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Daily Devotions

With food running low, the brothers need to return to Egypt. Jacob is dead set against taking Benjamin, but Joseph had made it plain: no Benjamin, no grain. Joseph’s plan to stir the consciences of his brothers continues to bear fruit. What a painful blessing it is to honestly come face to face with our sin. For only then can true Gospel healing take place.

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BibleGateway: Genesis 43 ESV Text: Genesis 43 KJV Text: Genesis 43:1-34 KJV Text (alt. audio): Chapter 43:      1 And the famine was sore in the land. 2 And it came to pass, when they had… 

The chance for revenge falls right into Joseph’s lap when his brothers come to Egypt to buy grain. Joseph treats them roughly, but only to help them remember their past sins. Joseph cares about their spiritual welfare, and wants to help lead them toward repentance so they can be free of the burden of guilt they’ve been carrying for twenty years.

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BibleGateway: Genesis 42 ESV Text: Genesis 42 KJV Text: Genesis 42:1-38 KJV Text (alt. audio): Chapter 42:      1 Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do… 

When Pharaoh has strange dreams, the butler finally remembers Joseph. Giving credit to God, Joseph explains the dreams. Seven years of plenty will be followed by seven years of famine. When Joseph wisely recommends that food be stored during the good years to get through the bad years, he is suddenly made prime minister of all Egypt. God’s plan for Joseph continues to unfold.

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BibleGateway: Genesis 41 ESV Text: Genesis 41 KJV Text: Genesis 41:1-57 KJV Text (alt. audio): Chapter 41:      1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold,… 

Joseph interprets the divinely sent dreams of the imprisoned butler and baker. He asks the soon-to-be set free butler to remember him to Pharaoh. The butler forgets, and Joseph remains in prison for two more years. But one thing is certain, the Lord never forgets His children. He always has a plan, but, like Joseph, we wait in faith for His plan to unfold.

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BibleGateway: Genesis 40 ESV Text: Genesis 40 KJV Text: Genesis 40:1-23 KJV Text (alt. audio): Chapter 40:      1 And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and… 

Though now a slave, the Lord continues to be with Joseph, as he rises to chief overseer in the house of Potiphar. However, trouble comes when Potiphar’s wife has designs on Joseph. Joseph knows he’s made of flesh, and runs from the temptation. Just like their Lord, believers often suffer for doing right. Still, the Lord is there to see us through all our troubles.

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BibleGateway: Genesis 39 ESV Text: Genesis 39 KJV Text: Genesis 39:1-23 KJV Text (alt. audio): Chapter 39:      1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard,… 

Chapter 38 briefly steps away from Joseph to the sordid account of his brother Judah. Judah was a great-grandson of Abraham, the father of believers. But your family pedigree doesn’t save you. Each new generation needs to believe in the Savior for itself. But what a testament to God’s condescending love, that he would include Judah and Tamar in the Savior’s family tree. (Cf. Matthew 1:3)

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BibleGateway: Genesis 38 ESV Text: Genesis 38 KJV Text: Genesis 38:1-30 KJV Text (alt. audio): Chapter 38:      1 And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned… 

Beginning with chapter 37, most of the rest of Genesis concerns Jacob’s favorite son, Joseph. It’s a sad chapter, warning us that sins of the heart, if not handled with repentance and God’s forgiveness, can explode into awful things, like murder. But as we read in coming chapters, God even causes great evil to work for the good of His people.

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BibleGateway: Genesis 37 ESV Text: Genesis 37 KJV Text: Genesis 37:1-36 KJV Text (alt. audio): Chapter 37:      1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.… 

We might be tempted to gloss over chapter 36. It’s one of those long genealogy chapters in the Bible; and this family tree isn’t even one that relates directly to Jesus. Yet it’s a reminder that God cares for all peoples. Truly He wants all to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

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BibleGateway: Genesis 36 ESV Text: Genesis 36 KJV Text: Genesis 36:1-43 KJV Text (alt. audio): Chapter 36:      1 Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom. 2 Esau took his wives of the… 

Jacob calls upon his family to put away their foreign gods, and to purify themselves before the Lord. What gods might we need to put away from our hearts and lives? May God give us eyes to see our own personal idols. But may we also see God’s forgiving mercy, which tenderly calls us back to His side.

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BibleGateway: Genesis 35 ESV Text: Genesis 35 KJV Text: Genesis 35:1-29 KJV Text (alt. audio): Chapter 35:      1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an… 

Scripture records the good, the bad, and the ugly, but often it’s a lot more of the bad and the ugly. The murderous deceit of Levi and Simeon shows the great evil of which humankind is capable. Lord, help us to see our own wretched sin, and daily flee to You for forgiveness.

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BibleGateway: Genesis 34 ESV Text: Genesis 34 KJV Text: Genesis 34:1-31 KJV Text (alt. audio): Chapter 34:      1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters…