From Slavery to Power in Egypt

I love reading through the Old Testament and uncovering hidden gems, foreshadowings, and pictures of Jesus intertwined throughout. Today, I was reading in Genesis about the account of Joseph, how, after his brothers sold him into slavery, God lifted him to power in Egypt.

To provide some context, Their father, Jacob(Israel), favored Joseph over the rest of his eleven brothers. Joseph was the firstborn of two sons born to his late wife Rachel, whom he had dearly loved.

One day, Joseph’s brothers were out tending the sheep. Israel sent Joseph out to check on them.

Why Joseph wasn’t with them and what he was doing, I do not know.

That could be a part of the problem.

When they saw him approaching from a distance, they decided to rid themselves of him for good.

But God had other plans!

Initially, Joseph’s brothers threw him into a pit, intending to kill him. They were jealous because of the favoritism he received.

But Judah, one of his brothers, saved Joseph’s life by proposing they sell him to a band of Ishmaelites passing by on their way to Egypt.

This is not a genuinely selfless act on Judah’s part, however. While it may be that he genuinely sought to save Joseph’s life, it seems more likely that he saw an opportunity to turn a profit rather than get nothing out of the ordeal.

Whatever the motive, Joseph was out of their lives for good, or so they thought.

Many years later, Joseph was a ruler in Egypt. His brothers had journeyed to buy grain in Egypt and presented themselves to him with their request. They did not recognize Joseph then, but he knew who they were.

And by this time in Joseph’s life, he appeared ready to forgive his brothers. He realized that God brought him to Egypt, not his brothers.

But to test the genuineness of their hearts as to whether or not they still harbored bitterness and resentment towards him and his younger brother, Benjamin, he created a scene that forced them to choose between rescuing Benjamin from lifelong servitude to Joseph or going home without him.

Judah, again, stepped up, but this time not to profit himself, but to put himself forth as a substitute for Benjamin, to free him and enable him to return home to their father.

The tribe of Judah is the tribe through which Jesus would one day be born.

The whole purpose of Jesus’ life was to offer Himself as our substitute to rescue us from sin.

Sin entered the world through Adam and Eve and resides in the hearts of every human being who ever lived except Jesus.

Our sin nature prevents us from attaining the righteousness God requires to enter his kingdom and enjoy a relationship with Him.

We learn from scripture that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” … For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. (NLT)
-Romans 3:10-12 and 23

The price (or consequence) of sin is death.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. (NLT)
-Romans 6:23

The Bible teaches us that Jesus is the only way to bridge the gap between God and humankind.

He died for our sins. He paid the price for our death.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (NLT)
-Romans 5:8

We receive salvation and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved … For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”(NLT)
-Romans 10:9-10, and 13

Salvation through Jesus Christ brings us into a relationship of peace with God.

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. (NLT)
-Romans 5:1

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. (NLT)
-Romans 8:1

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NLT)
-Romans 8:38-39

If you do not know Jesus as your personal Lord and savior, take time today to pray and  accept His free gift of eternal life.

1. Admit you are a sinner.
2. Understand that as a sinner, you deserve death.
3. Believe Jesus Christ died on the cross to save you from sin and death.
4. Repent by turning from your old life of sin to a new life in Christ.
5. Receive, through faith in Jesus Christ, his free gift of salvation.

Making sure your heart is right before God is the most important priority you can set for your life. 

For more information, see What is the Romans Road

If you are looking for an insightful study that will take you through the Bible this year, check out Thru the Bible