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From a Pawn to a King

Sat, 15/01/2011
Genesis Chapters 41 to 42

GENESIS 41

Pharaoh’s Dreams

Commentary

The GR2 material for today makes me thank the Lord for the numerous opportunities working as a consultant. A consultant is a person in a position to have some influence over an individual, a group, or an organisation, but who has no direct power to make changes or implement programs. By divine placement and positioning, we see Joseph being elevated to this status in the nation of Egypt.

The process started with a confusing dream that Pharaoh had which required interpretation and further clarification. It troubled his spirit so much that he requested for his “in-house” consultants to define the scope and propose solutions. The skill base for this kind of work was deficient in the palace and based on the recommendation of the chief cupbearer, an external consultant was called in the shape of Joseph. An interview process was not required as the chief cupbearer’s testimony of him was so eloquently presented that it clinched the deal.

Over the years as a consultant, your initial representation to the client is crucial to securing future relationships as confirmed by Joseph’s preparation to see Pharaoh. He shaved and changed from his prison clothes into something more professional for his meeting with his prospective client.

Upon arrival at the palace the dream was narrated to Joseph and with calmness, he gained the trust and confidence of Pharaoh by advising him that a solution existed at Headquarters but further information was required. Pharaoh then went on to give Joseph the full background to the dream stressing the fact that it could not be interpreted in-house hence his recommendation.

I like the fact that Joseph did not interject as he listened attentively during the narration. In our walk with Christ, listening is a key skill in receiving insight from the Lord regarding the situations we face daily.

Joseph then proceeds to give him the interpretation and a proposal on how to solve the problem including the job specification for the resource requirement to oversee the task. Your gift will open the way and bring you before great men is the case with Joseph as he is appointed the second in command of the nation of Egypt in charge with implementing the solution.

The influential position that Joseph inherits makes it possible for God to continue his master plan of preserving Israel. This involved his brothers making the trip from Canaan to Egypt with no idea of the strategic position that God had given Joseph. As part of the process, the characters of the brothers are tested to see if there have been any changes since Joseph was thrown into the pit.  Reuben is the first candidate who undergoes the equivalent of the “Spanish inquisition” as Joseph makes difficult demands from them.

I heard from a message that God is an economist who does not waste resources. I will add to this qualification by saying that he is also a master strategist. By selecting a pawn in Joseph, he divinely placed him in a pit, prison, Potiphar’s luxurious mansion, prison and finally the palace of Pharaoh. In the process, he shaped his character so that a proud boy became a humble man.

God please reveal to us the plan for our lives so that we yield fully in Jesus name - Amen

Ade Ojomo

JOHN 8:32

32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

bukky

Be Empowered


Empowered for the New

During the month of February Jesus House will be focusing on personal empowerment, Kingdom businesses and entrepreneurship.

Imnub

The Provident God

Fri, 14/01/2011
Genesis Chapters 38 to 40

GENESIS 38

Judah and Tamar

Commentary

Chapter 38
Following the sale of their brother and their collective decision to deceive their father that Joseph had been killed, Judah separated himself from his brothers in order to start his family. Just like any other family in today's world, however closely knitted together or divided siblings may have been, they are expected to grow up as individuals and make their personal choices. There are however consequences for every choice we make as human beings. Judah chose a wife from the land of Canaan who gave birth to three children. He also took a wife for his first son from Canaan. This is a clear departure from the practice of his father and grandfather who had to choose wives from among their relatives (Genesis 24: 2 - 3 and Genesis 28: 1).

Judah’s first son incurred God’s wrath and was killed because of his evil practices. Unfortunately, his second son also died because his selfish act displeased God. Instead of addressing the disciplinary issue in his family, Judah sent his daughter-in-law away to her father’s house in a bid to protect his youngest son. The moral depravity of his family reached a peak when he slept with his daughter-in-law thinking she was a harlot. When her pregnancy was discovered, Judah proclaimed a harsh judgement on Tamar his daughter-in-law before realising that he was responsible for the pregnancy. Jesus’ instruction on passing judgement is so apt as can be seen in Luke 6: 36 – 37:

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.  “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.
Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

God’s amazing grace and mercy can be seen in the life of Judah. In spite of Judah’s complicated lifestyle, the Messiah, even our Lord Jesus Christ descended from the tribe of Judah.


Chapter 39
Joseph displayed an amazing ability to remain calm and focused in the midst of adversity. After being sold into slavery by his brothers, rather than becoming despondent, Joseph displayed diligence in his service to his masters and God's favour was made evident in his life. He continued to display this dedication to duty even after being jailed following the false accusation of his master's wife. Joseph displayed a very rare moral excellence by choosing to honour God and suffer rather than enjoying a momentary pleasure with his master's wife. When she tried to lure him into sin (Genesis 39:9), he gave this amazing response: -

No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”

Although he was thrown into jail, the grace and favour of God remained with him such that he was made a "Director of Prison Affairs". Joseph's story clearly demonstrates that the presence of adversity in the life of a person does not indicate the absence of God.


Chapter 40
Proverbs 18: 16 says, "A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men". God had clearly endowed Joseph with a gift in the area of dreams. It was his dreams that led to his brother's jealousy, which made them sell him into slavery. The same gift eventually became instrumental in securing his freedom. While serving his prison sentence, Joseph interpreted the dreams of two prominent servants of Pharaoh. He acknowledged God as the one who reveals all secrets and displayed uprightness in the interpretation of the dreams by delivering the interpretations exactly as he received them.

Even though he thought his interpretation of the butler's dream would secure him an early release from jail, this did not materialise. God is interested in the minute detail of what goes on in the lives of His loved ones and even when they appear to have been forgotten, He continues to use their predicament to lead them to their destination.  As it says in Jeremiah 29: 11:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

God’s providence was clearly displayed in the life of Joseph.  From his entrance into slavery, to his time with Potiphar even when he was in jail, we can see God directing affairs relating to Joseph to bring him to God’s prepared place.

Deacon Babatunde Akinfisoye

JOSHUA 1:8

8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

aajudah

Taiwo Ilemobola

Fitting into His Plan

Thu, 13/01/2011
Genesis Chapters 36 to 37

GENESIS 36

Esau’s Descendants

 1 This is the account of the family line of Esau (that is, Edom).

Commentary

Chapter 36 opens with an account of Esau’s genealogy; we are introduced to the sons born to him in Canaan.  He has obviously prospered and is enjoying some of the blessings of being Isaac’s son, however he must now make room for his brother [who as a recipient of the blessing was promised the land], because it is not adequate to support them both.  Has Esau matured to the point where he selflessly gives up the land, or does he move because he has no choice?

Esau moves to Seir and becomes the father of the Edomites.  Prior to G2R, genealogies made my eyes glaze over and I often skipped over them, as the ‘X begat Y’ was boring to me.  However since realising that nothing is in the Bible ‘just because’, I have read the family accounts with interest, tracing through the Bible to see where else names pop up and the results are fascinating.  For instance, the war that started in Rebekah’s womb between her two sons continued long after they lived – Esau’s descendants were a cause of much strife and pain to Jacob’s people and consequently the Israelites:

  • The Amalekite battle- Aaron and Hur had to support Moses’ arms to secure their defeat. [Ex 17:8-16] God subsequently promised to blot them out of existence.
  • The king of Edom refused Moses and the Israelites safe passage through his country and threatened them with his army [Num 20:21].
  • The Edomites got together with the Babylonians to desecrate Israel.  The book of Obadiah details the prophecy against the Edomites and their demise.
  • Herod the Great who tried to have baby Jesus killed was an Edomite.  According to Josephus, Edomites were preferred over Jews to hold the position of Herod, as they were more likely to compromise their religion and worship Caesar.


How amazing is God, even though He knew what was to come, He instructed the Israelites not to despise the Edomites, as they were relatives. [Deut 23:7].  Sadly the Edomites had no such censure, and I wonder if their intense dislike of the Israelites was fuelled by the ‘story’ of the usurper who stole their entitlement, which no doubt would have been passed down from generation to generation.

As Esau gives way to Jacob, attention turns to 17-year-old Joseph, much loved [by Jacob], favoured son, possibly a little spoilt. Who else got to wear bespoke tailoring made by one of the patriarchs?  It was bad enough that the brothers had a constant reminder in their names as to how they [and their mothers] did not match up in Jacob’s eyes, but now Joseph had to rub salt in the wound by telling them [not once but twice!] about his dreams and how he would ultimately be exalted above them all!  Joseph was either an extremely tactless or bold teenager.  It was only a matter of time before it all boiled over.    

The deceptive trait rears its head again and the brothers decide to do something about the exalted tattletale.  They cold-heartedly carry out their plan, though the way it reads, it looks like it was a plan conceived on the spot.  Little did they know that they were part of God’s master plan.  What delight they must have had as they spitefully ripped off the object of their jealousy and threw him into the pit.  Such little consideration do they have for their own flesh and blood that they sit down and have a meal while he languishes in the pit they intend him to die in.  How they must have hated him!  

As is often the case with God, he provides a way out for Joseph.  The Ishmaelites are the vehicle to get him to Egypt to start the next phase of his life.  And this painful episode marks the beginning of what must have been an intense trial of faith for Joseph.  What was going through his mind as he sat in the pit?  What about all those dreams?  What did he say to God?  What did God say to him?  I love this story because through it all [as we will see in the chapters to come] you can see God working out His plan even when things look bleak and hopeless.  It reminds me of what we are promised when we pray with the help of the Holy Spirit: We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labour] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. [Rom. 8:28 AMP].   

Where are you today?  Does it look like you are drifting further away from your dreams?  Does it all seem hopeless?  Call on God with the help of the Holy Spirit, and thank Him that all things work together and fit into His plan for good!

Morenike Olubode

DEUTERONOMY 6:2

2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.

o.onakoya

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