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 27

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

E. Joseph ~ cont.

13. Birth of Beriah (son of Ephraim)

14. Last days of Jacob

a. Charge to Joseph - Genesis 47:28-31

b. Charge to twelve sons - Genesis 49:1-32

c. Death of Jacob (147 years) - Genesis 49:33

d. Burial of Jacob - Genesis 50:1-14

15. Joseph's brethren fearful: reassured by Joseph - Genesis 50:15-21

16: Important births

a. Birth of Resheph (Ephraim to Joshua lineage)

b. Birth of Amram (Levi's grandson, Moses' father) (Num 26:58)

c. Birth of Ram (39th gen)

d. Birth of Telah (Ephraim to Joshua lineage)

17. Joseph's latter days

a. Last days - Genesis 50:22-23

b. Last words - Genesis 50:24-25

c. Death of Joseph (110 years) and his brethren - Genesis 50:26; Exodus 1:6

Jacob's foretelling of events and recognition of various son's and their future tribes.

Reuben - 2 verses - first born; excellency of dignity and power; unstable; will not excel.
Simeon and Levi - 3 verses - instruments of cruelty; fierce and cruel; scattered in Jacob and Israel.
Judah - 5 verses - praised by brethren; father's children bow to; lion, sceptre shall not depart; lawgiver, Shiloh, eyes red with wine; teeth white as milk.
Zebulun - 1 verse - haven of the sea; haven for ships.
Issachar - 2 verses - strong donkey; bowed shoulder to bear; a servant under tribute.
Dan - 3 verses - judge people; serpent/adder biting at the heels.
Gad - 1 verse - overcome by a troop; overcomer at the last.
Asher - 1 verse - bread sufficient; yields royal dainties.
Naphtali - 1 verse - loose hind; goodly words.
Joseph - 5 verses - fruitful bough; grieved, shot and hated by archers; strength in his arms and hands; blessings of the Almighty.
Benjamin - 1 verse - raving wolf; devour prey; divide the spoil.

I thought it interesting that Simeon and Levi shared 1 verse, they were the leaders in attacking the village of men where Dinah was raped.  Judah and Joseph had the most verses.  I did a search and came across this article.  I tend to hesitate when Jewish tradition is mentioned, but the information provided is thought provoking.

I especially enjoyed the reference to the verse:

Gather yourselves together and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.  (Genesis 49:2)

There is a significance between the use of the word Jacob versus Israel.  I have heard in the past that Jacob = the flesh, while Israel = the spiritual.

Jacob - H3290 - From H6117; heel catcher (that is, supplanter); Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch.

Israel - H3478 - From H8280 and H410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity.

Went searching to satisfy my curiosity - did an E-sword search for Jacob/Israel - used 183 times in 82 verses.  Quite the list.  I've had an interesting time trying to track down and verify my perception of Jacob = the physical and Israel = the spiritual.

I went back to this verse:

Gen 32:28  And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

and then found this site, which made mention of Jacob's name change being re-emphasized again later:

Gen 35:10  And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.

God even refers to Jacob/Israel in the same verse here:

Gen 46:2  And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.

This will be one for me to ponder and reflect upon, prayerfully seeking counsel and wisdom from Father to completely understand.  :-D

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 23

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

E. Joseph ~ cont.

c. Sold into Egypt by his brethren - Genesis 37:36; 39:1

2. Prosperity in Egypt - Genesis 39:2-6

3. Judah and Tamar

a. Tamar's husbands - Genesis 38:6-30; 1 Chronicles 2:4

4. Joseph flees adultery - Genesis 39:7-19

5. Joseph jailed

a. His prosperity - Genesis 39:20-23

b. Joseph interprets dreams of baker and butler - Genesis 40:23

6. Death of Isaac (180 years) - Genesis 35:28-29

And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.  (Genesis 39:2)

And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.  (Genesis 39:3)

But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.  (Genesis 39:21)

The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.  (Genesis 39:23)

Joseph was known to be a good steward and favored of God.  Gill's commentary on the portions underlined above:

Gen 39:2 And the Lord was with Joseph,.... Blessing him with his gracious presence, with discoveries of his love, and communion with himself, though destitute of the means of grace and ordinances of worship he enjoyed in his father's house; favouring him with bodily health, and protecting him from all evils and enemies:

Gen 39:3 and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand; and though Potiphar might have no knowledge of the true Jehovah, whose name he uses, yet he might have a notion of a supreme Being, and that all outward prosperity was owing to him; and knowing Joseph to be an Hebrew, as it is plain his wife did, Gen_39:14; and Jehovah to be the God of the Hebrews, he imputes all the prosperity that attended Joseph and his services unto his God.

Gen 39:21 And the Lord was with Joseph,.... Comforting him with his presence under his afflictions; supporting him with his right hand; sanctifying all his troubles to him, and so causing him to bear them patiently and cheerfully:

Gen 39:23 and that which he did the Lord made it to prosper; every method he took to secure the prisoners, every scheme he formed to bring them to confession of their crimes, or to clear those that were innocent; and every other thing relative to prison affairs, all through the good hand of God upon him, guiding, directing, and blessing him, succeeded well, which gained him the favour and good will of the keeper and the prisoners.

I am feeling a tad bit convicted ~ Joseph who had done no evil, sold, made a servant first to Potiphar (who could have had him executed for the 'assault'), then as a servant to the jailer. In such circumstances one might be tempted to bewail the situation, wondering if there is anything lower to which one might descend.

It does not appear that Joseph was upset or annoyed by the situation, though (after interpreting the butler's dream) he does respond thus:

For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put into the dungeon. (Genesis 40:15)

Requesting that the butler, once restored, petition Pharaoh for him. Two years pass - Joseph obviously spent his time prudently and diligently. In due time Father will exalt us if we are about HIS business. This does not necessarily mean wealth and exalted positions of authority on this side of glory.

Taken to the depths, plunged into situations and circumstances that tried, tested and settled Joseph's resolve, Father brings him to the juncture:

And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:44)

Take comfort beloved of the Lord, for Father has said:

Heb 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 

Heb 13:6  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Day 20

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

D. Jacob ~ cont.

4. Jacob and Esau both leave ~ cont.

Parallel Passages ~ cont.

Jacob's History ~ cont.

f. Twelve children born as he works additional years for Rachael and cattle ~ cont. Genesis 30:1-6; 29:35; 30:9, 7-8, 10-11, 14-18, 12-13, 19-24

Notable children included

(1) Levi 

(2) Judah

(3) Joseph

(4) Dinah (only daughter)

Esau's History ~ cont.

b. Esau's future ~ cont.

(2) Kings of Edom

(a) Bela - 1st King - Genesis 36:31-33; 1 Chronicles 1:43-44

(b) Other kings following - Genesis 36:34-39; 1 Chronicles 1:45-50

(3) Dukes of Edom - Genesis 36:40-43; 1 Chronicles 1:51-54

END Parallel Passages

5. Jacob's closing days with Laban

a. Increased material blessings - Genesis 30:25-43; 31:1-16

And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes.  And he lay with her that night.  (Genesis 30:16)

I chuckled over this verse.  It appears to be the first biblically recorded incidence of paying for sex, and by the woman no less!  Hopefully that does not come across as being sacrilegious.  Jacob apparently had no choice in the matter?

Exploring a few of the words in the verse:

hired - H7936 - The second form by permutation and used in Ezr_4:5; a primitive root (apparently akin (by prosthesis) to H3739 through the idea of temporary purchase; compare H7937); to hire.

This word is doubled when used in this verse.  This word is used 21 times in 18 verses.  First usage is in Genesis 30:16, most of the verses translate the word as hired, except in Proverbs 26:10 where it is translated, twice, as rewardeth.  The last usage in Haggai 1:6, also used twice, it is translated as wages (put into a bag with holes).

mandrakes - H1736 - From H1731; a boiler or basket; also the mandrake (as aphrodisiac).

• H1731 - From the same as H1730; a pot (for boiling); also (by resemblance of shape) a basket.
• H1730 - From an unused root meaning properly to boil, that is, (figuratively) to love; by implication a love token, lover, friend; specifically an uncle.

Used only 7 times in 5 verse, primarily in the Genesis passage, also in Song of Solomon and Jeremiah.  Since this was not enough information, I went on a hunt.  Not much on mandrakes, and what is out there is, well, odd.  This site seemed decent.

I thought Gill's commentary on the passage interesting:

And Jacob came out of the field in the evening,.... From feeding his flocks:

and Leah went out to meet him; knowing full well the time he used to come home:

and said, thou must come in unto me; into her tent, for the women had separate tents from the men; as Sarah from Abraham; and so these wives of Jacob had not only tents separate from his, but from one another:

for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes: that is, she had hired that night's lodging with him of Rachel, with the mandrakes her son Reuben had brought out of the field. Jacob made no objection to it; but consented, being willing to please both his wives, who he perceived had made this agreement between themselves:

and he lay with her that night; and that only, for the present: for, by the way of speaking, it looks as if he did not continue with her more nights together at that time, but went, as before that evening, to Rachel's tent.

Another interesting observation is Leah's motive - not so much to one up Rachel, but to acquire a good dowry ~ of children.  Which in our day and age is looked upon with disdain or outright scoffing.  People have been so brainwashed into thinking that children are a burden, when in reality they are a blessing from the Lord.

Psalm 127:3  Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

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.