We may have no assurance, coldness, and small desire to pray. Isaiah 50.10 is a good solution: ‘Who is among you.. that walketh in darkness and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.’
‘And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padan-aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother.’
‘And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.’
Why did the Lord institute the sabbath day, and in what way has it changed with the coming of Christ? This article responds to these questions, showing that the sabbath principle is still God’s will for believers today.
‘And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.’
‘And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.’
‘And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground.’
‘Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.’
‘After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.’
‘And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.’
Abram, by faith, leaves his former life and culture and receives seemingly unfulfillable promises. Soon he is tested and falters, yet God had already provided a solution. Here are the lessons for today, and how those four mighty promises are fulfilled in believers even now.
The seeds of the woman and the serpent will always be in conflict (Genesis 3.15), but Babel marked ‘world government’ and supremacy of idolatry. God scattered languages and people to preserve the godly line and show the ungodliness of world social reformation as a goal for believers.
‘And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.’
‘And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.’
‘And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.’
‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.’
It is often claimed by those cynical toward the Bible that Genesis 1 is contradicted by Genesis 2. But these claims are so obviously mistaken and easily refuted. Genesis is amazingly precise and consistent as narrative.
It is enough to know and believe what the Word of God has revealed, that the holy angels of God take special care of each believer. In this respect angels are collectively called ‘their angels’ (Matthew 18.10). They are said to encamp about them that fear the Lord (Psalm 34.7). This is further evident by the many services which angels do to them and for them.
Aesthetic worshippers believe that genuine praise needs a ‘physical’ dimension greater than mere unison singing. It assumes that God is an ‘aesthete’ – sitting in the heavens and looking down with appreciation at the skill and beauty that we bring before Him.
A divine covenant is a pledge by God to relate to mankind on certain conditions. God does not relate to man in a haphazard, random, disorderly way, but in accordance with clear principles and purposes, reflecting his holy nature and requirements.
Genesis is the foundational book of the entire Bible, chronicling the origin of the universe and the human race, the entry of sin into the world, and the launching of the history of redemption. Many Christians do not know that all the great doctrines of the faith are introduced in this book.
‘And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?’
All manifestations of racial disrespect are disgraceful to sincere Christian people. They flow obviously from the Fall of man. All hatred, all superiority, all disdain, all persecution of ‘other’ ethnic groups and religions, together with all ideological persecution (which is the greatest killer in modern times), and all class prejudice is forbidden by the sixth commandment – ‘Thou shalt not kill.’
‘And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.’
New believers when truly enlightened and saved are moved to make a pledge or vow to God, which will be renewed and deepened throughout this pilgrimage. Here are the important features of such vows, their scope, and their benefits and blessings.
‘And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.’
‘This covenant [grace] is the only city of refuge for a distressed soul to fly to for sanctuary, when all the billows and waves of temptation run over him, or Satan doth furiously assault him. If we fly to this armoury, we can never want weapons to resist the devil.’ – Benjamin Keach (1640-1704)
The Biblical account of the Garden of Eden and the fall of mankind is the most profound and searching record of the beginning of sin in all literature. Dismissed in ignorance, it traces the loss and the regaining of vital contact with God.
‘And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.’
‘And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.’
‘And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.’ Full chapter _____________ Genesis 39 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, … Continued
A brief study of what it means to be ‘one flesh’, mainly expounding and applying to marriage the terms used by the apostle in 1 Corinthians 13. Often surprising and always challenging, these provide the principles for harmony and happiness in the sanctified life. Full chapter _____________ Genesis 2 Thus the heavens and the earth … Continued
You May Be Also Interested in… Sermon: Salvation at the Dawn of History And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. And … Continued
You May Be Also Interested in… Book: The PromiseSermon: God Keeps His Promises And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: … Continued
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2) The deeper things of life are so easily crowded out today. Here at the … Continued
Full chapter _____________ Genesis 15 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer … Continued
Full chapter _____________ Genesis 42 Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another? And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and … Continued
Six major features of the world that can be explained by the creative work of the God of Scripture, but that cannot be explained by evolution.
Full chapter _____________ Genesis 22 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him … Continued
The Bible is a book of ‘reformations’ from beginning to end. One of the great cables or themes running through its narratives is the calling out of the world of the people of God, their (repeated) re-absorption over time by the wiles of the devil, and their victorious reclamations as a distinctive people. [School of Theology address]
The greatest tragedy of modern life is that so many people are deprived of any knowledge of a real relationship with God. Here is one of the first accounts in the Bible of how we may come to experience and know Him. This is Jacob’s great discovery.
From the beginning to the end of the Bible, the way of finding Almighty God never changes. Remarkably, the life of Cain so long ago shows the same bitter resistance to God that we maintain until the day we turn to Him for free forgiveness.
Marriage at the beginning established for all time; man’s headship in the light of the equality of men and women before God; marriage as a covenant; the nobility of the unmarried; the way of courtship; a husband’s duties and the divine promise of 1 Peter 3.7.
The funeral of Jacob shows the gratitude of Egypt toward him, the reformed character of his sons and the supreme importance in his life of the future promises. Here also is the training of Joseph and his legacy, and how we must always live for eternity.
Jacob’s sons and their tribes are formally blessed and assured of God’s future presence. Warnings are included and positive tribal traits listed, which would combine to equip all Israel. Here also are prophecies of Messiah, and lessons for Christ’s people today, which Israel typified.
Jacob waits for God’s sanction before entering Egypt. Why his listed family names are so significant. God’s plans unfold. Why Egypt? The reasons unveiled – how the church and the seed royal would be spiritually preserved. Lessons from the adoption of Joseph’s sons and the blessing of Reuben.
While the guiding providence of God is notable in Joseph, equally vital is his life-long goal for the repentance and restoration of his brothers (a church typified). Here his strategy is traced for securing conviction, change, reconciliation and provision, mirroring (perhaps including) evangelical conversion.
Joseph in Egypt being prepared by the Lord: the young man’s patience, diligence and integrity; plus fifteen ways in which he is undoubtedly a type of the Great Deliverer, with remarkable examples of God’s providential oversight of His own. Spiritual lessons for today from events.
14 chapters cover Joseph’s history! How can such a deliverer not be a type of Christ? We must reject trivial ideas that Jacob spoiled Joseph, who was disloyal and naive in reporting his brothers’ sins and telling them his dreams. Here are the realities of his spiritual training.
Here we find four foundational and timeless principles of the Godly union between Man and Woman; Comparability, Compatibility, Completeness and Complementarity.
Teenager Dinah goes into the Hivite town only to be seduced by the prince. Her motive; the hypocrisy of her brothers; their terrible revenge; the family imperilled. Why were Jacob’s offspring so wayward? The purpose and lessons to the church of this record. God’s restoration.
Jacob, enriched, returns to the Promised Land after 20 years greatly afraid that Esau will attack him. His two prayers are here examined, especially the hours in wrestling and pleading with God. Here are God’s purposes with the encouragements and challenges for our praying.
The theophany at Bethel and Jacob’s response. A sense of God the goal of preachers. The shocking fraud in marriage – what should Jacob have done? His spiritual virtues. His preparations for home; were his breeding methods credible? Lessons for posterity, and church and world again separated by God.
Two distinct peoples were born to Rebekah. Isaac though godly never accepted that Jacob should have the entire heritage. He wanted Esau to head the family, while Jacob bore the seed royal. But God once again separated church and world. Here are the lessons.
Abraham’s mature faith – noble, magnificent trust; why he received such a hard test; the lessons for us; his reasoning and conclusion; his secret of submission to God; Isaac’s heroic faith and young believers; Jehovah Jireh – the Lord sees ahead and provides; exercising precious faith.
Unknown to Abraham God prepares for him a believing royal neighbour, but the patriarch repeats an old failing. Then Ishmael at 17 persecutes infant Isaac and Sarah realises the seed of the serpent aims to seize the inheritance. God restores separateness to the church. The lessons.
God disclosed to Abraham the destruction of Sodom because his descendants (the church) would ever need to be out of the culture of a world due for destruction. The deliverance of Lot pictures the embarrassment that believers may be found immersed in the world when judgement comes.
At a time when many evangelicals want to be part of worldly culture, we take note of the sorry results of Abram and Sarai’s identical mistake – seeking a godly outcome by worldly means. Then the rich lessons for the Lord’s renewed covenant.
Here is the first prophet of the Bible, the first vision, the first mention of justification by faith, and other ‘firsts’. How Abram’s seed resemble stars, and how Abram saw Christ as chief among them and believed God. Here also is the meaning of the burning furnace and lamp.
Abram’s renewed faith; how Lot, though godly, gradually declines in commitment to his earthly hurt; God’s enlarged promises to Abram and the condition of faith met; faith in the rescue of Lot; Abram discloses his vow to God and his refusal of earthly help, with lessons.
Abraham responds to God’s four ‘I will’ promises despite impediments to faith. Sarai’s view of marriage. A nomad for God – principles for today. The lie to Pharaoh to preserve the promised seed a momentary loss of the four promises; lessons for us.
The line of Shem (seed of the woman) had become too close to the line of unbelief when mankind rebelliously built Babel. Judgement forced dispersal to predetermined locations and called out God’s people. Here is the meaning of the dramatic event.
In this historical event is the first imperative ‘come’ of the Bible, a rich type of faith, judgement to come, grace and eternal security. Here too are attributes of God, persisting human depravity, and the theme running through Scripture – the gulf between the world and the church.
By Noah’s time the church of Adam and Seth had so degenerated that it became intertwined with the world – the line of Cain, and the moral breakdown of both was complete. Heroic Noah and family would alone survive. Here are the lessons of the Flood.
As Genesis 3 foretold, the ages-long history of hostility of the world toward the church begins, Abel then Seth representing the godly. Here also is the first death, God’s call of mercy to Cain, the warning, the curse, and the defiance of unbelief.
The arrival of guilt and sin, shame and conscience. The serpent’s method then (and now), the choice of disobedience, the compound sin, the consequences, the beginning of enmity between the church and world, and the Gospel of the promised seed; with observations and application.
Proving there are no contradictions between Genesis 1 and 2; the Sabbath established, and its purpose; the Garden located; its central trees; the covenant test of man; the profound method for forming the woman and its lessons for marriage throughout time.
A new series in Genesis. Why God phased creation over six days; why the particular order; the full glories of light; the higher purpose of night; the picture of a divine craftsman working to the pinnacle of all – mankind. How the literal view deepens faith.
The Bible presents the only meaningful explanation of the source of evil behaviour in the world, showing that it stems from wilful independence from God, and self-indulgence. Here is how it began, its extensiveness, its effects, and how, amazingly, people may be forgiven and restored by God.
