Devotional

Gen 45:4, And Joseph said to his brothers, “PLEASE COME NEAR TO ME.” SO THEY CAME NEAR. THEN HE SAID: “I AM JOSEPH YOUR BROTHER, WHOM YOU SOLD INTO EGYPT. 

Verse 3, he said “I am Joseph”, then he said “please come near to me” it looks as if they were shocked and scared to find out it was Joseph whom they sold into Egypt, and they backed off!

Zec 12:10, “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem THE SPIRIT OF GRACE AND SUPPLICATION; THEN THEY WILL LOOK ON ME WHOM THEY PIERCED. YES, THEY WILL MOURN FOR HIM AS ONE MOURNS FOR HIS ONLY SON, AND GRIEVE FOR HIM AS ONE GRIEVES FOR A FIRSTBORN. 

Gen 45:5, BUT NOW, DO NOT THEREFORE BE GRIEVED OR ANGRY WITH YOURSELVES BECAUSE YOU SOLD ME HERE; FOR GOD SENT ME BEFORE YOU TO PRESERVE LIFE.

BECAUSE OF OUR SIN JESUS SUFFERED GREATLY ON THAT CROSS, DANIEL 9:26, SAYS, THE MESSIAH SHALL BE CUT OFF, BUT NOT FOR HIMSELF! HE DID IT FOR US! TO PRESERVE LIFE!

Isa 25:9, And it will be said in that day: “Behold, THIS IS OUR GOD; WE HAVE WAITED FOR HIM, and HE WILL SAVE US. THIS IS THE LORD; WE HAVE WAITED FOR HIM; WE WILL BE GLAD AND REJOICE IN HIS SALVATION.” 

Gen 44:1-2, And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money.” So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. 

Joseph’s final test of his brothers! They sold him into slavery what would they do if the youngest brother gets taken as a slave in Egypt? Testing is a way the LORD uses to purify HIS servants!

Psa 11:5, The LORD tests the righteous…

Mal 3:3, He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness. 

Gen 44:33, Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. 

Judah offers himself instead of his youngest brother!  NO GREATER LOVE, ONE WHO LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE FOR ANOTHER! JOSEPH NOW KNOWS HIS BROTHERS HAVE CHANGED!

Eph 5:2, AND WALK IN LOVE, AS CHRIST ALSO HAS LOVED US AND GIVEN HIMSELF FOR US, AN OFFERING AND A SACRIFICE TO GOD FOR A SWEET-SMELLING AROMA. 

Gen 43:16, 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.” 

Joseph is a type of Jesus! He loves us & wants to eat and have fellowship with each one of us! Remember HE stands at the door knocking on the hearts of men! If they open their hearts He will dine with them! KNOWING GOD IS HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LIVING GOD!

Gen 43:34, Then he took servings to them from before him, BUT BENJAMIN’S SERVING WAS FIVE TIMES AS MUCH AS ANY OF THEIRS…

When Joseph was younger their father favored Joseph, which caused hate in his brothers!  Now Joseph shows favoritism to his brother in order to test their reaction to see if truly they had changed & also because he loved him!

Act 7:13, and THE SECOND TIME JOSEPH WAS MADE KNOWN TO HIS BROTHERS, and joseph’s family became known to the pharaoh. 

Like Joseph, JESUS was not recognized by HIS brothers (ISRAEL) but the 2^nd time HE shall be made known! Zec 12:10, … then they will look on Me whom they PIERCED..  HIS BROTHERS SHALL MOURN, FOR THEY SOLD Joseph but, they PIERCED JESUS ON THE CROSS OF CALVARY!  

Gen 42:1, When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “WHY DO YOU LOOK AT ONE ANOTHER?”

God was already working on their conscience by the mere mention of Egypt they remembered Joseph whom they sold even after 20 years!

Gen 42:20-21, AND BRING YOUR YOUNGEST BROTHER TO ME; SO YOUR WORDS WILL BE VERIFIED, and you shall not die.” And they did so. 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.”

Joseph tested his brothers to see if they had changed! Their guilty conscience finally spoke out saying “WE ARE TRULY GUILTY CONCERNING OUR BROTHER!” THEY REMEMBERED THE ANGUISH IN THEIR BROTHER JOSEPH, YET THEY WOULD NOT LISTEN!

JESUS CAME TO HIS BROTHERS (THE JEWS) AND THEY DIDN’T BELIEVE HIM NOR LISTEN TO HIM AND HIS BROTHERS SAW THE AGONY IN HIS FACE WHEN HE WAS CRUCIFIED ON THE CROSS!

Joh 1:11, HE CAME TO HIS OWN, AND HIS OWN DID NOT RECEIVE HIM. 

OUR CONSCIENCE MAY CONDEMN US, BUT GOD USES IT TO RESTORE US BACK TO HIM!

Gen 40:5, Then the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation. 

While in prison it came to pass that two of the kings servants were thrown into prison! 

Gen 40:13, Now within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and RESTORE you to your place, and YOU WILL PUT PHARAOH’S CUP IN HIS HAND ACCORDING TO THE FORMER MANNER, WHEN YOU WERE HIS BUTLER. 

The butler held Pharaoh’s cup!  The wine represents THE BLOOD OF JESUS THAT RESTORES! And, it restored the butler to his former position!

Gen 40:17, 19, In the uppermost basket were all kinds of BAKED GOODS FOR PHARAOH, and THE BIRDS ATE THEM OUT OF THE BASKET ON MY Head.”… Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree; …

The baker represented the BODY OF JESUS, WHICH WAS BROKEN BECAUSE OF OUR SIN! AND AS THE BAKER WAS HUNG ON THE TREE, SO WAS OUR CREATOR WHO TOOK OUR PLACE ON THAT TREE IN CALVARY!  A BEAUTIFUL TYPE OF CHRIST! IN THE VOLUME OF THE BOOK IS WRITTEN OF ME! HEBREWS 10:7, PSALM 40:7

Gen 41:15-16, And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.” SO JOSEPH ANSWERED PHARAOH, SAYING, “IT IS NOT IN ME; GOD WILL GIVE PHARAOH AN ANSWER OF PEACE.”

Gen 41:25, Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; GOD HAS SHOWN PHARAOH WHAT HE IS ABOUT TO DO: 

13 years have passed when he was sold by his brothers, became a servant, was falsely accused and sent to prison! YET, he still gives the honor and glory to GOD! “IT IS NOT ME”! “GOD HAS..”

1Co 10:31, Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or WHATEVER you do, do all to the glory of GOD. 

The text doesn’t say that “GOD HAS WARNED PHARAOH WHAT WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN” BUT “WHAT GOD WAS ABOUT TO DO”! Through this famine God was going to bring Joseph family back together! GOD uses everything and anything to accomplish HIS will even a famine!

Jer 29:11, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 

TRUST IN THE LORD & GIVE HIM THE HONOR HE IS DUE, AND HE SHALL LIFT YOU UP!

Gen 39:2-3, THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH, AND HE WAS A SUCCESSFUL MAN; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand.

When God is with you who can be against you?

Luke 1:52, He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. 

His master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph!

Pro 6:25-26, Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids. FOR BY MEANS OF A HARLOT A MAN IS REDUCED TO A CRUST OF BREAD;…

Gen 39:9  There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. HOW THEN CAN I DO THIS GREAT WICKEDNESS, AND SIN AGAINST GOD?”

2Ti 2:22, Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 

ALL SIN IS DIRECTED TOWARDS GOD FOR HE PAID A GREAT PRICE FOR US!  GOD WAS WITH JOSEPH IN POTIPHAR’S HOUSE AND AFTER HE WAS FALSELY ACCUSED AND IN PRISON IT SAYS GOD WAS WITH HIM! HE IS FAITHFUL!

Gen 38:9, But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother. 

Given an heir to his dead brother was a Jewish custom, eventually written in the scriptures

Deu 25:5. Onan’s brother, ER, was wicked in the site of the LORD, so the LORD killed him. But, ONAN DID A WICKED THING BY USING TAMAR ONLY FOR HIS SEXUAL DESIRES & not performing the duty of the husband’s brother! 

Psa 55:23, But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction; Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; But I will trust in You. 

Gen 38:24, And it came to pass, about three months after, that Judah was told, saying, “TAMAR YOUR DAUGHTER-IN-LAW HAS PLAYED THE HARLOT; FURTHERMORE SHE IS WITH CHILD BY HARLOTRY.” So Judah said, “Bring her out and let her be burned!” 

It amazes me that the LORD used this flawed family! HE chose this family to be in the Lineage of HIS SON JESUS!  MAN IS SINFUL BY NATURE, YET GOD LOVES EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US!

Psa 86:5, FOR YOU, LORD, ARE GOOD, AND READY TO FORGIVE, AND ABUNDANT IN MERCY TO ALL THOSE WHO CALL UPON YOU. 

Gen 37:4, BUT WHEN HIS BROTHERS SAW THAT THEIR FATHER LOVED HIM MORE THAN ALL HIS BROTHERS, THEY HATED HIM AND COULD NOT SPEAK PEACEABLY TO HIM. 

Verse 1 calls him Jacob because he is acting in the flesh! He causes problems in his own family by showing favoritism to one of his sons Joseph! And, they hated him more because of his dreams! Verse 8, They envied him verse 11

Gen 37: 23-24, So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that THEY STRIPPED JOSEPH OF HIS TUNIC, the tunic of many colors that was on him.

Gen 37:28, Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, AND SOLD HIM TO THE ISHMAELITES FOR TWENTY SHEKELS OF SILVER. AND THEY TOOK JOSEPH TO EGYPT. 

Joseph is a type of Christ Jesus! Joseph was stripped of his tunic and so was Jesus stripped of HIS.  As Joseph was sold so was Jesus sold by judas! Joseph was taken to Egypt, a type of the world, As Jesus willingly came down to the world!

As Jesus said, IN THE WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TRIBULATION; BUT BE OF GOOD CHEER, I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.”  JESUS knows what we are going through by firsthand experience! Seek HIM always in times of joy and in tribulation!

Gen 36:6, Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the persons of his household, his cattle and all his animals, and all his goods which he had gained in the land of Canaan, AND WENT TO A COUNTRY AWAY FROM THE PRESENCE OF HIS BROTHER JACOB. 

Apparently, the death of Isaac brought both brothers together in Gen 35:29.  But they had to separate again because the land couldn’t sustain both their families!

Rom 9:13, As it is written, “JACOB I HAVE LOVED, BUT ESAU I HAVE HATED.” 

Many people believe that God hated Esau, but that isn’t the case! HE loved Esau and blessed him, BUT HE LOVED JACOB [ISRAEL] MORE!

Luke 14:26, “If anyone comes to Me AND DOES NOT HATE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, WIFE AND CHILDREN, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, YES, AND HIS OWN LIFE ALSO, he cannot be My disciple. 

Obviously, GOD is not saying they need to HATE everyone else, HE IS SAYING THAT GOD SHOULD BE OUR FIRST LOVE! THE FIRST WE GO TO! WE SHOULD LEAN ON HIM IN TIMES OF TROUBLE!

One thing to NOTE: Isaac died @ the age of 180 years old which is 572 YEARS AFTER THE FLOOD! Both Jacob & Esau were 120 years old at their father’s death!