Genesis 47 is a pivotal chapter because it sets us up for the back story of Exodus because Moses answers the question: “How did the Israelites end up as slaves in Egypt?” This is a fascinating chapter, and it gives the details of the settlement...

Genesis 45 opens on an emotionally charged note. Joseph realizes that he loves his brothers. After all his angry posturing towards them, he breaks down. Joseph is weeping, and his brothers are, understandably, terrified. Here’s my question. Wha...

Have you ever said, “If I ever see __________ again, it will be too soon.” Just fill in the blank. In our story today, Joseph’s brothers go to Egypt. Joseph hadn’t seen his brothers for 22 years. The last thing they expected was to see each oth...

At this point, Joseph was 28 years old and had been in prison for about 8 years. He interpreted the dreams for two of the prisoners – the cupbearer and baker. He told the cupbearer that he’d be restored to his position and the baker that he wou...

The first 17 years of Joseph’s life were like a fairytale. Of his eleven brothers and one sister, his dad loved him best, and everybody knew it. His life was good. But his life quickly shifted from fairytale to nightmare. But why is this story ...

Joseph’s brothers didn’t even fake it with Joseph…they hated him and were jealous of him. Worse of all, they were indifferent to him as a human. They thought seriously about killing him. Then, they decided to make some money from him by selling...

Before we close out this section about the life of Jacob…before we turn our attention to his boys, we need to take a brief look at chapters 35–36. This chapter begins with God reiterating his promises to Jacob. Why did He bother to...

As we continue the saga of Jacob, we come to a critical moment in Jacob’s life. He had done a lot of things that he probably wasn’t proud of and now he was having to face some of those things. Chapter 33 opens with these words, “Jacob looked up...

The first half of his life could be summed up in one word, “con man.” Sure, he was a family man and businessman, and his name will be changed to Israel later in life, but what stands out most during that time of his life is that he was a hustle...

It’s important to remember that even though God chose Jacob before he was born, He still needed to bring him to a place where he would encounter God and be radically changed from the inside out. The turnaround in Jacob’s life began with a crisi...

Jacob was a wicked, deceitful, dishonest, and promiscuous man. Yet, despite his terrible behavior, he always came out on top. Jacob’s story is one long litany of self-centeredness, deceit, and success. As we read it, we need to ask the question...

Abraham had two sons. According to the text, Ishmael did not resemble his father, spiritually, at least. He did not receive God's covenant promises or possess his father's generous nature. Instead, his family “lived in hostility toward all thei...

Let's explore the behind-the-scenes story that reveals something different and refreshing about God. This story teaches us how to ACT and guides us on how to THINK about God. The story showcases the faith and character of Abraham, Eliezer, and ...

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the most significant event in human history, changing the game for all of us. It serves as a critical link between the book of Revelation and the book of Genesis, forming the foundation and cornerstone...

Are you finding it difficult to take God at his word? Then you need to hear the opening lines of Genesis 21:1–2: “Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bo...

In Genesis 18, we find Abraham pleading that God might spare the city of Sodom. Yes, he pled, primarily on behalf of the righteous, but his plea was that God spare the entire city! He asked if the Lord would judge the righteous and the wicked t...

In the book of Genesis, we can find answers to some of life's questions. One of the big questions is, “What is faith?” What does it mean to believe God? We’ve seen that Abraham was sometimes as unpredictable as the wind. But, despite his foolis...

Abraham’s story reminds me of reality TV b/c there is lots of drama. One minute, we’re hugely impressed by Abraham’s faith, and the next, we’re disgusted by his lack of faith. What is up with that? We have to remember that Moses is writing the ...

At the end of chapter 12, Abram's choices feel like they will undermine all of God’s promises. There have been times when I have felt like maybe I messed up God’s plans. Have you ever felt like that too? We are reading through Genesis. Today, o...

Chapter 12 signals a new beginning because it represents a turning point in the history of God’s relationship with humanity. In Genesis, we are looking at the beginning of everything. Today, our focus is on the beginning of getting humans back ...

We are in Genesis 10 and 11. After Noah and his sons exited the ark, God gave a command. He told them to replenish the earth. But God's command to replenish the earth is ignored. Today, we’ll see how that worked for them.

Genesis chapters 8 and 9 are literally filled with rainbows and sunshine! It’s where we learn about the Covenant God made with Noah and all humans, promising no more global destruction despite humanity's inclination to evil. It’s where God comm...

Last time, we talked about the first humans on earth. This week, Moses fast-forwards his inspired story 1500 years, from Adam and Eve to Noah. Moses starts this section by fast-forwarding through ten successive generations. In chapter 5, the te...