Sun.’s Devo - The Cost

Read: Genesis 41: 17-42:17; Matthew 13:24-46: Psalm 18:1-15:Proverbs 4:1-6
The Pharaoh told Joseph his dream of the seven skinny cows eating the seven fat cows and still being skinny and then the dream about the full grain being consumed by the thin ears of grain. God gave Joseph the interpretation immediately. The seven cows stood for seven harvests and the skinny cows seven more harvests. There would be seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine.
Joseph went right into what Pharaoh should do to prepare for this so his land would not perish. The Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph’s wisdom that he put him in charge of all his household and gave him his ring and a robe. Joseph would be second in command and no one in his kingdom would be more greater than him. Pharaoh also gave him a new name.
Isn’t this what God did to Jesus when he was exalted to heaven? God gave Jesus a name above all other names and gave him his authority and glory. No other name is more powerful than the name of Jesus.
Joseph went to work storing all the abundance to prepare for the famine. When the famine hit, it was so severe it affected his family in Canaan. They heard that Egypt had grain and set out to buy some to save their family. Benjamin stayed home.
When Joseph saw his brothers bowing before him, he remembered the dreams he had had as a teen-ager. God is faithful!
Joseph put his brothers through a series of trials to test their hearts to see if they were truly repentant.
In Matthew, Jesus gave them many parables of kingdom revelation that had been hidden since creation. They couldn’t unlock it but we can. Jesus explained the first one but I want to comment on the treasure and the pearl. Israel is known as the treasure and the Gentile is the pearl. God gave his best to buy us. He gave his only son and his blood on the cross to purchase our salvation.
Lord, thank you for the suffering you endured to lay down your life to purchase us. We are truly grateful!