I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.

     After imprisoning his brothers for three days, Joseph spoke to them and said that he would send them on their way, but he would keep one of them imprisoned as a hostage for their good behavior. Joseph told them if they were to bring their youngest brother Benjamin to him and then he would know that they were honest men. The brothers discussed among themselves that this must be God’s punishment against them for sending Joseph to his death (what they thought was his death). They were unaware that Joseph could understand them because he had used an interpreter to talk with them. Joseph gave orders that they be given the grain which they had come to buy. In addition, he gave secret orders that the silver they had used to buy the grain be placed in the sacks with the grain. Joseph selected Simeon as the hostage and had him bound in front of his brothers. Joseph then sent them on their way.
     After departing Egypt the brothers discovered that the silver had been returned to them and were terrified. When they told Jacob what Joseph had demanded of them (they did not know that it was Joseph), he refused categorically to allow Benjamin to go even though Reuben offered his own sons as hostages for Benjamin’s safety. After some time, Jacob told his sons to go back to Egypt to buy more grain. They responded that they could not go unless they took Benjamin with them. Judah promised to look after Benjamin and told Jacob to hold him personally accountable for Benjamin’s safety. Jacob agrees and sends them for gifts for Joseph (not knowing that it was Joseph) and telling them to take double the amount of silver as the previous time so that they could return the silver that was in the sacks when they got home the last time.
     When the brothers presented themselves to Joseph, he saw Benjamin with them. He gave orders that they be taken to his house and a feast be prepared. When the brothers were taken to Joseph’s house they were frightened, convinced that they were to be enslaved because of the silver that was returned to them. So they approached the steward of the house and explained that they had brought the silver back with them, plus additional silver to buy more food. The steward told them not to worry, it must have been God, the God of their father, who gave them the silver because he had received their silver on the last occasion and that grain was paid for. When Joseph came home for the meal, the brothers presented the gifts they had brought him and introduced him to Benjamin. When Joseph saw his brother Benjamin he was moved to tears. He left his brothers’ presence and composed himself. When he returned he ordered the food to be served. Joseph ate separate from his brothers. The brothers were amazed because they were seated in order of their ages, from eldest to youngest.

     Today’s passage begins with a final parable about the Kingdom of Heaven from the series that was in yesterday’s passage. In this parable Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a net let down into the lake to catch fish. The net will catch all kinds of fish, some good and some bad. When the net is full the fishermen pull it onto the shore and collect the good fish and throw away the bad fish. Jesus tells us that at the end of the age God’s messengers will separate the wicked from the righteous and throw the wicked into the blazing furnace. This is a warning that it is not enough to be caught up in the net, to be part of a church body, we need to serve God with all of our hearts as well.
     Soon after this Jesus returned to his home town. Initially, the people were amazed, but then they started to question why they should listen to Him and where He got the power to perform miracles. They recounted how they knew His family and they were not anything special. Jesus told His disciples that a prophet is not without honor except in his home town. This is a warning to us that we should not dismiss the word of God just because we are familiar with the background of the one who is speaking it. There is a human tendency to attempt to bring down those who rise above the common lot, especially when they are from those we know.

     God has reached down and rescued me when I was in over my head. With God’s help I can charge through any barrier, scale any wall. When I am doing the Lord’s will nothing will block my path. I will not turn away from His commands because God’s way is the perfect way. God’s word is flawless and He will shield me. I will not turn from my God. Those who are devious will discover that God is even more savvy and canny than themselves, but those who are pure and faithful will discover that God is also pure and faithful. As long as I walk along the path that God has chosen for me, I will walk in the light.

     The starting point to being wise is valuing wisdom above all else. Those who risk all that they have for wisdom will be honored.