Genesis 42:35-38- Steps that lead to repentance and forgiveness

In their narration to Jacob about what took place in Egypt, the brothers did not make mention of the fact that money was found in one of their bags. So while they were emptying the other sacks of grain, money was found in every sack. When they saw the money, they, including their father, became afraid. Jacob could hold it no longer so he blurted out emotionally, saying, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me.” He literally blamed them for what happened to Joseph. In his mind, he also felt that Simeon would not be released. To bring Benjamin along would never happen as far as he was concerned.

As the oldest, Reuben tried to placate the situation. He offered something absurd. He offered his sons as collateral. He said Jacob could sacrifice his two sons if he failed to return with his youngest brother. Though wanting to be accountable, he made a stupid suggestion. Why should Jacob take his offer seriously? In fact nothing could lessen the pain of Joseph’s loss. His grief at the loss of Joseph had already taken its toll. He shuddered to think that he might lose Benjamin as well. It could only happen over his dead body. So he did not think that he could take another episode of sorrow should Benjamin be taken as well.

Silly as Reuben might have sounded, it was truly a reflection that godly fear had kicked into his life. He was now a candidate for the grace of God. In fact meeting the brother whom they could not recognize had taken their soul one step into God’s redemptive grace. We could see that there was the admission of guilt, and taking the responsibility to own up to their sin. This opened the door to receive forgiveness. Then we see godly fear. It dawned on them that God had brought about the affliction. If we desire the grace of God, we need to repent. For repentance to happen, we need to feel the guilt of our wrong. Let’s heed David’s advice in Psalm 32:5, “I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”; And You forgave the guilt of my sin.”  God wants to do just that for us. 

Genesis 42:26-34 – Having an aligned conscience

Midway from Egypt to Canaan, they had to tend to the donkey because of the distance in travel. One of the brothers opened his sack and to his horror he saw his money, paid for the grain, in his sack. Alarmed, he said to his brothers, “My money has been returned, and behold, it is even in my sack.” As they heard what he said, their hearts sank. They trembled and said to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?”

For the first time in the account that they mentioned God. Why did they suddenly become alert to God? It was their guilt at work bringing about a quickened conscience. They were terrified as they became aware of the hand of God in what they were experiencing. However, this was no ordinary fear but godly fear. In a moment they concluded that God was against them. And all at once they knew that God’s hand was behind the circumstances of their lives. God was in it all to bring them to the point where He wanted them to be. This is the whole purpose of godly fear. Are we in the situation of life where, everything in life just seems to give way? It could well be the hand of God beckoning us to take a fresh look at the situation of our life, and to rethink His purpose for us.

And when they finally arrived home, they narrated to their father what had happened and how they responded. Jacob’s sons narrated to him what they told the man in-charge. They said, “The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly with us, and took us for spies of the country. But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies. We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no longer alive, and the youngest is with our father today in the land of Canaan.’ The man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me and take grain for the famine of your households, and go. But bring your youngest brother to me that I may know that you are not spies, but honest men. I will give your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.’”

The reason they framed the account this way was in the hope of persuading Jacob, to allow them to bring Benjamin along with them for the next trip to Egypt. Notice how they missed out on some of the details. They did not tell him that they were held in prison for three days. And they did not tell him that the right hand man of Pharaoh, whom they did not know was Joseph, threatened to execute them. And they also did not tell Jacob that some money were found among the grains in one of their sacks, midway to Canaan. The reason they avoided these details was because they knew that Jacob would flatly refuse to allow Benjamin to accompany them to Egypt for the next trip. So they remained absolutely quiet concerning these matters. We need to be mindful that whatever wrong we have committed, there will always be times of testing. When we realize our flaws during testing, we need to own up to them and respond to God’s grace. It will bring about the effectual awakening of our conscience and help us align our life with God. 

Genesis 42:18-25 – Making peace with our past

Joseph imprisoned his brothers for three days. Those must have been three long terror-filled days. Each must have been tormented as they considered who should go and bear the news to Jacob. We can be pretty sure that most of them would rather be in prison than to return home to bring the news to their father. Joseph had cleverly terrified them till they were confused. Then on the third day, what Joseph did surprised them on two counts. Firstly, he astounded them by making reference to God. In verse 18 he said to them, “Do this and live, for I fear God….” Till now, the ten brothers had at no point made mention of God in their conversation. And to hear Joseph mention God was certainly a surprise to them. More so, to think that Joseph, whom they thought was an Egyptian, making mention of God would be even more shocking.  Secondly, Joseph decided to only hold one of them and let the other nine return to fetch Benjamin to Egypt. This must have brought some relief since they could then return home with some grains. But Joseph wanted to know if his decision to just retain one brother would subject the rest to the temptation of abandoning that retained brother, just like they did to him thirteen years ago?

What Joseph did to them was making them admit their guilt. Verses 21-22 reveal that their minds went back to that moment when they abandoned Joseph. They were saying to each other, “Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us.” Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not tell you, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Now comes the reckoning for his blood.” There were deep remorse all round as they looked back. They referred to Joseph as our brother instead of the dreamer. With the passing of time they must have regretted what they did to Joseph. So that day he realized that his brothers did have feelings after all. They even confessed that they rightly deserved what they were going through.  

With awakened conscience, the brothers now felt the guilt of their past. And true guilt does have a way of bringing about repentance in a person.  The brothers’ guilt put them in the path of grace. Let’s be sensitive to God’s leading. When we sense him leading us to a point to release our wrong, we should seize the moment to turn to Him. We must embrace that grace and allow it to bring its full impact in our life. The brothers did not know that it was Joseph that they were dealing with for there was an interpreter between them. Hence they did not know that Joseph understood what they were saying. And he was touched by the expression of their guilt, so he turned away from them and wept. He probably also wept because he felt their pain as they had to be put through the plan he came up with, to find out if they had indeed changed.

  

Joseph knew he still had one more test to complete his strategy. Having composed himself, he returned and spoke to them. He took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.  Meanwhile he ordered that his brothers’ bags be filled with grain and to return their money by placing it in their bags. He also made provision for their journey back to their father. His order was carried out. All these Joseph did to test them. The first step to change is self-awareness. If we do not see our wrong, we will never take the step to change. What Joseph did to his brothers brought them into their past misdeeds. When they finally realized their guilt they were now ready for the grace poised to be poured over them. For us today, a good time of introspection can help bring us to where we have gone wrong and then be ready to make adjustment to right the wrong. It can be a very liberating experience. Take time to do it. 

Genesis 42:6-17 – Choose to act wisely because every cause has an effect

Exactly 13 years after they sold Joseph, his ten brothers came to him in Egypt to buy grains from him. To them Joseph was gone for good. Never in their imagination would they think they would ever meet him again, even if he was alive. By this time, Joseph was everything Egyptian, but only in his appearance. He was cleanly shaven, and wore fine linen garment that court officials were dressed in. He had the golden necklace given to him by Pharaoh around his neck. Joseph indeed had a very different look from the last they saw him. These plus the fact that they had not seen him for 13 years made it difficult for them to imagine that Joseph was the one standing before them. Now they were forced to bow before him. As much as they disliked bowing to a foreigner, it was necessary for their survival.

Unknown to them, Joseph recognized them almost instantly. All ten of them. They could be older but Joseph never forgot how they look. And of course he recognized the language they spoke for after all, deep inside him, Joseph was still a Hebrew. Although he recognized them, he did not show any sign that he did. So he conducted his business with exceptional composure and did not give away who he truly was. Being the person in charge, Joseph was in full control so he had peerless advantage. Besides, his brothers did not know who he was but Joseph knew them with precise familiarity. Since 13 years had now elapsed, Joseph needed to assess them and know what was in their hearts. He probably wanted to know if they had changed. Would they be just as cruel and heartless as they were 13 years ago? Were they as malicious and murderous as they were back then? What could be their feeling toward him now? Were they still as hateful of him as they were back then? How would they react under pressure? Would they betray and sacrifice each other in order to save their own skin? These and probably many other things he needed to know. If he had made known who he was to them, he would never truly know what was in their hearts. Their past misdeeds needed to be dealt with so that they would know exactly where they had gone awfully wrong. So immediately Joseph conceived an excellent plan. Joseph knew that his brothers were no simple folks. They were mass murderers who had massacred a whole lot of people at Shechem. He also knew first hand that they were people who had thrown a brother of theirs into the pit, and could turn a deaf hear to his prolonged and pitiful cry.

So he began interrogating them harshly. Verse 9 tells us that in the midst of his interrogation, he remembered his dreams. Just as he had seen in his dreams, his brothers were bowing to him. Deep within there must be a certain degree of satisfaction. Yet he must have realized that the dream had not fully come to pass as yet. For one more brother and his father was not there. So he charged them of spying, saying “You are spies; you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land.” They vehemently denied the accusations. But the repeated accusations must have rattled their nerves. His brothers couldn’t hold their true identity any longer. They probably couldn’t forget what they had done to Joseph. So they finally said, “Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no longer alive.” Their conscience was finally being awakened. They thought of Joseph whom they had sold, whether he was alive or not they did not know. So they confessed that “…one was no longer alive.” 

At this point, Joseph put them through a severe test. He dealt with them the way they had dealt with him. They harassed him then so he harassed them now. They accused him of spying on them while they were shepherding the father’s flock, he accused them of coming to spy in Egypt. They had thrown him into a pit, so he also had them thrown into the prison. Notice the parallel treatments he dished out to them were similar to those they had put him through. He also tormented them by asking for Benjamin, who by now would have replaced him in his father’s wounded and empty heart. For sure none of them wanted to be that messenger. Remember that the rooster always come back to roost. There will always be payback time. The end doesn’t justify the means, but the means will always determine the end. Yes, we certainly can decide a certain course of action. But remember that whatever decision we make we don’t have the right to choose the consequence. So choose rightly and live wisely.     

Genesis 42:1-5 – The need to deal with guilt

Let us do a little recapitulation of Jacob’s 12 sons. Of the sons he had, Joseph was sold to Egypt by his jealous brothers. But he had arisen to be the viceroy of Pharaoh and became a powerful man, who now had control of all of the king’s asset in Egypt. Joseph rode on Pharaoh’s second chariot and was greatly revered. Because he was found trustworthy, there was installed for him a great plan ahead. He and his brother, Benjamin, shared the same mother, Rachel, whom Jacob loved dearly. Nothing much was said about Benjamin who was now more precious to Jacob. He treated him with more care and tenderness. Firstly, because he was the other child whom he had with Rachel. Secondly it’s because he had already lost Joseph. So he was fearful of losing him.

Reuben, his first born, did a terrible thing by committing incest with his concubine and had incurred his displeasure. Simeon and Levi committed mass murder by finishing off the Shechemites. This pair of brothers deceived the people of Schehem into circumcision and then had them murdered while they were recuperating from their circumcision. They committed the mass genocide to exact revenge on Shechem, the son of Hamor, who had raped their sister Dinah. Then the ten conspired and had Joseph beaten, stripped and thrown into a pit, intending to kill him later. They later changed their mind and sold him to an Ishmaelite trader, who took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar. Furthermore, Judah, his fourth son, impregnated his own daughter-in-law, Tamar, who had masqueraded as a Canaanite prostitute. That was because Judah did not keep his promise to her. Except for Joseph, none of them looked like a good prospect to ensure God’s promise that the world would be blessed through Abraham’s family.

The brothers of Joseph were guilty and this needed to be dealt with. Their conscience needed to be awakened. The way to achieve that was to have them come to grips with their guilt. The first step to that would be a reconciliation with Joseph, the brother they had hurt most. Their future rested on them coming to terms for their misdeeds in handling Joseph. God had engineered the circumstance and it was about to be unfolded. They needed grace desperately and they were not aware of it. The famine was not just peculiar to Egypt, it was an earth-wide phenomenon. The drought induced famine had left the rest of the world starving. Since food could only be found in Egypt, Jacob sent the ten brothers to buy some to keep the family alive.

Jacob’s sons were at a lost and did not know what to do. They were waiting for some direction from their father. So Jacob said to them, “Why do you look at one another?” So he gave them instruction to make a trip to Egypt to buy some grains.  Verse 4 tells us that Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might happen to him. Though Jacob did not know what had happened to Joseph, he bore a grudge against the ten sons. From his action, the ten brothers could tell that he blamed them for Joseph’s death. And they all could feel it. His sending them to Egypt, without sending Benjamin along, must have made them recall how they had treated Joseph. They truly felt the weight of their guilt. But the dream of Joseph was slowly coming true. The first step had taken place.

Guilt can debilitate and incapacitate us. It was so for the ten brothers of Joseph. They most probably had thought about their cruel treatment of Joseph. It had to be dealt with. In order not to have a guilt ridden life about a past mistreatment of someone, we need to seek that person out to be reconciled with him or her. Take seriously the words of James 5:16 that say, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.”     

Genesis 41:53-57 - Becoming effective instrument in God’s hand

The seven good years of growth and prosperity was coming to the end. The seven lean years was looming. The first part of Pharaoh’s dreams had passed and the second part was about to begin. The seven good years saw plenty and were indeed bountiful and wonderful. But the seven lean years were the very opposite. They were seven of the most terrible years. Twice the text said that the famine was severe. Verse 57 said that the whole earth felt the impact. But for Joseph’s ingenious plan, death would be the common catchphrase in the passage.

Joseph’s great plan did not only preserve Egypt, it preserved the whole earth. People all over the earth went down to Egypt to buy grain. And God’s word to Abraham that “…in you shall all the families of the earth be blessed” was coming to pass. Of course much cash was pouring into Pharaoh’s coffer. And Joseph was obviously recognized as the hero of Egypt. Yes, he was truly born for an hour such as this. But something deeper still was coming to pass and he did not know about it. It’s the fact that his own dream about his father and brothers bowing to him was set in motion.

For many, life at the top could be a hazard. The exposure to riches and power had stumbled many. But for Joseph he did not only came through it unscathed but came through it brilliantly faithful to God. What made him so successful? The answer can be traced to the thirteen years of testing where he was honed and shaped, and his soul fully grounded in God. His tough time in the pit, in Potiphar’s house and in prison all took a part in toughening his soul. That’s why we shouldn’t dismiss the trails of life. Inconvenient as they may be, they toughen us up and get us ready to face tomorrow. That’s also the reason why we should count it all joy when we encounter various trials.     

Joseph truly demonstrated a life that wholly trusted in the greatness of God. Looking back, he could tell that God was there with him in every circumstance, whether in the prison, the pit or the palace. The Almighty was truly at work in the daily hustle and bustle of his life. Unwittingly, as His instrument, Joseph had revealed to Pharaoh, the pseudo-god, that he certainly was not god. For the true God has absolute control of destiny, yes even the destiny of Pharaoh and Egypt and the Nile. Besides, he also could attest to the reality of the words of the covenant keeping God, first given to Abraham, then to Isaac and to Jacob. So steep was Joseph’s faith in God that despite being in Egypt, and married to the daughter of an Egyptian priest, he would give his sons Hebrew names. He truly believed in God as no one else had in his time.

Joseph’s life tells us that it’s possible to live for God, whether in prosperity or adversity.  The affluence that we are daily exposed to need not be our stumbling block. In every circumstance of life, tough or otherwise, with us is the God who controls destiny. No wonder Paul tells us to give thanks in everything. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. So in the up’s and down’s of our life, we must remember that God is shaping us for effectiveness.    

Genesis 41:46-52 – Being wise stewards of God

At age 30, at the height of life, Joseph assumed his work and went about it responsibly. He could respond with such diligence because he believed the dreams of the Pharaoh were from God. Joseph knew he only had seven years to store up the grains for the seven years of famine that were coming. His consistency in trusting God was evident in the hard work he produced in response to God’s word. Verses 46-49 describe the feverish pace he went about his assignment. All because he knew what he told Pharaoh was coming true. The seven years of famine was approaching.

Obviously, Joseph was not a procrastinator. Very diligently he knew he shouldn’t wait till tomorrow what he could do today. This teaches us a principle not to push an assignment, especially an important one where we don’t sense the urgency. Especially one with a distance deadline. He went about work immediately because he knew when the deadline draws closer, it will cause panic and the work produced will be shoddy. We must learn not to push to tomorrow what we can do today. That seemed to be Joseph’s philosophy. He managed his life with exactness. Although he had seven years, he paced himself. He didn’t just wait till the sixth year then get all fired up to work. He kept the end in mind. So he stored up enough grain for the famine. So much so that the grains gathered were as numerous as the sands and so immeasurable that he stopped counting. Besides, his wisdom led him to store them strategically in every city so that it would be conveniently accessible when the time came. Joseph could keep at the task because of his deep conviction in God’s word. His faith was constant even when he rose to his position.  

Alongside his career, God also blessed Joseph in his family life. With Asenath, his wife, God gave him two sons. The first son was named Manasseh meaning “he who causes to forget.” His birth must have helped Joseph to forget his past and the thirteen years of hardship before he rose to be the second man of Egypt. It must have also reduced his intense yearning for home and his father, and the atrocity he received from his brothers. Like Joseph we should learn to focus on something more positive in the present so that we are not haunted by our negative past. His second son was named Ephraim meaning “fertile.” He was very likely thinking of the abundance found at his work. He was reminding himself of the abundance in the ingathering of produce. So much so that it was no longer possible to count the grains. Joseph was celebrating the blessings, and his life was now filled with buoyancy, hopefulness and of course gratitude. 

One thing of significance was, though he had an Egyptian wife and his sons were born in Egypt, he gave then Hebrew names. He did not forget where he came from. Bear in mind his wife was a daughter of the powerful Egyptian priest. Yet he remembered not only he was Hebrew but also his spiritual origin. This reflected how he truly understood and believed in the greatness of God. His firm belief in God produced in him a faith that’s resolute and steadfast. Like Joseph, we are called to steward Gods resources in life. What are we doing with what we have? 1 Corinthians 4:2 tells us that “…it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.” Let us faithfully steward the resource God had placed in our hand - our talents, our time and our material things. 

Genesis 41:42-45 – God is our source in life

Joseph was exalted and made the second man to Pharaoh. No one deserved it more than he. He was faithful to God throughout his trying days. Nothing shook him, neither the pit, nor the luring temptation of Mrs. Potiphar and certainly not the prison. His focus on God made him truly consistent whether in the pit, the prison or the palace. His words to the cupbearer, the baker or Pharaoh remained constant, he never wavered. Unswervingly, he maintained that Elohim would give them the answers to their dreams. Joseph had a deep understanding of his God. The very moment he came out of the prison and stood before Pharaoh, he had made such a huge impression on the king. That’s why he asked in wonderment, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is a divine spirit?” Though he considered himself a god, Pharaoh had to yield to the Sovereign Lord. He acknowledged the God whom Joseph served was far more superior. So in verse 39 he said, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you are.” So on the spot he made Joseph his second in command, saying, “You shall be over my house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you.” 

Verses 42-45 describe Joseph’s investiture as Pharaoh’s second man. The king removed the signet, the symbol of authority and power, from his finger and slipped it into Joseph’s. This was the seal that would be affixed on all official and court documents. He endowed Joseph with authority to act on his behalf. Then he adorned him with fine linen garment, those worn by officers of the court. And he also put a gold necklace around his neck to show how much he was honoured. This was likely a reward for interpreting his dream. Having appropriately dressed him up, the king took him on an inaugural parade where he rode in the second chariot. Forerunners went before him to herald his way, calling on the people to bow their knee. For the last thirteen years he had been bowing much to others and now the table had turned, others were bowing to him. So Joseph was installed to his position. To him Pharaoh said, “Though I am Pharaoh, yet without your permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” In other words nothing could be done without Joseph’s approval. 

To make him more Egyptian, Pharaoh then named him Zaphenath-paneah, meaning God speaks and lives. What a testimony to have in life! Pharaoh also gave him …Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On as his wife. Ordinarily, such endowments would have set anyone up for another testing. Joseph had been faithful at the lowest point of life, now would he be faithful at the zenith? Unwittingly, he had been thrusted into the place of life’s greatest temptation. He was dressed as an Egyptian, had an Egyptian name, married an Egyptian wife, even had a powerful Egyptian father-in-law, our question is , would he succumb to the plenty he now had and bow to the gods of Egypt? We saw how he kept trusting God while in the pit as well as in the prison, would he continue to do so now at the apex of greatness?

In life, when one reaches the summit, whether in career or position, there is always the temptation to be more self-dependent and prideful. Joseph was now in a position where he would be more accustomed to getting his servants to do his bidding than to depend on God to get him through. He would be exposed to the temptation to forget where he came from and where he could have been.  His meteoric rise to greatness had put him in danger of thinking of himself more than he ought to. Isn’t this true of most people? At thirty and in the prime of life, with the luxury, the power, and everything at his disposal, could Joseph succumb to the pressure of pleasure?  We all know he didn’t because the next few chapters of Genesis tell us so. But let’s turn to look at ourselves for a while. Where are we at in life? It’s certainly easier to trust God when we don’t have much. But when God has endowed us with plenty, will our heart remain steadfastly faithful to Him?

May our constant prayer each day be: Dear God, will you roll back the curtains of my memory every now and then? Will You show me where You’ve brought me from and where I would have been? Remember that I’m human, and human forgets. So remind me, remind me dear Lord.     

Genesis 41:37-41 – Ultimately it’s God who determines our future

What’s really outstanding about Joseph was the truth the he served a great God. He was thoroughly God-centred. He was certain his God would never let him down. He held on tenaciously despite the multiple disappointments he had to endure. The long 13 years had him honed, and his administrative gift was so evident. Just hearing his proposal on how to see the nation through was impressive. Notice how his constant reference to God had rubbed on to Pharaoh. So he said to Joseph “Can we find a man like this, in whom is a divine spirit?”  Joseph did not know that when he was proposing the plan to Pharaoh, he was in effect recommending himself. Even Pharaoh recognised it. So he said, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you are.” Unwittingly the king was acknowledging Elohim, the God Joseph and his forefathers served. This man of the moment, though a slave, had been developed for such a moment. He was simply unparalleled. Whether we are cognizant of it or not, God desires to see the Joseph spirit rise in each of us. We may think we do not have the capability, but with God no one is not usable. It’s not our talent He is looking for, it’s our willingness, commitment and faithfulness. 

One moment Joseph was an imprisoned slave, and the next he was the man second only to the king. Pharaoh had personally made him his viceroy. The exact words of Pharaoh were, “You shall be over my house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you.” “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” Joseph was sure his God-given plan would save Egypt. But he was not aware that God had in mind that through his plan, he would be reconciled to his father and brothers. All he knew was that a famine was looming. 

Obviously, Joseph was a person who knew how to appraise himself. The high office he had attained did not get to him. He knew he was there by the generous grace of God. So his feet were firmly planted on the ground. Without a doubt, he knew where he stood. He would not be where he was if not for God. What he had and potentially could have were determined by God, not Pharaoh. Like him, let us not forget the One who holds the future. All our tomorrows are firmly in His hand.   

Meanwhile Joseph had not given up on his own dreams. His confidence that it would come to pass was still in place. With the fulfillment of his interpretation of the cupbearer’s dream, his confidence would surely be further enhanced. But it was only realized in God’s time.  What kept him so focused was his perception of God. Like him, our capacity to live a full and rich life, and have an effective ministry, is largely dependent on our perception of God. Bear in mind that our success in ministry is not determined by what we know but who we know. For when we know Him, we shall do great exploits with Him. Praise the Lord!   

Genesis 41:25-36 – The call to participate in God’s redemptive plan

Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams was so God-centred. He had made known that Elohim would be the source of his interpretation. He began by saying to Pharaoh that the dreams Pharaoh had were sent from God, who wanted to make known to the king what would take place. Then he repeatedly made known that God was making this known to Pharaoh so he could act accordingly. We see that in verse 28, where he paused in between his interpretation, to say, “It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh: God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do.” And again in verse 32, he said in no uncertain term that God was in all these. He said, “Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that the matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it about.” Why was Joseph doing this? He was declaring to both the Pharaoh and the Egyptians that the Sovereign God was in control and their lives were in God’s hand.

The dreams that came in a pair to Pharaoh indicated the certainty of what was going to happen. First there would be seven years of great abundance and plenty in Egypt. These were represented by the seven fat cows and seven ears. Then there would appear seven years of famine. The severity would be to such a degree which the land had not experienced before. The seven years of famine would cause all the plenty of the land to be forgotten. What Joseph had said to Pharaoh in essence was that the king himself had no control over the future. In what’s coming he would not have the ability to stop it. Joseph boldly made known to Pharaoh that everything that would happen would be entirely in God’s hand and not in Pharaoh’s. Kings do not make history, they are instruments of God to effect history, to bring about His plan and will.

We can see Joseph had great administrative insight. He not only interpreted Pharaoh’s dream, he gave him a plan and what ought to be done in preparation for the years of famine. He gave the details in verses 33-36. He told Pharaoh to look for a man who was discerning and wise, and to set him over the land of Egypt. Next Pharaoh should appoint overseers in charge of the land. Everyone in the land must contribute 20 percent of their produce and take them to a centralize store in their cities during the seven years of abundance. All the stores in the different cities would then come under Pharaoh’s authority and be protected. The accumulated harvest would be the nation’s reserve during the seven years of famine and lack. They will be used to sustain the people so that they would not perish during the famine.

Where did Joseph get all the wisdom? Obviously it came from God. How to have such kind of wisdom? The answer is equally obvious. It’s found in being connected to God. It is in discovering what God want to do in our world today. Joseph’s life serves as a call for us to stay connected to God, to seek to know Him and His plan for us, and the community we are placed in. When we know what God wants done, we can no longer stay passive but to take active steps to move toward living out His purpose. The fact that our future are in God’s hand calls for devoted action. God’s plan is all about the redemption of mankind. The church we belong to is God’s redemptive agency. Being a member of it, we have become His redemptive agents. Hence we must pray, participate and contribute toward this end. Remember, our calling is not just to touch His Kingdom but to enlarge it. And we cannot do so by being uninvolved in church life. Start now and be involved in the ministry of the Church! God is calling!

Genesis 41:15-24 – God is the source of all our wisdom

Joseph was now before the presence of the most powerful man in Egypt, an intimating personality. Any one lacking self-acceptance would be trembling and devoid of confidence. In such a situation, most people would say what is politically correct and pander to what Pharaoh wants to hear. There would be the great temptation to moderate the presentation to accommodate the king. But we know that this was not true of Joseph.

Notice how Pharaoh prefaced by saying that “I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it; and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”  Pharaoh was at his wits end. The whole council of wise men and magicians he ordinarily relied upon to interpret his dreams were all clueless, and he was at a lost. In a real sense he was desperate and helpless. He had an aura that something woeful was about to happen but he could not do a thing about it.

In contrast, Joseph was very certain that he could give Pharaoh the interpretation he needed to hear. He was sure a solution could be found even if the dreams were fearful ones. Joseph’s confidence was in God. Honestly he told Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favourable answer.” He was quick to redirect Pharaoh to God. He knew he was just a vessel, an instrument between God and the king. He was aware that the whole purpose of his presence there was to declare the glory of Him whom he was serving. Just imagine for a while how difficult it must have been for Joseph to reveal the truth to Pharaoh. The king of Egypt had long considered himself to be a god. So how to tell him that the real and true God, Elohim, would explain his dream to him.

Joseph did not try to water down the message but told the truth as it was. In a very firm way Joseph made known the superiority and sovereignty of God. He was asserting that there was no one equal to Him. And this is so true. There was not one equal to Him then; there is no one equal to him now, and there will never ever be one in the future. Hence it is a great privilege for us, that this great God should come and make Himself known to us in Christ Jesus. And that He should now dwell in our believing hearts. The God we worship and serve has no one equal in superiority or power. He is the one and only Sovereign God. Hence, we cannot offer Him anything less than a 100% commitment. Learn from Joseph. He had not changed a bit. He did not shift his conviction concerning God with the changing circumstances of his life. In other words, he was very sound theologically. He reverenced God while he was in the pit and also in prison. He was not about to shift even though he was before the monarch in the palace. The thirteen years of hardship and endurance was paying huge interests. And God was making His presence in Egypt felt through Joseph.  

One would have thought that Pharaoh would be offended with what Joseph had said about God. For he was blatantly direct in declaring that the source of his interpretation was God. But Pharaoh narrated his dreams again to Joseph. The subtle message we get is that Pharaoh, though considered a god, was helpless and fearful. Of course he would be, for in reality he was a mere man. The one and only true God is the God who had up to now aligned Himself with Israel, His chosen people. We are dealing with the real sovereign, the one and only true God, who wants to transform the fallen world. He had to begin with a nation and the emergence of Israel was His making and He would be working through them. While He was preparing Joseph to save the people of his time, He was also preparing a people through whom His Son and the world’s Savior would be born. He is not only the architect of the universe but also the architect of our salvation.  Joseph’s boldness to declare the truth of the sovereign God he served, leaves us with an example to be bold to make known the sovereign God we worship and serve. To Him belong all glory; to Him belong all praise; to Him belong all majesty now and through endless days! Amen!  

Genesis 41:9-14 – Precision is God’s specialty

It would be horrendous for Pharaoh to remain troubled. The longer his dream stayed un-interpreted the more difficult it would be for people working with him. We can imagine him being distressed by it and his impatience with everyone. It would be a terrifying thing, especially those working in close proximity with him. And the cupbearer was certainly among this category of people. So he remembered how Joseph had interpreted both his dream and that of the baker when they were imprisoned by Pharaoh. He remembered that everything Joseph said to them happened just as he had interpreted. So the opportune time had arrived. The cupbearer then narrated his experience with Joseph to Pharaoh.  

Notice how he began. He first talked about his wrongs. The word used in verse 9 for his wrongs was the word offenses. Note that it is put in the plural because he must have also felt that he had wronged Joseph. Having acknowledged his faults, he then proceeded to narrate his experience. He said, “Pharaoh was furious with his servants, and he put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker. We had a dream on the same night, he and I; each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. Now a Hebrew youth was with us there, a servant of the captain of the bodyguard, and we related them to him, and he interpreted our dreams for us. To each one he interpreted according to his own dream. And just as he interpreted for us, so it happened; he restored me in my office, but he hanged him.” The cupbearer obviously deleted the part that Joseph told him that his ability to interpret dreams was a gift from his God. Furthermore, in verse 12, the cupbearer also gave the impression that it was he who had made the move to get Joseph to interpret his dream. When it was in fact Joseph who saw how lost and troubled he and the barker were with their dreams that he initiated to interpret it for them. And he also did not mention that he failed to keep his promise to Joseph to tell Pharaoh about it immediately.

When Pharaoh learned of Joseph, he sent and called for him. And they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon, had him shaved and changed. Like an Egyptian, cleansed, washed, and shaven, Joseph appeared before Pharaoh. Two reasons why they cleansed and shaved him. Firstly, they wanted him to look Egyptian and secondly it’s because most Egyptians did not wear a beard. So Joseph came to Pharaoh looking every bit like an Egyptian. Of course Joseph was not alone. Standing there with him before Pharaoh was Yahweh. For as in all situations he had encountered, The LORD was with him. This is the assurance we believers have. In every situation we encounter in life, God will be with us, conscious of it or not. While God was not mentioned in these verses, He was certainly very present. In fact, He was the one who orchestrated the whole occurrence, from the forgetfulness of the cupbearer to the timing when Joseph was mentioned to Pharaoh. Just imagine if he had had made mention of the incidence to Pharaoh earlier, it would have been lost on him. The need for Joseph was not as critical then as it was now.  Remember, in God’s reckoning, it’s all about divine timing. Just as we have often sang the song titled, “In His time.”  Precision is God’s specialty. At the right time God will make all things beautiful. So let’s act and pray as the song encourages us:  

Lord, my life to You I bring

May each song I have to sing

Be to You a lovely thing

In Your time.

Lord, please show me every day

As you’re teaching me your way

That You do just what You say

In Your time     

     

Genesis 41:1-8 – The secret things belong to God

With 30 years of grinding and shaping by the tough circumstances of life, Joseph had become a thoroughly God-centered man. He knew in his heart of hearts that the two God-given dreams that he had when he was a young lad, would be fulfilled in God’s time. Despite the disappointments, he endured and trusted God absolutely. Yahweh remained very central in his life and vision. He now stood at the threshold of the moment where his God- given dreams would soon become a reality. He was ready for that moment.

From the time the cupbearer was released, Joseph spent two more years in prison. He was 30 years old now and half of his youth was spent in Egypt. In that year Pharaoh had a pair of inexplicable dreams, more likely nightmares. In the first dream he saw himself standing by the River Nile, thought to be a sacred river. “And lo, from the Nile there came up seven cows, sleek and fat; and they grazed in the marsh grass. Then behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, ugly and gaunt, and they stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile.” What Pharaoh saw in the dream so startled him that he woke up disturbed. Then he dosed off again and had a second episode of nightmare. In this second episode, he saw, “…seven ears of grain came up on a single stalk, plump and good. Then behold, seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them. The thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears.” He was awakened the second time troubled.

Pharaohs regarded themselves as gods. They placed great credence on the dreams they had and often suggest some sort of divine indications or omens. This Pharaoh’s dreams came in pair, asserting the certainty of the message. Both had similar features of seven and had some element of violence.  So shaken was Pharaoh that he quickly assembled “…all the magicians of Egypt, and all its wise men.” He then told them his dreams but none of them could provide an answer to his two weird dreams. We who are familiar with the story know what happened next but not Pharaoh. Despite believing that he was divine, yet the king was clueless concerning what he saw in the dreams.

Without a doubt God’s hand was engineering the moment for Joseph. Proverbs 21:1 is so true. It says, “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes.” God is sovereign over everyone, whether one be a king or a peasant. He is at liberty to work through us to fulfill His purpose. The inability of the magicians and wise council of Pharaoh tells us that the secret things belong to God. But for us believers, God will reveal to us through His Spirit. For He said assuredly in 1 Corinthians 2:9 that, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not yet entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” Praise be our glorious Lord!

Genesis 40:20-23 – Path to greatness

It was common for a pharaoh to have a grand celebration on his birthday, and even more common for him to grant pardon to prisoners on that day. So we read that “…it came about on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. He restored the chief cupbearer to his office, and he put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand; but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted to them.” What Joseph had interpreted proved to be true. The words told to both the cupbearer and the baker came to pass exactly as he had said. Joseph had unwaveringly trusted that his own two dreams would be realized one day. And he had waited for eleven years. When every word he said to the two royal prisoners came to pass his mind must have gravitated to his own two dreams again. Things were looking up for him and certainly Joseph would be heartened and probably more optimistic. Especially when he knew that the cupbearer had been restored to his former position. He was hopeful that he would remember his request and relay his plight to the king.  

Joseph was wrong. Disappointingly verse 23 reveals that, “Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.” Just capture the scene for a while. Imagine the prison door swung open and the bearer of good news appeared and announced the cupbearer’s pardon. The cupbearer must surely be beaming with a wide cheerful smile. He must be gratefully shaking Joseph’s hand. Congratulatory words must have flown from Joseph’s lips. With Joseph’s hope up, something like that could have been said, “God bless you my friend, and please remember to tell Pharaoh about my plight.” His response must have been equally positive. “Sure, don’t worry Joseph, I will when I have the first opportunity.” But alas it was an empty promise. Just imagine Joseph standing yearningly at the portal of the prison each morning, waiting for the prison gate to swing open with the same good news. He waited one day, than another, and soon his days had turned into weeks and nothing moved. Then the weeks turned into months and then into two years and his hope was dashed.

Before God births something great in any life, there will always a period of incubation. This was true for Joseph. From the time he was thrown into the pit, then sold to the Ishmaelite trader, bought by Potiphar, and then thrown into prison till he was released, took some eleven to twelve years of his life. This period of incubation seems to be true of most of God’s great servants. Abraham waited some 25 years for a son to arrive. Moses was prepared for 40 years in the desert. King David’s accession to the throne took him many years before the whole of Israel recognized him as their king. The Lord Jesus took 30 years in obscurity before his three short, impactful years of prominent ministry.

The upswing of Joseph’s life would only take place in another two years. Before he was propelled into greatness, many things had to go in to prepare him for that moment.    Just think of the whole range of negative experiences Joseph had undergone. Think of his experience in the pit, then exposed to the luring temptation of Mrs Potiphar for a while. As if they were not enough, then came the imprisonment again. And he had to wait another two seemingly long years before Pharaoh would come to know about him out of necessity. All in all, from the time he was thrown into the pit in Shechem till the day he was recognized by Pharaoh, 12-13 years had passed. While Joseph was brought through all these, it was undeniable that God was with him. His spiritual reflexes were being honed. Through it all he learned to trust God instinctively.

And from Joseph’s experience we learn that disappointments are part and parcel of life. In reality, they are needful for our spiritual growth. They drive us to turn to God and literally wring and squeeze every ounce of faith out of our life. Trails actually push us into a corner and demand that we place our trust in God and learn to rest in Him.  We must remember that delays are not God’s denials. His purpose and plans for our lives are never frustrated by delays. Instead, it’s in delays that God polishes His chosen instrument to get them in readiness for effectiveness. We must learn to see whatever circumstances we have experienced, and will experience, as God getting us ready for the purpose He had made us for. We must yield to God’s moulding so that we can be the sharpened instrument when we are wielded and brandished under His mighty hand. So just trust Him!  

Genesis 40:9-19 – Tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant

Joseph offered to interpret the dreams of the two royal prisoners. So the chief cupbearer began first. In his dream he saw a vine in front of him; and on the vine were three branches. And as it was budding, its blossoms came out, and its clusters produced ripe grapes. He also saw the cup of Pharaoh in his hand; so he took the grapes and squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and then put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand. To Joseph this was a very pleasant and positive dream. The interpretation was straight forward. The three branches he saw in the dream represent three days. He further explained that within three more days Pharaoh would restore the cupbearer to his former position. His head will be lifted meaning he would recover his dignity, respect and freedom, and would resume his duty as Pharaoh’s cupbearer.  

Know it or not, Joseph was very sure and confident that what he told the cupbearer would certainly come to pass. He was firm and authoritative concerning the interpretation. So he asked the cupbearer to do him a favour when he was restored. He told the cupbearer to remember him when he returned to his position of favour. Joseph requested that the cupbearer make mention of his plight to the king. For he was sure in his heart of hearts that he had done nothing to deserve his plight. For eleven years he had been tested unremittingly. He was unjustly thrown into the pit and his youth was stolen from him. The truth about tough times is this: they shape and make us the person God intends us to be when we submit to the purpose of trials. Joseph’s life shows us that this is true and he was on the way to become the perfect man lacking nothing. His life is worth emulating.   

Meanwhile, the baker who also had a dream was nearby. At first, he held back because he was probably waiting to see what Joseph would say of the cupbearer’s dream. When he heard how favorable the interpretation of the dream was, he decided to narrate his to Joseph too. So he said, “I also saw in my dream, and behold, there were three baskets of white bread on my head; and in the top basket there were some of all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.” Unfortunately, the baker’s preparation of the variety of food were devoured by the birds of the air. The three baskets he saw was also referring to the duration before the dream would come to pass. It would take place in three days’ time. Joseph told him that he would be beheaded and impaled on a tree, and the birds of prey would feast on it. It was totally bad news. 

For sure it is always easy to speak of pleasant things, but difficult when we have to announce something unpleasant. But life is not just one long piece of pleasantry. Along with the sunshine there also come rain. But a true and faithful servant of God would be truthful, be it pleasant or unpleasant. And Joseph was such a person. He would not adulterate what was true. He told it as it was. Hence, he had set the bar for us. As people who yearn to be God’s instrument to help others, we need to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant. We must always remember that we are just His mouthpiece and should not pander to people’s itchy ears. Truth may hurt but it prepares us to face reality. Let’s speak the truth but speak it in love!  

Genesis 40:5-8 – Discovering God’s dream for us

Whatever happened in the prison where Joseph was thrown in was more than co-incidence. God was shaping him for the moment to bring about the fulfilment of his dream of greatness. Everything that Joseph experienced bore the mark of God’s hand. Interesting dreams are more than just a function of the mind. We need to know that God does use dreams to communicate with people. So both the royal baker and cupbearer each had a dream on the same night. It’s also interesting to note that Egyptians at that time put great value to dreams. They believed that when one is asleep he or she would be in touch with the unseen world. To them when dreams that occurred in pair suggest the certainty of their fulfilment. Besides, in their world there were people uniquely gifted with the capacity to interpret dreams. They were believed to have the ability to unlock the meaning of dreams. But now in prison, such gifted dream interpreters were not readily available to the two royal prisoners. So they were greatly stressed and troubled the next day. It was written all over their faces.

Joseph noticed that both the king’s cupbearer and baker were downcast. So he enquired of them to find out the reason. He was told that they each had a dream and there was no one available to interpret their dreams to them. The way Joseph responded to them show how matured he had become. The once insensitive, self- absorbed Joseph had become considerate and compassionate. Though he had every reason to ignore the two royal prisoners, but he instead showed great tenderness and care. It is clear that through what he had gone through, God had so obviously developed his heart, preparing him for greater moments to come. What Joseph went through had made him sensitive to the presence of God in every circumstance. Seeing God in every situation had become his spontaneous reflex. Hence his response to them was, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me, please.”

Joseph had indeed grown. He had become a person who would trust God explicitly. He had developed a profound and intimate dependence in God. His mind would naturally gravitate toward God. This is so needful in every godly leadership. The way he responded, asking them to tell him their dreams, was an indication that he had not forgotten his own dream. It’s an indication that though 12 years had lapsed he was still trusting and holding on to the dreams God gave him in his youth. He believed that they would come true. It is obvious that God had effectively prepared Joseph for greatness. The young insensitive, self-centered youth, had become a compassionate, considerate and caring godly leader. He was sensitive to the plight of others, and his first response to the needs of others was to turn to God for wisdom and direction. These are clearly essential to godly living and godly leadership.

What is God saying to us through all these events of Joseph life? Our future is in God’s hand. Like Joseph, not a single experience, negative or otherwise, need to be wasted. Like him we must learn to see God in those circumstances of life. The sooner we identify the handprint of God, the sooner will we be able to realize His dream for our life. God still has something great installed for us. Let’s identify and discover them!          

Genesis 40:1-4 – Trusting God’s timing in all things

Joseph has shown considerable sign of maturity. He was honed, sharpened and developed through the tough circumstances of his life. So he arrived at the point where he was ready for the grander scheme of his life. What he became tells us that the advice of James 1:2-4 is really workable. These verses advise us to “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Joseph did it. He refused to cave in to each crisis that besieged his life one after another. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, he trusted God and learnt to live one moment at a time. And God used each crisis and incrementally shaped and perfected His instrument.  

With his dream of greatness still intact, Joseph had arrived at the point where he was made ready to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh’s two fallen servants. This instrument God was preparing for greatness never gave up on his dream. Remember he was far removed from his family and planted into another culture to speak another language, and write in Egyptian hieroglyphics. He held fast to the dream that his family would one day come and bow to him. At this point in time Joseph was about 28 years old. How do we know this? Genesis 41:1 reveals that two years after what took place in this chapter he ascended to greatness. And when he met Pharaoh in Genesis 41;46, he was 3o years old. It took him a long 12 years to become the instrument for the moment he was being prepared for. Remember he left for Shechem to look for his brothers when he was 18 years old.  

Now imprisoned in Egypt in the king’s jail, he was joined by two high profile prisoners. One was Pharaoh’s cupbearer and the other was his baker. These two men held important positions in Pharaoh’s service because they took care of the food and drink of the king. In some sense the king had to trust them because they were in charge of preparing his food and ensuring the purity of his drink. No reason was given for why the baker and the cup-bearer were sent to prison. It could be that Pharaoh suspected that they were scheming to kill him. Or maybe the king fell ill after his meal. Anyway these are just speculations.

Joseph’s administrative skills could not be hidden. As it was when he first arrived in Potiphar’s house so also now in the king’s jail. His administrative skill was quickly detected. So the captain of the guard appointed him to attend to the two royal servants who were thrown into jail with him. Verse 4 said that the incarceration was for some time. Nothing seems to move. Wonder what was on Joseph’s mind? Did he ever doubt that his own dream would come through? The wait seemed to be so long. The truth is that God is always on time. He has a time-table for us. Nothing he has planned for us can happen a day earlier or a day later. The best attitude to adopt in life, as we wait for that divine moment, is to fervently trust him and continue to diligently do what we can. We do what we can and leave God to do what we cannot! He means what He promised!

Genesis 39:19-23 – And the Lord was with him…

Potiphar believed his wife’s lies only to a certain degree. Verse 19 suggests that he only became angry when Mrs. Potiphar derogatorily said, “This is what your slave did to me” Who was he actually angry with? His wife or Joseph? It was probably the subtle accusation made against him by his wife that had him riled up. So as soon as he heard that, he had Joseph thrown into prison. It seems strange that Joseph did not say a word. Perhaps he did and that’s what account for why he was imprisoned and not beheaded. The fact that Potiphar only sent him to prison instead of executing him is telling. It suggests that Potiphar was not fully convinced that Joseph did what his wife had described. So Joseph’s imprisonment was out of necessity to wait for more truth to surface.   

The events in Joseph’s life had indeed turned. From the unused well in Shechem, he rose to take a prominent place in Potiphar’s household. And now he was back in the jail again. Notice that he was sent to where all the king’s prisoners were incarcerated. Here Joseph found favor with the chief jailer because God was with him. Unbeknown to him, God was working all things for his good. Joseph had a steely faith in God. He did not waver in faith, whether in prosperity or adversity. He trusted God and appropriated God’s presence in every circumstance. It was undeniable that God was with Joseph. Verses 21-23 explicitly said so. “But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favour in the sight of the chief jailer. The chief jailer committed to Joseph’s charge all the prisoners who were in the jail; so that whatever was done there, he was responsible for it. The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph’s charge because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made to prosper.”

Herein lies the success of Joseph’s life. It’s in this appealing phrase, “But the Lord was with Joseph.” It was clearly demonstrated and evidently so in every circumstance he found himself in. First in the pit in Shechem, then in Egypt in Potiphar’s service. It was clear that God was also with him even when he was negatively embroiled in Mrs Potiphar’s lies. And now again in the king’s jail. No wonder he had such astounding victory regardless where he was. Like Joseph, we will be victorious over life’s circumstance because God is with us. The Yahweh who was with Joseph had sent His only begotten Son Jesus to us. His name is also Emmanuel, meaning God with us. Our key to daily victory is not found in our cleverness or whatever skills we have acquired. It is found in this reality of Emmanuel. Yes, He is with us. We must embrace this reality that the God whom the universe could not contain came to us. He transcended and now ascended to the eternal throne and yet remain with us. May this truth own our soul each day as we walk with Him!