Once again, I didn't want to stop reading with Genesis 43 to 45. It seemed like a lot of Biblical history and lessons, but these chapters kept leading me to other verses and other questions.
1. In chapter 45, Joseph's brothers were grief-stricken that another son of their father (Benjamin, the youngest, caught with the cup in his sack) would perhaps be taken away from their father. They pleaded with Joseph not to take another son from their father, showing their love of their father and their guilt (is that true?). 2. Joseph's compassion and mercy toward his brothers reminds me of Christ's compassion and mercy toward us. Joseph sends all others out of the room, then reveals who he is to his brothers. Is that like Christ revealing who He is to those who are ready to listen, and not necessarily to those "in the room."
I love the story of Joseph and (even though this is going ahead of the reading) one of my all-time favorite verses in the Bible is Genesis 50:20, where Joseph says to his brothers, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." In Genesis 45:5-7 this same thought is repeated twice,
5"Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6"For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7" God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance."
Hallelujah! What a great example of keeping our eyes on God and His purposes! What a great lesson in mercy (there's that word, again!)! What a great lesson!
1. I think your right... Guilt for sure.. (repentant even...) 2. compassion, mercy, and forgiveness yes! understanding of the Father... seems like I have heard that somewhere before.... It's that easy ... It's that hard.
Once again, I didn't want to stop reading with Genesis 43 to 45. It seemed like a lot of Biblical history and lessons, but these chapters kept leading me to other verses and other questions.
ReplyDelete1. In chapter 45, Joseph's brothers were grief-stricken that another son of their father (Benjamin, the youngest, caught with the cup in his sack) would perhaps be taken away from their father. They pleaded with Joseph not to take another son from their father, showing their love of their father and their guilt (is that true?).
2. Joseph's compassion and mercy toward his brothers reminds me of Christ's compassion and mercy toward us. Joseph sends all others out of the room, then reveals who he is to his brothers. Is that like Christ revealing who He is to those who are ready to listen, and not necessarily to those "in the room."
I love the story of Joseph and (even though this is going ahead of the reading) one of my all-time favorite verses in the Bible is Genesis 50:20, where Joseph says to his brothers, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." In Genesis 45:5-7 this same thought is repeated twice,
5"Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6"For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7" God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance."
Hallelujah! What a great example of keeping our eyes on God and His purposes! What a great lesson in mercy (there's that word, again!)! What a great lesson!
1. I think your right... Guilt for sure.. (repentant even...)
ReplyDelete2. compassion, mercy, and forgiveness yes!
understanding of the Father...
seems like I have heard that somewhere before....
It's that easy ... It's that hard.
Thankful