Day Fourteen
Day Fourteen -- Genesis 44-46
(Read these chapters to the left with the new BIBLE READER or you can go to www.bible.com to read today's reading there.)
I'd like to thank my friend who did the (wonderfully great and fantastic) devotional yesterday. I'm glad to be back, though.
OOOOOOOOO-kay. We left off with Joseph's brothers all eating happily at Joseph's palace he and the Pharaoh share. They were, as the Bible says, eating and drinking happily. A perfect Hall-mark moment, if you ask me. It's like those commercials for the Stouffer's microwave meals. They're all eating and smiling and talking about the good old days.
Except... there wasn't much talking about Joseph's family, which was sitting right around him at the table. Joseph never spoke of his family, because they didn't know it was really him. I'd imagine them to think this random stuck-up guy is being nice to them. I'd be a little creeped that he's asking about my family a lot, like he was interrogating me or something. I'd tell Joseph to mind his own darn business.
He was, I guess, minding his own business. His brothers just didn't know it.
Joseph was a really smart guy. You don't really realize it just yet, with all of the family moments and famines and dream telling, but I think he was really intelligent to plan out what happened next. Maybe God gave him the idea. I hear they are pretty tight.
Joseph sent his brothers home, and slipped a silver cup into one of their bags of food. He pretended not to know it was missing until a few days later and pretended to freak out about it.
Qualities I've Noticed in Joseph:
1) good actor
2) strong and muscular
3) emotional
4) tight with God
5) smart
Gosh, can't I just marry him? I bet when I get in heaven he'll be there and he will be like "Oh yeah, I know you! You're the one who had a crush on me!"
Well, if I had to have a crush on anyone I'm glad its someone in the Bible So, back to the story.
He told one of his servants/messengers to find his brothers on the path back to where they lived and search them, for one of them had "stolen" his silver cup. The messenger did so, and found the possession in Benjamin's bag of food.
OH NO! Joseph's little brother whom he misses so much and hasn't seen in ages stole something! Now he has to come back and live with Joseph and they can share more Hall-mark moments!
Benjamin must have been scared out of his pants. Did guys wear pants back then? Or those funny-looking toga things? I will have to look this up later.
The brothers didn't want Benjamin to go alone. They pleaded to the servant, "Please, don't take him away from us!"
I know what you're thinking. "Awwww," right? WRONG! Well, maybe you're right. But the brothers threw my future Bible husband into a hole, so I think I should dig a little dirt on them. I personally think that they only pleaded for Benjamin because they were afraid of what their father was going to do if they didn't bring him back. That's what I think, anyhow.
They already threw their brother into a pit and sold him off to strangers, and they saw how frustrated and saddened their father was when they didn't bring him back. So, they didn't want to get in trouble again. Or, they didn't want their father to be sad again. Either one.
Regardless, the messenger took Benjamin, and all of his brothers followed them to Joseph's house, where they fell on the ground and pleaded forever to let Benjamin go, and there were tears, and screams, and "NOOOOO!"s.
But eventually, Joseph couldn't take all the emotions his brothers showed, and gave up his little "guess who" game. He called his brothers closer to him and started crying. "It is I!" He exclaimed, "Your brother, Joseph!"
If I were directing a movie about this scene, I would have the brothers take a long, hard, look at him. They'd be all questioning and just stare for a few minutes.
Joseph would think they didn't remember him or something, because they didn't say anything yet, and he'd be all "You know, they one you SOLD?"
Then, of course, they'd believe it was truly Joseph and run up and hug him and kiss him and be all happy. That's what the Bible said they did. Yet ANOTHER Hall-mark moment!
Joseph explained that he was sold for a reason, to be able to warn Pharaoh of the famine, and I believe him 100%. It's very true. He must have been really confused as to why God put him through all of it, but he kept his faith strong... and he finally figured out why everything happened the way it did.
When his brothers talked about how upset his father was going to be if Benjamin wasn't safe in his arms, then Joseph cried out to them , revealing himself as their brother. I think he really did care about his father, because that's what made him crack. He told his brothers to go directly to their father and get him to come down to visit... or... stay.
Their father, Jacob, was very very old at that time, so it was a big deal for him to travel. But, just as their brother asked, they set out and gathered up everything they owned, from animals, to food, to children. Joseph promised them good things would come out of them coming to live in a land near him, called Goshen.
Totaling 70 people in all, the brothers collected all of their relatives born out of Jacob, and headed for Goshen. Joseph's father, Jacob, was ecstatic once he found his son WAS alive, and wanted to see his face before he died, so they left.
Once they arrived, (they had been traveling back and forth sooooo many times, they probably knew the road by heart,) they came in sight with Joseph.
He met his father on a fancy chariot, (probably to show what had become of himself,) and they hugged each other for quite some time, weeping and sobbing their eyes out. You'd think that Jacob would want to spent some time with his son whom he hasn't seen in ages, but no.
It states in the Bible that he says "Now, let me die since I have seen your face and I know that you are alive."
Smooooooooth.
Overall, it's a pretty touching story. Lots of loyalty, and friendship, and brotherhood. Happy happy, joy joy.
But I think the message here is to not question God. Joseph was thrown in jail, and into a pit, and sold by his own brothers to someone they never even met. But, not once did he scream at God, or stop believing in him. By his faith, God kept reassuring him. I think that's really important to recognize. God does everything for a reason. He's not stupid, I promise.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Lean not on your own understandings. In all your ways, acknowledge him, for he will make your paths straight.
-Proverbs 3:5-6
Go in peace, and say a prayer that you'll trust God today.
(Read these chapters to the left with the new BIBLE READER or you can go to www.bible.com to read today's reading there.)
I'd like to thank my friend who did the (wonderfully great and fantastic) devotional yesterday. I'm glad to be back, though.
OOOOOOOOO-kay. We left off with Joseph's brothers all eating happily at Joseph's palace he and the Pharaoh share. They were, as the Bible says, eating and drinking happily. A perfect Hall-mark moment, if you ask me. It's like those commercials for the Stouffer's microwave meals. They're all eating and smiling and talking about the good old days.
Except... there wasn't much talking about Joseph's family, which was sitting right around him at the table. Joseph never spoke of his family, because they didn't know it was really him. I'd imagine them to think this random stuck-up guy is being nice to them. I'd be a little creeped that he's asking about my family a lot, like he was interrogating me or something. I'd tell Joseph to mind his own darn business.
He was, I guess, minding his own business. His brothers just didn't know it.
Joseph was a really smart guy. You don't really realize it just yet, with all of the family moments and famines and dream telling, but I think he was really intelligent to plan out what happened next. Maybe God gave him the idea. I hear they are pretty tight.
Joseph sent his brothers home, and slipped a silver cup into one of their bags of food. He pretended not to know it was missing until a few days later and pretended to freak out about it.
Qualities I've Noticed in Joseph:
1) good actor
2) strong and muscular
3) emotional
4) tight with God
5) smart
Gosh, can't I just marry him? I bet when I get in heaven he'll be there and he will be like "Oh yeah, I know you! You're the one who had a crush on me!"
Well, if I had to have a crush on anyone I'm glad its someone in the Bible So, back to the story.
He told one of his servants/messengers to find his brothers on the path back to where they lived and search them, for one of them had "stolen" his silver cup. The messenger did so, and found the possession in Benjamin's bag of food.
OH NO! Joseph's little brother whom he misses so much and hasn't seen in ages stole something! Now he has to come back and live with Joseph and they can share more Hall-mark moments!
Benjamin must have been scared out of his pants. Did guys wear pants back then? Or those funny-looking toga things? I will have to look this up later.
The brothers didn't want Benjamin to go alone. They pleaded to the servant, "Please, don't take him away from us!"
I know what you're thinking. "Awwww," right? WRONG! Well, maybe you're right. But the brothers threw my future Bible husband into a hole, so I think I should dig a little dirt on them. I personally think that they only pleaded for Benjamin because they were afraid of what their father was going to do if they didn't bring him back. That's what I think, anyhow.
They already threw their brother into a pit and sold him off to strangers, and they saw how frustrated and saddened their father was when they didn't bring him back. So, they didn't want to get in trouble again. Or, they didn't want their father to be sad again. Either one.
Regardless, the messenger took Benjamin, and all of his brothers followed them to Joseph's house, where they fell on the ground and pleaded forever to let Benjamin go, and there were tears, and screams, and "NOOOOO!"s.
But eventually, Joseph couldn't take all the emotions his brothers showed, and gave up his little "guess who" game. He called his brothers closer to him and started crying. "It is I!" He exclaimed, "Your brother, Joseph!"
If I were directing a movie about this scene, I would have the brothers take a long, hard, look at him. They'd be all questioning and just stare for a few minutes.
Joseph would think they didn't remember him or something, because they didn't say anything yet, and he'd be all "You know, they one you SOLD?"
Then, of course, they'd believe it was truly Joseph and run up and hug him and kiss him and be all happy. That's what the Bible said they did. Yet ANOTHER Hall-mark moment!
Joseph explained that he was sold for a reason, to be able to warn Pharaoh of the famine, and I believe him 100%. It's very true. He must have been really confused as to why God put him through all of it, but he kept his faith strong... and he finally figured out why everything happened the way it did.
When his brothers talked about how upset his father was going to be if Benjamin wasn't safe in his arms, then Joseph cried out to them , revealing himself as their brother. I think he really did care about his father, because that's what made him crack. He told his brothers to go directly to their father and get him to come down to visit... or... stay.
Their father, Jacob, was very very old at that time, so it was a big deal for him to travel. But, just as their brother asked, they set out and gathered up everything they owned, from animals, to food, to children. Joseph promised them good things would come out of them coming to live in a land near him, called Goshen.
Totaling 70 people in all, the brothers collected all of their relatives born out of Jacob, and headed for Goshen. Joseph's father, Jacob, was ecstatic once he found his son WAS alive, and wanted to see his face before he died, so they left.
Once they arrived, (they had been traveling back and forth sooooo many times, they probably knew the road by heart,) they came in sight with Joseph.
He met his father on a fancy chariot, (probably to show what had become of himself,) and they hugged each other for quite some time, weeping and sobbing their eyes out. You'd think that Jacob would want to spent some time with his son whom he hasn't seen in ages, but no.
It states in the Bible that he says "Now, let me die since I have seen your face and I know that you are alive."
Smooooooooth.
Overall, it's a pretty touching story. Lots of loyalty, and friendship, and brotherhood. Happy happy, joy joy.
But I think the message here is to not question God. Joseph was thrown in jail, and into a pit, and sold by his own brothers to someone they never even met. But, not once did he scream at God, or stop believing in him. By his faith, God kept reassuring him. I think that's really important to recognize. God does everything for a reason. He's not stupid, I promise.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart. Lean not on your own understandings. In all your ways, acknowledge him, for he will make your paths straight.
-Proverbs 3:5-6
Go in peace, and say a prayer that you'll trust God today.
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