He increased His people greatly, and made them stronger than their enemies. He turned their heart to hate His people, to deal craftily with His servants. (Psalm 105:24-25)

It has been addressed in a previous devotion that, generally speaking, the people of God have grown and multiplied outside of the Land of Promise rather than within. Jacob went to Syria and returned twenty years later with wives, children and servants. Later in life, he went down into Egypt with seventy family members, and in two centuries, that number had grown into millions. The Bible records that, during that time in Egypt, “the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them” (Exodus 1:7). In fact, their numbers and might began to overshadow that of the Egyptians prompting their hosts to fear them; as it is written, “the more they multiplied and grew, they were in dread of the children of Israel” (Exodus 1:12).

It was at this point that Pharaoh and his ministers began to plot against them, eventually enslaving them. According to the psalmist, this was all part of God’s plan and purpose hence the statement, “He turned their heart to hate His people.” The question that arises is, “Why?” Why would God cause these people to turn against His people and force them into bondage? We may never fully understand the mind of God in this matter on this side of eternity, but we can make an observation. If Pharaoh had not molested the people of Israel, and had the Hebrews continued to grow mighty, prosperous and comfortable, it is likely they would have never left Egypt for Canaan — something that had to happen.

Suffice it to say that we are no different than they were; when we get comfortable, we have a tendency to become lazy — not just physically but spiritually as well. While Egypt most definitely served its purpose in providing a temporary sanctuary, it was never intended to be the final resting place for God’s people. That’s why, according to Stephen, “when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham … another king arose who did not know Joseph” (Acts 7:17-18). Likewise, when the appointed time draws near for us to fulfill our purpose, God will allow us to become uncomfortable with what we though we wanted. He will allow those we thought we knew to become agitated with us because, in the end, His desire is that we would desire His perfect will.

As I said, we may never fully understand the mind and purpose of God, but we can rely on this: His will is in our best interests. If He allows us to be alienated and castigated by those we have lived among, it is His way of setting us apart for His glory and purpose. So, don’t get too comfortable with things and ideas that are destined to fade away; focus on His Kingdom and pursue it with all your might.

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possessions, to bind his princes at his pleasure, and teach his elders wisdom. (Psalm 105:21-22)

Still speaking of Joseph, the psalmist makes another important point. Not only was the son of Jacob released from bondage and promoted to power, but was also placed in a situation whereby the wisdom he possessed could be shared with others. It’s also important to note where this wisdom was obtained; I would argue that it was, in large part, due to the suffering he endured — including the prison cell. That is not to say that he didn’t possess gifts before his ordeal — he obviously did which is why, to some degree, his father put such trust and responsibility upon him. Of course, this paternal favor is what incited his other brothers against him in the first place.

But let’s consider something — Joseph’s youth and zeal may have also played a role in his brother’s negative opinion of him. He was apparently quick to share his dreams with them — dreams that predicted their subservience to him. Perhaps it was delivered in a way they perceived as boasting, in spite of the fact that the dreams were from God. Even Jacob rebuked him after Joseph shared the second dream with him and the brothers, saying, ““What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” (Genesis 37:10). The point is this: even though he had heard from God in regard to his call and purpose, perhaps he wasn’t as discreet and wise as he could have been at that time — and that’s where the suffering comes in.

If Joseph went into captivity and prison as a young, talented and zealous servant of God, he came out of prison a seasoned, more discreet and far wiser servant of God. After he had interpreted Pharaoh’s dream, the king said of Joseph, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God? … There is no one as discerning and wise as you” (Genesis 41:38-39). It is true — outside of the Spirit of God, there is no greater teacher than the experiences which reveal the good and bad within us. And if we are determined to serve God as we claim, we must invite His Spirit to empower and enable us to overcome our weaknesses that we may be the useful vessels He has ordained us to be. In short, suffering works to eliminate the unfruitful aspects of our being so that the Lord’s perfect will can be performed in our life. As we grow and mature in wisdom, He will eventually send someone our way that needs to hear what we have learned.

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

The king sent and released him, the ruler of the people let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possessions. (Psalm 105:20-21)

Jewish commentary teaches that when Joseph was brought from prison and made Pharaoh’s viceroy, all the princes of Egypt — including Potiphar — protested saying, “Shall a slave become a king?” In response to this opposition, Pharaoh had all those princes put in prison. Obviously, the Bible doesn’t record such an incident but, knowing people the way we do, it is not hard to imagine that something like this may have occurred. For the sake of our devotion, let’s assume that it did and consider what it may portend for the people of God.

Joseph’s imprisonment was based on a lie. A powerful man declared him to be guilty and condemned him to a cell, all because his wife hurled baseless accusations at him. Therefore, the injustice was not limited to the physical chains placed on his feet; his reputation was abused along with his body. When Pharaoh sent word to release him from his bonds, more than physical chains were removed. As supreme ruler of the land, Pharaoh overruled Potiphar’s decision and released Joseph from the stigma of guilt that Potiphar and others had placed on him through accusations. In so doing, those who had condemned him unjustly were brought to shame.

One Jewish commentator interprets the statement, “The king sent and released him” to mean that it was the King of kings who sent the word to release Joseph. In other words, the God of Israel impressed upon Pharaoh that he should release him from his bonds and elevate him to a position of power and influence. It was ordained that Joseph be in the appointed place during the famine in order to save God’s people. But don’t miss this: because Joseph was faithful to endure the suffering of prison and the pain of knowing he was falsely accused, in time, God delivered him, vindicated him and shamed his enemies.

In time, God will deliver and vindicate His trusted servants; He will expose the lies of the enemy and cause those who hurl false accusations at God’s beloved to be shamed. It’s not so much that we should hope for their punishment as much as it is we hope for our redemption and deliverance. That is enough satisfaction for me; to know that the King of kings considers me His faithful servant and desires to use me for His purpose.

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

The king sent and released him, the ruler of the people let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possessions. (Psalm 105:20-21)

In the previous devotion, we highlighted the fact that when Joseph was released from prison, he was simultaneously vindicated before all men — including those who had disparaged his reputation. Likewise, when we are released from our bondage of sin, we are pronounced blameless in the eyes of God and no longer defined by our past. It is written, “If anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Even so, there are times in our journey when we, like Joseph, find ourselves successfully persecuted by those with wicked intentions. But if we are faithful, in time, our Father will release us from the “imprisonment” enforced upon us by lies and false accusations.

His vindication and justice doesn’t end there, however. The Bible records that, not only was Joseph freed from prison, he was elevated to the most powerful position in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. He was given free reign to do as he saw fit in regard to Egypt’s welfare which, as we see later in the story, included imprisoning those he deemed dangerous to the nation. I would suggest this part of the story speaks to the fact that the faithful remnant of God will be given authority to rule over the nations. As Messiah said, “He who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations — ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; they shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’— as I also have received from My Father” (Revelation 2:26-27).

The point is that God rewards those who trust in Him with justice; those who prove themselves to be faithful in the face of adversity and injustice, He vindicates and empowers. We might say that He demonstrates His confidence in those who consistently place their confidence in Him. For example, the servants who successfully used the talents given them by their master were rewarded with more authority and responsibility (Matthew 25:14-23).

That said, we should not overlook this point: Joseph’s story reveals that His chosen vessels are bound to suffer. He allows this so that all impurities and issues that would be counterproductive to His will are purged from our hearts. Still, to realize tomorrow’s outcome is worth the suffering we may have to endure today. As Paul said, “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). It will be important to remember that in the days ahead.

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

They hurt his feet with fetters, he was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him. (Psalm 105:18-19)

The Bible tells us that, having been sold into slavery, Joseph was taken into the house of Potiphar as a servant. The Bible also tells us that, because he did the right thing — he rejected the advances of his master’s wife — he was tossed into jail falsely accused. Not only was he placed in a prison cell, but he was bound in chains and, most likely, tortured. If we did not know how the story turned out — if we were not allowed to see why this factored into the plan of God — the injustice of the situation would be maddening beyond description. Why would God allows something so unfair to happen to someone who chose to do the right thing in the eyes of God? Where was God in this situation?

But we do know how it turned out and we do get to see why this was important to the plan of God for His people at that time. Put simply, God ordained that Joseph be enslaved, imprisoned and humiliated in order that his soul and character might be purified. That is not to say that Joseph was a degenerate before these trials; it is to say that, in order to fulfill what God had called him to be, he had to be perfected beyond what others might be subjected to. Think about it: his father, Jacob, had to endure baseless accusations, treachery and physical threats, for decades, before God would place upon him the name Israel. Likewise, to be God’s vehicle of salvation and restoration, Joseph had to be purified by stringent trials and years of suffering.

The psalmist says that it was the Word of the Lord that tested him, and that the testing continued until the assigned time for His Word to come to pass. It occurs to me that, for those God has chosen, we also have a choice to make — will we consent to whatever God has called us to do and will we submit to whatever testing He deems necessary in order to bring it to pass? Will we continue in His service willingly even when He allows our righteous actions to be punished with injustice at the hands of wicked men? Will we allow His Word to test us in order to purify all things that are counterproductive to His perfect Will? He has chosen us for specific reasons that come with specific trials; it is for us to choose whether or not we will say, “Not my will but Yours be done.”

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

He called for a famine in the land; He destroyed all the provision of bread. He sent a man before them — Joseph— who was sold as a slave. (Psalm 105:16-17)

For the next several verses, the psalmist recounts the story of Joseph, specifically calling attention to the great purpose He served on behalf of God’s people. The prominent element of the story is the suffering and persecution that had to be endured in order for that purpose to be realized. Joseph certainly suffered much but, in reality, he wasn’t the only one — many were compelled to endure the famine that, in turn, set the stage for the deliverance of Jacob and his family. Because God had ordained that Israel must sojourn in Egypt, He declared that a famine would affect all the nations of the world, including Canaan, thus forcing Jacob to relocate to Egypt.

Egypt was also affected by the famine but, as we know, this allowed for Joseph to rise to a position of power and influence whereby he might rule all Pharaoh’s possessions, “bind his princes at his pleasure, and teach his elders wisdom” (Psalm 105:21-22). Let’s not miss this point: God imposed suffering on friend and foe alike, in order to perform His will in regard to His people. He destroyed everyone’s provision of bread in order to demonstrate that only Joseph — or shall we say, only God’s people — can provide that which sustains life. In turn, that vein of thought points us to the commission given to all of us — to testify of the resurrected Messiah, the true bread of life, and to make disciples of all nations.

I think it is important to realize that everything that goes on in the world is either orchestrated or allowed by the Almighty. No plan of man, no natural occurrence escapes His attention and will, in some way, play its role in His divine purpose. The things that are occurring right now around the globe are determining the scenario by which He will deliver His people. We may not see it right now, but as Joseph came to understand, what men meant for evil, “God meant it for good, in order to save many people alive” (Genesis 50:20). So when hardship and distress impacts the world; when wicked nations rise up against the people of God, let us remember that, in the end, “They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick up the dust of your feet” (Isaiah 49:23).

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

He rebuked kings for their sakes, saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm.” (Psalm 105:14-15)

Continuing in the notion that God does not allow the nations to harm His chosen servants, the psalmists “quotes” God as saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm.” Rather than allowing that to happen, God intervenes on behalf of His people and rebukes kings and rulers who have overstepped their bounds. For instance, when Abimelech took Sarah from Abraham, God visited Him in a dream saying, “you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken; … restore the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live.” (Genesis 20:3, 7). When it appeared that Laban was about to overtake Jacob, he also was visited in the night; God warned him, “Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad” (Genesis 31:24).

Those that God has anointed have also been appointed to serve a particular role in the plan of God. Therefore, anyone who would try and subvert the plan of God by assaulting or persecuting His anointed will find themselves on thin ice. Furthermore, if God has anointed someone for a role, it is for God and Him alone to decide when that person is to be released or removed from that role. In spite of the fact that David was continually persecuted by Saul, David dared not to lay his hand against Saul saying, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord” (1 Samuel 24:6).

Thus we are reminded that if we exhibit disregard and disrespect for those God has placed in authority, whether we agree with them or not, we might find ourselves in direct opposition to the Almighty. It is not for us to pass judgment on whether He made the right decision when He placed them in that position; it is for us to honor Him by respecting them. We would do well to remember the admonition offered by the esteemed sage, Gamaliel who said to those persecuting the early believers: “Now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God” (Acts 5:38-39).

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people, He permitted no one to do them wrong. Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes. (Psalm 105:13-14)

As mentioned in the previous devotion, though the land of Canaan was promised to the patriarchs as an everlasting possession, none of the patriarchs ever settled in one place continually. With perhaps the exception of Isaac, they were constantly on the move from nation to nation; Isaac was continually moving from location to location within the land of Canaan. Not only were they constantly changing geographical locations but with these moves, they had to adjust to different cultures, laws and languages. Because of this constant migration, there was an ever present challenge to remain faithful to the covenant made with God.

Though they were certainly not perfect men, they represented justice, righteousness and the call to be a set apart people in the face of those peoples who practiced evil at every turn. And because this was so, even in the times when they faltered, God protected them — because He had a purpose for them. On two occasions, in Egypt and Gerar, Abraham referred to Sarah as his sister in order to preserve his own life. In both cases, the leaders of those nations considered abducting her to be their own wife. While this tactic remains questionable in regard to Abraham’s confidence in God at that moment, the point is, God would not allow Sarah to be taken from him. Both Pharaoh and Abimelech’s house was plagued until they released her to Abraham (Genesis 12:17, 20:18). God would not allow them to be wronged. 

Through the ages, the people of God have found ourselves in a variety of situations and scenarios that require of us what was required of them — to be faithful to the covenant in spite of an ever changing world. Even in the best of nations and the best of times, we are encouraged by the whims of culture to conform while the Word of God challenges us to remain set apart. It’s not an easy task but it is not an impossible task either. It is written of the patriarchs that, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13). In short, they stayed faithful because they knew God is faithful. Likewise, we have assurances that, in spite of our circumstances, He will not allow us to be overcome and destroyed by those who wish to do so; He will sustain us and preserve us because we are here to serve His purpose. May we continue unwavering in the faith all of our days.

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

“To you I will give the land of Canaan as the allotment of your inheritance,” when they were few in number, indeed very few, and strangers in it. (Psalm 105:11-12)

The Lord spoke these words — “To you I will give the land of Canaan” — individually, to each of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Later, God reaffirmed this promise to the nation saying, “this is your inheritance.” Interestingly, however, those men and their families spent very little time in Canaan compared to the time they dwelt in other lands. Not only that, but the time they dwelt in Canaan, they were vastly outnumbered by the other inhabitants of the land, hence the statement, “when they were few in number and strangers in it.”

It’s fascinating to consider that, as a nation, Israel multiplied and grew while they were sojourners in other lands. In his younger days, Jacob left the land alone and returned twenty years later with wives, children and a great company. In his later years, he and seventy souls went down into Egypt; two centuries later, his descendants left Egypt in numbers estimated to be in the 3 million range. The point is God caused His people to grow when they were outside of Canaan and then brought them into the land of promise. It occurs to me that it would have proved impossible to conquer the land when they were few in number, and if they had started to grow while in the land, their enemies would have tried to put a stop to the growth. That’s certainly what Pharaoh tried to do.

So, what are we to glean from this? First of all, we should never despise the day of small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10); we should appreciate the fact that great things start out as small as a mustard seed. That a people so few in number, and seemingly insignificant, can develop into a nation as powerful and influential as the people of God is a testament to His sovereignty and faithfulness. Therefore, you and I should take heart when we find ourselves outnumbered by our enemies and vulnerable to attack; this type of scenario is when our God demonstrates His might and good will toward His people. He takes a few and scatters the many, as it is written, “Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you” (Leviticus 26:8). Amen.

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant which He made with Abraham. (Psalm 105:8-9)

In the previous devotion, we spoke of the importance of covenant and how it is associated with blood thus underscoring the sanctity of a covenantal relationship. As it is written, “the life of the flesh is in the blood” (Leviticus 17:11) which means that blood is given solely for sacred purposes. Therefore, it is not to be consumed, it is not to be desecrated and is not to be spilled without legitimate reason lest those who would do so be cut off from God’s people. So, if blood is to ratify a covenant, that covenant is to be considered as costly and invaluable to those who enter into it. Consequently, it is to be regarded as holy — to be set apart from other relationships and associations.

The Bible also teaches us that blood has a voice — it speaks to the Creator. When God confronted Cain as to his brother’s whereabouts, Cain feigned ignorance. However, the Lord said to him, “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10). Seeing that life is in the blood, it makes sense that life would call to the Giver of Life. Furthermore, if blood is the vehicle through which covenants are established, should we not conclude that, in some way, covenants have a life of their own as well? And if that be so, do covenantal relationships — especially those acknowledged by the Creator — call to Him when we are in need?

The psalmist says that, “He remembers His covenant forever.” The Hebrew term זכר zachar,  translated as “remember,” means much more than just calling to mind. The raw meaning of the word is “to engage in action.” In other words, the reason one calls something to mind is in order to act on someone’s behalf. For instance, the Bible says that “God remembered Noah” when he and his family were still in the ark (Genesis 8:1). The next thing we are told is that He “made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided.” Don’t miss the point: as soon as God remembered Noah, He began to act on His behalf. This means that when God remembers His covenant with His people, He begins to act on their behalf. He does so because He acknowledges the sanctity of covenant.

I would argue that we should do the same — i.e. we should remember the covenant and what it entails in terms of benefit and responsibility. While we are always ready to receive the blessings, we should be just as quick to act on behalf of the covenant — to act on His behalf. How do we do this? We function in our purpose; we bear witness to the one, true God and His Son, the resurrected Messiah. We take the Gospel of the Kingdom into the world and shine forth as the light He has called us to be. Let us be forever thankful that He has invited us into covenant with Him, and may we always demonstrate that thankfulness by willingly serving His purpose all our days.

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill