The Gospel According to Genesis.

Genesis can be divided into five sections - each section highlighting a Patriarch's response to the call of God.  Here are the sections

Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob and Joseph.

These sections lend themselves to developing the Gospel as it is presented in Romans.   Please check this site towards the end of the week for further development of this lesson.

Adam - Genesis 1:1 - 4:26

The Fall into sin of Adam, God's Companion

Adam and Jehovah had wonderful fellowship.  Adam - probably a precocious learner had the job of husbandry of Eden.  Genesis doesn't go into detail on the daily routine between Adam and Jehovah but we do read that Jehovah would bring different species of His creation to Adam and then probably in a methodology not unlike today's scientific practice categorize the species with a name.  It seems to me that Jehovah had a great sense of humor for Adam was without a mate as did the  the animal kingdom.  When Jehovah did create woman from one of his ribs He did the same procedure with her as the rest of His creation and produced woman, whereupon Adam provided a name for her also.

This blessed relationship continued for an undefined period of time and then Satan deceived Eve, the woman who in turn involved Adam in rebellion against Jehovah.   As a result of this and despite of Satan's lie that Adam and Eve would not die, but become like gods, they both died spiritually and came under the curse of sin.   The blessed fellowship and companionship with God was broken.  But not only they, but all of mankind were placed under this curse for we learn from Paul's epistle to the Romans and other places, not the least of which are Old Testament passages throughout that man through the headship of Adam that death is passed on from generation to generation.

Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. (Rom 5:14, KJV)

God Provides Hope of Redemption for Adam

The Holy Spirit portrays Jehovah's "discovery" of Adam's sin as a poignant loss of a friend.  However, this is an anthropopathism presenting the loss of fellowship between Jehovah and Adam and He was not about to allow Satan and his deceptive tactics win. 

When God called Satan and Adam into judgment He established Redemption's plan using this interesting word-picture:

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring  and hers; he will crush  your head, and you will strike his heel." (Gen 3:15, NIV)

The picture here is that of a man crushing the head of a snake, thus killing it.  This is a prophesy that Satan will suffer the ultimate defeat.  The crushing of the snake's head is an act of killing it - Satan will ultimately be cast into the lake of fire, Revelation 20:10.  On the other hand, the head of the snake will strike at the heel of woman's Offspring, Jesus Christ, with a venomous bite - this is a picture of the Cross where Jesus dies for the sins of the world but the injury in the heel points to His resurrection.  Yes Jesus did take the venomous bite of sin's punishment for Adam and his progeny but in doing so man will not have to taste death - the death that Satan will inevitably have to.  As the scripture says:

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  (1 Corinthians 15:55, KJV)

God's Covering for Adam's Shame

Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21, KJV)

Right away He slays an innocent animal, which must have been a terrible shock to both Adam and Eve, for they had never seen such a horrible scene - death.  This death of an innocent animal pre-figures God's plan of redemption - the remission of the sins of man through the shedding of the blood of the Innocent One, Christ.  Man was ashamed of his nakedness (the shame of his sin)  so God, though the death of the innocent animal provided clothing - the skins of the now, dead animal.   This pre-figures the clothing of the righteousness of Christ which will make all men appear righteous who accept God's plan of redemption.

Paul's Comparison of the First and the Second Adam.

[45] So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. [46] The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. [47]  The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. [48] As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. [49] And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we  bear the likeness of the man from heaven.   (1 Cor 15:45-49, NIV).

Just as we inherit, through no effort "merit" on our own, the first Adam, spiritual death, an earthy existence - one devoid of companionship with the Lord, so we will when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, receive, through no merit or effort on our own, spiritual birth - life from the second Adam, Christ.   The strong reference is to the life / death issue.  When Satan questioned God's statement that if Adam were to rebel he would die (dying you shall die - a strong emphasis)

Noah Found Grace in the Eyes of the Lord.
Genesis 5:1 - 11:26

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. (Gen 6:8, KJV)

We continue with our tracing of God's plan of redemption and pick up on the second division of Genesis - the Patriarch, Noah.

The phrase to find grace in one's eyes is an Old Testament concept that bears tracing.   Abraham found grace in Jehovah's eyes as he was communing with Jehovah.  This is a remarkable passage where Jehovah was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and so Abraham's nephew Lot.  This portion of scripture shows the remarkable closeness between the two, Abraham and Jehovah (Gen 18:3-33).  Noah, of course, did which will bear comment later in this lesson found grace in the LORD's eyes.  Moses was like a close friend to Jehovah - Jehovah spoke to Moses face to face as a friend for he had found grace in Jehovah's eyes (Exod 33:11-14.  Esther found grace in the king's eyes and became his wife (2:17).  When she came for an unannounced visit to the king, she found favor in his eyes and as a result of this did not die for transgressing a law that would have called for her death (5:2).  Ruth found grace in  the eyes of Boaz and was cared for (Ruth 2:2, 10) and eventually became his wife.  To find grace in one's eyes meant to find favor and by extension, prosperity, security, status.  There were no forms of welfare in Old Testament times as we have in modern times and many, especially women, were dependent on this graciousness for their very survival.  The Westminster Confession that grace is the Unmerited Favor of God is certainly accurate but if we were to follow this principle throughout the  Old Testament grace would take upon itself much richer meaning.

Noah and His Family Spared from God's Judgment.

The period between Adam and Noah was marked by an increase in wickedness.  So much so that God had to judge man before the seed of woman was irreparably corrupted.   Noah was the offspring of Seth, the line through which the seed of the woman, Jesus Christ could come. 

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.    (Genesis 6:5, NAS).

God determined to destroy man for his wickedness.  That would have been end of the species except for one thing - God's grace.

These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.   (Genesis 6:9, NAS, my emphasis)

You see, mankind was not entirely lost to wickedness for Noah had walked with God - he had enjoyed the grace of God. He communed with God -  Noah was truly a regenerated man.  As as a result of that he and his family would survive the flood that wiped out the rest mankind.  Could Noah have suffered the same fate as the rest of mankind of the day?  Yes, except for the grace of God and His mindfulness of those who would respond to His redemptive plan.  We do not have any detail regarding Noah's relationship any more than we do of Enoch who also walked with God.  We do know that God is the rewarder of those who seek His face^[1] and the writer of Hebrews testified that Noah was such a person.^[2]

Abraham, Genesis 11:27 - 25:18.

Abraham Believed God and was accounted with God's Righteousness.

And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.    (Genesis 15:6, KJV)

For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.   (Romans 4:3, KJV)

Was Abraham the first righteous man?  No.  Abraham was especially blessed for his belief because God had a special plan for his life - to be the progenitor of an entire race - the race from whom Jesus Christ would come.  There are many blessings associated with Abraham faith in Jehovah.  It is not, however, the scope of this lesson to cover them.  Suffice it to say that Adam was made righteous, Noah was made righteous, Job, a contemporary of Abraham was made righteous (Job 1:8) - in fact, all the righteous of the Old and New Testament period have been made righteous the same way.   Faith in the Lord results in the imputation of His righteousness because we have none of our own.  It is just this is the first time this wonderful process / result has been spelled out.

When God disclosed to  Abram (that was his former name) His wonderful plan - that he would father a great nation Abram should have been totally floored - but he wasn't.   Listen to Paul:

Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. [19] And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: [20] He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; [21] And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. [22] And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.    (Romans 4:18-22, KJV)

Sarah was past menopause - did not have the ability to bear children.  Abram was probably impotent.^[3]  Yet he did not stagger - a picture of a man who was, because of lameness or drunkenness, walking in a halting fashion placing his weight from one foot to the other a picture of vacillation between belief and unbelief.  No.  Abram believed God that He could and would do what He said.  Thus throughout the ages Abraham has been chosen by God to, among other things, spotlight the wonderful condition of being declared righteous - as righteous as Christ Himself, because of  faith in the Lord.

Jacob, Genesis 25:19 - 37:1

(Jacob, the Deceiver Becomes a Changed Man)

The practice of biblical times was that the eldest son would receive the blessing of the patriarch to carry on the family name and inherit the family wealth.   However, when it came to Isaac's eldest son Esau, that was not the case.   Instead, Jacob received the blessing of Isaac through deception.  The first event of  note was that Esau did not hold his role of the eldest son in much esteem and traded his birthright for a bowl of stew (Gen 25:27-34).  The issue was not merely one of  material inheritance.  Esau was, by choice, to be the unregenerate brother while Jacob, though a deceptive man, was through the grace of God to be the regenerate.  So we read that it was God, Himself who chose Jacob to be the inheritor of Isaac over Esau because He "hated" Esau and loved Jacob (Rom 9:13).   The issue was not that God was arbitrary in His preference between the twins, Esau and Jacob but that He knew in His omniscience that Jacob was going to ultimately choose a relationship with Him and Esau was not.

The final event that resulted in Jacob's place as the inheritor of Isaac's family was the truly deceptive act of fooling his father, Isaac into thinking that he was Esau.  Strange account of the plans of man being made to conform to the plans of God, indeed.  We can read of this account in Genesis 27.  As a result of this deceptive act Jacob the inheritor becomes a fugitive of sorts but non-the-less does obey his father and eventually avoids marrying a Canaanite.  Here is Jacob's final blessing upon Jacob:

[1] So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed  him and commanded him: "Do not marry a Canaanite woman. [2] Go at once to Paddan Aram,   to the house of your mother's father Bethuel. Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother.  [3] May God Almighty  bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples.  [4] May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien, the land God gave to Abraham." (Gen 28:1-4, NIV)

So the stage is set, so to speak, for Jacob's change from a deceptive conniving young man to a man who will recognize that it is God who will bless - it is God who direct his life not through his own selfish, clever plans.

The Course of Jacob's Change.

Permit me to outline the rest of Jacob's record this way:

1.  Jacob's Vision, Jehovah's Promise to Jacob - 28:10-22

2.  Jacob's Struggle, Reunited with Esau, Reaffirmed by Jehovah - 32:1- 33:16.

3.  Jacob's Victory, His Return to Bethel - 35:1-15

Jacob's Vision.

[11] When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. [12] He had a dream in which he saw a stairway   resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. [13]  There above it  stood the LORD, and he said: "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. [14] Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. [15] I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." [16] When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it." [17] He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven." [18] Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. [19] He called that place Bethel,   though the city used to be called Luz.   (Genesis 28:11-19, NIV).

Isn't it interesting how Jehovah chose to reveal Himself to the Old Testament Patriarchs?  Even so, we know that today He reveals Himself through His revealed Word and the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  But in Jacob's time Jehovah seemed to delight Himself in a more "hands on" approach.  Here Jehovah reveals His faithfulness to His promise to Abraham.  It is a time of realization for Jacob - here everything that has happened comes to a point of focus and the only important thing to him is that he met God and that all the things that his father Isaac taught him about Jehovah's special interest in his family was certainly true.  The exciting thing here is that all these "teachings" became very personal to Jacob.   Thus, he calls this Bethel - "The House of God."  This may have been Jacob's conversion experience - all of God's righteous have had to come to a point in time where they would choose the Lord - they all became regenerate - that is the whole argument that Paul, the apostle, presented in his book to the Romans, Chapter 9.   Jacob was to become a changed man and to make that possible, he had to become regenerated by the Holy Spirit - this made it possible for him to understand the commands of the LORD, to commune with Him.  That is the way it has been down through the centuries for all of the righteous.

Jacob's Struggle
(Jacob, the Supplanter becomes Israel, a Prince with God).

A lot had happened to Jacob in the intervening years - 20 years^[4] of humiliating employment to Laban his uncle had taught him many lessons - He was married now - with the responsibility of two wives.  The LORD had blessed him with some prosperity but Jehovah had some more work to do in his life.   It's interesting that the LORD has allowed many years to pass for His children in a seeming "holding pattern" before He allows the child to take the next significant step in spiritual maturity.  For Jacob it was 20 years.  For Moses it was 40 years in Midian in the employment of a Midianite priest.  God knows how long it takes for His children to "grow up"   there are no wasted years for His child who desires to do His will.

[22] That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. [23] After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. [24] So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. [25] When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. [26] Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." [27] The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered. [28] Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel,  because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome." [29] Jacob said, "Please tell me your name." But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there. [30] So Jacob called the place Peniel^[5],  saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared." (Gen 32:22-32, NIV)

Jacob had two areas of his life to square away.  First, as an estranged brother, he had to face Esau.  What he had done was treachery and Esau had vowed to kill Jacob for it.  Yes, it was in the plan of God for Jacob to take the place of Esau as the progenitor of the Seed of Woman, the lineage of Jesus Christ but he had to be reconciled with Esau.  Then there were some struggles that Jacob had with Jehovah.  All these things weighed heavily on Jacob's mind - he did the one important thing - he sought Jehovah - his God.  Jehovah met him in a very unusual way - as a Theophany (perhaps Christophany) - God revealing Himself to man in the form of a man - there have been several instances of this in the Old Testament. 

Jacob was to meet the LORD again but this time it was to be in a most unusual way.  He was challenged by this man which resulted in a wrestling match.   We do not know what provoked it but I am going to guess that the LORD challenged Jacob and Jacob - a man of pride, replied in rebellion.  Thus the fight.  This encounter is very much like the one that Jehovah had with Joshua just before the defeat of Jericho^[6] but the difference was Joshua was already right with Jehovah - the moment that Joshua knew who He was there was no need for further challenge from him.  He was ready to receive the instructions of Jehovah.  No so with Jacob.  All night long Jacob wrestled with the LORD in a desperate struggle - in a metaphorical way representing his life up until now.  As time went on I'm sure that there was a most intense dialogue between the two.  As the night developed, Jacob realized that this was no ordinary man - it was the LORD Himself.  Now the wrestling match took on a different purpose - not to defeat the Man but to prevail in such a way as to receive His blessing.  In a sense this was a struggle in  prayer to the LORD.  The dialogue (that we do not have recorded) must have very gut retching - Jacob expressing all the frustrations - the loneliness - the remorse - the full spectrum of his spiritual desires and disappointments.   Face to face with the LORD - he would not let go until the LORD blessed him.  He had to be sure that the LORD was going to bless him - be with him the rest of his life in spite of Jacob's personal difficulties.   Finally the LORD stopped the fight by touching his hip and Jacob was a defeated, humbled, broken man - right where the LORD wanted him.

All the fight was gone out of Jacob - the LORD  gently promises to him:

"...The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered. [28] Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel,  because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."

The struggle was finished - both with Esau and with the LORD.   Jacob's new name, Israel took on significant meaning: "One who perseveres with God." or "A prince with God."  Jacob was ready to meet his brother Esau for he had made things right with the LORD.

Jacob's Victory

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. [11] And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; [12] And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.   (Genesis 35:10-12, NIV)

Jacob continued to have problems but eventually, Jehovah told him to return to the place of his vision, Bethel.  There He encouraged Jacob - re-affirming his new name, Israel.  Jacob, a changed man, perhaps not up to the expectations of today's standards, but nevertheless, Israel would be the father of many nations and kings.   From Israel's loins would come the twelve tribes.  God had kept His promise to his father Isaac and  his grandfather, Abraham.  Israel was, indeed, was the Patriarch of the nation, Israel.

Joseph, Savior of Israel, Genesis 31:2 - 50:26
(a Parallel between Joseph and Jesus Christ)

Although there is no direct correlation between Joseph and Jesus Christ the parallel is striking.  Let's take a look at the similarities. 

1.  Joseph, the beloved of his father (Gen 37:3).

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him.    (Genesis 37:3, NIV)

Joseph was favored greatly by his father Israel.  To show his favor Joseph received a robe of many colors, rich in design.  Jesus is the beloved of the Father

And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."   Matthew 3:17

The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.    John 3:35.

These statements of the Father's love for the Son speaks of  Jesus Christ in His union as the unique God / Man - it includes His humanity. 

2.  Joseph, hated by his brothers (Gen 37:4).

When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.   Genesis 37:4

Compare this with Jesus Christ:    But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.'   John 15:25.  See also Psalm 69:4.  They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.   The hatred for Jesus by the Jews was and is today most unreasonable.  I recently heard a converted Jew share that while she was involved with the New Age movement she had no problem from her parents - the moment  she turned to Christ as Messiah her parents disowned her.

3.  Joseph, his superiority claims led to his rejection by his brothers (Gen 37:8).

His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.   (Genesis 37:8)  Prophetic, really, for both Joseph and Jesus.  Read Luke 19:14.  But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.   This was a parable regarding the Jews' rejection of Jesus as their reigning King.   Pilate picked up on this issue - read John 18:33, 39, 40.  Read this amazing dialogue; when Pilate presented Jesus as a choice to be released according to a custom of the day this was their response;

  It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour."Here is your king," Pilate said to the Jews. [15] But they shouted, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!"  "Shall I crucify your king?" Pilate asked.  "We have no king but Caesar," the chief priests answered.   (John 19:14-15).

4.  Joseph's brothers conspired to kill him (Gen 37:18).

But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. Genesis 37:18

Isn't the parallel amazing?  Read on.  When his brothers saw him coming the plotted to kill him.  The same thing happened to Jesus:

Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, [4] and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him.   (Matthew 26:3-4).  The whole drama of the two events are so compelling - we must read with amazement how the LORD must have seen to it that there was plenty of evidence for especially the Jews to read in the book of the Law  Jesus, the Son of God the Messiah was the object of hatred so much so that the Jews decided that the only solution for their "problem" of Jesus was to kill him. 

5.  Joseph, in intent, was "slain" by his brothers (Gen 37:24) .

and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.   Genesis 37:24.  Compare this passage with one that applies to Jesus Christ: 

When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. [36] And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. [37] Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.   (Matthew 27:35-37, NIV)

6.  Joseph was a blessing to Egypt (a gentile nation) and gained a gentile bride (Gen 41:1-45).

Joseph was a blessing to Egypt - he provided the means for economic prosperity even during famine.  Jesus Christ is a blessing to the gentile nations now in that during the Church age He is calling gentiles to Himself. 

Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. [15] The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: [16] " 'After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, [17] that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things' [18] that have been known for ages.  Acts 15:14-18

He will be a blessing in the future - as prophesy tells to all nations - see  Rev. 22:2-3:  down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. [3] No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.

Regarding the gentile bride of Joseph - Christ will have the the church - His Bride:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her [26] to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, [27] and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.   Ephes. 5:25-27

7.  Joseph reconciled his brethren to himself and exalted them (Gen 45:1-15).

Read Hosea 2:14-18; Romans 11:1, 15, 25, 26.

There was a reconciliation - most importantly - Joseph was reunited with his brothers an import picture of events to happen in the future when Jesus Christ will be reunited with His brothers - Israel.  There will no longer be the hatred, indeed there will be love as Israel was finally reconciled with the LORD.

Conclusion, God has the Final Say.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." [25] And Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath and said, "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place."   (Genesis 50:24-25, NIV)

God has the final say - not Satan.  Yes, man did die spiritually but God came to the rescue and provided Redemption's Plan.  Israel was left in Egypt to face eventual slavery but God, again, will have the final say - Israel will be delivered from Egypt's bondage just as man will be delivered from the slavery of sin..  "... Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."    (Acts 16:31)

So it is that Genesis is the book of beginnings - not just of the creation of the world - the creation of the first man but also the institution of God's Plan of Redemption.  This thread I mean to trace throughout the Old Testament.  We may find the thread is not as obvious as it intermingles with history, narrative and other subjects that the Holy Spirit has chosen for us to read, but trace it we will - Lord willing.

Next Time, the Exodus of Israel From Egypt;
The Departure From a Strange Land and the start of
Journey to the Promised Land.

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1.  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.   (Hebrews 11:6, KJV)

2.  Heb 11:7.

3.  Probably the meaning of "...considered not his own body now dead..."   Compare this with the "...deadness of Sarah's womb..."  See also Heb 11:12.

4.  (Jacob speaking to Laban)  Genesis 31 [41]It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times. [42] If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you." Jacob left Laban's employment well-off despite Laban's attempt to keep him under his hire with unfair treatment.

5. Lit. Face to face with God.