In Genesis 34:30-31; Jacob’s 2 sons killed all the men in a household along with the male servants because Shechem the son of the Father of that household had raped their sister. And Jacob confronts and rebukes 2 of his sons because they did not act on -wisdom but in haste.
In Matthew 13:28-33; Jesus is walking in water, and the disciples notice him and Peter asks Jesus to COMMAND him to walk to him on the water. And Jesus commands him, and he walks. But then Peter looks away from Jesus and sees the wind blowing, and he loses faith and starts to sink. Jesus catches him and says why did you lose faith?
In Proverbs 2:1-9; Solomon is telling his son that if he listens to his father, is attentive to his words, and seeks wisdom like silver. Then he will know the fear of the Lord.
Take away: God wants us to have faith in him, he wants us to lock our eyes onto Jesus and we grow in our Fear of the Lord, and we will therefore find the wisdom and knowledge of God.
Matt 12:31–32 is the famous passage about how blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven… not in this age or the age to come.
A couple comments on this passage, as it’s often asked about…
I’ve done an extensive YouTube teaching on this passage and this idea as well, but in short, I don’t think blasphemy against the Spirit is unforgivable because Christ’s blood is somehow insufficient to forgive a particular sin, or because God is unwilling to forgive a repentant sinner. Instead, Jesus is pointing to a hardened rejection of the very Holy Spirit who leads us to repentance.
In Matthew 12, the religious leaders see God’s work by the Spirit and call it satanic. If I persistently reject the One who convicts and draws me to Christ, I’m rejecting the very One leading me toward repentance and forgiveness.
Jesus in John 16:7-8 clearly tells us that part of the work of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin. The Holy Spirit is the One who draws us toward repentance and faith in Christ.
So I believe a persistently hardened heart, a settled posture of rejecting the Holy Spirit is what Christ is warning about here, not simply a careless word against the Holy Spirit or a moment of criticism, doubt, or confusion.
Often the enemy will try to convince believers that they’ve committed the unforgivable sin, leaving them under condemnation and hopelessness, feeling as though they are doomed to hell.
But if someone is genuinely concerned and grieved that they may have committed the unpardonable sin, that concern itself is strong evidence that they have not. Grief over sin demonstrates a heart that still cares about repentance and relationship with God, not a settled heart of rejection and rebellion against Him.
God called Jacob back to Bethel in Genesis 35, back where he first encountered Him. There God spoke to Him again and changed his name to Israel. Shortly afterwards Rachel died while giving birth to Benjamin.
There are times where we encounter God so that we have the strength we need to walk through a soon-coming trial
Gen 28:21 - I love watching Jacob’s relationship with God become personal. Up to this point, God has only been “the God of Abraham” and “the God of Isaac.” Even at Bethel, God introduces Himself to Jacob as “the God of Abraham YOUR father” (28:13).
But Jacob’s response to God shows that his faith is still immature and God is not his personal God just yet. Jacob says, “IF God will be with me… IF He will keep me… IF He brings me back safely… THEN the LORD shall be my God” (28:20-21).
It’s almost like Jacob is saying: I know You’ve been faithful to my fathers, but let’s see if You’ll be faithful to me first before I make you MY God. He just powerfully encountered God, but he hasn’t learned to fully trust Him yet as His own God.
As we continue to read we will see what the next 20+ years of Jacob’s life will teach him as her serves under Laban for 20 years and then returns to his homeland and is about to encounter Esau and wrestles with God…
Jacob personally experiences God’s provision, protection, faithfulness, and steadfast love and kindness and eventually has his own life changing encounter with God at Peniel before he meets Esau. Afterward he builds an altar called El-Elohe-Israel - “God, the God of Israel” (Gen 33:20).
Israel is now Jacob’s new name, renamed by God Himself in two separate encounters.
By the end of Jacob’s life he calls Him “the God who has been MY shepherd all my life” (Gen 48:15).
What a progression: the God of my fathers → IF You’ll be faithful to me → my God → the God who has shepherded me all my life.
God patiently takes Jacob from faith that is inherited from his parents and grandparents to personal faith built through years of walking with Him and seeing His faithfulness and goodness.
I highly encourage you to track this language in Genesis with Jacob particularly with “God of my fathers” vs “MY God.”
Psalm 8:5 is interesting because the Hebrew literally says in reference to God making man: “Yet you have made him a little lower than Elohim.” Elohim most commonly means God, although depending on context it can also at times refer to gods or heavenly/divine beings.
So the idea may actually be that humanity was made “a little lower than God.” Which makes a lot of sense because only humans were created in the image & likeness of God. No other created being in heaven or earth carries that description. And this actually fits perfectly with Genesis 1:26-28 and that may be what David has in mind here in that humanity is made in God’s image and given dominion over creation. Ps 8:6 similar to Gen 1 says, “you have given him dominion and put all things under his feet.”
The Greek Septuagint (Greek translation of the OT) interestingly translated “Elohim” here as “angelous” - “angels,” which is why some translations say “a little lower than the angels.”
Then Hebrews 2:6-9 quotes from that same Greek translation of the OT “a little lower than the angels,” instead of the Hebrew Scriptures “Elohim” and ultimately applies Psalm 8 to Jesus.
So there’s this amazing progression Genesis 1 - humanity created in God’s image and given dominion Psalm 8 - humanity crowned with glory and honor, just below Elohim Hebrews 2 - Jesus fulfills humanity’s purpose and calling and restores our intended destiny 🙌🏼
In Matthew 13, we see Jesus teaching in parables and the disciples ask him, “why speak in parables?” And Jesus answers saying that to us we have been granted tue mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, that whoever has more shall be given in abundance. Isn’t it fascinating how the author, God Himself, could’ve just spoken plainly and yet chose to speak with parables so that we could PURSUE Him in truth of the parables He’s saying. To the one who truly loves, they will commit in full to discover the secrets of God, like a true lover would chase their beloved. And later on it says that we’re blessed with our eyes because we can see and our ears because we can hear. We get to discover Him in this way because we’re the bride. Where prophets and righteousness people have longed and dreamed to experience God the way we do and yet they couldn’t. I feel so honored to say that my eyes and my ears are blessed to KNOW the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven as I pursue Him daily.
Psalm 12:5 - It’s awesome to see how through the groaning of the needy, the desperation for Him, creates a hunger that isn’t quickly quenched, but stirs a longing that moves His heart. “I will now arise,” says the Lord; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”
The safety for which we long is Jesus. In him we are satisfied, protected, and refreshed. And how much more he wants us to be in Him than us ourselves.
In Genesis 28:40; Isaac blesses his older son after his younger son deceived him in giving him his older brothers blessing. He says that his brother will reign over him, but when he grows restless, he shall break the yoke his brother has on him.
In 11:28-30; Jesus calls everyone who is tired and heavy laden to share his yoke, for he will take all of your yoke.
In Psalm 8:4; David says, “ what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?”
Take Away; The Lord wants me to give him my yoke, and that he; in his beauty and glory and majesty, will see me in my sin and ugliness, and past.
In Genesis 29:1-3 there is a peculiar passage about a well being covered by a stone that would have to be rolled away to water three flocks of sheep. Allegorically speaking, Jesus can represent the well that has water that satisfies, the stone being rolled away is His resurrection, and the three flocks of sheep could be the three people groups of the first century church; Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles
Day 14 · Genesis 33–34 · Matthew 14 · Proverbs 2:1–9
-wisdom but in haste.
Take away: God wants us to have faith in him, he wants us to lock our eyes onto Jesus and we grow in our Fear of the Lord, and we will therefore find the wisdom and knowledge of God.
Day 12 · Genesis 29–30 · Matthew 12 · Psalm 9
Matt 12:31–32 is the famous passage about how blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven… not in this age or the age to come.
A couple comments on this passage, as it’s often asked about…
I’ve done an extensive YouTube teaching on this passage and this idea as well, but in short, I don’t think blasphemy against the Spirit is unforgivable because Christ’s blood is somehow insufficient to forgive a particular sin, or because God is unwilling to forgive a repentant sinner. Instead, Jesus is pointing to a hardened rejection of the very Holy Spirit who leads us to repentance.
In Matthew 12, the religious leaders see God’s work by the Spirit and call it satanic. If I persistently reject the One who convicts and draws me to Christ, I’m rejecting the very One leading me toward repentance and forgiveness.
Jesus in John 16:7-8 clearly tells us that part of the work of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin. The Holy Spirit is the One who draws us toward repentance and faith in Christ.
So I believe a persistently hardened heart, a settled posture of rejecting the Holy Spirit is what Christ is warning about here, not simply a careless word against the Holy Spirit or a moment of criticism, doubt, or confusion.
Often the enemy will try to convince believers that they’ve committed the unforgivable sin, leaving them under condemnation and hopelessness, feeling as though they are doomed to hell.
But if someone is genuinely concerned and grieved that they may have committed the unpardonable sin, that concern itself is strong evidence that they have not. Grief over sin demonstrates a heart that still cares about repentance and relationship with God, not a settled heart of rejection and rebellion against Him.
Day 15 · Genesis 35–36 · Matthew 15 · Proverbs 2:10–22
God called Jacob back to Bethel in Genesis 35, back where he first encountered Him. There God spoke to Him again and changed his name to Israel. Shortly afterwards Rachel died while giving birth to Benjamin.
There are times where we encounter God so that we have the strength we need to walk through a soon-coming trial
Day 48 · Leviticus 24–25 · Luke 1:1–25 · Psalm 31
God’s desire and the desire of Zachariah were one. The timing was everything tho.
Day 11 · Genesis 27–28 · Matthew 11 · Psalm 8
Gen 28:21 - I love watching Jacob’s relationship with God become personal.
Up to this point, God has only been “the God of Abraham” and “the God of Isaac.” Even at Bethel, God introduces Himself to Jacob as “the God of Abraham YOUR father” (28:13).
But Jacob’s response to God shows that his faith is still immature and God is not his personal God just yet.
Jacob says, “IF God will be with me… IF He will keep me… IF He brings me back safely… THEN the LORD shall be my God” (28:20-21).
It’s almost like Jacob is saying: I know You’ve been faithful to my fathers, but let’s see if You’ll be faithful to me first before I make you MY God.
He just powerfully encountered God, but he hasn’t learned to fully trust Him yet as His own God.
As we continue to read we will see what the next 20+ years of Jacob’s life will teach him as her serves under Laban for 20 years and then returns to his homeland and is about to encounter Esau and wrestles with God…
Jacob personally experiences God’s provision, protection, faithfulness, and steadfast love and kindness and eventually has his own life changing encounter with God at Peniel before he meets Esau.
Afterward he builds an altar called El-Elohe-Israel - “God, the God of Israel” (Gen 33:20).
Israel is now Jacob’s new name, renamed by God Himself in two separate encounters.
By the end of Jacob’s life he calls Him “the God who has been MY shepherd all my life” (Gen 48:15).
What a progression: the God of my fathers → IF You’ll be faithful to me → my God → the God who has shepherded me all my life.
God patiently takes Jacob from faith that is inherited from his parents and grandparents to personal faith built through years of walking with Him and seeing His faithfulness and goodness.
I highly encourage you to track this language in Genesis with Jacob particularly with “God of my fathers” vs “MY God.”
Day 11 · Genesis 27–28 · Matthew 11 · Psalm 8
Psalm 8:5 is interesting because the Hebrew literally says in reference to God making man: “Yet you have made him a little lower than Elohim.”
Elohim most commonly means God, although depending on context it can also at times refer to gods or heavenly/divine beings.
So the idea may actually be that humanity was made “a little lower than God.” Which makes a lot of sense because only humans were created in the image & likeness of God. No other created being in heaven or earth carries that description.
And this actually fits perfectly with Genesis 1:26-28 and that may be what David has in mind here in that humanity is made in God’s image and given dominion over creation.
Ps 8:6 similar to Gen 1 says, “you have given him dominion and put all things under his feet.”
The Greek Septuagint (Greek translation of the OT) interestingly translated “Elohim” here as “angelous” - “angels,” which is why some translations say “a little lower than the angels.”
Then Hebrews 2:6-9 quotes from that same Greek translation of the OT “a little lower than the angels,” instead of the Hebrew Scriptures “Elohim” and ultimately applies Psalm 8 to Jesus.
So there’s this amazing progression
Genesis 1 - humanity created in God’s image and given dominion
Psalm 8 - humanity crowned with glory and honor, just below Elohim
Hebrews 2 - Jesus fulfills humanity’s purpose and calling and restores our intended destiny 🙌🏼
Day 13 · Genesis 31–32 · Matthew 13 · Psalm 10
In Matthew 13, we see Jesus teaching in parables and the disciples ask him, “why speak in parables?” And Jesus answers saying that to us we have been granted tue mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, that whoever has more shall be given in abundance. Isn’t it fascinating how the author, God Himself, could’ve just spoken plainly and yet chose to speak with parables so that we could PURSUE Him in truth of the parables He’s saying. To the one who truly loves, they will commit in full to discover the secrets of God, like a true lover would chase their beloved. And later on it says that we’re blessed with our eyes because we can see and our ears because we can hear. We get to discover Him in this way because we’re the bride. Where prophets and righteousness people have longed and dreamed to experience God the way we do and yet they couldn’t. I feel so honored to say that my eyes and my ears are blessed to KNOW the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven as I pursue Him daily.
Day 17 · Genesis 40–41 · Matthew 17 · Psalm 12
Psalm 12:5 - It’s awesome to see how through the groaning of the needy, the desperation for Him, creates a hunger that isn’t quickly quenched, but stirs a longing that moves His heart.
“I will now arise,” says the Lord;
“I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”
The safety for which we long is Jesus. In him we are satisfied, protected, and refreshed. And how much more he wants us to be in Him than us ourselves.
Day 11 · Genesis 27–28 · Matthew 11 · Psalm 8
Take Away; The Lord wants me to give him my yoke, and that he; in his beauty and glory and majesty, will see me in my sin and ugliness, and past.
Day 12 · Genesis 29–30 · Matthew 12 · Psalm 9
In Genesis 29:1-3 there is a peculiar passage about a well being covered by a stone that would have to be rolled away to water three flocks of sheep. Allegorically speaking, Jesus can represent the well that has water that satisfies, the stone being rolled away is His resurrection, and the three flocks of sheep could be the three people groups of the first century church; Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles