When Adam and Eve fell because of disobedience against God, God was forced to expel man from the Garden of Eden, away from the Tree of Life located therein. But the Love of God was so strong that God accompanied man into exile and would send his Son Jesus Christ to pay the price for man’s failure so that man might be brought back to God. This is the Gospel and there is no Love or Grace like this. If you miss Jesus, you miss everything. 

In Genesis 4:5 the Bible says “But unto Cain and to his offering He had no respect…” Cain here brought an offering to God, as God had commanded that an offering must be brought, for communion with God to be restored. But God explicitly stated that the offering must be that of a spotless innocent lamb. Cain, however, brought an offering of the finest of his fruits and vegetables that he had grown.

The spotless lamb that was to be offered to God was typical of Jesus, God’s Son, who would go to the Cross to make atonement for the sins of mankind. The vegetables that Cain brought were the product of his own self effort, labor and ingenuity. This shows Cain approaching God through another way other than the Cross of Christ, to which the Bible said ‘God had no respect’.

If you approach God through anything other than the Cross of Christ, God will not and, in fact, cannot accept you. God has no respect for anything else. It was only Jesus who paid the price and it is only through His atoning Work on the Cross that you must approach God or you will be rejected.

In both chapter 6 and chapter 7 of Genesis the Bible says “…Noah did according to all that God commanded him…” may it be said of us that we have done all the the Lord has commanded us. but what is the essence of what God commands for us to do? If we go to John 3:3 Jesus says, “…Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” and in verse 7 says “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

You see God commanded Noah to build the ark. That ark was a type of Christ in that Noah being inside the ark would be saved from the righteous judgement of God. Likewise as we are in Christ, placed therein through simple faith in His Work on the Cross, we are saved from the judgement of God and enjoy fellowship and communion with the Lord.

So what is the command of God for our lives? How will God’s will be fulfilled that it may be said of us that we did according to all the Lord commanded? It is summed up simply in 2Peter 3, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

The Word of the Lord to you is to place your faith in the finished Work of Jesus Christ, that you may be placed in Christ; and in that it may be said of you that you have done according to all the Lord has commanded. And what a joy it will be to stand before Jesus that great day and hear Him say, “well done thy good and faithful servant.”

Genesis 12:10 says “And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was very grievous in the land.”

God had called Abram to leave his home and journey to a place that God would show him. God led Abram to Canaan and brought him to a city called Bethel who’s name means ‘house of God’. This is all a type of the believing sinner receiving salvation. First there is a separation from the old life of sin and then the believer is brought into this new ‘land’; this life of living for God.

God had called Abraham to and placed him in Bethel, just as we have been called to and placed in a life of faith in the all sufficiency of Christ through what He did on the Cross for us. Now suddenly we see from the scripture that there was a grievous famine in the land that God brought Abram to, much as we will find in our own lives a grievous hardship and trial that comes against us in our living for God.

Why did God allow this trial to affect Abram and likewise why do these trials come against us in our living for God? These trials are allowed by God as a test of our faith. Would Abram remain where God had placed him and trust God for provision or would he rely on the arm of the flesh to ‘fix’ the situation according to his own reasoning? Likewise, will we stay rooted in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free or will we turn to our own understanding to try to accomplish that which only comes through the finished work of Calvary?

We see from the scripture that Abram went down into Egypt. Egypt here serves as a type of the world, meaning, Abram left the place God had placed him to seek help from fleshly efforts; efforts of man. How many times do we approach that trials that face us with the wisdom of man? How many times do we fall back on our own self efforts to accomplish that which can only be provided to us through faith in the Cross?

We must learn from this scripture to stay where God has placed us. And where has God placed us? By faith we have been placed in Christ and there we are to remain. As trials come and life gets hard, no matter what the need, we are never to move from that place but rather look to Him for our provision. For He is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us (Eph.3:20)” and that power is that of the Holy Spirit provided to us through the Cross!

And now we come to a passage which is perhaps my favorite passage of scripture in the Bible. It speaks of the grace and mercy of God and the perpetual anchor we have in Christ and Him crucified to find restoration and forgiveness of sins. It also depicts in vivid illustration the believer as a stranger and pilgrim in this world, for we are true citizens of heaven, bought with the precious blood of Jesus.

The Bible says (Gen. 13:3,4), “And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.”

Previous to this, Abram had gone down into Egypt, typical of the believer leaning towards self efforts to accomplish that which can only be brought about by faith in the Cross. But here we see Abram coming up out Egypt; putting aside the efforts of the flesh, and coming back to the altar “which he had made there at the first.” You see that same faith in the Cross that saved you is the same faith that keeps you and its the same object of faith you must come back to if and when you falter.

Abram returned to the place of the altar. And so must we, when we have erred from the way laid out for us by the Lord, when we have strayed from the path of faith, return to the altar; The place where our faith is anchored in the Cross of Christ alone. For there we will find restoration and victory!

In Genesis 18:23 to 33 there is a beautiful account of the mercy of God and an illustration of God’s delight in His children pressing as it regards petitions to the Lord and of true intercession.

The Lord has informed Abraham of the great wickedness that has gone up before Him from the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and the fact that God must now judge this “grievous sin” (Gen 18:20). Abraham knowing that his brother Lot had taken up residence in that area now intercedes on his behalf before the Lord.

Abraham begins by asking the Lord if there are only fifty righteous people in the whole city if He will hold back the destruction of Sodom. To which the Lord replies, ” …if I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.(Gen. 18:26)”

Abraham continues to intercede and asks the Lord if there be only forty-five, and then if there be only forty and finally in verse 32 asks if there be only ten righteous people, will God spare the whole city for ten ‘s sake. The Lord answers and says, “…I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.”

There is a beautiful truth to be learned from this event and in Genesis 18:33 we see it brought forth. It says, “And the Lord went His way, as soon as He had left communing with Abraham:…” Through all of Abraham’s intercession and beseeching the Lord, the Lord listened and answered favorably. The Lord did not go His way until Abraham ceased His petitioning. Abraham stopped asking before God stopped giving.

Genesis 19:15 says, “And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.”

Previous to this event, The Lord had informed Abraham, Lot’s relative, that the city where Lot was residing would be destroyed due to its ‘grievous sin’. Abraham interceded on Lot’s behalf and through the grace and mercy of God, The Lord now sends two angels to bring Lot out of the city before it is destroyed.

Likewise, the Holy Spirit is calling you out of this world of sin, spiritually speaking, before the coming judgement. Yes, soon and very soon Jesus will come back for His saints (1 Thess. 4:16) and only those found with their faith in Christ will be ready to go with Him; however, in our personal lives, we must understand that we don’t know when our time here will be over and we personally will stand before God to give account.

Sin, carries with it judgement and its end result is destruction. You may say, ‘but I have lived a good life’. But that is not enough, as nothing of our own efforts can ever be enough to merit the favor and acceptance of God. It is only Christ who is worthy and we are placed into Christ and receive His perfection by our faith being placed in His atoning Work on Cross.

It is only through faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified that we may escape the judgement of God. Conversely, it is essentially the rejection of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that sends people to hell. God made provision for you in that He gave His only Son for whosoever would believe. (John 3:16)

Like the two angels hastened Lot those many years ago, so too the Holy Spirit is hastening you to salvation from judgement. It awaits for you, no matter who you are or what you have done, Christ will receive you. You are not guaranteed tomorrow. Won’t you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior today?

Genesis 22:13 read, “And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.”

The Holy Spirit here shows in vivid illustration the doctrine of Substitution. Quite simply put, you and I as human beings born into sin deserved death and judgement, however Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God was offered up on the Cross as our substitute for all who will believe.

Jesus took our rightful punishment that we might instead receive His righteousness. Through simple faith all who seek salvation through Jesus Christ may enter into this marvelous plan of God. it requires nothing of you but faith, for all of the cost was shouldered by Christ, that all the benefits may be enjoyed by whosoever will believe and accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. This is the grace and love of God for you!

The song says, ‘Oh, get ready, the evening shadows fall, don’t you hear the Eliazer call? There’s going to be a wedding, our joy will soon begin, in the evening when the camel train comes in.”

The 24th chapter of Genesis tells the story that this beautiful song portrays. For Eliazer, sent by Abraham to find Isaac a wife, is a type of the Holy Spirit who searches for those who will accept the salvation call and thus be united with Jesus Christ, here represented by Isaac.

And likewise the Holy Spirit stirs within every one of us an expectation and imminence of the rapture of all we who are washed in the Blood of Jesus. When we will be united with our heavenly bridegroom the Lord Jesus Christ, and presented by the Holy Spirit to Him as a chaste bride through faith in His Cross alone; “…and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1Thess.4:17)”

Eliazer would find for Isaac a worthy bride in Rebekah, who is a type of all those who have their faith anchored in the Cross of Christ alone! Jesus is coming soon, be ready as Rebekah was. For the Bible says, “And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Will you go with this man? And she said, I will go. (Gen.24:58)”

And let me close with this verse of the song which says, “We have left our kinfolk gladly, we have bade this world good-bye, we’ve been called to be His pure and spotless bride, where we’ll soon behold our Jesus in that blessed eternity, what a happy happy wedding that will be!” Praise God!

Genesis 25:22 reads, “And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the LORD.” Here we read of the account of Rebekah, the wife of Isaac, who was carrying twins in her womb. Here Rebekah serves as a type of the believer who has been saved through faith and is now united with Jesus, of which Isaac serves as a type. However, upon coming to Jesus the believer is surprised and dismayed to find within themselves a struggle. This is typical of the old sin nature that we were born with fighting against the new Divine nature which was imparted to us at salvation.

The next verse reads, “(23) And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.” The Lord here answers Rebekah’s question, and in this answer the Holy Spirit provides insight and revelation regarding our own life and living for God.

The scripture says ‘the one people shall be stronger than the other people’. Likewise, we have this promise that if we continue in the Faith, and that means that our faith stay placed solely in the Cross of Jesus Christ which keeps us united with Jesus; faithful in relationship to Him, that the new Divine nature will prevail and the old sin nature shall no longer have dominion over us (Romans 6:14).

The verse goes on to clarify this fact by stating ‘the elder shall serve the younger’. The elder nature in us is the one we were born with, which is the sin nature; that which drives us to lean on the arm of flesh and self efforts and not follow in the path of faith. The much younger nature is the one we received at salvation which is the Divine nature; that which yearns after all that is of God according to faith in the Cross.

In this illustration we have a vivid insight into the fight of faith that all we as believers must face (1 Tim.6:12) and a glorious promise that if we are faithful to Christ which means keeping our faith placed in Jesus Christ and Him Crucified ALONE, then we shall be victorious! (Rev. 12:11)

Genesis 27:6-10 reads, “And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death. Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee. Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth: And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.”

The 27th chapter of Genesis relays the story of Jacob’s use of self efforts to obtain the birthright blessing which God had promised would be his. Here we have a perfect picture of the sanctification process at work in the life of the believer.

God had spoken stating that the birthright was to go to Jacob, however, Isaac now intends to give that blessing to Jacob’s brother Esau instead. Rebekah, Jacob’s mother, overhears this and concocts a scheme with Jacob to obtain the promises of God through a deceptive method.

Much like Jacob, we as believers will face seeming challenges to those things that God has promised us, however the test is not realization of those promises, for that was guaranteed at Calvary. Rather the test is that our faith remain in God’s order until those promises are realized; and God’s order is that of faith in Christ Crucified.

Jacob loved God, and desired the things of God, but here attempted to obtain them by self effort. We can never possess the promises of God through the efforts of the flesh; They come only to us through the the Work of Christ completed in totality on the Cross for us.

The Bible says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12)”. In this sanctification process, we have been promised that victory will be realized in our lives in every area. But many times when everything in the natural appears to be opposite to that result, we quickly lean on the arm of our own efforts and plans to achieve that which we know we are to have and which has been promised to us by The Lord. This will only result in a revival of the sin nature and failure. As seen in the culmination of Jacob’s efforts, the ultimate fallout will be costly and painful.

Trust God, place your faith solely in the finished Work of Calvary for every need and promise; “… lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct thy paths (Prov.3:5,6)”. “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6)”.

Genesis 32:11-13 reads, “Deliver me, I pray you, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me; and the mother with the children.

And You said, I will surely do you good, and, and make your seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

And he (Jacob) lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother.”

Concerning this, C.H. Mackintosh says: “Now, praying and planning will never do together. if I plan, I am leaning more or less on my plan; but when I pray, I should lean exclusively upon God. Hence the two things are perfectly incompatible, they virtually destroy each other. When my eye is filled with my own management of things, I am not prepared to see God acting for me; and in that case, prayer is not the utterance of my need, but the mere superstitious performance of something which I think ought to be done, or it may be asking God to sanctify my plans. This will never do. It [this life of faith] is not asking God to sanctify and bless my means, but it is asking Him to do it all Himself.”

Reading from Genesis 41:14, “So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.”

Concerning this, the JSM Expositors Study Bible says, “…This should teach us that we should allow the Lord to plan for us. Men forgot Joseph, but it is double certain that God didn’t forget Joseph. And neither will He forget you. This is at least one of the reasons that we must look to God instead of men.”

To set the scene for the significance of this verse; Joseph had been sold into slavery by his own brothers many years back, and then after working diligently as a servant in Egypt he is falsely accused and sent to prison there. In all that, it looked like the plan for Joseph’s life, and the many promises that were made by God concerning him, would be lost. But we find that through it all, the Bible says some eight times “And The Lord was with Joseph”; eight being the number of resurrection, meaning that God didn’t forget, nor was His hand short, but He was ordering every footstep, both seen and unseen, of Joseph’s life, to the ultimate fulfillment of God’s perfect will for Joseph! And now, in this verse, here he is being brought before Pharaoh, soon to be made the second most powerful ruler in the world as the Pharaoh’s prime Minister.

You will not always understand the path God takes you down, but as the song says, ‘I don’t need to understand, I just need to hold His hand’. Know that God sees, that He knows, and that He is concerned for you. He gave His only Son on the Cross for you, what then would He hold back for your good?

God has you where He has you for a reason. The Bible says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans8:28)”. If you keep your faith anchored in the Cross, if you look to Jesus Christ and Him only, God’s will will be performed in your life just as it was in Joseph’s.

The passage of scripture in Genesis 42-46 is such a beautiful account I cannot pick out one verse or passage from it to quote by itself for fear of disrupting a narrative so touching and so exquisite that it brings passion and joy to the very heart. For this section of scripture depicts the grace and love of Jesus Christ who will bring Israel back to himself at long last and they will repent and finally accept Jesus, their Messiah; their Saviour.

Although Joseph was hated by and sold into slavery by his brothers, he loved them and his desire was to bring them to himself and to see their hearts turned to true repentance so that he could receive them.

Likewise Jesus was hated and crucified by Israel many years ago and wounded in the house of His friends (Zechariah 13:6), but He loves Israel and WILL bring them back to Himself.

He will use the coming great tribulation, known as the time of Jacob’s trouble, to bring Israel, as a nation, to a place of crying out for Him, just as in the above passage of scripture, God allowed a great famine to bring Joseph’s brothers, the fathers of the tribes of Israel, to Joseph, a type of Christ.

“And told him saying, Joseph is yet alive…”(Genesis 45:26)

Jesus is yet alive! And He waits for you!

Jacob, though aged in years, would come to the end of his life, being called Israel by the Holy Spirit, signifying Jacob’s faith and dependence on God, and leaning upon his staff, signifying his unwavering and sole dependence on the Word and Promises of God, he would give a prophetic Word, inspired by the Holy Spirit, to his sons in the 49th chapter of Genesis.

In verse 8 we see Jacob, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, bless Judah and give a prophecy concerning Jesus Christ, who would come from the tribe of Judah. Chapter 49 verse 8 to 10, with shortened notes out of the JSM Expositors Study Bible, reads: “8 Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: Your hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; your father’s children shall bow down before You.” (Speaks of the great victory that Christ would win at the Cross.)

9 Judah is a lion’s whelp: (refers to a young lion, in the power of its youth, absolutely invincible; this represented Christ in the flower of His manhood, full of the Holy Spirit, healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead and doing great and mighty things, with every demon spirit trembling at His feet.) from the prey, (the lion is always seeking the prey, never the prey seeking the lion) my son, (Jesus is the Son of God) You are gone up: (meaning that Christ is always on the offensive) He stooped down, He couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse Him up? (Who would be so foolish as to contest the absolute invincibility of Christ?)

10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, (the scepter is defined as a staff or office and authority, which pertains to Christ) nor a lawgiver from between His feet, until Shiloh come; (when Jesus came, typified by the name ‘Shiloh’, Who, in fact, was and is the True Lawgiver, He fulfilled the Law in totality by His life and His death, thereby satisfying all of its just demands) and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be. (The only way to God the Father is through Christ the Son; The only way to Christ the Son is through the Cross; an the only way to the Cross is through a denial of self efforts.)