was a mild man, dwelling with his mother Rebekah at home (within the tent). Isaac and Rebekah mistakenly practiced favoritism with their children, which would result in poisonous fruit. Isaac favored Esau because he ate Esau’s food from the fields of the earth, which the LORD had blessed, but Rebekah favored Jacob, who stayed inside the tent (home). One day, Esau was weary and tired from the fields and demanded the red stew Jacob had prepared. Jacob demanded Esau surrender his birthright in exchange for the red stew. Driven by the natural flesh (appetite) during a moment of weakness, Esau impulsively traded his divine birthright (inheritance) as Isaac’s firstborn son for Jacob’s red stew (a meal). Sadly, Esau despised as godless his birthright (bekorah), which was God’s covenant promise and blessings (berakah) of Abraham. The Holy Bible states that Esau never sought the LORD nor repented with sorrow for his godless behavior of rejecting God’s blessings and covenant birthright as Isaac’s firstborn son. Later, the Sovereign LORD God appeared to Isaac with His promise to be present with Isaac by His Holy Spirit and bless Isaac with Abraham's covenant blessing of prosperity, strength, and many multiple descendants, including Isaac’s Seed (Christ Jesus) and the land of Canaan (Israel-Palestine). The Holy Bible notes Abraham’s faithful obedience to the Sovereign LORD God’s voice and His commandments, statutes, and laws, and He commanded Abraham to teach his descendants the same faithful obedience to God. Abraham and Isaac faithfully called upon the Name of the Eternal God (El-Olam) and worshiped Him. As Isaac aged, Isaac’s eyes became weak and dim, and he requested a savory meal from his eldest son Esau and his game animal so he could bless Esau before his death. Rebekah listened when Isaac spoke to Esau about Esau receiving his birthright (bekorah) and Isaac’s blessings (berakah) before Isaac’s death. So, with her favoritism for Jacob, Rebekah commanded Jacob to obtain two goats from their flock so she could prepare a tasty meal for his father, and so Jacob could receive Isaac’s blessings instead of Esau. Rebekah and Jacob schemed and deceived Isaac by disguising Jacob with Esau’s clothes and hairy animal skins like Esau, and Rebekah had Jacob bring the meal she prepared to Isaac so Jacob could receive Isaac’s covenant blessings of Abraham.
Jacob brought the food to his father Isaac, who tricked and lied to his father, who was old and had weak eyesight, so that he would receive Esau’s birthright and covenant blessing as the firstborn son. Isaac blessed Jacob with the dew of the heavens, the fatness of the earth, plenty of grain and wine, and the honor of people, along with blessings to those who bless him and curses for those who curse him. After Jacob received the covenant blessing, Esau came to his father Isaac with a tasty meal from the game of the field, but Isaac announced to Esau that Jacob had come to him with trickery deceit and took Esau’s blessings as the firstborn son. Jacob would later reap his scheming trickery and lies by being exiled from his family for twenty years and being deceived by his future father-in-law Laban regarding his two daughters, Leah and Rachel. Esau wept bitterly to his father Isaac to receive the covenant blessing, and then Esau realized that Jacob had supplanted and deceived him twice to take away the birthright of Abraham and Isaac’s covenant blessings. Isaac informed Esau that he had made Jacob his master and blessed Jacob with servants, grain, and wine to sustain him, but he blessed Esau with a lesser blessing of scarcity, restlessness, and servitude. Esau became bitter and hated his brother Jacob with a desire to kill Jacob. Rebekah sent Jacob away from Esau to her brother Laban in Haran (Mesopotamia) until Esau’s anger eased. Also, Isaac and Rebekah sent Jacob to Mesopotamia so he would not marry the wicked women of Canaan, like his brother Esau, and Jacob obeyed his father and mother. Before leaving, Isaac once again gave Jacob the blessings God Almighty (El-Shaddai) had given to Abraham and him regarding spiritual and physical prosperity, multiplication of descendants, and the inheritance of Canaan (Promised Land of God) so Jacob (Israel) would be a channel of God’s blessings to the nations leading to the sinless Christ Jesus our Savior. The Holy Bible teaches that the Sovereign LORD God by grace chose and elected flawed Jacob (Israel) with love over Esau even before Esau and Jacob’s births. In His sovereignty, the LORD God uses all kinds of actions (good and bad) for the good of His people. Despite Esau’s action, the Sovereign LORD God commanded Jacob to love Esau (Edom) and, by God’s grace, multiplied Esau and his offspring into a great nation with land under God’s protection just like Cain, Canaan (Ham), Ishmael, Reuben, and Manasseh. Esau would later forgive and reconcile with Jacob, which answered Jacob’s prayer. Here is more Good News: everyone receives God’s righteousness, adoption into His family, and the spiritual blessings of Abraham as Abraham’s descendants by repentance with faithful obedience to Christ Jesus as Lord. The Genesis stories teach that the Sovereign LORD God makes good and divine promises for His faithful people. Still, these stories also teach everyone that we must patiently wait with obedience and prayer to God for His empowering Holy Spirit and His timing, and not by our selfish methods and sinful schemes. Let EVERYONE come with faithful obedience and love to the Sovereign LORD God and His Son Christ Jesus, for His Holy Spirit’s power and blessings and ALWAYS worship the Eternal God. Jesus is the LORD!

Isaac and His Divine Bride

Isaac grew into a wonderful man. Later, Isaac’s mother, Sarah, died at the ripe old age of 127 years and was buried in Canaan. As Isaac grew older, Abraham wanted Isaac to marry a righteous and virtuous woman from Abraham’s homeland of Mesopotamia and not from the wicked women of Canaan, who would make Isaac’s life miserable. Abraham did not want his son Isaac to leave Canaan because Canaan (Israel-Palestine) was the Promised Land from God for his descendants. Abraham sent his faithful servant to his homeland with abundant gifts to provide for Isaac’s new bride. Also, Abraham assured his servant that the living Sovereign LORD God would send His holy angel to lead and guide his servant to find Isaac’s divine bride. After reaching Abraham’s homeland, Abraham’s servant prayed from his heart with faith to the Sovereign LORD God, asking for His success, grace, and guidance to lead him to the right woman to become Isaac’s wife. The servant responded to the LORD that he would know the right woman He appointed for Isaac if the woman showed kindness and goodness by offering water to him and his camels to drink from the well. Before the servant finished praying, the LORD answered the servant’s prayers by bringing a beautiful young woman who was a virgin to the well named Rebekah. Rebekah generously offered Abraham’s servant and his animals water to drink, and she offered lodging for the servant and his animals. The Holy Bible notes that Rebekah had all the qualities of a good wife: caring, generous, beautiful, diligent, good-hearted, selfless, and hospitable. Abraham’s servant blessed Rebekah with abundant gifts, and they went to Rebekah’s father. Abraham’s servant bowed his head in humble worship and thanksgiving to the LORD for His providence, divine care, and guidance in choosing Rebekah as Isaac’s bride. Rebekah was a descendant of Abraham’s brother, Nabor, and his wife, Milcah. Rebekah’s brother Laban graciously welcomed Abraham’s servant, his companions, and animals into their home and provided food for their comfort. The servant asked the father and his family permission to take Rebekah to Isaac to become Isaac’s new bride, and they all agreed. Rebekah was so happy and willingly agreed to marry Isaac without delay. Rebekah’s family blessed her to become the mother of thousands of descendants with God’s blessings. When Isaac saw Rebekah, he fell in love with Rebekah, and they were married. After their marriage, Isaac and Rebekah gave birth to twin boys named Esau and Jacob (father of Israel). The Sovereign LORD God blessed Abraham greatly with honor and an everlasting covenant, along with many servants, animals, silver, and gold. Abraham left all his possessions and riches with God’s blessings to Isaac, the chosen son of God’s covenant promise. The Sovereign LORD God called Abraham and his descendants to walk blamelessly and faithfully obey Him. God’s hand guided Abraham and his covenant descendants with blessings, including Isaac, Jacob (Israel), and King David, leading to Christ Jesus our Savior. Abraham died at a good old age of 175, an older man full of years, and he was buried by his two sons, Isaac and Ishmael, with his wife Sarah in the Promised Land of Canaan (Israel-Palestine). The Holy Bible describes Abraham as the “father of many nations.” and the descendant (Seed) of Christ Jesus our Anointed Lord and Savior.  Jesus is Lord!

Cross of Jesus and God's Love

One of the most incredible messages of the Holy Bible is God’s love for you and the world! The living Sovereign LORD God of heaven and earth so loved that world that He sent His beloved Son, Christ Jesus, as the final sacrificial Passover Lamb of God to save you and the world from Satan’s sins and the destructive effects of Satan’s evildoing. The Apostle Peter in the New Testament states when Christ Jesus died on Calvary’s Cross, Christ Jesus personally suffered and carried our sins and pains in His sinless body to heal and deliver us from Satan’s sins and empower everyone through faith in Christ Jesus to receive salvation to live for what is right and good (righteousness). Here is some fantastic news! The loving Sovereign LORD God of heaven and earth was in His Son Christ Jesus on Calvary’s Cross dying, sacrificing, atoning, reconciling, and forgiving the world of sin and offering everyone everlasting life, righteousness, healing, mercy, and forgiveness through faith and belief in Christ Jesus. God LOVES YOU so much to give His life for you! After Christ Jesus’s death, the Sovereign LORD God raised and resurrected His Son from complete death. The Old Testament prophets predicted the coming of the sinless and perfect Jesus the Lamb as the Righteous Servant of God to bring heaven’s light, healing, forgiveness, redemption, and salvation through the Lamb’s sacrificial death at Calvary. King Jesus as the Lamb of God deserves all our love, worship, and praise as our Lord and Savior of the world. Here is more amazing news! Everyone can receive God’s eternal love, forgiveness, and peace from heaven through repentance with faith in Him and His Son, Christ Jesus, as Lord and Savior. Through His Son Christ Jesus as Lord, we have full access to God’s abundant grace and mercy. Now, the Resurrected Christ Jesus is seated at His Holy Father’s right hand in heaven, making intercession and prayers to help everyone who comes to His Holy Father through Him with repentance, faith, and obedience. Because of Jesus’s sacrifice, the loving Sovereign LORD God of heaven and earth wants everyone to love one another with mercy, forgiveness, patience, truth, and kindness. Let EVERYONE come to Jesus and receive salvation. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Christ Jesus!Believe and receive salvation knowing that Jesus is LORD! Romans 10:9-13. 

Good Sacrifice

The story of Abraham’s sacrifice in Genesis reveals the faithfulness and obedience of Abraham to the LORD God. During Abraham’s life, Abraham had moral failures with half-truths, trying to force God’s promises and even laughing at God’s promises, but Abraham always trusted and obeyed the LORD God by faith. Because of Abraham’s faith and obedience, the LORD God found Abraham’s heart faithful, and He declared Abraham righteous before Him and called Abraham a friend. Abraham was willing to sacrifice and surrender everything to the LORD God because he knew everything belonged to Him. An example of Abraham’s surrendered life comes with the birth of his beloved son Isaac. After Isaac’s birth to Abraham and Sarah, the LORD called Abraham to test Abraham’s faithfulness and obedience to Him with trials and temptation. The LORD instructed Abraham to take his beloved and only son Isaac to the land of Moriah and offer Isaac as a sacrificial offering. Isaac was God’s covenant-promised son to Abraham and Sarah. Ishmael was Abraham’s son and was blessed by God, too, but he had already left Abraham’s home with his mother, Hagar. Abraham, in active faith and obedience to the LORD, rose early the next morning, saddled his donkey, took his beloved and only son Isaac, and went to the mountain instructed by God, arriving on the third day. In his obedience, Abraham believed the LORD would provide the lamb for the offering, and he also believed the LORD could raise the dead. So, Abraham placed the wood for the offering on Isaac’s shoulders. Abraham came to the place designated by the LORD, built an altar, and prepared his son Isaac as a sacrifice when the Angel of the LORD God called from heaven and stopped Abraham from sacrificing his son Isaac. The LORD found Abraham’s heart surrendered to Him with fear and honor. Abraham lifted his eyes and found a ram graciously provided by the LORD as another sacrifice instead of Isaac, and Abraham sacrificed the ram as an offering and not his son, Isaac. Many biblical scholars see that sacrifice provided for Isaac as Christ Jesus our Lord, who is the Righteous Servant and Lamb of God given as a ransom and atoning sacrifice for our freedom from sin and shame. The LORD is our Provider (Yahweh-Yireh), and He always provides. Then, the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven, and the LORD promised Abraham an eternal blessing to all nations through his Seed (Christ Jesus) and multiplication of his descendants as the stars of the heavens and the sand of the seashore because of Abraham’s faithfulness and obedience to Him. The blessings of Abraham have now come through Christ Jesus, who is the Savior and Lord of the earth, to bring heaven’s blessings, peace, salvation, and forgiveness to all people who love and obey Him with faith and belief. Also, the LORD knew Isaac would never be sacrificed because He forbids child sacrifice in His Law. Importantly, Abraham revealed the active faith accepted by God with a heartbroken self-will and surrendered all to God. Everyone who repents and follows God with Abraham’s example of faith and obedience is also declared righteous (justified), blessed, adopted, and saved before the LORD. Jesus is the LORD and let EVERYONE worship Jesus as King!

God Sees and Hears

One of the most beautiful themes of the Holy Bible is knowing that our good and loving LORD God of heaven and earth sees, knows, and hears everything - our pains, suffering, failures, mistreatment, good deeds, and the evil deeds of ourselves and others. In Genesis, the living LORD God came to earth to visit Abraham with His two holy angels. Abraham trusted with faith and obedience in the Eternal God, and Abraham was declared righteous (morally right) as a chosen friend and prophet of the Most High God. However, Abraham and his wife Sarah were not perfect, but they always remained faithful to the living LORD God. One hot day, Abraham was resting near his tent when visited by the LORD and His two angels. Abraham greeted the LORD and His angels with kindness and joy and invited them into his home. Abraham and his wife Sarah prepared a delicious meal for the LORD and His angels. While eating, the LORD shared some excitement with Abraham and Sarah that Sarah would give birth to a son. Sarah was barren and childless. At the divine announcement, Sarah laughed just as Abraham had previously laughed, but Abraham and Sarah believed in God’s promise of a child despite being very old and past childbearing. The Almighty LORD announced to Abraham that Sarah would be the mother of nations, and she would give birth to a son named Isaac in her old age. The LORD assured Sarah that anything is possible with Him because He is all-powerful (omnipotent). Sarah considered the living LORD God faithful in all His ways and faithful to keep His promises. Next year, by God’s grace, Sarah became pregnant with a baby boy as promised. Abraham named their new son Isaac, and Isaac was circumcised on the 8th day, as God commanded. Isaac’s name means laughter, and he is the spiritual child of promise, chosen by God, and the descendant of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. The living LORD God promised Abraham that He would establish His everlasting covenant with Isaac, but the LORD would also bless Abraham’s son Ishmael. Importantly, the LORD informed His holy angels that Abraham would become a great and mighty nation with many descendants, and all nations of the world would be blessed through Abraham. In addition, the LORD God wanted Abraham to instruct his children, his household, and all future generations to keep His holy ways, always do what is good and right by faith, and turn from Satan’s wickedness and violence. After His great announcement to Abraham and Sarah, the LORD, who is the Judge of all the earth, had seen and heard from heaven of the sin, outcry, wickedness, and evildoing of Sodom and Gomorrah, and so He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah to prevent Abraham and his descendants from following their evil pathway. The living LORD God is forever good, merciful, and gracious, and He always saves and protects with blessings those who look to Him in faith and obedience and repent by turning from Satan’s immorality and evildoing. Let everyone repent of sin and wholeheartedly love and worship the living LORD God and His Son Christ Jesus as Lord in spirit and truth and faithfully obey and serve Him daily! Our loving God sees and hears everything!

Faith and Obedience

Living and walking daily with faith and obedience to the living LORD God are themes throughout the Holy Bible. Our wholehearted faithfulness with obedience to the living LORD God leads to doing God’s will and pleasing Him. Examples of people walking with faithfulness and obedience to the living LORD God include Enoch, Noah, Moses, Joshua, David, Job, and notable Christ Jesus our Lord. Abraham of the Old Testament is another perfect example of prompt faith expressed in obedience to the living LORD God, and Abraham’s example of faith with trust and obedience is a golden thread that runs throughout the Old and New Testaments. The living LORD God of heaven and earth found Abraham’s heart faithful and obedient to Him. Abraham expressed his continual love and faithfulness to the LORD God in worship and giving by looking to and calling upon the LORD’s Name in holy reverence and worship, bringing His Presence into his life and heart. Our wholehearted faith with trust expressed in obedience and worship to the living LORD God leads to His divine blessings (happiness), mercy, and favor (grace). Genesis chapters 1 through 11 describe the good beginnings of creation, then the original sin of Adam and Eve, the flooding of Noah’s generation because of evil and violence, and the scattering of humankind throughout the earth at the tower of Babel due to pride and self-reliance without God. After the tower of Babel, the coming of Abraham (Abram) from Noah’s son Shem family line gave the world hope of redemption as Christ Jesus our Lord would come from Abraham’s family line to bring heaven’s salvation and blessings to the entire world. The living LORD God of Glory called Abraham to move from Ur in Babylon-Chaldeans (ancient Mesopotamia) and move to a new land in Canaan, the Promised Land of Israel-Palestine. The people of Canaan were descendants of Noah’s other son, Ham, who Noah cursed because of Ham’s disrespect during the time of his father’s drunkenness. Abraham obeyed the living LORD God’s voice and call with faith, and he moved with his wife Sarah (Sarai), who was barren without children, and their helpers to the new land of Canaan, which he would receive as an inheritance. Sarah’s name means princess, and she was a beautiful woman who loved and respected her husband, Abraham.The living LORD God blessed Sarah to become the mother of many nations. Also, Abraham’s nephew Lot and Lot’s helpers went to the new land with Abraham and Sarah. Soon, Abraham and Lot’s helpers began to argue with strife over the pasturelands for their animals. So, Abraham, wanting to live in peace with his nephew Lot, allowed Lot to pick which land to own and live on, and Lot chose the green grass but evil, lawless, and wicked lands of Sodom and Gomorrah for his new home. After Lot’s departure, the living LORD God of heaven and earth blessed Abraham and promised Abraham all the land of Canaan (Israel-Palestine) forever. Even more, the living LORD God blessed Abraham to become the father of many nations with many descendants (offspring) as the stars of the heavens, the dust of the earth, and the sands of the seashore because of his faith and obedience to Him. Then, the living LORD God led Abraham to the land of Hebron. Abraham was a Hebrew (Jew) along with his sons Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, and they are considered the patriarchs of the Holy Bible and they were also blessed with many descendants, including our Christ Jesus our Savior. Furthermore, Abraham was the father of Ishmael with the bond servant Hagar, and the living LORD God also promised Abraham many great nations and blessings through his son Ishmael and Ishmael’s descendants. Abraham was a wealthy man with livestock, gold, silver, and many faithful servants. Although Abraham was rich, the living LORD God was Abraham’s shield and great reward. Abraham believed and trusted in the living LORD God by faith, which led to Abraham’s righteousness before God. Ultimately, everyone who belongs to Christ Jesus by faith and obedience is also Abraham’s offspring and descendants because Abraham is the father of all who believes in the living LORD God and His Son, Christ Jesus, as Lord. The living LORD God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham, and Christ Jesus and the other New Testament writers referred to Abraham as an example of faithfulness and obedience to the living LORD God. Abraham and Sarah sometimes struggled with impatience and lack of trust regarding God’s timing of His promises, but they always returned to the living LORD God with faithfulness and obedience to Him. In the New Testament, Christ Jesus referred to Abraham’s side as the place of blessedness where the righteous go after death.