Moving On

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

MOVING ON

Gen 12:4-9

4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. 6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. 8 From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. 9 Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.

NIV

Once Abram reached the land of Canaan, where the descendants of Ham, the Canaanites, lived, he traveled as far as the great tree of Moreh in Shechem. Although this only takes a verse, the road distance from Haran to  Shechem is about 600 miles. Considering Abram was traveling with his wife, Sarai, his nephew, Lot, and the people he had acquired in Haran, all his possessions, herds of sheep, cattle, or camels, they could not move very quickly, so this journey could have taken days, even months.  It was definitely different than our travel times. They would have to stop each night, pitch the tents, set up camp, prepare food, and whatever, but the point is Abram stayed the course, doing exactly what the LORD had told him to do, even if it might have been difficult and took some time. Once Abram arrived at the great tree of Morah at Shechem, the LORD appeared to Abram. This was Jehovah, the self-existent one, who appeared to Abram. How is it that Abram saw God and lived? What did he appear as? What did Abram see? Whoever Abram was visited by must have made it one of the most pivotal moments of his life. He was told the LORD was going to give this land to his descendants. We know Abram was seventy when he set out from Haran, and at that time he had no son, but he heard that his descendants would have this land. Abram had to have believed because he set up an altar there where Jehovah had appeared to him. Faith is a mighty force. Again, it is far different from believing in God and believing God. Abram believed the LORD. We are not told that Abram argued with the LORD, or said, "How is that possible? I am an old man already; how long will it be before I have any descendants? How long is this going to take"? Do we ever ask questions like that when or if we hear from the Lord? Has the Lord ever appeared to us in some way? Why are we Christians? What reason do we believe God? What caused us to follow Jesus? We must have had some kind of experience like Abram did for us to do what we have been instructed to do, as Abram was, and follow through on what the Lord has told us. Abram was given specific instructions as to where he was to leave from and travel to. We have to believe the Lord still has specific instructions for us as to where he wants us to go, or be, and what to do there. As believers, as followers of Jesus, we cannot just wander around in life doing our own thing, show up at some church one day a week for one hour, and think the will of God is being done on earth, in our lives, as it is in heaven. Of course, Abram had to do the daily living, but he was doing that as he was going where the LORD told him to go. We cannot settle for just living our daily lives; we must always be moving on with God. 

Do as Told

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

DO AS TOLD

Gen 12:1-5

12:1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people, and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.

2 "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth  will be blessed through you."

4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.

NIV

We are told that Abram's father, Terah, died in Haran, but it is not clear if the LORD called Abram before his father's death or after, because he was told to leave his father's household. The Lord made a promise that could be seen as a covenant between himself and Abram. That promise was made specifically to Abram and for what would happen by following the command of the LORD to leave his country, his people,and his father's household. In other words, just take off to parts unknown. We do not think we can take any of that promise the LORD made to Abram in a personal sense, but we do have instructions from the LORD for our lives. There are general instructions, or commands for all believers, but then we each may have some specific instructions as to what we are to do as part of the body of Christ. There is this one major promise that God made to all mankind: if someone confesses with their mouth and believes in their heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, they will be saved. In essence, this being saved is the act of being born again, for that confession and believing is a type of resurrection of the dead to being alive in Christ, for we were dead in our sins, doomed, but now we have been given life. That is the greatest blessing anyone could receive. However, there is this one truth that we need to focus our attention on. So Abram left, as the LORD had told him. He left what he knew, of course, took all he had with him, possessions and people, and struck out under the leadership of the LORD to the land of Canaan. Here is where it can get dicey in our lives. First, we need to know what the Lord wants us to do in or with our lives; then we need to follow his directions. We may be told to leave someplace, do something, give something, or serve in some capacity. We may each be told something different, but the point is that we first need to listen and then do as we are told. In some sense, we all had to leave someplace behind to set out on the path the Lord has for us. That which we left behind might have been a life of sin, but it could also be a life of religion or traditional religious thinking. Truth be told, we simply need to follow Jesus, or do as the LORD told us.

 

Follow

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

FOLLOW

Gen 11:10-32

 

10 This is the account of Shem.

Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he became the father of Arphaxad. 11 And after he became the father of Arphaxad, Shem lived 500 years and had other sons and daughters.

26 After Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.

27 This is the account of Terah.

Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. 28 While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, in the land of his birth. 29 Abram and Nahor both married. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife was Milcah; she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milcah and Iscah. 30 Now Sarai was barren; she had no children. 31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there. 32 Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran.

NIV

Once again, we are going to jump past some of the verses in chapter 11 because they are just the lineage of each man, at what age they had the next in line, and how long they lived. We did notice, however, that each had their sons earlier in life and lived a shorter number of years, starting with Shem living 500 years, to the father of Terah living only 119 years. However, the point is that through the line of Shem we get to Abram, from whom his grandson, Jacob, will be the father of the tribe of Israel. But first we must visit with Abram for some time and find some truths for our lives through his life. Abram lived in Ur of the Chaldeans, as did his father Terah. It was Terah who took his son Abram and his grandson Lot and Abram's wife Sarai and set out to go to Canaan, except they did not get there; instead, they settled in Haran. This is the place where God called Abram to leave his father's household and go where he would show him. What do we learn from this narrative? We notice that Abram followed his father's decision to leave Ur and go to the land of Canaan. Abram was already a married man, which should have meant He would have left his father and mother and been united with his wife as they became one flesh, just as God said when he made Adam and Eve. So then why did Abram stay with and follow his father to Haran? Was it out of respect for his father that he followed? Abram was not a man of God; at least we are not told he even knew the God of creation, but rather lived in a pagan city with pagan gods. But this does show us that he respected his father, Terah, enough to submit to his leadership and travel the path to another place. Yet, there is the possibility that this is more like the true reason Abram went with his father to set out for Canaan. This was God's divine plan. Here is where he would call Abram to follow his divine lead. Here is where Abram would become a son of God, so to speak. God always had a divine plan and purpose for Abram, and that also means God has a divine plan and purpose for each of us. At this point in Abram's life, he followed his earthly father, but he will follow his Heavenly Father. Jesus calls us to follow him. Let us follow where he leads. 

Pride Comes Before the Fall

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

PRIDE COMES BEFORE THE FALL

 

Gen 11:1-9

11:1 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. 3 They said to each other, "Come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth." 5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. 6 The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other." 8 So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel — because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

NIV

This story is about what the LORD God did because of man's inclination to make a name for himself by building a tower to reach the heavens. We do not know how tall that tower was before God intervened and confused their language so that they sounded like they were just babbling to each other and had to abandon construction of the city tower. Strangely, today we have skyscrapers that must be far taller than they could have built with bricks, and God allowed men to build them. We also have been able to communicate with almost all of each other, no matter what language we speak, and God has not intervened to confuse us further. It seems in our post-modern time, mankind has accomplished far more than the people of Babel. It is also the same in the sense of people wanting to make a name for themselves, to be considered great achievers. That pride of desiring to make a name for oneself reaches into every sector of life: science, business, entertainment, sports, or any other area not mentioned. What is most troubling is that same kind of pride has invaded the religious world. When the Lord tells us to learn from him, for he is humble and gentle of heart, we should be living humbly before the Lord and all mankind. But what seems to be a drive to become a famous preacher or to have the largest church- that the number matters, the tithe matters, so the preacher can live in luxury is all based on pride, not humility. What the church in general has become is not about bringing people to Jesus, but bringing them to a pew or seat in their church. How can we get more people in our church? If we just get them in, even if we have to steal them from another church, then we will be able to afford that building project to increase our capacity for more people in the church. Of course, pastors should care about the spiritual walk of those God has placed under their care. Pastors should be preaching the word of God, leading the church to worship in spirit and in truth. But the church is also filled with purveyors of deception, garnishing followers for their own benefit and pride. Let us lead each other, let us admonish each other, and encourage each other to walk humbly before God and each other, for pride comes before the fall. 

Shem

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

SHEM

Gen 10:1-32

10:1 This is the account of Shem, Ham and Japheth, Noah's sons, who themselves had sons after the flood. 2 The sons of Japheth: 6 The sons of Ham: 22 The sons of Shem: 32 These are the clans of Noah's sons, according to their lines of descent, within their nations. From these the nations spread out over the earth after the flood.

NIV

This is a very shortened version of the whole of Chapter 10, which is an account of the sons, grandsons, great-grandsons, and on of each of the clans of people and the territories they spread out to. One that is notable was the grandson of Ham, Nimrod, whom we are told grew into a mighty warrior, a great hunter before the LORD. He built the city of Nineveh, the city that God sent Jonah to, who had to spend those three days in the belly of a great fish before he obeyed and went to declare the judgement of God on that city. We know that story, plus the judgement brought through Nahum and Zephaniah. We are only told that the line of Japheth became maritime people, who could have become what is known as Vikings, who were a war-like people. Only the line of Shem will bring the good news to mankind, for Jesus comes through his line. We know that Canaan, the son of Ham, was to be slaves to the sons of Shem, whose line would become Israel, who occupied the land of Canaan.  Shem was the one who covered the nakedness of his father. This reminds us that Jesus covers our nakedness, for without the righteousness of Christ we will stand naked before the Lord. Anyone who is not covered by the righteousness of Christ will stand naked before the judgement seat of the Lord, having no defense, no covering for their sins, and will be completely destroyed in the flames of the lake of burning sulfur. The word used is perish. However, those of us who have been adopted as children of God through our acceptance of Jesus as our Lord and Savior have had our nakedness covered by the righteousness of Jesus, washed clean by his blood, so we will stand in white robes, whiter than new-driven snow before the throne of God and hear those words, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master." Although Jesus said these in a parable, the words will ring true on that last day when we are covered in his righteousness. 

Love or Gossip

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

LOVE OR GOSSIP

Gen 9:18-29

18 The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the earth. 20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father's nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father's nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said, "Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers." 26 He also said, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem.   27 May God extend the territory of Japheth; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be his slave." 28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 29 Altogether, Noah lived 950 years, and then he died.

NIV

The first question is: if Noah was a man of the soil, why is it recorded that he planted a vineyard, but we are not told that he planted any corn, wheat, barley, or other food grains?  This vineyard would have taken a few years to produce grapes, and then some time for them to ferment into wine, which caused Noah to become drunk and pass out in his tent. Yet all that is covered in one verse. What Ham did was wrong, and if we consider what he did, we could say that he gossiped about his father, because he told his brothers about their father being drunk and passed out naked in his tent. Had Ham covered his father and kept his mouth shut, he would have never been under a curse. This could be the main clue about the horrible act of gossip and how the Lord does not look with favor upon it. Certainly, when we are not cursed if we gossip, for we live in the age of grace, that should not mean we have the right or the freedom to speak about the happenings of another, which would bring about some negative feelings about them. On the other hand, Shem and Japheth covered their father's nakedness, without looking upon him. This shows an act of love that covers a multitude of sins. Love is the opposite of gossip. We have Jesus' command to love others as we love ourselves. Why would we gossip about ourselves? If we love others, why would we gossip about them? There was a reason Noah was not pleased with what Ham did, and why he responded by cursing Ham, who became the father of the Canaanites, where God brought the Israelites out of Egypt to Canaan and gave them their land. Let us not give ourselves over to the same fate as Ham; let us decide to love, not gossip. 

Signs to Remember

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

 SIGNS TO REMEMBER

Gen 9:8-17

8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9 "I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you — the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you — every living creature on earth. 11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth." 12 And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." 17 So God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth."

NIV

God made a covenant with Noah and his descendants as well as with all the living things that came out of the ark with him, all life, all that has the breath of life in it. We are those descendants of Noahwith whom the LORD God has this covenant. We never have to worry about another flood destroying all living creatures on earth. He gave himself a sign to remember his covenant, which is more like a promise. God set the rainbow in the sky to remind himself and us of his covenant. This is an affront to God for those who live some alternate lifestyle to claim the rainbow as their symbol. The rainbow is a symbol of God's eternal covenant between him and all mankind, and every living creature that shares this planet. However, God also said another pending destruction is in the works. We only have to pay attention to the Revelation that was given to John to know how the end and the beginning will take place. But for now, we live under the protection of this covenant between God and us, with the rainbow as a reminder. However, we have a newer covenant God made with us through the Cross of Jesus. He came to earth in the most humble of circumstances, not as a king or powerful ruler. He came to take our place on a cross. He died in our place, so that we would not have to die, but that we could live. This new covenant does not replace the one God made with Noah and his descendants with the rainbow. Still, this new covenant through Jesus is also an eternal one, an everlasting promise that whosoever believes in Jesus will not perish but have everlasting life. Of course, that means all who live that alternate lifestyle, the one that is an affront to God, will not see this everlasting life, but instead they will perish. That is the sad reality of making the wrong choice of refusing to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Yet, we have a promise, a covenant, both the Rainbow and the Cross, signs to remember.