Tagline

God is Setting All Things Right. So I am Blogging Through the Bible in a Year.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

January 27 - Genesis 43-45: Joseph's Brothers Pass Their Test

Today’s Reading: Genesis 43-45

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God uses bad situations to set things right.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

When they could stay no more, Jacob allowed his sons to return to Egypt with Benjamin. Joseph fed them, giving Benjamin more than the others. The brothers suspected nothing.
Joseph told his steward to put Joseph's silver cup in Benjamin's bag. Later the steward caught up to them and proclaimed that the guilty one would become Joseph's slave. Benjamin was caught. The brothers begged Joseph for Benjamin's life. Joseph finally revealed his true identity – God had saved Egypt because of their evil actions. He told them to move to Egypt and have the best land. Jacob felt years younger.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Jacob is very upset at allowing the only remaining son of his one true love go to Egypt.

Jacob had lost Joseph (or so he thought). He had only one son from Rachel still alive. To lose him would be too much for him to bear. That is also the reason the brothers fight for Benjamin's life. They want to save their father as much as their brother.

God prepared Joseph for this very time.

(Repeat of yesterday's comment)
What makes Joseph's story wonderful for followers of God is that he obeys God and God rewards him while he is still alive. But God does not only reward Joseph, He also rewards the people of Egypt and the surrounding areas. Egypt has been blessed by God and could bless the (nearby) world. This was the very purpose for which God had prepared Joseph. Being despised by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused of attempted rape, imprisoned, forgotten for two years—all of these things were tests of Joseph's faithfulness. Our problems and trials may be God's preparation for a great purpose in our future. When we continue to submit to God and give Him the glory for all we have, God's name is honored among the nations and they will allow the Creator to make all things right.

Joseph's greatest accomplishment is bringing the glory of God to the Egyptian people.

The Egyptian knew the God of the creation. They knew the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They knew this God because Joseph told them about him through his actions and giving God the credit for all he did. When we act as God would have us to act, people will know our God and will make things right in their life.

What did you see reading this passage? Questions? Comments? Leave a comment in the section below or on the Sonoma Mountain Parkway Church of Christ Facebook page.

If you missed a reading or want to go to a specific date, type the link as follows: http://grahambates.blogspot.com/2013/mm/dd.html That will take you to the reading for that day. Enjoy!

2 comments:

  1. Perhaps God was testing Joseph's faith, but it has struck me over the years that quite often, God's way of setting all things right is different from the way I would have chosen. In order to save Jacob's family from starvation (and in order to put God's chosen people in a position of safety until the Promised Land was ready to receive them hundreds of years later) Joseph needed to be in a position of power. Had he not been sold into slavery and later thrown into prison, he would not have come in contact with the person (Pharoah) who could put him into that position of power. God's message seems to be, "Trust Me. I know this seems a little crazy, and I know it's not the way you would handle it, but trust Me!"

    ReplyDelete
  2. Funny you write this ... you must have heard Sunday's sermon before I gave it!

    ReplyDelete