Category: Old Testament

Genesis 37 tells the story of Joseph, the favored son of Jacob, whose brothers become jealous because of their father’s special love and Joseph’s dreams that one day he would rule over them. Their jealousy leads them to sell Joseph into slavery and deceive their father into believing he has been killed. Pastor Carl reminds…

Chapter 36 puts a bow on the life of Esau by looking at his genealogy and how it intermixed with Seir’s family establishing the beginning of Edom. When Jacob returns to Hebron, Esau moves to the land God has given him. And yet Esau is still a man operating in the flesh, not acknowledging God…

The prince of Shechem sees Jacob’s daughter Dinah as she comes into town to hand out with the girls. Dinah is violated by Shechem which sets into motion a series of events that leads to the end of Shechem. Pastor Carl attempts to navigate through the mess pointing to Jesus as our only hope of…

Wrestling with God should bring you to a place of defeat… and victory! God gives Jacob a new name – Israel, which means “God prevails”. When God prevails in bringing to surrender and salvation, we win! No more slavery to sin, no more an enemy of God, no more walking a self-centered pointless life!

Observing his life is threatened, Jacob says enough is enough and takes his wives and flocks and servants and secretly heads toward the promised land. Laban gets wind and pursues but is warned by God in a dream not to mess with Jacob. So an agreement is made never to cross this line at the…

There is rivalry between Rachel and Leah as they compete for Jacob’s affections and the blessing of children. And God in His grace opens the wombs of both. Jacob attempt to leave the area, but Laban appeals and asks Jacob what is price is to stay… all the spotted and speckled sheep! Laban agrees but…

Four examples from four characters of how NOT to walk in faith! Yet Isaac ends up in the Hall of Faith, finally acknowledging the Lord’s will instead of his own. Would he really believe Jacob was Esau just because he has some animal hair on him?!

As Abraham enters the sunset of his life, he actually remarries and has a number of sons that will become nations. At 175 he is gathered back to his fathers, buried by Issac and Ishmael. Then Issac makes the same mistake as his father with the king in Gerar.

Abraham initiates a search for a wife for Issac. His chief servant is sent to the land where he grew up and by the grace of God he found Rebekah at the well drawing water. And by the grace of God, Rebekah agreed to return with the servant and become the wife of Issac sight…

The moment that the faith of Abraham is cemented happened when he was asked by God to sacrifice the child that had been promised to him decades earlier. Pastor Carl also reflects on Abraham’s “only son” reflecting God’s only Son, sharing the similarities between the two sacrifices.