1 Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.” 2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. 3 Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God,... Read more
Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me obnoxious to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land. We are few in number, and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed.” -Genesis 34:30 Genesis 34 is one of those chapters in the Bible that is hard to discuss. Jacob’s daughter is raped by a well-respected guy in a neighboring town. He... Read more
18 After Jacob came from Paddan Aram, he arrived safely at the city of Shechem in Canaan and camped within sight of the city. 19 For a hundred pieces of silver, he bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, the plot of ground where he pitched his tent. 20 There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel. -Genesis 33:18-20 Once Jacob had returned home, Genesis shares one important insight regarding his priorities. We... Read more
24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he... Read more
Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” -Genesis 31:3 God is always with us. There is never a moment he leaves on vacation or turns his back on us due to our failures. Jacob’s life offers deep insight into this “always present” attribute of God. Jacob had betrayed his brother and his father. After fleeing his home, he found himself betrayed by another... Read more
But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you.” -Genesis 30:27 Jacob followed God. Despite his failings, his faith stood out among those around him. In Genesis 30, we find an odd scene in which Jacob plans to leave the area of Haran and head back to his homeland with his family. Laban asks him to stay. Why? He said,... Read more
4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “My brothers, where are you from?” “We’re from Harran,” they replied. 5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?” “Yes, we know him,” they answered. 6 Then Jacob asked them, “Is he well?” “Yes, he is,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.” -Genesis 29:4-6 Sometimes life seems random. At other times, we clearly see the hand of God. When Jacob left home for his mother’s hometown, the... Read more
10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it stood... Read more
42 When Rebekah was told what her older son Esau had said, she sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him, “Your brother Esau is planning to avenge himself by killing you. 43 Now then, my son, do what I say: Flee at once to my brother Laban in Harran. 44 Stay with him for a while until your brother’s fury subsides. 45 When your brother is no longer angry with you and forgets what you did to... Read more
23 From there he went up to Beersheba. 24 That night the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.” -Genesis 26:23-24 When the Lord speaks, things happen. Isaac had dealt with a wide range of problems–issues with his wife, controversies with his neighbors over wells ... Read more
Holy Writ
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