What Are You Looking For?

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

Gen 37:12-18

12 Now his brothers had gone to graze their father's flocks near Shechem, 13 and Israel said to Joseph, "As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them." "Very well," he replied. 14 So he said to him, "Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me." Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron. When Joseph arrived at Shechem, 15 a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, "What are you looking for?" 16 He replied, "I'm looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?" 17 "They have moved on from here," the man answered. "I heard them say, 'Let's go to Dothan.'" So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.

NIV

We have come to the point in Joseph's life where the dreams he was given will be fulfilled. He is sent to check on his brothers, and as he traveled from the valley of Hebron to somewhere around Shechem, he wandered the fields looking for them. We do not know who directed him to Dothan, but the question is: how did he know who his brothers were, and where they were? The answer is simple. The man who found Joseph wandering in a field must have been the LORD or an angel of the LORD. Either way, when God saw Joseph wandering around, he intervened with directions. That is the life lesson that we need to take to heart. First, we should not wander aimlessly. Joseph was sent on a mission, yet there he was, wandering in a field because he could not find his objective: his brothers. We would think a flock that size, needing that many men to shepherd, would have been easy to spot. Yet he was wandering. God does not want us to wander through life. Israel sent Joseph; God has sent us on a mission. Because we are all part of the body of Christ, each of us has a part to fulfill. No one is left out just to wander through life looking around. God will always be there to give us directions. The LORD asked Joseph, "What are you looking for?" We can be confident the Lord will always show us which way we are to go, and if we get confused or start wandering, he will ask us, "What are we looking for? Joseph was looking for his brothers, as his father sent him to do. If we are not sure what we are supposed to do, we can ask our Father in heaven, and He will direct our path. At the same time, He has already sent us on a path, and we need to follow His direction. Still, if we get distracted along the way, he might ask, "What are you looking for?"

 

Hear and Listen

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

HEAR AND LISTEN

Gen 37:5-11

5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it." 8 His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. 9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." 10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, "What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?" 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

NIV

Two dreams that were not from Joseph's mind, but from God's. They described what would happen in the lives of Joseph's brothers and his father. We know the story, but it is going to unfold to us as we continue with what was recorded for us to learn about God and his relationship with those men and women, which leads us and teaches us about His relationship with us, or we could say, our relationship with Him. Our lesson is not about what the dreams meant, but that God gave them to Joseph. Once again, we face the concept that God speaks to His people. This time he spoke to Joseph through dreams. He has spoken directly to others, as he did with Abraham, Isaac, Israel, and so many more. We think of the conversations he had with Adam and later with Moses. Throughout Scripture, we find the words, "This is what the sovereign Lord said." Because God spoke to Joseph in dreams, we can be certain that Joseph was not talking. This is the key to hearing from God: keep our mouths closed. It is difficult to hear his voice, especially if it is not in a great and powerful wind that can tear a mountain apart. His voice may not be in the wind, nor in an earthquake that shakes the ground around us, or in some flaming fire, but he can speak to us as a gentle whisper, as he did to Elijah. When he heard the Lord's gentle whisper, he pulled his cloak over his face. This gives us that truth about how we should respond to his voice, with complete humility covering our face, so to speak, meaning not talking, but listening. If the Lord asked us a question, we need to respond, but we cannot respond unless we first hear. All too often we babble on and on with all our needs. We might thank him, even praise him, but we are making so much noise that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to hear a still small voice, the gentle voice of God, as in the quietness of a gentle breeze. He wanted Joseph to be quiet enough, so he waited to speak to him while he was asleep. If we listen more than we talk, we will hear God's wisdom, His truth, His plan and direction for us. How often do we hear people talk without listening?  Hearing is not listening, so when we hear God's voice, let us listen. 

God's Plan

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

GOD'S PLAN

Gen 37:1-4

7:1 Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. 2 This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

NIV

We remember how destructive the family of Isaac was because, as a father, he loved one son more than another. Isaac,  Jacob, and Esau showed us the dangers of a dysfunctional family. However, everything worked according to God's plan. Israel having twelve sons was also according to God's plan, and Joseph was the key to the survival of the nation of Israel, although they ended up in slavery for four hundred years. Nevertheless, his brothers hated Joseph because he was his father's favorite son. The idea that Israel made a coat of many colors, and how it has been portrayed in many forms of media, does not come from the original language but from incorrect or assumed translations.  The Hebrew words mean tunic and palm, or by hand. The text gives no indication of its color. However, something important about this coat, or tunic, is that Isaac made it by hand for Joseph. It symbolizes God's divine favor on his life.  It gives Joseph a distinctiveness among his brothers, but at the same time, it stirred jealousy or resentment in their hearts. What can we learn from this portion of Joesph's life? Perhaps it was not right for him to give a bad report regarding his brothers. Were they not tending the sheep well enough? Did he, a young seventeen-year-old, know more about tending sheep than his older, more experienced brothers did? Was this God's plan from the get-go, so that Joseph would end up second in command of all Egypt? This part of his life story should show us that even amid disharmony, God has a plan. Sometimes we lose life's harmony, allowing discord or strife to creep into our hearts. We know that is wrong; however, in Joseph's case, it brought about God's plan for Israel. This should give us that one truth in life. God's plan will always be accomplished, one way or another. We wonder how much we mean it when we pray that God's will be done on earth, that is, in our lives, as it is done in heaven. We should also note that we should never speak an unkind word, as his brother did. Still, it was all God’s plan. 

Forgiveness Brings Blessings

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

FORGIVENESS BRINGS  BLESSINGS

Gen 36:1-9

36:1 This is the account of Esau (that is, Edom). 2 Esau took his wives from the women of Canaan: Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite —  3 also Basemath daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth. 4 Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, Basemath bore Reuel, 5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam and Korah. These were the sons of Esau, who were born to him in Canaan. 6 Esau took his wives and sons and daughters and all the members of his household, as well as his livestock and all his other animals and all the goods he had acquired in Canaan, and moved to a land some distance from his brother Jacob. 7 Their possessions were too great for them to remain together; the land where they were staying could not support them both because of their livestock. 8 So Esau (that is, Edom) settled in the hill country of Seir. 9 This is the account of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir.

NIV

The Hill country of Seir is modern-day Jordan. In Esau's time, it was known as Edom. It lies south of the Dead Sea, east of Israel. He moved there, or separated from Jacob, because the land could not support both their herds and flocks. This was much like with Abraham and Lot. But what does this historical account of Esau have to do with our lives? How do we find a truth to apply to how we live? The remainder of this chapter is the genealogy of all the sons of Esau from which came the eleven Dukes of Esau. At the end of the chapter, we also learn that seven kings reigned in Edom before any king reigned in Israel. We have witnessed through the life of Esau a man who went from despising his birthright for a bowl of soup to hating his brother enough to want to kill him, then to forgiveness and reconciliation, and to becoming the father of the Edomites, with his descendants becoming kings. We have to believe God did all this. The LORD blessed Esau, and we believe it was due to his change of heart toward his brother. In addition, Esau chose to leave his homeland and travel to an unknown place, giving Jacob sole rights to the land known as Israel. The Lord blesses us when we live without personal conflict. However, if conflict arises, we must reconcile any differences between ourselves and others. This reconciliation requires forgiveness. Esau forgave, and Jacob displayed humility; otherwise, there could have been bloodshed on both sides. When we experience conflict and do not settle it, there may be no physical bloodshed, but there will be spiritual bloodshed, and our spirits will be wounded. The Lord does not want us to live with a wounded spirit; he wants us to love others as we love ourselves. This would mean we would never have conflicts, but that is also idealistic. So then if or when a conflict arises, we need to seek peace, or to make every effort to live in peace, in harmony with each other. Forgiveness is at the root of all reconciliations. Through Esau's forgiveness, the peace between Esau and Jacob brought God’s blessings upon him. 

Old and Full of Years

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

OLD AND FULL OF YEARS

Gen 35:21-29

21 Israel moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder. 22 While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father's concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it. Jacob had twelve sons:

23 The sons of Leah: Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun.

24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.

25 The sons of Rachel's maidservant Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali.

26 The sons of Leah's maidservant Zilpah: Gad and Asher.

These were the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.

27 Jacob came home to his father Isaac in Mamre, near Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had stayed. 28 Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years. 29 Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

NIV

Although this historical record recounts all twelve sons of Israel, including their mothers, several events are notable. First, we are not sure why we are told that Reuben went into the tent of Bilhah, and the only comment was that Israel heard of it. We are not told if there was any confrontation between Israel and Reuben, or whether Bilhah was complicit, or whether Reuben forced himself on her. Another interesting thing is that God changed Jacob's name to Israel, yet here he is called Jacob in the list of his twelve sons, and when he returns to his father's household and buries Isaac with Esau. However, our lesson today is about the statement made about Isaac. Living 180 years is somewhat typical for men of that period; however, living to old age and full of years gives a clue to life. Whatever the number of days the Lord has apportioned us, we would be wise to live them in a manner that makes them full years. The opposite would mean we lived wasted years. Certainly, the moment we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we began to live in the fullness of life. Before knowing Jesus, we were simply wasting away, unable to be full of years. We do not know how many years the Lord has determined for us, yet by living with him and being filled with the Holy Spirit every year, every day, we live fully. Because of that, our lives are full of years. Someday, we will breathe our last and be gathered to our people. Let those who bury us remember us as living to an old age and full of years. 

My Right Hand

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

MY RIGHT HAND

Gen 35:16-20

16 Then they moved on from Bethel. While they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth and had great difficulty. 17 And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife said to her, "Don't be afraid, for you have another son." 18 As she breathed her last — for she was dying — she named her son Ben-Oni. But his father named him Benjamin.   19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20 Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day that pillar marks Rachel's tomb.

NIV

This was a sad moment in the life of Rachel and Israel as she gave birth to the twelfth son of Israel and breathed her last. When his name was still Jacob, and he first met her and wanted her as his wife, we are told he loved Rachel. Leah and the two handmaidens, Bilhah and Zilpah, bore Jacob sons, but Rachel was his right hand. That is the meaning of the name Benjamin, son of  my right hand. Is this not the lesson all men should take to heart? First and foremost, men are commanded to love their wives, just as Christ loved the church. We are confident that Jacob loved Rachel this way, for he worked fourteen years for her. He gave of himself for her. We would think most men give of themselves, work, labor, and provide as best they can for their wives and families. But the lesson revealed to us is that, by naming him Benjamin, son of my right hand, Israel says Rachel was his right hand. Men are not only commanded to love their wives, but to see them as their right hand. The name Benjamin is important, as that tribe camped to the right of the tabernacle, serving as its right hand and buffering Judah. Both King Saul and the Apostle Paul were from the tribe of Benjamin. It might be seen that because Benjamin buffered Judah, the tribe, the right hand of God came to earth; Israel naming him the son of my right hand was prophetic. However, we still come to the relationship between Israel and Rachel, a bond, a love for all time. We think a man's love for his wife should be recorded as a love for all time. Whatever is said about a man, whether about his career, his accomplishments, or his service to the Lord, the most important remembrance should be that he loved his wife and that she was his right hand, that which is his source of strength. 

The Presence of El-Shaddai

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE PRESENCE OF EL-SHADDAI

Gen 35:6-15

6 Jacob and all the people with him came to Luz (that is, Bethel) in the land of Canaan. 7 There he built an altar, and he called the place El Bethel, because it was there that God revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother. 8 Now Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died and was buried under the oak below Bethel. So it was named Allon Bacuth.   9 After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him. 10 God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel." So he named him Israel. 11 And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. 12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you." 13 Then God went up from him at the place where he had talked with him. 14 Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it. 15 Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel.  

NIV

Although we see Jacob was visited by someone referred to as a man, he wrestled with God, for that is what the name Israel means. Yet God visits him again and confirms that he will no longer be Jacob; his name will be Israel. This time, God makes sure Israel knows it is El-Shaddai, God Almighty, the creator of all that is created, who has changed his name. Once again, we see these two words, fruitful and multiple, used together, which may imply that God intended Israel's fruitfulness to mean an increase in numbers. However, he already had eleven of the twelve tribes, leaving Benjamin the only one left for Rebekah to give birth to. If being fruitful meant gaining something material, Israel already had more possessions than he could ever need. The Hebrew word translated as fruitful means bearing fruit, showing fruitfulness. This must refer to a person's character, not simply increasing in number, which the other word means directly. This is the work of the Holy Spirit within those who accept Jesus. He changes our character and our name. Once we were called lost, but now we are called found. Once we were called sinners, but now we are called saints. Once we were orphans, living without God, but now we are called children of God, for we have been adopted into his family. Of course, Israel became the father of those twelve tribes, from whom the Messiah, the Lion of Judah, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, was to come. He gave Israel the land he had given to Abraham and Isaac. This is historic, and that land is theirs forever, or at least to the end of this age. We have been promised another land within the kingdom of God. A new city is coming down from heaven, our inheritance, where we will spend eternity in the presence of El-Shaddai.