Tag Archives: Poem devotional

GENESIS 39 POTIPHAR PUTS JOSEPH IN PRISON

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March 10

GENESIS 39

19 As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled. 20 And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. 21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed. – Genesis 39:19-23

GENESIS 39 POTIPHAR PUTS JOSEPH IN PRISON

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

Potiphar believed his wife’s accusation of Joseph

He didn’t even ask Joseph’s side as he fumed in anger

Joseph was taken by his master to the king’s prison

But the Lord never left Joseph and still gave him favor

The keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all prisoners

Whatever Joseph did in that prison walls, the Lord made it prosper.

The malice and slander that Potiphar’s wife had over Joseph’s character poisoned her husband’s trust in Joseph. Interesting that he never pondered on those many years that Joseph did everything for him and that he didn’t have to manage anything that he owned. Anger overtook him and made a rash decision to put Joseph in prison without even hearing his side. After all, he trusted him that long. He was blinded by his wife’s sly and cunning ways to get rid of someone who rejected her sexual advances. Anger that isn’t processed always leads to unhealthy results. In this case, it was to break his trust to Joseph. It was also to his detriment because now, he had to attend to all that Joseph responsibly did for him.

No one can hurt anyone who belongs to God, the psalmist says in Psalm 105 that no one is to touch or harm his people. Psalm 34 also says God let angels encamp around them.

REFLECTION

  • How is this passage a message of hope for those afflicted with suffering?

GENESIS 39 POTIPHAR’S WIFE ACCUSES JOSEPH

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March 9

GENESIS 39

11 But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, 12 she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. 13 And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house, 14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. 15 And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.” 16 Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, 17 and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me. 18 But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.”

                                                                   – Genesis 39:11-18

GENESIS 39 POTIPHAR’S WIFE ACCUSES JOSEPH

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

It angered Potiphar’s wife that Joseph wouldn’t sleep with her

So, she grabbed Joseph to force him to lie with her, but Joseph fled

When he avoided her in haste, he left his garment which she used against him

His mistress’ used that to lie to her husband and avenge Joseph’s rejection

This caused Potiphar to believe his wife instead of hearing Joseph out

Lies and deception continued to prevail in that Egyptian household.

In this account, we witness the work of the devil using Potiphar’s wife as a host of demonic spirits. She has been obsessed with lust over Joseph. She would do anything to get him to lie with her and when Joseph was able to resist her over and over again, she got so mad and got back at him. This is a manipulation tactic of the devil. Lies and twisting the truth were clearly the strategies used here against Joseph. It destroyed his master’s trust in him and eroded that good relationship they had through that slander and malice that the mistress did.

REFLECTION

  • How is slander and malice clearly a tactic of the enemy?
  • How can we be aware of the devil’s sly strategies to tempt us to sin?

GENESIS 38 TAMAR AND JUDAH’S SINS EXPOSED

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March 6

GENESIS 38

20 When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take back the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her. 21 And he asked the men of the place, “Where is the cult prostitute[b] who was at Enaim at the roadside?” And they said, “No cult prostitute has been here.” 22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I have not found her. Also, the men of the place said, ‘No cult prostitute has been here.’” 23 And Judah replied, “Let her keep the things as her own, or we shall be laughed at. You see, I sent this young goat, and you did not find her.”24 About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.” 25 As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And she said, “Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.” 26 Then Judah identified them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her again. 27 When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb. 28 And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” 29 But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore his name was called Perez. 30 Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah.

                                                                   – Genesis 38:20-30

GENESIS 38 TAMAR AND JUDAH’S SINS EXPOSED

The acts of Tamar deceiving his father-in-law so she can have a son and Judah using a harlot to appease his grief from his wife’s passing are both sins. Tamar’s deception was an offshoot of her vengeance for Judah not keeping his promise to have Shelah marry her when he was of age. Judah’s sexual sins were exposed when he tried to shame Tamar after discovering her pregnancy. His judgment on her bounced back at him when Tamar showed the signet, cord and staff that belonged to him. Humans automatically hide their sins until they are visibly confronted by proof of such acts. The reaction of remorse and repentance were evident when Judah admitted that his dismissal of his promise to Tamar to marry Shelah made Tamar more righteous than him. The twin sons of Tamar, one of which will be our Savior’s ancestor was the outcome of this sexual act of Judah and Tamar.

REFLECTION

  • How is “hiding” a clear manifestation of sin? Why do sinful people hide?

GENESIS 38 TAMAR’S PLOT TO DECEIVE JUDAH

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March 5

GENESIS 38

12 In the course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died. When Judah was comforted, he went up to Timnah to his sheepshearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 And when Tamar was told, “Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep,” 14 she took off her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. For she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she had not been given to him in marriage. 15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. 16 He turned to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me?” 17 He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “If you give me a pledge, until you send it—” 18 He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him. 19 Then she arose and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.

                                                                   – Genesis 38:12-19

GENESIS 38 TAMAR’S PLOT TO DECEIVE JUDAH

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After losing her first husband without an offspring, she waited

Tamar’s patience ended for Judah breached his promise to marry her to Shelah

She plotted to deceive Judah and posed as a prostitute so she can have a child

Without Judah’s knowledge, he slept with Tamar and her plan worked for her.

It is unthinkable how our Messiah’s ancestors could have come from these deceivers. Even though Tamar wasn’t part of God’s people, she had that desire to let God’s plan come into fruition in Abraham’s clan. She married Er, the son of Judah but didn’t have a son, yet she continued to hope that she would have one with the next son, Onan. They were both taken by the Lord for their evil ways. Now, Shelah, the youngest, was promised by Judah to give her an offspring when he grows up, yet, Judah has not kept his promise. It was time for Tamar to take matters into her hands and get pregnant with Judah. She posed as a prostitute in order to do so.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think God allowed Tamar to deceive Judah?

GENESIS 38 EVIL SONS OF JUDAH

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March 4

GENESIS 38

It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2 There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her and went in to her, 3 and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er. 4 She conceived again and bore a son, and she called his name Onan. 5 Yet again she bore a son, and she called his name Shelah. Judah was in Chezib when she bore him. 6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother’s wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. 10 And what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death also. 11 Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, till Shelah my son grows up”—for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained in her father’s house. – Genesis 38:1-11

GENESIS 38 EVIL SONS OF JUDAH

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

Judah decided to leave his brothers and married the Canaanite Shua

She bore him three sons by the names of Er, Onan and Shelah

Judah took Tamar as a wife for Er but he was evil and God killed him

Onan was appointed to give a son to the widow Tamar, but he didn’t

So, God took Onan’s life as well and Judah was afraid to lose Shelah

Judah told Tamar to remain in her father’s house till Shelah grows up.

When we run from God, many consequences await us. This account tells us those two consequences resulting from Judah marrying a Canaanite, which God forbid his people to do. The firstborn Er was wicked and God didn’t give him a son by Tamar. The second son Onan who defied his father’s instruction to give Tamar a son, was likewise killed by the Lord for his action. Then, Judah feared that if Shelah married Tamar, he would die too. Interesting how he never looked at his own rebellion and put blame on Tamar instead.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think Judah suspected it was Tamar who caused his sons’ death?

GENESIS 37 JOSEPH’S PLIGHT

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March 3

GENESIS 37

25 Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt. 29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes 30 and returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?” 31 Then they took Joseph’s robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son’s robe or not.” 33 And he identified it and said, “It is my son’s robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.” 34 Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. 36 Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard. – Genesis 37:25-36

GENESIS 37 JOSEPH’S PLIGHT

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After being thrown into a pit to be killed by his own brothers

Judah decided to earn money by selling Joseph to the Ishmaelites

Joseph was taken to Egypt and reported as dead to their father

Jacob tore his garments and mourned for his beloved son for many days.

We get a glimpse of the evil that resulted in the jealousy that the brothers had against the favorite son of Jacob. Although Reuben had his own plan to rescue Joseph, that failed because of Judah’s spontaneous decision to sell him and earn from doing so. He made it look like they were cleaning their hands from the blood if they killed Joseph but it still showed their evil hearts that were guiltless as they got rid of Joseph’s presence in their lives. The pain of the special treatment to Joseph was harder for all of them to bear as Jacob continued to give him more favor and not treat them all equally.

REFLECTION

  • How did God use evil and turned it for good in this predicament of Joseph?

GENESIS 37 THE PLOT TO KILL JOSEPH

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March 2

GENESIS 37

12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” 14 So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. 15 And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” 16 “I am seeking my brothers,” he said. “Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” 17 And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.18 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” 21 But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” 22 And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. 24 And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.  – Genesis 37:12-24

GENESIS 37 THE PLOT TO KILL JOSEPH

After Joseph narrated his two dreams to their brothers and father, he was despised by the brothers. Now, Israel wanted to check up on his others sons in Shechem so he sent Joseph there but they were in Dothan. A stranger led Joseph to find them, but as soon as he was approaching them, the brothers began to plot to kill Joseph. They planned to tell their father that he was attacked by an animal and place blood on his special robe made for Joseph. They hated him so much because he was treated differently by their father. Their jealousy led them to murder him. This is what happens when envy takes over people and when there is unequal treatment of others.

Reuben, the eldest, came to the rescue of Joseph, but only halfway. He was still okay to put him in an empty pit and be sold as a slave. You’d think that he was truly going to save him, but he also thought of sending him away as a slave to whoever buys him.

REFLECTION

  • Why did Reuben only halfway saved Joseph?

GENESIS 37 JOSEPH’S TWO PROPHETIC DREAMS

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March 1

GENESIS 37

5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.  – Genesis 37:5-11

GENESIS 37 JOSEPH’S TWO PROPHETIC DREAMS

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

Joseph had two dreams that got him in much trouble

First, he dreamed of bundles of grain in the field that stood up

Joseph’s bundle was in the middle while theirs gathered around it

These sheaves around the middle bowed down to Joseph’s

The next dream was about the sun, moon and stars bowing down

All the eleven stars were also bowing down to Joseph

Then Jacob rebuked his son for it seemed like they too were bowing to him

All of Joseph’s brothers got so envious of him, so Jacob kept the dreams to himself.

Joseph’s first prophetic dream was scorned by his older brothers. They couldn’t bear thinking of the older ones being under the reign of the younger. They already had a hard time accepting that Joseph was the favorite of their father. It is aggravating to hear that he will have authority over them. Of course, they took it literally and not like a prophecy.

The second dream was another prophetic dream he shared to them as well. Jacob gently rebuked his son to protect him from further negative reactions from his brother, but took note of it. He knew that God can manifest his plans in a dream, so he kept quiet about it.

REFLECTION

  • How were these two dreams prophetic also of Jesus’ coming and his authority?

GENESIS 37 THE FAVORITE SON

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February 29

GENESIS 37

Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. – Genesis 37:1-4

GENESIS 37 THE FAVORITE SON

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

Jacob lived in Canaan after leaving Paddan-Aram

Joseph was born in his later years so he was favored

He even made a robe of many colors for his favorite son

This made all his other brothers jealous and angry at Joseph

Joseph also brought a bad report of his brothers to their father

All the more he was hated by all his other brothers.

We witness in this account how favoritism affected each of the members of the family. Since Jacob (also Israel) favored Joseph more than his other sons and gave him special treatment. He even made a special robe for Joseph which made his other sons envious, angry and bitter. It led these brothers to plot to actually kill Joseph as we progress in the story of this chapter in Genesis.

We can be thankful to think that our Almighty Father in heaven does not have favoritism and he treats us all equal. Human beings are a different story, we have partialities and we are sinful in nature. We cannot control our predispositions and preferences at times because we tend to be self-focused and self-serving. We are inclined to follow our selfish nature if we do not walk in the spirit. We do not always think of the consequences of our favoritism which could be very harmful for others just like this preferential treatment that Israel gave his favored son, Joseph.

REFLECTION

  • What does the book of James teach us about partiality in chapter 2? Why does he consider it sin? Isn’t favoritism a type of partiality?

GENESIS 36 ESAU MOVES AWAY FROM JACOB

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February 28

GENESIS 36

These are the generations of Esau (that is, Edom). 2 Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, Oholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite, 3 and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, the sister of Nebaioth. 4 And Adah bore to Esau, Eliphaz; Basemath bore Reuel; 5 and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan. 6 Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his livestock, all his beasts, and all his property that he had acquired in the land of Canaan. He went into a land away from his brother Jacob. 7 For their possessions were too great for them to dwell together. The land of their sojournings could not support them because of their livestock. 8 So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir. (Esau is Edom.) 9 These are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir. 10 These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Basemath the wife of Esau. 11 The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 (Timna was a concubine of Eliphaz, Esau’s son; she bore Amalek to Eliphaz.) These are the sons of Adah, Esau’s wife. 13 These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These are the sons of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 14 These are the sons of Oholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau’s wife: she bore to Esau Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. – Genesis 36:1-9

GENESIS 36 ESAU MOVES AWAY FROM JACOB

In this account, we witness God’s faithfulness in keeping his covenant promise to Abraham. Esau was Abraham’s grandson and Jacob’s twin brother. Esau is also called Edom meaning “red.” His hair was red but it also parallels his redness to the red lentil pottage that he sold his birthright for. It is from Edom that the Edomites became a nation.

When Rebekah was about to give birth, the Lord revealed to her the two nations in her womb. We see that in this story, we find Jacob (also called Israel) formed his nation with his twelve sons. Edom also had to leave Canaan because Jacob and his livestock couldn’t be all contained in one place. They were so big in number. Thus, the promise of God to multiply them is clearly evident here.

We are introduced here to Esau’s offspring through his wives from Canaanites which formed the nation of the Edomites.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think God separated Esau from Jacob in this account?