Pastor Mary Haley

Genesis:  The Beginning

God, Judah, Tamar, Dishonor 2-3-16

Genesis 38

Yesterday, we read about how Joseph and his dreams caused such hatred among his brothers they sold him into slavery.  The dreams were actually given to reassure God’s people he was orchestrating things, but the brothers did not see it that way, so they took steps to silence the dreamer.   While Joseph is enslaved in Egypt under the rule  of Potiphar, our reading shifts our focus off from Joseph and onto Judah—the ancestor of the tribe of Judah.   FYI, King David and Jesus were descendants of Judah.  Tonight, we travel to Adullam (translates deceptive) where we watch the unrolling life choices of Judah, his sons, and his daughter-in-law, Tamar.    Adullam was a royal city in Canaan; NW of Hebron by 15 miles.  The life stories in Chapters 37-38 will reveal a moral contrast between Joseph and Judah.

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Genesis:  The Beginning

God, Judah, Tamar, Dishonor 2-3-16

Genesis 38

Yesterday, we read about how Joseph and his dreams caused such hatred among his brothers they sold him into slavery.  While Joseph is enslaved in Egypt, our reading shifts our focus off from Joseph and onto Judah.  We travel to Adullam where we watch the unrolling life choices of Judah, his sons, and his daughter-in-law, Tamar.  The life stories in Chapters 37-38 reveal a moral contrast between Joseph and Judah.

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Genesis:  The Beginning  

Jacob’s Family 2-1–16 

READ:  Genesis 34-35

Yesterday, we read about Jacob’s return to Canaan and how he reconciled with Esau.  Today, we will look at Jacob’s senior years of life, as well as his family.  

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Genesis:  The Beginning  

Jacob and Esau 1-31-16 

READ:  Genesis 32-33

In our lesson yesterday, we read about Jacob leaving the household of Laban in order to return to Canaan.  Today, Jacob will seek to reconcile with Esau as he passes through the region of Seir (Edom; southern portion of the Dead Sea).

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Genesis:  The Beginning  

Jacob and Laban 1-30-16 

READ:  Genesis 30:25–31:55

Yesterday, relational conflict was the biggest lesson from our text; Jacob’s family was familiar with conflict.  Today, we will look at the relationship between Laban and Jacob; Jacob begins to gain wealth as God prospers him. We shall see Laban is not finished being a scoundrel.

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Genesis:  The Beginning  

A Son for Rachel 1-29-16 

READ:  Genesis 30:1-24

Yesterday, Laban deceived Jacob into marrying not just one but two of his daughters:  Leah and Rachel.  Jacob worked fourteen years for Laban as dowry payment.  Today, we will look at Jacob’s family and how conflict caused all kinds of wrong decisions.

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Genesis:  The Beginning  

Jacob Chooses a Wife 1-28-16 

READ:  Genesis 29

Yesterday, in our reading, Jacob has a vision or dream from the LORD while he is resting in Bethel (translated “house of God”).  In this dream, the LORD appears to Jacob and reaffirms the promises of the Abrahamic covenant that now belongs to him. Today, Jacob continues his journey to Haran where he will be looking for a wife.

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Genesis:  The Beginning  

God, Jacob, and His Dream 1-27-16 

READ:  Genesis 28

Isaac accepts his favored child, Esau, will not be the one to fulfill the covenant blessing.  The land God promised to Abraham will be passed down through Isaac’s line and into Jacob.  Jacob has always been at home; not much of an explorer.  I am thinking this was pretty stressful for Jacob.  Do you like getting out of your comfort zone and traveling by yourself to places you have never been?  It was Esau who was always outdoors and had experience with the land.  Yet, now Jacob must follow Isaac’s instruction to leave a place of security and familiarity to explore the promised land (think about this line: ‘leave and go to the place I will show you’).  Somebody say, “This is a set up!” God is going to show Jacob something about serving El Shaddai!  So Jacob leaves.  

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Genesis:  The Beginning  

God, Jacob, and His Dream 1-27-16

READ:  Genesis 28

Yesterday, we read about Jacob’s deception and how he used it to get the blessing of Isaac.  This blessing determines the patriarchal succession; therefore, Isaac’s blessing links Jacob with the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant.  Today, we will read about Jacob and the dream he has from the LORD on his way to see Laban the brother of Jacob’s mother, Rebekah.

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