GENESIS AND EXODUS (3)

ABRAHAM AND SARAH Isaac, Jacob and Esau, and the Children of Jacob

Key Passage: Genesis 12-37

GENESIS. God has never stopped loving his people. He called out Abraham to be parent to a new family of faith upon the earth. We can trace the long story of the descendants of Abraham and Sarah – Isaac, Jacob and Esau, and the children of Jacob, in chapters 12-37.   

From the Genesis stories, we learn the solemn promise of God and His chosen people.  And we also learn that God never, never breaks the covenant agreement even when the people fall short and rebel.

In Christ,

Janet Irene Thomas

Playwright/Director/Screen Writer

Producer/Gospel Lyricist/Author

Founder/CEO

Bible Stories Theatre of

Fine & Performing Arts

www.biblestoriestheatre.org

JEWISH RELIGION

 During the many struggles of the Jewish people during the five hundred years between the Old Testament and the New Testament, four main developments seem to have occurred:

1.     Ceremonies.  Jewish life centered around the Temple and the priest. It was important to have daily sacrifices, with private offerings for special occasions and public sacrifices for the Day of Atonement and other great days. The rules and ceremonies for these times were very detailed and precise.

2.     The Law. The Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) became more and more important. Synagogues were growing in number because so many people were far from Jerusalem and could go to the Temple only on rare occasions. Member of the synagogues studied hard to memorize the Torah, explain it to one another, and hold it in high honor. It was absolutely essential to the unity of Jewish people.

3.     Wisdom. Not only the Greeks and the Egyptians but also the Jews, came to treasure the wise sayings had been preserved from leaders of the past. The Jewish leaders honored their own "wisdom" that had been collected and written down. One idea in the wisdom writings was very popular: that evil is always punished and doing good always brings reward.

4.     Expecting the "last days." For centuries, the Jewish people had believed, especially in times of gloom, that God would take charge of world affairs. God would punish oppressors and support God’s chosen people. This was the message of prophets who had announced that a Messiah would come.  There would be a new Day of the Lord.

But in the Persian and Greek periods, new ideas began to creep into this pattern of Jewish thought. Using elaborate symbolic numbers and figures, some of the writers worked out a sensational way of looking at history.  They said that God would act suddenly to restore the nation of Israel to a position of power. 

What the people seemed to forget was that none of these four developments really matched what God wanted most.  Again and again, through the Hebrew prophets of long ago, God had called on the people to reach out and share their faith with others. They were to be God’s servants to the world.

Instead of heeding these calls, the people had focused too much on themselves, neglecting their larger mission.

In Christ,

Janet Irene Thomas

Playwright/Director/Screen Writer

Producer/Gospel Lyricist/Author

Founder/CEO

Bible Stories Theatre of

Fine & Performing Arts

www.biblestoriestheatre.org

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A STAR

COLOSSIANS 2:4-8

Paul demanded of the Colossians that they "walk in [Christ], rooted in him and built upon him" (Colossians 2:6-7). This is all that matters. God, who invites us as we are, expects us to change and become like Christ. When we do so, just being who we are means being more than who we are. This poem expresses the same sentiment:

You don’t have to be a star,

And receive media attention,

You don’t have to record a song,

That creates a lot of tension,

You don’t have to be a politician,

Putting on airs of pretension,

You don’t have to be rough,

To show that you are tough,

You don’t have to go along with the

crowd,

And you don’t have to be loud.

You don’t have to hang with the group,

Afraid of being left out of the loop.

You don’t have to be a king or queen,

Because just being you is the right thing.

In Christ,

Janet Irene Thomas

Playwright/Director/Screen Writer

Producer/Gospel Lyricist/Author

Founder/CEO

Bible Stories Theatre of

Fine & Performing Arts

www.biblestoriestheatre.org

NABOTH'S VINEYARD

A STORY OF GREED

21 Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.”

3 But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors.”

The last of the Ten Commandments is "You shall not covet."  This means that we are not to want something that belongs to another person.  In this Bible story, King Ahab coveted a field of grapevines that belonged to Naboth.

Read 1 Kings 21:1-29 and first meditate on the passages, and then ask yourself these questions about coveting. 1. How did coveting something make Ahab feel (1Kings 21:4)? 2. What did Ahab’s wife do to get him the field he coveted (1 King 21: 7-16)?  3. What did God tell Ahab would happen, and why (1 King 21:17-22)?

·       When Ahab asked for the vineyard, Naboth said, “The Lord forbid…” (verse 3). Was this an unreasonable answer? No. The vineyard, part of his inherited property, had belonged to his ancestors for many generations, so how could he sell it? But it was not simply a matter of sentiment - look up Leviticus 25:23 and Numbers 36:7. God had expressly forbidden the sale of this property; therefore, when Ahab made his request Naboth said, ”The Lord forbid it…How can I do this thing when God has forbidden it?” So he refused to disobey God - and how great this is! Look up and compare Hebrews 11:24 with Daniel 3:13-14 and Acts 4:20. Christian, are you contemplating marriage with an unbeliever? “”The Lord forbid it”” (2 Corinthians 6:14). Are you seriously thinking of uniting in Christian service with those who do not believe the Bible? ”The Lord forbid it” (2 Corinthians 6:15). Naboth had the courage of his convictions. It was a costly business to stand up for God, truth and righteousness –- it always is –- look at verse 13, and compare Psalm 37:32.

Jezebel’s Plot

Jezebel (the Queen) noticed the king’s fury; and when she heard what had happened, at once she revealed her awful character. She was determined to get Ahab what he wanted. Her bosom heaved with anger, and her eyes flashed with rage. She said to Ahab (with a tongue sharp like a butcher knife), “Are you not the king of this country?” (verse 7). And then she went on; she said, “Leave it to me, Ahab. I’ll get that vineyard for you!”

God's Sovereign Action 

Ahab and Jezebel had defied the Lord, but they could not get away with it, for He is sovereign in the affairs of mankind and He always has the last word. Now He acted – – and take note of this solemn record, for this God is the God with whom we all have to do and before whom all men will stand to give account of themselves (Romans 14:12). In the world there are two groups of people: those represented by Ahab and Jezebel, and those by Naboth and Elijah, and the latter group are very much in the minority. 

Many, like Naboth, have been martyred for their faithfulness to the Lord, and many are suffering persecution and death because they are Christians. Is the Devil winning, and is the majority group in the right? No –- look up Matthew 7:13-14, and compare Proverbs 4:18-19. God will yet vindicate His people and mete out judgment to those who have rebelled against Him, rejected His word and refused to humble themselves before Him –- look up Revelation 20:9-15 and 21:6-8. God is merciful and slow to fulfil His word of judgment, but He will fulfil it – – look up Ecclesiastes 8:11.

ELIJAH’’S SOLEMN TASK 

Verses 17-26. It was a hard task for Elijah to have to pronounce Ahab’’s doom and that of his posterity, and then the doom of Jezebel –- verses 21-24. What should be our message in these darkening days? Should we tell men and women that God is love? Yes. Should we say that He is merciful? Yes. But above all, we must declare that God is just and holy, that He hates sin, that judgment is coming upon this world and that if they want to escape it they must “flee from the coming wrath” (Matthew 3:7) –- flee to the refuge which is Christ Jesus our Lord (Isaiah 32:2). The message that should be on the lips of every Christian today is John 3:36 –- not the first part without the second. Are you proclaiming that message (Acts 20:27)? 

...and final thought: 2 Peter 3: 9-14.

In Christ,

Janet Irene Thomas

Playwright/Director/Screen Writer

Producer/Gospel Lyricist/Author

Founder/CEO

Bible Stories Theatre of

Fine & Performing Arts

www.biblestoriestheatre.org

GENESIS AND EXODUS (2)

SIN MAKES LIFE CORRUPT

GENESIS. The word "genesis" means "beginning."  From this book we learn that the one true God made everything and called it "good."  One story of Creation is told in ch.1. It tells, in order, how God made the world and all creatures in six days. The seventh day was a Sabbath, a day of rest for God. 

In a second Creation Story, chs. 2-3, we learn that people spoiled the good creation by disobeying God. They sinned, and their sin made life corrupt.

In Christ,

Janet Irene Thomas

Playwright/Director/Screen Writer

Producer/Gospel Lyricist/Author

Founder/CEO

Bible Stories Theatre of

Fine & Performing Arts

www.biblestoriestheatre.org

THE PRIESTLY GARMENTS

Exodus 28:1-5

New International Version (NIV)

The Priestly Garments

28 “Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests. ² Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor. ³ Tell all the skilled workers to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest. ⁴ These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests. ⁵ Have them use gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.

              Israel’s High Priest

Aaron, Moses’ brother was the first high priest. The high priest was head over all the other priest. He was in charge of the sacrifices in the tabernacle, either doing them himself or making sure they were properly done. He was the only priest allowed to enter the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle, and that was allowed only once each year on the Day of Atonement. The high priest was the one who discovered God’s will with the use of the Urim and Thummin (see Exodus 28:30).

 In Christ,

Janet Irene Thomas

Playwright/Director/Screen Writer

Producer/Gospel Lyricist/Author

Founder/CEO

Bible Stories Theatre of

Fine & Performing Arts

www.biblestoriestheatre.org

SILENCING UNBELIEF

Joshua 6:10 We know that there are many texts in God’s Word instruct us to "wait on God," and to stand still, to be silent before Him (Moses, Ex.14:13,14; Jehoshaphat, 2 Chr. 20:15-17; David, Ps. 37:7,8). In this text, Joshua commands the children of Israel to maintain total silence as the walk around the city of Jericho. The memory that Israel’s 40-year punishment in the wilderness was a result of the people’s murmuring in unbelief was doubtless in Joshua’s mind.

At that time, the spies had returned with a report motivated by what man sees without Holy Spirit-given vision. Their unbelief that they could take the land had sealed their fate in the wilderness.

Now, with the lessons of history in mind, Joshua’s directive to keep silent is a precaution that teaches us, when facing great challenges, do not permit your lips to speak unbelieving words. Prohibit demoralizing speech from your lips. Words can bind up or set free, hence the order to silence! Later, they would see the salvation of the Lord pursuant upon their shout of triumph (6:20).

We cannot help what we see and hear, but our refusal to speak doubt and fear will keep our hearts more inclined to what God can do, rather than what we cannot (see Prov. 30:32).

In Christ,

Janet Irene Thomas

Playwright/Director/Screen Writer

Producer/Gospel Lyricist/Author

Founder/CEO

Bible Stories Theatre of

Fine & Performing Arts

www.biblestoriestheatre.org