Monday, July 27, Genesis 44
- 5 — While the priests of Egypt apparently practiced divination (finding out secret information from the gods) using a special drinking cup, Joseph didn’t. When Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams, he gave God the credit and glory. (Chapter 41:16, 25, 32)
Vv. 18-34 — Judah’s words here are filled with deep love for his father and his brother Benjamin. He is remarkably changed from his previous cold proposal to sell Joseph into slavery (Chapter 37:26, 27). Only the Gospel has the power to make such a change of heart. Read Romans 1:16 and Ephesians 4:32.
Tuesday, July 28, Genesis 45
Vv. 4-8 — Joseph not only reveals himself to his brothers, but he also shows us how much he has matured in his faith and outlook on life. He is forgiving toward his brothers and sees God’s greater purpose in his sufferings. Oh, that we could see God’s purposes of suffering in our lives, too! Read Heb. 12:5,6. In our suffering, we can be sure that He will make all things work out for our good (Rom 8:28).
Vv. 9-10 — Joseph invites them to live out the days of the famine in Egypt with him, in the rich land of Goshen (the delta region in northern Egypt).
Vv. 14-15 — Close brothers for the first time in over 20 years! What a joyous reunion! It reminds us of our life in heaven. Past sins are completely forgotten! There we live in perfect harmony, peace and joy forever!
Wednesday, July 29, Genesis 46
Vv. 2-4 — Have there been times when we say, “I wish God would personally talk to us as he did to Jacob”? God does! He speaks to us through His Word. Through His revealed Word, especially in the New Testament, we have a much greater source of knowledge about God’s mercy, love and grace than Jacob had.
Vv. 26-27 — Jacob and his family numbered 70 persons when they came into Egypt. They left 430 years later (Acts 7) with how many? Look up Exodus 12:37,40. The difference speaks volumes about God’s hand of blessing.
Thursday, November 3, Genesis 47
- 9 — When Jacob answered Pharaoh’s question, he shows an attitude that God would like to see in all His people: that we know our life on this earth is only a “pilgrimage.” Look up Hymn 417.
Vv. 19, 20, 26 — Jacob’s taxation system was a fair one. This would have enabled the Egyptians to buy back their property.
- 30 — Why did Jacob insist on being buried in Canaan? It was a confession of faith to his sons. He believed that God someday would bring them back home and from Jacob’s seed God would send them the Savior as He had promised them.
Friday, July 31, Genesis 48
- 5 — Jacob adopted Joseph’s 2 sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, as his own. He placed them equal to Reuben and Simeon, his first-born sons. They later inherited land in Canaan. From Ephraim’s descendants came a great leader, Joshua (Numbers 13:8, 16). Gideon, one of the judges, was a descendant of Manasseh (Judges 6:15).
Vv. 21-22 — Jacob (Israel) is confident that the Lord’s promise will be fulfilled. What an example of faith! The descendants of Jacob saw the truth of God’s promise and Jacob’s statement over
400 years later.
Saturday, Aug. 1, Genesis 49, 50
Chap. 49:4 — Reuben’s rights as first-born were given to Joseph’s sons because of his sin of adultery. Cf. I Chron. 5:1.
Chap. 49:5-7 — Levi and Simeon, as a result of their evil deed (Gen. 34), never inherited any territory in the promised land. By God’s grace, however, they fared better than Reuben. Simeon was absorbed by Judah from whom the Savior later came, and from Levi’s descendants came the priests of Israel.
Chap. 49:10 — The NIV preferred “until He comes to whom it belongs” to “until Shiloh comes.” The NKJV still used the word “Shiloh” which means “Rest-Giver” or “Rest Bringer.” That Rest-Giver was Jesus. Cf. Matt. 11:28. From Judah’s descendants, Jacob foretells that the Savior will come.
Chap. 50:19-21 — Notice how Joseph has grown in his faith. He beautifully carries out St. Paul’s exhortation in Eph. 4:32, which is how God expects all of us to live: “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”