Joseph: Genesis 46:1-34 "Humor and Assurance"

Read Genesis 46:1-34.

"I am God, the God of your father," he said, "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again." NIV

Okay, there are a couple good lessons from this passage, but I have to get out of my system the humorous portions before I can look at the serious.

1) Can you hear Levi's son saying, "I'm Gershon from Goshen."

2) So were Benjamin's sons twins? Seriously, Muppim, and Huppim? Sounds like Sesame Street.

3) Was Dan's son a noisy child and Dan just couldn't take it any more? ("Hushim," say it out loud.)

4) So Jacob brings his household of 66 to a foreign land because his son, who he thought was dead, said so. He gets to Goshen and his son instructs his father on how to talk to Pharaoh and tell his occupation ending with this statement, "Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians." Oh, wow, so glad you brought us here, son. Couldn't have said something before now about the whole detestable thing? .... Is it me, or does God have a great sense of humor?

Alright, now back to the real lessons here. I always find it so comforting when God affirms our decisions. God totally puts Jacob, an old man by now and probably not interested in change, especially if it means leaving the land of his fathers, at ease about this move. He assures him that He will be with them; they will be made into a great nation; they will come back to Canaan; and that Joseph will be with him when he dies. He allayed all of Jacob's fears and promised him everything Jacob would want. But notice that God's assurances came after Jacob worshipped God and offered sacrifices. He always wants us to acknowledge Him and His sovereignty first. Priorities. Jacob knew that God was the Almighty -- God had revealed Himself many times before to Jacob. He was not about to make this big a change in his life without bowing before the Master first. And God rewards his faithfulness by giving him a peace.

I also love the reunion between Joseph and Jacob. If you have seen any "Joseph" movie, this is such a dramatic, emotional scene. Every time I see it, I think of Jesus welcoming us into heaven. Jesus has left our home here and gone to another place to prepare a new home. When we leave this home, we will be welcomed into our new one with open arms and held with an amazing embrace. The difference is that the ones who had been "detestable" in their previous home, are now right where they belong and given a place of honor beside the king.

Further Thoughts:

1. No matter what is happening in our lives -- big changes or small ones -- God wants us to seek Him in worship. Do you need to spend some time with the Father? If you go to Him, He will always show up.
   
2. Look for other passages where God requires worship before His assurances.
   
3. Look up the phrase, "aliens and strangers" in the concordance. What is that referring to? How do you see that as true?
   
4. Where is our true home? Support with Scripture.
   

Joseph: Genesis 43:1-45:28 "True Motivation"

Read Genesis 43:1-45:28.

"Why have you repaid good with evil?" NIV

Joseph starts here really messing with his brothers. What is the reason? Is he exacting revenge on his brothers? Is he testing them to see if they have grown in integrity, humility, and love? Is he proving to them the power he has gained in spite of their actions? Is God directing Joseph to put his brothers through these steps? We can't really know the answer to any of these questions, but we can see the outcome. 

Joseph's brothers were humbled; they had become men of integrity; and they loved their father enough to not cause him grief a second time. The tests that Joseph puts his brothers through demonstrate all these traits. It also proves to them, once he has revealed himself, that he is trustworthy to take care of the whole family in Egypt. 

In the end, Joseph does not blame his brothers, but gives God all the honor and glory. What an amazing example of forgiveness. Did the brothers sin against Joseph? Yes. But with time and perspective, Joseph was able to see that God had planned it all along. Even with the bad times that Joseph had to go through, God was building his character. He also transformed the brothers through the pain of their guilt to where they even recognized punishment for their crime 20 years later. And most importantly, God made a way for the Hebrew children to immigrate to Egypt.

Could God have gotten Joseph and the Hebrews to Egypt another way? Of course He could. But He used the brother's jealousy and sin to make something good happen. God's transforming power. He's the only one who can take something horrible and painful and change it for our good and for His glory. How often when we have bad things happen to us do we sit around and moan and groan or become angry with others and with God. Some people will even walk away from the God because of difficulty casting the blame His way as they slam the door. The truth is that we must continue to trust God not just in the good times, but in the midst of trouble as well. As believers, we know there is a reason for everything, and God will make good what He will have to be done. We just see a microscopic view of history; God sees the whole picture -- past, present, and future. What He has designed will come about. We just have to choose if we will be participants in the transformation and with what kind of attitude we will maintain. 

Further Thoughts: 

1. Who else in the Bible had to suffer because of their own sin or someone else's sin? 
   
2. Are you angry at someone or even at God because of troubles in your life? If you are, you're not alone, and you might as well own up to your anger. You're not hiding your anger from God. But know that He loves you, understands your pain and hurts with you. He will never leave you but walk the road with you. His love is greater for you than you can ever imagine and His greater good will win out in the end.
   
3. Find Scripture that supports the fact that God is in control. What about His character shows that too us, too?

1 Peter 2:13-25 "Respecting Leadership"

Read 1 Peter 2:13-25.

"Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king." NIV

I really looked forward to the inauguration this year, not because I think the savior of our nation is in the White House now, but because I was getting so sick of Bush Bashing. I have not approved of all the presidents I've experienced in my lifetime, but I do my best to respect them as our leader. If they are elected in a democratic system, then the people have spoken, and I will move forward with that decision and support them in every way possible. Not only is this the toughest job out there, but God has allowed that person to be in that office and the Word says that I am to respect them. It doesn't say that I have to agree with every decision they make. It doesn't say that I have to throw parades to support them. It says that I show respect and live my life in honor of the leadership.

I've had some leadership positions, and they are tough. No one can fully understand a particular leadership position until they have walked that walk. Leaders carry a weight on their shoulders that no one else can share. They often have hundreds if not thousands of people they are responsible for. Do they all do it well? No. Are some leaders corrupt? Yes. But that doesn't diminish the responsibility they carry every day.

The Word says that we are to submit. Christ had to submit to corrupt religious leaders and then to the oppressive Roman rule. He was crucified under this kind of authority. And if they had not been in place at that time in Christ's life, God's plan for the salvation of the world could not have happened.

For what ever reason that is beyond our comprehension, God is in control of the authorities that are set in place -- the good and the bad. Probably because we have chosen independence from Him as a people when we chose sin. Therefore, He allows some of our choices to go through. But He can take those choices, however bad they may be, and make good out of them. We may set up systems where the tyrant or the corrupt can lead, but He can take the bad and make something good come out of it. After all, He took Christ from the crucifixion to the resurrection and thus, the redemption of mankind. It all occurred under submission to the authority God had in place.

Further Thoughts:

1. Look back through the OT at the authorities in God had in place. How were even some of the corrupt leaders' decisions brought around for God's good plan?
2. Do you have a problem with showing respect to authority? Why?
3. Do a word study of "loyalty." How does loyalty honor the authorities over us and ultimately, God?
4. How can you better show respect to our present leadership in our country? Your city? Your work? Your home?