Job has been making judgments with partial data and limited understanding. Here in the climax Job realizes he has spoken about things that simply transcend his ability to understand (v 3).
Even though Job is not given all the “answers” he does see the living God, which is more than enough for him.
Read More questions, blessing, transcendence
It is a common way, if being in many cultures, to wish a person God’s blessing when they sneeze. A practice of uncertain historic origin, it may derive from the attempt to quell the bubonic plague or it may have found it’s roots in a sense that something of one’s soul departs a person when they sneeze. In any case, to this day it is considered polite to wish a person blessing and not cursing whenever they are sneezing.
Read More trouble, joy, blessing
As the pilgrims’ song carries them closer to the city of their God, they begin to dream about what God’s blessings will look like when they reach Jerusalem and peace. I wonder if, right now, you were asked to describe what God’s blessings look like in our world—what you would say?
Read More hope, blessingAbraham’s part in the divine drama draws to a close (vv 1-11). As he dies the text notes, “God blessed his son Isaac after this.” This is a legacy that every parent desires, that God would watch over our children and assist them to succeed in all the aspects of life that matter.
Read More blessing, prioritiesIn Isaac’s life we see some repeat behaviors and events like those in his father Abraham’s life. Perhaps it is a bit “like father, like son”, but mostly we see that the author is clearly recording that God is keeping his promises to the patriarch and his family.
Like Abraham in Genesis 12, Isaac has a direct encounter with the Lordwhile in a time of famine.
Read More character, presence of God, blessingAs a result of Jacob and Rebekah’s deception Isaac’s blessing was given to Jacob rather than Esau.This passage has always generated very understandable questions. The principal question is: How does God allow Jacob to receive the birthright and the blessing from his father as the result of deception?
Read More blessing, deception @en, God’s faithfulnessJacob leaves on his lengthy journey from Beersheba to Haran—an overland journey from the Negev desert in Israel to a southern province in modern day Turkey. Proceeding northward he comes to the region north of Jerusalem’s current location. There he rests for the evening on a stone pillow.In a divine dream he sees a stairway connecting earth and heaven and angels of God moving up and down. It’s no wonder Jacob views this as “the gate of heaven.”
Read More covenant, blessing, God’s presenceAs he moves closer to his uncle Laban’s territory near Haran, Jacob’s heart and mind are filled with the blessing of his father and the promise from his encounter with God. He arrives at a well, covered by a large stone. In a manner very similar to how his grandfather Abraham’s servant had been divinely directed to meet Rebekah so she could be Isaac’s wife, so Jacob arrives at a well where God has a divine appointment arranged.
Read More joy, blessing, guidanceThis encounter in the hills of Gilead must come to a clear conclusion. They can all turn back towards Laban’s to live as they were and fight to the finish, or agree to let Jacob and his entourage pursue the direction the Lord has given him. Laban realizes, albeit begrudgingly, that he must let them go. It would seem some of his willingness is created by his daughter’s and grandchildren’s allegiance to Jacob as Laban exclaims “there is nothing I can do to keep my daughters and their children.” A covenant between them is therefore in order (vv 43-44).
Read More covenant, blessing, witness, providence