Hello, my reading friend. We have survived yet another week graciously given by God through the power of the Holy Spirit. How was your week? How did God bless you? Please share it with us.
I do not watch TV news (trusted sources only!) and recommend the same to you, – so it will save you many nerves and brain cells ;). Nevertheless, by the look of the people out there, we remain in the troubles and gaining speed.
As Christ-followers, we have to be ready for any probable scenarios that God has prepared for us. But know this, brothers and sisters, that the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods (Psalm 95:3-7).
The Holy Spirit that dwells within us is an Almighty Spirit. He fills His servants with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2).
During His trial standing before Pontius Pilate in the hall of judgement, Pilate was interrogating Jesus Christ. He asked Jesus if He is the King of Jews and what He has done that His people demand His death?
And in Matthew 18:36-37, Jesus answered Pilate that (1) His kingdom is not of this world; (2) He came to bear witness unto the truth; (3) everyone that is of the truth hearth His voice.
So, keeping Jesus’ answers in mind, let us jump into today’s Bible reading.
Bible Reading
On this week’s insight, we will look into the Genesis 41-42 & Matthew 12:1-24
Please, check our previous week’s insight – You Are The Living Testimony Of God’s Love And Grace
Overview
Prehistory. In the previous chapters, – Genesis 37, 39 and 40, Moses wrote the story about Joseph.
- Jacob, the father of Joseph, favoured him among other sons and made him a coat of many colours (Genesis 37:3).
- Joseph dreamed two dreams that he will rule over his family (Genesis 37:5-9).
- The father of Joseph rebuked him for his dreams, and Joseph’s brothers envied him (Genesis 37:10-11).
- Joseph’s brothers plotted evil against him, and they sold him into slavery, and he ended up in to serve in the captain’s house (Genesis 37:28,36).
- The captain’s wife tempted Joseph, and when she did not get desired, she lied that he slept with her, and they put Joseph into prison.
- Joseph interpreted dreams for the chief of butlers and the chief of bakers, who were with him in prison. Later on, Pharaoh restored the chief butler and hanged the chief baker, according to their dreams (Genesis 40:12-13, 18-19, 21-22).
Pharaoh’s dream and exaltation of Joseph
Genesis 41-42. Chapter 42 of the Book of Genesis is all about Pharaoh’s dreams (Genesis 41:1-7). Joseph’s ability to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams gave him rise in status from being a prisoner in the king’s jail to becoming the chief executive of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself.
Furthermore, through Joseph’s gifts, God did not just save him from imprisonment and into the royal palace, but also Joseph’s family and the entire land of Egypt, and her dependants, who lived all around, from the famine.
Throughout chapter 42 of the Book of Genesis, Joseph never forgot to recognize God as the ultimate source of his gifts (Genesis 41:16, 25, 28, 32, 51-52). Moreover, Pharaoh acknowledged the power of God himself (Genesis 41:38-39).
In chapter 42 of the Book of Genesis, the great famine struck the land of Canaan and Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy some grain. He sent all Joseph’s brothers except Benjamin, the youngest one – because Jacob was afraid to lose him, too.
When Joseph finally faced his brothers, he intentionally hid his identity. And right away, he accused them of being spies in the land of Egypt, which prospered through the famine. Later on, Joseph took Simon hostage and sent the rest of his brothers back to their father but charged them to return with Benjamin.
Controversy over Sabbath and Exorcism
Matthew 12:1-30. The gospel according to Matthew chapter 12, is all about Jesus’ confrontation with the Pharisees. First, the Pharisees accused Jesus and His disciples of labouring on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-8). Then, the Pharisees accused Jesus of healing on the Sabbath day (Matthew 12:9-13).
Eventually, the Pharisees went out and held a council against Jesus, how they might destroy him (Matthew 12:14-21). And then, they blasphemed against the Holy Spirit by accusing Jesus that He cast out demons in the name of Beelzebub, the prince of devils (Matthew 12:22-30).
Jesus’ answer to their accusations was sharp as usual. He showed the absurdity and inconsistency of their views regarding exorcism (Matthew 12:26-27). Further, Jesus explained what actually happens during the exorcism that Jesus performed (Matthew 12:28-29).
Insights Into The Scriptures
Joseph’s Global Famine, recorded for us in Genesis 41, happened someday in the year 1700 BC. The shortage of food forced peoples to travel from around the world to Egypt to buy grain that Joseph has stored up. That was possible because of a dream that God gave to Pharaoh almost a decade ahead.
During the time of the famine, people were neither plowing nor harvest (Genesis 45:6). Nor the earth was yielding anything to satisfy the great hunger of men, neither were heavens pouring out the rain over the drylands. Families, tribes, and nations were roaming around, searching for a place of safety and refuge.
Is not it the state of the men and women during Jesus’ first Advent?
Joseph, an archetype of Christ
Joseph’s father loved him foremost, but rebuked him after Joseph told him about his dream. His brothers envied, humiliated, stripped of his tunic of many colours, and eventually sold him into slavery.
Later on, being a faithful servant of his master and bringing prosperity to his house, his master’s wife accused him wrongly of fornication, and they put him into prison.
Finally, when Pharaoh restored Joseph from the prison and exalted him to the position of the right hand of the king, Joseph gave that vital bread of life to the entire world.
The way of the Master
In like manner, Jesus is the beloved son of the Father (Matthew 3:17). Though God the Father never rebuked His Son, Jesus Christ humbled himself and stripped off His royal garment. And like Judah sold his brother Joseph, one of the twelve disciples, Judas Iscariot, sold Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16).
During Jewish and Roman trials, they wrongly accused Jesus Christ of blasphemy against God, which is punishable by death. Thus, they sentenced Christ to death and crucifixion Him on the cross between two thieves.
Ultimately, on the third day, God the Father, through the power of the Holy Spirit, resurrected His Son from the dead. Moreover, God restored Jesus Christ of His Royal status and put Him at the right hand (Mark 16:19).
The Good News
This is the gospel: Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, was a perfect and righteous man. He lived His life in full submission and obedience to His heavenly Father. Jesus humbled Himself and suffered for the iniquities of the world.
When He died on the cross, He satisfied God’s wrath and justice, and, at the same time, Jesus Christ paid the fine. And when Jesus resurrected from the dead, He gave us life and set us free from the bondage of sin.
Charles Spurgeon said He must die, or we must die, or justice must die.
If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, why not now!? Don’t wait until it is too late! Embrace God’s Grace, Mercy and Love now – Accept Jesus Now!
Insights
- God’s plans work for good always. Thus, we must be faithful and trust him in everything even when we are going through hardships.
- Looking at Jesus Christ, as the model of a perfect and righteous man, we must submit ourselves to God’s will and serve Him humbly.
- Jesus is not of this world, so are we, Christians. Our mission is to bring the gospel out into the starving world, the rest is the work of the Holy Spirit.
- God’s ultimate plan is to save His people, all those who are looking for truth and hear His voice out of many false ones.
Related Posts
- Meant for Evil – turned for Good
- GOD: Past, Present and Future
- Hardships Results to Patience and Faithfulness
- God’s blessings
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we glorify Your name above all. You are King of kings and Lord of lords.
We thank you, Lord God, that you never forsake us. Thank you for sending Your Son to die on the cross on our behalf. We thank you, Lord Jesus, that you lived a righteous life and humbled yourself even to the death on the cross.
We pray that through the Holy Spirit, you will guide us always. Please, reprove us of our wrongdoings and give us a pearl of wisdom to understand You will, Father.
In Jesus’ holy name we pray, Amen.
