Jan. 11

Once again, quite the family tree is being created.
Once again, lots of incest, rape, and prostitution.
Once again, lots of deceit, child-bearing, and death.

I'm finding this portion of Genesis to be very informative, but I'm also finding it a bit disturbing.  We have this perception that God is this great power who is kind, trust-worthy, generous, and all-powerful.  He is all of those things, but when he decided to kill people or allow the rape, prostitution, and deceit to take place, it's hard to follow what exactly His plan is in all of this.  I just keep reminding myself that He does have a plan, as He does for all of us.  Therefore, my perception hasn't changed or been altered.  I guess it's just been broadened.  It kind of goes back to yesterday's reading where Jacob becomes Israel.  God came to Jacob in the form of a man and started a wrestling match with him.  It lasted all night and Jacob never gave up.  The "man" ended up touching Jacob's hip and causing him to have a limp for the rest of his life.  Instead of turning against the "man," Jacob asked for a blessing from him.  Sometimes God has to break us to make us stronger.  As we will read later in Corinthians, God's strength is made perfect in our weakness.  Like Jacob, we need to cling to God in our weak moments. 
I have always enjoyed the story of Joseph.  There is definitely a lot of favoritism displayed in the Bible.  The fact that Joseph was Jacob/Israel's "favorite" son and he treated him so differently is a hard concept to grasp.  I guess it's is just a sign of the times.  After all, there are all those theories out there that your firstborn is the "strong" one, your middle child is pretty much doomed, and your youngest is the baby....or whatever those theories are.  I suppose we all show some sort of favoritism among our children at different points, no matter how much we may deny it.  We just don't give them land, flocks, money, etc... to show them that.  Julie


Genesis 36-38
I have to admit that I am struggling a little.  All of this polygamy and sexual acts are throwing me off a bit.  I had no idea that people were so sexually impure back then.  I was going to pass this day up and not post b/c I don't have any thoughts that seem clear.  But....I decided to dig into Genesis 38 a little more.  It seemed like such a mess.  My thoughts were all over the place after reading it.  I started searching out explanations for it and I think I have a better grasp now.  The story is:
Judah had 3 sons.  The oldest son's wife was Timar.  Apparently his oldest son was very bad.  So bad, that God put him to death.  It didn't say why he was so bad but apparently God felt the need for immediate judgement.  In those days, an unmarried younger brother must step up and fill his dead brother's shoes.  So son #2 must step up.  Judah's second son, Onan, slept with Timar.  But, since he didn't really want to have children with her he purposely didn't get her pregnant.  Sounds like he used the pull-out method :)  He was put to death also.  Apparently his actions were not pleasing to God either.  So, the one son that Judah had left was still too young.  Judah told Timar that as soon as he was old enough he would have him lay with her and give her a son.  Well....the time came and Judah did not fill his promise.  His son was not told to go be with Tamar.  Tamar found out that Judah's wife died.  She decided that she would make sure she was going to get pregnant.  (Apparently in those days she is off the market b/c she was previously married and not a virgin.)  So Tamar dressed like a prostitute and approached Judah.  Judah fell for it, and got her pregnant.  He didn't have proper payment so he gave her a few of his belongs to hold on to until he returned with payment.  Sooooo.....Judah found out soon later that his widowed daughter-in-law has prostituted herself and got pregnant.  He ordered her to be brought to him and burned to death.  When she arrived she brought his belongings that she collected after they slept together.....he was busted!  He was the one that she sold herself to.  He was the father of her unborn baby.  He realized that he was the one that wronged her.  H should have sent her his youngest son.  Tamar then give birth to twin boys.  One of those boys will apparently show up again in the New Testament as ancestor of Jesus the Messiah.  Okay, I think I got it.  Nicole