# 351 The Levirate Law

The Book of Genesis

Day 351

Ge 38:8 And Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife and marry her, and raise up an heir to your brother."  9 But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother.  10 And the thing which he did displeased the LORD; therefore He killed him also.

What is going on here? It’s like we are given much more information about the sex life of Onan and Tamar than we really care to know! Well let’s start with the insistence of Judah that Onan marry Tamar, (the widow of his elder brother Er)  What is that all about?

It’s about a practice that would later become codified in Law in the Book of Deuteronomy.  It is called the Law of the Levirate. We read about it in De 25:5-10, "If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the widow of the dead man shall not be married to a stranger outside the family; her husband's brother shall go in to her, take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her.  6 "And it shall be that the firstborn son which she bears will succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.  7 "But if the man does not want to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate to the elders, and say, 'My husband's brother refuses to raise up a name to his brother in Israel; he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother.'  8 "Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him. But if he stands firm and says, 'I do not want to take her,'  9 "then his brother's wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, spit in his face, and answer and say, 'So shall it be done to the man who will not build up his brother's house.' 10 "And his name shall be called in Israel, 'The house of him who had his sandal removed.'

Definitely foreign to our culture but not to the Israelites. The purpose of the Law was to ensure a widow of the possibility of raising up a male heir. This “heir” would then inherit all things that a male first born was entitled to. The problem here is Onan resisted this “duty” because he wanted all the inheritance for himself, rather than provide it for Tamar.

This may seem silly to us, but it’s not so silly when you remember God’s promise to Eve and Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob! It was from their seed that the Messiah would come, and in hindsight, we see that the womb of Tamar had a role to play in the line of Christ.

In the enforcement of the Levirate law, there was an unusual courtroom scenario played out in the gate of the city involving the removal of a sandal and “spitting” in the offender’s face. This was the God-ordained way to properly deal with the brother who would not carry out his conjugal duties. (By the way, it didn’t have to turn  ugly, and you can  read about this method again in the Book of Ruth, when Boaz was given the right to marry Ruth)

The removal of the offender’s sandal was symbolic and it was as if to say, “You have no right to walk on the land of my inheritance.” It signified a removal of any material rights and claims of the offending brother.

Obviously Tamar did not carry the Levirate Law that far, because God took care of the situation on His own.  Any previous offenders of this Law, just lost some property and got some spit on their face, Onan  wasn’t so fortunate. God killed him because the thing that he had done “displeased God.”

Much has been made of the sin of Onan by biblical commentators, and we will continue to look at his wrongdoing next time.

In the meantime, just remember that in spite of man’s efforts to thwart God’s plan, God stepped in and brought it to fruition anyway. It is far better to work WITH God than against Him, and we can learn, even today, about working with Him as we read and seek to obey His Word.

#350 Thank God For His Mercy!

The Book of Genesis

Day 350

Ge 38:1 It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. 2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her and went in to her. 3 So she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. 4 She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. 5 And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and called his name Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him. 6 Then Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD killed him.

So, Judah “bends away” from the ways of his people. He “morally deflects” to the godless ways of the Canaanites. He marries an unbelieving Canaanite woman. She bears him three sons, Er, Onan, and Shelah. Time passes on and Judah arranges a marriage for his firstborn, Er. But Er was wicked in the Lord’s sight, and the Lord killed him! Man! That must be some kind of wicked!

The Bible doesn’t spell out any specific acts of wickedness on Er’s part, but as we look at the Hebrew word for “wicked” here, it is synonymous with “evil.” It is an evil that permeates, in other words Er was evil through and through. The root word from which the word for evil is pulled means, “good for nothing.” It carries with it the idea of something being spoiled or ruined by being broken into pieces. Er was a clay pot fashioned by God, that went bad, and God, (the Potter) exercised His prerogative here and decided to humpty dumpty him and leave him for the street sweepers.  He slew him!

I know some people have a problem with that action on God’s part. “How can a loving God do such a thing? How dare He kill anyone? I’m not going to worship such a cruel God!”

Yet we read in De 32:39 'Now see that I, even I, am He, And there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.” Jesus added to that thought in  Mt 10:28 "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” And let us never forget the biblical picture of God being the Potter and we are the clay.

It is an utterly absurd thought that we clay pots have the right to be angry with our Maker over anything! He is God! If He chooses to take out Er, That’s His business. Who knows what might have happened to those in Er’s world, should God have allowed him to continue in his evil ways.

Rather than get angry at God, we ought to be awed and humbled, and then marvel at His grace, because truth be known, without God and His grace at work in our own lives we are all just as evil as Er, and deserve to be taken out! But God has extended mercy to each and every one of us who are still here. Praise Him for His mercy, and thank Him for His grace!

# 349 A Moral Deflection!

The Book of Genesis

Day 349

Ge 37:36 Now the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.  38:1 It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah.  2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua, and he married her and went in to her.

Just a quick comment on Joseph’s destination. Think of all the places he could’ve gone to in the slave market! BUT God saw to it that he ended up in the influential house of Potiphar. It was all part of God’s plan to take a situation that the brothers meant for harm, and turn it into something good to serve His purposes.

Even the next sordid chapter of the Bible, (chapter 38, which interrupts the story of Joseph.) will serve as an example of God turning a bad situation into something good.

One could easily throw out chapter 38 and not miss a thing in the story of Joseph, but this is holy writ, and 2Ti 3:16 reminds us that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

There is profit for us in this sordid chapter of the Bible and let us see what the Holy Spirit will teach us in the days ahead.

First off we read that at about the time Joseph was sold into slavery, Judah separates himself from his brothers. He “departed” from them and visited a certain Adullamite named Hirah.  The King James says he “turned into a certain Adullamite.” A casual reading of those terms, “departed,” and “turned” sound quite innocent, but in the Hebrew, the words imply a “bending away,” a moral deflection. That should get our attention!

We have been hammering away  at the tyranny of the Law and emphasizing grace, and I think this sordid account concerning Judah is a reminder to not cheapen grace.

Cheap grace is what the Apostle Paul was accused of preaching and he responded to those concerns in  Ro 6:15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!

I believe this is what Judah is experiencing. He is departing from his brothers, (who represent the Law)  in order to live as if there were no Law. (Cheap grace!)  His heart becomes hardened as we shall see, and sin will multiply. His “moral deflection,” will cause all sorts of problems and pain as is the case for all who would seek to ditch the Law and seek to live under cheap grace. 

Cheap grace, (living as you please with no regard to the Law of God) is fools gold. Because in the end, all will be held accountable by God!

Judah, perhaps unable to deal with the personal guilt of his suggestion to comply with the letter of the Law by selling Joseph rather than killing him, now goes off on a lawless binge. This lawless binge isn’t pretty…..it never is, yet it is a common path of those who leave the Law without rightly surrendering to grace.

Unless this counterfeit grace is stopped, it is like a snowball on it’s way to hell, and the only hope is the interference of the “real deal grace” which is divine influence on the heart, that snaps the person back to reality. It’s this grace that brings repentance and cause people like the prodigal son, (and Judah later on) to come to their senses and return to the Father, and a right view of His moral Law!

# 348 Lie Upon Lie, Guilt Upon Guilt

The Book of Genesis

Day 348

Ge 37:31 So they took Joseph's tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood.  32 Then they sent the tunic of many colors, and they brought it to their father and said, "We have found this. Do you know whether it is your son's tunic or not?"  33 And he recognized it and said, "It is my son's tunic. A wild beast has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces."  34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days.  35 And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, "For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning." Thus his father wept for him.  36 Now the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.

Don’t you just wonder who the brothers found to transport the bloody tunic back to their father? What did they tell this unsuspecting courier? “Hey, we found this tunic and we think it might have belonged to our brother,   would you mind taking it back to our father’s house and showing it to him?”

Before they sent it, did they bother to tear it up a little bit to make it appear there was some mauling that took place?  Oh, the things we will do to cover our sins! Their shame and guilt in the matter is evident in that they didn’t have the courage to break the news of their lie face to face with their father, and their feigned comfort for their father is sickening to say the least.

I wonder what God the Father was thinking as He was present in the room when the family, including every hypocrite brother,  all arose one by one to comfort him? I wonder what each one said as they sought to speak comfort to their father with their double tongues?

I think God the Father was thinking, “Okay boys, keep piling on your guilt, but I will one day turn your mess into a message!” Take hope from this! Maybe you have been piling up lies in order to cover your sin and shame and guilt. God is watching! He is aware, and He is waiting for you to come to Him for forgiveness. He is waiting to lift your burden of guilt.  It took years for the brothers to have their guilt and shame removed, but God is patient and the moment you confess HE is there ready to forgive through faith in Jesus Christ.

1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

One more thing. Please note the grief in Jacob’s heart over the loss of a child. Unless you have experienced the loss of a child, you have no idea what it means to mourn that loss all the way to your grave. There is nothing you can say or do to remove that grief. But you can be a listening ear and a hugging arm to walk beside the mourner, whenever the need arises.

# 347 Joseph’s Imprisonment: The Rest of the Story!

The Book of Genesis

Day 347

Ge 37:26 So Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?  27 "Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh." And his brothers listened.  28 Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.  29 Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes.  30 And he returned to his brothers and said, "The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?"

I wonder what the boys blew the money on? How did they divide it up? Reuben wasn’t there for the transaction, so it looks like the brothers each picked up two shekels of silver for their deed. (that’s about a week’s wage!)

Well, it doesn’t matter, we aren’t told what they did with the money, but as we read the rest of the story, we know that they carried around the guilt of their actions for years!

I think we all need to know just how terrible Joseph’s life was as a slave. Most of us know the story about how he rose to a position of power in Potiphar’s house, then wrongly accused of raping Potiphar’s wife, he is imprisoned, and in prison he gradually rises to a man of great influence, eventually being set free by Pharaoh and put in charge of the affairs of Egypt. Quite a story of perseverance! But what about those times before he rose to positions of authority?

Let’s not sugar coat this.  Conditions in Egyptian prisons were not good, and we are given more details of his time in prison in  Ps 105:17-22! This is the equivalent of Paul Harvey’s, “The rest of the story!”

We read, “He sent a man before them-Joseph-who was sold as a slave.  18 They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons.  19 Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the LORD tested him.  20 The king sent and released him, The ruler of the people let him go free.  21 He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his possessions,  22 To bind his princes at his pleasure, And teach his elders wisdom.

While Joseph waited for the Lord to work out the details of the dream he had of his brothers bowing down to him, he went through his own hell on earth! His feet chafed  by the fetters they had placed on him! Chained to his prison bed with irons! I hope the two shekels was worth it brothers!

We aren’t told of his thoughts concerning his brothers , while he was immobilized by irons and the shackles hurting his feet, but in the end we are told of his gracious forgiveness of his brothers.  They came to him and pleaded for his forgiveness and he said, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?  20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.  21 "Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. (Gen 50 19-21)

Friends, stop and consider this, especially if you are having trouble forgiving someone. Unforgiveness is a fetter. It shackles your heart to bitterness and hatred, it immobilizes your feet and keeps you from moving in the direction that God wants you to go.  Forgive!

But wait, you say you can’t forgive? Well then ask God to help you, because no matter how bad the situation may be, He wants to turn it into something good, but your unforgiveness is holding Him back!

# 346 No Loopholes In Grace

The Book of Genesis

Day 346

Ge 37:26 So Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?  27 "Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh." And his brothers listened.

There is a great lesson here for any of us who would seek to live Law oriented lives as opposed to lives controlled by grace. Here’s the thing about the Law, those who live under it are always seeking for loopholes. Their mantra is always “But what about?” and then they come up with absurd scenario’s to justify their actions. These, “but what abouts” show up today in matters of divorce, abortion, and even in our giving to the church.

Do you see what Judah was suggesting here to his brothers? “Let’s sell Joseph into slavery and let not our hand be upon him! That way we aren’t really guilty of any harm that may come his way, that would be on the Ishmaelites!”

It’s the same ploy David used when he ordered Joab to send Uriah the Hittite on a suicide mission. I mean come on, David didn’t actually kill Uriah, he died in the war right?

Yes “loophole livers” more often than not do grievous things to others in the mistaken belief that they are “technically” innocent of any wrongdoing.  Jesus puts that line of thinking to rest when He delivers His “Sermon on the Mount.” Read it often and see the loopholes close.  See how the actions of Joseph’s brothers match up with Mt 5:21 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'  22 "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.

What are you saying about the value of another human being when you sell them like a piece of property for 20 pieces of silver?

What are you calling someone when you mock them because they are different than you?

What are you calling an unborn child when you terminate a pregnancy? You are calling them, worthless, expendable creations of God! What is their crime?

You and I are also creations of God, made in His image, and to call one of His creations a fool, is to call the one who created us a fool too! Isa 45:9 "Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?' Or shall your handiwork say, 'He has no hands'?

 Oh, my friend, in the sermon on the mount, Jesus destroyed all the loopholes, and captured the true spirit of the Law. He made sure none of us can say with Judah, “let not our hand be upon him and we will be innocent.” By removing any and all loopholes, He made sure that all of us would know that we are guilty of breaking the Law.  Our only hope then for salvation and forgiveness must be found in some other place than the Law, and that’s where Jesus comes in. He DID keep the Law…..perfectly! Then went to the cross and died for us who can’t! Sinner, turn to the only One who can save you from your sins….Jesus!

A Thanksgiving Thought

One of my favorite childhood memories of Thanksgiving in our little Lutheran Church in Big Bend Wisconsin was singing Martin Rinkert’s Hymn, “Now Thank We All Our God”. I’m not sure many today are familiar with this classic, in fact I’m not sure that many churches even have a service on Thanksgiving Day. It’s a lot easier to hold the worship service on Wednesday evening or just skip it all together!

I get it, but I still miss the Thanksgiving Day service and all the Thanksgiving Hymns and Scripture readings, and then coming home to the smell of turkey cooking in the oven!  Another problem with skipping the Thanksgiving Day service is we get so busy with food preparation and serving it while it’s hot and then making sure we don’t miss one down of football….that the giving thanks to God part gets cast aside for other things.

Well, enough of the editorializing, the main reason I’m writing this is to remind you and I that we have much to be thankful to God for, and I want to use the backdrop of the Rinkert hymn to perhaps jar us into that reality.

Martin Rinkart was a Lutheran minister who came to Eilenburg, Saxony at the beginning of the Thirty Years' War. The walled city of Eilenburg became the refuge for political and military fugitives, but the result was overcrowding, and deadly pestilence and famine. Armies overran it three times. The Rinkart home was a refuge for the victims, even though he was often hard-pressed to provide for his own family. During the height of a severe plague in 1637, Rinkart was the only surviving pastor in Eilenburg, conducting as many as 50 funerals in a day. He performed more than 4000 funerals in that year, including that of his wife.

Let that sink in as you munch on your Thanksgiving snacks in your recliner this afternoon. “Deadly pestilence a constant companion, a lack of food, foreign soldiers occupying your city, 50 funerals a day, 4000 in one year, including the death of his spouse! In spite of all this, he was able to pen the words to this hymn:

Now thank we all our God,
with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done,
in Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms
has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God
through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts
and blessed peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace,
and guide us when perplexed;
And free us from all ills,
in this world and the next!

All praise and thanks to God
the Father now be given;
The Son and Him Who reigns
with Them in highest Heaven;
The one eternal God,
whom earth and Heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now,
and shall be evermore.

Yes we have MUCH to be thankful for. Take the time to count your blessings today and give thanks to the giver of all gifts! Jas 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Happy Thanksgiving!

# 345 Spices of Grace

The Book of Genesis

Day 345

Ge 37:25 And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt.

Spices, balm and myrrh. Why bring up what the caravan was carrying? What do these spices have to do with the story? Where have you heard of these spices before? It’s not the exact same gifts mentioned in the account of the wise men coming to worship Jesus, but I think it’s safe to say that wherever you find these spices, you will find a picture of grace! Grace is the travelling companion of these spices.

They were brought to the Infant Jesus in Bethlehem as a reminder that He would carry them with Him throughout His entire life on earth, and they would be travelling with Joseph to Egypt for the same reason.

Let’s look at these three treasures and see if we can make the connection with grace.

We start with (1) spices. When I think of spices, I think of food. The purpose of spices in food is to enhance flavor. It is to bring out the very best, and this is God’s great plan for grace in our lives as well. As we surrender to him, He uses grace (divine influence on our heart) to work in us those things for which He created us!

(2) Balm. Balm brings forth visions of medicine. It is the grace of healing. There is healing in grace. As we surrender to Jesus He takes our burdens, our hurts, and lifts them away from us. Just think of the great healing that took place in Egypt when Joseph assured his brothers they were forgiven.

(3) Myrrh. Myrrh was used for embalming. It was a preservative and perhaps that is the greatest quality of God’s grace. For it is by His grace that we are kept and preserved. The moment we try to keep ourselves by obeying the law on our own ….the stench of corruption will begin to enter our lives. But as we trust God to keep us on His path, as we trust in Him to bring forth glad obedience, we are preserved in the sweet smell of myrrh.  We are a sweet aroma to God the Father and to those around us as well. We are dead to self, but alive and kept in Christ!

These three, spices, balm, and myrrh were Joseph’s travelling companions and he was going to need them for his trials in Egypt. Let’s make them our travelling companions as well.

# 344 Grace Is Waiting For You

The Book of Genesis

Day 344

Ge 37:23 So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him.  24 Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.

The hated coat of many colors is stripped from Joseph by his brothers. To them it represents the favoritism of the father toward Joseph. It shouted over and over to them, “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased!” And they hated what it stood for. So they removed it from him and cast him into a pit, where he was helpless. “Let’s see where your father’s favoritism gets you now!”

Years later. The voice of another Father thundered out of heaven on several occasions saying this about His Son, Jesus, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” But not only a voice, there were miraculous acts of deliverance demonstrated through the Son’s hands as He healed and set people free from the debilitating effects of sin!

Grace! Time after time demonstrating its superiority over legalism. God is pleased with grace!

But look how Jesus was treated by His brothers! Mt 27:28,29 tells us: “ And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.  29 When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"

The chief priests, scribes and elders passed by and said, “ He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.  43 "He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'"

The inference of Jacob’s brothers, and the religious leaders in the days of Jesus is the same: “Let’s see what your favored status with the Father will get you now!”

Stripped naked and hanging helpless on the cross, grace waited. Stuck in a pit, stripped of everything, or hanging on a cross, grace waited. Grace waits even for you today. It says, “Are you done trampling on me now?” Have you given me your best shot? Are you tired of trying to do it on your own? Well, I’m still here! Let me come to you, allow me into your heart to rule your life!”

 Trust Jesus! The grave, (the pit) could not hold Him, grace wins every time! Let go my friend! Grace has been waiting for you for a long long time!

# 343 Know the Law!

The Book of Genesis

Day 343

Ge 37:20 "Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, 'Some wild beast has devoured him.' We shall see what will become of his dreams!" 21 But Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, "Let us not kill him." 22 And Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him" -that he might deliver him out of their hands, and bring him back to his father.

The similarity between the plotting of Joseph’s brothers to do away with Joseph and the plotting of the Pharisees to do away with Jesus continues!

Here we read of Reuben trying to invoke some reason into the situation as he talks his brothers out of actually killing him. It reminds me of Nicodemus defending Jesus before the Pharisees when they plotted to arrest Jesus: We read about it in Joh 7:44-51, “Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.  45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why have you not brought Him?"  46 The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!"  47 Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are you also deceived?  48 "Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him?  49 "But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed."  50 Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them,  51 "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?"

There he is. Nicodemus. Standing in the gap much like Reuben stood in the gap for Joseph. But even before Nicodemus responds, let’s back up and look at the attitude of the Pharisees toward the followers of Jesus: Notice their perception of the followers of Christ. “”This crowd that does not know the Law,”

There it is again, right at the center of the dispute between the Pharisees and Jesus….the Law! That was the perceived problem. The Pharisees were convinced that Jesus was promoting a system of belief that would throw out the Law! Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus had stated previously that He did not come to do away with the Law, but to fulfill it! What He did away with  was the ceremonial Law which was solely meant to foreshadow Him, and more importantly, He did away with the idea that one could be saved by obeying the Law! AND He showed the emptiness of any man made interpretations of the Law that stood in the way of mercy, or stood in the way of loving God and neighbors!

True followers of Jesus ought to know the moral Laws of God better than anyone. They ought to know that strict obedience to it, is impossible and therefore it can’t save them, indeed it is the Law that shows us our need for a Savior, but we also know that seeking to keep the Law is pleasing to the heavenly Father, because it shows us how to live as His children.

# 342 Grace Is A Fearful Thing

The Book of Genesis

Day 342

Ge 37:18 Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him.  19 Then they said to one another, "Look, this dreamer is coming!  20 "Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, 'Some wild beast has devoured him.' We shall see what will become of his dreams!"

The brothers see Joseph approaching and instead of being glad to see him, they grumble. “Oh look, here comes the big dreamer, let’s kill him and cast him into a pit, then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams of us bowing down to him!” These guys have a problem with Joseph’s most favored status! They had a problem with grace!

Let’s break out the Law/Grace, Pharisee/Jesus comparison again. These brothers represent God’s chosen people. They are the patriarchs of Israel. Jacob, (a type of our heavenly Father here) sends His favorite son (in whom He is well pleased) to his brothers. He is one of their own and what did his brothers do? They plotted to kill Him!

God, likewise sent His Son and what does the Bible say? “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” (Jn 1:11)  and we know that they too plotted to kill Him. How can this be? How can people want to do this to their own flesh and blood? The answer is found in the typical reaction to grace.

Grace, represented by Joseph and Jesus  is a fearful thing! Grace is feared because just as Joseph’s dream portrayed, it requires complete surrender. Law doesn’t do that, because we can manipulate it with our own little versions, loopholes, and justifications. We twist it to our own liking and then we wrongly think we are holy on our own!  Notice how the brothers keep within the letter of the Law by not actually killing Joseph, all they did was throw him in a pit, they didn’t actually kill him!

Notice too, how the Pharisees kept within the letter of the Law by having the Romans give the execution order concerning Jesus, they weren’t the ones who actually pounded in the nails! 

This then was one of the main points of the message of Jesus. A point that He continually tried to drive home to His brothers. “You cannot pick and choose with the Law! It is all or nothing, and since it is impossible to do all, then the only hope is the surrender to the grace of Jesus.” It is the only way of escape, and to surrender all is a fearful thing! Surely there is something we must contribute to our salvation!

But there isn’t! And that’s what makes grace a fearful thing. It is a total letting go. What’s it going to be for you? Partial surrender and the tyranny of the Law, or total surrender and the freedom of grace?

Fear not my brothers and sisters! Let go, grace will catch you and never let you go!

# 341 Trust, Wait, and Obey

The Book of Genesis

Day 341

Ge 37:16 So he said, "I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are feeding their flocks."  17 And the man said, "They have departed from here, for I heard them say, 'Let us go to Dothan.'" So Joseph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan.

In the middle of nowhere, a man comes up to Joseph, and says he just happened to overhear his brothers say they were going to Dothan. How interesting! If they stay in Shechem, look what happens. They miss the Midianite traders that come by on the trade route to Egypt! What a twist of history that would’ve been. . The point is, God is in control! None of this business is coincidence! God causes the brothers to move to Dothan so His plan can unfold.

Not only that, but he brings the Midianites into the picture at the last minute, but at just the right time to save Joseph’s life! That’s the way it is with our Sovereign God! There is no need for us to manipulate or try to control everything, God is way ahead of us! There is only need for us to trust and obey. Trust those circumstances that God brings into your life will indeed, in the long run, work out for good! He will see to it! For our part, we are to be like Joseph. Remain faithful in our obedience. Joseph was never more concerned about his circumstances as he was concerned about maintaining obedience to God in those circumstances.

Joseph was wearing the WWJD bracelet on his heart long before it became a fad in Christian bookstores!

WWJD to Joseph’s brothers for their thoughts of killing him and ultimately selling him into slavery? He would forgive them, and that’s what Joseph did.

WWJD when Potiphar’s wife would try to seduce him into committing adultery? He would refuse and say, “How can I commit such a great wickedness and sin against God?”

WWJD if he was unjustly charged and sent to prison. He would wait for his Father God to justify him and in the meantime he would minister to others in the situation that God had placed him.

Jesus too, was unjustly charged and sentenced to a cruel death on the cross, yet He did not complain. He waited for His Father to justify Him, and even in that waiting for the third day resurrection, He descended into hell and preached to the spirits in prison! (1 Pet 3:19) Then on the third day, God justified Him by raising Him from the dead! 

This is the life of grace! Trust, wait, and obey. God is working in your situation to bring about ultimate good!

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# 340 So Easy, Yet So Hard

The Book of Genesis

Day 340

Ge 37:14 Then he said to him, "Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me." So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem.  15 Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, "What are you seeking?"  16 So he said, "I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are feeding their flocks."

Joseph arrives at Shechem, but can’t find his brothers anywhere. A certain man approaches him and asks, “What are you seeking?” Joseph replies, that he is seeking his brothers. Once again we see a parallel between Joseph and Jesus, because Jesus came to this earth to “seek and save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10) He is still in the business of seeking today!

But you may say, “his brothers weren’t the ones who were lost!” Well, they weren’t in a physical sense, but in a spiritual sense as being representative of those under the Law, (those who think their good deeds will save them,) they were lost!  And Joseph, representative of grace is seeking them!

Jesus tells us in Mt 18:11,  "For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.  12 "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?”

Who is the one who is straying? Isn’t that the one who strikes out on his own and thinks he can do it without the Good Shepherd? That’s the essence of salvation by good deeds or the Law! But Grace keeps searching, keeps seeking those under the power of the Law to deliver them.

Oh how we need to hear the call of grace in our own lives as the Law continually tempts us to put us under its power again. Jesus cleans us up with grace, and then once clean we think we can get by on our own merits. We find ourselves thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought!

Hear again the voice of the Good Shepherd in Joh 10:10b, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

The way of grace is abundant life. Joseph lived a life of grace even in terrible circumstances in Egypt and he was abundantly blessed, the brothers on the other hand, living a life of Law,  ended up in famine, and in the end had to come to grace begging for food.

 Ga 3:1-3 says, “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?  2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

Man, this grace thing! It is so easy, and yet so hard. Let go and trust Him to save you and keep you saved, rather than turning to or reverting to the Law.

# 339 Legalism Kills

The Book of Genesis

Day 339

Ge 37:14 Then he said to him, "Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me." So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem.

As I read this portion of Scripture, I have little problem picturing God and Jesus having a similar conversation before the incarnation. God says to His Son Jesus (who personifies grace) “please, go and see how things are going with Your brothers.”  (the people of Israel and the caretakers of My flock.) and Jesus says, “Here I am!” And He goes and He arrives on this earth as a fertilized egg in the virgin Mary. Through this miracle of the virgin birth, He arrives as God incarnate, Immanuel….God with us!  As Php 2:6 states, “who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,  7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

So Jesus goes, like Joseph did and both were greeted by the keepers of the flock in the same way. Joseph’s brothers plot to kill him, just as the religious leaders of Jesus’ day sought to kill Jesus!

Joseph, of course did not have the opportunity to report back to his father on the heartless condition of the caretakers of the flock, but Jesus did. And this is what he had to say about them:  "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. (Jn 8:44)

Not only murderers and liars, but they used the Law and legalism to burden the flock: "For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. (Mt 23:4)

“Father, this legalism has gotten out of hand, the people (the flock) are being oppressed. They need to be set free!”

And then one day at the beginning of His ministry, Jesus opened up the Bible and read: “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to  the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;  19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."  20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.  21 And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."(Luke 4:18-21)

With the arrival of Jesus, grace personified came to earth to set us free! As Jacob unwittingly sent grace to his sons, God WITTINGLY sends grace (Jesus) to us, with the goal of setting us free from legalism.

As He said in Joh 8:36 "if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” Do you want true freedom? Then quit trying to work your way to heaven. Legalism kills! Your good deeds can’t save you, only Jesus can do that.

# 338 Here I Am

The Book of Genesis

Day 338

Ge 37:12 Then his brothers went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.  13 And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." So he said to him, "Here I am."

“Here I am.” Three simple words that have been uttered by the greatest saints since the beginning of time. Listen to a partial list of the great saints of Scripture who had these three words in their vocabulary!

These were the words that Abraham uttered when God called on him to sacrifice his only son Isaac.

These same words were spoken by Isaac as he yielded to the authority of his father as they prepared to go on their way to the sacrifice.

Jacob spoke these words when the Angel of the Lord called on him and encouraged him to depart from Laban and go back to his homeland.

When God appeared to Jacob and encourages him to pick up stakes and move to Egypt, Jacob’s response was “Here I am.”

Moses replied to God with these words at the burning bush.

Samuel replied with these same words when God called to him in the night.

Isaiah responds to the Lord’s invitation “Whom shall I send,” with “Here I am.”

All of these men of faith expressed a desire to exercise their faith by saying “yes,” even before they knew the particulars of God’s mission for them! They were “willing” participants in God’s plans!

Listen to what  God says in Isa 1:19 about people who are “willing.” “If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land;”

That’s quite a promise! And when we talk about being willing, we are talking about our own will. It’s a mind thing, and willing minds proceed from loyal,  trusting, hearts. Just ask David as he gives parting advice to Solomon in 1Ch 28:9 "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.”

This doesn’t seem to be as much a command as it is a basic truth! Know God, and you will serve Him willingly! It’s the Old Testament version of faith with works. Knowing God is faith, serving Him is works! Therefore, “Here I am Lord,” is the gateway to God pleasing obedience and it proceeds from knowing God intimately, and we can only know Him this way through faith in Jesus Christ!

# 337 Ponder These Things In Your Heart

The Book of Genesis

Day 337

Ge 37:10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?" 11 And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

Jacob initially writes off Joseph’s dream as nonsense, nonetheless, he kept this matter in mind. He tucked it away in his memory, and this “tucking away” would likely give him a glimmer of hope after events unfolded in his life.

Think about Mary here. The mother of Jesus who was told many mind boggling things concerning the birth and life of her son Jesus. The Bible says she “kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.”  Sounds kind of like what Jacob did with this dream of Joseph’s! These “things” were likely  a source of strength and hope for Mary as years later she would see her son on a cross, whipped, beaten, suffering, dying for the sins of the world.

Jacob would later be handed a bloodied coat of many colors, and he would assume that his favorite son Joseph had been killed by wild animals, yet planted in his heart of hope would be this dream of Joseph’s. Somehow, some way Joseph would live on! Somehow, and for whatever reason, by the grace of God, he, Rachel, and his sons would see Joseph again!

This is our hope as well in this sin sick world. No matter what may befall us, we have this assurance that one day our “Joseph” will return, and at the “name of Jesus every knee shall bow!”  Jesus lives, and because He lives we all have the opportunity to live on with Him and other believers throughout eternity,

When things seem hopeless and dire in your life, remember the Gospel, ponder the Good News in your heart, cling to your God-given faith in Jesus. Do this and in the end, all will be well.

# 336 Grace Wins

The Book of Genesis

Day 336

Ge 37:9 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, "Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me."  10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?"

This is a fascinating dream! Especially in light of Jacob’s interpretation! In the first dream we have sheaves (things of this earth, his brothers) bowing down to Joseph, in this second dream we have things in the heavens, (stars and moon) bowing down, and I think that is significant.

In this dream it is easy to see that the 11 stars represent Joseph’s brothers bowing down to him, and the sun and the moon represent Jacob and Rachael bowing down to him. Funny thing about this dream Rachel is long gone! She died during the birth of Benjamin! This dream never became a physical reality on earth like the first one did.

The first dream literally came to pass when Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to buy grain and they physically bowed down to him. (Ge 42:5 And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. 6 Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth.)

This second dream was never fulfilled by Jacob, Rachel, or Joseph’s brothers on earth. Jacob, although summoned to Egypt by his son never physically bowed down to him, and of course, as we already mentioned, Rachel was already dead!

So what’s going on here with this second dream? Well, both dreams are prophecies and like so many prophecies in Scripture, an immediate physical reality is portrayed and a second more distant spiritual reality is also portrayed.

The more distant and heavenly spiritual reality portrayed in this second dream  is that Law, (and I might add pedigree) will bow to grace. Grace is superior to Law! Joseph personifies grace as a type of Christ, and Jesus brought this “grace is superior” message to earth. Time after time He demonstrated the superiority of grace over the Law, and His brothers (the offspring of Jacob, the Pharisees and religious rulers of the day) hated Him for it, but one day, they, and we, will bow our knee to Jesus, the personification of Grace!.

His disciples went on to preach the same message and likewise were hated for it. We would do well to never forget this lesson! In the end, the Law yields to grace, for it is by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast!

# 335 Mercy Over Judgment, Grace Over Law

The Book of Genesis

Day 335

Ge 37:1 Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.  2 This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.  3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors.  4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.  5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.  6 So he said to them, "Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:  7 "There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf."  8 And his brothers said to him, "Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

I wonder how helpful it would be for us to look at the story of Joseph and his brothers as one that demonstrates the superiority of grace over judgment, of Gospel over Law.  Or looking at Joseph, as  a “type” of Christ, vs his brothers, who are a type of Pharisees.

When his brothers (Pharisees) saw that their father (God) loved Joseph (Christ)  more than them, they hated him!

Twice in the New Testament we hear the words of the father thunder from the sky concerning His Son Jesus, “This is My beloved Son, In whom I am well pleased!” The first time these words were spoken was at His baptism, and the next time at His transfiguration.  Baptism, marking the beginning of His ministry of grace, and the transfiguration , among other things, showing us the superiority of Christ over the Law and the Prophets (Moses and Elijah)  At the transfiguration, the disciples were blinded by the glory of Jesus, whereas Elijah and Moses were quite ordinary.  And when the dust settled Jesus was found alone with the disciples and the father said, “This is My beloved Son, hear Him.”

It is important to note that although Moses and Elijah disappeared, they are in no way done away with . (Their very appearance with Jesus indicates their eternal character) but it is clear that grace personified in Jesus is superior. Mercy DOES triumph over judgment!

Having said all this, it is easy to see why the Pharisees hated Jesus so. The Father’s favor was very evidently poured out on Him as He ministered and modeled grace to others, and it was an indication that the days of the grip of the Law on men were numbered. The days of the like of the Pharisees were numbered along with them!

The Pharisees had a choice. Change their way of thinking (repent) about the Law and accept grace, OR put an end to grace personified. They chose the latter and sought to put an end to Jesus by crucifying Him, only to find out, that God wasn’t kidding. He was so pleased with His Son that He raised Him from the dead, in order for grace to rule forever.

# 334 Bow Now Or Later, But You Will Bow

The Book of Genesis

Day 334

Ge 37:1 Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.  2 This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.  3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors.  4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.  5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.  6 So he said to them, "Please hear this dream which I have dreamed:  7 "There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf."  8 And his brothers said to him, "Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

We pick up the story of Joseph when he was 17 years old. By today’s standards, that makes him a junior in high school, making plans for a career track and visiting colleges to make his chosen field a reality.

He was the second youngest child in a very dysfunctional family. It’s important to remember the history of this family as we go deeper into the story. Rachel and Leah had battled for the affection of Jacob by trying to produce offspring for him, even utilizing their personal maids as surrogate mothers. This rivalry under one roof, was intense, and don’t think for a moment that the children weren’t aware of it. This family was the Brady Bunch gone bad……very bad!.

To make it worse, Jacob made it no secret who his favorite child was. Every time Joseph got dressed to go outside, he was wearing this “standout” coat of many colors. It was like a flashing neon billboard, “Look at me! I’m dad’s favorite!”

Add to that, his “goody two shoes” persona that is mentioned here  when he ratted out Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher, for something they did, and you can see the hatred building in his siblings.

They hated Joseph and could not speak “peaceably” to him. Shalom was not in their vocabulary as it concerned Joseph.  Joseph, seems  oblivious to it all, and with a Steve Urkel like lack of tact, blurts out a dream he had concerning his relationship with his brothers.

He says, “Hey guys, check this out, I dreamt that we were all out in a field binding sheaves, and all of your sheaves bowed down to my sheaf! Pretty cool, huh?  Yeah, real cool Joseph,  and the brothers hated him even more for his dreams and his words.

My first thought when I hear the particulars of this dream takes me to Php 2:10, “ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,”

Tell that to a scoffer sometime and see what happens. Tell them that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven (Jn 14:6) and that one day they will bow to Him and acknowledge Him as Lord.  

This is not a dream! It is truth that is forever preserved for us in Scripture. Bow now and be with Him in Paradise, reject Him, and your last act before being sent to the pit of hell will be to bow to Him.