10 Incredible Stories from the Book of Genesis

This week, I’m knee deep in stories of love, rape and revenge.

Have you ever wondered about the life of the first Israelites? How they lived and the struggles they faced inspite of the promises of God?

I read through some of these stories in Week three of my Bible Reading Challenge and have highlighted 10 things I learned.

10 things I learned from Genesis 31 – 43

This was such an interesting reading week with so many timely stories and lessons from Jacob’s family. Here are 10 stories from these chapters and 10 things I learned.

1. What to do with a Pesky Father in Law

Jacob’s interactions with his father in law, Laban showed that Laban was an opportunist, willing to trick and deceive to get his way. In Chapters 30-31, we see Laban try to cheat Jacob out of getting any livestock though it backfired. This story confirms that when we walk with God, he fights for us. From the story, we see that:

• God still blessed Jacob with a huge flock despite Laban’s plans
• God interceded for Jacob when Laban chased him.
• God warned Laban not to harm or intimidate Jacob Genesis 31:28-32

 

2. How to handle Unfinished business

You may have heard the phrase, ‘you can’t run away from your past’. This was certainly true for Jacob. He still had unfinished business with his brother, Esau.

But what do we do when the less than stellar parts of our past rear its head? Do we continue to avoid it or confront it? The truth is that we can’t run away forever, at some point, we will need to confront our past and be prepared for it. Jacob needed to face Esau, he had been running for far too long. He needed to face up to the sins of his past in order to fully live in the blessing of God.

 

3. No retreat! No surrender?!

No retreat! Our watchword when we face paralyzing fear, especially, when we are too afraid to take the next step. Jacob didn’t know what to expect of his brother though he knew he had to confront Esau. He feared for his life and that of his family, yet he kept going, even going ahead of his family.

 

4. Must God bless me?

In Genesis 32:23-28, we see Jacob wrestle with an angel of the lord, Jacob maintained that he would not let go until God blessed him. He was so persistent that the man (an angel?!) had to bless him but in addition, the angel dislocated the socket on Jacob’s hip, which caused him to limp for the rest of his life.

Two things from this story:

‘Perseverance may lead to our victory but it will come at a cost. We have to ask ourselves if we are ready for the cost.’ 

5. Of Love, rape and revenge

There are always consequences for our actions. Sometimes, these consequences may seem so far beyond what we did but unfortunately, we are not the ones to determine what is an acceptable consequence.

The rape of Dinah, Jacob’s daughter was a terrible story of what lust and a lack of selfcontrol can cause. It showed how selfishness could lead down the path of death and destruction.

A king son thought it was within his right to force himself on a beautiful woman. He thought his feelings for this one was enough to excuse his deplorable actions. They weren’t. This singular action led to so many deaths and irreparable harm.

Neither is revenge the way to go. Seeking revenge by own hands rather than leaving the matter to God will always make things worse. Jacob’s sons fought for their sister, Dinah’s virtue, but their way made things worse. They spilled the blood of many for atonement of something they could never get back…Dinah’s virginity and innocence. You can read Dinah’s story here. 

 

6. No partiality, No nepotism

Jacob was partial with his kids and they all knew. The older ones were aware of how their father loved Joseph and Benjamin and Joseph’s dreams further amplified these differences. Joseph, by re-telling these dreams added salt to injury. In the naivety of youth or lack of wisdom and discernment, Joseph revealed the facts of his dream, which meant that his brothers were subservient to him.

In their anger and irritation, their next course of action was to get rid of Joseph. The king pins for this mission were Simeon and Levi (always ready to shed blood).

It’s interesting that Jacob had not learned from his own experience as a child, how his parents favoritism had caused a rift between him and Esau. So, he goes on to repeat the sins of his father.

 

7. Living a blameless life

God’s call to live an obedient and blameless life is a thread that runs through most of Genesis. This was an integral part of God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17-18) and we see how this also affected Joseph. In Genesis 39, we see several references to the blessings of God on Joseph and also Joseph’s work ethic and character. It is recorded that Potiphar put everything in Joseph’s authority so that all Potiphar had to worry about was what to eat.

Joseph was a man of integrity that when he master’s wife sought to lie with him, he refused and finally fled.

Even while in prison, he did not complain or spend time cursing his wrongful imprisonment. Rather, he was helpful and worked hard and soon enough, he was in charge of everything in the prison.

Genesis 39 records three instances of God showing Joseph favour and three instances of God blessing everything Joseph did. (vs 3-5, 21 and 23).

May we live a blameless life and key into God’s abundant favor and blessings for those who live according to his precepts.

 

8. How will God use you?

Do you know that God is a master orchestrator? He is the one that places people, things and events in just the right place and at the right time. He is the one that weaves beautiful stories out of less than stellar lives. He is the one that is able to take a young man from the safety of his father’s house into slavery, the prisons and finally the palace.

Only God could have done that.

What is so great about Joseph’s story is that it ends well. Joseph stayed the course even in the unfair and painful moments. Though he lived a blameless life, he still suffered and faced many trials.

But each chapter, each season was a step to the next stage of his life. He had to go through the dungeon to get to the throne.

 

9. Who gets the glory?

One of my favorite verses from week 3 of my BRP is Genesis 41:16. This was after Joseph had been called to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. Pharaoh tells Joseph he heard Joseph was an interpreter. This was a good opportunity for Joseph to toot his own horn, after all, he had correctly interpreted the chief baker and chief butler’s dreams just a few years before. Here is how it goes:

“Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. but i have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”

“I cannot do it Joseph replied to Pharaoh ”but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”

Genesis 41:15-16

What incredible humility and wisdom! Let’s put this in context, imagine that the president of the United States of America (who is usually the No.1 world citizen), asks for your advice on a matter, would you ascribe the wisdom and ability to respond to God or to yourself? Would you reiterate that it is God that gives wisdom and grace or would you ascribe it to your intellect and strength? These are questions to ponder.

 

10. Focus on the solution not the problem

“When Jacob learned there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “why do you keep looking at each other? He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”

Genesis 42:1-2

How often are we so focused on the issues, how often do we allow our worries take centre stage and stop us from looking to God and listening for his counsel on the matter?

Jacob’s sons focused on the fact they didn’t have food rather than consider how they could get some.