THROUGH THE BIBLE COMMENTARY
This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears.
Bruce McGee, Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
GENESIS
CHAPTER 45
1 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. 2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.
Yesterday, we left the scene where Judah had just offered his life for Benjamin's.
All this was just too much for Joseph's emotions. He could no longer maintain the
facade. He commanded his servants to leave and revealed himself to his brothers.
But they were too dumbfounded to react.
4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
Notice that Joseph sees the hand of God in all this. And here, we see an important
physical fact. It's been 9 years since Joseph interpreted Pharoah's dream. That
means he is not 39 years of age.
7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 9 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not: 10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: 11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.
Joseph makes a great promise. He promises the same as Christ. Come to him and he will provide all they need: land, dwelling place, food, protection.
It was not simply because the brothers had conspired against Joseph that he was sent to
Egypt (vs 8). Can you see how God's plans are sometimes brought in the middle of
terrific trials?
We who have crucified Christ, could never have benefited from His crucifiction
if it had not happened.
12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. 13 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither. 14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
Joseph calls them to be witnesses of who he is. Now that they have seen him
they can tell his father and family.
Isn't that what Christ calls us to do?
16 And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. 17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan; 18 And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.
Do you see what Pharoah is saying? He simply REPEATS what Joseph has already said.
When God's people bless a country, then the leaders of that country are pleased to
give them the best of it.
Do you see a "charge of accountability" here?
You and I, as citizens of our country, are CHARGED by our Lord to bless and be a
blessing to our country.
19 Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. 20 Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours. 21 And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.
Joseph made it a royal decree that they were to come to him. And by making this
a royal decree, he is assuming the responsibility for provision and protection.
When God promises salvation, He makes it a royal decree that He will provide for
and protect His people. He also promises to complete our salvation.
Philippians 1:6 says, "Being confident of this very thing, that He which
hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."
22 To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment. 23 And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way. 24 So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.
Joseph showed a great bit of favoritism toward Benjamin, his blood brother. And he
gives them all a warning before they leave: "see that ye fall not out by the way."
There is a great work that God's "family" (the church) has to do. And He has
provided all that is needed for the task. But His warning to us is "fall not out
by the way." We are NOT to allow differences of opinion to become arguments
which become dividers and wedges between us. ((See Eph. 4:1-3)
25 And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, 26 And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not. 27 And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: 28 And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.
Jacob is more definitively referred to here as ISRAEL. (vs 25)
And naturally the story of Joseph being alive is a great blessing to his heart.
I'm quite sure that the disciples were exceedingly joyful at the news of Christ's
RESURRECTION!!
All through the Bible God is revealing Himself. Here God has revealed
that He is the One in charge of all the world. He has also revealed that He has
the charge of salvation. In order to receive salvation, we must COME to
Jesus (Matt. 10:32-33, Rom. 10:9-10).
God is responsible for the fulfillment of salvation, not our works.
(see Eph. 2:8-9, and Ppns. 1:6)
God will also provide us what is BEST for us. Keep in mind that Joseph
led his family into Egypt. And there, they became SLAVES for 400 years!
We do not always know what is best for ourselves, but God DOES. Therefore,
let us yield the leadership of our lives to HIM.
Please continue to follow along in Bible study with us.