Okay, Genesis today is FULL of important stuff! To help you get started...
Why do you think God was so concerned about them building the tower of Babel? (modern day Iraq)
What do you think it was like for Abram to follow God to a place he had never been before?
How do you feel about Abram's lie that Sarai was his sister?
Matthew's passage contains the Beatitudes. I heard a teacher one time who said that the best meaning of "blessed" is "the well-being of." Either way, Jesus says some important things about how we should live in the world. It's not always easy.
Psalms also contrasts the life of those dedicated to God with "the wicked" in today's passage.
In Proverbs, Wisdom issues us a warning.
How is your reading coming along? Questions? Comments?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I am confused by Genesis 11:5-7. Why would God not want all people speaking the same language? As I reread these verses it occured to me that obviously God had a purpose in doing this. The separation of nations and languages is clearly for a reason, I'm just not sure what it is.
ReplyDeleteSeems to me that God saw how man thought "they" could do great things when they put their minds to it. Working together, trusting each other, and succeeding together. However, in doing so, they were leaving out God.
ReplyDeleteI do not think the "one language" was the issue as much as man working without seeking God or giving God credit for all that is good. They were enjoying each other and all they could accomplish far too much.
I think this is similar to people relying too much on science and how some people think that man can solve every thing without God.
Building on your comment, Brian, God wanted the people to spread out, multiply, and worship him, but instead they tried to build a tall tower- a way to reach the heavens and be like God himself. With their numbers, they would have succeeded in reaching way up high, but of course they would never be like God. Still, with the great human weakness of pride, the people would think they were like God. They would focus on how much they could do and what they could accomplish, instead of seeing that they were actually small, sinful, and in need of God. I think God loved humanity too much to let them waste their existence accomplishing things. We were not made to accomplish. When God stirred up humanity’s language, he reminded them who was God and hopefully helped them to see that they needed to worship God, not try to become god. This all really hits home to me. I had a long struggle with my own need to accomplish, achieve, and produce results before it finally sunk in that God wants a relationship, not performance.
ReplyDeleteFirst, Lara, thank you for you openness to ask a great question. That's what this blog is supposed to be about and I hope we see more of it every day.
ReplyDeleteBrian and Julie, what great answers! I can't add any more to them. Julie, thanks for your transparency. Your testimony touches something deep in us.
God wanted the people to multiply through out the earth and if they stayed there and focused on the tower that would not have happened. I agree, Brian and Julie's answers were great and more detailed.
ReplyDeleteI think it was difficult for Abrahm to move so much, but his desire to do what God wanted was stronger than his own wants and desires. I'll have to read it again but he didn't seem to whine about it.
About Abrahm, I understand his fear but it was wrong to lie.
My thoughts on the Tower of Babel is that people were becoming too prideful and focused on accomplishments..."Let us make a name for ourselves"...
ReplyDeleteYour question, "What do you think it was like for Abram to follow God to a place he had never been before?" was easy for me to relate to with John (my husband) being in the military. Every couple of years, God's new plan for us is revealed and we move to a new place to start over again. Often, I have feelings of uncertainty and fear (of the unknown) and some sadness as we leave a place of comfort that we have come to call home. But, it is our faith and trust that allows us to embark on a new journey.
I don't think Abram was very brave and certainly selfish in his reasons for asking Sarai to lie. My first question is, why would they even go to Egypt if he knew it was dangerous? Weren't there other options?
First, Kella, thank you for sharing some of your own journey.
ReplyDeleteWhy Egypt? Their world was limited by travel time and resources. Egypt was a very powerful nation that opened opportunities for them to make a living.