Tag: God sent Joseph ahead
God’s Purpose:Saving Lives
Scripture reading for January 16th: Genesis 45-47
“I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 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.” (Genesis 45:5)
Joseph had taken his brothers through an elaborate test to soften their hearts and bring repentance. God was behind all of this and Joseph was in on God’s plans through interpretation of the dreams and the directions that God had given him. God is always at work to redeem and save His people. He is more compassionate than we are and also shows mercy to the just and the unjust at the same time. (Matthew 5:43-45)
In this case, God was sending Joseph to Egypt to prepare to save many people from the famine that was coming. The primary care was for Joseph’s family, however. If you remember, Abraham was told by God that his family would live in another land for four hundred years while God dealt with the Amorites, giving them time to repent. (Genesis 15:13-16) This famine was God’s method for moving Abraham’s family out of Canaan for this period of time and then prospering them and growing them in the world of Egypt. God’s use of Joseph, one of His “chosen people”, to bring the wisdom needed to save the whole world was also providential and a picture of the promised “seed” through whom all nations of the earth would one day be blessed! (Genesis 12:3)
God would later call His people to come out of Egypt to worship Him alone. (Exodus 3:10) He would also send His only Son (the “Seed”), Jesus Christ, to Egypt for a period of time to save Him from death! (Matthew 3:13) He would call His Son back to the land of promise to preach and heal and proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven! (Matthew 3:19-20) Everything in God’s plan is based on His desire for saving lives and helping people escape slavery to sin. (Luke 19:10)
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10)
Take time today to thank the Lord for His mercy to you and for His plan to reach all nations with the message of the Gospel! Think of one person who needs the Gospel and pray for that person! They will be eternally grateful!