Genesis

And God said

Facts- statements of truth
Genesis 1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth
When everything was dark formless and empty the Spirit of God moved softly on the waters
God said, Light, and there was light
He saw the light that it was good, excellent, and valuable
He divided the light from the darkness and called the light Day and the darkness He called night
God said, Expanse in the midst of the waters to divide the waters under the expanse from the waters above the expanse
And it happened precisely right
God called the expanse heavens
God said, Waters under the heavens gather into one place
Dry land be seen
It happened precisely right
God called the dry land earth
The gathered waters He called Seas
God saw that it was good, excellent, valuable
(His power is so great He had only to speak and it was done to infinite perfection)
God said, Earth sprout grass and it did, all the trees and plants came into being
He saw that it was good, excellent, valuable
God said, Lights be in the expanse of heaven to divide the day from the night and to be for signs, seasons, days, and years
God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night
He made the stars also
He set them in the expanse of heaven to give light upon the earth
God saw that it was good, excellent, valuable
God said, Waters, swarm with living creatures and living creatures fly above the earth in the open expanse of heaven
God created great whales and every living creature that moves
And the waters brought forth abundantly
And God saw that it was good excellent, valuable
And God blessed them and said, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas
And flying creatures multiply on the earth
God said, Earth bring forth living creatures, cattle, creeping things
And it happened exactly right
God saw that it was good, excellent, valuable
God said, Let us make man in our image and let them rule over the fish of the sea, the flying things of the air and the living creatures that move on the ground
He created man in His image, male and female
He blessed them and said, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it
Rule over the fish of the sea and the flying things in the air and every living thing that moves on the earth
He told them, I give you every plant bearing seed on the face of the earth and every tree sowing seed for food
And all the animals of the earth and flying things in the heaven and living things on the land I have given the green plants for food
And it was set up exactly right
God saw everything He had made and it was exceedingly good

He finished, He rested,
He blessed

Facts - statements of truth
Genesis 2
The Lord God finished and ended His work of creation
He blessed the 7th day and set it apart because He rested then
No plants were growing in the fields yet for God had not caused rain
And there was no man to till the ground
God made a mist go up to water the whole face of the ground
The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul
The Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east
He put the man there He had formed
The Lord God made spring from the ground every tree that is desirable to the sight and rich, valuable, excellent for food
And the Tree of Life was in the midst of the garden
And the tree of knowledge of good and evil
A river went out of Eden to water the garden and from there divided into 4 rivers that surrounded the whole land of earth
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden to work it and guard it
He commanded man saying, You may eat freely from every tree
But do not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil
The day you eat of it, dying (your spirit, your contact with God lost), you will die (your body will begin to decay)
The Lord God said, It is not good, the man being alone. I will make a helper that fits him
The Lord God then formed from the ground every animal of the field and every flying creature of the heavens
He brought them to the man to see what he would call them
Whatever Adam called them that was its name
He gave names to every living creature and every flying creature of the heavens and animal of the field
But from them they did not find a helper that fit him
The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam and took one (a helper) from his side and closed up the flesh
And the side He had taken the Lord God built into a woman and brought her in to the man
Adam said, This now, at last, bone, essence, substance of my bone, flesh of my flesh
She will be called Ishah for she was taken out of Ish
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and cling to his Ishah
And they will be one flesh
They were both naked and were not ashamed

For God so loves the world

Facts – statements of truth
Genesis 3
The serpent was more shrewd than any other animal of the field
He deceived/enticed the woman to eat the fruit that God forbid, saying she wouldn’t die, but they would be like God (they already were) knowing good and evil
She ate and gave to Adam and he ate and both the eyes both of them were opened and they knew were naked
So they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons
They heard the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and hid themselves from the face of the Lord God in the middle of the garden
The Lord God called to Adam, Where are you?
He said, I heard your sound and was afraid because I was naked and hid myself
The Lord said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree I commanded you not to eat?
The woman You gave me, she gave me from the tree and I ate
God said to the woman, What have you done?
She said, The serpent beguiled me and I ate.
The Lord said to the serpent, Because you have done this you are cursed more than every animal of the field. You will crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life
I will put hatred between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed. It (Christ) will crush your head and you will bruise its heel (at the cross)
To the woman He said, I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception
In sorrow you will bring forth children
Your desire/craving will be to your husband and he will rule over you
To Adam He said, Because you listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed for your sake

(for his good because work humbles the pride man gained, not following what His Maker said)

(since God is infinite, this was an infinite betrayal)
In sorrow, toil, labor you will eat of it all the days of your life
Thorns and thistles it will sprout for you
And you will eat the herb, grass of the field
In the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground
For out of it you were taken. You are dust and to dust you will return
Adam called His wife’s name Eve because she was the mother of all living

(this shows Adam’s faith that life will be restored rather than death being man’s final end)
For Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skins

(showing that without the shedding of blood there is no release from bondage or imprisonment of sin) Hebrews 9:22
And He clothed them
God’s love for mankind He had made in His likeness was so great it would cost the highest price ever to be paid for anything, ever…the death of His Son, to redeem them
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but has everlasting life – John 3:16
Whereas the serpent created nothing and only brought evil, sickness, pain, ruin, and death
The Lord God said, Behold, the man has become as one of us, to know good and evil
So that he not reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and live forever (in his evil state) the Lord God sent him from the garden to till the ground from which he was taken
He drove the man out and placed at the east of Eden Cherubim to live, and the flame of an angelic sword whirling around
To guard the path (back) to the tree of life

Great and mighty

Facts – statements of truth -
Genesis 4
Adam knew Eve, his wife, and she conceived and birthed Cain and said, I have gotten a man with the Lord
And she birthed Abel His brother
Abel tended sheep and Cain worked the ground
At the end of the year Cain brought from the fruit of the ground a gift to the Lord
And Abel brought from the firstborn of his flock
And the Lord looked at (respected, gazed on) Abel and his gift
(Abel brought what showed he trusted God and believed what God said, the promise of being saved back to God’s image and Presence)
To Cain and his gift He didn’t look
(Cain’s gift showed his pride and that he, like Adam when he fell, wasn’t listening to God in this basic fact of life -

(We are not equal to God)
Cain’s anger burned greatly and his face fell
The Lord said to Cain, Why are you enraged? Why has your face fallen?
If you do what is good and pleasing will you not be elevated (exalted)?
The Lord said, If you don’t do what is good and pleasing, sin is reaching out to the door (of your heart). His desire is to rule you

Rule over him
Cain talked with his brother Abel, and as they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel and killed him
The Lord said to Cain, Where is Abel your brother?
Cain said, I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?
He said, What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries to Me from the ground
Now you are cursed more than the ground which has opened its mouth to take your brother’s blood from your hand
When you till the ground it will not again give you its strength
A vagabond and a fugitive you will be on the earth
Cain said to the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear
(It would be fair if someone did to him what he did to Abel

So Cain is also accusing God of unfairness - the infinitely right One, for whom it is impossible to do even the slightest hint of wrong
God’s judgment on Cain was hopeful

Cain’s punishment for his crime fell under God’s promise and would be paid for (like Adam).

Paid in full by God’s Holy Precious Son on the cross. Cain was free to return to God at any time if he would believe the promise)
You have driven me out today from the face of the ground
And from Your Face I will be hid
I will be a fugitive and a vagabond on earth
And everyone that finds me will kill me
The Lord said to him, Anyone who kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him 7 times
The Lord put a mark on Cain so anyone finding him would not kill him
(The Lord is long suffering toward us not willing that any perish, but that all turn back to Him – 2 Peter 3:9)
Cain went out from the Presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod (wandering)
And Cain knew his wife and she birthed Enoch (dedicated)
And he built a city and called the name of the city Enoch
To Enoch was born sons, who had more sons down through generations. They were herdsmen, musicians, metalworkers
Adam knew his wife again and she birthed a son and called his name Seth (appointed)

She said, God has appointed me another seed in place of Abel whom Cain killed
To Seth a son was born and he called his name Enos (man)
Then men began to call on the name of the Lord
(Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, you don’t know – Jeremiah 33:3).

He will take us to Himself

Facts - statements of truth -
Genesis 5

This is the book of the descendants of Adam

In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God He made him;
Male and female He created them

and blessed them
(with His infinitely exquisite blessing)

And Adam lived 130 years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth

And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were 800 years and he begat sons and daughters

Six generations later:

Jared lived after he begat Enoch 800 years, and begat sons and daughters

And Enoch walked with God 300 years, and begat sons and daughters
And all the days of Enoch were 365 years
And Enoch walked with God: and he was not

for God took him
Genesis 5:24

The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God

and the dead in Christ will rise first
Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air

and so shall we ever be with the Lord
1 Thessalonians 4:16,17

Do not let your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me
In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you

I go to prepare a place for you
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again

and receive you to myself

that where I am

there you may be also
John 14:1-3

Four generations later:

And Lamech lived 182 years, and begat a son
And he called his name Noah, saying,

This one will comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands because of the ground the LORD cursed (to save them from the destruction of their pride)

And Noah was 500 years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth
Genesis 5:29, 32

God preserves life

Facts - statements of truth
Genesis 6

When men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them,
the sons of God (bene ha Elohim – angels) saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took them wives of all they chose

(God had made one mate for each person - 'bone of his bone, flesh of his flesh')

And the LORD said, My Spirit will not always strive with man, in their erring he also is flesh: yet his days will be an 120 years

When the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, they bare giants to them. These became famous heroes from ancient times
And GOD saw that the evil of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all day long
Genesis 6:1-5

(This isn't why God made man. He made him to be the home of His glory living in their hearts)

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height (of the infinitely wonderful person of God)
And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fulness of God
Ephesians 3:17-19

God... made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth...
...for them to seek the Lord, that they might feel after him, and find him, though He is not far from every one of us
For in Him we live, and move, and have our being
Acts 17:26-28

I am He that searches the hearts

And I will give to every one of you according to your works
Revelation 2:23
And the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at his heart (innermost depths of His being)
And the LORD said, I will wipe man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and animal, and the creeping thing, and the birds of the heavens

For I regret that I made them
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD
These are the descendants of Noah: Noah was a just man (seeking his Maker) and perfect in his generations (genetics uncorrupted by angelic intermarrying), and Noah walked with God
And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth
The land was ruined before God, and the earth was filled with violence
And God looked on the earth, and saw it was ruined; for all flesh had corrupted (perverted) his way on the earth
And God said to Noah, The end of all flesh has come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them

And behold, I will destroy them with the land
Make yourself an ark of cypress timbers; make rooms make in the ark, and cover it inside and out with asphalt
Make it 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high
Make an 18 inch window below the roof all the way around the ark

And set the door of the ark in its side

Make it with lower, second, and third stories
Behold this, I, even I, am bringing a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy all flesh, in which is the breath of life, from under heaven

and everything that is in the earth will die
I establish My covenant with you

You will come into the ark, you, and your sons, and your wife, and your sons' wives with you
And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every kind you will bring into the ark,

to keep alive with you; they will be male and female
of flying creatures after their kind, and of animals after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two from each kind will come to you

to keep alive
And take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and it will be food for you and for them
Noah did all that God told him,
he did it

I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly
John 10:10

Eye has not seen, or ear heard, or has entered into the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for those that love him
1 Corinthians 2:9

He makes all things new

Facts - statements of truth -
Genesis 7

The LORD said to Noah, You and all your house come into the ark

For I have seen you righteous before Me in this generation
Take 7 of every clean animal and bird to keep seed alive on the face of all the earth
For after 7 days, I will cause rain on the earth 40 days and 40 nights

and wipe away every living substance that I have made from off the face of the ground
And Noah did all that the LORD commanded him
Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came on the earth
Noah went in with his family and the animals, two by two, male and female, in which is the breath of life
And after 7 days the waters of the flood came
In the 2nd month, the 17th day of the month, all the fountains of the great deep and the windows of the heavens were opened
Rain was on the earth 40 days and 40 nights
Those going in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded

and the LORD shut (sealed) behind him

The waters increased, and lifted the ark, and it rose high above the land
The waters were exceedingly mighty and all the high mountains that were under the whole heaven were covered

And the ark floated on the face of the waters

22 feet above the mountains the waters surged
And all flesh died that moved on the earth: flying creatures, animals, and all living things, and every teeming thing that swarms on the earth

and every man
All whose nostrils breathed the breath of life, died
Erased

(All that destroyed God's beautiful life and caused all the ruin, pain, and suffering, received back what it had been doing for generations

was thoroughly cleansed away for a fresh, new beginning

[Behold, I make all things new]
Revelation 21:5

Only Noah remained and those that were with him in the ark
And the waters were mighty on the earth 150 days

Never again

Facts - statements of truth -
Genesis 8

And God remembered Noah, and every living thing with him in the ark

[I will not forget you,
I have carved you on the palms of My hands (nails of the cross)]
Isaiah 49:15

And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters went down
The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained
After 150 days the waters were abated
And the ark rested in the 7th month, on the 17th day of the month on the mountains of Ararat
After 40 more days Noah opened the window of the ark and sent out a raven

He also sent out a dove who found no rest for the sole of her foot (won't light on carrion) and returned to the ark
After 7 more days he sent the dove out of the ark
and she returned with a fresh plucked olive leaf in her mouth
In 601st year of Noah's life, in the first month, the first day of the month, Noah removed the covering of the ark and saw the face of the ground was dry
In the 2nd month, on the 27th day of the month the earth was dry
And God said to Noah, Go out, you and your family and all that are with you

to breed abundantly and multiply on the earth
And Noah built an altar and made offerings that showed continued faith in God's great love promise of total future rescue from their fallen state
The LORD smelled a sweet fragrance; and said in his heart, I will never again curse the ground for man's sake

For the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth

And I will never again strike every thing living, as I have done
While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night will not cease

[I give to them eternal life. They will never perish

Neither can any pluck them out of My hand]
John 10:28

In Him we live

Facts - statements of truth -
Genesis 9

God blessed Noah and his sons, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth
The fear and dread of you will be on every living creature, on every flying creature of the heavens, and all that moves on the ground, and on all the fish of the sea

They are given to you
Every moving thing that lives will be food for you

Even as the green plant I have given you all things
But flesh with its life, which is the blood, do not eat
Surely the blood of your lives I will demand, at the hand of every animal, I will I demand it, and at the hand of man

At the hand of every man's brother I will require the life of man
Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood is to be shed

for in the image of God
He made man
And God spake to Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I establish My covenant with you, and with your seed after you
And with every living creature with you, all that go out of the ark
And I will establish My covenant with you to not cut off all flesh by the waters of a flood, or send a flood destroy the earth
This sign of the covenant will be for everlasting generations:
I set my rainbow in the cloud, and when I bring a cloud over the earth, the bow will be seen in the cloud
And I will remember my covenant, that never again the waters will become a flood to destroy all flesh
The sons of Noah that went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan
From them the whole earth was overspread

[God made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth
For them to seek the Lord and find Him, though He is not far from every one of us
For in Him we live, and move, and have our being]
Acts 17:26, 27
And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard
And he drank of the wine, and was drunk; and he was uncovered within his tent
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his 2 brothers outside
And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered their father; and they did not see their father's nakedness
When Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him, he said, Cursed be Canaan; he will be a servant of servants to his brothers
He said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan will be his servant
God will enlarge Japheth, and he will dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan will be his servant
Noah lived 350 years after the flood
And all the days of Noah were 950 years: and he died

Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from destruction

Who crowns you with His love and kindness and tender mercies
Who satisfies your mouth with good things; so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's
Psalm 103:1-5

Raised from the dead

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 10
Now these are the descendants of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth

Sons were born to them after the flood
By these were the isles of the nations divided in their lands; every one after his language, after their families, in their nations
One descendant was Nimrod
He was a mighty hunter against the LORD
And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel
(Where false worship began and receives final judgment in Revelation 18)

Shem was the father of all the children of Eber (Hebrews)

To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days the land was divided

(In his generation the Lord split the single land mass He originally created into the 7 continents)

God that made the world and all things in it, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands;
And is not worshipped with men's hands, as though He needed anything,

seeing He gives to all, life, and breath, and all things
And made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth, and set their times, and the borders of their dwelling
For them to seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He is not far from every one of us:
For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring
So since we are the offspring of God, we should not think that the Godhead is like gold, or silver, or stone, carved by man's imagination
The times of this ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to turn back to Him:
For He has appointed a day when He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He has ordained

And has given assurance of this to all men, in that He raised Him from the dead
Acts 17:24-31

He calls forth the generations

Facts -statements of truth –
Genesis 11
When all the earth spoke one language the people said, Let’s build a tower that reaches to heaven so we won’t be scattered
God had told them to spread out over the whole earth
They were directly disobeying, defying their Maker
The Lord came down to see the tower that the sons of Adam built
The Lord said, The people are one, the language is one. Nothing will stop them from doing anything they think to do
The Lord said, Come, let’s mix up their language so they can’t understand one another
The Lord mixed up their language and spread them over the whole earth
The name of the city was called Babel (confusion) because there the Lord mixed up the language of all the earth
Of Shem’s descendants, after 7 generations Abraham was born (the 8th generation)
Who has appointed and done it? Calling forth the generations from the beginning.

I, the Lord, the first and the last. I AM He!
Isaiah 41:4

He will never send us away

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 12
The Lord said to Abraham, Go from this land, away from your relatives, and your father’s house to a land I will show you
I will make of you a great nation
I will make your name great
You will be a blessing
I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed
When he was 75 years old, Abraham did as the Lord said and went to the land of Canaan

(the most beautiful place on earth ‘the glory of all lands’
Deuteronomy 8:7, 8 –

a land of brooks and fountains springing up in the hills and valleys.

A land wheat and barley, of grapevines, fig trees and pomegranates

A land of olive oil and honey)
God appeared to him and promised, To your seed I will give this land
(Abraham had no children at this time so it was a double promise)
Abraham built an altar to the Lord there and worshipped
He moved from there to a mountain east of Bethel (house of God) where he built another altar and called on the name of the Lord
He traveled on south and there was a severe famine in the land and he went down to Egypt to stay there
He said to Sarah, his wife, as they drew near Egypt, ‘I know you are a beautiful woman. When the Egyptians see you, they will kill me and take you

Please say you are my sister and save my life'
The princes of Pharoah saw her and took her into Pharoah’s house
Pharoah gave Abraham many gifts because of Sarah: sheep, oxen, asses, camels, menservants and maidservants
The Lord touched Pharoah’s house with many plagues because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife (ishah – bone of his bone, flesh of his flesh)
Pharoah called Abraham and said, What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she is your wife?
Take her and go. Pharoah had his servants send him away and his wife, and all that he had
Genesis 12

(Pharoah sent him away, but God will never send us away)

For the mountains will depart, and the hills be removed

but My kindness will not depart from you

or the covenant of My peace be removed

says the Lord who has mercy (womb deep love from His innermost being) on you
Isaiah 54:10

He became poor to make us rich

Facts - statements of truth -
Genesis 13

And Abram left Egypt with his wife, and all that he had, and his nephew Lot was with him
And Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold
Genesis 13

[Though Jesus was rich, for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might be rich]
2 Corinthians 8:9
And he went on his journeys to the place of the altar he had made and called on the name of the LORD

[Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things you don't know]
Jeremiah 33:3
And Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents
The land was not able to bear them to dwell together for their substance was great
And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot

Abraham said, Let's have no strife between us. Choose where you will go and I'll go the other way

Lot chose the well watered plain of the Jordan. It looked like the garden of the LORD
Lot dwelled in the circle of cities and moved his tent toward Sodom
But the men of Sodom (burning) were exceedingly evil sinners before the LORD
The LORD said to Abram after Lot separated from him, Now lift your eyes, and look north, south, east, and west
All the land you see, I will give it to you and to your seed forever

[Surely goodness and mercy will pursue you all the days of your life and you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever]
Psalm 23:6
And I will make your seed as the dust of the earth more than can be counted
Rise up and walk through the length and width of the land for I will give it to you
After he did that, Abram moved and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron (communion), and built there an altar to the LORD

[Come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker

For the LORD is a great God

and a great King above all gods
In His hand are the deep places of the earth

The strength of the hills is His also
The sea is His

He made it

and His hands formed the dry land

We are the people of His pasture
and the sheep of His hand
from Psalm 95

He is the bread of life

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 14
In those days Amraphel, king of Shinar and 4 other kings went on a rampage of killing and looting across the whole region
(Instead of growing crops and raising herds, or asking their Maker to provide their needs)
[The thief comes only to steal, to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they have life, and have it more abundantly]
John 10:10
The raiders came to the region of Sodom and fought against 5 kings there and prevailed

The area is full of asphalt pits and many fell there
And the king of Sodom and those that escaped ran to the mountains
Amraphel took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, all their food, and Lot, Abraham’s nephew, and his goods
One who escaped told Abraham, and when he heard he armed his trained men, born in his household, 318, and chased the raiders
He surrounded them and attacked by night, defeating them, and brought back all the plunder

and returned Lot, and the women, and all the captured people
[And all will know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear:
for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands]
1 Samuel 17:47
[Now thanks be to God, Who always causes us to triumph in Christ]
2 Corinthians 2:14
Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine
He was priest of the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth
He blessed him saying, Blessed be Abraham of the Most High God

possessor of heaven and earth
Who delivered your enemies into your hand
And Abraham gave him a 10th of all the plunder
The king of Sodom said, Give me the people and take the loot for yourself
Abraham said, I have lifted up my hand to the Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth
I will not take even a thread or a shoe buckle of anything that is yours, so you can’t say, I made Abraham rich
Just the food the young men have eaten and a share for Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, (his friends who went to battle with him)

[Jesus said, I am the bread of life

He that comes to Me will never hunger

He that believes in Me will never thirst]
John 6:35

He is not willing that any perish

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 15
After Abraham's victory over the 4 raiding kings (he was fearful they might regroup and come after him)

the Lord came to Abraham in a vision saying, Don’t be afraid. I am your shield and your exceeding great reward
Abraham said, What will you give me since I am childless and my heir is my steward
The Lord told him, This is not your heir. One born out of your body will be your heir
The Lord brought him outside and said, Look toward heaven and count the stars. So will your seed be.
(The stars tell the story of the Savior, from virgo the virgin birth to the Leo the lion, the reigning king
So not just countless multitudes of descendants were promised the Abraham, but the Savior would be from his descendants)
He believed in the Lord and the Lord counted it to him for righteousness
(Adam fell by not believing what God said; the way back is by believing what God says)
The Lord told him, I am the Lord that brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to inherit this land
(It is the most beautiful land on earth, ‘the glory of all lands’

the LORD your God brings you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;

A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey

A land where you will eat food without scarceness, you will not lack anything in it
Deuteronomy 8:7, 8)
Abraham said, How will I know this? So the Lord had him offer the sacrifices that showed the covenant of His great love to be poured out for mankind at the cross
Then, when the sun was going down a deep sleep fell on Abraham and a horror of great darkness.

The Lord said, Know for certain that your seed will be a foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them; and be oppressed by them 400 years;
Then I will judge that nation, whom they serve: and afterward they will come out with great possessions
And you will go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried in a good old age
But in the 4th generation they will come here again
for the iniquity (perversity, depravity) of the Amorites is not yet full
[The Lord is not slack concerning His promise but long-suffering, not willing that any perish but that all turn back to Him]
2 Peter 3:9

He sees and hears all

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 16
10 years after Abraham had been in the promised land, Sarah, who had no children, said to Abraham, Go into my maid Hagar so I can get a child through her
When Hagar conceived she despised Sarah
Sarah said to Abraham, This wrong is on you. I gave her to you for a wife. The Lord judge between me and you

[And the heavens will declare His righteousness: for God is Judge Himself
Psalm 50:6

But God is the judge: He puts down one, and sets up another
Psalm 75:7

(Now, since the cross and resurrection, 'the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son']
John 5:22
Abraham said, Do with her as you see it
Sarah dealt harshly with her, and she ran away
The angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness
He said, Hagar, Sarah’s maid, Where have you come from? Where are you going?
She told Him and He said, Return to your mistress and submit yourself under her hands
I will greatly multiply your seed, too many to count (this shows Who is talking to her)
Behold, you are with child and will bear a son and will call his name Ishmael (God will hear) because the Lord has heard your affliction
He will be a wild ass of a man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he will dwell in the presence of all his brothers
Hagar called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You God see me
For she said, Here I have looked on Him who sees me
So the fountain was called The fountain of the Living One Seeing me

He makes nations and kings from us

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 17
The Lord appeared to Abraham when he was 99 years old and said, I Am the Almighty God. Walk before Me and be perfect/complete

(Since none of us are perfect, He promised to send Jesus to be perfect for us)
(We are complete in Him – Colossians 2:10)
He said, My covenant is with you and you will be a father of many nations
I will make you exceedingly fruitful. I will make nations from you and kings will come from you
I will set My covenant with you and your seed after you to be your God
(God is life. All life comes from Him. He holds it all together (Colossians 1:17). All others are imposters that lead to death and eternal death forever in the lake of fire – Revelation 20:15
John 10:10 the thief comes only to kill, steal, and destroy. I have come that they have life and have it more abundantly)
And I will give you and your seed this land where you have been a foreigner for an everlasting possession
And I will be their God
You and your seed will keep/guard My covenant throughout their generations
The sign of this covenant is circumcision; every male of you and your descendants and those purchased for your household will be circumcised in the flesh of their foreskin on the 8th day. (Vitamin K for blood clotting is highest on the 8th dayafter birth)
Anyone that is not circumcised will be cut off from his people. He has broken My covenant
(This covenant dedicates oneself and their household to worship only the true God)
(Is there anything worse than being left out of everything, the outsider? Those who worship false things cut themselves off)
As for Sarai, I will bless her. She will be a mother of nations. Kings will come from her
Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart, Will a child be born to one 100 years old and Sarah 90?
He said to God, O that Ishmael might live before you!
The Lord said, Truly Sarah will bear you a son and you will call him Isaac (laughter)
I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant and his seed after him
And I have heard you about Ishmael, I have blessed him and will make him exceedingly fruitful; he will beget 12 princes;
but I will establish My covenant with Isaac whom Sarah will bear to you at the set time next year
When He finished talking with Abraham He ascended up from him
And that very day Abraham circumcised himself, Ishmael, who was 13 years old, and all the males in his service, born in his house or bought with money

Nothing is too hard for the Lord

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 18
The LORD appeared to Abraham in the terebinth trees of Mamre as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; he saw 3 men and ran to meet them and bowed saying,

Stay and I will bring you food and you can rest. He prepared food and they ate
Then they asked, Where is Sarah your wife? And he said, In the tent

And He said, I will certainly return to you at the time of life; and Sarah will have a son

And Sarah heard it in the tent door, behind him

Now Abraham and Sarah were too old to have children

And Sarah laughed inside herself thinking, Will I now have pleasure, us being old?
And the LORD said to Abraham, Why has Sarah laughed?

Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the set time I will return to you and Sarah will have a son
Then Sarah denied, saying, I didn’t laugh; for she was afraid.

And He said, No; but you did laugh
[God is greater than our hearts and knows all things]
1 John 3:20
And the men got up and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way
And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I’m doing?
Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him
I know him. He will command his children and his household after him, and they will keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment
And the LORD said, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great because their sin is very grievous

I will go down now and see, and if not, I will know
And the men went to Sodom: but Abraham still stood before the LORD. Abraham drew near Him,
[Draw near to God and He will draw near to you]
James 4:8
and said, Will You sweep away the just with the wicked? (Lot and his family were there)
(The just are those who believe in the One True God, justified by faith in His promise of a Savior)
Far be it from You to do this, to kill the righteous with the wicked. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
And the LORD said, If I find 50 righteous Sodom, then I will spare all the place for their sakes
And Abraham said, Behold now, I have taken on myself to speak to the Lord, I am but dust and ashes
What if only 45 are there? He answered, I will not destroy for the 45

Abraham kept asking until the Lord agreed to spare the city for the sake of 10 (since Lot and his family were there and would surely make 10)
And the LORD left when He finished speaking with Abraham
And Abraham returned to his place
[A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary Jeremiah 17:12
He that overcomes will sit with me on my throne
Revelation 3:21

This is the victory that overcomes,
it's our faith]
Romans 10:17

He makes us clean and white as snow

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 19
Two angels came to Sodom at evening where Lot was sitting in the gate. He met them and bowed, saying, Please my lords, come to my house to spend the night. They said, No, we’ll stay in the street. He greatly urged them, so they went with him. He baked unleavened bread and they ate
Before they lay down the men of Sodom, young and old, surrounded the house, calling out to Lot saying, Bring out the men that came to you tonight that we may know them
Lot went out and shut the door behind him saying to the men, Please brothers, don’t do this evil. I have 2 daughters, virgins. I’ll bring them out for you to do as you want
They said, Stand back or we’ll do worse to you than to them. They tried to break down the door
The angels reached out and took Lot inside and struck the men with blindness, so they wearied themselves trying to find the door
The angels said to Lot, Get all your family out of the city. The Lord sent us here to destroy it for its outcry is great before His face
Lot told his sons-in-law, The Lord is going to rain fire from heaven and destroy the city. They thought he was joking
At dawn the angels hurried Lot, his wife, and his two daughters, out of the city

The Lord being merciful to him

They said, Escape for your life, don’t look back. Go to the mountains
When dawn rose, the Lord rained fire and brimstone from heaven, from the Lord, and overthrew the cities of the plain, and all that lived there, and all that grew on the ground
Lot’s wife looked behind her and became a pillar of salt
Early in the morning Abraham went to the place he had stood with the Lord and saw the smoke of the country going up like a furnace
When God destroyed the cities of the plain, God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out
Lot lived in the mountains with his 2 daughters who got him drunk and lay with him to preserve their fathers seed. These became the Moabites and the Ammonites
[The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness
Because what may be known of God is shown in them; for God has showed it to them
For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse
Because when they knew God, they didn’t glorify Him as God, and weren't thankful; but became self-centered in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened

For this, God gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is Blessed forever
God gave them up to vile affections that are against nature, men burning in their lust one toward another; doing what doesn't fit, and receiving in themselves the payback of their error that was necessary
Romans 1:21-27

Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord

Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be as wool
Isaiah 1:18

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and remember all His benefits
Who forgives all our sins
Heals all our diseases
Crowns us with His love
And renews our youth like the eagles
Psalm 103:1-5

He protects when others fail

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 20
Abraham moved toward the south country and stayed in Gerar; and he lied about Sarah again, saying, She is my sister, so the king took her into his house
[Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path]
Proverbs 3:5,6
We walk by faith and not by sight]
2 Corinthians 5:7
God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, you are a dead man, for the woman you have taken; she is married to a husband
Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, will you kill a righteous nation?
Didn’t he say, She is my sister? and she herself said, He is my brother:
in the honor of my heart and purity of my hands I have done this
And God said to him in a dream, Yes, I know that you did this in the honor of your heart
I also withheld you from sinning against Me: for that reason, I didn’t allow you to touch her
Now return the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live: if you don't return her, you will surely die, you, and all that are yours
The king asked Abraham, Why did you do this? And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me for my wife
When God caused me to wander from my father's house, I said to her, This is your kindness that you can show me; every place we go, say of me, He is my brother, and you will save my life
Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and women servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah his wife
And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before you: dwell where it pleases you
And to Sarah he said, See, I have given your brother 1,000 pieces of silver: it is a gift of apology
So Abraham prayed to God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they gave birth
For the LORD had completely closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah Abraham's wife
[God protected Sarah when her husband didn’t)
[But You, O Lord, are a shield for me; my glory, and the One who lifts my head]
Psalm 3:3

The Lord is with you in all you do

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 21
The LORD visited Sarah as He had said and Sarah conceived and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time God had said to him
And Abraham called the name of his son Sarah bare to him, Isaac (laughter)
And Sarah said, God has made me laugh; and all that hear will laugh with me
And the child grew and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the day that Isaac was weaned
And Sarah saw the son of Hagar she had born to Abraham, mocking
And she said to Abraham, Drive away this maidservant and her son; for the son of this maidservant will not be heir with my son, Isaac

(All believers are God's heirs)
[He that overcomes will inherit all things and I will be his God and he will be My Son
Revelation 21:7
[When the Lord turned the captivity of Zion, we were like those that dream. Our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing
Then they said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them’]
Psalm 126:1, 2
God said to Abraham, Don’t let it grieve you because of the boy, and because of the maidservant; in all that Sarah has said to you, hear her; for in Isaac will your seed be called (the line of succession to the promised Messiah)
I will make a nation of him (Ishmael) also, because he is your seed
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took food and water, and gave it to Hagar and sent her away with the child

She left and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba
And the water was gone and she put the child under one of the shrubs

And sat a bowshot away saying, I can’t watch the death of the child and she lifted up her voice, and wept

God heard the voice of the boy; and the Angel of God called to Hagar out of the heavens and said to her, Hagar? Don’t fear; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is
Hold him up for I will make him a great nation
And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the boy a drink
God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer
At that time Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, God is with you in all that you do:
swear to me here by God that you will treat me with the same kindness I have done to you
Abraham said, I will swear
And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, that Abimelech's servants had violently taken away
Abimelech said, I don’t know who did this: you didn’t tell me
Both of them made a covenant there
(The Lord’s, the eternal Creator’s covenant with us is: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosoever believes in Him, will not perish but has everlasting life”)
John 3:16
And Abraham set 7 ewe lambs of the flock by themselves

and said, Take these 7 ewe lambs to be a witness to me, that I dug this well
[I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end

I will give to him that is thirsty
to drink from the fountain of the water of life
freely]
Revelation 21:6
For this reason that place is called Beersheba (well of the oath); because there both of them promised
And Abraham planted a tamarisk (evergreen, can grow 60 ft) in Beersheba, and called on the name of the LORD, the eternal God
And Abraham remained in the Philistines' land many days
[I am the vine, you are the branches: He that remains in me, and I in him, he bears much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing]
John 15:5
[If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, you will ask what you desire, and it will be done unto you]
John 15:7

He gave up His Son, His only Son, whom He loves - for us

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 22
After these things, God tested Abraham, saying, Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you
On the 3rd day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place far away
He said to his young men, Sit here with the ass; and I and the boy will go there and worship, and we will come again to you
(This shows he believed God would resurrect the boy)
Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went together
And Isaac said to Abraham, My father, See the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
And Abraham said, My son, God will provide Himself a lamb
[Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world]
John 1:29
Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar on the wood
And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to kill his son
And the angel of the LORD called to him out of the heavens and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, I am here
He said, Don’t lay your hand on the boy, or do anything to him
For now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son from Me
And Abraham looked up and saw a ram behind him caught by his horns in a thicket: he took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son
[Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with 10,000 of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what the Lord requires of you - to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God]
Micah 6:8
And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a 2nd time,
out of the heavens
And said, By Myself have I sworn because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son
In blessing I will bless you, and in making great I will make great your seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand on the seashore; and your seed will own the gate of his enemies
And in your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed because you heard My voice
Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah Jireh (Jehovah sees: so that it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it will be seen

(What will be seen is God’s giving His Son, His only Son whom He loves for us)
(This mountain is where the Lord was actually crucified)
[You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold, from your empty way of life
But with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot
Who truly was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was shown in these last times for you
Who by Him do believe in God that raised Him from the dead, and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God]
1 Peter 1:18-21

He is the Resurrection and the Life

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 23
When Sarah was 127 years old she died in Hebron (communion)
Abraham mourned for her and then went to the sons of Heth, and asked of Ephron before the people of the land for a burying place, ‘where I can bury my dead out of my sight.’
They said, Hear us, my lord: you are a prince of God among us: in the choicest of our tombs bury your dead; none of us will withhold from you his tomb, that you may bury your dead
[… Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, and the firstborn of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth
Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
And made us kings and priests to God, His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever]
Revelation 1:5, 6
Abraham said, Give me the cave of Machpelah (double portion), that he has in the end of his field; I will pay its full worth for him to give it to me for a possession of a burying place among you
They bartered and finally agreed on 400 shekels of silver and the property was deeded to Abraham and he buried Sarah there
[Jesus said… I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet he will live

Whoever lives and believes in Me will never die]
John 11:25, 26

He loves us with an everlasting love

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 24
Abraham was old and the Lord had blessed him in all things
He said to his oldest servant, who ruled over his house, Swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth that you will not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites
But go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.

The servant asked, What if she won’t come?
Abraham said, The LORD God of heaven, Who took me from my father's house

Who said, To your seed I will give this land

He will send His angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there
The servant loaded 10 camels and went to Mesopotamia

He made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening, the time that women go out to draw water
And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, Please may I see her face today
Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water

The young lady to whom I say, Let down your pitcher that I may drink; and she says, Drink, and I will give your camels a drink also

let her be the one that You have designed for Your servant Isaac; and I will know that You have shown kindness to my master
Before he had finished speaking, Rebekah came, who was born to Bethuel, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder
The young lady was very beautiful, a virgin, and she went down to the fountain, and filled her pitcher, and came up
The servant ran to meet her, and said, Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher
And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him a drink
when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking
And she hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels

[Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. He that comes to me will never hunger

and he that believes on me will never thirst]
John 6:35
And the man, gazing at her, held his peace, to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not
As the camels had finished drinking, the man took a golden ring weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for her hands weighing 10 shekels of gold
He said, Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father's house for us to stay?
And she said to him, I am Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, that she bore to Nahor
And the man bowed his head and worshipped the LORD

And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken my master of His faithfulness and His truth

The LORD led me to the house of my master's brothers

[I will instruct you and teach you in the way to go: I will guide you with My eye on you]
Psalm 32:8
She ran and told her house about the man, and her brother went to him saying, Come in, you blessed of the LORD; why are you standing outside? I have prepared the house, and room for the camels
And food was set before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat until I have spoken my message. I am Abraham's servant

The LORD has blessed my master greatly in all things. And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old: and he has given all that he has to him
My master made me swear not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, but to come to his family and take a wife for his son
I said to him, What if she won’t come. He said, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you, and prosper your way
And I came today to the fountain, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now You prosper my way, I stand by the fountain of water; and when the virgins comes to draw water, and I say to one, Give me a little water to drink from your pitcher;
And she says, Drink, and I will also draw for your camels, may she be the ishah (bone of my bone flesh of my flesh) the LORD has appointed for my master's son
Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down to the fountain and drew water:

and I said to her, Let me drink, please. She hurried, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder and said, Drink, and I will also give your camels drink: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also
I bowed my head, and worshipped the LORD who had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter to his son
The servant brought out jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah: he also gave to her brother and to her mother precious things
And they sent Rebekah, their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men away.

And they blessed Rebekah, saying, You are our sister, be the mother of thousands of millions, and let your seed possess the gate (rule over) of those who hate them

[I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is on the seashore]
Genesis 22:17
And Isaac came from the way of the well of the Living One seeing me; for he dwelt in the south country

Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening

[Blessed is the man doesn't walk in the counsel of the ungodly, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law he meditates day and night
He will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth fruit in his season

His leaf will not wither and whatever he does will prosper]
Psalm 1:1-3

Isaac lifted up his eyes, and saw, and behold, the camels were coming
And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she fell off the camel
And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife

And he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death

[I love you with an everlasting love, says the Lord]
Jeremiah 31:3

Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

Who comforts us in all our troubles]
2 Corinthians 1:3, 4

The One who has all power in heaven and earth

Facts - statements of truth –
Genesis 25
Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah (incense). And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac
[Jesus said, All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth]
Matthew 28:18
Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines he had, and sent them away from His Son Isaac toward the east country
Abraham lived 175 years and died in a good old age, and was gathered to his people
Ishmael bore 12 sons that were princes in their nations
After the death of Abraham, God blessed his son, Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well of the Living One seeing me
[The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good (The One with all the power is always watching over us)]
Proverbs 15:3
Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah to wife
(20 years later) And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife because she was barren: and the LORD answered him, and Rebekah his wife conceived
And the sons fought together within her; and she said, Why am I like this? And she went to seek the LORD
And the LORD said to her, Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples will come from your body; and the one people will be stronger than the other people; and the older will serve the younger
And when she delivered the twins in her womb, the first came out red all over like a hairy garment; and they called his name Esau (hairy)
And after that his brother came out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob (supplanter - someone who takes the place of another by scheming)
The boys grew and Esau knew how to hunt, a man of the field; and Jacob was a perfect/complete man (He believed in the One true God, Maker of heaven and earth, Who gives us His perfection as a gift when we believe) dwelling in tents
And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob
And Jacob boiled food: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint. And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me with that red soup; for I am faint: so his name was called Edom (red)
And Jacob said, Sell me today your birthright
(The birthright entitled its possessor to a double portion of the inheritance and royal succession. This was the promised line of the Messiah, the Savior of the world)
And Esau said, Look, I’m about to die: and what good is this birthright to me?
And Jacob said, Swear to me today; and he swore to him: and he sold his birthright to Jacob. (Jacob valued his heritage and spiritual things)
Then Jacob gave Esau bread and boiled lentiles; and he ate and drank, and got up, and left: this is how Esau despised his birthright
[Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God
John 3:3
Unless a man is born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God
John 3:5
Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first born of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth… Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
And has made us kings and priests to God, His Father
to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen]
Revelation 1, 5, 6

He says to all, Come, take of the water of life freely

Facts - statements of truth -
Genesis 26

And there was another famine in the land and Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar
And the LORD appeared to him, and said, Don't go down into Egypt; Stay in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you;

for to you, and to your seed, I will give all these countries, and I will establish the oath I swore to Abraham your father
And I will increase your seed as the stars of heaven, and in your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed
Because Abraham heard My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws
And Isaac dwelt in Gerar

And the men of the place asked him about his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; afraid the men of the place would kill him for Rebekah because she was beautiful to look at
When he had been there a long time the king looked out a window and saw Isaac caressing Rebekah
He summoned Isaac and said, Surely she is your wife: and you said, She is my sister? And Isaac said to him, Because I said, So I not be killed because of her
And Abimelech said, What is this you have done to us? One of the people almost lay with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us
And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death
Then Isaac sowed in that land and received in the same year 100 times: and the LORD blessed him
And the man kept growing greater, and progressed, and grew until he became very great

(those who meditate in God's word) [whatsoever they do will prosper]
Psalm 1:3
For he had livestock, of flocks and herds of all kinds, and many servants: and the Philistines envied him
The king said to Isaac, Go away from us; for you are much mightier than we
So Isaac left there and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there
And Isaac dug again the wells of water, that they had dug in the days of Abraham his father
And Isaac's servants dug in the torrent bed and found there a well of living water
The herdsmen of Gerar strove with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, The water is ours
And they dug another well and strove for that also
And he moved from there and dug another well; and for that they didn't strive

He said, Now the LORD has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land
The LORD appeared to him again and said, I am the God of Abraham your father: Don't be afraid, for I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your seed for My servant Abraham's sake

(God blesses the families and descendants of those faithful to Him)
And he built an altar there, and called on the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there
The king went to him with the commander of his army and Isaac said to them, Why have you come to me, since you hate me, and have sent me away from you?
And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD is with you: and we said, Let's make a treaty between us, that you will not harm us

since we have not touched you, and have done you nothing but good

and sent you away in peace: you are now the blessed of the LORD

[Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: not as the world gives, I give to you

Don't let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid
John 14:27

I am with you always, even to the end of the world
Matthew 28:20

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ]
Romans 5:1
And he made them a feast, and they ate and drank and rose up early in the morning and swore one to another: and Isaac sent them away, and they left him in peace
And on the same day, Isaac's servants came saying, We have found water
[And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that hears say, Come. And let him that is thirsty come,
whosoever will, and take the water of life freely]
Revelation 22:17

Every Blessing

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 27
When Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim so that he couldn’t see, he called Esau his oldest son and said,

Please take your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and take some game;

make me the tasty food I love,
that I may eat; that my soul may bless you before I die
Rebekah heard this and told Jacob. She sent him to the flock, and made the food Isaac loved; and they tricked Isaac into giving Jacob the blessing instead of Esau
He said, May God give you of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and much grain and wine:
Let people serve you, and nations bow down to you: be lord over your brothers and let your mother's sons bow down to you
cursed be every one that curses you, and blessed is he that blesses you
He had barely finished the blessing when Esau came in with his favorite food also

When Esau heard Isaac had given the blessing to Jacob, he cried with a great and very bitter cry,
and said to his father,
Bless me also, O my father
Isaac said, Your brother came deceitfully, and has taken away your blessing
Esau said, That’s why he’s called Jacob. He cheated me twice: he took away my birthright; and now he has taken away my blessing
Bless me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice and wept

Isaac gave him a lesser blessing; so Esau hated Jacob and planned to kill him as soon as Isaac died
[Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings
in heavenly places in Christ]
Ephesians 1:3
Rebekah was told about it and called Jacob her saying, Esau comforts himself by planning to kill you
Flee to Laban my brother to Haran and stay with him a few days, until your brother's fury turns away
[By two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us]
Hebrews 6:18
then I will send, and take you from there
[The Lord Himself
will descend
from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the archangel,
and with the trump of God:

and the dead in Christ
will rise first
then we who are alive
and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air
and so shall we ever be with the Lord]
1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17
Comfort one another with these words

Stairway to heaven

Facts – statements 0f truth –
Genesis 28
As Esau was plotting to kill his brother Jacob, Isaac sent Jacob to Padanaram, to his grandfather’s house to get a wife
He said, God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful to be the father of multitudes of people
Isaac passed on to Jacob all the blessings God had given to him
As Jacob traveled to Padanaram, he stopped at sunset and put stones under his head and lay down to sleep
He dreamed and saw a stairway set up on earth and its top reached to heaven
And he saw the angels of God ascending and descending on it
The LORD stood above it
and said, I am the LORD, God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac: the land on which you are lying, I will give it to you, and to your seed
And your seed will be as the dust of the earth, and you will spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south
and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth will be blessed
And behold, I am with you, and will guard you in all places you go,

and will bring you again into this land;
for I will not leave you
When Jacob woke out of his sleep he said, Surely the LORD is in this place and I didn’t know

[Can any hide himself in secret places that I not see him? asks the Lord

Do I not I fill heaven and earth? asks the Lord]
Jeremiah 23:24
He was afraid and said, How awesome is this place! This is the house of God; this is the door to the heavens
In the morning he took the stone that he had put for his pillow, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil on it
He called the name of that place Bethel (house of God)
And Jacob promised, If God will be with me, and will guard me in this way that I go, and will give me food to eat, and clothing to put on, so that I return to my father's house in peace; then the LORD will be my God
And this stone, that I have set for a pillar, will be God's house: and of all that You give me, the tenth I will tithe to you

He is worthy of our praise

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 29
Jacob traveled to the land of the people of the east. When he arrived, he saw a well in the field and 3 flocks of sheep lying by it

Jacob asked the men there, Do you know Laban? They said yes. He asked them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and look, his daughter Rachel comes with the sheep (she was a shepherdess)
When Jacob saw Rachel and his uncle’s sheep, he rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock his flock

And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept
And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father
And when Laban heard he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house

[In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you. I will come again and receive you to Myself that where I am, there you may be also]
John 14:1-3

And Laban said to him, Surely you are bone and my flesh. And he stayed with him a month

[For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones]
Ephesians 5:30
And Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my brother, should you serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?

[The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord]
Romans 6:23
And Laban had 2 daughters: the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel
Leah was tender/delicate; but Rachel was a beautiful vision
And Jacob loved Rachel and said, I will serve you 7 years for Rachel your younger daughter. Laban said, It is better that I give her to you than to another man: stay with me
And Jacob served 7 years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days for the love he had for her

[Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends]
John 15:13

And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her
And Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast. And in the evening, he took his daughter Leah, and brought her to him; and he went in to her
And Laban gave his daughter Leah, Zilpah his maid, for a handmaid. And in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and Jacob said to Laban, What is this you have done to me? Didn’t I serve you for Rachel?

Why have you tricked me?

(This was a mirror of the trick Jacob and Rebekah did to get Jacob the firstborn blessing - God doesn't need to be tricked into giving blessing - He is infinite and will never run out of blessings)

(All life is one unending blessing from Him when we follow Him and His ways - this was Jacob and Rebekah reaping what they sowed, from God's grace.

They needed to come to believe that He freely has given every blessing. They don't have to cheat and fight over scraps, but just rest in His love)

[He that overcomes will inherit ALL things, and I will be his God and he will be my son/daughter]
Revelation 21:7

And Laban said, It must not be done that way in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Fulfil her week, and we will give you this one also; for this you will serve me 7 more years
Jacob did this and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter as wife also. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, Bilhah, his handmaid to be her maid

And he went into Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served him another 7 years
And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, He opened her womb: but Rachel was barren

And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD has looked on my affliction; now my husband will love me

[In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His Presence saved them: in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bore them, and carried them all the days of old]
Isaiah 63:9
[I love you with an everlasting love, says the Lord]
Jeremiah 31:3

And Leah conceived again, and bore a son; and said, Because the LORD has heard that I was hated, He has given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon
And she conceived again, and bore a son; and said, Now, this time will my husband be joined to me, because I have born him 3 sons: so, his name was called Levi

[I in them, and You in me, that they may be made complete in one; and that the world may know that You sent me, and love them, as You love me]
John 17:23
she conceived again, and bore a son: and she said, Now I will praise the LORD: so she called his name Judah; and she stopped bearing

He blesses ones who bless us

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 30
Leah had 4 sons and Rachel had none. She was jealous and said to Jacob, Give me children or I will die

He said in anger, Am I in God's place, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?
She gave Jacob her maid Bilhah and said, Go into her and she will bear children for me

So Jacob did, and Bilhah had a son Rachel called Dan saying, God has pleaded for me. He heard me and gave me a son
Bilhah conceived again and said, I have had great wrestlings with my sister and have prevailed. And she called his name Naphtali
When Leah saw she had quit bearing she gave her maid Zilpah to Jacob to bear her more children

Zilpah bore two sons, Gad (fortune) and Asher (happy)
And God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her, and opened her womb

And she conceived, and bore a son; and said, God has taken away my reproach (scorn)

she called him Joseph (Jehovah has added); and said, The LORD will add to me another son
(The 12 gates of the eternal city are named for Jacob's sons)
Then Jacob said to Laban, Send me away to go back to my home

His uncle Laban said, The LORD has blessed me for your sake. Name your price to stay and feed my flocks

Jacob said, The LORD has blessed you since my coming: now when will I provide for my own house also?
[And I will bless them that bless you and curse him that curses you: and in you all families of the earth will be blessed] Genesis 12:3

God is Witness between us all

Facts - statements of truth -
Genesis 31
Jacob heard Laban’s sons speaking against him, thinking he had taken all their father’s wealth; and Laban’s attitude was no longer toward him
He called Rachel and Leah to the field and talked with them, Your father is not toward me as before. He deceived me and has changed my wages 10 times
The Angel of God spoke to him, I have seen all that Laban does to you

Return to the land of your family
When Laban heard Jacob had left with his family and livestock, he chased them

God came to Laban in a dream and said, Guard what you say, don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad
When Laban and his men caught up with Jacob, Laban said, It is in my power to hurt you: but the God of your father spoke to me last night saying, Watch out not to speak to Jacob either good or bad
Jacob replied, Unless God had been with me, surely you would have sent me away empty

God has seen my affliction and the work of my hands and rebuked you last night
Laban said to Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these livestock are my livestock, and all that you see is mine
Come, let’s make a covenant, me and you; and let it be for a witness between me and you
The LORD watch between me and you when we are absent from one another
If you will not harm my daughters, and not take other wives beside my daughters, God is witness between me and you
[The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good]
Proverbs 15:3
So, they set up a pillar and made a covenant promising no harm between them
[When the Lord is your shepherd, ‘Surely goodness and faithful love will chase you all the days of your life and you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever]
Psalm 23:6

He came to save the world

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 32
On his way home the angels of God met Jacob
He sent gifts of flocks and herds ahead across the river with the wives and children divided into two groups so that if Esau attacked the first group the other could escape
An angel wrestled with Jacob all night and Jacob said, I won’t let you go unless you bless me
The angel said, Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince you have power with God and with men, and have prevailed
Jacob said, Tell me Your name. And he said, Why do you ask My name? And He blessed him there
And Jacob realized it was the Lord and called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved
I didn’t come to judge the world, but to save the world
John 12:47
I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly
John 10:10

He brings us to inherit all things

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 33
(God restores broken relationships)

Jacob saw Esau coming with 400 men. And he divided the handmaids and their children in front, and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph behind.
And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground 7 times, until he came near his brother.

Esau ran, embraced him, fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.
He saw the women and the children and asked, Who are these? Jacob said, The children God has graciously given your servant. They each came and bowed themselves before Esau.
Esau asked, What do you mean by all these flocks and herds I met? Jacob said, These are to find grace in the your sight. Esau said, I have much, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.
And Jacob said, No, take my blessing. If I have found grace in your sight, then receive my gift at my hand: for I have seen your face, as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me.

Take my blessing that is brought to you because God has dealt graciously with me

and because I have all

[He that overcomes will inherit all things and I will be his God and he will be my son/daughter] Revelation 21:7

And he urged him, and he took it.
Esau said, Let’s take our journey, let’s go, and I will go before you.

Jacob said to him, My lord knows that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with me are young:

if men drive them too hard in one day, all the flock will die. Cross ahead of me: and I will lead gently, as the animals and children with me are able to endure until I come to you in Mt. Seir.
And Esau said, Let me leave some of the people with you. Jacob answered, That’s not needed. Let me find grace in the sight of my lord. So, Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.
And Jacob journeyed to Succoth and built a house, and made booths for his livestock: so, the name of the place is called Succoth (booths).

And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.
And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, from the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for 100 pieces of money.

And he set up an altar there and called it Elelohe-Israel (the mighty God of Israel).

(The altar is where they drew near to God, seeing His great love poured out)

[Draw near to God and He will draw near to you] James 4:8 (Any time, any place).

In Christ a new creation

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 34
Dinah, Jacob’s daughter by Leah, went out to see the daughters of the land and was raped by a young prince who then wanted to marry her.
Her brothers found out and tricked the men of the place, Shechem, into being circumcised by saying they would intermarry their peoples and share their possessions.

[But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God]
Romans 2:29

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation] Galatians 6:15
Then the 3rd day when the men there were in pain, Dinah’s brothers slaughtered all the men and plundered the city
(Rape is a capital crime before God -Deuteronomy 32:25-27 along with murder - Genesis 9:6 - and kidnapping - Deuteronomy 24:7 - all punishable by death. This includes idolatry - Deuteronomy 17:2-5 because it leads to eternal death)

Jacob said, You have greatly troubled me and made me stink among the inhabitants of the land. Now the surrounding cities will hear and gather to kill us all. The brothers answered, Should they treat our sister like a harlot?

Jesus is the resurrection and the life

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 35
God told Jacob to go to Bethel and build and altar and live there.
God answered him in his day of distress when he ran from his brother who was trying to kill him for stealing his birthright.

[Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things you don't know.]
Jeremiah 33:3

They buried under a tree all the idols of foreign gods and the Lord put His fear on the surrounding countries, so they passed through safely.
God appeared to Jacob and changed his name from Jacob (cheater) to Israel (prince).
He promised to make many nations and kings come from his body and to give him and his descendants the land where they were.
Jacob set up a pillar and poured a drink offering on it and called it Bethel (house of God).
Rachel had another son, Benjamin, and she died giving birth.
Isaac died at 180 years old and Jacob and Esau buried him.
[Jesus said, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that lives and believes in Me, though he were dead, yet he will live.]
John 11:25

God's astonishing Love

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 36-38
Genesis 36 records Esau’s descendants, all made in the image of God.
God loved them so much that He sent His Son to die in their place for their sins.
Many of them believed this and are in His eternal royal family forever.
Genesis 37 records Joseph’s brothers' hatred of him and selling him into slavery in Egypt for 20 pieces of silver.
Genesis 38 records Judah’s moving away from the family, marrying, having sons that did such wrong things that the Lord took them out of this life.
It records his daughter-in-law, Tamar’s. tricking Judah into impregnating her: and the birth of her twin sons.
She is named above many women in the Lord’s eternal family.

All of these are real people made in God's image,

living on earth as now fallen beings, being redeemed by the astonishing love of God.

The Lord is with us and causes everything we do to prosper

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 39
Joseph’s brothers sold him to a caravan of traders.
The traders took him to Egypt where he was sold as a slave to the chief executioner.
The Lord was with Joseph and prospered everything Joseph did, so his master made him overseer of his entire estate.
The Lord blessed the master’s estate because of Joseph.
Joseph was handsome in form with a beautiful face and the master’s wife tried over and over to seduce him.
Joseph said to her, ‘Your husband has trusted me with everything he has. How could I do this great sin against God?’
She then lied, accusing Joseph of trying to rape her.
Furious, the executioner put Joseph in prison where the king’s prisoners were held.
The Lord was with Joseph and gave him favor with the warden who also put Joseph over everything in the prison.
The LORD was with Joseph there also and the made everything he did prosper.

I will not forget you

Facts- statements of truth –
Genesis 40
Pharaoh was angry with his chief cupbearer and chief baker and put them in the prison where Joseph was kept.
One morning they looked sad, and Joseph asked, Why are you sad?
They said, We have dreamed dreams and there is no one to tell us what they mean.
Joseph said, Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me and I will tell you what they mean.
The cupbearer dreamed of a vine with 3 branches bearing blossoms and ripe grapes.
He squeezed the grapes into Pharaoh’s cup and gave it to him.
Joseph told him, The 3 vines are 3 days. In 3 days Pharaoh will bring you out of prison and you will return to be his cupbearer as before.
The chief baker dreamed of 3 baskets on his head. In the top basket were all kinds of white bread and the birds ate it out of the basket.
Joseph said, The 3 baskets are 3 days. In 3 days Pharaoh will take off your head and hang you and the birds will eat your flesh.
Joseph said, Remember me when you are restored and show me kindness, asking Pharaoh to release me from here because I was stolen from the land of the Hebrews and have done nothing to be put here.
In 3 days it was Pharaoh’s birthday and he made a feast for his servants. He restored the chief cupbearer to his position and hanged the chief baker as Joseph had said.
But the chief cupbearer forgot about Joseph’s request to ask Pharaoh to release him from prison.

[They may forget, but I will not forget you.
I have carved you on the palms of my hands (the cross).]
Isaiah 49:15, 16

God promotes high

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 41
Pharaoh dreamed he was standing by a river and 7 cows came up out of the river, beautiful and fat.
Then 7 gaunt, ugly cows came up and stood by the 7 beautiful ones.
They devoured them but looked as starved as before.
Then he slept and dreamed again seeing 7 ears of corn on one stalk, all fat and full.
Then he saw 7 ears of grain blasted by the east wind that consumed the 7 full ears.
The dream upset him and he called his wise men, but no one could tell him its meaning.
His chief cupbearer remembered Joseph and he was brought from prison, cleaned himself, and stood before Pharaoh.
Joseph said, Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me the dream and I will tell you it’s meaning. God will give you an answer of peace.
The 7 cows and 7 ears are one. There will be 7 years of great plenty in Egypt followed by 7 years of severe famine.
Appoint officers throughout Egypt to collect a 5th of the crops and store them in nearby cities for food during the famine.
Pharaoh said, ‘There is no one so understanding and wise as you.’ And he made Joseph his prime minister.
God gave Joseph 2 sons during the 7 plentiful years; and when the famine came, all the world had to come to Egypt for food.
[I am the bread of life; he that comes to me will never hunger; he that believes in Me will never thirst.’]
John 6:35

[He that overcomes will sit with Me on My throne.']
Revelation 3:21

He only does wondrous things

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 42
Jacob sent his sons to buy grain in Egypt because of the famine.
Joseph was governor there and the one who sold the grain.
His brothers came and bowed themselves to him, their faces to the earth, as he had dreamed.
They didn’t recognize him, but he recognized them, accused them of being spies, and imprisoned them for 3 days.
Then he said to them, Do this and live for I fear God. Send one of your brothers to bring your youngest brother to me so I’ll know you are honest men.
They said to each other, We are truly guilty because of our brother for we saw the anguish of his soul; when he begged us we wouldn’t listen; that’s why this trouble has come on us.
Joseph kept Simeon in prison and sent the other brothers away with food for their families and he returned all the money they paid.
They told their father Jacob all that had happened and that the ruler in Egypt wouldn’t sell them any more food unless they proved they weren’t spies by bringing their youngest brother before him.
They were terrified when they found all their money returned in their sacks.
Jacob said, 'You have bereaved me. Joseph is not, Simeon is not, and if harm comes to Benjamin, then you will bring down my gray hair in sorrow to the grave.'

(Things looked very bad for them, but God was working out an amazing healing for their family, and 'saving many people alive.'

And every day, He's giving eternal life to all who will)

[Blessed be the Lord God who only does wondrous things.]
Psalm 78:18

The Bread of LIFE

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 43
The famine in the world was massive and Jacob sent his sons to buy more food.

(God has used famine throughout history to call mankind back to Himself, who is life)

[My God will provide all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.]
Philippians 4:19
Israel said, carry the man a gift, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
and double money, and Benjamin. (because Joseph wouldn’t sell them food unless Benjamin was with them).
He said, God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother (Simeon), and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
Joseph had his steward prepare a feast for them at noon. They were terrified and said, It's because of the money returned in our sacks, He’s going to take us as slaves.
Joseph arrived and they bowed and fell to the ground before him and presented their gift to him.
He presided over the meal seating the brothers from oldest to youngest and gave Benjamin 5 times more food than the others. They ate and drank and were merry.

[And the Lord of hosts will make for all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines well refined.]
Isaiah 25:6

[Jesus said, I am the bread of life. He that comes to me will never hunger. He that believes in Me will never thirst.]
John 6:35

One in Us

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 44
Joseph commanded that the brothers be given as much food as they could carry on their donkeys and all their money returned in their sacks and his own silver cup he drank from be put in Benjamin’s sack.
He said, then follow after them and stop them not far away and say, Why have you repaid evil for good and taken my master’s silver cup that he drinks from and divines with?
So they did as Joseph said.
The accused brothers said, How can you say that we would steal? We even returned the money from last time. Look and see. If anyone has it let him be killed and we will all be your master’s slaves.
They unloaded quickly and searched from the oldest to the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. They all tore their clothes and returned to Joseph’s house and fell before him on the ground.
Judah said to Joseph, What can we say? How can we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants: Behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup was found.

[The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good.]
Proverbs 15:3
And he said, Far be it from me to do that: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he will be my servant; and you go up to your father in peace.
Then Judah came near him, and said, Oh, my lord, let your servant speak a word in my lord's ears, and don’t let your anger burn against your servant: for you are as Pharaoh.
You asked us, Do you have a father, or a brother? And we said We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.
You said, Bring him down to me, that I may see him. And we said to my lord, The boy cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.
Then our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.

[I am the bread of life. He that comes to me will never hunger. He that believes in Me will never thirst.]
John 6:35
And we said, We can’t go down: if our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down: for we may not see the man's face, unless our youngest brother is with us.
My father said, You know that my wife bare me 2 sons:And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I’ve not seen him since:
And if you also take this one from me, and he is harmed, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
So if I come to your servant my father, and the boy isn’t with us; seeing that his soul is bound up in the boy’s soul;

( Jesus bound His soul to our soul.)

[I in them and you in Me, that they may be one in us.]
John 17:23
When he sees the boy is not with us, he will die:
and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of our father with sorrow to the grave.
I became a pledge for the boy to my father, saying, If I don’t bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.
So please, let me stay instead of the boy, a slave to my lord; and let the boy go up with his brothers.
How can I go up to my father, and the boy isn’t with me? And I see the evil that will find my father.

God sent Him to preserve life

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 45
Joseph said to his brothers, I am Joseph; Is my father still alive? And his brothers couldn’t answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.
And Joseph said to his brothers, Come to me. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.
Now don’t be grieved, or angry with yourselves, that you sold me here: for God sent me before you to preserve life.

[The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our lord.]
Romans 6;23
For 2 years famine has been in the land: and there are 5 years more when there will no plowing or harvest.
And God sent me before you to preserve your descendants in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
So now it wasn’t you that sent me here, but God: and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
Go to my father and bring him here and I will feed you and your families and animals.
Pharaoh heard that Joseph’s brothers had come and Egypt was glad. He sent wagons and provisions to bring all their families back down to Egypt.
To all his brothers Joseph gave changes of clothing; but to Benjamin he gave 300 pieces of silver, and 5 changes of clothing.
They returned to Canaan and said, Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he didn’t believe them.
They told him all the words Joseph had said to them: and when he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob revived,
And he said, This is great; Joseph my son is still alive: I will go and see him before I die.

He makes great nations

Facts -statements of truth –
Genesis 46
Israel took his whole family and all their possessions to Egypt. On the way he offered sacrifices to God.
God said to him in visions of the night, Don’t be afraid to go down to Egypt for there I will make of you a great nation.

[Don't be afraid; for I am with you: don't be distressed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you;

yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.]
Isaiah 41:10
I will go with you and surely bring you back here again.
70 souls went with him to Egypt: His sons and their wives and all their children and grandchildren.
When Joseph met him they embraced and wept a long time.
Israel said, Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive.

Joseph told his brothers, when Pharaoh asks, What is your occupation, tell him you and our ancestors have always been cattlemen because shepherds are an abomination to the Egyptians.

[The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pasture. He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name sake.
Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for You are with me.

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.]
Psalm 23

His voice raises the dead

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 47
Joseph told Pharaoh that his father and brothers had come; and Pharaoh gave them the best place in the land to dwell.
Joseph took his father before Pharaoh and Pharaoh asked, How old are you?
Jacob said, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are 130 years: The days of the years of my life have been few and evil.
He blessed Pharaoh.
The famine was severe and Joseph gathered up all the money in the land in exchange for food.
When the money was gone the people exchanged their livestock for food, and then they sold themselves and their land to Pharaoh.
And they said, You have saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants.
[The Lord has saved us with an everlasting salvation.]
Isaiah 45:17
[You weren’t redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain way of life received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ.’]
1 Peter 1:18, 19
Jacob lived in Egypt 17 years: so, the whole age of Jacob was 147 years.
When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, If now I have found grace in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; Don’t bury me in Egypt!
But carry me out of Egypt, and bury me with my fathers in their burying place. And he said, I will do as you have said.
And Jacob said, Swear to me. And he swore to him. And Israel bowed himself on the bed's head.
[The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear will live.] John 5:25

He redeems us from all evil

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 48
Hearing his father was sick, Joseph took his 2 sons to see Israel.
Jacob said to him, God Almighty appeared to me in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, saying, I will multiply you into a congregation of people; and will give this land to your seed after you for an everlasting possession.
Your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, will be mine and inherit with my sons.

[He that overcomes will inherit all things and I will be his father and he will be My son.
Revelation 21:7
When I came from Padan, Rachel died by me; and I buried her on the way to Bethlehem.

[The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God: and those that hear will live.]
John 5: 25

[Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet he will live.]
John 11:25
And Israel saw Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?
And Joseph said to his father, These are my sons, that God has given me.
Israel’s eyes were dim for age; And he brought them near and kissed them and embraced them.
Israel said to Joseph, I didn’t think I would see your face: and God has showed me your children also.
Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it on Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, guiding his hands with understanding; for Manasseh was the firstborn.
He blessed them saying, The Angel Who redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers’ Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: Joseph said, No, my father: this is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.
His father refused, saying, I know it, my son, he also will become a people, and he will be great: but truly his younger brother will be greater than he, and his seed will become fulness of nations.
He blessed them saying, In you will Israel bless, saying, God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
And Israel said to Joseph, Behold, I am dying: but God will be with you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers.
And I will give you one spur (a tongue of land descending from a hill) above your brothers, that I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.

Caught up together

Facts – statements of truth – Genesis 49
Jacob blessed his sons before his death saying,
Reuben, my firstborn my strength, and the beginning of my power, the excellence of dignity, and the excellence of power:
Unstable as water, you will not rest; because you went up to your father's bed;
Simeon and Levi are cruel, violent brothers;
Don’t go with them, for in anger they killed a man, and delighted to cripple an ox.
Divide and scatter them in Israel.
Judah, will be praised; his line will rule until the Savior comes.
He’s a lion.
(a lion can run 100 yards in 5 seconds and throw a calf over a 12 ft. fence)
Zebulun will dwell at the haven of the sea; and he will be for a haven for ships.
Issachar is a strong donkey couching down between 2 burdens (or sheepfolds):
He saw a resting place that was good, pleasant and stayed there and became a servant paying tribute.
Dan will judge his people, biting horses heels, so that his riders fall backward.
I have waited for Your salvation (help, deliverance), O Lord.
Gad, a troop will overcome him: but he will overcome at the last.
Asher will give royal dainties for kings.
Naphtali is a dear let loose (free): he sends beautiful words.
Joseph is a fruitful son by a spring whose daughters go over the wall:
The archers have bitterly grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
But his bow remains in strength, his arms and hands made strong by the mighty God of Jacob; (from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel:)
The God of your father, will help you; the Almighty, will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lie under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
My blessings are more than my ancestors to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they will be on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the head of him that was Nazarite (set apart to God) from his brothers.
Benjamin will tear as a wolf, devour, and divide the plunder.
He said, I am to being gathered to my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite
With Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah his wife, where I buried Leah.
Jacob ended commanding his sons, gathered his feet into the bed and died, and was gathered to his people.

['The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ will rise first:
Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so will we always be with the Lord.'
I Thessalonians 4: 16.17

The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and live

Facts – statements of truth –
Genesis 50
Jacob died and Joseph fell on his face and kissed him and wept.
Joseph had him embalmed and then a great entourage of Pharoah’s household and all Jacob’s family went back to Canaan to bury him in the place he had purchased years earlier.

[Truly, truly, I say to you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear will live.]
John 5:25
His brothers feared Joseph would repay the evil they did to him, so sent a message saying, Before our father died he said, Ask Joseph to please forgive the evil your brothers did.
Joseph comforted them and spoke to their hearts, ‘Am I in God’s place? You meant evil against me, but God meant if for good to save this great many people alive.

[God's working all things together for good to those who love Him.]
Romans 8:28
Joseph said, Don’t be afraid, I will provide food for you and your families.

[My God will supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.]
Philippians 4:19
Joseph lived to 110 years and saw his great grandchildren.
When he was dying, he said to his brothers, God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land that He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
He made them swear to take his bones with them back to Canaan when God delivered them.
Joseph died and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.