Genesis 37; Mark 7
Daily Catechism
QUESTION 11: WHAT ARE THE DECREES OF GOD?
Answer: The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby for his own glory, he has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.
Scripture: Ephesians 1:11; Romans 11:36; Daniel 4:35; Isaiah 46:10; Psalm 115:3; Amos 3:6.
Comment: You might shorten it to: “God’s decrees are his own plans for history. And they always happen.” His purpose for the world is eternal because there never was a time when he didn’t know what he was going to do. His purpose accords with the counsel of his will--that is he did not consult anyone else. He thought it all up. All plans were made in order to maximize the display of his glory. Nothing falls outside the decrees of God.
Genesis 37
Ready:
Moses has just wrapped up the life if Isaac and concluded the story of his unchosen line of Esau whose descendants formed the people later known as Edom. In the meantime Jacob and his sons are still in real time and they are really only at the first generation. His children are the heads of the twelve tribes and so far I have not heard of them taking wives.
Reading thoughts:
I see straight off the phraseology Moses has used at various points of his narrative that key me into another shift. He says “these are the generations of Jacob” and I take this to mean that he is moving into a new period that should get my attention. I take it that here he is now moving into a focus on the lives of the twelve tribes of Israel. This story picks up 11 years after they arrived in Canaan and There is overlap here because Isaac seems to have died while Joseph was in Egypt and presumed dead by his brothers. Looking at the timeline I also realize that Dinah was about 14 years old (or younger) when Shecham raped her and this brings a little more insight into the reaction of her big brothers Simeon and Levi (who were about 21/22). Back to the story, Joseph is about 17 and he is telling his family about the dreams he is having and he is enjoying the favor of his father. This favor must stem from the fact that Joseph is the first born to Rachel and the only other child born to Rachel is the youngest brother Benjamin. He also seems to be a tattler (or very responsible and concerned) as he reports what his older brothers are up to to his dad at the beginning of the story. This sets him up to be at odds with his older brothers, who were maybe 24 or older and did not so much like the idea of their kid brother suggesting that they would be bowing to him. They end up selling him into slavery (to the dismay of the eldest brother Simeon, who tried to work out a plan to save him but then ultimately goes along with the cover-up). Benjamin seems to be at least 6 years younger than Joseph which means Benjamin was 11 when his brothers sold Joseph into slavery and I would imagine that Benjamin was at home with Jacob when Jacob sent Joseph out to check on his other brothers. This young age of Benjamin I think creates a bond between him and Joseph (not to mention that Benjamin didn’t sell him to slavery- I don’t think) that shows up later. Maybe Benjamin was also not in on the cover-up and maybe this accounts for the teary reunion between him and Joseph later?
Key Verses:
Gen 37:2-3, 9, 11, 14, 18, 20, 21, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 36
I see the theme as- Jealousy and/or envy that stemmed from the favoritism (partiality) shown by Jacob results in his sons sinful actions against their brother and their deception toward Jacob. The family is beset by a terrible falsehood for the next 20-27 years while Joseph is presumed dead by Jacob…but God had a plan that included all of this!
Rumination thoughts:
v1-4. Jacob’s family nope being the focus of the storyline it doesn’t take long to get to some drama. Jacob favors his oldest son by Rachel over the others and it could partially be because he was more obedient and responsible than the older brothers. But in verse two it is clear that Joseph has a practice of reporting the misdeeds of his brothers to his father and this may reveal his obedient and responsible nature but this does not make well for good relations between him and his brothers. The brothers cannot hardly speak to him except with contempt. This is not so good.
v5-11. Already hated by his brothers Joseph seems to have no problem telling them about his dreams that clearly refer to him ruling over them or them bowing before him in some context. Of course this drives them crazy. Even Jacob rebuked him for telling of this dream, but Jacob also kept what he said in mind. I take this to mean that he wondered if it might be prophetic.
v12-17. Here Joseph is sent off to check on the older brothers because Jacob must be worried that they are either messing around and not taking care of the flock or else they may also be in some trouble. I figure Benjamin is as home (6-7 years younger than Joseph). So Joseph indeed finds out that his brothers are not at Shechem caring for the flock but they have gone to Dothan…not so responsible or obedient. The story is shaping up to resemble Cain and Able here.
v18-28. In this section the brothers spot Joseph and knowing that they are busted for not being in Shechem and since they already hate Joseph, they conclude that they will throw him in a pit and sell him to traders when they get a chance. This plan started with a plot to kill him but Reuben talked sense into the other brothers and they decided to throw him alive into a pit. It seems maybe that Reuben came up with some reason that he needed to split at this point and maybe he was off to come up with a means to rescue Joseph from the pit. In the meantime the remaining 9 brothers had a meal and then decided to sell Joseph to some passing traders.
v29-36. Reuben came back and found that Joseph was gone and was distraught. Judah had convinced the other 8 brothers during their meal to sell him since they still wanted to kill Joseph. From there all 10 joined in on a plan to deceive Jacob with the suggestion that Joseph was killed by a wild animal. This destroys Jacob who now only has little Benjamin by Rachel and the family continues in this lie for over 20 years. Meanwhile Joseph is sold into slavery in Egypt.
Response:
“Private”
Reaction:
“Private”
Mark 7
Ready:
So most notably in the last chapter, Mark documented how Jesus displayed the characteristics of God who tramples the sea (Job 9:8) that he created and controls (Psalm 33:6-7). And we are to fear this God who can speak things into being and who can command the creation to be firm (Psalm 33:8-9) and it listens (like water being firm enough to hold the weight of a man). Jesus even intended to “pass by them” as he revealed his deity (glory) to them like the way God passed by Moses who was in the cleft of the rock (Ex 33:19, 22).
Reading thoughts:
I see Jesus respond to the Pharisees on the topic of whether a failure to keep traditions defile a person and then he give us the example of a woman who has not kept one Jewish tradition in her life and yet she has a humble and dependent heart that believes in the blessing of the promised offspring being extended to her.
Key Verses:
Mark 7:5, 6-8, 9, 13, 15, 18, 20, 23, 24-25, 27-29, 35-37
I see the theme as- A heart that honors God above all and seeks him is the heart that worships God. It is defilement to prefer the favor and traditions of men over the mercy of God. True worship of God come from the humble and dependent heart.
Rumination thoughts:
v1-13. Here Jesus routs the Pharisees who are holding pride in their practices of washings and cleanings that are not commanded by God but that they think protect them from becoming “dirty”. Before getting to the bottom of how they have confused defilement he first chooses to set them back, exposing their use of this man made tradition to cover their sin. They have been hiding greed and a failure to honor their parents behind a tradition of man that is supposedly holy and good. What was happening was they were withholding resources that should have been used to care for their aging parents by claiming that this wealth was “God’s”. Jesus exposes it here and lets them know that there is no good to be had in preferring man’s tradition to God’s command.
v14–23. Then Jesus goes further. He turns them upside down by explaining to them that the dirtiness comes from inside the man, not from anything outside of him. The fall of man in the Garden gave us a sin nature and a will that is enslaved to it. Our hearts are a desire factory for things other than God. This is the defilement. This is the dirtiness. It has been said that Uzzah’s error in 2 Samuel 6:6-7 was that he considered his hand to be cleaner than the ground. Trying to keep the Ark of the Covenant from the “defilement” of touching the ground by grabbing it (which was forbidden by God) showed that he considered himself less defiling than the ground. But the ground does not have a sin nature and has done no wrong to the creator! He died for this error because he did not trust God at his Word. The dirt does not defile but the human heart does. My going to church or attending a Bible study or reading of my Bible or "you name it" does not wash away the evil desires of my heart that is inclined to chose myself over God. Only the blood of Jesus cleanses me. Only the application of the work of Christ to my soul can make me right with God…not my rituals. The work of Christ is not applied to me apart from a trust that rests in his work alone that is itself apart from my own effort (Rom 3:27-28). Banking on anything I “do” to be of any merit when it comes to me being seen as clean by God is a failure to trust Jesus. All the things I do in the obedience of faith are celebration of God’s favor but never do I earn or merit God’s favor…only the blood does that. Jesus indeed merited my salvation. Jesus accomplished my washing. Jesus did the only saving work that is needed. Everything else is an outflow of that. Holiness is Christ in me.
v24-30. In Matthew this story was called the "Canaanite Woman”. With Mark’s account I am focused more on how Jesus was stealth about his arrival in this Gentile area. I think this tells me something about her...So what was special about her? This woman was clearly on the lookout for him. This woman was searching for Jesus. This woman was more than an opportunist. She sought him out and she was humble and recognized that his help would be mercy and that she had no right to be at the table. She knew he had more to offer than could be consumed by the children of Israel. Below is a restatement of their dialogue (harmonized between Matthew and Mark):
Appeal #1 by the woman
Mercy from the Son of David for her sick daughter
Response #1 from Jesus
Silence
Appeal #2 by the woman
Crying out without stopping
Response #2 from Jesus
So you believe in the Messiah…but you are not a Jew and the Messiah (Son of David) comes to deliver Israel
Appeal #3 by the woman
I know that I don’t need to be a natural child in order to serve you as master and I know that your abundance spills from the table and from this abundance I am asking that you might have mercy and allow me to partake.
Response #3 from Jesus
Well done. You rightly trust in my authority and abundance and you know it is faith that connects you to the blessing rather than physical inheritance. Enter into the joy of your master!
v31-37. In this passage Jesus reveals that he has the power to grant hearing and proper speech. I think there is a connection to the surrounding storyline because we see Pharisees speaking improperly (“we avoid defilement by our traditions on the authority of our elders…what is your authority, Jesus?") that comes from their failure to hear the message of the scriptures (Abraham was declared righteous before partaking in any tradition…merely trusting God at his Word) while this Gentile woman hears and speaks just fine (“You have the authority of God himself to save. I am defiled and unworthy and need your help") without any of the advantages enjoyed by the Pharisees religion.
Response:
“Private”
Reaction:
“Private”
Soli Deo Gloria!
