The reading is long so I am going to keep this super short.
Chapter 43: Well, no one seems concerned that Simeon is in prison??? When the food ran out, Judah guarantees his life if their father allows them to bring Benjamin. The famine is 2 years in. They bring gifts with them that are not common in Egypt in order to gain favor (honey, balm, spices, myrrh, pistachios, and almonds) oh, yeah, and DOUBLE the amount of silver. When they get there…Joseph sees that Benjamin is alive…and weeps. Joseph, in keeping with Egyptian laws, eats separately but makes sure his brother Ben gets extra. (by the way ‘Ben’ is my favorite Michael Jackson song in case you were wondering).
Chapter 44: The silver cup is a test. Have the brothers changed? Joseph sets up a scenario where they can easily get Benjamin out of the family. The cup is found and they are brought back to Joseph.
HUGE moment!! JUDAH!! He told his dad that he would guarantee Benjamin’s life…but after all, Benjamin is the “favorite” now to Jacob…so will he really? Or will this be another plan to get rid of him? So what happens when the cup is revealed?
So Joseph tells the brothers to go back but LEAVE Benjamin…and Judah says to Joseph…’
33 “Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. 34 How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come on my father.”
Which brother will the Covenant bring the Messiah? Judah.
Jesus will come and offer himself in place of me. A substitute (innocent), offers to replace his life for mine. The Bible is filled with hidden promises of the Gospel.
Chapter 45: Do you remember the word Providence?
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 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. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 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.
If you have a few hours we can break this down! 😂
- When we tell this story we say: “Joseph is the one the brothers sold into Egypt”.
- When God tells this story He says “Joseph is the one I sent to Egypt”.
- Why did God send him? Not to just save the family. God sent him to preserve a REMNANT on EARTH to save lives!
A remnant is ‘what remains’ or ‘what is left’. When speaking about a remnant after a catastrophe it is ‘what survived’.
The family will go through slavery, wandering, battles, cycles with judges, kings (mostly bad ones), a divided kingdom, and they will get captured and taken out of the promised land. So why do we know with confidence that there will be a remnant at the end for the purpose of saving lives? BECAUSE GOD PROMISED AND SEALED IT WITH A COVENANT in Chapter 15.
Take a moment to think about Providence. Can you see a situation in your life where God was behind the scenes the entire time?
Reflecting on it will let you trust that He is working in your life right now and you do not even know it. So let things go a little. He’s got you.
Reading the Bible - 2021 