Feb 6, Acts 9, Genesis 35 & 36, Psalms 37

 

    Awe yes, the famous Acts 9: 

    The first part of the chapter details the miraculous conversion of Saul, who later became the apostle Paul. Saul, a devout Jew and enemy of the Christian church, was traveling to Damascus to persecute Christians when he was suddenly blinded by a bright light from heaven. Saul fell to the ground and said "who are you, Master? “He said, “Who are you, Master?” “I am Jesus, the One you’re hunting down. I want you to get up and enter the city. In the city you’ll be told what to do next.””  Saul was then led to Damascus, where he was filled with the Holy Spirit and baptized.

    There is a great example of faith in this story, when Ananias is asked by God to go and open the eyes of Saul he is rightfully scared, everyone knows that this man is the one who had been hunting down christians! Ananias obeys and goes to Saul and heals his eyes! 

    The second part of the chapter describes the plots against Saul by the Jews in Damascus, who were afraid of the impact of his conversion on their community. Saul was saved from these plots by being lowered in a basket through a window and escaping the city.

    He then gets into an argument with a hellenistic group who also began to plot his murder, his friends get word of it and manage to get him out of the city and sent him to Tarsus. The church began to grow and prosper through the entire country!

    The final part of the chapter recounts the raising of a woman named Tabitha, who was known for her good works and acts of charity. Tabitha became ill and died, and the apostle Peter was sent to her town to perform a miracle and raise her from the dead. This event confirmed the power of the gospel and the presence of the Holy Spirit among the early Christians.

Genesis 35

    Jacob is instructed to head back to Bethel to build an Alter, If you remember this was where Jacob had met with God earlier in the story. Jacob obeys and has his family make sure that they get rid of all the alien gods they have amongst them, all their idols and lucky charms and buried them. 

    God meets with Jacob and changes his name from Jacob to Israel - which as we discussed earlier means "God Wrestler" or "he who strives with God" and this also becomes the nations name that comes through this bloodline. It's a fitting name for them as a people as we will watch them wrestle with God. 

    Rachel Goes into Labor and has Jacob's youngest son Benjamin, This is when Rachel passes away and is buried in Bethlehem. 

    Bethlehem is mentioned several times in the Bible, and all references are to the same location: Bethlehem in Judea. Bethlehem is most famously known as the birthplace of Jesus Christ.

Genesis 35:19: Bethlehem is listed as one of the places where Jacob and his family settled after he left Paddan Aram.

Ruth 1:1-2: Bethlehem is described as the birthplace of Ruth, the main character in the book of Ruth.

Micah 5:2: Bethlehem is prophesied as the birthplace of a ruler who will be important in the future of Israel. This prophecy is fulfilled in the New Testament with the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.

2 Samuel 23:15-16: Bethlehem is mentioned as the birthplace of three of David's heroes who were members of his army.

    Keep an eye out for Bethlehem! Its an important city in the bible and is mentioned more than i listed above. 

    The bible likes to throw in examples of how people sin, fail, make mistakes etc. . . Here in Genesis we see “Israel kept on his way and set up camp at Migdal Eder. While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went and slept with his father’s concubine, Bilhah. And Israel heard of what he did. * * * 

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭35‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭MSG‬‬

    It's important to remember that just because the bible mentions it does not mean it is condoning the behavior. Later when moses gives the Levitical law, it is forbidden for a man to have sexual relations with his father's wife. According to Leviticus 18:8, "Do not have sexual relations with your father's wife; that would dishonor your father."

    The story continues by giving a list of Jacob's sons: 

There were twelve sons of Jacob. 

The sons by Leah: 

Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn 

Simeon

Levi

Judah

Issachar 

Zebulun. 

The sons by Rachel: 

Joseph 

Benjamin. 

The sons by Bilhah, Rachel’s maid: 

Dan 

Naphtali. 

The sons by Zilpah, Leah’s maid: 

Gad 

Asher. 

These were Jacob’s sons, born to him in Paddan Aram. * * *”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭35‬:‭22‬-‭26‬ ‭MSG‬‬

    The chapter ends with Jacob making it back home to his father Isaac who is now 180 years old. Isaac Dies and is buried with his wife Rebekah in the Cave of Machpelah, located in the field of Ephron the Hittite near Mamre (Genesis 49:31, 50:13). The Cave of Machpelah was purchased by Abraham as a burying place for his family and became the final resting place for many of the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Jewish people, including Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Leah.

Genesis 36

    Genesis 36 is a genealogy chapter that lists the descendants of Esau, also known as Edom. The chapter begins by stating that Esau took wives from the daughters of Canaan and that they were a source of grief to his parents, Isaac and Rebekah. Esau had several sons with these wives, and the chapter lists their names and descendants.

    The descendants of Esau are divided into six groups based on their geographic regions, and the chapter provides a detailed list of the rulers and clans of each group. These descendants are described as becoming a powerful and numerous people, but the focus of the chapter remains on the lineage of Esau.

    It's easy to want to look over these Genealogies, I asked chatGPT "is this an isolated chapter just for the sake of naming esau's children or do these names have significance in the rest of the bible" and this was how it responded. 

    "The names and genealogies in Genesis 36, as well as throughout the Bible, do have significance beyond just being a list of names. They serve to establish the lineage and ancestry of the characters, which is important in a culture where one's heritage and family history were highly valued.

    In the case of Esau, his descendants play a significant role in the history of the Jewish people and in the larger story of the Bible. For example, the Edomites, who were descendants of Esau, were seen as rivals to the Israelites, and their interactions and conflicts are mentioned throughout the books of the Old Testament.

    Additionally, the genealogies in the Bible also serve to establish the fulfillment of God's promises to the patriarchs. By tracing the lineage of the various characters, the genealogies demonstrate how God's promises were passed down through the generations and fulfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, who is a descendant of both Abraham and Jesse, the father of King David.

    Overall, while the names and genealogies in Genesis 36 may seem like just a list of names, they have a deeper significance and play a role in the larger story of the Bible."

    So it's worth letting the names get heard and into our minds as this gives us useful context for things that happen later on in the story. 

Psalms 37

    Psalm 37 is a psalm of David that encourages trust in God and provides guidance for living a righteous life. The psalm focuses on the contrast between the wicked and the righteous, and it emphasizes the ultimate fate of each group.

    The psalm begins with an exhortation to trust in the Lord and to not be envious of the wicked. David encourages the reader to be still before the Lord, to wait patiently for him, and to commit their way to him. He promises that the Lord will bring justice to the righteous and that the wicked will ultimately be cut off.

    Throughout the psalm, David reflects on the prosperity of the wicked and the challenges faced by the righteous. He encourages the reader to not fret or be angry, but to trust in the Lord and to do good. The psalm concludes with a reminder that the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.

    “Open up before God, keep nothing back; he’ll do whatever needs to be done: He’ll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭MSG‬‬

“I once was young, now I’m a graybeard— not once have I seen an abandoned believer, or his kids out roaming the streets. Every day he’s out giving and lending, his children making him proud.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭MSG‬‬