Genesis 40:5-15

 5 Then the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation.

Again we see God’s hand working in the story. These weren’t ordinary dreams that pass away when you wake up. They were dreams they both remembered and could sit up and compare with each other. They will be found to be prophetic. Each has his own individual dream which would each have an individual interpretation.

And however many people there were in the prison, only these two are given the memorable dreams. Even Joseph doesn’t have one. It all points to God’s superintendence over the situation which is intended for us to understand that what is happening was planned by Him to meet His purposes.

6 And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they weresad.

Here we see that Joseph isn’t bound in the prison, but he was bound in prison. In other words, he did had freedom to move around. In the morning, he came to them and saw their faces. The Hebrew word here is zoaphim. It indicates being enraged.

They had these dreams and they were angry that they had no way of knowing what they meant. If they weren’t in prison, but rather still in Pharaoh’s court, they could have a magician interpret them.

7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in the custody of his lord’s house, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?”

Madua penkhem raim – Why are your faces evil? For Joseph –

Just one look; that’s all it took, yes, just one look
He could tell that things weren’t right
There was something bothering the cupbearer and the cook
Something had changed about them during the night

He knew something was wrong by the change in their faces.

8 And they said to him, “We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.”

They tell him that together they had dreams. Their answer shows that they were angry because “there is no interpreter of it.” If only they weren’t in this prison, then they could get an answer. But if God is going to give them a dream which should be interpreted, Hewill give an interpreter for the dream he has given.

It would make no sense otherwise. A dream from God with no interpretation would be a contradictory concept and so Joseph responds accordingly…

8 (con’t) So Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.”

Why would God give a dream and not tell you what it meant
This doesn’t make sense, so please tell it to me
Maybe this is the reason why to prison I have been sent
Interpretations belong to God, surely you must agree

If the dream is from God, then it is given to be interpreted because “interpretations belong to God.” The Source of the dream will be the Source of the interpretation. If Joseph interprets the dream, it is because God has so used him. He’s not claiming to be God’s appointed interpreter, but he is saying the he could be God’s appointed interpreter.

Daniel explained this when he stood in the presence of King Nebuchadnezzar –

“Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. 28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days.” Daniel 2:27-28

And so, like Daniel, Joseph says that God is the interpreter. He doesn’t say “the Lord” but simply God. A pagan would have no reference as to who Jehovah is, but everybody realizes who God is, whether they admit it or not. If someone has a dream from God, then there must be God who gave the dream.

II. The Resurrection of Life

9 Then the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “Behold, in my dream a vine was before me,

The chief cupbearer speaks first. It doesn’t say why, but when we get to the baker, it will say that he spoke when he saw that the first interpretation was good. I’d suggest that he was scared of speaking up first as his dream disturbed him. When you see what this is pointing to, you will understand why he was afraid.

We might ask, “What are we afraid of?” Are you afraid of a bump in the night? Maybe of financial ruin? Are you afraid of losing a loved one? What about death? Death is pretty permanent and it is 100% guaranteed. Are you ready for yours?

Lord, I don’t think about it often, but I know I will die
Everyone before me has, and in me it will happen too
Only Jesus came back from that place, and so I must ask, “Why?”
What can make me rise again? What is it that I must do?

There is a way to be freed from that fear. Stay tuned and I’ll explain it. In the dream, the cupbearer says that he saw a vine. This is an obvious connection to his office. He is the cupbearer and there is a vine. In Hebrew, the word is gephen and comes from an unused root which means to bend, just as a vine bends as it grows.

In Hosea 10:1, Israel is likened to a vine and in John 15:5, 6 Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”

The symbolism is given for us to see Jesus if we can think the picture through clearly. There is an immediate fulfillment which we’ll see in this chapter, but there is an ultimate fulfillment in what will come about in Christ. Stay tuned for the exciting details…

10 and in the vine were three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes.

Right before the cupbearer’s eyes, the vine showed three branches which budded, made blossoms, and clusters of ripe grapes. It was as if he were looking at a time-lapse scene on a movie. From vine to grape before his eyes.

Something similar happens overnight after the exodus. When there was a challenge to the priesthood of Levi, the Lord told Moses to have each tribe bring a rod forward with its name inscribed on it. When they did, the following happens as is seen in Numbers 17 –

“And Moses placed the rods before the Lord in the tabernacle of witness. 8 Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds.” (7:8)

The almond has its significance (shaqed) and the vine has its own. God uses the natural, including agricultural themes, to show us how He works out his plan of redemption. There is never a detail which isn’t exciting in how it fits into the larger themes of the Bible. The more you read this book, the more the themes fit together and the more they reveal of the wisdom of God.

numbers, colors, dust, almonds, wheat, barley, etc. water, types of metal, directions, different animals, incense,

He uses created things to make spiritual applications. Because He created these things, the applications will always fit perfectly with the picture He wants to show us. This book has an unlimited supply of intelligence mixed with love, all put together so that we can understand Him better.

11 Then Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”

No sooner had the vine budded, blossomed, and put out grapes than the cupbearer was pressing them into Pharaoh’s cup and the cup was being handed to him.

You can learn something about commentators from reviewing their commentaries on this verse. You can see which scholars were teetotalers and which weren’t. Those who are opposed to any hint of drinking alcohol will invariably say that the ripe grapes being brought in and squeezed into the cup was grape juice, not wine.

And then there are those who look at these verses in the context of the whole dream. If the cupbearer saw the vine spread, blossom, bud, and put forth fruit in a single day, then the obvious connotation concerning the pressing of the grapes is that it was his job – whether fermented or not; he was in charge of the process.

This verse has nothing to do with whether the cup had alcohol or not, but rather it is speaking of the process of supplying the king with the fruit of the vine. Little distractions like these among scholars diminish the importance of the passage through petty peeves. And they cause me to grind my teeth…

12 And Joseph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days.

The dream is obvious and yet at the same time it requires a spark of divine interpretation to understand that the branches are three days. Seeing that, the rest falls into place. The term he uses is sheloshet yamim hem – “yet three days.” Before the third day is over, it will come to pass, not at all unlike the death of Christ who was resurrected on the third day.

In the Hebrew way of saying this, we get a sense of what other passages in the Bible mean as well. “The three branches are three days”, “this bread is my body”, “this cup is my blood.” In the Hebrew language a one to one comparison is often used to say something represents something else.

This is why when we take communion, we don’t believe that the bread is literally Jesus’ body, nor is the cup literally Jesus’ blood. That was never the intent of His words, though many attempt to justify this in their theology. DISCUSS trans/con/spiritual/symbolic

13 Now within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand according to the former manner, when you were his butler.

The explanation is complete with this verse. Within three days the cupbearer will be brought back into favor with the Pharaoh. One commentator says that each year the Pharaoh would make a new list of his high officials. On or after the previous birthday they were removed from the list and now the list was being updated.

This would be similar then to the president appointing cabinet officers each term and it would make sense as to why this comes about on his birthday. All in all, it’s good news for the cupbearer.

14 But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house.

When Joseph speaks, there is no hint that his interpretation could be incorrect. He is so confident in it that he says to the cupbearer that “when it is well with you….” This shows with certainty that he knew what would occur. Which brings us back to his own dreams.

He already knew that his brothers would bow down to him, but he didn’t know how. To ask the cupbearer to intercede for him would be a stretch on even a good day, but he may believe that this was his divinely appointed path to freedom.

15 For indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon.”

Joseph says gunab ganabthi – “Stolen! I was stolen.” I was taken away from the land of the Hebrews, and I’ve done nothing here to be thrown into this dungeon. The word for “dungeon” is bowr. The same word used to describe the pit his brothers threw him into.

We simply can’t miss the usage of the words which have been given in order to understand what is being pictured. The term ha’sohar or “round room” was used twice. The term bowr, or “pit” is used here. The symbolism is that of a round pit, like a tomb.

Jesus was in the tomb, having done nothing deserving of death. And He was “stolen away from the land of the Hebrews.” Instead, His message has gone to the gentiles… just like Joseph. Keep thinking as we go, it will all make sense.

Genesis 37:12-14

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12 Then his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” So he said to him, “Here I am.” 14 Then he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.” So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem. ~ Genesis 37:12-14

Today, we continue our study of the life of Joseph. Just as God spoke His wisdom to us through stories out of Jacob's life, He did the same through the life of Joseph. In doing so, God didn’t present Joseph as perfect, but rather exposed him for all of us to see. The patriarchs of Israel were no different than we, they struggled to walk with the Lord as we do and I find that quite encouraging. Through these stories we see the struggles in the lives of people who loved God and wanted to love Him even more. As we watch God interact with them, we get a sense of what it looks like to have a personal relationship with Him. 

In v.12-13 of today's passage we read, "12 Then his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, 'Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.' So he said to him, 'Here I am.'"

Jacob, the father of Joseph, was at this time, living in Hebron which was about 60 miles away from Shechem. During this period, Joseph had his dreams concerning his brother's sheaves bowing down to his sheaf, and then the 12 stars and the sun and moon bowing down to the Lord Jesus. After this, his brothers went back to Shechem to feed their flocks. Shechem was the same place where Jacob and his family had once lived, the place where Jacob's sons had killed all of the men of the town.  

The name "Israel" is mentioned only twice in this chapter; the first to describe Jacob's love for Joseph and the second when Jacob spoke to Joseph directly. Later, when he hears of his son’s supposed death, he will be called Jacob. There is Jacob, the deceiver, who will be deceived, and there is Israel who struggles with God. In this verse, he is Israel.

And so Israel said to Joseph, the beloved son, "Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem?" This question was a way of introducing a line of thought. It is a rhetorical question like others frequently used throughout both the Old and New Testaments. The question was actually a statement of fact. With the usage of this question, Jacob was preparing Joseph for his directions. By introducing this thought as a question, it alleviated the explanation. Jacob told Joseph where his brothers were and what they were doing. As a result, all he had to do was to give his directions and then anticipate Joseph's response. 

At this point in the narrative, Jacob was a picture of God the Father. Joseph pictured the Lord Jesus. Joseph was hated by his brothers, something which was specifically noted earlier in this chapter. The Lord Jesus, likewise, knew He would be hated by His countrymen. Jacob then sent His most beloved son similar to way that God the Father sent His Son from His heavenly home to this wicked world. 

As soon as Jacob spoke, Joseph responded, and he did so without hesitation in his words. Joseph replied, "Here I am." In Hebrews 10:5-7 we read, "5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: 'Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. 7 Then I said, 'Behold, I have come in the volume of the book it is written of Me to do Your will, O God.'" Quoting Psalm 40 the Lord Jesus responded in the same manner as Joseph.

In v.14 of todays passage we read, "Then he said to him, 'Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.' So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem."

Literally, Jacob said to Joseph, "go see if there is peace." Jacob wanted to make sure that his sons were ok. If so, Joseph was to bring back the news. This shows that Jacob had assigned Joseph as the overseer to his older brothers. Jacob's sons were back in the place where they had killed all of the men in the entire town of Shechem. Jacob was concerned for the safety of his sons. Since Jacob also mentioned the flocks, he was also concerned for the weakest of the sheep. What a picture of the Father was Jacob and what a picture of the Lord Jesus was Joseph. In John 10:11 we read, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep."

Jacob and Joseph were in the Valley of Hebron. This is the only time in the Bible the words "the Valley of Hebron" is used. It was specifically named here to show us that from this place of depth comes the reuniting of God and man through the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Deep is the love of God even for the least. The root for the word "valley" is used in Psalm 92:5 which reads, "O Lord, how great are Your works! Your thoughts are very deep." In Romans 11:33 we read, "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!"

The Lord Jesus left heaven! The simplicity of those words belie the magnitude of their meaning. The second person of the trinity, who has always existed in perfect, unbroken union with God, the Father, and God, the Holy Spirit, left that perfect fellowship to find you and me. He left heaven with full disclosure of the horrors that awaited Him on earth. During the final hours of His earthly life, the Lord Jesus asked the Father if there was any way other than the cross. It makes me wonder what He felt in those last hours before He stepped out of heaven, put on human flesh, and submitted to the Father’s will for leaving. Despite all of that, He sought us out so that we might be secured by Him for eternity.

Genesis 37:5-11

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5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. 6 So he said to them, "Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf." 8 And his brothers said to him, "Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. 9 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, "Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me." 10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?" 11 And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind. ~ Genesis 37:5-11

Today, we continue our study of Genesis 37 where the spotlight has shifted to the next Patriarch of Israel, Joseph. Although his brothers already hated him because he was most favored by their father, the events of today's passage further ratcheted down their hatred for their little brother. The underlining story was that Joseph's brothers hated him because of his God-given rule and authority. Their problem was they could not see in advance that God had His hand upon Joseph who pictured the Lord Jesus who was hatred Himself by His countrymen.

In v.5-8 of today's passage we read, "5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. 6 So he said to them, 'Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.' 8 And his brothers said to him, 'Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?' So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words."

Joseph's dream was from God and in it Joseph saw that there were 12 sons binding sheaves in the field. He then saw that his sheaf arose and stood up. And then he said that his brothers' their sheaves stood all around his and bowed down to his sheaf. Needless to say, Joseph's brothers did not like this message. When prophets speak on the behalf of God, more often than not they are hated. Thirteen years later, Joseph's brothers came to Egypt and they bowed down to him, because they wanted food. They were starving to death, and they didn't know that their little brother had become the second most powerful man in the world and could give them all the food they needed. When we are not in the habit of walking with the Lord, we will fail to recognize His will and His ways. 

The first dream got Joseph in trouble with his brothers. They asked, "shall you indeed have dominion over us?" Twice we are told that they hate him and along with the second time we read the words "even more" which is a Hebrew word that has the same root word as Joseph’s name. Joseph means "he increases." Over the course of this story, Joseph will increase, but his brothers’ hatred will increase as well. The amazing part about this is that even their hatred was allowed and used by God for Joseph's and his family's good.

In v.9 of today's passage we read, "Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, 'Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.'"

Once again, Joseph had another dream which resembled the first, and in the Bible, when things are repeated, the second occurrence is given to confirm the first. The symbolism of the 11 stars was the same as the 11 sheaves. They speak of the 11 brothers of Joseph. Joseph's second dream was in the heavens. The sun, the moon, and the stars bowed down to him. The message is that Christ is Lord in the heavenlies. 

Here's why Joseph's dream could have become a living nightmare. He came from a dysfunctional family. His grandfather, Abraham was dishonest. Abraham put his wife in another man's tent, told her to spend the night there. "Tell him you're my sister," Joseph said to Sarah. Jacob was deceitful. His name meant deceiver. He stole the birthright from his brother, Esau. Jacob fled in terror from Esau because Esau was going to kill him. He fell hopelessly in love with Rachel, the daughter of Laban. Jacob was deceived by Laban, his father-in-law, to work 14 years for Rachel's hand in marriage. What we do to others, God will see to it that that happens to us. Jacob deceived his father, so he was deceived by his father-in-law, and it cost him 14 years of his life.

In Joseph's second dream the sun and the moon represented Joseph's father and mother, Jacob and Leah. I know, his mother was Rachel, but she had dies and at the giving of this prophecy Leah was his mother. The sun represented the tribe of Judah, through whom the Lord Jesus Christ came. And, as we will see, the moon was ultimately fulfilled in Leah who pictured the law. In the Psalms, Judah is said to be the lawgiver. All the tribes of Israel and the law, which was what established them as a people, will all bow down to the Lord Jesus Christ as the King of kings and the Lord of lords to the glory of God. 

Joseph's second dream not only got Joseph in trouble with his brothers, now his father was mad at him too. We are told that his father rebuked him. Here, Joseph was in the middle of a completely dysfunctional family, yet there are these promises from God. Glimpses of the future which didn’t really seem to fit their current situation. Joseph was given promises from God and he was careful to be defined by those promises. Even when our family shuns us we must be defined by the word of God.

In v.10-11 of today's passage we read, "10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?" 11 And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind."

After Jospeh told his father and his brothers this second dream, Jacob was incredulous and rightfully so. There is no record of Jacob bowing to Joseph. It would be a stretch to find this dream’s fulfillment in him in any way at all. In the end, this second dream can be, and is, only fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. The nation of Israel, and the law which was issued to them, is the only reasonable explanation to what has been seen in Joseph’s second dream. Thus, there is a literal and spiritual fulfillment of the first dream, and a spiritual fulfillment in the second. But both are realized in the Lord Jesus ultimately.

Envy can lead to trouble, however, our trouble can be used by God in ways that are more marvelous than we might imagine. The terrible ordeal that Joseph would face because of his brother’s envy will be used by God at the Exodus to show forth His glory in a way which has been remembered for close to 4000 years. The exodus of Israel out of Egypt never would have occurred if Joseph wasn’t first sold by his brothers. And our exodus from our unforgiven state would have never have come about unless the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified whose cross also came about by the consuming envy of His own countrymen. 

Genesis 37:1-4

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1 Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2 This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. ~ Genesis 37:1-4

Today, we transition into Genesis 37 where the focus turns from Jacob to one of his sons, Joseph, the final patriarch of Israel. As quickly as Abraham and Isaac ceased to be the focus of the narrative, Jacob did the same. Enter the firstborn of Rachel. The entire book of Genesis is structured around four events: Creation, The Fall, The Flood and The Tower of Babel, and, four people: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. The Holy Spirit allotted one-fourth of the Book of Genesis to the subject of this one man named Joseph. One-fourth, 25% of the book of Genesis is dedicated to him.

In v.1-2 of today's passage we read, "1 Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2 This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father."

While Esau’s line had moved to and possessed the land of Seir, the son of the promised line lived as a stranger in the land. Jacob's father, Isaac was indeed a stranger in Canaan much more so than his son Jacob was a stranger. It would seem that if you were to look at Jacob's life, he resembled in his value system the people of Canaan more than Isaac, his father. All who have been born again by the Holy Spirit of God live as strangers in this world. This world will never be the home of the follower of the God of the Bible. 

Joseph was a teenaged boy of seventeen years at this point in the narrative. He was a shepherd and he was out with some of his brothers, referred here as the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah. This meant that Joseph was out in the fields with Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher. Joseph was out there with his older brothers to be a servant to them. Actually, he was doing their dirty work for them. It was at this point that we are told that Joseph "brought a bad report of them to his father." 

In v.3 of today's passage we read, "Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors."

The name Jacob is used three times in this chapter. The name Israel is used twice. Both times Israel is used, it is in connection with Joseph. Here it says Israel loved Joseph more than all his children. And the reason is given, "he was the son of his old age." This is not a reference to Jacob’s advanced physical age, it was a reference to Joseph’s advanced mental age. Joseph had wisdom and understanding beyond his 17 years and Jacob loved him for this quality. 

The irony of this was Jacob of all people should understand how dangerous favoritism can be in a family. Jacob’s dad preferred his brother Esau over him. In response, Jacob's mom cooked up a scheme for him to trick his father and steal his brother's blessing. Not only was Joseph his father’s favorite, but his father gave Joseph "a robe of many colors" which was a symbol of privilege and authority. This robe was a robe of royalty in their culture. Jacob wasn’t just expressing his favoritism, he was elevating Joseph above the other older brothers. When Joseph wore this robe, it meant that he was given the position of overseer and was not expected to do manual labor.

In v.4 of today's passage we read, "But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him."

There is no shortage of irony in these verses because Jacob had been reared by parents who each had their favorites. The favoritism that had spoiled the tranquility of Jacob's childhood home was about to wreck his family, too. One might think that Jacob would have learned of the dangers of favoritism, but this was not the case, for Jacob proved to be a stubborn, impetuous man and a very poor father. Although he had eleven other sons, Jacob’s favor clearly rested upon the second-youngest son, Joseph. Jacob's overt favoritism created a dangerous schism among the brothers. The older boys hated Joseph because he received his father’s undivided attention and affection. The older sons resented Joseph, and this open contempt created a common bond that eventually resulted in a family mutiny and Joseph’s hostile banishment into Egyptian slavery.

The Christian life is an ongoing civil war whereby we are meant to learn the wisdom of feeding the Spirit. Sin is an ever-present threat that requires believers to be on our constant guard against our most prominent enemy, ourselves. The greatest danger isn’t posed by the "big sins," like murder and adultery. It is the obscure sins that pose the greatest hazard because they’re simply not on our radar and they don’t yield immediate consequences. The sin of favoritism is one example. We are so naturally inclined to play favorites that we can do it without even knowing it. And the consequences simmer like a resentful volcano, waiting to erupt when we least expect.

The answer to this is that we may be defined by God. This is what it means to walk in the Spirit. Rather than what our flesh naturally desires which is always sin, the Spirit will lead us to be defined by God. This is why it is so important that we obey God, especially when we lack the wisdom to see its value in the moment. As we will see, Joseph had to go through some intense moments before he could be used of God in some mighty ways. When we allow God to meet with us in obscurity and makes us in secret into what He wants us to be, it will be then that He will use us in very powerful ways in the lives of others.

Genesis 36:24-43

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24 The sons of Zibeon were Aiah and Anah. Anah is the man who found the hot springs in the desert while he was caring for his father’s donkeys. 25 The children of Anah were Dishon and Aholibamah daughter of Anah. 26 The sons of Dishon were Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran. 27 The sons of Ezer were Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. 28 The sons of Dishan were Uz and Aran. 29 These were the names of the Horite leaders: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 30 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These men were the leaders of the Horite families who lived in the land of Edom. 31 These are the kings who ruled in the land of Edom before the Israelites ever had a king: 32 Bela son of Beor was the king of Edom. He came from the city of Dinhabah. 33 When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah became king. Jobab was from Bozrah. 34 When Jobab died, Husham became king. He was from the land of the Temanites. 35 When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who had defeated Midian in the country of Moab, became king. Hadad was from the city of Avith. 36 When Hadad died, Samlah became king. He was from Masrekah. 37 When Samlah died, Shaul became king. He was from Rehoboth on the Euphrates River. 38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Acbor became king. 39 When Baal-Hanan son of Acbor died, Hadad became king. He was from the city of Pau. His wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, who was the daughter of Me-Zahab. 40 These Edomite leaders, listed by their families and regions, came from Esau. Their names were Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 41 Aholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 42 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 43 Magdiel, and Iram. They were the leaders of Edom. (Esau was the father of the Edomites.) The area where each of these families lived was named after that family. ~ Genesis 36:24-43

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 36 which is the recording of the genealogy of Esau. This is the ninth genealogy in the book of Genesis. Six lists make up this chapter. To this point in our study of this chapter, we have considered the first three. Today, we will consider the last three. Thus far, one thing has been made clear: Esau's family tree was much more imposing than Jacob's, but this is the last that we hear of Esau and his lineage in the Scriptures. And, despite their failures and weaknesses, the children of Israel were used of God to deliver the Messiah to the world as He had promised.

In v.24-30 of today's passage we read, "24 The sons of Zibeon were Aiah and Anah. Anah is the man who found the hot springs in the desert while he was caring for his father’s donkeys. 25 The children of Anah were Dishon and Aholibamah daughter of Anah. 26 The sons of Dishon were Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran. 27 The sons of Ezer were Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. 28 The sons of Dishan were Uz and Aran. 29 These were the names of the Horite leaders: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 30 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These men were the leaders of the Horite families who lived in the land of Edom."

Although the descendants of Seir, the Horites, lived in this territory since before the time of Abraham, it was conquered and overcome by Esau and his descendants. While the nation would be called Edom, the land was still called Seir. This fourth listing focuses on the descendants of Anah who was credited for finding a "hot springs" in the desert. This story has been lost to us but when details are given like this, the veracity of the story is underscored to some degree. If we were to visit that area today we would discover quite a few hot springs. It is worth noting that for centuries, hot springs have been discovered throughout Israel.

In v.31-39 of today's passage we read, "31 These are the kings who ruled in the land of Edom before the Israelites ever had a king: 32 Bela son of Beor was the king of Edom. He came from the city of Dinhabah. 33 When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah became king. Jobab was from Bozrah. 34 When Jobab died, Husham became king. He was from the land of the Temanites. 35 When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who had defeated Midian in the country of Moab, became king. Hadad was from the city of Avith. 36 When Hadad died, Samlah became king. He was from Masrekah. 37 When Samlah died, Shaul became king. He was from Rehoboth on the Euphrates River. 38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Acbor became king. 39 When Baal-Hanan son of Acbor died, Hadad became king. He was from the city of Pau. His wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, who was the daughter of Me-Zahab."

The fifth list in this passage is of the kings of Edom. These kings were elected, no doubt for their leadership ability, rather than inheriting the position. Some Bible historians believe the phrase "before the Israelites ever had a king" was added as an editorial comment long after Moses first wrote Genesis. Other scholars feel that since there is no reference to the death of Hadar, the final king listed in v.39, he may have been the king of the Edomites at the time of Moses.  

In v.40-43 of today's passage we read, "40 These Edomite leaders, listed by their families and regions, came from Esau. Their names were Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 41 Aholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 42 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 43 Magdiel, and Iram. They were the leaders of Edom. (Esau was the father of the Edomites.) The area where each of these families lived was named after that family." 

This last list chronicles the chiefs of Esau who reigned after the coming together of the people of Seir and Edom. Here, Moses highlighted the joint influence of both groups, thus showing the transition from the people of Seir to the people of Edom who eventually completely replaced them. Although the line of promise, from Adam, through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is highlighted, God had still watched over the other people of the world in the process. Not one of them were lost to Him. These lists were written and recorded to show that the promises that were made to Esau were fulfilled exactly as they were given.

The Horites were cave dwellers who hid from God’s presence, just as Adam and Eve hid from the Lord when He came to them in the Garden of Eden. The awareness of their sin caused them to draw back from the One they had only a short time earlier beheld face to face. In the loss of relationship and intimacy came death which came in two forms: spiritual and physical. This was something promised would happen and it was immediate. Before he ate of the fruit, the Lord told Adam that on the day he ate of it, he would die. After the Fall man slowly began to learn that if his spiritual death wasn’t corrected before physical death came, then he would remain separated from God for all of eternity. This is why God devised His plan to send His Son, the Lord Jesus to come to this earth as the Lamb of God who would take on death and defeat it for all who would believe on Him. 

Genesis 36:15-23

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15 These were the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn son of Esau, were Chief Teman, Chief Omar, Chief Zepho, Chief Kenaz, 16 Chief Korah, Chief Gatam, and Chief Amalek. These were the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. They were the sons of Adah. 17 These were the sons of Reuel, Esau’s son: Chief Nahath, Chief Zerah, Chief Shammah, and Chief Mizzah. These were the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom. These were the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 18 And these were the sons of Aholibamah, Esau’s wife: Chief Jeush, Chief Jaalam, and Chief Korah. These were the chiefs who descended from Aholibamah, Esau’s wife, the daughter of Anah. 19 These were the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these were their chiefs. 20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite who inhabited the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir, in the land of Edom. 22 And the sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam. Lotan’s sister was Timna. 23 These were the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. ~ Genesis 36:15-23

Today, we return to Genesis 36 which is mostly a compilation of the names of people and a few locations. Very little else is noted in this chapter. Yet, there is always a reason why God included these names and places. As we will discover, conscience is something given to us by God, it is immensely important to our eternal status. We were created in innocence, not bearing the knowledge of good and evil. Although we were deceived by the enemy, God knew that we would be deceived and that we would rebel against Him. He didn’t prevent us from choosing accordingly because we would otherwise be robots. Sadly, robots are programmed and have no heart.

All of mankind has a law written on our hearts which bears witness of God through our conscience. It works in tandem with our fears to push us into a personal relationship with God. This conscience can become seared and it can work against us, or it can be helpful to tenderize our hearts and fuel our faith in the God of the Bible. Ultimately, it is God's Spirit and His Word that He uses to address our willingness to trust Him in the end.

In v.15-16 of today's passage we read, "15 These were the chiefs of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn son of Esau, were Chief Teman, Chief Omar, Chief Zepho, Chief Kenaz, 16 Chief Korah, Chief Gatam, and Chief Amalek. These were the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. They were the sons of Adah."

Today's passage reveals the direction that our fears lead us without having placed our faith in the God of the Bible. Here, Moses lists the chiefs or the leaders of the family of Esau. The difference between these people and a king is that a king has been crowned, while these leaders had not. The title "chiefs" here literally speaks of "a leader of a thousand."
These men were the prominent descendants of Esau. The people of their tribes would be called after their name. 

In v.17-19 of today's passage we read, "17 These were the sons of Reuel, Esau’s son: Chief Nahath, Chief Zerah, Chief Shammah, and Chief Mizzah. These were the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom. These were the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 18 And these were the sons of Aholibamah, Esau’s wife: Chief Jeush, Chief Jaalam, and Chief Korah. These were the chiefs who descended from Aholibamah, Esau’s wife, the daughter of Anah. 19 These were the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these were their chiefs."

This list was given to show the link of Esau’s son Reuel by his wives Basemath and Aholibamah. Interestingly, God had these names recorded and preserved not through Esau and his descendants, but by the people of Israel. These names were so important to God that He had them maintained by His chosen people. The Bible is a book which, among other things, details the redemption of man. This seemingly tedious and often overlooked list is a part of that process. For those who are willing, God is willing to reach into our heart through such lists to tell us that He cares for us as He did the Edomites. 

In AD 70, the Temple where all of their genealogies were kept was destroyed. The only place where these names can be found is in the Bible. And there is only one genealogy of the Jewish people which is still intact from Adam onward. That genealogy is that of the Lord Jesus Christ. This shows us the incredible nature of God’s wisdom. The most published book on the face of the earth year after year, bears witness to the history of man. If we can simply look at the bigger picture and see this, then this historical narrative, with so many little stories which don’t seem to tie together or make sense, actually make all the sense in the world. Since the Fall of man God has been reaching out to rebellious man with the free gift of a personal relationship with Him through the gospel of His Son.

In v.20-23 of today's passage we read, "20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite who inhabited the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir, in the land of Edom. 22 And the sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam. Lotan’s sister was Timna. 23 These were the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam."

The name Seir is related to se’ar which means "hair." Closely related to it is the verb sa’ar which means to be "very afraid." When we are very afraid, our hair stands up. The noun sa’ir means a "he-goat," a bristly haired animal. Then there is another verb sa’fa which means "to be swept away." From this word comes se’ara and which means "storm." This concept of hair and all of these related words tie back to the thought of conscience. The sons of Seir were introduced here in order to show who the land belonged to prior to Esau taking it over. The Edomites intermarried with these people and eventually, the Edomites took from them their land. The sons of Seir did not look to the Lord for salvation and thus they were swept away.

These sons of Seir reveal the state of the unsaved man. The man named Seir was a Horite who were first introduced in Genesis14 at the times that the kings of the east came and attacked the land of Canaan. The designation "Horite" means "cave dweller." There in the land of awareness, they lived in caves. Throughout the Bible, caves are places where people go to hide away. Lot was afraid of living in Zoar and so he and his daughters moved to a cave. Caves, over and over in the Bible, represent those living in fear. In addition, the Edomites represent those who have a conscience but they choose to be defined by this world. 

In Hebrews 2:14-15 we read, "14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

God kept these records of these names and places in order to reveal the condition of those who were in bondage apart from Him. God’s eyes and His thoughts may have seemed to be directed only to the people of Israel, but in fact, they were also on all of those whom He had created. God has always had a heart for all people as indicated through the promise that He made to Abraham. That promise included salvation for all people both Jew and Gentile.

Lotan was the first son of Seir. His name meant "covering." Lotan is derived from the word "lowt" which is used exactly one time in the Bible. In Isaiah 25:6-8 we read, "6 The Lord All-Powerful will prepare a feast on this mountain for all people. It will be a feast with all the best food and wine, the finest meat and wine, 7 On this mountain God will destroy the veil that covers all nations, the veil that stretches over all peoples; 8 he will destroy death forever. The Lord God will wipe away every tear from every face. He will take away the shame of his people from the earth. The Lord has spoken."

If Seir is the conscious of the man who fears death, then Lotan is the covering, the shadow of death which has been cast over all people. As indicated in Isaiah 25:6-8, in Christ, that shadow has been destroyed and death is swallowed up in victory. Lotan’s sister was Timna. Once again, a girl’s name is mentioned out of the blue in a list of genealogies which is entirely centered on men. Seir certainly had lots of daughters, but only Timna is mentioned. Her name means "restraint." Timna’s name appears here to show us God’s great mercy and His grace shown through the death of His Son who paid the penalty for our sin. All we have to do is to admit that we need a savior, believe that He did to pay the penalty of our sin and cry out to Him to be our God.

Genesis 36:9-14

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9 And this is the genealogy of Esau the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir. 10 These were the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, and Reuel the son of Basemath the wife of Esau. 11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 Now Timna was the concubine of Eliphaz, Esau’s son, and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons of Adah, Esau’s wife. 13 These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 14 These were the sons of Aholibamah, Esau’s wife, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon. And she bore to Esau: Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. ~ Genesis 36:9-14

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 36 where for a second time in this chapter we are given the genealogy of Esau. In v.1-8 Moses highlighted Esau’s wives and children born to him while he was yet in Canaan. Here, in v.9-14, Esau’s sons and grandsons born to him while he was on Mount Seir are highlighted. The sad reality is that even though Esau grew in numbers and in wealth, he never sought a personal relationship with the God of the Bible.

In v.9-11 of today's passage we read, "9 And this is the genealogy of Esau the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir. 10 These were the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, and Reuel the son of Basemath the wife of Esau. 11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz."

Eliphaz, Esau’s firstborn, had five sons. The first of them was named Teman. In the book of Job, one of the three men who came to comfort him was Eliphaz the Temanite. The Teman mentioned in today's passage was probably named after Job's friend. In the book of Job, Eliphaz and his two friends spoke wrongly about God and God chastised them for it. As we can see, the people who descended from Esau, had incorrect concepts of God, however, God in His mercy corrected them and gave them an opportunity to be forgiven.

In v.12 of today's passage we read, "Now Timna was the concubine of Eliphaz, Esau’s son, and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons of Adah, Esau’s wife."

Timna was the daughter of Seir and is noted later in this passage as the sister of Lotan. She became the concubine of Eliphaz, the son of Esau. Because she became the concubine of Eliphaz, it gave the descendents of Esau the chance to intermix with the people of Seir and eventually take over the land and expel the Horites who lived there. Eventually, Herod, Israel’s king at the time of the Lord Jesus, came from the Edomite people. 

The reason Timna is mentioned here is because of the son she bore. His name was Amalek, the father of the Amalekites, the people who would attack Israel after their exodus from Egypt. The brutal and wicked Amalekites continued to afflict Israel throughout the time of the Judges. When the kingdom was established, their presence brought about the downfall of Israel’s first king. When God commanded King Saul to destroy the Amalekites completely, he failed to do it.

Many say they don’t like the God of the Old Testament because He seems angry all of the time. They are mistaken because a careful reading of the Old Testament reveals the loving, compassionate, and merciful heart of God. The Old Testament Scriptures are largely historical narrative that seeks to establish the truth of what really happened in those days. Anyone who is serious about the Bible being God’s word is going to believe that God both commanded Saul to eliminate the Amalekites and empowered him to have the victory. God never instructs His people to be the aggressors. It was the Amalekites who attacked the Israelites first. Israels long war against the Amalekites was self-defense. 

Many in the modern day want to equate what happened in the Old Testament with the Holy Wars of the crusades and the ethnic-cleansing genocide of South Africa, but the Canaanite Conquest was unique. The Amalekites clearly claimed to be the enemies of God. The battles that ensued were a unique act of God to fulfill his promises to Abraham and the Israelites. These wars were limited and are in no way meant to be a model for the people of God after they settled in the Promised Land.

From the beginning, God’s plan in His covenant with Abraham was that Abraham's people would be given the Promised Land and all nations would be blessed through him. These wars were waged by God in pursuit of this goal. And, after some time, the promised seed of Abraham came, the Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself waged the final battle against sin and death. All who believe in the Lord Jesus as our Savior are now included into the promises made to Abraham and therefore, people from all tribes, tongues, and nations are blessed through Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 

In v.13-14 of today's passage we read, "13 These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 14 These were the sons of Aholibamah, Esau’s wife, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon. And she bore to Esau: Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah."

Reuel, Esau’s son and the grandson of Ishmael, had these four sons. There is nothing further of note about any of them in the rest of the Bible. Unlike the other sons of Esau, there is no mention of their grandsons. Once again, only what is needed for God to instruct us is given. Each name here certainly has special significance and purpose, but the inclusion of grandsons born to these sons holds none.

Historically, the Edomites became the arch enemies of the Israelites. Due to this, the Edomites were the enemies of God. In fact, the entire prophesy of the book of Obadiah is one long diatribe judgment on Edom. That's the theme of the book, the prophet Obadiah outlines what will happen to them. This is the legacy of a man who sold his birth right for a bowl of soup. 

Genesis 36:1-8

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1 Now this is the genealogy of Esau, who is Edom. 2 Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite; Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; 3 and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebajoth. 4 Now Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel. 5 And Aholibamah bore Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan. 6 Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the persons of his household, his cattle and all his animals, and all his goods which he had gained in the land of Canaan, and went to a country away from the presence of his brother Jacob. 7 For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together, and the land where they were strangers could not support them because of their livestock. 8 So Esau dwelt in Mount Seir. Esau is Edom. ~ Genesis 36:1-8

Today, we transition into Genesis 36 where we are given the genealogy of Esau which is the ninth genealogy listed in the Bible. Esau’s genealogy is a branch off the Messianic line which leads to the Lord Jesus Christ. God gave us Esau's genealogy  immediately after the recording of Isaac’s death. This genealogy was given to us in order to provide for us a contrast between those who believe in and are defined by the God of the Bible and those who are not. 

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "Now this is the genealogy of Esau, who is Edom."

Through the word "genealogy" God gave us a hint of the plan of our salvation. In this Hebrew word, there can be one or two letters called a "vav," which is the sixth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Six is the number of man in the Bible, it is the number for incompleteness. Before the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, this word was spelled with 2 vavs while after the fall it is never spelled with two vavs, highlighting our incompleteness without a personal relationship with God. The missing vav serves as a reminder of the fallen state of man and our desperate need for a Savior. 

So, before Moses moved on to pen the story of Jacob's son Joseph who would carry the line to the birth of the Messiah, he paused to recount the family of Esau. God included Esau's genealogy here to show us the utter failure of anyone who is trying to make it in this life apart from Him.

In v.2-5 of today's passage we read, "2 Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite; Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; 3 and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebajoth. 4 Now Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel. 5 And Aholibamah bore Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. These were the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan."

Esau's first wife was named "Adah," the same name as one of Lamech's wives, a descendant of Cain. Esau's second wife was named "Aholibamah." Both Adah and Aholibamah were descendants of Canaan, the cursed grandson of Noah. Adah was a Hittite and Aholibamah was a Hivite. The next wife of Esau listed here was "Basemath." Esau married her because she was a daughter of Abraham’s son Ishmael. His parents didn’t like his first two wives, so he was hoping that by marrying her, they would be happy with him. It didn't work.

So, we are told that Esau had three wives and the firstborn child to Esau's first wife, Adah, bore Eliphaz to Esau. "Eliphaz" means "God of strength." Esau's third wife, Basemath, bore to him, Reuel which means "Friend of God." In Exodus 2, Moses’ father in law had the same name, he was a Midianite. In every family, no matter how far we have drifted away from God, God can be discovered in our midst calling us back to Him. This can be seen in the names of Esau's children born to Adah and Basemath. Sadly, the more we reject the overtures of God, the harder our hearts become to Him and to the truth.

To Aholibamah were born three sons. The first son was named "Jeush," the second was "Jaalam" and, the third to Aholibamah was "Korah." All together five sons were born to Esau while he lived in Canaan. In the listing of these names, we are given the distinction between Esau and Jacob, the unbeliever and the believer. This chapter is a reminder of what it looks like to choose to not walk with the Lord. Esau's line eventually takes us to the Herods of the New Testament days. All of the Herods were descended from Esau and although they were religious, they all were not believers in the God of the Bible. Choosing to not walk with God and thus be defined by Him results in being in opposition to God.

In v.6-8 of today's passage we read, "6 Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the persons of his household, his cattle and all his animals, and all his goods which he had gained in the land of Canaan, and went to a country away from the presence of his brother Jacob. 7 For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together, and the land where they were strangers could not support them because of their livestock. 8 So Esau dwelt in Mount Seir. Esau is Edom."

The name Esau is mentioned 25 times in this chapter while the name Edom is mentioned 11 times. In 5 of those times, we are explicitly told Esau is Edom or that Esau is the father of the Edomites. Once we understand that Esau and the Edomites are picturing Adam and his fallen children, and that they have moved out of Canaan, then we can more clearly see what is going on here. Esau who is Edom was in Canaan just as Adam was in Eden. Adam, the first fallen man, disobeyed God and was cast out of Eden. Esau, in essence, pictured Adam when he traded his birthright to Jacob for his soup. In his disobedience to God, like Adam, Esau gained the awareness of knowing good from evil. The words "Esau dwelt in Seir" are reminiscent of Adam going out into the world of awareness of sin and he went into the land of Seir which means "hairy." The names Esau and Seir are descriptive of our awareness of sin or of God. The one that we are aware of the most defines us the most. Esau loved his sin more than he did God.

Nothing in this chapter is arbitrary. The struggle which will continue between the people of Israel and the people of Edom is reflective of the spiritual struggle noted throughout the Bible. Either we are in Adam or our sin, or we are in the Lord Jesus forgiven of our sin. By leaving Canaan, Esau cut himself off from any portion of blessing from God he might have otherwise received. His departure made it quite clear that he wasn’t a part of God’s chosen people. Esau left Canaan and went to Seir because, at the end of the day, Esau wanted to live his life apart from God. And, although Jacob or any believer in God never prove to be perfect in our walk with God, we nonetheless are learning to be defined by God.

Genesis 35:21-29

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21 Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder. 22 And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard about it. 23 Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: the sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; 24 the sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin; 25 the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant, were Dan and Naphtali; 26 and the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maidservant, were Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan Aram. 27 Then Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt. 28 Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. 29 So Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. ~ Genesis 35:21-29

Today, we conclude our study of Genesis 35 where we find Jacob and his family back in the promised land. A change in location doesn't necessarily mean a change in our lives, but for Jacob this was central to God's will for his life. And, even though we walk with the Lord, this doesn't mean that we will be free of hardship. The difference is seen in how we deal with our hardships, where we turn for help at navigating through the pain. This is the overall point behind our troubles, that we choose to run to the Lord through the pain.

In v.21 of today's passage we read, "Then Israel journeyed and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder." 

This is the very first time that the name Israel is applied to the person Jacob in the Bible. In just the last verse, it said that Jacob set a pillar on Rachel’s grave. But now Israel was formally introduced with the name he was given by God. This happened because Benjamin had just been born, thereby completing the family who is known by his name, Israel. Jacob was referred to as Israel here, because of who and what he was picturing.

In v.22 of today's passage we read, "And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard about it."

Although all 12 sons are inheritors of the land blessing, and though Joseph will be given the birthright, only one son can have the pre-eminence leading to the Messiah. We’ve already seen that the second and third sons, Simeon and Levi, would be excluded because of the rage that they exacted upon the men of Shechem.

Up until this point, the firstborn son, Reuben, had not been excluded. However, in a moment of weakness reminiscent of the Garden of Eden where man fell through the devil’s deception, Reuben also fell through a bad decision concerning Jacob’s concubine Bilhah, Rachel’s maid. The sin of sexual immorality caused Reuben to lose the right to be the bearer of the Messiah. Instead, as a tribe he faded into obscurity. Such is the nature of temptation leading to fornication.

The name "Belial" is closely connected to the name "Bilhah." In 2 Corinthians 6 the Apostle Paul used "Belial" to reference the devil. It is used twenty-six times in the Old Testament, usually translated "worthless," "destruction," or "wicked."

In v.23-26 of today's passage we read, "23 Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: the sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; 24 the sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin; 25 the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant, were Dan and Naphtali; 26 and the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maidservant, were Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan Aram."

The order of the sons here is given not by birth, but by mother and then by birth. Leah is mentioned first. She pictured the law and so her sons were given. The Lord Jesus came under the law to redeem us from the curse of the law. The first three sons had been excluded, therefore, we can see that Judah would be the one to bear the Messianic line. Then the sons of Rachel, who picture grace, are named. And then the two maidservants are listed with their sons, Rachel’s maid first and then Leah’s. 

In v.27 of today's passage we read, "Then Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kirjath Arba  (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt."

Jacob now comes to the home of his father because he will assume the role as leader of the clan which has gone from Abraham through Isaac. The sons of Israel were listed by name to indicate that all of them will participate in the inheritance of the clan, not just one of them. They will be a united group of people.

Hebron was the third major place of note that Abraham took up residence, and it is where both he and Sarah died and were buried. Isaac had resided there all along, blind and waiting for his time to end. When Jacob left there many long years before, he left with his staff and the blessing of his father.

In v.28-29 of today's passage we read, "28 Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. 29 So Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him."

Isaac lived 180 years and he outlived his father Abraham by 5 years, but he was blind for many of them. Thus the quantity of his years was exceeded by the quality of Abraham’s. The year of his birth was 2109 BC. After a long and blessed life, Isaac died in the year 2289 BC. The last time Isaac was mentioned directly was approximately 40 years earlier. In those years, nothing of his life is recorded. God gave him life and used that life, including his prolonged blindness, to tell us about Himself. God allowed him to be blind just to show us pictures about the coming Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the ultimate point of our lives, that we might point others to the Lord.

Jacob was wrong about how long he would live. According to Genesis 27:4 he thought he was on the verge of death. He lived another 43 years. He may have felt bad and he may have thought he was going to die, but he didn't. Our days are in God's hands and we do well to live each day without the worry of when we will die. Interestingly, there are three deaths recorded in this chapter, Deborah's, Rachel's, and Isaac's. With sin came death and unless we trust in the life giving death of the Lord Jesus Christ, we will remain in our sin for eternity. God implores us to receive His free of eternal life and to be defined by that life. As we are defined by that life, His life will be known by others through our yielded lives.

Genesis 35:16-20

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16 Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor. 17 Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, “Do not fear; you will have this son also.” 18 And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20 And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. ~ Genesis 35:16-20

Today, we continue our study of Genesis 35 where we discover Jacob back in the land of promise with his family enjoying the life that God had long wanted to give him. When we resist God's leading and His will, we exempt ourselves from the blessings that we so ardently are seeking on our own. Like us, I am sure that Jacob thought his troubles were the result of his bad choices and that God was punishing him for those bad choices. Jacob was wrong when he thought that God was punishing him through his poor choices because in the choices that he made, he chose the opposite of God's will for him. Jacob's troubles weren't given to him by God. No, Jacob chose the troubles when he fed the flesh. Jacob was no different than we, but he was learning that his way did not render the life that he truly desired. As a result, God had to allow Jacob to experience pain which would serve him in making better choices for his life. Learning from our poor choices is a big part of our sanctification, the process whereby God inculcates His culture into our souls.

In v.16-19 of today's passage we read, "16 Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor. 17 Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, 'Do not fear; you will have this son also.' 18 And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem)."

While on their way to where Isaac was in Ephrath, later known as Bethlehem, Rachel gave birth to the twelfth son of Jacob also known as Israel. During her hard delivery Rachel died. This was unusual because there was no mention in the Bible of Isaac's wife Rebekah. And, of all of the sons of Israel, only Joseph’s death was recorded. Ephrath means "Fruitful." The name Rachel means "Ewe lamb." 

God who was directing both the means and the timing of Rachel’s death, allowed her to live long enough to name her son "Ben-Oni," which means "son of my suffering." Then, after his wife's death, Jacob renamed their second-born son "Benjamin" which means "son of my right hand." When Benjamin was born the family was headed to Bethlehem which means, "House of Bread." All of these names and events were given in order that we might see the unfolding plan of God. All of these events picture for us the Lord Jesus who said in John 6:48, "I am the bread of life." The Lord Jesus Christ was heaven’s Bread, having come from the House of God to the House of Bread. But Bethlehem had another name, Ephrath, which means "fruitful." Ephrath pictures for us  the saving work of the Lord Jesus who said in John 15:5, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." When we walk with the Lord and He is free to express Himself to and through us, we find that we will be included in this tapestry from the very God of all creation.

In v.20 of today's passage we read, "And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day."

Just six verses earlier, in v.14, did Jacob set up another pillar in honor of his meeting with God at Bethel. That was a time of joy and fellowship with God. Now in v.20, Jacob erected another pillar through his sadness and hope in God on the heels of the death of his wife. The pillar has since been a monument of faith in the resurrection of the dead. Jacob anticipated this through his faith in the God of the Bible during his time of sadness. The pillar’s location was still remembered at the time of Moses when he wrote the book of Genesis, and it was still remembered at the time of Samuel about 400 years later as recorded in 1 Samuel 10:2.

The name "Rachel" means "ewe Lamb." The child of a lamb is a lamb. This picture given so long ago was fulfilled in the words of John the Baptist who exclaimed in John 1:29, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" The word that John used for "lamb" was a unique term which literally means "a sacrificial lamb." This same word for "lamb" in the Hebrew is Rachel. Rachel’s death was uniquely recorded to show us that the Messiah would also die, as a sacrificial lamb. Rachel's death and the birth of Benjamin produced also for us a dual picture: From the death of the lamb, Rachel, comes the birth of the son, Benjamin. But also from the death of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus, comes the birth of the son, you and me. Thus, it is a picture of all who have ever trusted in the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross. These have entered into eternal life from eternal death.