Joseph: sons of prosperity

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

joseph-coatGenesis 41:37-57.   After so many years of slavery and poverty – Joseph finally gets to be free.  The true test of his character begins.  He talked about God a lot while he was down in the pit.  What does he say about God now that he is vice-Pharaoh?  We get a clue from what he names his two sons.  Manasseh means “making to forget” and witnesses to the Egyptians that the LORD is able to bring us out of bondage, and make us forget its pain and humiliation.  Ephraim means “making fruitful” and witnesses to the Egyptians that the LORD rewards faithfulness with fruitfulness.

Are you in the pit or in prosperity?  Regardless, you can testify of the goodness of the LORD.

LORD,  help us to testify of your greatness and goodness wherever we are.

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Joseph: out of the pit

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

joseph-coatGenesis 41:1-36.   Joseph had been retrieved from a pit and sold to slave traders.  That is how he wound up in Egypt.  He was  wrongfully accused by his master’s wife, and thrown into another “pit” – a prison.  Years later, he is brought out of the pit just in time to rescue the land from starvation  — and will be used to bring his entire family to Egypt.  Joseph responded appropriately to this rescue by giving honor to God and assisting in the rescue of others.  How have you responded to your rescue?

LORD, may our lives overflow with gratitude and joy over our rescue from the pit.  May we focus our energy on rescuing others.

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Joseph: the prisoners’ dreams

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

joseph-coatGenesis 40.  Day after day, Joseph did his duty, attending to the other prisoners in “the pit” (15).  He waited for some clue that God was not through with him – that he still had a destiny.  That clue came one day when he noticed that two prisoners were upset about dreams that the had.  Joseph remembered that he, himself had dreams – and they put him here.  So Joseph supposed that those dreams were his ticket out.  They would be, but it would take a while – two years – before he could book passage.

LORD, as we look for clues to our destiny, help us to not be discouraged at how long it might take for us to accomplish your plan.

Posted in commitment, Joseph, patience, perseverance, plan of God | Tagged | 1 Comment

Joseph: Potiphar’s wife

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

joseph-coatGenesis 39.  The ironies of Joseph’s story are many.  Here is a man that God has destined for greatness – yet he winds up exiled from his people in a foreign land.  He is “handsome in form and appearance” yet is sold as a slave.  God is with him and blesses all that he does, yet he winds up in prison, wrongfully accused of sexual misconduct. 

Joseph is put where he needs to be to affect not only his destiny but also that of his people.  These unfortunate things must happen to him along the way.  God’s plan will happen. We will usually not understand it when it does.  We have to trust that the LORD knows what he is doing.  He does.

LORD, when we suffer and don’t know why, help us to surrender to your sovereignty, and trust in you.

Posted in commitment, dependence upon God, Joseph, trust | Tagged | 1 Comment

Judah: for adults only

Posted on February 11, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

degelder_juda-tamar1667Genesis 38.   This chapter interrupts the story of Joseph in Egypt, and is not likely to be made into a children’s cartoon.  There is a clear picture of God’s judgment upon those who do evil (supposedly) in secret (Er, Onan, Judah).  The story shows that God is watching.  The ESV study Bible says “Although this chapter shows Judah at his worst, it also accounts for a remarkable transformation in his life, which comes through in the remaining episodes of the Joseph story. Further, Judah provides a stark contrast to the chaste Joseph.” 

Will your descendants look back on the story of your life with honor or with shame?   It is up to you.

LORD, give us the wisdom to live by our convictions, and make God-honoring decisions.  May we always be aware of the lasting consequences of the choices we make.

Posted in integrity, Joseph, Judah, plan of God, wisdom | Tagged | 1 Comment

Israel: losing the favorite son

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

Hebrew letters - israelGenesis 37.   Israel had many sons, but Joseph was his favorite.  Imagine the sorrow he must have felt when his other sons brought him the coat that he had given Joseph – battered and bloodied.  No wonder he put on sackcloth and mourned for many days (34).  He felt as if he was going to grieve himself to death, and join his son in sheol (the place where the dead await the resurrection) (35).  Joseph was not really dead, but Israel did not know that. He felt a pain like God felt for us.  His favorite son – Jesus Christ – would really die  — and willingly.  He would take our sins with him on a cross and suffer and die to atone for them  — while his Father watched.

LORD, thank you for not sparing your favorite Son, but giving his life so that we might live.

Posted in atonement, Jacob, Jesus Christ, sleep of death, the cross | Tagged | 1 Comment

Esau: blessed, but not the blessed

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

Genesis 36.   This chapter contains mostly genealogical information about Esau and his descendants.  It explains how his family became prominent in the land of Seir, and eventually possessed all the land.  The Israelites in Moses’ day would call them the Edomites.  Esau’s descendants were chiefs and kings long before Jacob’s descendants were.  They were blessed, but they were not the blessed.  Likewise, you will probably meet many who are richer and more prominent than you may become in this life.  Do not worry.  The future will show who the truly blessed are.

LORD,  we trust you to keep all your promises to us.  The prosperity and fame of those outside your covenant will not deter us from keeping it.

Posted in Esau, future, kingdom of God, trust | Tagged | 1 Comment

Israel: assuming the mantle

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

israelGenesis 35.   The ESV Study Bible writes that “Jacob moves by stages from Shechem to Bethel… During this journey a number of incidents occur”  (including the deaths of Deborah and Rachel).  At the end of his journey, he is “in a position to assume the mantle of his father as the one through whom the divine promises to Abraham will be continued.”

Each one of us is on a journey, and the LORD is preparing us for who we are destined to be.  He sees our glorified state of spiritual maturity.  We do not.  We must trust the LORD to lead us to where he wants us to be.

LORD, we surrender our days to you.  Make us who you want us to be, and forgive us for judging others because we do not see their destiny either.

Posted in dependence upon God, future, Jacob, sanctification | Tagged | 1 Comment

Jacob: tragedy at Shechem

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

JacobGenesis 34.  Two wrongs do not make a right.  The rape of Dinah by Shechem was inexcusable.  But the treachery of Jacob’s sons in insisting that the men of the town be circumcised – only to weaken them so that they could attack and kill them – was also wrong on so many levels.  Fast forward into the future and you will see the consequences of this tragedy:

  1. Simeon and Levi had taken it upon himself to avenge Dinah’s rape by murdering the inhabitants of Shechem.  They would both lose the inheritance due to the oldest and it would go to Judah instead (Reuben would lose this privilege for another reason).
  2. Jacob was right in assuming that this event would cause lasting enmity between his family and the Canaanites and Perrizites.
  3. Some of the Israelites who would return to possess this land were actually descendants of the Shechemites (29). 

LORD, help us to see that there can be lasting consequences when we insist on getting even with those who have wronged us.

Posted in enemies, Jacob, revenge | Tagged | 1 Comment

Jacob: El-Elohe-Israel

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

JacobGenesis 33.  Jacob limps away from Peniel, where he had seen the face of God, and his life was delivered.  He now meets up with his brother Esau – whom he hadn’t seen for 20 years.  God has been at work in Esau’s life too.  He brings peace where there was once hostility and fear.  But that does not mean that Jacob is going to accompany his brother to Seir.  He resettles in Shechem, because where he is going is not about family anymore.  He builds (or rebuilds) an altar and calls it El-Elohe-Israel: God, the God of Israel. 

 

LORD, you are our inheritance.  Our fellowship with you is what matters most.

Posted in conflict, dependence upon God, Jacob, relationship with God | Tagged | 1 Comment