January

Day 1:  Thursday, January 1, 2026

Genesis 1:         God creates the heavens and the earth in six days.  Notice the order of creation as it progresses each day.  The first four days of creation prepare for living things to come upon  the earth.  Days five and six describe, in general, those created living things.  Man is created on the sixth day. This account is describing the creation of man in general.  In chapter 2 the same creation account will have additional details of the one creation.  These are not separate creations.  God made man at one time, not two separate times.  Notice that all that God created was good.  

Genesis 2:      After the creation account, given in a general sense, we read that God rested on the seventh day.  The word for “rested” [shabath], as it pertains to God, simply means that He ceased any additional creation work.  God was not tired; He was finished with the creation  work.  The writer then describes the creation of man and woman in a more specific sense   than in chapter 1 verse 27.  The first use of the word “LORD” [all capital letters] is in verse 4 and this is the name “Yahweh.”  When the word "Lord" is used, it is typically the word Adonay.  We read of the garden in Eden that the man was responsible for tending.  In the  garden there were many trees, but two are intentionally pointed out.  The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil are specified.  Some geographical indicators are  given as they point to the garden’s general location.  God gives a command for the man to  refrain from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  If the man violates this  command, the consequence will be death.  This death, though spiritual in nature in the  immediate sense, will also pertain to physical death.  The man is called Adam.  God creates  woman from the man.  In Genesis 3:20 we will find that her name is Eve.  In verse 24 the  standard for marriage is given.  That standard never changes and it never will.  Even though  it will be violated later in the Scriptures, the standard for marriage remains constant with  what is given in verse 24.  Jesus will speak of what marriage is in Matthew 19:5 and Mark 10:7-8.  The Apostle Paul will keep to this standard in I Corinthians 6:16 and Ephesians 5:31.  Additionally, although Adam and Eve did not originate through the means of a father and a mother, the standard for marriage is put in place from the beginning.  The standard for marriage is that one male, who has always been a male,  joins in the covenant of marriage with one woman, who has always been a woman.  The  Bible prescribes this.  Later, it will describe violations against this standard.

Genesis 3:          Notice that before Adam and Eve sin, the serpent comes to tempt them.  In Revelation 12:9 the Apostle John will refer to the devil as “the serpent of old”.  This is the devil taking the form of a serpent to tempt the woman.  He undermines the word of God and successfully lures the woman to sin.  Adam sins as well.  They know immediately that things have  drastically changed.  They now fear God and hide from Him when they hear Him approaching.  God asks them questions, not because He was unaware of what had  happened, but to bring them to confess their sin to Him.  Adam answers by blaming  God and Eve.  Eve blames the serpent.  God preaches the Gospel in v. 15 when He refers to  the seed of the woman.  This ultimately points to the Christ [Messiah] who will be “bruised”  by the serpent, but who will then crush the serpent.  The consequences are given to the  serpent, the man, and the woman.  Spiritual death has already happened and physical death  will come later.  Adam and Eve tried to cover their shame, but their coverings only dealt  with the physical aspect.  God serves as the first Priest in that He sacrifices an animal to clothe them and in this He shows the work of making atonement for sin.  As a protection, God drives Adam and  Eve out of the garden. 

Day 2:  Friday, January 2, 2026

Genesis 4:       Adam and Eve have sons named Cain and Abel. The story moves rapidly along and focuses on the sacrifices that are made by Cain and Abel. They had been taught, most likely by Adam with the LORD’s help, what sacrifices are and how to make them. God has regard for Abel’s offering, but not for Cain’s offering. Cain’s response is that of anger toward God and then toward Abel. God warns Cain regarding this, but Cain does not heed the warning. He rose up and killed Abel. The LORD confronts Cain, but Cain isn’t broken over his sin. He is saddened over the consequences of it. Although God could have killed Cain, He spares Him. God tells Cain of the consequences and Cain argues that the penalty is too severe. Even here, Cain’s anger toward God and refusal to trust Him are seen. Cain moves on, takes a wife and builds a city. His wife would have been one of his sisters. At that time this would have been allowed. Some of Cain’s descendants are mentioned and then the narrative moves back to Adam and Eve. A son, Seth, is born to Adam and Eve. Seth will be the one through whom the promise made in Genesis 3:15 will continue.

Genesis 5:     The lineage of Adam is given. Keep in mind that this is Messianic in nature. See Luke 3:36-38 for the connection. NOTE: In Luke 3:37, the name Cainan is referring to the one called Kenan in Genesis 5:13.  This genealogical list goes from Adam to Shem. Shem is one of the sons of Noah. Shem will be the continuance of the Messianic line.  Noah was 500 years old when he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japeth. Another interesting note about this chapter is the mention of Enoch, a man who is noted to walk with God. Whereas all of the other men listed in this chapter die, the Text says that God took Enoch.

Genesis 6:       The earth becomes more and more populated. There are varying views regarding what takes place in the first four verses of the chapter. The variance pertains to who “the sons of God” refer to. Regardless of which view one takes, a main point is that wickedness becomes more and more prevalent. The writer uses anthropomorphic terminology to speak of God regretting making man. God did not make a mistake in creation. This simply indicates the severity of the consequences of man’s sin against God. A man named Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. The LORD tells Noah of the coming destruction He will bring upon the earth and its inhabitants. God commands Noah to build an ark which will be able to preserve him, his family, and some of the animals. God will establish His covenant with Noah and Noah will be spared from the coming judgement. Noah obeys God’s command to build the ark. It is not explicitly stated here, but it takes Noah less than a century to build the ark with the help of his sons. This is derived from Noah being 500 years old when he fathered his sons [Genesis 5:32] and Noah being in his 600th year of life in Genesis 7:11 when the flood begins. Some people view Genesis 1-11 as a metaphor only. They reject that Noah was a real person and that the flood was a real event. This is a dangerous position to hold to. There is debate among others as to whether the flood was isolated to a particular area or over the entire earth. Some of the biblical writers have addressed whether or not Noah and the flood were real. King David, in Psalm 29:10, saw Noah as a real person and the flood as a real event. The prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 54:9, saw Noah as a real person and the flood as a real event. The Apostle Peter, in II Peter 2:5, saw Noah as a real person and the flood as a real event. Ultimately, Jesus, in Matthew 24:38-39 and in Luke 17:27, saw Noah as a real person and the flood as a real event. To deny Genesis 1-11 as being historical is to accuse the biblical writers, and Jesus of being incorrect or liars. In either case, it is a serious error on the part of those who doubt the viability of the Scriptures. 

Genesis 7:       The flood comes when Noah is 600 years old. He, his wife, his three sons, and his three daughters-in-law are the only people spared from the waters. The animals on the ark are the only ones which survived the flood. All flesh, other than that on the ark, perished. God’s promise made in Genesis 3:15 is still intact. The rains fell for forty days and forty nights. The waters of the great deep also burst forth. The earth was covered with the waters of the flood. The waters prevailed on the earth for about six months.

Day 3:  Saturday, January 3, 2026

Genesis 8:       After the six months of the flood waters prevailing on the earth, God remembered Noah and all that was on the ark. The rains were held back and the deeps were closed. The ark rested atop the mountains of Ararat. Just over a year after the flood began, Noah, his family, and the animals came out of the ark onto dry ground. Noah built an altar and made burnt offering sacrifices on it. The LORD was pleased with the sacrifices and said to Himself that He would not curse the ground or destroy every living thing again.

Genesis 9:         God blessed Noah and his sons. He commanded them to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, the same command that He gave to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28. The first mention of eating every moving thing occurs in verse 3. God establishes the Noahic covenant promising  never to destroy the earth again with water. The sign of this covenant was the bow in the clouds. Noah’s sons obeyed God’s command to be fruitful and multiply. A sad event occurs when Noah became drunk and his youngest son, Ham, saw Noah’s nakedness. He told Shem and Japeth about this. Shem and Japeth walk into Noah’s tent backwards so as to be able to cover their father without looking upon him in his nakedness. Noah did wake up from his drunken slumber and detected what Ham had done to him. This brought about a curse on Ham’s son, Canaan. There is speculation as to what Ham did to Noah, but the Bible doesn’t specify. Whatever it was, it proved costly for Ham and his descendants. The death of Noah at the age of 950 years old is recorded.

Genesis 10:         The lineages of Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japeth are listed. In the listing of Ham’s sons, the son who looked upon his father’s nakedness, we find that Babel is first mentioned. This is also called Babylon and it is in the land of Shinar.  Shem’s lineage is listed in verses 21-31. When you compare this list with the list in Luke 3:34-36 you find that Shem was the continuance of the Messianic lineage. This chapter helps the reader to see the repopulation of the earth after the flood.

Genesis 11:       The descendants of Noah’s sons had greatly multiplied and spread across the known world. They stopped at a place called Shinar and wanted to build a tower there for their own name and glory. The LORD confused their language and thus spread them over the earth. This is when multiple languages were introduced. It was used of the LORD to confuse the people and stop the building of the tower. The descendants of Shem, the Messianic line, are listed. A man from Shem’s lineage is Terah. He has sons and one of them is Abram. This man will later be called Abraham. Abram’s wife, Sarai, is also mentioned. Later, her name will become Sarah.

Day 4: Sunday, January 4, 2026

Job 1:       The book of Job is typically dated by scholars during the time of the patriarchs. It is possible that he would have lived during the general time period of Abraham. Job is mentioned by the prophet Ezekiel in Ezekiel 14:14 and 14:20 as well as by the New Testament writer, James, in James 5:11. Those two writers viewed Job as a real person. The story begins with Job being described as a godly man who acts as a priest for his family. Although the Levitical priesthood is not established until centuries later, the concept was first recognized in Genesis 3 when God acted as a Priest on behalf of Adam and Eve. There is a gathering before the LORD by the “sons of God” (likely referring to angelic hosts) and Satan is allowed to gather with them. The LORD confronts Satan and Satan responds by speaking of his searches on the earth.  These likely refer to his attempts to find fault in certain people.  The LORD mentions Job to Satan for consideration. Satan is familiar with Job and asks for permission to target him. The LORD allows it, but sets parameters on what Satan is allowed to do and what he is not allowed to do regarding Job. Satan goes after Job and brings destruction and death to Job’s children, but he does not physically harm Job. Job’s response was to worship the LORD. It is apparent that the LORD gave to Satan a measure of power.  At no point was God not sovereign in any of Satan’s attacks, regardless of the means that used. It is God who is in control of the universe, not Satan.

Job 2:         Satan asks the LORD for permission to target Job again, but this time to be allowed to touch Job physically. The LORD permits, but only to an extent. Satan is not allowed to kill Job. Satan inflicts painful sores on Job. Job’s wife, who is also grieving the loss of their children, lashes out against Job regarding his commitment to the LORD. Job rebukes her. After this, Job is visited by his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. These friends of Job lived in different parts of Arabia and had to travel to meet with Job. Neither Job, nor his friends, were privy to the conversations between the LORD and Satan in these first two chapters.

Job 3:        After agonizing and sitting with three of his friends in silence for seven days, Job breaks the silence. His opening speech is laced with pain, confusion, and bitterness. Job is a broken man.

Job 4:          The first of Job’s friends to speak is Eliphaz. His response will comprise chapters 4 and 5. Eliphaz incorrectly assumes that Job’s sufferings are a result of some secret sin. Although Job’s words in chapter 3 were laced with anger, this does not excuse Eliphaz’s treatment of Job here.

Job 5:          It is possible that Eliphaz’s words in verse 4 are directed at Job’s now deceased children. If so, this is a cruel attack on Job. Eliphaz is not wrong in talking about the sinner repenting and being restored by the LORD, but he is incorrect in his assumption that Job is suffering due to unconfessed sin. 

Day 5: Monday, January 5, 2026

Job 6:         Job responds to Eliphaz in chapters 6 and 7 and his response is stern. He knows that Eliphaz has not spoken rightly of him.   In truth, he should be receiving compassion instead of rebuke from his friend. After this, Job speaks of his consolation in the Holy One. 

Job 7:         Job’s response and rebuke toward Eliphaz shifts as he offers a direct complaint to the LORD. He expresses his confusion over what has happened. Notice his utter perplexity at the sufferings he endures. He truly does not understand why these things have come upon him. Yet, he still calls out to the LORD.

Job 8:         The second of Job’s friends, Bildad, gives his first response to Job. His words not only severely miss the mark, but what he says in verse 4 is the cruelest of things said to Job. In essence, he says that Job’s sons got what they deserved. After this, there is a continual theme of Job’s friends sometimes saying correct things, but misapplying them to Job. The more they try to counsel Job, the more their frustrations are evident. 

Job 9:          Job’s response to Bildad is found in chapters 9 and 10. Job has not become an atheist or even an agnostic. He recognizes that there is a sovereign God who is reigning over the universe. Job understands and confesses that God is He who created the world and the stars. When Job, in verse 13, refers to Rahab, this is likely a reference to those who are prideful. In other places it is a word that can be used to describe a sea monster. It is not a reference to the woman named Rahab in Joshua 2:1. Job knows that God is sovereign, but that truth isn’t a comfort to him at the present.

Day 6: Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Job 10:         Job is full of despair. In verse 20 he will ask the LORD to withdraw from him. In chapter 13, verses 20 and 21, Job will ask something different. He will ask the LORD not to remove His hand from him. Notice the fluctuation of heart as Job processes his sufferings and his perplexity toward God for allowing these occurrences.

Job 11:         The third friend of Job is Zophar. His first speech is a rebuke to Job and he calls him to confess and repent of his secret sin or sins. Some of what he says about confession and repentance is true, but he misapplies this to Job. One thing to note, after this first round of speeches, is that they Job's friends want their friend to hope in God and be restored. They have assumed and incorrectly applied much of their counsel to Job.

Job 12:          Job’s fourth speech comprises chapters 12-14. This is his first response after the first three of his friends have all spoken. He challenges their notions regarding the reasons for his suffering as well as their assessment of why suffering happens to anyone. In verse 9 there is a hint of Job recognizing that the LORD has brought these things on him, but he still doesn’t know the reasons why.

Job 13:        Job rebukes his friends, calling calls them worthless counselors.   He expresses his desire to present his case before the LORD. Job turns their counsel back on them by asking how they will do when God examines them. There is great encouragement in verses 15, 20, and 21, but in verses 15-16 there is an indication that Job does not think that his present sufferings are the result of unconfessed sin.

Job 14:          Job finishes his lengthy fourth speech with honest words about life and how quickly it is over. In verse 14, however, there seems to be a glimmer of hope in Job’s words. Does he have resurrection in mind here? Even if he does, his words continue to be drenched in anguish. He incorrectly accuses God of destroying man’s hope.

Job 15:          Eliphaz, in his second speech, scolds Job and compares him to the wicked who suffer because they stand opposed to God. This does not correctly apply to Job. In view of verse 10 it is likely that Eliphaz was considerably older than Job. Eliphaz speaks out of a growing frustration. This is an appropriate time to consider the usefulness of simply being with those who are suffering and not giving an overabundance of counsel to them. 

Day 7: Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Job 16:           Job sharply rebukes his friends in these next two chapters by calling them sorry comforters. He tells them that if he were the one counseling them in their sufferings, he would actually console them instead of attacking them. He feels as if God has given him over to the rough treatment of his friends. Job considers them to be acting as his enemies rather than his friends. There is hope mentioned in verse 19 wherein Job holds to having a witness and an advocate on high.   

Job 17:          Job despairs of life. He cannot understand God’s dealings with him and the viciousness of his friends in their counsel against him. He feels completely abandoned by them and by God. His only comfort is the thought of death, and in this he errs.

Job 18:         Bildad’s second speech continues the theme of his fellow friends who assume that Job’s present sufferings are due to Job’s wickedness. In verse 4 he asks Job, in essence, if the world should come to a stop because of Job's present sufferings. Bildad equates Job with the wicked. He basically says that Job is getting what he deserves because of his sins that he has not acknowledged, confessed, or repented thereof. In verse 19 he spews more cruel words about Job no longer having children. Bildad’s frustrations have brought forth counsel that is without compassion and is even ungodly.

Job 19:        Job's present state is one of devastation. He has lost everything and instead of receiving compassion, he has been turned away, even by his family and closest friends. He begs his friends to show him pity as they have shown none in their responses. Still, in verse 25, Job speaks of hope in his Redeemer! In all of Job’s anguish and his incorrect accusations toward God, there is another moment of clarity.  Job restates his belief in God, whom he will see! Job finishes this sixth speech with a warning to his friends regarding their counsel to him.

Job 20:         Zophar gives his second and final speech. He continues to accuse Job of being wicked. He accuses Job of gaining his wealth by evil means. He sees Job's loss of riches as validation of his accusation. He makes a false claim in verse 19 that Job mistreated the poor, but Job will argue in Job 29:12 that he was a helper of the poor. Zophar concludes by saying that Job is getting exactly what he deserves. His initial words in chapter 11 at least pointed Job to the LORD. However, he ends his words here without any consolation for Job. A word of wisdom: when our counsel fails to point others to the LORD, we have ceased giving godly counsel.

Day 8: Thursday, January 8, 2026

Job 21:         In Job’s seventh speech he refutes the claims of his friends who are accusing him of suffering because of some secret wickedness. He notes how even the wicked seem to prosper, yet he has been stricken by God. Job is turning the arguments of his friends back on them. At the end of the chapter, he clearly states that their counsel is in error and full of falsehood. 

Job 22:           In the third and final speech of Eliphaz, he continues to misapply his counsel to Job. Job is not suffering because of secret sin. Like Zophar’s words in chapter 20, verse 19, Eliphaz incorrectly accuses Job of harming men, women, and orphans. Job had not harmed anyone.  In fact, he had helped people!  Take from this Text that the reader should be careful in their assessments of people who are suffering.  Although Eliphaz had misapplied much of his counsel to Job, he did end this speech by exhorting Job to look to the LORD. 

Job 23:           Job begins his eighth speech with an honest admission of wanting to present his case before God. Job does not understand why all of these intense sufferings have come upon him. He desperately wants to understand and he knows that God alone knows the reason. Even in his anguish, Job is acknowledging God in His sovereignty. This speech will continue in chapter 24.

Job 24:         Job concludes his eighth speech by describing the motives and actions of the wicked. It is clear that Job does not fit in that category. This is not because he is sinless, but because he has been a follower of God who has been a blessing to people. He has sought to help people, not to harm them. Job gives proof as to why he refutes the charges brought against him by his friends. 

Job 25:         Bildad gives his third and final speech. In it, he speaks of God as just and man as impure before Him. This is a rebuke to Job who has claimed innocence in regard to secret sin. In verse 6, Bildad implies that Job is a maggot and a worm.

Job 26:         Job begins his final speech. This comprises chapters 26-31. Job uses sarcasm to describe the counsel of his friends. He knows that God is sovereign and he speaks of God's immense power. In verse 12, Job again refers to Rahab, as he did in chapter 9, verse 13. Refer to the notes from chapter 9 for an explanation of the word Rahab.

Day 9: Friday, January 9, 2026

Job 27:           Job’s ninth speech continues and he defends himself against his friends’ accusations. He contrasts himself against the wicked. Job regards the counsel of his friends as foolish. He knows that the truly wicked will not prosper forever. The wicked seek satisfaction, but will one day find that what satisfied them was insufficient to rightly satisfy anyone. 

Job 28:              As Job’s final speech continues, he contrasts human wisdom and Divine wisdom. This is likely another rebuke to his friends, but also an admission that he is limited in wisdom. Job knows that God is not limited in wisdom. Wisdom from God is sought for by many, even the wicked, but God must give it for one to have it. God gives a special wisdom to those whom He saves. Consider James 1:5-8 wherein James, one of Jesus’ half-brothers, exhorts fellow Christians to ask God for wisdom. That exhortation is only for those who trust in and follow Christ Jesus. God does grant general wisdom to unbelievers, but it is different than the wisdom given to His people.  Coming back to Job 28, it seems that Job is understanding that he is gaining wisdom through the means of God, even the means that he would not have chosen. 

Job 29:          Job reflects on the life he had before the attacks the LORD allowed Satan to inflict on him. He was highly revered by those who knew him. He remembers the times when his children were still alive. He was a helper to the helpless and everyone knew it. His words here contradict the accusations made against him concerning caring for the poor, orphans, and widows. Job knows that if his friends were to question his neighbors, they would find that their accusations against him would not stand.

Job 30:          Whereas Job just spoke of the blessings he enjoyed before the recent calamities, he now speaks of the agony of his sufferings. He cries to the LORD, but feels abandoned by Him. This has left him with a heart that is full of despair. He struggles to understand why these things have happened to him. When he was in a position to help the despairing, he helped them. However, now that he is in need of help, he claims that he has been ignored, even by the LORD. 

Job 31:          Job gives a final defense. He continues to refute the claims that his friends have made against him. He calls himself to the witness stand and brings up the numerous accusations made against him. In each accusation, Job gives his defense and concludes that if he had been guilty of those things, he would accept his judgment. This, however, is why he has been so perplexed. Throughout his life he has proven to be generous and upright. He is completely at a loss as to why he is suffering in the ways that he has been afflicted. Job’s words, in relation to his three friends, come to an end. His defense before them is complete. 

Day 10: Saturday, January 10, 2026

Job 32:         Another man was present during Job’s interactions with his three friends. His name was Elihu.  His speeches comprise chapters 32-37. He is younger.  He waited his turn to reply. Elihu rebukes Job for his supposed self-justification and he rebukes Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar because they did not make their case against Job. He says this in verses 3 and 12. Elihu will not use the same arguments that Job’s friends made. He acknowledges that there is a God who is just and who has made him (see verses 2 and 22).

Job 33:          Elihu continues with a preemptive claim of sincerity. He speaks of God as the Almighty and Creator. Elihu genuinely seems to want the best for Job. In this, he rebukes Job for claiming innocence and accusing God of wrongdoing. He speaks of the rejoicing that should be present in one whom God has delivered from going to the pit (the grave or a place of utter despair).  Elihu indicates that God works in ways so as to rescue those who are heading for destruction. He then reveals that his heart’s desire is to see Job justified. 

Job 34:        As Elihu continues, he confronts Job for claiming his innocence while implying that God has not acted justly toward him. In verse 13, Elihu rightly sees and acknowledges that God is the highest Authority. There is no one greater.  God appeals to no other. Elihu’s rebuke of Job, and of Job's friends, includes the impartiality of God. God does not judge as man judges. He judges in righteousness.

Job 35:        Elihu confronts Job over his claims that it does not benefit one to walk godly because the wicked seem to prosper more than the righteous. He puts before Job the fact that God is sovereign over all things and that Job has made incorrect assumptions about God and His ways.

Day 11: Sunday, January 11, 2026

Job 36:          Elihu speaks correctly of God in that God is sovereign and He does not forsake the righteous.  He speaks of God using trials to teach people. Elihu presumptuously accuses Job of some things wherein there might not have been guilt. Remember that he, like Job’s friends, was not privy to the information conveyed in the first two chapters of the story. This serves as yet another reminder for us to honestly acknowledge our lack of understanding when we give counsel in view of God knowing all things. Elihu has rightly stated his belief in the sovereign God, but he has also made assumptions that will not be substantiated.

Job 37:        Elihu concludes his words to Job with reminders of God’s ways being beyond what we can understand. He calls for Job to consider the LORD. In verses 15-20, he asks questions of Job that will be similar in nature to the questions that God will soon ask Job. Elihu has diligently sought to see Job refrain from questioning God any further and to trust Him instead.

Job 38:          The LORD finally addresses Job. It is a stern address. He humbles Job instantly with questions about the creation and who rules over all of it. The LORD does not ask Job the questions to receive answers, but to open Job’s eyes so that he recognizes who he stands before.   

Job 39:       As the LORD continues questioning Job, He uses the imagery of animals to show Job who truly is in control of the universe. These images are used to silence Job. Earlier, Job had wanted to stand before the LORD and plead his case. Now he stands silently before the LORD and likely with much fear.  This is a good reminder for Believers. God makes Himself known and saves a people for Himself. Yet, even though His people can approach Him, they must do so with great reverence and humility. 

Day 12: Monday, January 12, 2026

Job 40:       The LORD asks Job if he will find fault with Him. Job admits his insignificance before the LORD. The LORD then continues using the imagery of animals to show that He is in control of the universe. The Behemoth (possibly a hippopotamus) is the main example in this chapter. The LORD mentions the Jordan (river) in verse 23. The first mention of the valley of the Jordan (river) is in Genesis 13:10. That is of some interest due to that first mention being made by Abram’s (Abraham) nephew, Lot. This might give more credence to the thought that Job lived during or around the time of Abraham.

Job 41:         The LORD switches the imagery from the Behemoth to that of the Leviathan (possibly a crocodile). He is bringing Job to see that if he can’t tame the Behemoth or the Leviathan, how can he think that he can command God? The LORD makes it clear in verses 10-11 that no one, including Job, can call God to give an account. The chapter continues and then concludes with the LORD finishing His confrontation with Job.

Job 42:        A humbled Job confesses regarding the greatness of God and of his own limitations. Job is a changed man. The LORD rebukes Job’s friends and defends Job before them. He tells Eliphaz to bring certain animals to Job so that Job can act as a priest on their behalf. Eliphaz obeys the LORD and Job does as the LORD commanded. Job is reconciled with his friends after acting as a priest on their behalf. Afterwards, Job is restored by the LORD. His friends and family gather with him again. Job’s latter days were fuller than the days before his trials. He died an old man and full of days.

Genesis 12:        The storyline of Abram, who later will be renamed Abraham, begins. The LORD tells Abram to leave Haran and promises to bless him. He will bless all the families of the earth through Abram. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Make note of the references to Abram’s age as the story progresses. Verse 3 will be referenced by the Apostle Paul in Galatians 3:8. Paul will use this verse to show how God was preaching the Gospel to Abram. The Gospel that God preached is the same Gospel that Paul preached. God’s promise to Abram will involve a son.  Ultimately it will be fulfilled in God the Son, who is Jesus Christ. When Abram arrived in Canaan, there was a famine in the land. Because the famine was severe, he traveled to Egypt.  Abram encountered difficulty because of his failure to trust the LORD. First, he failed to trust the LORD in the famine. Then he failed to trust the LORD regarding the Egyptian men and his wife, Sarai. His specific fear was that the men would kill him and take Sarai. Another thing to note is that Abram and Sarai were half-siblings. According to Genesis 20:12, they had the same father, but different mothers. Abram and Sarai were Chaldeans and sibling marriage was not uncommon in various cultures during those times. Later, such marriages will be prohibited by the LORD.

Genesis 13:         When Abram left Haran initially, he took his nephew with him. His nephew was Lot. After the trip to Egypt, Abram and his people traveled back to Canaan. Abram and Lot prospered with their herds. The prosperity was such that the land could not sustain both men’s herds in close proximity. This was due, in part, to the presence of Canaanites and Perizzites living in the general vicinity. Because of this struggle to find sufficient pasture, strife occurred between Abram and Lot. Abram sought peace and graciously allowed Lot to select which land he would choose for his herds. Abram said that he would take land in the opposite direction for his herds. Lot moved to the city of Sodom. This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom along with Gomorrah, not afterwards. Those cities were not rebuilt after the destruction. A pivotal moment occurs after the agreement between Abram and Lot. The LORD promised to give Abram all the land, but more importantly, He reminded Abram of His promise concerning a son.  The LORD would keep His promise to Abram! 

Day 13: Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Genesis 14:        Tension mounts between various people in the land and Sodom is one of the cities involved. A battle ensues and Abram’s nephew, Lot, is taken when Sodom falls. Abram rescues Lot and collects the spoils of battle with him. Abram is mentioned as a Hebrew for the first time. The word Hebrew is thought by some scholars to refer to crossing-over something. It is speculated by some that this is because Abram had crossed over the Euphrates River to arrive in Canaan. After Abram’s decisive victory, the king of Sodom met with Abram and offered to allow him to keep some of the spoils.  Abram declined. He did, however, meet an intriguing character named Melchizedek. Melchizedek was a priest of God.  This will come into the story in the book of Hebrews when the writer speaks of Jesus as being a priest in the line of Melchizedek. Abram gave a tenth (tithe) from the spoils to Melchizedek. Melchizedek blessed Abram. There is uncertainty regarding Melchizedek. Some scholars speculate that he was a preincarnate form of Jesus. Other scholars see Melchizedek as being separate from Jesus. Regardless, the New Testament will speak of Jesus being a priest according to the order of Melchizedek. The priesthood of Melchizedek precedes the Levitical priesthood by several centuries. 

Genesis 15:         The LORD speaks to Abram telling him that He will be a shield to him. Abram struggles to believe Him regarding the promise of a son. The LORD reassures Abram that He will keep that promise. Abram believes the LORD and the LORD reckons Abram’s faith to him as righteousness! The LORD then commands Abram to gather certain animals for sacrifices that will be used to enter into a covenant together. The LORD tells Abram that his descendants will be enslaved in a land for four hundred years (this indicates that the Israelites will be slaves in Egypt).  When entering into a covenant, two parties would sacrifice certain animals and both parties would walk through the bloody pieces. The parties were bound in this. Walking through the sacrificed animals pictured the severity of breaking covenant with someone. The LORD put Abram into a deep sleep and He alone walked through the pieces of the sacrifice. This covenant would be solely on the LORD to keep. Abram could not fail and invalidate the covenant.   

Genesis 16:         Sarai tires of waiting for the LORD to give her a son with Abram. She seeks to “help” the LORD by giving her maid, Hagar, to Abram as a wife. We find that ten years have passed since Abram had lived in Canaan. In Genesis 12:4, we read that Abram was seventy-five years old when the LORD initially spoke to him. He is now eighty-five years old. Abram went to Hagar and she conceived. Sarai is hurt by this, even though she suggested the union. She mistreats Hagar and Hagar flees. An angel of the LORD meets with Hagar and tells her to return to Sarai. He also tells Hagar that she will have many descendants through the child she carries in her womb. His name will be Ishmael. Hagar reckons that she has seen God. An important note is that numerous scholars believe that this appearance of the angel of the LORD was a pre-incarnate form of Jesus. The word angel simply refers to a messenger. Jesus could appear as an angel of the LORD because He was delivering a message. Jesus could be angelic in function, but He was never angelic in nature. He is Divine in nature. Centuries later, in the Incarnation, He will take on a human nature as well.  Angels are created beings. Jesus is God the Creator and should never be considered as a created being. The chapter ends with Abram being eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born.

Genesis 17:       The LORD visits Abram when Abram was ninety-nine years old. Twenty-four years have passed since the LORD first met with Abram and promised him a son. In this chapter we will see Abram’s name being changed to Abraham and Sarai’s name being changed to Sarah. The LORD speaks extensively in this chapter. He invokes a covenant with Abraham. The sign of this covenant will be circumcision. All of the males in Abraham’s house and the future descendants are to be circumcised in the flesh of their foreskin. Notice that Abraham had believed the Gospel (Genesis 15:6) years before he was circumcised. The LORD reminds Abraham that He will keep His promise to give Abraham a son with Sarah, his wife. Abraham is shocked to think that this son could still be born to Sarah. The LORD scolds Abraham and tells him that Sarah will have a son a year from that time. This son will be named Isaac. The LORD promises to bless Ishmael, but Isaac is the son through whom the covenant will be kept. Abraham is circumcised and so are the males in his household. 

Day 14: Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Genesis 18:         Abraham is visited by the LORD and two men (in Genesis 19:1 we find that these two men are angels). This is another pre-incarnate form of Jesus as the LORD (Yahweh). The LORD tells Abraham that a year from that time he and Sarah would have the son He had promised. Sarah overhears this and laughs. She cannot, at that time, believe that she will have a son with Abraham.  The story turns to what the LORD will do to Sodom and Gomorrah because of the graveness of their sin. Abraham, knowing that Lot lives in Sodom, asks the LORD if He will destroy the cities if there are righteous people in it. Abraham starts by mentioning the possibility of there being fifty righteous people. The LORD says that He will not destroy the cities if there are fifty righteous people there. Eventually, Abraham asks the LORD if He will destroy the cities if there are ten righteous people in them. The LORD says that He will not destroy the cities if there are ten righteous people in them. The LORD departs after that exchange.

Genesis 19:          The two men who were with the LORD when meeting Abraham in Genesis 18 are revealed to be angels. They went to Sodom to destroy it. Lot took the men into his home. The men of Sodom, who were exceedingly wicked, went to Lot’s home so as to take the two angels and rape them. Lot offered his two daughters, both virgins, to the men of Sodom. Various suggestions have been offered as to why Lot did this, but what is clear is that Lot was failing to trust the LORD and instead, he trusted in his own devices. The men of Sodom threaten to harm Lot worse than they would the men in his home. The angels rescue Lot and strike the men of Sodom with blindness. This judgement from the LORD did not humble the men of Sodom. Rather, it enraged them! The Sodomite men wearied themselves trying to get to the doorway! There have been some who have argued that Sodom’s primary sin was inhospitality. That is a gentle euphemism and it is largely based on Ezekiel 19:49. Ezekiel did mention Sodom’s inhospitality, but he also mentioned their abominations in Ezekiel 19:47. To conclude that Sodom’s destruction was due primarily to inhospitality is to woefully misunderstand the Text. The men of Sodom wanted to rape other men. Even if it had been consensual, homosexuality was and still is an abominable act. God has not and will not ever condone or approve it. Following the blinding of the men of Sodom, the angels command Lot to take his family and leave Sodom. His sons-in-law think that he isn’t serious. His wife loves Sodom so much so that she turns to look back at the city and is turned to a pillar of salt.  There is uncertainty as to exactly what it meant to be turned to a pillar of salt, but it is certain that she was killed for failing to obey the LORD. As Lot escaped with his two daughters, they likely think that they are the last people alive. Lot’s daughters make a plan to get their father drunk so as to conceive children with him. Each takes their turn and in consecutive evenings, Lot impregnates his daughters. Their offspring, Moab and Ammon, become thorns in the side of God’s people through the years.

Genesis 20:         The story comes back to Abraham. After the LORD visited him, he traveled to Gerar. Abimelech  (a title, not a name; meaning “my father is king” or “father of a king”), the king of Gerar, took Sarah to be his wife. Abraham had deceived Abimelech as to Sarah being his wife. She was his half-sister, but also his wife. Keep in mind that the LORD had recently told Abraham that he and Sarah would have a son together. The LORD did not allow Abimelech to consummate the marriage with Sarah. He appeared to Abimelech in a dream and warned him regarding his marriage to Sarah. Abimelech admits his ignorance in the matter and the LORD tells him that is why he has been spared. This is an instance wherein God exercises His sovereignty and limits Abimelech in his will. Man’s free will has always been limited, even before sin entered into the world, but this is a passage wherein we see the sovereignty of God exercised while the will of a man is restricted. The LORD would not leave any question as to who the father of Isaac would be. Abimelech confronts Abraham, but then returns Sarah to him along with a gift of land and silver. Abraham acts as a priest on behalf of Abimelech and the people of Gerar. The LORD healed Abimelech and the women in his household so that they could again bare children.

Day 15: Wednesday, January 15, 2026

Genesis 21:        The LORD opened Sarah’s womb and she bore a son to Abraham. The son was Isaac. Abraham was one hundred years old when Isaac was born. Keep this in mind when you read Genesis 25:7 and 25:26. He waited twenty-five years for this son, but he will wait another sixty years for grandsons. Tensions rose between Sarah and Hagar. Sarah told Abraham to make Hagar and Ishmael leave. He struggled, but did relent and made the pair leave. The LORD reminded Abraham that He would give him Messianic descendants through Isaac, but that He would also make Ishmael a nation. Hagar and Ishmael ran out of water in the wilderness and Ishmael was on the verge of thirsting to death. The angel of the LORD came to their aid and showed Hagar a well of water. They both survived and Hagar later found a wife for her son. The remainder of the chapter focuses on Abraham and some conflict that he encountered with Abimelech. The men enter into a covenant together and that eased the tension between them. 

Genesis 22:         Several years have passed since Isaac was born. The next thing we read about is God testing Abraham concerning Isaac. God tells Abraham to take Isaac to the land of Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering. The land of Moriah is where Solomon’s Temple would be built centuries later (II Chronicles 3:1).  This is also the general vicinity where Jesus would be crucified around 29 A.D. Abraham does as God says and when the time came to kill Isaac, the LORD stopped him. According to Hebrews 11:19, Abraham believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead after he sacrificed him. The LORD reminds Abraham of the promise He made in Genesis 12:3. The chapter concludes with mentions of some of Abraham’s relatives. One of the names mentioned was Rebekah, the young woman who later became Isaac’s wife and the mother of Esau and Jacob.

Genesis 23:         Sarah dies at one hundred and twenty-seven years of age. Abraham would have been one hundred and thirty-seven years old. Isaac would have been thirty-seven years old. Most of the chapter lists the details of Abraham acquiring a burial site for Sarah. The place was Machpelah in the land of Canaan.

Day 16: Friday, January 16, 2026

Genesis 24:        Abraham was old in age and Isaac was unmarried. He sends his oldest servant to his homeland to seek out a wife for Isaac. The two men make a covenant of sorts and the servant travels to Mesopotamia. There, he asks the LORD to make his journey successful. He asks the LORD for specific things to be able to determine if this was His provision. The servant’s request was answered when Rebekah, a relative of Abraham, gave him water and watered his camels. He asked her who she was and she told him. Abraham’s servant worshipped the LORD. The remainder of the chapter lists the details of Abraham’s servant speaking with Rebekah’s family and then being allowed to take her back with him. As he and Rebekah approach the place where Isaac lived, Isaac saw them and approached. The servant relayed the events to Isaac and Isaac took Rebekah to be his wife. In Genesis 25:19 we find that Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah.

Genesis 25:        This chapter is comprised of details concerning Abraham’s additional sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons. His death is recorded. Ishmael’s descendants are listed. The record of his death is also listed. Isaac married Rebekah when he was forty years old.  She was barren. Isaac prayed to the LORD and the LORD opened her womb. She bore Esau and Jacob to Isaac when he was sixty years old. That meant that Abraham was one hundred and sixty years old when the twins were born. Even though Abraham’s death was listed earlier in the chapter, this meant that he had fifteen years with his grandsons through Isaac. He saw God continuing the keeping of His Messianic promise! The sons of Isaac struggled with each other even in their being born. Esau was the older son. Isaac and Rebekah showed favoritism toward their sons. Esau was more concerned with the immediate and physical pleasures in life. Jacob used this to obtain Esau’s birthright. There was spiritual significance to the birthright, but Esau didn’t care about that. 

Day 17: Saturday, January 17, 2026

Genesis 26:       The LORD met with Isaac and promised him what had been promised to Abraham in Genesis 15:5. The LORD would continue the Messianic line through him. Soon after that, Isaac failed to trust the LORD.  Like his father had done in his early years, Isaac told the people where he lived that Rebekah was his sister and not his wife. This brought some conflict with the king of that place.  That issue was resolved, but there were ongoing conflicts between Isaac and the Philistine men of that area. The LORD appears again to Isaac and reminds him of presence with him and His promises to him. Isaac lived in relative peace throughout the remainder of this chapter.  Esau is mentioned again, this time it is to indicate the grief that he brought to his parents by his marriages to two Canaanite women.

Genesis 27:          Isaac was old, although he would live for several more years (see Genesis 35:28).  He wanted to bless his oldest son, Esau, before he died. The story takes a sad turn as we read about a wife deceiving her husband and oldest son while the younger son deceived his father and older brother. The mother and younger son schemed to bring about a blessing that God had told her He would give to the younger son in Genesis 25:23. Rebekah accomplished what she sought for, but it came at a high cost. Esau’s anger toward Jacob was severe to the point of him planning to kill Jacob after their father died. Rebekah heard about Esau’s plan and decided to send Jacob to live with her brother, Laban. NOTE: The favoritism of Isaac shown to Esau and Rebekah to Jacob is shameful. The deception that followed should not surprise anyone. Failing to trust the LORD by taking matters into our own hands will always be sinful. May we learn from the sins of that family, lest we repeat those sins in our own families. 

Day 18:  Sunday, January 18, 2026

Genesis 28:          Isaac blessed Jacob further and commanded him not to take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. Isaac sent Jacob to the land of Paddan-aram, to his uncle Laban’s house. Esau, still seething with jealousy and knowing that it would hurt his parents for him to marry a Canaanite woman, went to his uncle Ishmael and married one of his daughters. Jacob traveled toward Paddan-aram, a journey of over four hundred miles. One night, Jacob had a dream and saw a ladder reaching heaven with angels ascending and descending on it. The LORD appeared to Jacob and repeated the promise that He had made to Abraham and to Isaac. Jacob awoke and knew that the LORD had been there. He made a vow to the LORD to serve Him. 

Genesis 29:          Jacob arrived in Paddan-aram. He found shepherds who knew Laban. Laban’s youngest daughter, Rachel approached the place where the sheep were watered. Jacob and Rachel met and he told Rachel who he was. Rachel told her father, Laban. Laban met Jacob and invited him to stay with them. Jacob loved Rachel and when Laban asked what his wages should be, Jacob asked for Rachel as a wife. Jacob worked seven years so as to be given Rachel, but Laban deceived Jacob. Jacob, the man who had deceived his brother and his father, now knew the pain of being deceived. Laban gave his oldest daughter, Leah to Jacob as a wife, but Jacob had not realized that it was Leah. Jacob was upset, but Laban promised to give Rachel to him if he worked another seven years for him. Jacob was finally given Rachel as his wife. This chapter has a sense of sadness to it. Laban deceives his son-in-law. Jacob loves Rachel, but not Leah. The family dynamics are fractured from the onset. Yet, the LORD will bring about His Messianic promise in this. Rachel was barren, but the LORD gave Leah the ability to bear children. She bore her first four sons to Jacob. They were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Judah will be the continuance of the Messianic line. 

Genesis 30:          Jacob had more sons and a daughter born to him. The fractured family dynamics continued to be revealed. Leah battled Rachel for attention from Jacob. Rachel battled Leah in that she had been barren while Leah had given Jacob four sons. The two sisters gave their maids to Jacob as wives so that more children would be born. NOTE: The Bible describes this, but it does not prescribe it. The standard for marriage was given in Genesis 2:24 and it did not change. Rachel’s maid, Bilhah, bore two sons to Jacob. They were Dan and Naphtali. Leah had stopped conceiving for a time. Her maid, Zilpah, bore two sons to Jacob. They were Gad and Asher. The LORD opened Leah’s womb again and she bore two more sons and a daughter to Jacob. They were Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah. The LORD then opened Rachel’s womb and she bore Joseph to Jacob. In Genesis 35:18 she will bear another son to Jacob, but will die during the delivery.  That son will be named Ben-oni, but Jacob called him Benjamin. The chapter concludes with Jacob requesting to take his wives and children and leave. Laban was not willing and the two men made an agreement. Jacob benefitted to a much greater degree in that agreement.

Day 19: Monday, January 19, 2026

Genesis 31:       As Jacob prospered and Laban’s losses mounted, Jacob heard the grumblings from the sons of Laban. Jacob made arrangements to travel to Canaan, but he did not tell Laban his plans.  Jacob relayed to them information about a dream he had wherein the angel of God (verse 13 equates this “angel” as God) told him to go to Canaan. Jacob’s wives, Leah and Rachel, were in agreement with him.  Before they secretly left, Rachel stole her father’s idols. Laban didn’t find out about Jacob’s departure for three days. He and his men caught up to Jacob and his caravan four days later. The LORD had spoken to Laban before Laban caught up to Jacob. The LORD warned Laban about what he would say to Jacob. Jacob and Laban had a heated exchange before coming to an agreement not to harm one another. A sad, but interesting fact about this chapter is that deceivers hate being deceived. Laban had deceived Jacob. Jacob had deceived Laban. Rachel deceived Laban. The cycle of deceit was continual. Jacob and his family continued their journey to Canaan. It had been twenty years since Jacob had last seen his brother, Esau. At that time, Esau had planned on killing Jacob. The time was at hand for Jacob to trust the LORD as an encounter with Esau was soon to come. 

Genesis 32:         Jacob continued his trek to Canaan. The angels of God met him, likely to show the LORD’s presence with him. Jacob sent messengers to his brother, Esau. Esau was also known as Edom (Genesis 25:30). Esau had settled in Edom which is where Mount Seir was thought to be located. Jacob dreaded meeting his brother again. His messengers returned and informed him of Esau coming to meet him with four hundred men. That was an army. Jacob was utterly terrified at that point. He sought the LORD in prayer. Next, Jacob made preparations in case Esau did attack. He prepared a gift (bribe) in the hope of appeasing Esau. Was this a lack of trust in the LORD or an acceptable act whereby God would bring deliverance through those means? Jacob divided his family into two companies and had the messengers go forth in stages with the cattle that would serve as a gift.  He even sent his family across the Jabbok River at night which was a very risky move. Jacob stayed back and was alone. Verse 24 tells the reader that a man wrestled with Jacob. A few verses later, it was revealed that the man was actually God. Jacob saw God face to face and didn’t die. This would have been a pre-incarnate form of God the Son, Jesus Christ. Hagar experienced something similar in Genesis 16:13. During the wrestling, God touched and dislocated the socket of Jacob’s thigh. Why did God do that? One possible reason is that Jacob had spent most of his life fleeing trouble instead of trusting the LORD in the midst of it. Jacob wasn’t able to flee that time. He had to trust the LORD to bring about deliverance! God changed Jacob’s name to Israel. He will still be called Jacob, but he will also be known as Israel. The name has meaning regarding striving with God. Jacob didn’t encounter and wrestle just an angel. He wrestled with God!   

Day 20: Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Genesis 33:        Esau quickly approached. Jacob had positioned his family in groups. The maids and their children by him would encounter Esau and his men first. Leah and her children would be next. Jacob stationed Rachel and Joseph last. This clearly showed his favoritism for Rachel and Joseph. As Esau drew near, Jacob bowed down seven times. Keep in mind that his hip had been dislocated. The pain would have been significant. This reveals that Jacob understood the graveness of the situation. The LORD would protect him or let him fall into the hands of the brother whom he had deceived two decades earlier. The LORD not only spared Jacob, but gave him favor with his brother. Esau didn’t want Jacob’s gift, but Jacob didn’t relent. Perhaps this pictures his regret over his former treatment of Esau. The brothers were reunited, but they wouldn’t live together. Esau returned home and Jacob slowly continued on his journey toward home. Jacob and his family made their temporary home in Shechem.  

Genesis 34:         Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, was raped by a man named Shechem. Shechem’s father tried to arrange for them to be married. Jacob hadn’t responded immediately regarding the rape. He did inform his sons about the matter and the full brothers of Dinah, Simeon and Levi, concocted a plan for vengeance. They used the sign of the covenant established in Genesis 17 to carry out their deception. Unknowing of what two of the sons of Jacob planned, the men of Shechem agreed and were circumcised. Simeon and Levi waited until the men were in great pain and unable to move well. They took vengeance by murdering all of the men, not just the guilty party. Jacob feared the men of that place and he scolded his sons for their sinful actions. 

Genesis 35:        God told Jacob to go toward Canaan. This chapter mentions the deaths of Deborah, the nurse of Rebekah (Genesis 24:59), Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife (giving birth to Benjamin), and Isaac. Isaac died at one hundred and eighty years of age. That meant that Esau and Jacob were one hundred and twenty years old when their father died (Genesis 25:26). This chapter includes the reminder that God changed Jacob’s name to Israel (Genesis 32:28). God also repeats His promise He made to Abraham concerning descendants. A sad event is mentioned wherein Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, had sexual relations with Bilhah, Rachel’s maid. He slept with the mother of his brothers, Dan and Naphtali. In Genesis 49:3-4, Jacob will speak of this when he gives his final blessings to his sons.

Day 21: Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Genesis 36:        The sons and grandsons of Esau are listed in this chapter. He had multiple wives and his descendants became numerous. They left Canaan and moved to Seir in the land of Edom. Remember that Esau is Edom. His people are called Edomites and sometimes the people of Mount Seir. God’s promise to Abram in Genesis 12 was  bearing some of its fulfillment in the descendants of Esau’s and Jacob. 

Genesis 37:          The records of the generations of Jacob are listed. Joseph, Jacob’s older son with Rachel, was seventeen years old and his father had put him over his brothers. He was given a varicolored tunic to wear which displayed his father’s favoritism of him. Joseph’s brothers hated him for this. He didn’t help matters when he relayed two of his dreams to his family. A day came when Joseph was sent to check on his brothers as they were shepherding their father’s flocks. The brothers saw him coming and plotted to kill him. Reuben, Jacob’s oldest son, was able to convince them to spare Joseph’s life. Later that day, Judah, convinced the brothers to sell Joseph. Joseph was sold and taken to Egypt wherein he was purchased by Potiphar. Potiphar was a military official. He was also in charge of carrying out executions. Meanwhile, back in Canaan, Jacob was deceived into thinking that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal.

Genesis 38:         The narrative shifts focus for one chapter to Judah, the son of Jacob who is the continuance of the Messianic line. Judah had three sons and two of them were killed by the LORD. The oldest married a woman named Tamar. After he was killed by the LORD, the second son of Judah went to her and sinned. That is why the LORD took his life. Judah kept his youngest son from Tamar and told her to remain unmarried until his youngest son became old enough to be her husband. Considerable time passed and Tamar reasoned that Judah did not intend to give his youngest son to her as a husband. Judah had become a recent widow and was traveling to Timnah for sheep shearing. That event brought financial transactions, but it also was a festival where immoral behavior could be readily partaken of. Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute and her father-in-law took the bait. He went in to her and she conceived a son by Judah. In exchange for the sexual encounter, Judah agreed to pay her, but had to give her a pledge as he did not yet have the payment. She took articles from him that would identify him as the owner of those things until the transaction was completed. Three months later, Judah was told that Tamar was pregnant, and not knowing that he was the father, called for her death by burning.  As Tamar was being led to her death, she presented the identifying articles and Judah could not hide his sexual sin with her. She was spared and she bore twin sons to Judah. The firstborn was Perez. He is mentioned in Matthew 1:3 and Luke 3:33 in the Messianic line. Even though Perez’ conception came about through sexual sin, the LORD preserved the Messianic line.

Day 22: Thursday, January 22, 2026

Genesis 39:          The narrative again focuses on Joseph. Potiphar had purchased him and the LORD blessed Joseph. Potiphar recognized that and entrusted everything in his house to Joseph’s care. Potiphar’s wife desired Joseph and repeatedly tried to seduce him. He resisted every time. One day, she tried to seduce him and after he rejected her again, she was able to get a piece of his garment. She used that to falsely accuse Joseph of attempted rape. Upon hearing that news, Potiphar had Joseph imprisoned. One might wonder, as the man entrusted with carrying out executions, why did he put Joseph in prison instead of having him executed? Was it the LORD’s favor or that Potiphar doubted his wife? Was it both? Regardless, Joseph was put in prison and the chief jailor saw that the LORD had blessed Joseph even there. Joseph was put in charge of all of the prisoners.

Genesis 40:           Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and baker were imprisoned for angering Pharaoh. Those positions were for trusted men. They both would have been close to Pharaoh. They were put into the same prison as Joseph. Both men had a dream on the same night. Joseph interpreted each man’s dream. The cupbearer received a favorable interpretation, but the baker received a death sentence.  NOTE: Joseph gave true interpretations based on what God revealed. For one man, it was favorable. For the other man, it was dreadful. Modern “dream interpreters” tend to only give favorable interpretations. They give people what they think they want to hear. That alone should be sufficient to disregard them as valid.  Joseph asked the cupbearer to remember him before Pharoah when he was reinstated to his position. Just as Joseph had interpreted, the cupbearer was restored to his position and the baker was executed. Verse 23 simply states that the cupbearer forgot Joseph. 

Day 23: Friday, January 23, 2026

Genesis 41:          Two years had passed and then Pharoah had dreams one night. The dreams troubled him and when none of the Egyptian magicians or wise men could interpret, Pharaoh’s cupbearer remembered Joseph. Pharoah summoned Joseph and he was brought from the prison to stand before Pharaoh. Joseph gave glory to God when he told Pharaoh that God was the Giver of interpretations. After hearing the dreams, Joseph interpreted them. Pharoah had been warned by God about a severe famine that would come, but he was also told about seven plentiful years that would precede the famine. Joseph counseled Pharaoh to appoint a man who would be entrusted with making preparations in the years of abundance so as to survive the years of the severe famine. Pharoah appointed Joseph as the Prime Minister over Egypt that very day! The eleventh son of Jacob, he who had been entrusted to oversee his brothers, Potiphar’s house, then the king’s prison, would now be overseeing all of Egypt! The LORD had prepared Joseph for that moment. We find that Joseph was thirty years of age when he stood before Pharoah. In Genesis 37:2, Joseph was seventeen. Thirteen years, mostly of discouragement and loneliness, had passed. Although he had seemingly been forgotten by his brothers, Potiphar and his wife, and the cupbearer, the LORD had not forgotten Joseph. Joseph was given a wife, and during the seven years of abundance, he had two sons. They were Manasseh and Ephraim. Verse 54 tells the reader that the seven years of abundance had passed and the seven years of famine had begun. This means that Joseph was about thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old at that time. Two decades had passed since the time that his brothers had sold him as a slave.

Genesis 42:        In Canaan, Jacob saw that they needed grain and that Egypt had it. He sent ten of his sons to Egypt. Benjamin stayed with him. In Egypt, Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. Joseph accused them of being spies, but they told him their story. In that, they mentioned their brother who was no longer alive. They had not forgotten Joseph. Joseph imprisoned all ten of them for three days. They were experiencing what it was like to be left in a pit not knowing what would happen. Joseph told his brothers to return to Canaan and bring their youngest brother back with them. He kept Simeon in custody in Egypt as security for their return. The brothers panicked and discussed amongst themselves the wrong they had done to Joseph. Twenty years had passed, but they remembered that awful day. Joseph listened to them, but they did not realize that he understood what they said. Nine of the brothers returned to Canaan with food and the money that they had taken. They saw this as God’s judgment, not His favor on them. Jacob heard their report and sorrowed. He would not allow his supposed only living son with Rachel to be taken to Egypt. He was willing to allow Simeon to die there.   

Day 24: Saturday, January 24, 2026

Genesis 43:        The food was eaten and Jacob and his family needed more grain. His sons were unwilling to travel to Egypt unless they took Benjamin with them. Jacob was unwilling until Judah offered himself as surety for Benjamin. It had likely been some six to twelve weeks since they had left Egypt. Simeon must have felt like Joseph had felt some twenty years earlier.  Jacob’s sons returned to Egypt. Joseph met with them and invited them to his house for a meal. They were seated according to birth order, which terrified them. The odds of all eleven of them being seated in the right order were astronomical.  Joseph was overcome with emotion when he saw Benjamin. Joseph gave Benjamin much more food than he gave to his other brothers. 

Genesis 44:        Joseph prepared to send his brothers away, but not without one more scheme. His cup for divination (which doesn’t necessarily mean that it was used by Joseph for that) was secretly placed in Benjamin’s bag. Knowing this, Joseph sent his servants to overtake his brothers and bring them back to him. The brothers had no idea of what had happened and their hearts sank when Joseph’s cup had been found in Benjamin’s possession. The brothers fearfully stood before Joseph. Joseph would keep Benjamin, but allow his brothers to return to Canaan. A pivotal moment happened right then. Judah, the brother who had the idea to sell Joseph over twenty years earlier and the brother who had been immoral with his daughter-in-law, was not the same man as before. He pleaded with Joseph to allow him to take the place of Benjamin so that Benjamin could return to his father. In essence, Judah was saying, “I left one brother in a pit and then watched some men take him away. I won’t do that to another brother of mine. I’ll take his place in the pit.” Judah was a repentant man and the proof of that was his willingness to forfeit ever seeing his family again so that Benjamin could return home. 

Genesis 45:         Joseph sent all of the Egyptians out of his house. He then revealed himself to his brothers. They were stunned, but did see that it was Joseph who was before them. Joseph spoke of God bringing him to Egypt so as to preserve life. This was especially true regarding Judah. Joseph revealed himself to his brothers two years into the severe famine. This means that Joseph was about thirty-none or forty years old at the time (see Genesis 41:46, 53-54). The reunion was incredible, but Joseph wanted to see his father. He sent his brothers back to Canaan and Pharaoh provided all that they needed for the journey and the return trip. When Jacob’s sons returned and told him about Joseph, he didn’t initially believe them. However, he did come to realize that Joseph was alive and his spirit was revived. Jacob would travel to Egypt and see his beloved son, Joseph, again!

Day 25: Sunday, January 25, 2026

Genesis 46:         Jacob and his family began the journey for Egypt. Genesis 46:27, Exodus 1:5, and Deuteronomy 10:22 list the number of persons going to Egypt as seventy. NOTE: In Acts 7:14, Stephen listed the number of those traveling as seventy-five persons, but that is because he was quoting from the Greek Translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, known as the Septuagint.  The Septuagint lists the number of persons as seventy-five who traveled to Egypt at Joseph’s request. Jacob and Joseph reunited about twenty-two years later. Joseph prepared his brothers for when they would meet Pharaoh.

Genesis 47:          This chapter looks at the generosity of Pharaoh toward Joseph’s family. Pharaoh asked Jacob how old he was and in verse 9, Jacob told Pharaoh that he was one hundred and thirty years old at that time. With Joseph being about forty years of age, that would mean that Jacob became the father of Joseph when he was about ninety years of age. Jacob lived in Egypt the last seventeen years of his life. He would die at one hundred and forty-seven years of age. He makes Joseph swear that he would not bury him in Egypt, but in Canaan.

Genesis 48:         Jacob was nearing his death and Joseph took his sons, Manasseh and Ephraim to him. Jacob blessed them, but he gave his blessing to Ephraim, the younger of the two. Joseph protested, but Jacob carried out the blessing as he intended.

Day 26: Monday, January 26, 2026

Genesis 49:         Jacob blessed his twelve sons. Not all of his words were pleasant to hear. He rebuked Reuben and Simeon and Levi. Judah is the tribe from which the scepter will not depart. Judah is the Messianic line. After blessing his sons, Jacob died at one hundred and forty-seven years of age (Genesis 47:28).

Genesis 50:         Joseph and his brothers mourned their father’s death. Pharoah gave Joseph permission to take and bury his father in Canaan. Joseph’s brothers feared that with their father dead, Joseph would exact revenge. He encouraged his brothers regarding how he would treat them. The chapter closed with the mention of Joseph’s death at one hundred and ten years of age. Before he died, Joseph made his brothers swear to take his bones home to bury him. According to Hebrews 11:22, Joseph trusted the LORD to take His people from Egypt to Canaan one day. Remember God’s promise concerning this from Genesis 15:13-14.

Exodus 1:            A reminder of how many of Jacob’s sons went to Egypt is given at the beginning of the chapter.  See the note on Genesis 46 as to the reason Acts 7:14 lists the number of people going to Egypt as seventy-five while Exodus 1:5 says that the number was seventy.  Joseph died and the sons of Israel multiplied. A new Pharoah took the throne and he did not know Joseph. Seeing the incredible multiplying of the Israelites, that Pharaoh feared being overtaken by them. Thus, he imposed rigorous labors on them and they were slaves in Egypt. Pharoah also tried to wipe out the Hebrews by having their sons killed after their birth. This is somewhat similar to what Herod the Great did in Matthew 2 wherein he sought to have the Messiah child put to death. Had either ruler been successful, the Messianic Promise would not have come to fruition. The LORD intervened and Pharaoh was unsuccessful in his endeavor. 

Day 27: Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Exodus 2:        Moses was born to a husband and wife from the tribe of Levi. That tribe became the priestly tribe of the Hebrews. Exodus 6:20 reveals that Moses’ parents’ names were Amram and Jochebed. With Pharoah’s earlier decree to have the Hebrew male newborns thrown into the Nile River, Moses’ mother feared for his life. After hiding him for three months, she placed him in a wicker basket and had it put into the Nile River. Pharoah’s daughter found him and ended up taking him as a son. The storyline skips Moses’ childhood and youth. Moses went to look on his fellow Hebrews. One mentioned in the New Testament, a man named Stephen, in Acts 7:23, wrote that Moses was approaching the age of forty when he did this. Stephen also wrote that Moses supposed that God had raised him up to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Back to Exodus 3, we read about an instance wherein Moses stopped an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew. Moses killed the man and buried him. When Pharoah discovered this, he sought to kill Moses. Moses then fled to Midian. He married a woman named Zipporah and they had a son named Gershom. Zipporah’s father was a priest in Midian. His name is listed as Reuel, but in Exodus 3:1 he is also called Jethro. It is possible that the name Jethro was more of a title that indicated his high position as a priest in Midian.

Exodus 3:          Moses was about eighty years old (see Acts 7:30) and he led the flock of his father-in-law to the area near Horeb. Mount Horeb and Mount Sinai are essentially the same (see Exodus 19:1-2). The LORD appeared to Moses and told him who He is. Jesus quoted from Exodus 3:6 in Matthew 22:31-32 to prove that the Old Testament did deal with the resurrection of the dead. The LORD told Moses His plans to use Moses to deliver the sons of Israel from their bondage in Egypt. Moses, who forty years earlier thought that he was the one whom the LORD would use to bring this deliverance (see Acts 7:23-25), could no longer conceive of doing such a work. The LORD reassured Moses and promised to be with him. He told Moses to go to Pharaoh, but that Pharaoh will not listen to him until the LORD would do mighty works to break Pharoah and Egypt. The LORD also promised to plunder the Egyptians. That occurred in Exodus 12:35. In Genesis 15:14, the LORD had promised Abram that his descendants would be slaves in the land, but afterward they would leave with many possessions. How could the LORD know all of this? He is sovereign!

Exodus 4:           Moses doubted that the people would accept him as their leader. The LORD gave him signs to assure him that they will listen to him. The LORD also told Moses that Aaron, his brother, would be the spokesman. Moses had failed to circumcise his son and the LORD was going to kill him for that disobedience. Zipporah, Moses’ wife, circumcised their son and saved Moses’ life. The LORD sent Aaron to help his brother, Moses. The Israelites initially believed that the LORD had sent Moses to deliver them. 

Day 28: Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Exodus 5:          Moses and Aaron met with Pharaoh and asked for permission to take the Israelites into the wilderness to make sacrifices to the LORD. Pharaoh responded as the LORD said that he would and did not permit it. Pharaoh then imposed more severe work conditions and had the Israelite foremen beaten. Those men looked at Moses and Aaron with disdain and their worship that concluded chapter 4 turned to bitterness. 

Exodus 6:         The LORD would soon bring about plagues on Egypt and drive Pharaoh to relent. Before that, the LORD encouraged Moses. He told Moses to tell the sons of Israel and Moses did. The sons of Israel did not listen to him, however. The remainder of the chapter lists some genealogies of the Israelites. In particular, some of Levi’s sons were listed. They were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The descendants of these three men will factor in heavily concerning the upkeep and transport of the Tent of Meeting when it is constructed. The prophet, priest, and judge, Samuel will come from the line of Kohath (I Chronicles 6:22-28). Moses’ parents’ names were listed in verse 20. They were Amram and Jochebed. 

Exodus 7:         The LORD was about to unleash the first of ten plagues upon Egypt. He hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go. We find that Moses was eighty years old and Aaron was eighty-three years old at the time. Moses and Aaron went before Pharaoh and Aaron threw down his staff which became a serpent. Pharoah’s magicians mimicked this. Aaron’s staff devoured those of Pharoah’s magicians. Pharaoh was not impressed. The next morning, Aaron’s staff was used to turn the waters of the Nile River into blood. Pharoah’s magicians mimicked this also. Notice, the magicians only added to the burden. They couldn’t reverse the plague. Pharoah did not relent.

Day 29: Thursday, January 29, 2026

Exodus 8:        There will be a pattern throughout the plagues inflicted by the LORD upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians.  The LORD will send a plague and Pharoah will ask for it to be removed, but he will not let the Israelites go to sacrifice to the LORD.  In this chapter, the LORD brought frogs as the second plague, gnats as the third plague, and swarms of flies as the fourth plague. After the plague of gnats, the Egyptian magicians recognized and told Pharaoh that it was the finger of God that brought the plague. They could not mimic or remove the plague.

Exodus 9:         Plagues five, six, and seven occur in this chapter. The LORD protected the Israelites from the plagues. The pestilence on the livestock was severe. The boils on men and their livestock would have been excruciatingly painful. The severe hail brought much agricultural damage. Still, Pharoah continued to refuse to let the Israelites go. In verse 16, the LORD said that He had not destroyed the Egyptians so that His name would be proclaimed throughout the earth.

Exodus 10:         The LORD used the plagues to demonstrate His power. The Egyptians would know that He was God. The Israelites would be able to tell their children in future years about how the LORD demonstrated His power over Egypt. The eighth plague was that of locusts swarming the land and destroying food supplies. The ninth plague was darkness over Egypt for three days. Pharoah warned Moses regarding seeing him again. There was one plague still to come.

Day 30: Friday, January 30, 2026

Exodus 11:         The LORD told Moses of the final plague that would come. He also commanded the Israelites to ask for silver and gold from the Egyptians. The LORD gave His people favor and the Egyptians gave them the articles they asked for. The LORD would take the firstborn in the land of Egypt, but He would spare His people, Israel.

Exodus 12:         The LORD made a new day for His people. It was the first month. He instituted the Passover. Some of the blood from the Passover lambs would be applied to the doorposts and the lintel as a sign that they took God at His word. Those who believed Him would be spared from the tenth plague that was about to be inflicted. The Passover would be in the first month of each year on the fourteenth day of that month. The LORD also instituted the Feast of Unleavened Bread which would take place from the fourteenth day to the twenty-first day of the first month. The LORD brought the tenth plague on Egypt. It was the death of the firstborns in the land. Pharaoh finally relented and let the Israelites go. The LORD plundered the Egyptians as He said that He would (see Genesis 15:14 and Exodus 3:22). He did this without using any military might. The number of men, not counting women or children, was over six hundred thousand. Unfortunately, some non-Israelites went with them. They will be called the rabble in Numbers 11:4. They will bring the Israelites to doubt the LORD. The Israelites had been captives in Egypt for four hundred and thirty years. Then came the Exodus!

Day 31: Saturday, January 31, 2026

Exodus 13:          The LORD had Moses to tell the Israelites to sanctify their firstborn to Him. The LORD wanted the Israelites and their future generations to remember how He delivered Israel out of Egypt with a powerful hand. Moses faithfully took Joseph’s bones as Joseph had commanded his brothers to do back in Genesis 50:25. The LORD manifested His presence by a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire by night. 

Exodus 14:          The LORD led the Israelites to a location where He knew that they would be trapped. He then hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that Pharaoh would pursue them. The Israelites had the opportunity to trust the LORD, but they doubted Him instead. Their grumbling in verses 11-12 gave evidence to that fact. Even after witnessing the LORD’s power to deliver them out of Egypt, they continued to doubt Him. He protected the Israelites by placing the cloud between them and the Egyptians. He also parted the Red Sea and made the seafloor dry. The Israelites passed through safely, but the Egyptian army pursued them. The LORD made it difficult for the Egyptians and when they attempted to turn back, the LORD brought the waters of the sea on them and drowned all of them. Israel watched the LORD do another miraculous work. The LORD proved again that He was worthy to be trusted.

Exodus 15:         In response to the LORD’s deliverance, the Israelites sang a song of praise to Him. The song lyrics comprise verses 2-19. Moses led them from the Red Sea to the wilderness Shur. Three days after they sang the song to the LORD, they returned to their doubting and grumbling. They could not drink the water of that place. The LORD provided a way for them to be able to drink the water and then led them to a place with a good water supply and food source.