January 13-17, 2016

January 13, 2016

Genesis 34: 1-5

Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land. When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and violated her.  His heart was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her. And Shechem said to his father Hamor, "Get me this girl as my wife." When Jacob heard that his daughter Dinah had been defiled, his sons were in the fields with his livestock; so he kept quiet about it until they came home.

Message:

As a parent I am reminded about teaching my children the value of respect for the opposite sex and to not let themselves engage in lustful situations. As an educator, my attention is drawn to thinking of an effective means as to how I would make my female students understand the importance of chastity and keeping themselves out of danger by avoiding hands of lust. Here, Dinah got molested because she went out of her father's tent to explore the place which she barely knew, thus exposing herself to a stranger Shechem. The young man was the prince of the land and got overcome by lust upon seeing her. Dinah was at a tender age that time, roughly 15 or 16 (Henry, n.d.) and incapable of protecting herself from the prince's wicked intention. Hence, she got raped.

Application:

I will seize opportunities to teach my children and students the value of avoiding lustful situations by letting them understand the content of 1 Peter 1:13-15 (ESV) "Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct".

Prayer:

Father God, thank you for the opportunity You provided me to teach the young ones the importance of keeping themselves morally pure and restrained. Lord, I'm sorry for the times that I might have overlooked or ignored such instances. Dear God, knowing that this task is not easy especially in times such as this, I ask for your blessing Lord. Make me fully understand the nature of today's youth especially of those whom I regularly deal with so that letting them see Your stipulation through me and other adults in this institution would be realized. May I be and other adults in TUMCSI Lord a role model of moral purity and restraint in words and in actions. This I pray in the mighty name of Jesus, amen.

January 14, 2016

Genesis 34: 8-26 (summarized)

Shechem presented his desire to marry Dinah before his father and the latter agreed. Soon, Hamor spoke to Jacob and his sons "My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife. Intermarry with us; give us your daughters and take our daughters for yourselves. You can settle among us; the land is open to you. Live in it, trade in it, and acquire property in it." Out of anger the sons of Jacob responded that they would not allow Shechem to marry Dinah unless the latter has been circumcised. Further, they presented a condition – to let Shechemites marry women from Jacob’s clan only if men from Hamor’s land would be all circumcised. The proposal was agreed upon by Hamor and his son. Thus, as they got to their place, they spoke to their fellows about the matter.  They said, “these men are friendly toward us. Let them live in our land and trade in it; the land has plenty of room for them. We can marry their daughters and they can marry ours. But the men will consent to live with us as one people only on the condition that our males be circumcised, as they themselves are. Won't their livestock, their property and all their other animals become ours? So let us give our consent to them, and they will settle among us." The men agreed with Hamor and Shechem, so they all got circumcised. As the men were recuperating from circumcision Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers attacked the city and killed the Hamor and Shechem including all the other men with their swords. They took Dinah with them and left the city.

Message:

These verses discusses purity of intentions. Circumcision was a covenant between God and Abram (Gen. 17:10-11) and continued to Jacob and his clan. “For the Israelites circumcision was a religious rite and was intended to mark the beginning of covenant solidarity for Abraham's descendants rather than describing the historical origins of the procedure” (www.studybibledaily.com). It was something not practiced by Schechemites at that time. However, they embraced circumcision for the benefits mentioned by Hamor. This I can relate to situations at which people get themselves associate with and do favor for others out of self-interest. The intention is not pure that most of the time leads to ruin, not just of the relationship but of the system as a whole. Hamor and his men agreed to undergo circumcision, despite the fact that it’s not part of their practice, for the sake of benefiting from Jacob’s wealth and family. The act was supposed to be for the Shechemites advantage but they got otherwise. Matthew Henry furthered this view and related the idea to religious affiliation. He said “Shechemites submitted to the sacred rite, only to serve a turn, to please their prince, and to enrich themselves, and it was just with God to bring punishment upon them. As nothing secures us better than true religion, so nothing exposes us more than religion only pretended to. But Simeon and Levi were most unrighteous. Those who act wickedly, under the pretext of religion, are the worst enemies of the truth, and harden the hearts of many to destruction. The crimes of others form no excuse for us. Alas! how one sin leads on to another, and, like flames of fire, spread desolation in every direction! Foolish pleasures lead to seduction; seduction produces wrath; wrath thirsts for revenge; the thirst of revenge has recourse to treachery; treachery issues in murder; and murder is followed by other lawless actions. Were we to trace the history of unlawful commerce between the sexes, we should find it, more than any other sin, ending in blood.”

Application:

I will guard myself against acts similar to Hamor’s. “Purity of intentions” will always be considered as I associate with others and as I deal with matters concerning myself and the people around me.

Prayer:

Dear God, as I am reminded of purity concerning intentions, I thank you Lord. With this Lord, you have confirmed my decisions regarding my job, my choice of friends and above all Lord, my faith. I got enlightened God through these verses that I am encouraged to go on furthering your cause as I live. Father, yes there was a time in my life that I acted on something out of self-interest and I ask forgiveness for that. Lord, that I do not want to happen again; thus I pray for your mercy. Guide me Lord today as I pursue living and fulfilment of the tasks that would make me reflect purity of intentions. Make me demonstrate honesty in every circumstance. This I pray in the mighty name of Jesus, amen.

January 15, 2016

Genesis 35: 1-5

Then God said to Jacob, "Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau."  So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone." So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem. Then they set out, and the terror of God fell upon the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.

Message:

This part made me realize that disobedience leads one to misfortune and that obedience to God yields a person protection. The previous chapter gave us ideas on what happened to Jacob as he associated with Shechemites who had religious practice opposite to his. Dinah, his daughter, got raped. His sons committed a crime. These events in Jacob’s life had not been favorable in the eyes of God but because He loved Jacob and had destined him a successor to Abram and Isaac, He reminded Jacob to get to the place of his destination and settle there. Jacob listened to God and followed His directions. As a father, he instructed his children to purify themselves by changing their clothes and throwing away everything that were unpleasing to God. While Jacob and his family complied to God’s requirement, He caused terror to those who intended harm upon them and protected them all throughout the journey to Bethel. Truly, this part of the book made me realize that it is our fear of and obedience to God that bring us safety and enable us to survive life’s challenges.

Application:

I will consult God through prayers everything that I have to decide on and do.

Prayer:

Father God, thank you for this reminder. Thank you for letting me realize that just like Jacob, you have given me free will, an ability that sometimes I misuse as I do something which goes against your wishes. However, as You love me God, You always find a way to remind me that I have gone astray and that I need to get back to the direction that You have set for me Lord. Yes Lord I can be a master of my decisions and actions; however, I understand that in the end, still YOUR WILL  prevails because You are the master of all masters. Father, as I strive to obey You and do things according to your wishes, guide me Lord. Bestow upon me the wisdom and the strength I need for me to see what You want me to see and do what You want me to do.  This I pray in the mighty name of Jesus, amen.

January 16, 2016

Genesis 35: 9-15

After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him. God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel. " So he named him Israel. And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you." Then God went up from him at the place where he had talked with him. Jacob set up a stone pillar at the place where God had talked with him, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it. Jacob called the place where God had talked with him Bethel.

Message:

Purification and change of heart enabled Jacob to reach the place appointed by God. There Jacob once again, hear Him declare His vows, that is the changing of Jacob’s name to Israel and his being the father of those who will be dwellers of the land.  

Application:

I will not only read the word of God but try my very best to purify myself through changing my ways. I will exclude from my system all those that will hinder me from glorifying God, thus making Him my priority.

Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for making me understand that obedience to You means purification and change of heart on my part, that when I say YES to you, it means giving up those that I previously love doing and spend my time with, things and activities that prevented me from fulfilling my tasks pertaining to my worship to You Lord and my glorifying You Jesus. Yes Lord I missed one Sunday worship, a cell group session and a day of devotion because of a writing activity, thus You let such happen. It was a lesson that reminded me of how I must deal with priorities. YOU above all God, that it must be. I ask forgiveness for such act Lord. Father, here I am today, seeking your blessing for all that I need to accomplish Lord, for all that You want me to do Lord. Guide me and make me the person that You want me to be. Make me a blessing to all whom I will be dealing with today.  In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

  

January 17, 2016

Genesis 37: 1-11

Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it." His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, "What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?" His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

Message:

Reading this part of the book made me aware of the idea – Favoritism breeds discord among family members. Here Joseph is the eldest son of Jacob by Rachel, thus making him Jacob’s favorite. This favoritism manifested an ornamented robe for Joseph, who became more dutiful later on. When Joseph revealed to all of them his dream, jealousy   escalated to anger as of course the elder ones did not wish to be inferior to the younger one. Yes, Joseph’s intentions were pure but the insecure brothers interpreted his actions otherwise, only because they were jealous of him.

On the other hand, Jacob cannot be blamed for his playing favorites considering Joseph’s dutifulness. His report on his brothers’ behavior could have been due to his great concern for them and not for anything else. His revelation of his dreams before them can be interpreted as a demonstration of love for them. He wanted them to be aware of what was to come. However, such efforts were not noted as jealousy filtered the message.

Application:

I will avoid showing favoritism in every aspect of my dealings. This is an act which I know would necessitate much of my self-control but should be manifested unless I aim otherwise.

Prayer:

Dear God, the mightiest of all I thank you for giving me the most precious gift of all- my children. Thank you Lord for reminding me not to show favoritism as the act may pose quarrel among them. Forgive me Lord if there had been times that I acted otherwise. Lord, as I deal with my very own children today and the children whom you have brought under my care and supervision I ask for your blessing and guidance Lord. Bless me and make me manifest impartiality. Let me consider the good in each child and understand each of their limitations so that showing favoritism will be avoided. This I pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.