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BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 23, Day 5: Micah 6-7

by atozmom, posted in BSF People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided 2022/2023

SUMMARY OF MICAH 6-7

Micah 6

Micah reports the Lord’s case against Israel regarding their sins. God tells His people to remember all He has done for them since bringing them up out of Egypt and to the Promised Land. He tells them that they know what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly[a] with your God.

Micah 7

There will be a remnant of God’s people who will confess their sins. There will be misery because of their sins. However, Israel will rise again. God will restore them and care for them. He wants His people to do the same.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 23, Day 5: Micah 6-7

12a) God tells His people to remember all He has done for them since bringing them up out of Egypt and to the Promised Land. He tells them that they know what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly[a] with your God.

b) Hardened

13a)

“To act justly” To show justice to others and act justly.

“To love mercy” To show mercy to others and be happy to show mercy.

“To walk humbly with your God” To remember who God is and to walk humbly before Him.

b) I’d say in every aspect of my life. To be just, have mercy, walk humbly.

14) The Lord will bring His people back into the light despite their sins. No matter how much God’s people sin, He is infinitely merciful and loving. He will redeem His people. This offers me hope, too, that no matter how ‘bad’ I am, God still loves me.

15) All of it, really. God forgives, shows mercy, does not stay angry, has compassion, is faithful, shows love, and more. God is good in every way.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 23, Day 5: Micah 6-7

I love how we are called to be like God: to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly. Great stuff.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 23, Day 5: Micah 6-7

Micah 6

Israel is on trial before the Lord. God brings His case. God tells His people to remember all that He has done for them. Israel asks God what He wants from them in the sense that God wants too much from them.

God responds with 3 things he wants:

  1. Do Justly
  2. Love Mercy
  3. Walk Humbly With God

Pretty simple, God says.

God will judge Israel who is greedy and wicked.

Micah 7

Now, a remnant of God’s people will confess their sins. No one could trust anyone.

God’s people will be humbled and then restored. God will care for them, and all the nations will be brought low.

God offers forgiveness and delights in showing mercy to His people. He will have compassion on all of His people. God wants everyone to do the same.

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BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 23, Day 5: Matthew 23:13-39

by atozmom, posted in BSF Matthew 2021/2022

SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 23:13-39

Jesus pronounces 7 woes against the Pharisees and the teachers of the law:

  1. They shut the doors of the kingdom of heaven and keep others out. The Pharisees won’t enter heaven.
  2. They travel far for converts, but once they convert, they become more sinful than themselves.
  3. They swear by the wrong things, such as the gold of the temple and the gift on the altar. Instead, swear by the temple and the one who dwells in it. Swear by heaven, God’s throne, and the one who sits on it.
  4. They have neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness, but give a tenth of their spices.
  5. Inside, they are spiritually lacking and full of greed and self-indulgence. Instead, they clean the outside.
  6. They are hypocrites and wicked, not righteous.
  7. They stand in judgement of their forefathers, saying they would never have shed the blood of prophets, yet they are their descendants and are sinful, too.

Jesus calls them vipers and snakes. He tells them he is sending them teachers, who they will flog and kill. They will have righteous blood upon them.

BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 23, Day 5: Matthew 23:13-39

11a)

  1. They shut the doors of the kingdom of heaven and keep others out. The Pharisees won’t enter heaven.
  2. They travel far for converts, but once they convert, they become more sinful than themselves.
  3. They swear by the wrong things, such as the gold of the temple and the gift on the altar. Instead, swear by the temple and the one who dwells in it. Swear by heaven, God’s throne, and the one who sits on it.
  4. They have neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness, but give a tenth of their spices.
  5. Inside, they are spiritually lacking and full of greed and self-indulgence. Instead, they clean the outside.
  6. They are hypocrites and wicked, not righteous.
  7. They stand in judgement of their forefathers, saying they would never have shed the blood of prophets, yet they are their descendants and are sinful, too.

Repeated words: “Woe to you” “teachers of the law and Pharisees” “you hypocrites” “blind such as blind guides, blind fools, blind men”

b)

  1. We can hinder others coming to God.
  2. We can cause others to sin.
  3. We can swear by the wrong things.
  4. We can get fixated on the trivial rather than what matters.
  5. We can be polluted on the outside, rather than focus on the inside.
  6. We are all hypocrites.
  7. We judge others.

12a) The religious leaders and the rulers will persecute and kill the disciples and other early Christian leaders.

b) Jesus awaits those to acknowledge he is the Son of God.

13) It’s all very true how we are all sinners and make the same mistakes as the Pharisees in our religious pursuits. Awareness is step one. Next, comes change.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 23, Day 5: Matthew 23:13-39

Good stuff. We all need to be told and have our faults pointed out so we can work to correct them and become closer to God.

Great gift!

End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 23, Day 5: Matthew 23:13-39

Woes would have been familiar to the Jews since they were used by the Old Testament prophets a lot. Isaiah 5:8-23; Habakkuk 2:6-19) Many compare these to the eight beatitudes Matthew 5:3-11. 

8 Woes

  1. Woe to those who shut up God’s kingdom. Jesus is pointing out how the leaders made human conditions more important than God’s.
  2. Woe to the religious leaders who steal from widows (the debated 8th woe) and use long prayers to appear spiritual. They will face a greater condemnation in hell.
  3. Woe to those who lead their convers down the wrong path. Romans 10:2 and gave them a false message.
  4. Woe to those who made false and deceptive oaths. They could not swear by God  Exodus 20:7 but they came up with oaths to swear by not abide by them. The altar is greater than the sacrifice on the altar. Every oath is binding.
  5. Woe to those who put trivial matters above those that matter. He used those who take the time to strain gnats (small things) but readily eat camels (big things) without thought.
  6. Woe to those who are corrupt and impure inside and out.
  7. Woe to those lacking spiritual life inside, or dead inside.  Paul called the High Priest a whitewashed wall in Acts 23:3.
  8. Woe to you who honor the dead prophets and kill the living ones.

The word “hypocrite” refers to an actor.

Our altar is Jesus himself and his work on the cross.

God is never fooled by appearances.

Why So Strong Words to the Pharisees?

Jesus hopes to gain repentance with these religious leaders who were so far away from God. Calling them snakes and brood of vipers is equating them with the devil.

Jesus does not want others to be deceived by them.

He mentions all the martyrs of the Old Testament, including Abel and Zechariah. Abel’s blood cried out (Genesis 4:10), and Zechariah asked that his blood be remembered (2 Chronicles 24:22).

Luke tells us that Jesus is crying as he says these words  Luke 19:41 Jesus’ heart breaks at the sin of these men, as it does for us.

Jesus weeps twice in the Bible. Here, for the men who are lost and will face eternal damnation and at the tomb of Lazarus, weeping over death, a consequence of our sin.

Jesus only wants to protect us like a mother hen.  (Psalm 17:8; 91:4; Isaiah 31:5;

Jesus’s words here tells us that he repeatedly visited Jerusalem when he was preaching. However, no one recorded these journeys for us.

They rejected Jesus despite his offering of redemption.

Jesus is referring to his Second Coming with the final words here, saying the Jews will acknowledge him as Messiah.

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BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 23, Day 3: Matthew 22:34-40

by atozmom, posted in BSF Matthew 2021/2022

SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 22:34-40

A Pharisee asked Jesus what was the greatest commandment in the Law. Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” The second is love your neighbor as yourself.

BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 23, Day 3: Matthew 22:34-40

7a) Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” The second is love your neighbor as yourself.

b) Complete and total sacrifice of your life for God and His purpose; utter devotion to God. Having God first in everything you do. Praying and asking for God’s guidance every day and for every major decision.

c) To treat your neighbor as you would treat yourself. Care for them like you do yourself. Put their needs first.

8 ) Too many to list. It’s a tall order to do everything with God first, praying and listening. Same for putting your neighbor equal with yourself. The only thing you can do is take small steps every day to be more like Jesus and to help others in your life. Pray when you think of it. Read the Bible. Take an interest in others.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 23, Day 3: Matthew 22:34-40

Aren’t you glad this question was asked? Even though it as a trick, it helps all of us. Some of my favorite verses in all of the Bible.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 23, Day 3: Matthew 22:34-40

Another question meant to trap Jesus. All laws were equal in the Old Testament and were meant to be obeyed. By putting one above the over 600 others, this would show Jesus did not value the laws as he should.

We can never be perfect in these commandments; but, we can do our best and improve every day.

We go from the 10 Commandments to two — seemingly easy ones, but so difficult to implement in our selfish human lives.

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BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 23, Day 2: Matthew 22:15-33

by atozmom, posted in BSF Matthew 2021/2022

SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 22:15-33

The Pharisees continue to try to trip Jesus up with words. They ask him if it is right to pay taxes to Caesar. Of course, Jesus knows they are trying to trip him up. Instead, he asks for a denarius. On the denarius is a portrait of Caesar, so Jesus said give to Caesar what is his and give to God what is His.

Next, the Sadducees try to trip up Jesus. They ask him that at the resurrection, whose wife will a woman be who married all of the brothers because it was their duty to marry her. The Sadducees believe there is no resurrection. Jesus said at the resurrection there is no marriage. They will be like angels in heaven and be living.

BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 23, Day 2: Matthew 22:15-33

3) The Pharisees continue to try to trip Jesus up with words. They ask him if it is right to pay taxes to Caesar. They think that if Jesus answers to pay the taxes, he will alienate many Jews. If he advocates to not pay taxes, he could go to jail for breaking Roman law.

4a) Jesus knows they are trying to trip him up, so he won’t satisfy them.

b) We must submit ourselves to governing authorities, so we must pay taxes since they are our elected officials chosen by God. To God, we owe our lives, but more than that, our service and our love.

5a) The Sadducees ask Jesus that at the resurrection, whose wife will a woman be who married all of the brothers because it was their duty to marry her.

b) They don’t know the Scriptures or the Power of God. At the resurrection, we will all be living and marriage won’t exist.

6) It reveals how Jesus knows our hearts and intentions and talks about the deeper issues. He knows the Pharisees and the Sadducees are trying to trip him up, so he responds appropriately. I was not really surprised or amazed. Jesus is all-knowing, so his actions make sense to me.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 23, Day 2: Matthew 22:15-33

You can tell the Pharisees and the Sadducees don’t understand who Jesus is; if they did, they would know he wouldn’t fall into their trap. Jesus gives them many opportunities to repent. They do not.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 23, Day 2: Matthew 22:15-33

You know it’s serious when the Pharisees are working together with the Herodians (most likely pagan Romans).

Note they compliment Jesus first, hoping to take his guard down.

They think that if Jesus answers to pay the taxes, Jesus could be accused of denying God’s sovereignty. If he advocates to not pay taxes, he would be an enemy of Rome.

There were many taxes in Judea imposed by Rome. This scene is referring to the poll tax, which is a denarius a year that everyone has to pay.

Jesus shows he is in control. God is superior over all, but government handles local and national affairs.

Fear God. Honor the king. (1 Peter 2:17)

Christians have the image of God stamped on them. We belong to God, so we are to give ourselves to Him. We belong to Him. Jesus makes it clear that there is a separation between church and state here.

The Sadducees

The Sadducees were a small group of wealthy, aristocratic elite who only believed in the first five books of Moses and even then they picked and choose what to believe in. They were more politial than religious, and with the demise of the temple in 70 AD, they disappeared as a political party. They are only mentioned by name in the New Testament about a dozen times, but when chief priests are mentioned, this referred to them, too.

The Sadducees did not believe in resurrection, as the ridiculousness of this question shows. While the premise is true that if a married man died childless, it fell to his brother to marry the widow  Deuteronomy 25:5-10, which is known as levirate marriage. Levir is a Latin word meaning “brother-in-law.”

These highly learned men did not know the Scriptures or the Power of God. God can raise people from the dead, and as Paul says, you can have Biblical knowledge, but not understand the Bible. (2 Timothy 1:13).

Jesus tells them that life in resurrection is now what we know life on earth. Jesus says angels are in heaven, meaning they are real, which the Sadducees do not believe.

In the Bible, angles are always male. (Genesis 18:2, 16; Genesis 19:1-11)

Jesus uses the patriarches of the Old Testament since that is the only part of the Bible that the Sadducees believed in. Jesus quotes God as saying, “I am,” not “I was.” This shows they are still living and God is the God of the living.

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BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 23, Day 5: Genesis 38:13-30

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2020/2021

Summary of Genesis 38:13-30:

Tamar was desperate and knew Shelah would not be her husband. So she disguised herself to go and meet her father-in-law, Judah, at Enaim on the road to Timnah. Judah thought she was a prostitute so he offered her a young goat as payment to sleep with her. She asked for a pledge since he did not have the goat with him. He gave her his seal, cord, and staff. She slept with him and became pregnant.

Judah could not find her again to give her the goat. When he found out though that Tamar was pregnant, he ordered her death, thinking she sinned as a prostitute. She presented him with her pledge and Judah had to admit he was wrong not to give her Shelah. She had twin boys named Perez and Zerah.

BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 23, Day 5: Genesis 38:13-30

13a) Tamar was desperate and knew Shelah would not be her husband. So she disguised herself to go and meet her father-in-law, Judah, at Enaim on the road to Timnah. She then tricked him into sleeping with her in order to have kids.

b) Too many ways to begin.

c) Judah at first was angry, but then he realized he was the one who sinned against her.

14) Jesus came from Tamar’s son, Perez, and Judah

15) It challenges me to do what is right, but not to use deceit to do so. Although, in Tamar’s defense, this was ancient times, and she didn’t have a lot of rights or say in any matter.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 23, Day 5: Genesis 38:13-30

Now I see the significance of this story! I had forgotten about this until I read it again. Great stuff!

End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 23, Day 5: Genesis 38:13-30

Tamar did not have a lot of options. It’s hard to blame her here. Judah was solely in charge if she would marry again, and it was painfully obvious he would not give her his last son.

God’s plan once again in action.

Judah fails to see his sin until he is confronted with it by Tamar. Wisely, he recognizes it for what it is.

Tamar becomes part of Jesus’ lineage!  Matthew 1:3 and Luke 3:33 Cool stuff!

Note this is another example of how God grants grace to sinners and how Jesus does not come from perfect examples of humanity (of which there are none). God can make all things work for the good of those who trust him (Romans 8:28), and for His redemptive plan.

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BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 23, Day 4: Genesis 38:1-12

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2020/2021

Summary of Genesis 38:1-12:

Judah left the family and went up to Adullam. He got married and had three sons. Judah got a wife for his firstborn, Er, but he was wicked so God put him to death. Onan, Er’s brother, was then to lie with Er’s wife, but he refused to have kids with her so he was put to death. The widow Tamar was sent to live with her father until Shelah, Judah’s final son, was of age. Judah’s wife died, and he went to Timnah.

BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 23, Day 4: Genesis 38:1-12

10) He married a Canaanite woman and so too did his sons.

11a) Er was wicked in the eyes of the Lord (that is all we are told). Onan refused to have children with Er’s widow, which violated Deuteronomy 25:5-10

b) God does not tolerate wickedness, and He enacts justice.

12) It helps me to not stray from God’s path, to remember Him, and hopefully to not sin as much.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 23, Day 4: Genesis 38:1-12

I really don’t remember this chapter in Genesis. It seems out of place to me, especially if this is Joseph’s remembrances.

map of adullam and timnah www.atozmomm.comBSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 23, Day 4: Genesis 38:1-12

It seems strange to me that Judah did this. Perhaps he is reminded daily of his sin against his father when he sees him so he leaves. Yet, he violates God’s wishes by marrying a Canaanite woman, which we see a lot in Genesis. (Genesis 24:3, 28:1, 28:8

Being required to marry the widow of your brother was one of God’s ways to care for widows. Widows would probably have lived the rest of their lives struggling if not provided for. Onan refused to have kids with Tamar because they would not be his (they would be considered kids of the one who died, in this case Er). Thus, only obeying God half-way is still a sin.

Judah was afraid his last son would face God’s judgement too so he sent Tamar away.

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BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 23, Day 3: Genesis 37:12-36

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2020/2021

Summary of Genesis 37:12-36:

Joseph’s brothers were sent to graze the flocks near Shechem. Jacob asks Joseph to go and check on his brothers. When Joseph arrived in Shechem, his brothers were no where to be found, so he asked about them. He was told they went to Dothan.

Joseph went to Dothan to find them. As he approached his brothers, they recognized him and plotted to kill him and throw him in a cistern and leave him to die. Reuben, the oldest, said not to kill him, but just throw him in the cistern, probably planning to come and get him once he learned his lesson.

When Joseph arrived, he was stripped of his coat and thrown into the empty cistern. Ironically, they casually sat and ate lunch when a caravan of Ishmaelites strode by on their way to Egypt. Judah suggested not to kill Joseph so they would not have blood on their hands, but to sell him to these approaching Ishmaelities. So they sold Joseph for 20 shekels of silver who took Joseph to Egypt.

Reuben who apparently was not with his brothers returned to rescue Joseph who was not there. Upon not finding him, he tore his clothes. Instead, they killed a goat and dipped Joseph’s coat into the blood. They took this robe back to Jacob who assumed an animal had tore him to pieces.

Jacob tore his clothes and mourned for many days. Jacob refused to be comforted and said he would mourn till the day he died. Joseph was sold to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, who was the captain of the guard.

BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 23, Day 3: Genesis 37:12-36

6) I’m assuming Jacob did not trust his sons. Or, because of what happened to Dinah in (Genesis 34), Jacob may still be worried about the neighboring tribes taking their revenge against him and his family.

7) They immediately started to plot against him. I’m assuming anger had been boiling up inside them for quite some time.

8a) They planned to say a wild animal tore him to pieces.

b) God had both Reuben and Judah have a twinge of guilt and not want to kill Joseph.

c) Man is evil through and through to plot to kill your own brother and sell him into slavery for a mere 20 shekels of silver.

9a) Unsure. Most definitely nothing like this.

b) Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 23, Day 3: Genesis 37:12-36

I noticed how they used one of Jacob’s animals, a goat, and killed it to cover their crime. This was not even their animal to kill.

I’m unsure how Joseph’s brothers can sit and eat before they kill him. Joseph had to be screaming and begging for mercy. This shows just how evil man can be.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 23, Day 3: Genesis 37:12-36

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Tending sheep and goats is not exactly easy. You are outside in the hot sun all day, every day. You have to defend the animals against wild predators, sleep outside in the elements and on the hard ground, and hardly get any time off. Joseph, on the other hand, stayed at camp, slept in his own bed, and probably did not do much work at all.

Joseph was seen by his brothers probably a mile away due to his multi-colored coat. Here we also see Joseph is a supervisory role, not unlike his sheaves dream.

Dothan was about 10 to 15 mile walk. We see Dothan in the Bible again where God protected Elisha (2 Kings 6:13-17) like God protects Joseph here too.

Since Joseph had reported bad things before, the brothers assumed he would again. Their anger must have been great to make the leap to murder.

Fruitless to Oppose God

Interestingly, the brothers opposed God, not Joseph here. Note we see this repeatedly in the book of Genesis as humans are told God’s plans, perhaps even by God or Jesus himself, and they do everything in their power to thwart God’s plans. God wins anyway. God never fails.

We’ll see Joseph rise to become the 2nd most powerful person in the known world. Only God can do such a thing.

Reuben has a twinge of guilt, probably from God. He proposes to throw Joseph into the cistern without killing him.

Note how Reuben did not want to offend his brothers. Because of this, Joseph is sold into slavery, lost to them in essence. If Reuben had been firm as the oldest brother about returning Joseph to his father, this might not have happened. It’s funny because we all know God meant all of this to happen so Joseph could save God’s chosen family. It’s insanely hard to wrap your mind around.

Jesus in Joseph

All throughout the book of Genesis, we’ll see Jesus in Joseph. Here, we see Joseph being stripped as Jesus was. Note how even though we may lose every material thing, God can never be stripped from us.

The brothers were beyond cruel as Joseph pleaded for his life.  Genesis 42:21 When your heart has turned to evil, it can be insanely hard to break free. The brothers were not only ruining Joseph’s life, and probably killing him in a cruel way from a life of slavery, but they were about to break their father’s heart.

We see Arab traders headed the brothers’ way. Most likely, they were descendants of Ishmael, so very distant relatives.

Money turns many a man’s soul black. The idea stemmed from Judah, Jesus’ relative. However, he will be transformed from this experience.

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20 Shekels of Silver

20 shekels of silver was not that much money (each shekel was probably equivalent to about $20). We don’t know what words were exchanged between Joseph and his brothers here. Perhaps Joseph was in shock and speechless. Maybe he was crying. Maybe he forgave his brothers then. Maybe the brothers laughed. All we know is what happened.

We see no signs of guilt from the brothers and probably the determination to take their secret to the grave with them. Utter selfishness and evil here.

Was Jacob wrong to mourn so long here? Many Bible scholars say Jacob should have known Jospeh would have eternal life. However, this is before Jesus. Jacob cannot know this.

Egypt at this time was a well-established culture and power. They were wealthy. The Great Pyramids and the Sphinx had been built hundreds of years before Joseph. They had no real enemies. They enjoyed life to the fullest. Joseph was about to enter a whole different world than one of a goat herder.

The Greatness of Joseph’s Story

Joseph’s story is perhaps one of the greatest because we can see the consequences of our actions in what happens to Joseph, as well as how God orchestrates it all. In fact, we can thank Joseph’s sinful brothers for what they did to Joseph for we would not be here otherwise. God’s plan never fails, ever:

  • Joseph is sold into slavery
  • Joseph is bought by Potiphar
  • Potiphar’s wife accused Joseph of rape
  • Joseph is thrown into prison
  • Joseph interprets the dreams of two men in prison, Pharaoh’s baker and butler
  • Joseph then interprets Pharaoh’s dreams
  • Joseph is made 2nd in command in Egypt
  • Joseph prepares for the great famine
  • Joseph saves his family
  • Joseph saves the Messiah

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 23, Day 5: Genesis 31

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  Laban’s sons were jealous of Jacob’s wealth.  The Lord told Jacob it was time to return to his homeland.  Jacob called Rachel and Leah to him and told them how he has worked for Laban despite the wages being constantly changed but God has been with him and has blessed him with their father’s livestock.

Jacob recounts a dream where God acknowledged Laban’s treachery and told Jacob to leave for home at once.  Rachel and Leah agree and say all Jacob has gained from their father should be theirs anyways as an inheritance.  Jacob and his family left Paddan Aram along with all of his livestock and goods for Canaan.  Rachel stole all of her father’s household gods and Jacob left without telling Laban.  They crossed the Euphrates.

Laban found out after three days that Jacob had fled.  He pursued him and caught up with him in Gilead.  God came to Laban in a dream, warning him not to speak to Jacob. Laban, in his infinite wisdom, speaks to Jacob anyways, and asks him why he had fled without saying good bye and why he has stolen the idols.

Jacob replies that he was afraid Laban would take his daughters from him (can’t blame him here) and that if someone has stolen the idols may they die.

Laban searched and found nothing for Rachel was sitting on them and said she was having her period so she couldn’t stand to greet him.  Laban found nothing.

Jacob is mad at Laban for accusing him of stealing.  He points out how he has worked 20 years for him, 14 for his daughters and 6 for his flocks even though Laban has changed his wages on him 10 times, and God Himself even rebuked Laban for his behavior.

So Laban and Jacob made a covenant, asking Jacob not to mistreat his daughters or take any more wives and neither will cross the other’s “side” to harm each other.  They offered a sacrifice, spent the night, and the next day Laban bid his daughters farewell and left.

Questions:

11a)  The Lord told him it was time to go.

b)  20 years (verse 38 & 41)

12a)  Verse 5 (the God of my father has been with me), Verse 7 (God has not allowed him  (Laban) to harm me, Verse 9 (God has taken away your father’s livestock and given them to me), Verse 12 (I–God–have seen all that Laban has been doing to you)

b)  With Laban and Abimelech, the un-Godly ones (yes, I’m calling Laban un-Godly since he’s throwing such a fit about his stupid idols missing) approached the patriarchs and set the terms of the treaty/covenant.  Both knew God was with Jacob and Isaac and decided to move preemptively to protect themselves.  Both treaties stated one was not to harm the other.  Then they feasted, swore, and went on their merry way.

In terms of Jacob and Jesus, both were being pursued and both submitted to God’s will for their lives.  Jacob was told it was time to move back to Canaan.  Jesus was told it was time to die for our sins.  Both were being falsely accused (Rachel was the perpetrator, not Jacob).  Both sought God in the process.

c)  Verses 5, 7, 9, 12, 42

13a)  Hebrews says to endure hardship as discipline, which Jacob did.  He endured sweltering days and freezing cold nights out in the elements as he cared for the flocks.  He absorbed all the animals’ losses as his own and endured Laban’s mistreatments.  Jacob worked hard and was blessed.  He put his faith in God to care for him and bless him and the Lord did.  He received all he had set out for (a wife basically) and much more (two wives and flocks).

Of course, Jacob failed miserably in the wife department.  But his faith grew in God, which I believe was God’s intent, through the hardships.

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Verse 42.  God has seen my hardship and rebukes the persecutors of such.  Verse 7.  God has not allowed them to harm me.  Verse 11.  God has seen all that has happened.

Conclusions:  It’s important to remember that God is with us in the difficult times and that He uses ALL things for our good (Romans 8:28).  We will be blessed for we are His. Jacob is not personally afraid.  He is afraid he’ll lose his family (as we all).  But Jacob has faith in God to protect him and do His will through him.  That is what we must remember.  God is working through us even if we can’t see it and don’t know why we have to go through something.  It will work for our good.

End Notes:  This is the last we will hear of Laban in the Bible.  As we see, he is a pompous bully who only half-believed in the Lord.  He used his idols for divination.  He is exceedingly jealous of God’s blessing upon Jacob.  It is all about him.

Why did Rachel steal the idols?  The Bible never tells us why.  Scholars give many different speculative reasons:  she didn’t want her father to have them in order to use them for divination to find them.  She was getting back at her father for the many years of mistreating them.  She wanted them for herself for she worshipped them.  And the Jews usually say she took them to keep her father from sinning into idolatry.

You can also glean a nugget here of a healthy separation from your in-laws who may unduly influence you.

Most fascinating to me was that nowhere in this passage of praising God does Jacob ever say “God is MY God.”

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 23, Day 4: Genesis 30:25-31:16

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  Jacob asks Laban if he may return to his home country with his wife and children and flocks.  But Laban asks him to stay for he knows he has prospered only because of Jacob so he offers Jacob to name his price to stay.  Jacob says he will stay if Laban will give him as wages every speckled or spotted sheep and every dark-colored lamb and every spotted or speckled goat that is born.  He will separate out the current speckled and spotted and dark-colored animals and those will be cared for by Laban’s sons, which will decrease the odds of these being born.

Laban divided the animals as agreed upon and separated the flocks.  Jacob then placed tree branches in the water troughs so when the flocks came to drink they would mate. Jacob, caring for the solid-colored animals, kept his flocks separate from Laban’s and he only kept the strong ones.  The weak ones went to Laban.  Jacob grew exceedingly prosperous.

Laban’s sons were jealous of Jacob’s wealth.  The Lord told Jacob it was time to return to his homeland.  Jacob called Rachel and Leah to him and told them how he has worked for Laban despite the wages being constantly changed but God has been with him and has blessed him with their father’s livestock.

Jacob recounts a dream where God acknowledged Laban’s treachery and told Jacob to leave for home at once.  Rachel and Leah agree and say all Jacob has gained from their father should be theirs anyways as an inheritance.

Questions:

8a)  He did his job.  His employer’s flocks multiplied under his care and God’s blessing.  He gave over 14 years of work for Laban in exchange for room and board and his daughters.

b)  Jacob worked hard for Laban, never resenting it, always doing what he was told, and never grumbling.  He increased his employer’s wealth FIRST and then worried about his own.  Laban prospered.  He obeyed Laban in everything he was asked to do.  He worked at it with all his heart since he was truly working for the Lord.  Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for the wrong (as Laban will be).  He respected Laban.  Wealth was not Jacob’s goal.

Even though Laban tricked him repeatedly, Jacob repaid him with blessing by multiplying his flocks.  He was humble.  He depended on God for his well being. He did not worry.  He trusted God to take care of him.

c)  Personal Question.  My answer:  To be working for God, not others.  I try to keep this in the forefront of my mind especially since my writings bring me no monetary rewards as of yet.  I try to give my worries to Him as much as possible.

9a)  Selfish, conceited, unfair, manipulative, greedy, taxing, unscrupulous, a cheat, downright conniving

b)  Laban culled out the speckled, spotted, and dark-colored animals and removed them a three-days journey away, leaving Jacob with only the solid-colored animals.  This meant less likelihood speckled, spotted, and dark-colored animals would be born with those genes removed from the gene pool.  And less animals Jacob would receive as his compensation for his long years of work.

10a)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Homeschool, write, and maybe someday do worship music.  Taking care of family and home.

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  By trying my best, working for God, following His Word when a dodgy situation arises, and praying throughout it all.  Give God the credit by merely saying so, acknowledging it’s all through His power (as everything we do is from getting up in the morning to going to bed at night).

Conclusions:  Pleasantly surprised this lesson was on work.  Thought it would be on trickery.  Always a good reminder you are working for God.  For if you work for man you are destined to be unfulfilled, unhappy, and unsatisfied with life.

Equally important is giving God the credit for all that you do.  Saying so out loud to others is a powerful testimony that I’m sure puts a smile on God’s face when He hears it.

Note on Selective Breeding:  Scholars are unsure exactly the methods Jacob used as described here in Genesis.  Jacob thought the branches would somehow give him speckled offspring and he culled out the strong to breed with the strong.  Point being is: God increased Jacob’s lot despite the methods used.

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 23, Day 3: Genesis 29:31-30:24 & 35:16-20

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passages:  Genesis 29:31-30:24:  The Lord gave Leah children because she was unloved by Jacob while Rachel remained barren.  She had Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah.

Rachel became jealous of Leah and demanded children from Jacob (like it’s Jacob’s fault. Why doesn’t she go to God?).  Which Jacob not so kindly pointed out to her.  So Rachel offered up her maidservant, Bilhah, in her place (does NO one learn around here?). Bilhah had Dan and Naphtali and Rachel felt she won over her sister.

So what does Leah do?  She wants revenge.  So she offers up her servant, Zilpah, to Jacob to have kids with (Jacob apparently is loving this).  Zilpah had Gad and Asher.

[The next scene is unbelievable!]

Reuben brings Leah some mandrake plants.  Rachel wants some so she trades a night with Jacob for some.  Leah sleeps with Jacob and becomes pregnant with Issachar.  Leah had another son named Zebulun (but she is apparently not honored by Jacob).  Then she had a daughter named Dinah.

Rachel prayed to God (finally) and He heard her.  He blessed her with a son named Joseph.  Then she prayed for another.

Genesis 35:16-20:  Rachel gave birth to Benjamin and she died in the process.

Questions:

6a)  Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin.

b)  God completely disagrees with favoritism as we see in 29:31 when we are told the reason God blesses Leah with children is because she was not loved by Jacob (but is this fair to Rachel?)

c)  She was comforted with sons but to me her words don’t show a lot of comfort because she is still hoping Jacob will love her with each birth and he never does.  Pray and accept it willingly.

7a)  To be loved by her husband (but isn’t this her fault as well?  She married him knowing he did not love her.).  No, she was never loved.

b)  Leah is in heaven.  But Jacob’s sons became the 12 Tribes of Israel (including hers).  Levi’s was set apart as priests.  The royal line was through the tribe of Judah.  And Christ came through Leah (the line of Judah), not Rachel.

c)  2 Corinthians tells us to not lose heart for inwardly we are being renewed day by day and our momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that outweighs anything we are going through on earth.  God doesn’t forget us in our earthly struggles. He comforts us in different ways (for Leah a child) and for us through His word, through a friend, our kids, our spouse, our pets, strangers, prayer, church, or something material. He is there in the unseen.

Conclusions:  Was I the only one wondering why is Jacob having sex with Leah if he didn’t love her?  Conjugal duties only? Sex is supposed to be the ultimate show of love and bonding of a man and a woman as one.  So why is Jacob just “going through the motions” here?  Or is he just shunning the meaning of sexual intercourse and engaging callously, especially when Leah herself says she is unloved?

Jacob could have ended all of the jealously between sisters if he had just honored the marriage vows.  And kept his pants zipped.  But Jacob is of the flesh.  He couldn’t overcome his desires.

It seems to me all of this is Jacob’s fault.  Sure, you could argue Laban was at fault for substituting Leah in place of Rachel (but shouldn’t Jacob have checked before getting it on with her?) but Jacob is 100% responsible as the man of the household for decisions. He’s also responsible for who he sleeps with and who he doesn’t.

He could have ended all of this but he must have been enjoying having 4 women as wives and all the in-fighting over his affections.  Not only could he have stopped the sex part, but he could have FORBIDDEN the rivalry as the man of the household.  Instead, he stood by.  And watched his family become more and more dysfunctional every day.  He’s definitely egotistical and likes to have his ego stroked.

This whole passage is just utterly sad.  Here we have 2 sisters, competing with each other, and using children as the weapon!!  The kids have become trophies so to speak and it becomes a competition of who has more!!  How sad!  We have 2 sisters who are blood allowing a man to separate them and cause one ugly feud that must have been wretched for the entire household.  And we have the man who plays one wife off the other by refusing to zip his pants!  He probably would have slept with more servants if offered! Sad all around!

Leah was comforted by God to a point.  But she repeatedly says how she’s trying to earn Jacob’s affection.  This is a sin.  For God should be enough.  God is NOT her center.  For if God had been, she wouldn’t have needed Jacob to fill the need deep inside of her that only God can fill in all of us.

Can you imagine growing up in this environment?  Can you imagine how the children felt?  Obviously there is tension. They learned it from their mothers.  And saw their father stand by and do nothing to stop it.  Who can blame the brothers when they throw Joseph down the well?  With these two as mothers it’s no wonder!  And no father to lead!

Great reason why there should only be one man and one woman in a relationship (as God intended).  But Leviticus 18:18 had to outlaw specifically no marriage with sisters.  Any one guess why?

Explanation on the mandrake plant:  Why all the fuss over this plant?  Why would Rachel trade a night with her husband to Leah for it?  It had to be pretty valuable stuff. And it was (at least so it was thought).

Mandrakes are a plant that is thought to increase fertility in women.  It is the root of the plant and it is translated as “love-apples” in Hebrew.  It worked in Leah’s case!

We should see now the sovereignty of God over childbirth.  He opens wombs and closes them repeated throughout the Bible.  As He does today.  We also see His grace. When women (or husband’s) pray, God answers and opens wombs.  Great lesson for those struggling to have a baby.

Rachel pays the ultimate price for this competition:  with her life.  She asked Jacob for children or she would die (Genesis 30:1).  She got both.  This was also the fulfillment of the curse Jacob pronounced in Genesis 31:32.

Final Note:  Everyone sinned here.  But the sin could have stopped.  All it would have taken would have been only ONE of them to stand up and say “No more!”.  Rachel didn’t. Leah didn’t.  And Jacob didn’t.  And so the sin perpetuated.  And into the next generation as the kids learned from their parents’ examples.

This is the lesson for us all.  It only takes one party in a conflict to stand up for what is right, for their beliefs, for God’s will and word, and say “No more!”