Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible….

Genesis 37:2-3 ESV

2 These are the generations of Jacob.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father.

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.

Joseph has entered the history of God’s Old Testament Covenant people. From chapter 37 through the remainder of Genesis, Joseph takes center stage. It can also be stated that there is none in the Old Testament with such a winsome life as Joseph. If anyone had the opportunity to be a spoiled brat Joseph did. He was the son of a wealthy man who doted on his children. He was this rich man’s favorite son. He was obedient to his father and evidently loved him greatly.

He could have been, but he was not a brat. It is interesting to note here that the introduction to his story is

“the generations of Jacob.” All he did was included as a part of the history of Jacob.

The story of Joseph opens with his dreams and closes with his instructions to carry his remains out of Egypt when Israel departed.

Joseph served only one master. Joseph lived with only one hope. Joseph acted with only one purpose. Joseph’s life is a life of fellowship with God. His master was God. His hope was that God would liberate him. His purpose was to please God alone.

His walk, character, and conversation is set before us clearly in one brief statement. Genesis 50:15-21.

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him."

16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, "Your father gave this command before he died,

17 'Say to Joseph, Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.' And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants."

19 But Joseph said to them, "Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?

20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones." Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

Joseph could have been angry. He never was. He could have been bitter. He never was. He could have had revenge. He never considered it. Joseph lived as much like his divine master who came later as a man could.

Listen to Joseph’s last words. Genesis 50:24-26

24 And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."

25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here."

26 So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

Lot’s wife could not get her heart out of Sodom when being drug to deliverance. Joseph might die in Egypt, but they could never get his heart there. Hebrews 11:22

22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.