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PROPHECY DETERMINES HISTORY
THURSDAY, MARCH 6
Genesis 42:1-20

Psalm 32

 

“Be still, and know

that I am God…”

 

PROPHECY DETERMINES HISTORY
 
God’s instrument to meet Israel’s need was ready, in Egypt, sent there by His higher hand. God had raised up His man Joseph, for such a time as this. God’s Spirit in him had led him on, and up, to become Deliverer of Egypt and Israel. Years ago, God had revealed His plan for Israel in Joseph’s dreams. Then God worked, quietly, mysteriously through human intrigue, envy, hatred, and through natural disaster to determine the course of history. The brothers’ sheaves had bowed in a vision in Canaan, now they bowed in person in Egypt. Vision and fulfilment were separated by time and distance, but what are these to God? Nothing! Prophecy determines history!
 
In these verses, we see the first steps in the reclamation of the wicked brothers. They had once hissed at Joseph: “Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us?…” (Gen 37:8). Now they “… bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth” (Gen 42:6). Cruel hatred was replaced by cowering submission.
 
Compelled by hunger, they had journeyed to Egypt to buy food as their father had commanded (Gen 42:2). When they appeared, Joseph recognised them, but they knew him not. Not in their wildest dreams would they have thought that this Ruler of Egypt was the brother whom they had sold off, and presumed dead. To Joseph, it was a thrill to see his brothers again, but it was not the time to rejoice or to reveal himself. The brothers had to be renewed and reclaimed first. So he accused them of being spies of a foreign power, coming to spy out the land for future conquest. They protested their innocence and gave an account of their family. “Prove it! Or you shall die as spies!” Joseph then shut the brothers in prison for three days. These three days in confinement must have done their souls more good than their past thirty years! It was a time of soul searching, reflection, remorse, confession and repentance for all their wickedness, in particular their heartless treatment of their brother.
 
THOUGHT: HISTORY is simply HIS STORY, the story of God’s dealings with men.
PRAYER: Open my eyes, O Father, to see Thy Hand working in every event, bringing to pass Thy Will and Plan.

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