January 26-30, 2009

"...choose any place in the entire land of Egypt for them to live.
Give them the best land of Egypt.
Let them live in the region of Goshen.
And if any of them have special skills,
put them in charge of my livestock, too.”
Gen. 47:6

The story of Joseph and his interaction with his brothers when they came to Egypt will never grow old. Each time I meet up with him, I am enlightened by his wisdom, love and forgiveness. The unfolding of the facts presents quite a drama; but the hidden message veiled in these pieces of information contain a greater message. For me, it is like looking at one of those pictures that you've got to look past the obvious patters and color, and when you do, a three-dimensional image is revealed. I've been with people who have been unable to see the hidden picture. In an effort to help them see the concealed object, I have instructed them to look through the picture and direct their focus BEYOND the picture. It is almost like you have to trick your mind to look at something that is behind the picture you are holding.

Let's see if we can't capture the hidden picture together. Let me give you the facts and see if you don't see the hidden image! For the first couple of points, I will give you the verses that will guide your focus. See if you can find the Scriptures for the others.

1. Joseph is the resurrected son -
Genesis 45:28 "It must be true! My son Joseph is alive!" To Jacob, Joseph had been dead all these years. The news of his son alive in Egypt was like a message informing him that Joseph had risen from the dead!

2. Joseph is the source of salvation -
The Egyptians: Genesis 47:25 "You have saved our lives!" they exclaimed.
The Family of Jacob: Genesis 50:20(b) "He (God) brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people."

3. He was the source of provision -

4. He was despised by the world -
key: Egypt is a type of the world

5. He was rejected by his own -

6. He took on the form of the world to bring his brothers new life -

7. He was exalted above his brothers -

8. He was one breath and life with his father -

9. He was crowned with glory and honor -

10. At his name, every knee bowed -

Are you able to see the hidden face in the blur of the facts? And whose face do you see? There are plenty of other pieces that are a part of the hidden picture. Can you find any others?

Once again, we come to the end of Genesis. Oh how I love this part of the journey. With a special love in my heart, I say farewell to the patriarchs. But I know that we will catch a glimpse of them now and then in the lives of their descendants as we continue our journey.

WELCOME TO UZ
I'd like you to meet an amazing man who has gone through more than any of us could ever imagine. He's the wealthiest man in the land of Uz. He knows what it is to have had it all, lose it all, and gain it all back once again.

The Man Called Job
His name is Job. His name certainly is significant when you consider all that he went through and the meaning of his name. Literally, his name means "to be hostile" or "to be an enemy." But whose enemy was Job? He certainly wasn't God's enemy! But God allowed His enemy, the satan, to take his best shot at God's most trusted friend, Job. It is important to remember when looking at Job's life that, although God permitted Job to be tried, it was not God who attacked Job. His pain and suffering came at the hands of God's arch enemy. But at the time Job was walking through it all, he certainly felt like God viewed him with contempt and had turned hostile toward him!

The Man of The Hour
Although we know much about Job's experience with trials, we know very little about his exact place in chronology history. The best time frame the researchers can come up with is that he lived some time between Abraham and the time of the Jews exodus from Egypt.

The Man From Uz
So where was Uz? Interesting that you would ask. Scholars have been asking that question for centuries. After reading several different opinions, I find myself siding with the Jewish historians. In my opinion the evidence would indicate that Uz was located in Edom. Here are some of the road markers that lead me to this conclusion.

Road mark #1 -

Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, Who dwells in the land of Uz;
Lam. 4:21

The Bible clearly says that Uz is in the land of Edom. That's quite important since Edom is another name for Esau. Remember what we read just last week:

So Esau (also known as Edom) settled in the hill country of Seir. Genesis 36:8

Road mark #2 -

When three of Job's friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite.

The second road mark is Job's three friends.

Eliphaz was a Temanite, ie. he was from Teman. When you look at the map below, you will quickly see that Teman is in the land of Edom. It would make logical sense that Job's closest friends, and the ones who stayed in touch with the goings on in his life, would live relatively near.

Bildad was a Shuhite, or a descendant of Shuah. Shuah was a son of Abraham by his wife Keturah. (See Genesis 36:11) These sons would certainly have had more to do with Esau and his descendants, than they would with Isaac and his line.

Zophar the Naamathite is a little more obscure. Some believe that it is not too far fetched to link him with Esau's grandson Zepho. Zepho was Teman's brother.

The fact that each of these link us back to the same area, seems pretty convincing.

But what makes this so amazing to me, is that all evidence seems to link Job with Esau, rather than Jacob. Even the Jewish scholars believe this. Obviously Job embraced Abraham's God. His friends (who would also have been distant relatives) also knew Jehovah God and clearly worshiped Him. We have a tendency to think that if someone didn't come through the line of Isaac and Jacob, they have little worth or consequence. This amazing man teaches us lessons to the contrary. He was blameless in God's sight. Oh that God might be able to say the same of us. Let's be careful to listen to this man, as he teaches us from the experiences of his life.

January 19-23

Then God said to Jacob,
"Get ready and move to Bethel and settle there.
Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you
when you fled from your brother, Esau."
Genesis 35:1

I've heard it said that if you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there. Through my years of travel, I've come to learn that, even if you do know where you are going, it's a good thing to carry a map. Even if you have the luxury of a owning a GPS, wisdom says, "Take the map!"

As we continue on our journey through the Word, we quickly discover that carrying a map in our gear bag can be extremely helpful. You will find it to be very beneficial this week as we join Jacob in his journey home. You may want to mark his progress on the map we have provided you. These places are not only of importance in Jacob's lifetime, but will take on significance in the nation to come.

We learned last week that the first piece of property Jacob was given was at Bethel; the place God met him when he left his father's house. Remember when God told him, "The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants." He goes on to tell Jacob that they would spread out in all directions, but the expansion would start from the place God had spoken to him.

Abraham's first possession of the land was a grave: Sarah's grave! And it was not given to him; he had to purchase it. Isaac finally settled in Hebron, but other than the property his father owned and the promise that his descendants would inherit the land as God had promised Abraham, Isaac really had no other claims on the land. We see this quite clearly in our reading this week.

So Jacob settled again in the land of Canaan, where his father had lived as a foreigner. (Genesis 37:1 NLT)

It says it this way in the NASB:

Now Jacob lived in the land where his father had sojourned, in the land of Canaan.

You may want to check out the words "settled" or "lived" and "sojourned." It is clear that Jacob's relationship with the land was different than his father's or his grandfather's. And speaking of that, this week we continue to accompany Jacob on his journey home. If we read through it quickly, we can miss the many questions and clues that are hidden along our way. So take out your trail map and lets follow it together. *

Last week we left Jacob at Mizpah in Gilead. I'm incorporating another trail map that shows the area this is located in since it isn't marked on the first map you received.

(You can click on this image and it will enlarge. Then you can print it or copy it for use in a document of your choosing.)

We begin our week with Jacob's encounter with the camp of angels that came to meet him. What a way for God to confirm that he was not alone. But there are times that no matter what God has said or done, situations we face can bring fear in our lives. Jacob is about to meet up with his past! Esau is on his way and Jacob is not sure what he will face. It's amazing how many different ways our past can catch up with us. If we are going to see the promises of God fulfilled, sooner or later we are going to have to face the things of the past that we have run from!

There are several phrases hidden in our journey this week regarding Jacob and Esau that are usually glossed over. I'd like to point them out, because I believe there is a powerful message cloaked in them. Here are a few questions that will be answered throughout the week?

1. Where did Esau meet Jacob?
2. Where had Esau come from?
3. Why did Esau move to this location and no longer live by Isaac?
4. Where did Jacob live when Esau moved from his father?

Once you've answered all of these questions, take time to meditate on what you've learned. Some would say there is a contradiction, but I guarantee you, there is not! There is a powerful word of encouragement for us in the way the Holy Spirit inspired its writing. Take your time thinking about it. Talk about it with a friend and share with us what you find!

Why did Jacob stay in Shechem? Why wasn't he in any hurry to get to his father? Obviously, by now his dad is REALLY up there in years. You would think he'd want to get there as quickly as possible. Hmmmmm. But Jacob stays there trouble comes along and God tells him to move to Bethel. Do you remember what Jacob said at Bethel when he was heading toward Haran? Let me refresh your memory.

Then Jacob made a vow, saying,
“If God will be with me
and will keep me on this journey that I take,
and will give me food to eat and garments to wear,
and I return to my father’s house in safety,
then the LORD will be my God.

Genesis 28:20-21

It seems pretty obvious why God told him to go to Bethel before continuing his journey home to Isaac. Certainly Jacob would know that God had been faithful to His part of the bargain. But once again, I believe there is a hidden message. This time, I don't think the revelation will come so easy as it did with our previous "riddle." And once again, let me give you some clues. Before Jacob left Shechem, he had heard from God. His instructions were very clear, "Move to Bethel!" But Jacob knew something had to change before they could start their journey, something had to be dealt with and buried! And it was not to be buried just anywhere; they were to buy them under the tree near Shechem. When they arrived in Bethel, Jacob builds an altar. This part of the journey comes to its conclusion with another burial. And once again, the burial takes place by a tree in the valley near Bethel. Two trees, two burials, two very different things being buried, one burial begins the journey, the other ends it. These events culminate with God appearing to Jacob once again while he is in Bethel and once again, Jacob sets up a monument, anointing a pillar that he sets up. Why are all these detils recorded? You can be sure there is a revelation of God and a message for our lives found in the facts of this vital story.

And what about that story of Judah and Tamar. Using our comparison tool, we see more clearly into the character of Judah and Tamar. Here's some examples:

Tamar wanted a son
Judah wanted sex

Tamar was keeping the law of the time
Judah was breaking it

Tamar knew her father-in-law's character and knew he would act unrighteously
Judah didn't know his daughter-in-law's character and continually made wrong assumptions

Tamar was willing to put her reputation on the line
Judah wasn't willing to put his reputation on the line

Tamar received proof of innocence from Judah's hand
Judah gave Tamar proof of his guilt from his hand

What a perfect illustration of how one story can have two different sides. If you sat and talked to Tamar, you would hear a totally different account than if you chatted with Judah.

And where does one even begin when it comes to the story of Joseph?!?!? Here is a gifted young man that has the favor of his father, but not his brothers. He was molded by the love of his father, the rejection of his brothers, the success of servanthood, the pain and shame of false accusation, the frustration of limited ministry, the humility that comes with being forgotten, and the power of success.

Joseph's ticket out of jail was found in the king's cupbearer who had been in prison with him. I've questioned this story for many years. I've often cried out when I was in those places of confinement that seemed to threatened the fulfillment of my dreams, "Oh God, please kill the baker and restore the cupbearer!" This prayer was usually followed by the statement, "God, I don't have the foggiest notion what that means, but I know there is a revelation in it somewhere!" I knew that someday the light would come on! Rather than me just telling you, let
me once again give you some guiding thoughts to help you see the light.

THE CUPBEARER'S DREAM
What was the cupbearer doing in the dream?
Where was the cup?
Was this unusual?

THE BAKER'S DREAM
What was the baker doing in the dream?
Where were the pastries for Pharaoh?
What was happening to them and why?

Well dear fellow travelers, I'm sure you have plenty to think about as you continue on this week. I pray that the Spirit of God will breathe on your meditations and that your trek is filled with new sights and sounds as God shows you new vistas in His Word.

*******

*(If you didn't get an email with the attachment, I've included it at the end of this blog. If you are not on our email "Through The Bible" mailing list for 2009, please let us know that you want to be included. Send you request to CarpMin@aol.com)

January 12-16, 2009

The secret door! Ah, what might be hidden behind it?

I hope you got the email we sent out concerning this coming week's journey. Although I am a couple hours later that I'd hoped in getting this posted, I have made sure that you got this challenge in plenty of time. This week I felt it may be helpful to prompt you to look at the obscure pieces of information that are often in our text. We have a tendency to look at the well known facts and often miss the little tidbits that are explosive with insight when the Spirit breathes on them.

As I wrote in the email I sent out, I have put together 15 questions for you to use on your treasure hunt this week. I want to give you some time to consider them and see what insights you have before I share anything I have seen. I will not be at all surprise if you don't see the greater picture long before I shed any light on the subjects. Each question is asked in reference to our readings for this week, so you won't need to go to other Scripture references for the answers.

Are you ready? Here's the questions you've been waiting for!

1. Who does God call a prophet?
And what can I learn about a prophet from this event?

2. What was the reason Abimelech came to Abraham when Abraham confronts him with the well his servants dug and Abimelech's men took over? Is there anything significant about this?

3. Who of major importance in our reading this week is a Philistine?

4. Who of major importance in our reading this week is a Hittite?

5. What two things did Eliezer, Abraham's servant, pray for? What can I learn about Abraham's servant from this?

6. What prompted Laban to run out and meet Eliezer? What does that tell me about his character?

7. Eliezer tells Rebekah's family something important about Isaac. What was it? (This insight will help us know why Abraham felt free to take another wife.)

8. As a husband, what does Isaac do differently than Abraham or Jacob? There are two results. One is quite obvious, the second is a bit more subtle, but very important.

9. What area was Isaac living in when God confirms His covenant with him?

10 What challenge does Isaac face with the Philistines that his father also faced?

11. What was the first piece of land God gave Jacob?

12. What attitude changed in Leah at the birth of Judah?

13. What attitude changed in Leah at the birth of Zebulun?

14. Where was Jacob when Laban caught up with him?

15. What is the name given to the place Jacob and Laban made their peace treaty?

As I mentioned in my earlier email, some of these questions are given to make you aware of pieces of information that may be helpful later on. I know how easy it is to read something and fail to connect the dots with something I've read earlier. Hopefully, we will be a bit more mindful of the significance of these events as we, again, pass through some of these places later on in our journey.

Happy treasure hunting! Enjoy the journey!!!!

January 2-9

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Welcome to our 2009-2010 Journey Through The Word. We are excited to have you along. I hope you got your schedule and are eager to get going. And where do we begin? Ah, one of my most favorite books - Genesis!!! I love this book. I could camp out just about any place and be fed. It's often difficult for me know what to highlight on our weekly journeys.

Should I zero in on the time of Noah and point out that the regulations of animal sacrifice were already established by the time of Noah? God told him to bring seven pairs of animals that were suitable for sacrifice. Obviously, Noah already knew which ones they were. We could meditate on the fact that only animals that could be eaten were allowed to be sacrificed. That would be a great discussion. Or maybe we should look at Noah's relationship with the raven and the dove. Why send out a raven first? Because it was a scavenger that ate off of dead carcases. That would be one way to see if there were any dead corpses lying around! You will notice that the raven came and went pretty much at will. But Noah had a different relationship with the dove. It was released from his hand and returned to his hand. And what does the dove symbolize? The answer - The Holy Spirit! (But you already knew that) Don't you find it interesting that the dove brought Noah an olive branch? Doves don't eat olives! And it literally says that the branch was torn off. And what are olives symbolic of? The answer - the anointing! (But you already knew that too). The dove bringing Noah an olive branch is a symbol of a fresh anointing if I've ever seen one!!! Oh yes, we could camp here for quite some time!

Where do you even begin with Abraham? A man with a promise and the faith to believe it! Many of you have heard me teach on Abraham and Sarah and the changing of their names. God took the Hebrew letter "hay" which makes up half of the letters in Jehovah's name and inserted it into their names. The letter "hay" is pronounced only with the sound of the breath. Some of you are already aware that the Hebrew word for "Spirit" in the Bible is the same word that is used for "breath." So what changed in Abraham and Sarah? Was it merely their names? I don't think so! When the Spirit of God breathes on us and in us, our lives are changed and we become fruitful.

Hmmm! Noah's life was changed by the "Dove" bringing an olive branch, a fresh anointing. Abraham and Sarah find new life when the "Breath of God" is given to them. Are we beginning to see a pattern here? When we read through the Word, watching for patterns is a great tool to get better understanding. Friday's reading is a great example. Let me get you going and see if you can begin to connect the dots for yourself.

Our reading on Friday covers God's visit to Abraham's tent. He has a personal word for Abraham concerning his wife. As God is getting ready to leave, He tells Abraham what He is about to do, which is to go and judge Sodom and Gomorrah. When we see the angels come to Lot in Sodom, we see quite a different encounter and quite a different outcome. Let's begin to look at the similarities and differences.

Both men received them into their homes as their guests and showed them hospitality:
Abraham received three of them.
Lot only had two of them.

God came directly to Abraham's tent.
The two that went to Sodom did not go directly to Lot's home.

God had a prophetic word for both of them:
Abraham - your wife will bear you the promised son by this time next year - life is coming!
Lot - Flee because you are about to lose everything you have here - death is coming!

Both responded to the visit and words they received:
Abraham is concerned for Lot and prays, asking God to spare him.
Lot has no concern for his girls and is ready to hand them over to be ravaged by sinful men.
Lot takes his time and drags his feet rather than responding quickly to God's word.

The end of the visit:
Abraham walks and talks with God as He is departing and God shares His secrets.
Lot has to be drug out by the hand.

Here's a few other thoughts. I'll let you put the pieces together.

Both wives were affected by it:

Both stories end with babies:

These events affected both man's hopes and dreams:

I hope you will take some time to meditate on this passage. There are other points that could be made. We have a tendency to read each story individually, rather than see them as interrelated. I believe there is even greater gold to be found when we sift through and look more closely. The tool of comparison can be a great one to have in your gear bag. You may want to become familiar with it. You never know when we are going to need it!