Week 33, Day 3: The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
Today’s Reading: Genesis 28:1-22
Some thoughts from the reading…
It is quite interesting to note how God is spoken of in these early chapters of the Bible, among the Patriarchs. For example, in Genesis 27:20, while explaining how he was able to kill game so quickly, Jacob said that the Lord “your God” (speaking to Isaac) had provided it. At that point, it seems that Jacob was not accepting Jehovah as his own, but rather looking on Him as the God of his father. It is not until chapter 28 that we see Jacob accepting Jehovah as his God. In this time (before the written word of God) we see God revealing Himself to each new generation, repeating the promise and encouraging that generation to be faithful to Him.
Today, the responsibility of passing on a knowledge of God is placed upon parents. Each parent must teach the generation that follows them the word of God so that they will know how to be pleasing to Him. God is not going to appear to anyone, as He did with Jacob in this passage, to tell them what they need to do. It is a tremendous responsibility that is placed upon parents today, and we cannot shirk that responsibility. Often, parents fail to found children in their faith, so that they falter, or fall away completely when they depart from their parents’ house. It is important to not just teach our children what the Bible says, but to teach them why we believe the things that we believe. It is not good enough to just tell them what they must believe.
Throughout the Bible, God is often referred to as “the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” We see the promises passed through those generations, as God revealed Himself to each one. We should make it our goal to ensure that we pass the promises of God down through our generations today. Can we say that His promises have been passed through at least 3 generations? Can we be the starting generation dedicated to passing His will through to our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren?
Question: What dangers must parents today avoid to ensure that faith is passed on to their children?
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Week 33, Day 2: Favoritism in the Home
Today’s Reading: Genesis 27:1-46
Some thoughts from the reading…
In this chapter, we see the results of favoritism in the family. Remember, we were told that Rebekah loved Jacob, but Isaac loved Esau. Because they each loved one of their sons more than the other, they caused great distress in their home. Rebekah worked with Jacob to deceive Isaac, and steal the blessing that rightfully belonged to Esau. Now, Jacob had stolen both the birthright and the blessing that belonged to Esau. Of course, Esau was angry about what had been done to him, and determined that he would kill his brother, as soon as his father was dead.
This caused Jacob to have to flee from Esau, and he would be gone for many years. We will see his travels and exploits over the next several chapters. The favoritism that was shown between these sons caused a turmoil that would last for hundreds of years. In fact, the later prophets would still be discussing the turmoil between Edom (the descendants of Esau) and Israel (the descendants of Jacob).
There is a warning in this account for parents. They should not show favoritism to their children as they are raising them, else they can cause great problems within their own families. These problems may last for many years, and cause irreparable damage to the relationship between siblings, and even between children and parents. This type of favoritism is often shown in different ways. Perhaps one parent likes sons better than daughters, or vice versa. Perhaps, like with Isaac and Rebekah, one child is chosen over another. This may manifest itself in a double standard in how the children are treated. Is one child punished for an action, and another allowed to do it without recourse? Is one child required to do chores and participate in the work of the family home while another is allowed to do whatever they desire?
Many parents may not even realize they are showing favoritism in their families. But, it can be sure that the children know when it is present! It is sad to see siblings that are shown favoritism use it against their own siblings. This can cause damage in relationships that will never be fixed between both parents and siblings. This type of favoritism often continues on for many generations, causing problems among even extended families. Parents must be very careful to make sure that they are treating their children the with the same care and concern, and love.
Question: How might favoritism in a family be detrimental to the spiritual development of children?
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