Good News

O.T. #99  "Good News"
August 5, 2013
Genesis 45-Part 4
And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.
Genesis 45:28


LET IT GLOW

Have you had any good news lately? I remember the day our daughter called and relayed the news that she was pregnant with another child. (She already had 4 children at the time.) It seemed to be unbelievable. Now baby Matthew is here and I am excited to be able to kiss and cuddle him one day.
Do you think Joseph's brothers were excited to share their good news about Joseph?

The eleven brothers of Joseph left Egypt and arrived in Canaan to meet with their father, Jacob.
When they told Jacob that Joseph was still alive and governor  (ruler) of Egypt, how did Jacob react?
Verse 26 says Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not.
Fainted means to be sluggish, feeble, slacked.

It had been 22 years since Jacob had seen his son, Joseph. His sons lied to their father back then. They showed Jacob the coat of many colors, which he had given to Joseph. They had stained the coat with the blood of an animal so Jacob would think Joseph was killed by it. In actuality, the sons had sold Joseph as a slave to merchants going to Egypt. Perhaps Jacob had suspected his sons of murdering Joseph. could Jacob trust them this time, saying that Joseph was alive?

Can my word be trusted as being the truth? Do others have a hard time believing what I say?

LET IT GROW

Finally, Jacob believed the scoundrels after they told him all that Joseph said. Maybe the clincher was when Jacob saw the wagons that Joseph sent to carry Jacob to Egypt. His spirit was revived, according to verse 27. Jacob is called Israel, which God had renamed him. He believed the boys, and knew that Joseph was indeed alive. He was going to see Joseph before he died. (Jacob didn't die until 17 years later.)

In  Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, revive means to keep alive, preserve, recover, be whole.

What does it take to revive us? What do you want to do before you die? Who do you want to see before you pass on?

LET IT GO

Share the good news that Jesus is alive!

Be revived!

Be excited!