Tag Archives: ILMA ARTS STUDIO

GENESIS 28 THE LADDER TO HEAVEN

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January 28

GENESIS 28

10 Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! 13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. 14 Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” – Genesis 28:10-17

GENESIS 28 THE LADDER TO HEAVEN

As we listen to the account of the journey of Jacob to go to his mother’s brother Laban to find a wife from her clan, we can have a hard time imagining how long it takes to travel either by foot or on a camel or donkey during those times. He was fleeing from an angry brother who wanted to kill him, but at the same time, he was exposed to all the elements in that journey. Esau could have pursued him and killed him in his sleep. He laid his head on a stone. It must have either been under a tree or just by a rock where he got a smaller stone to rest his head. So, it would seem that he was on the ground and feeling the coldness (even in the desert places, the night air could be cold too) of the earth. What an irony that he was in a very uncomfortable (in our modern concept of comfort) place when he dreamed of the ladder that goes up to heaven.

Matthew Henry’s commentary on the ladder to heaven spoke about Jesus, being the ladder that takes us to our Heavenly Father. The feet of the ladder symbolize Jesus’ humanity; the steps of the ladder are his body, the actual sacrifice he gave for us to make it possible for us to reconcile with our Heavenly Father. Jesus is the ladder, the mediator.

REFLECTION

  • How and why do you think God shows up during our most uncomfortable times?

GENESIS 28 ESAU’S JEALOUSY OVER JACOB’S OBEDIENCE

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January 27

GENESIS 28

Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and directed him, “You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women. 2 Arise, go to Paddan-aram to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father, and take as your wife from there one of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother. 3 God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. 4 May he give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your offspring with you, that you may take possession of the land of your sojournings that God gave to Abraham!” 5 Thus Isaac sent Jacob away. And he went to Paddan-aram, to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.6 Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram to take a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he directed him, “You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women,” 7 and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and gone to Paddan-aram. 8 So when Esau saw that the Canaanite women did not please Isaac his father, 9 Esau went to Ishmael and took as his wife, besides the wives he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth. – Genesis 28:1-9

GENESIS 28 ESAU’S JEALOUSY OVER JACOB’S OBEDIENCE

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

Jacob obeyed Rebekah’s request for him to leave for Paddan-aram

It was best for him to take a wife from Rebekah’s brother’s clan

Isaac gave all the blessing to Jacob and he was sent off to go

Esau’s jealousy over Jacob’s obedience was so strong

He wanted to please Isaac, so he married Ishmael’s daughter

He was so envious of Jacob’s blessings so he got Mahalath as his wife.

Esau was seething with jealousy and envy for what Jacob’s blessing got from their father before he left for Paddan-aram. Esau didn’t do what is right with God, instead he married two Hittites wives earlier which made it hard for Rebekah and Isaac. So, to please his father, he went to marry Ishmael’s daughter, one of Abraham’s sons.

It is sad to watch people just do what is right to get something back in return. They do not do it out of love and fear of the Lord. It is a transactional relationship.

REFLECTION

  • How can jealousy and envy further bring us down the rabbit-hole?

GENESIS 27 ESAU THREATS TO KILL JACOB

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January 26

GENESIS 27

39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: “Behold, away fromthe fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be, and away from the dew of heaven on high. 40 By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck.”41 Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” 42 But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. 43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran 44 and stay with him a while, until your brother’s fury turns away— 45 until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereft of you both in one day?”

46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?” – Genesis 27:32-46

GENESIS 27 ESAU THREATS TO KILL JACOB

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After Esau heard his unfortunate blessing from his father

He was furious with the outcome of that deception of his brother

He threatened to kill Jacob once their father passed on

Rebekah heard this threat and warned Jacob to flee to Haran.

Rebekah was concerned that Jacob would also marry a Hittite woman

She asked Jacob to move to Haran and stay with his brother Laban

Up until the wrath of Esau subsides, he will stay there to be safe

Rebekah showed much concern for both her sons to stay alive.

What a mother’s heart Rebekah had. She didn’t want her sons to fight over their received blessing and end up being killed by one. She probably was already suffering from Esau’s choice to take Hittite wives. To protect Jacob from being killed by Esau, she told him to go and stay with her brother Laban until Esau’s anger subsided.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think Rebekah told Jacob to flee from Esau aside from being killed?

GENESIS 27 JACOB’S DECEPTION DISCOVERED

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January 25

GENESIS 27

32 His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” 33 Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.” 34 As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” 35 But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” 36 Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37 Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. – Genesis 27:32-38

GENESIS 27 JACOB’S DECEPTION DISCOVERED

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After Jacob received the blessing from Isaac, Esau comes

He wept so bitterly and begged Isaac to give him a blessing too

But Isaac, despite his anger at the deception couldn’t take it back

Jacob already got the blessing and now he will lord over Esau

Jacob will be served by all his other brothers as well

Esau continued to weep at his stolen birthright and blessing.

What a sad fate for Esau to carefully prepare a meal for his father Isaac so he could get the blessing, only to discover that his younger brother fraudulently stole it from him. At first, Isaac was so angry at the deception, but got his footing back and declared to Esau that he gave the blessing to Jacob already and cannot take it back. He cried and wept but I think that he had taken for granted both his birthright and the blessing. After all, Jacob was the chosen one and not him. It was God’s plan to have Jacob lord over all his brothers. It seemed cruel for Esau but it is God’s choice and nothing he can do about that.

REFLECTION

  • Why is it important for us never to take for granted our gifts from the Lord?

GENESIS 27 JACOB RECEIVES ISAAC’S BLESSING

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January 24

GENESIS 27

26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” 27 So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said, “See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed!
28 May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine. 29 Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!” 30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 He also prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that you may bless me.” – Genesis 27:26-31

GENESIS 27 JACOB RECEIVES ISAAC’S BLESSING

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

Isaac asked Jacob to come and kiss him for the blessing

And since Jacob had Esau’s garments on, he smelled like him

Then Isaac began pouring down his blessing on his son

That he may be given the bounty for his field in grain and wine

That he may have the authority that nations will bow down to him

Blessed are those who bless him and cursed are those who cursed him.

According to a theological dictionary, a blessing was a public declaration of a favored status with God. It also endowed power for prosperity and success. In all cases, the blessing served as a guide and motivation to pursue a course of life within the blessing. The major terms are related to the word meaning “to kneel”, since in earlier times, one would kneel to receive a blessing. No wonder it was very important to have God’s blessing so that there will be a harvest of plenty and prosperity.

After Jacob deceived his father, he finally got the blessing that was usually bestowed on the firstborn son. This was why Rebekah made sure that Jacob got it because she was told by God that it was Jacob who will be the recipient of that fulfillment of the covenant promise between Abraham and God.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think it is important for Christians to bless their children?

GENESIS 27 JACOB DECEIVES HIS FATHER

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January 23

GENESIS 27

18 So he went in to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” 20 But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the Lord your God granted me success.” 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands. So he blessed him. 24 He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” 25 Then he said, “Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son’s game and bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. – Genesis 27:18-25

GENESIS 27 JACOB DECEIVES HIS FATHER

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

In obedience to his mother Rebekah’s request

Jacob deceives his father despite apprehensions

Even though Isaac sensed that he wasn’t Esau

And he sounded like his younger son Jacob

The fake hair on his skin convinced him it was Esau

Jacob served him the dish and brought him wine to drink.

When the serpent deceived Eve to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree, we all know that his purpose was to destroy the relationship of Adam and Eve with God and that they will all envy the wisdom that God possesses. The aim is to make them go against God’s directive. In the case of Jacob, it is a different story. Jacob was Rebekah’s favorite. The bible doesn’t say why she favored him more than Esau, but we know that God revealed to Rebekah that Jacob was to be the one whose covenant promise of God was to be fulfilled while the twins were still in her womb. But the purpose of Jacob’s deception was for God’s covenant promise with Abraham to be fulfilled. It wasn’t a turning away from God but an act of obedience to allow the covenant promise to be fulfilled.

REFLECTION

  • Do you think Rebekah and Jacob’s deception were justified in God’s eyes?

GENESIS 27 JACOB OBEYS REBEKAH DESPITE FEAR

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January 22

GENESIS 27

11 But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12 Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” 13 His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.” 14 So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and his mother prepared delicious food, such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. 16 And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 And she put the delicious food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.  – Genesis 27:11-17

GENESIS 27 JACOB OBEYS REBEKAH DESPITE FEAR

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

Rebekah explains to Jacob the details of the birthright theft

Even though Jacob feared that he will be cursed when discovered

He obeyed his mother Rebekah whom he honored

Jacob knew that his mother knew what she was doing

His obedience to her have been inherited from his grandfather

He followed Rebekah who he believes is doing what is right.

In Hebrews 11:31 it says that Rahab the prostitute didn’t die with those who were disobedient in Sodom because she allowed God’s spies a refuge. And in James 2:25, James uses Rahab as an example of justification of her faith by her work when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way. Rahab was driven by her fear of the Lord that made her draw a covenant with the angels to be spared her life and her relatives because they believe in the Lord.

Could it be that Rebekah’s plot to steal the birthright of Esau be also borne out of her fear of the Lord? God spoke to her when she was pregnant with the twins and declared to her that the elder son will serve the younger. Wasn’t she allowing that prophecy of God to come to fulfillment by letting Jacob have the birthright and get the blessing of his father Isaac? Wasn’t her fear of God much heavier than the fear of a curse if Isaac found out?

REFLECTION

  • Did Rebekah do what’s right according to James 4:17?

GENESIS 27 REBEKAH PLOTS TO DECEIVE ISAAC

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January 21

GENESIS 27

When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. 3 Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me, 4 and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.” 5 Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, 7 ‘Bring me game and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you before the Lord before I die.’ 8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you. 9 Go to the flock and bring me two good young goats, so that I may prepare from them delicious food for your father, such as he loves. 10 And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” – Genesis 27:1-10

GENESIS 27 REBEKAH PLOTS TO DECEIVE ISAAC

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

As Isaac grew old and faint in seeing, he called Esau, his firstborn

He wanted to prepare when he dies so he can give him his blessing

But Rebekah hears this conversation and plots to deceive Isaac

She called her favored son, Jacob and told him to listen to her plan

Rebekah told him to go to their flock and get her two good goats

She will cook her husband’s favorite dish so Jacob can get blessed.

This deceptive plot of Rebekah seems evil but the deception was allowed by God in order for Jacob to get that blessing that is usually given to the eldest son. But in Genesis 25:23, God revealed to Rebekah that the older will serve the younger. Apparently, she kept this revelation to herself all those years. So, she knew that Jacob, the younger of the twins is the one favored by God. Without God’s revelation, we can view Rebekah’s deception as evil, but if you consider God’s revelation, you would see it differently. Maybe this is why Jacob was her favorite and if we look back to Genesis 26:34, we clearly see how Esau broke the covenant promise of Abraham by getting two Hittite wives much later in life.

REFLECTION

  • How do you view Rebekah’s deceptive plot to steal Esau’s blessing?

GENESIS 26 ESAU BREAKS COVENANT PROMISE

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January 20

GENESIS 26

30 So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. 31 In the morning they rose early and exchanged oaths. And Isaac sent them on their way, and they departed from him in peace. 32 That same day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well that they had dug and said to him, “We have found water.” 33 He called it Shibah; therefore, the name of the city is Beersheba to this day.

34 When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite, 35 and they made life bitterfor Isaac and Rebekah. – Genesis 26:30-35

GENESIS 26 ESAU BREAKS COVENANT PROMISE

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

The Lord blessed Isaac with much wealth and offsprings

He was looked up to by many because of God’s blessings

Isaac continued digging wells and found one

He called it Shibah which is now called Beersheba.

When Isaac’s son Esau turned forty, he broke the covenant

He married and had two wives who were pagans

By doing this, it created difficulties for Rebekah and Isaac

Esau breached Abraham’s covenant promise to God.

Let’s go back to Genesis 25 when Esau and Jacob were born. The Lord said to Rebecca that there are two nations in her womb. We knew from this chapter that Esau was the rough and tough one who was a skillful hunter and Jacob was the tent dweller who was more the quiet one. God’s word to Rebecca was clearly prophesying what will happen to these two boys she was giving birth to.

Just as soon as they were a little older, maybe in their early twenties, Esau sold his birthright to his younger brother and now he had that double blessing that God gives the firstborn child. By the time they were forty, Esau clearly broke the covenant promise that Abraham, his grandfather made with God. He married two pagan wives. It is always a difficult time when children go against their ancestor’s beliefs.

REFLECTION

  • How was God’s word to Rebecca in Genesis 25 manifested here in this account?

GENESIS 26 COVENANT BETWEEN ABIMELECH & ISAAC

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January 19

GENESIS 26

23 From there he went up to Beersheba. 24 And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake.” 25 So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the Lord and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac’s servants dug a well.26 When Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army, 27 Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you?” 28 They said, “We see plainly that the Lord has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, 29 that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the Lord.” – Genesis 26:23-29

GENESIS 26 COVENANT BETWEEN ABIMELECH & ISAAC

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After Isaac was asked to leave Gerar by Abimelech, he journeyed

Wherever he went, the Lord prospered him in wealth and riches

Abimelech, upon hearing his blessings, came to him with Phicol

He asked Isaac to make a sworn pact between them

He wanted Isaac to ensure that they will not be harmed by him

Isaac responded and made that covenant with Abimelech.

What an interesting proposition from Abimelech after he sent Isaac away from his land because he was prospering in numbers of people and riches. Now that he learned about the growth of his wealth, he comes to Isaac to ensure that they will not be enemies but friends. It sounds like a strategy to retain power on the part of Abimelech. We witness here how Isaac had a good and righteous nature to even accept that treaty. He could have gotten back to Abimelech after he was asked to leave Gerar, but he accommodated their proposal for a peace treaty. It shows his forgiving heart and wisdom.

We also get a glimpse of how Abimelech operates in the world system of power. He wants to make sure that he will have allies in case he needs support from them. Dependence on the Lord is out of the question on those who do not serve God.

REFLECTION

  • How do you view the proposal of Abimelech in terms of the motives of his heart?