Genesis 24

Sarah has passed away. Isaac is grown up. Abraham is getting older and older. It is time for Isaac to get a wife…So Abraham sent his most trustworthy servant Eliezer back to his relatives to find Isaac a good godly life-partner. She must definitely not be taken from among unbelievers in Yahweh. (V 1-9)

The most loyal and faithful servant prepared and organized his trip to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor very well. He does not forget to pray to God about this most important venture of faith. And God would answer the prayer very promptly. Everything went well. The servant demonstrated wisdom, tact, self-control, courtesy, respectfulness, discipline, seriousness, and faith in his dealing with the family of the chosen bride Rebekah. (V 10-61). The whole process was most successful. God is amazing!

Rebekah and Isaac would become the God-chosen couple who will further the promise of God to Abraham to become the Father of many descendants and a blessing to all nations. (V 62-67)

Let us be always most loyal and faithful unto Our God who directs our path and answers our prayers. He does grant us the desires of our hearts like He did to Abraham, Isaac, and the loyal servant Eliezer through picking the most beautiful kind-hearted Rebekah as bride to Abraham’s miraculously-born son.

Genesis 23

In this chapter, we read about the death and burial of Sarah at the age of one hundred and twenty-seven years. Abraham buried her honorably purchasing a burial site for her- the cave of Machpelah, for the full price of four hundred shekels of silver, before the witnessing eyes of the sons of Heth. The cave faced Mamre, Hebron in the land of Canaan.

Abraham did not accept the field and cave as a gift from Ephron. He did not even make any bargain. He just paid the full amount in a most honorable way as God's chosen man in His Mission to redeem mankind through Abraham's seed and descendants. The Messiah Jesus Christ would come to the world through the Abrahamic line in God's perfect timing later.

Let's always uphold the Holy Name of our God in any deal with individuals and groups of the world around us, like Abraham did towards his neighbors.

Great motto to live by

“Do all the good you can,

By all means you can,

In all ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as ever you can”

(John Wesley)

Genesis 22

A famine hit the land where Isaac lived. He decided to go to Gerar. God appeared to him there instructing him not to go down to Egypt. If Isaac obeys God, he will be blessed as God promised to Abraham, his father. Thus, Isaac stayed in Gerar (V 1-6).

However, his faith in God was not totally mature. He tried to practice deceit about his beautiful wife for his personal survival just like his father Abraham did in the past. God revealed the scheme to the king Abimelech like He did in Abraham’s case too (Gen 12 & 20). God miraculously spared the life of His chosen ones-Isaac & Rebekah (V 7-11)

As promised, God blessed Isaac and prospered him and his family. His neighbors, the Philistines envied him and quarreled with him over the wells which Isaac dug (V 12-17). 

Instead of fighting back, Isaac kept his peace and dug again other wells. The Philistines quarreled again over the water. This happened again and again until finally after Isaac had moved away and dug another well, only then they did not quarrel over it (V 18-22).

Isaac decided to move up to Beersheba. There the Lord God appeared to him again reminding Isaac of His blessing over him and his descendants. So, Isaac was so touched that he built an altar and worshiped and adored God (V 23-25).

The king Abimelech, hearing about the divine blessing and prosperity of Isaac and his family, became afraid of the latter. He and his team decided to come and see Isaac to settle a peace treaty (V 26-33).

Is it not amazing how the unbelieving world can notice and recognize someone who is blessed and favored by God? God is in sovereign control over His children’s lives and security and safety. He can even cause Isaac’s enemies to seek for peace with him. Only God can turn our enemies into friends! We must have faith in Him and obey Him faithfully though.

The last verse, verse 34 of this chapter 26 lets us know that Esau did not follow God’s ways seriously. He married Hittite women, which displeased also his God-fearing parents Isaac and Rebekah. When we seek marriage-partners, may we avoid unbelievers. Marry genuine Christians according to God’s plan! And God will bless the marriage, like Abraham and Sarah, like Isaac and Rebekah…

Exodus 15:1-21

Ex 15:1-21

1. What is the context of the passage?

Israel rejoices after having crossed the Red Sea miraculously as they fled the Egyptian army with Pharaoh as their head. The latter and his whole army, horses, and chariots were all drowned. So, Moses and the Israelites sang to the Lord, rejoicing in their triumph over their enemies, unto the praise, honor, and glory of the Lord God (vv. 1-18). Then, Miriam, Moses and Aaron’s sister responded through leading the Israelite women in another song of praise unto the Lord (vv.  20-21).

2. What kind of literature (genre) is this?

Poetry song

.

The structure of the song contains four stanzas (vv. 1-5; 6-10; 11-13; and 14-17) and a final line closing proclamation (v. 18), which sums up the victory of the Israelites over the Egyptians: The Lord reigns!

3. Where else in the Bible is this passage mentioned?

Psalm 78:13

Psalm 78 was written to teach the children of Israel how God had been so gracious to them in the past despite their ancestors’ rebellion and lack of gratitude. The Psalmist focuses on the Exodus history.

The verse 13 talks about the parting of the Red Sea allowing the Israelites to flee from the Egyptian armies. The OT saints considered this miracle as the most spectacular one in their history.

4. Verses 1-18: How would we divide this passage into sections or paragraphs?

The passage can be divided into four stanzas (vv. 1-5; 6-10; 11-13; and 14-17) and a final one-line closing proclamation (v. 18), which sums up the victory of the Israelites over the Egyptians: The Lord reigns!

Stanzas one and two close with “They sank…” (vv. 5 and 10), emphasizing the totality of the enemies’ defeat. Stanzas three and four end with God’s Holy Sanctuary (vv.13 and 17).

Stanza one introduces God’s mighty victory (vv. 1-5).

Stanza two further elaborates on that overwhelming victory and then shows how arrogant and evil were the enemies (vv. 6-10).

Stanza three asks a relevant question and then summarizes the victory (vv. 11-13).

Stanza four affirms the fear and dread of the enemies as they hear of how the Lord leads and guides His people towards their divine destiny (vv. 14-17).

5. What does this passage say about God?

God rules and reigns absolutely over His people and all nations. He is the sovereign King of kings and Lord of lords.

6. What is the function of v.19?

V. 19 is a narrative interlude which acts as a reminder of the theme behind the song and opens the way for the very spirited response of Miriam the prophetess and the women.

7. What is the significance of vv20-21?

Miriam was the very first woman to be given the title of prophetess. She did play a significant role in this amazing miraculous rescue as the prophet Micah declared in Micah 6:4. This very rare honor to a woman was also given to Deborah (Judg. 4:4); Huldah (2 Kin. 22:14); Isaiah’s wife (Is. 8:3); Anna (Luke 2:36); and Philip’s four daughters (Acts 21:9).

8. What is the overall point of the passage?

The overall point of the passage is beautifully summed up in v 18, “The Lord shall reign forever and ever.”

The Lord shall reign forever and ever no matter what any person or nation does or try to do against Him. His sovereign plan and purpose for His elect shall be accomplished in His perfect will and time.

9. How would we apply this passage today?

We, born-again Christians do not have to fear about the future no matter what we hear or see around us. We may not know what the future holds but we do know who holds the future. It is Our Lord God. We just have to trust and obey Him through His Holy Word at all times.