Year 7, Day 54: Exodus 5

Theological Commentary: Click Here

No good task goes unpunished.  That’s my usual reaction to this chapter.  Moses goes and does what God asks.  He meets with the Hebrew people and they seem favorable to him.  Yet, when he goes to talk with Pharaoh, things go poorly.  Pharaoh is disagreeable and starts to take it out on the Hebrew people in general.  Pharaoh makes life miserable for the Hebrew workers.  The Hebrew people come back and turn on Moses.  They tell Moses that they expect God to look upon him with displeasure because in their eyes he has made their life miserable.

This is a rather common experience among people who try to do the work of the Lord, to be honest.  Often the Lord calls people to work in the lives of others.  Working in the lives of others usually implies change and challenge.  Change and challenge are scary to most people, often causing fear and rejection.  In fact, do you remember Moses’ reaction yesterday?  Moses was scared and hesitant to obey God because God challenged him.  God was big enough to take the challenge and give Moses time to accept the challenge.

Moses, being human, doesn’t learn this lesson.  Moses doesn’t have the eternal perspective of God.  He doesn’t know how God is going to unfold His plan.  He can’t see how this part of the story is necessary to getting the Hebrew people out of Egypt for good, having plundered the Egyptians along the way.  Instead, Moses turns to God and gives God the same kind of grief that the Hebrew people have given him.  The Hebrew people are short-sighted.  Moses is short-sighted.

The reality is that when we start following God, we need to expect some rejection.  There will always be people who do not want to listen to what God has to say in their life.  There will always be people who want to continue living as they are.  If you spend much time reading God’s Word at all, you will realize that rejection along the way is to be expected.

What is important is that we cannot let the rejection keep us from obedience.  People’s acceptance or rejection doesn’t change God’s calling for our life.  We cannot know the end that God has for us if we follow Him in obedience.  We must pursue His will while enduring the rejection of the world around us.  That, literally for Moses and figuratively for us, will lead us to the Promised Land.

<><

Year 7, Day 53: Exodus 4

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Today we get another glimpse of the implementation of God’s plan.  It is easy to become fixated on the events of this story because of the miraculous nature of them.  Moses’ hand becomes leprous when he sticks it inside of his cloak.  Moses’ staff turns into a serpent until he grabs it by the tail.  God promises that He will turn the Nile water into blood if absolutely necessary.  These are captivating elements of a story indeed.

Although it is easy to get fixated on the events, when we do so we miss a significant portion of the story.  Look at how Moses acts in the story.  We get a great glimpse of human nature here.  In the last chapter, we saw how God used Moses’ curiosity to get his attention.  Now, however, when God puts the focus on Moses’ upcoming action we begin to see a little hesitation within Moses.  Moses wonders why they would believe him.  After all, he is a murderer.  Why would they believe the words of a murderer?

Perhaps there is also a hint of fear within his words.  God is asking some big things from him.  In order to accomplish them, he is going to need to go before the Hebrew leaders.  He is also going to need to go before Pharaoh – likely the son of the Pharaoh who raised him – and make requests.  There are many good reasons for him to fear.  God is setting out a difficult road, fraught with many difficult activities to come.

Notice that God does not abandon Moses in spite of his hesitation or his fear or whatever else that he is feeling.  God doesn’t expect us to blindly follow with absolute courage.  He expects us to follow in human ways.  He expects us to be fearful, especially when asking great things.  He expects us to be timid from time to time.  He expects us to be confused and not understand.  These are all normal things for us to experience and they do not prohibit God from using us.

One of the great things about studying God’s Word is being free to look at the people God uses.  When we do, we get a long list of flawed, yet obedient, servants.  God’s Word does show us incredible acts of supernatural power.  But perhaps even more importantly it shows us His action through some very normal human beings.  That is a God who desires to be in relationship with us.

<><

Year 7, Day 52: Exodus 3

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Today we get to continue the story of Moses with the burning bush.  I love this story because it shows us the natural curiosity of Moses.  Here is a bush that won’t burn.  Logically speaking, Moses should run away.  This is something clearly beyond his capacity to understand and his capability to imitate.  Logically, he should head the other way without looking back.  But his curiosity is stronger than his logic.  God uses Moses’ curiosity to open a door that logic could not open.

When Moses arrives at the bush, we get an opportunity to relearn a very important lesson.  The presence of God is significant.  It isn’t the burning bush that is holy.  It isn’t the piece of ground that is sacred.  We don’t see these acres of ground venerated again in the Bible in remembrance.  The ground is holy because the presence of God is within it.  God’s presence changes the nature of things from mundane to holy.  This is true about us as people, too.

Look also to the exchange between Moses and God.  Do you hear how Moses speaks?  Moses distinctly uses the word “if.”  He is not entirely sold on the idea that God is setting before him.  However, God is okay with this.  God has no trouble with Moses warming up to the idea.  Once more we see that God is patient with us.  God knows that we cannot see what He sees and we cannot know what He knows.  Yet, even in our doubt and slowness in understanding He still works with us.  He wants us to be a part of His plan.  He wants to include us in His work.

Finally, let’s take a look at the famous “I am who I am” passage.  This could also be translated as “I am what I am” or even “I will be what I will be.”  What is the point of all of this?  God’s character does not change.  God may change His plan.  God may allow us to affect how He does things in the world.  God may give us a choice as to how to participate in His work.  However, God does not change who He is. His character is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  He is reliable.  He is trustworthy.

There is a consistent theme running through this passage.  The ground where God happens to be is made holy because of God’s constant presence.  Moses is curious and growing, but God’s nature is constant.  Moses is cautious about committing, but God’s nature is constant.  God knows what He is doing and how He will get humanity to where He needs us to go.  His methods may be flexible, but His character is true.

<><

Year 7, Day 51: Exodus 2

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Once more we see that God uses people with flaws.  That’s a really nice way of saying that none of us are perfect.  That’s also a really nice way of saying that each of us have things about us where we are prone – if not automatic – to doing wrong.

Moses is raised up in the house of Pharaoh.  There can be no doubt about his heritage, though.  Egyptians don’t look much like Hebrew people.  I can’t think of any reason why his Egyptian mother would have hidden his identity from him, especially as he grew older.  When Moses is a young adult, he sees one of his Hebrew people getting beaten up by one of his Egyptian people.  Moses clearly chooses to stick up for his Hebrew brethren.  He kills the Egyptian.  The Pharaoh is not pleased, and he seeks to kill Moses.  There can be no doubt.  Moses’ first claim to fame is that he murdered someone in a crime of passionate anger.

But look at the very next story.  God doesn’t abandon Moses.  God doesn’t say to Moses, “I have no use for you since you killed someone.”  No.  God uses that which is within Moses in a way to suit his purposes.  Moses clearly has a well-defined sense of justice versus injustice.  God plans to use it.  God may not approve of the murder of the Egyptian, but that doesn’t mean Moses gets kicked to the curb.

Moses sees the women of a priest being mistreated by some shepherds.  They are unable to water their flocks.  Moses comes in, sees the injustice, and sets the record straight.  Notice that nobody dies in this story.  God’s been working on Moses’ heart.  Moses still has passion about the injustice that he sees being done, but he is able to reign it in and give a more productive outcome.

As a result, Moses is accepted.  Moses finds a home.  Moses even finds a wife.  Moses develops a meaningful life, even though he is a murderer at the beginning of this story.  God can always use us if we are willing to work on our sinful desires and learn to tame them.

<><

Year 7, Day 50: Exodus 1

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Notice the change within the context of Egypt as we jump from Genesis to Exodus.  No longer is the story being written out of the perspective of respect.  No longer do we see Pharaoh’s and Joseph’s relationship affecting the story.  Of course, over 400 years have gone by, so why would those relationships affect the story?  That would be like us in the modern day respecting one another because of the relationship of people who live before America ever became a country in the first place!  It makes sense that Pharaoh would now be afraid of the massive number of Hebrew people and forget about Joseph.  I don’t fault the Pharaoh at all for being fearful of these Hebrews.  I will fault him for many things in this story, but not this.

What I do want to lift up out of the story today is the respect that these midwives have for life.  They know Pharaoh’s order.  They no doubt know the consequences for disobeying Pharaoh’s orders.  Yet, they don’t obey Pharaoh anyways.  The Hebrew babies continue to be born and live!  These midwives are willing to put their own life on the line for the sake of the life off these babies.

There isn’t any reason for these women to do this other than their respect of life.  They are Egyptian midwives, so it isn’t like these Hebrew people are family.  The midwives are not likely being paid great sums of money to turn their heads the other way.  The Hebrew people are being treated as slaves, so I wouldn’t expect them to be overly wealthy.  As I just said, the Hebrew people are looked upon as slaves, so it isn’t like they command much respect in Egypt, either.  These midwives are letting the Hebrew children live simply because it is the right thing to do.

I want to lift this up today.  Here is a group of people who are willing to disobey the orders of superiors when the orders are not just.  This is a group of people who are willing to compromise their own livelihood – perhaps even life – for the right thing.  They are not getting their ethics from the expectations of the culture around them.  They are judging right from wrong from a code of ethics that dwells within them.

God loves them for it.

<><

Year 7, Day 49: Genesis 50

Theological Commentary: Click Here

I really love Joseph’s maturity in this passage.  There are three significant events with which we can see this maturity.  Let’s look at each one individually.

First, Joseph experiences the death of his father.  It is not easy to lose a parent, especially when the relationship is good and the feelings between child and parent is one of respect.  Joseph valued his father’s role.  However, notice that Joseph doesn’t mourn with abandon when he dies.  Joseph does lose himself.  Joseph’s world isn’t over.  Joseph mourns maturely.  He lets the sadness within him out, but he is able to compose himself and move on after the fact.  He is able to keep his promise to bury his father as well as continue to be a good servant to Pharaoh.

Then, we see Joseph go before Pharaoh.  Joseph is mature enough to go humbly.  He asks for permission to leave.  He does not go in making demands; he does not go in a wreck of a man.  Notice how Pharaoh responds.  Pharaoh gives him time to go.  But Pharaoh also gives him supplies. There appears to be a great number of people who go with Joseph to mourn.  Pharaoh seems to give more than his blessing; he gives him enough of a retinue that the people of Canaan take notice!

The third place that we see the maturity of Joseph is when his brothers come before him.  Naturally, I can see them being a bit concerned.  They could easily have thought that Joseph was just treating them nicely out of respect for their father.  After all, they had hurt the very man who was now Pharaoh’s greatest aide.  But I love Joseph’s perspective.  Joseph isn’t focused on who hurt him.  Joseph is focused on how God was able to work through it.  Joseph has the maturity to be focused on what God has done through him rather than what others have done to him.

<><

Year 7, Day 48: Genesis 49

Theological Commentary: Click Here

God’s generosity continues to abound in this chapter.  We have another genealogy, but this time in a voice of prophecy.  We get to hear about Jacob’s sons and the roles that they will play in the future.

Rueben was the eldest.  But his sin caused him to fall from grace.  Yet, he is not outcast.  He will continue to be a part of the Hebrew people.  His offspring will be welcome among God’s people and they will even have a role to play.  Our sinfulness can be redeemed.  Our sinfulness can be forgiven and we can have a home with God.

The same is true for Simeon and Levi.  They are also brothers who committed violent acts in their youth and who lived by the sword.  But we know that the offspring of these brothers will continue to be among God’s people.  In fact, the people of Levi will become the Levites and priests that become the spiritual backbone of the people!  Their sinfulness is overcome as well.

We can even look in the opposite light towards the majority of the middle brothers.  We are talking about the likes of Naphtali, Dan, Gad, Benjamin, Ashur, and Issachar.  These brothers have a very subtle role.  They don’t have the big type-A personalities of their brothers.  But they have a role, too.  They may not be the natural leaders, but they will still be a part of God’s people.  We don’t have to be big in fame or glory or reputation to be a part of God’s people.  We can be followers, so long as we are following the right God.

The end of Genesis gives us a good look at life through God’s eyes.  He loves those with big personalities.  He loves those with small personalities.  He loves those prone to mistakes.  He loves those who play it safe and do what is expected of them.  Whatever we are and whatever role we play, there is a place for us in His grace, love, and care.

<><

Year 7, Day 47: Genesis 48

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Once more we see a picture of grace in the book of Genesis.  Joseph hears that his father may not have too much longer to live.  When he hears this, he takes his sons to Jacob and asks for him to bless the sons.  Jacob willingly does this.

Naturally, this makes a bunch of sense.  Jacob spent a good portion of his life without Joseph.  Joseph’s children have not known Jacob like Jacob’s other grandchildren know him.  Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son from his favorite wife.  There seem to be every reason for Jacob to bless Joseph’s boys.

On the other hand, there are some hidden reasons why Jacob could not have wanted to bless them.  Jacob didn’t know them all that well.  They were children from a marriage that Joseph had with an Egyptian priest’s daughter. 

What I like about this chapter is that Jacob does not dwell on these reasons.  Instead, Jacob blesses the children.  Jacob looks to the positives and dwells on what the relationship means instead of looking at the negatives in life.  This is truly a show of grace.  Jacob desires to bestow his blessing upon them.

As we look at this blessing, we very much see an additional place of grace.  Jacob blesses the younger son as if he were the eldest.  In fact, we know that Jacob does this intentionally.  At first, we might simply say that Jacob was the younger and got his brother’s blessing, so he is just continuing the tradition.  But I truly think that there is more to it than that.

Let’s look back through Genesis.  Seth (and Abel) were both chosen ahead of Cain.  Isaac was chosen ahead of Ishmael.  Jacob was chosen ahead of Esau.  Joseph was chosen ahead of the vast majority of his brothers.  The pattern we see in Genesis is that the former is looked over in favor of the latter.

There is a profound spiritual message being passed along here.  We hear in the book of Hebrews that in Christ God is doing a new thing.  Hebrews 10:8-10 states that God has been working throughout history to “do away with the first” in order to “establish the second.”  God does away with the old system of forgiveness/repentance/sanctification in favor of a new system of forgiveness/repentance/sanctification through Jesus’ death on the cross.

This is a sign of grace in its own right.  God gives us grace when we do not deserve it.  He passes over our guilt with His forgiveness and even pays the cost Himself!  This is indeed a pattern that God is creating through His servants in the Old Testament.  When Jacob blesses the younger son over the elder, Jacob is laying down the foundation of a long line – and an even longer line in the future – of preparing His people to accept that the second is preferred to the first.  God’s grace through Christ on the cross is far more preferred than the sacrificial system for forgiveness.

<><

Year 7, Day 46: Genesis 47

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Once more we see the prosperity and the wisdom of Joseph.  Before the story of the chapter is finished, Pharaoh owns all the land in Egypt and essentially turns the whole nation into sharecroppers.  The people receive their grain from Pharaoh and have to give a portion back to Pharaoh in return.  Joseph’s wisdom – his ability and desire to listen to God, really – sets him up to be a blessing to the people as well as to his Pharaoh.

That being said, I want to take a side trip and risk chasing down a rabbit trail.  Did anyone else besides me notice the portion that Pharaoh requires?  Jacob tells the people that one-fifth will return to Pharaoh and four-fifths will be kept by the people.  That’s twenty percent!

When I read that, I really was impressed by how little God demands of us.  Yes, He wants our submission.  But He only asks that we tithe ten percent of what we are given by his hands!  That’s incredibly generous, especially with what Pharaoh demanded!  The people returning out of Egypt during the Exodus should have heard God’s request and felt an ease of burden, not a great taxation!

For that matter, look at what our own countries ask of us.  In America, it’s not uncommon for American citizens to pay on the average of 20% of their income in federal income tax.  This doesn’t even count state and local taxes.  It also doesn’t count sales tax.  When we look at it in this perspective, God really is generous.

Those living in other countries have more to see.  On the average, Americans pay less tax.  We typically receive less benefit for our tax, too.  But some countries pay as much as 40% of their income in tax. (Aruba has the highest taxation rate at 58.5% and there are about ten countries with a tax rate of 50% or higher.)  In this light, God’s tithe is really quite generous.  I think perspective really helps.  How generous is a God that asks for ten percent when fellow human beings tax one another as much as 50%!

<><

Year 7, Day 45: Genesis 46

Theological Commentary: Click Here

In this chapter we continue to get a taste of God’s provision.  We see it first in God’s interaction with Jacob.  Jacob seems a bit hesitant to go to Egypt.  He packs everything up, but on his way out of town he stops to worship God.

This makes much sense when we think about it.  Abraham went down to Egypt and got himself into a bit of trouble.  Isaac also went down to Egypt and got himself in a bit of trouble.  Isaac has simply learned his lesson from his father and grandfather.  He is anxious to meet his son, but he knows that when his people go to Egypt there is often trouble.

Because of this, God comes to Jacob and encourages him to go.  God provides for the motivation that Jacob needs in the moment.  God tells Jacob that it will be alright and that he has a plan.  God tells Jacob that Joseph has got things under control.  Jacob listens and goes to his son in Egypt.

We also see God’s provision for the Hebrew people when they get to Egypt.  Because of his relationship with Pharaoh, Jacob is free to negotiate fertile land for them to dwell in while performing the duties of shepherds for the Pharaoh.  This is a pretty good deal in my opinion.  The Hebrew people are allowed to live and even prosper while being granted purpose in their new homeland.  God uses Joseph to provide for His people as well as to reward Pharaoh and his faithfulness to Joseph.  God’s  provision is truly a beautiful thing.

<><

Year 7, Day 44: Genesis 45

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Joseph unfolds his plan.  He reveals himself to his brothers.  He is not dead; he is their provider!  In this we see an incredible act of forgiveness and restoration.  For those reasons alone, this is a powerful chapter.

Today, though, I want to look at the relationship between Pharaoh and Joseph.  Remember that at one time Joseph was a forgotten slave accused of thrusting himself upon the wife of a government official.  Now, he has Pharaoh’s respect and admiration.  Pharaoh comes to Joseph’s brothers and lavishes grace upon them.

This grace comes because Joseph did not live his life in bitterness.  He was able to forgive his brothers.  He was able to move past the false accusation of Potiphar’s wife.  He was able to overlook being forgotten in prison.  He was able to focus on what God set before him and do his best in those circumstances.

However, as we move to Genesis notice how this relationship changes.  Right now, Pharaoh has respect for Joseph and his God.  He is willing to work with the Hebrew people and support them because he is grateful for what Joseph has done.  But this will not remain the same.  A Pharaoh will come who will not treat Joseph’s people as nicely.

I think what we learn here is a good lesson on character.  Joseph, in all of his forgiveness and patience was a man of impeccable character.  This Pharaoh was a man of good character.  That is why this story has such a positive ending.  Men of good character are able to lead and produce good results.  We’ll see what men of poor character produce when we turn to the Exodus story.

<><

Year 7, Day 43: Genesis 44

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Joseph’s moment comes.  He has been building this moment from the very beginning.  He has lavished grace upon the Hebrew brothers.  He let them return with food and their money after the first trp.  He has treated them with honor, bringing them into his own house to feast, even.  He gave Benjamin a great portion, even more than his brothers.  He has given the Hebrew brothers every luxury.

The brothers have in turn respected the grace they’ve received.  They did return with Benjamin as requested.  They did come into the place of feasting with humbleness, admitting that they didn’t actually pay for the first load of food.  They did stick up for Simeon and returning to Egypt against their father before the food ran out.  They have demonstrated that they trust Joseph.

However, Joseph requires more than trust.  He wants to hear repentance.  Joseph is happy to be in a position to save his family.  That alone is remarkable.  Many humans, after being sold into slavery by their own family, would be content letting them starve!  Not Joseph.  Joseph is overjoyed to be in a place to help them.  But he wants to hear their repentant heart. Thus, he plants a gold cup in his brother’s sack so that he will have every reason to put the brothers under great stress.

Judah comes through.  When Benjamin is made to look guilty, Judah could easily have easily turned on Benjamin.  However, Judah volunteers to give up his own life to save Benjamin.

Before we get to the conclusion of this post, let’s look at a detail as to why this scheme might have been devised in the first place.  As Judah recounts the story, he tells us a detail that was omitted as the narrator of Genesis told the story.  Apparently tin the first visit to Egypt, the brothers told Joseph that one of their brothers was dead.  It is likely that Joseph would feel the need to correct this little lie.  One of their brothers isn’t dead, he was sold into slavery.

In any case, Joseph now sees what he wants to see.  The brothers are humble.  Judah is even willing to trade his own life for the life of his brother.  These brothers have some maturity underneath them now.  They have a bit of repentance.  They have honored Joseph after dishonoring him horribly so many years ago.  It has taken a while for these brothers to mature and be able to put it on display, but God has been with Joseph through it all.  Joseph is now ready to unfold the whole story.

<><

Year 7, Day 42: Genesis 43

Theological Commentary: Click Here

The plot thickens.  Joseph’s brothers return home and the food runs out.  There is an argument between the sons and Jacob about returning.  Eventually it is decided that the sons have to return with Benjamin in order to get more food.  Jacob has to choose between dying of starvation and potentially losing his only remaining son from his favorite wife, Rachel.

Isn’t it funny what fear can do for us?  Don’t forget that Simeon was held back in Egypt in prison!  Jacob is afraid of losing another son, so he plays it safe and lets him rot in prison rather than potentially losing another.  When we are in places of greatest gain, we are also usually in places of greatest risk.  Fear steps in and often tempts us to play it safe.  Jacob is content potentially starving and letting Simeon stay in jail rather than letting the sons return to Egypt with more food.

Keep in mind that the fear isn’t usually rational.  The fear is often a perceived fear.  But just because it is perceived doesn’t mean it is real.  Has Egypt given Jacob any reason to fear?  Did the brothers not return with plenty of food having spent none of their money?  The only bad thing that happened was that Simeon was retained until they should return.  Jacob assumes that Simeon is retained because Egypt wants to harm Benjamin.  That is a perceived fear, but it is not a rational one.  So often fear keeps us from enjoying God’s blessing.

Notice what it is that gets Jacob through his fear.  Necessity is what motivates Jacob.  Literally, the food runs out and the threat of starving becomes quite real.  Jacob moves past his fear when he hits rock bottom.  This is why so many of us experience the need to hit rock bottom before we can go forward.  So long as we can, we bunker down and hide in our safe places.  Need brings us out.  Need causes us to leave our safe place.  Need opens us up to being in a position of receiving and appreciating God’s blessing.

<><

Year 7, Day 41: Genesis 42

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Just because one is righteous does not mean that one cannot enjoy a little bit of sport.  I know this lesson very much from being a pastor and being a teacher.  When trying to get another person to learn something, there are multiple approaches.  You can lecture the right answer and let the person learn passively.  You can set the student free to discover the answer themselves.  Or, you can disciple the student by asking leading questions that lead the student to the answer.  There are proper times to choose each of these techniques.  The third technique is my personal favorite, though.

In order to lead the student through a series of guided questions – those in the know call this the Socratic Method, named after its designer, Socrates – know that dialogue and conversation are the key.  The disciple maker asks questions that continually push the learner to the edge of their knowledge base in order to cause them to learn more.  As the disciple learns, the disciple maker pushes a little further.  In this way, the student grows.  The student always feels precariously close to the tipping point of overextending, but the disciple-maker always has the disciple securely in their hands.

This process is often made more fun when the disciple-maker, or master teacher, has a sense of play.  When the master teacher can use their sense of play to create relationship, the learning becomes personal, intimate, and a genuinely shared experience that is eventually enjoyed by all.

This is what Joseph is doing to his brothers.  They are at all times safe in his hands.  The problem is that the brothers do not realize it.  They don’t recognize Joseph.  However, Joseph takes this opportunity to help them get up to speed with how God has been moving in their life.  Joseph wants to teach them to trust God and to realize that God was able to take their sinful act of selling him as a slave into a great thing.

However, Joseph doesn’t just lecture them.  They wouldn’t have learned the lesson as well by just giving them the answer.  They wouldn’t have learned the lesson by listening to one of Joseph’s sermons.  Joseph teaches the lesson to the brothers by guiding them through a series of situations.  First, there is the interview.  Then, there is the imprisonment.  Then, there is the return trip home leaving Simeon in Egypt.  Then, there is the debate with their father about bringing Benjamin.

In all of these things, the brothers perpetually feel like their life could come crumbling down at any moment.  They are fearful for Benjamin and fearful for Simeon.  They are afraid of the wrath of their father.  What they don’t know, and can’t know, is that they whole time they are resting quite safely in Joseph’s most skilled hands.  Even more importantly, they are learning that they rest completely and securely in God’s most capable hands. 

That’s a great thing to learn.  I love Joseph’s playful method of teaching this lesson to his brothers.  I don’t think it is mean-spirited or in bad taste at all.  Joseph keeps them safe while constantly putting them on the edge of their comfort zone.

<><

Year 7, Day 40: Genesis 41

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Genesis 41 only confirms what we already know from the past chapter.  Joseph wasn’t freed from the prison because God was not ready to bring glory to Himself.  God was caring for Joseph the whole time, but God’s plan was not ready.  Joseph patiently awaits God’s timing.  For two whole years Joseph is in prison waiting for God’s timing.

Joseph gets his chance, though.  The Pharaoh has a dream.  In this, I find an incredible thing.  There is a reason that God was not ready in Joseph’s prior moments of faithfulness.  God wasn’t ready because the timing wasn’t ideal.  You see, in the prior moments Joseph was ready for God to act.  But nobody besides Joseph was ready.  In this moment, the Pharaoh of the land is ready to hear from God.  The Pharaoh’s heart is opened.

What can God do with a heart that is open to Him?  God can certainly use the Pharaoh to spare Joseph.  God can use the Pharaoh to spare Egypt.  God will even use Pharaoh to spare the nations around Egypt.  Because God waits for Pharaoh’s heart to be open, God can do all of these things.  Rather than free Joseph when Joseph is ready, God can free Joseph when the world is ready to listen to him and observe his wisdom and obedience to God.

What I find remarkable is that Joseph seems to know all of this.  When he is released and told the dream of Pharaoh, do you see his response?  Joseph says, “God revealed this.”  Joseph isn’t bitter towards God.  Joseph is merely waiting for God to act.  When God is ready, Joseph is likewise ready to step in and make sure that the glory goes to God.  That’s remarkable.  After all that has been done to Joseph, here is a patient man waiting to serve God when God is ready to bring glory onto Himself.

Joseph is one of my favorite patriarchs.  He starts off so bold and arrogant.  However, he humbles quickly and becomes quite the servant of God.  Here he is, barely middle-aged, and he is willing to wait for the hearts of others to be open to God before expecting God to act.  There is a deep and profound wisdom in this man named Joseph.

<><

Year 7, Day 39: Genesis 40

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Genesis 40 intrigues me.  He we see Joseph seemingly do all of the right things.  He is faithful in prison.  The captain over the prison respects Joseph so much that he seems to ask Joseph to mentor these two servants of Pharaoh who are imprisoned.  Joseph even interprets the dreams correctly!  Yet what does all of this get him?  The cupbearer is restored, the baker is hung, and Joseph continues to rot in prison.  It’s easy to read through this story and wonder what the point is.

It’s actually worse than that.  It’s easy to read through this story and think that God isn’t loyal.  After all, shouldn’t God reward Joseph for doing the right thing?  Shouldn’t God have arranged for Joseph’s release from prison?

Naturally, these questions are wrong.  However, in exploring them we find out the mistake that they represent.  Each of these thoughts is rooted in Joseph being the focus.  But Joseph isn’t the focus.  He never is and he never should be.  The focus is God.  The focus is God’s glory.  He is the focus, not some human.  This story is about how God can redeem and rescue us, not how we deserve to be rescued.

That really is the crux of this story.  Joseph remains in prison because the time is not right for God to rescue and redeem him.  God has plans for Joseph.  God desires to save him.  In fact, we know that He will save Joseph.  But the time is not now.  God’s plan is not for Joseph to know rescue imminently.

This is a really important lesson for us to learn in our own lives.  God desires to impact our life.  But He does it on His timing, for His agenda, so that He maybe glorified.  It isn’t about our worth and our deserving nature.  It is about Him and His glory.  The next time we feel like God has not been fair to us, we need to remember that the only reason we have that thought is because we have put our focus on ourselves rather than God.

For the record, Joseph himself doesn’t make this mistake.  We don’t see Joseph complaining about God’s lack of faithfulness.  Joseph remains strong and faithful even when he feels forgotten in prison.

<><

Year 7, Day 38: Genesis 39

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Sin continues to surround the story.  In fact, once more it is sin of a sexual nature!  Genesis has much to teach us, but one of the reoccurring themes in Genesis is that our downfall is often sexual in nature.  Our lust, our passion, our carnal urges are hard to control.  Perhaps even worse, when our carnal urges go unfulfilled or rejected, it arouses feelings of anger, irritation, and even vengeance.

It is Potiphar’s wife that is to blame in the story.  She desires something she should not have.  Scorned, she plots to get Joseph in trouble.  Joseph flees, but Potiphar believes his wife.  Joseph is thrown in prison.  Because of the lust of a single woman, one man’s life is irrevocably changed.

However, today I want to focus on what is nested within a world full of sin.  Look at Joseph within this chapter.  Joseph is faithful.  Having been sold into slavery and then traded around until he lands in Potiphar’s house, he still remains faithful.  He is faithful to Potiphar.  He works hard and gives his best.  He does the job that is asked of him.  He works hard to make his master proud.  he could have become embittered, but he doesn’t.

Because off this, God is with him.  God walks through life with Joseph.  Even after Joseph is mistreated once more and thrown into prison, God causes Joseph to be prospered.  God desires us to be His representative to whichever world we find ourselves.  Joseph lives a godly life in slavery, in prison, and while leading Potiphar’s house.  The circumstances don’t change Joseph’s pursuit of godliness.  I think that is my favorite part of this story.

<><

Year 7, Day 37: Genesis 38

Theological Commentary: Click Here

We just got started with the story of Joseph, and immediately we take a small hiatus.  Today we stop and talk about Judah.  Our theme remains the same, though.  We continue to talk about the human penchant for sin and the brilliance of God’s oversight through it.

Let’s talk about human sinfulness.  This whole story hinges upon the desire for Judah to fulfill his own desires rather than live in obedience to God.  We start this story by hearing that Judah took a wife from among the Canaanites.  Judah took a wife from a people who would lead him away from God and his ways.  Why did he do this?  He did this because his assessment of her outward beauty was more important to him than his assessment of her inner character.  His own desires are more important to him than God’s desires for him.

In due time, Judah’s wife dies.  In his mourning, he goes looking for consolation.  where does he find consolation?  He tries to find consolation in a prostitute and is tricked into having sex with his own daughter-in-law!  Again, we see the underlying rule of Judah’s sinfulness.  His passion rules his heart.  He isn’t a thinking man, he’s a man of passion.  Rather than decide between sin and righteousness, he pursues sin.  He wants consolation and he decides that the best consolation is with a woman who can give him a sexual release.

Unfortunately, this general tendency is a tendency within us all.  Some of us are able to control our passions more than others, but all of us have certain passions that do rule over.  We might not struggle with the same sexual passions as Judah, but we all do have passion that rules over us.  We all have our buttons that can be pushed that causes passion to flare up and we choose sin instinctively.  It is good for us to study stories like this so that we can recognize where these tendencies exist and combat against them.

<><

Year 7, Day 36: Genesis 37

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Genesis 37 is the beginning of the end.  We start the story of Joseph, the last of the patriarchs.  However, in many ways I think these are my favorite chapters of the whole book.  In general, though, Genesis is one of my favorite books of the Bible.  I like the whole thing.

In this story, we find Joseph at a young adult age.  He’s old enough to know that he’s special, but not old enough to have wisdom about it.  His dad gives him a special, valuable cloak.  Then, God grants him a dream.  He has a dream to know his importance.  God is preparing him for the future.  But Joseph doesn’t have the wisdom to handle it.  He begins to brag.  He begins to exalt himself.  He makes himself a stench in the eyes of his brothers.  He is hated for it.

Because of his lack of wisdom, Joseph finds himself in a pit.  He is actually supposed to be killed by his brothers, that’s how bad his lack of wisdom was!  However, a last minute rescue by his older – and wiser – brother saves him from death.  Instead, he is sold into slavery.  But don’t lose sight of the undercurrent in this story.  Joseph is special.  God is planning on using him.  However, Joseph lacks the wisdom to use that special nature properly.  His lack of wisdom is what lands him in trouble with his brothers.

That doesn’t mean that God isn’t at work.  God can take the sins of all of these brothers and use them for His plan.  God can use Joseph’s lack of vision and still work through him.  The road may be a little difficult, but God is still at work along it.  God is bigger than our individual or collective sinfulness.

<><

Year 7, Day 35: Genesis 36

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Genesis 36 is devoted to the nations and leaders who come from Esau.  We could just chalk this chapter up to the author of Genesis desiring to tell the full story of Abraham and his people.  Perhaps that is all that is going on.  I think we can find more in this, however.

What this chapter does tell us is that Esau prospered.  I’m going to resist the urge in this post to account that prospering to God, although it certainly could have been at God’s hand.  The thing is, though, the Bible doesn’t make that claim.  We simply know that Esau prospered.  He prospered enough to need to leave Jacob because they were so wealth that the land couldn’t support both of their families.

I’m willing to bet that Esau was a bit skeptical of Jacob.  After all, Jacob had already taken Esau’s birthright and blessing.  He no doubt heard how he took Laban’s wealth, too.  If I were Esau, I would have cut bait and run, too.

With Esau, though, we can get a great perspective on life.  I am sure that when Jacob took Esau’s birthright that Esau was furious.  When Jacob stole Esau’s blessing I’m sure he was even more furious.  In the moment, life looks like it is conspiring against Esau.  But here at the end of the story we can see that things worked out just fine for Esau.  He dies a wealthy man, a leader in his own right.  When life gets us down, we need to remember to see past the moment.

I think we can also learn something from the absence of God in this chapter, too.  Yes, it is a genealogy.  We wouldn’t expect God’s name to be mentioned all over.  But we can expect it to be mentioned at the beginning or the end.  We might expect it to be mentioned sporadically in the middle.  It isn’t there, though.  Esau’s life – his decision making, his choice of wives, etc – shows us that he really isn’t all that concerned with God.  From what we can gather of the people who come from Esau, they aren’t really concerned with God, either.  They will have their own gods, different from the one’s of the people who come from Jacob.  We need to be careful to pursue God our whole life.

<><