“Glory to the Precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ”

Psalms 133: 1 - 3 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!

It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.

It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Hallelujah

Salvation of the soul - Unifying the brethren - as a pattern

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we meditated yesterday regarding the goodness that God gives us. God is the one who gives us manna, the word of God each and every day. We must give God what we are supposed to - the incense of praise, honour, glory, thanksgiving all of this should always keep arising from the depths of our heart. If we live in this manner God will break the hardened heart of Pharaoh and Christ will work in us as a spirit of power, love and sound mind. If we live like this we will be able to eat the good of the land. In this manner our soul should be filled with God's love. For this God is showing Joseph in the land of Egypt in the palace of Pharaoh as a pattern.

We see that when Joseph saw that Benjamin has come with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house to take them to his home. Now Joseph's brothers were afraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, “It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may make a case against us and seize us, to take us as slaves with our donkeys.” They told the steward of the house that “O sir, we indeed came down the first time to buy food; but it happened, when we came to the encampment, that we opened our sacks, and there, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; so we have brought it back in our hand. 

And we have brought down other money in our hands to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.” Genesis 43: 23 But he said, “Peace be with you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.

From this what we understand is that, we must bring back to God the blessing that he has given us and receive the blessing and whenever we come to God we must bring offerings to God. God shows these things to us as a pattern.

The steward of the house is telling Joseph's brothers - Peace be with you. The reason is the money that God gave them in the sacks when he knew that it came back to God he says that Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; We come to know that this blessing was given by God and not Joseph.

In this manner, God does what we do not expect.

1 Corinthians 2: 9, 10 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 

That is what God says in Isaiah 55: 8, 9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Joseph's brothers did not think that such a thing will happen in their lives. If God did such great things, today if we have faith in God and do what God tells us to do we must know that God will do what we do not expect and fill us the unlimited happiness.

But we come to know that the brothers are taken to Joseph's house to give them food. So the steward brought the men into the house and gave them water to wash their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed.

Genesis 43: 25 Then they made the present ready for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they would eat bread there.

And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth. 

Then he asked them “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? And Joseph's brothers answered, “Your servant our father is in good health; And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves.

Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, and said, “Is this your younger brother of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” 

Now his heart yearned for his brother; so when he saw his brother he cried with gladness. Then he washed his face and came out; and said, “Serve the bread.”

From this what we understand is that, when we truly receive the food which is God's words from God, we have to give the offering for it to God. Then he will give us much more than what we give and will do more deeds within us. If we come forward to give the blessing that God gives us in this way in his presence God will bless it and will make this blessing to increase by his grace. Not only that, in our life God will see our deeds if we are obeying him with our whole heart, whole soul and whole strength and will give us peace. Though he is God for the relation of a brother, he unites us with him and gives importance for the relation of brethren to us.

God, in order to show us as his brother Hebrews 2: 9 - 13 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 

For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 

saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”

And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”

In the words mentioned above, our Lord God sent his Son Christ and shows us brotherhood. God is showing us this thing in the Old Testament through Joseph as a pattern.

Moreover, he is making us as his children. When we see that Joseph, sees his brother Benjamin and says “God be gracious to you, my son.” 

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, when we read all these things, we should not put away the Old Testament that they are things that happened in the past. God is keeping these things in front of us and showing us as a pattern that Our Christ should be manifested in us and the things that God is doing within us, is through Him and they are the steps for the blessings of the redemption of the soul and edification. Each one of us must meditate on this, read it patiently, meditate, think about it, analyze and follow it to receive God's mercy and possess his blessings.

May the Lord bless you all. Let us pray. 

- To be continued