prosper

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!

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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!

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Screenshot Day 9 Go Get The Sheep: 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!
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The Questions

1) Who was the audience and what was their situation?

2) What is the significance of verse 13?

3) How did this passage affect the audience?

Jeremiah 29:11-14

11 For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “I will restore you to the place from which I deported you.”

Original Intent

1) Who was the audience and what was their situation?
This passage of Scripture is a portion of a letter written by Jeremiah to the Israelites who had been taken into Babylonian captivity. Jeremiah gave them the Lord’s instructions for this period of time away from their homeland. They were to be exiles in Babylon for approximately 70 years (see verse 10) and the Lord wanted to use this time to strengthen His relationship with them. In verses 4-7 He instructed the people – both the kingdoms of Judah and Israel – to build homes and families and to work to prosper the city, but most importantly to pray for Babylon. The prosperity of Babylon would mean that they, too, would prosper. Conversely, if the city suffered, so would the exiles (and all residents).
But God would not leave them forever in this foreign nation. In His grace, He even made it known to the exiles that He would bring them home again after a set number of years. The entire Israelite nation had become “the lost sheep”, but God sought them and would bring them back.

2) What is the significance of verse 13?
Prior to their exile to Babylon, the people of God had been prostituting themselves to other gods, primarily Baal (see 1 Kings 18:18-40; 2 Kings 10:18-28; 2 Kings 21:1-3). They also gave ear to false prophets, believing lies they were told. God reassured His people in verse 13 that He can be found, and He will be found…if they give their whole heart to Him. The Lord would not share His people with false prophets and false gods.

3) How did this passage affect the audience?
The exiled people of God knew, from this passage, that the Lord had not forgotten them. Even though they suffered captivity in a foreign land for their idolatry, God still loved them. He had a plan and a purpose for the Israelites even before the creation of the world, and this little speed-bump would not alter it. God’s reassurance to them allowed them to continue living, even inside of consequences, without being fearful of their circumstance.

Everyday Application

1) Who was the audience and what was their situation?
This passage, especially verse 11, is often plucked from its context and applied however someone wants to apply it. While modern-day Christians can certainly make good application, we must remember the original events and circumstances prompting the inclusion of this text in the body of Holy Scripture. Often, people read “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” and believe God will keep them from any and all pain and their whole life will be sunshine and roses. This is simply not true.
While we, in America, have not experienced foreign conquest and captivity, you may have been relocated for a job or to care for family. During that time, did you feel as though God had forgotten you? Maybe even that He had banished you? I do hope that you were able to take comfort, by reading Jeremiah 29, that the Lord sees your circumstances and uses them to grow you. God’s plans for us go far beyond physical comfort, to our spiritual development in relationship to Him!

2) What is the significance of verse 13?
God wants a relationship with each of us, and He wants us to give Him our whole heart. Let’s put this in perspective: for the married among us, you surely don’t talk to your husbands just one day a week. And surely you don’t share the same kind of intimacies with other men as you do your spouse.
The Lover of Our Souls is jealous for our time, attention, and devotion like our spouses, but even more so! He knows us significantly better than anyone (even a spouse), because He created us. He knows every thought, even if it isn’t verbalized. He knows our desires (even the secret ones), our fears (why do we still have those?), and our insecurities (Lord, help us!). He understands our pain and empathizes; He recognizes our needs and longs to provide. Why do we not go to Him?
Dear one, regardless of whatever you have given priority above Our Sweet Lord, please put it in its rightful place – under His control.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30)

3) How did this passage affect the audience?
God does have a plan and a purpose for every single person…ultimately, that purpose is to bring glory to Himself (John 12:28). Practically, for Christ followers, we are to be salt and light, illuminating the Truth and making it desirable (Matthew 5:13-16). We are His tools, His craftsmanship, to find His “lost sheep” whether they were in the fold, but got lost and need to be returned, or have never experienced Him as Shepherd.
It is good to look to Scripture for guidance regarding your purpose, but don’t expect specific revelation on who to marry, what job to take, or where to live. Those decisions are expected to be made in the context of a living, vibrant, intimate relationship with Him. The more you spend time with the Lord, the more He tunes our hearts to understand His purposes. What you will find in Scripture, sweet sister, is that people from all backgrounds, in all circumstances, both rich and poor, have worshipped Our Lord, proclaimed His name, and lived their lives for Him. May we do the same as we pursue a relationship with Him, as He has already pursued after us, His lost sheep!

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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 :-))

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