Exodus 6 - Nathanael

I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord .' "  Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.

Exodus 6:7‭-‬9 NIV

Sometimes the difficulty of our circumstance can take away our faith and our ability/ willingness to listen even to good news from God. 

I think that the people had written off God and his messengers. 

Father help us to keep our eyes on you and to keep seeking, listening and trusting you even when things are difficult.

Exodus 5 - Nathanael

Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all."

Exodus 5:23 NIV

This pattern of things getting worse before better is one that we should take note of. Often when good begins a great deliverance and a great work, the enemy gets stirred up and the opposition gets stronger. We get discouraged like Moses and the Israelites did. Satan tries to keep us from God's good plans.

So we need to hold on to our hope in Jesus! Cling to him and run to him for rescue.

Thank you Jesus for your great works and your deliverance! Help us to endure and face the storm while we wait for your great deliverance! 

Genesis 48 - Nathanael

Joseph said to him, "No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head."  But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations."

Genesis 48:18‭-‬19 NIV

http://bible.com/111/gen.48.18-19.NIV

God knows the future and the plans that he has for us. Many times his plans are different from what we'd expect. But for sure his plans for his children are always good! 

Thank you Father God for your love and goodness to us!

Genesis 41 - Nathanael

So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.

Genesis 41:14 NIV

The story of Joseph is always a favorite of mine. In one day Joseph went from prisoner to second in command of Egypt! 

But the road to get there was hard! 

He was hated by his brothers, sold by them as a slave, worked as a slave for quite a few years and then falsely accused and thrown into prison for several years. 

The real lesson here is to keep following and trusting God even when things seem impossible. God is working out his plan and today may be the day that you come out of prison and God reveals his good plan for your life! 

Genesis 35 - Nathanael

So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem. Then they set out, and the terror of God fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them. 

Genesis 35:4‭-‬5

As Jacob went to worship God he told his family to get rid of all their foreign gods. That seems that he was aware of them but didn't do anything until now. Also the ring in the ear portion is interesting. There are other references in the Bible to ear rings being not a problem so it would seem that these ones were related to the worship of foreign gods - perhaps in design or in use. 

It is a powerful picture though of these acts of consecration causing the terror of God to fall on those around them. 

Lord Jesus, I choose to consecrate my life to you!

 Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years. 

Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Genesis 35:‭28-29 NIV

What caught my attention was the fact that both Esau and Jacob buried Isaac. It seemed that he was on his deathbed when he blessed Jacob and Esau but he was probably a long way from death at that point. Isaac was about 100 when Esau married his foreign wives which seems to be close to the time of Jacob's departure. Jacob was gone 20 years so there were still lots of years left to get to 180 years. 

Genesis 24 - Nathanael

There are a number of chapters in the old testament where some bad situation occurs but there isn't a statement of wrong and right in the situation but only a description of the event. At times there is later commentary about the event. Genesis 24 is such a chapter. Israel's daughter is raped by a local ruler's son. (First bad event) and then the son's of Israel trick that town and take revenge and kill all the men (second bad event).

In the first situation there is a clear description that it is wrong: 

Meanwhile, Jacob's sons had come in from the fields as soon as they heard what had happened. They were shocked and furious, because Shechem had done an outrageous thing in Israel by sleeping with Jacob's daughter—a thing that should not be done.

Genesis 34:7 NIV

For the second it is less clear.  On the one hand it does describe their initial actions as deceitful  (verse 13) but Jacob's objections are more at the level of safety vs moral judgement. 

At a later time though we do see that this action brings a curse on them for their anger and violence when Israel prounounces his blessings on his children in Genesis 49:5-7.

Father, thank you for your kindness and mercy! Help me to walk before you in obedience and in a way that honors you! 

Genesis 33 - Nathanael

Israel was a man who knew how to honor both God and men.

In this chapter we see how he responds to his estranged brother Esau and gives him gifts. It is interesting how he says that seeing Esau is like seeing the face of God now that he has received him favorably. He knew that it was only by God's mercy that Esau responded that way and his experience with God was one who receives with favor!

"No, please!" said Jacob. "If I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably. 

Genesis 33:10

Israel/Jacob also knew how to honor God and he often set up altars of remembrance for the good things that God had done for him. He was grateful, thankful and he made sure to remember what God had done. 

There he set up an altar and called it El Elohe Israel.

Genesis 33:‬20 NIV

http://bible.com/111/gen.33.10-20.NIV

Genesis 32 - Nathanael

Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 

Genesis 32:1

So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.

Genesis 32:30

It is quite striking how often Jacob encounters God in this chapter. 

Another striking feature is his humility before God and his earnest perseverance toward God as well. 

In verse 10 he prays quite humbly: I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps.

Then in verse 26 we see his amazing tenacity as he wrestles with God: Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

He had wrestled all night and still refused to stop until he was blessed. 10 minutes is where I might give up and on a good day maybe an hour. 

Lord help me to seek you and press in with this same kind of refusal to give up as Israel had!