Day 25

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

E. Joseph ~ cont.

9. Joseph reunited with kin ~ cont.

b. Provides family with food ~ cont. 43:1-34; 44:1-34

c. Reveals himself to brethren - Genesis 45:1-15

d. Jacob hears news and prepares to travel - Genesis 45:16-28

Judah - the tribe of our Lord and Savior - the substitutionary.

Gen 44:31  It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.

Gen 44:32  For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.

Gen 44:33  Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.

Gen 44:34  For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.

These verses always cause me to pause and wonder what I have my fist clenched around, refusing to trust Father in and through every circumstance.  Jacob had a 'tight' hold on Benjamin, but was forced, by God, to let go and trust.  What an appropriate lesson for all of us...take a moment and consider what or who you may be holding on to, refusing to release to God.

Day 340

W. Book of Ephesians ~ cont.

2. Believer's new life in the true church ~ cont.

b. Controlled by the spirit - Ephesians 5:1-33

c. Domestic life of the believer - Ephesians 6:1-24

X. Book of Philippians

1. Christ is the believer's life - Philippians 1:1-30

2. Christ is the believer's example - Philippians 2:1-30; 3:1-21

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather of giving thanks. (Ephesians 5:3-4)

That word fornication is used repeatedly in scripture - I had thought to see how often, but do not think I completed the process.  It is interesting that when the Council of Jerusalem met to discuss what the Gentile converts should or should not do, this was one of the four admonitions.  Onward to my word study.  :-)  The word fornication is used 36x in 32 verses throughout the OT/NT - 4x in the OT, and 32X.  There are 5 different words Hebrew or Greek words translated as fornication.

H2181 - A primitive root (highly fed and therefore wanton); to commit adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the spouse of Jehovah).

Used 93x in 82 verses. The few verses I browsed had the word translated as harlot, whore or whoring.  It appears from a very brief examination that the word is used in referring to how God's chosen people either played the harlot/whore or went a whoring after the nations around them.

H8457 - From H2181; harlotry, that is, (figuratively) idolatry.

Used 20x in 19 verses.  Fornication(s) and whoredom(s) - the actual acts themselves.  Israel and Judah could not, or would not, keep themselves from being immersed into the pagan cultures around them.  I wonder, when I look at the 'church' today, does Father see the same thing in us?

G1608 - From G1537 and G4203; to be utterly unchaste.

Used 1x in Jude 1:7 - referencing Sodom and Gomorrah and the going after strange flesh.

G4202 - From G4203; harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively idolatry.

Used 26 x in 25 verses.  Translated each time as fornication.

G4203 - From G4204; to act the harlot, that is, (literally) indulge unlawful lust (of either sex), or (figuratively) practise idolatry.

Used 8x in 7 verses.  Five of the verses are in Revelation.

Lest the Bride get puffed up, she is no different from her idolatrous sisters Israel and Judah.  Those who (hypothetically) pound their chest and puff it out in admiration of being 'born again' and 'filled with the spirit' yet look no different from the world need to examine themselves.  Father tells us, repeatedly, to come out of her (the world) to be set apart and holy.  Additionally, one may be keeping themselves 'unspotted' from the world in the physical sense.  But what about the mind?  The major battleground.  Are we taking all those thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ?  Desiring to think on those things which are honoring to Him?

A chilling thought, if we are fornicators in our minds, how does this verse apply?


1Co 6:9-10  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 

Father, help Your Bride to be cleansed and purified from the world.  To bring into captivity, EVERY thought unto the obedience in Christ Jesus.