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Daily Devotions

Genesis

Genesis 
Day 
Day 336

"But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord; In You I take refuge." Psalm 141:8

Text: Genesis 45:1-28

AN URGENT MISSION

Joseph was excited that he could share his faith in God with his brothers. He would have liked to see them possess the kind of knowledge of God that he enjoyed. What a wonderful thing it was to know God this intimately. An urgent task awaited them.

“Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him,
‘Thus says your son Joseph: ‘God has made me lord
of all Egypt; come down to me…you and your children,
your children’s children, your flocks and your herds,
and all that you have. There I will provide for you, lest you
and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty;
for there are still five years of famine.””
GENESIS 45:9-11

Joseph wanted above all to send word to his beloved father that he was alive and well. He wanted him to know that he loved him and would provide for him. He would provide for his father’s entire clan! The family must plan to come down to Egypt as soon as possible. The famine would get worse with each passing year. Five more years of famine would reduce even the vast wealth of Israel to absolute poverty!


ASSURANCE THAT THE MESSAGE WAS TRUE

Israel was not always easily inclined to listen to the words of his sons. How could he believe that Joseph was alive after all these years of believing that he was slain by a wild beast? Joseph foresaw this difficulty and thus added the following words.

“And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin
see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. So you shall tell
my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen;
and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.”
GENESIS 45:12-13

Surely Benjamin would be able to convince Israel that the message sent was indeed from Joseph! In order to encourage their father further, the brothers were to speak of all the “glory” that Joseph enjoyed (This is not “self-glory” but a reference to the authority and the power that Joseph wielded over the mighty land of Egypt. He was merely stating a fact! He wanted Israel to be proud of his son that he had risen so high in life).


UNMISTAKABLE SENSE OF AUTHORITY

Joseph spoke with accustomed authority. Though he was not the firstborn, and he was much younger than his brothers, there was no mistaking the ring of authority in Joseph’s voice. He was not merely making a suggestion. He spoke as one accustomed to being obeyed! The stars that had bowed to his star in an old dream recognized not only his authority but also his wisdom and logic. Of course they would hasten to do the bidding of their younger brother Joseph!