Day 14 (Genesis 29-30 | Matthew 11:16-30 | Psalm 9:7-12)

Day 14
Genesis 29:1-30:43
(29 | 30)

In these chapters, both Jacob and his cousin, Laban, show themselves to not be trustworthy. First of all, Jacob says he will work for his cousin for 7 years with his only wages being Laban's youngest daughter, Rachel. Jacob wants to marry Rachel, and Laban agrees. However, after 7 years, Laban gives Jacob his eldest daughter, Leah, instead. Jacob only finds out after he and Leah had consummated their marriage.

Day 13 (Genesis 27-28 | Matthew 10:32-11:15 | Psalm 9:1-6)

Day 13
Genesis 27:1-28:22
(27 | 28)

If nothing else, these two chapters prove that God will use anyone to further his plans; it doesn't matter what we think of them, if God wants to use them, he will use them. Jacob demonstrates this perfectly. We saw yesterday how he acquired his brother Esau's birthrights in exchange for a meal. In today's reading he tricks his father into giving him a blessing intended for Esau. By this stage, Isaac's eyesight has gone, so he relies on his senses of smell and touch. Isaac tells Esau to go and hunt some game for him, and to prepare a delicious meal for him so that he can bless him. When Rebekah hears this, she tells Jacob to go get two goats from the herd from which she can prepare a meal for her husband so that Jacob will get his blessing. Jacob does this, as well as covering his hands and arms with goat pelt to deceive his father into thinking they were hairy like Esau's, and wearing some of Esau's clothes so that he would smell like his brother. When he takes a meal to his father, Isaac falls for the trick, and blesses Jacob, making him lord over his brothers. Esau returns not long after, and is absolutely furious when he hears what his brother has done.

Day 12 (Genesis 25-26 | Matthew 10:1-31 | Proverbs 1:20-33)

Day 12
Genesis 25:1-26:35
(25 | 26)

Chapter 25 sees God's promises to Abraham start to be fulfilled. First of all, Keturah (Abraham's second wife) gives him several children. Some of their children are listed, and the descendants of one of his grandchildren, Dedan, are said to be three different tribes. Secondly, we see Ishmael has twelve children, all of whom become separate tribe leaders. Thirdly, we see Isaac has two sons - Esau and Jacob. Everyone knows you're not supposed to have favourite children, but Isaac and Rebekah did; Isaac favoured Esau, while Rebekah favoured Jacob. Interestingly, we see at this early stage that Jacob is being set up as a bit of a scoundrel. Esau asks Jacob for some food. Jacob agrees to give him food in exchange for his birthrights; this hardly seems fair, especially as they're brothers. But Esau agrees, and Jacob gets Esau's birthrights.

Day 11 (Genesis 24 | Matthew 9:14-38 | Psalm 8)

Day 11
Genesis 24:1-67
(24)

To modern, western eyes, this story might seem a bit absurd. Abraham asks a servant to leave Canaan and go back to Abraham's home land to find a wife for Isaac. Abraham tells the servant that he has to bring the woman back with him, and that if she refuses to come back with him, he is released from the agreement. Under no circumstances is he to take Isaac out of Canaan, as this was the land the LORD had promised to give Abraham's descendants.

Day 10 (Genesis 21-23 | Matthew 8:23-9:13 | Psalm 7:10-17)

Day 10
Genesis 21:1-23:20
(21 | 22 | 23)

The start of the chapter sees God's promise to Abraham and Sarah fulfilled; Sarah gives birth to a boy, and he is given the name Isaac. Skipping ahead slightly to chapter 22, God asks Abraham to do the unthinkable; God asks him to sacrifice Isaac to him as a burnt offering. God asks Abraham to kill his son. I don't know how Abraham felt about the whole thing, but he probably wasn't best pleased; God had promised him that his descendants through Isaac would become a great nation, and that they would be numerous than the stars in the night sky.

Day 9 (Genesis 19-20 | Matthew 7:24-8:22 | Psalm 7:1-9)

Day 9
Genesis 19:1-20:18
(19 | 20)

Genesis 19 is really not a very nice chapter. Two of God's angels turn up in Sodom and are taken in by Lot. The men of Sodom all turn up wanting to have rape the two newcomers. It doesn't say whether the men know Lot's guests are angels, but I think it's doubtful, and probably irrelevant anyway. Lot offers up his virgin daughters to the gang of men, but they want the two angels. The gang of men is struck down by blindness, and the angels warn Lot to take his wife, daughters and their fiancés away from Sodom, as the angels intend to destroy it. Only Lot, his wife and their daughters make it out before the city is destroyed. I find the story disturbing because I'm used to reading about the God who is love; the God who so loved the world that he sent his only son to die on a cross for my sins and yours. I find it difficult to reconcile the God of this story with that God.

Day 8 (Genesis 17-18 | Matthew 6:25-7:23 | Proverbs 1:8-19)

Day 8

Today's passages speak a lot about God's promises, our trust in him, and our allegiance to him. In Genesis, Abraham is still learning to trust in God's promises. At his age, he's not sure if he believes God will come good on it, and Sarah certainly doesn't. In Matthew, Jesus is trying to teach us to walk in God's ways, and that when we do while trusting in God for provision, he will deliver. The proverb is a short and sweet promise about what will happen if you ally yourself with sinners instead of God.