January 5 + Daily Notes & Readings

DAY 5

How much time do you spend reading through these passages each day?  My hope is that you'll be able to have ongoing conversations with others who are reading, too.  Maybe pick a few days to read with a group (Sunday school, Bible study or family).

Of course, you want to remember what you read.  But don't get hung up if you find yourself forgetting details.  And certainly don't stop reading because you don't understand something.  Just read through at a slow and steady pace.  If you have time, reread passages to make sense of what's happening.  Psalm 1, my favorite of the psalms, reminds us that the delight of the blessed person "is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night."

So, even if you don't grasp all elements of every story every time you read it, as you continue to "meditate day and night" you'll discover new insights.  Keep reading!

You can't get out of Genesis without hearing about covenants.  Check out today's video that illustrates a good understanding of what covenants are.




Now, let's recall how Abram's family began to grow.

DAILY READING

Genesis 16-18, Psalm 5

DAILY NOTES

Genesis 16:2

• Read: God has restrained me, but, perhaps, through the slave girl I will be built up.
• Likewise, Hannah, in 1 Samuel 1, describes herself as "oppressed in spirit"  because she was unable to have children.  
• Her barrenness was a burden she endured along with Abram.  
• And look how obedient he was to her idea 😏

Genesis 16:3-6

• I believe the 10 years is a culture reference that allows for this kind of idea to be permissible.
• As such, the "wrong done" is related to the extra shame that Hagar has inflicted on Sarai.  
• I've read before that Hagar's new look at her mistress stemmed from the fact that she conceived so quickly.  So, Sarai must deserve this contempt because she had tried for years, but it only took one occasion for Hagar to get pregnant.

Genesis 16:7-12

• The first appearance of an angel?  Hagar says she is fleeing from the face of Sarai.
• Hagar receives a promise of future blessing upon her descendants because she has been afflicted in all this.  Sarai dealt harshly with her.  Both women have suffered.  

Genesis 17:1-8

• Notice what God requires of Abram.  This is no light task.  How do we know?  Beside just reading "blameless," after hearing from God, Abram falls on his face.  Now, I take that as a sign of fear and trepidation, but Abram falls on his face again in verse 17 and laughs at God.  So, what do you think?
• Abram's name change signifies a shift in his status.  He will not merely be an ancestor; he will be the ancestor to a "multitude of nations."  
• From this point forward, the writer automatically assumes the new name and refers to him as Abraham.  Likewise, in verse 15 when God tells Abraham of Sarai's name change, he automatically assumes her new name, Sarah.  

Genesis 17:10

• The sign of the covenant between God and Abraham.  Have a little fun and watch this video--one of my favorite jokes is at the 1:07 mark.  

Genesis 17:14

• I always appreciate a good pun.

Genesis 17:23-27

• Abraham follows through with God's command.  He and his entire household are circumcised "that very day."  Abraham's age is mentioned again.  I don't know if there is a connection to Ishmael's circumcision at 13 years of age and the designation of a bar mitzvah for a 13-year old.  Anyone know?

Genesis 18:1-3

• The Lord appeared, but Abraham saw three men.  Chapter 19:1 will tell us that two of these men are angels.  So, that means the third is the Lord.  Has something already changed in Abraham?  In the last chapter, when God appeared to Abram, he fell on his face and has nothing to say until God mentions Sarai will have a son.  This time, however, he is the first to address the men.  

Genesis 8:9-21

• Sarah's response, v12, at least in the NRSV is pretty tidy: I have grown old...  She is literally saying "when I am worn out."
• God doesn't see the problem with promising Sarah a son.  Praise the Lord that the will of God is not limited by our imagination or expectations.  There is no reason to laugh at what God has willed, unless you are confined to human understanding.
• These men have a task to do.  At least one will return to Abraham and Sarah once a child has been born.  The others have a judgement to bring upon Sodom.  
• We don't know what Sodom and Gomorrah's sin is, only that it is very grave and God is prepared to bring justice because of the outcry that has come out of the land.  What is the outcry?  

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

Hospitality is an important element of Jewish faith and life.  You can trace much of that back to Abraham's welcome of the 3 men.  Notice how Abraham goes above and beyond to welcome them.  You might say, "Yes, but he thought it was God or angels."  Maybe, but Hebrews admonishes us this way: Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

Names are important.  They are not mere identity markers; they are identity makers.  When you recall and understand the names of people, you can understand their role in the whole of the story.  For example, look at these name definitions and see how perfectly they match their characters:

Abram=High father
Abraham=Father of many

Sarai=my princess
Sarah=lady, princess, noblewoman

Hagar= (uncertain) flight

Ishmael=God will hear
Isaac=he laughed

In a biblical sense, your name tells your story (God's story).  What does your name mean?  Can you see a story of God within your life that relates to it?

Stay blessed...john