Genesis 48-50

Genesis 48-50

About the Reading:

We finish up Genesis with the death of Jacob/Israel and the death of Joseph.

My Thoughts and Notes:

It was a quick reading today, but interesting.  Does anyone else notice that, earlier, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and he is referred to as suck throughout; however Jacob’s name is changed to Israel and the readings seem to bounce back and forth between calling him Jacob and Israel?

It threw me off a bit. 

The ending of Genesis seemed a bit anti-climatic.  I may be missing something important.  I have a strange feeling I am missing something.  Anyone have any insight?

Genesis 44-47

Genesis 44-47

About the Reading:

Again we continue with the story of Joseph.  The first thing that happens is that Joseph reveals himself to his brothers; then he tells them to go back and bring his father and their families back with them.  Pharaoh offers them the best land in Egypt.

The family moves and we continue on the story of those times and how Pharaoh acquires all the land.

My Thoughts and Notes:

Is it just me, or is this one of the easier readings that we have had so far?  Or is it that I am just getting into the swing and rhythm?  Or maybe it’s because I really know this story well and that’s why it is so easy to read.

I don’t have any specific thoughts on what is going on, I just find it easy to read. 

What are your thoughts on the reading?

Genesis 41-43

Genesis 41-43

About the Reading:

We  continue in reading Joseph’s life.  First is the story of Pharaoh’s dream in which, after many others cannot do it, Joseph is summoned and interprets the dream for him.  As a result, Pharaoh honors Joseph by making him governor of the land saying that only the throne would put Pharaoh above him.

We learn of Joseph’s brothers coming to him and, as he dreamed years ago, bowing down to him.  Joseph put them through quite a bit to get food and come back with the youngest brother, Benjamin, whom Jacob had kept at home with him.

My Thoughts and Notes:

Joseph does not take credit for interpreting dreams.  He knows that he is only a vessel through which God speaks to interpret these dreams for others.  Genesis 41:16

‘Not I,’ Joseph replied to Pharaoh, ‘God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.’

Is anyone else reading a bit of affection from Joseph to his brothers?  I almost see a bit of a smirk on his face as he is pulling one over on them, but it seems to be a boys-will-be-boys, but there seems to be a bit of affection and, most definitely, a need to know that his family is okay.

Maybe it’s just me.  I’m sure there is a bit of resentment to his brothers for the way they treated him.  What do you think?

Genesis 37-40

Genesis 37-40

About the Reading:

Today we start with the story of Joseph.  Joseph was a son of Jacob.  Joseph was Jacob’s favorite child and his other son’s were jealous.  They plotted to kill Joseph but, in the end, sold him to the Ishmaelites.  They sent his colorful tunic back to their father, dipped in goats blood.  Jacob mourned his son.

We learn how God blesses and protects Joseph.  Joseph is wrongly accused of wrongdoings by his master’s wife.  As a result he ends up in the dungeon.  We end today’s reading with Joseph interpreting the dreams of two prisoners and the dreams come true.

My Thoughts and Notes:

Joseph is one of my favorite people in the Bible.  He is truly blessed by God.  He comes from a family where there is much jealousy in a long ling (his father, Jacob, his grandfather, Isaac).  It is amazing to me that, he seems, to not be corrupt by this, but blessed by God.

He does use his gifts from God in a good way.  We have just begin to learn of Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams.  We first hear of him interpreting his own dreams which fuels the jealousy of his brothers and even enrages his father.

Chapter 38, to me, seems a bit misplaced as it is in the middle of the story of Joseph.  Does anyone have any insight as to why this might be placed here?

What do you think of the story, so far, of Joseph?

Genesis 33-36

Genesis 33-36

About the Reading:

Today’s reading takes us to Jacob and Esau meeting again after many years.  It touches on the rape of Dinah, Jacob’s daughter. 

We also learn of Esau’s family tree.

My Thoughts and Notes:

I really don’t have many thoughts on today’s reading.  I think partly because the last chapter really was a list of names, again.  Does anyone else find it difficult to get through all of those?

Nothing really stood out to me.  I mean, you would think that the rape of Jacob’s daughter might get some mention from me, right?  But it doesn’t for some reason. 

The revenge her brother’s took on the city should mean something to me, too.  I think it does to some point.  Maybe I’m just not in the right mindset as I am reading today’s passage.

I know that tomorrow’s reading will really get me going, though.  We are going to be learning about Joseph.  This is a story that I am very familiar with.

Since I failed miserably on commenting on this reading, I’m going to request lots of comments from all of you!  What do you think?

Genesis 29-32

Genesis 29-32

About the Reading:

Today we learn a lot about the life of Jacob.  We learn the life that he has led himself into with his tricking Isaac…a life of being tricked and trying to outwit his uncle Laban.

We learn how Jacob is married to Leah and then Rachel.  The numerous children they have and how that comes about.

At the end of today’s reading, we learn of Jacob returning to Esau and also of him being renamed by God to Israel.

My Thoughts and Notes:

Genesis 29:14

and Laban said to him, ‘You are indeed my bone and flesh!’

Does this mean that Laban, too, would easily lie and scheme?

Can we say, “what goes around comes around” about things in the Bible.  Would that be appropriate?  Jacob tricked his father and now, Jacob was tricked. 

It seems, to me, that Jacob and Laban are constantly trying to outwit each other in trying to see who could trick the other more.  It’s sad really, isn’t it?  That all this tricking/lying/decieving has really caused so much more turmoil than on the surface.  Because of tricking Jacob to marrying Leah first, both sisters live their life in competition with each other.  Laban’s sons grow more and more hatred.

How often have we tricked/lied/decieved and what are the consequences.  The smallest lie can build into the biggest mountain that we really didn’t intend.  It really isn’t worth all the trouble, is it?

What stood out to you in the reading today?

Genesis 25:19-28

Genesis 25:19-28

I must apologize to you right now because I have not done the reading yet.  I would typically do the reading the night before so that, at 3 am my time, the post is ready to go.  Unfortunately I have quickly learned this week that I should plan a little bit more ahead for my Tuesday nights. 

I WILL get the post up tonight, but it will be more like 6 my time.  I don’t want that to stop the conversations, though.  Please, do the reading, leave a comment, discuss amongst yourselves!

(Yeah!  I got it up now!)

About the Reading:

Since I am late in posting this, I will only be writing my thoughts and notes tonight.

My Thoughts and Notes:

I find it interesting that Rebekah, as was Sarah, was barren.  It’s an interesting note to me.  I’m not sure that it means much, but it’s interesting.

I learned that Esau literally means red hairy and Jacob means heel.

There is a definite pattern to Isaac’s life from Abraham, isn’t there?  Abraham’s wife is barren; Isaac’s wife is barren.  Abraham’s tells everyone his wife is his sister; Isaac tells everyone his wife is his sister.  Eventually, in both cases, the truth is discovered and orders are made to leave the men alone.

I read lessons that will say that Jacob took advantage of Esau in a time of weakness to get his birthright.  I don’t know that I read it like that (Genesis 25:34):

Then Jacob gave him some bread and lentil stew; he ate, drank, got up and went away.  That was all Esau cared about his birthright."

That verse, to me, shows that Esau was willing to give up his birthright.  Maybe he even was a bit relieved?  I don’t know.  What do you think?

Jacob tricks Isaac into giving him a blessing meant for his brother.  Rebekah not only encouraged it, but came up with the scheme herself!  I am, somewhat, surprised at these actions.  Not surprised because I knew what was coming from previous readings; surprised because I can’t imagine coming up with a scheme like this.  I can’t imagine favoring one child over another.

Closer to one child?  Yes.  But to sabotage one child over another?  No. 

There were consequences from their actions.  Jacob had to run for a good remainder of his life. 

I know that my writing in this is a bit choppy.  I apologize for that today.  However, it does show my dedication to reading this year and to enjoying it with all of you.  Things have been a bit busy and I have still made time to complete this task. 

I’m not going to promise tomorrow’s will be better; but I will promise that tomorrow’s will be up bright and early in the morning!

Genesis 21-25:18

Genesis 21-25:18

About the Reading:

We first read about the birth of Isaac, the son promised to him by God.  We quickly learn again of Sarah’s jealousy towards Hagar and Ishmael as she tells Abraham to drive them away; yet, again, God protects them.

We learn of the oath made between Abraham and Abimelech which Abraham swears to not act treacherously towards him or his family. 

In chapter 22 we start off with the story of God calling Abraham and telling him to take Isaac, his long awaited son, to an alter in Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering to God.  Abraham, without question, does as God asks of him.

God stops Abraham at the last minute, before he kills Isaac, and then Abraham gets a ram who is stuck in a nearby bush to sacrifice and offer to God.

In chapter 23, we begin with the death of Sarah.  Abraham mourns her and asks for a tomb to bury her.  He ends up wanting a cave from Ephron.  Abraham pays him for the land and thus buries Sarah there. 

Abraham sends his senior servant to go back to his native land to get a wife for Isaac.  He has the servant swear that the woman will come from that land but he is to never bring Isaac to that land.  There, he asks God to give him a specific sign that he will know the right girl.  He finds Rebekah.

She goes with him back to his master and, upon seeing Isaac, covers herself.  Isaac marries her.

At the end of the reading, we learn of the death of Abraham and his burial in the same field as Sarah.  Then we learn of the death of Ishmael. 

My Thoughts and Notes:

I love the verses Genesis 21:6-7

Sarah said: God has given me cause to laugh!  all who hear about this will laugh with me!

She added: Whoever would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children!  Yet I have borne a son in his old age.

I want to do exactly what she says and just laugh!  Don’t you?  You can hear they joy in what she says.

One of my favorite stories in the Old Testament is the one of Abraham willing to offer Isaac to God as a burnt offering.  I’m not sure what about it resonates with me, but it does.  I have very clear memories of sitting in fourth grade as we read this story for the first time.  Even then I knew what an amazing gift this was.

Abraham waited for a very long time for Isaac and then God tells him to offer him as a sacrifice to Him.  More amazing than that, Abraham was very willing to do it!  He gets up there, he has Isaac on the alter, he is seconds away from sacrificing him!

That is sacrificing for our God.  That is amazing.  How many of us would do that?  I’d like to say I would; but I know that I am human and sometimes struggle with this.

I also love the story of Rebekah and how the servant finds her.  It makes me think of a sappy love story.  Do you know what I mean?  I just love that she so willingly goes with the servant and, upon seeing Isaac, just seems to know and gets off her camel to cover herself for him.  Am I a hopeless romantic, or is that as mushy and romantic as it plays out in my head?

What do you think of today’s readings?  What would be the most difficult thing for you to sacrifice for God?

Genesis 16-20

Genesis 16-20

About the Reading:

The first thing we read about is the birth of Ishmael, Abram’s child with one of Sarai’s slave-girls.  It showed how Sarai’s feelings changed towards Hagar once she was pregnant as well as how Hagar responded.  God basically says that Ishmael will be an outcast, “living his life in defiance of all his kinsmen.”

We then hear of God renaming Abram to Abraham as He will make him the father of many and many nations.  We are also introduced to circumcision and God’s instruction that all males are to be circumcised as a mark as a covenant to God.

God also renames Sarai to Sarah.  He promises that Sarah will bear a son.  In response to this, Abraham laughs while offering God Ishmael in place of a son that Sarah may have.  He promises Abraham that Ishmael will, too, be blessed with many children as will Isaac (the future son to Abraham and Sarah).

We also learn of Sarah’s doubt of bearing a child when God appears to them explaining that she will have a child by this time next year.  God reprimands them saying, “Nothing is impossible for Yahweh.  I shall come back to you at the same time next year and Sarah will have a son.”

A bit later in Chapter 18, we find Abraham interceding for Sodom convincing God to not destroy the city.  He finds a very philosophical argument to talk God out of destroying the city.

We quickly learn that the city of Sodom will be destroyed because of the people in it.  God, honoring Abraham, makes sure that Lot and his family are sent to safety before destroying the city.  Lot, his wife and two daughters are to go to the next city and not look back.  Lot’s wife does not heed the warning and looks back, thus turning her into a pillar of salt.

It is explained where the Moabites and Ammonites begin their heritage through Lot and his daughters.

Lastly, today, we learn about the travels once again of Abraham and how he and Sarah told the king that they were sibling, and not that she was his wife.  This again brings trouble from God and Sarah is returned.  God spares the king as he did not touch Sarah and Abraham intercedes for the king for God to give him children.

My Thoughts and Notes:

When I first began reading today’s assignment I first thought, “I recall reading this before, but it never really stuck with me.”  Then I began to realize that, although Abram was such a true follower of God, he still did not fully trust.  In yesterday’s reading we read (Genesis 15:4):

The Yahweh’s word came to him in reply, ‘Such a one will not be your heir; no, your heir will be the issue of your won body.’

In other words, God promised that he would father his own child.  I guess, one could argue, that God hadn’t said that he would father a child through Sarai, however I wonder about Abram’s thinking.  Did his faith in God’s word falter, or did he really think that God had wanted him to find a way to father a child?

We do learn that both Abram (now Abraham) and Sarai (now Sarah) have doubts about God’s promise of bearing a child.  Abraham laughs when God tells him that he will have a child through Sarah. 

Sarah herself laughs when she hears God, Himself, say that within a year’s time she will have a child.  After all, she has been well past the childbearing age.  I can understand their hesitancy.    She then has the audacity to lie to God by denying that she laughed.  God was simple in his response (18:15)

Sarah said, ‘I did not laugh,’ lying because she was afraid.  But he replied, ‘Oh yes, you did laugh.’

As a preschool teacher, I come across this quite a bit.  I like to think that I see it a bit like Him.  Usually a child “lies” when they think they are in trouble.  It’s a defense mechanism in our brains.  Sarah had the same response.  When a child tells me, “I didn’t hit him!” with that wide-eyed look, I can say I respond the same as God, “Yes, you did hit him.”  It’s that simple.  Often times, when faced with someone lying to us, the best response is the simple truth.

I find Genesis 18:16-33 very intriguing.  God allows Himself to be talked out of destroying the city of Sodom.  Well, does God really “allow” Himself to be talked out of it?  I don’t think so.  I know that God knows all and knew that Abraham would debate the point.  In my opinion, this was a lesson from God to Abraham.  It’s a lesson to all of us.  At what number to we say a person shouldn’t be saved from destruction?

It’s a tough question to answer.  Do we bomb a city because it is the home of terrorist who are training to destroy us when we know that there is just one person there who is not a terrorist? 

When we get to the origin of the Moabites and the Ammonites, I struggle.  I struggle for many reasons, mainly being that it is not made clear that this turned out badly…until you know the history of these two places in which the nations of Moab and Ammon fought for centuries with Israel.  I mean, I know what the daughters did was completely wrong, but I don’t find it made clear until I look at the information. 

Today’s reading was an interesting one for me with all the history and information, yet I didn’t find much that really stood out to me. 

How about you?  Did anything stand out for you?  What did you learn?

Genesis 9:18-15

Genesis 9:18-15

About the Reading:

We first learn of Noah and his sons, and his grandson.  As a result of the actions of Ham, Noah curses his grandson (Canaan) to a life of slavery in service to his brothers all while praising God and lifting his other sons to Him.

We again learn more ancestry of these historical people.  Through these lists of families, we first learn that there are different languages, clans, and nations.

We also learn the story of Babel in which God came down and, upon seeing the town and the tower to Heaven, made everyone speak different languages so they would no longer be a single people but be scattered across the world.

Here we are introduced to Abram.  We learn of God’s promise to him to bless him and make him famous.  We learn of his travels with his wife and nephew, Lot, across the land.  We learn of God’s great promise to give Abram descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky!  We also learn of the land that He gives to Abram as well.

My Thoughts and Notes:

I found today’s reading a bit interesting, a bit not so interesting, and a bit intriguing.

I still can’t seem to get into the who list of ancestry.  I think because I am a very visual person and, as I read it, my mind just keeps wanting to turn to look at a family tree type chart as I read it.  There are so many descendants, and brothers and sisters and this and that and him and hers that my mind just can’t wrap itself around it all. 

I also always struggle with time frames while reading these passages.  It is difficult for me to imagine all of these things that happened so long ago as well as to imagine how long some of these time frames are.

I love the story of Abram.  It has always been one that interests me.  I’m not sure why, but I do find myself very interested every time I read or hear it.

Let’s go back, however, to the story of Babel first.  This has always been a story that really wasn’t of much interest to me until I was reading it today.  The reason it suddenly became of interest to me was because of the version I went to read.

I am reading from The New Jerusalem Bible as my daily reading; however I keep a copy of the Student Bible New international Version next to me as well.  I do this because it is better at clarifying some things for me as I need.  I kind of look at the Student Bible a bit as my “dictionary” to the New Jerusalem Bible.  Does that make sense?

Anyway, while reading the story of Babel, I began thinking, “Huh, so God didn’t like us working all together so He split us up?  That can’t be all, can it?”

I turned to the Student Bible and found this:

11:6 Human Ambition

People are ambitious-they want to succeed.  Genesis portrays humans as so ambitious that they try to compete with, rather than serve, God.  This was Adam and Eve’s sin (3:5,22), and at Babel people were at it again, in a citywide effort.  God frustrated their plans by confusing their language

Now I get it!  It wasn’t the fact that the people were working together.  It was the fact that people were working together and forgetting to praise God and serve Him in their work.

That really makes me think.  I have talked, in the past, about my job feeling more like a vocation than really a job or career.  I feel like I have been called to do what I do, to make the lives of children better, to influence those who work with children.  I do bring a bit of God with me to work…okay, I bring a LOT of God with me to work. 

The struggle, however, comes when others don’t do the same.  I guess it would be so much easier to serve God if I were working in a Christian preschool; however, I am not.  Therefore, I know that the work I do is to serve God, but it is not in a unifying front.

Now let’s look at the verse that really intrigued me the most today (Genesis 14:21-24):

The king of Sodom said to Abram, ‘give me the people and take the possessions for yourself.’  But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, ‘I swear by God most High, Creator of heaven and earth; not one thread, not one sandal strap, will I take of what is yours, for you to be able to say, “I made Abram rich.”  For myself, nothing-except what the troops have used up, and the share due to the men who came with me, Eshcol, Aner and Mamre; let them take their share.’

I read this and I think, “Yes, isn’t that what really should be?”  Abram says he will serve God not for the monetary reasons.  He will only take what he needs to survive.  He will not do his work in order to live a life of luxury.  I think this is what we should all strive for, isn’t it?

That’s all I got thoughts-wise on this reading.  What do you have?  What are your thoughts?  What was your most thought-provoking verse today?

Genesis 4-9:17

Genesis 4-9:17

About the Reading:

In today’s reading we learn about Cain and Able, two brothers borne to Eve.  Cain, out of jealousy, kills Able and tries to hide that fact from God.  Of course, God knows what has happened and punishes Cain, banishing him from society.  He also marks Cain so that he will not be killed by others.

We also learn a bit about the ancestral lines of Cain and Seth (another brother to Cain) as well as the fact that these first people of God lived to be very old and that God realized that the length of life had to be shortened (Genesis 6:3).

And finally, we begin the story of Noah’s ark where Noah is instructed by God to build  large vessel with specific measurements made of specific woods so that the world could be destroyed while saving species and Noah’s family.  We end our reading today just as the storm begins (I wonder what will happen as we continue tomorrow :) )

(edited:  Okay, I just picked up my trusty Bible to continue my reading and realized that I stopped at Genesis 7:17, not 9:17 so ignore my whole “I wonder how it will end thing”.  Oh, and add to the discussion about the rest of the passage, grr don’t know how I did this, I may be adding more to my thoughts and notes in a bit after I read the rest of today’s reading…oops, is all I can say.)

My thoughts and notes:

Okay, I KNOW how the story continues tomorrow.  What I find interesting is that, again, this is a story made familiar to me in childhood.  I know that as we continue to read this year, there will be parts of the Bible that I will be very familiar with, parts that I will be vaguely familiar with, and parts that I will not recall ever having read before in my life (although I am sure that I have, at one point or another, read all the parts of the Bible, just not as intentional as this).

On thing I do know about this passage, and future one’s we will be reading, is that, although I am intrigued, I have never really put together the connections of all the people in the ancestry that is introduced at such great lengths.  I know there is importance in this, otherwise it wouldn’t be in here.  I know that it would probably be pretty easy to find it mapped out in today’s information age where you can find almost anything on line.  It is just one of those things that I have never found the time to truly dedicate in educating myself.  It has eaten at me for quite a while now, so I know that one day I will actually take care of it.  Have any of you ever studied the ancestry?  I would love to hear more if you have!

Let’s look at the story of Cain and Able.  I can almost empathize with Cain in his jealousy.  Have you ever done something at work/school/home and wanted more recognition than you have ended up getting?  I know I have.  I know there are times, even now, in my job in which I don’t always feel completely appreciated.

Does that mean I am going to kill someone because I am jealous of them?  NO!  Talk about going against the commandments (reference Michael Mary’s comment in yesterday’s post).  It doesn’t mean that I agree with his actions; I’m just saying I can sort of understand.

However, God once again shows us the kind of parent he is (4:11-15).  He will punish when punishment is warranted…and it is warranted here! Yet, in He again shows his compassion as well when he marks Cain so that no one will do him harm.

My last thoughts on the Cain and Able story is on Genesis 4:7,

‘If you are doing right, surely you ought to hold your head high!  But if you are not doing right, Sin is crouching at the door hungry to get you.  You can still master him.’

I love this verse.  I can think of several situations in the recent past at work in which I have had to consider if I should hold my head high or reevaluate because I was wrong.  I am a sinner, as we all are.  However, I have made a very conscious effort lately to make sure that I do my best to do right.  My life philosophy is “I will be a better person today than I was yesterday and a better person tomorrow than I am today.”

What I mean by that is that there are things that I did wrong yesterday that do not make me proud, aka sins.  If I am aware of those transgressions, I make sure not to make that same transgression again.  I can’t go back and change it; I can do my best to right my wrongs, and, maybe even better, I can make sure that I don’t do the same thing again.  In all of that, I hold my head high.

No onto the story of Noah.  I attempted about 4 years ago to read the Bible in a year.  I failed miserably and don’t think I made it past January; something I am not planning on repeating.  This time we will all make it through together.  Anyway, I remember when I began reading then how I was shocked to see how specific the story is in telling Noah exactly how to build the ark.  I mean, God give him the measurements, the types of woods to use, He gives him a verbal blueprint! 

If we listen, doesn’t He give us the blue print as well?  I know when I listen to Him things come much easier to me.  Could you imagine if Noah had said, “Um, no, I think that’s a bit crazy.  I don’t think it needs to be three levels, I’m going to make just two.” 

I can just imagine the people around Noah and what they were thinking.  I mean, what would you think?  Crazy, right?  Can you also imagine the work that Noah had to go through to get all these animals on that ark?  I mean, talk about an organization nightmare!  Lions and tigers have to be on an entirely different level than the zebra; food needs to be stored for all; and so much more!  I couldn’t imagine!  I can barely keep myself organized for a day!

I am disappointed, however, to see that those darn unicorns just don’t make it on that ark :)

On a serious note, this is a story that teaches us how powerful and almighty God truly is.  I mean, who else do you know that can destroy the world whenever He chooses.  I only know of one!

(edited to add: okay, now that I’ve read the entire reading, I do want to add a few things.  First, a funny story.  I remember reading this story as a child and I remember the part about the dove flying around and brining an olive branch.  However, it wasn’t until I was about10 that I truly understood why the dove had to go out and what the significance of the branch was.  I mean, I really didn’t understand that it meant that the water was drying up.  Yeah, I wasn’t a very quick child when it came to getting ideas like that.

in 9:3-4 it states

Every living thing that moves will be yours to eat, no less than the foliage of the plants.  I give you everything, with this exception: you must not eat flesh with life, that is to say blood, in it.

Just before this God, once again, gives to us the earth and all that is in it.  We are to use these items and be responsible for them.  Just as he instructed Adam, he again instructs Noah.

Now He is also telling Noah in very specifics that we are to eat the items of the land.  We are to eat the vegetation AND the animals!  I had always heard of a Kosher diet and am somewhat familiar of the idea through Jewish friends and coworkers who I have known.  I see now exactly where it comes from.  This passage sums it up, doesn’t it?

Finally, God sums it up by promising to never again destroy all living things again.  He makes this promise by putting out a rainbow.  You know, every single time I see a rainbow two thoughts go through my mind:

One is that there is ALWAYS a twin, sometimes you have to look really hard, but there is always a mirror image of the rainbow in front of you slightly dimmer than the other.  When there is a very light rainbow, it is often difficult to catch the other one, but it’s there.

My other thought, and always really my first thought, is of God and this story.  Every time I see a rainbow in the sky I can’t help but to cross myself and say a silent prayer to God in thanks for giving us this world in which to live and for the knowledge that He will never destroy us again.

Alright, those are really my final thoughts on this reading, now that I have read it all.  Add one more question to the list below:

What do you think of when you see a rainbow? )

What are your thoughts on today’s reading?  Have you ever researched the ancestry?

Genesis 1-3

Genesis 1-3

I’ve put a link to the reading if you do not have a Bible at home to read from.  Today we read Genesis 1-3 (remember that means the book Genesis chapters one through three).

First, welcome to everyone who is here today and will be coming in the future. 

About the Book:

Now I want to start with just a very quick and short introduction to the book of Genesis.  Genesis actually means “an origin, beginning, or creation.”   It is the first book in the Bible (obviously or we wouldn’t be reading it today) and is part of what is called the Pentateuch, or five fold scroll.  You can gather from that it means that it is one of five books; the first five books in the Bible.

The Pentateuch is the memorial of the beginnings of God’s people.  The book of Genesis really plays a very important part; it sets the scene for the entirety of the Bible.  It sets the tone.  It shows us that God is the all powerful creator of the universe.

 

About the Reading:

We begin the year by reading about, well, the beginning!  These first 3 chapters in Genesis are all about God creating the World and everything in and about it.  He created night and day.  He split the land from the water.  He created the life of everything!  The plants, the animals, all of it!  It is all here because of God.

God created a man in His likeness to be the master of this creation.

When he created Adam he notices that, even with all the animals around, he is lonely.  God puts him into a deep sleep, takes part of his rib, and creates a female counterpart.  Adam, himself, is given the opportunity to name her.  She is woman because she is made from him.

This is also were we are first introduced to free will and our human ability to use that free will to go against Him.  It is in chapter 3 that we learn about God’s instruction to not eat from one tree and the serpent’s temptation given to Eve who, in turn, tempts Adam.

God then doles out punishment for this decision.

My thoughts and notes:

Maybe because it’s the first book in the Bible, maybe it’s because I went to Catholic schools, maybe it’s because I grew up in a very religious home, but no matter the reason, I am very familiar with this passage.

I can clearly recollect a time in elementary school when we were having a Friday service.  The fourth grade class had been responsibly for the readings that day and chose to act this story out.  It was then that I realized that the serpent had actually had legs until he was punished because of his behavior.

There were a few verses that stood out to me.  First was Genesis 1:12, 24-25 which reads,

“The earth produced vegetation: the various kinds of seed-bearing plants and the fruit trees with seed inside, each corresponding to its own species.  God saw that it was good...God said, ‘Let the earth produce every kind of living creature in its own species: cattle, creeping things and wild animals of all kinds.’  And so it was.  God made wild animals in their own species, and cattle in theirs and every creature that crawl along the earth in its own species.  God saw that it was good.”

A few months ago I was confronted on another blog in my beliefs that God created us and my belief that we didn’t come from a single cell organism.  As I was reading these words I realized (wish I had realized back then during my debate) that it says right in there.  It’s not an accident through mutation that we are human and pigs are pigs and apple trees are apple trees.  God created these things in “their own species”.  It’s that simple!

The next verse that struck out to me was Genesis 1:26 that reads,

“God said, ‘Let us make man in our own image, in the likeness of ourselves, and let them be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, the cattle, all the wild animals and all the creatures that creep along the ground.’”

This verse struck me because, the way I read it, God has given us a great responsibility to be masters of the living animals on this earth.  I have struggled lately in my personal life with decisions on how “green” to go.  The way I see it, we are also living on this planet and we shouldn’t care more for the animals than for ourselves; however, I do know and understand that we have been given a big responsibility from God: to care for his creation.

I have come to this conclusion: I can do my part in caring for the animals put into our care.  I do not go out of my way to intentionally hurt the animals in our care.  It is my responsibility to not trash or destroy the habitats of animals.  I recycle, I do my part.  However, God also gave us the earth to live off of.  We are to use His gift to live.  Therefore, farming and using the animals to live is quite alright with me.  That’s the way I read it. (okay, please note that I did NOT write that as clearly as it is in my head; but no matter how much editing and rewriting, I just couldn’t get it to sound as good as it is in my head.  So, if you want to know what I really mean, I invite you to crawl right inside my brain and pull that information out).

I was also intrigued by Genesis 2:23-24,

“And the man said: This one at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh!  She is to be called Woman, because she was taken from Man.  This is why a man leaves his father and mother and becomes attached to his wife, and they become one flesh.”

I love these verses for very personal reasons.  Personal reasons that I know those of you who are married share with me.  It is a powerful thing to think about, isn’t it?  In our marriage ceremony it was emphasized a great deal how we were now becoming one.  We were no longer two people but one unit.  This verse is the root of that belief.  This verse is very powerful for me, as it is my husband. 

On a personal note that fits right into this verse, my husband and I have a running interaction with each other that really gets to the heart of this.  I must admit that he started it, but I love it.  Often times when I tell him, “I love you” he will say, “I love me, too…which means I love you, because we are one.”  He started this on our wedding night.  It’s a bit goofy, but it is one thing that truly keeps us grounded in remembering that we are no longer two entities, but one.  This truly is one of my favorite verses.

Chapter 3 in it’s entirety stuck out for me.  I think it is here that I see how much God is truly a parent to us.  I also see here that through all these years, from the beginning of time, our nature has been to point fingers and, really, not take responsibility for our actions.  Do you get that?

I mean, sure the serpent told Eve to eat of the fruit, but he didn’t say “eat it or I’ll kill you.”  She still had a choice to make.  She chose to eat the fruit even though she knew it was wrong.  Her weakness as a human showed right there.  As did Adam’s when he, too, ate of the fruit.

What I love, however, is that God listened and then he doled out the punishment.  Sure, everyone had their excuses, but none of them were free of their punishment, were they?  There was a consequence to their actions and He didn’t falter in His punishment.  Heck, he still hasn’t, has he?  Here we are how many millions of years later and we still have pain in child birth, serpents still crawl on their bellies and are still not loved by Eve’s children, and man still must sweat through thorns to get fruit from the earth.

However, through it all, it shows God’s great love for us, doesn’t it?

What did you notice about the readings?  What did you remember from the past?  What are your thoughts on the readings?  What was your favorite verse or which verse really stuck out the most to you?

 

Come, let’s discuss!