B90X wk 2: perspecitve & meaning

My church is currently participating in The Bible in 90 Days challenge or, as we have termed it, B90X. The challenge takes the Bible and divides it into 90-12 page-a-day reading assignments. Sounds intense, right? I am here to tell you that it is!!! While this is not an ‘in-depth’ Bible study and does not dig deep into any particular portions of truths it does dig wide! I am pretty excited and determined about the challenge as I have never read the Bible cover to cover. To help us in our challenge, the church has organized a class that meets once a week to recap the week’s readings together. So, on Thursdays (the end of a reading week) I am going to be sharing something or some things that I have learned during the week. This will serve many purposes: to keep me accountable, to help me really focus as I read, and to encourage you to do the same thing and read the Bible in it’s entirety.

The Bible in 90 Days : Cover to Cover in 12 Pages a Day

The first two weeks (we are two weeks in) covered Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus AND Numbers. There is some heavy stuff here! A friend of mine who is also doing the study asked me last night what I have learned this past week. I told him that it is my educated opinion that the author of Leviticus would have greatly benefited from Control+C and Control+V (Copy and Paste) commands. Ha! But seriously, everything is repeated 12 times.

I have learned other, more important things, though. Take the life of Joseph, for instance. While I have not been thrown into a cistern by my siblings (no funny business, you two) I have felt alone and sometimes find myself wondering if God has forgotten me during this season of my life. As it would happen, I am also currently reading Wilderness Skills for Women by Marian Jordan. (If you have not read it, I highly suggest you put it on the top of your ‘To Read’ List.) I just finished the chapter titled “The Wilderness of Rejection’. In this chapter, Marian uses the story of Joseph as an example of ultimate rejection. (Genesis 37-50)

Wilderness Skills for Women, Marian Jordan, Book - Barnes & Noble

In a nutshell, Joseph was hated by his brothers and, at the age of 17, was sold into slavery. The years following this were not so glamorous, either. Joseph was taken to Egypt--where he grew in favor of Potiphar--but was then falsely accused of seducing Potiphar’s wife and thrown into jail.

Now I seriously doubt this was the life that Joseph had seen in his future. Do you remember 17? I do...I was starting my Senior year and getting ready for the Homecoming dance. Now granted, Joseph was given a brightly colored and ornamented coat by his father, but I hardly think it was anything like homecoming dress shopping with your mom at Macy’s.

Joseph’s story does not stop in jail, however. After 2 years time, he is remembered by the baker, interprets Pharaoh's dreams, is named Commander in Chief of Pharaoh’s administration and saves his family from famine and starvation. God had a MUCH bigger plan; every circumstance in Joseph’s life was used to play out His perfect plan. And Joseph recognized it, too! Check out his perspective recorded in Gen. 45:4-7:

“4Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come close to me.’ When they had done so, he said, ‘I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.’ “

Wow! To be able to recognize your purpose in God’s plan is amazing and I have made it my daily prayer that I am able to do the same thing in my life.

I just LOVE how Marian puts it in black & white on page 44:

>If Joseph’s brothers never sell him to the Midianites, then Joseph never goes to Egypt.

>If Joseph never goes to Egypt, he is never sold to Potiphar.

>If he is never sold to Potiphar, Potiphar’s wife never falsely accuses him of rape.

>If Potiphar’s wife never falsely accuses him of rape, then he is never put in prison.

>If he is never put in prison, he never meets the baker and the butler of Pharaoh.

>If he never meets the baker and butler of Pharaoh, he never interprets their dreams.

>If he never interprets their dreams, he never gets to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams.

>If he never gets to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, he never is made prime minister.

>If he is never made prime minister, he never wisely administrates for the severe famine coming upon the region.

>If he never wisely administrates for the severe famine coming upon the region, then his family back in Canaan perishes from the famine.

>If his family back in Canaan perishes from the famine, the Messiah can’t come forth from a dead family.

>If the Messiah can’t come forth, then Jesus never came.

>If Jesus never came, you are dead in your sins and without hope in this world.

What seemed like rejection truly was God’s protection.

Ok, now go read the rest of the book!

Unfortunately I missed last night’s class. BUT my friend Will shared with me some of what I missed. And what he shared. Was. Awesome. I have to pass it along!

Genealogy can be a boring thing to read but for some reason God felt it important enough to list them out in Scripture. So we read:

Adam begot Seth who begot Enosh who begot Kenan who begot Mahalalel who begot Jared who begot Enoch who begot Methuselah who begot Lamech who begot Noah. (Paraphrase of Genesis 5)

Okay, thank you. Now look at these men and their names’ meanings:

Hebrew.........English
Adam..............Man
Seth................Appointed
Enosh.............Mortal
Kenan.............Sorrow;
Mahalalel........The Blessed God
Jared..............Shall come down
Enoch.............Teaching
Methuselah.....His death shall bring
Lamech...........The Despairing
Noah...............Rest, or comfort.

Now, by adding a few articles conjunctions, read the genealogy like this:

Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the Blessed God shall come down teaching (that) His death shall bring (the) despairing rest, or comfort.

Wow.