What is the most bizarre, or disturbing, passage that you find in Scripture?
Next to the sermon series on Luke that I preached last fall, I've never had more fun preaching than I am right now working through Genesis. This is a fascinating book, but it is filled with some shocking stories.
Yesterday, I preached the 2nd half of Genesis 25. Two words sum this text up--Jerry Springer. -The baby blessing is bizarre--it comes before the birth and states that "two nations are in the womb." Not exactly what a woman wants to hear.
-Jacob (heel-grabber) is holding the heal of Esau (little baby afro)--an image of what their relationship will be like.
-They have competing interests--Esau shops at Lowe's and Home Depot; Jacob likes Bed Bath and Beyond and Hobby Lobby.
-And last but not least, the parents choose favorites.
WOW!!! Simply stated, an overarching theme of Genesis 25-25 (The Jacob narrative) is this--God is faithful even in the midst of evil and deception. God can still do good with evil.
What about you? Shocking stories?
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9 comments:
I love your summation of Jacob and Esau. Would that make Jacob the 1st metrosexual?
You're coming up on some shocking stories. Chapters 34 & 38. I'd be interested in hearing your comparisons.
Judah and Tamar rank pretty high.
mchristophoros
What about the stories about Abram and Sarah where he basically sold her to someone else to be their wife?
Rick, I wouldn't go that far.
John, Chapters 34 & 38 definitely make the list.
Anonymous, Abram and Sarah is absolutely disturbing. Not one of Abram's greatest moments. It kept him alive, and Isaac does the same thing in ch.26.
There are several reasons why the story of Abram and Sarah are so disturbing. It illustrates how he did not rely on God to keep him safe but tried to do it on his own as if God was not in the picture. God, of course, did intervene. Additionally, Abram did not learn anything from the experience with the Pharaoh and repeated it with Abimelech. I have always wondered what was going on in his head! And it amazes me that Sarai(Sarah) put up with it not only once but twice!
Sarah and Hagar is the saddest, most disturbing to me. I can hardly even read it without choking up. All that abuse and hatred heaped on Hagar and then the angel tells a rejected pregnant woman that her son will be a wild donkey of a man. YUK!!! But God reveals Himself as the God who sees.
Judah and Tamar because Tamar is in the lineage of Jesus in Matthew 1. That's a great story.
Jeremiah being told to bury his underwear is pretty weird too.
I am disturbed that you're preaching about Luke. Norsworthy already has a big head...
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