# 4 2024 Dev. Ge. 45. God’s Purposes! Read all of chapter forty five first . We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Ge. 45:7 “But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”

Chapter 45 is the culmination of Joseph’s testing his brothers from the first time they came to him for food. Joseph was convinced that his brothers had changed and decided to forgive. He also saw God’s hand in all that had happened to him. That is a lesson for us, as Christians, we know God uses us but there are times when God blesses us by revealing how we are used by Him.

Vs.1-7 Joseph comes out to his brothers, he had wanted to do that from the beginning but God used him to test his brothers. It seems God wanted to bring to light their awful deed of selling their own brother, God gave them plenty to think about. 

Joseph reveals his true identity. “But his brothers were not abled to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.” Imagine what was going through their minds at that moment! Joseph reassures them; “And now, ‘do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you…to save your lives by a great deliverance.’” 

Vs. 8-11 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.” The events in Joseph’s life are nothing but fantastic, God is in control from the beginning; his dreams, his brothers jealousy, the caravan that came along, Potiphar’s house, the jail, Pharaoh’s servants in jail with him, the dreams, Pharaoh’s dream, the famine, all that to bring the Israelis down to Egypt so that they become a nation, protected from enemies and from spiritual attacks by Satan. Think about that!

Vs.12-15 Finally, Joseph and his brothers are reconciled, it was a great relief and a wonderful event for them all. 

Vs.16-20 “When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased.” Here God adds blessing upon blessing, Pharaoh orders Joseph to bring his family to Egypt and provides transportation as well. This part of God’s plane is almost complete.  

Vs.21-24 “So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey. To each of them he gave new clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels[b] of silver and five sets of clothes.”

What Irony, they had striped Joseph of his multicolored coat but now Joseph sends them off in new clothes and with love. 

Joseph adds; ‘Don’t quarrel on the way!’” It is a command but the Hebrew word used here is normally translated as, don’t be anxious, upset, or fearful. 

Vs.25-28 Now they had to convince Jacob, that Joseph was alive. “They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.’ Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them.” Can you imagine the brothers explaining how this could be possible? God had to bring about major reconciliation and forgiveness. It would seem impossible, but with God it is possible, when we let Him work in our lives. This is what we take away from this story; GOD is in control and he wants good for his people, and he does brings only  good for His people even as we go through difficult times God is accomplishing his purposes! 

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# 3 2024 Dev. Ecclesiastes 2:8. Pleasure! Read all of chapter two first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Ecc. 2:8 “ I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem[a] as well—the delights of a man’s heart.”

Ecc.2 The word Ecclesiastes is a translation of the Hebrew word “koheleth” meaning: “one who convenes an assembly,” or “the preacher”(NIV), or as the text indicates “teacher.” This book is about the experiences throughout  one person’s life, he is not named but there are indications in the text  that  Ecc. was probably written by King Solomon. That puts the date of writing at 970 BC to 931BC. 

Vs.1-11 Worldly pleasure; “I said to myself, ‘Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find what is good.’” He answers his own question; “but that also proved to be meaningless.” He speaks of  ‘Laughter, wine, folly… I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.’” Next he gives us a rundown an all the things that makes a person happy, or gives a person satisfaction.  Great projects, multiple houses, horticulture, agriculture, animal husbandry, treasures, many slaves, (workers) “Male and female singers, and a harem as well – the delights of a man’s heart.” Nothing was denied  him “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure.” Solomon’s  conclusion; “everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” The author gives us the worldly point of view. Two things; all things in moderation and do everything in the name of Jesus, that puts all our work on a higher plane, a heavenly plane.

The New Testament has something to say here: I Peter 4 “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God…” Read more Pet. 4:3-6. 

“Wisdom and Folly…” 

Vs.12-16 “Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly… I saw that wisdom is better than folly,.” He expands on it, “light is better than darkness”  He does not say why wisdom is better or why light is better except that “the wise have eyes…the fool walks in darkness”. Having the light of God, ie. justice, faith and righteousness, makes all the difference in terms of  quality of life. The world walks in darkness even with  all their accomplishments. Yes, we all die, but the Godly leave a legacy behind to be followed. Amen!

“Toil…”

Vs.17-26 “So I  hated life…because I must leave them (his works) to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish?” The author is in great despair thinking about what is lost, it may be that he does not know what has been made clear to us in this time, when Christians and/or followers of God in the Old Testament die our spirits go to be with God and our works follow us, works done in the name of Jesus, work done in the name of God.

Finally, a common truth in vs.24-26 “A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?  To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God”. A secular life “is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Praise be to God!

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# 1 2024 Dev. Ecclesiastes1:9. Nothing New! Read all of chapter one first . We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Ecc,1:9 “What has been will be again what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”

Ecc.1 The word Ecclesiastes is a translation of the Hebrew word “koheleth” meaning: “one who convenes an assembly,” or “the preacher”(NIV), or as the text indicates “teacher.” This book is about the experiences throughout  one person’s life, he is not named but there are indications in the text  that  Ecc. was probably written by King Solomon. That puts the date of writing at 970 BC to 931BC.  Chapter 1 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” sets the tone for this chapter.

Vs.1-2 “Meaningless! Says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless!”’ Vs. 1 indicates that Solomon is the author of the book. What is the answer to this statement? Yes without God, your life, is indeed meaningless. 

Vs.3-7 He starts with a rhetorical question; what do people gain…” from all the sweat and tears of many years of struggle “under the sun. Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.” So it would seem at that time, yet we know that it will not last forever. The author talks about the repetitive nature of our world. It is the never ending cycle of our world, no change, always the same to those who will not thank God for His creation and refuse to acknowledge God’s power and glory displayed all around us.

Vs.8-11 “All things are wearisome… The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear of hearing. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again;  there is nothing new under the sun.” The author here is not speaking of technology, he is talking about  the meaning of our lives on this earth. Are people happier today? The past, the present and the future will not be remembered the teacher tells us. The end of all things on earth will arrive but it will not be the end of all things, works done in the name of Jesus will survive, and those who belong to Jesus will survive forever!

Vs.12-18 The author reiterates his roots, kingship, his learning, and knowledge about “all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!” Heavy burden indeed, the weight of knowing the truth and the overwhelming rejection of the truth by so many. That rejection is “chasing after wind”, as is comparing “wisdom and folly”. Wisdom, knowledge, is more than knowing, it is doing, living it out in our lives. “For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.” This is only rectified with trust, with faith, and with hope. “I am the way the truth and the life.” Jesus teaches us. Amen and amen. May God Bless us in this New Year!

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# 52 2023 Dev. Ge. 43:23.The God of your Father!  Read all of chapter forty three first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Ge. 43:23 “It’s all right,” he said. ‘Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.’ Then he brought Simeon out to them.”

Ch.43 continues the story of Joseph in Egypt. God placed Joseph where He needed him to be to fulfill God’s purposes. Now, Joseph had been in Egypt for ten years or more. He had spent 3 years as a slave, he spent the next seven years collecting grain and now he is selling the grain.  He will be selling grain for seven years.

Vs.1-14  Eventually the food Jacob’s sons bought in Egypt ran out, We read; “Now the famine was still severe in the land.” They had little choice, they had to go back to Egypt. These verses are a long negotiation between Jacob and his sons, about sending Benjamin along with the rest of the his sons. Jacob is resigned to the inevitable  delayed trip and sends Benjamin along. In the end Jacob stops trying to keep his son safe, he puts his trust in God; “As for me, if I’m bereaved, I am bereaved.” 

Vs.15-23 They make the trip and Joseph sends them to his house. We know the outcome, it is not a big deal. But his brothers were in the dark, they did not even have an inkling that they were dealing with the brother they had sold. As we saw in the last chapter a deep dread was hanging over them, the dread of God’s punishment for what they had done. 

Now they were brought to Joseph’s residence, they were feeling the guilt and fear of not understanding what was going on. There are times when things happen to us that we do not understand, God provides a way to cope and to trust him. That is what happened here, in spite of Pharaohs attempt to limit the influence of God in Joseph’s household by marrying him off to the daughter of a priest, God was displayed by Joseph’s staff. 

The brothers wanting to explain the returned silver, approached  Joseph’s steward about the silver. Vs 23; “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.’ Then he brought Simeon out to them.” Think about that; “your God, The God of your father,” Joseph’s steward comforts them and assures them that God is in control. He sends them back to their roots, their compass in life. As complicated Jacob’s life was, what his sons knew about God they got from their father, their parents. Our basic presupposition also comes from our parents, “the God of your father.(s)” . 

Vs.24-32 When Joseph saw his younger brother Benjamin, he was “deeply moved” and had to find a place to weep. After more than ten years Joseph was thankful to be reunited with Benjamin and with all his brothers. When they saw the seating arrangement and “ they feasted and drank freely with him”, they must have become a little suspicious. God turned the horrible experience of the past and of their trips to Egypt into a blessing. Our  God is good all of the time! 

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# 48 2023 Dev. Ge. 41:15-16. Trust And Faith!  Read all of chapter forty one first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.

Ge.41:15-16 “Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it. I cannot do it,’ Joseph replied to Pharaoh, ‘but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.’” 

Ch.41 continues the story of Joseph in Egypt. God placed Joseph where he needed him to be to fulfill God’s purposes. But Joseph had to wait two more years after the cup bearer was restored to Pharaoh’s staff. We may be sure Joseph was discouraged as any one of us would be. But, like what we should do, Joseph trusted that God had a purpose for him. Trust and faith comes to bear in this chapter.

Vs.1-8 Pharaoh’s dreams; seven fat cows and seven emaciated cows. seven full heads of wheat and seven withered heads of wheat. All the wise men in Egypt could not tell Pharaoh what his dreams meant.

Vs.9-14 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings…” and he told Pharaoh that Joseph had interpreted his and the chief bakers dreams and they came out as he had interpreted them. “So pharaoh sent for Joseph…”

Vs15-16 “Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it. I cannot do it,’ Joseph replied to Pharaoh, ‘but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.’” Joseph did not take credit for himself but honored God!

Vs.17- 24 Pharaoh tells Joseph his dreams.

 Vs.25-32 “Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, ‘The dreams are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years… The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.’”

But Joseph was not done interpreting. He repeats “God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do”  There will be seven years of great abundance and the seven years that follow will be severe and the good years will be forgotten. 

The Spirit moved Joseph to convince Pharaoh that this will actually happen, he adds what we all have learned when reading scripture; when something is repeated it is more important. So God sent Pharaoh two dreams and as Joseph points out: ‘The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.’” 

Vs.33-40 The Spirit was not done with advising Pharaoh; Joseph goes on: “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 

They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”

So Pharaoh asked them, his officials, “Can we find anyone like this man, one In whom is the spirit of God?”

Vs.41-56 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” God had been preparing Joseph all this time; honing his management skills in Potiphar’s household, and teaching him humility and trust in jail. All this time Satan was tempting him and trying to kill him, first his brothers and then being accused of rape. But God was in control and protecting Joseph and preparing him. God always protect and prepares us because for all of us, serous followers of Jesus, God has a plan and a purpose for our lives. Count on it!

Pharaoh, renamed him and gave him a wife, Asenath, daughter of Potiphara priest of On (Heliopolis). Was this an attempt on Pharaoh’s part to influence Joseph? There is no indication that Joseph was influenced by the religion of Egypt. During the years of plenty Joseph collected so much grain he was no longer recording it. The famine that followed was so severe that “all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph…” It is hard to know why God allowed an extreme famine, but we know that God wanted to build up His people into a nation. God did so in isolation, until they were ready to possess the promised land. God’s Grace and Salvation today mirrors what happened in Egypt. We have a lot to be thankful for!

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