S – And now don’t be grieved or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life. ⁶ For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting. ⁷ God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. ⁸ Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God

Genesis 45:5–8 CSB

O –  Commentary:

God … sent me is the central message of the account of Jacob’s family (37:2). As the Lord had told Abraham, he was leading the Israelites into Egypt (15:13). God had sent Joseph to Egypt to prepare for his family’s rescue during the famine. In what has become a classic statement of God’s sovereignty, Joseph explained that God had been working through all of the circumstances and human acts to bring about his plan. The certainty of God’s will is the basis for forgiveness and reconciliation with those who do wrong, cause hurt, or bring harm. If people do not believe that God is sovereign, then they will blame others and retaliate. Those who are spiritual will trust that God is at work even through human wickedness (see also Rom 8:28–30)

 New Living Translation Study Bible 

A – God is sovereign.  It is easy to trust in his ability when things are good and challenging when things are bad.  We must recognize that He is present in both.  And, that He is working for our good in both.  There are a lot of things that I don’t like or understand but I still choose relationship with God and faith.  Why?  I truly believe that his ways lead to the very best for me and those I love.

R- Heavenly Father, we worship and surrender to you the one, true God.  Your thoughts and ways are not like ours.  We put our trust in you to accomplish the work you need to do in us so we are in alignment with your will.  Most importantly, we want to know you more and grow in our relationship with you.

S – What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed your servants’ iniquity. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one in whose possession the cup was found.” 

Genesis 44:16 CSB

 O – Commentary:

Judah again spoke for the group. • God is punishing us for our sins: God was completing the work of repentance in their hearts. Judah again proposed that they all be punished. Benjamin was seemingly guilty of this theft, but all of the others were guilty of sin against Joseph. They preferred not returning to Jacob at all versus seeing his grief at the loss of Benjamin

 New Living Translation Study Bible 

A – One adage that I believe personally is that “The truth will always come out.”  Even if it isn’t in this lifetime, the truth cannot remain unhidden.  We cannot do things thinking we are getting away with it.  God sees it all and will use it to accomplish his purposes.  (Which we will see in the next chapter).

R – Heavenly Father, you are the one true God. We are grateful that you have a purpose for our lives.  You supernaturally mix the good and bad things we do to accomplish your will.  Empower us today to grow in our relationship with you.

S – Then the steward said, “May you be well. Don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father must have put treasure in your bags. I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.

Genesis 43:23 CSB

O – Commentary:

 When they told Joseph’s steward about the silver they found in their sacks when returning from their first trip, the steward told them not to be afraid because their God had given them that money. Perhaps Joseph had talked with the steward about the true God.

 “Genesis,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – When God is working in someone, others are watching.  While it is unsure whether Joseph talked with his steward about God, the proximity of the two allowed the steward to have a reverence for God.  Ironically, he was teaching the Hebrew men about the character and capabilities of the God they worshipped.  We must be aware of the impact of our words and actions on those around us.

R – Heavenly Father, we worship and ascribe you glory today.  Help us be aware of our relationship with you.  Let our thoughts, words and actions align with your will and character.  Let the impact of our relationship bring others closer to you.

S – Then they said to each other, “Obviously, we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us.

Genesis 42:21 CSB

O – Commentary:

The brothers sensed that having to bring Benjamin back to Egypt against their father’s wishes was God’s punishment for their having sold Joseph to the traders. The sense of divine retribution began to awaken feelings of remorse that Joseph’s cries for mercy and their father’s tears (37:34–35) had failed to arouse

 New Living Translation Study Bible 

A – Interesting to see how their human emotions are coming out years later after event happened.  God was working on their hearts all the time that Joseph was serving Potipher and imprisoned.  This was years in the making.  When we have sin or areas that need to be addressed, God keeps bringing them to our attention and gives us opportunity to deal with them.

R – Heavenly Father, you are Holy and Righteous.  Work in our own hearts today.  Whatever we need to deal with that will forgive sins or remove obstacles in our path, give us the courage to deal with them.  We invite your forgiveness with gratitude that you love us in our messiness.

S – The proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants, ³⁸ and he said to them, “Can we find anyone like this, a man who has God’s spirit in him?” ³⁹ So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you are. ⁴⁰ You will be over my house, and all my people will obey your commands.^, Only I, as king, will be greater than you.

Genesis 41:37–40 CSB

O –  Commentary:

Pharaoh recognized that Joseph was the man for the job; he had the spirit of God and was intelligent and wise. God showed his sovereign rule in Egypt; Israelites who later read the account could be confident that God would save them as he had promised.

 New Living Translation Study Bible 

A – From the prison to the palace in one day.  Yet, it was two years after Joseph initially interpreted the cup bearer’s dream.   God’s timing is difficult because many times it involves patience.  I am still learning and growing in this.  Our faith and trust grows but the waiting is hard to understand and accept.  In the end, God and his purposes are worth it.

R – Heavenly Father, you are Omnipresent and All Knowing.  Strengthen our resolve in waiting on you in the promises and milestones you have for us.  We put our faith and trust in you.  Help us to see your hand daily and encourage us to keep going.

S – Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph; he forgot him. 

Genesis  40:23 CSB

O – Commentary:

chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph’s request in v. 14 is forgotten, and he remains in prison. Yet the earlier mention of God’s favor with Joseph hints that something good is looming on the horizon, despite the bleak outlook (39:2).

Faithlife Study Bible

A – When we face difficult situations, God has not forgotten us.  Even so, the next verse in chapter 41 starts with “At the end of two years.”  That seems like a long time for someone to keep their faith in God when they are still in prison.  Our trust that God’s timing is perfect  and purposes for our good will sustain us in even the most difficult segments of the journey.

R – Heavenly Father, the one true God.  We worship and surrender to you alone.  Meet us where our faith is today in our relationship with you.  We want to know you more and trust you implicitly.  Give us strength and wisdom to follow you today.

S – Judah recognized them and said, “She is more in the right than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not know her intimately again. 

Genesis 38:26 CSB

O –  Commentary:

She is more righteous than I am: Judah acknowledged that he had shirked his responsibility to provide an heir. It was sinful for Judah to go to a prostitute, but Tamar had a legal right to be the mother of Judah’s child and had acted on that right. In the book of Ruth, the elders analogously blessed the marriage of Boaz and Ruth, praying that God would make Ruth like Tamar (Ruth 4:12; cp. Matt 1:3, 5).

 New Living Translation Study Bible 

A – Even in the craziness of this story, righteousness prevailed.  When Judah did not fulfill the custom and responsibility, Tamar acted upon her right.  God is righteous and just.  And, his plans will not be stopped.  Only he can take a crazy situation like this and see his will carried out righteously.

R – Heavenly Father, you are righteous and just.  In all situations, we surrender our will so yours can be accomplished.  Grow our faith to trust you in all situations.

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 37:10–12 CSB

O – Commentary:

The brothers … hated Joseph all the more (37:5, 8) and were jealous of him, but Jacob pondered the matter (v. 11). He knew how God works; he was well aware that God could select the younger to rule over the elder, and that God could declare His choice in advance by an oracle or a dream.

“Genesis,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – God’s ways are not our ways.  He looks at the heart and realized that all of the older brothers were not the ones to lead the family.  He also knew the future and needed someone to take care of Israel’s family when the future famine came.  God takes all of this and begins to establish Joseph’s path to leadership in Egypt.

R- Heavenly Father, you are all powerful and have no limits.  Help us to trust in you when we don’t understand your path and direction.  Grow our faith to look beyond our own desires.  We invite you to lead and guide us today.

S – 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 36:6 CSB

O – Commentary:

The account of Esau stresses two points. First, Esau’s sons were born … in the land of Canaan (36:5) before he moved to Seir (36:8). Jacob’s children, by contrast, were almost all born outside the land but then moved into it. God was giving the land to Jacob and his descendants and so made room for them by providing for Esau in a different place. Second, Esau’s other name was Edom. Israel often struggled with the Edomites 

 New Living Translation Study Bible 

A – Esau makes another decision that actually fulfills God’s plan for Israel to occupy the promised land.  Like Lot, he choose “greener pastures” instead of God’s promise.  We need to make sure we are in alignment with God’s plan more than our own wishes and desires.  What looks good might not be the best in God’s overall plan.

R – Heavenly Father, you are the Creator of all.  Give us the discernment and wisdom to walk in your will.  Empower us to make decisions that keep us aligned with your purposes. Help us hear your voice and promptings as we move forward with you.

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 – When Jacob first encountered God at Bethel (28:10–22), he erected a pillar (matsevah in Hebrew) and anointed it (see 28:18–22). Now he is instructed to build an altar at the same location.

Faithlife Study Bible 

A – When Jacob was first was at Bethel, he said “This is God’s house and dwelling place” and God promised to be with him wherever he went.  Now, Jacob is affirming God’s presence wherever he travelled.  This is a shift for us today.  God is not in one place – He is every where at all times. Yet, he is intimately present to us.  

R – Heavenly Father, you are omnipresent – you are all place at once.  Thank you for your unlimited presence to everyone in all places.  More importantly, thank you for knowing us intimately.  You know us and see us.  Help us to continue to grow in your presence, power and peace.