Genesis

“…to destroy all flesh…”

God is a God of Love. He IS ‘Love’. So say those who believe only one portion of scripture. They hate the idea of a God of Wrath. They are right to say He is a God of Love, but they are wrong to omit His acts of judgement or His holy nature, which requires wrath. And he showed it through the righteous, holy nature of Noah.

These people will not believe God would judge humans to death like this. That is why they reject predestination, or any mechanism by God that shows Him choosing between people – some to salvation andmany more to damnation. They find this notion too hideous for words. (See A-403)

“…God Created…”

 Genesis! The very word, uttered alone, brings all kinds of imagery to the minds of men, probably fuelled by those huge stage sets built by older film makers, whose films employed famous actors, thousands of extras, and not a few chariots and horses, set against a magnificent backdrop of deserts.

Christians, too, have images in their minds, again mostly provided by TV or films. But, are their images correct? This long series will hopefully bring the whole book to life, not by making it like a film, but simply by telling the account as God gives it, properly interpreted.

This is the third time I have taken the whole of Genesis as my study book. The first time, almost 30 years ago, I read it with awe. Today, after many more years’ experience at studying and teaching God’s word, I look forward to seeing the book through even fresher eyes. Genesis is still a book that demands awe!

In the first chapter we shall come face to face with God the Creator. We will even catch a glimpse of the Christ. Without a trace of doubt or the slightest nod toward modern science, I will teach a chapter that I claim to be unashamedly literal. (2012: See my book on this subject).

“…eastward in Eden…”

Atheists use our Bible website as ‘proof’ texts for the alleged ‘stupidity’ of Christianity. They claim that because we believe implicitly in God’s word, most of which they see as myth or legend, that we do so out of fear of retribution. They also question our intellectual capacity for believing in the first place. For this we thank them, for they pay us, and other ministries like this, a compliment. It is a compliment because they obviously see our work as typical of genuine Christianity. Therefore, such a criticism is worth its weight in gold!

I would put it this way… an atheist has never encountered God, therefore he cannot accept that God exists. Christians have encountered God, and that is why they are convinced. Atheists do not believe, but Christians do. It has nothing to do with education, or intellect, or any human attribute… and no matter how much an atheist learns, or how deeply he delves into the structure of Christianity or its beliefs, he can never, ever, come to a proper conclusion. This is because, unlike human learning, Christian learning has a vital element that is always missing from the thinking of unbelievers – the Holy Spirit.

“… God called unto Adam…”

Mankind did not know about sin until Eve believed the serpent. Today, most men and women do not accept they have sinned, because of Satan. They live as though nothing was wrong, either believing they will enter some vague and nebulous after-life called ‘heaven’, or that God does not exist, or that He does exist, but after their own image. And amongst that vast worldwide number, there is a growing number who belong to cults, the occult and false churches.

They include the rapidly expanding charismatic churches, who teach a lie (called anathema by God, with many deceptive ‘spiritual’ activities and beliefs). I am often asked why I single-out charismatics. The reason is very simple; charismaticism is the prevailing spiritual deception in the world today. It mixes with every known cult, denomination, and even the occult, and has ruined countless churches.

“…righteous before me…”

It is an awful and pressing thought: if God told us that He was to devastate the whole world tomorrow, and would only save a few who are righteous, would we be amongst those given refuge? In the entire world, only Noah and his family had God’s protection! Therefore, it is a very reasonable thing to examine ones’ self and others, to see if we are righteous. Are you righteous? Or, do you just think you are? Am I righteous? Or, am I deluding myself?

In scripture we are given some guidelines and can, with all humility, look at ourselves and at others, to see if we show the signs of being righteous. Often, angry people retort that their salvation and righteousness is “between me and God”. They resent having to prove their elect condition to others. This is because they cannot offer anything as proof of their claimed saved state, though scripture tells us to be ready, with all humility, to show anyone who asks, what our condition is.

“What hast thou done?”

In previous studies we have looked at a vital matter – the very existence of God. (We are often asked – where did God come from? This is a futile question, for God has always been and no man can answer the question. Those who laugh at this may as well shut up, for everything must have a beginning… except God. If He had a beginning, this would show us that something or someone preceded Him! And so the question carries on ad infinitum! The question also ignores the fact that His very name, Jehovah, means ‘self-existing One’.).

As Jewish scholars say, “The concept of prayer is based on the conviction that God exists, hears, and answers.” They add “In a sense it is a corollary… that man was created ‘in the image of God’, which implies, inter alia, fellowship with God.” I would emphasise that without a full acceptance of the very existence of God, none of us has a faith at all. And none of us can function properly as Believers. I again ask – do YOU believe God actually exists? If you DO, then why do you not obey Him?

“…the generations of Adam…”

In this chapter we are given only the names that matter – those who descend directly from Adam through Seth (who was a replacement for murdered Abel), to Noah. This is important because it was then through Noah that all men on earth descend, and to whom Christ is linked, taking His earthly lineage from Adam. It is true that we are all ultimately related to Adam, but there was a formal ‘cut-off’ point at the Flood, for all but Noah’s family died, even the other descendants of the men named in this chapter.

Thus, Seth continued the ‘good’ line of Adam, but his own brothers and sisters are not named or counted. The same goes for all those named – their families came from the same stock as righteous men (Enoch, for example), but only those named are deemed to be of value in tracing the lineage of Christ.

“…Noah went forth.”

When a Christian does what is right, he is not guaranteed a good response from others... not even from fellow believers. Yet, like Noah, he has to leave his ‘comfort zone’ and go forth. Noah went forth into a brand new environment. Apart from his family, all the people he had come to know (including extended family) over a period of over 600 years were all gone, killed by God’s wrath.

He went out into a land he did not know, complete with carcases, obliterated plant life, and a very different topography. I have no doubt that he was filled with apprehension – no matter how great our faith is, we can still be fearful of something unknown or new.

But, Noah went forth. That was God’s command, and Noah complied. It is how all Believers are to act – when God tells us to do something we must do it, whether or not we fully understand what is going on. This obedience is a prerequisite for receiving God’s blessings.

“…the token of the covenant…”

God makes covenants and always keeps them. The covenant contained in this chapter is well-known, but scripture contains many covenants, all of which are kept by God. For example, He promised that those who are saved will always be saved. This is an essential promise for us to remember, for otherwise all Christians would have no joy or peace, and there would be no promise worthy of the name.

The earth was devastated by God, because its inhabitants had sinned grossly. God knew that their descendants would also sin grossly, yet He promised never again to flood the earth. This should not be taken as a promise to do nothing at all! Throughout scripture we find men and women, and whole nations, being punished, even to death, by God, for their disobedience. And, at the end of time, when time itself will no longer hold any meaning, all men and women will be judged, to heaven or to hell.

God gave us the rainbow as a sign of His promise never again to flood the earth, and this is how we now have this phenomenon… it is not there because of nature. It is there because God put it there and entered its principles into nature’s system, just as He created light before the sun ever existed. This is yet another proof of God’s divine power over all of the things He has made.

“these are the generations…”

All families have good and bad members. Some aspire to greatness. Some actually gain it. But, most families exist without attention or historic highlights. In this chapter we see who are the immediate descendants of Noah, and we find reference to some of the Bible’s most colourful characters and peoples, together with brief introductions to geographical ‘greats’ such as Ninevah and Babel.

After Noah, then, comes the kind of mix of good and bad we expect from mankind. It grieves Christians to live amongst heathen-like people, whose loves, expectations and activities revolve around sin and its huge variety of components. As God’s people, though we often fall and sin, we know how wonderful a holy life can be, and how a nation can be blessed by God for obeying Him.

We also know how a nation can slide into obscurity when it chooses to disobey and follow a heathen path. Individuals, too, choose to sin, sometimes spectacularly, and reap the whirlwind – yet, they continue on their path of self-destruction. All of this we must put up with (in others*) until we reach Heaven! (*Why ‘in others’? Because we cannot alter another person or stop them from sinning. Therefore, we have no option but to put up with it. In ourselves, however, we are responsible for our sins and must combat and eradicate them).

In this chapter we have what Hebrews call the ‘Table of Nations.’ It is a name given because all peoples on earth descended from Noah’s three sons. Hebrew scholars find some difficulty harmonising some of the tribes and nations, because they do not appear to have linguistic or ethnic ties, but this is not a problem. We must remember that this chapter speaks of a time before the division of languages.

“…called Babel.”

Time and again in scripture we see what happens to individuals when they fall into sin... and we see the same awful effects today. Their lives can be changed dramatically – see what happened to King David for his adultery: he lost his kingdom. Others were judged immediately and died at the command of God. And, the sin of one man can alter the future of many others – Adam’s sin being the greatest example of this. If that man is a king or someone in a position of influence, his sin can cause grief for an entire family, a nation, or the whole world. See how Eli’s failure to control his sons led to immense damage to God’s name and eventually to the nation.

There are times when a nation can bring disaster upon its own head, which can be seen in this chapter. Sin can increase to such an extent that an entire people can thereby invite corporate judgement upon themselves. In this case, the judgement was to completely disorientate them by fragmenting their ability to communicate.

…thou art my sister.”

Each one of us can do some pretty stupid things in our lifetimes (I have said and done too many to dispute the fact)! Here we have a classic blunder committed by Abram. In this case, he lied out of fear. How many of us have lied, or ‘bent’ the truth, because we have feared people, or the outcome? Maybe in a workplace, or in a social setting, or even in the churches? Sometimes, anxious because some might think the worst of us, we hide the facts, or twist things around so that we do not have to say outright that we have made a mistake. Have you done any of those things? (If you say ‘no’, then you have probably just lied).

Abram could have been put to death by Pharaoh for his deception. He had made the ruler look foolish, but Pharaoh displayed an immense greatness of heart by showing mercy to the visitor who had lied to him. Abram feared death if he admitted to being married to Sarai. But, his foolish lie could have got him killed anyway, so why do it? Sometimes, we panic, and think the worse. Yet, if we just trusted in God more, we would be more open. Yes, it means we might have to reap consequences we fear, but it is far better than pretending, or lying, or becoming anxious. Everybody makes mistakes, so why lie?

…to thy seed forever.

Here we see the promises of God being given to Abram, when he is told that the very land he lives in as a traveller is now his own. He was by now a very rich man, living in a tent and owning herds and flocks, gold and silver. He has not yet attained a status of ruler, but that does not stop God!

When God gives us promises there are no prerequisite actions that make us worthy to receive them. We must certainly obey, but our obedience is not what causes God to promise us anything. His promises are known to Him in eternity, just like our salvation. Therefore, nothing can prevent Him from making those promises and nothing can cause Him to remove them (unless He Himself declares conditions). He may impose sanctions and requirements once they are given, but these do not decide His actions. He either promises or He does not.

In this case, we see a much chastened Abram. He had just escaped with his life after making a fool of a king! He had lied hugely. Yet, here was God giving him promises that will never be repeated to any man. Abram did not ‘deserve’ them – they were made by God simply because He wished to make them.

We also see two major modern applications. We have Abram, who must have felt lonely and frustrated when his servants argued with Lot’s servants, making him feel forced to divide the family into two factions. Then, he moved away from the area he initially decided to settle in, after his nephew chose the land he wished to occupy. But, the split and the move had consequences, and Abram moved to the land already designated to him by God. That is, what seemed to be the result of a family argument was really the result of God’s plan and actions.

“…possessor of heaven & earth”

In modern times it is easy as Christians to forget who we are. We gain our riches, great jobs, lovely homes, maybe university degrees, plaudits from our peers, even fame. Some are even fortunate enough to earn sufficiently to give them good pensions, giving them good after-retirement living. Then, in our folly, we think our successes are all our own. We got them by our hard work and ability, after all.

Wait! None of it is ours! It all belongs to God! It is He Who made us. It is He Who distributes intelligence, wealth, ability and successes to His people. But, He does not give these things for our own gain – He gives them for His own purposes. They do not belong to us. When we get them we must hand them back, recognising our own feebleness.

Jesus Christ, as God, owns the cattle on a thousand hills, as He owns everything ever made, yet He takes nothing for His own gain, choosing instead nothing at all. Why should He need anything when he already owns it all? It is futile to gather riches (in their general sense) into our barns when we already own everything alongside God, as His children! There is no place in the Christian language for “This is mine!”

“…the LORD made a covenant.”

In this chapter we see Abram as a mere man like ourselves. He believed, then he did not; he trusted, then he doubted. Are we not all like this? God repeatedly made him the same promise, and even when the promise came to Abram in a vision, divinely, he continued to doubt and asked for some kind of proof. God told him what to do and then graciously proceeded to give him proof.

Christians are just like that. It sometimes amuses me, and sometimes irks me, when I hear certain Christians always proclaim their triumphs. They make out to their peers that they are always loving, always trusting, always truthful, always faithful, always believing in God! What nonsense! Even Abram, father of nations and loved of God, made an utter fool of himself, made mistakes, lied, forgot, trusted, had faith, doubted, and needed much reassurance. Do we think we are better? I know I am not!

We are sinners saved by grace, not by our own prowess! As such we are prone to the wiles of the devil and even to the failing power of our ‘old man’. We can fail just like Abram and we can soar into the heavens, just like Abram. We are as he was – human and sinful – so we share his failures as well as his successes.

Though we human beings are as we are, God knows it, and He continues to ply us with promises and wonderful gifts and benefits. We do not deserve any of them, but they are given for the sake of Jesus Christ. He bought us with a price and so God honours the sacrifice of His Son by giving us, His adopted children, His gifts and many undeserved benefits... such is His mercy and grace.

“…Ishmael”

It is very easy to say that we love God, or that we obey Him. It is easy to claim that we live as we ought and are faithful. But, each of us knows that we are deceiving ourselves and others! There is often a huge gap between claim and reality.

Few Christians are honest with each other and do not realise that their two-facedness is a lie. How often do you meet a Christian and know that he dislikes you, yet he smiles at you and shakes your hand? How often do we continue in ‘fellowship’ with fellow Believers knowing that they have something against us, or we against them? It is a lie, is it not?

Do we not preach the goodness of God, yet fight against His interventions in our own lives? Do we not preach and say that we seek His face and wish to obey, yet when the opportunity arises we prefer to go the other way and resent being ‘manipulated’?

Is it not true that we do rather stupid things and even sinful things, deliberately, and then wonder why we are not moving forward in our faith? Abram was just like this – and so are we, every one of us!

“…father of many nations.”

In this text we find, yet again, the basic truth of election. We also find that God marks out His people and demands obedience. For the Jews, this meant circumcision. For Christians, there are no physical signs. A physical sign, in terms of spirituality, is secondary and of lesser worth. As we come to see in these passages, the physical sign was not meant to be a sign of spiritual acceptance, but only of national brotherhood and membership.

The ‘sign’ of God’s promise to save is different, for whilst a sign of national identity does not confer upon the bearer spiritual salvation, the ‘sign’ of Christ upon a man does confer salvation. Thus we can say that salvation is not ‘proved’ by any kind of physical sign, such as belonging to a local church, to a denomination, or any other physical action (including spiritual manifestations that have physical evidences, e.g. tongues, healings, levitation, etc., which can all be produced by satanic means).

“…my LORD.”

I have asked this question before: Do you truly believe in God? This can also be taken as Do you truly believe in Jesus Christ? Or, Do you truly believe in the Holy Spirit? As I have suggested previously, I doubt it very much, if we go by the lives and beliefs of so many Christians today.

When you pray, do you truly believe that God is hearing you? More than that, do you truly believe He answers prayer? It is very easy to approach the whole thing with the ‘glazed eyes’ I mention so often in my writings about charismaticism. Even reformed Christians do this!

What do I mean? I mean having a pretend faith in a very real God. God is real, Heaven is real. What God says is real and what He says He will do is real. But, usually, our response to Him is not. When a zealot wishes to convince of the reality of the subject of his zeal, he will become ‘glazed-eyed’, his over-enthusiasm being an indication of his non-faith. Real faith does not need to be worked-up into frenzy before it seems real. It is either real or it is not.

True faith is the fabric of our souls. It is the substance of our spirits. It is what we are. And nothing can be more real than ourselves. We know we are real because here we are, breathing, moving, doing! If faith is not like that, then it is not true faith, but a sham. And most Christians seem to operate at this sham level. Yes, they had true faith when they were saved, but since then they have slipped, wearing a heavy load of cynicism on their backs, weighing them down, making them weary.

“…the overthrow.”

This chapter contains major accounts – the first, of a ‘mini-exodus’ of one family, and the other of two daughters who sinned; in their minds they had good intentions, but they went about them in an ungodly way.

When you read this chapter try to put yourself into the scene, because so many Christians think they could not possibly end up in such situations, or commit such sin. It is not helpful to bury our heads in the sand about sin. There are times when circumstances change rapidly, maybe for the worse. When we are disorientated* by events like this we can do some rather odd things, and when ‘strict’ Christians suddenly sin dramatically, they cannot then regain their spiritual posture, because they think they have moved beyond forgiveness. We must have a clear view of ourselves! (*Grammatical point – some prefer to use ‘disoriented’. Both are correct).

This does not mean we must dwell on sin, or the possibility of sinning gravely. It just means that we understand our human make-up, and we know that any one of us can commit the most heinous of sins. We must thank God that this is not our usual position, and that these wrongs are not an automatic part of our nature. We should acknowledge they exist and are possible.

“…and God said…”

Following on from previous queries – we must yet again ask if we truly, as believers, understand and believe the nature of God. Not just “Do you believe in God?” but “Do you truly believe He acts in our lives today?” God says in His word that He is an active God, Who intervenes in our very lives. Do you believe it?

In this chapter we find a God Who steps into lives and actually alters motives and minds, and so stops, changes, or initiates Christian (and sometimes unsaved) behaviour proactively. In our Arminian lives we tend to think of God as Someone far away, Whose actions in our lives are remote and even abstract. But, here we see God intervening in a remarkable way. We also see Him continuing to help Abraham though he had used deceit in an attempt to save his life.

Once again we may ask “When are our words lies? And when are they admissible as a plausible strategem, allowable for a good purpose?” It is not the first or only time that righteous men of God have used such strategies and, on each occasion, we do not read that God objected to, or punished, them. Is, then, our understanding of what constitutes a ‘lie’, in error, or deficient?

“…a covenant”

In this chapter we see two separate accounts: one of Abraham getting rid of his son, Ishmael, and the other of promise-making to effect peace. But, the separate accounts are really of similar substance.

We are now in days of Islamic terror and we should remember that this terror is rooted in a people that hold Ishmael as their father, through Abraham. Christians hold Abraham to be their ‘father’, as do Jews, because of the ‘Christ-line’, but have no affiliation to Ishmael. The enmity between Jews and Muslims is historic as well as Biblical (please see Article A-161. Note that this enmity is not between Arabs per se, who are the stock of Ishmael, but between Muslims and Jews/Christians; the original Muslims being Arabs).

Yet, despite this, we must strive to always live together as common men and women, whose ultimate mother and father, Adam and Eve, are the parents of all peoples. Though we all go different ways, we are all kinsmen. We all owe each other common courtesy and common love, and a willingness to help and comfort, as far as we are able; there is no place for xeno-hatred in society.

“…thou fearest God.”

Abraham was the first patriarch of the coming Israelites. The son of Terah, he was only ten generations away from Noah, through Shem. The picture we have of him is that of a nobleman with a private army, much wealth and status, sufficient for him to gain the ear and friendship of kings. He was a powerful man and yet godly, in spite of some failings, and counted a prophet by God Himself, and referred to 72 times in the New Testament. Even the Islamic Koran contains much material about Abraham.

Abraham is given a place of high honour by Christians and perhaps many would therefore dare not put themselves at his side, as his equal. Yet, in matters of salvation, we are all his equal. We may not have the ear of kings, enormous wealth, or an army, or be called ‘prophet’ by God, but each of us has the same propensity for fear of God, which is the foundation of our existence. The lowest Christian can know God in remarkable ways.

“…made sure unto Abraham.”

Have you ever been in a position when you felt uneasy about taking a gift? I have. I felt very uneasy because to accept the gift would have put me in a compromising position with the giver. Though meant well, I foresaw a time when the friendship would not exist. As it turned out, I was right. (Many want ‘friendship’ only so long as you do what they think you ought to do! That is – what they do!! When you fail, they leave you high and dry).

As Christians we should be wary about accepting gifts from people, no matter who they are. Some will take gifts from anyone! But, we must be careful. I have, for example, been offered money gifts from individuals, but have declined to accept, because they would have linked me to a person I did not really wish to maintain an association with. I have sometimes been offered lucrative amounts for my ministry, but declined, because of the association they would have had with heretical bodies and people.

A church I once attended was given regular large amounts of cash by a local businessman, who was a ‘deacon’ of that church, though he was unsaved, a known heavy-drinker, and user of bad language! He also gave the church a large ham every year for its Christmas feast, even though he himself never went near the church. One year he gave the usual ham, and it was accepted. I only knew of this odd relationship when the pastor asked me, and two deacons, to re-affirm the man’s deaconship.

Summary Of Abraham's Life

1. Born approx. 2000 BC.
2. Lived in Ur, the capital of Sumeria, which was wealthy and powerful.
3. Ur was the known centre for arts, politics, crafts, mercantile trade, religion. It is where huge ziggurats were built.
4. Abram moved with his family, goods and animals up the bank of the Euphrates, to Haran.
5. When he was aged 75 God called Abram to leave Haran, but did not give any more details. Abram obeyed instantly... a sign of his personal faith.
6. He took Sarai his wife, and Lot his nephew, south into Canaan. There God promised to give the whole area to his descendants, even though the Canaanites were a war-like group of tribes. Abram became very powerful.
7. A famine forced the family to move into Egypt.
8. When they returned, much wealthier, Lot decided to part company to start his own life. He chose the fertile valleys and Abram was left with the rest. Unfortunately, Lot chose valleys where Sodom and Gomorrah were located.
9. After Lot left, God again promised the land to Abram's descendants. At that time the nation of Israel did not exist, nor did 'Jews' or Judaism.
10. Lot foolishly chose to live in or near Sodom, and was captured by invading armies. Abram chased the armies north until they were obliterated, and returned to the plains of Mamre where he had been living. He was met by king Melchizedek, who gave him presents.
11. After all this, and near 100 years of age, Abram expressed anxiety because he did not have a son (even though God promised the land to his descendants). God graciously reassured him. However, Sarai chose a concubine to bear Abram children 'just in case', because she laughed at the idea of having a child of her own in her old age. Ishmael (father of modern Arabs) was born when Abram was 86.
12. God warned that the promises did not apply to Ishmael or his descendants and Abram laughed when God said Sarai would bear a child in nine months' time.
13. Soon after, two angels and the Lord Christ appeared in fleshly bodies to Abram. The promise of a son was repeated... but Sarai, who overheard, just laughed to herself, too.
14. Then came the warning that Sodom and Gomorrah were to be completely destroyed. Abram argued for mercy if only ten righteous persons lived in those cities (Lot and his family?). The cities were then destroyed. Only a few of Lot's family fled.
15. Sarai gave birth to Isaac.
16. Some years later God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, on a mountain (which later became Jerusalem). God stopped the sacrifice just as Isaac was to be slain. In this Abraham proved his worth and faith.
17. When Sarah died, Abraham sent for a wife for Isaac, and himself married Keturah, who bore him six more sons.
18. Abraham died at age 175 and was buried with Sarah near Hebron.
19. He never personally knew the promises, but his descendants certainly did!

“…he shall send his angel…”

Today, pseudo-Christians see angels around every corner and demons under every bed. They claim to be able to manipulate and order them to do whatever they wish, and attribute this power to a gift given to them by God. And so they live a life full of dangerous delusion.

Though so many claim this, the matter is far from dead, for heavenly angels do exist and do act in our world, as do evil angels, demons. It is part of our rich spiritual heritage to understand and accept this, and it is to our good.

We are told in scripture that angels guard over us. Do you believe it? It does not mean that you will necessarily see them, but they are there with us anyway. God did not leave us bereft of heavenly company. Not only does He send us angels, but He also sends us the Holy Spirit, Who now is within each one of us who believe.

Why, then, do most of us live our lives as though there was a divide between heaven and earth for Believers? How can there be, when, as Christians, we are able to commune with God direct, through prayer? The path is already there, and we are already walking along it!

“… sell me… thy birthright.”

We often do not understand the ways of God, though many today think they do. Thus, we can misinterpret what happens to us and to others and go off at a tangent (unless, that is, we constantly walk with God).

God ‘moves in mysterious ways’, so how can we be so presumptuous? There are times when an individual Christian is blessed with the meaning of an act of God, but so many folk think they continuously have ‘secret’ meanings given to them – charismatic ‘prophets’ and ‘apostles’ are a good example: these are not genuine, but are so-called ‘prophets’ and ‘apostles’ who utter lies and deception.

Whatever we think as we read about Jacob’s actions in this chapter, we have no right to condemn the man, for we are not given necessary details on which to base a conclusion. Sometimes, the very things that we call ‘bad’ are not only blessed by God, but they are brought about by Him! We are not talking here about evils like the Toronto Blessing, etc., which was/is obviously rooted in wickedness and anti-God teachings, but about times when things are not clear to us. At such times we must rely on discernment; but how many are able to do this, when their lives are so far from God?

“…fear not, for I am with thee”

It is fashionable in Christian circles to wring the hands, hunch the back, and imply in feeble tones “I am ever so humble”, whilst seething with anger, pride, or loathing inside! But, let me tell you straight away – I am no man’s punch-bag. Nor am I a doormat, craving the crushing weight of sinful feet stamping all over me. I am a child of God, a royal prince in His household. I submit only to God, and to those He has appointed in truth to give me His word.

Today, amidst unbiblical ecumenical fervour and charismatic deception, it is deemed ‘Christian-like’ to allow all kinds of atrocity toward oneself, without a murmur. We must allow pseudo-Christians to run amok and preach lies, under the false notion that we must ‘let God deal with it’. I have said it many times before – many Christians are cowards, afraid to fight what they ought to fight. They hide behind the baggage and hurl insults at the faithful warriors who fight to the death. They turn aside in disgust when one of those soldiers of God returns covered in blood and filth, and wash their finery just in case the stench of battle somehow taints them.

In the past I have said that one of my favourite men in the Old Testament is King David. He epitomises everything that is noble and good, a true soldier of God with compassion. He made errors of judgement and sinned, just like us, but he was still the apple of God’s eye. But, how many of us wish to follow his example? Very few. We do not have to fight physical battles (though it might come to that at times), but we certainly have to fight spiritual war throughout our lives. Those who do not are already the slaves of the enemy!

“… so he blessed him.”

In this study I ask what might appear to be strange questions, but please bear with them, for they are asked in all seriousness. When is a lie a lie? Can it ever be ‘craftiness’? Christians are very good at accepting the idea of holiness, etc., but they seem to forget that there are times when we must act craftily and with subtlety. Try as we might, we cannot get rid of this fact.

In another study I have asked how this command by God differs from, say, the ‘disinformation’ spread at times of war. Is this a ‘lie’ or is it mere craftiness? This chapter presents us with what appear to be blatant lies on the part of Rebekah and Jacob. Yet, what would have happened if Esau had received both his birthright and the final blessing from his father? Would the line of holiness from Abraham be broken? (Of course these are rhetorical queries, for God cannot allow His plans to be diverted or thwarted by the plots or actions of mere men).

No, this would be impossible, for God’s will must be done. He predestined the line to remain unbroken, so that it was safe. But, it was unbroken by way of subterfuge! Was this legitimate? Or, was it a lie?

We think of other similar instances of subterfuge that brought about God’s plan. For example, when Jael drove a six inch tent peg through Sisera’s brain, was it murder, or was it a legitimate action of war? Interpretation can sometimes be hard and might even offend our cherished views. That is how it must be.

If, say, we believe that all killing is wrong, then we will view any killing in scripture as wrong. But, in many instances it was God Himself Who ordered the deaths of people, sometimes in their thousands. The same critics would similarly reject the death penalty. But, their beliefs are false, for God clearly says in the Decalogue that it is murder that is condemned, not ‘killing’ per se. Was Sisera’s death ‘murder’, or was it obedience to God, even if such obedience is unwitting?

When David told an untruth to Saul to save his life, was it a subterfuge or was it a lie? When Rebekah and Jacob did what they did – was it a lie, or was it something else? To me, it seems like a lie. But, is it? If it was within God’s plan how could it be called wrong? Or, was it within God’s plan? We have no way of knowing the final answer, so we must consider the facts and interpret accordingly. It is not as easy as some might have us believe.

“…house of God”

In this chapter we witness when Jacob had a true encounter with God. Until this time he lived mainly on the faithfulness of his father and grandfather, being kept safe because of their personal obedience to God. Now, Jacob was to meet with God himself, and it had a profound effect on his heart, mind and life. Anyone who has met God personally in this way will never forget it!

Like many Christians, he tended to ‘paddle on the rim of the shore’. Now, the reality of God suddenly shone into his life and he was transformed. He must now jump into the sea and swim in its depths, letting God take control. From this time onward, he determined to do whatever God wanted him to do. It is at such times that we become strong, for God is our protector... when we just paddle we look out at the ocean and feel secure because land is right behind us. But, when we jump into the ocean itself, far from land, we can have no other security than the promises of God. THAT is when we literally ‘sink or swim’.

In many lives there are times of intense stress and fear. Even so, God is within and is our safety. Even when under great stress we must remember it and wait for His act of protection, whatever form it takes. Within this act of resting is the seed of spiritual boldness, for if God is for us who can be against us? ‘Resting’ then, is more dynamic than sitting down and enjoying the scenery... it is vibrant life!

Like Jacob, let us understand the greatness of God and realise that He is within. Then, we can move forward in life, with unshakeable faith and great strength, knowing that the Creator of the whole universe is in our meagre, weak bodies, in our everyday living, ready to protect and guide.

“…the LORD saw…”

In our studies together I have been fascinated by the way God shows a compassion for people we would probably not bother with. We see how God’s compassion is not like our own, but is far superior!

Jacob tricked and deceived his father and his brother. He had to run away to be saved from Esau’s wrath. At the same time he was sent to his uncle’s city, to find a wife. He discovered one, but in so doing he was himself the subject of trickery and deception, from his own uncle, Laban. Not only that, but he was also tricked into marriage by his intended wife’s sister, Leah! Plus, on top of all that, to marry his intended bride, Rachel, he had to promise a further seven years hard work for Laban. All-in-all, he obtained his desires only after much trouble and work. Yet, he was in God’s eye because he was vital to continue God’s promises.

What continually strikes me is that though these men deceived and were the subject of deception, they remained God’s special people! This has many ramifications, for it shows us that Christians make mistakes and even sin deliberately, but, in the end, it is God Who judges and not us. What does this mean for us today?

It suggests to me, at least, that we must leave any judgement to God. We must apply the discipline found in the New Testament, because the guidance given there was given by God for the proper government of the churches. However, we must not add to this proper discipline our own judgements, which are unwarranted.

“…the man increased…”

Though I have taught Genesis before, on this occasion I have been deeply impressed by a number of truths revealed to me. I do not mean they were previously not there, but that this time I saw them for myself. What did I see, and continue to see? That God loves those He has predestined, even though they may commit sin and error. Not only that, but He continues to bless them despite sins that we today would not accept (though we are ourselves sinners!).

The ongoing and further revelations (for that is what they are to my soul) have not arrived out of thin air. For the past year I have been studying in depth one of the most revered theologians of the Roman Catholic ‘church’, Thomas Aquinas*. This has led me along some surprising routes, including Aristotelian philosophy and Islamic academia, as well as Protestant errors. These routes have served to strengthen my understanding of predestination, and also my realisation of any misunderstandings I have accrued by sitting under bad exegesis. I have delved deeper into church history from often obscure sources. And all of this has had an affect on the studies in Genesis! (Note: These comments were made in 2005).[*See book: ‘Tom Got It Wrong’].

In particular, the sole responsibility for predestination being in God’s hands has been woven into my very being. I have been a hot contender when it came to predestination – but now my zeal is even greater. I have come to see the subtle inroads made by Rome upon Protestant minds, who imbibe the very-Roman Arminian gospel. And, without doubt, such inroads must affect all who read Genesis. I thank God that He has shown me a better way.

“… the God of Bethel…”

This section of Genesis continues to intrigue me. The God Who hates all forms of sin is found to bless Jacob, though he sinned. He blessed him when he was being crafty. He also blesses those who are not his own, such as Laban (see explanation below). To the human mind this is perplexing.

Yet, who are we, but mere mortals? Why do we expect God to submit to our image of Him? My responses to these texts is one of ineptitude. I have come to certain conclusions regarding God and How He responds to human beings, especially when they sin. To a certain extent this is justified. But, in these chapters I am coming across a God Who is not conforming to my ideas of Him! (Ed. This continues into 2014!).

This is both disconcerting and refreshing! If God is showing me something new, then I must just accept it… how it fits in with the theology of men is not His problem, but ours! We come across God blessing seemingly wrong behaviour and attitudes. How can this be? It can only be that one of my basic beliefs is correct – that whilst God does and will punish sin, when we sin He scrutinises not the acts or beliefs themselves, but the inward workings of our hearts. He does not condone our behaviour, but He continues to bless His elect people.

“…Peniel…”

Verses 1&2

1. “And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

2. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.”

The rest of Jacob’s journey back to his homeland was not to pass without further incident! As he and his retinue continued on their journey, “angels of God met him”. For us today, this is a remarkable statement, for how many meet with angels? And, at a time of false teaching and false sightings of ‘angels’ via New Age, charismatic and other modes… how do we recognise them when they are in front of us?

You may remember when three people walked toward Abraham when he sat at the door of his tent. Two were angels and one was Christ. Almost with every-day ease, Abraham recognised their status, even though they appeared in human form.

“…the face of God.”

Though we do not see trouble here in this chapter, Jacob is never far away from it. We see his fear in anticipation of the wrath of his elder brother, a wrath that could be construed as humanly justified. God has blessed Jacob in many ways, and with wealth. The greatest blessing was that Jacob would be one of the great patriarchs of all earth’s history – in the line of Christ and a father of the Jews. That is fame and blessing indeed!

We continue to see Jacob as a man like us, fearful even though he knew the promises of God. He did not have to rely on promises, though, for he had already experienced, first hand, what God could do. He had received visions and much help. Yet, he feared.

I suppose the thought of 400 men coming to meet him, led by a brother he had previously duped and cheated out of his inheritance, was enough to send fear coursing through his veins! But, God previously promised him safe passage back home, so why did Jacob fear? He feared because he was human! Today, most Christians pretend they have no fear, when they secretly quake. Far better to be honest.

“…make ye marriages…”

Are we careful as Christians? Do we separate from the world as we ought? Or, do we mix with it freely, pretending all is well? In the days of Jacob such questions had far reaching consequences, and the answers often led to ruin or to war. Today, sadly, Christians tend to be far more sophisticated, so true answers to vexed questions are buried under a pile of human excuses. This is not a call to be war-like all the time, but a call to be honest and honourable.

With sometimes intense responses, some Christians will appear to be quite shocked by fellow Believers who fight back against injustice or sinful attack upon them. They say it is not how Christians ought to respond. In this they are theologically and Biblically crude, for they do not understand what they are saying.

The same objectors will decry Christians who do fight back in any way, and will even shun them. Evidently, they have never had to face anything objectionable before, for their words come cheap. It is always easy to speak out against war, or defence, when one is safe and well and untouched personally!

As one who constantly experiences attacks and hatred against me, I know that Christian responses are varied and can be quite complex in nature. I also know that to retain Christian virtue can sometime be very hard indeed. That is why I could not speak against any Christian who defends himself or who even attacks an attacker, verbally or physically. At times there may be a need to rebuke, but this is far better than sitting in an armchair issuing platitudes or sombre self-righteous statements... or silence. Would such a critic stand by Christ on the spiritual battle-field? I doubt it. There is a time to cry, a time to laugh, a time to be crafty, a time to be wise, and a time to fight.

We must always be careful not to be continually battle-minded, but we must also be always battle-prepared. That is, we must fight when the occasion demands it. In between battles – which will come – Christians must be prepared. That is real life.

“…he talked with him…”

Do you remember God? Jesus Christ? Do I? Truly? In this chapter we see God reminding Jacob of something. Though Jacob had communion with God, he failed to address some problems in his midst. We are all like this!

In the Old Testament we see pillars being erected as a memorial to God. A memorial is not an excuse to place a marker and then to forget about it… a memorial has an active purpose – to remind us of something. Do we remind ourselves of God? Of His promises to us? Of what He has done for us? If not, then we are forgetting!

How can we forget God? It seems to me that many Christians think that if God is not speaking to them from a cloud of thunder (that is, very obviously), then He is not with us. This is error. God is with us always, even when we think He is not. When we ignore this very simple truth we miss out on many blessings. Or, rather, God continues to bless us, but we fail to see they are blessings, or fail completely to see God in a situation.

Let us always remember God! (It sounds like an absurdity, that Christians can ‘forget’ God, but they do! Every formal ‘service’ is a forgetting of God as He truly is!). Speak to each other of what He has done for us; bring to memory His blessings and promises, in our own heads and hearts. This is especially important when darkness grows around us and evil people appear to be winning the day. They might even be attacking us personally. No matter – God is with us still. It is His promise, and He never fails.