Genesis 34: This chapter focused on the rape of Dinah, Jacob’s daughter. She was attacked by Shechem, the son of the prince of the region they were in. When Jacob found out, he waited for his sons and then talked with Shechem and his father, Prince Hamor. Shechem wanted to marry Dinah. They made an arrangement. If all the men of their region agreed to be circumcised, then they would agree to arranged marriages (i.e. Jacob’s sons daughters would be given to these men and their daughters would be given to them). My thought while reading this was “wait, what?” I’d be beyond furious. However, after the all of the men went through the circumcision, Simeon and Levi, two of Dinah’s brothers, attacked and killed all of the men of the city because of the attack on Dinah. The other brothers plundered the city. Jacob got angry with his sons and was afraid they would be attacked by larger armies. I think their response was good: “But they said, ‘Should our sister be treated like a whore?’” (Gen. 34.31)
7/14 Reading (Genesis 31-33; Luke 10)
Genesis 31: This chapter is about Jacob fleeing Laban with his wives, their slave girls, his children, all of his other people, and the livestock. Jacob fled because he felt cheated by Laban, who had kept him there for 20 years and deceived him numerous times. So they all left. Unbeknownst to Jacob, Rachel stole “her father’s household gods” (Gen. 31.19). To be honest here, I thought this was a typo. Sorry on that one. I’m assuming they mean idols to other gods. Laban found out they fled and pursued Jacob, catching up after 7 days. Laban is mad about them leaving and especially about losing his gods. He didn’t find them because Rachel hid them underneath her as she sat down. Jacob gets mad and they end up making a covenant. Among the agreement was this phrase from Laban: “If you ill-treat my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, though no one else is with us, remember that God is witness between you and me’” (Gen 31.50). I’m guessing that even though Jacob had children with the two slaves, since he never married them, this wasn’t breaking that covenant.
7/13 Reading (Genesis 28-30; Luke 9)
Genesis 28: This is about Isaac telling Jacob to not marry a Canaanite woman. On his trip to find a wife, he has a dream and God speaks to him: “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; ¹⁴ and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. ¹⁵ Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Gen 28.13-15) This is similar to what God said to Abraham. Just an interesting observation.
7/12 Reading (Genesis 25-27; Luke 8)
NOTE: I had a lot to say on this reading today.
Genesis 25: In this chapter Abraham remarries and has many children with his new wife. Abraham then dies and is buried with his first wife, Sarah. The text then explains Ishmael and his descendants followed by Isaac and his descendants, twin boys named Esau and Jacob. While Esau was a strong and gifted hunter, Jacob was clearly smarter and cleverer than Esau. At the end of this chapter, Jacob makes Esau give over his birthright for food.
7/11 Reading (Genesis 22-24; Luke 7)
I’m tired today. Happy to read, but not much to really share.
Genesis 22: Chapter is about God calling Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Now, I realize this was a different time, but if anyone asked me to sacrifice one of my children, I’d go crazy. What I find interesting is that Isaac is obviously old enough to understand that something is going on. Yet, there is no indication that he gets mad with his father after God stops the sacrifice. Then God explains to Abraham that he is going to have more offspring that will spread out in the world.
7/10 Reading (Genesis 19-21; Luke 6)
Genesis 19: This chapter is about rescuing Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. I found several parts of this chapter troubling. First, the fact that Lot offered his virgin daughters to the men of the town so they wouldn’t harm his guests: “Look, I have two daughters who have not known a man; let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please” (Gen 19.8). That one definitely bothered me. Second, the death of Lot’s wife bothers me: “But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt” (Gen 19.26). I kinda feel this was Lot’s fault. Yes she turned around, but he hesitated several times and questioned the angels. Last, the whole incest thing: “‘Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the world. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, so that we may preserve off spring through our father.’” (Gen 19.32-33) Just wow! Granted, his daughters thought they were the last people, but wow. One last thing, why was Gomorrah destroyed? It’s not really clear from this chapter. The first mention of Gomorrah in this chapter comes in Gen 19.24: “Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven; and he overthrew those cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.” The only explanation I could find is from Gen 19.29: “when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had settled.”
Overview of Inspired Evidence
Inspired Evidence: Only One Reality by Julie Von Vett and Bruce Malone is a book published by two individuals who promote the teaching of young-earth creationism. The back of the book indicates it is a daily devotional. The authors use this book to argue for an “either-or” approach. Either the Bible is right or science is right. It can’t be both. It even has the following phrase in bold, capital letters: “IF THE BIBLE IS WRONG ABOUT SCIENTIFIC ISSUES…WHY BELIEVE ANY OF IT?”
7/8 Reading (Genesis 16-18; Psalms 1-5)
I noticed I had a lot to say on this reading. I think it’s because today’s reading included an introduction to the Psalms.
Genesis 16: Story of Sarai offering Hagar to Abraham since Sarai is barren. After Hagar gets pregnant, Sarai throws her out and Abraham lets Sarai do it because he says Hagar is her slave. Hagar is visited by an Angel, who she thinks is God. She calls him El-roi? Note indicates this means either God of seeing or God who sees. After reading the notes I was reminded that there was a time when women gave their slaves to their husbands and took the kid as their own.
7/7 Reading (Genesis 13-15; Luke 5)
Genesis 13: Abraham leaves Egypt to return to Canaan. In this chapter Lot and Abraham split up because there was not enough land for their animals and other things. There was mention to Zoar, Sodom, and Gomorrah for the first time. I’m really trying to focus on the story of Abraham so I can better understand it. I hear a lot about Abraham, but I honestly don’t know a lot about him.
7/6 Reading (Genesis 10-12; Luke 4)
Genesis 10: Chapter is all about Noah’s descendants and where they lived. His son’s and their descendants moved to different parts of the Middle East. Based on what’s written here, it seems like they each had their own language. The descriptions of each son ends with “These are the descendants of Japheth in their lands, with their own language, by their families, in their nations” (10.5). 10.20 is similar except it is about Ham. 10.31 is about Shem. These verses definitely make it sound like each group has their own language. More on this in the next chapter.