Tag Archives: Genesis

A lesson in forgiveness (Genesis 50:1-21), Jan 20, 2015

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Today’s Devotional

Today’s background scripture comes from Genesis 50.

I’m always surprised when someone truly forgives another, but the guilty cannot forgive themselves. That’s what happened with Joseph’s brothers. Joseph learned many years before I was working all the events of his life to save his family. Some of his trouble came because of his behavior, the proud announcement of his dreams to his brothers, the flaunting of the coat his father gave him above his brothers.

I know his father contributed to Joseph’s early problems with pride. I used his brothers’ envy to help humble him. The methods I used probably seem pretty harsh to you, but I had Joseph under My care the whole time. He needed to understand humility. He needed to understand forgiveness. He learned to forgive his brothers while in the service of the prison guards and came to understand I knew what I was doing in his life.

Joseph understood forgiveness. He could have shown anger and bitterness toward Potiphar’s wife for falsely accusing him. Instead, he forgave her and became responsible for caring for all his fellow prisoners under the direction of the captain of the prison guard.

Joseph could have complained about the cupbearer who forgot him for two years after he was restored to his position with Pharaoh according to the dream Joseph interpreted for him. Instead, he continued to patiently carry out the duties the captain of the guard gave him each day. He forgave the cupbearer long before the cupbearer remembered his oversight and told Pharaoh about one who could interpret the dreams I give men from time to time.

Joseph understood the power of forgiveness. But his brothers never forgave the way Joseph did and so didn’t understand their brother could forgive the way I forgive. They didn’t understand I worked through the events of his life to bring good to all those around him. They didn’t understand I could weave the evil events into a greater good and bring restoration and peace into broken relationships. Even after Joseph welcomed them into the palace and told them. They could not forgive themselves and felt they must create a story to avoid punishment from Joseph for the guilt they carried. Joseph’s forgiveness of their actions extended grace and mercy, not punishment. Just like My forgiveness.

Today’s Scripture

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Genesis 50:1-21
Set – Genesis 50; Luke 20
Go! – Genesis 49-50; Psalms 8; Luke 20

Genesis 50:1-21
1As his father passed on, Joseph threw himself onto his father’s face, crying and kissing him. 2 Then Joseph told the physicians in his service to embalm his father and prepare him for the journey. So the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 It took 40 days to embalm him because that’s how long it takes to embalm a body properly. And the Egyptians paid their respects by mourning and weeping for him for 70 days.

4 When the time of mourning had passed, Joseph addressed Pharaoh’s household.

Joseph: If I have found favor with you, please speak to Pharaoh on my behalf. 5 My father made me swear an oath. He said, “I am about to die. I want you to bury me in the tomb I made for myself in the land of Canaan.” So I ask that you allow me to go out of Egypt to bury my father. When I have honored his request, I will return to Egypt.

Pharaoh: 6 Go up to Canaan, and bury your father as he made you swear to do.

7 So Joseph went up to Canaan to bury his father. And all of Pharaoh’s servants went with him in a long procession that included the elders of Pharaoh’s household and the land of Egypt. 8 Joseph’s own household, his brothers, and his father’s household joined in the solemn march. Only their children, flocks, and herds were left in the land of Goshen. 9 Both chariots and charioteers accompanied him as well. It was a grand procession. 10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad near Canaan but still beyond the Jordan River, the great company of mourners paused to observe seven days of mourning for Joseph’s father. The weeping and lamentation grew so loud that 11 the people who lived there, the Canaanites, could not help but notice the profound grief expressed on the threshing floor of Atad.

Canaanites: The Egyptians must have experienced a terrible loss to mourn so deeply.

This is why this place of mourning that lies beyond the Jordan was renamed Abel-mizraim.

12 So Jacob’s sons carried out his last instructions as he had directed. 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah near Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field from Ephron the Hittite so he could have a place to bury his family. 14 After he had buried his father, Joseph gathered his brothers and the vast company of mourners who had journeyed with him to bury his father, and they all returned to Egypt.

15 When Joseph’s brothers began to realize the implications of their father’s death, Joseph’s brothers began to worry.

Joseph’s Brothers: What if Joseph still bears a grudge in some way against us and decides to pay us back in full for all of the wrong we did to him?

16 So they sent a message to Joseph.

Joseph’s Brothers’ Message: Your father gave us this instruction before he died. 17 He told us to say to you, “Please, I beg you. Forgive the crime of your brothers and the sins they committed against you. They were wrong to treat you so badly.” So please do what your father asked and forgive the crime that we, the servants of the God of your father, committed against you.

Joseph cried when they spoke these words to him. 18 And his brothers approached and fell at his feet.

Joseph’s Brothers: Look! We are your slaves.

Joseph: 19 Don’t be afraid. Am I to judge instead of God? It is not my place. 20 Even though you intended to harm me, God intended it only for good, and through me, He preserved the lives of countless people, as He is still doing today. 21 So don’t worry. I will provide for you myself—for you and your children.

So Joseph reassured them and continued to speak kindly to them.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Music by the Booth Brothers from Room for More, “Faithful One” ©2008.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Watch and see what happens (Genesis 41:37-57), Jan 16, 2015

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Today’s Devotional

Today’s background scripture comes from Genesis 41.
Lots of stories circulated about Joseph when he was young. He didn’t use the best judgment as he told his brothers and his father about his dreams. I was beginning to give him some insight into his future. I would use dreams as a way of speaking to him later and needed him to begin to understand how to interpret the information that I sent to him in his dreams. But telling his brothers they would bow down to him really got him in trouble.

Of course, I used their jealousy and evil plots to My advantage and worked out My plans anyway. I allowed Joseph’s brothers to sell him into slavery. I felt some compassion for Jacob, but Jacob’s blatant favoritism for Joseph and Benjamin brought some of his troubles on himself, too. Those I also used to carry out My plans. You might not understand how I can use the evil in the world to My good, but since I ultimately control all things, I really can work all things for good.

As with Abraham, I began to work in Joseph’s life to prepare him for an assignment he could never accomplish otherwise. He needed some humbling early to understand how important I was in his success. He learned his lessons well. He leaned on Me in Potipher’s household. He leaned on Me in prison. He leaned on Me during those dark dungeon days, imprisoned for doing nothing wrong, but falsely accused by a sinful woman.

Joseph learned to depend on Me completely, just as his great-grandfather, Abraham did. Just as Isaac and Jacob learned to do. But unlike his ancestors, I wanted to use Joseph to show the rest of the region that the God of the Hebrews really could make a difference in all of their lives. So I set Joseph up as the second in command of all of Egypt, the most powerful nation in the world at the time.

I can use you the same way I used Joseph, if you will let Me. Will you lead in the time of famine? Maybe not, but I still have a plan for your life. You may go through some tough days, or months, or even years to prepare you for that special task that I have for you, but understand that I know the plans I have for you. They are good plans if you will stick with Me. Like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, I won’t let you down. You’ll succeed if you follow Me. You’ll do some incredible things if you’ll pay attention. Just watch and see what happens.

Today’s Scripture

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Genesis 41:37-57
Set – Genesis 41; Luke 16
Go! – Genesis 39-41; Luke 16

Genesis 41:37-57
37 Pharaoh and all his advisors liked Joseph’s suggestion.

Pharaoh (to his advisors): 38 Is there anyone else you know like Joseph who has the Spirit of God within him?

39 (to Joseph) Since God has shown all of this to you, I can’t imagine anyone wiser and more discerning than you. 40 Therefore you will be in charge of my household. All of my people will report to you and do as you say. Only I, because I sit on the throne, will be greater than you. 41 I hereby appoint you head over all of the land of Egypt.

42 As a symbol of his power, Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s. Then he dressed him in fine linens and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had Joseph ride in the chariot reserved for his second-in-command, and servants ordered everyone, “Kneel!” as he rode by. So this was how Pharaoh appointed Joseph head over all of the land of Egypt. 44 But Pharaoh had one more declaration.

Pharaoh (to Joseph): I am Pharaoh, and I decree that no one may do anything in the land of Egypt without your consent.

45 Then Pharaoh gave Joseph an Egyptian name, Zaphenath-paneah, and arranged for him to marry an Egyptian woman, Asenath (daughter of Potiphera, priest of On). So this was how Joseph gained authority over all the land of Egypt.

46 Now Joseph was 30 years old when he entered into Pharaoh’s service. He left the king of Egypt’s presence to travel throughout the land. 47 For seven years—the years of plenty—the land produced abundantly. 48 Joseph gathered up all of the food he could during those seven years of plenty in the land of Egypt and stored the grain in the cities. He arranged for every city to store the food grown in local fields. 49 And he stored up so much grain—as much as the grains of sand on the seashore—that he stopped measuring it. It was more than anyone could measure!

50 Now before the famine began, Joseph had two sons by his wife Asenath (daughter of Potiphera, priest of On). 51 Joseph named his firstborn son Manasseh because he said, “God has made me forget all about my hardship and all of my father’s family.” 52 He named the second son Ephraim, because as he said, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my misfortune.”

53 Eventually, the seven years of plenty in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine settled in, just as Joseph had predicted. Although the famine extended to all the surrounding lands, in Egypt there was still food stored away in the cities. 55 When the people in Egypt became famished, they appealed to Pharaoh for food; and Pharaoh directed them all to Joseph.

Pharaoh: Go to Joseph, and do what he tells you to do.

56 So when the famine had spread across the land of Egypt, Joseph opened up the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians. But he waited until the famine had become severe in the land. 57 When the surrounding peoples heard Egypt still had food, they journeyed to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because by this time the entire world was in the grip of a severe famine.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Music by the Booth Brothers from Room for More, “Faithful One” ©2008.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

I can drive our your fear (Genesis 33), Jan 13, 2015

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Today’s Podcast


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Today’s Devotional

Today’s background scripture comes from Genesis 33.

Sometimes your past catches up with you and you are afraid. That’s the position in which Jacob found himself when he approached his homeland after escaping from his father-in-law, Laban. He cheated his brother, Esau, out of his birthright, blessing, and inheritance and now saw him for the first time since those events…coming toward him with 400 men.

If that was the last remembrance of your brother, you might feel the same way Jacob did. If the last time you saw someone you stole from them and now you saw them with what constituted a small army, you might be scared, too. But a transformation happened in those convening years for both Jacob and Esau. We don’t hear much about Esau in the ensuing years except as enemies of Israel, but he too can claim his heritage from Abraham. And I promised all nations on earth would be blessed by Abraham.

Esau grew into a mighty nation. As long as he and his children followed by teaching, they prospered. Unfortunately, they didn’t do so long and blamed Israel for their demise. They pointed to Jacob, the schemer, as the cause of their troubles and became bitter enemies of Israel throughout their history.

I keep My promises and kept Jacob safe. I kept My promises with Esau as long as he and his descendants followed Me. Most of My promises come as a covenant. I will keep My end of the covenant, but expect you to keep your end also. I give you many opportunities to come back to Me when you err, just as I did Abraham, Esau, and Jacob. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their descendants trusted Me and became the line of My chosen people. Esau’s descendants chose a different path.

You must choose, also. Will you choose Me or your own path? If you choose My path, you might come across things from your past that look fearful at times, but I will be with you. I will never leave you or forsake you. You need not fear your past, present, or future when you put your trust in Me.

Today’s Scripture

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Genesis 33
Set – Genesis 33; Luke 13
Go! – Genesis 31-33; Luke 13

Genesis 33
Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, and 400 men were with him. Jacob quickly divided the children among Leah and Rachel and their two servants. 2 He put the female servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. 3 He himself went on ahead of them, and he bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother. 4 But Esau ran to meet him. He embraced Jacob, kissed his neck, and they both cried. 5 Esau looked up and saw the women and children.

Esau: Who are these people with you?

Jacob: These are the children God has graciously given your servant.

6 Then the female servants came closer, along with their children, and they bowed down. 7 Leah did likewise; she and her children approached and bowed down. Finally Joseph and Rachel came forward, and they bowed down as well.

Esau: 8 What was your intent in sending all of your men and herds ahead of you?

Jacob: I hope to find favor with you, my master.

Esau: 9 I have enough, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.

Jacob: 10 No, please. If I have found favor with you after all these years, please accept the gifts I offer. Seeing your face again is like seeing the face of God, so graciously and warmly have you welcomed me. 11 Please accept the blessing I bring. God has graciously provided for me and my family. I have everything I could want.

Jacob kept insisting that Esau accept the gift. Finally he did.

Esau: 12 Now let’s be on our way, and I will walk on ahead of you.

Jacob: 13 My master knows that the children are very small and the nursing flocks and herds are under my care. If they are driven too hard for even one day, I’m afraid I’ll lose all the flocks. 14 Please, my master, go on ahead of me, and I will keep on at a slower pace—the pace of the animals up ahead and the children—until I come to you in Seir.

Esau: 15 Let me leave some of my people to accompany you.

Jacob: Why go to all that trouble? You have done enough already. Just let me find favor with my master.

16 Esau agreed and set out that day to go back to Seir. 17 But Jacob journeyed instead to Succoth, and he built himself a house there and put up some shelters for his cattle. That’s why this place is called Succoth, which means “shelters.”

18 At last Jacob came to the city of Shechem in the land of Canaan. Overall it had been a safe and peaceful journey from Paddan-aram. He camped outside of the city 19 and purchased the land on which he had pitched his tent from the sons of Hamor (who was Shechem’s father) for one hundred pieces of money. 20 And there also he built an altar he called El-Elohe-Israel, which means “God, the God of Israel.”

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Music by the Booth Brothers from Room for More, “Faithful One” ©2008.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

You can pass the test (Genesis 22), Jan 8, 2015

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The background for today’s devotion comes from Genesis 22.

Some people look at My test of Abraham’s faith and decide they could never measure up, so they give up. But they don’t understand Me or what I do in helping My children grow in their trust in Me. I don’t test everyone in the same way. Nor do I want anyone to fail any test I give them. I want to act as a good teacher so all who follow Me learn well and pass every exam.

I knew when I asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son he had a high probability of passing My extreme test of his faith. I watched him through his life and knew his trust had grown to the point of complete obedience to Me. I knew he often didn’t understand what I asked of him, but he followed My will without question. I knew he trusted Me to see him through this task also.

If you look at his conversation with his servants and with Isaac, you see his trust shining through. When he left his servants at the bottom of the mountain, he told them, “We will worship, and then WE (meaning he and his son) will come back and meet you here.” Abraham didn’t know how, but he knew I would make a way of escape somehow.

As Isaac carried the wood for the fire to top of the mountain and helped Abraham build the altar that day, he asked about the ram for the sacrifice. Abraham’s answer, “God will provide.” Again, he didn’t know how I would do it, but he had faith in Me. He trust I would fulfill My promises to him and held on to that truth to the end. Even as he tied his son and placed him on the altar and reached for the knife to plunge it into his heart, he trusted Me.

My test for Abraham was extreme. He was prepared to take an extreme exam. As the patriarch of My chosen people, I needed someone who others could look to that could take such an extreme test. I prepared him for it throughout his life to that point. He was ready. He’d had plenty of practice leading up to it.

I will test you, too. But never past the limits of your ability to handle it. I never want you to fail. You can choose to fail, but you never need to fail. You can ask for My help. My tests are always open book. You can always ask the teacher for help. I will always give you the answers. You may not always like them, but I will give them to you. I promise. Trust Me to the end. It always pays off.

Ready – Genesis 22
Set – Genesis 22; Luke 8
Go! – Genesis 20-22; Luke 8
Genesis 22
After a period of time, God decided to put Abraham to the test.

Eternal One: Abraham!

Abraham: I am right here.

Eternal One: 2 Take your son, your only son Isaac whom I know you love deeply, and go to the land of Moriah. When you get there, I want you to offer Isaac to Me as a burnt offering on one of the mountains. I will show you which one.

3 Abraham did as he was told. Early in the morning he got up, saddled his donkey, and taking two of his trusted servants with him and his son Isaac, he cut the wood for the burnt offering and traveled to the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day of the journey, Abraham looked up and saw the place far in the distance.

Abraham (to his servants): 5 Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there. We will worship, and then we will come back to meet you here.

6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and set it on the shoulders of his son Isaac to carry. Abraham himself carried the fire and the knife. The two of them walked on together.

Isaac (to Abraham): 7 Father!

Abraham: I am right here, Son.

Isaac: Look, we have the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?

Abraham: 8 God will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.

The two of them continued to walk on together.

9 When they finally arrived at the place God had shown him, Abraham took some stones and built an altar there and arranged the wood carefully on top of it. Then he bound up his son Isaac with rope and laid him on the altar on top of the stack of wood. 10 Just as Abraham reached over to grab the knife that would kill his son, 11 the special messenger of the Eternal One called his name from heaven.

Special Messenger: Abraham! Abraham!

Abraham: I am right here!

Special Messenger: 12 Don’t lay your hand on the boy or do anything to harm him. I know now that you respect the one True God and will be loyal to Him and follow His commands, because you were willing to give up your son, your only son, to Me.

13 Abraham glanced up and saw a ram behind him with its horns caught in the thicket. He went over, dislodged the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering in the place of his son. 14 From that day forward, Abraham called that place, “The Eternal One will provide.” Because of this, people still today say, “On the Mount of the Eternal, all will be provided.”

15 The special messenger of the Eternal One called out to Abraham yet a second time from heaven.

Special Messenger: 16 Listen to the solemn vow the Eternal One has spoken: “Because you have done what I asked and were willing to give up your son, your only son, 17 I will reaffirm My covenant of blessing to you and your family. I will make sure your descendants are as many as the stars of the heavens and the grains of sand on the shores. I reaffirm My earlier promises that your descendants will possess the lands and sit in the gates of their enemies, 18 and from your descendants all the peoples of the earth will discover true blessing. All this is because you have obeyed My voice.

19 Then Abraham returned to the place where he left his trusted servants. They traveled together—Abraham, Isaac, and his servants—back to Beersheba where Abraham lived on for some time.

20 After this happened, Abraham was informed that Milcah had also given birth to many children by his brother, Nahor. 21 Uz was the firstborn, then came his brother Buz, Kemuel (Aram’s father), 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel. 23 Bethuel fathered Rebekah. Nahor, Abraham’s brother, had eight children in all by Milcah. 24 Not only that, but Nahor’s concubine (whose name was Reumah) also gave birth to Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.