Epistle for June 12, 2009
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E-pistle
Dr. Dan Hite, President FreeWay Foundation June 12, 2009
Old Habits Are Hard To Break!
(Genesis 33:1-20)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on Jacob's meeting with Esau after 20 years
1. Jacob sent his least favorite wives and children ahead to meet the
potentially dangerous Esau, vv. 1-2.
2. Jacob bowed himself to the ground before Esau seven times, v. 3.
3. Esau cordially met Jacob's family with embraces and kisses, vv. 4-7.
4. Esau asked his brother why he had sent all the gifts, v. 8.
II. Meditation: on Jacob's continuing attempts to manipulate Esau
1. Jacob flattered Esau: "I have seen your face as if I had seen the face
of God," v. 10.
2. Jacob urged a gift (bribe) upon Esau, to assure his family's safety, v. 11.
3. Jacob made lame excuses to get away from Esau's presence, vv. 12-15.
4. Jacob lied about his destination, telling Esau he would join him in Seir
(Edom), but journeying instead to Canaan and permanently settling
there, vv. 16-18.
III. Revelation: on Jacob's settling his family in the Promised Land
1. Jacob stopped temporarily east of the Jordan River at Succoth ("Booths"),
so named for the shelters (booths) he made for his livestock; there he
built himself a house, v. 17.
2. Later, he crossed the Jordan River into Canaan and settled near Shechem,
sometimes identified with Sychar (Jacob's Well), v. 18; John 4:5-6.
3. He bought a parcel of land from the children of Hamor, Shechem's father
for 100 pieces of money. (Here the bones of Joseph, Jacob's son, were
transported from Egypt and buried centuries later, Joshua 24:32).
4. He erected an altar there, and worshipped "el Elohe Israel" . . . "God, the
God of Israel," v. 20.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Exercise wise caution in caring and providing for my family, but ultimately
trust them into the safe hands of the Lord.
2. Avoid trying to manipulate people by flattery, gifts, deceitful excuses, and
deliberate lies . . . such actions reveal a lack of faith in God.
3. Realize that although I have encountered God and He is in the process of
changing me into the image of His Son, there still is a lot of "Jacob" in
me which needs to be transformed into the character of a true member
of God's royal family: "Israel" . . . "Prince with God."
4. Settle down in the "promised land" which God has given to me; "Bloom
where I am planted!" . . . here erecting an altar and worshipping Him.
Massacre at Shechem
(Genesis 34:1-31)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the characters involved in this tragic episode
1. Dinah, v. 1 – daughter of Leah, Genesis 30:21.
2. Jacob, v. 1 – father of Dinah.
3. Hamor, v. 2 – ruler of the territory; father of Shechem.
4. Shechem, v. 2 – son of Hamor; his father's capital city was named for him.
5. Simeon and Levi – Dinah's brothers, v. 25; Genesis 29:32-33; 30:21.
II. Meditation: on the events in this chapter
1. Shechem raped Dinah; then asked his father, Hamor, to get her for his
wife, vv. 2-4, 8-12.
2. Jacob and his sons were grieved and angry; they plotted revenge, vv. 5-7.
3. Jacob's sons agreed to allow Dinah to marry Shechem, who was not a Jew,
if all the males in the city would be circumcised, vv. 13-24.
4. On the third day after surgery, while the men were still in pain, Simeon and
Levi killed all the males of the city, rescued Dinah, plundered the city, and
took their wives and children captive, vv. 25-29.
III. Revelation: on the spiritual principles seen here
1. Association with ungodly persons easily can lead to wickedness and tragedy:
"Dinah . . . went out to see the daughters of the land," v. 1.
2. Sexual attraction, "true love," and tender feelings are not grounds enough
to bring God's approval upon a marriage between a believer and an
unbeliever, v. 3; II Corinthians 6:14.
3. "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil," I Timothy 6:10 . . . the men
of Shechem agreed to circumcision motivated by a desire for economic
gain, vv. 20-23.
4. Sin always brings judgment and punishment . . . the men of Shechem were
killed by Simeon and Levi; later, Simeon and Levi were cursed by their
father, Jacob, because of their cruelty, vv. 30-31; Genesis 49:5-7.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Choose my friends and close associates (if possible) from among the people
who know and serve the Lord . . . fellow Christians.
2. Avoid sexual immorality by marrying a spouse who shares my Christian
commitment, I Corinthians 7:2, 9.
3. Know that spiritual considerations and Godly principles are the real "bottom
line" . . . not monetary profits!
4. Live in peace with my enemies (Matthew 6:44), realizing that vengeance
belongs to the Lord, Romans 12:19-21.
Secret To Happiness
(Copied from "Good Stuff")
The secret to happiness and well-being is no mystery. All it takes is the ability
to do the following:
Forget – Apologize – Admit Errors – Avoid Mistakes – Listen to Advice –
Keep Your Temper – Shoulder the Blame – Make the Best of Things –
Maintain High Standards – Think First and Act Accordingly – Put the Needs of
Others Before Your Own – Forgive.
Seem like a tall order? Then try slipping as many of these "secrets to happiness"
into your day as possible. You'll soon be rewarded with a more positive outlook
on life.
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