What a lovely turn in this story of Joseph and his family. He got to the point where he could no longer hold it in. He had to reveal to them who he was. And they did not believe him! It had been a few decades and they had not heard from him. They surely thought he was dead but definitely not one in charge of Egypt!
Joseph knew how much God had blessed him despite what his brothers had done to him. They did not know all of the details of ow God worked in Joseph's life yet. So, Joseph was speaking from a place of greater knowledge of God than they had. No wonder the brothers were a bit dumbfounded.
Interesting that Joseph said that he was as a father to . Was Pharaoh much younger than Joseph? I love that Pharaoh was very happy to meet Joseph's family. He was very generous to invite the whole family to Egypt to be taken care of by Joseph. There was to be five more years of famine, but Pharaoh must have known that Joseph had put away enough food for many neighboring peoples to come and get food.
Joseph gave God all of the credit for the good that came to him from the sinful way his brothers treated him. He told the brothers to not be bothered about what they had done. How good it must have been for them to know that he had forgiven them. Even after all of these years, the brothers were still keenly bothered by the communal sin they shared concerning Joseph.
When Jacob was told Joseph was alive it says his heart fainted and that then he was revived. Did he die and was revived? Or did he just faint? to Jacob, Joseph was brought back from the dead.
They all were heading to Egypt. Did Jacob know the prophesy God had spoken over Abraham about their sojourn in Egypt?
Genesis 41:5 View whole chapter See verse in context And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.
Corn was a name given to wheat. The full corn in the ear Wheat kernels wrapped in the chaf. Stanjett I was just wondering how corn got from Mexico to Egypt, but in those days.
I have learned so much of this chapter. And I believe Joseph was a true representation of a Christian believer. Despite all that happened to him, still he did not blame his brother but more regards to God and often time in our life we respond the situation in a worldly way.
I get choked up every time I read this part of the Bible: I love Joseph; he was so much like the Lord Jesus; and what he did, so much like what will happen when Jesus makes Himself known at last to His brethren, the whole hose of Israel! My mother is Jewish; they were Cohen, which is, Priest in Hebrew;I know that is why so much hostility now to faith in Jesus; but God will work out His own plans!
from this chapter it is noted that Joseph acknowledged that it is God that sent him to Egypt . That God worked using the betrayal of his brothers to lead Joseph to his destiny of greatness. Sometimes in our lives we get betrayed, let down or disappointed by people we love or trust and as children of God he might be using a difficult situation like that to take us to a higher greater place where we are meant to be.
looking at Joseph,one cant argue that he is and was a true representative of a true believer.He was like Jesus a perfect example of a Good character that one can desire to have as substantiated by the oracles of the Mighty God
As I have gotten older the view of the blessing in my life has gotten clearer, now I see God mightiness in my life and all that surrounds me, it is very hard to get the fullness of it, because it is so big,he bless big and God is sure!!!
And he Joseph wept aloud There are times when we weep either because of difficult situations of life or we are overwhelmed by the miralous ways God has visited us and beautify our lives I want to believe that Joseph perhaphs remembered when he was in the pit before he was sold as a slave and other difficulties he encountered before this transformation Thank God the weeping is not based on regret but to appreciate God who will never lie but always keep His promises no matter how long the time is God can t foget us His children in whatever we are passing through Our time to look back and see how God brought us out to bring us in a place of rest is now
That in life we encounter different obstacles. And we can be afraid, although that are assential for stepping forward towards destination. The same happened to Joseph.
WOW – What a Story of forgiveness! If we could only understand that our Heavenly Father has everything in the palm of his hand. He is the Mighty God. He has the master plan and a purpose for our lives. We are special to him. Please don’t hold malice against anyone and miss what our Father has for you.
Joseph knew that God preserved him for a purpose. No wonder he told his brothers in Genesis 45:5, Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me to preserve life. You can imagine what could have happen if Joseph was not sold into slavery in Egypt. There he was able to realize his dreams. That difficult situation in our lives is to take us to our expected end if we don't quit or look for a short cut different from God's agenda for us. There is a purpose in God's heart in preserving us in that great challenge we are facing. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose, Romans 8:28.
Joseph does not blame his brothers for the evil things that happened to him, rather he said God sent him ahead of them to preserve life. Joseph completely forgives his brothers, and tells them to go and get his father. Joseph weeps with his brothers, and kisses each one of them, to show his love for all of them. In order to be children of God we must love one another, and forgive each other as God has commanded. We are to forgive 70 x 7 as Jesus told Peter. Which is to say completely forgive from the heart, just as Joseph forgave his brothers. We must always look to see the hand of God in everything that comes our way. God causes both good, and bad things to work together for our ultimate good to those who love him, and are called according to his purpose. Never become bitter at people God uses, but rather praise God for allowing people to be used for his glory. That is why Jesus said on the cross father forgive them, for they know not what they do. Jesus knows all things, and he said I came down from heaven to do all those things that please my father. We praise God, and give him the glory for what he is doing in our lives.
Notice the language barrier here. Joseph had to interperate and translate what pharoh was saying. This demonstrates how even though the languages were close, they were different. Think like someone speaking french to a portugese person.
Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
We will always in this life run into situations that will cause us disconfort. But remember GOD is at work in all things. We learn as children and therefore we are chastised as such. We also are rewarded just as equally.
Joseph had the FULL ARMOUR OF THE LORD on, during this entire period. We need to learn from the examples that are in GOD'S WORD.
PUT on the FULL ARMOUR of THE LORD and walk by FAITH not by sight.
Distractions will be here - But JUST KNOW GOD is in charge.
Joseph knew how much God had blessed him despite what his brothers had done to him. They did not know all of the details of ow God worked in Joseph's life yet. So, Joseph was speaking from a place of greater knowledge of God than they had. No wonder the brothers were a bit dumbfounded.
Interesting that Joseph said that he was as a father to . Was Pharaoh much younger than Joseph? I love that Pharaoh was very happy to meet Joseph's family. He was very generous to invite the whole family to Egypt to be taken care of by Joseph. There was to be five more years of famine, but Pharaoh must have known that Joseph had put away enough food for many neighboring peoples to come and get food.
Joseph gave God all of the credit for the good that came to him from the sinful way his brothers treated him. He told the brothers to not be bothered about what they had done. How good it must have been for them to know that he had forgiven them. Even after all of these years, the brothers were still keenly bothered by the communal sin they shared concerning Joseph.
When Jacob was told Joseph was alive it says his heart fainted and that then he was revived. Did he die and was revived? Or did he just faint? to Jacob, Joseph was brought back from the dead.
They all were heading to Egypt. Did Jacob know the prophesy God had spoken over Abraham about their sojourn in Egypt?
On to the next chapter.
We will always in this life run into situations that will cause us disconfort. But remember GOD is at work in all things. We learn as children and therefore we are chastised as such. We also are rewarded just as equally.
Joseph had the FULL ARMOUR OF THE LORD on, during this entire period. We need to learn from the examples that are in GOD'S WORD.
PUT on the FULL ARMOUR of THE LORD and walk by FAITH not by sight.
Distractions will be here - But JUST KNOW GOD is in charge.
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