E-pistle for August 7, 2009
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E-pistle
Dr. Dan Hite, President FreeWay Foundation August 7, 2009
These are the last 2 lessons on the book of Genesis
Israel's Last Will and Testament
(Genesis 49:1-33)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the events in this chapter
1. Israel gathered all twelve of his sons together to hear his
final prophetic words, vv. 1-2.
2. He systematically listed each son, high-lighted a characteristic,
and gave a prophetic word, vv. 3-28.
3. He charged his sons to bury him in the cave in Canaan where
his grandparents (Abraham and Sarah), his parents (Isaac and
Rebekah), and his first wife (Leah) were buried, vv. 29-32.
4. Jacob finished his words, drew his feet up into the bed, breathed
his last, and "was gathered (spiritually) to his people," v. 33.
II. Meditation: on Israel's prophetic words concerning his sons
1. His first three sons were cursed, not blessed:
(1) Reubin, because he had sexual relations with his father's
concubine, Bilhah, vv. 3-4; Genesis 35:22.
(2) Simeon and Levi, because of their cruel murders at Shechem,
vv. 5-7; Genesis 34:25-29.
2. Judah (son #4) became the leader of the Twelve Tribes, and the one
through whom God's promised Messiah would come, vv. 8-12.
3. Joseph (son #11) was given a "double portion" of Israel's Promised Land
inheritance through the equal shares received by his sons, Manasseh
and Ephraim, vv. 22-26.
4. All the other sons received Israel's brief evaluations and prophesies about
their future, vv. 13-21, 27-28.
III. Revelation: on the spiritual implications of these prophecies
1. Breaking the laws of God is sin, and sinning removes persons from the
canopy of God's blessings upon their lives.
2. Jesus the Messiah came from the tribe of Judah, and Israel saw Him as
(1) King ("scepter"), (2) Lawgiver, (3) Shiloh (Peace-giver or Rest),
and (4) Blood-sacrifice (wine; blood), vv. 10-12.
3. Faithfulness to the Lord through persecution and suffering (as Joseph
endured) will be abundantly rewarded, Matthew 25:21.
4. God knows everything about us, including our past deeds, our present
attitudes, and our future destiny.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Avoid committing sin; but when I do break God's laws . . . repent, confess,
and ask for forgiveness and cleansing, and ask to be restored to the
place of God's favor and blessing, I John 1:7-9.
2. Worship Jesus . . . my Lord, my Judge, my Peace, and my Savior.
3. Serve the Lord faithfully, in spite of all difficulties.
4. Realize that God knows all about me . . . yet He still loves and cares for me.
In A Coffin In Egypt
(Genesis 50:1-26)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the events in this chapter
1. Joseph had his father's body embalmed by the Egyptians,
and the family journeyed back into Canaan for the burial
ceremony, vv. 1-13.
2. Joseph's brothers, out of fear, told him the lie that their
father had made a dying request that Joseph forgive his
brothers for their treachery against him, vv. 14-18.
(I think Joseph saw through this deception.)
3. Joseph told them not to be afraid; promised to provide for
them; comforted them; and spoke kindly to them, vv. 19-21.
4. Joseph lived to be 110 years of age, and he left instructions
for his bones to be returned to Canaan when the Israelites
exited from Egypt . . . some 400 years later, vv. 22-26.
II. Meditation: on Joseph's understanding of divine providence
1. Joseph knew that God existed, but that he (Joseph) was not
God! v. 19.
2. Joseph knew that God was able to override any evil intent
against His chosen person or contrary to His destined will, v. 20.
3. Joseph knew that God could (and did) bring good out of evil . . .
that his being sold into slavery was used by the Lord to save his
family and the lives of countless other persons, v. 20.
4. Joseph knew that his brothers were untrustworthy, but he treated
them with kindness and mercy . . . because he had a forgiving,
gracious heart like God's, v. 21; Psalm 103:17.
III. Revelation: on the Scriptural basis of these truths which Joseph knew
1. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher
than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts,"
reads Isaiah 55:9.
2. "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery furnace,
and He will deliver us," said the three Hebrew men in Daniel 3:17.
3. "All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who
are the called according to his purpose," wrote Paul in Romans 8:28.
4. "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put
away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave
you," wrote Paul in Ephesians 4:31-32.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Recognize my proper position as a created being serving the Almighty
Creator of the universe.
2. Believe that nothing is too difficult for the Lord to accomplish,
Jeremiah 32:17 . . . He is omnipotent!
3. Realize that God is using all the "bad" circumstances of my life to
produce His "good" results . . . usually, however, I am able to see these
things in their true perspective only by hindsight.
4. Always exhibit the forgiving attitude and spirit of Christ, Matthew 6:14-15.
"If I've got correct goals, and if I keep pursuing them the best way I know
how, everything else falls into line. If I do the right thing right, I'm going
to succeed."
- Dan Dierdorf
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