A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES: GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD P/84

 

                                     

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

           GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                    PART LXXXIX

“We, Joseph’s brothers, are mourning the death of our father Jacob… He only passed away the other day… We miss him very much…. However, we know it was his time to die…. We are very grateful to God that our father was able to spend the last years of his life with his favourite son, our brother Jacob…We never thought we would see him again after we sold him to merchants many, many years ago… However, we should have realised that God would preserve his life since He had shown us that one day we would bow down before Joseph…. And we did… That is many years ago now…. We are so happy that God has kept Joseph alive despite what we did to him…. We were extremely cruel when we sold him so carelessly to some merchants…We can well imagine that Joseph still bears a grudge against us for doing what we did to him… It may well be that he feels he can finally take revenge now that our father is dead…. Perhaps we should speak to Joseph and ask for his forgiveness…. It may help our case if we tell him our father has asked that he be merciful towards us.”…. Please read the typed out attachment when Joseph’s brothers discuss approaching Joseph with a special request after the death of their father Jacob….

                         ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                          GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                                                                      PART LXXXIV

Jacob’s sons, who have come to live with Jacob in Egypt, became concerned for their well being after the death of their father Jacob as you can read in Genesis 50:15-17

When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said: “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrong we did him?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: “This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly. Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When the message came to him, Joseph wept.

The brothers are afraid that Joseph may want to take revenge for all they have done to him even after they have lived with him for a number of years already.

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A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                        

        GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD  

   

                  PART LXXXIII 

“I, Jacob, the father of twelve sons, am a very blessed man…. Life has not always been easy for me…. I especially remember the years that I believed my favourite son Joseph was dead… I grieved over his loss for many years… For twenty-two years to be exact…. But my God is a good God… And He is a promise keeping God…. He had shown me many, many years ago that one day we would all bow down before my son Joseph…. I should have held on to that knowledge…. But I did not…. Consequently, I suffered more than I should have…  But God kept His promise…. And one day, quite some time ago now, we all bowed down before my son Joseph…. However, this did not happen in the place where I might have expected it to happen…. It happened in Egypt…. Who would have thought that I and my sons would bow down to my son Joseph in Egypt?… We are from Canaan….And we have lived there since my grandfather Abraham moved there with his wife Sarah and nephew Lot… I never expected to leave Canaan… Only God could have made that possible….And He did…. So my family and I are now in Egypt where we are well taken care of by my son Joseph…. However, I have begun to sense that my life here on earth is coming to an end…. So I have called in all my sons to speak my final blessing over them… I believe I will then be gathered to my people.”…. Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Jacob’s final words to his sons before he dies…

                   ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                   GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                                                            PART LXXXIII

Jacob and his family are very well settled in Egypt as they are being cared for by Joseph, who continues to be the official in charge of the grain distribution. However, Jacob eventually dies as you can read in Genesis 49:33

When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into his bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

Having given his final instructions to his sons, Jacob is ready to depart in peace.

                   

  

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES: GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD P/82

 

                                       

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES           

         GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD       

                   PART LXXXII

“I, Joseph, have just been to see Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt… I have introduced five of my brothers to him as well as my father…. My family has all come over from Canaan…Pharaoh had invited them to join me in Egypt because of the ongoing famine… In Egypt we have plenty of food stored up to carry us through the remaining years of the famine….But that is not the case in other countries, including Canaan…I am very grateful that my God is allowing me to save the lives of many people, including the lives of my family…. Pharaoh has also made available to my family property for them to live in…At his direction I have moved them into homes in Rameses…. I believe they will settle down very soon… Their new homes will help them to feel at ease very quickly even though they have never lived in Egypt before… I must make sure as well that they are daily provided with sufficient food for I do not want any of my family members to starve.”…. Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn where Joseph settles his family…

                  ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                  GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD  

                                                              PART LXXXII

Joseph made sure his family gets settled in well in the land of Egypt as you can read in Genesis 47:11-12

So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children.

Joseph not only provides his family with land, he makes sure they are provided with their daily food.

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A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES: GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD P/81

                                                                                   Read Part One 

                                                                              

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

          GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                     PART LXXXI         

  “I, Jacob, the father of twelve sons, have lived a long life…. But I may not have lived as long as my forefathers have…. My years have not been easy either…. I have had to face many difficulties…. One of the greatest difficulties I have had to go through was the separation between me and my favourite son Joseph…However, God in His goodness has brought us back together… It is a miracle…. I never expected to see him again in this life… But God has spared me so that now in my old age I have been given an opportunity to not just see him but to embrace him… Moreover, unbeknownst to me he has become the most important person in all of Egypt, apart from Pharaoh…My family and I have now moved to Egypt at the invitation of Pharaoh…. We have been given the land of Goshen to live in…. That will be very good for us for we are shepherds… And our flocks are large… Joseph has just now introduced some of us to Pharaoh…I spoke a blessing over him… Pharaoh was gracious enough to receive my blessing…And I spoke another blessing over him before I left the room where he was seated at his throne….May the God of my forefathers continue to guide him… Since He has selected him to be the most powerful man on Earth at this time in history.”… Please read the typed out attachment when Joseph’s father, Jacob, tells Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, about his life…

                     ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                       GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                                                                    PART LXXXI                                                                                    

Joseph’s father, Jacob, tells Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, that his life has been challenging as you can read in Genesis 47:9-10

And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.” Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence

Jacob blessed Pharaoh a final time before leaving him.

 

 

Wishing everyone a blessed Easter

 

                                                   WISING EVERYONE A BLESSED EASTER!

                                                         HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!

                                   

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES: GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD P/80

 

                                    A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                        GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                                                                      PART LXXX

I, Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, had the pleasure of meeting an elderly Hebrew man…That is not a daily occurrence… Moreover, generally speaking, we, Egyptians, look down on Hebrew people…Having said that, it is true that the man in the highest position here in Egypt, apart from me, is a Hebrew named Joseph…And that is because I appointed him to that position… It happened because he was able to help me understand my dreams a number of years ago…. Moreover, he was able to give me details of a plan to preserve the lives of many people… I realised that Joseph was a wise man, even though he was a Hebrew…I realised as well that his wisdom was given to him by his God…At that time I did not know details about Joseph’s family in Canaan…. But I recently learned that he has eleven brothers and an aged father who is still alive… I invited them to move to Egypt since the famine will continue for another five years… They have all come over…. I have already met five of Joseph’s brothers…. And I have just now met his father…. I learned that the Hebrew name of Joseph’s father is Jacob… I wondered how old he is… He spoke a most beautiful blessing over me.”

                     ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

                                                     GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                                                                   PART LXXX                                                                                                     

Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, is aware that Joseph’s father is not a young man as you can read                     in Genesis 47:7b

After Jacob blessed Pharaoh, Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”

Pharaoh graciously receives the blessing from Joseph’s father Jacob, recognising his seniority.                                                           

   

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                                   A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                        GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                                                                        PART LXXIX        

“I, Joseph, the official in charge of the grain distribution here in Egypt, have just been to Goshen…The reason I went to Goshen was to welcome my family from Canaan…They had all come over at the invitation of Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt… Pharaoh did not know of my family back in Canaan… He only knew that I was a Hebrew…However, I told him of my family after my brothers had recently come to me for the second time to buy grain…He then learned of the famine that was affecting Canaan… That caused him to extend to my family an invitation to move to Egypt…They have now arrived…. I met them earlier on….I have introduced five of my brothers to Pharaoh so he could tell them where they can live…. They are shepherds so they are in need of much land for their flocks to graze…. Pharaoh has kindly offered to give them the land of Goshen to live since it is very suitable for them… I am now going to present my father Jacob to Pharaoh… It will be such a special moment for me to be able to present my father Jacob to him…. Who would have thought that I would see my father again after these many years of separation….Moreover, I am now in a position of honour unlike the past when I was either a slave or a prisoner….Thankfully, my father does not need to know that I, his favourite son, once was a slave and a prisoner…. All he needs to know that God has taken care of me all these years…. And that He has brought me to this high position so that his life and the lives of his family members can be preserved.”…Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Joseph presented his father to Pharaoh.

                  ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                       GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                                                                     PART LXXIX

After Joseph had presented five of his brothers to Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, he brings his father before him as you can read in Genesis 47:7a

Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh.

Jospeh is more than delighted to introduce his aged father Jacob to Pharaoh.

 

 

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES: GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD P/78

 

                           A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                             GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD 

                                                        PART LXXVIII

"I, Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, m so delighted to have met some of the brothers of my official in charge of the grain distribution... I have known my official for nine years now... I have learned that I can completely trust him... He was not always my official... He was a prisoner in the king's prison... I did not know the details of his circumstances... Rumours has it that he was sold by his brothers to merchants who took him to Egypt.... He is supposed to have worked as a slave for a man named Potiphar...Afterwards he is supposed to have been put in prison for something he had not done... However, I realise that I would never have met him if he had not been in that prison the day I needed someone to help me understand my dreams.. It seems to me his God allowed him to be in that prison so that he can save the lives of many people in my country and beyond...I don't know if he ever thought he would be used by his God to save his own family... And he has now been in Egypt for many years already... But today his family is here in Egypt, no doubt, brought here by their God.... I will tell my official, whose Hebrew name is Joseph, that his family should live in Goshen."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, tells Joseph to settle his family in Goshen.

 

            ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                              GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                                                         PART LXXVIII

After the Pharaoh had spoken with Joseph's brothers he turns again to Joseph as you can read                     in Genesis 47:5-6a 

Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Your father and brothers have come to you, and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen."

Pharaoh tells Joseph that his family can live in the best part of Egypt for livestock, which is Goshen.

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A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

             GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD 

                          PART LXXVII

"I, Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, am so pleased that my country is thriving... Sad to say other countries around me are not thriving... The reason these countries are not thriving is because they are suffering the effects of a famine.... We too are having a famine... But the famine is not affecting my people in the same way that it is affecting people from neighbouring countries.... I thank the God of my official in charge of the grain distribution for His protection of my people.... It all began nine years ago when I had two disturbing dreams... My cupbearer told me at that time of a Hebrew slave he had met in prison who was able to interpret dreams... I had this Hebrew slave come before me... His God gave him the meaning of my dreams.... Moreover, His God told him what actions I should take... So, I gave this Hebrew slave the most important position in the land, apart from me... For seven years he has been overseeing the saving up of grain... After the seven years of plenty, we began to suffer a famine... The famine has lasted for two years so far.... From my dreams I know that five more years of famine are to follow.... But we have sufficient food for all the people....Moreover, we have plenty of food for people from other countries... My official's family has just come from Canaan to Egypt at my invitation... So they can survive the ongoing famine... I was just now introduced to five of his brothers... They told me they are shepherds."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Joseph introduces five of his brothers to Pharaoh...

 

                    ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES 

                                                  GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                                                             PART LXXVII

After Joseph has spoken withh the Pharaoh about his family he introduces some of them to him as you can read in Genesis 47:2-3

He chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh. Pharaoh asked the brothers, "What is your occupation?" "Your servants are shepherds," they replied to Pharaoh, "just as our fathers were." 

Pharaoh shows great kindness towards Joseph's brothers.

                   

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES: GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD P/76

 

                         

A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

             GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                         PART LXXVI

"I, Joseph, in my capacity as the official in charge of the grain distribution here in Egypt, just went to see the Pharaoh... However, I did not go to see him to explain to him that we are having difficulties with the grain distribution... No, I went to see him for a totally different matter.... In fact, I went to see him for a matter that is completely unrelated to my tasks as the official in charge of the grain distribution... I went to see him to talk to him about my family from Canaan... For may years I never talked to anyone about my family in Canaan... I did not think anyone would be interested to hear about my family in Canaan... Moreover, I did not know if they all were still alive... So, anyone here in Egypt, including Pharaoh, may well have thought that I did not have any family... Consequently, they never brought up the subject, knowing it may have been a painful subject for me to talk about.... Of course, they did not know how painful the subject was for me... After all, how could I have shared with anyone what my brothers had done to me.... Thankfully, God has now shown me that He has used everything for my good and for the good of my family!... Who could have believed that after having been a slave in someone's household.... And a prisoner.... I, one day, would be the most important person in the country, apart from Pharaoh...Only God could have arranged for that to happen....But I know that only happened after the Lord had taught me many lessons I would not have learned had I stayed at home with my father as his favourite son...I have just now told Pharaoh that my family has arrived here in Egypt.... He would like to personally meet some of them."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Joseph tells the Pharaoh his family has arrived in Goshen....

 

          ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                              GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                                                         PART LXXVI

After Joseph has seen his father and his family, he goes to see Pharaoh as you can read in Genesis 47:1

Joseph went and told Pharaoh, "My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen."

Joseph understands the importance of speaking to the Pharaoh about his family so he makes it his priority to speak to him about the arrival of his family in Egypt.

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A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

           GOD MEANS IF FOR GOOD

                        PART LXXV 

"I, the official in charge of the grain distribution here in Egypt, have today met my father Jacob... He has come all the way from Canaan....When we met I was not the official... I simply was the son of my father... The last time I saw my father was twenty-two years ago... At that time he has asked me to check on my ten brothers to find out if they were well... They were out in the fields with our flocks... He knew that it would take some time before I would be able to find them... So he would not have been too concerned when I did not return at the time he was expecting me... However, he will eventually have gotten worried about me... His worries will have increased when my brothers came to see him... Especially when they came to see him without me... He would have believed that something had happened to me... Sadly, he, very likely, would have forgotten the dreams God had given me as a seventeen-year old.. The second one I had shared with him aswell.... I had "forgotten" these dreams... So I can imagine that, likewise, my father had "forgotten" these dreams... Instead, both of us would have believed that we were never going to see each other again... At least not in this life.... But today that has all changed!... For today God has brought us together!.. And I was finally able to embrace my father once again....However, I must nor forget who I am.... I am the official in charge of the grain distribution here in Egypt....As selected by Pharoh... I must go and see him so I can introduce my family to him."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Joseph introduces his family to Pharaoh....

         ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFULL LIFE; OLD TESTAMENT STORIES

                                          GOD MEANS IT FOR GOOD

                                                     PART LXXV

Joseph knows more needs to be done before his family can settle in the land of Goshen as you can read in Genesis 46:31

Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household, "I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, "My brothers and my father's household who were living in the land of Canaan, have come to me."

Joseph knows he needs to introduce his family to Pharaoh so that they can be allowed to settle in Goshen.