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JANUARY 19
Genesis
39:1-41:16
There is nothing like adversity
to focus you on the Lord. Now, adversity doesn't always have a positive effect
on everyone, but to the right people, the kind of loneliness and hardship
Joseph experienced brings them closer to God. I don't think Jacob responded
well to adversity. He just fought back. But what happened to Joseph seems to
have caused a positive change, as God engineered this hardship to shape him.
Genesis 39
V. 1 Joseph was bought and sold
by "Midianites" who are referred to as Ishmaelites. Midian was one of
Abraham's sons born to his wife, Keturah, after Sarah's death. (Gen. 25:1-4) In
those 100+ years, the tribe had grown and mixed (as Esau did) with Ishmael's
clan. As a nation, the Midianites will be a problem to Israel in a couple of
important places. It might be that Jacob's sons regarded all of the other seven
sons of Abraham, and their descendants, as Ishmaelites.
Vs. 2-10 It was apparent to
Joseph and to Potiphar that the blessing was from God. Joseph didn't have to be
grateful to God and allow that to determine his behavior and heart, but he did.
Mixed with his pain and sorrow, God's blessing drew Joseph's heart to God.
Jacob was blessed by God with Laban but didn't express his gratitude. Most
people really don't. But Joseph was grateful. So when Potiphar's wife went for
him, Joseph realized that he would ultimately be throwing away his relationship
with God, not repaying God in kind for the mercy and blessing he had received.
These are great discipleship
lessons, but they have to be lived. Without the hardship endured in following
Christ in the harvest, most of us never learn to focus on God. Without the
blessing of seeing Him use us in the harvest, most of us never truly appreciate
our salvation and His grace and mercy to us.
Vs. 11-20 Joseph wasn't wearing
much if she could pull off his robe and see that he was uncircumcised. I guess
they dressed differently back then, like the Scots in kilts. Abraham and Isaac
grew an enormous community in Canaan that had now dwelt there many years. You
can figure it out from the text. If Abe was 75 when he entered Canaan and Isaac
was born when Abe was 100 and Isaac lived to be 180, then this community had
been a part of Canaan for over 200 years. This group was known to the nations
and was a stop on the caravan routes. They were large and wealthy herders and
Bedouin, known as Hebrews, living in tents. And they had this one
particularity, the men were circumcised. Over the 200 years, the Egyptians,
especially the merchants, had heard of the Hebrews. Remember too, we'll find
out in a couple of chapters, that the Egyptians despised shepherds as crass,
dirty, bottom dwellers. Now, with her anger and resentment focused on Joseph,
she sees he is obviously a Hebrew. Yuk!
I once messed up in a Sunday
school class, saying that Potiphar probably knew his wife was a flirt and had
to save face and didn't want to do this to Joseph. The teacher wisely corrected
me by pointing out, in the text, that it says that when Potiphar heard the
story from his wife, his anger
was kindled. Pot got hot, and
Joe went to jail. Paul says we should study to be approved workmen. You've got
to know the text before you teach and before you venture out on a limb. That
embarrassment taught me a good lesson, and, as you can see, I still remember
that magic moment of correction.
Vs.
21-23 Notice that even in the bitterness of being wrongfully accused, without
appeal, God immediately began to give Joseph favor and to bless everything he
touched. This was the Lord's confirmation and help to Joseph, but then, Joseph
had to be in the right frame of heart to see this. Joe was still in prison. As
disciples, we too have to be looking for where the Lord is working. He is
always with us. We need to be alert, even when things don't "go our
way." And in this, Joseph is humbled again, and lifted up by God again.
Guess where Joseph's hope and gratitude were being focused. Did you notice the
reference to God's steadfast love?
How
much time is passing in Joseph's life? There will be clues, and you've already
been given a big one. You know how old Joseph was when his brothers sold him.
These sorts of little details make you skilled in understanding and applying
the story. I still shake my head when I see pictures of Daniel in the lion's den,
depicted as a young man. It's what happens when you don't pay attention to the
context or the text. No wonder few people know how important Daniel 6 is, and
sadly, it is all there in the book. Disciples need to read with curiosity and
pay attention to what God is saying.
The
same applies here. We need to pay attention to the passage of time. Joseph
wasn't "automatically" godly. God didn't change Joseph overnight, and
He won't do it with us either. If you pay attention to the text, not only will
you be blessed by God's wisdom, you won't preach or teach superficial baloney.
Genesis
40
V.
1 Some time after this is hard to
understand now, but it will make sense tomorrow, unless you are really curious
and figure it out today. And if you figure it out, figure out too, how old
Joseph is when he reveals himself to his brothers. But one caution: If you go
to some Bible study guide or search online and let someone else do the work for
you, you'll miss the joy of discovery. Finding the answer someone else figured
out doesn't do the same thing for your heart and growth as finding it yourself.
Vs.
2-22 I'm not sure if Joseph had understanding of all dreams, but the Spirit
definitely nudged him here and showed Joe what these two dreams meant.
V.
23 This chapter is a bridge to what is to come. For us as disciples, it is
important to see how God used this event to form Joseph. We can go to the next
chapter in a second, but Joseph couldn't. Joseph was forgotten and never knew
that the cupbearer would eventually remember. Amazing. All Joseph knows at this
point, and for the next two years, is to live every day for God, to forget his
family, and to forget that one weird moment when he interpreted those dreams,
when it seemed that something might work out for him. In that daily life and
disappointment, God was molding his heart for chapter 41.
Genesis
41:1-16
Vs.
1-8 Two years later. In tomorrow's reading you'll learn how old Joseph was when
this happened, and therefore, how long he was captive in Egypt and even how old
he was when he interpreted the dream of the cupbearer. And not just 2 years,
but 2 whole years.
Vs.
9-13 The cupbearer finally made good on his promise.
Vs.
14-16 In case we think that Joseph had it good in jail as the assistant to the
warden, notice what the jail was called. The pit!
Notice
the work of God in Joseph's words. Obviously Joseph is a great man, but God
made him that way. But who would want to go through what God led Joseph
through? I think a disciple should be willing to enroll in that course, being
pruned by the Father to bear more fruit in the harvest.
Matthew
12:46-13:23
Matthew
12:46-50
This
section should have been placed with the text from yesterday.
Having
heard that Jesus was "beside himself" and that He was possessed by
the devil, the family freaked and came to get Him. The sword that Simeon said
would pierce Mary's heart was beginning to cut its way through, as she,
herself, was beginning to doubt her son and all the events around His birth.
Among the brothers were probably James and Jude, both writers of letters in the
New Testament. I always imagine that the plan was that Mary should distract
Jesus. Then two of the brothers would come in high and put the grain sack over
Jesus' head and around his arms, and then the other two would come in low with
the ropes. Once tied, they would carry Jesus home like a sack of potatoes.
Anyway,
Jesus was not falling for this one; in fact, Jesus is absolutely focused. He
points to His disciples and (quoting Luke) gives the simple message of
discipleship, But He
answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear
the word of God and do it." (Luke 8:21) Amen.
Matthew
13:1-23
What
I think is important for us as disciples, in this section, is the emphasis on
"wanting to hear and understand." This is very much the same as seek and you will find, etc.
Vs.
1-2 Jesus was out there a long time teaching and told several parables. Matthew
is keeping the parables and their explanations together.
Vs.
3-9 Have fun!
Vs.
10-17 If you put the other gospels together, when they get in the house the
disciples ask Jesus two questions. They wanted to know what this parable meant,
and then they wanted to know why Jesus spoke to the people in this fashion,
using parables.
Jesus
told parables, not to hide the truth, but to reveal who was interested in
understanding. It was a test of the hearts of the people. The promises to those
who "ask and seek and knock" are absolute. The faith promise here for
the disciple (that is, it is only a promise if you believe it and do it) is
that the more you give Him in seeking to understand (time in the Bible,
praying, doing), the more you will get back. This will, itself, be a motivation
for some people; yet others will just say, "Whatever, I'm good with what
I've got."
V.
14 The prophecy in Isaiah is a judgment saying the people didn't want to
understand. If they really wanted to understand, there was enough that was
clear that they could strain a little with the result of turning to God and
being healed and saved. When we read the parable, it doesn't seem all that
hard. But the tendency for people is to hear what they desire and what fits
their thinking. Most believers don't really pay attention to this parable.
Your
observations here are more important than anything I have to say, but if you
are interested, I made some entries dealing with this parable.
December
14, 2010 http://fencerail.blogspot.com/2010/12/hearing-and-sharing-in-harvest-and-ch-2.html
December
1, 2010 http://fencerail.blogspot.com/2010/12/hearing-in-harvest.html
Psalm
17
If
you have never felt pursued, this might not do much for you. I used to speed
read The Psalms, until I got "run over" in ministry. Now I can't read
them fast. Don't they read like posts to God? And imagine the compassion and
understanding of a God who would inspire them.
As
you read this, remember that David was trained, like Joseph, through long years
of hardship. Notice the references to God's steadfast love and to seeking
refuge in Him.
Vs.
1-5 In 1 Samuel 24:5 you find one of the occasions when David showed his
integrity by sparing the life of King Saul. David was tested, proven innocent
and yet he was still in danger. He was still lied about by Saul and his men and
they still pursued him. David is not only asking God to look on that, but he is
also recognizing that God put him through that test.
Vs.
6-9 David's hope wasn't in the help of his men or opportune circumstances. He
knew that God was watching over him in His steadfast
love.
V.
8 I never understood the expression apple
of your eye and how the English-speaking world misunderstands this, until I
learned German. In German, the word for "eyeball" is, literally,
"eye apple." Turned around, what is being said here is that God will
protect us like any of us would protect our own eyeball. Not only do you cover
your eye, but if anyone threatens to poke out your "eye apple," you
tend to get angry and aggressive. We get this image of God having found a nice,
juicy, ripe, red, shiny apple; and if you try to take a bite out of it, boy,
will He get mad. No. The apple is an eye-apple, or for us English speakers, an
eyeball.
When
I read v. 8, I always think of Elizabeth Elliot's book, The Shadow of the
Almighty.
Vs.
10-12 This is how David felt about the people who were pursuing him. It
couldn't have been very pleasant.
Vs.
13-14 The second half of v. 14 seems confusing. I think the NIV has the right
sense. O LORD, by your hand save me
from such men, from men of this world whose reward is in this life. You still the hunger
of those you cherish; their sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for
their children. (Psalm 17:14)
V.
15 In spite of everything and regardless of what others did, David loved the
Lord and was satisfied with and confident in His care. That's what made him a
good leader and a man after God's own heart.
Proverbs
3:33-35
Don't these verses seem like
what we've been reading about in Genesis, in the family of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob? In a way, you see the contrast between Jacob and Joseph. Both faced
hardship, but one received humbling before God and drew close to Him.
Please Read
the Following Disclaimer
I'm writing the Reading Notes to and
for those who are following a One Year Bible and are interested in growing
deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the
growth of a discipleship culture in the church, that is, groups of 3-4
disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to
reach out and make disciples, who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most
universal and important discipleship manual we have and it is the key to our
growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here,
or what we are to be doing, or whom we are to be following. My comments are
only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of
God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are
designed to keep us, as disciples, focused on Christ and our role in His
harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be
willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their
growth as disciples, making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive
commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC).
I read the BKC in doing background for the Reading Notes and refer to it quite
often. I also make reference to maps or charts in the BKC, though I will only
note where those resources can be found. Often you can do a search for these
and find them in Google books. Buying both volumes of the Bible Knowledge
Commentary would be a good idea.
I am not endorsing any particular
One Year Bible translation; in fact, I read something you probably don't, Die
Revidierte Lutherbibel, 1984. Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are from the
ESV Bible.
Anyone reading along with us is
welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own
observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition
or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any
point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as
I understand it. Often there is a breadth of opinion on certain events, both
historical and prophetic. Many of my views come from my church background,
theological training and my personal study.
I'm
doing this with discipleship in mind, meaning, I'm writing out thoughts that
will keep discipleship and our growth as disciples applied to what we are
reading. Remember, the real focus of the Reading Notes is to be a
supplement, a disciple’s commentary, giving motivation and insight so that we
will keep following our Lord in the harvest, reaching the lost and making
disciples, who make disciples. Being in
the Word every day, sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning directly from Him, is the
essential essence of being and making disciples.
May the Lord bless you as you follow
Him in the harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan
The daily installments of the Reading Notes can be found at http://fencerail.blogspot.com/
If you would like documents containing an entire month of the
Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
If you would like a full presentation of discipleship read Simply Disciples*Making Disciples.
Or if you are struggling with insomnia and would like a long
boring dissertation on disciple making, these can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
Reading Notes ©, Dan Kachikis 2011
The One Year Bible © by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton
Illinois 60189
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright ©
2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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