BIBLE READING: Genesis 48-50
As we close out the book of Genesis, we see the beginnings of God’s amazing story of how He planned to redeem His people. Within this story, we are introduced to the Jewish nation, a nation that would later be called the Children of Israel. We are also informed of God’s Promise that he had made with Abraham and his family that continues to impact us today. We learn how God passes His Promise along to Isaac, and how Isaac passed it down to Jacob, and how Jacob passed it down to Judah. Up until our recent readings the focal point of the story has always been the one who would inherit the Promise, yet with Judah, we only have one very unflattering chapter (Genesis 38). Why does God change His pattern from focusing on those that had received the Promise of the family to the unique story of Joseph? It just might be that God is revealing for us how He continues to work in the world to bring about His Will. Hindsight I know is always 20/20, but with the story of Joseph we get a glimpse into the mind of God as to how He uses all things to accomplish His will. For instance, after Genesis the remainder of the Pentateuch is about Israel’s journey into the Promise Land. The reason for the Promised Land was because of the four hundred years of slavery that the children of Israel had endured while in Egypt. If it hadn’t been for the story of Joseph, Israel would have never been in Egypt in the first place. God’s telling of Joseph’s story will later allow Jesus to be able to make the parallels with Israel and the church, slavery and freedom and the law and grace. Although the Promise did not continue with Joseph, his story reveals to us God’s providence, His forethought and His sovereignty. So, as you continue your study in the days ahead, remember that the story of Joseph’s arrival and ascent in Egypt makes everything else possible. God truly is remarkable.