Reading Genesis chapter 39, I am awed by the authority that is given to Joseph in each circumstance in which he finds himself.

Genesis 39:1-6: Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought him from the Ishmaelites, who had taken him down there. The LORD was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. Now his master saw that the LORD was with him and {how} the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal servant; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he owned he put in his charge. It came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house on account of Joseph; thus the LORD’S blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the field. So he left everything he owned in Joseph’s charge; and with him {there} he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.

An incident happens between Joseph and Potiphar’s wife and Joseph is thrown in jail, but even there he is given uncanny authority.

Genesis 39:21 But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. The chief jailer committed to Joseph’s charge all the prisoners who were in the jail; so that whatever was done there, he was responsible {for it.} The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph’s charge because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper.

It is obvious to the powers in Joseph’s life that the Lord was with him, so they gave him authority over everything they had. What exactly was it that they saw in him? In examining Joseph’s character, I found that he possessed 4 exceptional qualities that would prove trustworthiness to any man.

1. Contentment

First Joseph is sold as a slave and then he is innocently thrown into prison and there is not a single mention of a complaint from him. And God’s word is not above exposing character flaws in the men he uses; remember when Abraham lied twice about his wife Sarah, and when Jacob deceived his father for Esau’s birthright. I am sure that if Joseph showed any signed of discontentment, God would have shown us. But there isn’t. How many of us are complaining in the situation we are in right now? “I hate this job.” “Why am I here?” “I should be the boss of this company. I am more qualified than he.” “Surely God has more for me!” Not Joseph. He goes from chief of the field to slave. He was given dreams of grandeur then thrown in prison. And not a single complaint is uttered from his mouth or even shown in his character. He was truly content in the situations in which God had placed him.

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness {actually} is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.

The Apostle Paul sheds some light on exactly how to achieve contentment and it is not by our own strength.

Phillipians 4:11-13 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

The author of the book of Hebrews gives us encouragement God’s promise:

Hebrews 13:5-6 {Make sure that} your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” so that we confidently say, “THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?”

2. Integrity

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia defines integrity as simplicity, or sincerity of heart and intention, truthfulness, uprightness.

The way that Joseph handled Potiphar’s wife shows integrity. If he had been bitter or discontent in any way about the fact that he was a slave, Joseph may have given in to Potiphar’s wife and her request. But Joseph was serving Potiphar with the utmost integrity, sincerity of heart and truthfulness as shown in the way he avoided her. The Bible tells us that those who practice integrity will be preserved in their reputation on earth and guided unto eternal life.

Psalm 25:21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You.

Proverb 11:3 The integrity of the upright will guide them, But the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.

Proverbs 19:1 Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity Than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool.

Proverbs 20:7 A righteous man who walks in his integrity– How blessed are his sons after him.

These truths are seen in Joseph’s life.

3. Avoids Sin

Potiphar’s wife was persistent. She didn’t just try once to lead Joseph into her adulteress lair. But Joseph avoided her, would not listen to her and even fled from her.

Genesis 39:10 As she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her {or} be with her.

Genesis 39:12 She caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside.

Joseph’s response toward Potiphar’s plea is the very example of the advice given to us throughout the Bible.

2 Timothy 2:22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love {and} peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee immorality. Every {other} sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.

1 Corinthians 10:14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

1 Corinthians 6:10-11 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance {and} gentleness.

4. Fears the Lord

This probably should be number one, but since it is easier to remember the last thing you read, I will put it here. This quality is also the foundation to the first three and so is best last, acting as the support to the others.

Joseph shows his fear of the Lord throughout his story, but specifically in this chapter, when he is explaining to Potiphar’s wife the reason that he cannot comply.

Genesis 39:9 “There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?”

Joseph explains that it is God he fears the most, not Potiphar. Sinning against God is what he wanted to avoid. Joseph’s fear of the Lord is the very reason that he avoids this sin, it is the reason he acts with integrity even as a slave and the reason that he is content in the most humble of situations.

Remember that it is the fear of the Lord that is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7). And it is to us that the message of salvation has been sent (Acts 13:26).

Proverbs 14:2 He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, But he who is devious in his ways despises Him.

In light of this, we must ask ourselves if the Lord’s presence in our lives is obvious to others. How will we know? Well, Joseph was given authority over everything Potiphar and the jailer had. What have you been given authority over and how are you handling this authority? I have been given authority over children, money, and a house. Am I complaining because I feel that I deserve to be the head of the children’s ministry at church or the director of a school, or am I content with the three children I have been given to raise up according to His way? Am I raising these children sincerely, not grudgingly? Am I showing integrity, truthfulness an uprightness when handling our finances and taking care of our house? Am I avoiding sin in all areas of my life so that I am a proper model for my children? But most of all, do I fear the Lord, for this is the only way that I will be able to overcome my fleshly desire to complain, envy, cheat, steal and lie. My husband trusts me enough to let me homeschool our children. He knows that I will teach them about the Lord. My husband has given me authority over the money that he makes, because he knows and has observed that I will spend it wisely and make it last. My husband has given me authority over the house that he bought, because he knows that I will take care of it and keep it clean. Just as Joseph only answered to Potiphar or the chief jailer and ultimately Pharaoh himself, I only answer to my husband; and just as Joseph, I also answer to God. I fear Him and give Him the glory for all that I have. The Lord has put an authority over each one of us, but the question is, “How much authority is that person giving us?” If it is not much, examine your heart, your words and your actions. Fear the Lord and seek Him first. Then more will be given to you.

Joseph lived Jesus’ very words:

Matthew 6:24-25 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

When a jeweler displays a diamond, he does so against a black background in order to show the purity of the jewel. So we can also look at Genesis chapter 38 as the black back drop for the pure qualities that are seen in the life of Joseph. This is a story of the immorality that existed among the sons of Israel, esp. in Judah, yet it is also a picture of the reason for our need of a savior and our need for His grace.

Judah’s Immorality

The story of Judah’s immorality, Genesis chapter 38, takes place during the time that Joseph is in Egypt. The first step of Judah’s dive into immorality was when he sought friendship in the world.

Genesis 38:1 And it came about at that time, that Judah departed from his brothers and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

Continuing in his flesh, he takes a woman from there and has children with her.

Genesis 38:2-5 Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; and he took her and went in to her. So she conceived and bore a son and he named him Er. Then she conceived again and bore a son and named him Onan. She bore still another son and named him Shelah; and it was at Chezib that she bore him.

Judah finds a wife for his firstborn and it isn’t a wonder that his firstborn is wicked in the sight of the Lord. I can’t imagine that he was teaching his children about the God of his fathers.

Genesis 38:6-7 Now Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name {was} Tamar. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of the LORD, so the LORD took his life.

After the Lord takes Er’s life, Judah tells his second born to have a child with Tamar in order to carry on the firstborn’s lineage. Well the second second son is just as bad as the first. Onan selfishly pulls out so the firstborn’s lineage could not continue. The Lord hated this and takes his life as well. (Gen. 38:8-10)

Now the youngest son is not yet old enough to marry Tamar (well he may be old enough, but Judah is afraid that he will die like his brothers), so Judah tells her to go back to her family and wait for him to be old enough to marry. When Shelah, Judah’s youngest, had grown, Judah’s wife dies. After mourning, Judah is again found hanging out with his pagan friend Hirah.

Genesis 38:12 Now after a considerable time Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died; and when the time of mourning was ended, Judah went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

At this time Tamar realizes that Judah is not keeping his promise so she dresses as a temple prostitute, covers her face with a veil, and sits in an open place on the way to Timnath.

And Judah falls for the bait. Hook, line and sinker…

Genesis 38:15-18 When Judah saw her, he thought she {was} a harlot, for she had covered her face. So he turned aside to her by the road, and said, “Here now, let me come in to you”; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” He said, therefore, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” She said, moreover, “Will you give a pledge until you send {it?}” He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” And she said, “Your seal and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave {them} to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him.

So Judah gives up his identity (seal), wealth (cord/bracelets) and position (staff) to commit this act of immorality. And it all started when Judah sought friendship with the world.

Contrast this to Joseph and you will find that seeking friendship with the world only leads to disgrace, but seeking the will of the Father always brings success.

Romans 10:11, 13 As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Remember that in Genesis chapter 37, Joseph did the will of his father even though his brothers hated him for it. And Joseph’s dreams came true. Judah, however, sought friendship with the world and he lost everything he owned.

But wait… conceived from Judah’s sin is a picture of God’s grace.

Genesis 38:27-30 It came about at the time she was giving birth, that behold, there were twins in her womb. Moreover, it took place while she was giving birth, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet {thread} on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” But it came about as he drew back his hand, that behold, his brother came out. Then she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” So he was named Perez. Afterward his brother came out who had the scarlet {thread} on his hand; and he was named Zerah.

This is a picture of Jesus’ death and resurrection. The scarlet thread on Zarah’s wrist is a picture of Jesus’ blood stained wrists at His crucification. Zarah appeared first, just as Jesus was the firstfruits of those who are raised from the dead. Zarah remained in the womb, just as Jesus was placed in the tomb and finally, Zarah was seen in totality, just as the resurrected Jesus was seen in His full deity (JC 2005).

And so we are reminded that it is because of our sin that we are in need of a savior.

Through sin, grace is born.

It is through this immorality that Jesus is born. Read the lineage of Jesus in the Book of Matthew (1:3) and you will read these names. How gracious and merciful that Jesus chose a completely dysfunctional lineage to be born from.

Romans 5:15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Romans 6:1-2

Romans 6:10-12 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts.

This was Judah’s big mistake. He obeyed the lust of his flesh first by seeking friendship in the world. His friend probably had no problem with Judah committing this act of immorality with a harlot. This was common practice among them. So we must look at the common immoralities among the people in the world: going to bars, one night stands, gossip, etc. Our friends should not be of the world, but should be fellow believers in Christ. We should only know people in the world in order to be the barer of good news, the salt, the light, but never for friendship, lest we fall into the same trap as Judah.

So we have a choice to follow the way of Judah and die, or the way of Joseph and live.

John 8:24 “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am {He,} you will die in your sins.”

Praise God for His Grace!

As I read through Genesis chapter 37, I was amazed at the many different ways that Joseph is a picture of Jesus Christ. And Genesis 37 is just the beginning of his story. Following, I will list the pictures of Jesus shown through His servant Joseph.

• Both were hated by their brothers.

It is easy to read through Genesis 37 and see that Joseph was hated by his brothers. They wanted to kill him. Likewise, Jesus was hated by the very beings that He created.

John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

Jesus even explains to His brothers how the world hates Him.

John 7:7 “The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.

• Both are loved by their father.

Genesis 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic.

When Jesus took Peter, James and John up to the Mount of Transfiguration, a bright cloud overshadowed them and they heard a voice in the cloud say, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!” Matthew 17: 1-5

• Both were envied.

Genesis 37:4 His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and {so} they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms.

Acts 7:9 “The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. {Yet} God was with him,

Pilate knew that the reason the Jews handed Jesus over to be crucified was because they were envious of Him.

Matthew 27:17-18 So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that because of envy they had handed Him over.

• Neither were wanted as kings.

Joseph’s brothers reject the meaning of his dreams and become even more jealous of him (Genesis 37:11).

Genesis 37:8 Then his brothers said to him, “Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

John 19:14-15 Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he (Pilate) said to the Jews, “Behold, your King!” So they cried out, “Away with {Him,} away with {Him,} crucify Him!” Pilate *said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”

• Both were sent into the world by their fathers.

Genesis 37:12-14 Then his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock in Shechem. Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing {the flock} in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “I will go.” Then he said to him, “Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

Remember that Shechem represents the world (chapter 34). This is the same place in which Simeon and Levi became murders when avenging their sister Dinah. The brothers took the flock into the world. In the same way, the Jewish leaders led the people astray and taught them the traditions of men and of the world.

Matthew 15:9 ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’ “

But just as Joseph searched until he found them, so Jesus will not stop until every one of His sheep are found.

Genesis 37:15-16 A man found him (Joseph), and behold, he was wandering in the field; and the man asked him, “What are you looking for?” He said, “I am looking for my brothers; please tell me where they are pasturing {the flock.}”

Matthew 18:11-14 ["For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.] “What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? “If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. “So it is not {the} will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

• Both were plotted against and wanted dead.

Genesis 37:18 When they saw him (Joseph) from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death.

Luke 22:2 The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people.

• Their tunics were taken by their persecutors.

Genesis 37:23 So it came about, when Joseph reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him;

Luke 19:23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made four parts, a part to every soldier and {also} the tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece.

• Both were put into an empty pit.

Joseph is put into an empty pit for the same reason that Jesus was scourged. Neither Reuben nor Pilate wanted the blood shed on their hands, yet they both needed to satisfy the crowd.

Genesis 37:21-22 But Reuben heard {this} and rescued him out of their hands and said, “Let us not take his life.” Reuben further said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on him”–that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father.

Luke 23:13-14 Pilate summoned the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one who incites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Him before you, I have found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make against Him.

Matthew 27:24-26 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see {to that} yourselves.” And all the people said, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!” Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

As Jesus hung on the cross, he said, “I am thirsty.” But no water was given to Him. Instead they put a sponge full of sour wine upon a branch of Hyssop and brought it up to his mouth. (John 19:28-29). The pit that Joseph was thrown into was also empty and without water.

Genesis 37:24 and they took him (Joseph) and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it.

• Both were handed over to the Gentiles.

Genesis 37:27-28 “Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our {own} flesh.” And his brothers listened {to him.} Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled {him} up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty {shekels} of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt.

Mark 15:1 Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation; and binding Jesus, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate.

• Both were sold for silver.

Genesis 37:28 Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled {him} up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty {shekels} of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt.

Matthew 26:14-15 Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?” And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him.

• An empty tomb is found.

Genesis 37:29 Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he tore his garments.

Luke 24:1-3 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

Becoming a Picture of Jesus

Joseph was not afraid to do his father’s will, no matter how much his brothers hated him.

Genesis 37:2 These are {the records of} the generations of Jacob. Joseph, when seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was {still} a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father.

Likewise, Jesus was willing to do His Father’s will even though the world hatedHim

John 7:7 “The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.

John 7:16 So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. “If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or {whether} I speak from Myself. “He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

The first step in becoming a picture of Jesus is to do His will, even if it means the world, including your family, will hate you.

Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.

John 15:18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before {it hated} you.

How many of us think that if we just had “that” all of our problems would go away. We will finally be happy and content. If only I had a million dollars… If only I had that car, or that house… If only I had a child…

This was precisely Rachel’s attitude. In Genesis chapter 30:1 Rachel saw that she couldn’t have any children by Jacob. So she becomes jealous of her sister, and turns to Jacob and says, “Give me children or I’ll die!”

On the day of the great feast, Jesus stood and cried out “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water,’ ” John 7:37-38. He was speaking of the Holy Spirit which had not yet come, but this thirst speaks to the hole in our heart that we all seek to fill.

In John chapter 6, Jesus explains to those he had just miraculously fed, that He is the bread of life and all who eat of His flesh and drink of His blood, will never thirst or hunger again. And before that, he tells the woman at the well that the water she draws up and drinks will make her thirsty again, but with the water that He can give, she will never thirst again. In all instances, Jesus speaks of the spiritual (see John 6:63 and 4:23-24). All of this speaks to our desire to fill a hunger and thirst within us. A hole, a void,  put in each of us by the Father so that we will seek Him (see Romans 8:20). Some of us do not understand that this is a spiritual hunger and thirst, so we continue to try to fill it physically with food, money and relationships.

Likewise, Rachel seeks what her sister has, because she sees that this is making her happy. But Leah, Rachel’s sister, got it right at her fourth child. Leah hoped that each child would bring her a closer relationship with Jacob (Genesis 29:31-34), but at the fourth child, she realized that children were not the answer, so she praises God for them instead of seeking more (Gen. 29:35). Contrast this to Rachel’s response to her child and you see the futility in filling this void with anything but God. After the battle of the babies born by Rachel and Leah’s maidservants, God finally opens Rachel’s womb and she conceives a son, whom she named Joseph , saying, “May the Lord give me another Son,” (Gen. 30:23-24). One child didn’t satisfy her, she wanted more. And ironically, the birth of the next one would kill her (see Gen 35:16-18).

So we must analyze our own lives in light of this and discover how we are filling the void within. Some of us fill this void with alcohol, drugs, or money. Some use relationships with spouses, friends, or children. Still some fill this void with ministries, works and programs. We are thirsty and we are hungry. All of this will only satisfy us for a moment and then we will be hungry again. But fill the void with the Holy Spirit (the life giving water) and Jesus (the bread of life) and we will never thirst or hunger again.

In the book of Genesis chapter 35, Jacob and his family are found breaking God’s first and second commandments:

Exodus 20:3-6 “You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

These commandments, however, are written on Jacob’s heart (passed down as an example from his father and grandfather); for Moses had not yet been born to receive the stone tablets on Mt. Sinai.

As we look at this chapter in Genesis, we will see how God’s calling convicts Jacob to bury his sins as a picture of Jesus. I suggest reading all of Genesis chapter 35 and Romans chapter 6 in order to follow along in this examination of the Word as Light.

The Calling

Genesis 35:1 Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and live there, and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.”

I love this, because God doesn’t say, “Repent of your sins and then go to Bethel.” Remember that his sons had just avenged their sister by killing the men in the city of Shechem, yet God does not wait for Jacob to get his family out of the world before He calls him. So many people think they have to “shape up” or “get right with God” before they can go to church or before they can have a relationship with Him, but God showed His great for love for us by sending his son to die for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8), not after we repented and not when we called Him, but while we were still sinners.

The Conviction

Genesis 35:2 So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves and change your garments;

It was God’s merciful calling that convicted Jacob to clean up his act. God didn’t have to mention his sins. Jacob knew what they were. All God had to do was show that He loved Jacob unconditionally. I think this can be a lesson for us in childrearing as well. We are not God, so we will not always see when they sin; but as we show the same unconditional love that God shows us, their own conviction will bring them to repentance. This is also testimony to Jacob’s good heart. The same parents raised Esau, who sold his birthright for a bowl of soup. So as we raise our children in our relationship with God, we must rest on faith, knowing that God knows their heart and that He will work all things together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to {His} purpose (Romans 8:28).

Burying our Sins at the Cross

Genesis 35:4 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.

2 Peter 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness–by whose stripes you were healed.

Jesus has already buried our sins at the tree on which he was crucified.

Romans 6:10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.

Burying the Flesh/Sin Nature

Genesis 35:8 Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the oak; it was named Allon-bacuth.

I believe that Rebekah represented Jacob’s flesh, his sinful nature. The fact that the burial of her nurse takes place at this point in Jacob’s life is no coincidence and should not be overlooked. Remember it was Rebekah that convinced Jacob to decieve his father in Genesis chapter 27. So in this scene, her nurse (the caretaker of the deceiver) is buried under the oak tree. What a perfect picture.

Romans 6:3-4a Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death,

Receiving A New Name and A New Life

How significant it is that after Jacob buries his sins and fleshly nature he receives a new name.

Genesis 35:10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; You shall no longer be called Jacob, But Israel shall be your name.” Thus He called him Israel.

Romans 6:4-9 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with {Him} in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be {in the likeness} of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with {Him,} in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.

Sin No More

At this point God gives Jacob instructions and promises.

Genesis 35:11-12 God also said to him, “I am God Almighty; Be fruitful and multiply; A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, And kings shall come forth from you. “The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give it to you, And I will give the land to your descendants after you.”

We are also given instructions and promises.

Romans 6:12-13 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin {as} instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members {as} instruments of righteousness to God.

Romans 6:22 But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.

We have all been called. All we have to do is believe that Jesus (God’s only begotten Son) took all of our sins, past, present and future, with him to the cross. And like Jacob, we need to bury our own sins and literally get rid of them. Get rid of the idols that come before God: a t.v. show, sports, money, etc. Bury your sinful nature: worry, anger, lust, envy, etc. and present yourself to God as an instrument of righteousness and he will give you a new life.

Do not let the Book contradict itself. This is not salvation based on works, but a natural response to the love that He has shown us.

After Jacob made peace with Esau, he camped before the city of Shechem (Genesis 33:18). He bought a piece of land from Hamor, the ruler. As you read through Genesis chapter 34, you will see that this city was a carnal and evil place, not a place you want to be facing, especially while raising a family.

The City as the World

1 John 2:15-17 states “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and {also} its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”

Shechem (the city and person) displays these very aspects of the world: The lust of the eyes – Genesis 34:2-3 “And when Shechem, the son of Hamor, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force. And he was deeply attracted to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her.” The lust of the flesh – The people in the city were convinced that if they were circumcised, they would gain wealth from Jacob (Genesis 34:22-23). The boastful pride of life – Shechem rapes Dinah and then has the audacity to ask for her hand in marriage. Hamor offers Jacob all of his land to live and trade in, as if to boast that his wealth is worth Dinah’s soul.

In the World

The very first verse of Genesis chapter 34 is a picture of what we as parents all anticipate and worry about: “Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the daughters of the land.” What will happen when we let them go? Will they get hurt in the big, bad world?

Every parents nightmare happens to Dinah in that city, the world, when she visits the daughters of the land. She is raped and violated (Genesis 34:2). Notice that when her father, Jacob, heard about it, he did not react right away, but waited to tell his sons when they came in with the livestock (v.5). I wonder what was going through his mind. Maybe he knew how his sons would react; after all, he was facing the world. Can we expect anything less, when we let our children watch violence and rebellion on t.v. and then act surprised when they get into a fight with the school bully; or worse yet, become the school bully. I am sure he knew retaliation was inevitable.

As the story continues, the brothers find out. Hamor and his son Shechem ask Jacob’s family to intermarry with his. Jacob’s sons trick Shechem into agreeing to circumcise the men in the city and on the third day, while the men are still in pain from the circumcision, they massacre the males and loot the city. And so the story goes… as an example of what not to do.

The Proper Response

What the brothers of Dinah should have done is almost unheard of in our society today. So many people reading this story will quickly say that Shechem got what he deserves. The brothers response is very comfortable to our flesh, but God holds us to a higher standard.

Matthew 5:44-45: “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on {the} evil and {the} good, and sends rain on {the} righteous and {the} unrighteous.

Romans 12:20: “BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.”

Luke 6:35: “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil {men.} “

Proverbs 20:22 ” Do not say, “I will repay evil”; Wait for the LORD, and He will save you.”

So many of us want to get in the way of God’s wrath on the wicked. If we would just realize that He will do a much better job at avenging us than we could ever think of doing, we may be able to take comfort in waiting for the Lord to react. Remember what He did to Nabal (1Samuel 25:38). As we wait for Him however, we must love our enemies, pray for them, and feed them. It will take a greater love than my own to be able to love someone who raped my daughter. But then I am reminded that according to Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:20-26, I am already guilty of their murder at the very thought of what I would really want to do to him. So I am as guilty as he is. God sees us both the same, either covered by the blood of His Son or condemned as a sinner. Either way, neither of us deserve this gift. And where He sees His Son’s blood, He is also seeing the work of His Holy Spirit giving us the power to do his will. Romans 8:5 states, “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” So how we react, depends on whether we are in the flesh or in the Spirit.

Are We Facing the World?

A question I would rather avoid…wouldn’t you? But I know the answer. As I let my copy cat, four year old watch “School of Rock” because of the music, knowing that it really teaches rebellion, I know the answer is yes. With all of the t.v and video games these days, why are we surprised when our children rebel. I don’t love the world, rather hate it, as I do money, but I dangerously face it, as Jacob did. So all I really have to do is turn my tent around. Then eventually I will move further away. Impossible and foreign to my flesh, but through the Spirit all things are possible.

The Gift of Forgiveness

Jacob’s Sin Against Esau

In chapter 27 of the book of Genesis, Jacob sinned against Esau by stealing his birthright.

Genesis 27:30-34 Now it happened, as soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. He also had made savory food, and brought it to his father, and said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that your soul may bless me.” And his father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” So he said, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau. Then Isaac trembled exceedingly, and said, “Who? Where is the one who hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it before you came, and I have blessed him–and indeed he shall be blessed.” When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, “Bless me–me also, O my father!”

Our Sin against God

The Bible says that every wrong thing we do is a sin against God (1 John 5:17). The standard for what is right and wrong according to our Creator was given to us in the form of Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and Jesus expands on these commandments in Matthew chapters 5 to 7.

The Result of Sin: Esau’s Anger; God’s Wrath

Genesis 27:41 So Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father blessed him, and Esau said in his heart, “The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

John 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

Because of Esau’s anger, Jacob, by the advice of his parents, fled to Haran, his mother’s hometown. Twenty years later (with two wives and eleven children), the Lord told Jacob to return home.

Genesis 31:3 Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.”

The Gift of Forgiveness

On Jacob’s way home God opened Jacob’s eyes to see that His angels were with him. Genesis 32:1

So Jacob should have had nothing to fear, right? Well after sending messengers to Esau in order to ask for his brother’s favor, he is told that Esau and 400 men were coming to meet him. So Jacob panics and prays, then sends gifts to Esau in order to win Esau’s favor (Genesis 32:16-20).

And don’t we do the same? The first things we do when faced with opposition, in a frightening situation, is panic and, hopefully, pray. When people realize that they have sinned against God, many try to win God’s favor. So many times I find myself serving the Lord because I want Him to love me more. But then I realize that He can’t love me anymore than He already does.

Esau had plenty of his own livestock. He did not need Jacob’s (Genesis 33:9). And so the Lord has plenty and does not need anything we want to offer Him. The Lord went before Jacob and softened Esau’s heart. This gift of forgiveness could not and did not need to be earned, and Jacob certainly didn’t deserve it. Likewise, God showed His great love for us by sending us His son to die for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). This is a gift; nothing we can earn or that we even deserve.

So does this mean we can go on sinning? The apostle Paul answers that question directly in Romans chapter 6, but we can learn from Jacob’s example as well.

Genesis 33: 8-11 Then Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company which I met?” And he said, “These are to find favor in the sight of my lord.”

But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.”

And Jacob said, “No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me.

“Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” So he urged him, and he took it.

Jacob could have said, “Oh, well, since you don’t need any of this, I’ll just take it back.” We could say to God, “Oh, well, since you don’t need or want anything I do, I may as well just keeping on doing the things I have always been doing: lying, stealing, lusting. These things seem much easier to do than following all of your rules anyway.”

But Jacob did not take his gifts back. He had a change of heart. He was no longer offering the gifts to receive Esau’s favor, but to thank Esau for being so kind to him. It is in this heart that we must do the Lord’s will. Not because we want Him to love us more, but because He already loves us completely and He showed us how much He loves us by sending His son to die for us.

The Struggle to Confess and Repent

Before the Struggle:

Jacob was born grabbing the heal of his twin brother Esau, as his name suggests. While in their mother’s womb, Jacob and Esau were causing such a ruckus, struggling with each other, that Rebekah (their mother) sought the Lord’s council. The Lord told her that two nations were inside her womb; one nation will be stronger than the other, and the older son will serve the younger one (Genesis 25:22-23). As the story continues, Esau sells his birthright to his brother, Jacob, for a bowl of soup (Genesis 25: 29-34). Jacob continues to live up to his name by tricking his father, Isaac, into giving him his brother’s blessing (Genesis 27). Jacob is then sent to his mother’s home town, Haran, to find a wife, as well as to create distance between him and the wrath of his brother, Esau. Twenty years later, God tells Jacob to return home with his abundance of blessings accumulated during his stay in Haran, including livestock and children. On his way, he finds himself alone, on one side of a ford, struggling with God. The story goes as follows:

The Struggle:

Genesis 32:22-30   Now he arose that same night and took his two wives and his two maids and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.  He took them and sent them across the stream. And he sent across whatever he had.  Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” But he said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”  He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him and said, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And he blessed him there.  So Jacob named the place Peniel, for {he said,} “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.”  Now the sun rose upon him just as he crossed over Penuel, and he was limping on his thigh.

This is Jacobs’s second encounter with God. The first encounter took place on his way to Haran. During this encounter, Jacob dreamed of a ladder that ascended to God. God gave him the promises he gave to his grandfather Abraham and Jacob believed (see blog), and we get the picture that he almost ran to Haran in joy.

During this second encounter with God, Jacob wrestles until daybreak and will not give up. He will not repent. He will not confess his sins. He will not let God win, so God has to dislocate his hip.

A Sorrow that Leads to Repentance:

2 Corinthians 7:10  For the sorrow that is according to {the will} {of} God produces a repentance without regret, {leading} to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

It was the will of God to produce sorrow in Jacob that would lead him to repentance. Jacob could no longer run. He was humbled to a limp. And now God has the upper hand.

Isaiah 59:2  “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”

Luke 13:5 “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

A New Name; A New Life:

God says, “It is morning, let me go.”(Gen. 32:26)

“I won’t let you go until you bless me.”

“What is your name?” (27) In other words, I won’t bless you until you confess. Admit your name. Admit that you are a heal grabber, deceiver, sinner.

It wasn’t until Jacob confessed that he was blessed. And what a struggle it was to get him there. All night long, he struggled with God. Are you struggling with God? Unless we repent, we will perish. How long must He struggle with you? Tell him who you are. Confess your sins, before he humbles you so that you can no longer run.

Acts 3:19  “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;

It wasn’t until Jacob admitted who he was, a sinner/deceiver, that he received a new name. Likewise when we repent and turn to the Lord, we will also receive a new life in Christ.

 2 Corinthians 5:17  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Jacob believed God after his first encounter with Him and now, after his second encounter, the struggle, he submits to God. Likewise once we believe, we struggle to let go of who we were. Let it go and let Christ in. Confess your sins, turn to God and receive a new name and a new life in Him.

The Ladder

When Jacob was running from the threats of his brother Esau, he laid his head on a rock and had a dream.

“He had a dream in which he saw a ladder resting in the earth, with its top reaching into heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the Lord…” Genesis 28:12-13

A few thousand years later, Jesus went to Galilee and told Philip to follow Him. Philip found Nathaneal and told him that he had found the one Moses wrote about in the Law. Nathaneal was skeptical about anything good coming out of Nazareth, but was soon convinced after Jesus told him that he saw Nathaneal under the fig tree.

Then Jesus added, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” John 1:51

Angels ascending and descending on a ladder, on the Son of Man, on Jesus… Jesus is the ladder. And who is at the top of that ladder? Our heavenly Father!

Jesus is our access to our heavenly Father.

How? Paul explains in Romans 5:6-11 that when we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, no one is likely to die for a good person, though someone might be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s judgment. For since we were restored to friendship with God by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment by his life. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God-all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God.

And because of God’s grace, there are only two steps on this ladder.

Step one – Confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord

Step two – Believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead.

That’s it! Two steps!

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile–the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:9-13

Have you ascended up those two little steps and met your Heavenly Father? If you have done this for the first time today please let us know. We will lift you up in prayer to resist the temptations in this world.

Blessing our Children

A model for how to bless our children was shown to us when Isaac blessed Esau (Jacob in disguise). This tradition is continued by Orthodox Jews today and should not be overlooked by us Believers. Genesis chapter 27:26-37 outlines four steps to use when blessing our children.

The Touch

Isaac shows us that every blessing should begin with a touch.

Gen 27:26 – Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near now and kiss me, my son.”

27And he came near and kissed him;…

Even Jesus shows us that touch is necessary when blessing our children.

Mar 10:13 they brought young children to him, that he should touch them:

Mar 10:16 And he took them up in his arms, put [his] hands upon them, and blessed them.

It is through touch that we receive the blessing of the Holy Spirit.

Act 8:17 Then laid they [their] hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Acts 9:17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Acknowledge your Child’s Strengths

Gen 27:27(b) and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him and said:

“Surely, the smell of my son

Is like the smell of a field

Which the LORD has blessed.

Isaac knew that Esau was a hunter, a man of the field, and he acknowledges this about his son. It is imperative that we know the strengths that the Lord has given our children. You may see a musical talent in your child or a willingness to help. Your child may be a natural peacemaker or nature lover. These qualities must be acknowledged, for they are the qualities with which the Lord has already blessed in your child.

Know God’s Destination for your Child

Isaac knew God’s destination for Jacob.

Gen 27:28 – Therefore may God give you

Of the dew of heaven,

Of the fatness of the earth,

And plenty of grain and wine.

Gen 27:29 – Let peoples serve you,

And nations bow down to you.

Be master over your brethren,

And let your mother’s sons bow down to you.

Cursed be everyone who curses you,

And blessed be those who bless you!”

How can we know God’s destination for our child? We know through prayer, constant communion with the Lord, and the reading of the Word. As you pray for your child, as you lay your hands on your child, as you acknowledge your child’s strengths and the gifts God has already given him, He will show you what your child is destined to become. Speak this destination and blessing to your child as Isaac did to Jacob.

Commit to the Blessing

When Isaac realized that he had been tricked by his youngest son Jacob, he did not take back the blessing.

Gen 27:35 – But he said, “Your brother came with deceit and has taken away your blessing.” 36And Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!” And he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37 Then Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Indeed I have made him your master, and all his brethren I have given to him as servants; with grain and wine I have sustained him…

The Lord had given Isaac the “fat of the land” and he was committed to giving all he had to Jacob and ensure his blessing was fulfilled.

Commit to the blessing you have given your child. If you see your child as a doctor, commit to his schooling and understanding of the human body. If you see your child as a musician, commit to those music lessons. If you see your child as a family man or woman, commit to being a role model of respect and surround him or her with those who value the family. And remember that the blessing and our commitment to it needs continued prayer and guidance from our heavenly Father who blessed his own Son with the Kingdom of Heaven.