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Sketched X Day 15 Coming Home

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 46:1-7
Genesis 46:28-47:12
Genesis 50
Romans 8:28
Revelation 21:3-4

Sketched X, Day 15

It was a day I thought I’d never see . . .

As I lay at the bottom of the well expecting to die;
as I came to grips with my new life of servitude in Egypt;
as I sat in jail, imprisoned for a crime I didn’t commit;
even as I knew success as governor of Egypt:
I never thought I would see my father again.

But, to my delight, after I finally revealed my identity to my brothers, Pharaoh told me to send them to get my father and the rest of the family. He offered them the best of the land of Egypt as their home. I could hardly wait to be reunited with my father at last.

I’ll never forget the moment I saw him. It was overwhelming. Both of us wept as we embraced one another, neither of us wanting to let go. So many years had passed, but the love between us had endured. He had believed me to be dead, and I had been unsure whether he was still alive. The pain brought by the years apart was eclipsed in an instant at the joy of being together again.

My father told me how God had spoken to him on the road to Egypt:

“I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you back. Joseph will close your eyes when you die.” (Genesis 46:3-4)

It reassured me that in the mess of our family’s complicated story, God was sovereign. He had gone before us, He was with us, and He had a good plan for us. We had seen God’s faithfulness.

There were many happy times together in Egypt in the years that followed. My brothers worked as shepherds, and I successfully led Egypt through the remaining years of famine. Our family grew and flourished.

It sounds like this should be the end of the story, the part where “they all lived happily ever after,” but of course real life doesn’t work out like that. My father was growing old, and all too soon, the time came for him to join his ancestors in death.

We had seventeen years together in Egypt; a blessing I never dared dream possible. My father saw his grandsons and blessed them; his final years were filled with joy and gratitude at having the whole family together once more.

Before he died, my father asked to be buried with his grandfather, Abraham, and his father, Isaac. He had never forgotten God’s promise all these years, “I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you back.” (Genesis 46:4)

Although he had prospered during his years in Egypt, Canaan was his home, the land God had promised, and he knew God would be faithful to His word. So, after seeking permission from Pharaoh, my brothers and I set out to lay our father to rest at home.

On our return to Egypt, I was surprised to receive a message from my brothers asking my forgiveness for how they had mistreated me. Didn’t they realise I had forgiven them long ago? Although I had assured them of this even before our father came to Egypt, it seems there was some lingering doubt causing them to speculate that now our father had died, I might decide to take my revenge!

I was overcome with sorrow at how worried they were, at how they must have tormented themselves over the years. Their actions were wrong and caused me great suffering, but, looking back, I see how, even in hardship, God was working for good. He led me to Egypt and put me in a position where I could save the lives of many people.

Through all that happened, God had been with me. How could I hold a grudge? I had known God’s kindness, the kindness  intended to lead to repentance (Romans 2:4), and I was more than happy to offer that same kindness to my brothers.

I comforted them and promised to care for them and their children, and I think this time they saw my sincerity.

As I look back over my life, I marvel at how God has worked and I’m grateful for how He has brought my brothers and me to this place of peace and flourishing. I trust God will keep His promise to bring my family back to Canaan one day, but I also look beyond Canaan to the day I will be reunited with my father again, forever this time, when we will dwell together with God at the great heavenly homecoming, the true happy ending.

“Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched X Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Sketched X

Sketched X Day 14 Dinner & Identity: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Dinner & Identity!

The Questions

1) Why would Jesus wash Judas’ feet even though He knew Judas would soon betray Him? Why not just send him away immediately? (verses 2-3)

2) Why was Peter hesitant to allow Jesus to wash his feet? (verses 6-9)

3) When Jesus talks about following His example, does He intend us to literally wash feet? (verses 12-17)

John 13:1-17

Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

2 Now when it was time for supper, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray him. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands, that he had come from God, and that he was going back to God. 4 So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing, took a towel, and tied it around himself. 5 Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”

8 “You will never wash my feet,” Peter said.

Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.”

10 “One who has bathed,” Jesus told him, “doesn’t need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For he knew who would betray him. This is why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothing, he reclined again and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you.

16 “Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

Original Intent

1) Why would Jesus wash Judas’ feet even though He knew Judas would soon betray Him? Why not just send him away immediately? (verses 2-3)
It is impossible for man to fully understand God’s timing. While that seems like a “churchy” answer, this is simply the truth. However, we can draw some insights based on what else we know from Scripture about Jesus, this scene, and the revealed heart of God. The disciples never really understood who Jesus fully was or His plan to redeem mankind until post resurrection, which we see in part as this story unfolds. While they said they believed Jesus was the long-awaited Promised Messiah, they only knew part of the story, and their actions proved their understanding. Jesus, as God incarnate, perfectly represents God as love (1 John 4:16); there is no one God does not love, including Judas. Jesus Himself said, “I have come to serve, not be served.” (Mark 10:45) Every single word and action of Jesus carried deeper meaning and purpose than these twelve men realized. The plan written before the beginning of time needed to play out fully in order for Jesus to beat death and pay the penalty once and for all for ALL sin. Additionally, Jesus knew of Judas’ future betrayal even as He called him to be a disciple. He is God after all, which means He is all knowing. Perhaps the best explanation comes from Jesus who said, “I only do what the Father tells me”. (John 5:19) Jesus was obedient to the Father at every point, which included loving Judas.

2) Why was Peter hesitant to allow Jesus to wash his feet? (verses 6-9)
Peter didn’t understand Jesus’ often shocking actions and words. As a result, his pride often got the best of him and Peter was offended by Jesus. In this passage, Peter thought someone “lower” in rank than Jesus should be washing feet, which would have been culturally appropriate. It was the norm to have slaves do the unsightly task of foot washing, certainly not the Promised Messiah. It’s important to notice that Peter never once said, “Hey Jesus, I got this; why don’t you sit down while I wash your feet.” Peter did not yet understand true servanthood and humility. Offended, he balked at Jesus’ willingness to perform such a menial task. His limited understanding is even more evident by his next words after Jesus tries to gently lead him into understanding. Peter rashly responds, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” (verse 9) In Peter’s mind, he was raising his hand shouting, “I get it Jesus! I’m gonna’ let you wash all of me!” While Peter expressed a willingness to do whatever it took in that moment to be close to Jesus, he still didn’t fully understand what it cost to be a humble servant and do whatever God asked. This is evidenced later in Peter’s story by his anger at Jesus’ arrest and subsequent three denials. 

3) When Jesus talks about following His example, does He intend us to literally wash feet? (verses 12-17)
Yes and no. For the original audience this passage could be taken quite literally, given their culture. It was common practice for a slave to wash your feet when you came into a home, as most travel was by foot. However, there is always a deeper meaning to Jesus’ recorded words. In this scene, Jesus emphasized that His disciples have been called to a lifestyle of humble servitude to others, regardless of who the “others” or the situation. Numerous times, Jesus instructs these twelve men to follow His example in other teachings. He has invested time, energy, and countless hours training them to be His hands and feet. Now the time had come for them to “step up” and humbly serve others by getting low, just as Jesus modeled. In a way, Jesus was saying, “I don’t care how messy, how dirty, how sinful, how different people are; I’m calling you to humbly serve each and every one of them. So that you can then tell them about Me and the salvation I bring.”

Everyday Application

1) Why would Jesus wash Judas’ feet even though He knew Judas would soon betray Him? Why not just send him away immediately? (verses 2-3)
Questioning God’s plans and His timing are an age-old issue. How many of us have said, “I just don’t understand what God is doing” or “I know this is God’s plan, but why is it taking so long?” or “Why wouldn’t God intervene?”. Like the disciples, we suffer from perpetual tunnel vision. We often focus only on what is right in front of us. We miss the big picture because we stubbornly refuse to see God working in hard things. Thank God, Jesus washed Judas’ feet! Consider for a minute if He hadn’t. What would it mean for us? It would mean there would come a point where we have sinned one too many times or our sin was too big to forgive. Jesus washed the feet of a man He knew would betray Him, just like He died for you and me, all the while knowing we too would betray Him. (Romans 5:8) Yes, those are hard words to hear, but each and every time we sin, we are choosing to betray Jesus. More so, sin is sin, from a white lie to murder each sin separates us for eternity from a perfectly loving God. (Romans 3:23) BUT Jesus died for it ALL! (Romans 8:37-39) We don’t need to understand His timing or His purpose, that desire to understand comes from our worldly thinking! We only need to understand, and fully place our faith, on the truth Scripture teaches over and over, Jesus willingly came to save each and every one of us. (1 John 2:2) He chose to be obedient to the Father’s call and submit to death, so that He could pay the penalty for our sin! “See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children!” (1 John 3:1)

2) Why was Peter hesitant to allow Jesus to wash his feet? (verses 6-9)
I love Peter! I am thankful he was so dense at times! His story gives me so much hope for my wayward self! If you’ve done much reading of the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) at all you know Peter had a huge pride issue. This interaction over foot washing with Jesus is one of several in which Peter, thinking he had it all figured out, put his foot in his mouth and had to be gently, and sometimes firmly, corrected by his loving Savior. How many times have we done the same thing?! For me, too many to count. We are all guilty of it and some of us (not naming names, but me, Lori!) have a huge struggle with pride. Pride is one of those things that sneaks up on me, even though I know it’s an issue and try to be aware of its luring temptation. It’s deceptive and seems to sneak in under the radar until it gets fed and continues to grow and grow, pulling me deeper into sin and farther from Jesus. Then, just like with Peter, Jesus graciously points out my sin and gently allows me to see and understand its tragic depth. It’s not so much that Peter was hesitant to let Jesus wash his feet, he was hesitant to accept Jesus’ attitude of humility and servanthood and wear it himself. Let’s be honest, it’s hard to live with the same attitude as Jesus in our broken and messed up world, especially when we allow pride to trip us up.

3) When Jesus talks about following His example, does He intend us to literally wash feet? (verses 12-17)
Today’s application hasn’t really changed. We too are called to follow the example of Jesus by being His hands and feet. Hebrews 13:1-2 tells us “Let brotherly love continue. Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it.” The truth of the matter is people and relationships are messy and hard; being humble requires full reliance on the Spirit of God at work within us. Look at Jesus’ life on earth and how many times He showed up in messy and hard situations to love others! We need not worry about how to love like Him, because it’s not us, but Jesus working in us as long as we are surrendered to Him! Our responsibility is to be willing and obedient to go where He leads, help those He puts in front of us, and even wash the feet of our enemies. (Romans 12:20) I can’t help but think about the passage in Isaiah 6, when the prophet is confronted with God’s holiness and it absolutely wrecks him. Isaiah’s response is exactly what ours should be today as we encounter the radical holy humility of Jesus, “Here am I, send me”. Jesus wasn’t forced to die to save us, He chose to obey His Father, which meant humbling himself to the point of death on a cross. (Philippians 2:8) The same is true for us, we aren’t forced to obey God’s call on our lives, but once we are truly confronted with the holiness of God and the depths of our sin, how can we not kneel and say, “Here I am, an absolute wreck, but send me, I’ll willing to go.”

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Sketched X Day 13 Dinner & Identity

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 43:15-45:15
John 14:9-11
John 13:1-17
Luke 24:13-35

Sketched X, Day 13

After all this time….
Thirteen years (Genesis 37:2, Genesis 41:46) spent wondering what would become of me. Years of wondering what had become of those who had sold me into slavery – you, my half-brothers. (Genesis 37:12-28) Now here you are, back for more grain. (Genesis 43:1-14)

This time I won’t be rough with you as I was at your last visit when I desperately needed to know if your hearts had truly repented. (Genesis 42:9-20) Instead, I will continue to show kindness like I did as you returned home to our father. (Genesis 42:25-26)
I will instruct my servant to invite you to the noon meal. 

I see my brother Benjamin (Genesis 35:24) has returned with you, as I had previously instructed. (Genesis 42:20) How my heart is both joyful and heavy. I missed so much of his life while I served Potiphar and sat in prison. (Genesis 39, Genesis 41:1) O Benjamin! Let me retreat to my room as I am overwhelmed to see him as a mature young man. (Genesis 43:30)

I want to reveal myself to you, my brothers, on this visit, but I also want to continue to test your hearts. You were honest with my servant about the money I returned to you, and you gave more care to Benjamin on the journey here than you did to me that fateful day. Maybe you have learned. But how will you handle favor? Will you be jealous, like you were when our father favored me with the coat? (Genesis 37:3-4) Let us see.

First I arranged you in birth order. (Genesis 43:33) I knew that would alarm you. Then I gave my brother Benjamin five times more food and drink than the others.
But you did not get upset and for that I was overjoyed. (Genesis 44:34)
I enjoyed my time with you, but I needed to prepare for my final test. Well, not my final test, but Yahweh’s. It is He who is guiding and obstructing me in how I deal with you brothers.

As you left to return to our father, I sent my servant after you to accuse you of thievery. (Genesis 44:1-2) Many would think you are thieves, stealing my freedom and so many years of my life. But you stole nothing. Not this day, nor the day you sold me into slavery. It was all part of God’s plan, and I intended to share this truth with you if you passed my final test.

When my servant stopped you and found the cup in Benjamin’s bag I had placed there, you returned to me, not angry and indignant, but humble! You fell to the ground and bowed before me, (Genesis 44:1-14) just like in the dream that made you hate me enough to sell me. (Genesis 37:5-11) In that moment, you were more humble than I had been when I shared the dream.

And then Judah. O Judah! You mentioned I was dead, but I was not. I was right before you. But despite still holding onto that story of what happened to me, you, above all, amazed me. You came to me with humility, a sense of responsibility and dare I say love and compassion. (Genesis 44:18-34)

You offered your very life for my brother Benjamin. You offered your life to prevent our father from any further grief. I saw none of that before, but now, now, my brother, I see the change. You passed my test. All of you passed.

Now, I weep as I reveal myself to you brothers. Yes, I tricked you, but it wasn’t done in vengeance or hate. I sense your worry, but I say to you, “…don’t be grieved or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life.” (Genesis 45:5) Brothers, I love you in spite of your actions.

And now, I await your return with my father, Israel. How I have missed him! How I have missed all of you! My soul rejoices for the plans of Yahweh, for they are always true and right. Now hurry my brothers and bring our father to Egypt, where he will be well cared for and Yahweh will be glorified.

John: Joseph invited his brothers to a meal to reveal who he was. We see Jesus openly reveal who He is at a meal, but without any trickery in John 14. Joseph used trickery to confirm his brothers’ heart intentions, but Jesus had no need for such tactics. He simply served them humbly and lovingly by washing His disciples’ feet. (John 13:1-17)

Cleopas: Joseph went to great lengths to reveal to his brothers who he was, with the big reveal at the noon meal. I wonder if they sensed it before he told them? As I walked the road to Emmaus, I felt something, a recognition. But it was at the meal that He, Jesus, fully revealed Himself. And it was my great privilege to truly see the God who keeps on revealing Himself to humanity through our telling of Him. (Luke 24:13-35)

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched X Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Sketched X!

Sketched X Day 10 Perfectly Planned

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 41:33-57
Psalm 105:16-22

Sketched X, Day 10

When you’ve been through what I’ve been through, you come out on the other side a very different person. I can honestly tell you that I now know my God better and trust my God more as a result of what I’ve been through. And I wouldn’t trade that for anything, even though it was hard.

You see, I was sold into slavery in Egypt by my older brothers when I was a boy. As if that wasn’t bad enough, I was falsely accused not too long after I got there and thrown into prison. At any point along this road I could have given up on God, wondering what on earth He was doing and why it seemed that He was treating me so unfairly. But I’m glad I didn’t. Because I’m seeing now that all of my days were perfectly planned by Him before even a single one came to be.

The Lord, in His sovereignty and according to His plan for my life, gave me the gift of being able to interpret, with His help, the meaning of dreams. And would you know it – that is the very thing God used to finally get me out of prison once and for all after I had been forgotten there again and again for years.

When I interpreted Pharoah’s dream for him, telling him about the coming famine, I said to him, “Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”
Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting him to decide I was the wise and discerning man for the job! Not after all I had been through! But that is exactly what he did! In fact, he put me over his house and all his people!  He even gave me his signet ring and clothed me in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about my neck. I couldn’t believe it!

Now during the seven plentiful years which preceded the famine, I gathered up all the food and put it in the cities. I stored up so much grain that I couldn’t even measure it anymore! The Lord so blessed us that when the famine then spread over all the land, I was able to open all the storehouses and sell grain to the Egyptians even in the days of such a severe, all-encompassing famine. Our God is so good, and I am now so thankful for all I went through. He intended it for good, and I now know I can trust Him with all my days going forward.

Biblical Connections:
Daniel – The same God who revealed dreams to Joseph and gave him the divine wisdom necessary to plan for widespread rescue from famine is the same God I worship. When I was called on to tell King Nebuchadnezzar his dream and interpretation, I reminded the king that no human could do this, only the God who was willing to share His wisdom with me.

God- Mankind was enslaved by Sin, stuck in their rebellion against Me with no hope of escape, but I used all of history to lead up to My entrance into humanity’s timeline that I might rescue them. Because I am sovereign, I knew the precisely perfect time to send Jesus to live in the flesh perfectly and die for the sins of the world. My timing is never late.

Lazarus – I died from sickness, despite my sisters’ pleas for Jesus to come heal me. It seemed hopeless, but Jesus had other plans. My death and my sisters’ sorrow had a divine purpose for God’s glory to be displayed. His wisdom is far above ours. He is worthy of our trust – always and no matter what!


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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched X Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Sketched X

Sketched X Day 8 Dreams & Designs

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 41:1-32
Psalm 105:20
1 Kings 17:1-16
Daniel 5
Acts 10:1-33

Sketched X, Day 8

Something was amiss.

Our morning rations, never a priority here in the dungeons, arrived even later than usual. With shaking hands, Abasi, a young kitchen servant, fumbled the basket and water jug to the sandy ground.

In my role as overseer of the other prisoners, Abasi and I interacted regularly and had struck up a friendship; his behavior today was decidedly odd.

Meeting my eyes for a brief second, he whispered urgently,
“They’re coming for you.”

The best days in the life of a prisoner are marked by monotonous drudgery, and with this unusual warning, I felt dread settle over me. 

Abasi scurried away, and it wasn’t long before I heard confirmation of his prediction in the rattle of armor and tandem thud of marching feet descending to the dungeons.

“Yahweh,” I flung a quick prayer heavenward, “is this the end?”

A few hours later, I found myself standing before Pharaoh’s great throne. A crowd of courtiers ringed the pavilion, their murmurs dying into silence as Pharaoh raised his hand. Breathless, I waited.

When the guards had escorted me not to my execution, but to a sumptuous bath where I’d been cleansed, shaved, and dressed in fine clothes–luxuries I’d nearly forgotten existed–I’d been able to discover my sudden removal from prison was motivated by a series of disturbing dreams. Pharaoh’s disturbing dreams.

Dreams. Again.

Several years ago, I’d vowed I was finished with dreams. They brought nothing but intense suffering and soul-crushing disappointment. Never again, I’d promised myself, would I speak of dreams or their interpretations.

“I have had a dream,” Pharaoh’s voice rang out. “And no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said about you that you can hear a dream and interpret it.” (Genesis 41:15)

My heart plummeted through the smooth obsidian floor on which I stood.
Closing my eyes, I swallowed hard.
“Yahweh,” my mind cried. “What should I do?!”

Suddenly, I was back where it all began, in my father’s tents. I watched myself, decades younger, interrupt the family meal to describe my vivid dreams.

As the scenes I’d re-lived a thousand times played out before my eyes, the familiar narrative replayed. I viewed my brothers as demons, driven by the threat of my dreams to wreak incomprehensible cruelty on my younger, defenseless self. But this time, the narrative began to shift and my eyes were open to new insights from the Lord. 

Suddenly, I saw pride snaking around my heart and spilling from my mouth in impetuous, thoughtless words. 

Suddenly, I realized that, as my father’s favorite son, I’d been given more voice and power than was wise for such an immature, zealous boy. I’d abused these, never once considering what words, context, or timing would be appropriate for sharing  my dreams . . . or even if Yahweh was leading me to share. 

Suddenly, I understood the dreams were not the cause of my suffering.
My brothers’ sin . . . and my own, I saw for the first time . . . had landed me in that cistern.
In the years that followed, my voice and power had been lost. 

Instantly, my mind returned to the dungeon. 

Unjustly imprisoned, I’d grabbed at a chance to free myself by interpreting the dreams of members of Pharaoh’s court. Again, I saw my interactions with sudden clarity.

I’d pinned my hopes for freedom on a fellow prisoner, too caught up in protesting my innocence and decrying my victimhood to seek guidance from Yahweh. I’d planned for my release, and spent days rehearsing the speech I’d give when I was exonerated. 

But days turned into years, and my plans fell apart.
Overcome by hopelessness, I decided I was finished with dreams.
They were nonsense; how could they possibly be part of Yahweh’s plans?

But . . .
What if I’d misunderstood Yahweh’s purpose in His dreams?
What if Yahweh sent them as assurance of His plans, inviting me to trust His faithfulness and power despite my confusion and suffering?

What if dreams were a tool in Yahweh’s hands,
which He used to work His designs for my life and His world?

Suppose, instead of spelling disaster, dreams were a divine kindness,
a call to partner with Yahweh on His mission?
What if Yahweh used dreams and interpretations as part of His plan to bring justice and salvation to the world?

The impatient clang of the Pharaoh’s serpent scepter against the floor brought me back to the present.

Trust Me.
My plans will not fail.
Speak.
His words reverberated through my spirit.

Drawing upon what I’d learned, both in my moment of sudden understanding and throughout my time in Egypt, I spoke.

Through me, Yahweh spoke words of prophecy and forewarning.
He revealed a plan of kindness, provision, and salvation.
Yahweh’s faithfulness to fulfill His plans is unfailing! (Psalm 36:5-9)

Elijah
King Ahab has led the people of Israel into desperate sin, so drought strangles our land. Yet Yahweh’s goodness is unfailing. He has saved me from Ahab’s search parties and satisfied all my needs. I cling to hope, knowing He is working out His plan to pursue and rescue His people. (1 Kings 17:1-16)

Queen of Babylon
Like the Cupbearer who finally remembered Joseph, I recalled a young prophet who could explain the inexplicable. When a message appeared in the air as King Belshazzar desecrated the holy instruments of the Hebrew God during a debauched festival, the prophet revealed it as a warning of the kingdom’s impending collapse. In His kindness, the Hebrew God offered a last chance for repentance, but Belshazzar refused. Within hours, he was slain by a rival. This Hebrew God’s plans are unfailing. (Daniel 5)

Cornelius
In my dream, the Hebrew God instructed me to send for a leader of The Way, named Simon Peter. Within four days, Simon Peter stood before me and taught about the Messiah, inviting me and my household to faith in Him. Though I didn’t understand them at the time, I now know God’s plans are unfailing! (Acts 10:1-33)

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched X Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Sketched X!

Sketched X Day 6 Without A Voice

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 39:21-40:23
Exodus 2:23-25
Exodus 3:7-12
Isaiah 53:10-12
Matthew 27:45-46

Sketched X, Day 6

As I sit here in my prison room pondering the irony of life, many memories play in my mind.

I clearly recall that fateful day how I pleaded with my brothers when they were about to sell me to the Midianite traders, but they would not listen.

I also recall the day when my Egyptian master’s wife tried to force me to sleep with her, and I escaped from her grip, leaving my shirt behind. (Genesis 39:10-20) On coming home, my master’s wife turned the whole thing against me, and my master, Potiphar, refused to hear my defense..

Like my brothers, my master turned a deaf ear to my plea, and I’ve been in prison since. Innocent, yet condemned as a criminal because I do not have a voice.

But I am comforted by God’s presence. He has been with me before I even knew the depths of the suffering I would experience. I may not understand why He allowed me to pass through all these difficulties, but I am confident He has not abandoned me.

In His mercy, He has granted me favour before the captain of the prison guards. The captain has committed all prisoners to my care to oversee. He does not bother to check my work, because he has found me faithful, and God is prospering the work of my hands..

More recently, I encountered two of Pharaoh’s officers here in the prison. They were his chief cupbearer and chief baker. One day as I checked on them, they were both upset, and I asked them, “Why do you look so sad today?”

They responded, “We had dreams, but there is no one to interpret them.” So I told them interpretation belongs to God, and offered to listen to their dreams.

The cupbearer began:

“In my dream there was a vine in front of me. On the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms came out and its clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”

God revealed the meaning of the dream to me, and I told him within three days Pharaoh would restore him to work.

Encouraged by my words, the chief baker also narrated his dream:

“I also had a dream. Three baskets of white bread were on my head. In the top basket were all sorts of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”

God also gave me the interpretation, and I told him within three days Pharaoh would hang him. Indeed, within three days, God’s messages came to pass as the chief cupbearer was returned to work while the chief baker was hanged.

Meanwhile, I had told the chief cupbearer my unjust ordeal and how I landed in prison. I pleaded with him to remember me, and mention me before Pharaoh when he was restored. But since then I have not heard anything from him. It appears he too, has ignored my plea, and forgotten about me.

Oh, how it feels to be without a voice!

In my despair, I cry out to the only One who has not forgotten about me, “How long, O Lord? Can You hear my cries for help? Will You rescue me?”

Israel: God remembered, heard, and rescued Joseph, making him the voice of his people in Egypt. Later, generations of Israelites found themselves in a similar situation to Joseph as they were enslaved by a new pharaoh, engaged in severe hard labour with no one to speak for them. For over 400 years they cried to God for relief and deliverance, but it seemed they had been forgotten. Yet “God heard their groaning [. . .] God saw the Israelites, and God knew.” (Exodus 2:23-25)

Moses: God heard Israel’s cry and asked Moses to be His mouthpiece to them, just as Joseph asked the cupbearer to be his voice. Moses balked, but God equipped him, and in His kindness provided Aaron to speak for Moses. He ensured His work was accomplished, just as He freed Joseph that His work might continue. (Exodus 3:7-12)

Jesus: He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. The God-man whose word could have stopped His own crucifixion chose to remain silent . . . voiceless. Like Joseph, Jesus was innocent but condemned as a criminal. He only cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:45-46) But in His kindness, God was willing to sacrifice Jesus for our sin. (Isaiah 53:10-12)

Even when God appears silent, He is working out His plans in wondrous ways. Joseph became the instrument God used to save Israel from famine, and later, He used Moses to deliver them from slavery. In a similar way, God allowed Jesus to suffer unjustly to bring salvation to humankind.

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

Join the GT Community and share your thoughts!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Sketched X Week Two! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Sketched X!

The GT Weekend! ~ Sketched X Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Digging Deeper author, Patty Scott, held up snapshots of Joseph’s life and challenged us to consider how nearsighted we are when we view snippets of our own lives. It’s easy to longingly ache for more, for wholeness, for redemption, for better than our current hardship. We hunger for a season when the pressing isn’t so intense, and like our New Testament brother in Jesus, Stephen, we can wonder how our seemingly senseless difficulty could result in good. When we hold up Joseph’s and Stephen’s stories to Jesus and the Eternal Hope He offers, we are encouraged to take a broad scope lens approach to our own suffering. Learning to trust in the Hope of Jesus takes time as God’s Spirit teaches us through hardship to fix our eyes of Him instead of our circumstances. What is your perspective on the details of a current hardship? If you’re in a sweet place, where does your anchor lie for when the details shift from easy to hard? Take some time to read and reflect on the words from the Lord found in 2 Corinthians 4:14-18 over the weekend and let them take root in your heart!

2) As Joseph’s story began in the early years his fledgling faith was barely beginning, but he leaned into what he knew to be true despite the chaos and challenge of his life. The Lord was revealing Himself through the heritage of Joseph’s past and through dreams. His home life was painful and unstable in many ways, but he still believed the Lord enough to trust the dreams he’d been given. Through the pages of Scripture, we see the Lord revealing Himself to His people in small portions that increase over time as they deepen in their faith. This is true for us as well! Consider where you are in your faith journey. What do you hold to be true about God? Where did you learn it? Who influenced you in these beliefs? What do you hunger to know more about Him? Are you allowing your circumstances to dictate what you believe or the truth of Scripture? Take just 2 minutes this weekend and write down what you believe about God. Ponder these reflections and give them over to the Lord, letting Him lead you into deeper understanding of Him as you seek His face!

3) Injustice piled on top of injustice for Joseph. I’ve felt the same in my own life. My gut response is to seriously question the goodness of God and whether He really sees me and knows me. It’s so easy to doubt Him and, in place of faith, wonder if He will really do anything about unjust treatment. When resolution and redemption don’t happen on my timetable, I begin to doubt whether Scripture is true when it says the Lord is a God of justice. (Isaiah 30:18) Lord, pour spiritual cement on my heart when these temptations to doubt come at me; anchor me in truth and don’t let me leave! When are you most tempted to doubt the Lord and His goodness? Consider your default setting of belief about the Lord when you experience easy seasons and then again in hard ones. Do your beliefs align with what the Lord says about Himself in Scripture? Are you willing to embrace what God’s Word says or will you hold fast to your perspective? Think about the why behind your answers and bring this to the Lord!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Prayer Journal
Lord Jesus, I can look backwards in my life and see how faithful You have proven to be to me and to every promise in Your word. When doubt creeps in, I can look straight to Scripture and see how You prove Your faithfulness through every story. Holding onto truth is much harder than holding onto lies; Lord Jesus, increase my appetite for truth and lead me away from temptation to believe deceptions.

I know You will follow through on Your word to redeem my suffering for good, to bring healing from my brokenness, and to restore the years the locusts have eaten. (Joel 2:25-26) Keep leading me to surrender my plans and expectations to You in the middle of suffering. Teach me to be strong and courageous and wait for You to move perfectly in Your time to accomplish Your good work! (Psalm 27:14)

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

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Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Sketched X Day 4 Shepherd Boy: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Shepherd Boy!

The Questions

1) Who is Jacob and what is his significance in the big picture of the Bible’s story? (verses 1-4)

2) Were dreams common in the lives of people in the Old Testament? (verses 5-11)

3) Why did Joseph’s brothers despise him enough to plot against him? (verses 12-20)

Genesis 37:1-19

Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. 2 These are the family records of Jacob.

At seventeen years of age, Joseph tended sheep with his brothers. The young man was working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought a bad report about them to their father.

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons because Joseph was a son born to him in his old age, and he made a long-sleeved robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not bring themselves to speak peaceably to him.

5 Then Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the field. Suddenly my sheaf stood up, and your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.”

8 “Are you really going to reign over us?” his brothers asked him. “Are you really going to rule us?” So they hated him even more because of his dream and what he had said.

9 Then he had another dream and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun, moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

10 He told his father and brothers, and his father rebuked him. “What kind of dream is this that you have had?” he said. “Am I and your mother and your brothers really going to come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

12 His brothers had gone to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem. 13 Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers, you know, are pasturing the flocks at Shechem. Get ready. I’m sending you to them.”

“I’m ready,” Joseph replied.

14 Then Israel said to him, “Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are doing, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the Hebron Valley, and he went to Shechem.

15 A man found him there, wandering in the field, and asked him, “What are you looking for?”

16 “I’m looking for my brothers,” Joseph said. “Can you tell me where they are pasturing their flocks?”

17 “They’ve moved on from here,” the man said. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph set out after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

18 They saw him in the distance, and before he had reached them, they plotted to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Oh, look, here comes that dream expert!”

Original Intent

1) Who is Jacob and what is his significance in the big picture of the Bible’s story? (verses 1-4)
Since the Bible is one big story written by God, it’s wise to place its characters within the context of the whole Bible. Verse 1, which places Jacob in Canaan, is connected to the preceding narrative as a conclusion to the early Jacob story we read in Genesis 25-36. (netbible.org) When Jacob’s mother was pregnant with him and his twin brother, Esau, God told her there were “two nations” in her womb who would eventually be at war. (Genesis 25:23) Esau’s family records are preserved in Genesis 36 and Jacob’s family story is recorded in Genesis 37 as stated in verse 2. Isaac and Rebecca seemingly did not take the prophecy seriously enough regarding their sons being at odds as Jacob and Esau grew up with their parents playing favorites. (Genesis 25:27-28) This devastating favoritism crept into the next generation (verse 3) resulting in unintended consequences for Jacob’s beloved son, Joseph. It was no secret who the favorite was, and Joseph’s bad report of his brothers’ deplorable actions didn’t help matters. The brothers were despicable characters, and through no fault of his own, Joseph was rejected by them. Receiving special treatment from his father caused such great resentment among them that they want Joseph out of the picture. Verse 4 tells us they treated Joseph with the worst possible treatment: hatred. This Hebrew word is used interchangeably with our English word “unloved’ in Genesis 29:31 and 33. We hear unloved and may dismiss it inconsequentially until we understand it is the complete antithesis of God Himself. Of the 149 times “שָׂנֵא” is used in the Old Testament, the vast majority of instances occur when God speaks of sin. The Sovereign Almighty hates sin. And Joseph’s brothers hated him. The one their father deemed most important was the one they held in contempt.

2) Were dreams common in the lives of people in the Old Testament? (verses 5-11)
The Old Testament teaches that Joseph was not the only dreamer in the history of God’s people. God often used dreams and visions (waking dreams as in Numbers 24:2-4) to communicate with His people. Check out the testimonies of dreams and visions in Genesis 15:1, Genesis 20:1-7, 1 Samuel 3:11, and Judges 7:13-14! Even Joseph’s own father, Jacob, received a message from God through a dream in Genesis 28:10-17. Dreams seem to have been frequent enough that their absence was noticed. (1 Samuel 3:1) It’s important to recognize that Joseph’s dreams were revelations from God and would eventually come to pass, but neither his brothers nor his father grasped their significance. I doubt even Joseph fully comprehended them until he witnessed their unfolding as God orchestrated the events. (Genesis 42:5-6) The passage seems to indicate, though, that Joseph realized there was something important enough in those dreams that he should share them. Scripture gives no indication that Joseph was attempting to brag about his dreams, although we could conclude it wasn’t his most discerning approach to interaction with his brothers! (verse 8) Even so, as the brothers grew more resentful of Joseph, Jacob possibly recalled his own dream as he pondered the words of his son. (verse 11) Though we aren’t told, perhaps he had finally learned to keep his strong feelings about Joseph to himself. Sadly, it was much too late for that recognition. He had driven a wedge so deep among the brothers it would change the course of their family history. Humanly speaking, of course, for God holds the final word of every story! (Genesis 50:19-20)

3) Why did Joseph’s brothers despise him enough to plot against him? (verses 12-20)
The cards appear to be stacked against Joseph from the beginning of his life. While the causes of the brothers’ hatred for Joseph are detailed plainly in Genesis 37, they do not begin to uncover the troubled background of this family. His older brothers always knew their father loved his mother Rachel more than their mothers. (Genesis 29:28-30) Though the text doesn’t say it explicitly, the brothers were likely aware that Jacob chose to protect Rachel and Joseph above all when confronted with a potentially dangerous encounter with his estranged brother. (Genesis 33:1-2) The implication in these passages from chapters 29 and 33 give us great insight into their strong feelings toward Joseph. Even if Joseph had never shared his dreams or worn his special coat, their hatred had been growing for years. It wasn’t uncommon in those days for a younger brother to check on his older brothers and give a status report to their father. The Bible tells us that a young shepherd boy named David was sent by his father to check on his brothers and report back. (1 Samuel 17:17-20) But for Joseph, this was seen as more reason for his brothers to despise him. They knew he would give a bad report again. So, without pause, they immediately plotted against him when they saw him coming toward them. They had so much bitterness toward their younger brother, they even devised a plan to lie to their father about murdering him. (Genesis 37:20) Vivid coats and vivid dreams had put them over the edge of reason. They had no mercy left in their wicked hearts. “Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”, they said mockingly. (verse 20) Little did they know that what they intended for evil in Joseph’s life, God would use to save a nation. (Genesis 50:15-21)

Everyday Application

1) Who is Jacob and what is his significance in the big picture of the Bible’s story? (verses 1-4)
Friend, have you been the casualty of favoritism in your family? It can be a painful experience causing years of hurt and lasting insecurity. One sad part of this story is the lesson unlearned. How could Jacob not have recognized the damage favoritism would cause? He’d lived it! He had feared for his own life at one point, knowing the emotional distance there was between his brother and himself all those years ago. He surely remembered how all the problems were centered around his parents playing favorites. Thankfully, the stories of Isaac and Jacob don’t end with them or the failures of their parents. Jacob had a son who chose to walk a better path. Even though Joseph’s story is filled with people who wished evil upon him, he trusted in his God. Like our Savior, Joseph chose mercy and forgiveness. (Genesis 50:15-21, Luke 23:32-43) The bigger story is that we are all somewhat like Joseph’s brothers by choosing to sin against our Creator God. But oh, Sister, know this, there is a Redeemer! Jesus, God’s own Son “proved His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8 Once accepting this lavish love for ourselves, we are equipped by God’s Spirit to extend love to others. While it’s easy to fall into hatred and wield the weapon of contempt, God’s love arms us with His goodness and kindness instead. Love well, Sisters, and leave hatred for sin and its destructive ways.

2) Were dreams common in the lives of people in the Old Testament? (verses 5-11)
As long as there have been humans, God has been working while they sleep. (Genesis 2:21, Psalm 42:8) There are several accounts in the Bible of dreamers. Some dreams were surprising and exciting like the one Gideon overheard in Judges 7:13-15. Some were disturbing dreams like King Nebuchadnezzar’s in Daniel 2:1-3. The prophet Daniel in the Old Testament (Daniel 7) and the apostle John (Revelation) in the New Testament both had visions given by God about the future and the last days. The Bible mentions several other visions and dreams throughout its pages. Dreams were a way God revealed Himself to His people in special times, but there were serious cautions for those who claimed to have prophetic dreams. The Old Testament Law declared that if a prophet proclaimed a dream to people and then called them to worship another god, he was to be put to death even if the dream came true. (Deuteronomy 13:1-5) God has already told us that He alone is to be worshipped. Any dream that violates this foundational truth is not from Him which is why we study Scripture so we can confidently know what is true. God has revealed Himself to us through His promises found in His Word. He has told us we have everything we need to know in His word. (2 Peter 1:3-4) I love that God works for us even when we don’t know it, and I’m thankful to know that whatever He’s doing is good for me. Sister, He’s singing and praying over you even now! Rejoice and be glad! (Zephaniah 3:14-17, Romans 8:24-28)

3) Why did Joseph’s brothers despise him enough to plot against him? (verses 12-20)
Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote the famous words in a poem, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” (Sonnet 43, Elizabeth Barrett Browning 1806–1861) We read in Genesis that Jacob loved Joseph more than all his brothers, and the brothers despised Joseph for the favoritism shown him. It seems they spent their days counting the ways they hated him. On the better days, they ignored him. On the worst day, they sold him.
But God! Sweet friend, I don’t know if you feel rejected or despised by someone you care about. It may be that you have experienced years of pain because of someone else’s bitterness and resentment, not caused by anything you’ve done. I encourage you not to lose hope. The psalmist reminds us to cry out to God with our pain … AND our hope! “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long will I store up anxious concerns within me, agony in my mind every day? How long will my enemy dominate me? Consider me and answer, Lord my God. Restore brightness to my eyes; otherwise, I will sleep in death. My enemy will say, ‘I have triumphed over him’, and my foes will rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in Your faithful love; my heart will rejoice in Your deliverance. I will sing to the Lord because He has treated me generously!” (Psalm 13) Bring your honesty to the Lord for He will carry and sustain you in the midst of your hardship just as He did for Joseph!

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

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Sketched X Day 3 Shepherd Boy

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 37:1-19
Psalm 105:7-11
1 Samuel 16
John 10:11-18
Luke 2:25-35

Sketched X, Day 3

The sun burned and sweat dripped down my back as I trudged home. We were supposed to be shepherding our father’s flocks, but Father needed to know about my brothers’ behavior. It’s my duty to give him an honest report of what’s happening, which is usually less than honorable.

I’ve watched the effect of Yahweh’s presence on my family. I remember how Father’s gait changed following his encounter with God one night. I was a young boy, but I know he hasn’t always walked with a limp.

I’ve seen with my own eyes the place where Father entered into a covenant with Yahweh at Bethel.  (Genesis 35:1-15) I know the passion in Father’s eyes when he speaks of the covenant passed down since Great Grandfather Abraham. I know our family is flawed with three step-mothers, ten step-brothers, and a step-sister; what else can be expected?

Despite the chaos of home, I know Yahweh is real. I know He has called our family to greatness, especially me. Because of His calling I must always be honest, even if I anger my brothers. I must uphold my duty to Yahweh and to Father.

Shortly after bringing Father the ill report on my brothers, Father gave me a special robe. It displayed every color of the rainbow and featured elaborate stitching and intricate details. I’d never seen a robe quite like this one. (Genesis 37:2-4)

Part of me filled with deep dread when he gave me the coat. My brothers were already livid with jealousy; everyone knows I’m Father’s favorite. When I was younger, they used to joke about Jacob, our father, being Grandfather’s favorite, but comments of Father’s favoritism toward me aren’t jovial; they drip with bitterness.

This wonderful and exuberant coat, I really love it, and I love Father deeply. I don’t want to disappoint him, and I’m honored he knows me well enough to design a robe I’d thoroughly enjoy.

So, I wore the robe with pride, but the familiar pit settled in my stomach when I saw my brothers’ faces. It’s hard to feel confident and loved when the only words they speak are cruel. They purposefully trip me, ignore me completely, or mimic my every move.

Still, Yahweh reminds me of His hand on me. One night I had a dream of such vivid brilliance that I woke up breathless. It surely meant something! I felt a reassurance deep in my soul: Yahweh had something special planned for our family, like Great Grandfather Abraham and Grandfather Isaac promised.

Perhaps if I told my brothers this dream, they’d feel Yahweh speaking to them, too.
Maybe they’d know He had an important plan for our family and even for me!
Maybe, just maybe, they wouldn’t hate me as much if they knew Yahweh would use me for something great.

“Brothers! Listen to my dream! It was so real and the colors so magnificent, it surely came from Yahweh!” I told them I’d dreamed we were binding sheaves in the field when my sheaf arose and stood upright.

At first, their faces held a mixture of amusement and leariness, but when I told them their sheaves encircled mine and bowed down, their faces reddened, burning with anger.

“Oh, so you think you’re going to reign over us? You’re so full of yourself, you think we’re all going to bow to you? Ha!” They angrily laughed at me, then turned away. They hadn’t believed this dream came from Yahweh at all.

A few days later, I had another dream. Like the last, my dream was so vivid I had to squint from the brightness of the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing down to me. I woke up wondering if I’d even been dreaming.

Perhaps if I told my brothers about this dream, too, they’d believe my first dream and they’d realize the importance of these dreams! Yahweh would use our family in mighty ways and He had a specific purpose for me!

This time I shared my dream while Father and my brothers were together. However, my face flushed a flaming red this time, not from anger, but in shame as Father rebuked me. Even he, who knew me so well, didn’t understand the significance of this dream.

It has been a few weeks since my last dream and once again, sweat drips down my face as I head toward Shechem to check on my brothers for Father. To honor Father, I donned my colorful robe and headed out to see my brothers, even though I know they’ll be angry to see me.

David: While King David wouldn’t descend from Abraham’s lineage for a few hundred years, he and Joseph were both the younger of many older brothers, who shepherded their father’s flocks. They both would start off as unassuming teenage shepherds who would one day shepherd entire nations with which God entrusted them. (1 Samuel 16)

Simeon: God spoke to Simeon through visions over one thousand years after He spoke to Joseph through dreams. Joseph would see his dreams come to fruition and eventually understand the meaning of them; so would Simeon. God is never-changing and the God who gives visions can be trusted. He is a promise-keeper. (Luke 2:25-35)

Jesus: Some scholars count as many as 105 similarities between Joseph and Jesus. As adolescents, both Jesus and Joseph were shepherds; however, Jesus was already shepherding the hearts of those around Him when He was just twelve years old. (Luke 2:41-52) There are many references to shepherding throughout the Bible, and all of them point to Jesus as The Good Shepherd. He is loved fiercely by His Father and faithfully cares for the sheep entrusted to Him (that’s us!). (John 10:11-18)

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