Bibledoorajar Looks at the Far Reaches of Love

     Jacob's sons have been sitting in a jail cell accused of being spies. Now, Joseph has set them free and brought them before him in the royal rooms of Egypt's viceroy. Free, but in the presence of the most powerful person save the Pharoah. Joseph could do more than simply jail them. He could call for their death. They stood before him trying to convince him that they were all sons of one man whose only goal was to buy grain for their families. They were not thieves either. They had no idea how that silver goblet got into their things.  The viceroy called for them to bring their younger brother to him so that he might be convinced they were not spies and thieves. He would keep one of them in jail while they made the trip to get Benjamin as a surety. As they discussed the situation among themselves in Hebrew they did not realize that the viceroy was understanding everything they said. How could they ever tell their father that a son had to stay behind and the only way to free him was to risk taking Benjamin to Egypt? Soon Joseph realized that the brothers understood the enormity of their guilt and the huge grief they had caused their father as the old "I told you so" was declared among them. Joseph became emotional and had to leave the room at that point. But upon his return he held to his declaration that Benjamin ( his full brother) must be produced in Egypt. Joseph takes Simeon and places him in jail and the brothers began the journey home. They had no idea of the good things Joseph had planned for the entire family that he intended to save and reunite in a land flowing with plenty.

      Sometimes we forget what all Jesus planned for us. Check out this paraphrase of Ephesians 2:8-
9:

"For when we all were dead in all our sin, we were saved and we have been raised up together. He has made it where we can, and do, sit with him in heavenly places. All of this so that in coming ages He can show the exceeding riches of His grace and kindness toward us."

This is truly a wonder we should never forget!


  

Bibledoorajar Looks at Peaceful Relationships

"Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord.…"    Romans 12:17ff.

Joseph's brothers entered Egypt through ten separate gates as their father suggested. Jacob wanted each son to be able to gain grain for the family as there were amount restrictions placed by Joseph so that a man could only get enough for his immediate family. But there was a secondary thought that the sons had. Perhaps as they streamed through the separate gates they might find their brother Joseph and redeem him and assuage their guilt of not having treated him right in the eyes of the Lord. As they came before Egypt's viceroy to buy grain they did not realize that they had indeed found their brother. But he certainly knew them and, although he did not take revenge, he did make them squirm a little. He accused them of being spies and had them thrown in jail. Robbed of their peace, they wondered what would happen to them and how torn their father would be once again.

Sometimes we run from a peaceful relationship with Jesus and with others.  Why is that I wonder? Especially, when the Word says that God declares vengeance is His and that He will repay. Ever wonder why you are squirming in a "jail" of sorts. Perhaps God is trying to get your attention. The Jewish people have been through all kinds of wrath following their rejection of Jesus. Now is the time to take the necessary steps to be at peace with God by not rejecting your Brother. What follows will be eternal peace started in the here and now. Observe:

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
                                                              From the Revelation

Bibledoorajar Underscores the Only

     When the people of Egypt became hungry and what little food they possessed had decayed, they turned to Pharoah with a plea for help. Pharoah said to his people: "Go to Joseph and do what he tells you to do." And Joseph met their need. As time passed it became clear that the famine was not just a phenomenon in Egypt but indeed the entire known world at that time. People heard that there was food to be had in Egypt. "And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because the famine was so sore in all lands." (Genesis 41:57) Through Joseph, God made supply available to all the hungry and peoples from all the dearth filled lands could eat and could enjoy the relief of their need having been supplied. Jacob sent his son out from home to be a blessing to his brethren but they would have none of it and thus a trend of rejection intensified. Only in time would Jacob's sons find out that salvation could only come through the rejected brother who would extend grace and mercy.

Truly today, we are in a wonderful period where grace abounds because God turned the Jewish rejection of Christ into a wonderful period of grace. There has never been such a long period in God's dealings with the earth when grace abounded so freely. There is no place to go when a soul is burdened with sin and need other than to the Only Son. We must go to Jesus and do what He says. But the Bible does declare that this period of wonderful abundant grace will cease and a terrible time will come on the earth because the Holy Spirit will have left the earth. No one knows the time and hour when the abundant grace will cease. Clearly, now is the time to have your needs met in Jesus. Have you traveled to Him; have you had your needs met? Are you satisfied with the soul food you have? If not, the Savior has what you need. As the hymn says, "Why not now? Why not come to Jesus now?

Only in Thee, when days are drear,
When neither sun nor stars appear,
Still I can trust and feel no fear,
Sing when I cannot see.
Only in Thee, whatever betide,
All of my need is freely supplied;
There is no help nor helper beside,
Only, dear Lord, in Thee!
                   
                           Thomas O.  Chisolm

Bibledoorajar Follows Joseph's Continued Rise

     Pharoah gave Joseph a wife.  She was the daughter of Potiphar whose wife had insisted that Joseph be imprisoned for allegedly assaulting her. To this union God gave two sons. Their names,  Ephraim and Manasseh,  reflect Joseph's God given ability to overcome his feelings of abandonment by his family and his recognition of God's power in his rise to prominence in a land that was not his home.
    The process that went on within Joseph's heart did not mean that he had forgotten his father and brothers, but that he was enabled to yield to God's greater good in the matter. A greater good that required him sacrificing the life he had known at home.
     Yielding. This concept seems to have been on Joseph's mind a lot. When the years of abundance were over and the people's stored food started to rot, they appealed to Pharoah for food. He referred them to Joseph who required them to be circumcised. As was learned in Genesis 17, circumcision was to be an external sign of an internal process which involved yielding to God. All the hungry men who were in search of food were required to take this step. The heart had to humble itself for the Egyptians were a carnal sinful people.
     We are all hungry for truth and good food for sustenance to combat our carnal natures.  Jesus said there would be an abundance of fruitfulness after His death. Have you taken the steps to enjoy the fruitfulness available in Him? Can you believe the words of Jesus? Egypt has long been used as a spiritual metaphor for a sinful world. Paul says if we believe in the Christ, allowing Him to circumcise our hearts, we can live on a higher plane. Does not everyone want that? Can you sing a song of praise to Your Maker for His Great Supply?

     "I've found the way that leads to heaven in the love of God,
      This holy way His loved and own thru ages long have trod;
      'This only by the blood of Christ that I may walk this way,
      I want to camp a little higher, nearer home each day."

                             Words to a song by  Rupert Cravens
                                                            
"Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs!
                                                                   Psalm 100:2