BYM ONLINE DESK Blessing September 2017 E magazine | Page 15

September 2017 sons to sin. But the Old Testament is filled with the names of heathen women who married godly men and reared godly families. For example, Rahab, the Canaanite harlot, was the mother of Boaz. Boaz married Ruth, the Moabite, who was the great-grandmother of King David, though Moabites were forbidden to go into the tabernacle to worship God to the tenth generation (Deut. 23:3). When Jews protested the giving of the Gospel to Gentiles, what did the Apostle Peter say? (Acts 10:34, 35; 11:7-9,17).................................... In fact, in the light of the subsequent events in Joseph's life, why is it safe to assume Asenath did not have a negative influence on his life? ......................................................................(Gen 48:20-21)................................................. (49:22- 26)..........................................(50:15-21)........................................................... What was Joseph's final command? (50:24-26) ........................................... What is the significance of his command that his bones be interred in Egypt, to be carried up to Canaan when God would “surely visit you” (50:25), instead of having them taken immediately to Canaan as had done with his own father? (50:5-24,26; Ex. 13:19; Heb. 10:35-37) ...................................................... Joseph, a Picture of Christ 4. Joseph seems to be a type, a fore-shadowing of the Lord Jesus in several ways, what was the relationship between the father, Jacob, and his son, Joseph? (Gen 37:3,4).................................. Between God the Father and His son Jesus? (Matt. 3:17; John 17:24)............................................ How did Joseph's brothers feel about him? (Gen 37:4)...................................................... What did they do to express their rejection? (37:18)................................................ How did Christ's brothers feel about Him, andWhat did they do to Him? (John 1:11; 7:5; Isa. 53:4,5)............................................... How did Joseph's persecution and betrayal by His own family actually work out for their good? (Gen. 45:7,8)........................................... And what was Joseph's ultimate status? (41:40-44)................................................ How did the rejection and death of Jesus turn out for our good? (Col. 1:20-22)................................................. What will be the final status of our lovely Lord Jesus? (Heb. 1:3; Phil. 2:9-11; Rev. 11:15)........................................................... Obviously, there are many parallels between the life of Joseph and that of the Son of God, our Savior. In this foreshadowing of Christ by Joseph's life, then, whom would Asenath, his Egyptian wife, a Gentile, represent? (Eph. 5:25-32; John 3:28-30)............................................... What does Ephesians 2:11, 12 say about Gentiles? ............................................ What changed that awful condition? (Eph. 2:13, 14).......................................... So what does Christ do for His bride, the church? (Eph. 5:25-27, 32)............................................................ 5. God blessed Joseph and Asenath with two sons during those seven years of plenty. The firstborn Joseph named Manasseh, meaning “forgetting.” Why? (Gen. 41:51)........................................ “The presence of this precious baby,” Joseph seems to say, “will make up for all the years of heartache and toil I have endured. Manasseh means I need not yearn again for home and family. Here, in the presence of my wife and child, is home.” He named the second child Ephraim, “fruitful,” Why? (41:52)............................................... “Because of this child, this land of affliction is no longer a land of affliction, but fruitfulness.” Where did Joseph say these sons came from? (48:9)............... But he lived long enough to see what further reward of children? (50:23)............................................ Modern self-centered society considers children a burden, a distraction, only a cause of hard work. Joseph and Asenath rightly believed that, on the contrary, children are a gift of God to be treasured because they give meaning to life. Why did Lamech name his son Noah, “rest”? (5:29)............................................. Are your children your joy, your refuge from work, your rest? What could you do in your relationship with them to make it so? Is your heart at home? Do you make your home the place of rest for your husband? Do you find joy in the keeping of your home? Don't miss the joy and reward of being “a keeper of the home” (Titus 2:5). - Elizabeth Rice Handford |PAGE 15|