Genesis 45:1-15
Monday, 9 May 2022
‘Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, "Make everyone go out from me!" So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.’ Genesis 45:1 [NKJV]
Joseph is an unforgettable figure in the history of Israel and also clearly stands as a shadowy figure of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament times. It’s wonderful to read and meditate on the life of Joseph, which reveals many things about God and His divine plan for His chosen ones. God is revealed in the life of Joseph as a sovereign God who controls everything according to His eternal plan and purpose. As Psalmist sums it up: “Moreover He called for a famine in the land; He destroyed all the provision of bread. He sent a man before them—Joseph—who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the LORD tested him. The king sent and released him, The ruler of the people let him go free. He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his possessions, To bind his princes at his pleasure, And teach his elders wisdom.” (Psalm 105:16-22)
God has eternally planned everything according to His great purpose. For this He puts one down and then raises the other. It’s worthwhile to note that even though Joseph was the one chosen by God in his generation to bring salvation to his own, God had tested and proved him before he was chosen for this task. Every anointed servant of God can attest to this truth that before he or she was chosen to carry out the mandate of God that they have gone through the crucible of fire and testing. It takes real practical faith in God to survive these times of testing. Unless we pass this test, God cannot bring us to the point of ultimate purpose that He wants to reveal in our lives.
Our key verse for today tells us a lot about brotherly love in its sublime beauty. Even though Joseph's brothers meant evil for him, God turned it around for the good of all. The whole story takes its root from the point when Joseph reveals God's plan for the future to his dear ones as we read in Genesis 37:5: “Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more.” They were filled with jealousy and had been on the wait for an opportunity to harm Joseph. See how jealousy takes its root in the hearts of brothers and ultimately comes out in its real colors at the opportune time! We need to be really careful to avoid jealousy to creep into our hearts; otherwise it will ruin relationships and does great harm. Proverbs 14:30 in the GNT translation says: “Peace of mind makes the body healthy, but jealousy is like a cancer.” But see how Joseph did not keep hatred in his heart but was willing to forgive and see the hand of God who worked it for good. Proverbs 10: 12 [NASB] says: “Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all offenses.”
Even if we are prone to difficult situations and these kind of calamities- in the life of a believer, it is good to note that the God, who gave the dream, tarries behind the curtain to fulfill what has been promised! At the right time, He brings out beauty from ashes!
Food for Thought: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” -Romans 8:28
Comments