GOOD MORNING, Siblings!!

Today’s readings are Genesis 25-26

Click here to read today’s passages on BibleGateway. 

Whew. There is a lot of information in these chapters!

Rabbit Trails 

I want to start by sharing something Kendra Z shared in our group yesterday:

Just finished reading all of the scripture and notes before I have to leave for work. It’s nice to start my day with this so I can have that as my focus during the day. It’s such a different focus than checking Facebook. That bogged me down and my head and heart were never in the right place the rest of the day. This way, my mind is on God. It’s funny how all of these lessons are always there. He’s always teaching. It’s just the student’s eyes and ears haven’t been opened. I am starting to see parallels in my own life now and I’m feeling like I’m actually part of His family now. This may seem silly but we have a new rescue dog at our house that was aggressive when anyone would come up our home. It was so bad that we had to hire a trainer. She said that the dog becomes aggressive because she doesn’t believe that we will protect her and so she has to come out fighting. When she trusts that we are in control, she can relax and not be aggressive. And it’s worked! We show her we have control and she’s safe and she is much more relaxed. And it hit me…I am that rescue dog. When I don’t have faith that God is in control, I tend to be more angry and aggressive with people. When I let him take over my situations, there is peace. Thank you for letting me be part of this amazing journey. Hoping to have faith like Abraham today. 

Amen! Now let’s dive in!

These are the days of the years of Abraham’s life, 175 years. Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. Genesis 25:7-8

I just find a lot of shalom in that verse. Remember, shalom is a wholeness of peace that can only come through the Father.

In Genesis 25:11 YHWH makes it perfectly clear that Isaac was inheritor to the promise He had given Abraham.

We read in Genesis 25:19-23 that YHWH made a covenant with Rebecca, telling her that the older would serve the younger. This being in place, we can see Jacob’s natural zeal for his YHWH-declared birthright and the blessing of his father at a very young age. This is predestined and the will of YHWH and yet, people often view Jacob in a negative light for his behavior. But if we read in Genesis 25:34 we see that Esau gave very little care for his own birthright and was flippant in giving it away.

The passage below had me chuckling a bit. Do you remember when Abraham lied about Sarah being his sister because she was so beautiful he feared people would kill him to have her? I reckon Isaac is his father’s son and they like the pretty ladies!

So Isaac settled in Gerar. When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” for he feared to say, “My wife,” thinking, “lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah,” because she was attractive in appearance. Genesis 26:6-7

Isaac’s crops: In Genesis 26:12 we are told that Isaac reaped 100 times what he had sown in terms of crops. This is an easy verse to just read through and not pay attention to but it is worth noting that this is not possible without supernatural intervention.

Pattern alert: Isaac’s firstborn son was not to be considered His firstborn. This is a repeating pattern that took place with Abraham in that Ishmael was born first but he was not to be given the firstborn birthright either, the second born, Isaac was, just as with Rebecca.

As we continue reading the Word, you’ll find that YHWH repeats Himself often. Sometimes He does this through patterns, sometimes with His words. When does a parent repeat themselves? When it is important. Time and again, you’ll see key instructions repeated in the same paragraph. Anytime the Father speaks, we as His children should sit up a little straighter and pay attention. When He repeats Himself, triply so.

Covenant alert:

  • In Genesis 12:3 recall that YHWH has promised Abraham that He will bless all the people of the earth through him.
  • In Genesis 26:3, Today we read about the Abrahamic Covenant being renewed with Abraham’s son, Isaac with the stars referenced again as a means of doing so.

First of all, it didn’t need to be renewed. YHWH said it and declared it for perpetuity and that was that. But we humans tend to quickly forget, lose faith, and need reassurance. YHWH doesn’t operate in time as we do and time doesn’t affect Him as it does us. He knows this and in His compassion and lovingkindness he reminds us of His promises.

Genesis 26:4 “So that all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your heirs.” In this context, “nations” doesn’t refer to countries but groups of people.

Remember this promise. Through the blessing of Messiah, we are heirs to this.

Seriously, y’all. We are often conditioned to look at the Bible as a dusty old book with words that don’t make sense. But when we dive in like this, reading from the beginning, and come to the realization that this is the story of our own heritage, it comes to life! Not only that, but it breathes new life into us. YHWH’s Word is such a tremendous blessing for His children. Thank you for joining me at the feet of our Father each day!

Go back to Genesis 15:5-6. Let’s read this part together now:

*And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.*

YHWH brought Abraham outside, pointed his gaze towards heaven and spoke those words.

Oh my goodness, just thinking of it takes my breath away. But do you know what touches my heart even more?

When Abraham looked up at that sky, one of those stars represented me. 

When he looked up at that sky, one of those stars represented you. 

Let that sink into your heart.

Sidenote: YHWH counted Abraham as righteous because of his faith, because he believed what the Lord said. Abraham was an obedient man in many ways but that didn’t make him righteous, his faith did.

His obedience was not the root of his salvation, but the fruit of his salvation. Such is the same for us. Time to check your fruit! 

Somedays my notes will be novels, somedays they will be shorter. You get a shorter day today!

Test everything, hold tight to what is good. -1 Thessalonians 5:21

May YHWH bless the reading of His Word!

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Christy Jordan
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