What are your thoughts, questions, and input as you read during this second full week?
I have been amazed at what a flawed human being Jacob appears to be- deceptive, conniving, and stealthy- and yet God chooses to use him and bless him. That gives me hope!
What are your thoughts this week?
Nick
6 comments:
We are having a great time reading the Bible with our two young children. So when we get to the parts our kids are not mature enough to hear, I change "sleep with" to "have supper with". I simply skipped Genesis 38. Anybody else having similar experiences?
Also, why is Jacob/Israel's name interchanged all the time after his name was changed to Israel? At the end of Gen 45, one verse it is Jacob, then Israel, then it refers to Jacob.
I am curious about the timing of these events. How long was Joseph with Potipher before Potipher noticed that everything Joseph undertook was blessed. How long was he there before the wife cried foul? How long was he in jail before the guard put him in charge? What does "some time later" mean before the cupbearer and baker were thrown in? As I read and wonder I'm aware that different cultures approach time differently than modern Americans do, but truly I think it's God's way of reminding us that things happen in His time, not ours. I don't get the impression that Joseph whined and complained about his circumstances. He learned the language and it's rather difficult to be so successful and blessed if you're whining and complaining all day. It seems like Joseph took what happened to him, made the best of it and waited on the Lord. A good lesson for me!
Lannie-
I know that Michelle has worked on getting the kids into "picture Bibles" which tell the same stories using many of the same words, but in a more age-appropriate manner. I guess we're not brave enough at this point to try and get all the kids to read with us together. Keep it up!
Not sure about the name being changed around, other than that throughout the Bible it continues- Jacob is most often referred to as Jacob, but Israel gets used as well.
Jen-
Good questions! Not sure I have answers! The only timeline ideas I did find was that Joseph was 30 years old when he became 2nd in command in Egypt, and this occurred 2 years after he first interpreted the cup-bearers dreams. When he did that, he had already been in prison for "some time" as you mention. We can also see that he was 39 when his brothers came- after 7 years of plenty, and 2 years of famine. I suspect he's a late teen when sold into slavery initially, but that just a guess.
Yes, all in all a reminder that God may not be in such a hurry to accomplish what He wants in and through us. Thanks!
I Job third son of Issachar?
I have never heard of Job being a son of Issachar. Did you run across that idea somewhere? It would fit within the timeframe in which most scholars believe the book occurred.
Interesting possibility. Anyone have some info on that?
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