Picturepocket's Blog

Tag: culture

  • Genesis 26: History Repeats 

    In this chapter Isaac and Rebekah and their two sons travel East to escape a famine. The Lord tells them not to go to Egypt. They end up going to the land ruled by King Abimelech of Gerar. The name Abimelech was used for several Philistine kings, so may have been a descendent of the…

  • Genesis 22: The Test

    Genesis 22: The Test

    God tells Abraham to bring his only beloved son to the land of Moriah and give him as a burnt offering to him.  So, Abraham takes Isaac, a donkey with wood and two servants on a three-day trip. Upon arrival at the mountain, Abraham leaves the servants and donkey. He has Isaac carry the wood,…

  • Genesis 21: Promises in the Desert

    As promised, God visited Sarah and she became pregnant with Abraham’s child. A son was born when God said it would. Abraham and Sarah named the child Isaac meaning laughter, because they had both laughed when they were told they were going to have a child at age 100.  Sarah did not appreciate the fact…

  • Genesis 20: Fear & Infertility 

    Abraham and his family travel southwest across the Negev, a desert, past the place that Hagar went when she ran away to a place called Gerar. Abraham tells the local King Abimelech that Sarah is his sister and so takes her keeps her in his palace. It’s the same deal as in Egypt.  God visits…

  • Genesis 19: Fire & Salt

    The angels that had visited Abraham arrive in Sodom and Lot greets them at the gate of the city. As evening approaches, he invites them to stay at his home instead of the town square. They are there to assess the wickedness of the city and will have an answer within a few hours. That…

  • Genesis 18: The Visitation 

    Abraham saw that the Lord appeared to him by the Oaks of Mamre. There were two angels with him and Abraham ran out to offer them hospitality, including water to wash their feet and inviting them to rest while he brought them food. Then, he went to Sarah and had her bake bread while he…

  • Genesis 15: Dreams & Visions

    Abram has a vision of God saying, “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”  Instead of just accepting this, Abram questions God about his childlessness. He doesn’t understand how the promise of having countless descendants can be fulfilled without even having one kid. What gives? Now that his nephew Lot…

  • Genesis 14: Spoils of War

    In the Valley of the Salt Sea, for twelve years, the people in the region had been under the rule of the king of Elam, but on the thirteenth some rebelled.  In the fourteenth year, the king of Elam teamed up with other three kings of cities to fight five rebellious cities including Sodom and…

  • Genesis 12: Travelog

    God tells Abram to go from his country, his kindred and his father’s house to a land that “I will show you.” He promises to make Abram a great nation, bless him and make his name great, so he will be a blessing. All those that bless him, God will bless. God will curse all…

  • Genesis 11: Babel and Beyond

    After the flood, all the people settled in one area called the Plain of Shinar. They baked bricks for stone and used bitumen, a viscous form of natural petroleum, for mortar. They said to themselves, let’s build a city and a tower with its top in the heavens and make a name for ourselves, lest…