Live and not Die

Genesis 42:1,2 When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” And he said, “Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die.”

Joseph has now settled well in Egypt and is so successful that his possession of grain is heard in countries around Egypt especially Canaan. In this condition our concentration comes to a situation where Jacob and family realize that they are not nourished and they will die in case they do not act upon this situation. This realization is very much required in our spiritual life. The problem with spiritual life is that we do not know when we are hungry and if we are even alive in God’s eyes. In Romans 7:9, Paul says that he was dead when he got introduced to the law. He had not realized his death until he became part of the new covenant. As in Revelation 3:1, death after salvation is very much possible like the church of Sardis. With this understanding and context if we try to understand things from the interface between Joseph and his brothers, we will be able to survive our death.

When the sons of Jacob were hungry, they were looking at each other for solutions as they wanted to solve problems themselves. This is evident at most times in our life. We know that we are addicted to something or we know that we are lagging in prayer but we try to internally solve the problem and not want help from God. Let us seek food so that we will live. Internally if we keep looking for answers, we will eventually die without our knowledge.

When Joseph saw his brothers he calls them spies and not brothers or not even customers. The reason is that Joseph believed they may have murdered or done something evil to Benjamin as he was missing in this place. He calls them spies because of the huge responsibility and wealth he was responsible for and if these men were allowed to be near, they may try to kill Joseph again. Joseph was not an unforgiving brother or did not make fun of his brothers, but was behaving responsibly. We are expected to be responsible in holding the gospel. We can see the bible confirming by making Joseph the hero of this incident by calling the sons of Jacob as the brothers of Joseph.

The absence of Benjamin in the first time makes a lot of difference in our encounter with God. If we are not willing to submit completely to God, it looks disgusting to Him. In Romans 6:13, we read that this submission only means that we are living. This is the reason God had introduced the teaching of being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will be in every corner of our body, soul and spirit so that we are completely present in God’s eyes. Overflowing of the Holy Spirit is not mentioned in the Bible. The verse says that hope overflows with the power of the spirit. (Romans 15:13). We will overflow with Joy, righteousness and love.

The brothers had double money now on their arrival but that does not matter here. A much better conviction is the only way out of this situation. Money does not matter here as Joseph knew that only two years of the famine have passed and though Jacob had enough money, food is not available. God wants us to repent and come so that the next tough five years can be eased out. We can be like other customers who were travelling to Egypt for food and they will keep visiting. God wants us to stay in full and only that makes us living.

The second visit to Joseph was again only for food and the brothers had forsaken Simeon till their food ran out. This is the reason Joseph had to be rough with them. If there is no unity, there is no redemption. They were physically present now but did not honor their unity. This time Joseph makes sure they understand how grave the situation is and then after they come back with conviction before being accepted. Their conviction is understood when Judah intercedes with him. Judah speaks about his father’s suffering and his will to remain a slave instead of seeing his father die with sorrow. Until this display of fellowship is seen, it is impossible to be accepted in God’s hands. In John 13:35, during the breaking of bread, Jesus explains that this commandment of loving each other only makes us disciples and worthy of His kingdom.

As in Jeremiah 21:8, God places both life and death in front of us. Jacob’s sons did not know what life they are going to get during this transformation but we do know through the scripture. We also know that if we surrender in full, God will make us rulers. As in John 12:25, if we lose our comforts for God’s kingdom we will gain

Joseph, A Great Minister

Genesis 45:7 And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

We are studying Joseph as our personality that longs towards working and producing for God. In this context we need to see how this attitude should be encouraged and utilized so that we will become good ministers or servants of God.

The first thing is to understand the purpose of our life and challenges. Abraham did not excel in Egypt because he wanted to escape the famine in Canaan. He was called to live in Canaan but was roaming around and not trusting God. In 43:32, we read that Egyptians did not have good regard of the Hebrews which was because of Abraham’s embarrassment there. God had to delay the blessings to Abraham till he was a hundred years old because of these immature steps. Joseph was exalted when he was just thirty because he had nothing but God’s presence but yet he chose to be obedient and knew that God was watching him. Knowing God even though Joseph had not seen a single miracle is the quality Joseph had. All that Joseph had was a call from God through dreams and had lost his family because of these dreams.

The attitude is seen from when Joseph was seventeen when he brings bad reports of his brothers to his father. (Gen 37:2). We always try to be good with people so that we can mingle with them but do not foresee the destruction to both of us. As in Ezekiel 33:7, we are called to be watchmen who work for God. But our efforts just try to be a pleasant person in that situation alone. Being a responsible person is very much required to fulfill our calling. In Gen 37:12 onwards we can read Joseph searching his brothers and wandering in the fields. He did not turn back until somebody found him and gave the right directions.

In 39:8, Joseph explains to Potiphar’s wife that there is nobody above Joseph except her. This should be seen in our responsibility as a minister. This is seen in Revelation 2:26. The wife that is the Church is meant to serve God and a minister ensures and keeps its purity. Making a church serve a minister may have brought temporary promotions and pleasure. But it is disgusting in God’s eyes and all our efforts will be lost if we breach God’s personal honor.

In 41:16, we see Joseph’s confidence in God. The dream may not be pleasant to Pharaoh, but still Joseph says that if it comes from God, it will be an answer of peace. Even though it will be disciplining or bad news the message is always an answer of peace. Also, the first phrase Joseph uses to Pharaoh is “Not me, but God”. This submission is very much necessary during ministry at home or anywhere else. Our children should know how Christ has suffered so that we could live.

In 41:46 onwards we see Joseph not resting when there was plenty and when there was a famine people came to Joseph. A true man of God does not have to wander when there is famine because he has already saved what is necessary. God has given us authority so that we would be wise enough to save treasures during abundancy and serve them to people when they are in need. In Luke 12:21, we read about the parable where the person saved only for himself. Jesus says that he is not rich towards God. If we want to be rich in God’s eyes, we have to save for others. Joseph could have saved money sufficient only for himself, or just Egypt. But he had enough supplies that other nations could come and be served.

As we read in 45:7, God is sending us earlier to Egypt so that we will support them in times of trouble. We are fore runners to our families and friends. All we have to do is grab opportunities God is providing us so that we could be useful when they need us. They might have hated and tormented us, but a true responsible person will understand his purpose and serve without pride. This sacrifice is required from us to accept accusations, prison and other trouble because others can easily come to salvation. The deliverance is not easy for others to easily attain, it has to be a great deliverance which Jesus has made available to us. All we have to do is honor it.

Amen.

Joseph and the Dreams

Genesis 37:8 And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

There were six dreams in the life of Joseph which were clearly God’s communication to him. Some of these dreams came to him through other people. The irony is that God did not speak to Joseph directly after the first two but was with him. This is a lesson to us. Once we get and see miracles, we come to Christ and stay with him only for these miracles. We do not realize that we are chosen to rule and not just be consumers of the light. Joseph had received a confirmation from God through the first few dreams and then stayed closer enough with God so that he knew that God’s presence will not make his decisions go wrong. We need this kind of a relationship with God and not depend of miracles and signs as they do not contribute to our faith.

Since we are studying Joseph as our desires for ministry, it is important to compare these six dreams in this context. The first two dreams which happened in Joseph’s youth were the call towards glory. The next two dreams in the Jail shows our salvation and the last two point towards ministry and its challenges.

In the first dream in Chapter 37, we read Joseph’s work being glorified first. All the efforts of his brothers had to submit to those of the chosen one. This miracle is an example of how God works by first making our work prosper and glorifying us. This dream is unlike the other dreams which were about events happening instantly. But God has given Joseph a hope of what will come at a very later stage. If promises given to us did not happen immediately, then we are like Joseph to God who is being tested completely before giving the glory. The role of the family is also shown here. They should bow down if God has called a person for his work and if the family does not oblige, they will be forced. We can also notice that Joseph was not precise about his parents that they will bow down, but his father clearly understood that they will “come” and bow “to the earth”. God’s wisdom is so wonderful so that information is shared to various individuals but when they are in communion, they understand clearly.

Another promise to his chosen generation is that our creations and even God’s creations will bow down to us and we will be exalted higher and higher than the universe unto heaven. This promise cannot be seen, but everybody around us will know and despise us for that. But God will perfectly execute His divine will through us.

In Chapter 40 we read the dreams of the butler and the baker. One dream explains salvation to us and another explains bondage. The first one is a vine which obviously is Christ. The butler was clear that he did not plant or own the vine. It was just before him just like Christ was presented to us and we are glorified by the grapes which were pressed and presented for us to live. This position of Christ’s unconditional love and our work to use him for our salvation is important. Like in John 6:35, he is the bread and we have to be near Him. We are choosing to stay away from the vine and so are ignoring Him.

But the baker had a serious problem. There were three baskets and only the top one had food. This is a clear explanation of hypocrisy. If food were placed without showing off, the food would have been served properly. Our goodness if they are exposed nakedly, the enemy will come and ensure nothing reaches out. If we are internally cleansed rather than showing ourselves as a righteous person outwardly, we will have been saved and glorified. See the birds which consume the goodness in the dream are the same birds which consume our flesh after we die.  We are given to them for consumption. If we present ourselves to God, He uses them wisely but if we try to show off to the world, we would lose everything including our life.

The dreams of Pharaoh explain challenges in ministry. This is the actual purpose of our presence here. From the waters and the stalk cows and grain heads appear. And then there was a famine as in Amos 8:11. Good produces will be present in the whole of history like early apostles, periods of missionaries and martyrs. These men were not forced into this situation but they chose martyrdom. But all these cows would be eaten by believers who are weak and ugly. They are still believers because they are out of the water and the stalk. But they consume all the sacrifices of people who have paid with their lives and still be hungry and inefficient. We are in such a situation now where there are many versions of the gospel and the word of God is diluted or polluted when being served by preachers. If we still could save the food from older times when people were willing to give their lives, we can survive this famine. We have to honor Christ and the Cross so that everything else in the world will be seen as nothing.

Amen.