January 3 + Daily Notes & Reading

DAY 3

I imagine that so far you've read a few familiar stories.  Have you noticed anything new about them?  Something you hadn't paid attention before, or something strange that stood out as you read?

That's what's great about the Bible.  With God's help, we can see and learn new things.

Ready for Day 3?

Check out this overview of Genesis 1-11.



Which part of Genesis 1-11 fascinates you most?

DAILY READING: Genesis 8-11; Psalm 3

Genesis 8:1

• It's not as that God is so absent-minded he would have forgotten about Noah.  God was mindful of Noah and "all the wild animals and all the domestic animals."  This remembrance, zakar, is a concentration, and the concentration leads to some action.  So, everyone and everything on the ark was on God's mind so much that it lead to God doing something.  Don't believe me?  After the text says God remember Noah, look at the very next sentence.  God did something.

Genesis 8:6-12

• We tend to talk about the dove Noah sent that never came back.  But Noah send a dove 3 times.  As we have seen before, when the dove came back, Noah waited on God.

Genesis 8:19

• The family has long been the foundation upon which the faith of God has been shared.  Think about the social commentary we have heard over the years about the deterioration of the American family.  As families lose their strength, unity and faith, the larger culture can expect to endure many negative consequences.

Genesis 8:21

• God accepts Noah's offering.  Remember Abel's offering that God favored?  It was Abel's first fruits.  Noah's offering makes me think of that.  When we need something, or we're worried about something, it's easy to think that we should "give God something" or do something out of the ordinary to, perhaps, get God to hear us.  What about after we've received a blessing?
• Here's a great, simple example of that concept.  A lot of people pray before they eat a meal.  That makes sense; you're grateful for what's in front of you.  What about praying after you eat, too?  It's a lot easier to pray when you're hungry than when you're full.

Genesis 9:5

• Human life remains a priority of care for God.  

Genesis 9:13

• God not only makes his promise to Noah, but also gives a sign so that all generations would be reminded of what God has said.  When we see a bow in the sky, we are reminded that God keeps his promises.  

Genesis 9:20-28

• The shame that Adam and Eve had in the garden comes to mind in this passage.  Noah is the first person to have a drink of wine.  It leads to his drunken sleep, unfortunately.  Notice that it is Ham that is cursed by Noah.  Was it just because Ham had seen him naked, and, thus, brought shame to both?  Or did Ham have other actions while Noah was asleep (sexual aggression or even castration?): "When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him (italics added)."  
• This passage is often referred to as the Curse of Ham.  As such, it has been used by supremacy groups to affirm slavery and the subjugation of black people.  That is a misguided reading of the text.  First, there are several explanations for why Ham was not cursed.  I go back to verse 1 of this chapter; God blesses Noah and his sons.  Noah cannot override God's blessing.  Secondly, the curse was stemmed from a specific action, not a specific people or origin.  
• Scripture has often been misused or misread in order to affirm ongoing biases and/or presumptions.  

Genesis 10

• Another reading of ancestors demonstrates that Noah and his family were able to repopulate the world.  
• You can also notice names of cities you've probably heard of in other Bible stories.
• Verse 10:8 is puzzling.  If Nimrod was the first warrior, who/what were the Nephilim of Chapter 6?

Genesis 11:1-9

• Babel means, literally, confusion.  That makes sense when you read the story and what God wanted to do.  The problem with the plan of the people is captured by one word: ourselves.  The people wanted to make this grand city and a heaven-reaching tower for themselves.  I wonder if these people practiced offerings to God.  If so, you can see how easy it can be to fulfill your religious obligations while living for yourself.  
• The people fear, if they don't make a name for themselves, they will be scattered throughout the face of the earth.  Have you noticed since chapter 1 how many times the word face has been used?  That's been something I have taken note of throughout our reading so far.
• Remember in the garden that God was concerned that Adam and Eve would eat the fruit of the other important tree.  That was the reason for dismissing them from the garden.  God seems to have the same kind of concern about these people.  The reason for confusing them is to keep them from being able to do what they wanted.  Consequently, what the people feared would happen, happened anyway.

Genesis 11:29-32

• This is the final link between the reestablishment of the world's population and the call of Abram.  Everyone we hear about from now on will be in relation to Abram (Abraham).

Do you have any notes or questions for today's reading?

Stay blessed...john