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Bible Study: The End of the Beginning (Genesis 48-50)

10 January 2018 By Ken Garrison Leave a Comment

“Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” Winston Churchill – 1942

These are the words of Winston Churchill in the early days of WWII. As we complete our study of the book of Genesis, I feel the same way. Genesis (Hebrew: B-re-sheet) means “in the beginning”. This book provides the foundation for the rest of the Bible. In it we have the creation account, the fall and the early judgment of mankind. I have called these judgments “God’s acts to limit the expression of evil through mankind”. Following these judgments, we have the revelation of the beginning of the redemption process which has now been working out in the human community for 4,000 years. [Read more…]

Bible Study: Leadership in Israel (Genesis 44-47)

3 January 2018 By Ken Garrison Leave a Comment

As noted in previous studies, the latter section of the book of Genesis (chapters 37-50) is prophetic in nature. The future leadership of the nation of Israel is described hundreds of years before the fact. Joseph is a unique type of Messiah. His descendants, Ephraim and Manasseh will become leaders of the northern tribes of Israel. Judah, on the other hand, will be the dominant tribe in the south. Through Judah, God will preserve a remnant to complete His purpose of redemption. Messiah will come from the tribe of Judah. Even though the division of Israel between Judah and Joseph is only temporarily healed from time to time during the First Kingdom Era (1447 – 586 BC/BCE), the unification of the whole house of Israel will be accomplished in the Diaspora. Ezekiel prophesied of this unification (Ezekiel 37:15-23). [Read more…]

Bible Study: Judah Takes Up His Cross (Genesis 41-44)

25 December 2017 By Ken Garrison Leave a Comment

The portion of the Bible recorded from Genesis 37-50 gives an account of the character of two men, Judah and Joseph. This is prophecy because it provides the foundation for subsequent leadership in Israel. When Israel finally possessed the land following the Exodus, the tribes of Judah and Joseph received the territory of the central highlands from the Judean wilderness north to the Jezreel valley. This is the area of the land that is most significant from a spiritual standpoint. It is referred today in the international media as the “Israeli occupied West Bank”. It is, without doubt, the most highly contested real estate in the world. During the First Kingdom era (1447 – 586 BC/BCE), the tribes of Israel were most often divided into two groups; Judah in the South and Ephraim (Joseph) in the North. Jacob predicted that, ultimately, Judah would be the primary vessel of redemption (Genesis 49:8-10). [Read more…]

Bible Study: Judah and Joseph – Genesis 37-40

19 December 2017 By Ken Garrison Leave a Comment

The book of Genesis is prophetic in nature. A major theme from Genesis 12 through 36 is God’s interaction with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: God established His election through these three witnesses. Later, when God called Moses at Mt. Sinai, He declared that His eternal, memorial name was, is and will be “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:15). From Genesis 37 through 50, God’s elect vessel shifts to the infant nation of Israel from the individual patriarchs. The book is prophetic in nature because it outlines the leadership within the nation of Israel for the future. In these chapters, we have an account of events in the lives of Judah and Joseph. The descendants of these two men would become the leading tribes of the nation of Israel. The prophetic promises and hence God’s work of redemption would be carried out primarily through these two tribes. [Read more…]

Bible Study: The Vessel of Promise Returns to the Land of Promise (Genesis 32-36)

12 December 2017 By Ken Garrison Leave a Comment

Since our objective here is to discuss Biblical revelation and truth, I feel that I must comment of the events of this week. President Trump, on behalf of the U.S., officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of the nation of Israel. This is important because God has chosen Jerusalem as the seat of His kingdom on earth. The people of Israel have returned to the land of Israel in fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. Jerusalem was liberated in the “Six-Day War” in 1967 and was subsequently unified under Israeli rule, which was also an important prophetic fulfillment. One nation’s recognition of this reality may not seem consequential, but I pray that this action will serve as an encouragement for the Israelis to move to sanctify the Temple Mount. Israel will need to follow the pattern set by their father, Israel, as he came to trust God to fulfill His promises. [Read more…]