The Betrayal of Joseph,  Genesis 37 

Today, in our continuing study of the book of Genesis, we come to the beginning of the story of Joseph.  I have decided to skip over a lot of history that was primarily concerned with Jacob and the children that were born to his two wives and two concubines.  But I do need to say that Rachel, the favored wife of Jacob, has by this time passed away in childbirth of her son Benjamin. And so there are 12 sons born to Jacob, with Reuben being the eldest, and Benjamin being the youngest.  Joseph was the 11th son.  There was

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The wrestling match,  Genesis 32       

Last Friday I was driving by a Roman Catholic church and I saw that it was packed in the middle of the afternoon, presumably for their Good Friday service. Did you know that the Catholic teaching says that if you skip church on a holy day, and you don’t have some reason such as being disabled or something like that, then you are guilty of a mortal sin? That’s a sin unto damnation, as opposed to a venial sin, which isn’t so bad. The Catholic Church has established that the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday is a holy

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Deceiving the deceiver,  Genesis 29

In our study last time, we looked at the story of Jacob and his dream about the ladder. And you might remember that I told you that the dream of the ladder and the angel’s ascending and defending upon it, and the Lord standing at the top of it, was an illustration of the gospel. Jesus said in John 1:51 that He was the One on whom Nathanael would see the angel’s ascending and descending.  So we saw that the vision of Jacob’s ladder was actually an illustration of the gospel.  Jesus is the way to God.  He is the

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The gospel of Jacob’s ladder, Genesis 28

The gospel of Jacob’s ladder, Genesis 28 In our study of Genesis, we come today to the story of Jacob’s ladder. I have titled my message, the gospel of Jacob’s ladder. And I hope you will see the presentation of the gospel as we work our way through this chapter. But we should remind you of the context. Last time, we saw the deception Jacob played upon his father Isaac, which was masterminded by his mother Rebekah. He had previously bought the birthright from his brother Esau, and then when his father had planned to give Esau the blessing, he

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God’s Sovereignty, Man’s Schemes, Genesis 27

The passage that we are looking at today in our study of Genesis may not seem on the surface to have a lot of application for us today.  I really kind of go through a debate with myself about which passages in Genesis are important for us to study and which I maybe could skip over. But of course all scripture is important, even the parts that seem less attractive than others.  In fact, maybe the parts that seem less attractive have an even greater significance because they are often overlooked. Paul said in Romans 15:4 “For whatever was written

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The Birth of a Nation,   Genesis 25:19-34 

We should be well able to remember the specific promises that God made to Abraham concerning his seed.  We now know that the seed spoken of was to be Isaac, born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age, long after the natural time of childbirth.  But those promises made to Abraham concerning his seed also promised that from his seed would be born a nation.  These promises were made repeatedly, and elaborated upon as time went on.  I will just take the time to read two passages where this promise concerning a nation were given. One is found at

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A bride for Isaac, Genesis 24  

In our ongoing study of Genesis, we come today to one of the greatest love stories found in the Bible. It is the story of Abraham finding a bride for his son Isaac. And though this is an actual history, there is also contained in it an allegory of God the Father finding a bride for his son, Jesus Christ. The church is the bride of Christ. Paul said in 2 Cor. 11:2 “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to

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The sacrifice of Isaac, Genesis 22:1-19

Faith is the most desirable characteristic of a person that would be approved by God. Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it is impossible to please God. The most exceptional attribute of the life of Abraham was his faith.  Abraham is presented in chapter 11 of Hebrews as perhaps the greatest champion of faith in all of the Bible.  The apostle Paul in his writings gives Abraham as the supreme illustration of salvation, saying four times, that Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.  Abraham believed God. Not Abraham believed in God.  The devils believe in

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The birth of Isaac, Genesis 12-21

Today is the second message in our study of Genesis, on the life of Abraham. I’m getting my outline for the life of Abraham from Hebrews chapter 11.  Of all the heroes of the faith that are showcased there, Hebrews 11 has the most to say about Abraham.  And so, taking my cue from Hebrews, we are looking at three significant events in Abraham’s life. Hebrews 11:8 says, “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 

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Abraham, father of the faithful, Genesis 12-15    

Today in our series on Genesis we come to the life of a man named Abraham.  Abraham is probably one of the most important figures in the Bible.  He is called  the father of the faithful. Rom 4:16 says, “For this reason [it is] by faith, in order that [it may be] in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,” So as we are studying Genesis

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