Today's passage from the Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Genesis 43-45, Matthew 12: 24-50
Today's Old Testament reading is the ending of a famous story. At the beginning of this story we read how Joseph saw a vision from God about how this would end, and today we read the portion about how Joseph is reunited with his brothers and father. At the end of our reading today, Joseph's father says in chapter 45:28
And Israel said, “I’m convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die .”
What a great ending to what must of been years of heartache.
Joseph could have ignored his brothers and treated them harshly, for they had treated him harshly years previous by throwing him into a well, but the years of being apart, and love for his brothers and family, made Joseph want to do right. More importantly, Joseph's love for God and desire to please God made him want to do right.
Can I overlook or put aside past wrongs done to me, and do right to others in return?
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Genesis 46-48; Matthew 13:1-30
2 comments:
I had forgotten about Simeon having to stay back until Benjamin returned. I wonder how long he had to stay there? Possibly up to a year. Joseph revealed himself to his brothers 2 years into the famine, and they had already come once in between. Either way, I wonder what Simeon thought? He had reason to believe his father would sooner have him rot in Egypt than to risk Benjamin's life after already losing Joseph. And, indeed, if it wasn't for the famine, that's likely what would have happened.
I wonder whether Jacob was upset with the brothers when he found out about them selling Joseph into slavery, or if he was so relieved that Joseph was alive that it overshadowed their betrayal?
Joseph had reason to be upset with his brothers. They had debated killing him, sold him as a slave, and he had been wrongfully imprisoned for YEARS because of them. And yet he forgave them! Huge reminder to us that we need to be willing to forgive those who hurt us.
Matthew 12:41 says
On the judgment day, you people who live now will be compared with the people from Nineveh,[d] and they will be witnesses who show how guilty you are. Why do I say this? Because when Jonah preached to those people, they changed their lives. And you are listening to someone greater than Jonah, but you refuse to change!
The people from Nineveh believed Jonah, but the people did not believe Jesus, even though Jesus was much greater!
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