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Daily Devotions

Genesis

Genesis 
Day 
Day 307

"He sent a man before them - Joseph - who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons." Psalm 105:17

Text: Genesis 39:1-23

THE DISMAL CONDITION OF JACOB’S FAMILY

The Lord graciously gave to Jacob a new name. He gave him great honour by calling him “Israel”. He was “a prince with God”. He had gained this new name because he had struggled with the Lord in ardent prayer.

Sadly, Israel seemed to have waned in his walk with the Lord. He showed little or no control of his children. Simeon and Levi appeared vicious and intractable in their anger against the Shechemites (Cf. Genesis 34). Reuben showed no regard for his father when he forced sexual attention on Bilhah (Cf. Genesis 35:22). The brothers sold Joseph as a slave and led their father to think that he had been slain by a wild animal! Judah’s departure from the family and his failure in setting up a happy family added to the woes of Israel and his clan! The condition in Israel’s family cannot but be described as dismal! Could God redeem the situation and turn things around and thus fulfill what He promised Abraham?


A VITAL THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

God had not lost control of the situation in Israel’s family. He already intimated to Abraham that his descendants would not be ready to occupy the Promised land just yet. They would first have to undergo severe trials before they were ready to claim Canaan as their inheritance (Cf. Genesis 15:13-16).

The Lord had a greater plan in mind! How Israel and his children chose to live would not affect that Divine plan in any way. Even if they chose to live in dreadful sin, they would not adversely affect God’s ultimate plan.

However, those who chose to live in sin would only invite judgment and punishment upon themselves, as Er and Onan experienced when they sinned grievously against the Lord (Cf. Genesis 38:1-10).

It was wrong of the brothers to have sold Joseph to the Midianites. But even that decision was within the will of God. As far as the Lord was concerned, Joseph was sent ahead of time. His role was already hinted at, when God gave him those special dreams where his family members would bow the knee to him.


A SLAVE IN EGYPT

God’s plans were deep and intricate. Nobody could have fathomed what He had planned. What one needed was to have a deep and profound faith in the Lord and His mysterious ways!

“Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt.
And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard,
An Egyptian, brought him from the Ishmaelites
Who had taken him down there.”
GENESIS 39:1

Joseph was made to suffer, as all slaves suffered. They were fettered lest they ran away. He was alive, but what kind of a life would he have as a slave in Egypt?