God Meant It For Good (Genesis 45)
Genesis 45 was preached this past Sunday and I was completely baffled that the sermon and the lessons came up in conversation three or four times in the 48 hours that followed. I just wanted to share some quick thoughts and mini lessons that struck me.
The Length of Suffering
We looked at the suffering between Joseph, his older brother Judah, and his father Jacob this week. Joseph was suffering from being treated unjustly as he was innocently sold into slavery, and betrayed by his brothers (Genesis 37). Judah was suffering from the pain that came from the consequences of his sin, selling Joseph, marrying a Canaanite woman - corrupting the family, and sleeping with his firstborn's wife, Tamar (Genesis 38). And lastly there was Jacob, suffering from watching his loved ones destroy themselves - his wife died, he thought his favourite son had died, etc... What struck me the most was how long these men were suffering for. By this time in the story (Genesis 45), Joseph had been sold into slavery since the age of 17, turned 30 years old when he became second in command in Egypt, and with additional years passing during the famine whilst the brothers came to get food for Jacob. That's over 13 years of being in exile, away from family, away from the promised land, alone with no fellow believer's support, surrounded by Egyptians, and only holding on to the promise of God that was passed along to him from Jacob. What a man of faith!
I find that many times we (myself included) look at our lives and our current trials, and we say "we've been praying for 2 years now and nothing has happened, where is God?" - but by seeing the timeline here in the Joseph story, as well as considering the conditions Joseph was in, our trials are nothing! Though our current tribulations may seem like forever, according to God's timeline, its just a blink of an eye! But we must believe that all the suffering we endure has a good and greater purpose behind it - do we trust that God is at work and that He is using our struggles for the good of His kingdom and also our own good and sanctification?
We are Benjamin
Rachel was Jacob's favourite wife, and she bore him two sons, one being Joseph who Jacob thought had been killed, and the other son was Benjamin. We all know that Jacob had a sweet spot for Joseph with the whole technicolor dream-coat shenanigan, but after Joseph had disappeared, Benjamin became the apple of Jacob's eye; he was probably treated extra well, and in previous chapters we know that the brothers were jealous of that and felt that they were treated unfairly - not only by Jacob, but also by Joseph when they went to Egypt (Genesis 43:34). Throughout the story we see how the brothers have matured over time from being bitter by the favouritism shown to Benjamin to accepting the reality that that's just how God had designed and willed it to be (Genesis 45:22).
The point of application made here is that sometimes we may see others do so little and get so much whilst we slave away at work and don't get much as them, sometimes we feel like some are given more and we are given less, and sometimes we feel that we've been treated unfairly - but it's important to trust that God has made it that way for a reason.
Whilst this is all true, I found that this can be seen from a different perspective as well. I've been hearing testimonies and stories of some friends lately where I've been completely baffled by all the intense and crazy trials they've gone through and I look at myself and think "wow my suffering is nothing compared to some of these people", not that i'm glad or thankful they've been through a lot though. It makes me realize, yes, sometimes I may see someone else and think "wow they got the good life, they're the 'Benjamin' in my life" - but at the same time to others, we are Benjamin to them! It's all relative I guess, but let us rejoice in the trials that the LORD has given us for the good of His kingdom and also our own good and sanctification!
Reviving the Numb
With Jacob's long-term suffering as he watches his family fall apart, he grows weary and loses hope. His heart becomes numb, his soul becomes dry, and his desires to seek after God have vanished. Our pastor made an interesting remark when he pointed out that when Jacob's heart grew numb, he was referred to as Jacob (instead of Israel, the name he was given by God in Genesis 35:10). But as the brothers returned to him at the end of Genesis 45 and shared of all that had happened, how Joseph was still alive, how they were coming back with plenty of provisions and foods from the Pharaoh, we see that God revives Jacob's spirit, and once that happens, he is once again known as Israel (Genesis 45:27-28).
Our pastor also pointed out that Jacob probably didn't know that his heart was numb and didn't know exactly when his heart was revived. I too have been going through a dry spell lately, my heart feels numb, my delight and joy in obedience to God feels completely absent, and I pray that the LORD would continue to remind me that He sustains me. I need to continue to ask for renewal, revival and restoration in my faith. I must continue to remind myself that God is powerfully at work, even if I don't see it, and even if I don't feel it.
God Meant it For Good.
This is the overarching theme of the Joseph Story - God meant it for good. We explore all the different kinds of suffering between Joseph, Judah and Jacob, all which we can relate to in one way or in all ways. But though we may question the trials in the midst of it all, God does have a purpose behind it. When the brothers go to Joseph (whom they did not recognize) for the second time, Joseph reveals himself to them and shares with them God's plan - that him being sold into slavery, him spending years and years in Egypt, in prison, interpreting dreams and eventually becoming second in command was all God's work, sending Joseph ahead of the brothers to help preserve them, providing them food in the midst of the seven year famine. God used the suffering to preserve his people!
In the same way, God uses our suffering for the good of His kingdom as well as our own good and sanctification. Do you trust and believe that?
Reviving the Numb
With Jacob's long-term suffering as he watches his family fall apart, he grows weary and loses hope. His heart becomes numb, his soul becomes dry, and his desires to seek after God have vanished. Our pastor made an interesting remark when he pointed out that when Jacob's heart grew numb, he was referred to as Jacob (instead of Israel, the name he was given by God in Genesis 35:10). But as the brothers returned to him at the end of Genesis 45 and shared of all that had happened, how Joseph was still alive, how they were coming back with plenty of provisions and foods from the Pharaoh, we see that God revives Jacob's spirit, and once that happens, he is once again known as Israel (Genesis 45:27-28).
Our pastor also pointed out that Jacob probably didn't know that his heart was numb and didn't know exactly when his heart was revived. I too have been going through a dry spell lately, my heart feels numb, my delight and joy in obedience to God feels completely absent, and I pray that the LORD would continue to remind me that He sustains me. I need to continue to ask for renewal, revival and restoration in my faith. I must continue to remind myself that God is powerfully at work, even if I don't see it, and even if I don't feel it.
God Meant it For Good.
This is the overarching theme of the Joseph Story - God meant it for good. We explore all the different kinds of suffering between Joseph, Judah and Jacob, all which we can relate to in one way or in all ways. But though we may question the trials in the midst of it all, God does have a purpose behind it. When the brothers go to Joseph (whom they did not recognize) for the second time, Joseph reveals himself to them and shares with them God's plan - that him being sold into slavery, him spending years and years in Egypt, in prison, interpreting dreams and eventually becoming second in command was all God's work, sending Joseph ahead of the brothers to help preserve them, providing them food in the midst of the seven year famine. God used the suffering to preserve his people!
In the same way, God uses our suffering for the good of His kingdom as well as our own good and sanctification. Do you trust and believe that?
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