Introduction We're almost at the end of the story of Joseph. And we're followed his life, from the time when he was 17 years old when he dreamed his dreams about his brothers bowing down to him; to the time when his brothers sold him into slavery and he ended up a slave in Potiphar's … Continue reading Genesis 47(13–31) →

Introduction We've been studying the story of Joseph for a few weeks now. And we reached the point last week whenever he revealed his true identity to his brothers who had come to Egypt to buy grain because of the famine in the land of Canaan. And instead of being angry with his brothers, and … Continue reading Genesis 45(16)–47(12) →

Introduction We've got a lot to cover this evening. As I've already said, I want to take this long section together. And as I've done previously, let me summarise the passage, making a few comments on the way; and then I'll make a few main points at the end. Chapter 42 And so, we read … Continue reading Genesis 42(01)–45(15) →

Introduction We've been thinking about the story of Joseph for a few weeks now. And we've been seeing how the history of Joseph's life reveals to us the history of our Lord's life. Joseph was his father's Beloved Son just as the Lord Jesus Christ is God the Father's Beloved Son. And just as Joseph … Continue reading Genesis 40+41 →

Introduction Last week we spent our time on Genesis 38 and the story of Judah and Tamar. And though it may seem that chapter 38 interrupts the story of Joseph which began in chapter 37 and resumes in chapter 39, nevertheless I explained last week that chapter 38 and the story of Judah and Tamar … Continue reading Genesis 39 →

Introduction A few weeks ago, when we were studying chapter 34, and the story of what Shechem the son of Hamor did to Jacob's daughter, Dinah, and what Jacob's sons did to the city of Shechem afterwards, I said it was the kind of chapter which makes you wonder why it's in the Bible. Why … Continue reading Genesis 38 →

Introduction The last time we studied the book of Genesis together we were on chapters 35 and 36. And do you remember the four 's'es from those two chapters? The first 's' was sin. After God commanded Jacob to go to Bethel, Jacob commanded the members of his family to get rid of their foreign … Continue reading Genesis 37 →

Introduction Genesis chapter 35 is quite unusual, because it seems to contain an assortment of stories and incidents and details that don't appear to have much connection with one another. It's almost as if Moses -- who wrote the book of Genesis under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit -- had all these loose ends … Continue reading Genesis 35+36 →

Introduction We come today to a difficult passage and to a strange one. You might even have been thinking, as I read the passage just now, why it's even in the Bible? Why are these things recorded for us? Why do we have to read this story of sex and violence? After all, if it … Continue reading Genesis 34 →