S – “Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guards in the prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guards assigned Joseph to them as their personal attendant, and they were in custody for some time.” Genesis 40:2–4 CSB
O – A couple of items:
1. Chapter 39 tells us that Joseph was put in the prison where the Pharoah’s prisoners were confined. This explains how the two officers of such high status are in this place.
2. The captain of the guards is Potiphar (39:1).
3. He is the one who assigns Joseph to serve them while in custody. Could Potiphar still see the character and God’s presence with Joseph even while in jail?
4. Joseph would need this “royal connection” to get to where God destined him.
A – Even in difficult times and circumstances, God is bringing the right people and opportunities to accomplish his will. I need to focus on aligning with God’s character, will and purpose.
S – “When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he did successful, 4 Joseph found favor with his master and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority. 5 From the time that he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house because of Joseph. The Lord’s blessing was on all that he owned, in his house and in his fields
Genesis 39:3–5 CSB
O – Even sold into slavery, Joseph did not deter from God’s ways. He didn’t become the victim of his circumstances. He worked and the Lord blessed his work. We don’t know the words he used but Potiphar saw the message – God brought his success. The more authority Potiphar gave Joseph, the more blessings. This is Joseph’s training ground for when he eventually is named the 2nd in all of Egypt. Faithful with Potiphar’s house – faithful with the most powerful country in the world at that time.
A – Do your work for the Lord. It is fulfilled in a job or an organization but do it as the Lord is with you. He will give blessings where He is honored in the person. Godly action is a strong message. It is also preparation for what is to come.
S – “But then he pulled his hand back, out came his brother, and she said, “What a breakout you have made for yourself!” So he was named Perez.” Genesis 38:29 CSB
O – The theme of the younger sibling overshadowing the older one continues. Even with Judah’s mistakes and egotistical oversight, God’s plans and purposes are fulfilled. Judah is the one who suggested to his brothers to sell Joseph into slavery. Here, he doesn’t keep his promise. Yet, in his actions, God turns it around for His plan. Matthew 1:3 “Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez fathered Hezron…” He is part of the lineage of Jesus.
A – God’s will and purpose will not be thwarted. It is better to submit to what God is doing in my life and follow His lead. When I force my will, He will prevail.
S – “He told his father and brothers, and his father rebuked him. “What kind of dream is this that you have had?” he said. “Am I and your mother and your brothers really going to come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.”
Genesis 37:10–11 CSB
O – God gives Joseph dreams of the future relationship he will have with his family. Even his parents will join in bowing down to him. But notice vs. 11, Jacob doesn’t dismiss it. If anyone knew that older brothers could be subject to a younger brother, it was him. He had Esau’s birthright. Jacob knew that God can orchestrate events to fulfill his purpose. Even with all that supporting him, Joseph would endure a series of hardships in fulfilling God’s purpose.
A – I need to walk with a sensitivity to what God is doing today. Circumstances and situations do not supersede God’s plans and purposes. I need to be faithful to what God gives me today.
S – These were Esau’s sons, who were born to him in the land of Canaan. Esau took his wives, sons, daughters, and all the people of his household, as well as his herds, all his livestock, and all the property he had acquired in Canaan; he went to a land away from his brother Jacob.
Genesis 36:5–6 CSB
O – Esau is experiencing more earthly prosperity and actually “possesses” the land of Canaan. The fact they were born there and “owned” the land made it interesting that Joseph traveled for much of his life, yet the land was promised to him. Esau’s extensive family and flocks caused him to leave for greener pastures to take care of them. God’s promise to Jacob was fulfilled when it didn’t look like it would.
A – God will make a way for his will and purpose to be accomplished. Even when it doesn’t make sense, God has it under control.
R – Lord, I can trust in your plans and purposes, even when I don’t see or understand them.
S – “We must get up and go to Bethel. I will build an altar there to the God who answered me in my day of distress. He has been with me everywhere I have gone.” Genesis 35:3 CSB
O – After the journey of leaving his parents, living under Laban’s authority, and reconciling with Esau, Jacob remembers that he made a vow to God. He goes back to the place but makes the statement that God has been with him everywhere. God fulfilled his part of the vow and now it is Jacob’s turn to do his part. A strong point to recognize is that God goes with us everywhere – the good and the bad. God is faithful to his word and promises. We need to do our part.
A – I need to have faith in God’s purposes, resolve in his promises and courage to walk out what the Holy Spirit leads me to do.
S – “We will agree with you only on this condition: if all your males are circumcised as we are. Then we will give you our daughters, take your daughters for ourselves, live with you, and become one people.” Genesis 34:15–17 CSB
O – The root of deception that characterized Jacob all his life is evident in his sons. They make this agreement based on the fact that the Canaanites would not do this. When they did, the son’s actions were deceitful. A couple of items:
The Israelites asked the Canaanites to do something that represented their covenant with God. Outward actions do not equal relationship or commitment. It must be in the heart and in their own faith.
The Canaanites offered them the land in return. The Israelites were already promised the land by God. Who did you trust in that moment?
The plunder was the possessions and people of the land but invited the wrath of all those around the area. There will be trouble – do you invite it or do you oppose it?
A – I need the Holy Spirit to lead me today to recognize what is of him and what is my own desires.
S – “But Jacob said, “No, please! If I have found favor with you, take this gift from me. For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing God’s face since you have accepted me.” Genesis 33:10 CSB
O – “Like seeing the face of God.” Interesting that Jacob has actually seen the face of God and likens it to seeing Esau. Both represent Jacob leaving his past and moving toward a new future. He wrestled with God and was given a new name. He was changed from a deceiver to one God fights for. He also had a change with Esau from the younger brother who deceived him to a loved sibling. With God’s healing of his past, Jacob is ready to move forward with a new character.
A – I need to continue to learn from the past but leave the character and narrative behind. Once it is under the blood of Jesus, I do not need to carry it into my future.
S – Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not defeat him, he struck Jacob’s hip socket as they wrestled and dislocated his hip. 26 Then he said to Jacob, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” “What is your name?” the man asked. “Jacob,” he replied. 28 “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” he said. “It will be Israel because you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.”
Genesis 32:24–28 CSB
O – In wrestling with God physically, Jacob was given new insights spiritually.
1. If a man can wrestle with God and not lose, he can wrestle another man with God and not lose. For all the “battles” we face as humans, with God on our side we can win.
2. When Jacob had to say his own name, he revealed who he really was – deceiver, heel catcher, thief. God changed his name, which gave him a new path for his character. That happens to us today when we enter into a relationship with Christ.
3. Jacob left with a physical limp. Interaction with God will mark us so that others can see it.
A – I can invite God into each day so that I can win. Continue to change my character to reveal God’s. I want to walk in my scars to show others God’s love for them.
I am writing this at 35,000 feet as I travel to Haiti on a mission’s trip. I have a backpack full of stuff to make the trip go smoothly – lap top, hat, protein bars, water, hand sanitizer, glasses, sun screen and of course, my passport.
If you are like me, you don’t give your passport a lot of love. If I am not traveling, it sits in my drawer collecting dust and basically doing nothing. I don’t think about it at all. I don’t carry it in my pocket, keep it handy, check to see if it is up to date…basically, I don’t value it.
YET…when I travel outside the United States, it becomes a really big deal. I wipe off all the dust and empty it of any prior airline tickets. I check to make sure it is within the termination date and all is in order. I will carry it with me wherever I go. It will be the most important item I can carry while outside the USA.
Why is this little book so vital? It identifies who I am and who I belong to. It gives my name, physical description and has a picture. If anyone wants to verify who I am, my passport allows them to do this in just a few moments. It tells that I am a citizen of the United States of America. It clearly identifies that I have all the rights given as a citizen of my home country. You can have the same name or even look like me, but this information is mine alone. There is only one passport that identifies me as me.
Do you realize that you have your own passport? It’s your Bible.
It is easy to treat our Bible like my passport. Leave it on the shelf and gather dust until needed. Then, we clean it up and get ready to “dive in.” My challenge for you today is simple… “Read your Bible daily.” Do you just read it for the “trip” or time of need? Do you use it only when you encountering a new problem or difficulty? When that resolves, do you put it back on the shelf only to be ready for the “next trip?”
I encourage you to treat your Bible like your phone. In fact, you can actually put it on your phone. There are some tremendous versions out there that make the Bible easy to understand. I like the Youversion Bible app.
Most importantly, your Bible will do what your passport does for you. It identifies who you are if you have accepted Christ. It will give you the principles that Jesus and the disciples taught in living a Christian life. Those principles are evidence of your citizenship in Christ. It will cause you to identify you as you. The Bible has a lot to say about you and how God sees you. It will give you the truth about you. It will guide you into growing from your vision into the vision God has for you.
Pick up your Bible today. Read it each day…you will go to a place you have never been before.
Just Add Water . Chris Bonham 