Teach me, the way of Your statutes, Lord, and I shall comply with it to the end. Psalm 119:33 NASB To the end – The next acrostic begins each verse with hey (ה). The entire section looks like this: הוֹרֵ֣נִי יְ֖הֹוָה דֶּ֥רֶךְ חֻקֶּ֗יךָ וְאֶצְּרֶ֥נָּה עֵֽקֶב הֲבִינֵנִי וְאֶצְּרָ֥ה תֽ֜וֹרָתֶ֗ךָ וְאֶשְׁמְרֶ֥נָּה בְכָל־לֵֽב הַדְרִיכֵנִי בִּנְתִ֣יב מִצְוֹתֶ֑יךָ כִּ֖י ב֥וֹ חָפָֽצְתִּי…
Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. Genesis 32:24 NASB Wrestled with him – In my book Crossing: The Struggle for Identity I show that this very unusual story has a deep psychological element. No explanation of who this strange opponent is really satisfies until we recognize that Jacob is…
And he said, “Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him. Genesis 37:35b NASB Mourning – What happened to Jacob when he thought his son Joseph was dead? By carefully examining this narrative in Genesis we discover a lot about psychological trauma, family dynamics, and unconscious…
So that day Esau started on his way back to Seir. Jacob, however, went to Sukkoth, Genesis 33:16-17a NIV However – Take a moment to read Genesis 33, Jacob’s reunion with Esau. You’ll find something odd about Jacob’s protests. Again and again, Esau shows no animosity, no hidden agenda of revenge, but Jacob turns away…
Immediately Jesus reached out with His hand and took hold of him, and *said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:31 NASB Took hold – “Hold on! I’m coming!” Rescue work. That’s what’s needed. Unfortunately, most of the time we don’t even know we’re falling. We’re so caught up in the…
That night the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Fear not, for I am with you, and I will bless you and increase your offspring for the sake of My servant Abraham. Genesis 26:24 JPS Your father – It only happens three times. Genesis 28:13, Genesis 32:9…
“ . . . and if I perish, I perish.” Esther 4:16 NASB Perish – Would you die for the cause? I imagine your answer will be conditioned by an assessment of the cause. Is it worth dying for? But what if you believe you will die either way? If you choose to stand up…
Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. Genesis 32:24 NASB Man – In one of the strangest verses in Scripture, no clue is provided about the identity of the “man” who wrestles with Jacob. He suddenly appears. No history. No motivation. No name. We are immediately cast into the world…
But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? Genesis 50:19 NASB In God’s place – Genesis is a book of emotional distance. It begins with expulsion, continues through isolation (Noah), betrayal (Sarah), discrimination (Esau and Jacob) and ends with alienation (Joseph). Through all of these lives, God seeks…
Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Genesis 48:10 NASB Dim– Ah, do you remember the first part of this story? Perhaps I can refresh your thinking. “When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see,” (Genesis 27:1 ESV). As always, Hebrew connects one…
