Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality. God’s Judgment and the Law 12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. 17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” 25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. Meditation The gospel gives hope for hypocrites, freeing us for honesty with both our sin and our inconsistent attempts to live righteously. Jesus came to call sinners, the sick who know they need to see the Great Physician (Mark 2:17). In Christ, we can take off our masks to receive His righteousness. Paul’s argument continues by targeting those who judge others hypocritically (1-2) and culminates by condemning Jews who live hypocritically, celebrating ceremonial circumcision as sufficient for salvation (25-28). Hope dawns in the revelation of internal transformation resulting from gospel faith, God’s Spirit working to circumcise hearts (29). Religious folks presume on what we know, who we know, and what we do. Paul is clear: Religion does not save us from God’s just judgement but rather leads us to ignore God’s kindness (4) and compounds God's wrath (5)! Francis Schaffer said religious folk need an “invisible tape recorder” to hear our self-righteous selves condemning others for the very things we are doing. We must take off our masks because the religious are judged by the same standard, and no one is righteous. Hypocritical judgements welcome God’s wrath when we have impenitent hearts rather than a heart transformed by grace. We are not secure in our pedigree or knowledge (9-16). We can be sure both moralism and religiosity fail to meet God’s standard (17-29). We must stop pretending we are not sinners who need a Savior. The work of Christ alone gives the righteousness we need. The work of grace alone brings the internal transformation we desire, empowering us to remove our religious masks to embrace repentance and real relationship with Jesus. Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially Paul’s unbiased assault on hypocrisy and religiosity? -Where do you identify with those Paul condemns, living hypocritically and not being able to hear your own self-righteous judgements on others for actions you yourself also do? -How does the work of Jesus and Holy Spirit free you to be honest with your self-righteousness, repent, and receive the righteous we need to love people on equal ground in the gospel? Key Verse 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
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After this David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” And he said, “To Hebron.” 2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 And David brought up his men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron. 4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.
When they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul,” 5 David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “May you be blessed by the Lord, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord and buried him. 6 Now may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you. And I will do good to you because you have done this thing. 7 Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant, for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.” Ish-bosheth Made King of Israel 8 But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim, 9 and he made him king over Gilead and the Ashurites and Jezreel and Ephraim and Benjamin and all Israel. 10 Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. The Battle of Gibeon 12 Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. And they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. 14 And Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men arise and compete before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.” 15 Then they arose and passed over by number, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 16 And each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side, so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is at Gibeon. 17 And the battle was very fierce that day. And Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David. 18 And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle. 19 And Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. 20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is it you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.” 21 Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and seize one of the young men and take his spoil.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. 22 And Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?” 23 But he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died where he was. And all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still. 24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. And as the sun was going down they came to the hill of Ammah, which lies before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. 25 And the people of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner and became one group and took their stand on the top of a hill. 26 Then Abner called to Joab, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you tell your people to turn from the pursuit of their brothers?” 27 And Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely the men would not have given up the pursuit of their brothers until the morning.” 28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men stopped and pursued Israel no more, nor did they fight anymore. 29 And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, and marching the whole morning, they came to Mahanaim. 30 Joab returned from the pursuit of Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing from David’s servants nineteen men besides Asahel. 31 But the servants of David had struck down of Benjamin 360 of Abner’s men. 32 And they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was at Bethlehem. And Joab and his men marched all night, and the day broke upon them at Hebron. Meditation The good news proclaiming God's rule as king is evidenced by peace (Isaiah 52:7). Christians celebrate Jesus as king and we are called to pursue peace with all people (Hebrews 12:14). David was anointed king of Judah, publicly confirming the Lord’s anointing (1 Samuel 16). David consulted the Lord before his quiet coronation but conflict awaited like a prairie conflagration (1-4). Abner desired greater influence and used passive Ish-bosheth as the face for a counter insurgence (8-11). The battle at the pool of Gibeon (12-17) is reminiscent of David’s defeat of the Philistine Goliath (1 Samuel 17), except this battle was between “brothers” and deepened division, death, and discouragement among God’s people (18-29). Without welcoming the rule of the Lord’s anointed king there is no peace, only a path to bitter and bloody conflict among God’s people (26). The apostle James confirms that conflict exists because we, like Abner, desire and do not have. And desire gives birth to death (James 4:1-2). Christians must name our dis-ordered desires and walk the path of peace king Jesus provides (Matthew 18:15-20). Jesus is the Lord’s anointed king, David’s greater son, who desired to reconcile with His people to such an extent that He welcomed death (Hebrews 12:1) so redeemed people can walk in newness of life. The gospel frees Christians to redeem conflict by forgiving as we have been forgiven (Colossians 3:12-15), humbly examining ourselves to take the log out of our own eye (Matthew 7:3-5) to either gently restore a brother (Galatians 6:1) or go to be reconciled (Matthew 5:23-24). Jesus is King! Let us live in peace. Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially from the division and death ensuing from the rejection of the Lord’s anointed king David? -Where do you see or experience conflict because of dis-ordered desire? How can you welcome the rule of King Jesus by providing His path to peace? -How does the reality of Christ’s forgiveness of us and work to reconcile us with the Father fuel your faith and fortitude to be a peace maker among God’s people? Key Verse 26 Then Abner called to Joab, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you tell your people to turn from the pursuit of their brothers?” These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. 6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. 7 But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.
Pharaoh Oppresses Israel 8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. 13 So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves 14 and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves. 15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. 18 So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” 20 So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live. Meditation The God who orders history for His purposes is greater than the governments or kings who rule over the peoples of the earth. Wisdom compels Christians to fear God more than any ruler, government, or human authority. Exodus begins with the refreshing reality that God is resilient to keep His promises before quickly descending into a confrontation between God and Pharaoh. Israel became a great nation (1-7) leading to confrontation with a Pharaoh who “did not know Joseph.” Pharaoh’s fear of Israel led to extreme measures of hard labor (8-14), ordering midwives to kill male babies (15-21), and demanding male babies be cast into the Nile River (22). Egypt raged and plotted in vain, setting themselves against the Lord (Psalm 2). “But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded.” (17) Hebrew midwives refused Pharaoh’s directive because they feared God more than the king. God blessed the midwives for their civil disobedience (20-21). Fruitful life grows from fearing God more than humanity. Christians are commanded to obey God ordained governments (Romans 13:1-5) but not when they conflict with God’s ordained design for life. Daniel rejected emperor worship (Daniel 3) and refused to stop praying to the Lord (Daniel 6). The early church continued sharing the gospel against direct from authorities to stop (Acts 4:17-20; 5:27-29; 5:40-42). Christians must reclaim a fear of God that is greater than fear of earthly authorities, whether people or political. We must celebrate our freedom to obey the one true King who is ordering His-story for His purposes. Richly Dwelling -What observations do you make from today’s reading, especially in regards to the conflict of powers between God and the Egyptian king? -Where do you see parallels in today’s world, the authorities of our world establishing laws in direct contrast with God’s authoritative design? -Where do you need to fear God more than authorities of our world? Do you believe God will give fruitfulness when you do? Key Verse 17 But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! 2 Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! 3 For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; 4 you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. 5 Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. 6 I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the Lord. 7 I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul, 8 and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place. 9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also. 10 For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. 11 Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me. 12 I have been forgotten like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel. 13 For I hear the whispering of many— terror on every side!— as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life. 14 But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” 15 My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! 16 Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love! 17 O Lord, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon you; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go silently to Sheol. 18 Let the lying lips be mute, which speak insolently against the righteous in pride and contempt. 19 Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! 20 In the cover of your presence you hide them from the plots of men; you store them in your shelter from the strife of tongues. 21 Blessed be the Lord, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city. 22 I had said in my alarm, “I am cut off from your sight.” But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help. 23 Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. 24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord! Meditation The ultimate picture of trust is surrendering our spirit to the sovereign care of the Lord. Today’s psalm is saturated with trust, has been stewarded for trust, and invites Christians to surrender in trust. Singing with this psalm locates our trust IN the Lord for refuge (1, 6) from the depths of our spirit (5). We trust because the Lord is our God (14) and His abundant goodness awaits those who take refuge in Him (19). Trust in the Lord is validated by past deliverance (6-8) and fuels prayer for present deliverance (14-18). Praise and courage grow from the soil of trust in God’s sovereignty (19-24) and trust invites believers to join other saints in stewarding the lyrics of this song through our lives. Jonah used this psalm in his prayer from the belly of the fish (Jonah 2), Jeremiah repeated the phrase, “terror on every side” (13) as a running theme throughout his writings (Jeremiah 6:25; Lamentations 2:22), the author of Psalm 71 uses this Psalm to fuel their own journey, and to cover our sin for trusting in other people and places, Jesus uses the language of the Psalm in his deepest moment of agony on the cross (Luke 23:46). Jesus trusted where we fail so from His grace we can turn to trust in the Lord. Knowing the grace of Jesus leads believers to have the word of Jesus dwell richly in our hearts (Colossians 3:16) to give footing for faith in frustrating days, helping us trust IN the word of God and the God of the word. Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you from today’s psalm, specifically along the theme of trust? -Where or who do you trust outside the Lord? How is that working for you? -How does the faithfulness of Jesus compel you to cast your trust in Jesus? He used this Psalm in His death, totally trusting in the Father, so you can find life through forgiveness, the ground of grace to begin again by trusting in Him! Key Verse 5 Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god.3 Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, 4 youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5 The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. 7 And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.
Daniel's Faithfulness 8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. 9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 10 and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” 11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food.16 So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. 17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king.20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. 21 And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus. Meditation The rule and work of God give identity to the people of God. Deep belief in identity from God drives behavior of devotion and discipleship. Daniel and his friends were in exile. Competent leaders (4) taken from Judah in the first wave of exiles (2 Kings 24:14) to be trained and educated in Babylonian culture (5-6, 17-21). Babylon’s reorientation program included changing names, changing gods, and training allegiances. Daniel and his friends had a greater identity from a greater King, and belief in this identity fueled resolve to not defile themselves with Babylonian culture and customs (8). The king gave food and wine. Daniel asked for restrictions and God gave Daniel favor and compassion (9-11).Daniel’s diet maintained distinction from Babylonian culture and the ten day test resulted in “better in appearance and fatter in flesh” than the others in training (12-15). God’s sovereign grace sent Judah into exile (1-2). God’s sovereign grace sustained during exile. God’s rule and God's work gave God's people an identity to live FROM during exile, security to strengthen and sustain devotion to the Lord. Jesus went into exile for His people without compromising His identity as the Son of God, faithful unto death to forgive us for not living faithfully as His people. Through the work of God in Christ, Christians receive identity as children of God. With Daniel we can discover how living from belief in our God-given identity in Christ gives fruit to a life lived in distinction from a pagan culture that is “ten times better” (at least!) in wisdom and understanding (20), a more abundant life marked with devotion and discipleship to King Jesus. Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the distinction and devotion of Daniel and his friends as they lived from their identity as God’s people during exile. -Where do you struggle living from your identity in Christ, welcoming the reorientation program of our pagan culture by believing truths of the world and behaving in patterns prioritized by the world? -How does the work of Jesus give you a new identity in Christ and how should His grace indoctrinate your believes and, therefore, transform your behaviors? Be specific in a place you need to repent to be reoriented by God’s word and work, living from the identity He gives you. Key Verse 8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself Then Joseph fell on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him. 2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 Forty days were required for it, for that is how many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days.
4 And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 5 ‘My father made me swear, saying, “I am about to die: in my tomb that I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me.” Now therefore, let me please go up and bury my father. Then I will return.’ ” 6 And Pharaoh answered, “Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear.” 7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. With him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8 as well as all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s household. Only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen. 9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company. 10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and grievous lamentation, and he made a mourning for his father seven days. 11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning on the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning by the Egyptians.” Therefore the place was named Abel-mizraim; it is beyond the Jordan. 12 Thus his sons did for him as he had commanded them, 13 for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. 14 After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father. God’s Good Purposes 15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.” ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. The Death of Joseph 22 So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s house. Joseph lived 110 years. 23 And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph’s own. 24 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26 So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. Meditation God’s sovereign grace transforms attempts of evil into good and glory. God works in ways we would never imagine, using circumstances we would never script. Jacob dies and his offspring who had been promised the land of Canaan returned to Egypt after his burial (1-14). Genesis began with God’s beautiful creation and ends with Joseph in a coffin (26). The light is now dark. Life is now death. The garden is now exile in Egypt. Buried in the soil of frustrating life in a fallen world is the seed of God’s sovereign grace. Joseph’s brothers fear their father’s death will be a death sentence for themselves, repenting to Joseph using three different, powerful, words for sin: “transgression…sin…evil.” (17) Joseph re-orients the whole narrative by pointing the climax to God- Joseph was not God (19) and none of us understands God’s ways. God uses evil for good (20). God uses the trafficking, slavery, and injustice of Joseph’s story so that “many people may be kept alive.” The end of Genesis is not the end of the story. Scripture’s redemptive narrative climax centers on the person and work of Jesus who, in His moment of crisis, re-orients the whole narrative of Scripture to the truth of God working good and glory through sin and suffering. Jesus was an innocent man who suffered and died as a criminal. Jesus rose from the grave, redeeming suffering and fueling hope for all who trust in Him. God is sovereign, actively using evil for the good of His people and the glory of His name. Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you from this narrative, especially how God demonstrates His sovereignty over Joseph’s story through Joseph’s words in vs 20? -Why is it difficult to believe that God is sovereign in this way, to use the evil of this world for the good of His people and the glory of His name? -How does the finished work of Jesus, the One who entered into suffering to redeem suffering and death to be tools for life and love, fuel your faith and empower hope? Where do you need to believe this reality in your life? Be specific. Key Verse 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. |
AuthorPastor Mitchell celebrates twenty-four years of marriage with Lisa and together they have four adventurous children. Mitchell is a pastor at First Presbyterian Church in San Antonio, TX. |