Day 87-11

VI From the crossing into Canaan to the reign of Saul - 1422-1065 B.C. ~ cont.

C. Establishment of Judges ~ cont.

1. 1st Judge - Othniel ~ cont.

e. Joshua's farewell - Joshua 23:1-16; 24:1-28; Judges 2:6-7

f. Death of Joshua (110 years) - Joshua 24:29-31; Judges 2:8-9

g. Joseph's bones buried - Joshua 24:32

h. Incomplete victories

(1) Judah (Jerusalem plundered first time) - Judges 1:1-19
(2) Benjamin - Judges 1:22-26
(3) Other tribes - Judges 1:27-36

{pages 379-384}

And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.  (Judges 2:7)

And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.  (Joshua 24:31)

served - H5647 - A primitive root; to work (in any sense); by implication to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc.  {Used 288 times in 261 verses.}

First usage in Genesis 2:5 - And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.

Last usage in Malachi 3:18 - Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

known - H3045 - A primitive root; to know (properly to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively instruction, designation, punishment, etc.).  {Used 946 times in 873 verses.}

First usage in Genesis 3:5 - For God doth know that in the day ye eat, thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Last usage in Malachi 2:4 - And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

seen - H7200 - A primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitively, intransitively and causatively).  {Used 1308 times in 1208 verses.}

First usage in Genesis 1:4 - And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Last usage in Malachi 3:18 - Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

did/done - H6213 - A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application.  {Used 2633 times in 2287 verses.}

First usage in Genesis 1:7- And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

Last usage in Malachi 4:3- And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

The verses which I opened with resonated within me primarily because of the negligent state of the Bride.  It is too easy to forget the good the Lord has done for us and to fail to serve HIM fully.  I am guilty of becoming focused on the dilemma versus the deliverer.

O Lord, help us, Your people, to see the magnificent works that Your hands have wrought in selecting those whom You have called to be Your children.  May we continually be focused upon You and serving You where ever You may place us.  Lord, let us not be weary or fainthearted when difficulties arise.  Help us to keep our eyes upon You and to make our calling and election sure.  Lord, help us to see as You, to see Your vision, Your plan, Your purpose, to give a proper estimate of You.

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.  (Proverbs 29:18)

Day 24

II The Age of The Patriarchs - 1967-1606 B.C. ~ cont.

E. Joseph ~ cont.

7. Joseph's exhalted position

a. Interprets Pharaoh's dream - Genesis 41:1-37

b. Made governor - Genesis 41:38-44

c. Marries Asenath - Genesis 41:45

d. Seven years of plenty - Genesis 41:46-49

e. Sons born - Genesis 41:50

(1) Manasseh - Genesis 41:51

(2) Ephraim - Genesis 41:52-53
8. Sons of Levi, including Kohath (1683 B.C. grandfather of Moses Gen 46:11) - Exodus 6:16; Numbers 3:17; 1 Chronicles 6:16
9. Joseph reunited with kin
a. Seven years of famine - Genesis 41:54-57
b. Provides family with food - Genesis 42:1-38

I made a notation next to the outline heading:  Marries Asenath

~ "Egypt with all its perversity still honored one man and one woman in marriage."

~ Noted that Israel had already endured 2 years of famine before seeking assistance from Egypt.

~ Reuben offers to be surety for Benjamin, but had already proved himself to be unstable by defiling his father's bed and engaging with Bilhah (Genesis 35:22).  Israel (Jacob)'s response?

And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.  (Genesis 42:38)

Wondering if there was some emphasis on with you when he spoke?  Browsed Gill:

Gen 42:38 And he said, my son shall not go down with you,.... He gives a peremptory denial; this was his then present resolution and determination:

for his brother is dead; meaning Joseph, Benjamin's own brother by father and mother's side; him he supposed to be dead, such circumstances being related and produced, which made it highly probable, and he had not heard anything of him for twenty two years:

and he is left alone; Benjamin being the only surviving child of his dearly beloved Rachel, as he thought:

if mischief befall him by the way in which ye go; that is, to Egypt, whether by thieves and robbers, or by the fatigue of the journey, or by any means whatever, so that he loses his life. All the Targums interpret this mischief of death:

then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave; the sense is, should this be the case he should never lift up his head, or have any more comfort in this world, but should pass his time with continual sorrow until his gray head was laid in the grave, or till he came to the state of the dead.

Day 22

II The Age of The Patriarchs - 1967-1606 B.C. ~ cont.

D. Jacob ~ cont.

6. His return to Canaan ~ cont.

d. Dinah's defilement - Genesis 34:1-31
e. Return to Bethel - Genesis 35:1-15
f. Death of Rachel upon Benjamin's birth - Genesis 35:16-19; 48:7; 35:20-22
g. Return to Hebron - Genesis 35:27; 37:1
E. Joseph
1. His early days
a. Joseph and his dreams - Genesis 37:2-11
b. Joseph to Shechem and Dothan - Genesis 37:12-35

Dinah's defilement - this portion of scripture always touches my heart.  Leah's only daughter, besmirched.

And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land. (Genesis 34:1)

I though Matthew Henry's commentary on verses 1-5 worth inclusion:

Dinah was, for aught that appears, Jacob's only daughter, and we may suppose her therefore the mother's fondling and the darling of the family, and yet she proves neither a joy nor a credit to them; for those children seldom prove either the best or the happiest that are most indulged. She is reckoned now but fifteen or sixteen years of age when she here occasioned so much mischief. Observe, 1. Her vain curiosity, which exposed her. She went out, perhaps unknown to her father, but by the connivance of her mother, to see the daughters of the land (Gen_34:1); probably it was at a ball, or on some public day. Being an only daughter, she thought herself solitary at home, having none of her own age and sex to converse with; and therefore she must needs go abroad to divert herself, to keep off melancholy, and to accomplish herself by conversation better than she could in her father's tents. Note, It is a very good thing for children to love home; it is parents' wisdom to make it easy to them, and children's duty then to be easy in it. Her pretence was to see the daughters of the land, to see how they dressed, and how they danced, and what was fashionable among them. She went to see, yet that was not all, she went to be seen too; she went to see the daughters of the land, but, it may be, with some thoughts of the sons of the land too. I doubt she went to get an acquaintance with those Canaanites, and to learn their way. Note, The pride and vanity of young people betray them into many snares. 2. The loss of her honour by this means (Gen_34:2): Shechem, the prince of the country, but a slave to his own lusts, took her, and lay with her, it should seem, not so much by force as by surprise. Note, Great men think they may do any thing; and what more mischievous than untaught and ungoverned youth? See what came of Dinah's gadding: young women must learn to be chaste, keepers at home; these properties are put together, Tit_2:5, for those that are not keepers at home expose their chastity. Dinah went abroad to look about her; but, if she had looked about her as she ought, she would not have fallen into this snare. Note, The beginning of sin is as the letting forth of water. How great a matter does a little fire kindle! We should therefore carefully avoid all occasions of sin and approaches to it. 3. The court Shechem made to her, after he had defiled her. This was fair and commendable, and made the best of what was bad; he loved her (not as Amnon, 2Sa_13:15), and he engaged his father to make a match for him with her, Gen_34:4. 4. The tidings brought to poor Jacob, Gen_34:5. As soon as his children grew up they began to be a grief to him. Let not godly parents, that are lamenting the miscarriages of their children, think their case singular or unprecedented. The good man held his peace, as one astonished, that knows not what to say: or he said nothing, for fear of saying amiss, as David (Psa_39:1, Psa_39:2); he smothered his resentments, lest, if he had suffered them to break out, they should have transported him into any decencies. Or, it should seem, he had left the management of his affairs very much (too much I doubt) to his sons, and he would do nothing without them: or, at least, he knew they would make him uneasy if he did, they having shown themselves, of late, upon all occasions, bold, forward, and assuming. Note, Things never go well when the authority of a parent runs low in a family. Let every man bear rule in his own house, and have his children in subjection with all gravity.

Our culture does not defend or protect young women as it ought - they are left to their own devices far to often with peers who are as ill prepared to represent any semblance of propriety.  The movies, books, music all collude to give the same appearance of fun and frivolity that Dinah experienced.  The thoughts and behaviors of rebellion are sowed and reap horrid consequences.

Pray for those parents who are trying to raise their children counter to the culture.  Desiring to set good before them, to raise them up in the strength and admonition of the Lord.  Pray for children to have submissive hearts and minds to follow that which is godly and good.  Lord, please turn the hearts of the parents to the children and the children to the parents.