Genesis 38 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Genesis 38.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/gen/38/1/s_38001

Meditate on verse 7.

 

But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was

evil in the sight of the LORD,

 so the LORD took his life.

 

Joseph’s life story foreshadowed the coming of Jesus Christ.  Why would God include such scandal in the middle of it?  

Genesis 38 begins with God killing two men because they were evil and displeasing to Him (vs. 7, 10).  The story continues with Tamar, the wife of the dead men, tricking Judah, her father-in-law, into having a physical relationship with her.  He thought she was a prostitute, so he paid to have sex with her.  Amazingly, God did not kill Judah and Tamar for their wickedness.  In fact, God allowed Tamar to get pregnant by Judah.  She gave birth to twins and named them Perez and Zerah.

The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah ...

 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar;

 Perez was the father of ...

—Matthew 1:1, 3

 

Genesis 38 is the graphic story about people in the lineage of Jesus, and it poignantly describes the reason we need the Savior.  Without Christ, we all are Er and Onan, Judah’s two sons struck dead by God because of their sin.  We, too, deserve to die because of our sin.  But God extends His mercy to us, even when we deserve it the least, just like He did to Judah and Tamar.  The LORD redeemed their hopeless situation, and they became the great, great, great ... grandparents of Jesus Christ.

Pray Genesis 38:7 and 26 over someone for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman, who needs the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

“LORD, please give ________ more time on

earth to turn from evil to You.


Make them righteous.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, - Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

Genesis 37 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Genesis 37.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/gen/37/1/s_37001

Meditate on verse 31.

 

So they took Joseph’s tunic,

and slaughtered a male goat

and dipped the tunic in the blood.

 

As you read about Joseph for the next two weeks, look for ways his story foreshadowed the Messiah, for his life has many interesting parallels to the life of Christ.  For example, from this chapter:

 

* Joseph was loved by his father.  Jesus is beloved by His Father (Mark 1:11).

* Joseph brought a bad report about his brothers, and they hated him for it.  Christ exposed sin, and the world hated Him for it (John 15:22-24).

* Joseph’s brothers thought they would never bow to him.  They were wrong!  People in the world think they will never bow to Christ.  They are wrong!  Someday every knee will bow to Jesus (Philippians 2:9-11).

* Joseph was mocked by his brothers.  Jesus was mocked by the people (Matthew 27:29-31).

* Joseph’s brothers plotted to kill him because of envy.  The people plotted to kill Jesus because of envy (Matthew 27:17-18).

* Joseph was sold for 20 pieces of silver. Jesus was sold for 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15).

* Joseph was stripped of his tunic.  Jesus was stripped of His robe (Matthew 27:28). 

* Joseph’s tunic was dipped in blood.  Jesus’ robe is dipped in blood (Revelation 19:13).

* Joseph was sent to Egypt.  Jesus went to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15).

 

God’s Word is fascinating!  Be amazed by your Savior as you read about Him in the story of Joseph.

 

As a faithful, prayerful watchman, use Genesis 37:8 and16 to pray for someone who needs to be found by the LORD and submit to His rule over their life.

 

“LORD, like Joseph was looking for his

 brothers, You are searching for ________.

Please let them submit to Your

 reign and authority over them.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

Genesis 36 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Genesis 36.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/gen/36/1/s_36001

Meditate on verse 2a.

 

Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan.

 

Esau married daughters of idol-worshiping Canaanites.  In defiance to his parents, Isaac and Rebekah, Esau chose to marry women who did not worship the true God, Yahweh.  Esau brought their idolatrous practices into his home, and God’s Word describes his wives as bringing grief to Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 26:34-35).

If you are not yet married, choose wisely.  God does not want you to marry a “Canaanite,” someone who does not love and worship the only true God, Jesus Christ.  If you are already married to a “Canaanite,” pray for God to bring them to faith in Christ.  Rahab was a Canaanite who chose to become a follower of Yahweh. She is in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Joshua 2; Matthew 1:5; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25).  There is hope for “Canaanites” because before you became a Christian, you, too, were one.

As a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7), use Genesis 36:2 as a reminder of how to pray for those who will someday choose their husband or wife.

“LORD, please do not let _________ marry

a spiritual Canaanite.

Let them marry someone who loves

 You more than they love themselves


because You hate every form of idolatry.


In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL — Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

Genesis 35 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Genesis 35.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/gen/35/1/s_35001

Meditate on verse 2.

 

Put away the foreign gods which are among you,

 and purify yourselves and change your garments.

 

After the men of Shechem were massacred by his sons, Jacob was told by God to move to Bethel.  He obeyed, instructing his family and everyone with him to purify themselves, removing idols in their midst.  They were moving to Bethel, the place where God revealed Himself to Jacob in a dream over 20 years earlier (Genesis 28:12-13).

Thankfully Jacob did not keep his “vow of silence” from Genesis 34 or hide in shame because of his past foolishness.  Genesis 35 portrays a man leading his family in Godliness.

What an encouraging story!  Satan’s lie is that you have done such a poor job as a family member there is no hope for you or your family, now or in the future.  With God nothing is impossible, and His mercies are new every morning (Mark 10:27; Lamentations 3:23).

No matter what you did or did not do yesterday, take a stand for righteousness today!  Let the LORD’s faithfulness make you a Godly leader in your family.

Pray Genesis 35:2-3 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, may ________ and I put away the

foreign gods which are among us.

Purify us, LORD!
Thank You for letting us exchange

our garment of sin for your robe of righteousness.

 Let us arise and go to Bethel, to Your house, God.

God, we will make an altar to You

 because You have answered us in our day of distress,

and You have been with us wherever we have gone.


In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

Genesis 34 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Genesis 34.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/gen/34/1/s_34001

Meditate on this phrase from verse 5.

 

So Jacob kept silent.

 

Many families in the Bible can be described as dysfunctional, and the root of the dysfunction is often fathers who are not present or who refuse to speak up and lead their families in holiness.

When Jacob heard his daughter, Dinah, was raped by Shechem, he did nothing; he kept silent.  His silence gave Hamor, Shechem’s father, time to convince Jacob and his sons that their family should intermarry with his idolatrous family.

Observe Jacob did not say a word until the end of the chapter.  His sons did all the talking, deceiving Hamor and Shechem that the marriages would take place after the men in Shechem were circumcised.  When every male in the city was in pain from their circumcisions, Simeon and Levi killed them, took the women and children, and pillaged their homes.

Jacob finally, selfishly spoke, concerned about his own safety (v. 30).  His sons replied their sister should not have been treated as a harlot!  Since their dad refused to do anything, they handled the situation their way.

Husbands and fathers, this chapter is for you.  Protect your family!  Do not hesitate to speak up on their behalf.  Do not hesitate to tell your children, no matter how old they are, they cannot visit the “pagans” of the land (v. 1).  Your children should not attend godless parties, watch godless movies, and play godless games.  You are the head of your home.  Speak up!

As a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7), use Genesis 34:5 as a reminder to pray for the men in your life to not be silent and lead their families in Godliness.

“LORD, make ________ not keep silent about You.

Help him lead and protect his family!


In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

Genesis 33 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Genesis 33.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/gen/33/1/s_33001

Meditate on verse 20.

 

Then he erected there an altar

 and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

 

Wrestling with God changed Jacob; so much so, God changed his name to Israel.  And even though he walked with a limp, he was no longer crippled by fear of man because now, like his grandfather, Abraham, he feared God (Genesis 22:12).

Jacob divided his family into 3 companies in Genesis 33, and rather than using them as human shields, he walked in front of them, leading his family to meet Esau.

After a miraculously joyous reunion with his brother, Jacob traveled on to Canaan, to the city of Shechem.  The last time Shechem was mentioned in the Bible was when Abraham first arrived in the land of Canaan nearly 200 years earlier (Genesis 12:6- 7).  There he built the first altar in the promised land to the LORD. 

Shechem was also the first city where Jacob stopped after returning to the land that would someday bear his new name, Israel.  In Shechem, like his grandfather, Abraham, Jacob built an altar to God, naming it El-Elohe-Israel; God, the God of Israel.  Jacob recognized God was his God.

What about you?  Is there a time and a place where you spiritually built an altar, a place of sacrifice, dying to yourself and acknowledging God is your God?  If not, let today be your “Shechem,” thanking God for the privilege of living with Him.

Pray Genesis 33:20 over yourself and your family for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).  Insert your family’s name in the blanks.

“LORD, You are El-Elohe- __________.

You are God, the God of ___________,

 the God of me and my family.

Because of Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

Genesis 32 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Genesis 32.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/gen/32/1/s_32001

Meditate on verse 7a.

 

Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed.

 

God freed Jacob from Laban, and afterward forced him to face an old enemy, his brother Esau.  Jacob sent messengers to let Esau know he was coming home, and they returned with the message his brother was coming with 400 men to meet him! Jacob assumed this welcoming party did not have good intentions, and he quickly went into panic mode, dividing his family into two companies and surrounding himself with them, as if they were an army.  He selected 580 of his animals, his blessings from God, to give Esau as a peace offering.  After his acts of desperation, Jacob put in a cry for God to deliver him.

Thankfully, in the midst of faithless acts, God in His faithfulness hears a cry for His help.

As the presents were delivered and his wives and children were sent ahead to face the enemy, Jacob was left alone to face God.  It wasn’t a pleasant encounter because God wrestled with Jacob all night.  But even a wrestling match with God is meant for good, so you can be thankful when it comes.  The match ended with God blessing Jacob and giving him a new name, Israel.  He indeed would be the father of God’s great nation as promised to his grandfather, Abraham (Genesis 12:2).  The match also ended with Jacob being humbled by God; he walked the rest of his life with a limp, a reminder for Jacob to fear God and not man.

Examine your life.  What do you fear?  What are you sacrificing to protect yourself?  

STOP! Take a deep breath and pray Genesis 32:10-12 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, _________ and I are unworthy of
all the lovingkindness

 and of all the faithfulness which You have shown us.


Deliver us, I pray, from the hand of ____________,


for we fear them, that they will come out and attack us.

Help us to trust You and Your promises, LORD.


In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the Wall ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell