Jan 31 (Exodus 31-40)

Exodus 31

God reminds the Israelites that the Sabbath is holy, and that they are required to keep it that way. I remind my kids of this as well, since it serves two points:

~ Working six days a week is taxing on the mind and body, so God is forcing those who are workaholics to rest one day so they won't kill themselves!

~ Taking a day to rest and worship the LORD is more than reasonable. Of course, as Christians, we feel every day is the Sabbath, since Jesus is our Sabbath. In Him we are in communion with the Father. How loving and reasonable our God is...to ask that we give Him one day to observe, worship and read His Word!!! In our hectic lifestyles, we often are too busy for God, but if we take the time for Him that He asks for, we find that we're better off for it.

Exodus 32

I marvel at how Aaron could stoop to this level when he was witness to so many miracles that God did for him and Moses! This should give us pause, to realize that even the most revered believers before us have slipped and failed at times.

(v.32) I stop at this verse and let my kids grasp what Moses was asking God here...he was willing to give up his own salvation forever, for the salvation for his people. That is a heart full of love and compassion...just where God wanted him!

Exodus 33

How magnificent and yet terrifying it must have been to talk directly with God! Moses was blessed, but with that blessing, came enormous responsibility. We don't always think of that when we pray to be used by God. We want access to Him, but we aren't always prepared or willing to do what He wants us to do. I know I have had many thoughts and desires for what I want to do for God, but He always has something different, and ultimately, better for me and my family.

Exodus 34 - 40

The rest of this book details how God told Moses to make the items of the Tabernacle. This is a good study to go into, since we see our own human anatomy and the spiritual world reflected in these items.

Jan 30 (Exodus 23-30)

Exodus 23

It's fun to go through the feasts with our kids...they all point to Christ! I stress with my kids that in order to fully understand the New Testament and who Jesus is, we need to know and understand the typology and standards established in the Old Testament first!

Exodus 24

The magnificence of God can't be fully described on paper or by word of mouth. The Jews were able to see a glimpse of His power and glory, but not nearly the whole picture. I look forward to seeing that in heaven, and spending eternity in such joy to be in fellowship with such a powerful and loving Father!!!

Exodus 25

God is setting up the items to be placed in the Tabernacle and ultimately the Temple. Each one of these items point to Christ, and they remind us of God's character.

The Ark ~ points us to God's Word...Jesus

The Showbread ~ Jesus is our Bread of Life

The Lampstands ~ Jesus is the Light of the World

Exodus 26

If your kids find the Tabernacle interesting, I suggest you check out the teachings of Chuck Missler on this...the articles and makings of the Tabernacle all have great significance. Here is the Missler link:

http://www.khouse.org/articles/1999/242/

Exodus 27

This chapter shows us more of the tabernacle and the coming temple. One thing I point out with my kids, is that the choice of metals again point us to Christ:

Gold ~ this represents Christ's kingship and royalty

Silver ~ this metal is always linked to blood and the cleansing of sin

Brass/Bronze ~ this is the only metal that can withstand fire or wrath

Exodus 28

From the tribe of Levi come the priests. God ordains and trains the priests to minister to the people and to represent Him.

One thing I mention to my kids are the bells that hang from the hem of the High Priest's robe. On Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, the High Priest goes into the Holy of Holies once a year. Tradition states that the people outside would listen for the bells to sound as the High Priest enters and administers the blood on the Ark. Sometimes, the awe and power of God is too much, and the High Priest perishes. So if they stop hearing the bells, they know that something is wrong. They have a rope tied to his ankle, so if he is dead, they drag him out!

Exodus 29

God sanctifies the sons of Aaron to be the priests. I point out to the kids, that all the Levites are consecrated to work at the Tabernacle and the Temple, but only the sons of Aaron, who are Levites, are to be priests. All the other Levites work and tend to the Temple, but they aren't able to perform the priestly duties.

Exodus 30

I like to focus on how God sees us all the same, no matter our wealth or lineage. All Jews were to give the same amount to the priests as an offering. There weren't any progressive scales for the rich...it was fair...everyone paid the same amount. We are all equal under the LORD.

Jan 29 (Exodus 20-22)

Exodus 20

Here, God gives Moses the Law...the 10 Commandments. I go through each of them with my kids:

1. "You shall have no other gods before Me." ~ God doesn't want to be #1 on a list of 10...He wants to be #1 on a list of one! He wants us to include Him in ALL PARTS OF OUR LIVES...not just certain parts.

2. "You shall not make for yourself a carved image" ~ There is no way to make a likeness to God with human hands, so don't try it. Idols are man-made, and God wants us to focus on the Creator, not His creation. Oprah Winfrey turned away from God when she read that God is a "jealous" God. Of course, what she fails to see, is that jealous doesn't mean a jealous spouse. God wants to have fellowship with us, and to let anything get in the way hurts Him.

3. "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain" ~ Many people think this commandment is alluding to cursing or cussing. Certainly, we as believers should refrain from foul language, but I believe God is talking about something bigger. As Christians, we take on the name of our Lord...Christ. If we curse, steal, gossip, etc, then we are defiling the name of God. We believers are His ambassadors...we need to represent our King properly for His glory!

4. "Remember the Sabbath day...For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth" ~ First of all, every day is our Sabbath if we're in Christ. But it is helpful and fruitful to take a day to completely devout our time for God. We can do this by reading His Word most of the day, we can spend the day with other believers, or we can pray even more that day. We just need to do this for Him, and not for ourselves. Also, notice that God documents that He did create the universe in SIX LITERAL DAYS. Many good people can disagree on the merits of the Gap Theory, but the Hebrew used here definitely refers to six actual days...not six eras.

5. "Honor your father and your mother" ~ My kids smile every time I read this to them...they always say, "we're trying Daddy!" I stress to them that we love them, and even though we'll make mistakes, they should always show us respect.

6. "You shall not MURDER" ~ Notice that the original text doesn't say "kill" because it's not unlawful to kill in war or self defense. Murder is the act of deliberately killing someone for your own sinful reasons. There is a big difference between righteous killing and murder. If your kids ask for some examples, then refer them to Abraham, Samuel, David and Joshua...God commanded these great men of faith to kill evil.

7. "Honor your spouse" ~ You'll notice I don't say the "A" word...depending upon the age of your kids, it might be appropriate just to say that God loves marriage and hates divorce. However, if one has been divorced, they aren't condemned to hell. We all make mistakes, and if that person will include God in the next marriage, then the results would be different.

8. "You shall not steal" ~ Here God puts great importance upon private property. It's not right to take what is not yours. Some good discussions can come from this one!!!

9. "You shall not lie" ~ This is a real tough one on all of us, because at our best, we sometimes "stretch the truth" in order to avoid the pain of the whole truth. I stress to my kids that it's always best to tell the truth, since sometimes it's bad enough, rather than lie and get caught in a lie later!

10. "You shall not covet" ~ Almost all of the previous commandments can be related to this one...if we don't obsess or focus on material things and focus on God, we won't fill our minds with lust, envy or greed.

So why was the Law given? It is definitely a standard we should strive to keep, but we all know that it's impossible by our sinful nature to keep the Law our whole lives. We may do pretty well for a while, but we'll slip sometime. So what do we do?

God is holy and pure. He can't abide with sin in heaven. If we are unable to keep the Law, then we are doomed to hell and eternal separation from God. However, God provided the solution...Himself. Jesus came down from heaven to live as man and be our Kinsman Redeemer...to live a perfect life and keep the Law, and ultimately pay for our sins on the cross. We couldn't pay for our sins...it had to be washed away with innocent blood from our kin...God in the flesh...thank you Jesus!!!

Exodus 21

God shows us the Jewish tradition of master and slave. We must not equate this relationship as with the Jews in Egypt or the African slaves of America. As we saw from Abraham on down, God establishes a master of the house, and all the workers are essentially under contract to work for that master for seven years. This is why Jacob agreed to work for Laban for seven years to earn Laban's daughter Rachel.

At the end of those seven years, the servant has the option of going out on his own, or if the master has treated the servant fairly, then he can stay by choice. This ceremony is done by piercing the servant's ear to the doorpost, and is a prelude to the piercing our LORD took for our freedom from slavery to sin!!!

Exodus 22

For those of us who believe in the Constitution, and the right for private property, then this chapter is ideal. God ordains property ownership, and even tells us that it's lawful to kill an intruder in your home...that's so un-PC nowadays!

Jan 28 (Exodus 18-19)

Exodus 18

Here we meet Jethro again...an interesting man. He is the father-in-law of Moses, and is a priest. He is a pagan priest, but recognizes the power of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. All the other gods he was worshipping just took a major back seat!!!

Jethro's advice to Moses was intelligent and inspired from God. Moses couldn't possibly take care of all the complaints by himself. God was instructing Jethro to tell Moses to pick trustworthy men to serve with him, and to take care of the mundane and minor stuff. This mirrors the Church, where we have a Pastor, but he has Assistant Pastors do most of the ministry and church maintenance work. This allows the Pastor to spend more time praying, reading and teaching.

Exodus 19

It's hard to fully imagine this scene of God descending upon the mountain. The great noise and clamor must have been deafening and terrifying. These characteristics are common to God the Father of the Trinity. As we know, we have seen Jesus appear and talk in person to men in both the OT and the NT...no one died by viewing Him. So this seems to be the Father or the Trinity itself descending upon the mountain, and to observe Him this way is both glorious and terrifying!

Jan 27 (Exodus 16-17)

Exodus 16

My kids and I discuss how God shows His love for the Jewish people, by providing food EVERY DAY for them. Not only did they get meat from the birds, but God provided a special thing for them to eat, called "manna." My kids like to laugh that Manna in Hebrew means, "What is it?"

Can't you just see them asking this as they pick it up off the ground?

Also, I discuss with my kids that God has already ordained the honoring of the Sabbath. He hasn't given the the Law yet, but they already know that the seventh day (Saturday) they are to praise and worship the Lord.

Exodus 17

Here we see another type for Jesus...the Rock. The Jews are thirsty and fear they will perish, but once again, God has a way to provide...the Rock.

I point out to my girls that Jesus called Himself the "living water" in (John 4:10 and 7:38) as well as it being prophesied in (Jer 2:13).

This all came to life to me when I saw the video by Bob Cornuke, where they believe they discovered the real Mt. Sinai, and there is this huge rock that is split down the middle. The ground around it has an alluvial fan...indicating that a great rush of water came from there and filled up the whole valley below. Check it out here:

http://www.baseinstitute.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52&Itemid=66

Jan 26 (Exodus 13-15)

Exodus 13

In this chapter, we see God commanding the Jews to honor and remember what He did for them by the Passover, and now the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This doesn't make much sense to our kids at first, but if we explain that it points to Christ, they will see it.

Leaven is yeast...it puffs up the bread. We are puffed up when we have pride. Leaven is equated to sin and pride many times in the Bible.

So this feast is meant to point us to another time in the future, when a sinless and humble Man sacrificed Himself for us!!!

(v.21) I like to talk with my kids about how the LORD provided for His people in every way. Not only did He bring them out of slavery, but He is protecting them from evil. I remind my kids that Pharaoh is a type of Satan, so God is bringing the Jews (and us) out of slavery (to sin), and He's protecting us from Egypt (Satan).

I remind my kids that just because God is protecting us, it doesn't mean that we won't have bad things happen in our lives. We are in a fallen world, so sin and temptation will torment us. God uses our trials to uplift us and have us grow...by His power...not our own!

Exodus 14

We see the LORD guiding and providing for His people...like He does with us today. We may never see a great miracle like the Red Sea crossing, but God works miracles in us every day!

Recently, there has been a discovery of a submerged land bridge across the Strait of Tiran. Many Bible scholars today, believe that this is where God had the Jews cross. He blew the water to the sides of this land bridge, and swallowed up the Egyptians with water there. In fact, sea divers have discovered chariot wheels in this very area, half-buried and with vegetation on them! This supports the theory that Mt. Sinai is really in Saudi Arabia. Click below on a great resource for more about this:

http://www.baseinstitute.org/

Exodus 15

We see a common theme going now, where things happen in 3 days. This also points to Christ, since He was in the grave for 3 days!

Check out the videos and info on the link above to see more of these 12 wells and 70 palm trees. The number 12 always points to the 12 tribes of Israel, and the number 70 is used as typology of God's redemption.

Jan 25 (Exodus 12)

Exodus 12

(v.1) Up until this time, the Jews and every other nation, went by the calendar year. But now God is announcing a spiritual year...one that will be determined by feasts and celebrations! This was a new beginning for the Jews, and consequently for the whole world. As we go along, I love to point out the prophetic significance of each feast and how they point to Jesus!

(v.5) The lamb shall be without blemish...no broken bones...remember how Jesus didn't have his legs broken on the cross like the other two criminals? God made sure that this didn't happen (John 19:33, 1 Peter 1:19) so Jesus could be the Passover Lamb for us!

(v.13) Beginning in Genesis when God sacrificed a lamb to cover Adam and Eve, and here with the blood on the doorposts, we see God has ordained and required innocent blood to cover our sins. This will come to completion when the blood of our Passover Lamb, Jesus, shed His blood to wash away our sins and defeat death forever!!!

(v.18) The days here are critical...many years later, on the 10th, the Passover lamb was to be set aside from the rest of the flock. On the 14th day, the lamb was to be killed. This is prophetic of Jesus, where He was imprisoned on the night of Passover and the Last Supper, and crucified on the 14th day...the Lamb of God! Three days later we see that Jesus was alive...and like I noted in Genesis, Noah's ark rested upon the earth on that day...a day of new beginnings!

NOTE: This is why Friday the 13th is considered bad luck by the world...the world that doesn't love God. On the night of the 13th, death came upon the unbelieving world and they consider it a bad day. But to us who love God, Friday the 13th is a great day of His provision!!!

My kids love it when I show them how all this fits together, and it strengthens my faith as well.

(v.36) I love how God worked in the Egyptians...they were convinced to bless and give to the Jews of their belongings...God was providing for His people much like He did for Abraham in order that they have all they need for their journey. The Jews had been slaves for 430 years, and God was giving them their wages for their work...He never forgets to provide for us!

Jan 24 (Exodus 9-11)

Exodus 9

The fifth, sixth and seventh plagues fall upon the people of Egypt, but not upon the people of Israel. This is an example of what God does for those who follow Him...He protects them from His wrath upon man. God allows disasters and trials in our lives, but He doesn't instigate them. As we read in Job, God ALLOWS Satan to torment us, but only to a point. God wants us to grow and rely upon Him, and trials are usually the best and only way to break us down and have us rely upon Him.

I tell this story to my kids about this concept:

There was this man, who only prayed when life was hard on him...but when he prayed, he prayed fervently. After many trials and years of tragedies, the man finally asked God the question, "I pray so hard to you, and yet, there so many tragedies in my life...why?" And God replied back, "Only when you're in trouble do you talk with me. I love you and want to have fellowship with you, so you leave me no other choice!"

Exodus 10

The eighth and ninth plagues befall Egypt, and Pharaoh does a very interesting thing...he confesses his sins to God. Some people think that if we just say the sinner's prayer (that we're sinners and need a Savior), then we're automatically saved. It's like there is some magic phrase or chant that allows us salvation.

It's not that easy, and it can't be that easy! We can't say or do anything to earn our salvation. Only God Himself can do that for us, and many years after Moses, God Himself became flesh and died in our stead. If one says the sinner's prayer, and their heart is true, then God will justify us before Him, and we are saved. However, if this happens and the Holy Spirit enters our lives, then there HAS TO BE a change in us. We don't do good works to get saved, we do good works BECAUSE we are saved!!!

This is what separates born-again Christianity from all other faiths...even denominational faiths that require works prayers to mortals, reliance upon men and indulgences to assure salvation.

Exodus 11

The tenth plague will do the trick, and Pharaoh will ultimately allow the Jews to leave Egypt. One thing to note about all ten plagues...they represent 10 of many gods that the Egyptians worshipped. God was showing the Egyptians that He is the true God, and their fake gods were being schooled by the Master!!!

God warns Pharaoh that all the firstborn children and livestock will die, which is also a prophecy that He will Himself offer His Firstborn Son. Jesus is our Passover Lamb who takes away the sins of the world as John the Baptist proclaimed in (John 1:29, 36).

Jan 23 (Exodus 8)

Exodus 8

Moses and Aaron plead with Pharaoh to let their people go to the desert to worship God, but as we'll see many times in this event, Pharaoh won't ablige until the death of his firstborn son. There is some great typology going on here:

~ Egypt is a type of the world...of the flesh and bondage to sin

~ Moses is like Christ, taking His people away from sin and into peace

~ Pharaoh is like Satan...fighting God and trying to compromise

~ The Red Sea is a type of water baptism

~ The Promised Land is a type for heaven

NOTE: The Promised Land has been compared to heaven, and the time of believers on earth. Good scholars on both opinions are valid. The important thing to teach our kids, is that God provided the way of salvation...all we need to do is believe and obey.

(v.19) The magicians don't say that another god did this like theirs (Satan), but they give credit where credit is due...they tell Pharaoh that God brought the lice forth. Again, Satan can imitate God very well up to a point, so we must be careful to know our Bible and His warnings (Lk 21:8, 1 Cor 6:9, Gal 6:7 and James 1:16) so we aren't led astray by the enemy.

Jan 22 (Exodus 6-7)

Exodus 6

Much of this chapter is God assuring Moses that He will be with him and guide him. We as believers need to remember this as well. We experience trials and tragedies all the time, whether they are our own, or someone we love is going through them. God never promised us bliss in this life...He only offered us peace. This peace is an inner peace of knowing how the story ends and where we'll be for eternity! This is our testing ground...to have the Holy Spirit sanctify us and allow us to serve and love others in the name of Jesus.

Here are some parallels that God promised Israel that goes along with what He promised all believers:

~ He will rescue us from bondage and slavery (to sin)

~ He will redeem us (through Jesus)

~ He will call us His own people (saints)

~ He will be our God (our Lord and Savior)

~ As a heritage, He will bring us to His peace (Heaven)

Exodus 7

(v.1) In a direct contrast to what Satan will do with his Anti-Christ and False Prophet in the book of Revelation, God is making Moses to be the direct representative of God and Aaron his prophet. I like to point out to my kids that Satan tries to mirror and imiatate what God does. In the last days, he will trick many people because they don't know their Scripture. If we only know some of the Bible, and can be led astray by things that are "like" what God said, then Satan has us where he wants us.

(v.11) We see an example of Satan copying God, but having the magicians make their sticks turn into snakes. To Pharaoh, this proved that Moses and Aaron were not who they said they were, but Pharaoh failed to take notice that Aaron's snake swallowed up all the magician's snakes! Satan can copy God, but not entirely!

It's important to know the Torah and the whole Old Testament, in order to see how Jesus fulfilled the Law and sayings of the Prophets. Also, in order to understand the last book, Revelation, we need to see all the things that were established in the OT come to completion in the Day of the Lord!

Jan 21 (Exodus 4-5)

Exodus 4

(v.1) Moses is humble and doubts his ability to achieve this great task...this is just where God wants us to be daily. He doesn't want us to be weaklings, cowering in a corner, but He does want us reliant upon Him for strength.

(v.2) God uses what Moses has and feels comfortable with...he could have had a chicken in his hands, and God would have used it for His glory!!!

(v.12) God says what He has said many times to us..."Go, and I will be with you" but we are still afraid at times. I try to stress with my kids, that there is no greater feeling, than doing something we KNOW God is directing us to do...we are empowered!

(v.21) God purposefully hardens the Pharaoh's heart...why? My kids and I like to explore that. I think we usually come to the conclusion, that God wanted the odds and situation to seem hopeless and only His Hand could make Pharaoh relent.

(v.24) My 10-year-old asked me about this verse...why was God about to kill Moses? The best way that the Lord had me explain it was, that God meant business, and Moses had yet to obey and circumcise his son. God was showing Moses that he had to obey completely, not partially.

The reaction of Zipporah is interesting...was she mad that Moses made her do it? Or was she, being a Gentile, disgusted with this ritual of the Jews? We can only speculate, but we do see that she realizes that God is mad, and she knows that only their complete obedience will see them through...we all can learn from that!

Exodus 5

(v.2) How often do we as believers see this scenario? Trying to explain why we believe in what the Bible says, and do as God commands, seem foolish to the lost. They have turned their hearts away from God, and they don't know Him like we believers do. Of course, we will spend eternity trying to know Him completely, but He does reveal His nature and character to us in His Word!

(v.20) Pharaoh persecutes and takes out his anger on the Jews, and we see the first of many times where the Jews turn on Moses. The Jews were slaves, but they had grown accustomed to their plight. The Jews were not yet of the mind that they were ready to defy Pharaoh, but God would lead them through Moses!

We'll see numerous times ahead that it's much easier to get the Jews out of Egypt, than to get Egypt out of the Jews!

Jan 20 (Exodus 3)

Exodus 3

Moses will have been in exile from Egypt for 40 years, and I'm sure he felt alone and maybe betrayed. He was a shepherd, and as we know, God uses shepherds for His purposes (Jacob's sons, Moses, David). God was molding and shaping Moses for things that Moses didn't know yet. I like to point this out to my kids...we don't know God's ways, but they are always for our good.

What Moses didn't know then, was that he was learning the land that would be crucial for the survival of the whole Jewish nation. He knew where all the wells, caves and hideouts were. He knew the shortcuts through ravines and valleys. This would prove crucial when God had him lead the Jewish people out of Egypt.

(vv.2-8) This bush was on fire, but wouldn't be consumed like normal fires do...Moses knew this was from God. I like to reference to my kids when at another place, God told Joshua to take off his shoes, for Jesus was standing in front of him (Joshua 5:15).

My kids and I discuss that Moses is no longer "gung ho" about leading his people out of slavery...he is in fact, hesitant. Moses is right where God wants him...dependant upon God for strength!

"I AM WHO I AM" = YHWH = YAWEH = Jehovah = the name of God!!!

Mount Horeb is the "Mountain of God" and is where God will give Moses the 10 Commandments. Man's traditions place this mountain in Egypt, but it's really in Saudi Arabia. I refer to a great video and study on this by Bob Cornuke:

http://www.baseinstitute.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52&Itemid=66

Jan 19 (Exodus 1-2)

The word Exodus means "exit" or "way out" in Hebrew. This book is also written by Moses, but unlike in Genesis where he wrote down what God told him happened before he lived, here, Moses is documenting his life. I point out to my kids that it will be very interesting and telling when Moses writes down his own failures...for millions to read in the future! I point out that if Moses made the five books of the Torah up, he would have definitely deleted the parts where he lost his temper and looked vulnerable, but it was the Holy Spirit who told Moses to write these five books of the Torah.

Moses lived about 400 years after Abraham, and we left Genesis with Joseph dying in Egypt, where the family of Abraham thrived in the land given to them by the Pharaoh.

Exodus 1

However, in (v.8) we see that there was a new king, and he didn't like the family of Jacob. Scholars believe this Pharaoh was not Egyptian, but Assyrian (Isaiah 52:4). This is a prelude to the Assyrian described as the Anti-Christ in (Micah 5).

I like to remind my kids of Genesis 12, where God says He will bless those that bless Israel, and in (v.17) we see the midwives, who feared (respected in awe) God, were blessed because they spared the Isreali sons.

Exodus 2

Moses is a descendant of the tribe of Levi...this tribe will produce the line of priests for Israel.

As with the midwives, we see the hand of God at work with Moses in the basket (ark) in the river. I point out a couple of things here:

~ Isn't it odd that the daughter of the man who orders the murder of all Jewish sons, takes one into the very house of that man? My kids like to talk about how that all worked out in that household!!!

~ We see the second time God saves His people through water:

~ The ark of Noah in the flood
~ The ark (basket) of Moses in the river
~ The whole nation of Israel in the Red Sea fleeing from Pharaoh

Moses flees the Pharaoh to go into the mountains and fields of Midian. Scholars locate Midian to be in what we call today, Saudi Arabia...not Egypt.

We also see a parallel between Moses and Jesus:

~ In defense and leadership of Israel, the people would reject Him the first time

~ After being rejected, he marries a Gentile Bride (the Church)

~ He comes back again with His Bride and becomes their Deliverer

Another thing my kids like, is the subject of wells. As expected, in arid areas, wells and places of water were common gathering places. We like to explore the importance of wells:

~ Isaac (through Eliezer) met his Gentile Bride at a well
~ Moses met his Gentile Bride at a well
~ Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at a well, and she proclaims who He is

Jan 18 (Genesis 46-50)

Genesis 46

After 22 years, Jacob and Joseph are reunited! I don't know about you, but if I'm 22 hours away from my kids, I go batty...I can't imagine the magnitude of emotions that went through both of these men when they hugged for the first time in over two decades.

Genesis 47

Joseph had the people give a fifth of their profits to Pharaoh as a tax...that is 20%. Wouldn't we be much better off if our taxes were that low again?!?

I use this example to teach my kids that heavy taxes enslaves people to the government. No matter what your political slant, the more money you have to invest and give, the better for everyone! Government never allocates goods and services near as well as private citizens do!!!

Genesis 48

This is another occasion where the younger brother is given the firstborn status. Joseph tried to correct his father, but Jacob showed that he knew what he was doing...it was God leading him.

You would think that Joseph would've understood, since he was given the same blessing and favoritism by his father many years ago!!!

Genesis 49

Jacob prophesies over his twelve sons...here is a synopsis of what to look for and remember in the rest of the Bible:

REUBEN ~ He was the first born, but he gave up his firstborn status by allowing the rest of his brothers to sell Joseph. Later, it was the tribe of Reuben who was involved in the rebellion in the wilderness (Num 16:1)

LEVI ~ Although Levi and Simeon avenged their sister is such brutal fashion, Levi was the most zealous about ridding the people from idolatry...this may be why God had the Levites be the priests of the people.

SIMEON ~ this tribe loses it's validity over time and is not a big factor in the rest of the Bible compared to his brothers. As a matter of fact, Moses didn't give his blessing to this tribe before he died.

JUDAH ~ This tribe means "praised" and is designated to be the line of kings. Jesus would be a direct descendant from Judah.

ZEBULUN ~ This tribe became seamen, and were highly involved in sea trade over the coming centuries. It is believed most of this tribe was around the areas where Jesus taught in the early years.

ISSACHAR ~ this name translates to "bony ass" and they would live a life of hard labor and near enslavement, since their land was constantly between warring factions.

DAN ~ This tribe gets snubbed by the Holy Spirit quite a few times in the Bible, when naming the twelve tribes...they are not listed numerous times! It is believed that the reason for this, is that the tribe of Dan allowed the first act of idolatry into the people of Israel, and they never recovered.

GAD ~ Like Issachar, this tribe was in land that was used for war. This tribe became known for it's fierceness in war.

ASHER ~ This tribe was blessed to live in fertile ground, and they were very productive.

NAPHTALI ~ These people were nomadic and roamed around mostly in the mountain regions.

JOSEPH ~ This tribe also has two sub-tribes in them...Ephraim and Manasseh.

EPHRAIM ~ Joshua, Deborah and Samuel were from this tribe.

MANASSEH ~ Gideon and Jephthah in the book of Judges were from this tribe and were noted for their valor.

Genesis 50

I skip chapter 49 for its own discussion, and since the death of Joseph is linked to the previous chapters. Joseph led an interesting life, and the similarities of him and Jesus are striking...here are some of the parallels:

~ Both were betrayed by their brothers

~ Both were given great power, but didn't abuse it

~ Both were tempted by the flesh, but didn't give in.

~ Both were imprisoned unjustly.

~ Both were silent in their defense

~ Both had other inmates come to him for guidance

~ Both were with two other criminals, one lived and the other died

~ Both forgave their brothers who treated them so harshly

~ Both were reunited with their father...one on earth, and the other in heaven

It's fun to see the kids think of other similarities and have fun connecting topics from other parts of the Bible!!!

Jan 17 (Genesis 44-45)

Genesis 44

(v.12) Joseph tests his brothers' hearts by determining whether they would leave Benjamin out in the cold like they did with him, or if they would stand up for him. Fortunately, their reaction was different this time, and they tore their clothes in the same manner that Jacob did when he heard the news that Joseph was dead.

The tearing of one's clothes was an act quite common in those times...it was similar to picturing one pulling out their hair...it was a display of utter despair.

(vv.18-34) Judah steps forward and speaks on behalf of his brothers. In obvious humility and honesty, he admits their sins, and begs Joseph to let him be the brother kept prisoner while they go back for their father.

I think Joseph was definitely moved by his brother's plea, considering that it was Judah who had the added treachery of selling Joseph for monetary gain! Joseph sees that his brothers have changed, and their thoughts aren't about themselves anymore...they fear their father will die if they don't come back with Benjamin.

Genesis 45

This chapter begins with such emotion and drama...Joseph clearing the room so he can be alone with his brothers and reveal himself to them!

(v.5) Joseph does an amazing thing...he reveals to his brothers who are afraid, that it was God's will that they sell him to Egypt. Joseph sees that God used this to have Joseph serve a higher purpose to save his family.

I ask my kids to consider if Joseph wasn't put through what was thrust upon him...he wouldn't have gained the power to save his family and they all would have starved to death! God provided for His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by using Jacob's son!

Jan 16 (Genesis 42-43)

Genesis 42

As Joseph's dreams come true, his father sends the rest of the brothers (save Benjamin) to Egypt to get food. They think their brother is dead, so when they see this man who looks like an Egyptian, they don't know that he's really their brother!

I like to share with my kids how Joseph has a little fun with his brothers and tests them to see if they are repentant at all.

Then they throw Joseph a curveball...he has a younger brother from the same mother, Rachel. Joseph is overcome, and sends them off with the knowledge that they will be coming back to him. Joseph demands to see his brother, and ultimately, his father as well, in order for the dreams to completely be fulfilled.

Genesis 43

I point out to my kids, that they should look at this situation from Jacob's point of view...he already lost Joseph, Simeon was in jail, and now the only other son by Rachel must go to Egypt and risk death or imprisonment. Jacob was extremely troubled, but he knew that the WHOLE family would perish if he didn't let the brothers take Benjamin to Egypt.

(v.26) All of Joseph's brothers bow to him, just like his dream! (Gen 37:7)

Joseph's emotions get the better of him and he weeps. Think of the emotions running through Joseph's mind as he sees all his brothers (and one he didn't know about) all these years later!

It's kind of funny to picture the brothers talking Hebrew, and thinking that Joseph doesn't know what they're saying...but he does!

Of course, seeing his only full brother, Benjamin, was powerful. All the other brothers were half brothers...from different mothers, but Benjamin was by blood, the closest brother to him.

(v.33) Here we see Joseph messing with his brothers again...seating them from oldest to youngest. You know they were all wondering, "How does he know the ages of all of us?"

(v.34) Benjamin is really the guest of honor...the full brother of Joseph, and he's being treated as such.

I stress to my kids that Joseph is testing his brothers, to see if they really have repented...Judah rises to the occasion in the next chapter!

Jan 15 (Genesis 40-41)

Genesis 40

My kids and I discuss these events up until now, and talk about the amazing faith and trust Joseph has in God. After all, Joseph has been abandoned and sold by his brothers, then when he thinks he's been vindicated to be Potiphar's second in command, he's thrown into prison unjustly! We like to talk about how hard that must have been for Joseph, and we apply it to the trials in our lives today...how we should use our faith and trust in God like Joseph did.

Joseph is still using his gifts from God by interpreting dreams...so we see that he's not bitter...he knows God is still working in him. Interestingly, the two other prisoners are a wine-taster and a baker. I like to ask my kids if this sounds familiar...bread and wine?

Joseph predicts that the wine taster will be restored to his duties in three days, and the baker will have his head cut off in the same time. It was the custom in Egypt at that time, to stick the decapitated heads of criminals on tree branches along the highway into town...it was used to warn strangers that the leader meant business!

Another thing I like to point out to my kids, is even though Joseph interpreted these dreams for the others, he still must have had faith in his own dreams...Joseph knew God was going to fulfill his promises to Joseph!

Genesis 41

Pharoah was greatly troubled by his dreams, and his "wise" men couldn't interpret them. So a Hebrew slave comes along to display God's power...I remind my kids that another Hebrew slave does this later...Daniel. Also, another Hebrew slave shows Egypt the power of God...Moses!

(v.16) This is important to show our kids...Joseph gave all the glory and credit to God for interpreting these dreams. Joseph could have used this gift for his own personal gain, but was obedient and humble instead.

(v.25) I like to ask my kids to name the times the dreams came in pairs...Joseph's own two dreams, the dreams of the two prisoners, and Pharoah's two dreams. Some Bible scholars like to point out that when God wants us to be sure to pay attention, He does or says something twice. We can remember Jesus saying, "Verily, verily" many times to stress the importance of what He was about to say.

Joseph started a Hebrew slave, and God had him placed in a position where he was second only to the Pharoah. Daniel would do this as well...twice!!! Later, I will show the very interesting parallels of Joseph and Jesus.

(v.46) Remember I said to take notice of Joseph's age when he was sold by his brothers? He was 17 years old, and now he is 30. So, for 11 years Joseph served Potiphar, was imprisoned for two years, and now he's the #2 of all in the greatest empire on earth!

How many of us would have the patience and perseverance of Joseph to wait 13 years for God to answer our prayers? God answers all our prayers, but not on our time schedule...God is outside of time, and only He knows when we should receive His blessings.

I like to point out that Job and Joseph are great examples of faith in hard times...when we think we're being inconvenienced for a short time, it's good to remember these two pillars of faith to put things into perspective!

NOTE: Joseph still remained true to his Hebrew heritage...he named his sons Hebrew names:

Manasseh = "forget" which signifies that God had Joseph forget the misery of being separated from his family.

Ephraim = "fruitful" which shows Joseph that God planned for him to be fruitful in the land of Egypt

Jan 14 (Genesis 37-39)

Genesis 37

(v.2) Joseph was a shepherd, and we'll see throughout the Bible, that the role and duties of a shepherd are important. David was a shepherd, and of course, our Lord called Himself the Good Shepherd.

I also take notice that Joseph is 17 years old at this time...I'll get back to this later.

(v.3) I don't know about you, but I could not fathom loving one child more than another. We may love each one in different ways, but we love them equally. However, Jacob showed a blatant favoritism to Joseph, and obviously, all the brothers resented Joseph.

Joseph dreams two dreams, where his family will one day bow down to him. Clearly, his brothers didn't like this very much, and even Jacob took offense, knowing what the dreams meant.

The first dream had to do with agriculture, which would be prophetic since Joseph's brothers came to him for wheat and other supplies in the coming chapters.

The second dream had a celestial sense or spiritual sense to it. Unlike the earthly sense of the first dream, the second one includes his mom and dad. This is a type and model of Jesus, and later, I'll put together a list of how Joseph and Jesus are parallel.

My kids and I discuss that God allowed Joseph to be treated unfairly, sold and imprisoned at no fault of his own...why? I teach my kids that life is not about being fair, it's about being right. Haven't we been in the right in a debate or situation, and yet, the outcome didn't come in our favor? God uses these times to see if we are truly faithful and dependent upon Him.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. ~2 Cor 12:10

Paul wrote this to show us that only when we allow God to work in us instead of on our own, we are strong and capable of great things.

Genesis 38

Depending upon the age of your kids, this is another chapter that needs much prayer and wisdom to teach your kids. The most important thing to take out of this chapter, is the Levirate Marriage principles in the book of Leviticus. Each family has an heir, and each woman's primary goal was to give birth to an heir. Tamar was not given that right, and she used trickery to show Judah and his family just that. God allowed this, and might have even directed this, since Tamar is listed in the Messianic family tree in Matthew 1:3.

Genesis 39

(v.2) We see right away, that God was behind this...even though it was hard and tragic for Joseph, God is our author and finisher, and He will see us through all trials!

(v.9) I tell my kids that Potiphar's wife wanted to kiss Joseph, and he refused. I love what Joseph says to her, when he says, "...how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"

When we sin, we may hurt others in the process, and Joseph would have definitely hurt Potiphar by sleeping with his wife. But Joseph's heart was true, and he knew that ALL SIN was an affront against God...not man!

(v.20) The obvious penalty for messing with the wife of Potiphar, would have been death...so why didn't Potiphar have Joseph killed? I like to ask my kids this, and see what they say. I believe that Potiphar didn't really believe his wife, and in order to do something and save the honor of his wife, he put Joseph in prison.

(v.23) We see again that God is blessing Joseph and those around him. God uses bad situations for good. I like to quote this to my kids when we discuss this:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. ~Romans 8:28

Jan 13 (Genesis 34-36)

Genesis 34

This is one of those chapters that we parents have to tread lightly with, since Dinah was raped and violated (if you know what I mean). Not only was this a terrible thing, but it also leaves Dinah to be ineligible to get married...she is ruined by one cruel act. This is what motivated Simeon and Levi, and the fact that they were full brothers to Dinah.

Since my kids are still quite young, I tell them that Shechem treated Dinah very badly, and her brothers acted out of vengeance...as they get older, we'll discuss more of the details to complete the picture.

Genesis 35

Jacob and his family returned to the land of promise, with wealth and prosperity, but they had to get rid of all pagan remnants and trinkets to complete the journey.

I mention to my girls that like his fathers, Abraham and Isaac, Jacob shows his biggest acts of obedience and worship in Bethel. Pastor Chuck Smith points out that there is always a "place" where we feel closest to God. For these patriarchs, it was Bethel. For you and me, it may be the mountains, the beach, or in your home or church where you accepted the Lord into your life.

It's important to remember this, when we hit hard times, to go to that safe place to feel closer to God...it gives us strength.

(v.18) This is interesting, and shows us how we can act on emotion, and God still corrects us:

Benoni = "The son of my sorrow" named by Rachel in her grief of childbirth

Benjamin = "The son of my right hand" named by Jacob

Rachel, the mother of the twelve tribes of Israel was buried in Bethlehem, where the Son would be born centuries later, who is the King of all.

Genesis 36

The descendants of Esau are not as important to us Christians as the fact that they all are sons of Abraham. Between Hagar and Keturah, all these descendants are who we call "Arabs" today, but they are also a part of the promise to Abraham. They are our brothers in the sense we come from Abraham, whether by blood, or by faith.

During our readings through the Bible, I try to give general information to my kids about the Muslim faith, and its ties to the struggle between Isaac/Ishmael and Jacob/Esau. Muslims have the wrong view of the facts and history, and it's important for us to pray for them...they are lost. We pray that they see who Jesus really is...the fulfillment of the Promise to Abraham, and God in the flesh.

Jan 12 (Genesis 31-33)

Genesis 31

Jacob and his wives are leaving Laban to go back to where he came from. Rachel does an interesting thing...she steals the pagan figurines called "gods." This shows the paganism that was rampant at the time, but these teraphim also represented something else...the heir to the family estate. Whoever these false "gods" were given to, was figured to have the right to ownership of the family fortune. No wonder Laban wanted those things back desperately!!! To make sure Laban wouldn't find them, Rachel sat on them. This made the "gods" unclean, and useless.

With Laban fearing that he would never retrieve these figurines back, he made sure to set boundries between his son's land and Jacob's.

Genesis 32

Jacob is again confronted with Jesus in another theophany, and this time confesses his unworthiness and humbles himself. God then changes his name from Jacob to Israel, which means "he who strives or wrestles with God"...isn't this indicative of us and all who follow God? We have faith, but we wrestle with our flesh, and wrestle with trying to please or help God.

Another meaning of the word, Israel, is "Ruled by God" which is also applicable to His followers.

We know that this "angel" is really Jesus in the OT, because Jacob says:

So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. ~Gen 32:30

Genesis 33

This chapter speaks of the reunion of Jacob and Esau. It's good to point out that even though someone has hurt you and cheated you, there is always room for forgiveness.

Jan 11 (Genesis 29-30)

Genesis 29

In those times, when a man didn't own land or have a home for himself, he would become a servant for someone who did have those things. The service was to last for seven years, and at the end of those seven years, the servant had the choice to stay with his master, or leave with a booty from the master.

Jacob loved Rachel very much, and to him, the seven years flew by. I like to point out that all three wives of the Patriarchs (Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel) were described as very beautiful:

Sarah ~Gen 12:11
Rebekah ~Gen 24:15-16
Rachel ~Gen 29:17

I also point out to my kids that Christ's church...His Bride...is very beautiful to behold in Psalm 45.

The first child between Leah and Jacob was Reuben, which in Hebrew means "the Lord has seen my misery." Leah really loved Jacob, and thought Jacob would love her more now that she bore him a son. But Jacob truly loved Rachel. Jacob didn't see Leah's misery, but God did.

Simeon means "God heard me" and was a tribute to Leah's faith and gratitude to God.

Levi was named for Leah's hope that Jacob would become finally attached to her.

Judah means "let Him be praised" Here we see Leah's genuine faith while suffering from a broken heart about Jacob.

Genesis 30

Since Rachel was barren and wanted to please Jacob, she did what Sarah did with Hagar.

Dan was named because Rachel felt "vindicated and judged" by God...but unlike Leah, God is not the focus.

Rachel again focused on her struggle with Leah, and named her next son from Bilhah as Naphtali, which means "fight or struggle."

Now Leah was done having children, but used the tactic of her maidserant to continue on with sons:

Gad means "troop or company" showing that Leah was really producing for Jacob.

Leah's glee continued, and she named the next son Asher, which means "happy blessing."

She then conceives herself, and has Issachar, which means "my hire" or that she earned her worth.

Leah's fortune continued with Zubulun, which means "honorable gift"

Leah then had a daughter who will be critical in the coming chapters. Her name was Dinah.

Then, "God remembered Rachel" and gave her two sons, Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph means "The Lord shall add to me another son" showing that she was a prophetess. Later, Benjamin was born, and means "Son of my right hand."

We end this chapter with Jacob finally getting the better of Laban, and prospering with two wives and the best of the flock to start anew.

But Jacob was to get a taste of what he dealt to his brother Esau. I teach my kids that there are consequences for our actions, and I point out this verse:

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ~Gal 6:7

Jan 10 (Genesis 27-28)

Genesis 27

What a difference between the two sons of Isaac! Esau was the older brother, who was manly and very good at hunting. And then there was Jacob, who seemed to be a "Momma's boy" and cooked. It's worth mentioning the trickery that Rebekah and Jacob played on Isaac, but I also like to point out that it wouldn't have been necessary, if Isaac had obeyed God and blessed Jacob in the first place...Jacob was the son to whom God's covenant was to go through...not Esau.

Isaac was not obeying God, and in fact, showing favoritism by trying to give the firstborn blessing to Esau. I like to point out that if we try to move away from God's plans for us, He will often get us back in line, and it's more than likely going to be painful. If we just stay in tune with God and obey when He leads us to something, we won't have as many trials in this life.

In verse 40, we see a repeat of what God told Abraham about Ishmael's descendants serving Isaac's descendants...Esau's will serve Jacob's.

Jacob had to flee, and this was the price that he and Rebekah had to pay for their deceit...they would never see each other again.

Genesis 28

Jacob travels to his uncle Laban's house, and has a vision of heaven. He also sees and talks with Jesus...another theophany!

Jacob names this place, Bethel, which in Hebrew means "House of God." Jacob vows the Christian vow...to follow the Lord and trust that He will provide for him and never forsake him!

Jan 9 (Genesis 25-26)

Genesis 25

(vv.7-8) This chapter starts out with the death and burial of Abraham. We notice that Abraham and Sarah are buried in a foreign place, not where their ancestors lived. Since only Sarah preceded Abraham in death, it's interesting that the Scripture says that Abraham was "gathered to his people." This is a reference to "Abraham's Bosom" that Jesus spoke about in Luke 16:19-31. This is important to remember when our kids ask us where all the Old Testament faithful went to until the Christ frees them and takes them with Him to heaven.

(v.23) God is telling us early on, that the Jews would have a continuous enemy on earth...the descendents of Ishmael and Esau. God blessed them and made them strong in number, but they are to be subservient to the descendents of Isaac and Jacob, their younger brothers. Also, the Edomites (sons of Esau) served under King David.

I like to tie in current events to make this stick with my kids, and I show them that even today, the sons of Esau and the sons of Jacob are at odds. And all this goes back to the battle between Satan and God.

(vv.29-34) Esau didn't value his birthright as the oldest son to head the family. His emotions and pride were influencing him. We could also say that Jacob was quite cunning to take advantage of this, but I believe that God had orchestrated this from the start.

The firstborn status is significant and honorable. Jesus is called the Firstborn of all creation. Most of the time, the oldest son born to a family would have that status, but God's ways are not always man's ways. The term, firstborn is a status, not a lineage or order of birth. The Hebrew word used is arche, which we get our word, "architect" from.

My kids like to find all the examples of the firstborn status going to a younger brother:

Seth instead of Cain
Shem instead of Japheth
Isaac instead of Ishmael
Jacob instead of Esau
Judah and Joseph instead of Reuben
Moses instead of Aaron
David instead of all his brothers

Genesis 26

I like to point out two things in this chapter:

Isaac follows in the footsteps of Abraham by not telling the complete truth about his wife, and saying she is his sister. I point out that even though Isaac is sinning like Abraham did, God still uses him for great purposes.

Also, when Isaac was finally obedient and went to Beersheba like God told him to, Isaac started hearing from God again. It's like that with us...when we are walking with Him in obedience, we are in tune with Him, but when we get offtrack, we don't hear God so well.

Jan 8 (Genesis 23-24)

Genesis 23

This chapter deals with Abraham seeking a burial place for his wife, Sarah. He obviously loved her very much, and went through great struggle to get the best place to lay her to rest. I mention to my kids that Abraham didn't bury her in the place from where they came from, but from the new land that God gave them. Since both Abraham and Sarah are the father and mother and beginning of the Jewish race, it is fitting that they start anew with where they're buried.

NOTE: Sarah is the only woman in Scripture where her age, death and burial are all mentioned. This is fitting for the beloved woman who, with a laugh, started the Jewish people with Abraham!

Genesis 24

There is incredible typology and an obvious parallel with the people here, and with the Trinity. At the end of chapter 22, Abraham offers his son who he considers dead for three days from the order from God until the time Isaac is spared. Isaac then is removed from the scene and Sarah dies. Eliezer as an unnamed servant goes to seek a wife for Isaac. When Isaac and his bride unite, they do so in Sarah's tent.

Now, let's restate this sequence this way:

On the very same mountain where Abraham offered his only son, God the Father offered His only Son. Jesus is dead for three days, and then is removed from the earth but is still alive. Then the Holy Spirit (remember, Eliezer means "God My Help" in Hebrew) searches for a Bride for the Son...the Church! When we're all together in heaven, we will celebrate together, Jew and Gentile, at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Jan 7 (Genesis 20-22)

Genesis 20

(v.2) Abraham is not telling all the truth again, and has Sarah tell Abimelech that she's his sister. Of course, we need to tell our kids that being deceitful is not good and proper, but we also can point out that God uses our failings for His purposes.

(v.7) I find it interesting that God calls Abraham a prophet here. We don't usually think of Abraham as a prophet, but perhaps God says this soley upon what He will do with Abraham and his son Isaac.

Genesis 21

(v.12) No matter what Islam or any other cult says, the promise from God to Abraham, passed down to his son Isaac, not Ishmael. But we also see that God is compassionate, and He promised to bless the descendants of Ishmael because of Abraham.

Genesis 22

This is one of my favorite chapters in Genesis! There are so many important aspects to what God has Abraham do. I stress the following with my kids:

(v.2) I like to point out that God referred to Isaac as Abraham's "only son" to whom Abraham loves. Of course, Abraham loved Ishmael as well, but we see here that God only focused on the son whom He would pass the covenant with. Interestingly, this is the first time the word "love" is mentioned in the Bible. There is a study method for the Bible that uses the "Law of First Mention" because when something is first mentioned, it sets a pattern and rule for the rest of the Word.

So here we have the first mention of love, and it has to do with a father and a son. Keep this in mind for later!

(v.4) As a father, it's hard for me to picture God commanding me to sacrifice my child...but Abraham obeyed without question...this is the epitome of faith. Continuing on with the typology, notice that it took three days to get to the mountain. It is very likely that Abraham considered his son to be dead at the time of God's command, and we see that three days later, his son is alive again...I ask my kids, "Does this sounds familiar?"

(v.8) This is a powerful verse, but it is often mistranslated in many versions. According to the King James version (which is the most accurate to the original texts), God says to Abraham:

"My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering..."

This is why a few chapters ago, God told Abimelech that Abraham is a prophet...like Jonah sometime later, both of them acted out prophecy instead of speaking prophecy.

This mountain, where Abraham was to offer his "only son" is called Mount Moriah...centuries later, another Father will offer His Son on the very same spot...then called Golgatha or Calvary!!!

(v.19) Sometimes when things are not documented, we can glean something hidden or deeper. Here, only Abraham is mentioned going down the mountain to his servants...not Isaac. When we look at chapter 24, this will make more sense and give us a picture of Christ with His Bride!

NOTE: We are taught and it's just natural to view Isaac as a child when Abraham takes him to the mount for the sacrifice, but actually Isaac was over 30 years old!!!

Jan 6 (Genesis 17-19)

Genesis 17

(v.5) God changes Abram's name to Abraham. God inserted the Hebrew letter h which is pronounced like a breath. The Hebrew word for breath is ruach, pronounced "roo-ock" which also means spirit. This is the same word used in Gen 1:2 where the Spirit of God brooded over the waters.

In essence, God inserted His Spirit into Abraham and Sarah...they were His from that point forward. The great news is that once we ask His Spirit into our lives, we are His as well.

(v.12) Why did God instruct Abraham to circumcise a newborn on the eighth day? Well, modern science has discovered that the newborn boy will have the highest levels of vitamin-k and prothrombin which means that on the eighth day of life, the blood will clot the best! Isn't that cool?!? Here is a link that explains it in more detail:

http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2204

(v.19) Don't tell me God doesn't have a sense of humor, and that He doesn't delight in His creation! God has Abraham and Sarah name their son Isaac...which in Hebrew means laughter! Probably a little reminder of their skepticism!

Genesis 18

Abraham encounters three interesting "men" in this chapter...but are they men?

(v.22) The key here is that Abraham stayed with the Lord...the other two "men" were angels, but the third One was not...it was Jesus!

(vv.23-33) Wouldn't you have loved to witness this scene of negotiation? Here is Abraham bartering with the Lord of all creation! One thing I share with my kids, is the incredible patience of our Lord, and the wonderful mercy He is willing to display to us sinners!

Genesis 19

(v.5) This is a tricky chapter, since these men of the town wanted to engage in homosexual activity with these two strangers. I tell my young kids that they wanted to harm them, which in reality, they did.

Homosexuality is a sin...it is a destructive and harmful lifestyle. Not only is it anatomically against the laws of nature, but it is contrary to the Word of God when He told us to be fruitful and to multiply. I'm sure the town had other sins that made it deplorable to the Lord for Him to want to destroy it, but homosexuality was so rampant and tolerated, that it probably was a town where ANYTHING GOES!!! Romans 1 goes into this in further detail.

(v.8) I always have trouble with this verse...I can't imagine offering my daughters in this way that Lot did. Perhaps Lot thought that anything was better than letting God's messengers to be harmed.

(v.22) Lot and his family have been compared to the church by some Bible scholars here...God's wrath upon evil couldn't occur until the righteous have been removed to safety first. First of all, it's hard to say that Lot was righteous after he offered his daughters to the blood-thirsty crowd earlier. But if we think about it, no matter how much we pray and strive to walk with God, we will never be perfect. I think that this typology is actually accurate of the state of believers and the Church before the Tribulation...God will remove His Church before He brings wrath upon the world of evil-doers. We may not be perfect, but our faith in His Son makes us righteous in our Father's eyes!

(v.26) Lot's wife shows us that we are in danger if we try to hold onto things of this world while trying to walk with God. We don't really know the reason she looked back, but she obviously felt some attachment to that place, and her unbelief and disobedience destroyed her.