This morning we hear from two more of Job’s friends: Bildad and Zophar. And sadly they both continue in the same vein of charging Job with wrongdoing (and Job’s children), because that is the only way they can make sense of the suffering of Job. Bildad uses some brilliant imagery (e.g. the security of leaning against a spider’s web), but the effect is still the same: you are suffering because you have done wrong.

There is at first the appearance of a change in Zophar. His response, once he tells Job he is just babbling on, is to ponder the depths of the mysteries of God. And that anticipates part of God’s response later in the book. But he doesn’t leave it at that and in the end continues to charge Job with sin.

In between these speeches we find Job’s response to Bildad (and to the whole situation). I want to focus on just a few verses: 8:32-35.

32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him,

that we should come to trial together.

33 There is no arbiter between us,

who might lay his hand on us both.

34 Let him take his rod away from me,

and let not dread of him terrify me.

35 Then I would speak without fear of him,

for I am not so in myself.

Job recognizes that he can’t deal with God and he longs for another, an arbiter (or mediator) to intervene. Job expresses the need of humanity: that of One who will stand between sinful man (because though Job is ‘righteous’ he is no sinless) and the holy God. Reflect on 1 Timothy 2:5,6.

Sometimes following the thought and argument of Job is not all that easy. So if you are struggling, join the club. Job is in misery, and that is understandable. But Job’s friends (this time it is Eliphaz who has spoken) do not offer much by way of help. Eliphaz’s worldview is that the innocent prosper and if Job were innocent this would not be happening to him (but see Psalm 73). In chapter 6 Job rebukes his friends.

15 My brothers, you have proved as unreliable as a seasonal brook

that overflows its banks in the spring

16 when it is swollen with ice and melting snow.

17 But when the hot weather arrives, the water disappears.

The brook vanishes in the heat.

18 The caravans turn aside to be refreshed,

but there is nothing to drink, so they die.

19 The caravans from Tema search for this water;

the travelers from Sheba hope to find it.

20 They count on it but are disappointed.

When they arrive, their hopes are dashed.

21 You, too, have given no help.

You have seen my calamity, and you are afraid.

It is that last line - they have seen it, and they are afraid. Eliphaz (and his friends) have no category for innocent suffering. They believed Job to be a righteous man, but now that he is suffering, rather than comforting him part of what they must do is prove he is unrighteous to protect their categories.

• Why do the ‘innocent’ suffer?

• How does Scripture answer that?

• How does Christ and his life address this?

It’s a cold and snowy morning outside - like winter ought to be (though it could be shorter in duration). This morning in our reading we begin the book of Job. Job is one of those books that is pretty difficult to date accurately, but most believe that the action of the story took place around the time of the patriarchs (around the time of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the like). Today the stage is set for the whole of the book. And this is a book that causes us to reflect on the concept of innocent suffering. Consider how Job is described in the very first verse. And look at 1:21, 22 and the way Job responded to the tragedy that befell him and his family. But then we move to chapter 2, and the difficulty is ramped up a bit.

Here are D.A. Carson’s reflections on chapter 2:

“It is one thing to endure with steadfast loyalty when the losses, however painful, are all external; it is quite another thing to endure when one loses one’s health (Job 2). Some reflections:

(1) We are still dealing with innocent suffering. God himself declares of Job, “There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity” (2:3).

(2) Up to this point, God has proved Satan wrong: Job’s loyalty to God is not conditioned by crass, self-serving bartering. Here is a man who is upright and faithful when all his wealth and even all his children are stripped away from him. That is what makes Satan up the ante: “Let me take away his health,” Satan says in effect, “and he will surely curse you to your face” (2:4–5). So a new level of entirely innocent suffering is introduced, and the stage is set for the rest of the book.

(3) At this point believers must ask painful questions. Doesn’t this sound as if God is using Job in some fantastic experiment? Why should the poor chap have to lose his wealth, his family, his health, and (as we shall see) his reputation, merely to prove God right in a challenge God might well have ignored?

That question could call forth a very long book. I have no final, exhaustive answers. But some things should be borne in mind. (a) We belong to God. He may do with us as he wishes. There is something deep within us that rebels at being reminded of that elemental truth. But truth it is. Indeed, our rebellion in the face of it is a reminder of how much we still want to be at the center of the universe, with God serving us. That is the heart of all idolatry. (b) Suppose Job had known of the arrangement between God and Satan. A lesser man might have protested violently, but it is at least plausible to think that Job would have used such information to invest his suffering with profound significance, thus making it easier to endure. Indeed, he might have seen his suffering as bound up somehow in a larger cosmic struggle between good and evil. (c) Other factors to be borne in mind must await the conclusion of the book of Job—indeed, the conclusion of the Book, the Bible.

(4) So Job now faces painful and degrading physical breakdown, emotional abandonment by his wife, and the arrival of the three miserable comforters. Innocent suffering is immeasurably difficult to endure; it is still worse when every emotional support proves to be a broken reed.”

Today we finish Genesis. We have blessings by Jacob, Jacob’s death and burial back in Canaan, and then we come to Joseph’s brothers and the revealing of their fears and worry, perhaps even of lingering guilt on their part. They are seriously concerned that now that Jacob has died that Joseph will seek vengeance on them for what they did to him so many years earlier. They end up lying to Joseph by making up a command of Jacob for him to forgive his brothers. Joseph’s response is beautiful.

When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. 18 Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said. 19 But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 21 No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.

• Why do you think that Joseph wept at this request from his siblings?

• What does Joseph’s response tell you about his view and belief in God?

Take some time and reflect and then read the following selection from D.A. Carson as he reflected on this passage:

“The profundity of this reasoning comes into focus as we reflect on what Joseph does not say. He does not say that during a momentary lapse on God’s part, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, but that God, being a superb chess player, turned the game around and in due course made Joseph prime minister of Egypt. Still less does he say that God’s intention had been to send Joseph down to Egypt in a well-appointed chariot, but unfortunately Joseph’s brothers rather mucked up the divine plan, forcing God to respond with clever countermoves to bring about his own good purposes. Rather, in the one event—the selling of Joseph into slavery—there were two parties, and two quite different intentions. On the one hand, Joseph’s brothers acted, and their intentions were evil; on the other, God acted, and his intentions were good. Both acted to bring about this event, but while the evil in it must be traced back to the brothers and no farther, the good in it must be traced to God.

This is a common stance in Scripture. It generates many complex, philosophical discussions. But the basic notion is simple. God is sovereign, and invariably good; we are morally responsible, and frequently evil.”

Over the years I have really profited from D.A. Carson’s comments through the M’Cheyne Reading Plan, and his comments on Genesis 44 and the life of Judah are no exception.

“Up to this point in the narrative (Gen. 44), Judah has not appeared in a very good light. When Joseph’s brothers first declare their intention to kill him (Gen. 37:19–20), two of them offer alternatives. Reuben suggests that Joseph should simply be thrown into a pit from which he could not escape (37:21–22). This proposal had two advantages. First, murder could not then be directly ascribed to the brothers, and second, Reuben hoped to come back later, in secret, and rescue his kid brother. Reuben was devastated when his plan did not work out (37:29–30). The other brother with an independent proposal was Judah. He argued that there was no profit in mere murder. It would be better to sell Joseph into slavery (37:25–27)—and his view prevailed.

Judah reappears in the next chapter, sleeping with his daughter-in-law (Gen. 38), and, initially at least, deploying a double standard.

Yet here in Genesis 44, Judah cuts a more heroic figure. Joseph manipulates things to have Benjamin and his brothers arrested for theft, and insists that only Benjamin will have to remain in Egypt as a slave. Perhaps Joseph’s ploy was designed to test his older brothers to see if they still resented the youngest, if they were still so hard that they could throw one of their number into slavery and chuckle that at least they themselves were free. It is Judah who intervenes, and pleads, of all things, the special love his father has for Benjamin. He even refers to Jacob’s belief that Joseph was killed by wild animals (44:28), as if the sheer deceit and wickedness of it all had been preying on his mind for the previous quarter of a century. Judah explains how he himself promised to bring the boy back safely, and emotionally pleads, “Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in the place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come upon my father” (44:33–34).

This is the high point in what we know of Judah’s pilgrimage. He offers his life in substitution for another. Perhaps in part he was motivated by a guilty conscience; if so, the genuine heroism grew out of genuine shame. He could not know that in less than two millennia, his most illustrious descendant, in no way prompted by shame but only by obedience to his heavenly Father and by love for guilty rebels, would offer himself as a substitute for them (Mark 14).”

Carson, D. A. (1998). For the love of God: a daily companion for discovering the riches of God’s Word. (Vol. 1, p. 68). Crossway Books.

The account of Joseph in Egypt is a thrilling read and one with which many of us are quite acquainted. This is the stuff we love to read: how God cares for Joseph and the good guy seems to finally do so well. But this story isn’t mainly about Joseph, it’s about the providence of God.

Yet even with his belief in God throughout his predicament in prison, that belief did not stop him from acting and working to secure his own release. He told his story to the cupbearer (though he forgot about Joseph for two full years) and how he was unjustly a slave and unjustly imprisoned. Joseph trusted God’s providence, but still knew that what happened to him was wrong and he worked to right that wrong.

Trusting in the providence of God does not resign the believer to fatalism. As D.A. Carson wrote: “Robust biblical theism encourages us to trust the goodness of the sovereign, providential God, while confronting and opposing the evil that takes place in this fallen world.”

Do you tend towards fatalism when you think of the evil of this world? Or do you seek to faithfully confront it while still trusting in God’s ultimate sovereignty?

Westminster Confession of Faith V.1, 7 “Of Providence”

1. God the great Creator of all things does uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own wil, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.

7. As the providence of God does, in general, reach to all creatures; so, after a most special manner, it takes care of this church, and disposes all things to the good thereof.

Genesis is pretty full of shady characters; of people worse than morally flawed. It is full of sinners who commit some horrendous acts. But should that surprise us? No, not at all. The Bible deals with real life. It doesn’t hide the sins and flaws of its characters. Consider Genesis 38 and that whole story of Tamar and Judah’s sons, and then Judah himself. Judah does not act uprightly and the double-standard that we see toward the end of the chapter is glaring. Yet God uses these very imperfect people as he keeps his covenant promises.

Matthew 1:1-6: 1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king.

David is in the line of Judah and Perez…and Jesus is in that same line.

• What does this tell us about God and his grace?

• What does this tell us about God’s promises?

• What does this mean for ourselves and how God can work in us as flawed and sinful people?

And here we come today to the first real section that many of us are tempted to skim. Why the list of names? Why such painstaking detail?

This is the conclusion to the part of Esau through the book of Genesis. What we have is a tracing of his movement to Edom and why, his lineage and the structure (even of kings) that come from his line. It is the fulfillment of the promise of God to Rebekah when Esau and Jacob were born:

Two nations are in your womb,

and two people from within you shall be divided;

the one shall be stronger than the other,

the older shall serve the younger. (25:23 - ESV)

A new stage in the story is about to be introduced (the life of Joseph). This chapter serves as an ending to the story of Esau (not completely, but for now) and paves the way for the focus on Jacob’s sons.

Here is what Calvin wrote in his commentary on this chapter: “Though Esau was an alien from the Church in the sight of God; yet since he also, as a son of Isaac, was favoured with a temporal blessing, Moses celebrates his race, and inscribes a sufficiently lengthened catalogue of the people born from him. This commemoration, however, resembles an honourable sepulture. For although Esau, with his posterity, took the precedence; yet this dignity was like a bubble, which is comprised under the figure of the world, and which quickly perishes. As, therefore, it has been before said of other profane nations, so now Esau is exalted as on a lofty theatre. But since there is no permanent condition out of the kingdom of God, the splendour attributed to him is evanescent, and the whole of his pomp departs like the passing scene of the stage. The Holy Spirit designed, indeed, to testify that the prophecy which Isaac uttered concerning Esau was not vain; but he has no sooner shown its effect, than he turns away our eyes, as if he had cast a veil over it, that we may confine our attention to the race of Jacob.”

Calvin, J., & King, J. (2010). Commentary on the First Book of Moses Called Genesis (Vol. 2, p. 252). Logos Bible Software.

Much happens in our reading today, and here is another excellent reflection by D.A. Carson in regard to the change in Jacob:

“What a transformation in jacob (Gen. 32)! Superficially, of course, not much has changed. He left Beersheba for Paddan Aram because he was afraid for his life; his brother Esau had reason enough, according to his own light, to kill him. Now he is returning home, and Jacob is still frightened half to death of his brother. No less superficially, one might argue that much has changed; Jacob fled the tents of his parents a single man, taking almost nothing with him, while here he returns home a rich, married man with many children.

But the deepest differences between the two journeys are reflected in Jacob’s changed attitude toward God. On the outbound trip, Jacob takes no initiative in matters divine. He simply goes to sleep (Gen. 28). It is God who intervenes with a remarkable vision of a ladder reaching up to heaven. When Jacob awakens, he acknowledges that what he experienced was some sort of visitation from God (28:16–17), but his response is to barter with God: if God will grant him security, safety, prosperity, and ultimately a happy return home, Jacob for his part will acknowledge God and offer him a tithe.

Now it is rather different. True, God again takes the initiative: Jacob meets angelic messengers (32:1–2). Jacob decides to act prudently. He sends some of his people ahead to announce to Esau that his brother is returning. This spawns devastating news: Esau is coming to meet him, but with four hundred men.

On the one hand, Jacob sets in motion a carefully orchestrated plan: successive waves of gifts for his brother are sent on ahead, with each of the messengers carefully instructed to speak to Esau with the utmost courtesy and respect. On the other hand, Jacob admits that matters are out of his control. Bartering is gone; in “great fear and distress” (32:7) Jacob takes action, and then prays, begging for help. He reminds God of his covenantal promises, he pleads his own unworthiness, he acknowledges how many undeserved blessings he has received, he confesses his own terror (32:9–12). And then, in the darkest hours, he wrestles with this strange manifestation of God himself (32:22–30).

Twenty years or so have passed since Jacob’s outward-bound journey. Some people learn nothing in twenty years. Jacob has learned humility, tenacity, godly fear, reliance upon God’s covenantal promises, and how to pray. None of this means he is so paralyzed by fear that he does nothing but retreat into prayer. Rather, it means he does what he can, while believing utterly that salvation is of the Lord.

By the time the sun rises, he may walk with a limp, but he is a stronger and better man.”

Carson, D. A. (1998). For the love of God: a daily companion for discovering the riches of God’s Word. (Vol. 1, p. 57). Crossway Books.

Today we continue to read of Jacob with Leah and Rachel and the increase of his wealth even though Laban does not deal all that uprightly with him. The Lord continues to show his faithfulness to his own covenant. God continues to bless Jacob, not because of his stellar character, but because of his own covenant faithfulness.

On a side note, I was reading again this morning from Sibbes and this is just a little of what he wrote about tenderness of heart again:

“Heb. 3:13, ‘Let us provoke one another daily, while it is called to-day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.’ Let us use all means to keep our hearts tender. Oh, it is a blessed estate! We are fit to live when our hearts are tender; fit to die, fit to receive anything from God, fit for duties of honesty to men, for any service to God. But when we have lost sense and feeling, it must be the almighty power of God that must recover us again, and not one amongst an hundred comes to good. Therefore labour to preserve a tender, soft, and melting heart.”

Sibbes, R. (1863). The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes (A. B. Grosart, Ed.; Vol. 6, p. 37). James Nichol; James Nisbet and Co.; W. Robertson.

Consider Proverbs 4:23 and ask yourself - what is the state of my own heart?

Today I’m a bit late and I’m also going to introduce a guest blogger - D.A. Carson. In his devotional through the M’Cheyne reading plan he comments on these chapters and I’ve always found his words insightful. So here they are:

Here is his take on chapter 28:

“The name bethel means “house of God.” I wonder how many churches, houses, Bible colleges and seminaries, Christian shelters, and other institutions have chosen this name to grace their signs and their letterheads.

Yet the event that gave rise to the name (Gen. 28) was a mixed bag. There is Jacob, scurrying across the miles to the home of his uncle Laban. Ostensibly he is looking for a godly wife—but this reason nests more comfortably in Isaac’s mind than in Jacob’s. In reality he is running for his life, as the previous chapter makes clear: he wishes to escape being assassinated by his own brother in the wake of his own tawdry act of betrayal and deceit. Judging by the requests he makes to God, he is in danger of having too little food and inadequate clothing, and he is already missing his own family (28:20–21). Yet here God meets him in a dream so vivid that Jacob declares, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven” (28:17).

For his part, God reiterates the substance of the Abrahamic Covenant to this grandson of Abraham. The vision of the ladder opens up the prospect of access to God, of God’s immediate contact with a man who up to this point seems more driven by expedience than principle. God promises that his descendants will multiply and be given this land. The ultimate expansion is also repeated: “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring” (28:14). Even at the personal level, Jacob will not be abandoned, for God declares, “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you” (28:15).

Awakened from his dream, Jacob erects an altar and calls the place Bethel. But in large measure he is still the same wheeler-dealer. He utters a vow: If God will do this and that and the other, if I get all that I want and hope for out of this deal, “then the Lord will be my God” (28:20–21).

And God does not strike him down! The story moves on: God does all that he promised, and more. All of Jacob’s conditions are met. One of the great themes of Scripture is how God meets us where we are: in our insecurities, in our conditional obedience, in our mixture of faith and doubt, in our fusion of awe and self-interest, in our understanding and foolishness. God does not disclose himself only to the greatest and most stalwart, but to us, at our Bethel, the house of God.” (D.A. Carson, For the Love of God, Vol 1)

• How do chapters 29 & 30 also show God’s faithfulness in the midst of a pretty messed up situation?

• What does this tell us about our God and how does that bolster our faith?

Another shorter post this morning (I was up a little late last night - Go Blue!!!). Looking at the story of Esau and Jacob it’s a bit of a mess. The family situation is not what you would call healthy. Yet God still works through it all. God chooses Jacob to be the one through whom the blessing will continue. Take some time and reflect on Romans 9:10-16.

• What questions do you have?

• What does this tell us about God and his work for our salvation?

• What comfort does this bring?

Just a simple thought this morning to ponder. In Genesis 25:23 we read:

“The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.” (NLT)

• What sticks out in this?

• What is abnormal, or different?

• What does this tell us about God and his sovereign grace?

• What should this develop in the hearts of believers?

This was from a reading from Richard Sibbes today. He used Proverbs 28:14:

Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always,

but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

“As a wheel must first be made round, and then turned round, so the heart must be first altered, and then used in a renewed way. A tender heart, so soon as the word is spoken, yields to it. It quakes at threatenings, obeys precepts, melts at promises, and the promises sweeten the heart. In all duties concerning God, and all offices of love to men, a tender heart is thus qualified. But hardness of heart is quite opposite. For, as things dead and insensible, it will not yield to the touch, but returns back whatsoever is cast upon it. Such a heart may be broken in pieces, but it will not receive any impression; as a stone may be broken, but will not be pliable, but rebound back again. A hard heart is indeed like wax to the devil, but like a stone to God or goodness. It is not yielding, but resists and repels all that is good; and therefore compared in the Scripture to the adamant stone. Sometimes it is called a frozen heart, because it is unpliable to anything. You may break it in pieces, but it is unframeable for any service, for any impression; it will not be wrought upon. But on the contrary, a melting and tender heart is sensible, yielding, and fit for any service both to God and man.”

Sibbes, R. (1863). The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes (A. B. Grosart, Ed.; Vol. 6, p. 32). James Nichol; James Nisbet and Co.; W. Robertson.

Caravaggio - The Sacrifice of Isaac (1602)

A Sunday morning post will be short as well. As we read through the story of Abraham and Isaac on the mountain together there are many questions that arise, and more than this short space will allow. But don’t bypass the questions. This is the beauty of reading Scripture - it points us deeper and deeper into the heart of God.

Yet for now, reflect on these words from Hebrews 11:

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

• What does this tell us about Abraham?

  • Consider Abraham’s previous interactions with the Lord, how did those enable Abraham to do what he did?

• How does this whole incident point us to God and the life and work of Jesus, culminating in his death on a Roman cross?

Philippe de Champaigne - Le sacrifice d’Isaac

A very short entry this morning. There is obviously much that could be written about, but I simply want to reflect on Abraham’s role in interceding for Sodom…well, for any righteous in Sodom & Gomorrah. However, there are none righteous (cf. Romans 310-18) so what is our hope? This interaction between the Lord and Abraham points to a greater interaction of intercession (that of the Lord Jesus Christ), but also to his work of giving himself as a substitutionary sacrifice on behalf of sinners.

Reflect on these verses:

• Romans 8:34

• Hebrews 7:25

• 2 Corinthians 5:21

• Romans 8:1

Humans are very flawed. I am very flawed. You are very flawed. We are a mixed bag. At times we can do things that are more along the lines of noble and wonderful; at other times we can all act like complete buffoons. Take Abram for instance. In Genesis 12 he tells Sarai his wife to say she’s his sister (which is partially true on a technicality) out of fear that something will happen to him…with seeming little regard to what could well happen to her. The Lord rescues him and Sarai from that situation. But then he rescues Lot from a very bad situation and gives honor to Melchizedek, and in that we see faith in the Lord as the one who has and will provide. A mixed bag.

That leads us to Genesis 15:

1 Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.”

2 But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. 3 You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.”

4 Then the Lord said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” 5 Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!”

6 And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.

Abram had believed God. He left his country and his family and followed the call of the Lord. But at this point in his life he has no children, no heirs of his own. But the Lord promised that Abram would have a son of his own - and Abram believed. He was counted as righteous. This is such a beautiful truth. It’s a truth our lives with the Lord depend upon. 

Heidelberg Catechism Question 60:

How are you right with God? Only by true faith in Jesus Christ. Even though my conscience accuses me of having grievously sinned against all God’s commandments, of never having kept any of them, and of still being inclined towards all evil, nevertheless, without any merit of my own, out of sheer grace, God grants and credits to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner, and as if I had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for me—if only I accept this gift with a believing heart.

Reflection:

• Read Romans 4 and reflect on the words that Paul wrote in regard to righteousness by faith and why that matters.

• How do you have a tendency to believe your standing with God depends on your actions? How does Scripture answer that?

• What are the benefits of believing the promise of God? Try and come up with more than just one or two - sit a while and contemplate what the Lord gives to those who believe in his good promises.

There is a great deal in the reading this morning that one could sit back and reflect upon: from Babel to Abram’s call to the situation with Lot and Sodom to Melchizedek (this rather strange figure to whom Abram pays a tithe). Where I was drawn to reflect though was early with Babel and what it tells us about God and humanity.

If you go back to 9:1 you read: And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (ESV). Then look at 11:3,4: They began saying to each other, “Let’s make bricks and harden them with fire.” (In this region bricks were used instead of stone, and tar was used for mortar.) Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world” (NLT).

• What do you already notice (or notice again) about humanity?

• What was their motivation?

• What does this tell us about our nature? (Pride, etc…)

But let’s keep reading (verses 5-9): But the LORD came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. “Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.”

In that way, the LORD scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city. That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the LORD confused the people with different languages. In this way he scattered them all over the world (NLT).

• Look at verse 6 (and perhaps look in other translations) - what is the issue with this? Why is God concerned with the people being united? What are they united for? What ought they be united in?

• What does this tell us about God and his involvement with mankind?

• How does the call of God to Abram in Genesis 12 add to and address this incident at Babel?

This morning in our reading from Genesis we see God’s consistent initiation with humanity. God moves towards sinful humanity while humanity has consistently moved away from and rebelled against God. Yesterday in 6:18 we read: But I will confirm my covenant with you…(NLT). Today we see that covenant made explicitly. We also see God’s character even in a simple statement like 8:1: But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and livestock with him in the boat…(NLT). It is not that God forgot, but it’s a way of signifying that God will take an action based on a commitment. God’s commitment is his covenant with Noah, a covenant of grace.

It would be helpful to take some time and consider what it means that God relates to humanity through covenants. This is where the resources we have as a church are so valuable. As a denomination we subscribe to the Westminster Confession of Faith and in Chapter 7 it addresses God’s covenant with man.

Westminster Confession of Faith

If you look at 9:8-17 you see the covenant God made with Noah. The rainbow in the sky is the sign of that covenant. And it is a sign of peace, as the bow is pointed upward, away from the earth.

What can you reflect on from this text? from the covenant made with Noah?

What does this tell us about ourselves? about God?

The Westminster Larger Catechism question and answer 20 states:

Q. What was the providence of God toward man in the estate in which he was created?

A. The providence of God toward man in the estate in which he was created, was the placing him in paradise, appointing him to dress it, giving him liberty to eat of the fruit of the earth; putting the creatures under his dominion, and ordaining marriage for his help; affording him communion with himself; instituting the Sabbath; entering into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience, of which the tree of life was a pledge; and forbidding to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death.

In our reading of Genesis 4-6 this morning we read of the first murder. It did not take mankind long to fall into an estate of sin and misery (see WLC 23). And in chapter 6 we come to the familiar start of the recounting of Noah and his life and work and the favor he found with the Lord. But in between there is chapter 5 - the one we are all tempted to skip because, quite honestly, genealogies aren’t all that fun to read. But it’s included for a reason. So then, what can we learn from a listing of names?

Well, that’s my question this morning for us - what can we learn? Maybe take a moment and reread this chapter.

• What do you notice that is repeated (at least 8 times)?

• What is that repetition telling us?

• To what does this point?

  • Where in Scripture does the repeated phrase get dealt with? (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:54-57; Revelation 21:4)

• How does this fuel your worship of our God?