The Conception of Jesus Foretold

Mary, a virgin, was living in Galilee of Nazareth and was engaged to be married to Joseph, a Jewish carpenter. An angel visited her and explained to her that she would conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit. She would carry and give birth to this child and she would name him Jesus.

No, I am not talking about the loose change you find in the couch.  I am talking about a change in the way we do things.  I am finding that many of my readers on my various sites are looking for more personal input from me.  They want more analysis and thought, and less regurgitation of The Message.  So, I am hard at work making changes to the way I write, and to myself.  I am learning how to deal with change very well.

Look back in a couple of days for my first entry after the changes.  I haven’t given it a title yet, but it covers Moses and his conversations with God regarding the ten commandments, with a little wit and some serious life lessons added.

Thank you for taking this ride with me.

Much love,

Man

1 After all this, God tested Abraham. God said, “Abraham!”
“Yes?” answered Abraham. “I’m listening.”
2 He said, “Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I’ll point out to you.” 3-5 Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants and his son Isaac. He had split wood for the burnt offering. He set out for the place God had directed him. On the third day he looked up and saw the place in the distance. Abraham told his two young servants, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I are going over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.”

6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to Isaac his son to carry. He carried the flint and the knife. The two of them went off together.

7 Isaac said to Abraham his father, “Father?”

“Yes, my son.”

“We have flint and wood, but where’s the sheep for the burnt offering?”

8 Abraham said, “Son, God will see to it that there’s a sheep for the burnt offering.” And they kept on walking together.

9-10 They arrived at the place to which God had directed him. Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood. Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood. Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son.

11 Just then an angel of God called to him out of Heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Yes, I’m listening.”

12 “Don’t lay a hand on that boy! Don’t touch him! Now I know how fearlessly you fear God; you didn’t hesitate to place your son, your dear son, on the altar for me.”

13 Abraham looked up. He saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

14 Abraham named that place God-Yireh (God-Sees-to-It). That’s where we get the saying, “On the mountain of God, he sees to it.”

15-18 The angel of God spoke from Heaven a second time to Abraham: “I swear—God’s sure word!—because you have gone through with this, and have not refused to give me your son, your dear, dear son, I’ll bless you—oh, how I’ll bless you! And I’ll make sure that your children flourish—like stars in the sky! like sand on the beaches! And your descendants will defeat their enemies. All nations on Earth will find themselves blessed through your descendants because you obeyed me.”

19 Then Abraham went back to his young servants. They got things together and returned to Beersheba. Abraham settled down in Beersheba.

20-23 After all this, Abraham got the news: “Your brother Nahor is a father! Milcah has given him children: Uz, his firstborn, his brother Buz, Kemuel (he was the father of Aram), Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” (Bethuel was the father of Rebekah.) Milcah gave these eight sons to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.

24 His concubine, Reumah, gave him four more children: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Genesis 23

1-2 Sarah lived 127 years. Sarah died in Kiriath Arba, present-day Hebron, in the land of Canaan. Abraham mourned for Sarah and wept.
3-4 Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites: “I know I’m only an outsider here among you, but sell me a burial plot so that I can bury my dead decently.”

5-6 The Hittites responded, “Why, you’re no mere outsider here with us, you’re a prince of God! Bury your dead wife in the best of our burial sites. None of us will refuse you a place for burial.”

7-9 Then Abraham got up, bowed respectfully to the people of the land, the Hittites, and said, “If you’re serious about helping me give my wife a proper burial, intercede for me with Ephron son of Zohar. Ask him to sell me the cave of Machpelah that he owns, the one at the end of his land. Ask him to sell it to me at its full price for a burial plot, with you as witnesses.”

10-11 Ephron was part of the local Hittite community. Then Ephron the Hittite spoke up, answering Abraham with all the Hittites who were part of the town council listening: “Oh no, my master! I couldn’t do that. The field is yours—a gift. I’ll give it and the cave to you. With my people as witnesses, I give it to you. Bury your deceased wife.”

12-13 Abraham bowed respectfully before the assembled council and answered Ephron: “Please allow me—I want to pay the price of the land; take my money so that I can go ahead and bury my wife.”

14-15 Then Ephron answered Abraham, “If you insist, master. What’s four hundred silver shekels between us? Now go ahead and bury your wife.”

16 Abraham accepted Ephron’s offer and paid out the sum that Ephron had named before the town council of Hittites—four hundred silver shekels at the current exchange rate.

17-20 That’s how Ephron’s field next to Mamre—the field, its cave, and all the trees within its borders—became Abraham’s property. The town council of Hittites witnessed the transaction. Abraham then proceeded to bury his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah that is next to Mamre, present-day Hebron, in the land of Canaan. The field and its cave went from the Hittites into Abraham’s possession as a burial plot.

Genesis 24

Isaac and Rebekah
1 Abraham was now an old man. God had blessed Abraham in every way.
2-4 Abraham spoke to the senior servant in his household, the one in charge of everything he had, “Put your hand under my thigh and swear by God—God of Heaven, God of Earth—that you will not get a wife for my son from among the young women of the Canaanites here, but will go to the land of my birth and get a wife for my son Isaac.”

5 The servant answered, “But what if the woman refuses to leave home and come with me? Do I then take your son back to your home country?”

6-8 Abraham said, “Oh no. Never. By no means are you to take my son back there. God, the God of Heaven, took me from the home of my father and from the country of my birth and spoke to me in solemn promise, ‘I’m giving this land to your descendants.’ This God will send his angel ahead of you to get a wife for my son. And if the woman won’t come, you are free from this oath you’ve sworn to me. But under no circumstances are you to take my son back there.”

9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his solemn oath.

10-14 The servant took ten of his master’s camels and, loaded with gifts from his master, traveled to Aram Naharaim and the city of Nahor. Outside the city, he made the camels kneel at a well. It was evening, the time when the women came to draw water. He prayed, “O God, God of my master Abraham, make things go smoothly this day; treat my master Abraham well! As I stand here by the spring while the young women of the town come out to get water, let the girl to whom I say, ‘Lower your jug and give me a drink,’ and who answers, ‘Drink, and let me also water your camels’—let her be the woman you have picked out for your servant Isaac. Then I’ll know that you’re working graciously behind the scenes for my master.”

15-17 It so happened that the words were barely out of his mouth when Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel whose mother was Milcah the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with a water jug on her shoulder. The girl was stunningly beautiful, a pure virgin. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came back up. The servant ran to meet her and said, “Please, can I have a sip of water from your jug?”

18-21 She said, “Certainly, drink!” And she held the jug so that he could drink. When he had satisfied his thirst she said, “I’ll get water for your camels, too, until they’ve drunk their fill.” She promptly emptied her jug into the trough and ran back to the well to fill it, and she kept at it until she had watered all the camels.

The man watched, silent. Was this God’s answer? Had God made his trip a success or not?

22-23 When the camels had finished drinking, the man brought out gifts, a gold nose ring weighing a little over a quarter of an ounce and two arm bracelets weighing about four ounces, and gave them to her. He asked her, “Tell me about your family? Whose daughter are you? Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay the night?”

24-25 She said, “I’m the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah and Nahor. And there’s plenty of room in our house for you to stay—and lots of straw and feed besides.”

26-27 At this the man bowed in worship before God and prayed, “Blessed be God, God of my master Abraham: How generous and true you’ve been to my master; you’ve held nothing back. You led me right to the door of my master’s brother!”

28 And the girl was off and running, telling everyone in her mother’s house what had happened.

29-31 Rebekah had a brother named Laban. Laban ran outside to the man at the spring. He had seen the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister and had heard her say, “The man said this and this and this to me.” So he went to the man and there he was, still standing with his camels at the spring. Laban welcomed him: “Come on in, blessed of God! Why are you standing out here? I’ve got the house ready for you; and there’s also a place for your camels.”

32-33 So the man went into the house. The camels were unloaded and given straw and feed. Water was brought to bathe the feet of the man and the men with him. Then Laban brought out food. But the man said, “I won’t eat until I tell my story.”

Laban said, “Go ahead; tell us.”

34-41 The servant said, “I’m the servant of Abraham. God has blessed my master—he’s a great man; God has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, servants and maidservants, camels and donkeys. And then to top it off, Sarah, my master’s wife, gave him a son in her old age and he has passed everything on to his son. My master made me promise, ‘Don’t get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I live. No, go to my father’s home, back to my family, and get a wife for my son there.’ I said to my master, ‘But what if the woman won’t come with me?’ He said, ‘God before whom I’ve walked faithfully will send his angel with you and he’ll make things work out so that you’ll bring back a wife for my son from my family, from the house of my father. Then you’ll be free from the oath. If you go to my family and they won’t give her to you, you will also be free from the oath.’

42-44 “Well, when I came this very day to the spring, I prayed, ‘God, God of my master Abraham, make things turn out well in this task I’ve been given. I’m standing at this well. When a young woman comes here to draw water and I say to her, Please, give me a sip of water from your jug, and she says, Not only will I give you a drink, I’ll also water your camels—let that woman be the wife God has picked out for my master’s son.’

45-48 “I had barely finished offering this prayer, when Rebekah arrived, her jug on her shoulder. She went to the spring and drew water and I said, ‘Please, can I have a drink?’ She didn’t hesitate. She held out her jug and said, ‘Drink; and when you’re finished I’ll also water your camels.’ I drank, and she watered the camels. I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel whose parents were Nahor and Milcah.’ I gave her a ring for her nose, bracelets for her arms, and bowed in worship to God. I praised God, the God of my master Abraham who had led me straight to the door of my master’s family to get a wife for his son.

49 “Now, tell me what you are going to do. If you plan to respond with a generous yes, tell me. But if not, tell me plainly so I can figure out what to do next.”

50-51 Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is totally from God. We have no say in the matter, either yes or no. Rebekah is yours: Take her and go; let her be the wife of your master’s son, as God has made plain.”

52-54 When Abraham’s servant heard their decision, he bowed in worship before God. Then he brought out gifts of silver and gold and clothing and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave expensive gifts to her brother and mother. He and his men had supper and spent the night. But first thing in the morning they were up. He said, “Send me back to my master.”

55 Her brother and mother said, “Let the girl stay a while, say another ten days, and then go.”

56 He said, “Oh, don’t make me wait! God has worked everything out so well—send me off to my master.”

57 They said, “We’ll call the girl; we’ll ask her.”

They called Rebekah and asked her, “Do you want to go with this man?”

58 She said, “I’m ready to go.”

59-60 So they sent them off, their sister Rebekah with her nurse, and Abraham’s servant with his men. And they blessed Rebekah saying,

You’re our sister—live bountifully!
And your children, triumphantly!

61 Rebekah and her young maids mounted the camels and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah and set off for home.

62-65 Isaac was living in the Negev. He had just come back from a visit to Beer Lahai Roi. In the evening he went out into the field; while meditating he looked up and saw camels coming. When Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she got down from her camel and asked the servant, “Who is that man out in the field coming toward us?”

“That is my master.”

She took her veil and covered herself.

66-67 After the servant told Isaac the whole story of the trip, Isaac took Rebekah into the tent of his mother Sarah. He married Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her. So Isaac found comfort after his mother’s death.

When we look at ourselves in the mirror, we often see the worst. We look at our image and see the flaws in our bodies and the toll that time has taken on us. When God looks at us He sees opportunity. He sees the beauty in us. When we talk about it, we will say outwardly that we know, or that we appreciate it, but inside is always the same battle. “I don’t believe it”, is what we say to ourselves.

Too often I hear people say that they are not the type to receive God’s love and be a “good Christian”. Realize this, the words and thoughts that flow through our ears and minds telling us that we are not worthy of God’s love are the work of Satan. Satan plants the seeds of doubt and too often those seeds take root in our self-image and foster negative thoughts. We become ashamed of our story and haunted by our past, feeling as though we are broken beyond repair.

The reality that we need to face is that we do not see what He sees in us. We have already convinced ourselves that we don’t belong but we fail to see that Jesus loves us equally. He is the Redeemer. He sees all that we are and all that we have ever done and He would not have died for us if He felt we were not worthy.

“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:17-18

When the only vision of ourselves that we see is what we see in the mirror, we are emptying the cross of its power. Whe we live our lives with the authenticity of what Christ sees in us we are redeemed. Jesus has chosen us too.

A Poem About Reflection, Solitude and the Embrace of God

Genesis 19

The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

The evening of the day the Lord stopped to eat with Abraham, two angels arrived at the entrance to the city of Sodom.  (These must have been the two other guys that were with the Lord).  Lot was there at the entrance, sitting, and stood up to meet them when he saw them.  He asked them to come to his house to wash their feet and spend the night before continuing on their journey.  They declined, saying they would just spend the night right out in the city square. 

But Lot insisted, so finally they went home with him. Lot prepared a feast for them, complete with fresh bread made without yeast, and they ate.  But before they retired for the night, all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house.  They shouted to Lot, “Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them!”  (Not exactly a welcoming committee.)

Lot went outside and begged the men to leave the visitors alone.  They were visitors in his house and he had an obligation to protect them.  Instead, Lot offered his two virgin daughters to the men outside to do with what they wished.  Lot was determined to protect his visitors.

The men of the town rushed at Lot, angry that he was an outsider telling them what to do.  The two angels pulled Lot inside and bolted the door.  Then they blinded all the men outside, so they stopped trying to get inside.

The angels asked Lot if he had any relatives in the town.  They told him to go get them, and get them out of the town because they had been sent to destroy it.  They explained that the wicked cries of the town had been heard by the Lord and He had charged them with destroying it.  Lot immediately rushed to tell the fiancees of his daughters, but they thought he was joking and did not go with him.

The next morning, the angels became insistent, telling Lot to take his wife and two daughters and go immediately or they would all be swept away in the destruction of the town.  When Lot hesitated, the angels took him, his wife and their two daughters and led them out of the town.  Once safely outside, the angels told them to run for their lives.  They told Lot and his family to run and do not stop anywhere in the valley or look back or they would be swept away, they were to run to the mountains.

Lot thanked them for saving their lives, and begged them to let his family go to the little village nearby instead, for fear he would be killed in the mountains.  The angels agreed to let them go to the little village of Zoar (which means “little place”).  But insisted they go immediately.

Lot arrived in the village just as the sun was coming over the horizon.  Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah.  He destroyed them completely along with all the villages and cities of the plain, wiping out the people and all the vegetation.  Lot’s wife looked back to see the destruction and was instantly turned to a pillar of salt.

Abraham got up early that morning and went to the place where he had stood with the Lord.  He looked out across the plain toward Sodom and Gomorrah and watched the columns of smoke rising from the destroyed cities like smoke from a furnace.  God had listened to Abraham’s request and kept Lot safe, removing he and his family from the disaster of the plain.

After the destruction, Lot was afraid of the people of Zoar, so he moved to the mountains to live in a cave with his two daughters.  The oldest daughter discussed the lack of men in the area for marriage.  She hatched a plan to get their father drunk and get pregnant by him so as to preserve their family line.  So, that night, they got Lot so drunk that the older daughter was able to come in, have intercourse with him, and leave completely unnoticed.  The next night they got him drunk again and this time the younger daughter went in and came out unnoticed. 

As a result of their plan, both daughters became pregnant by their father.  When the older daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Moab.  He became the ancestor of the nation later known as Moabites.  When the younger daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Ben-ammi.  He became the ancestor of the people known as Ammonites.  (I wonder if he ever asked them how they became pregnant?)

In chapter 19, we see the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the effort by the Lord to honor the plea of Abraham to save the righteous.  We see Lot and his family flee the destruction, only for his wife to turn to a pillar of salt.  We also see the desperation of two young women to produce descendants and the completion of a plan to sleep with their father in order to do so.  The incestuous plan that produced Moab and Ben-ammi.

Genesis 20

Abraham moved south to the Negev and lived for a while between Kadesh and Shur, and then he moved on to Gerar. While living there as a foreigner, Abraham introduced his wife, Sarah, by saying, “She is my sister.” So King Abimelech of Gerar sent for Sarah and had her brought to him at his palace.  (This is the strategy that we recall didn’t work out well in Egypt)

That night God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him he was a dead man for messing with a married woman.  Abimelech pleaded with the Lord explaining that he had not slept with her, and that he was innocent of any wrongdoing since Abraham lied and said she was his sister.  Even she claimed he was her brother.  In the dream, God replied to Abimelech and told him that He was aware of the innocence of Abimelech and tha was why he did not allow anything to happen between the two.  The Lord told Abimelech to return Sarah to Abraham and that the prophet Abraham would pray for him.  He explained that if Abimelech did not do this, he and his people would die.

The next morning, Abimelech got all his men together and told them what happened.  The were rightfully terrified.  Abimelech called for Abraham and asked him why he would do something like this.  Abraham explained that he was fearful of the Godless lands and that she really was her sister, having been fathered by the same man, but with different mothers.  He explained that Sarah was to always refer to him as her brother as they travelled in these lands.

Then Abimelech took some of his sheep and goats, cattle, and male and female servants, and he presented them to Abraham. He also returned his wife, Sarah, to him.  Then Abimelech said, “Look over my land and choose any place where you would like to live.”  And he said to Sarah, “Look, I am giving your ‘brother’ 1,000 pieces of silver in the presence of all these witnesses. This is to compensate you for any wrong I may have done to you. This will settle any claim against me, and your reputation is cleared.”

Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, so they could have children.  For the Lord had caused all the women to be infertile because of what happened with Abraham’s wife, Sarah.

In chapter 20, we see the effects of Abraham’s deception of Abimelech.  We also see that Abraham and Sarah are actually brother and sister, as well as being married.  I find it interesting that Abimelech rewards Abraham in the end because he is so close to God.

Genesis 21

God had kept his word and Sarah gave birth to a son when Abraham was 100 years old.  THis all took place just at the time God said it would.  Abraham named him Isaac, and circumcised him eight days after his birth, just as God commanded.

Sarah said the God had brought her laughter (Isaac means “he laughs”), and that all that would hear of the birth would laugh along with her.  She found it incredible that she would be nursing a baby at such an old age.

When Isaac was ready to be weaned, Abraham prepared a huge feast to celebrate.  Sarah saw Ishmael, the son of Abraham and the servant Hagar, making fun of Isaac.  She demanded that Abraham get rid on Hagar and Ishmael immediately, not wanting them to share in any inheritance. 

Abraham was very upset by this, since Ishmael was his son too.  God told him not to be upset and to do as Sarah had asked.  He said that Isaac was the son through whom his decendants would be counted, but that a nation of decendants would also come from Ishmael since he too was Abraham’s son.

So Abraham got up early the next morning, prepared food and a container of water, and strapped them on Hagar’s shoulders. Then he sent her away with their son, and she wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of Beersheba.   When the water was gone, she put the boy in the shade of a bush.  Then she went and sat down by herself about a hundred yards away. “I don’t want to watch the boy die,” she said, as she burst into tears.

God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “Hagar, what’s wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.”  Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink.  And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness. He became a skillful archer, and he settled in the wilderness of Paran. His mother arranged for him to marry a woman from the land of Egypt.

About this time, Abimelech came with Phicol, his army commander, to visit Abraham. “God is obviously with you, helping you in everything you do,” Abimelech said.  “Swear to me in God’s name that you will never deceive me, my children, or any of my descendants. I have been loyal to you, so now swear that you will be loyal to me and to this country where you are living as a foreigner.”

Abraham replied, “Yes, I swear to it!”  Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s servants had taken by force from Abraham’s servants.  “This is the first I’ve heard of it,” Abimelech answered. “I have no idea who is responsible. You have never complained about this before.”

Abraham then gave some of his sheep, goats, and cattle to Abimelech, and they made a treaty.  But Abraham also took seven additional female lambs and set them off by themselves.  Abimelech asked, “Why have you set these seven apart from the others?”  Abraham replied, “Please accept these seven lambs to show your agreement that I dug this well.”  Then he named the place Beersheba (which means “well of the oath”), because that was where they had sworn the oath.

After making their covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech left with Phicol, the commander of his army, and they returned home to the land of the Philistines.  Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he worshiped the Lord, the Eternal God.  And Abraham lived as a foreigner in Philistine country for a long time.

In chapter 21 we see the fulfillment of the promise of God to give Sarah an Abraham a son.  We see the parting of Hagar and Ishmael from the family of Abraham and Sarah.  We see the anguish of a mother who cannot watch her son as he is dying from dehydration.  God saves them and protects the boy.  Abraham and Abimelech make a covenant with each other and name the place Beersheba.

In this entry, we have gone from the complete destruction of cities filled with wickedness to Abraham once again telling a king that his wife is his sister.  Hagar and her son, Ishmael, set out in the world and survive with God’s help, and there is peace in the valley once again.

Sarai, Abram’s wife, was unable to have children of her own. She had a handmaiden named Hagar that she wanted Abram to sleep with in order to have children for them. Hagar was to act as a surrogate for Abram and Sarai. So Sarai took Hagar, the Egyptian handmaiden, to Abram as a wife. This all happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan. Abram and Hagar conceived a child as a result of their arrangement. When she became pregnant, Hagar began to treat Sarai very poorly. Sarai was upset with Abram, and blamed him for this situation. She explained to him that the Lord would decide who was right in the matter.

OK, let’s stop here for a minute. This arrangement did not sound like a good idea to me at all, and in reading the text, it really looks like it was Sarai’s idea. I can understand the emotion involved and her being upset. Was this what the Lord had planned to fulfill the covenant with Abram? Let’s keep reading.

Abram told Sarai that Hagar was her servant and she was able to treat Hagar however she wanted. Sarai treated Hagar so badly that she eventually ran away.

An angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur. The angel asked Hagar where she had come from and where she was going. She told the angel she was running away from her mistress. The angel gave Hagar the instruction to return to her mistress and submit to her authority. He then added that he would ensure she had more decendants than she could count.

The angel of the Lord explained to Hagar that she was pregnant with a son, and his name should be Ishmael (which translates to “God hears”), for the Lord has heard your cries of distress. Her son would be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey. He would raise his fist to everyone, and everyone will be against him. He will live in open hostility toward his relatives. I wonder how Hagar took this news?

From then on, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means “well of the Living One who sees me”). It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered.

When Abram was eighty six years old, Hagar had the son by him, and named him Ishmael.

In chapter 16 we see the willingness of Sarai to provide her servant as a surrogate for the purpose of creating decendants from Abram. We see the turmoil that ensues as a result of what I can only picture as jealousy. Hagar runs away only to be found by an angel of the Lord who explains to her that she should return and gives her son a name and explains what type of man he will be. Hagar is changed by her communication with the Lord.

Genesis 17

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”

At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them! “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.”

God then gave Abraham (formerly Abram) the conditions of His covenant. Abraham was to ensure that every male member of his family, as well as any servants born into them or foreign born servants, would be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth. This was the mark of the covenant, and any male who was not circumcised on the eighth day after his birth would be cut off from the covenant family.

The Lord told Abraham he was changing Sarai’s name to Sarah, and that he was blessing her so that she would provide a son to him. He told Abraham that She would become the mother of many nations, and that kings of peoples would come from her.

Abraham bowed to the ground and laughed to himself in disbelief. He found it amazing that he could become a father at the age of 100 and Sarah could be a mother at the age of 90. He prayed that Ishmael would live under the Lord’s blessing.

The Lord confirmed the covenant, telling Abraham no, and that Sarah, his wife would give birth to a son who should be named Isaac. The Lord would confirm his covenant with Isaac and his decendants as an everlasting covenant. “As for Ishmael” the Lord said, “I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will make him extremely fruitful and multiply his descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah about this time next year.” When God had finished speaking, he left Abraham.

That same day, Abraham took every male member of his household, including Ishmael and every servant, born or bought, and circumcised them, just as God had told him to. Abraham was ninety nine years old when he was circumcised and Ishmael was thirteen. All were circumcised together.

In chapter 17, we see the conversations between God and Abram (who would be called Abraham). We see the further affirmations of the covenant in changing Sarai’s name to Sarah and assuring Abraham that she would provide him with a son, and that she would become the mother of many nations and that kings of peoples would come from her. The quotations regarding Sarah here are some of my favorite from the Bible. God told Abraham that, in order to fulfill the covenant, all males would have to be circumcised. Abraham did everything just as God had said.

Genesis 18

The Lord came to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. In the hottest part of the day, Abraham was sitting outside his tent and saw three men standing nearby. He ran to greet them and bowed low to the ground. Abraham asked them to stay for a while and enjoy some food. Abraham went to Sarah and had her help prepare a meal. Abraham served them in the shade while they ate. One of them asked where Abraham’s wife, Sarah, was. Abraham told them she was in the tent. Then one of them said he would be back about the same time next year, and that Sarah would have a son.

Sarah was listening to the conversation from inside the tent and laughed at the thought of having a son at such an old age. She and her husband were so old that she could not fathom this. The Lord asked Abraham why his wife was laughing at this. He asked “Is anything io hard for the Lord?”. He then restated that he would return in one year and that she would have a son.

Sarah, fearing the perception of the Lord, denied laughing. The Lord said basically “Yes you did too laugh”.

When the men got up to head out after the meal, they looked out toward Sodom. Abraham walked with them for a while. The Lord asked Himself if He should hide his plan from Abraham. He knew that Abraham would become a great and mighty nation, and that all the nations of earth would be blessed through him. The Lord had singled out Abraham for all of these things and determined that He would do exactly as He had promised. So He shared His plan with Abraham.

The Lord told Abraham that He had heard a great outcry from the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin was so flagrant. He was going to see if their actions were as wicked as He had heard. The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham. Abraham made a plea for the righteous who could be found in these cities. He asked the Lord if he would wipe away both the righteous and the wicked in these places. The Lord assured Abraham that if he found fifty righteous people, that he would spare the entire city for their sake. There was a back and forth sort of bartering between Abraham and the Lord, Abraham not intending to anger the Lord, but out of concern for the righteous people who might be found there. After a back and forth, the Lord said He would not destroy the city if he found even ten righteous people there.

When the Lord had finished His conversation with Abraham, He continued on His way toward Sodom. Abraham returned to his tent.

In chapter 18, Abraham again communicates with the Lord. He makes a meal for the Lord and His fellow travelers. The Lord explained that Sarah would have a son at the same time the following year. He heard the laughs from her and totally busted her laughing. Abraham was let in on the concerns the Lord had for Sodom and Gomorrah and made his plea to have the righteous considered. The Lord is merciful and explains that he would spare the city for the sake of any of the righteous.

In these three chapters we see the further life of Abraham and Sarah (formerly Abram and Sarai). We see the servant of Sarai given to Abram to bear children with, and the turmoil that ensues following that. We see the miracle of the bearing of children and the blessings of the covenant the Lord entered into with Abraham. We also see the closeness of Abraham to the Lord and the great plan that Abraham was let in on. Things do not look good for Sodom and Gomorrah however…

Until next time…

Abram and his wife, having been “escorted” out of Egypt, travelled north into the Nagev alog with Lot and all of their belongings.  Abram was a very rich man in livestock, silver and gold at this time.  From the Nagev, they continued travelling toward Bethel, and again set up camp between Bethel and Hai.  Abram had earlier built an altar to the Lord at this place and again worshipped Him there.

Lot had also become very wealthy with livestock and many tents.  The land could not support both Abram and Lot living so close together, and their herdsmen began to have difficulties in living so close together with the livestock.  At this time, Canaanites and Perizzites were also living on these lands.  It is not clear if these were decendants of Abram and Lot.

Abram did not want any issues between him and Lot, nor their herdsmen, since they were relatives so he offered the choice of land to Lot.  If he chose the land to the right then Abram would take that to the left, and vice versa.  He offered Lot to take the land of his chosing and that they would separate.

After considering the move and looking at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar, with it’s well watered lands, Lot thought it could be compared to the garden of the Lord or the beauty of Egypt (this was before the Lord  destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah).  Lot chose for himself the whole Jordan valley to the east of them.  Lot went there with his flocks and servants, parting from his uncle Abram.  Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot moved his tents near Sodom and their he settled in among the plains.  The people in the area where Lot move were extremely wicked and continually sinned against the Lord.

Once Lot was gone, the Lord spoke to Abram, telling him to look in every direction.  The Lord told Abram that He was giving him the land in every direction, as far as the eye could see.  It would be his land, and that of his decendants.  And, the Lord told Abram that he would have so many decendants that they would not be able to be counted.  Like the dut of the earth he said.  He told Abram to go check it out, walk the land that has been given to him.

Abram later move his camp to Hebron, near the oak grove belonging to Mamre.  There he built another altar to the Lord.

In chapter 13, we see the wealth of Abram and Lot, and that they each have such a large entourage that they cannot both occupy the same area of land.  Lot moves to an area filled with wickedness and sin, and Abram moves to what sounds like a real nice place.  The Lord is pleased with Abram it seems and blesses him with land and the promise of numerous decendants.  Abram continues to show his faith by building another altar.

Genesis 14

The rescue of Lot

About this time war broke out in the region. King Amraphel of Babylonia, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Kedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim fought against King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (also called Zoar). That’s a lot of kings, and very confusing.

The second group of kings joined forces in Siddim Valley (that is, the valley of the Dead Sea). For twelve years they had been subject to King Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled against him.  One year later Kedorlaomer and his allies arrived and defeated the Rephaites at Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzites at Ham, the Emites at Shaveh-kiriathaim, and the Horites at Mount Seir, as far as El-paran at the edge of the wilderness. Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (now called Kadesh) and conquered all the territory of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites living in Hazazon-tamar.

Then the rebel kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela (also called Zoar) prepared for battle in the valley of the Dead Sea.  They fought against King Kedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Babylonia, and King Arioch of Ellasar, four kings against five.  As it happened, the valley of the Dead Sea was filled with tar pits. And as the army of the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into the tar pits, while the rest escaped into the mountains.  The victorious invaders then plundered Sodom and Gomorrah and headed for home, taking with them all the spoils of war and the food supplies.  They also captured Lot, Abram’s nephew who lived in Sodom, and carried off everything he owned.

One of Lot’s men escaped and reported everything to Abram the Hebrew, who was living near the oak grove belonging to Mamre the Amorite. Mamre and his relatives, Eshcol and Aner, were Abram’s allies.  When Abram heard that his nephew Lot had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men who had been born into his household.  Then he pursued Kedorlaomer’s army until he caught up with them at Dan.  There he divided his men and attacked during the night. Kedorlaomer’s army fled, but Abram chased them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.  Abram recovered all the goods that had been taken, and he brought back his nephew Lot with his possessions and all the women and other captives.

When Abram returned from his victory over Kedorlaomer and all his allies, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the valley of Shaveh (the King’s Valley).  And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought Abram some bread and wine.  Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing:

   “Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
      Creator of heaven and earth.
      And blessed be God Most High,
      who has defeated your enemies for you.”

Then, Abram gave one-tenth of all the goods he had recovered to Melchizadek.  (You think this is where we get the concept of the tithe?)

The king of Sodom asked Abram to give back all his people that were captured but told Abram he could keep all the goods and loot.  Abram did not want this, for fear that the king of Sodom would then claim that he was responsible for Abram’s wealth.  Instead Abram asked only that he accept the things that his men had already consumed and that the king give a share to Abram’s allies, Aner, Eschol and Mamre.

In chapter 14 we read that there is a war going on.  Kings have joined forces to form basically two sides in a battle.  When Abram hears of Lot being captured, he gathers his allies and goes to help rescue his nephew.  Abram is blessed by the king of Salem, and determines not to keep the goods obtained from king Sodom in battle.  Abram has shown his loyalty to family as well as his loyalty to the Lord.

Genesis 15

Some time later, Abram had a vision from the Lord.  The Lord told Abram to not fear, that he would be protected and his reward would be great.  Abram was troubled by his not being able to have a son as heir to his land.  He had decided that his servant, Eliezer of Damascus, would be his heir.  The Lord told him this was not the case, and that he would have a son as an heir.  He took Abram out to look at the stars and told him that he would have as many children as there were stars in the sky.

Abram believed God.  He was considered righteous for his faith in the Lord.  God told Abram that He had brought them out of the Ur of the Chaldeans to give him this land.  (This is the land that would later be Isreal, in case you are reading ahead.)

Abram asked God how he could be certain that he would always possess this land.  The Lord asked Abram to make a sacrifice of a three year old cow, a three year old female goat, a three year old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon.  Abram presented all of these to the Lord and killed them.  He cut the animals (not the birds) in half down the middle and presented each half, side by side.  Abram swatted away the vultures that tried to eat what he had sacrificed.

As the sun went down. Abram fell into a deep and dark sleep.  A terrifying darkness came over him, and the Lord told Abram that his decendants would be strangers in a foreign land, where they would be oppressed as slaves for 400 years.  God assured Abram that He would punish the nation that enslaves them, and in the end, Abrams decendants would come away with great wealth.  God explained that Abram would die peacefully at a ripe old age.  GOd told Abram also that after four generations, his decendants would return to this land for the sins of the Amorites do not yet warrant their destruction.

After the sun went down and darkness fell, Abram saw a smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the halves of the carcasses.  And with that, the Lord have made a covenant with Abram, giving him the land all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River, the land now occupied by the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.

In chapter 15 we see that Abram is troubled by his lack of an heir, but that God has blessed him and will provide for his decendants, which will be numerous.  Abram receives a glimpse of what is to be the future of his decendants, and the future of what would be come Isreal.  Abram reaffirms his faith with an offering to the Lord and is rewarded with the covenant.

So, in the last three chapters we see the continued history of Abram, the founding patriarch of the Israelites, Ishmaelites, Edomites, and the Midianites and kindred peoples.  We see the generousity in his arrangement with Lot to decide who is going to move where.  We see his strength and his loyalty in the recue of Lot, as well as his humble faith in the Lord.  Abram holds strong in his faith and believes that the Lord will provide children for him, and that his decendants would have all the land that God outlined for them.

This is the record of the decendants of Noah’s sons, Ham Shem and Japeth.  These are the sons that were born to them after the flood:

Japeth

The descendants of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.  The descendants of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.  The descendants of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.  Their decendants became seafaring peoples spreading out to their various lands, each identified by their own language, clan and national identity.

Ham

The descendants of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.  The descendants of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The descendants of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.  Cush was also the ancestor of Nimrod, who was the first heroic warrior on earth (I wonder how the name Nimrod got its negative connotation later on, you certainly would not want to be called Nimrod today). 

Since Nimrod was the greatest hunter in the world, his name became proverbial. People would say, “This man is like Nimrod, the greatest hunter in the world.” He built his kingdom in the land of Babylonia, with the cities of Babylon, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh. From there he expanded his territory to Assyria, building the cities of Nineveh, Rehoboth-ir, Calah, and Resen (the great city located between Nineveh and Calah).

Mizraim was the ancestor of the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, Pathrusites, Casluhites, and the Caphtorites, from whom the Philistines came.

Canaan’s oldest son was Sidon, the ancestor of the Sidonians. Canaan was also the ancestor of the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites. The Canaanite clans eventually spread out, and the territory of Canaan extended from Sidon in the north to Gerar and Gaza in the south, and east as far as Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, near Lasha.

These were the descendants of Ham, identified by clan, language, territory, and national identity.

Shem

Sons were also born to Shem, the older brother of Japheth. Shem was the ancestor of all the descendants of Eber.  The descendants of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram.  The descendants of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash.  Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber.  Eber had two sons. The first was named Peleg (which means “division”), for during his lifetime the people of the world were divided into different language groups. His brother’s name was Joktan.

Joktan was the ancestor of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were descendants of Joktan. The territory they occupied extended from Mesha all the way to Sephar in the eastern mountains.

These were the descendants of Shem, identified by clan, language, territory, and national identity.

These are the clans that descended from Noah’s sons, arranged by nation according to their lines of descent. All the nations of the earth descended from these clans after the great flood.

In chapter 10, we see the lineage of the sons of Noah and their population of the earth.  They spread out with different languages, groups and began to create their own unique groups of peoples.  The expansion of nations and clans began with the sons of Noah.

Genesis 11

The tower of Babel

At one time, in the beginning, all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words.  As the people migrated east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar (Babylonia) and settled there.

They said to one another “Let’s make some bricks and harden them with fire to use as stone, and slime as the mortar” (slime was basically tar).  They determined to use the bricks and slime to build a great city with a tower that would reach up to heaven.  They decided that this would give them a name and did these things in hopes of uniting their people and preventing them from becoming scattered throughout the world.

Then God came down to look at the city, and the tower.  He determined that they were united, they all spoke the same language and after this nothing would be impossible for them.  God decided to confuse the people with different languages, to ensure that they would not be able to understand each other.

This is how God scattered the peoples, and they stopped building the city.  This is where the name Babel originated, because the Lord confused the people with different languages, thereby scattering them all over the world.

The Decendants of Shem to Abram

Two years after the great flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he became the father of Arphaxad. After the birth of Arphaxad, Shem lived another 500 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Arphaxad was 35 years old, he became the father of Shelah. After the birth of Shelah, Arphaxad lived another 403 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Shelah was 30 years old, he became the father of Eber. After the birth of Eber, Shelah lived another 403 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Eber was 34 years old, he became the father of Peleg. After the birth of Peleg, Eber lived another 430 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Peleg was 30 years old, he became the father of Reu. After the birth of Reu, Peleg lived another 209 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Reu was 32 years old, he became the father of Serug. After the birth of Serug, Reu lived another 207 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Serug was 30 years old, he became the father of Nahor. After the birth of Nahor, Serug lived another 200 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Nahor was 29 years old, he became the father of Terah. After the birth of Terah, Nahor lived another 119 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Terah was 70 years old, he had become the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Got all that?  I hope there isn’t going to be a test on these!  I am a little confused here on the life span of some of these folks though.  Recall in Genesis 6, where God had determined to limit the life expectancy to one hundred and twenty years.  Perhaps that was lifted as a result of the desire to repopulate the earth with the decendants of Noah, or maybe this is only applicable to those born going forward.

The Family of Terah

This is the account of Terah’s family. Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran was the father of Lot. But Haran died in Ur of the Chaldees (Chaldeans), the land of his nativity (birth), while his father, Terah, was still living. Meanwhile, Abram and Nahor both married. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah. (Milcah and her sister Iscah were daughters of Nahor’s brother Haran.) But Sarai was unable to become pregnant and had no children.

One day Terah took his son Abram, his daughter-in-law Sarai (his son Abram’s wife), and his grandson Lot (his son Haran’s child) and moved away from Ur of the Chaldeans. He was headed for the land of Canaan, but they stopped at Haran and settled there. Terah lived for 205 years and died while still in Haran.

In chapter 11 we find illustrated the further lineage of one of the sons of Noah, Shem.  This is a lot to try and remember and organize.  I am sketching out a design for a diagram that might help visually organize this.  If I finish it, and it looks somewhat useful, I will publish it here.  We also read about the history of Babel, and where we get the concept of languages that God used to confuse the people in an effort to distribute them throughout the world.

Genesis 12

Abram is called by the Lord

God speaks to Abram, telling him to leave his family, his nation and his father’s peoples and to go out into the land that He made for Abram.  God tells Abram that He will make a great nation for him, He will bless him and make him famous as well as a blessing to others.  He tells Abram that He will bless those who bless him and curse those who curse him and that all the familes on earth willbe blessed through Abram.

And so, at seventy five years old, Abram left Haran as the Lord instructed, and took his nephew Lot with him.  He took his wife, his nephew and all his wealth, including all his livestock and the people who lived with him and went out to the Land of Canaan.  And the Land of Canaan they found.  They went through Canaan to Shechem, to the plain of Moreh.  There he was in the land of Canaanites.

It was here that the Lord appeared to Abram and told him that he would give this land to the decendants of Abram.  Abram built and altar to the Lord who had appeared to him there.  After that, Abram continued south to a mountain east of Bethel and set up camp.  With Bethel to the west, and Hai to the east, Abram built another altar to the Lord.  There Abram would worship the Lord before continuing south toward Negev.

Beauty and Deception

A famine came to the land of Canaan and forced Abram and his wife, Sarai, to travel down to Egypt, where they would be foreigners.  Abram told his wife she was so beautiful that he feared he would be killed by someone wanting to take her from him.  So he asked hs wife to tell people that she was his sister, so they would actually treat him well, hoping to gain her favor.

Just as Abram had suspected, the Egyptians were struck by Sarai’s beauty.  The palace officals told the Pharoah, their king, about her and she was taken to the palace.  The pharoa gave many gifts to Abram because of Sarai.  He gave Abram oxen, male and female donkeys, sheep, camels and male and female servants.

The Lord did not care for this, and sent terrible plagues on to the Pharoa and his household because of Sarai.  When the Pharoa figured out what was going on, he summoned Abram and asked him why he would lie about Sarai being his wife.  The pharoa asked why Abram would allow him to take her as his wife, when she was actually Abram’s wife.  He gave her to Abram and told them to get out of the country, escorted by the phaoa’s men.  He sent them both out of the country along with all of their possessions.   

In chapter 12, we see Abram travelling to the land of Canaan and building altars to the Lord.  He is doing just as God has asked of him.  A famine causes he and his wife to travel south to Egypt, where he fears he will be killed for his wife, because she is so beautiful.  He has lied to the pharoa, who has been punished by God and Abram and Sarai are ultimately kicked out of Egypt.  He was not killed.

Wrapping up Genesis 10 through 12, we have seen the lineage of the sons of Noah, and the expansion of their populations throughout the world.  We see the ways in which God has ensured the people will scatter into the world, by giving them different languages and sending Abram on a mission to spread the Word, and rewarding his decendants for his efforts.  The world is become more populous and the people are becoming more and more diverse.

Until next time…

When all of the work that God asked Noah to do was completed, God told Noah to get in the ark with his family.  He had determined that Noah, of the people on earth, was the only righteous one.  He instructed Noah to take seven pairs (one male and one female each) of each animal he had approved as “clean” for eating and for sacrifice.  Take one pair of each of the rest, and seven pairs of every kind of bird.  There must be a female and a male in each pair to ensure that life will survive after the flood.  Then he told Noah that in seven days he would make the rains pour down for forty days and forty nights, until all living things that He created were wiped clean from the earth.

Noah again did everything as God had commanded.

Noah was six hundred years old when the floods came.  He and his family boarded the ark, to escape the flood.  They had taken all the various kinds of animals, the ones approved for eating and those that were not.  They took the birds and the small animals.  All boarded the ark in pairs, just as God commanded.  And, after seven days, the flood waters came and covered the earth.

On the seventeenth day of the second month (February 17th?) the waters came, erupting from the earth and pouring from the sky for forty days and forty nights, just as God said it would. 

That same day, Noah had entered the ark with his wife, his three sons (Shem, Ham and Japeth) and their wives.  With them inside the ark were two of every kind of animal, domestic and wild, large and small, along with every kind of bird.  Two by two they entered the ark, representing every living thing that breathes.  A male and a female of every kind, just as God had commanded.  THen the Lord closed the door behind them.

For forty days the water grew deeper.  The ark was lifted above the earth byt he waters, floating safely on the surface.  The water continued to rise until it had covered everything, even the tallest mountain peak by at least fifteen cubits (22 feet).  Everything on the earth died.  Every living creature in whose nostrils was  the breath of life, all that was on dry land including man died.  Every living thing on the earth died, every man, beast, small animal and bird were destroyed from the face of the earth.  Only Noah and those that were with him in the ark survived.  And the waters stayed, for one hundred and fifty days.

In chapter 7 we see that the intentions of God had been fulfilled, both His covenant with Noah and His determination to wipe the earth clean of every living thing.  Many of the bible stories we remember as children paint a very happy picture of the tale of Noah and the ark.  I am not so sure it wasn’t a harrowing thing for him and his family, as well as all the animals.  Faith kept them alive, and faith led them through the events as they unfolded.  They knew that God would protect them, but I am certain that this was no picnic.  You have a large wooden boat filled with animals, the earth is covered in water, and it rains for forty days and forty nights.  Everything as God had said it would be.  That is a lot to deal with, especially at six hundred years old.  I am sure it was very noisy on the ark, plus it probably started to smell pretty bad after about the third day.

Genesis 8

God had remembered Noah, and the passengers of the ark.  He had sent a great wind to blow over the earth to begin the receding of the waters.  The King James version states that the waters “asswaged”, I suppose it would be immature of me to make a joke here.  It just means they began to recede.  The rains had stopped and the underground waters had stopped flowing.  After one hundred and fifty days, on the seventeenth day of the seventh month, exactly five months from the time the flood started, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.  Then on the first day of the tenth month, the other mountains peaks became visible.  It must have been a beautiful sight to the people on the ark.

Forty days later, Noah opened the (assuming there was only one) window of the ark.  He let loose a raven to fly around until the waters had dried up. Noah also released a dove, to see if the bird could find dry land somewhere.  But the dove could not find dry land at this point and returned to Noah.  Seven days later, Noah released the dove once again, to see if the bird could find dry land.  This time the bird returned with an olive leaf in her mouth (I wonder if there is significance in Noah sending a female bird out?). Noah knew this meant the waters had dried.  Seven days later he released the dove once again, but this time the bird did not return.

On the first day of the year, noah was six hundred and one years old.  The waters had dried from the earth and Noah had removed the covering of the ark and saw that the face of the earth was dry.  On the twenty-seventh day of the second month, the earth was totally dry and God instructed Noah to leave the ark, along with his family and every animal, beast and bird on it.  Release all of the animals so that they may go forth and multiply abundantly.  

So Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives, all left the ark.  They ensured every pair of animal of every kind left the ark, two by two, just as they had come aboard.

Noah built an altar to the Lord, and sacrifced every animal that God had approved for sacrifice.  He did this as burnt offerings to the Lord.  And the Lord was pleased with the aroma and said in his heart (to himself) “I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

At the end of chapter 8, we see that Noah and his family have survived the flood.  The waters have receded and all of the animals have been freed to populate the earth.  They have done everything just as God instructed, including the burnt offerings.  God is pleased and vows never again to take such drastic action to cleanse the earth of evil, despite what he knows is true of the nature of man.  He has determined to let man thrive of his own labors.  As long as there is the earth, it will be able to produce crops, have seasons and the cycles of days.

Genesis 9

God blessed Noah and his sons.  He told them to be fruitful and multiply so that they would populate the earth.  God told them that every beast and living thing would be in fear of them and that they would rule over the animals.  He also told them that every living thing would be meat for them, in addition to the fruits and vegetables of the earth.  But God also said that they should never eat anything with the blood of life still in it.  This means they have to kill the animals before preparing them to eat I guess.

God set down some clear rules about the murdering of man by anyone at this time as well.  He stated that anyone that spills the blood of man must also have their blood spilled.  Whether man or beast, the offending must die.  And, because God made man in his own image, the murderer must die at the hand of man.  This was a serious warning to the earth of the consequences of murder.  And then God told them to go and abundantly populate the earth. 

God again confirmed his covenant with Noah, his sons, their decendants and all the animals that were on the ark with them, by stating that never again would flood waters destroy the earth and kill all living creatures. As a sign of His covenant with them, and all the creatures, and their generations to come, he would place his bow (rainbow) in the clouds.  And whenever he would send the clouds to cover the earth, and the rainbow would appear in them, God would remember his covenant as would Noah and all the generations that would follow.

The three sons of Noah that came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japeth.  Ham was the father of Canaan, and from the three sons of Noah would come all of the people that would populate the earth.

Noah became what is referred to in the King James version as a “husbandman”.  We determine this to mean he was a handyman and worked the ground.  He planted a vineyard from which he made wine.  Apparently one day he drank a bunch of wine and removed his clothing, laying naked in his tent.  Ham found his father naked and went to tell his brothers.  Shem and Japeth found a robe and backed into Noah’s tent to cover him, looking the other way so as not to see his nakedness.  When Noah woke from his stupor, he learned that Ham, his youngest son, had told the other brothers of Noah’s nakedness and so Noah cursed Canaan, the son of Ham.  He cursed Canaan to be a servant to his relatives.  He asked the Lord to bless Shem and make Canaan his servant, and he asked Him also to expand the territory of Japeth, share in the prosperity of Shem and make Canaan his servant as well.  Apparently he was not happy with Ham at all.  I kind of feel sorry for Canaan.

So Noah lived for three hundred and fifty years after the great flood, before he died at the age of nine hundred and fifty years old.

In chapter 9 we see the blessings of God, the confirmation of his covenant and a strong warning about murder.  We see the consequences of murder as outlined by the Lord being a life for a life, and that man will be the executioner of any creature, man or beast, that is guilty of murdering man.  God places man above all beasts and allows man to feed of the beasts and crops, as long as there is no life in them.  God vows that never again will there be a flood that would kill all creatures, and the rainbow in the clouds would serve as the reminder of this covenant.  We also see the rage of a drunken man, cursing his grandson for the actions of Noah’s youngest son.

A flood, just as promised, has wiped the earth clean.  Noah, his family and all the animals survived the journey and the flood to set out and repopulate the earth.  God has vowed that he will never again destroy every living thing on the earth, and will allow man to work the land and the cycles of season and days to go on.

Until next time…