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Bible Study WELCOME TO A DEEP LOOK AT GENESIS

Reading Matt Henry, on these verses, written a few hundred years ago... a bit off topic but this last line caught me...
"God governs the world more by secret terrors on men's minds than we are aware of".
 
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Beginning means before anything else as in the very first time.
In vs. 1 we see God creating heaven and earth for the very first time.
In vs. 2 we see the earth was without form and void, but yet the earth was there and also had water upon it. I see a hugh gap between vs. 1 and vs. 2.
....

I believe in the "gap theory", an old earth, and a young Adam.
I believe that whatever race existed on earth before Adam was not human.
I believe that the earth, created perfect, became "without form and void" through Jeremiah 4:23-27 occurring backwards; i.e. going from verse 27 to 26 to 25 to 24 to 23.

23

I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.

24

I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.

25

I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.

26

I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.

27

For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.
 
I believe in the "gap theory", an old earth, and a young Adam.
I believe that whatever race existed on earth before Adam was not human.
I believe that the earth, created perfect, became "without form and void" through Jeremiah 4:23-27 occurring backwards; i.e. going from verse 27 to 26 to 25 to 24 to 23.

23

I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.

24

I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.

25

I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.

26

I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.

27

For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.

Interesting my BigLion friend, this is off topic for this thread, but if you want to pursue the Gap theory, I suggest you start a new thread, Thank you.
 
Continuing Day 84 Genesis 35:1-7....After taking care of the idols, Jacob and company make the 28 mile journey to Bethel, which used to be called Luz. He built an altar there, as he said. He called the place "El Bethel" or "the God of Bethel". The interesting about the God of Bethel is the word for God is Elohiym, meaning that the Son of God has been active in these proceedings, or, the Trinity. Ben Ezra believe it's the Divine Being.
 
Day 85 Thursday 7/10/14 Genesis 35:8-15 A NATION IS BORN.

V.8 records the death of Deborah Rebekah's nurse. There seems to be a little confusion as to who this Deborah is. Jewish writer Jarci, feels it is Rebekah's nurse. Apparently, Rebekah sent Deborah to Jacob at some time, and she became a nurse to Rachel and lived with Jacob and Rachel until her death which is recorded here. They bury her a little below the hill of Bethel, under an oak, which is not uncommon for a place of burial of the dead. The name of the Terebinth, or oak tree, was named "the Terebinth of weeping.

V.9 begins a some holy events from Elohiym to Jacob. "And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him. And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel." God is confirming the name of Israel that He had told him back in Gen. 32:28. The Name Israel means "He shall rule as God". Man, that to me has great meaning, especially today when Israel and Palestine are at each others throat over who owns the land. Israel, rules as God!

Now we come to V.11 "And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins." God reveals Himself as El-Shadday,or El-Shaddai which means "God Almighty". Here we have a wonderful Promise from God Almighty to Jacob that his posterity will include a Company of Nations, and Kings will come from him. Of course we know that King David and our Savior who would be Israel's Messiah will eventually come from him, Wow!!

Gen 35:12 "And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land." Not much explanation here, God simply brings to Jacob's remembrance the promises of a a Land flowing with milk and honey, Canaan.

Gen 35:13 "And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him." There must have been an appearance of the Almighty in a visible form such as a theophany of Jesus the Christ. After speaking with Jacob, now Israel, He "went up". Someday, I'm going up. Can't wait!" I'll have lots of conversation with Reba, and her Holiness Preacher Dad!!

Gen 35:14 "And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon."This was possibly the spot that he had places a pillar before but probably in the thirty years that has passed, it needed to be restored and made much better. Israel poured a drink offering on it of wine, of which drink offerings under the law were, thereby consecrating it to the worship and service of God. Aben Ezra says it was either of water or of wine, with which he washed it, and after that poured oil on it; and the Targum of Jonathan says, he poured a drink offering of wine, and a drink offering of water. And the place is Bethel, or "House of God".
 
Reading Matt Henry, on these verses, written a few hundred years ago... a bit off topic but this last line caught me...
"God governs the world more by secret terrors on men's minds than we are aware of".

You have just said a very true statement IMO. That reminds me that in the background of all of our lives from birth to the present day, God and or His Angels have been very busy in either protecting us or blessing us. Sometimes I think, why is it taking so long in this traffic jam, then I think, perhaps God is keeping me from an accident down the road. Have you ever felt that way?
 
Wondering if there is a connection between Rachels idols her death and the new life?

I guess that's something we'll never know at this point. I do know that demons, when they can't indwell a person, will hide out in objects, like idols made of wood or metal. I don't think it's been revealed just what these are. The Scripture says "household idols or Heb. teraphim". If there is a penalty that Rachel is now paying for, God only knows.
 
I dont think things were as clear then as now or as clear then as with 'Moses law' ... but Rachel hid'em....


Sheesh who needs a Soap Opera when ya have the Scriptures :neutral
 
I dont think things were as clear then as now or as clear then as with 'Moses law' ... but Rachel hid'em....


Sheesh who needs a Soap Opera when ya have the Scriptures :neutral

Let's see... What do we have?...

  • Incest (Abraham marrying his half sister)
  • Theft (Rachel stealing her father's idols)
  • Deception (Rachel lying to her father about the idols)
  • Betrayal (Joseph's brothers selling him as a slave)
  • Sibling rivalry (Cain/Abel, Ishmael/Isaac, Jacob/Esau)
  • Murder (Cain killing Abel)
Yep. Sounds like Genesis would make a pretty good soap opera.

The TOG​
 
Strange what we all agree on ... :wave2

It's another example of how we can be sure the Bible isn't a man insoired book. Men wouldn't make themselves look so bad by honestly recording their own personal history.
 
It's another example of how we can be sure the Bible isn't a man insoired book. Men wouldn't make themselves look so bad by honestly recording their own personal history.

That's typically the illustration I'll provide when someone asks me if the Bible is truth. This is followed up with the question: what other religion's book contains all the sex, lies, betrayals, murders, etc., that is included in the Bible. I've yet to receive an answer on that one.
 
Day 86 Friday 7/11/14 Genesis 35:16-22 LIFE AND DEATH.

Here we have a very sad part in the life of Jacob. His beloved wife Rachel died during the birth of Benjamin, "son of my right hand" giving him an honorable place in Jacob's home and heart. Gen 35:19 "And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem."What a wonderful place to be buried, Bethlehem. A great lady lies buried near the birthplace of her Messiah.

Gen 35:20 And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day. A sepulchral monument erected in memory of her; this according to Benjamin of Tudela was made of twelve stones, according to the number of the sons of Jacob, and over it was a vault or roof, supported by four pillars.The death of a beloved wife, before her time, is a tragic event. My first wife Jennie, died of cancer at the age of 50. We had been married for 33 1/2 years. I still miss her so much. Since I was a war veteran, her body is buried in a Veteran Cemetery. I find it very difficult to visit her grave site, there are times when I'm in Maine that I just can't go there.

Gen 35:21 "And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar." This is supposed to be the place where the shepherds were watching their flocks, when the angel reported to them the birth of Christ, Luke 2:8; pretty remarkable are the words added here in the Targum of Jonathan,"the place from whence the King Messiah will be revealed in the end of days.''

Gen 35:22 "And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve." Boy oh boy, Satan was sure busy in the Old Testament! Jacob looses his beloved wife Rachel, and here comes Jacob's firstborn son Reuben and decides to take Byuhjilhah to bed. So, here is Jacob, no wife, but his favorite concubine Bilhah, of whom Rachel had given her to Jacob to have a baby, he has lost two beloved wives. This Verse documents the fact that Jacob heard about this sinful act of Reuben. Now if matters weren't bad enough, His first born, has committed this crime against his father. Now, Jacob has twelve sons. He had now more sons, so, 12 sons & 1 daughter.
 
Boy oh boy, Satan was sure busy in the Old Testament! Jacob looses his beloved wife Rachel, and here comes Jacob's firstborn son Reuben and decides to take Byuhjilhah to bed. So, here is Jacob, no wife, but his favorite concubine Bilhah, of whom Rachel had given her to Jacob to have a baby, he has lost two beloved wives. This Verse documents the fact that Jacob heard about this sinful act of Reuben. Now if matters weren't bad enough, His first born, has committed this crime against his father. Now, Jacob has twelve sons. He had now more sons, so, 12 sons & 1 daughter

at least 4 women to comfort the old jerk?... had he not been drunk maybe his first born would have been Joseph :) Never mind
Here in the life of Jacob we see the the younger son , from the beloved wife, ending up 'over' the elder.... I am amazed at how often this plays out in Scripture... I believe it is a vivid picture of what is to come...
 
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