Michael Scaman

Abraham had a dream vision of his descendants in Egypt. Seems interesting this was completely not brought to mind by Jacob I wonder if it was something Abraham related to his grandsons Esau and Jacob who were about 16 when Abraham died. Or maybe Isaac told them. Perhaps with the significance of Joseph's dreams and the part they played in their family history the dreams took on new meaning and they saw at some point Joseph's dreams were God validating God was working in their lives and also Abraham's dream of the burning torch representing future sufferings in Egypt but being brought out in power Abraham's dream interpreter becomes Joseph who pulls in the readers and will make it clear at the end of the book of Genesis (spoiler alert!! ) that Joseph would see a promise of deliverance from the coming problems for them in Egypt and a return to the promised land. And Joseph will want to be a part of it making preparations for sending his coffin centuries later.

Hugh Stephenson

GM Jason. Love your focus on God’s purpose and plan. Way better than any plan I concocted. Q1. Many three-alarm-dumpster-fire relationships. As in all other parts of my life, relief only came when I quit trying and surrendered. Q2. The key for me is to know God so well that trust, surrender, and obedience are as natural as breathing. When I’ve done that, he always reveals to me what I need to know. More common now but many miles to go. Q3. He has led me to recovery ministries and into disciplining in relationships. Huge blessing. Q4. Re:gen step 8. Completing it took weeks. Living it out has taken years. Still ongoing. I’m taught that the key to understanding that 2 Timothy 3:16 is true; properly understood. Which means that context is critical. Stated another way, it’s written to a specific group at specific time for a specific purpose.

Hugh Stephenson

Being the Word of God, it has huge meaning and application for me. It’s just that I must read it through the recipients’ eyes, not mine. The recipients here are the Hebrews during the Exodus. So, I ask the question- What does God want them to know. Even more pointedly, what are the questions they have that He is answering? In processing this I will have a better understanding of what He wants ME to know and what questions of mine He is answering. All of this leads me back to the Three Big Questions that I think He is answering for THEM. Who is God? Who am I? Why am I here? Genesis 1:26-28- God calls me into partnership with Him to be His vice-regent. He gives me the temporal and eternal vision but shares His plan with me as I need to know it; page by page.

Hugh Stephenson

What does Joseph know that Jacob/older brothers don’t? It seems Joseph lives by faith and Jacob/brothers lives by sight. Joseph KNOWS God. Knowledge leads to faith which lead to trust which leads to surrender which leads to peace, (Philippians 4:6-7). KNOW GOD KNOW PEACE NO GOD NO PEACE “Joseph had discerned and accepted God's providential control of the events of his life. Four times he stated that God, not his brothers, was behind what had happened (vv. 5, 7, 8, 9).” “[Joseph] was great because of his faith in God, which manifested itself in a magnanimous attitude toward others and his magnificent attitude toward difficulties. A strong faith leads to a good attitude." “An appreciation for God's sovereign control produced in Joseph a character marked by graciousness, forgiveness, and acceptance.” “Reconciliation is possible when there is forgiveness, and forgiveness is possible when there is recognition of God's sovereignty.”

Michael Sisson

Re: Gen 45:1 Gen 45:1 (NASB) Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried, “Have everyone go out from me.” >>>So there was no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.<<< Joseph demonstrated consideration of all concerned by NOT airing the family’s dirty laundry directly in front of the Egyptians. Re: Gen 45:2 Gen 45:2 (TLV) But he >>>gave his voice to weeping<<< so that the Egyptians heard, and Pharaoh's household heard. That Joseph would well up with emotion at revealing his true identity and reconciling with his bothers is to be expected. However, one wonders if Joseph isn’t also deeply moved at being the instrument through whom G-d might be fulfilling his prophecy to Abraham (Gen 15:13; though the prophecy did not specify Egypt specifically) that his descendants would eventually enter into a 400 year exile as slaves. (Gen 45:9-11) Re: Gen 45:5-7 Gen 45:5 (NASB) “Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, >>>for God sent me before you to preserve life.<<< See also Gen 50:20. Re: Gen 45:8-9 Gen 45:8-9 (NASB) “Now, therefore, >>>it was not you who sent me here, but God;<<< and >>>He has made me a father to Pharaoh<<< and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, >>>“God has made me lord of all Egypt;<<< come down to me, do not delay. G-d’s sovereignty is on full display in this passage. Re: Gen 45:16 Gen 45:16 (NASB) Now when the news was heard in Pharaoh's house that Joseph's brothers had come, >>>it pleased Pharaoh and his servants.<<< Why? Were the Egyptians simply pleased at seeing justice served? Did their approval grow out of an affinity for Joseph, or something less noble? Compare this verse with Ex 1:8-10.

Michael Scaman

There are purpose far beyond what they see and imagine. God paints many pictures of Jesus using the accounts of the Old Testament of a 'more than Joseph'. God has a plan to save the sinners, the family of Abraham. The plan includes the sinners acting, even participating in virtually killing the savior, Joseph. Who virtually dead, is gone and lost to their lives now, a plan God hid from their hearts. But God raises him to the right hand of power, Jew and gentile are saved. God did open their eyes eventually. It is also a picture of hope for the Jews in the upcoming centuries. Joseph was in-prisoned and delivered by God. The nation will be virtually in-prisoned as slaved and a deliverance will come with the Exodus.

Sue Bohlin

Thanks for your devo, Dr. Slinker! Bless you for rocking your physics classes at UTD. I am the admin for my husband's high school science classes for home schoolers, and when he teaches physics I just hear "science tongues." I circled every reference to God in Joseph's statements to his brothers. I love how he cultivated a Yahweh-centered worldview that saw God as involved in every aspect of his life. What a great example for us! When I read v. 20, "Never mind about your belongings, because the best of all Egypt will be yours," I saw the shadow of what Jesus would teach almost 2000 years later: "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life." One of the benefits of developing and maintaining an eternal perspective is that it reminds us to keep a loose grasp on the things of this world (like Canaan for Jacob et al.) because God has something *so very much better* for us in His kingdom.

Michael Sisson

@SueBohlin Your connection of Gen 45:20 to Mk 10:29-30 is very insightful. Thanks!

Amy Lowther

1. I decided to work through idolizing Duke Men’s Basketball while they were iin March Madness and it worked. I made better use of my time each day and for each goal I set. Duke even won the National Title that same year. Prayer: Thank you God for Duke Men’s Basketball. Thank you for their athletes, their coaches, and all they do to help each game be great. Thank you God for being there when we are wrapped up in the game and for when we are just enjoying the game for what it is. We all learn and become better people from the examples you provide God. We thank you and love you. Amen. 2. No, but for some people who are just meeting God, God seems mysterious. Scripture: Isaiah 41:10 3. God is always there and is always a resource for everyone in the church. In the community, I have seen children waiting patiently for the bus with their parents. In my family, my father was recently introduced to his brother who he had worked with but just recently found that it was his brother. In His world, I was headed to work and a parent was nicely walking her child to school. 4. In preparation of forgiveness, it is always appropriate to provide or to be provided with accurate information. There are no situations for me needing forgiveness right now.

Chris Landry

A day late here! Thanks for the Devo Jason. God’s handiwork is all over this amazing story of Joseph we’ve been in. What stood out to me today was Genesis 45:16-21. God’s handiwork in and through pharaoh snuck into my heart this morning. God’s ability to direct the “watercourse whichever way he pleases” (Proverbs 21:1) washes away my anxiety and brings me life. I can’t miss the obvious that Joseph’s faithfulness played a part in this life-giving moment, in the same way our faithlessness can play a part in death. Let me be faithful today! God never changes. He is so faithful.