DAY 065: JOURNEY THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR – GENESIS 36-39

March 4, 2024

GENESIS 36-39
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DAY 065: JOURNEY THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR

Today’s journey directs us through the family tree of Esau. Then we travel to the Valley of Hebron to find Jacob’s youngest son, Joseph, telling his older brothers that one day they would bow down to him. Unfortunately, the boy with the coat of many colors, found himself sold into slavery by his brothers. Our next stop is at Adullam. Here Judah, an older brother of Joseph and an instigator of selling Joseph into slavery, finds himself deceived by his daughter-in-law. The final stop of the day Potiphar’s house, Joseph’s got his hands full; or, does he?! Then an Egyptian prison.

Take a few minutes to seek God’s understanding of Genesis 36-39. After you finish praying, read Genesis 36-39. Now let’s take our trip through Genesis 36-39!

Genesis, the first book of the Jewish Torah and of the Christian Old Testament, was written by Moses as revealed to him by God. As God reveals the beginning to Moses, we are able to understand that God is continually giving second chances; another chance to better ourselves and the world in which we live.

Genesis 36-39: Our journey begins with a detailed description of Esau’s descendants. They were known as Edomites and eventually became bitter enemies of Israel. Jacob’s youngest son, Joseph, who was born by beloved wife Rachel, did not have a good relationship with his older brothers. The relationship between Joseph and his older brothers was destroyed when Joseph told them that they would bow down to him. His older brothers plotted to kill him but decided it lessened their responsibility for what may come to him to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The Ishmaelites sold Joseph to Potiphar, an Egyptian official, to be his slave. The brothers took Joseph’s coat, tore it, covered it with goat’s blood, and presented it to their father asking is this your son’s ornate coat, aka coat of many colors? Jacob, who had been renamed Israel by the Lord, was devastated. Judah, one of Joseph’s brothers and a leading instigator in selling Joseph to the Ishmaelites, moves to Adullam where he takes a Canaanite bride. His wife bore him three sons. Death, lies, and deceit follow. Returning to Joseph, who has been sold to Potiphar, an Egyptian official, by the Ishmaelites. Potiphar sees that God blesses everything that Joseph does and promotes him to be in charge of everything in his home and business except his food and his wife. A problem arises when Potiphar’s wife, seeing that Joseph is a handsome guy, wants to sleep with him. Joseph refused to dishonor his God through sin, or the trust Potiphar placed in him. Potiphar’s wife refuses to accept “No,” for an answer and Joseph is sent to prison, where Joseph’s works were also blessed. (Genesis 36:1-39:23)

Read chapters 36 through 39, and ask yourself these questions: Do you honor God in all that you do? How? How can you see God’s forgiveness, and willingness to give second chances? Why does God continue to forgive?

Godspeace!