Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 37:18-36.  Here is a link to this devotion – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+37&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses.

“When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death.  They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer!  Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits;  and we will say, ‘A wild beast devoured him.’  Then let us see what will become of his dreams!”  But Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands and said, “Let us not take his life.”  Reuben further said to them, “Shed no blood.  Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father.  So it came about, when Joseph reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him;  and they took him and threw him into the pit.  Now the pit was empty, without any water in it.

Then they sat down to eat a meal.  And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing aromatic gum and balm and myrrh, on their way to bring them down to Egypt.  Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood?  Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.”  And his brothers listened to him.  Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver.  Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt.”   Genesis 37:18-28. 

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“I waited patiently for the LORD;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear
And will trust in the LORD.” Psalm 40:1-3.

“Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
3 Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
4 Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
5 Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.” Psalm 103:1-5.

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 37:12-17.

“Then his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock in Shechem.  Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock in Shechem?  Come, and I will send you to them.”  And he said to him, “I will go.”  Then he said to him, “Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring word back to me.”  So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

A man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field;  and the man asked him, “What are you looking for?”  He said, “I am looking for my brothers;  please tell me where they are pasturing the flock.”  Then the man said, “They have moved from here;  for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’”  So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.”  Genesis 37:12-17.

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Joseph was concerned about the welfare of his brothers and searched for them diligently even though he knew they hated him.  This was in sharp contrast to how his brothers would treat him as we will see later in this chapter.

Joseph points us to Christ, the Good Shepherd, Who seeks His lost sheep and lays down His life for His sheep. Like Joseph did not search for strangers, but for his brothers, Jesus did not seek any sheep nor lay down his life for any sheep, but for His sheep, God’s elect. 

“For thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out.  As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day.  I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land;  and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land.  I will feed them in a good pasture, and their grazing ground will be on the mountain heights of Israel.  There they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.  I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest,” declares the Lord GOD.”  Ezekiel 3:11-15.     

“I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father;  and I lay down My life for the sheep.”  John 10:14-15. 

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will hardly die for a righteous man;  though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:6-8.                 

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 36:9-43.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+36&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses.

“These then are the records of the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir.  These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Esau’s wife Adah, Reuel the son of Esau’s wife Basemath.  The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho and Gatam and Kenaz.  Timna was a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz.  These are the sons of Esau’s wife Adah.  These are the sons of Reuel:  Nahath and Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah.  These were the sons of Esau’s wife Basemath.  These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah and the granddaughter of Zibeon:  she bore to Esau, Jeush and Jalam and Korah.”   Genesis 36:9-14.  

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The purpose of today’s devotion is to meditate on why Scripture goes to such length and detail to keep and list the records of the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites.  More generally, we will meditate on one purpose of what consideration of the wicked does for us. 

When we consider how close Jacob was to Esau, they were brothers, and yet God loved Jacob, but God hated Esau, then we appreciate all the more God’s choice a/k/a election of us. When we consider the wicked and their punishment, and how we would share in their misery but for the grace of God, then we appreciate all the more the riches of glory on us, His vessels of mercy. When we consider the darkness out of which we were called, then we appreciate all the more, in sharpest contrast, the marvelous light in which we are.  

First of all, in order to help us understand the following Scripture, we remember the connection between Esau and Edom from the prior verses.  “Now these are the records of the generations of Esau (that is, Edom).”  Genesis 36:1.  “So Esau lived in the hill country of Seir;  Esau is Edom.”  Genesis 36:8.   

Second, we also remember what the LORD said about Amalek, one of Esau’s descendants, whose name is highlighted in today’s Scripture.  “Remember what Amalek did to you along the way when you came out from Egypt, how he met you along the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear when you were faint and weary;  and he did not fear God.  Therefore it shall come about when the LORD your God has given you rest from all your surrounding enemies, in the land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven;  you must not forget.”  Deuteronomy 25:17-19.

Here are the main Scriptures to help us so meditate.

“The oracle of the word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi.

“I have loved you,” says the LORD.  But you say, “How have You loved us?”  “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD.  “Yet I have loved Jacob;  but I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and appointed his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness.”  Though Edom says, “We have been beaten down, but we will return and build up the ruins”;  thus says the LORD of hosts, “They may build, but I will tear down;  and men will call them the wicked territory, and the people toward whom the LORD is indignant forever.”  Your eyes will see this and you will say, “The LORD be magnified beyond the border of Israel!”  Malachi 1:1-5.

“for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, “THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER.”  Just as it is written, “JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED.”

What shall we say then?  There is no injustice with God, is there?  May it never be!  For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.”  So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.  …

…  What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?  And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.”  Romans 9:11-16 and 22-24.

“5 How great are Your works, O LORD!
Your thoughts are very deep.
6 A senseless man has no knowledge,
Nor does a stupid man understand this:
7 That when the wicked sprouted up like grass
And all who did iniquity flourished,
It was only that they might be destroyed forevermore.
8 But You, O LORD, are on high forever.
9 For, behold, Your enemies, O LORD,
For, behold, Your enemies will perish;
All who do iniquity will be scattered.” Psalm 92:5-9.

“But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;  for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD;  you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.”  1 Peter 2:9-10.

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 36:1-8.

“Now these are the records of the generations of Esau (that is, Edom).

Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan:  Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and the granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite;  also Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, the sister of Nebaioth.  Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel, and Oholibamah bore Jeush and Jalam and Korah.  These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

Then Esau took his wives and his sons and his daughters and all his household, and his livestock and all his cattle and all his goods which he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to another land away from his brother Jacob.  For their property had become too great for them to live together, and the land where they sojourned could not sustain them because of their livestock.  So Esau lived in the hill country of Seir;  Esau is Edom.”  Genesis 36:1-8.

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First, we notice:  “Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan”, and we are reminded of the reaction of his father and mother, Isaac and Rebekah.

“When Esau was forty years old he married Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite;  and they brought grief to Isaac and Rebekah.”  Genesis 26:34-35.

“Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am tired of living because of the daughters of Heth;  if Jacob takes a wife from the daughters of Heth, like these, from the daughters of the land, what good will my life be to me?”  Genesis 27:46.

“So Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and charged him, and said to him, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.”  Genesis 28:1.

Second, we are reminded Esau’s move is a fulfillment of Isaac’s blessing, so to speak, and prophecy to Esau.

39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him,

“Behold, away from the fertility of the earth shall be your dwelling,
And away from the dew of heaven from above.
40 “By your sword you shall live,
And your brother you shall serve;
But it shall come about when you become restless,
That you will break his yoke from your neck.” Genesis 27:39-40.

Third, we are reminded that Jacob’s ability to stay in the promised land of Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey, is a fulfillment of Isaac’s blessing to Jacob.

“28 Now may God give you of the dew of heaven,
And of the fatness of the earth,
And an abundance of grain and new wine;
29 May peoples serve you,
And nations bow down to you;
Be master of your brothers,
And may your mother’s sons bow down to you.
Cursed be those who curse you,
And blessed be those who bless you.” Genesis 27:28-29.

“‘Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you on the land which the LORD your God gives you.” Deuteronomy 5:16.

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 35:22-26.

“It came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it.

Now there were twelve sons of Jacob— the sons of Leah:  Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, then Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Zebulun;  the sons of Rachel:  Joseph and Benjamin;  and the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid: Dan and Naphtali;  and the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maid:  Gad and Asher.  These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.”  Genesis 35:22-26.

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It may seem odd and distasteful to introduce the sons of Israel a/k/a Jacob by mentioning “that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine”, but Scripture exposes and punishes sin.  

Likewise, “TULIP”, the nutshell summary of the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation as more fully taught in the Reformed confession of faith called Canons of Dordt, starts with man’s “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”.

We first notice from today’s Scripture that “Israel heard of it.”  Later, we read of Israel’s curse on Reuben in his prophecies of his sons.

“Then Jacob summoned his sons and said, “Assemble yourselves that I may tell you what will befall you in the days to come.

2 “Gather together and hear, O sons of Jacob;
And listen to Israel your father.

3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn;
My might and the beginning of my strength,
Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
4 “Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence,
Because you went up to your father’s bed;
Then you defiled it—he went up to my couch.” Genesis 49:1-4.

More generally, man may think that he has hidden his sin, but God knows all things and exposes and punishes sins.

“For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light.” Mark 4:22. Similar Scriptures are Luke 8:17 and Luke 12:2.

“The punishment of your iniquity has been completed, O daughter of Zion;
He will exile you no longer.
But He will punish your iniquity, O daughter of Edom;
He will expose your sins!” Lamentations 4:22.

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,”  Romans 1:18. 

“Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.  And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.”  Jude 5-7.

“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;  and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;  and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority.”  2 Peter 2:4-10.

“But I will warn you whom to fear:  fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell;  yes, I tell you, fear Him!”  Luke 12:5. 

Today’s devotion comes from Genesis 35:9-15.

“Then God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram, and He blessed him. God said to him,

“Your name is Jacob;
You shall no longer be called Jacob,
But Israel shall be your name.”

Thus He called him Israel. God also said to him,

“I am God Almighty;
Be fruitful and multiply;
A nation and a company of nations shall come from you,
And kings shall come forth from you.
“The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac,
I will give it to you,
And I will give the land to your descendants after you.”

Then God went up from him in the place where He had spoken with him. Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He had spoken with him, a pillar of stone, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it. So Jacob named the place where God had spoken with him, Bethel.” Genesis 35:9-15.

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Consider the following from the Heidelberg Catechism.

Q. 26. What believest thou when thou sayest, “I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth”?

A. That the eternal Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (who of nothing made heaven and earth, with all that is in them; who likewise upholds and governs the same by His eternal counsel and providence) is, for the sake of Christ His Son, my God and my Father; on whom I rely so entirely, that I have no doubt but He will provide me with all things necessary for soul and body; and further, that He will make whatever evils He sends upon me, in this valley of tears, turn out to my advantage; for He is able to do it, being Almighty God, and willing, being a faithful Father.

“9 “Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.” Isaiah 46:9-11.

“But our God is in the heavens;
He does whatever He pleases.” Psalm 115:3.

“‘Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You,” Jeremiah 32:17.

“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.” Psalm 103:19.