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Daily Devotions

Genesis

Genesis 
Day 
Day 281

"I am Your servant; Give me understanding, That I may know Your testimonies." Psalm 119:125

Text: Genesis 35:1-29

AVOIDING THE SUPERFICIAL APPROACH

Jacob had many children! But the number of children he had must not be seen in a negative light! He must not think that the sheer size of his family caused them to turn out badly. That would be a very superficial approach indeed.

It was the Lord who had said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply’. It was by the grace of God that Jacob had so many children! God had blessed, and therefore he must not put the blame on the number of children he had!


RESOLVING THE PROBLEM OF SIN

It was sin that caused the sons of Jacob to behave as they did! It was the influence of “foreign gods” that caused them to be so full of wrath and wickedness. Part of the answer to the problem lay in repentance. The other part of the answer lay in the blessing that God would pour out.

“I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply;
a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you,
and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave
Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants
after you I give this land.”
GENESIS 35:11-12

“I am God Almighty…”

How easy it is to be discouraged because of the setback that sin causes! But no sin is so great that God’s might could not overcome it! The Lord that Jacob worshipped was “God Almighty”. His Presence and His Power will be more than equal to the power of sin!

“A nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you…”

Jacob need not be afraid of “numbers”. Nations would “proceed” from him! Would they all turn out to be evil? NO! Some of his descendants would be “kings”. He must exercise his faith in the promise of the Lord!

“The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you… and to your descendants…”

Jacob was afraid that the onerous deeds of his sons would have such severe consequences that they would never be able to inherit the land! They were still but a small family group. The other ethnic groups in the land were much larger. Would they be able to survive at all?

God addressed all his unspoken fears! His promise of blessing carried with it a plan. And in that divine plan, God had determined that He would fulfil His promise given to Abraham and to Isaac. He now confirmed that the full covenantal blessing promised would be extended to Jacob and his descendants as well! He must lay aside all his fears and begin afresh – on a note of vibrant faith in the Lord and His word of promise!