Genesis
The Lord’s First Promise to Isaac
Isaac found himself overwhelmed by famine and decides to go to Egypt until it was over (v. 1). Abraham had done the same thing with negative results. But the Lord appeared to Isaac and promised to bless him if he stayed in the land (vv. 2-5). Isaac agreed and moved to Gerar, a town …
Noah Built an Altar
At the command of God, Noah (1) built an ark, (2) gathered the necessary food for their time in the ark, (3) entered the ark with his family and all the animals, and finally (4) exited the ark. One of the defining characteristics of Noah was that he was obedient to the commands of the Lord …
The Tower of Babel
Chapter 11 tells of one of the mightiest and far- reaching miracles of history. It finds no parallel until the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The result of God’s intervention was the origin of the different nations. The building of the tower of Babel was man’s first attempt …
Joseph Interprets the Dreams of Pharaoh’s Two Servants
While in prison Joseph met two people: the butler and the baker (vv. 1-4). The “butler†was the king’s cupbearer, and the “baker†cooked the king’s bread. Both had offended the king and been sent to prison. One morning, Joseph observed that the two men were very upset. He asked them …
Decendants of Esau
The first eight verses give us details about Esau and his family; his wives who he chose from the women of Canaan (vv. 1-3), his sons (vv. 4-5), and his enormous wealth (vv. 6-8). Esau was Edom and the Edomites were his descendants. He had three wives, Adah, Oholibamah and Basemath …
Abraham and Ishmael are Circumcised
In the last chapter, we saw Abraham’s tragic mistake in trying to hasten the work of God. He was 86 when Ishmael was born and 99 when Isaac was born. However, before Isaac could be born, faith had to be exercised. This chapter explains how the covenant was received …
It Rained 40 Days And Nights
There are books written by liberal theologians that take the position that the Flood was local. They say that it was confined to the Tigris ?“ Euphrates valley and formed sort of a big swimming pool over there, and that is all there was. May I say that the Bible makes it very clear that there was a …
The Destruction of Sodom
Two angels paid Lot a visit in Sodom (v. 1). Lot “was sitting in the gateway to the city (v. 1), the place for leaders and judges to sit. Lot was likely a leader of the community. Knowing the sexual immorality that prevailed in Sodom, Lot offered hospitality for the night to protect these guests …
Promises to Abram
This is a pivotal chapter in the book of Genesis as God turns His attention from a rebellious humanity scattered by the judgment of Babel to one man, Abraham. At this point, Abraham was 75 years of age and had another 100 years to live (v. 4). The next twelve chapters of Genesis are …
Joseph’s Promise to His Brothers And His Death
John Phillips in his book EXPLORING GENESIS says this about the book of Genesis. It begins with creation and ends with a coffin. It begins with glory and ends with a grave. It begins with the vastness of eternity and ends with the shortness of time. It begins with the living God …