# 412 The Test of Jealousy

The Book of Genesis

Day 412

Ge 43:27 Then he asked them about their well-being, and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?" 28 And they answered, "Your servant our father is in good health; he is still alive." And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves. 29 Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, "Is this your younger brother of whom you spoke to me?" And he said, "God be gracious to you, my son." 30 Now his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. And he went into his chamber and wept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out; and he restrained himself, and said, "Serve the bread." 32 So they set him a place by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves; because the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. 33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked in astonishment at one another. 34 Then he took servings to them from before him, but Benjamin's serving was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.

Having received the gift of exotic food from his brothers, Joseph begins the conversation much like you and I might begin a conversation with others. “How ya been? Is your dad well? Is he still alive?” That last one is a fair question, I mean who knows, maybe the only reason the brothers were able to return with Benjamin was that Jacob had passed away! You can’t resist from the grave!

Assured of his father’s well being Joseph turns to Benjamin and singles him out for a blessing saying, “God be gracious unto you.” This is quite a blessing in the Hebrew culture. It’s asking that God stoop down to Benjamin and grant him mercy. This kind of blessing could once again stir the pot of jealousy in the other brothers!

Joseph, overcome with the emotion of the moment, has to leave the room  to pull himself back together, and there is a subtle lesson for us here concerning blood relation. Never underestimate the strength of biological connection. There is a powerful, almost mystical bond between biological siblings and biological parents. Those of you in adoptive situations likely know what I am talking about. It’s a powerful draw and adoptive parents need to be prepared for it when it surfaces.

Joseph returns, the food is served and the brothers are amazed at the seating arrangement. They are all seated in the order of their birthright…oldest to the youngest. The food is served. (as an aside I like what the King James calls it here. It says “messes” rather than food. Must be where we get the term mess hall in the military. The Hebrew word actually means “portion.”)

And once again we see an action on Joseph’s part that could possibly stir up feelings of jealousy toward Benjamin as he receives 5 times more on his plate than his brothers. These acts of Joseph toward Benjamin remind me of what is written in Rom 11:11 concerning the stirring up of jealousy amongst the Jews: Ro 11:11 I say then, have they (the Jews) stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.

At any rate, the seeds of jealousy have been planted in this encounter with Joseph and while they bear no fruit during this time of merriment, there lies ahead a much bigger test for the brothers……stay tuned!

# 411 It Was Sorta Like Church

The Book of Genesis

Day 411

Ge 43:23 But he said, "Peace be with you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them.  24 So the man brought the men into Joseph's house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed.  25 Then they made the present ready for Joseph's coming at noon, for they heard that they would eat bread there.  26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth.

Notice how the tone of the encounter with Joseph has changed. The brothers entered the house of Joseph with guilt and fear, but the servant has calmed their fears and extended the peace of God to them. Simeon was brought out to them, evidently no worse for the wear. Things are looking up! The men are given water to wash their feet, their donkey’s are given feed. These are great signs of hospitality and acceptance.

Word reaches them that they would be doing lunch with Joseph at noon, so they took some extra time to make their present ready for Joseph. They wanted it to look and be the best. Quite a change from when they first arrived, wouldn’t you say?

When you think about it, this whole scenario is sorta like church. Some people arrive on Sunday with their own packages of fear and guilt. The gospel is preached, the peace of God or forgiveness of sins is offered to all and people are set free. Hospitality is prevalent. Gifts are brought and offered, and there is great anticipation of a holy meal with Jesus.

What a difference the gospel has made in the attitude of the brothers! Having received the peace of God offered to them, they prepare their gift with love and kindness, gratitude and excellence. Think about it. Without the peace of God extended to them and received, what do you think their attitude of giving would’ve been?  It would’ve been out of fear, and that my friend, is not an offering, that’s a ransom and it has no place alongside the gospel. 

Forgiveness of sins is not for sale! It cannot be purchased with money or good works. It can only be received as the gift it truly is from the Father through His Son Jesus Christ.

# 410 Sweet Words of Grace

The Book of Genesis

Day 410

Ge 43:15 So the men took that present and Benjamin, and they took double money in their hand, and arose and went down to Egypt; and they stood before Joseph.  16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Take these men to my home, and slaughter an animal and make ready; for these men will dine with me at noon."  17 Then the man did as Joseph ordered, and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.  18 Now the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, "It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may make a case against us and fall upon us, to take us as slaves with our donkeys."  19 When they drew near to the steward of Joseph's house, they talked with him at the door of the house,  20 and said, "O sir, we indeed came down the first time to buy food;  21 "but it happened, when we came to the encampment, that we opened our sacks, and there, each man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; so we have brought it back in our hand.  22 "And we have brought down other money in our hands to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks."  23 But he said, "Peace be with you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them.

Joseph knows only too well the animosity between the sons of Leah and the sons of Rachel. His heart is gladdened to see his brother Benjamin alive and well. He is glad to see that his father was finally able to let Benjamin go and trust his brothers to bring him to Egypt. So glad, that he decides to throw a feast for them.

Now remember, the brothers know nothing of this feast, they just know they are being taken to Joseph’s house and their natural reaction was fear! They were not yet aware of the grace that awaited them there.  They were still thinking in terms of judgment. “We are here because of that money that was in our sacks! He’s going to use this as an excuse to make us his slaves.” They were afraid of suffering the punishment they deserved. Justice would demand that they end up as slaves just as their brother Joseph did, and now it looked like God was finally bringing it to pass.

Notice how they begin to justify and plead their cause with Joseph’s servant. They maintain their innocence and the servant responds with the sweet words of grace. Words that God has uttered throughout the generations. Words that were uttered by His Son Jesus. Words that say, “never mind your fleshly justifications, your pretensions of innocence, your fear of punishment and justice being meted out to you. No! Peace be with you, fear not!”

And why should they not fear? The same reason you and I should not fear. Because that treasure in their sacks that the servant spoke of, is the same treasure God has supplied for us. God’s treasure of forgiveness is freely given. His justice was meted out when HE sent His only Son to die on the cross and pay the price of our sins. He doesn’t want our effort, our justification, our pleas of innocence. He wants us to simple surrender and receive the free gift of salvation….the treasure of His Son Jesus Christ.

# 409 The Softening of the Heart Begins

The Book of Genesis

Day 409

Ge 43:8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.  9 "I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.  10 "For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time."  11 And their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and carry down a present for the man-a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.  12 "Take double money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight.  13 "Take your brother also, and arise, go back to the man.  14 "And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!"

Judah steps up to the plate and offers himself as surety for his younger brother Benjamin. Reminds me of similar words spoken from an offspring of Judah years later. Jesus, praying in Joh 17:12 said,  "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”

Judah volunteered to bring his little brother home even if it cost him his life, likewise Jesus volunteered to bring all of us home knowing it was going to cost Him His life! Oh what a friend we have in Jesus!

Jacob finally relents. He finally faces reality. He finally is able to release Benjamin. “If I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

When our children or loved ones are gravely ill or in serious sin trouble, we may need to get to this place where Jacob is. We need to release them into the hands of a God who loves them even more than we do! Notice though, that Jacob doesn’t let him go without taking some sound steps for his son’s protection. Using what he has at his disposal, he sends along some delicacies of the land that would please the Egyptians. He also sends along twice the money to cover any doubt about not paying for that first shipment of grain. Last but not least he calls upon God to grant him mercy for the sake of Benjamin AND Simeon. Yes AND Simeon, and now we begin to see the grace of God work in Jacob’s heart as this is the first time we have heard of concern for Simeon!

Is anyone in your family physically or spiritually ill? By all means, use the resources God has placed at your disposal to deal with the problem, but also be willing to let go and let God. Invite His might and mercy into your situation through prayer and fasting. In so doing, grace will be released into your life as it was in Jacob’s.

# 408 The Battle of Besetting Sins

The Book of Genesis

Day 408

Ge 43:1 Now the famine was severe in the land.  2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go back, buy us a little food."  3 But Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"  4 "If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.  5 "But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"  6 And Israel said, "Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother?"  7 But they said, "The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' And we told him according to these words. Could we possibly have known that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?"

The first time the boys trekked off to Egypt, they were the ones dragging their feet, now it is Jacob. The family had eaten all the food they had brought back from Egypt and now Jacob says “go back and buy more.” Aren’t you forgetting something Jacob?

Judah, has the courage to stand up to his father and tell him the truth. The truth is they will not even be granted an audience with the man unless Benjamin comes along. In addition, a return without Benjamin would be an admission that they are spies and that would mean death for all of them.  Jacob is trapped! Painted into a corner and he lashes out at his sons. “Why did you have to tell this guy about Benjamin in the first place?”

Ever notice how quickly our old sins are ready to pounce on us again. The devil is masterful when it comes to stirring up our old sins and causing them to break out again, especially when we are under emotional pressure. Here, Jacob reverts to his old deceiving ways, “why didn’t you just lie to the guy?”

The lesson for us is obvious. Never say never. Never say, “I’ve got that sin licked.” “I’ll never lose my temper again!”  I’ll never look at pornography again.” I’ll never get caught up in gossip again.” This is all foolish talk of the flesh.  The devil watches, he knows our weaknesses and is quick to pounce on us when the time is opportune.

So how do we defeat this tactic? Be watchful! Know your own weaknesses and pray! Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help. Respect the power of your flesh and say with the Apostle Paul who had similar struggles: 

Ro 7:15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

In my battle with besetting sins, I thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord.

# 407 The Royal Rule That Sets Us Free

The Book of Genesis

Day 407

Ge 42:36 And Jacob their father said to them, "You have bereaved me: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me."  37 Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, "Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you." 38 But he said, "My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave."

Just listen to Jacob go off on his sons! He blames them for all the grief that has come his way and manages to imply once again that Benjamin remains his lasting favorite son. Perhaps this bitterness towards his sons is a coping mechanism for Jacob, after all, it was his idea in the first place to send the 17 year old Joseph off on a trek to Shechem from which he never returned, and in that sense, he is likely dealing with some unwarranted guilt of his own!  

Oh that tricky old devil! He can even use grief to drive wedges between loved ones.  

No matter the circumstance the blame and shame game has been around a long time and often used to cover our own shortcomings. It takes the spotlight off us, and shines it on others. And here’s the thing: Most people don’t even realize that they are doing it, and in the end they make themselves and those around them miserable.

Jacob’s real problem is still his unbalanced affection toward the children of his beloved Rachel. The Bible remains us that love is to be without partiality. (See James 2, Rom 2:11) 1 Tim 5:21) In his book The Message,  Eugene Peterson writing in James 2, calls it the “royal rule.”  We are to love others as we love ourselves! He then refers to that rule as the rule that “sets us free!”

And as we, readers of the story of Jacob, Leah, Rachel, and their 12 sons find ourselves in the middle of this unhealthy family spat, we begin to see how true that statement is! Because at this point the only one “free” in this family is Joseph, and this former slave is free because he freely forgives!

# 406 The Fear of God’s Grace

The Book of Genesis

Day 406

Ge 42:29 Then they went to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan and told him all that had happened to them, saying:  30 "The man who is lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.  31 "But we said to him, 'We are honest men; we are not spies.  32 'We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is with our father this day in the land of Canaan.'  33 "Then the man, the lord of the country, said to us, 'By this I will know that you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, take food for the famine of your households, and be gone.  34 'And bring your youngest brother to me; so I shall know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. I will grant your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.'"  35 Then it happened as they emptied their sacks, that surprisingly each man's bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.

The brothers arrive home without Simeon and retell the story to their father. As they unload the grain, they find all their money in their sacks and “they were afraid”….Jacob included. (The word for fear here, is “the emotional and intellectual anticipation of harm.” We’ve all been there….imagining the worst in our given situation.

They have been dealing with a harsh man, and now it looks like they ripped him off! This guy could pull up outside their tent at any minute and charge them with robbery, and they would have no legal leg to stand on.  At the same time, they realize that if they ever want to see Simeon again, they’ll have to go back to Egypt and face the music. So fear overcomes them as they imagine the worst.

I remember a similar kind of fear in my own life at my time of conversion. I was like that servant who buried his talent because he knew that the master was a harsh man. Maybe you had similar thoughts before your own conversion, maybe you are even entertaining them now. I mean, I knew the Law. The Ten Commandments had a lot to say about my present lifestyle, and it was all harsh. I was afraid of all the things I would have to give up if I chose to follow Christ.

It was like I had this sack placed before me, and along with all the fear, there was this sweet promise of grace. Unconditional forgiveness, and mercy. As I peered deeper into the sack of salvation, there, with the Bread of Life, was all my money, all my good works. God didn’t want them! The Master was offering salvation to me for free, and yet I was afraid.

I was afraid He would come along later and make demands of me. He would demand that I give up drinking and partying. He would demand that I go to church. He would demand that I give up my infatuation with sports and put Him first, and so on. Well, that was over 35 years ago, and I’m here to tell you that I haven’t given up a thing……rather, that “harsh” master gently took these things away and keeps on taking away those things that are harmful to my relationship with Him and others. He has replaced them all with unspeakable peace and joy!

Don’t let fear of God’s grace keep you from the kingdom. Perhaps you are exploring the “sack of salvation” today. Perhaps this same kind of fear is gripping you. You don’t want to take the plunge of faith because the devil wants you to believe that the harsh demands of God are awaiting you on the other side. Listen to the words of Jesus and see if there is any hint of harshness in them! 

Mt 11:28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Fear not my friend, dive into the sack. God’s grace is real and it waits for you!

# 405 What Has God Done To Us?

The Book of Genesis

Day 405

Ge 42:24 And he turned himself away from them and wept. Then he returned to them again, and talked with them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.  25 Then Joseph gave a command to fill their sacks with grain, to restore every man's money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. Thus he did for them.  26 So they loaded their donkeys with the grain and departed from there.  27 But as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed at the encampment, he saw his money; and there it was, in the mouth of his sack.  28 So he said to his brothers, "My money has been restored, and there it is, in my sack!" Then their hearts failed them and they were afraid, saying to one another, "What is this that God has done to us?"

Joseph decides to keep Simeon behind and ties him up in full view of his brothers. Then he gave the command to fill their sacks with grain, and to restore all their money, and load them up with provisions for the journey. As the brothers made camp, one of them opens his sack and discovers the money. “Then their hearts failed them , saying to one another, “What has God done to us?”

Hold it right there! I think God has His paintbrush out for us again and is painting a picture of grace!  Look at some of the words Joseph used in this command: Words like, “fill,” restore,” “give” and “provision.” These are all words of grace! Does not God “fill” us with His grace? Does He not “restore” us? And does He not “provide” for us on our journey home? “Thus He did for them!” Thus He will do for you!

That’s the heart of grace, God doing for us, rather than we doing for Him. Now, look at the brothers reaction to this “grace!” Their hearts failed them and they were afraid. This is a familiar response to the grace of God.  Heart stopping awe when the truth hits you that salvation is freely given at the great price of the blood of the Son of God!

This grace is so foreign to us, because our flesh fights it, we want to do something to contribute to our salvation, we distrust anything that is freely given and sometimes will go as far as to attach our own strings to the gift.  We want to do something to earn God’s favor, we want to make it to heaven on our own merit, but the Bible tells us that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags! Our best shot at goodness is no better than a stinky old rag and God says, “That’s the way I want it.” You get into my heaven only because of what I did for you.”

When that truth hits home, we must ask in holy fear along with Joseph’s brothers, “What is this that God has done for us.”

# 404 The Silent Scream

The Book of Genesis

Day 404

Ge 42:16 "Send one of you, and let him bring your brother; and you shall be kept in prison, that your words may be tested to see whether there is any truth in you; or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies!" 17 So he put them all together in prison three days. 18 Then Joseph said to them the third day, "Do this and live, for I fear God: 19 "If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined to your prison house; but you, go and carry grain for the famine of your houses. 20 "And bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die." And they did so. 21 Then they said to one another, "We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us." 22 And Reuben answered them, saying, "Did I not speak to you, saying, 'Do not sin against the boy'; and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us." 23 But they did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter.

Plan A for Joseph is to keep all the brothers in prison except one. That one, would go back and fetch Benjamin. But first, he puts them all in jail for three days. After 3 days he comes up with plan B. In this new plan, just one brother would stay behind and the rest would bring Benjamin back with them on a return trip.

At this point the brothers start talking about their guilt concerning Joseph, not knowing that Joseph understood every single word, and for the first time, we get a horrific glimpse of what really took place on that day Joseph was sold into slavery. He did not go off to Egypt quietly. In “anguish of soul” he pleaded with his brothers, “Don’t do it!” But the brothers would not hear the pleas of their own flesh and blood  and now 20 years later we see that his anguished pleas are still ringing in their ears.

Have you ever seen the movie “The Silent Scream?” It was released in 1984 and depicted an actual abortion. Through ultrasound, it gave us a window to the womb and it was very graphic. The unborn child could be seen recoiling from the tools used in the procedure and in the end, opening it’s mouth in what appeared to be a silent scream.

Oh that the citizens and governing authorities in New York, Virginia, and other “pro choice” states would open their eyes to this truth. The pink celebratory lights of the world trade center would be darkened in mourning.

This whole scene with Joseph’s brothers seems strikingly similar to the plight of those who have aborted their babies. They too are often reminded of the “anguished pleas” of their unborn child  through the lips of those who “seek to deliver those drawn unto the slaughter,” ( Prov 24:11) These heroic pro-life picketers plea on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves, “Don’t do it!” The signs and pictures they hoist, crying on behalf of the unborn, “Let me live.”

Perhaps God is speaking to you today about a past abortion. You know all too well the anguished plea of your unborn child. You have heard it in your soul and have been reminded of it often. Oh, dear child, I am here to tell you that God desires to set you free from your guilt, just as sure as he desired to set Joseph’s brothers free from their 20 year prison of guilt. He weeps for you just as Joseph wept for his brothers as they refused to understand that they can be forgiven.

THERE IS NO SIN THAT GOD WILL NOT FORGIVE EXCEPT UNBELIEF! JESUS PAID IT ALL!

Come to Him today! Lay that sin of abortion at the foot of the cross and by faith in Jesus, walk away fully cleansed and freely forgiven. Then allow God to continue the healing process.  And if you still struggle with forgiveness contact a local crisis pregnancy center. They can direct you to support groups to help you in the healing process. They will let you know that you are not alone.

The struggle is real and powerful, but God’s grace is even more real and more powerful! There is no need for you to spend one more minute in this prison of guilt. Receive the grace of God and be set free!

# 403 Restoration Through Crisis

The Book of Genesis

Day 403

Ge 42:15 "In this manner you shall be tested: By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.

The more I read this, the more I am impressed with the patience and love of Joseph. He is a powerful man! Surely if he wanted to see his brother, he could hop in his chariot and head home for a visit. It’s not like he didn’t know where his family lived.

It helps us to understand this patient and loving waiting if we see Joseph as a type of Christ.  First of all, let’s acknowledge that He is in control, and then let’s admit that God doesn’t operate the way that we do. Isa 55:8,9 reminds us: "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD.  9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

With this in mind, let’s see where this leads. In demanding that Benjamin be brought to him by his brothers, Joseph is going to deal with this unhealthy favoritism that his father held toward he and Benjamin. If Joseph simply hops on the chariot for a home visit this issue will never be dealt with. It would be swept under the rug and remain unhealthy. Joseph had to bring his father to a place where he will let go of Benjamin. In the process of letting go, we will see a beautiful thing take place in this dysfunctional family.

By his actions here, Joseph puts his family in crisis, and it is in this crisis that the family eventually gets restored.

What kind of crisis are you facing today? What is God doing in your life that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense? Remember, His ways are not your ways, and His ways are way better! I encourage you to hang in there! Continue in patient obedience to His Word. Trust in His goodness, His faithfulness, and His love. Knowing in the end, it is for your good!

# 402 Repentance Must Go Deep

The Book of Genesis

Day 402

Ge 42:9 Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them, and said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!"  10 And they said to him, "No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.  11 "We are all one man's sons; we are honest men; your servants are not spies."  12 But he said to them, "No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land."  13 And they said, "Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and in fact, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more."  14 But Joseph said to them, "It is as I spoke to you, saying, 'You are spies!'

What is Joseph doing here? Why the rough treatment of his brothers? Well for one thing, he has a concern for the welfare of his younger brother Benjamin. But I think there is more going on here. If we were to read ahead to the end of the story, we would hear him say to his brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” This was not an opinion that he arrived at suddenly! This is something he has thought through over his years of captivity and subsequent rise to power. Many lives were saved because of the way things worked out. The good has been done, his brothers have literally fulfilled Joseph’s dream as they bow their knees to him. Why then, doesn’t he fall upon his brothers necks and kiss them and assure them of his forgiveness. Why does he put this off until later. Why are they treated so roughly?

Think about it, the one thing you do not want to be charged with while in a foreign land is spying. Yet this is the serious charge that Joseph brings against his brothers. If true, the penalty for spying is usually death! 

It would be easy to understand his harsh treatment if he were harboring unforgiveness, but he’s not, and we read in verse 9 what triggered his harsh response. It was his remembrance of the dream of his brothers bowing down to him. The brothers had already bowed to him as portrayed in the dream, but this bow was more a formality than a heartfelt bow. This was lip service, and Joseph’s dream demanded something deeper.  It demanded true humility, true repentance. It demanded fruit worthy of repentance!

The ultimate goal of rough treatment is restoration. Friend, God doesn’t want lip service bowing. Isaiah wrote, “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me, and in vain they worship Me.”

Where would you rather be in this picture?  A tried and true worshiper or one giving lip service? Jesus said in Mt 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

And what is the will of the Father? “That none should perish, but that all should come to REPENTANCE! (2 peter 3:9)

Joseph’s brothers needed to get there, and so do we. If it takes a little rough treatment to get there, so be it. Better rough treatment with true repentance than lip service bowing that results in the Lord saying to us on the Last Day, “Depart from Me, I never knew you. (Mt 7:23)

# 401 Great Is Thy Faithfulness

The Book of Genesis

Day 401

Ge 42:3 So Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt.  4 But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, "Lest some calamity befall him."  5 And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.  6 Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth.  7 Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them. Then he said to them, "Where do you come from?" And they said, "From the land of Canaan to buy food."  8 So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

I find it interesting that Jacob’s statement concerning Benjamin is in quotation marks. That means he literally spoke those words to his ten sons. “Benjamin is not going with you lest some calamity befall him.” The implication is that Benjamin means more to him than do the other ten. Of course Jacob has never made any secret about that. His two favorite children were those birthed by his beloved Rachel. (Joseph and Benjamin)

His words are also a secretly stinging reminder to the boys that he has not forgotten what happened to Joseph, and that phrase likely reopened the brother’s wounds concerning their actions against Joseph.

So with these words stinging and ringing in their ears, they take off for Egypt. Little did they know that in order to get grain, they would have to bow down to their once hated brother Joseph! He was the one who decided who gets bread and who doesn’t.

What a moment! His ten brothers bowing down to him just as he had seen in that dream so many years ago! He recognizes them, but they don’t recognize him all dressed up in his Egyptian royal garb. One can almost hear Joseph breaking out in a chorus of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” if it had been written at that time. After years of slavery, injustice, and prison, all leading up to this moment, and it happened just as God had revealed it to him in a dream! Yes, great is Thy faithfulness!

Perhaps you find yourself wavering in faith these days. I hope this account  will serve as a reminder that God is not asleep. He will do what He says He will do. Believe it! Cling to it! Though it may take 20 years, as it did in Joseph’s case, or 1 or 40 or maybe it will have to wait until the Lord calls you home. But He is faithful!. His will, WILL be done!

# 400 Reopening Old Wounds

The Book of Genesis

Day 400

Ge 42:1 When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?"  2 And he said, "Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die."

I just love Jacob’s comment to his 10 sons. “Why do you look at one another?” It sounds like something my dad would’ve said to me….”Don’t just stand there, do something!” Just looking at each other is not going to put bread on the table!

I read this and I wonder, “Are these 10 guys that slow, that dull, that they can’t figure out that they must go to the only place in the world that has grain” They must go to Egypt in order to live! Or is there maybe a deeper reason for their reluctance? Personally, I think the hand of God is beginning to put the real squeeze on the boys. Here’s the thing if they go to Egypt, they are going to have to deal with an issue in their past, one that they would just as soon forget about. Every single step along the way will be a step that their brother Joseph was forced to take when they sold him into slavery.

No wonder they were hesitant and slow to move! A 20 year old memory of an old sin has been stirred up, and unless their father says something, they’d sooner take their chances on some other sort of deliverance from their situation…..anything but facing their sin!

What we have here is 10 grown men immobilized. Frozen by their sin! Isn’t that just like us? Even when we are backed into a corner by guilt as these boys are, we’d rather wait! We hope the crisis will pass some other way. If the pain gets to be too much we will medicate with alcohol, drugs, or anything else that will provide temporary relief! Anything to avoid the reality of our sin.

I want you to think about your own life right now. What sin or sins are you carrying around with you? What have you swept under the rug? What roads are you afraid to travel down, lest some unpleasant memories of your waywardness be brought to your attention? Listen to the words of Jacob and be set free! “Go to Egypt and buy the Bread of Life. This is where your relief will come from, take your burden to Jesus, confess it and be set free!

# 399 The Bread of Life

The Book of Genesis

Day 399

Ge 41:53 Then the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt ended,  54 and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.  55 So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do."  56 The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt.  57 So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands.

This was an incredible famine! The Bible says it was all over the face of the earth. The only nation that had prepared for this catastrophe was Egypt. Guess who the people were going to have to go to buy their grain? Joseph! Pharaoh himself issued the order. When people came to him for grain, he said, “go to Joseph; Whatever he says to you, do.”

That’s quite a commission! Joseph was literally in charge of all the bread in the world! Sounds a bit like Jesus doesn’t it? Is He not the Bread of Life? Is HE not the Bread that the Father gave us from heaven? When Jesus told His disciples this truth, they said, “Lord, give us this bread always.” They came to Him for the Bread of Life! And Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life, he who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” (Jn 6:32-35)

Further, as we contemplate the words of Pharaoh, we see a similar charge given by the Father concerning Jesus at the transfiguration. God spoke out of a cloud to Peter, James, and John saying, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear Him.” Hear Him! In other words listen to what He has to say, and do it!

Jesus is the grain dispenser in this world. If anyone desires the Bread of Life, they must come to Him and do what He says. . And this is what He tells us to do: “Come and receive.” I am the Bread of Life freely given to all who receive Me.  The doing on our part is nothing more than a famished soul responding to the invitation of  free everlasting sustenance.

Are you experiencing famine in your life? Then come to Jesus and receive the Bread of Life!

# 398 Blessing From Affliction

The Book of Genesis

Day 398

Ge 41:52 And the name of the second he called Ephraim: "For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction."

Here is still another great name that is a sermon unto itself! Joseph’s second son is named Ephraim. Why? Because God has caused Joseph to be “fruitful in the land of his affliction!” Out of his affliction came blessing. This is a great spiritual truth. By remaining faithful to God during his years of tribulation, God produced great fruit in the life of Joseph.

Understand this: As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, afflictions, trials, and tribulation will come your way! Ps 34:19 says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.” The trick for you and I is to persevere! And it helps if we cling to this promise: Ps 30:5b, “Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.”

Endured afflictions produce fruit! Heb 12:11 says, “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Joseph had been trained by his afflictions. He had endured the hatred of siblings, the unjust charges of Potiphar, the forgetfulness of the butler, etc and now he has come out on the other side blessed! So he names his son Ephraim! Joseph is now enjoying the fruit of righteousness called peace.  The peace that comes from knowing God is in charge and has been in charge all along! 2Co 4:17 reminds us: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,”

Think about your present affliction. Isn’t it like the greatest weight you have ever felt in your life? Doesn’t it seem like it is squeezing you from all sides? Hang in there! Persevere! Let God work in that affliction to cause you to bear fruit as He did for Joseph. Meditate on this passage in Corinthians because it tells you that your deepest trial is like a feather compared to the eternal weight of glory that awaits all who persevere! May your meditation bring you the peace that passes all understanding!

# 397 God Has Removed All Our Toil!

The Book of Genesis

Day 397

Ge 41:47 Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth abundantly.  48 So he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them.  49 Joseph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable.  50 And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him.  51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: "For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father's house."

The years of plenty hit, the famine hits and Joseph puts his plan into action. During the years of plenty, God gives Joseph two sons. He names them Manasseh, and Ephraim. These are two very significant names. Let’s look at Manasseh first.

Manasseh so named because “God has made Joseph forget all his toil and all his father’s house!” The toil of course referring to his 13 years of slavery. The “forgetting of his father’s house,”  does not mean that he forgot his family completely, indeed, we shall see some very dear moments concerning his family in the next couple of chapters. The “forgetting” is the remitting or forgetting of his brother’s sins against him, which is no small task!

The name Manasseh has strong spiritual implications for you and I. It is a sermon  in and by itself!  Just by explaining the name “Manasseh, you could lead someone to Christ! Let’s break it down. “For God” indicates that salvation comes from Him alone. It is the gift of God! “Has made me forget,” is the equivalent of “has removed.” “All my toil,” (The Hebrew word for toil means, “all my wearing effort.” So God has removed all my wearing effort. This is what the gospel proclaims!

God has Manassehed us!  He has removed the wearing effort of man trying to save himself by keeping the Law! The name “Manasseh” can be summed up by the soothing words found in Eph 2:8,9 “ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

No longer toiling for our own forgiveness, we are now ready to remit the sins of those who have wronged us as well! We can be like Joseph, celebrating the freedom to forgive his brothers. “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

May you and I experience Manasseh in our lives! No more wearing effort, just walking freely in grace!

# 396 The Rapid Turnaround

The Book of Genesis

Day 396

Ge 41:37 So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.  38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?"  39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.  40 "You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you."  41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt."  42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph's hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.  43 And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, "Bow the knee!" So he set him over all the land of Egypt.  44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."  45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-Paaneah. And he gave him as a wife Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. So Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.  46 Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

Pharaoh and his advisors really liked the plan of Joseph’s. Given the nature of politics, I wonder which one of the servants was secretly going over their acceptance speech thinking that Pharaoh would appoint them to this important task. Well, they were in for a surprise as Pharaoh acknowledges that this ex-con Joseph, is the only person who has a direct pipeline with the Spirit of God. Remember, no one else in the land was able to interpret Pharaoh’s dream  and give him peace. 

Therefore he says, “since God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.” So it wasn’t JUST the interpretation of the dream that captivated Pharaoh, he also rightly felt that God had given Joseph this plan to save Egypt.

At this point Pharaoh looks at Joseph and says, “You are the man!” You’re in charge Joseph, make this happen! I will be the only one higher than you in the land. He gave him his signet ring, (that’s the royal charge card folks) He gave him royal clothing, royal jewelry, and a stretch limo! When Joseph came to town people would make way for him and honor him as such an office demanded. (Would that our nation would once again behave honorably toward our elected officials as the Bible demands! Ro 13:7 says, “ Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.”)

Joseph was given absolute authority by Pharaoh himself and to further demonstrate his inclusion in the royal family, he was given an Egyptian bride. All this for a 30 year old ex-con, who has been in slavery for 13 years! Yesterday, Joseph was rotting away in jail, seemingly a forgotten man, today, he is second in charge in one of the mightiest nations on earth! Is God amazing or what? Can He make moves on governments or what?  Pr 21:1 says, “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.”

Much more could be said here about God’s rule in the hearts of kings, but let it be enough that you know and believe that every ruler is like putty in the hands of God. He has a reason for that particular man or woman to be in office. Sometimes for our blessing and sometimes for judgment!

The other thing we should note here is the speed of this turnaround for Joseph. You see, we are all like Joseph in that we are slaves.  Slaves to sin, original and otherwise. Do you realize how quickly things can change upon conversion to Christ? How long have you been or were you a prisoner of sin? Do you realize that God wants to set you free? Do you realize that He wants to make you a child of the King? He wants to bestow you with His gifts and power, just as He did for Joseph! And do you know that HE can do it in an instant? The moment you turn to Him and believe what He says about His Son Jesus, it is accounted to you as righteousness and  you become His child!

# 395 Salting Away For the Future

The Book of Genesis

Day 395

Ge 41:32 "And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.  33 "Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.  34 "Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years.  35 "And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.  36 "Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine."

All right. Having finished the bunny trail of the 24 “verily,verilies” in John, let’s get back to our verse by verse exposition of Genesis!

Joseph had just interpreted Pharaoh’s dream and had predicted 7 bountiful years of harvest, and then 7 years of severe famine. He has given Pharaoh a sense of urgency  about the matter by stating that God was about to do this shortly.

Now Joseph could’ve stopped there. He had done his part, the dream has been correctly interpreted for Pharaoh. But Joseph’s giftedness takes over. We cannot deny that Joseph had special skills in organization and administration. It’s what he had done in Potiphar’s house and in prison. His gift, such a natural part of him now spills out in the wake of Pharaoh’s dream.

By the way, this gift of administrations is still alive in the church today as we read in 1Co 12:28, “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.”

So Joseph suggests to Pharaoh that he appoint a discerning and wise man to be the head of the Egyptian Department of Agriculture, and to appoint some officers under him who would collect 20% of the bountiful harvest for seven years. That food would then be stored in the cities so it would be available for the 7 years of famine.

Only 20%! That’s right, and if you do the math, that 20% would be the equivalent of only 1.4 years of a typical harvest. That means those abundant years were tremendous bumper crops! These would not be typical years! Whatever the harvest, it was stretched an additional 5.6 years in order to last through the 7 year famine!

Seems to me there is a stewardship lesson here. Wouldn’t it be wise to salt away 20% of your income during the good times? Enough that you could handle 1.4 years of financial famine? You might not like giving things up to get there, but think of the peace of mind you’ll have when that lay-off  or plant shutdown comes your way.

Of course the best financial plan is to steadfastly give of your firstfruits to God, knowing and believing this truth: 2Co 9:6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

# 394 Keep Following Jesus

The Book of Genesis

Day 394

Ge 41: 32 "And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

We  have been taking a little break from the study in Genesis to pursue the importance of repetition in the Scriptures. In particular we are looking at the “verily, verilies” found in the Gospel of John. When God repeats things, He is merely underlining or highlighting them for us. He gives them an extra sense of urgency. There are 24 “verily, verilies,” in the Gospel of John and today we look at the last one. It is found in Joh 21:18-23,

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.  19  This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.  20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?  21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?  22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.  23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?”

Once again we have a “verily, verily,” that is more prophetic than underlining a spiritual truth. It’s a prophecy concerning the future for Peter. His death is not recorded in Scripture, but tradition says he was crucified upside down sometime during the Nero persecution. Jesus tells Peter that one day he would be tied up and carried away as a prisoner, and that he would likely die an early death. We can glean this latter information from Jesus statement about John.

So, one thing this “verily,verily” can teach us is that God is all knowing. (omniscient) In these “verily, verilies” Jesus has predicted the betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter, and now the death by which Peter would glorify God! And all of these future things came to pass!

This kind of knowledge is too wonderful for me. Some may take this omniscient quality of God and throw up their hands and say “What’s the use? God knows everything before it happens, what difference will it make as to how I live or what I do?” Don’t go there! Rather go with the advice that Jesus gave Peter, and keep following Jesus.

Make your #1 goal in life to keep exercising faith. Jesus told Peter, “this is how you are going to die, nothing you do will change that, in the meantime, follow Me.”  Peter follows up with a question that most of us might ask, “But what about this other guy? What about John?  And Jesus replies, “That’s none of your business, and He repeats the command to follow Him. 

Did you catch that? He repeats the command. Repetition! Underlined truth for Peter and you and I. “Follow Jesus! You don’t know your end on this earth, you don’t know mine. God knows and let that be enough! In the meantime keep following Jesus. Because in following Jesus you can know what really matters! Not your end on earth, but your beginning in heaven! Yes you can know this! John wrote in 1Jo 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

For Those Who Have Miscarried

As you spend time in the Word of God, you just never know where words of comfort may come from. This morning I was reading in the Book of Job and in chapter three, we find him lamenting the day he was born. We pick it up in v13:

Job 3:13 For now I would have lain still and been quiet, I would have been asleep; Then I would have been at rest
 14 With kings and counselors of the earth, Who built ruins for themselves,
 15 Or with princes who had gold, Who filled their houses with silver;
 16 Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, Like infants who never saw light?
 17 There the wicked cease from troubling, And there the weary are at rest.
 18 There the prisoners rest together; They do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
 19 The small and great are there, And the servant is free from his master.

He is saying that if he never would've made it out of the womb, or died at birth, he would've been in a place of rest. A place where the "wicked cease from troubling" A place where the voice of the oppressor is silenced, and the servant is free from his master. In short, he would find himself in Abraham's bosom, which Jesus spoke of in  Lu 16:22-25, "So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.  23 "And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  24 "Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  25 "But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.

"He is comforted."

Have you lost a child through miscarriage, or experienced a still born child? My wife and I lost a baby boy (Scott Michael) to miscarriage, and this passage tells me that he is doing just fine! He's in a place of eternal comfort and peace, and we look forward to the day when we (as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ) will see him again.