Scripture Reading For Today
GENESIS 7:1-10:5, 1 CHRONICLES 1:5-7, GENESIS 10:6-20, 1 CHRONICLES 1:8-16, GENESIS 10:21-30, 1 CHRONICLES 1:17-23, GENESIS 10:31-32
Scripture Focus
And the LORD was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice…
(Genesis 8:21 NLT)
Observation
Every day in Genesis seems a new expression of the fantastic—not so much in the sense of “great” or “wonderful” (though in many ways that’s so), but in the original sense of “incredible” or “extraordinary”. From God speaking the worlds into existence to His forming man from the dust of the ground and breathing into him the breath of life, the language stretches the boundaries of what the mind can conceive.
And so it is with today’s reading—the account of Noah and a great flood that covers the whole earth is a bit beyond my ability to comprehend. As a kid growing up in Sunday School, it was simply a fascinating story to hear, and the application was plain: Noah was a righteous man, and when God saw fit to judge wickedness, He delivered Noah and his family, because “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Gen 6:8 KJV).
These days, from a slightly different life-perspective, even the logistics of such a story seem mind-boggling. How does one build an ark, gather and tend living creatures, or survive more than year living with your grown children and their spouses?
Still, I take the account for what it is. I take it at face value. And I see Noah, as a man of righteous faith, who—when all was said and done—“built an altar to the Lord” (Gen 8:20). “And the LORD was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice…” (Gen 8:21).
That’s really the bottom line, isn’t it? When all is said and done…even when the narrative of my life might leave me confused and my many questions unanswered, I want the Lord to be pleased with “the aroma of the sacrifice”. I write that with an intentional allusion to Paul’s words in Romans, chapter 12, verse 1—
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. (Romans 12:1 NLT)
3 comments:
I agree pastor, We are to live our lives as living sacrifices, Pleasing to God. Not as little stinkers. I think that this study and the effort we put into it is a small part of making that sacrifice A Sweet smell unto the lord. Martin
Gen 36:15 mentions "Chieftians", and in other versions of scripture it is called "dukes", "became the heads of clans"
Gen 38 God "took his life" of two men! one because "Er grievously offended God" and the other because Onan was told to sleep with Er's wife to keep his brother's line alive but he spilled his semen on the ground bc "He knew the child wouldn't be his...God was much offended"
Later in that chapter Judah used what he thought was a prostitute, (Tamar) she became pregnant with twins, she got back at him BC he wouldn’t let his son Shelah marry her. Judah admitted his guilt. But never slept with her again.
1. I wonder how many others God took their lives because he was offended.
2. Admit your guilt quickly and get it over with.
1Chron 1:19 “the earth was divided “ Was this because of Isaac and Ishmael?
"Little Stinkers" or "Living Sacrifices"--I *like* that, Martin--that'll preach!
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