While Moses was on the mountain the people were impatient and built a golden calf to worship. When Moses returned from the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony, he questioned his brother about this, Aaron replied with the lamest excuse on record. “…they gave me this gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!” HA!
This is a classic example of transferring blame.

We wonder why the people would so quickly dismiss all the miracles God had already done for them. We sometimes forget that the people were accustomed to seeing and hearing about the multiple gods of the Egyptians and the practices associated with their worship of the false gods.  They were copying the Egyptians when they celebrated, worshiped and honored their Egyptian gods by participating in revelry. The Hebrew word for revelry means "caressing, entertaining, jesting, laughing, making sport, mocking, playing" or sexual activity.
Exodus 32:6
Early the next morning they brought some animals to burn as sacrifices and others to eat as fellowship offerings. The people sat down to a feast, which turned into an orgy of drinking and sex. GNB

When Aaron proclaimed a "feast to the Lord" in honor of the golden calf, he was compromising and justifying the worship of a pagan god, by calling it a "feast to the Lord".  He had instituted a man-made festival. He was trying to worship God on an altar of paganism.  At this point God had not given the Israelites all the commands of the Feast and Festival Days.  Today, we know about all the God-ordained Feast and Festival Days and yet we still worship God on the altar of paganism.  God's ordained days are Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover) and Feast of Tabernacles (birth of Jesus) and yet we in the western Christian church honor and celebrate Easter and Christmas, both with pagan origins.  And we ignore the holy days. Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) is an example today reminiscent of the revelry that the people indulged in as recorded in today's reading (Exodus 32).

Exodus 31:13  

"Say to the Israelites, 'Be sure to observe my days of worship. This will be a sign between me and you for generations to come so that you will know that I am the LORD who makes you holy.

We may be tempted to think that if we go to church on Sunday and don’t do any work at all on that day of the week, this is what will make us somehow righteous and devout.  These days of worship referred to in this passage certainly meant the seventh day of rest, but also the other days of worship, His holy days, the feast and festival days of Tabernacles, Passover, and Pentecost.  Worshiping Him and honoring Him on those days, would be a sign for all to see, a distinguishing mark.  This is what God says will set us apart from all the other people  on the face of the earth.  When we are set apart in this way, He says we will know (and other people will know) that He is the Lord who makes us holy.  Did you get the significance of that verse?  If we observe His days of worship, we will show the world that we are distinguished, we are set apart, we are different from the world and are made holy.

The Levites make a bold stand for the Lord.  The 3,000 people who were killed...were these the ones who were directly involved in the making of the golden calf and/or the ones leading the revelry?  The people were struck with a plague because of what they had done with the calf.  Could this be the result of heavy metal poisoning from being made to drink the water sprinkled with the dust from the golden calf?

In response to their sin, Moses makes an almost unbelievable plea on behalf of the people.
“…please forgive their sin - but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”
What book? (See Philippians 4:3, Psalm 69:28, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 20:12)

Moses inquires about who will go with him to lead the people into the land of promise.  The following verses are some of the most powerful in Scripture and so applicable to today.
Exodus 33:14-17
The LORD said, "My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest." Then Moses replied, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.  How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."

Indeed!  The only thing to distinguish us as His people, the only thing that will set us apart from all other people, is if we have the Presence of the Holy Spirit within us!

There are some "apparent contradictions" in today's reading. God tells Moses that no one can see His face and live and yet earlier it says the Lord would speak to Moses face to face as a man speaks with a friend. The only explanation is that Moses spoke with God the Son, the preincarnate Jesus.  God, the Father is surrounded by unapproachable light.

1 Timothy 6:16
who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. 

Moses chiseled out two stone tablets to take back up the mountain so that God could write on them the words that were on the first tablets which Moses broke in anger.  Moses wrote down words that God spoke to him in addition to the Ten Commandments.  The words of the Commandments were written by the finger of God. God tells Moses that the people are to obey Him and He will drive out the inhabitants from the land.  But, He gave a warning against making treaties with the people there.  In fact God tells Moses to destroy any remnant of their pagan worship because to leave anything pagan in the land will lead the Israelites into idol worship.

Exodus 34:33-35
When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the LORD's presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.
2 Corinthians 3:18
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Are our faces radiant after we have spoken with the Lord?

In the readings for today, as well as other days' readings, are listed many intricate details prescribed by God. Even though many of these things don't apply to us today in a literal sense, reading about them will be useful later on as a reference.  It is crystal clear that God is involved in the intricate details of their lives then.  The same is true for us today.  He expected strict obedience in these intricate details then.  He expects strict obedience with us today in whatever He asks us to do.

There are some rather unique instructions concerning the placement of the blood on Aaron and his sons for their consecration.  It is to be placed on the lobes of the right ears and the thumbs of the right hands and on their right big toes. Is this a reminder that they are to hear and do the work of the Lord?

There are many times the words “without yeast” appear in reference to presenting offerings to God. In the New Testament, Jesus warned us about the "yeast" of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Matthew 16:11b-12
But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Notice how many times the words “a pleasing aroma” appear in Scripture, followed every time in this day’s reading by the words, “an offering made to the Lord by fire.” What is the significance of that for us spiritually?
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-- this is your spiritual act of worship.
2 Corinthians 2:14
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.

Is this the "pleasing aroma" He expects from us? To spread the knowledge of Him?

God commanded Moses to take a census of the people and required that each person (20 years old or more) pay a ransom for his life at the time he is counted.  Notice there is no difference in the ransom paid by each person whether rich or poor.  This tells us that no one person is more valuable to God than any other person.

One thing comes through loud and clear in the reading for today.  God is a holy God.
Exodus 29:43
And there I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory.
While we may enjoy the presence of Jesus with us as a friend, we must never lose sight that He is still a holy God.

The two tablets of the Testimony were inscribed by the finger of God! WOW!

Isn't it amazing at the details God gave Moses for the construction of the tabernacle and the articles in it?  Have you ever wondered why there were so many intricate details?  Could it be that each of these intricate details has spiritual significance and the tabernacle and the furnishings are visual reminders?

"You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give."
What a great pattern for us in our giving to the Lord. He wants us to let our hearts lead us in our giving. That of course is conditional on our hearts being in tune with God's heart.

God tells Moses that the people are to build a tabernacle and that is where His presence will dwell.
Exodus 25:8
Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. 

A sanctuary is a holy place, a designated and protected and guarded place - different from its surroundings. 

What a great foreshadowing for us. Our bodies are to be a tabernacle for the Holy Spirit to dwell!  This tabernacle of ours is also to be a holy place, a protected and guarded place - different from our surroundings.  We should keep our bodies holy and pure - protected and guarded from evil influences.

Did God give Moses the plans for the building of the tabernacle while he was on the mountain?  Was he given a vision of the completed, entire tabernacle?  Did Moses write all those many, many details down on something or did he just supernaturally remember? Or did God refresh his memory from time to time?

The breastpiece for the priest was to be used for making decisions. How does that relate to us as Believers with the breastplate of righteousness?
Ephesians 6:14
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
Check out this video, The Bells Are Ringing. It relates the high priest to Jesus.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAMLAIqUoYo

We would also recommend this link to Rose Publishing Company.  They offer many free publications, including a picture of the garments of the high priest.
http://www.rose-publishing.com/Assets/ClientPages/Echart_highpriest.aspx?gclid=COzrjMPChLUCFegWMgodAhcACg

Isn’t it remarkable that these men who were skilled in brick making now have been given skills as seamstresses for making the garments for the priests? Just an example of how God gives us spiritual gifts and uses us for tasks that we could have never dreamed of doing on our own.

Are all of us using our God-given spiritual gifts? If you have never identified your spiritual gift(s), or if you would like a refresher, email us for a Spiritual Gifts Inventory. Once your gift(s) have been identified, we can send you more information on your gift(s).

God promised the Israelites that if they would obey Him fully and keep His covenant that they would be His treasured possession. The people agreed.  So far...so good.

Exodus 19:3
Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain...Ever wonder why the word God and the LORD are used, seemingly interchangeably? Well, we must go back to the Hebrew words to understand. The word God is Eloheim (meaning Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).  The word LORD is Yehovah (meaning Jesus). Moses went up the mountain to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit but it was the Son who spoke to him. Using the meanings of the Hebrew words gives us a better vision. This same thing is especially true with the following verse:
Exodus 19:16
On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast.

Now if we look only at the English words, we envision a storm on the mountain, black heavy clouds, booming thunder, and flashes of lightning. But using the Hebrew word meanings, we get a completely different picture. Here's how it would read in the Hebrew.

"There were loud voices in proclamation blowing a great trumpet accompanied by bright, glittering gleams enveloped in bright clouds."

Does that sound a bit like the company of angels that announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds??? It should.
Read these verses: Daniel 7:9-10, Matthew 17:2-5, Acts 7:53, Galatians 3:19, Hebrews 2:2, Revelation 4:1, Revelation 8:13, Revelation 9:14.  They speak of something similar.

Reading the Hebrew definitions of the words in Exodus 19:16 give us better and deeper insight into these verses.
Acts 7:53
who received the Law through disposition of angels, and did not keep it. 

Galatians 3:19  

Why then the Law? It was added because of transgressions, until the Seed should come to those to whom it had been promised, being ordained through angels in the Mediator's hand. 

God spoke the words of the Ten Commandments the first time. The people did not want to listen to the voice of God.  They didn't want to get too close to God.  A similar thing happened with Jesus.
John 12:28-29
Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again."The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
It seems as if the unbelievers heard thunder.  The Believers heard an angel.

Who is this "angel" God sent to go with them who has the power to forgive sin?
1 Corinthians 10:1-4
For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea.They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
John 5:22
Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son

Pretty clear...the "angel", God's Presence, was God, the Son.

Another example of how God, the Son interacted with people in the Old Testament is found in this passage.
Exodus 24:9-11
Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank.

And then we have this verse.
John 6:46
No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father.

If no one can see the Father then how can Moses, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, along with the seventy elders see God? Again, it's perfectly clear... the leaders saw God, the Son.

The people were promised that if they would "worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water.  I will take away sickness from among you, and none will miscarry or be barren in your land.  I will give you a full life span."  Exodus 23:25-26

God is saying to obey His commands and worship Him, then multiple blessings will follow.  Can we claim His promises today?

How quickly the Israelites forget!  After witnessing the miracles that brought about their safe exodus from Egyptian bondage, they begin their never-ending complaining.  We may be tempted to wonder why they couldn't acknowledge God's very presence with them. We may wonder about their lack of faith that He will miraculously provide for them. When we begin these wonderings, we must take a look at our own lives.  Do we complain?  Do we fail to acknowledge God's presence with us in the form of the Holy Spirit?  Do we lack the faith that God will provide?

And speaking of wondering about the Israelites wandering... ever wonder about the route of the Exodus journey?  There are about as many routes as there are "experts" who map them out.  The locations of the places named in Scripture are in dispute, even among the "experts". After spending several hours trying to discover a commonality with these "experts" as to the location of the places and the route taken by Moses and the Israelites, we decided to just look at Scripture and see if we could discern the Exodus route.  Here is what Scripture says.

The Isralites camped about a three-day journey from Goshen (exact spot from which they left is unknown but Succoth is mentioned) and there they celebrated a festival to the Lord.  Actually, this festival began in Egypt on the 15th day of the first month.  But it was a week-long festival.  They left Succoth and camped at Pi-hahiroth between Migdol and the Sea opposite Bael Ziphon. (Exodus 14) A three-day journey would have placed them at the tip of the northern end of the Red Sea, which is about 60-75 miles from the outskirts of Goshen. So these places named in Scripture must have been at the far northern end of the Red Sea.  The Red Sea forms the shape of a "Y" and splits Egypt from Arabia with a wilderness in between.  The left arm of the Y is the Gulf of Suez. The right arm of the Red Sea is the Gulf of Aqaba.  Apparently once Pharaoh decided that they weren't coming back, he sent the army after them.  It seems as if it is here at the Northern tip of the Red Sea where the crossing occurred.  Had the crossing been farther down near the southern end of the Red Sea, it would have been a lengthy journey not only for the Israelites but also for Pharaoh's army, and much, much longer than a three-day journey.  Scripture then says that after the crossing of the Sea, Moses led them across the wilderness for three days until they arrived at a place called Marah where they found bitter water. Again this would have been a journey of about 60-75 miles, but probably less, because they were in no hurry.  Their pursuers were dead.  Their next encampment was exactly one month after leaving Egypt at a place named Elim. If they traveled south via the Red Sea, it would have necessitated another crossing of the Red Sea (across the right arm of the Sea - the Gulf of Aqaba) in order to get to Midian, where they met with Moses' father-in-law.  If, however, they traveled across the wilderness (which Scripture seems to indicate) then they would have arrived at Midian at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba ,  the right arm of the Red Sea. If this has been confusing, email us - we have maps!

Once they camped at  Elim, the people began to grumble.  It is at this time that God sends them their daily manna - their daily bread.  The glory of the Lord also appeared to them in the form of a cloud. Seems as if once people experience this, how can they continue to grumble and complain?   And yet...they do.

After spending some time at Elim, the journey continues until they reach Rephidim where God miraculously provides water. The Israelites defeat the Amalekites at that place.  Rephidim may be located near the mountain of God because they are there when Moses is reunited with his wife and children and his father-in-law.

As we read of the journey of the Israelites there is an interesting pattern that emerges, one that is often overlooked. God tells the people that He will protect them from diseases if they will just listen to Him and follow His commands. At this time the only new commands they had were the ones given to them as they traveled, commands such as gathering manna daily six days a week. How hard was that??? It is only later when the people have consistently disobeyed and grumbled and complained that God sent Moses from the mountain with a set of laws carved in stone.

We often equate “carved in stone” as something that is unmoving, unwavering, unchanging, consistent, completely fixed. Yet some people today want to bend and change the Ten Commandments when they literally were carved in stone. Shouldn’t that tell us something?

There is a great lesson to be learned concerning the manna. The Israelites had to trust God daily to supply their needs. Shouldn’t we do that too? Just wake up each morning trusting God to meet our every need. Meet Him with this request, "Lord, here I am, what would you have me do today?"

Exodus 13:17-18
When Pharaoh let the people go, God didn't lead them on the road through Philistine territory, although that was the shortest route. God said, "If they see that they have to fight a war, they may change their minds and go back to Egypt."  So God led the people around the other way, on the road through the desert toward the Red Sea. The Israelites were ready for battle when they left Egypt.

If you look at a map, it is easily understood that this route, this plan of God (according to our human logic), makes no sense at all! But God took them through the wilderness so they would learn to depend on Him.

The Lord went ahead of the Israelites as they made their exodus from Egypt. He guided them in a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire. They were following the Lord and He guided and protected them. The people were told to “Stand firm.” And “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to stand still.”

It is so hard for us to be obedient in standing still, isn't it? We tend to want to DO something.

Then the Lord tells the Israelites to “move on”. If only we would listen to the Lord and stand still when He tells us to and to move on when He tells us to.

Exodus 14:5
When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, "What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services."
Remember, Pharaoh believed they were going on a three day journey to celebrate a festival to the Lord.  Notice earlier, after they had journeyed several days, God told Moses to tell them to turn back and encamp between Migdol and the sea.  (Exodus 14:1-4) This was not a direct route back to the land of Goshen.  By this detour, Pharaoh's officials knew that they did not intend to come back...or that they were confused as to the direction they should travel.  At any rate, Pharaoh and his officials knew their route.  Spies perhaps?

The angel of God (God, the Son) who had been traveling in front of them, now withdrew and went behind them, along with the pillar of cloud, protecting the Israelites from Pharaoh's army.  It was during the night that the crossing of the Red Sea took place.  It was at daybreak that God caused the waters to flow over the Egyptian army.  Pharaoh and the Egyptian army relied on their own strength. The Israelites had the strength of the Lord.  "Your right hand, O Lord was majestic in power. Your right hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy." And just who is the Lord's right hand?

Pay careful attention to the song of Moses.  It lists several references to God, the Son. The word "salvation" appears often in Scripture. Interestingly the English word salvation is translated from several Hebrew words. Sometimes salvation means “save or rescue”. However in the case of the word salvation used in Exodus 15:2, the Hebrew word is "yeshuw` ah." Sound familiar??? It should. It means “He who saves” – Jesus!

The song of Moses appears later in Scripture, illustrating that the entire Bible is one continuous story, with one consistent theme - salvation through Jesus.
Revelation 15:3
And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty, just and true are Your ways, O King of saints.
 
Exodus 15:13 is an excellent verse to ponder for today (or any day for that matter).
“In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.

God's love for us is never-ending. It is everlasting and unfailing. We are the redeemed. He leads us in His perfect love.

John 10:27
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 
He leads. We follow. That's His perfect plan. If we rely on His strength, He will guide us in everything we do in this life and ultimately into our heavenly reward, His holy dwelling. We need only to allow Him!

God institutes the Passover festival.  God's instructions to the Israelites concerning the Passover are very specifically detailed. The great significance of the Passover is in the prophetic symbolism. Some 1500 years later Jesus became the fulfillment of the Passover by becoming the Passover lamb. The days, hours, minutes, the directions and orders concerning the regulations of the Passover are exact. They are specific so that we can recognize the connections between the first Passover and the fulfillment in the crucifixion and resurrection  of Jesus. The prophecies were fulfilled exactly. From the penning up of the lamb on the tenth of the month to the slaughter of the lamb at twilight on the 14th of the month, Jesus fulfilled these prophecies precisely. As we go through this study we will discover many prophecies that point to Jesus and the cross. Details are on the website  www.philandpatti.com concerning the prophetic messianic symbolism of the Passover. Look under A Biblical View of Holy Week. This writing includes a day by day account of the week and an hour by hour account of the crucifixion and resurrection.

As we reviewed the specific instructions concerning the food they were to eat at Passover, it doesn't sound like a very tasty meal.

Psalm 78 is a good review of the exodus, including an explanation of the striking of the firstborn.
Psalm 78:49
He sent on them the heat of His anger, wrath and fury and trouble, by sending evil angels. 

It is very clear from this passage in Psalm 78 that God sent evil angels (demons) to strike the firstborn. Even with God's warning to kill the Passover lamb and place the blood over the doorposts, most likely there were a few of the Israelites who didn't obey.

When God gave the instructions concerning Passover, He told them the following.
Exodus 12:24
Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance (or law) for you and your descendants.

For the Israelites, for devout Jews today, Passover is a law for them.  They must adhere to every detail of everything. 

However, the following is for Believers in Jesus today.  

Exodus 12:25  

When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. 

We are to observe the Passover.  The Hebrew word "observe" means "to guard, protect, heed, treasure, to hedge about as with thorns".  As we honor and observe Passover, not necessarily adhering to every detail of everything under the law, we are to treasure and protect our remembrance of it. 

Finally, after the final plague of the death of the firstborn, Pharaoh relents and lets the people go.  At this point, it appears that Pharaoh still believes they are taking only a three day journey into the desert to celebrate a festival to the Lord.

However, the Egyptian people had no notion of any three day journey, they urged the Israelites to leave.  God put a desire in the hearts of the Egyptians to give the Israelites articles of silver and gold, and cloth.  These articles originally belonged to the Israelites, as the result of a legitimate sale for food many, many years earlier when Joseph ruled in Egypt. (see Genesis 47).  These articles of gold and silver and costly material will be used in the construction of the tabernacle in the wilderness.  Just an example of the providence of God!

The Israelite men (by most records men were those over age 20 and under age 60, those who were of fighting age) who left Egypt in the exodus numbered 600,000, not counting women and children. Whew!

We must take into account that not all the Israelites left Egypt.  Some remained and others had already left previously and gone into Greece and North Africa.  Three historical reference books that explain these departures: The Common Heritage of the Greeks and Hebrews, Common Background of Greek and Hebrew Civilizations, and Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings. Also there were other people who left with them who were not Israelites.  They will later be known as "the rabble". 

When the Lord instituted the Feast of Unleavened Bread, He said to do this as a remembrance of how He had brought them out of their bondage in Egypt. After Jesus' fulfillment of this feast day, we as Believers are to still remember, but instead of remembering that God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, we remember that Jesus redeems us from a life of bondage in sin.  “This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law of the Lord is to be on your lips”

A sign on our hand is what we do. A reminder on our forehead is what we think and remember. The law of the Lord should be in what we communicate to others by the way we live our lives.

How do we as Believers observe and honor our remembrance of what God has done for us?  Do we treasure and protect and honor His Holy Days?

A Listing of the Plagues and the gods and goddesses defeated

PLAGUES	GODS and/or GODDESSES DEFEATED
Water turned to blood	Hapi- Egyptian God of the Nile
Frogs	Heket- Egyptian Goddess of Fertility, Water, Renewal
Gnats	Geb- Egyptian God of the Earth
Flies	Khepri- Egyptian God of creation, movement of the Sun, rebirth
Death of animals	Hathor-Egyptian Goddess of Love and Protection
Boils	Isis- Egyptian Goddess of Medicine and Peace
Hail	Nut- Egyptian Goddess of the Sky
Locusts	Seth- Egyptian God of Storms and Disorder
Darkness	Ra- The Sun God
Death of firstborn	Pharaoh- The Ultimate Power of Egypt

In the first three plagues, Aaron was God's instrument, and the first two plagues were copied by Pharaoh's magicians.   Beginning with the fourth plague of flies, the area of Goshen was not affected.  Moses was God's instrument for plagues 6,7,8, and 9.  For plagues 4, 5, and 10, neither Moses nor Aaron are listed as being God's instruments in carrying out the plagues.

If all the livestock died during plague 5, what animals had boils in plague 6? It seems as if there is a difference  made between livestock and animals. Perhaps the animals with the boils were household animals or other animals not considered livestock.

After the plague of boils, Pharaoh doesn't harden his heart, it is God who hardens Pharaoh's heart.  We are reminded repeatedly that God has hardened Pharaoh's heart so that His (God's) power may be displayed.

During the plague of hail, again livestock is mentioned. Some time must have passed since plague 5 for them to have livestock or they could have acquired more animals from outside the city of Egypt and from the land of Egypt. (Egypt is the city. The land of Egypt is the surrounding fields and country.)

In Exodus 8:25, Pharaoh tells Moses they can sacrifice to God but to do it within the land. Moses responds with saying that sacrificing animals in the land would be an abomination to the Egyptians. What he means is that the very animals that the Hebrew people would be sacrificing are the animals that the Egyptians considered "gods".

Exodus 9 gives us a clue as to the time of year between plagues 7 and 8.  It is late spring because "the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom".

In Exodus 10 Moses says to Pharaoh, "we are to celebrate a festival to the Lord."  This is a festival yet to be identified to the Israelites.  We know the festival they eventually celebrated is Passover - part of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which occurs in late spring.

The plague of locusts is a devastating phenomenon. The locusts destroy every green thing on tree or plant.

In the plague of darkness, it says that the darkness can be felt, yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived. What kind of darkness can be felt?  Praise God, that Jesus is our Light!

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Moses goes back to Egypt with his brother Aaron. He asks Pharaoh to let the people go so that they may go and worship God by holding a festival for Him in the desert. At this point in the story of God's people, there have been no commandments for celebrating any of the Feast or Festival Days. Because there weren't any yet. Moses is only asking for a three day journey (70 miles or so), he isn't asking Pharaoh that he free the Hebrew slaves for good.  Pharaoh perceives that he will lose his slave laborers if they make this three day journey. He punishes the people by ordering them to make bricks without providing straw for them. The people are told that they must gather their own straw.  Straw mixes with mud to make the brick stronger and to hold it together while it dries.

Once this decree is issued, that they must make brick without straw or gather their own stray, the Hebrews are not very happy with Moses.  They did not want to listen to Moses "because of their discouragement and cruel bondage".  Yet this (discouragement and cruel bondage) is just what God was offering them deliverance from.

A little jewel of a question is hidden away in today's reading.
Exodus 6:2-3
And God spoke to Moses, and said to him, I am Jehovah. And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty. But I was not known to them by the name Jehovah. 
Here is the question.  Is this evidence that God appeared to Moses in the form of the pre-incarnate Son of God and identified Himself as such?

“I will redeem you with an outstretched arm….”Moses delivered this amazing prophetic statement to the Hebrew slaves. God was telling them that He would redeem them from the yoke of slavery. He is telling us that He will redeem us with outstretched arms on the cross of Calvary.

Look at what God promises the Israelites:
1. I will free you from slavery. (Jesus frees us from being slaves to sin.)
2. I will redeem you. (Jesus redeems us.)
3. I will take you as my own. (Jesus brings us into His family.)
4. I will be your God. (Jesus is Lord of our lives.)
5. You will know that I am your God. (Jesus reveals Himself to us continuously.)
6. I will bring you into the land and give it to you as your possession. (Jesus brings us into the Kingdom of Heaven and makes a special place just for us.)

The people did not listen then. Do the people listen now?

When Pharaoh's magicians duplicate some of the signs that Moses performed, we can see this as evidence of Satan's counterfeit signs and wonders.  However, the magicians could not duplicate certain things.  Satan cannot counterfeit everything.

At the end of some of the plagues, Pharaoh asks that Moses pray for him.  Sometimes he promises that he will honor Moses' request but with compromises.  Sometimes, Pharaoh hardens his heart and sometimes it is God who hardens Pharaoh's heart.  In the plagues, notice how often the land of Goshen (where the Hebrews - the Israelites live) is spared.

Moses mentions to Pharaoh that the sacrifices they are to offer would be detestable to the Egyptians.  Of course it would be detestable to them.  The animals that the Hebrews used for sacrifices were the gods of the Egyptians.   The plagues that God sent on Egypt showed His power over all the Egyptian gods.  They were publicly defeated and humiliated one at a time.

Again, the all important staff is used. Keep paying attention to the staff!

Interesting comment in the commentary on page 103. "Pharaoh avoids God through procrastination, compromise, and insincere repentance". Sounds like us today, doesn't it? And to add insult to injury…with each attempt at resisting God, Pharaoh’s (our) heart gets harder until we are so unaffected by God’s influence in our lives that nothing could get our attention, not even with the death of God’s only Son.

Even though our hearts may become hardened, we as Believers have circumcision of the heart.

Romans 2:29
No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God.

Philippians 3:3
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh--

Colossians 2:11
In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ,

Circumcision of the flesh was a sign of the covenant between God and man.  Circumcision of the heart comes only through Jesus, a sign of the covenant between Jesus and His people.

The commentary for today's reading in the Chronological Bible mentions that some 400 years pass before another Scriptural account focuses back on the descendants of Israel in Egypt.  However God is far from being silent during those intervening years.  There are many other scrolls, tablets, and books that fill in the gaps.

The book of Job would properly be placed here in the timeline - between Genesis and Exodus.  The book of Jasher relates that Job was one of Pharaoh's counselors and gave him advice concerning the Hebrew slaves.

Quite a bit has happened to the descendants of the sons of Jacob. For a while they reigned in Egypt (Lower Egypt - in the North - remember the Nile runs south to north) but now as the biblical record continues, they are enslaved.  There is a new king (from Upper Egypt who invaded Lower Egypt) in power who did not know about Joseph. This new king ordered the death of the baby boys in a effort to control the population of the Hebrew slaves.

A baby boy, later to be known as Moses, was born to Levite parents.  He was a "fine child". KJV says he was a "goodly" child. Was he one of those "easy" babies who don't cry very often? Is so, it would be easier to hide him, at least for the first few months.

Notice the verse about Pharaoh ordering that all baby boys be thrown into the Nile. Moses' mother was obedient to the order. She did add a little detail however when she placed him in a basket first. When Moses  was found by Pharaoh’s daughter, she gave him back to his mother to take care of him, and not only take care of him, but she paid Moses’ mother to do it! Isn’t it just like God? He does more for us than we could ever imagine!

How did Pharaoh's daughter know Moses was a Hebrew baby? Could it be because he was circumcised?  Was Moses wrapped in a cloth that would identify him as Hebrew?

As an adult, Moses killed an Egyptian slave master and as a result fled from Egypt and into Midian.  This area is between Edom and Paran, east of Egypt across the Red Sea and far south of the Dead Sea.  There are many historians who believe that there were God-believing people living there when Moses arrived.  In fact Moses married the daughter of a priest of Midian.  This priest of Midian is known by two names, Jethro and Reuel.  Jasher also relates that at one time Jethro lived in Egypt and was also one of Pharaoh's counselors.

Many years later in the land of Midian God speaks to Moses from a burning bush.

The angel of the Lord appeared to Moses from within a bush. God spoke to Moses from within the bush. Can we connect some dots here???

Our granddaughter, age 5 when retelling this story, related that God told Moses to take off his sandals because they were on fire.

God asked Moses to go to Egypt to bring the Israelites out. Moses offered up:
EXCUSES, EXCUSES, EXCUSES
1. Moses: "Who am I that I should go?"
    God: "I will go with you."
2. Moses: "What is your name?"
    God: "I AM."
3. Moses: "What if they don't believe me?"
    God: "You will show them signs and wonders."
4. Moses: "I don't speak very well."
    God: "I will help you speak."
5. Moses’ fifth excuse as to why he couldn’t go was “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”

At this final excuse, the Lord's anger burned against Moses and so God says He will send Moses' brother Aaron. Of course, Aaron was already on his way.  Interestingly there is an account in some ancient Jewish writings that tell how Moses injured himself as a small child when he put a burning coal in his mouth making him "heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue." However, Act 7:22 relates And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in words and in deeds. 

God gave Moses three miraculous signs to prove to the Israelites that he (Moses) was sent from God. And Scripture records that the elders of the Israelites saw the signs and believed.

Pay very close attention to the staff that is mentioned over the next few days' readings. There is great significance to this staff.

God also told Moses that He would harden Pharaoh's heart. But we find out later that there is a reason for this hardening of the heart. God gave Moses His entire plan, from beginning to end, including the final plague.

Going back to Moses' excuses, can we draw some conclusions concerning ourselves? How often have all of us offered up the same or similar excuses when God calls us to do His work?

We must remember that God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called!

At he nears death, Israel asks Joseph to bury him in the land of his fathers.  He seals it with, "put your hand under my thigh and promise..."  making the oath by confirming the covenant of circumcision. This was Hebrew custom to swear on the circumcision as a sign of the covenant.

NIV states that Israel worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.  KJV records he bowed down at the head of his bed.  NIV is translated from the Coptic scrolls.  KJV is translated from the Syriatic scrolls.  We can picture both of these as correct if we think about Jacob bowing down on the knees, elbows on the bed and yet needing the support of the staff.

Jacob blesses his sons, the 12 tribes of Israel.  Joseph is singled out as inheriting "the ridge of land I took from the Amorites..."  This land is the ancient place of Shechem (modern day Nablus where Joseph will be buried) and is where Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well.
John 4:5
Then He came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 

Click on this link (or copy and paste this link) for a beautiful video showing the banners for the 12 tribes of Israel. The pictures were taken at a Messianic Jew conference in Portland Oregon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZKkln_GeLM

Jacob singles out the sons of Joseph saying that Manasseh will become a nation and Ephraim will become a group of nations. Joseph was Jacob's favorite son so Joseph's sons are also favored.  In fact Jacob essentially adopts them as his own.  At Joseph's death, these two sons not only have their own blessings from Jacob but will inherit Joseph's blessings as well.

Jacob pronounces blessings on his sons. Their sins are not forgotten in the blessings that are given out. Reuben slept with Rachel’s maidservant. The men of Shechem were killed by Simeon and Levi. They are held accountable when the time comes for the blessings.  Later, God will assign the priesthood to the tribe of Levi - a position of high honor. While we may not understand the fairness of these blessings, in God's eyes, they are just.  It is at this point that Judah is given the scepter promise, the line of kingship. This scepter promise was bought (not stolen) from Esau by Jacob. Later the kings will rightfully come only from the line of Judah. Pay careful attention to the blessings of Judah. Can you see a connection there with Jesus? Check out verse 10 in Chapter 49, "until he comes to whom it belongs" . KJV says "until Shiloh comes". Shiloh is the name of the Messiah in the Jewish Talmud. Hmmm....

Verse 11 - He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch;
The Hebrew definition for vine is Israel (figuratively). God, the Father chose Israel. His Son chose those who will believe in Him (that would be us). Hmmm....again....

See other connections???

Joseph’s response to his brothers concern that he held a grudge against them is laid to rest when Joseph makes this great statement, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good…”

How many times in our lives can we look back on events in our lives that seemed at the time to be devastating and yet God intended it for good? Time to take another look back at our lives???

It is very clear from Scripture that Joseph is ruler of Egypt.  Joseph sent word to his father Jacob to come to live in Egypt. He told him not to bother about his belongings, that the best of Egypt would be his. Yet Jacob took all his possessions with him. He held on to what he had. This speaks volumes about trust. Is it that Jacob didn’t quite trust that Joseph would provide for him? Is that why he held on to the old.

Quite reminiscent of the Jewish people. God sent His Son, Jesus, the new covenant, and they held on to the old.  Same thing happened to some of the early Gentile Christians. They still held on to the pagan customs and traditions of their familiar gods, even though they were believers in Jesus.  Many times Christians hold on to secular customs and traditions, many of them contrary to God's Word.

When Israel set out for Egypt he stopped at Beersheba to offer sacrifices to God.  Since this place was far inland from the Mediterranean Sea, he may have taken a shorter and/or easier route than the brothers did earlier.  Besides, this time they had lots of provisions for the journey with them.

Genesis 46 lists the sons of Israel who went to Egypt.  Often we think of Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob, during this time of famine as being a young boy or a young man. The truth is he was old enough to have ten sons.  The number of people who arrived in Egypt with Jacob was less than 100. Four hundred years later the number had swelled to an estimated two million.

Can we even begin to imagine the scene when Israel and Joseph are reunited?

Israel and company are given premo land in Goshen, a land very conducive to raising livestock. Pharaoh may have assumed they were going to stay there temporarily, just until the famine was over. Pharaoh offers to put those with special ability from Israel's family in charge of his own personal livestock.  This is the first step in a series of events that eventually led to the dominance of the Israelites in the land of Egypt.

This Pharaoh is not the same as the Pharaoh who ruled at the time Joseph first arrived in Egypt.  This one is his son.  Pharaoh and Joseph share in the responsibility of running the country.  Pharaoh was a figurehead.  Joseph was the one who established some of the laws of the land.

As the famine becomes more and more severe, the Egyptians no longer have the money to buy grain. They begin to sell their livestock (second step in a series of events) and eventually they sell their land and then themselves into servitude (final step in a series of events). This sets the stage for the Israelites to acquire property and become dominant in the land of Egypt. At this point the Egyptians are becoming servants to the Israelites. The Israelites held on to the dominance of the Egyptians as long as any of Jacob's sons were alive.

After the son's died, the situation was reversed. The Israelites later allowed themselves to become slaves to the Egyptians.

So, how about us believers in Jesus, do we allow ourselves to become slaves to the world or do we become slaves of THE WORD!

The sons of Jacob (minus Benjamin) travel to Egypt for grain.  Several sources place the location of Joseph in the Lower Egypt delta area. (Lower Egypt is actually in the north and Upper Egypt is in the south - the Nile River runs south to north.)  This was many miles from Jacob's  home, not an easy journey.  Most likely they traveled near the Mediterranean Sea and down to Egypt.

What must Joseph have thought when he saw the fulfillment of his dream of sheaves bowing down as his brothers bowed down before him?

Even though Joseph knew his brothers, his brothers did not recognize him.  Of course Joseph had changed drastically since the brothers last saw him.  And, chances are Joseph was dressed as Egyptian royalty.

Joseph didn't make things easy for his brothers when they came for grain.  First he accused them of being spies and told them they must send one of the brothers to get the youngest son Benjamin, then placed them all in custody for three days.  On the third day, Joseph reverses things and then tells them that they all may go after the youngest brother and only one brother (Simeon) must remain in custody. Obviously Joseph had a change of heart.

After returning to their home, Jacob's sons must explain to their father why his son Simeon is not with them.  What is the significance of Reuben offering both his sons as “hostage” in the situation concerning the return of Benjamin?  Could it be that if Reuben's sons were killed, then Reuben would suffer as Jacob suffered at the loss of Benjamin and Joseph?  Judah, however, offered himself to Jacob as personally responsible for the safety of Benjamin.

Apparently Jacob hadn't planned to send his sons back to Egypt for Simeon.  It wasn't until the famine continued and they needed more grain that he sent them on a return trip.  This time they took some of the best products of the land.  These products came from trees that weren't as affected by the famine as other crops were.

The book of Jasher recounts numerous details concerning the interaction between the brothers and Joseph. Wonder what the brothers thought when Joseph seated them in order of their birth? It says they were astonished. And what's this with Joseph giving Benjamin five times as much food?

Judah presents himself as a protector of Benjamin. It is the beginning of the alliance with Judah and Benjamin as together they will later be known as the Jews.

Judah’s character surfaces once again as he offers himself in place of Benjamin (a foreshadowing of Jesus’ offer). His willingness to defend Benjamin, to honor his father, and be willing to substitute himself could be another reason the line of the Messiah comes through Judah.

Genesis 45:8b
And He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler over all the land of Egypt. 
Notice in the above verse it says "He has made me a father to Pharaoh", MKJV

That little word "a" is left out in the NIV.  Speculation is that by this time Pharaoh is dead and his son has taken his place, which is why Scripture records that Joseph was a father to Pharaoh. However, Joseph  maintains his position as king in the kingdom.

When Joseph reveals his true identity to his brothers, he tells them to return for their father and bring him to Egypt to live in the region of Goshen.  This area was primo territory, lush with streams and tributaries running to the Mediterranean Sea and to the Nile River.

Great verse hidden away in today's reading concerning Joseph's understanding of the reason his brothers sold him.
Genesis 45:8a
"So then, it was not you (his brothers) who sent me here, but God."

How often in our lives can we look at bad things that happen to us and yet see the hand of God at work? Maybe, it's time to stop and reflect.

“The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered…”

Joseph prospered? As a slave? How can this be?

When we have God's presence with us we will prosper…not by the world’s standards necessarily, but certainly by God’s standards. This is a great lesson for us. Serve the Lord, no matter our station in life.

We couldn’t help but notice the similarities between Joseph and the prophet Daniel. Daniel also prospered while he was in captivity in Babylon.

The Book of Jasher records that Potipher bought Joseph from the Ishmaelites for 400 pieces of silver. The Ishmaelites bought Joseph for only 20 pieces of silver.  Quite a profit for the Ishmaelites.

How did Potipher know that the Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered?  Why didn' t he give credit to the Egyptian sun god, Ra?  Could it be that Joseph was quick to give God the credit?  Notice Potipher was also rewarded.

Joseph refused to succumb to the temptation of Potiphar’s wife and called it a sin against God.  He knew that the act of adultery or fornication was a sin against God. Joseph's character certainly was displayed at this time. Other historical writings tell us that Potiphar knew Joseph's character and also the character of his wife and believed Joseph. However, in order to save face with his wife and his servants, he sent Joseph to jail. The jail in which Joseph was placed was different from the Roman jails of Jesus' day. In many cases the jails were more like houses. Depending on the person and their crime, often it was more like house arrest instead of being thrown into a dark and damp dungeon.

Joseph is brought before Pharaoh to interpret a dream.  Joseph must have been very relieved to say the least, to be freed from the prison, but he does something very gutsy.  When Pharaoh asks Joseph to interpret the dream, Joseph responds with, "I cannot do it."  He risked everything with this statement.  But was quick to give God the credit.

The Biblical "two-witness" rule is applied even to Pharaoh's dream.  "The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon."

After Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dream, Pharaoh puts Joseph in charge of the whole land of Egypt.  Joseph is now second in command, second only to Pharaoh himself.  No one in Egypt has more authority than Joseph, including Pharaoh's sons. Once the king issues an order it cannot be retracted.  Even Pharaoh knew that the spirit of God was in Joseph.  Otherwise why would the king of Egypt give such power and authority to a Hebrew slave?

Joseph was about 17 when he first came to Egypt and was 30 when he entered into service with Pharaoh.  Once he entered into service with Pharaoh, Joseph's life was truly blessed.

God provided an abundant harvest for seven years. They were able to store up huge quantities of grain (one fifth the amount raised in the land) and still have an abundance.

Joseph's two sons. Manasseh and Ephraim are born in Egypt.  These two sons will be extremely significant in the genealogical record.

When the famine hits the land of Canaan hard, Israel (Jacob) protects Benjamin and refuses to let him go with the brothers to Egypt to get grain.  Later the tribe of Benjamin will also be protected.

Wonder why Joseph didn't go to see his family in Canaan once he was no longer a slave? Guess he was a little busy running things in Egypt!

Jealousy surfaces in the story of Joseph and his brothers. Joseph's multi-colored coat was a major source of contention between Joseph and his brothers. It was a symbol that Jacob loved Joseph more than his other sons. This coat was probably of a kind worn by royalty, long-sleeved, ankle length and colorful. Most coats were knee length, short sleeve and plain.  Coats were used for sleeping mats, blankets, pillows. suitcases, and even as security for loans.  Coats were an important possession and often considered a commodity.

His brothers already hated him and then when Joseph told them about his dreams, they hated him all the more.  Joseph's dream of sheaves of grain in a field bowing down to his sheaf of grain was interpreted by his brothers to mean that they would bow down to Joseph. This dream of course was prophetic in nature.  In reality, later on in Egypt, the brothers would bow down to Joseph.

In another prophetic dream the sun, moon, and eleven stars were bowing to Joseph. Jacob's interpretation of this dream was that Joseph's parents and brothers would bow to him.  This dream was quite different from the dream concerning the sheaves of grain.  The dream of the grain was fulfilled while Joseph was living.  The second dream about the sun, moon, and stars has not yet been fulfilled. At this point in time, Joseph's mother was dead, therefore that dream will be fulfilled at some time during the millennium.  It appears from Scripture that Joseph will given a high position in the millennium kingdom.

Joseph’s brothers’ jealousy had reached a crescendo when they plotted to kill him.  Only Reuben and Judah (sons of Leah) were against killing Joseph. Joseph was sold more than once before he reached Potiphar's house. He was sold to the Midianites, then to the Ishmaelites, and then he was sold to Potiphar in Egypt.

When Jacob was shown Joseph's blood-stained coat, he feared the worst, tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and wept for his son.  This was a customary sign of mourning or sorrow. When Jacob was mourning the supposed death of Joseph, his daughters (plural) came to comfort him. Does this mean Jacob had other daughters beside Dinah?

The Book of Jasher is filled with details about the exploits of Jacob's sons.  They were mighty men with supernatural strength and ability empowered by the Lord.  Remember Jacob's strength in moving the stone from the well in an earlier reading (Genesis 29)?

Quite a unusual story of Judah's sons and Tamar and the Levirate law. Mention is made of a shrine prostitute when Judah seeks a woman after the death of his wife. These shrine prostitutes committed the act of prostitution as an act of worship, committed by both men and women. They did this for the glory of their false gods, such as the goddess Asherah and the god Baal, among others. Judah, thinking he was with a shrine prostitute, was with his daughter-in-law, who conceived and gave birth to twin sons.

The daughters of Lot have something in common with Tamar. Just another example of how God uses events laden with sin to fulfill His later and greater purpose.

The commentary in the Chronological Bible mentions that in the last days Edom will be singled out as a special object of God's punishment.  During the last days, in the Day of the Lord, Edom will be one of the places of safety where believers in Judah will flee for protection. 

Today's reading is full of genealogies. While we may think genealogies are insignificant as reading material, they are very significant in documenting genealogy and family histories. 

As an act of defiance toward Isaac, Esau married Canaanite women including Ishmael’s daughters. These are the women that Abraham didn't want Isaac to marry. The land of Canaan was given to Jacob as part of the blessing, passed from Abraham through Isaac.           EEven Esau was excluded from this blessing. Even though Jacob received the blessing instead of the first born Esau, Esau was certainly not deprived.  His wealth through his animals and possessions was numerous. By moving to the hill country of Seir, Esau was paving the way for Jacob to claim his promised blessing.

When God makes a promise, He makes a way for that promise to be fulfilled. Can we all ponder some examples from our lives? Have there been times we have wondered in amazement at the way God honors His promises? Are all of us believers as faithful as God is?

2 Timothy 2:13
If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful because he cannot be untrue to himself. 

Did you notice in Genesis 36:24 among all the genealogical listings, this verse, "This is Anah who discovered the hot springs in the desert while he was grazing the donkeys of his father Zibeon."

We wondered about the significance of this verse and what the hot springs were and why it was even mentioned.  Well...as usual...it took us on a journey.  It seems the original Hebrew word for hot springs is "yem" and can mean "hot springs" or it can mean "mule".  Yes, you read that right, mule,(as in offspring of donkey and horse).  Now there are many suggestions as to why the range of possible meanings of the word "yem".  It is closely tied to the Hebrew word "yom" which means "a period of the time of an event".   If it does mean mule, that could mean that Anah either discovered this breed while grazing donkeys or he is the one who did the cross-breeding with the donkey and the horse to produce the mule. The Hebrew word for donkey is "male donkey". The word for female donkey is a different Hebrew word.  It is the male donkey bred to the female horse to produce the mule. Our thinking is that the word actually means "mule" and is there as a warning.  Don't mess with God's plan.  Don't be cross-breading animals. Just a thought...

WOW!         Dinah’s brothers certainly took some drastic measures in their response to the rape of their sister. F    First of all they bargained with the men of Shechem to be circumcised, then while the men were still in pain, Dinah's brothers killed them. They will pay for this later when their father Jacob gives out the blessings.  These brothers, Simeon and Levi have the same mother (Leah) as Dinah.

By using circumcision in this way, they defiled the symbol of the covenant between God and Abraham. The brothers Simeon and Levi lost part of their inheritance because of this.

However, the men of Shechem had ulterior motives.  They wanted all the wealth of Jacob and his descendants, which the union of marriage with Dinah would bring. 

We have often wondered how old Dinah was when this rape happened. The word "girl" is used to describe her.  The Hebrew word for girl is "naarah" and means "a girl from infancy to adolescence".  This may mean that Dinah had not yet reached adolescence.  If this were the case, it would explain why the brothers took such offense at the violation of their sister.  It was not uncommon to ask for a girl in marriage before the age of adolescence, but it was not acceptable to have sexual relations with a girl that young.  Once the rape took place, Dinah was considered defiled - or unclean.    

To his credit, Jacob tells his people to rid themselves of all the foreign gods they have with them, which they do. However, instead of destroying them, he buries them under the oak at Shechem.  Bad idea!  Were these the gods that Rachel brought with her from Paddam Aram or did Jacob's family acquire more gods?

God reemphasizes Jacob's name change to Israel. Did Jacob forget? Or did Jacob slip back into some old ways of doing things and God had to remind him that with the change of name comes a change in character?

Since Rachel had great difficulty in giving birth, the birth of Benjamin may have been a breech birth. Interesting that this birth took place near Bethlehem. Another significant birth also took place in Bethlehem.

Genesis 35 lists the names of Jacob's sons along with a sentence that says "These were the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddam Aram."  However, Benjamin was born in Bethlehem.  Is this a contradiction in Scripture???  Ponder this...in that culture (and in many other cultures today), life begins at conception. For counting one's age, they count from conception.  So, it appears that all Jacob's sons were conceived in Paddam Aram. 

Reuben sins with Jacob's concubine. Later Jacob takes away part of Reuben's inheritance. Just another example that "sin has consequences".

Also interesting that Isaac lived many years after his "dying" blessing to Jacob.  It says he was "old and full of years."  The words "old" and "full of years" seem to go together.  But, quite possibly the "full of years" may refer to the quality of life.

What a great epitaph...to die "old and full of years"!

God tells Jacob to leave the land where Laban, his family, and flocks are.  Jacob leaves secretly.  Interestingly, in only thirteen years, Jacob has fathered at least 12 children, one of whom is a daughter.

Before leaving her homeland Rachel steals her father’s household "gods". Was it because she believed that the household "gods" had powers and she thought her father could find out from these "gods" where she had gone with Jacob?  Or was Rachel having difficulty turning loose completely?

Once Laban discovers the flight of Jacob and family, he pursues and catches up with them.  There is a confrontation between Jacob and Laban, resulting in a covenant agreement between the two.  In that culture, the custom was to honor the "Godfather" concept. As long as the patriarch of the family was alive, he ruled over the entire family.  

As a witness to the covenant between Jacob and Laban, a stone pillar is placed as a monument. This monument stone is a remembrance.  Memories are elusive, but a stone monument will remain.  Whenever the monument is seen, memories resurface.  Without the monument, memories fade.  Having a witness to a covenant relationship between us and God is why we are commanded to honor God's Holy Days (Passover, Pentecost, Feast of Tabernacles). These Holy Days (if we even knew they existed at all) have so faded from our memories, it's as if they never existed.  Yet we are told to honor and remember them forever.  God's Holy Days are our monuments as a witness to Jesus' fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Covenant as He instituted the New Covenant.

Amazing example of an encounter with God the Son when Jacob wrestles with the “man”. He wrestled with God to secure a blessing. Do we wrestle with God to secure a blessing or do we wrestle with God in defiance in order to get away from His authority?

It is more than obvious that Jacob was concerned about the reaction of his brother Esau upon his return to his native land.  Jacob sent major gifts ahead of him to appease his brother.  Jacob bowed seven times to Esau when he met him face to face.  This was a customary exhibition of submission.  The interaction between Jacob and Esau concerning the gifts given was another example of the culture of the day in regard to doing business.

It will be discovered later in the reading that even though Esau seemed amicable toward Jacob, in reality he was concealing his hatred toward Jacob.  Jacob was wise in keeping some distance between himself and Esau.

Earlier we read that after Jacob wrestled with God, his name is changed to Israel. When there is a change of name there is a change of character. When we become believers we take on His name. When we take on His name, we take on His character. That of course means we change our way of doing things, we change our character, we become a new creation, His creation.

2 Cor 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Jacob makes his way to the land of the eastern peoples and sees a well with a large stone rolled over the entrance.  It took more than one shepherd to move the stone and yet later, Jacob himself alone is able to move the stone so that Rachael can water her father's sheep.  He must have been a strong man.

Jacob agrees to work seven years for Laban, his mother's brother, in exchange for the hand of Laban's daughter Rachel in marriage.  This was not an uncommon practice.  Once the deal had been made, Rachel and Jacob were betrothed, which means they were legally married but could not consummate the marriage until Jacob had worked for seven years. Jacob kept his end of the bargain but Laban did not.  At the end of the seven years, Laban ordered a feast to celebrate the consummation of the marriage but instead of giving Jacob Rachel, Laban gave his older daughter Leah instead.

In response to Jacob’s cry of deception concerning the substitution of Leah for Rachel, Laban responds with “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.”

It seems, however, as if it is the custom to lie and misrepresent for seven years. When we look at all the times that God bypasses the firstborn in favor of younger sons, it seems as if God says repeatedly that man’s ways are not His ways. God is telling us He doesn’t play by our rules.

Leah was not Jacob's favored wife.  However, she gave him 6 sons, half the number of the 12 tribes.  After the first four sons, Leah stopped having children and asked her son Reuben to find some mandrake plants for  her.  This is a rare plant thought to increase fertility.  Apparently it worked and Leah gave birth to two more sons and at least one daughter.

If God set down the rules of marriage in the Garden of Eden to be between one man and one woman, why does Jacob have two wives and two concubines? Even though the custom of the day allowed such a thing, it was still contrary to God's plan. Another example of how God's people are called to be different from the world around them. No matter what the custom of our day is, we should always seek God's ways and not the ways of the world. However, as usual, God used Jacob to fulfill His plans anyway!

Laban obviously was influenced by pagan gods because he used divination to determine that he was being blessed because of Jacob.  He was giving the idols credit for his understanding of what God was doing through Jacob instead of giving God the credit. Later it becomes even more obvious just how greatly influenced Laban really was by the idols and pagan gods.

What is the significance with the speckled, spotted, dark and light colored lambs, goats, and sheep and the white striped branches? The manipulation of the colored animals was purely a matter of dominate and recessive genes. Jacob received more of the speckled and spotted, lambs, goats, and sheep simply because that was in the genetic code. (see Mendel's pea chart of dominant and recessive genes http://anthro.palomar.edu/mendel/mendel_1.htm) The striped branches had nothing to do with it, except for the fact that Jacob appears to be superstitious. Not a good thing!

Esau, the firstborn of Isaac, marries Hittite women.  Genesis 26 tells us that the women were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.  These women worshiped false gods and no doubt lured Esau into pagan practices as well.  God repeatedly warns His people to stay away from alliances with pagans.

Jacob received the birthright earlier when Esau bargained for a bowl of soup. The birthright was the scepter promise which gave Jacob the right for future generations to be kings. Jacob deceitfully received the blessing, which gave him and his future descendants riches and power.  The birthright was a legitimate purchase from Esau. The blessing was stolen.

When Isaac wonders at the speed at which the game meat is served, Jacob justifies the deceit by lying and giving credit to God for the deceitful thing.  Hmmm...not a good thing!

The blessings given to Jacob are extremely significant prophetically, both literally (physically) and spiritually (figuratively).   Jacob later will be known as Israel, father of the 12 tribes of Israel.
Genesis 27:28-29
May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness - an abundance of grain and new wine.  May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.  May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed.

May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. While nations will not serve the man, Jacob, nations will serve Israel.  During portions of the reign of King David, and in the days of King Solomon nations did serve and honor the nation of Israel.  In our day, some nations honor Israel, but most do not.  However, during the millennial kingdom, ALL nations will serve and honor Israel.

Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.  Jacob had only one brother so the plural use of the word brothers must mean brothers in a figurative sense.  The nation of Israel will one day be lord over all the other nations.  Interestingly, Esau's descendants will settle in Edom and be known as Edomites, in the land now known as Jordan, home of Arabs and Palestinians.

Esau discovers the deception of Jacob and pleads with his father to bless him as well.  Since Isaac had already given the great blessings to Jacob, there appears to be practically nothing left.  While in today's business and family inheritance dealings, if inheritance was received through fraud, it can easily be retracted. Not so in the culture and customs of those days. Once the words were spoken by a leader or the patriarch of the family, the blessing could not be rescinded.  Because of this deception, Esau determines to kill his brother Jacob, but not until Isaac is dead.

Rebekah fears for Jacob's life and sends him away to Haren. This was not a short journey. It was between 600 and 700 miles away.  When Jacob left, Esau essentially took over all that Isaac had.  But as far as Esau knew, Jacob would return shortly with a wife and claim the inheritance and the blessings.

After Jacob left, Esau marries the daughter of Ishmael, Isaac's half-brother. Esau did this to spite his parents even more.

Jacob stops at a place that he will later name Bethel (house of God).  This land now where Bethel is located is in the present day "West Bank" in occupied territory where Christians and Messianic Jews are unwelcome.

What is the significance of angels ascending and descending from heaven in the dream that Jacob had? Does it have something to do with angels interacting with humans now? Jesus told the disciple Nathanael that he too would see something similar.

John 1:51
He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Jacob names the place Bethel, which means house of God. It is here that God confirms the promise that He made earlier to Abraham and He offers this same promise to Jacob.  God promises that Jacob's descendants will spread north, south, east, and west.  He wasn't speaking of just that area of the mid-east but much farther than that.

Bethel became an important center for worship but later became a center for idol worship, which the prophet Hosea condemned. Isn't that just like Satan? He takes a place for worship of God and turns it into something evil. This makes us want to guard closely our place of worship and be careful to keep evil from slipping in.

The second wife of Abraham is often forgotten. After the death of Sarah, Abraham took another wife named Keturah and she bore him six sons. He even had sons by his concubines. He was 100 years old when Isaac was born, and then he fathered more children after age 100!

An interesting side note -Abraham and Sarah's burial site is a place of contention among Muslims, Jews, and Christians. No surprise there, scripture tells us that the descendants of Ishmael "lived in hostility toward all their brothers." Genesis 25:18

And so they do...even now.

In the commentary of the Chronological Bible on page 52 it mentions that the major events of the first 2500 years have been chronicled as only a brief outline. There are however other writings that fill in many details.

Isaac and Rebekah waited 20 years for the birth of their only sons, Esau and Jacob.  Isaac was 60 when the sons were born to Rebekah.

Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup. This was a legitimate transaction, unfair though it may seem.  

Genesis 25:34

So Esau despised his birthright.

The birthright had no value for Esau.

When there is another famine in the land Isaac heads south toward Egypt. Sound familiar? Isaac lands in Gerar which is near Egypt in southern Israel. There Isaac lies to the men in the land telling them that Rebekah is his sister. Sound familiar?  Even though she was not his sister, Isaac and Rebekah were blood related.  Rebekah was the daughter of Isaac's cousin Bethuel. 

To his credit, Isaac obeys God's instructions to stay away from Egypt. And there Isaac is blessed tremendously.

Genesis 26:24
That night the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham."

God promised Isaac that He would bless him because of what his father Abraham had done. Does that make us want to be obedient to the Lord knowing that it will bless our children and future generations? A point to ponder, wouldn't you say?

Abraham commissions Eliezer from Damascus to find a wife for his son Isaac and confirms this commission with an oath.  This ancient custom of confirming a solemn oath is described in the Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel, called the Jerusalem Targum.

The ceremony used on this occasion of the servant putting his hand under the thigh of the person to whom he was to be bound means that he put his hand on the part that bore the mark of circumcision, the sign of God’s covenant.  While this may seem vulgar or profane to us today, it was the sign of the covenant between God and man and confirming a covenant in this way was actually a sentiment of reverence and godly respect.  We must understand that there is a drastic difference between our cultural understanding today and their culture at that time.

 Abraham sent his servant quite a distance to find a wife for Isaac. Nahor was about 600 miles north from where Abraham was living. It was between the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers near the present day Turkey border.  No doubt when Eliezer made this journey he passed near his ancestral home in Damascus.

Abraham's servant prayed a very specific prayer for requirements of choosing a wife for Isaac. He prayed that the future wife for Isaac would not only offer him a drink of water but would offer to water his camels as well. The hospitality of the day required that women at the well offered water to travelers, but it was not the custom to offer to water the animals. When Rebekah offered to water the ten camels, she understood how many camels there were and how much water that would be for that many thirsty camels.  And she didn't offer to just give each camel a sip.  She offered to water the camels until they had finished drinking.  Estimates are that it would take about 25 gallons of water per camel after a week's journey. Wonder how many trips she made back down into that well.  Later on in the reading we are told that Rebekah had several servant girls attending her...so why was she going to the well instead of the servant girls?  Just another example of God's providence?

This well was probably not the "Jack went up the hill" kind of well with a bucket on a rope to haul up water.   Most likely there was a subterranean pool or spring and a cavern was dug down to the spring with manmade steps leading down to the water.

Notice when the servant prayed, his prayer was answered even before he had finished praying. Similar to what happens to the prophet Daniel

Daniel 9:23

As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision:

Can we be sure that as soon as we begin to pray that God will hear and answer our prayers? Are there some things that may hinder our prayers?
James 4:3
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

Abraham's servant's motives were pure. It was an unselfish prayer on his part. He didn't ask for success for himself, only that God would show kindness to his master.

How is it with us believers? Do we pray with the wrong motives or attitude or do we pray in faith that God will answer our prayers in His way and in His time?
Psalm 5:3
In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

Do we lay our requests before Him and wait in expectation for the perfect answer? Wouldn't that be a great way to start every day?