The Bible Revealed-A 365-Day Journey Through God’s Word

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DAY 21

Isaac and Rebekah
Genesis 24:1–67

Abraham was now very old, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. He said to the senior servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh. I want you to swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac.” … Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. (Genesis 24:1–4, 67)

This story involves no words from God, no miracle, and no prophecy, but throughout the story the Bible makes clear God’s intimate involvement in every aspect of bringing Isaac and Rebekah together. The events of the story testify to God’s loving care in the lives of those who follow him. In its original Hebrew, the passage contains the word hesed, used several times to convey the “loyal love” shown by God and also by God’s people, who cooperated in love and reverence with his plan.

God’s hesed shows itself in the details of Isaac’s life, and we can be confident that God’s hesed goes with us too. Not only will God carry out his good plan, but he will loyally and lovingly orchestrate circumstances along the way if we walk with him in faith.

Daily Contemplation
How have you seen God acting out his hesed in your life this week?

The Bible Revealed: A 365-Day Guided Journey Through God’s Word

 

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DAY 22

Beneath the Surface of Faith
Reflection

What comes to mind when you think of a person of great faith—a person like Abraham? You might think of someone who is strong in a quiet way, someone sure of his or her beliefs about God and of the relationship he or she has with God. You might think of someone who doesn’t get ruffled too easily, who seems capable of handling anything.

Abraham fits the image. Yet he also proves that what we see on the surface is only part of the picture. Underneath, in any person of faith, we likely will find vivid images of struggles and sorrows and challenges that have consumed heart and strength. For instance, Abraham’s record of difficulty began when he agreed to follow God to a foreign place. Soon he met challenges with his nephew Lot and then puzzled over the barrenness of his marriage. A second wife and a child brought new layers of hardship. Finally, Abraham underwent the ultimate test with God’s command to sacrifice his long-awaited son.

Abraham earned his reputation through the real, life-shaking struggles he encountered. His faith grew in the soil of tough times as he watched God move and direct in loving, unexpected ways.

Do you want to be a person of faith if it means learning to trust through difficult days? Perhaps a better question is, can you learn to trust a God who is there for you in your struggles? As you cope with hard times, you, together with God, are writing a life story. The way you respond to struggles and to God will determine that story’s outcome. Are you becoming a strong person of faith who, when others probe beneath the surface, can tell of God’s triumph through your tough times?

Daily Contemplation
Come to God now and talk to him about a struggle you are experiencing. Later in life, how would you like to look back on the way you coped with this difficulty? Give it to God and pray for help in being obedient. Then wait as God turns your struggle into triumph.


The Bible Revealed: A 365-Day Guided Journey Through God’s Word

 

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DAY 23

Jacob and Esau
Genesis 25:19–34


“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you will be separated;
one people will be stronger than the other,
and the older will serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:23)

God’s promise of the birth of a nation moves forward here with the birth of twin boys to Rebekah and Isaac. Already conflict within Rebekah’s womb foreshadows the future for the nations to come from Jacob and Esau (EE-saw). The Israelites, descending from Jacob, and the Edomites, descending from Esau, will fight continuously in the coming decades.

As the two boys are born and grow, God’s preference for Jacob over Esau becomes clear. Although Esau, the firstborn, is entitled to the bulk of his father’s inheritance, Jacob, by scheming and trickery, foils the law of his day. Early in their story we see them model two ways of handling things of great spiritual importance. Esau, who by tradition would have inherited headship over Isaac’s family, “despised his birthright” (Genesis 25:34).

He treats this first of God’s family blessings with contempt, seeing no great value in the spiritual inheritance due him. Esau, anxious to satisfy his immediate physical appetite, openly reveals a lack of any spiritual hunger.

Jacob, in contrast to his brother, has a great craving for spiritual blessing. But he chooses human tactics of craft and manipulation to pursue his ambition. Although he wants the right things, Jacob wants them in order to serve himself. He focuses on his own gain rather than on God’s. Later God will teach Jacob what it means to be a servant used for his higher purposes.



Daily Contemplation
Are you more like Esau, focused on fulfilling immediate desires in the here and now, or are you like Jacob, focused on pursuing lasting and spiritual gain? Are you seeking spiritual things through God’s help or through your own efforts?


The Bible Revealed: A 365-Day Guided Journey Through God’s Word

 

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DAY 24

Jacob Gets Isaac’s Blessing
Genesis 27:1–40

After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them. (Genesis 25:26)

If Abraham is renowned for faith, his grandson Jacob is renowned for treachery. Jacob was born with one hand grasping the heel of his twin brother who preceded him, and his parents memorialized that scene by giving him a name meaning “he grasps the heel,” or “he deceives” (Genesis 25:26).

In ancient times, the oldest son had two clear advantages: He would receive the family birthright and the father’s blessing. The birthright, like an inheritance document, granted the right to be in charge of the family and its property. Jacob has already taken the birthright from Esau by striking a bargain for food.

For most people of that day, the blessing represented a kind of magical power that conveyed prosperity from one generation to another; for Isaac, it represents far more. He is transferring to his son the covenant blessing passed down from his father Abraham, a blessing that will one day produce a whole nation of God’s favored people. This chapter records one of Jacob’s most elaborate tricks: a ruse to get from his tottery father the blessing that rightfully belongs to his elder brother.

As you read these stories, you might find your sympathies leaning toward poor Esau, who gets tricked out of his blessing and sells his birthright for a hot meal. But the Bible comes down clearly on the side of Jacob. Esau is blamed for “despising his birthright” (Genesis 25:34; Hebrews 12:16).

Jacob, willing to lie, cheat, and steal to get in on God’s blessing, would have flunked anyone’s morality test (Genesis surely does not commend these tricks—Jacob has to pay dearly for them, as we will read later on). Yet his life offers up an important lesson: God can deal with anyone, no matter how flawed, who passionately pursues him. The story of Jacob gives hope to imperfect people everywhere.

Daily Contemplation
In Old Testament times, names like Isaac (“laughter”) or Jacob (“grasper”) carried great significance. Do you know what your name means? Does the description fit you? If not, what kind of description would fit you better?


The Bible Revealed: A 365-Day Guided Journey Through God’s Word

 

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DAY 25

Jacob’s Dream at Bethel
Genesis 27:41–28:22

Jacob … stopped for the night … and lay down to sleep. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the LORD, and he said: “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth. … All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:10–15)


Jacob and Rebekah, by scheming, won the birthright and blessing for Jacob. But in doing so, they won for themselves something God would have given Jacob anyway and lost much in the process. Now, as a consequence of Jacob’s deception, he must flee his home to avoid his brother’s wrath. Jacob will have difficult years ahead, and Rebekah will never see him again.

Despite Jacob’s selfish ways, God provides him a vision at Bethel (BETH-uhl) to reassure him that God will go with him and will fulfill his promises to Abraham, Isaac, and now to Jacob. Jacob’s response establishes a pattern that Jews and believers since have followed as a response to God’s faithfulness and grace.

Prior to this vision, Jacob viewed God as belonging to his fathers. Now, for the first time, Jacob considers that “the LORD will be my God” (Genesis 28:21). Jacob also recognizes at Bethel that all he has belongs to God. He pledges to give back 10 percent of his belongings and in this way bless God and others.

Jacob is so moved by God’s word to him at Bethel that he sets stones in place to memorialize his visitation from God. He thus creates a tradition for believers, affirming the importance of memorials: physical reminders of God’s work in our lives. When we make these memorials—perhaps planting a tree, creating a wall hanging, or keeping a journal—we create a tangible memory of God’s presence and personal care for us.



Daily Contemplation
Can you recall a time when God made one of his promises very clear to you? What kind of memorial have you made to commemorate this promise?


The Bible Revealed: A 365-Day Guided Journey Through God’s Word

 

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DAY 26

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
Genesis 29:1–30

Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.” … Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.”

So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob … When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?” (Genesis 29:16–18, 21–23, 25)

It is said “what goes around comes around.” Jacob waited only seven years to experience the justice reflected in this statement. After deceiving his father and taking by trickery what didn’t belong to him, Jacob himself is tricked into taking as a wife someone he doesn’t want.

If he had waited on God to provide, Jacob could have received the birthright and blessing through God’s provision; he might also have wed Rachel right away without hurting Leah in the process. Instead, Jacob’s selfishness and lack of trust bring about painful consequences. God doesn’t leave Jacob, but he teaches him a lesson by allowing him to be a victim of duplicity in his own life.

This passage does show that Jacob has grown, however. Able to accept the circumstances and finish what he’s begun, Jacob yields to God’s discipline through the hand of Laban (LAY-buhn). As he does so, he learns to look to God for help, rather than his own conniving.



Daily Contemplation
What circumstances in your life are difficult? Have you brought any of them upon yourself? How are you looking to God to take you through them?


The Bible Revealed: A 365-Day Guided Journey Through God’s Word

 

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DAY 27

Jacob’s Children
Genesis 29:31–30:24

When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.” … Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and enabled her to conceive. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.” She named him Joseph, and said, “May the LORD add to me another son.” (Genesis 29:31–32; 30:22–24)

Earlier chapters of Genesis told the stories of both Sarah’s and Rebekah’s struggle with barrenness. Rachel’s story reiterates God’s power as Lifegiver, opener of the womb. Neither maidservants nor mandrakes, superstitiously thought to induce pregnancy, could alter a woman’s barren state. God, however, bestows fertility to all these women, and they learn to direct their hopes and prayers to him.

God also shows his great love and compassion for those who are unloved. Jacob clearly cares more deeply for Rachel than for Leah, and despite Leah’s hopes to change his affections through having children, she will live the rest of her life in Rachel’s shadow. Yet God cares about Leah’s pain and blesses her with many sons. He exalts her by making her the first of Jacob’s wives to bear him a child (Reuben) and gives her five more sons as well as Jacob’s only daughter, Dinah.

The twelve sons of Jacob (from four different women) will go on to be the forefathers and namesakes of the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus, the Messiah, will descend from the tribe of Judah, from the lineage of Leah. Just as Leah was rejected by Jacob but loved by God and blessed with children, so too her descendent Jesus would be rejected by humanity but loved dearly by God.


Daily Contemplation
When have you felt unloved? How has God shown a deep love for you in the midst of your pain?


The Bible Revealed: A 365-Day Guided Journey Through God’s Word

 

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DAY 28

God Shining from the Shadows
Reflection

Genesis paints a rather unflattering portrait of the third of Israel’s patriarchs, or fathers. Although the first patriarchs, Abraham and Isaac, were human and made some mistakes, Jacob tops them both.

As a young man, greedy and conniving, he takes advantage of his brother and then deceives his dying father. Jacob must go on the run to escape his brother’s anger; later he neglects one of his two wives, fueling the rivalry between them. Jacob hardly models for us the “spiritual giant” we would like to envision when we think of the renowned fathers of our faith.

As we look at the panorama of Jacob’s life to this point, however, we see again that the story is really about God, not Jacob. Looming in the background of Jacob’s early treachery, we see a God who has higher purposes, who works out his plan despite Jacob’s insistence on doing it himself. As Jacob flees, we glimpse God in the shadows before him and surrounding him, even appearing in a dream to bring comfort, reminding Jacob of the promises God still intends to keep. Then, as Jacob marries not one wife but two, we see God filling in the gaps, giving love where love is lacking.

Across the canvas of Jacob’s life, we see God building a nation through an inadequate man, an unloved woman, and a woman who long felt abandoned by God. God doesn’t need perfect people to do the things he has planned. With supreme irony, he chooses a flawed, self-centered man to carry on the lifeline of a nation that will eventually produce the perfect Messiah, who will offer a way for all sinful people to come back to God.

Jacob’s mural looks a lot like our own. Each believer is chosen by God, and once we are chosen, nothing can change God’s love for us. No mistake, no matter how big, can alter the way God cares for us. And like Jacob, as we walk with God and listen to him, we gradually find our hearts and our wills looking more like God’s own.


Daily Contemplation
What mistakes seem to dominate the mural of your life? Are these mistakes keeping you at a distance from God? If you’ve never confessed your mistakes to God, do it now, asking for forgiveness. Know that God hears and forgives. He is already near to you and loving you.


The Bible Revealed: A 365-Day Guided Journey Through God’s Word

 

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DAY 29

Jacob Flees from Laban
Genesis 31:1–21

Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.” And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been. Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.” … Then Jacob put his children and his wives on camels, and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated in Paddan Aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan. (Genesis 31:1–3, 17–18)

God finally calls Jacob back to his own land. Jacob leaves Laban for some of the same reasons he originally left his homeland—he flees to escape the animosity directed toward him, this time from Laban and his sons. Jacob has good reason to leave, for he and his wives have been cheated by Laban (Genesis 31:4–9). But more importantly, it is God’s time for Jacob to return home.

A wordplay in the original Hebrew text stresses that while Jacob “stole away,” Rachel stole the gods of her father (Genesis 31:19–20). Jacob’s dishonesty now spreads to his wife. In ancient days the possession of a family’s gods was often tied to the rights of inheritance. Perhaps in taking the gods, Rachel wants to ensure that her family will inherit Laban’s estate. In any case, Laban will pursue Jacob and his family, seeking to discover why they secretly left, absconding with the idols he relies on for protection.



Daily Contemplation
Where do you turn for protection? Are you inclined, like Jacob, to turn to your own ways of protecting yourself? Or do you, like Laban and Rachel, turn to things in your life for protection? How often do you ask God to protect you?


The Bible Revealed: A 365-Day Guided Journey Through God’s Word

 

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DAY 30

Laban Pursues Jacob
Genesis 31:22–55

Post in thread 'The Complete Bible / Genesis'

Apr 14, 2025

Genesis Chapter 31 / Chapter Index

1 Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s; and from what was our father’s he has gained all this wealth.” 2 And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. 3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was, 5 and said to them, “I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with...

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Laban answered Jacob, “The women are my daughters, the children are my children, and the flocks are my flocks. All you see is mine. Yet what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about the children they have borne? Come now, let’s make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between us.” (Genesis 31:43–44)

Just as Jacob had done to his own father, Rachel now lies to her father once Laban overtakes Jacob’s caravan, and she successfully deceives him. She lies in order to protect the useless gods she stole from him and an inheritance she will never need. Jacob’s character flaw of deception is carried on by his new family. For his part, Laban, having cheated his daughters and Jacob, now seems most concerned for his own safety, and he proposes a treaty to prevent future conflicts.

In this chapter, God speaks separately to Jacob and Laban to bring about their separation. Despite the selfish ways of both men, God protects Jacob from Laban’s animosity and ensures that Jacob will reach his homeland safely. Jacob’s journey will become a model for Israel later when the nation is led out of captivity in Egypt back to Jacob’s homeland of Canaan. God will deliver and protect the nation of Israel despite its imperfections, just as he is doing for Jacob.

The Israelites and eventually modern-day generations of believers will repeat again and again a pattern similar to Jacob’s. Rather than trusting in God’s ways, we follow our own ways and seek what we want by our own methods. We will suffer consequences; nevertheless, we will find that despite our selfish wanderings, God never leaves us.

Daily Contemplation
Do you reflect any character qualities of your family? What qualities are you passing on to others?


The Bible Revealed: A 365-Day Guided Journey Through God’s Word

 

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DAY 31

Jacob Prepares to Meet Esau
Genesis 32:1–21

Post in thread 'The Complete Bible / Genesis'

Apr 14, 2025

Genesis Chapter 32 / Chapter Index

1 Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him; 2 and when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s army!” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom,

4 instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now; 5 and I have oxen, asses, flocks, menservants, and maidservants; and I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.’ ”

6...

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Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. … When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” … Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, LORD, you who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps. Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’ ” (Genesis 32:3, 6, 9–12)

Jacob’s deceptions have marked him as an untrustworthy, dishonest man. But in this passage we see once more that despite Jacob’s character flaws, God is ultimately in charge of his future. We also glimpse a place of honesty deep inside Jacob. He knows he is “unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness” God has shown him (Genesis 32:10). Coming home and facing pain from the past, Jacob must reach to the core of himself and his relationship with God to find the answers to his crisis.

Jacob’s prayer is the prayer of every believer in a fearful situation: “Save me, I pray … for I am afraid” (Genesis 32:11). This is the honesty God awaits, the prayer that implores God to do for us better than we could do for ourselves.

Daily Contemplation
What are you afraid of today? Have you talked to God about your fear?


The Bible Revealed: A 365-Day Guided Journey Through God’s Word

 

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DAY 32

Jacob Wrestles with God
Genesis 32:22–32

22 But he rose up that [same] night and took his two wives, his two women servants, and his eleven sons and passed over the ford [of the] Jabbok.
23 And he took them and sent them across the brook; also he sent over all that he had.
24 And Jacob was left alone, and a Man wrestled with him until daybreak.
25 And when [the Man] saw that He did not prevail against [Jacob], He touched the hollow of his thigh; and Jacob’s thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with Him.
26 Then He said, Let Me go, for day is breaking. But [Jacob] said, I will not let You go unless You declare a blessing upon me.
27 [The Man] asked him, What is your name? And [in shock of realization, whispering] he said, Jacob [supplanter, schemer, trickster, swindler]!
28 And He said, Your name shall be called no more Jacob [supplanter], but Israel [contender with God]; for you have contended and have power with God and with men and have prevailed. [Hos. 12:3-4.]
29 Then Jacob asked Him, Tell me, I pray You, what [in contrast] is Your name? But He said, Why is it that you ask My name? And [the Angel of God declared] a blessing on [Jacob] there.
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel [the face of God], saying, For I have seen God face to face, and my life is spared and not snatched away.
31 And as he passed Penuel [Peniel], the sun rose upon him, and he was limping because of his thigh.
32 That is why to this day the Israelites do not eat the sinew of the hip which is on the hollow of the thigh, because [the Angel of the Lord] touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh on the sinew of the hip.

So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. (Genesis 32:24–25)

In Romans 9, the apostle Paul uses Jacob as an example of God’s grace. Why would God use a cheating rascal like Jacob to carry out his plan of building a holy nation? “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion” (Romans 9:15; quoted from Exodus 33:19) is God’s answer. Paul, who had spent the first part of his life fighting against God’s will, came to love the word grace—meaning “an undeserved gift”—because God loved him nonetheless.
Two scenes in Jacob’s life especially show grace at work. At two critical moments, just as Jacob is about to lose heart, God meets him in dramatic personal encounters.

The first time, Jacob was crossing a desert alone as a fugitive (Genesis 28). Having cheated his brother out of the family birthright, he was running away from Esau and his murderous threats. Yet God came to him with bright promises, not the reproaches he deserved. Jacob had not sought God; rather, God sought him. At that tender moment, God confirmed that all the blessings he had promised Abraham would apply to Jacob, the disgraced runaway.

The next encounter occurs several decades later, the night before Jacob plans to attempt reconciliation with Esau. In the intervening years, Jacob has learned many hard lessons, but as he thinks about the rendezvous he trembles in fear. After pleading with God to keep his promises, he receives in response a supernatural encounter as strange as any in the Bible. Jacob the grasper has met a worthy opponent at last: He wrestles with God himself. After this strange night, Jacob will always walk with a limp, a permanent reminder of the struggle.

Along the way, Jacob gains a new name, “Israel,” a name that puts the final seal of God’s grace on him. Jacob the cheat becomes the namesake of God’s chosen people, the Israelites—or, “God-wrestlers.”

Daily Contemplation
Not many people have such dramatic encounters with God. How has God met you at a time of need?


The Bible Revealed: A 365-Day Guided Journey Through God’s Word

 

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DAY 33

Jacob Reunites with Esau
Genesis 33:1–20

AND JACOB raised his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming and with him 400 men. So he divided the children to Leah and to Rachel and to the two maids.
2 And he put the maids and their children in front, Leah and her children after them, and Rachel and Joseph last of all.
3 Then Jacob went over [the stream] before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
4 But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. [Luke 15:20.]
5 [Esau] looked up and saw the women and the children and said, Who are these with you? And [Jacob] replied, They are the children whom God has graciously given your servant.
6 Then the maids came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.
7 And Leah also with her children came near, and they bowed themselves. After them Joseph and Rachel came near, and they bowed themselves.
8 Esau said, What do you mean by all this company which I met? And he said, These are that I might find favor in the sight of my lord.
9 And Esau said, I have plenty, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.
10 But Jacob replied, No, I beg of you, if now I have found favor in your sight, receive my gift that I am presenting; for truly to see your face is to me as if I had seen the face of God, and you have received me favorably.
11 Accept, I beg of you, my blessing and gift that I have brought to you; for God has dealt graciously with me and I have everything. And he kept urging him and he accepted it.
12 Then [Esau] said, Let us get started on our journey, and I will go before you.
13 But Jacob replied, You know, my lord, that the children are tender and delicate and need gentle care, and the flocks and herds with young are of concern to me; for if the men should overdrive them for a single day, the whole of the flocks would die.
14 Let my lord, I pray you, pass over before his servant; and I will lead on slowly, governed by [consideration for] the livestock that set the pace before me and the endurance of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.
15 Then Esau said, Let me now leave with you some of the people who are with me. But [Jacob] said, What need is there for it? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.
16 So Esau turned back that day on his way to Seir.
17 But Jacob journeyed to Succoth and built himself a house and made booths or places of shelter for his livestock; so the name of the place is called Succoth [booths].
18 When Jacob came from Padan-aram, he arrived safely and in peace at the town of Shechem, in the land of Canaan, and pitched his tents before the [enclosed] town.
19 Then he bought the piece of land on which he had encamped from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of money.
20 There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel [God, the God of Israel].

Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two female servants. He put the female servants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear. He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother. But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. (Genesis 33:1–4)


God answers Jacob’s prayer for help in a way beyond Jacob’s imagining. Not only does Esau not harm his brother; he runs with open arms to embrace him. God has changed the hearts of both brothers: Esau now wants reconciliation more than revenge, and Jacob has gained humility and generosity in his time away from Esau.

In this long-awaited meeting, Jacob gets a clearer picture of the face of God than he has ever seen before. For so long Jacob wrestled with God, insisting on his own way in the course of his life. In a final wrestling match, God showed Jacob his power and once again bestowed blessing (Genesis 32:22–32). Now, as Jacob limps home to a sibling who should hate him, he instead sees God in the face of this weeping, eager brother.

God will give believers this same picture of himself several times throughout the Bible. One who should be angry and finished with forgiveness, such as Esau, instead welcomes back another who deserves reproach. These scenes of grace demonstrate God’s unrelenting love for us, his children. May we, like Jacob, have the eyes to see.


Daily Contemplation
When has God shown you himself through the unexpected love of another person?

The Bible Revealed: A 365-Day Guided Journey Through God’s Word

 

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DAY 34

Jacob Returns to Bethel
Genesis 35:1–15

Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.” So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.” (Genesis 35:1–3)

Jacob has come full circle. He has made mistakes, gone his own way, suffered due to his actions, and experienced God’s guiding grace time and again. Now he returns to a familiar place of safety for the continued growth of the nation God has promised.

God calls Jacob back to Bethel so that Jacob can recall the journey he has traveled and remember God’s role in his life. After all Jacob has seen and experienced, he must pass on to his family the heritage of a God who has shown himself true and faithful.

As Jacob begins the journey, he recalls the vows he made to God at Bethel many years ago. He remembers the loyalty he promised God, and yet his family now allows idols to share a place with God. They must rid themselves of these objects of trust and attention. They must become pure before entering a place dedicated to the Lord.

Once again God speaks to Jacob at Bethel, underscoring that he will fulfill what he has promised. Although Jacob has not always been faithful, God has remained faithful to him. God’s promise at Bethel has not changed.

Daily Contemplation
Where are you in your journey with God? Are you insisting on your own way? Are you experiencing God’s grace? Are you seeing some of God’s promises fulfilled?


The Bible Revealed: A 365-Day Guided Journey Through God’s Word

 

[Administrator]

DAY 35

Wrestling with God
Reflection

What are we to make of ancient Bible stories about a man who went around lying to people and then spent a dark night wrestling on a riverbank with a figure who turned out to be God? We find in these accounts striking truths about the love of God for even the most undeserving of people. We also learn something about the process of living alongside our God, who has a plan for our lives and the power to implement it.

The image of wrestling fits well with the relationship many of us have with God throughout our lives. Like Jacob, we get acquainted with God and make tentative pledges to follow him. Then we carry on with life, doing whatever seems right at the moment to clear the path we’ve chosen for ourselves. We may consult God occasionally, sometimes in sincerity and sometimes simply going through the motions. But then we charge ahead again like strong-willed children, insisting on doing things our way. We struggle with God again and again, often failing to recognize the nature of the loving God with whom we’re wrestling. If only we could more fully realize the perfect plan God has for us, then maybe we would give up this foolhardy fight.

God will not force himself on us. He will let the struggle go on if we insist. Finally, if we are truly blessed, he may touch us on the hip and reveal to us the truth of our weakness. Then we realize that God has always been the winner. And we know that only when God wins can we win too. That first shy act of acquaintance with God, those first tentative pledges we made, may have been weak, but they set in motion God’s loving act of replacing our weakness with his strength.

We may wrestle with God for a while, but in time we’ll stop the struggle and say to God, as Jacob did, “I will not let you go” (Genesis 32:26). We’ll echo the words of the apostle Paul from later in the Bible: “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).


Daily Contemplation
Are you wrestling with God? What are you trying to achieve? Ask God to help you understand yourself and what lies at the heart of your desires. Ask God to help you trust his plan and rely on his strength.


The Bible Revealed: A 365-Day Guided Journey Through God’s Word

 

[Administrator]

DAY 36

Joseph’s Dreams
Genesis 37:1–36


Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 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.” (Genesis 37:5–7)

Nobody fights like brothers and sisters—family closeness seems to rub salt in the wounds of relationships. Genesis tells of several fierce sibling rivalries: Cain and Abel, Isaac and his half-brother Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Leah and Rachel. In this concluding story, Joseph’s story, eleven brothers line up against one.

The pace of Genesis slows down when it gets to Joseph, with the book devoting far more attention to his life story than anyone else’s. Little wonder—Joseph lived one of the greatest adventure stories of history. A stowaway slave and condemned prisoner, he rose to become the number-two ruler of Egypt, then the greatest empire on earth. The saga begins with the near-tragic event recorded in this chapter.

As his father’s acknowledged favorite, Joseph seems curiously insensitive to the potential of his brothers’ jealousy. He flaunts his status by relating two dreams of his family bowing down to him. At the least, he alienates his brothers so strongly that they decide to take revenge.

The brothers’ first plan involves murder. As a last-second thought, they sell Joseph instead to traveling merchants on their way to Egypt. Neither the brothers nor Joseph’s grieving father, Jacob—who swallows their story of a wild animal attack—ever expect to see him again. God, however, has other plans. Joseph’s strange dreams, which got him into so much trouble at home, will prove to be his salvation in the faraway land of Egypt.



Daily Contemplation
Have you ever experienced God bringing good out of what at first seemed like a disaster?


The Bible Revealed: A 365-Day Guided Journey Through God’s Word

 

[Administrator]

DAY 37

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife
Genesis 39:1–23

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he refused. … “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:6; 9)

This story begins and ends with the words “the LORD was with Joseph.” Throughout the story we are told many times that God’s hand is on Joseph in every situation. Clearly, it is God’s hand that turns the heart of Potiphar (PAHT-ih-fuhr), the Egyptian official who becomes Joseph’s master, toward Joseph. God’s hand allows Joseph to prosper in all he does as a servant. Even when he is in prison following the false accusations of Potiphar’s wife, it is God’s hand that causes Joseph to find favor with the warden. Without a doubt, God is watching over Joseph and fashioning good out of unfortunate circumstances.

Only in the incident with Potiphar’s wife do we find a seeming absence of God’s hand at work. Did he leave Joseph for a few hours that morning? Did he decide to test Joseph’s obedience? Genesis doesn’t tell us why God again allowed someone to mistreat and betray Joseph, but it does make clear that God was watching over him.

Through all his trials, Joseph remains faithful, refusing to give in to a short-lived pleasure that would dishonor God. In prison God reassures Joseph that he is near, showing kindness and making the situation bearable. He continues to bring Joseph success despite his captivity.

God has a big plan for Joseph. Although Joseph can’t see how it will happen during his days as a servant and prisoner, he will become God’s tool for helping the Israelites. Joseph has shown that he can resist temptation and wait for God to bless him. His servanthood and captivity won’t be wasted. They will position him for the greater work God has planned.



Daily Contemplation
Is a temptation calling to you, offering a chance for immediate gratification? Will giving in to temptation dishonor God and hinder his bigger plan for you?


The Bible Revealed: A 365-Day Guided Journey Through God’s Word