Category: Genesis
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Daily Devotional: Genesis 41:1-57
God grants Joseph the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams. Joseph advises Pharaoh with a plan to prepare for a seven-year famine, and Pharaoh promotes Joseph. When the famine comes, Egypt is prepared and able to sell grain to the whole world. This story is not about Joseph and cannot be applied such that we are promised…
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Daily Devotional: Genesis 40:1-23
Joseph interprets the dreams of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker correctly. Yet, the cupbearer forgets Joseph and does not mention him to Pharaoh. Joseph has always had a unique connection with dreams and interpretation of dreams. In this part of the story, the plot is setting up Joseph to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. Dreams got Joseph sold…
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Daily Devotional: Genesis 39:1-23
Joseph does well but is turned against because he refuses to sin. I resonate with Joseph. Everything I do, I strive to do well. When I refuse to live a sinful life or participate in sinful things, I often suffer—even losing positions and jobs because people turn against people who are not like them. We…
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Daily Devotional: Genesis 38:1-30
Judah creates much drama and trouble for himself by pursuing his sexual lusts. His sons turn out to be evil before God, and his daughter-in-law is a prostitute like his mistress. As we will see in Chapter 49, Judah is the tribe of promise. Yet, Scripture is careful to point out his sinfulness and impurity.…
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Daily Devotional: Genesis 37:1-36
The story about Joseph and his brothers is popular and known to many from childhood. The story is full of Christological imagery. The coat of many colors brings to mind God’s promise to the world through Noah. Never again will He destroy His creation. In the Gospels, Christ will be arrested by His kinsmen and…
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Daily Devotional: Genesis 36:1-43
Moses provides a genealogy from Esau, who is Edom. Edom becomes an enemy of Israel later in the narrative. This genealogy shows the diversity of the Edomites’ ethnic composition and their political structure. Both of these details set Edom and Israel at odds concerning their heritage, tradition, and government. God will instruct Israel to remain…
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Daily Devotional: Genesis 35:23-29
Jacob and Esau were born at enmity. Jacob came out of the womb on Esau’s heel. By the time their father dies, they are allies. Isaac breathes his last and is gathered to his people. Here we see something about the afterlife, or is it still a precursor to actual life. Even prior to Christ’s…
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Daily Devotional: Genesis 35:9-22
Jacob is given a new name that represents his redeemed place in Christ rather than his former wretched estate in this world. Jacob means “supplanter.” Israel means “contends with, not against, God.” From the renaming of Īssah to Eve in Genesis 3, the new name is a faint typology we see in the Old Testament.…
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Daily Devotional: Genesis 35:1-8
Bethel is the place of revelation. This is why so many contemporary charismatic movements are attracted to the name. God’s revelation of Himself to Jacob at Bethel, though, is not in line with the contemporary charismatic movement. Jacob calls the people to end their idolatry prior to arriving at Bethel. They give up their idols…
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Daily Devotional: Genesis 34:1-31
Jacob’s daughter is raped, and Jacob’s sons seek vengeance by killing all the males in Shechem and plundering their community. Moses is careful to explicitly state that rape is wrong (v. 7). It is evil and detestable. Though the response of Jacob’s sons seems an overreaction, Moses does not clarify explicitly whether it is right…