DCLM Daily Manna 2023: DCLM Daily Manna 27 January 2024: The Power of Forgiveness
KEY VERSE: Genesis 45:3,4 “And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.” –.
TEXT: Genesis 45:1-15
Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.
2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.
3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.
4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
9 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not:
10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children’s children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:
11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.
12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you.
13 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.
14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.
15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
A Bible commentator once said, “God may allow suffering because of the evil actions of fellow humans, even though He can supersede such deeds so as to work out His will.” According to Joseph’s testimony, God was working through the sins of his brothers to preserve his life and theirs.
Today’s text tells the story of how Joseph revealed himself to his brothers. There were many tests he used to find out the present condition of his brethren before he finally revealed himself to them. After they successfully passed his tests, he disclosed to them that he was Joseph whom they had sold into slavery. They were amazed and ashamed to come near him. He had to tell them the second time who he was. He enquired about his father, asking if he was still alive. He then informed them of the global famine, which was to last many more years. He told them of the need to relocate to Egypt and shared the story of God’s providence that preserved his life and used him to succour others. It was also to fulfil God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. A new nation was about to be born.
God’s plans are not dictated by human actions. Any plan from anywhere to harm a believer will fail because God cannot approve it. Instead, He will reverse such evil plans and turn them to the good of His children.
God is merciful and extends His love and care to as many as come to Him. The elder brothers of Joseph expected retribution from him, but he offered them wholesome forgiveness. This illustrates Christ’s redemptive work for mankind. He died for us and totally forgives the sins of all who come to Him with a repentant heart. Today, no one has any justification to continue to go through life with the burden of guilt for his sins.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Forgiveness of sin and forsaking of sin go hand-in-hand.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Romans 1-3
Thank you for studying today’s Daily Manna – The Power of Forgiveness – by Pastor W.F Kumuyi
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Daily Manna 27 January 2024
