It has been an embarrassingly long time since I blogged last. Somehow, the summer is without "official" school (homeschool) but I don't gain more time in my day. It must be because I get to do the things I don't do all year round like gardening, travelling etc.
My time alone with the Lord has not taken a back seat even with the summer being here but taking what He's shown me, to the computer takes extra time I don't always have. I actually considered not doing it anymore but a friend of mine told me that it is a blessing and encouragement to her so I will continue until the Lord says otherwise.
Now! Unto what the Lord showed me today, which was SO COOL!!!!
I finished reading the whole bible early this summer so I am in Genesis and Matthew again. This morning, I was reading Genesis 48 and was so immersed in it and only had two other chapters before being done that book and on to Exodus so I read the last three chapters; 48-49 and 50.
Now this time frame is after Joseph was thrown in a pit by his 10 brothers and eventually sold as a slave to the Ishmeelites, who brought him to Egypt. Joseph eventually becomes governor of the land there and is Pharaoh's "right hand man", after many trials and betrayal. Because he was favored by Pharoah, his whole family was favored and able to live in Goshen where the land was sufficient for survival. Joseph took care of his family there. These three chapters are about Jacob's last moments as he talks with Joseph and his two grandsons and then blesses them. He then gives his blessings to his other 11 sons.
(It's the end of Jacob's life, who's name changed to Israel in chapter 31.) Joseph hears about his father dying and goes to see him with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Jacob gives the blessing to the second child born above the first born. Joseph tries to correct Jacob but his father reassures him that he is doing right. Joseph doesn't understand but allows his father to do as he chooses.
As I read these three chapters, I was touched by the love this father had for his children and the wisdom he had although his sons might not of agreed with his decisions. I recognized the similarities to our Father in Heaven. He loves us so much. Our confessed sins, He forgets (Psalm 103:12) and sees His Son, Jesus Christ, in us, our righteousness. If this doesn't sink in, imagine being able to have no memory of the wrong your children have done and only the perfection of them. How much easier and abundant our love for them would be, but our sins get in the way of our love being able to be manifested towards them.
The two other things were more study type.
1st When they embalmed Jacob, it took 40 days. Jesus also fasted 40 days before going from ministering to the people to being crucified, for the remission of our sin. After His resurrection, He ministered again on earth for 40 days before He rose into Heaven with His body.
What the Lord showed me here is that it takes time for change to happen and to give life's changes TIME to take it's course.
2nd Was the order of Jacob's sons' birth. Usually, the firstborn get the inheritance. Ruben was the first born yet because of his betrayal to his father, he lost it. (same with us, we will not loose our salvation but after we are saved, we can affect our inheritance in Heaven, depending on how we walk here on earth). His father although did notice his character which was what brought Ruben to save Joseph's life when his other brothers, except Benjamin, wanted to kill him.
Judah was Jacob's fourth son, with the wife that he was tricked into marrying, yet that is who God chose to be the generational line to Jesus Christ.
It spoke to me two things. One, that God doesn't always do things that make sense to us but His thoughts are not our thoughts, they are higher than ours. He sees the big picture. Second, it doesn't matter what negative things are and/or were in your life, if you allow God to use you and live for Him, He will do amazing things with you and through you.
I also thought it was pretty cool that later on, there are two kingdoms; one named Israel (the dad once named Jacob) and the second Judah (the son of Jacob/Israel) then comes the third kingdom, that of Jesus Christ's but it was no longer an earthly kingdom but a Heavenly one. Cool....
So much to learn from God's word, the Bible. Selah
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