Title: From the book of Genesis - The coming King Jesus is predicted
(S) Gen 49:10 "The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his. He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch. He will wash his garments in wine,"
(O) I like that - that the scepter and the ruler's staff is waiting - until he comes to whom it belongs - wow - all the foreshadowing that the king is coming.... no wonder they were looking for a regal type ruler and king rather than a baby in a manger --- this sounds like a ruler holding a scepter with the nations in obedience - not the way Jesus came the first time.... but many of the descriptions of Christ are the same descriptions that are used in the New Testament --- "I am the vine" .
(A) The two images of Jesus are often portrayed - the vine - the one who has robes that are colored red - in blood of grapes - the suffering Jesus - but also the returning and victorious Jesus with a sceptor - that is why there was confusion. I wonder what kind of a Jesus I think about - a suffering Jesus or a victorious one. As He lives victorious - I should think about him as a strong conqueror - and not as a weak compliant God.
(P) God help me to see you as a strong deliverer - able to do the impossible.
Title: The burial place
(S) Gen 49:30-31 (Jacob speaking) "Bury me with my fathers in the the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, along with the field. There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah.."
(O) Here we are again - at this place the some call Mecca - no mention of Ishmael or Hagar....--- another thing - no mention of Rachel the wife that he loved and the mother of Joseph and Benjamin - nor of Bilhah and Zilpah who each had 2 sons by Jacob..... or perhaps only Leah is of importance because she is the mother of Judah - who is the ancestor of Christ.
(A) ??
(P)??
Title: What is the concept of after death to the people of Genesis?
(S) Gen 49:33 "When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people."
(O) 1. He is giving instructions to his sons until his last breath. 2. He dies and then is gathered to his people - is this heaven - where are his people - is there an afterlife if there is no salvation through Christ at this point - if so - who went there - the righteous I assume - but
(A) As we get older our children no longer regard our decisions in the same way as we do lose our ability to be as good as we once were..... and yet here is Jacob - giving instructions until his last breath... would things survive if our children did not handle those things we can no longer handle.... no - instructions at some point must be limited and selective as they become better at many things......
(P) Help us pass on instructions and training wisely - and to let go where we should...
Notes
- Jacob was embalmed
- The Egyptians mourned for Jacob seventy days - and he was a despised Hebrew
- Joseph takes Jacob to bury him in Canaan and all the Pharaoh's dignitaries of his court accompany him...... what a send off.
- When they came to the Jordan the lamented loudly for 7 days
- they buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah
- This huge company and Joseph returned to Egypt
Title: Receiving forgiveness - very difficult for most people.
(S) Gen 50:15 "When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?"
(O) I once heard of a minister who put an imaginary hat at the front of the church and asked everyone to put all their mistakes and things that they wanted forgiveness for, all of their hurts, grudges, etc. He then waited as people came up and pretended to drop them in --- he then said that in real life that most people would come back and take those things back that they had dropped in the hat as they had lived with those hurts and lack of feeling forgiven for so long that we would find it hard to live without these hangups.
(A) When God forgives us - he throws it in the deepest ocean - when we truly forgive someone - we do not think of it anymore - therefore if someone has forgiven us - it is the same and we should not think of it anymore and we should realize that God has forgotten our mistakes and so should we.
(P) Never think of things we have done wrong if God does not remember them - just get on with living.
Title: Are we lower or higher than angels???
(S) Psalm 8:5 "You made him (man) a little lower than the heavenly beings."
(O) In Corinthians it says we will judge angels (that is Christians will judge angels) and so when we are saved our status as ordinary human changes and like Christ we become sons and daughters of God - we are washed and without sin and so now we change status and are higher than the angels.
(A) Angels are doing battle for us daily holding back the evil that is attacking us but just the fact that we will judge angels -- is interesting - they can fall - like Lucifer ..... should be realizing the great battle that goes on to protect us daily and be thankful.\
(P) Thank you Lord for your daily protection that I would be amazed at if I knew or could see it.
Title: Yes those that were righteous according to their knowledge will be resurrected. This answers my question above re Genesis.\
(S) Luke 20:37 (Jesus speaking) "..even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord 'the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive."
(O) There is a resurrection - for those who were righteous before Christ came - they were judged according to their knowledge and opportunities - and will be resurrected.
Title: Watch out for that feeling that I am important.
(S) Luke 20:46 "Beware of the teachers.....love to be greeted in the marketplace... have the most important seats.... devour widows houses.... for a show make lengthy prayers... Such men will be punished most severely.
(A) The warning here is clear - stay humble if you are a teacher of the word of God or you will be in very great trouble. Not a job to be taken lightly.
(P) Knowledge comes with the responsibility to be very humble.....help with that challenge oh Lord.
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