Sun.’s Devo- The Revealing of the Son of God -

Read: Genesis 44:1-45:28; Matthew 14:13-36; Psalm 18:37-50; Proverbs 4:11-13 Joseph needed to test his brothers with one more test to see if they would protect Benjamin with their life or if they would abandon him like they did him. He had his servant plant his silver cup in Benjamin’s bag. After they had left the city he was sent to stop them and accuse them of stealing the cup. When he accused them of stealing it the brothers were so sure they had not taken it that they said he could kill the one who took it and all of them would become servants of the governor. When the cup was found in Benjamin’s bag, the brothers were distraught. They returned with the man to Egypt. When they met with Joseph, Judah stepped forward to speak for them. He told him all about their father’s love for Benjamin and his brother. His brother had been eaten by wild animals but this child was his father’s delight. To take him away from him would break his heart. They could not return without him so they said they would all stay and be Joseph’s servants. Joseph could see that their hearts had changed so he ordered all his men to leave the room. He revealed his true identity to them and after they got over the shock of it all, they gathered around Joseph and hugged him and cried. The servants outside heard the great reunion and told the Pharaoh. He was delighted and offered the best land, provisions and blessings for Joseph’s family. They were to return and get Jacob and all their families and move them to Goshen which was Egypt’s best land. They would be fed from the king’s table and all their needs would be supplied. It was only the second year of the famine and there would be five more years. This was the only way to sustain them and keep their posterity alive. God had provided! Jacob could hardly believe what they were telling him about Joseph until he saw all the gifts Joseph had sent from Egypt and the vehicles they had sent to bring them back. Joseph was a type of Jesus who was despised and almost killed by his own brothers. He was sent ahead of them to prepare a place for them just like Jesus was sent to heaven to prepare a place for us. Goshen means “drawing near”. John the Baptist came preaching that the Kingdom of God was drawing near. The Kingdom of Heaven is closer than its ever been and we can access it anytime we want to. In Revelation 4:1 gives us the invitation to “come up here” and see the things which are in the future. In Matthew, when Jesus received the news that John the Baptist had been beheaded, he went to spend some time alone. His death was a marker in Jesus’ life that he was the only one who understood. The crowds caught up with him and his heart compelled him to meet their needs over his own. He healed them and ministered to them all day. As it was getting late, the disciples reminded Jesus that he needed to send them home to eat. Jesus told the disciples to feed them. There were over 5,000 people there and all they had was five loaves of bread and two fish. The disciples thought he was crazy. Jesus had them sit everyone down and took what they had and blessed them. Then he began breaking the bread and fish and passing them to the disciples who gave them to the people. Everyone was fed and the disciples picked up twelve baskets of left-overs. Then Jesus sent them home filled. Jesus finally got his time alone while he sent his disciples in their boat across the lake. A violent storm rose up around three in the morning. As the disciples were fighting the waves they looked up and saw Jesus walking on the water. I’m sure he had done this many times before only this time he got caught. The disciples thought it was a ghost and were terrified. Jesus called out and calmed their fears. Peter asked if he could do the same thing and Jesus invited him to join him. Peter was doing fine until he looked at the waves and allowed fear to drown his faith. He dropped into the water. Jesus reached out and pulled him into the boat and asked why he doubted him. The minute Jesus climbed into the boat, the storm stopped. The disciples had an epiphany that Jesus really was the Son of God. They landed in Gennesaret, the very place Jesus had delivered the demoniac. The last time, the people had cast Jesus out of town. This time they were flocking to see him with their sick and oppressed. The testimony of the delivered had changed their minds and hearts and they were ready for Jesus. Lord, may we be ready for the next thing you want to do on the earth. We see and feel the shift of change and know you are inviting us to join you in what is coming. We wait with joyful expectation for your sons to be revealed on the earth.