Date | Version | Reading Plan |
---|---|---|
February 1, 2025 | ESV (2016) | OT/NT Plan 2025 – 2027 |
Genesis 32
Observation
The chapter picks up from the previous in which Jacob was traveling to the land of his kindred. An angel met him on the way and Jacob said, “This is God’s camp!” and named it Mahanaim, which means “two camps”. Jacob sent messengers to Esau to tell him about his stay with Laban and the messengers returned with the message that Esau was meeting him and bringing 400 men. Jacob responded with fear, dividing the people and strategized that if Esau attacks the one camp the other will escape.
Jacob then spoke to God, recounting HIs promise, faithfulness and steadfast love shown to His servant, Jacob. Jacob asked the LORD to be delivered from the hand of Esau. The TGCBC notes some important aspects of Jacob’s prayer:
This prayer is the longest recorded in Genesis, and Jacob’s tone is noteworthy. For the first time, he addresses God using his personal name, YHWH (translated “LORD” in most English versions). Jacob bargained with God at Bethel (28:20–22), but he now speaks of being unworthy of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. Speaking modestly of himself as he petitions God for help, Jacob comes across as a different person to the man who left Canaan twenty years previously. Praying for protection, Jacob recalls God’s promise to make his offspring numerous (cf. 28:14).
Jacob prepared a present for Esau comprised of livestock and instructed his servants on how it was to be delivered. They were to go on ahead of Jacob and Esau was to be informed that Jacob sent them to him for appeasement. The same night, Jacob crossed the Jabbok with his two wives, two female servants and eleven children. When he was alone, a man wrestled with Jacob until the breaking of the day. The man asked to be let go, but Jacob refused to let him go until he received a blessing from him. When the man saw that he could not prevail against Jacob, he put out Jacob’s hip socket. The man asks Jacob for his name, to which he said, “Jacob”. The man said his name would no longer be “Jacob” but “Israel” because he had striven with God and with men and had prevailed. Again, the TGCBC provides some important details about Jacob’s encounter with the man:
Although he is initially described as a “man” (v. 24), it gradually becomes apparent in verses 28 and 30 that Jacob’s opponent is God, who has come in human form (cf. 18:1–15). Jacob doggedly refuses to let his opponent go free, despite having his hip dislocated. His desire to be blessed motivates him in his struggle with God. Jacob longs to inherit the blessings given to Abraham and Isaac. Although it seems strange that God should ask Jacob, “What is your name?” (v. 27), the question is rhetorical, drawing attention to his name, which means “cheater” or “supplanter” (see 27:36). By changing his name to Israel, God highlights how Jacob has been transformed. The name Israel is comprised of ʾēl (“God”) and yśr, a verbal form probably derived from the root śrh (“to contend/strive”).
The man blessed Jacob and Jacob called the place Peniel, which means “face of God”. Jacob limped as he passed Penuel. To this day, the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh on the hip socket because Jacob’s hip socket was touched.
Application
We see in Jacob’s prayer signs that his faith had matured during the time he had spent with Laban. There are indications of humility and contrition as he acknowledged God’s favor upon his life and His power to deliver. It is wonderful to see how God’s orchestration throughout the years Jacob spent with Laban had brought Jacob to a deeper level of faith. His time there was certainly difficult, but God used it for sanctifying purposes. How amazing is our God to employ difficult circumstances in order to bring the hearts of His children into greater dependence on Himself. Our struggles are not without warrant and are a reflection of One we follow. He first suffered for us and, as we do likewise, we are refined and brought into closer conformity with Him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank for the difficult seasons that refine me and bring me to a place of utter reliance on You. All that I may see You for the gracious and awesome God that you are.
Mark 4
Observation
Following from the last chapter, Jesus began to teach beside the sea, but a large crowd had gathered, so he got into a boat and taught from in the boat on the water. He proceeded to teach many things by parable and taught the parable of the sower. In this, He described a sower who sowed seed on various types of soil, three of which were unfruitful and one that yielded much, “thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” (Mark 4:8). He then spoke to the twelve and those around Him while alone, explaining that they had been given the secret of the kingdom of God but to those on the outside everything was in parables. He gave more detail regarding the parable of the sower, connecting the seed with the Word and the soils with the various hearers of the Word.
He then went on to give other teachings and parables, namely of the lamp being brought in (explaining things hidden vs. things made manifest), the parable of the farmer who scatters seed that grows without him knowing how and the parable of the mustard seed that is the smallest of seeds but grows to become larger than all garden plants.
The narrative then shifts to an account of Jesus and His disciples starting across the sea of Galilee. A great windstorm arose and the disciples fearfully awoke Jesus who was asleep in the stern. Jesus awoke, calmed the storm and confronted the disciples on their fear, asking “Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:40). The disciples were filled with fear and asked who He was that even the wind and waves obey Him.
Application
The different soils described by Jesus in the parable of the sower provides helpful insight into the heart of man. The rocky ground on which there sprang immediate but shallow growth struck me in particular today. This is the only soil in which the speed of growth is described. Tying this to the hearer this represents, there will be some who seem to grow quickly in the faith but whose shallow roots thwart sustainability. Amazement among others of their seemingly healthy fruit is replaced with disappointment when it withers through scorching. May we then draw from this that true growth takes time. Only through a life-long, consistent pursuit of the Lord are roots developed capable of weathering the heat and storms of life.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to see how true growth comes about, patient that you are doing a work to deepen my roots and bring me to a closer relationship with You.