The Bible in 90 Days
Day 4: Genesis 40:12-50:26 || Read the CEB online.
I’m struck by two lines in the saga of Joseph & his brothers.
First: “I will go down to Egypt with you, and I promise to bring you out again.” (Genesis 46:4 CEB) This foreshadows what we’ll read tomorrow when we begin the story of the Exodus. But note the passage of time that will take place. This promise will be fulfilled, but it takesa quite a bit of time. The main thrust of God’s statement, though, is that God has claimed the people of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob…and that is not something to be taken lightly.
Second: “You planned something bad for me, but God produced something good from it, in order to save the lives of many people, just as he’s doing today.” (Genesis 50:20 CEB) Let’s recognize that throwing Joseph down a well, conspiring to lie to Dad & say his youngest son is dead, and selling the aforementioned child into slavery is pretty bad stuff. It’s bad newws if you were to do this today. Not the desired outcome for anyone–parents, kids, Joseph, God. Our word for this: sin. But note what happens: things begin to happen that change the outcome. Joseph doesn’t stay a slave. The older brothers don’t stay insufferable jerks. Jacob still longs for his long-dead (or thought-to-be-dead) son. And there’s the possibbility for something new and alive to come out of death and bitterness. Not every “bad news” story ends with a happy ending. But this story of unintended consequences remiinds us that maybe, just maybe, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes things really do turn out all right. And when that happens, it’s not because any of us designed it that way–it’s because God intendeed good all along, that God is always ready to save the lives of many people…even today
What promises are you still waiting on for fulfillment?
Have you ever been surprised by God’s grace & salvation?
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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