Hidden (Krypto) Treasures

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Category: Christian Page 9 of 169

Unaware of God’s presence

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On July 11, 2016

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

As Jacob was running away from his brother Esau, he stopped at a certain place to rest for the night and he dreamed. In his dream he saw the ladder set on the earth and the angels of God, ascending and descending on it and on top of it, he saw the Lord God standing. The Lord assured him of his presence, preservation and protection. When Jacob woke up from his sleep, he said, “Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.”

Points to ponder:
Into this dark world, where sin as the pitch of night abounds, God has shined his Only begotten Son, Jesus Christ – The Light of the World and Jesus’ presence, preservation by his Holy Spirit and protection is assured to all who believe in him and yet, many a times, we are unaware of God’s presence, as Jacob was. Let us recognize that God is in this place, no matter what the circumstances of your life are or how bleak the world may seem. Surely the Lord is in this place for Jesus is Emmanuel and that means God is with us – Are you and I aware of his presence? or as we saying, “I knew it not.” John 17:3 says – “To know God is Eternal life.” Are you assured of eternal life?

Genesis 28:16 (KJV)
16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.

The promise of God – Presence, Preservation & Provision

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On June 14, 2016

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Genesis 28:15 records the words of the Lord God in Jacob’s dream. It reads “And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.”

This is a wonderful promise of the Lord God unto Jacob, and close scrutiny of the text reveals that the Lord God promised his
– presence (I am with thee; I will not leave thee),
– preservation (I will keep thee in all places)
and his
– provision (I will bring thee again into this land).

Points to ponder:
To all who are Jesus’ disciples, who love him and follow him, he promised his
– presence for he said that he will be with us always (Matthew 28:20) and that he will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
– preservation by his Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23) who would seal (Ephesians 1:13) and preserve (keep) us so that we may keep the faith (2 Timothy 4:7)
and his
– provision of the promise land where he has gone to prepare a place for us so that where he is, we may be also (John 14:3).

So the question that remains to be answered is, are you assured of the Lord God’s promise of his presence, preservation and provision? In other words, are you his disciple i.e., do you love him and follow him? Think about that. Love God and Love man for in doing so will people know that we are Jesus’ disciples and you can be assured of God presence, preservation and provisions in your life.

Genesis 28:15 (KJV)
15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

All the families of the earth shall be blessed …

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On June 13, 2016

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Enroute to Haran, running away from his brother Esau, whom he had deceived, Jacob comes to a certain place where he stayed for the night as the sun had set. He took the stones of that place and used them as pillows and lay down to sleep. And in his dream, he saw a ladder set up on the earth reaching into heaven and saw the angels of God ascending and descending on it and on the top of the ladder, he saw the Lord standing. The Lord said “I am the Lord God of Abraham, your father and the God of Isaac and the land where you lay, I will give to you and to your seed. Your seed shall be numerous, as the dust of the earth and you shall spread in all directions (west, east, north and south) and in you and in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” Then the Lord assured Jacob that he was with Jacob (i.e., will be present with Jacob), and would never leave him, and will keep him in all places where he goes (i.e., will preserve and protect Jacob), and will bring Jacob into this land (i.e., will provide for Jacob) until all that the Lord had promised would come to pass. (Genesis 28:10-15).

First, note that Jacob who was the grandson of Abraham is referred to here as the child of Abraham. Second, it is important to note that God’s presence, preservation, protection and provision was assured to Jacob along with a blessing that Jacob and his seed would be a blessing to all the families of the earth.

Points to ponder:
First, all who are of the faith, who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord, Savior and King are referred to as children of Abraham (Galatians 3:7). Second, God’s promise of his presence, preservation, protection and provisions is for all who are Abraham’s children. He blessed those who believe in him, to be a blessing to others and expects that through us and our children, all families of the earth shall be blessed. Question: Are you and I who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ a blessing to others? Are the families of the earth blessed on account of us?

Genesis 28:10-15 (KJV)
10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.
11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
13 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

Willful disobedience of Esau

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On June 3, 2016

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Genesis 28:1-9 (KJV) gives the account of Isaac, calling and blessing Jacob, and requesting that he did not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. Instead, Isaac sends him off to his father-in -law’s house (the house of Bethuel). He asks Jacob to go to Padanaram where Betheul and his son, Laban lived and asked Jacob that he married one of Laban’s daughters. Then he blesses Jacob with the blessing of Abraham and sent him away.

Now when Esau had seen that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and learned of his father’s request of Jacob to not marry a daughter of the Canaanites, knowing that the daughters of Canaan did not please Isaac, his father, went to Ishmael and willfully disobeyed his father, taking not one but two wives from his uncle Ishmael’s daughters. This gives insight into how much Esau despised spiritual things, once again gratifying his fleshly desires, over the matters of the Spirit.

Points to ponder:
Before we end up judging Esau for his worldly ways, let us take a moment to introspect, for many a times, I find myself to be willfully disobedient to God and his Holy Spirit; in union with the world in more than one way. Jacob obeyed his father unlike his brother Esau. Let us not be willfully disobedient gratifying the desires of our flesh, but instead let us submit to the Holy Spirit and to the will of God, the Father.

Genesis 28:1-9 (KJV)
1 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
2 Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother.
3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;
4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.
5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.
6 When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughers of Canaan;
7 And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram;
8 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father;
9 Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.

Grave marriages

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On May 31, 2016

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

The last verse in the book of Genesis chapter 27 ends with a question, posed by Rebekah, Isaac’s wife and the mother of Jacob and Esau, wherein she asks “What good shall my life do me?” (Genesis 27:46). She asks this question, hoping that her favorite son, Jacob, does not marry a ungodly wordly woman as did her elder son Esau, who had taken not one but two wives from the daughters of Heth, who had made Rebekah’s life wearisome.

Points to ponder:
Worldly alliances and ungodly union can result in the weariness of those who love us. When we live an life that is in union with the world, in an ungodly relationship with the things of this world, then we are in an adulterous relationship against God himself (James 4:4), which is a grave marriage. Do we really want to have God, who gave his life for you and me, ask “what good shall my life do me?”. In other words, let us not live lives that are wearisome to God, but as a bride prepares herself to be ready for the bridegroom, let us ready ourselves for the marriage supper of the Lamb of God (Revelation 19).

Genesis 27:46 (KJV)
46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?

Rebekah’s Curse

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On May 25, 2016

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

When Rebekah told Jacob to listen to her and go to his father Isaac, as if he was his brother Esau, so that he could be blessed, he was concerned and told his mother, that just in case, his father detects their deception, then he would be cursed by his father, instead of being blessed. To this, Rebekah, responds to Jacob that may the curse be upon her. (Genesis 27:13). From the recorded account, we learn that heeding to his mother’s voice, Jacob deceives his father and brother. This angers his brother Esau, who intends to kill Jacob. Fearing for the loss of her younger son, Rebekah, now tells Jacob to flee to her brother Laban for a few days. Little did she realize then that the few days would turn into years (about two decades) and she would never ever again see her son on earth, for she passes away before Jacob returns from her brother’s place.

Points to ponder:
Rebekah’s sin (deception) had consequences. In this case, for Rebekah, it was the curse of being separated from the one she loved.

Our sin has consequences too. Since the wages of sin is death, we will be eternally separated from God if we choose to sin and deceive ourselves (James 1:22). Rebekah’s curse would be our curse, but praise be to God, that Jesus was made a curse for you and me and when we believe in him, we do not have to be separated from God. Are you cursed and being separated from God?

Genesis 27:41-45 (KJV)
41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.
42 And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.
43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;
44 And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away;
45 Until thy brother’s anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?

Homeboy becomes homeless

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On May 23, 2016

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

When Rebekah finds out that Esau was planning to kill his younger brother, Jacob, whom she loved and whom she had deceive her husband, Isaac, she once again takes matters into her own hands and asks her son Jacob to obey her voice (just as she had asked him to obey her voice to deceive his father and his brother). This time, fearing for the loss of her favorite son, her homeboy, Jacob, she tells him to run away to her brother’s place and tarry there for a few days, until Esau’s fury subsides. She tells him that when Esau’s anger against Jacob abates and Esau has forgotten what Jacob had done, she would send for him and get him back from there (Genesis 27:42-45).

Points to ponder:
In this account we see that Jacob who sinned by deceiving his father and brother has to run away as a fugitive. He who had a home now has to become homeless because of his own transgression. The homeboy becomes homeless on account of his own sin.

On a different note, from this account, we see in the Holy Bible, that our sins made the darling/homeboy of heaven (Psalm 22:20), Jesus Christ, to have to leave his home and become homeless on earth, without even a proper place for his birth (Luke 2:1-20) or a place to lay his head (Luke 9:58). Jesus, the homeboy become homeless, not because of his sins, but because of our sins.

Sins can make you and me homeless from heaven. Believe in Jesus Christ, as your Lord and Savior, so that we can be adopted into God’s family and can call heaven, where God dwells, our home. Don’t be a homeless homeboy/girl!

Genesis 27:42-45 (KJV)
42 And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.
43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;
44 And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away;
45 Until thy brother’s anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?

Deception brings with it death

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On May 20, 2016

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

While Esau was deprived of his blessing from his father Isaac, for his younger brother Jacob had deceived him and taken the blessing, he starts to hate his brother, with so much hate that he sought to kill (slay) his brother after his father’s death. The deception of Jacob brought with it hate from his brother which in turn brought the threat of death. As you can see hate in the heart turns brother against brother.

Points to ponder:
Deception brings with it death. The deception to disobey God, by the ancient deceiver, the devil (Revelation 12:9), brings with it the threat of death, for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), but the gift of God is eternal life to all who chose to obey God and keep his commandments to love God above all and love mankind as themselves (Matthew 22:36-40).

When love trumps hate, deception and death have no place. If a man says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? (1 John 4:20).

Even when it is hard to love someone, we are asked to do so, just as God did, and not hate in our hearts. It comes down to loving God, loving man, lest we be deceived. Be ye not deceived.

Genesis 27:41 (KJV)
41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

The blessing of Esau (and of Jesus)

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On May 19, 2016

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

In the Biblical account of the story of Jacob and Esau, we often hear of how Jacob deceived Isaac and robbed Esau of his blessings, but seldom hear of the blessing of Esau itself. But wait a minute, was Esau blessed at all? Genesis 27:39-40 records the response the Isaac gives to Esau, upon his pleading for at least one blessing. This is what Isaac answered and said unto Esau “Behold, thy dwelling place shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.” Let’s dissect this blessing and learn the hidden truths in it.

Esau dwelling place would be the same as that of Jacob for even Jacob was blessed the same (fatness of the earth and dew of heaven from above – Genesis 27:28), but Esau and his descendant would have to fight to live (live by the sword) for they would be servants of Jacob (as was the oracle of God to Rebekah – Genesis 25:23). God knew that if this was all of Esau’s blessings, then Esau would have no hope but be subject to be under the yoke of his brother perpetually, so God in his infinite wisdom and mercy on Esau goes on to add, that in due course of time (it shalt come to pass), Esau would have the dominion and shall break his (brother’s) yoke from off his neck. What does that mean?

There are two ways to look at this blessing. First it was fulfilled historically during the time of King Joram, the king of Judah, when the Edomites (descendants of Esau) revolted against Joram (descendant of Jacob) and won, establishing their own dominion and kingdom (2 Kings 8:20; 2 Chronicles 21:8-10). But an even more deeper perspective to look at this blessing is that in the account where Jacob and Esau meet after many years, Jacob is distressed with fear, thinking that Esau would avenge himself (Genesis 32:6-7). He even refers to himself as the servant of Esau, implying the Esau had dominion (authority) over him at that time (Genesis 33:5), but when Esau comes to meet him, Esau runs toward him, not with a sword in his hand but instead with open arms of forgiveness, for Esau embraces him, falling on his neck (wherein the yoke of bitterness and unforgiveness had been for several years) and kissed (accepted) him with affection. This demonstrates that God in his Sovereign wisdom had given a way out for Esau from being subject perpetually to a state of bondage.

Points to ponder:
The blessing of Esau was that he would have an opportunity to not just reclaim some authority and win some land over from his brother’s descendants but that he would have the choice to forgive and win his brother’s heart. The blessing of Esau is applicable to each one of us event today, from the vantage point of forgiving those who have hurt us, and seeking the forgiveness of those whom we have caused to have bitterness and hatred. The blessing of Esau is akin to one that can break bondage and everyone who believes in Jesus Christ has liberty and freedom from the bondage of the noose of death around their necks.

Jesus taught us, in the disciple’s prayer, that we ought to forgive those who sinned against us, just as he has forgiven us. In other words, Jesus has broken off the yoke of our slavery to sin from our necks (Jeremiah 30:8) by forgiving us and expect the same from us, by taking on his yoke (of forgiving) which is easy and gives rest for the soul (Matthew 11:29). This is the blessing of Jesus for all who believe (Ephesians 1:3)

Have you broken off the yoke off your neck?

Genesis 27:39-40 (KJV)
39 And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;
40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

Oh Esau, Oh Esau, what tears does thou cry?

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On May 18, 2016

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

The famous song by Eric Clapton, “Tears in Heaven” was written by Clapton to express the pain he felt following the death of his four year old son, Conor, who fell from a window of the 53rd floor New York apartment of his mother’s friend on March 20, 1991. This song, along with the Gaither’s song featuring James Blackwood, “No Tears in Heaven”, resonates a very important Biblical truth that God would wipe away every tear in heaven and there shall be no more crying or mourning in heaven, for there shall be no more pain and all things will be made new (Revelation 21:4). Now hold that thought.

Upon the realization that Isaac had been tricked into blessing Jacob his younger son, instead of Esau his firstborn favorite son, Isaac trembled very exceedingly (Genesis 27:33), while Esau cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, asking his father to bless him also.

Esau sought the blessing of his father but did not demonstrate a godly life. He had despised his spiritually provided birthright for gratifying his sensual desires of his flesh (Genesis 25:29-34). He had chosen to marry not one but two pagan (Hittite) women (Genesis 26:34-35). Instead, as was customary at that time, Esau should have submitted to his parents, who should have sought a godly wife from their own people, as Abraham did (Genesis 24), so that the woman he marries, who would not turn him away from serving God (Deuteronomy 7:3-4). Now in retrospect, we find, the ungodly Esau who chose to live his life the way he wanted, weeping with a great and exceedingly bitter tears – tears of regret and not necessarily of repentance; tears of pang and not necessarily of penitence – for the Bible says that he then chose (again the ungodly) to wait for a time (when his father would pass away) and murder his brother Jacob, who had deceived him of his blessings from Isaac.

Points to ponder:
When we seek and live ungodly lives, willfully despising the spiritual birthright for satisfying our sensual and fleshly desires (pride of life, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh), we have no inheritance in the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:8-10). When we chose to live an adulterous life by wedding the pagan world and its pleasures, we are in enmity with God (James 4:4) and we cannot expect to be blessed in all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3), that comes about by believing in Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son as our Savior. Should we chose to reject the blessings of God in Christ Jesus, pain and tears, exceedingly bitter tears, is what is in store for us, just as was expressed by Esau.

And if you and I are to introspect our life today and find ourselves to be like Esau, ungodly and unrighteous, let us cry now the tears of repentance so that we would not have to cry later the tears of regret. There will be no tears in heaven for God himself shall wipe away our tears when we are in his presence. Oh you, oh you, what tears does thou cry (now)?

Genesis 27:34 (KJV)
34 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.

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