Now with Jacob dead, the brothers feared retribution from Joseph over what they did. They lied (presumably again), saying that Jacob told them to tell Joseph to forgive them. Joseph wept at the message. The brothers threw themselves at Joseph’s feet, calling themselves his slaves. Joseph told them to not be afraid (much like God would). God intended their actions for good so that he can save many lives. Joseph told them he would provide for them and their families.
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 29, Day 4: Genesis 50:15-21
13) The brothers feared retribution from Joseph over what they did. They lied (again), saying that Jacob told them to tell Joseph to forgive them. Joseph wept at the message. The brothers threw themselves at Joseph’s feet, calling themselves his slaves.
14) “In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Joseph forgives his brothers and promises to take care of them and their children.
15) There is good in every situation, and you have to have faith that God intends everything (even the bad) for good. With time, you can see it.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 29, Day 4: Genesis 50:15-21
The brothers lie again. Is there no end here? Joseph echoes his words from before that God intended their actions for good to save lives (Genesis 45:5).
End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 29, Day 4: Genesis 50:15-21
Joseph’s tears are probably because the brothers are showing no faith in him and his forgiveness from years before.
Josepth rightly put retribution into God’s hands. God uses all things for our good.
Our lives are in God’s hands. God saved the lives of Jacob’s family to save all of us.
Joseph provided for his brothers out of love and compassion. He had the love of God in him, which he shared with his brothers.
Jacob asks for Rachel’s hand once his 7 years is up. Laban throws a feast, but when evening came he substitued Leah for Rachel. He gave Leah a servant named Zilpah. When morning came, Jacob realized he had been tricked. When he confronts Laban, Laban says the custom is to take the older daughter first. Jacob agrees to keep Leah as his wife, but he then marries Rachel in exchange for 7 more years of labor. Rachel’s servant is Bilhah.
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 19, Day 4: Genesis 29:21-30
9) Laban may have been worried no one would marry Leah is she was uncomely. He also knew he could get free labor from Jacob basically for another 7 years. When he confronts Laban, Laban says the custom is to take the older daughter first.
10) Leah is now married to someone who does not love her. Rachel is favored. Rachel has to share her husband. No one trusts Laban.
11) Jacob deceived Esau out of the blessing, and he pretends to be Esau to receive Isaac’s blessing. Galatians says that Jacob sowed a sinful nature and reaped destruction because of it.
12) Just because you are forgiven does not mean you can change what happened. You cannot undo anything in this world. Actions reap other actions. You are responsible for your choices.
13) Unsure. It’s hard to see this from my eyes.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 19, Day 4: Genesis 29:21-30
I’m wondering how this went down and how both women felt about this. Leah was forced to marry someone who did not want her. Rachel was forced to allow her sister to take her place that night. I’m wondering too how Jacob did not notice this before he slept with her. Assuming there was no light, and no one said anything or Jacob would have recognized her voice. Still, the logistics of this deceit baffle me. You would think someone would know here.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 19, Day 4: Genesis 29:21-30
Leah would have been veiled until they were alone together and with no artificial light….still….
Neither girl had a say in this deceit. It was all Laban. Leah may have been happy, sad, angry. We just don’t know.
The morning must have been a shock. Everyone was angry probably — all because of original sin — Jacob’s.
Many Bible scholars believe that Laban’s excuse was made up and was no custom or law at that time.
Polygamy was a sin of ignorance in Abraham’s day. The example was Adam and Eve, but there was no law against more than one wife. Here Jacob is forced to have 2 wives in order to save Leah from a life of solitude, but it is still a sin.
Jacob most definitely reaped what he had sown, and while Jacob was the younger chosen by God to receive the blessing, he married the older instead.
God disciplined Jacob by allowing this to happen as a consequence of his previous sins. Still, Laban is guilty of sin as well. He used his own daughters for free labor and to ensure Leah was married.
The second 7 years was probably a lot tougher than the first. This was definitely a harder pill to swallow, especially considering Jacob’s age.
Laban gets what he wants initially, but, like always, he’ll get his later. God gives people what they want even when they use sin as a means, but they still have consequences.
In this time, Leah was not defiled and could not be married to another. Jacob was obligated to keep her. That being said, I don’t see how he was obligated to sleep with her and have children with her, especially if he didn’t love her EXCEPT for God’s mandate to be fruitful and multiply. Still, I don’t see how he continued doing this.
Having multiple wives was not uncommon in this culture at that time.
The two men who left God walk to Sodom and find Lot at his post at the city’s entrance. Lot recognized their significance immediately and pleaded with them to come to his house for the night. They agreed. Later that night, all of the men of Sodom surround Lot’s house and demand he send out the two men so that they can have sex with them. Lot pleaded with them not to tak the two men, and even offered up his two virgin daughters instead.
The crowd would not listen, and as they moved towards the house, the angels struck them with blindness so they couldn’t find the door. They got Lot back inside safely. They told Lot that they were sent to destroy the city due to the outcry against it, so if he had anyone he wanted to save, to get them. Lot ran to save his future sons-in-law, but they thought he was joking.
Ezekiel 16:49-50:
Sodom is described as arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned. They didn’t help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things.
2 Peter 2:5-11:
God rescues the righteous while judging the unrighteous and made an example of Sodom and Gomorrah of what will happen to the ungodly. We learn Lot was distressed by what he saw around him (but apparently not enough to leave).
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 12, Day 3: Genesis 19:1-14; Ezekiel 16:49-50; 2 Peter 2:5-11
7) Lot sat at the city gate, which is where leaders sat to make important decisions. This suggests that Lot has become one of them. Also, that Lot would allow his own daughters to be raped. That’s a new low right there.
8a) It was deep if you’re willing to let your own daughters be raped. Plus, it was a gang rape. It seemed all the men were corrupt and committing crimes.
b) God prevents this from happening. He can only tolerate so much evil, and He had had enough.
9) We are all impacted by the sins around us as crimes continue to happen every day. It can be overwhelming to think about so knowing that God has got this is comforting, indeed.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 12, Day 3: Genesis 19:1-14; Ezekiel 16:49-50; 2 Peter 2:5-11
This is a sad chapter for me. If humanity has sunk so low, the only hope is God. Deep inside, we are all capable of this type of sin.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 12, Day 3: Genesis 19:1-14; Ezekiel 16:49-50; 2 Peter 2:5-11
Note we are told for sure that these are angels who have come to Sodom and Gomorrah to destroy it. Lot probaby didn’t know they were angels, but he did know they were important, and probably much different than your average visitor passing through Sodom’s gates.
Lot has been going down the path of sin since Abraham offered him the choice of land in Genesis 13 (Genesis 13:10). Now he is a leader. You could say he has compromised his soul.
What you miss out of the Ezekiel passage Ezekiel 16, is that God is comparing Judah and Jerusalem to the evil of Sodom and Gomorrah. The sins listed are shared sins.
Gang rape is serious, and it was accepted. This is bad, indeed.
One interesting thing is that homosexuals say they were born with that tendency. However, the Bible says we are all born and prone to sin, so homosexuality is just one way sin manifests itself.
Lot calls them wicked (hypocrite) when he’s about to sell his daughters’ souls. In ancient times, guests held a higher place than women. Note despite Lot’s standing in the community, no one respected him.
The angels step in to stop any more grievous sins from taking place and ask Lot if there is anyone else to save. This question is one we should be asking on a daily basis. Remember only God is omniscient. The angels here truly do not know.
The fiances of his daughters were considered family even though they weren’t married. They laughed at him, probably with a heart full of sin as well.
Lot is saved; but is he? And for what? Don’t waste your life like Lot. 1 Corinthians 3:15: Turn your life to good for others.
Abraham just got done hosting God and two other men. He says that Abraham will become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. They will keep the way of the Lord and the generations afterwards as well.
God announces His plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because it is so wicked. But Abraham intercedes and pleads with God not to, arguing that God cannot kill the righteous along with the wicked, treating them the same. Abraham says what if there are 50 righteous people? So God agrees that if He finds 50 righteous people He will not destroy them. Abraham keeps pleading with God, asking for 45, 40, and so on down the line till the number agreed upon is 10. Abraham returns home.
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 12, Day 2: Genesis 18:16-33
3) That God walked with Abraham, and God hid nothing from Abraham. God has faith in Abraham to walk in His ways and to teach his children to do so as well.
4) Lot lives in Sodom, his nephew. Abraham is compassionate. God listens and shows mercy.
5) Abraham knew that God was righteous and would not destroy righteous believers because God would do what is right.
6) We can ask God to do what is right because we know God is good to do so. We also see how God answers prayers and requests here.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 12, Day 2: Genesis 18:16-33
We see the power of prayer firsthand. Because Abraham was bold and asked for God what was on his heart, a whole city was spared. Think of what you are hesitant to ask God and ask! He can do anything, especially if we ask.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 12, Day 2: Genesis 18:16-33
God reveals to Abraham what is about to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah for two reasons:
Because God would bring forth a great nation from Abraham
Because Abraham would teach his descendants about the One, True God
We can only assume what a huge outcry this was against Sodom and Gomorrah for God to want to destroy them. Possible sources of outcry include creation, angels, victims inside the cities, and God’s holy nature.
Obviously God knows the outcries are true against Sodom and Gomorrah since God knows everything. He says this for our purposes only so we know He is a just God. (Psalm 19:9, Revelation 16:7)
We can infer the two men were the angels whom will address Lot in Genesis 19.
What We See As Abraham Asks God to Spare Sodom and Gomorrah
Abraham draws near to God, as we should
Abraham reminds God of who He is
Abraham understands God’s nature
God agrees
Abraham is specific in his prayer (note the number of righteous people found)
Abraham asks with the right heart
Abraham is humble
This is a powerful passage of those before Jesus still being conformed in his image (Romans 8:29),
If Abraham persisted from 50 down to 10, why stop at 10? Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because only 4 righteous people (Lot’s family) were found. Would history have been different if Abraham had persisted? Perhaps Abraham himselfe believed that there were surely more than 10 people who were righteou there.
