Course in Genesis

(draft)

My notes and intrpretation from Gensis Story certification course by Doctor Justin A. Jackson.  I absolutely loved this course from Hillsdale College and devoured it.  Im currently looking for more similar courses (so if you know of any, please let me know!).

Super neat backstory about how I came across this course.  Im currently getting my website ready for re-launch and to go live, so I am preparing my servies pages and crossing t's and dotting i's and what not.  I scrounged around my records to find a copy of my Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Life Coach certification to share on my "Mind" services page, as well as another cert on how childhood and family history affect our happiness.  Nice!

Then I went to obtain a copy of my Certified Fitness Trainer through ISSA and because its technically expired I couldnt get a copy online, but luckily I had one at home in the basement so I grabbed a pic of that.  

However, I didnt have anything certified for my "Marrow" services.  Do energy readers even have certifications?? lol  Well shit you not, the day after I just put my other certs up on my webpage I came across an Advertisement while watching YouTube that offered this course!  PERFECT!

I do intend to go back through my notes and be more thorough and then use it for some content, but until then, please feel free to skim through my notes to see if this is a course you would be interested in checking out.  Highly recomended!  

articles of association establish 4 things
1) Sound learning/high learning.  study of END to which human life is organized.  Deals with intellect and power of mind
2) Building of moral character (brave, moderate, just, practically wise) cardinal virtues.
3) Teaching of Christian faith by precept and example
4) To exercise and understand (freedom)
Genesis: profound, mysterious. 
50 chapters in genesis - 1st 11 like each other.  mysterious and general. 2nd 39 like each other - very particular. Particular people, particular circumstances. About the choosing of the Jewish people.
Genesis ends with Jacob/Israel has died.
Genesis sets the stage for Exodus (Moses)
 
 
Covering Book of Genesis
Creation of Adam and Eve/consequent expulsion from Garden
1) relationship between god and creation
2) relationship between god and human beings
3) relationship between human to human
4) relationship between human and creation
 
What is intersection between god humans and human humans.  How does the face of God show up between human-to-human relationship? (the divine in human relationship)
1:26 - God has made man in his image.  Man is mediator between heaven and earth.  Both divine qualities and earthly qualities and tension between the two.  Defines man’s interactions
Adam - human being.  From the Soil.
 
Adam now has a duty:  To till and to watch.  Alternative translations to “till” and “watch” is to Serve and Guard. But rather than guard and serve we are then cast out and it is to be protected FROM us rather than BY us.



Doomed to die if we eat from tree of knowledge.



Most startling statement verse 18: And the Lord God said, "it is not good for the human to be alone, I shall make him a sustainer beside him."  Every act of creation is good - EXCEPT for being alone.  Helps us to understand our place in the cosmos.  



God started fashioning animals.  God is creating animals as he creates human (from soil) but doesn’t breathe into it.  Now MAN is using HIS words to name these animals.  And in the God/Human relationship God ABIDES and AGREEs to whatever man chooses to call these animals.  Man is now PARTICIPATING in the ACT OF CREATION (made in God's Image).  But there was no sustainer for the human in these animals.  So Woman was made.  To be a human person is not just to be a unique individual surrounded by other unique individuals, but rather we are in a sense incomplete - we can’t even name who we are - if we are not in a relationship to another human person.  "This one at last, bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh, This one shall be called Woman, for from man was this one taken." - ADAM names the creation. The orig word "Isha" (woman) means WIFE. From ISHA, ISH was created.  He could not be who he was until she became who she was.  There really is no separate identity, they are BOUND to each other. The very notion of personhood is found in this relationship.  This begins to stake out what the human to human relationship.  Chapter 3 shows us a rupture of the human to human relationship (where she is to be a sustainer to him and he is to find his own personhood) thus also a disruption in God/human relationship.



God gave Adam and eve a commandment.  Their desire to be like God breaks the commandment and thus their relationship with God. As a consequence of this God escorts them out of the garden.  May seem as a just response.  But ask anew.  What IS the tree? what is the knowledge of good and evil.  Because God made it, it is GOOD.  We were told all creation God makes in that garden is in fact Good.  So that means the tree in and of itself is Good.  So why would God not allow them to eat of it?  He made them in the divine image and likeness.  He breathed Himself into them - they are the mediators between earth and heaven.  And yet, they’re told they shall not have the knowledge - you should not be like gods.  Seems contradictory... when given the image and likeness to create, should they not be like Gods?  Why would God create something good that is the knowledge of good and evil and then tell them no?  Often we focus on the evil because of the shame they feel.  Wouldn’t the knowledge of God be heightened in that sense since God is the source of Good.  There is a DOUBLE source of knowledge here.  The double exposure creates consciousness.  The more we know of good the more we know of shame and vv.  Each piece of that knowledge feeds one another.  



Serpent tells Eve not to eat from ANY of the trees and Even interrupts and says, No no, just this one we can’t eat from - and then EXPANDS and says they shall also not TOUCH it - where does she get that from?  Has she added this commandment to increase her resistance to the lust (desire) of the tree?  Or perhaps is this the command that Adam gave to her to protect her??  Is she simply repeating what Adam said?  The serpent is very cunning and tells both a lie and the truth SIMOTANEOUSLY (again, duality).  
 
God asks Adam and Eve "Where are you?" "Who told you that you were naked?" "Did you eat from the tree?" But God is ALL KNOWING.  He already knows.  He is questioning them to provided them an opportunity for repentance.  He is asking them to ADMIT what they have done.
 
Keeping commandments keeps us in relationship with the Divine.  We become the proper mediator.  If you don’t follow them SIMPLY REPENT.  Then you will be asked to follow the commandments.  
 
Adam, after given the chance to repent, then BLAMES the woman!  "The woman which YOU gave to me" - he is passing the blame to woman AND God.  So here is the intersection of how the disruption of the human/God relationship in turn creates disruption of the human/human relationship.  He cuts himself off from ALL relationships (divine and human) rather than taking his own responsibility.  

EVE - then passes blame off to the serpent.  She doesn’t even say that she gave the fruit to Adam.  
 
Is it the fear of death that causes unrepentance?  
 
Sarah, Hagar & Abraham
Chapter 15 - much about childbirth. Will he have a male heir?  Abe desires to have an heir, begging God for it.  
 
Sarah, Abe’s wife, offers up her slave girl Hagar to Abe as a wife so that they may conceive.  
 
Then when she got pregnant, Hagar looked down upon Sarah.
 
The numerous repetitions of who is who - Sarah the WIFE, Abe the HUSBAND, Hagar Sarah’s SLAVEGIRL, drives the point of the status/hierarchy.  When Sarah gives Hagar to Abe as his WIFE, this creates them now as equals.  This now creates rivalry.  Now she’s not just Abe’s wife, she is a mother and Sarah is not, so the hierarchy has been disrupted creating rivalry.  Sarah then gets pissed and says to Abe "Let the LORD judge between you and me!" and Abe's all "woah woah woah, Look your slave girl is in your hands.  Do to her whatever you think is right."  Abe passes off the responsibility as to not upset the hierarchy even more if he were to command not to harm the mother of his child.  So, Sarah harasses Hagar and Hagar goes.
 
Hagar goes to a spring of water where the cherub spots her and asks what she’s doing there. From where did you come and where are you going?  She responds that she is fleeing from her MISTRESS, Sarah.  So, the cherub tells her to go back to Sarah and "suffer the abuse at her hand." she doesn’t respond and so he continues I will multiply your seed".  He basically says I heard your suffering, now go suffer, BUT I will multiply your seed.
 
You shall have a child called Ishmael for the lord has heeded your suffering.  
 
Chapter 17 introduces the narrative back to Abe and Sarah and that they shall have a child as well that will be the kings of people.  Abe is told that Sarah will conceive and he laughs.  He is 100 and Sarah is 90.  Why does he laugh? Joy? Or is it of skepticism?  
 
Abe wants God to bless BOTH of his sons and God affirms this as his intention. So, God responds to both the joy AND the skepticism.  
 
Chapter 18 verse 4: The angels come to visit Abe and Sarah and say that they will have a child.  Sarah laughs about it and God wants to know why Sarah would laugh.  Sarah denies her laughter and God responds Yes huh you did.  Sarah’s laughter is of scorn (which will be turned into joy). So basically, God says to Abe, who also laughed, to go to Sarah and that nothing is beyond Him.
 
BUT in order for the blessing to come that God has promised them, they must ACT in FAITH to co-create this blessing.  
 
Chapter 21 v 1:  God keeps his promise and Sarah has a child named Isaac (meaning laughter).  Sarah says whoever hears this will also laugh.  But is this out of skepticism? or of Joy?  OR is it BOTH? 
 
Sarah then sees her slave girls (Hagar) son (Ishmael) laughing and so Sarah tells Abe to drive them both out and that Ishmael shall not inherit with Isaac (more rivalry).  Does she fear that Ismael will inherit more? or does she feel the laughter was mocking and she is establishing protection for her son?  Abe doesn’t care for this and thinks its evil because of his son.  But which son is he referring to?
 
God tells Abe, listen dude, don’t see it as evil.  Listen to your wife.  Both of your sons will prosper.  Have faith in me.  Let Sarah cut her loose and have faith in me that these promises will come to pass. 
 
So Abe sends her off.  Hagar runs out of water and thinks her son will die.  Then an angel comes and says What’s wrong? Lift up your son for I will make him a great nation.  Water is provided and they live.  
 
POINT: God hears suffering and responds to it.
 
(Abrahams two sons have very similar stories).   
 
God doesn’t just make the water appear, he affirms to her (through angel) his promise and in her FAITH and with the affirmation she OPENS HER EYES and SEES the water.
 
Gen chap 22 - the binding of Isaac//the 10th trial of Abraham
 
God tells Abe to offer up Isaac as a burnt offering.  
 
So, Abe is given this horrific commandant to sacrifice his son, but it seems to violate Gods commandments - breaking of His promise that Isaac would prosper and committing murder.  But Abe has a blind obedience.  He is known as the Knight of Great faith.  He has commandments contradicting one another and finds himself in no man’s land and must make a leap of faith.
 
Hebrews 11:17 "it was Abe’s great faith that offered up his son knowing great well that God would RESTORE his life".  
 
So there is some ambiguity for Abe in the word "Prepare" when God says to prepare him up for sacrifice.  Just PREPARE him? or Prepare him AND OFFER him?  Moment of both faith AND terror.  
 
So then Abe tells his lads "hey me and the boy are gonna go over here and worship and then WE will RETURN."   He knows what he is supposed to be doing and still says this knowing that he may come back a liar and a child murderer. So is he lying to the lads?
 
Isaac calls to Abe and Abe responds " hineni " - which means "I am here" - I am FULLY HERE in complete presence with you (he also responded to God this way - notice the human/divine and human/human relationship is in order.  Abe is obeying his commandment) asks, "Hey where is the sheep? I see the fire and the wood." But he doesn’t mention the knife.
 
Abe replies that God will see to the sheep, my son.  Again, is Abe lying and this time to Isaac? or is he acting out of faith?
 
So basically, Isaac pretty much sees what’s going on here and this is a bonding moment between the two, the gesture of faith, and they go TOGETHER to the place of offering.
 
When Abe goes to SLAUGHTER his son (which was not commanded of him.  it was only commanded to PREPARE him as an offering) that is when the angel appears and Abe responds again hineni - I am here fully in your presence.  God says Don’t do it.  I know you fear God and your offering is one of faith and service to me.  So then Abe looks up and sees a ram and offers the ram as sacrifice.  As a thanksgiving.
 
There is parallel between the story of Ishmael and Isaac.  Both children basically left for dead (illusion), and both parents obtaining clear vision (reality) after being ministered to by Gods Angels.  Their sight of truth (seeing the water and seeing the ram) was restored.   
 
Now, despite the famous paintings of this binding scene that depict Isaac as a younger child, scripture points out through disclosing Sarah’s age that Isaac was in his late thirties.  Its one thing for a father to bind up a 12 year old child, but for a grown man to be bound he must SUBMIT to the will of his father.  This was only a test of Abe but also a test of Isaac.  Does he trust in is father? Does he trust in God?  It is not just Abe acting in faith, but also Isaac.
 
Jacob and Esau.
 
Rivalry Begins with conception.  Isaac begged God on the behalf of his wife (Rebekah) to conceive.  She does and the battle within her womb.  She wants to know Why me?! And God said there are 2 nations in your womb. two peoples from your loins shall issue.  People over people shall prevail, the elder, the younger's slave.  Ambiguity in the line "The elder the younger's slave" Depending on translation: The elder shall serve the younger? or the younger shall the elder serve?  There is ambiguity on who will actually come out on top.
 
Esau came out first - ruddy and hairy.  The second twin was Jacob and he came out grasping on to Esau's heel.  Esau was a hunter and Jacob was a simple man dweller in tents.  The rivalry then extends from the womb to parental favoritism because Isaac preferred Esau’s because he was a skilled man in the field and for the game he brought him, and Rebekah loved Jacob.   
 
So Jacob makes a stew and Esau came and said to Jacob, Dude give me some of that red red stuff, I’m so hungry!  To which Jacob says, "well then sell me your birthright"  and Esau figures hey I’m about to die anyhow, what do I need a birthright for? And Jacob makes him swear to him.  And the transaction occurs, suggesting Esau’s inability to see beyond his immediate circumstances.
 
Jacob is often depicted as lying or deceiving, but is he really?  He obviously wants the birth right and has contemplated it and given it thought - but did he deceive Esau? Or seize an opportunity? 
 
ch 27
 
Isaac was about to die and calls Esau and Esau responds "hanini".  Isaac asks him to go get his hunting stuff and find him some game and bring it back so Rebekah cam make it so that he may eat it and solemnly bless him before he dies.  
 
Rebekah then goes to Jacob, HER son (again rivalry) and says "look your Da is having your brother go get him some food before he dies so he can bless him in the Lords presence, so I’m going to need you do listen to MY voice and what I command you.  Go to the flock and get me two baby goats so I can make a dish for your Da that he loves, and you shall bring it to your father and he shall eat so that he may bless you before he dies. Jacob is like, "But Ma, Esau is super hairy and I’m not.  What if da feels me and realizes that I seem a cheat to him and I bring myself a curse and not a blessing??" And Rebekah says, "I'll bear your curse son.  Just go do what I say and fetch them for me."
 
Jacob knows that he is being deceptive.  He doesn’t know that the Lord gave his mother this direction.  So then Jacob does it anyway, Rebekah makes the dish, puts Jacob in Esau’s clothes, and uses the baby goats fur to cover Jacobs bare skin to make him more like Esau.
 
So then Jacob takes the food and Isaac asks "who are you, my son?"  Jacob says he is Esau, his first born.  At this point he still feels he’s not entirely deceptive because he adds in the part - YOUR FIRST BORN - indicating the birth right which he ALREADY has.  But then Da was like "how’d you get this food so fast?" obviously skeptical about what is going on.  He says its cuz God gave him good luck.  This is true if you think about it.  So then he calls him over to touch him so that he can confirm that he is indeed Esau.  He’s confused that  he sounds like Jacob but feels like Esau and so he asks him point blank - are you my son Esau (not including the "first born" part).  
 
Jacob says he is, being fully deceptive.
 
Isaac is pretty brutal in his blessing saying in part of the blessing "Be overlord to your brothers, may your mothers sons bow before you."  Ouch Da....Clearly has a favorite and is leaving NOTHING to Jacob. 
 
Then Esau comes and to do as he was asked and Isaac is perplexed.  Esau is distraught.  Asking "Have you left anything for ME?"  And he’s like, Dude, I gave him everything.  I can’t give contradictory blessings.  And Esau’s like JUST ONE, please? Something?
 
Then Issacs creates a blessing of sorts that makes Esau a military man and that he will have is rebellion with his sword.  Rebekah overhears this and tells Jacob "dude your brother plans on killing you - listen to MY VOICE.  Go and flee to my brothers house until your brother isn’t so mad anymore and then Ill come get you"
 
(side note:  While Jacob is gone for 20 years he marries Rachel and when he goes to consummate the marriage - in the dark - he actually sleeps with the sister! Duped very much in the same way! ...Karma.  )
 
Gen 34 v 4
Jacob tries to make amends with his brother saying I’ve got you all these things my Lord, I am your servant...basically buttering him up.  And they came back saying Hey yea your brother is coming and he’s coming with 400 men. This use of this context of 400 men is a use of literature describing military, and not necessarily 400 actual men.  Basically saying, Dude, he’s coming to fight you.  
 
Jacob freaks out and says to divide into two camps so that when Esau comes he will destroy the one camp and the other will be able to flee.  Jacob tries everything he can to placate his brother and reverse the deception he has done.
 
Jacob then wrestles with an angel and won’t stop until the angel gives him a blessing.  The angel changes his name from Jacob to Israel - from deception to prevailing.  
 
ch 33
Jacob saw Esau was coming with his army of men. and sorted out the camps (showing a setup of hierarchy again). When they finally see each other there is a reconciliation rather than a war.  He kisses his brothers neck and embraces him (bringing a new understanding When Isaac blesses Esau, he tells him that “when you rebel, you shall break off his yoke from your neck)  Jacob tries to make it right and offers everything to Esau which Esau rejects because he has much and has been blessed.



Jacob says to Esau that seeing his face is in comparison to seeing Gods face.  This brings us back to the human/divine connection and the human/human connection.  It is said that no one shall see the face of god and love - EXCEPT for Israel (Jacob).  In the reconciliation and the repentance, you can see Gods face.  The face of God shows through the face of human. 



Some commentators see Jacob as scheming and trying to buy off his brother.  "It’s one thing to offer a gift but it’s another thing to accept it.  Often times to accept that gift is much more difficult to give it - especially when it’s in reconciliation.  Often times it’s much harder to accept forgiveness from another human than it is to offer that forgiveness. Because then we can’t Lord it over them any longer."  That Esau, even if Jacob is trying to be deceptive, he ALLOWS for reconciliation and offers him the gift of forgiveness.   
 
Sets up story for Joseph.  So much sibling rivalry (Cane/Abel, Jacob/Esau, Rachel and Leah) and then more rivalry in the Joseph story (all brothers pitted against one brother due to father’s favoritism).    Will revisit all same temptations to rivalry and revenge in Joseph story.  "Will revisit one more time the beautify of reconciliation and of seeing one’s brother there in front of one’s face, and then also to see the face of God."
 
The Joseph story ch 37-50
 
story precedes a penitential narrative. Josephs story begins when Esau comes to Jacob and lines up his children in an order of preference and love with Rachel and joseph being last.  
 
Jacob had joseph and favors him and all his brothers hate him because of it.  Is he favored by his father because he comes back and gives ill-report of his brothers?    
 
Joseph shares a dream with his brothers that makes them hate him even more.  Basically, the dream indicated/interpreted as that he was to reign over them.
 
Joseph is the dreamer, but doesn’t come to be known for it or for interpreting them.  He shares another dream with his brothers and with his father, which seemed to be interpreted as ALL bowing down to him - his father, mother and brother.  
 
So Jacob is ASKED by his father to go look after his brother. (so not just simply bringing back ill-report on his own it is on behalf of his father).  The brothers saw him coming and plotted against him to kill him and blame it on the beasts in the pits and see then what comes of his dreams.
 
Reuben runs to his rescue and says to his brothers not to kill him. TO throw him into the pit and let him rescue him to bring him back to his father.  Now Reuben is the first born and therefore has the birthright and thus SHOULD have Jacobs favoritism, even though it is clear that Joseph does.
 
WHY would he do this?  Well Reuben actually betrayed his father by sleeping with the enemy basically.  So perhaps he wants to rescue Joseph, Jacobs favorite, to gain his father’s favor.  But what’s going to happen to the rest of the brothers?  Reuben is willing to sacrifice the rest of his brothers to get back into his father’s good graces.  
 
So josephs brothers stripped him of his ornamented tunic (symbolizing favoritism) and threw him into the put.  
 
So, Judah goes and sells him (joseph) off and Reuben came to the pit to rescue him and he’s not there!   The brothers take the tunic and kill some kid and put the kids’ blood on the tunic and bring it to their father and say Is this your son’s tunic?! Jacob was pretty distraught and mourned for days.  He was inconsolable. Even with ALL of his children trying to console him.  He is rejecting the love of ALL of his children on behalf of his ONE son.  They won’t forget that!  
 
Ch 42 Finding Joseph in Egypt 
 
Joseph is now a dream reader and high ranking official.  He sends everyone off somewhere but keeps back his son Benjamin (again favoritism).  All the brothers come and bow before him (as he prophesied) and Joseph recognizes them but acts like he doesn’t. He calls them spies.  (the same thing they accused him of for reporting back to their dad).  So he tells them one of you will go and get your youngest brother and all of you will stay detained.  (the same structure as Rueben - the ONE brother to go out and save the other).  But then joseph says ONE shall stay and the rest shall go.  Reuben steps forward and basically says no can do "his blood is requited".
 
(pick up notes at 20 minutes)