Tag: Joseph

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Providence: devotion

Dr. Andrew C S Koh

An image of Pharaoh

Setting

Jacob died at the age of 147 years. Joseph embalmed his body, took him back to Canaan, and buried him in the cave of Machpelah in Hebron.

Genesis 50:15-21

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us, and will fully pay us back for all the evil which we did to him.” 16 They sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father commanded before he died, saying, 17 ‘You shall tell Joseph, “Now please forgive the disobedience of your brothers, and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ Now, please forgive the disobedience of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also went and fell down before his face; and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to save many people alive, as is happening today. 21 Now, therefore, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” He comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

Genesis 50:15-21

Reflection

After Jacob’s death, Joseph’s brothers were afraid that Joseph might take revenge on them. They sent a message to Joseph to ask him to forgive them. Joseph wept and replied that he would never do such a thing because he was not in the place of God. Although their plan was to harm him, God’s plan was to preserve him and use him to save lives including their lives. If they had not sold him to Egypt, he would not have become prime minister and they would have died of famine. 

Joseph comforted his brothers and took care of them and their families. Joseph lived up to the ripe old age of 110 years and saw his son’s children up to the third generation. At his deathbed, he commanded his brothers and to bring his bones back to Canaan in the future. Joseph’s brothers buried him in Egypt. Four hundred years later, Moses took Joseph’s bones out of Egypt during the Exodus, Exodus 13:19. Many years later, Joshua buried Joseph’s bones in Shechem, Joshua 24:32.

Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the children of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you”.

Exodus 13:19

They buried the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, in Shechem, in the parcel of ground which Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of silver. They became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.

Joshua 24:32

Application

Joseph’s story is a story of God’s providence. Even though Joseph’s brothers intended to harm him, God had the plan to save him and his family. If not for Joseph, his father, mother, brothers, sister, and others would not have survived the famine. God’s prophesy of taking Jacob’s family out of Canaan into Egypt for 400 years would not have been fulfilled. This is a beautiful illustration of Romans 8:28 right out of the pages of scripture. Today, you can claim the promise of Romans 8:28. God works all things together, synergistically, and comprehensively to get the best outcome for you eventually. 

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for walking with us through the life of Joseph verse-by-verse, paragraph-by-paragraph, and chapter-by-chapter. We claim the promise of 2 Timothy 3:16 that all scripture is inspired by You and is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. Thank You for this wonderful experience, adventure, and spiritual journey, in Jesus’ name, Amen.  

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From poverty to fame: devotion

Photo by Karyme Franu00e7a on Pexels.com

Dr. Andrew C S Koh

Image showing the word It words it was a dream
Photo by Nadi Lindsay on Pexels.com

Setting

After the reinstatement of the chief cupbearer, Joseph continued to languish in prison because the chief cupbearer had conveniently forgotten about his predicament. Two years later, Pharaoh had dreams that no one could interpret his dreams. The chief cupbearer immediately remembered Joseph and told the Pharaoh about him.

Genesis 41:1-8

1 At the end of two full years, Pharaoh dreamed, and behold, he stood by the river. 2 Behold, seven cattle came up out of the river. They were sleek and fat, and they fed in the marsh grass. 3 Behold, seven other cattle came up after them out of the river, ugly and thin, and stood by the other cattle on the brink of the river. 4 The ugly and thin cattle ate up the seven sleek and fat cattle. So Pharaoh awoke. 5 He slept and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, healthy and good. 6 Behold, seven heads of grain, thin and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them. 7 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy and full ears. Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. 8 In the morning, his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all of Egypt’s magicians and wise men. Pharaoh told them about his dreams, but no one could interpret them to Pharaoh. 

Genesis 41:1-8

Reflection

One fateful night, God planted a dream into Pharaoh’s sleep. In his dream, he saw seven fat cows and seven thin cows eating grass side by side by the River Nile. The seven thin cows came over and swallowed up the seven fat cows and he awoke. He went back to sleep and had another dream. This time, he saw seven heads of fat grain rose up from a single stalk. After this, seven heads of thin grain rose up from another single stack adjacent to it. The seven heads of the thin grain swallowed up the seven heads of the fat grain.  Pharaoh awoke and was terrified. He summoned all his wise men and magicians to interpret his dreams but none of them could do it. The Egyptians considered cows as gods to be worshiped. In an agricultural society, of Egypt grains represented the economy.

The cupbearer told Pharaoh about Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams. Pharaoh, therefore, summoned Joseph to the palace to interpret his dreams. Joseph shaved, put on new clothes and appeared before Pharaoh. 

Joseph immediately declared that it was God who interpret dreams and not him.  Pharaoh told Joseph his dreams, but added that when the thin cows swallowed up the fat cows and when the thin grains swallowed up the fat grains, they remained as thin as before.

Joseph interpreted the dreams as follows:

The seven fat cows and the seven fat grains represented seven years of plenty. The seven thin cows and seven thin grains represented seven years of famine.  Egypt would experience seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. These were two dreams with one single interpretation.

Joseph advised Pharaoh to increase taxation and stock pile grains during the seven years of plenty to cover the seven years of famine. 

Pharaoh saw that Joseph was a Godly man and made him the prime minister of Egypt. Pharaoh gave Joseph a signet ring, the finest attire, a gold chain, an Egyptian name, and an Egyptian wife.. 

Joseph stockpiled grains in all the cities of Egypt during the seven years of plenty, When the seven years of plenty ended, the seven years of famine bite in hard. Egyptians from all over the country came to Joseph to buy grains. Very soon, the famine went global and people from all over the known world traveled to Egypt to buy grains.

Application

Joseph was very humble. He interpreted the dreams without demanding any terms from Pharaoh. He gave all the glory to God and acknowledged that it was God who interpreted dreams and not him.  Did you give all glory and honour to God? The Christian life is all about God and nothing about you and me. 

God elevated Joseph to become the prime minister of Egypt after 17 long years of waiting in obscurity. Perhaps, you are in a similar position as Joseph. Do not throw in the towel yet. God may be testing, growing, maturing, and training you in righteousness. God will elevate you according to His divine plan and timetable if you are faithful and obedient. 

Good times do not last forever. An economic boom always ends in an economic recession. You must save up during the good times to weather against the bad times. 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we give You all the praise, glory, power, and honour. We confess that we are sinners. Forgive us and have mercy on us. Thank You for the forgiveness of sins, justification, salvation, sanctification, redemption, and eternal life. Help us to save up for rainy days so that we will be able to cope when the bad times arrive, in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

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Master of dreams: devotion

Dr Andrew C S Koh

Image with the word Dream
Photo by Karyme Franu00e7a on Pexels.com

Setting

Joseph was thrown into the prison, but the LORD was with him and prospered him. The prison warden trusted Joseph so much that he made him in charge of the prison. The Lord gave Joseph the gift of leadership, prophecy, and dream interpretation.

Pharaoh was angry with his chief cupbearer and chief baker for something that they did. He threw them into the prison where Joseph was in charge. One night, both of them had a dream, and they were disturbed. Joseph assured them that God would interpret their dreams.

Genesis 40:9-13

9 The chief cup bearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “In my dream, behold, a vine was in front of me, 10 and in the vine were three branches. It was as though it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters produced ripe grapes. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.” 12 Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. 13 Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head, and restore you to your office. You will give Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, the way you did when you were his cup bearer. 

Genesis 40:9-13

Reflection

The chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph. In his dream, he was holding a vine with three branches that budded, blossomed, and produced ripe grapes. He pressed the grapes into Pharaoh’s cup and Pharaoh drank from it. Joseph replied that the three branches represented three days. Pharaoh would restore him back to be his chief cupbearer in three days.

Upon hearing this, the chief baker also told his dream to Joseph. In his dream, he had three baskets on his head. The uppermost basket contained all kinds of bread, but the birds came and ate them all. Joseph replied that the three baskets represented three days. In three days, Pharaoh would hang him on a tree and the birds would eat his flesh. 

Sure enough, Joseph’s interpretation of the dreams came true to the exact details. On the third day, Pharaoh celebrated his birthday with a grand feast. He restored the chief cupbearer but hung the chief baker.  However, the chief cupbearer forgot about Joseph and did not plead his case to Pharaoh.

Application

Joseph prospered because the Lord was with him. He prospered in the face of adversity, in Potiphar’s house and now in the prison. 

Joseph acknowledged the Lord as the interpreter of the dreams. He gave all the glory to the Lord. He did not boast about his ability. Did you give all glory and honour to the Lord? The Christian life is all about Him and nothing about you and me. He must increase and we must decrease.

Potiphar threw Joseph into the prison because his wife tempted, seduced, and framed him with false charges.

If you are successful in your career, you will face many temptations. This is when you must be extra careful. You need to walk humbly before the Lord and be obedient to His calling. Claim the promise of 1 Corinthians 10:13.

No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:13

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us spiritual gifts to serve You in the kingdom. We give You all the praise, glory, honour, and power. We acknowledge that without You, we cannot do anything. The kingdom of God is all about You, and nothing is about us. You must increase, and we must decrease, in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

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I dreamed a dream: devotion

Devotion

a photo entitled big dreams

Setting

Genesis 37 begins a new section on the narrative of the Patriarch Joseph. The baton of faith had been passed from Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to Jacob’s eleventh son, Joseph, The narrative ended in Genesis 50 with the death of Joseph. 

Jacob had 12 sons. Joseph was his eleventh and Benjamin was his twelfth son.  The seventeen-year-old Joseph was feeding his father’s flock with his brothers in the field. He came home with a bad report about his 10 half-brothers to his father. Now, Jacob loved Joseph and Benjamin more than the rest because they were his favourite wife Rachel’s sons. To add more salt to the injury, Jacob made a multi-coloured tunic for Joseph and his half-brothers hated him for this.

Genesis 37:5-11

Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more. He said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves came around, and bowed down to my sheaf.” His brothers asked him, “Will you indeed reign over us? Will you indeed have dominion over us?” They hated him all the more for his dreams and for his words. He dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, “Behold, I have dreamed yet another dream: and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me.” He told it to his father and to his brothers. His father rebuked him, and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Will I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves down to the earth before you?” His brothers envied him, but his father kept this saying in mind.

Reflection

The LORD gave Joseph two dreams. In the first dream, he saw his brothers, represented by eleven sheaves of wheat, bowing down to him. In the second dream, he saw his father, mother, and eleven brothers, represented by the sun, moon, and eleven stars, bowing down to him. 

Apostle John saw a vision of a woman, wearing a crown of 12 stars, clothed in the sun, and standing on the moon, Revelation 12:1. The woman represents Israel and the 12 stars represent the 12 sons of Jacob. Joseph’s brothers hated him because of his dreams. Even Jacob, his father, rebuked him.

Joseph’s brother sold him to Ismaelites and Midianites human traffickers who took him to Egypt as a slave. Against all odds, Joseph rose from rags to riches, from prison to palace, and from a prisoner to the prime minister of Egypt. Years later, his eleven brothers did bowed down to him, Genesis 42:6. 

Revelation 12:1, A great sign was seen in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars

Genesis 42:6, Joseph was the governor over the land. It was he who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph’s brothers came, and bowed themselves down to him with their faces to the earth.

Application

Jacob’s family was a dysfunctional, blended, family, headed by a passive father who had poor leadership and played favouritism. He loved Joseph and Benjamin more than the other ten sons. Sibling rivalry, strife, hatred, and jealousy were the order of the day. 

Joseph’s brothers took the law into their own hands and sold him to human traffickers. They then lied to their father that wild animals had eaten Joseph.

Are you a father? Do you a strong leadership? Do you practice favouritism among your children? To be a father required a strong leadership and playing favouritism is a definite no-no. 

You reaped what you sowed, Galatians 6:7. Jacob deceived his father Isaac, and now his own sons deceived him. 

Joseph was a type of Jesus Christ. Jacob loved Joseph. God the Father loved Jesus Christ. Joseph’s brother hated him. The Jews hated Jesus Christ. The list goes on and on and on.

Galatians 6:7, Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us an opportunity to study the life of Joseph in the book of Genesis. As we journey along, we pray for open eyes, open ears, open hearts, open minds, and open spirits to receive the revelation of Your word. We pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit who is our teacher, truth revealer, helper, and counsellor, in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Dr ANDREW C S KOH

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Joseph’s faith: Book Review

book written by Mary Hume Jane

Book cover of Joseph's faith
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Joseph’s Faith: A 30-Day Bible Study Devotional for Women Based on the Life of Joseph from the Book of Genesis

by Mary Jane Humes

Review

An excellent devotional and bible study based on the life and faith of Joseph from Genesis chapters 37 to 50. A good prayer, commentary, and contemporary application accompanies each day’s devotion..A great work on the typology of Joseph showing that Joseph was a foreshadow of Jesus Christ in many respects. A Christ-centred, life-changing, and faith-building devotional. Recommended to all readers, 5 out of 5 stars

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Joy to the world: devotion

Dr. Andrew C S Koh

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we pray for divine insight, understanding, and a clear mind to read, study, understand, and apply scripture. We pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit and divine enablement, in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Context

The nativity story is unique to Luke. Seemingly out of the blue, Caesar Augustus issued a decree to take a population census of the entire Roman world because he wanted to tax the people. To comply with this decree, the Jewish people had to travel back to their place of birth. Joseph and Mary had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register for this population census because they were descendants of Dovid. Mary in the late stage of her pregnancy made this 70 miles journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. This must have been a very difficult journey for Mary. This was to fulfil the prophecy of Micah 5:2, that Christ shall be born in Bethlehem. 

Passage, Luke 2: 6-17

6 While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field and keeping watch by night over their flock. 9 Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. 11 For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.” 13 Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” 15 When the angels went away from them into the sky, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 They came with haste and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough. 17 When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child (Read the rest of Luke 2 on your own).

Luke 2: 6-17

Reflection

When Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem, they could not find any accommodation anywhere. Mary delivered baby Jesus, wrapped Him up in swaddling clothes, and placed Him into a manger, an animal feeding trough made out of stone. An angel of God appeared to some shepherds in Bethlehem in a field at night. The glory of God manifested in dazzling majestic lights and frightened the shepherds. 

After calming down the shepherds, the angel announced to them that Christ was born in Bethlehem, the city of David. They shall find Him wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger. Immediately, angels sang, worshiped, and praised God, saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth, peace to those on whom his favor rests”. God announced the birth of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, the Good Shepherd, the Shepherd of souls, to some poor lowly shepherds in Bethlehem. 

After the angels left, the shepherds went to Bethlehem to look for baby Jesus. They found Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes, according to the angel’s announcement. After witnessing this, they went away and testified to all the people about this, and all who heard it were amazed. The shepherds returned to Bethlehem glorifying and praising God. 

Imagine the creator of the universe chose to be born in a feeding trough in an insignificant town called Bethlehem, witnessed by poor and lowly shepherds without any fanfare! As the King of the universe, He could have been born in a grand palace with great fanfare, and witnessed by royalty but He chose not to. 

Micah 5:2, But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.

Application

Micah prophesied the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem 800 years before He was born! This astonishing prophecy proved beyond any doubt that God is the God of the Bible. This is not the only Old Testament prophecy that Jesus fulfilled. Jesus fulfilled 351 Old Testament prophesies and these are recorded in the Bible. The statistical chance of fulfilling all these prophesies is 1 in 10 to the power of 17. This is a mathematical impossibility.  Based on this, there is absolutely no doubt that the God of the Bible is the God of the universe. 

Today, if you go to Bethlehem in Israel, you visit the church of Nativity, and see for yourself the place where this event took place. The Bible is about real events, real people, and real places. Bible is God’s word to us. Acronym for BIBLE is Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth

When Joseph and Mary (with Jesus in her womb) arrived in Bethlehem, there was no room for them in the city. Even today, there is no room for Jesus in many people’s hearts because of unbelief. Do you have room for Jesus in your heart this Christmas? Open your heart to Jesus. Invite Him into your life. Believe, and you will see the glory of God. 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, let us open our hearts to receive Jesus Christ into our lives as our Lord and Saviour this Christmas. Thank You for sending Your Son Jesus Christ into the world to be the perfect Christmas gift to all mankind. Thank You for the grace and truth that Jesus brought to us. Thank You for the forgiveness of sin. Thank You for salvation by grace,  justification by faith in Christ, sanctification by the Holy Spirit, and the promise of eternal life. Thank You for Immanuel, God with us, in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

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Book: Life of Joseph

by Dr. Andrew C S Koh

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https://drandrewcskoh.dashnexpages.net/story-of-joseph/

A Christ-centred, Biblical-based, Life-changing expository commentary, bible study, and daily devotion

Description

A Christ-centred, life-changing, Expository Commentary, Daily Devotion, and Bible Study Guide, on the first book of the Bible, Genesis from chapters 37 to 50 on the life, adventures, travels, and faith journey of Joseph. This is an easy-to-read commentary for you to understand and apply biblical truths to contemporary living. This is a continuation of Biblical Commentaries written during the pandemic of 2020-2022. This book can change, correct, convict, deepen, transform, mature, enrich, teach, and bless you. This book will help you encounter God through His Word.

What people are saying

“This book as one of the many is an invaluable resource for getting an in-depth view of the Bible scriptures and in this case the Life of Joseph. A very enlightening read,”

— Rowan E Creech, Goodreads 5 out of 5 stars

“The author stayed as close to scripture as possible. I thoroughly enjoyed this life-like journey through Israel”

— Tiffany Townsend, Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub, 5 out of 5 stars

What people are saying

“A Great read about the story of Joseph. Well written and explained concerning the bible. There are beautiful prayers after each very meaningful chapter. I am on the ARC team and I leave an honest review. I recommend this book to other readers”

— Sharmani Jeyaram, Amazon, 5.0 out of 5 stars

“This is a Christ-centered, daily devotion that looks at Joseph’s life, adventures, travels, and faith journey. These Biblical truths are presented to the reader in an easy-to-understand devotion, allowing the reader to apply biblical truths to our contemporary living. These Biblical Commentaries are presented to the reader in a Christ-centered outlook This devotion was provided to the reader by Story Origin. This is my true and honest review”

— Pamela Anne Reinert, Bookbub, 5 out of 5 stars

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