GENESIS 36: Devotion

Esau marries Adah, Aholibamah & Bashemath from Canaan, has children, many cattle, dwells in Mt Seir; descendants of Esau named and become the Edomites.

"Mount Seir is called the land of their possession. Canaan was at this time only the land of promise. Mt. Seir was in the possession of the Edomites. The children of this world have their all in hand, and nothing in hope, Luke 16:25; while the children of God have their all in hope, and next to nothing in hand. But, all things considered, it is beyond compare better to have Canaan in promise, than mount Seir in possession."

(Matthew Henry)

GENESIS 35: Devotion

God told Jacob to go to Bethel and renamed him Israel. Rachel died having Israel's twelfth son Benjamin. Isaac died in Hebron.

"God in His grace, in His very last meeting with Jacob calls him Israel. Now Israel was the name that was to signify all that God had planned in and for Jacob. It was a name that was to separate him from his somewhat shady past. But Jacob didn't live like Israel very often. And it's exceedingly precious, I think, that in His very final meeting God refuses to think of him as Jacob and thinks of him as Israel. My friends, you see there the benefits of justification and God looking upon us not as we are in ourselves but as we are in Christ."

(Ligon Duncan)

GENESIS 34: Devotion

Shechem defiled Jacob's daughter Dinah then asked to marry her. Jacob's sons told Shechem and his father Hamor to circumcised themselves along with all his men and they would allow the marriage. While they were recovering, Simeon and Levi (Jacob's sons) slaughtered them all.

"This passage is a reminder to us about the exceeding wickedness of using things which God has given us for our own purposes. Whether it might be an oath, whether it be simply our word. Using things to take people in by religion for our own ends is wickedness. 

This passage also very clearly reveals for us the sinfulness of believers, or of those who profess faith. The Bible never attempts to candy-coat the failings and the wickedness of those who profess to believe in the one true God. And it doesn't do that because it is very important for us to be realistic about the potential for the sins of even those who profess faith in Christ. This passage reveals to us the depth of sin that professing believers are capable of stooping to.

(Ligon Duncan)

Advent Devotion: George Whitefield

Behold Mary, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."

(Luke 1:31-33)

"Man is permitted to fall, and become subject to death; but Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of light, very God of very God, offers to die to make an atonement for his transgression, and to fulfil all righteousness in his death. And because it was impossible for him to do this as he was God, and yet since man had offended, it was necessary it should be done in the person of man; rather than we should perish, this everlasting God, this Prince of Peace, this Ancient of Days, in the fulness of time, had a body prepared for him by the Holy Ghost, and became an infant."

(George Whitefield)

Advent Devotion: D.A. Carson

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

(Isaiah 9:6)

Before there was a universe,

Before a star or planet,

When time had still not yet begun —

I scarcely understand it

The eternal Word was with His God,

God’s very Self-Expression;

The eternal Word was God Himself —

And God had planned redemption.

The Word became our flesh and blood —

The stuff of His creation

The Word was God, the Word was flesh,

Astounding incarnation!

But when he came to visit us,

We did not recognize him.

Although we owed him everything

We haughtily despised him.

In days gone by God showed himself

In grace and truth to Moses;

But in the Word of God made flesh

Their climax he discloses.

For grace and truth in fullness came

And showed the Father’s glory

When Jesus donned our flesh and died:

This is the gospel story.

All who delighted in his name,

All those who did receive him,

All who by grace were born of God,

All who in truth believed him —

To them he gave a stunning right:

Becoming God’s dear children!

Here will I stay in grateful trust;

Here will I fix my vision.

Before there was a universe,

Before a star or planet,

When time had still not yet begun —

I scarcely understand it

The eternal Word was with his God,

God’s very Self-Expression;

The eternal Word was God himself —

And God had planned redemption.

(D.A. Carson)

Advent Devotion: Spurgeon

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

(John 1:14)

"Infinite, and an infant. Eternal, and yet born of a woman. Almighty, and yet hanging on a woman’s breast. Supporting a universe, and yet needing to be carried in a mother’s arms. King of angels, and yet the reputed son of Joseph. Heir of all things, and yet the carpenter’s despised son. Oh, the wonder of Christmas." 

(C.H. Spurgeon)

GENESIS 33: Devotion

Esau and his men arrived. Jacob bowed down but Esau ran to embrace him. Jacob offered gifts which Esau first refused. The two were reconciled then Esau accepted them. 

"The receiving of a present at the hands of another has always been regarded as a pledge of goodwill. None will receive a present from the hand of an enemy. The same principle underlies God’s dealings with us. He will receive no offering from His sinful creatures until they are reconciled to Him by faith in the Atonement of His Son. The Lord God will receive nothing from your hands until you have first received from His hands, the Savior."

(A.W. Pink)

GENESIS 32: Devotion

Jacob heard that Esau was coming to meet him. He was afraid and sent gifts. That night he wrestled with a Man who renamed him Israel.

"Sometimes we feel man really can contend with God. A man or woman in rebellion against God might seem to do pretty well. The match seems even in appearance only. God can turn the tide at any moment, and He allows the match to go on for His own purposes.

(David Guzik)

GENESIS 31: Devotion

The Lord told Jacob to return home. Jacob left in secret and Rachel took Laban's idols. Laban chased Jacob and accused him of stealing. Jacob rebukes him when Laban was unable to find them.

"The problem with many Christians is that they’ve never made that break with the world. They’re trying to get the best of both worlds, like Rachel heading for Canaan with her father’s idols. But that’s like having one foot on the dock and the other on a boat that’s leaving. You can only do that for a short while, and then you’re going to get wet." 

(Stephen J. Cole)

GENESIS 30: Devotion

Rachel's maid had sons for Jacob, then Leah's maid, then Leah herself had children. Finally Rachel had a son Joseph. Laban used Jacob's flocks as wages to stay.

This chapter is both disturbing and encouraging to me. That God is sovereign over the affairs of men and He is building a great nation despite the sins and short comings of His people. 

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."~God

(Isaiah 55:9)

GENESIS 29: Devotion

Jacob worked for Laban seven years to marry Rachel, but Laban switches Leah for Rachel on the wedding night. Laban made him work seven more for Rachel. 

"The Bible doesn’t give us a God at the top of a moral ladder saying, “Look at the people who have found God through their great performance and their moral record. Be like them!” Of course not! Instead, over and over again, the Bible gives us absolutely weak people who don’t seek the grace they need and who don’t deserve the grace they get. Yet, the grace keeps coming!"

(Tim Keller)

GENESIS 28: Devotion

Isaac sent Jacob to marry one of Laban's daughters. On the way Jacob dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending.

"The stairway symbolized the genuine and uninterrupted fellowship between God in heaven and His people on earth. And the angelic messengers ascending and descending are a constant reminder of God's watchful care."

(J. Ligon Duncan)

GENESIS 27: Devotion

Rebekah and Jacob tricked Isaac into giving Jacob his blessing. Esau vowed revenge so Rebekah told Jacob to go to her brother Laban. 

"Rebekah acted on that God dishonoring proverb that is not even in the Bible ‘The Lord helps those who help themselves,’ the truth is, the Lord helps those who have come to the end of themselves. If Rebekah really had confidence in the Divine promise she would have followed the path of duty, assured that in due time God would Himself bring His word to pass."

(A.W. Pink)

GENESIS 26: Devotion

In Gerar Isaac lied to Abimelech about Rebekah in the same way Abraham lied about Sarah. He grew so rich that Abimelech sent him away. God reaffirms His covenant with Isaac. Isaac dug wells at Beersheba and Abimelech came back to him with a treaty saying "the LORD has blessed you."

“Gods presence in the lives of believers will be seen by unbelievers as we navigate the ups and downs of life. By your actions and by your words."

(Kent Hughes)

GENESIS 25: Devotion

Abraham died and was buried with Sarah. Isaac and Rebekah had twins: Esau and Jacob. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a meal.

“History shows that men prefer illusions to realities, choose time rather than eternity, and the pleasures of sin for a season rather than the joys of God forever. Men will read trash rather than the Word of God, and adhere to a system of priorities that leaves God out of their lives. Men still sell their birthright for a mess of pottage.”

(Donald Barnhouse

GENESIS 24: Devotion

Abraham's servant went to Nahor to find a wife for Isaac. He told his servant that he could expect God’s angel to go before him and lead him to the right young woman. He met Rebekah by the well. She went back with him and married Isaac.

"So often we don’t experience God’s guidance because we get so caught up doing our own thing that we fail to stop and ask God to reveal His will to us. So if you want God’s guidance, stop and ask Him for it, expect Him to give it, and wait long enough to listen to what He might have to say."

(Steve J. Cole)

“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Rom. 8:14)

GENESIS 23: Devotion

Sarah died in Kiriath-arba. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. Abraham asked the Hittites for a burial site. He bought a cave from Ephron and buried Sarah there. 

"To weep for a loved one is to show that we have been close, that the loss is keenly felt, that death is an enemy, and that sin has brought this sad punishment upon the human race.”

(James M. Boice)

GENESIS 22: Devotion

God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. As Abraham obeyed, an angel stopped him. The LORD provided a ram instead and blessed Abraham.

"God blesses the one who obediently surrenders everything to Him. Thankfully, it doesn’t all happen the moment we trust Christ as Savior, or none of us would begin! When we trust Christ, we begin a lifelong process of surrendering to Him"

(Steven J. Cole)