Second , we should recall that it was Judah who proposed that the brothers sell Joseph into slavery, rather than to kill him It is approximately 22 years from the time Joseph is sold into slavery to the time his brothers arrive in Egypt, seeking grain. During this same time frame of 22 years approximately , Judah leaves home, marries a Canaanite woman, and has three sons, two of whom are old enough to marry, and are so wicked that God takes their lives. It must have been pure misery to watch Jacob pining away in sorrow, refusing to be comforted Abraham was very careful to obtain a non-Canaanite wife for his son, Isaac chapter Judah promptly leaves home and marries a Canaanite woman When the firstborn son was old enough, Judah acquired a Canaanite wife for him named Tamar.
Judah instructed his second son, Onan, to take Tamar and raise up a descendant for his deceased brother, but he prevented Tamar from producing a child. Judah was afraid of losing his youngest son Shelah, so he asked Tamar to live at home until this boy was older. She seems to have known Judah all too well, because she disguised herself as a prostitute and stationed herself along the route she knew Judah would be taking to Timnah, along with his friend Hirah.
Tamar had concealed her identity by the use of a veil, and so Judah never knew the identity of his companion that night. Some time later Judah was told that his daughter-in-law had become pregnant, and Judah was indignant. He insisted that she be put to death for her immorality. Judah confessed that Tamar was more righteous than he. She was the one who sought to preserve his line.
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She bore twins to Judah, and Perez would be the one through whom the Messianic line would be continued, no thanks to Judah see Genesis The reason is both clear and compelling: If Israel had remained in the land of Canaan, and if they had behaved like Judah, there would have been no distinct nation of Israel left to possess the Promised Land. The Israelites would very shortly have been completely assimilated into the Canaanite culture and race. This is why God took the Israelites down to Egypt. The Egyptians loathed the Hebrews and wanted nothing to do with them.
With but one rare exception Mrs. Potiphar , they were not willing to engage in intimate relationships with the Hebrews. Even if Judah and his brothers were willing to be immoral, the Egyptians were not willing — to be immoral with Hebrews, at least. Genesis 39 is a refreshing example of sexual purity. Joseph was purchased from the Ishmaelites by Potiphar, a powerful and prosperous man. Potiphar was a servant of Pharaoh.
He owned what appears to be a large and lucrative ranch. Initially, Joseph was probably acquired to work with the flocks. The only decisions Potiphar made concerned what he would have for dinner The problem was that Mrs. She tried in various ways to seduce him, but Joseph purposed to avoid her. One day she managed to trap Joseph in the house alone, where she once again sought to seduce him. She then accused Joseph of attacking her, and Potiphar, her husband, had Joseph thrown into prison.
In those days prisons were really dungeons, under the house of an official like Potiphar. In prison, it would have been very easy for Joseph to wallow in self-pity. So far, it has only gotten me into trouble. The warden gave Joseph a free hand, putting him in charge of all the prisoners. He virtually ran the prison Both were paying the price for offending their master. The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be their attendant and he served them Genesis I believe this is where Joseph had earlier failed in his relationship with his brothers.
His father had given him authority over his brothers, but he did not use his leadership role as an occasion to serve them. How easy it is in prison to overlook the suffering of others, especially if you are suffering. Joseph noted that both the butler and the baker were despondent one morning, and he asked them what was troubling them. They informed Joseph they both had different dreams in the night, but no one could tell them what they meant.
Joseph reminded them that interpretations belong to God, and encouraged them to tell him their dreams. The butler went first, and Joseph told him that God was about to restore him to favor with Pharaoh. Joseph then asked the butler to remember his unjust treatment and to speak kindly for him with Pharaoh, but the butler forgot all about him for two full years. His dream indicated that Pharaoh would execute him. The Pharaoh had two dreams that troubled him greatly. The first dream was of seven fat cows, which were eaten by seven very skinny and ugly cows. The second dream was of seven healthy heads of grain that were swallowed up by seven thin heads of grain.
Pharaoh called for Joseph, who made it clear it was God who gave the interpretation of dreams. The dreams referred to the same events. There would be seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of severe famine. The years of famine would consume the abundance of the years of plenty.
The fact that there were two dreams confirmed that this would most surely come to pass. The king should appoint someone to prepare for this disaster, before the years of famine came upon the land of Egypt. Let this person store up grain from the bountiful years, and then distribute it during the lean years. I do not believe Joseph submitted this plan to Pharaoh, along with his business card, hoping to be hired for this task. Once again, Joseph was simply trying to serve his king. Neither did Joseph seek to bargain with Pharaoh for his release: Pharaoh could see that Joseph was right and that his wisdom was divine in origin:.
Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, was their mother. Joseph had no anger toward God or toward his brothers. This meant that when they arrived in Egypt, he could deal with them in love, and not in revenge. When the famine struck, Egypt was ready for it, thanks to Joseph. Not only did the Egyptians come to Joseph for grain, but also those from other lands, including Canaan.
One morning, when the last of the grain was gone, Jacob speaks harshly to his sons:. Jacob seems to display irritation and impatience toward his sons. Was this because they also knew that there was grain in Egypt, but were unwilling to go there? Was their guilt and fear due to the way they had treated their brother? I would be inclined to think so. All the sons of Jacob make their way to Egypt, minus Benjamin.
His harshness is thought to be his way of making his brothers pay for their previous sins against them. This view simply cannot be accepted, because the text is just too clear on this matter. First , if Joseph really wanted to make his brothers suffer, he would have immediately made his identity known to them.
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If Joseph had wanted to terrify his brothers, he would have let them know that it was he who was the ruler of Egypt, and then he would have made them suffer. Second , we are told that while his brothers did not recognize Joseph, he recognized them, and he remembered his dreams I understand this to mean Joseph not only realized God had made him the leader of his family, but that this leadership should seek the best interests of the family.
It was not revenge Joseph sought, but repentance. Third , we are told his harsh treatment of his brothers was a disguise:. When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them; but he pretended 96 to be a stranger to them and spoke to them harshly. Twice Joseph had to go aside to weep privately Twice he sent them home with the grain they purchased and with their money refunded in their sacks.
The meal he prepared for them was another gift of grace. Even the suffering he caused his brothers was benevolent in its goal of bringing his brothers to repentance, so they could be reconciled. Having learned that both Jacob and Benjamin were alive, Joseph set out to accomplish the next phase of his plan — bringing Benjamin down to Egypt. The purpose for this will soon be evident.
Joseph caused it to appear he was merely putting the truthfulness of their words to the test. They said they had a younger brother, so let them prove it by bringing him with them the next time they came. And to assure they did return, he would keep one brother prisoner. Initially, Joseph threatened to keep all of the brothers in prison and to send back just one brother.
He knew this would not allow them to transport a sufficient quantity of grain, and so he eventually reduced the number of prisoners held to one — Simeon That is why this distress has come on us! More than 20 years after they had sinned against their brother Joseph, the events of that day were vivid in their minds.
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They recalled his pleading with them and their total lack of mercy. I would submit they were genuinely sorry for what they had done, but they were not yet fully repentant. This would come in time. Joseph was standing nearby and heard their words, but they had no idea that he could understand what they were saying. He was deeply touched by their words and had to leave their presence so that he could cry Joseph bound Simeon before their eyes to impress them with his resolve about seeing Benjamin when they returned.
He then ordered for their sacks to be filled with grain and for provisions to be supplied for their journey. The brothers then set out on their journey, no doubt discussing what they would tell their father. One of the brothers opened his sack of grain when they stopped for the evening and was shocked to find his money in his sack of grain. You would think that any son of Jacob would have rejoiced. It would be like putting money into a vending machine, getting what you had selected, and then finding your money in the coin return.
But the brothers were greatly dismayed. They completely failed to see the kindness of Joseph in this and saw only the judgmental hand of God. God had not done something for them; He had done something terrible to them. They returned home and told their father all that had happened to them in Egypt. Jacob had certainly noticed that Simeon was not with them, and they explained why the ruler of Egypt had kept him prisoner. This discussion took place as the bags of grain were being unloaded. When the bags were opened, the brothers discover that every one of them had their money in their sacks, and they were most distressed.
Jacob could only think of himself:. And now you want to take Benjamin! Jacob could not have been more mistaken. His appraisal of the situation was precisely the opposite of reality. He was not concerned about Simeon as much as he was himself. He blames his sons for his loss of Joseph, and now, of Simeon, and he blames them for also wanting to take away his youngest son, Benjamin.
There was nothing more to be said regarding this matter at the moment, because Jacob flatly refused to allow them to take Benjamin with them. The famine lingered on, and the supply of grain continued to diminish. Finally, the grain they had purchased in Egypt ran out. I am going to borrow something from my earlier series on Genesis here, because it shows what a poor leader Jacob was at this point in his life.
Whatever problems arise today are best dealt with tomorrow. Jacob delayed acting decisively on the issue of sending Benjamin to Egypt until the situation reached crisis proportions. No problem can possibly be as bad as it seems. If a problem is not serious, then it can be put off indefinitely. In a crisis, honesty is often not the best policy. Jacob still had a lot of the old deceiver in him. He believed that good communication only causes problems.
He thought that the less others knew about him, the better off he and his family would be. Always look out for number one. It was Judah who urged his father to think of others rather than himself cf. As much as is possible, see to it that others receive the blame for your mistakes. Jacob sought to place the responsibility for his troubles on Judah and his brothers, because they told the truth A good leader is one who is willing to accept responsibility for his mistakes.
If our efforts to solve a problem fail, add money. Jacob hoped that his presents, along with a double payment, would help achieve his desired ends. It is no accident that Jacob mentions God last. It never seemed to occur to him as it did to Joseph that God was actively involved in all of his troubles. His wish that God would be with his sons is only a last ditch effort, when it should have been his first line of defense. He does everything possible to avoid facing the problem. He attempts to send his sons to do an impossible task, therefore putting them at great risk.
His great concern is for himself and his own well-being. He has to be forced to act. Jacob is no hero in these chapters. Joseph certainly is, exemplifying godly leadership. But there is another leader who begins to emerge in chapter 43 — Judah, the brother who earlier suggested they sell Joseph into slavery, the man who married a Canaanite wife, and unwittingly fathered his own grandson as it were through Tamar.
Judah now stands tall, taking charge of the situation and gently rebuking his father:. Do you have another brother? Then we will live and not die—we and you and our little ones. If I do not bring him back to you and place him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. Judah and his brothers had certainly sinned in selling Joseph into slavery, but they were not the ones putting their families at risk at the moment.
It was Jacob who had refused to face up to the situation, and who refused to release his youngest son. He had waited far too long to act. This was nonsense, and Judah made it clear that they were not going back to Egypt without Benjamin. Jacob had no other choice than to do as Judah said. If he did not send Benjamin with the others when they returned to Egypt, they would all die. This was a sacrifice Jacob was forced to make. And so he instructed his sons to take double their money with them, along with the finest gifts they had at hand: Off the sons of Jacob went, to Egypt, including Benjamin.
Joseph saw them coming, this time with Benjamin. He instructed his servant to bring the men to his home and to prepare a fine meal for them to eat.
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The brothers could only imagine the worst possible outcome:. He wants to capture us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys! Their sense of guilt overwhelmed them. They feared they would be punished by the same fate they had brought upon their brother Joseph. So we have returned it. We do not know who put the money in our sacks. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks.
(28-1) Introduction
I had 98 your money. Their donkeys were also fed I can see them laying all of these things out very carefully, as one would arrange a display in the window of large department store.
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They wanted everything to be perfect. They hoped that Joseph would look at their gift and say something like this: And smell those spices! You men are just too kind. Here is something that they completely missed. The gifts that they brought did not serve their purpose at all. Joseph was not pleased by their gift; their gift was, in fact, a reminder of their sins against him. When they sat down to eat their food, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead.
Their camels were carrying spices , balm , and myrrh down to Egypt The very odors that Joseph may have come to despise, because of the associations they had with his slavery, were now the odors that greeted Joseph as he walked into his house. Did his brothers think their gift would win this ruler over? This scheme was very true to the character of Jacob, who suggested it, but in reality, it would have been counter-productive had Joseph allowed it to sway his emotions. When Joseph arrived, his brothers bowed before him, once again fulfilling the dreams he had years earlier Genesis Joseph seems not to have even noticed their gift, so carefully arranged to capture his attention and win his approval.
Joseph only had eyes for his younger brother, Benjamin. Joseph was so touched by the sight of his brother, he had to leave the room to weep in private. The servants set out three separate tables: One for Joseph, one for his brothers, and one for the Egyptians who ate with Joseph. Joseph seated his brothers according to their birth order, which must have both amazed and puzzled them: In preparation for the test ahead, Joseph was not going to minimize the fact that Benjamin was the favorite son of Jacob; indeed, he wanted to emphasize this fact.
By the time the meal was over, they had their fill of both food and drink. I have a feeling this was to give his brothers an artificial sense of confidence and to dull their senses for the moment. Joseph then gave very careful instructions to his servant. There is no need to be distressed over what we read here. Joseph did not actually use this cup for divination. But for the sake of his brothers, his servant was to call it the cup that his master used for divination. Joseph wanted to continue the masquerade a little while longer, and this line helped maintain his disguise.
The brothers were shocked that they would be accused of such a crime. They were confident that none of them had stolen this cup, and so they overreacted to these charges. They prescribed the punishment for themselves, should any one of them have stolen this cup:. What a shock it must have been for each man to find his money in the mouth of his sack, just as they had before. It would be something like being pulled over by a policeman, and having him search your trunk for money that was stolen in a bank robbery.
Confident you did not have the money in your car, you pop open the trunk, to see it filled with automatic weapons. I would imagine fear began to grip the heart of each of these men as they discovered their money in their sacks. The worst was yet to come. Joseph wanted these men to think that there was nothing about them he did not know, or could not find out. After all, he had already arranged their seating according to their birth order. And now he had a silver divining cup, by which he could discern the truth or so he claimed.
The message was clear: It would do them no good to lie. What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves? God has exposed the sin of your servants. I am convinced that Judah knew that Benjamin had not stolen this cup, just as each of them had not stolen the money they had paid for their grain. The punishment must be that the one in whose sack the cup was found shall be my slave, and the rest of you are free to go home to your families. Here was the greatest test of their lives.
In effect, they could do to Benjamin exactly what they had done to Joseph. How easy it would have been to simply walk away and leave Benjamin, just as they had forsaken Joseph. He is the one who made himself surety for Benjamin Now, he fulfills his promise to his aged father.
It was too much for Joseph. He could restrain himself no longer. Indeed, he need not restrain himself any longer. He could reveal his true identity because his brothers had finally demonstrated true repentance. Joseph ordered everyone to leave the room, except for his brothers. He wept loudly and told them he was Joseph, their brother. He asked if his father was still alive.
The brothers were in shock. They could not believe what he was telling them. He asked them to come closer, and they did. He repeated that he was the brother they had sold into slavery in Egypt. Joseph then sent his brothers back home to bring their father and their families down to Egypt, informing them that there were yet five more years of famine ahead.
The story goes on to describe the arrival of Jacob and his family in Egypt. God provided for them to have a place of their own in the land of Egypt — the land of Goshen — where they could keep their flocks. Eventually, they would purchase property there and prosper. In this way, God brought Israel all 70 of them to Egypt. In his final days, Jacob begins to manifest the fruits of faith. All the years of my life have been few and painful; the years of my travels are not as long as those of my ancestors.
I believe that by saying this, Jacob admitted to having lived out most of his life in the flesh, striving with God and with men. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little. Whom will he teach knowledge? These are the words of the drunk, ungodly prophets and priests described in Isaiah They ask Isaiah, the godly prophet, Whom will he teach knowledge?
In their mocking minds, Isaiah's message is fit only for children Those just weaned from milk. They were tired of Isaiah's strictness and of his recurring application of God's laws. The string of monosyllables in verse 10 may mean that the Judean leaders regarded Isaiah's message as meaningless or as child's play. The truth of the matter seems to be, as the NIV margin suggests, that it is not meant to make sense. Isaiah's words had hardly penetrated the alcohol-impregnated atmosphere that surrounded his hearers.
Any man may be witty in a biting way, and those that have the dullest brains have commonly the sharpest teeth to that purpose. With this, the drunk, ungodly prophets and priests mock Isaiah's teaching. It is simply precept upon precept … line upon line … here a little, there a little. We are so smart and spiritually sophisticated and advanced that we can go on to deeper things. In their mocking of Isaiah's message, they actually pay him a great compliment.
It is a beautiful thing for God's truth to be presented precept upon precept … line upon line … here a little, there a little. When the word of God is properly presented, there is something for both the simple and immature to receive, and also something for the great saint to rejoice in and be fed.
For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, to whom He said, "This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest," and, "This is the refreshing"; yet they would not hear. But the word of the LORD was to them, "Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little," That they might go and fall backward, and be broken and snared and caught. With stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people: If the simple, straightforward message is rejected, God will find another way to communicate to the hard-hearted.
He will send unusual messengers to bring the word. The message of rest and deliverance this is the rest … this is refreshing will be rejected they would not hear. But it wasn't the fault of the word of the LORD - the word of the LORD was to them, "Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.
This is the blessed way to present God's word: Isaiah takes the taunt of the drunkards and receives it as a compliment. God's messengers are to present all of God's word without skipping a line , and to present it simply. This also implies that we can't receive all aspects of God's message at once.
It is not forced home upon men's minds all at once, but it comes thus, 'Precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little. In fact, the result of the faithful presentation of the word of the LORD for those who reject isn't good for them: That they might go and fall backward and be broken and snared and caught.
Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scornful men, who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we are in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves. You scornful men, who rule this people who are in Jerusalem: Sadly, some of the simple and immature were those who rule this people.
They needed to hear the word of the LORD just as everyone did. There is no one too high, too exalted, too mature, too advanced for the word of the LORD, and to hear it precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little. We have made a covenant with death: The rulers of Jerusalem were extreme in their rejection of God, and felt they had an "agreement" with death and the grave Sheol.
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They proudly believed the overflowing scourge of God's judgment and correction would not come against them. They had no fear of death, and thought they had made friends with death and the grave. This same way of thinking is common in our modern world. The ungodly should fear death, because with death ends all opportunity for repentance, and their eternal doom is sealed. Satan has a significant interest in making the wicked feel that death is their friend.
She attended one of the nation's finest public schools, where she played soccer as a sophomore. She loved horses, and had recently been baptized into the Mormon Church. Chris was a year-old surfer from San Pedro, who got A's and B's, took college prep courses, and had a part time job working a gas pump. His grandfather said he was a well-adjusted kid. Chris played guitar in a garage band, and was deeply affected by the suicide of grunge singer Kurt Cobain, and how he had devoted a creative writing project to the subject of suicide. A friend of Chris' said: Not sad, but more like, 'The other side is gonna be so much more fun.
Late that night, Heidi and Chris hiked feet down a rugged path, then ducked through a hole in the chain-link fence to get to a narrow concrete spillway known as "the diving board. Then they both jumped to their deaths. Chris and Heidi were both deceived into thinking that death could be their friend, but the moment they passed into eternity, they would have given anything to go back to the world where they could repent and get right with God.
We have made lies our refuge: This is their strength! This is their protection! Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Also I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plummet; the hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place. Your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it.
As often as it goes out it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass over, and by day and by night; it will be a terror just to understand the report.
Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation: In contrast to the weak, narrow foundation of the wicked we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves , God has a solid foundation for our lives - a stone for a foundation. What is this foundation? He is the foundation for our lives, and only with a secure, stable foundation can anything lasting be built. Anything "added on" to the house, not built upon the foundation, is sure to end up in wreckage. Who lays this stone? Behold, I lay in Zion. It is God's work. We are unable to provide the right kind of foundation for our lives, but God can lay a foundation for us.
We are asked to behold God's foundation, appreciate it, wonder at it, value it, and build our lives upon it. Our Messiah was tried , was tested, and was proven to be the glorious, obedient Son of God in all things. Our Messiah is precious , and a cornerstone. The cornerstone provides the lines, the pattern for all the rest of the construction. The cornerstone is straight and true, and everything in the entire building lines up in reference to the cornerstone. Our Messiah is a sure foundation , and we can build everything on Him without fear.
Justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plummet: In God's building, it isn't just as if He establishes the cornerstone and then walks away and allows the building to be built any way it pleases. Instead, He keeps the building straight with justice and righteousness. The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place: The ungodly leaders of Jerusalem made lies their refuge , and found a hiding place under falsehood Isaiah But the storms of life and God's judgment would sweep away their refuge of lies and their hiding place.
They had built on the wrong foundation, and would therefore see destruction. Your covenant with death will be annulled: The ungodly leaders of Jerusalem thought they made a "deal with death," but will find that God will annul their covenant with death. When His scourge of judgment comes, they will surely be trampled down by it.
And the scourge of judgment will not touch them lightly. Morning by morning and by day and by night they will feel the sting of God's correction. For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the covering so narrow that one cannot wrap himself in it. Now therefore, do not be mockers, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts, a destruction determined even upon the whole earth.
The bed is too short … the covering so narrow: The rulers of Jerusalem had to realize that their present place was precarious, and they could find no refuge where they were at right then. Their rejection of God gave them no peace, no rest, and no warmth. What can be worse than trying to sleep in a bed that is too short?
With trying to keep warm with something so narrow that he cannot wrap himself in it? Yet this is a picture of the world, working, striving, longing for their bed - and when they gain it, it is too short and has no proper blankets! The child of God, on the other hand, is given rest and peace and covering by Jesus Christ. We shouldn't long for the short beds and narrow coverings of the world; we should thank God for the place He gives us in Jesus Christ and enjoy it! For the LORD will rise up: The rulers of Jerusalem had to realize that fighting against God was always a losing proposition.
There was no way they could win that battle, because God would always do His work, His awesome work. Now therefore, do not be mockers: The rulers of Jerusalem had to realize the danger of mocking God with their "deals with death" and haughty words against God. Give ear and hear my voice, listen and hear my speech.
Does the plowman keep plowing all day to sow? Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clods? When he has leveled its surface, does he not sow the black cummin and scatter the cummin, plant the wheat in rows, the barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in its place? For He instructs him in right judgment, his God teaches him. For the black cummin is not threshed with a threshing sledge, nor is a cartwheel rolled over the cummin; but the black cummin is beaten out with a stick, and the cummin with a rod.
Bread flour must be ground; therefore he does not thresh it forever, break it with his cartwheel, or crush it with his horsemen. This also comes from the LORD of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance. Give ear and hear my voice: The rulers of Jerusalem had to listen to God's word, and pay attention to His voice. The end of Isaiah 28 is a poem relating the work of God to the work of a farmer.
A farmer doesn't only plow; he knows when to stop plowing and when to level the ground, when to plant, and what to plant where. He uses different tools at different times, and works them all together to produce crops. In the same way, God knows what instruments to use in our life, and what time to use them. We don't have to doubt or despair at what God is doing in our lives, because He is an expert farmer, working on us with all His wisdom. Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance: The phrase wonderful in counsel is the same words used to describe the Messiah in Isaiah 9: It reminds us of the perfect timing and wisdom of God's work in our lives.
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