Good morning my dear friend. Welcome again to Wisdom Speaks Daily Devotional. Today is July 16 and we are reading Genesis 46. Let us hear what Wisdom speaks to us in verses 1 to 4: 1 ¶ So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, "Jacob, Jacob!" And he said, "Here I am." 3 So He said, "I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. 4 "I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes." (NKJV) My mind began to ponder on the silence of God immediately I read the above verses of the Holy Scripture. I understand from the Scriptures that Jacob was a prophet of God just as his father Isaac and his grandfather Abraham were. His fathers heard from God by voice and visions. And if you have been reading the Bible account of Jacob’s life with me in this devotional you would agree with me that he too heard from God by voice and visions. Today’s text is evidence. But why didn’t Prophet Jacob know that Joseph was alive for the 22 years in which he missed and mourned him? There is no Scripture evidence that God spoke to Jacob about Joseph’s true status within those 22 years. Prophet Jacob’s 22 years of ignorance about the true status of Joseph teaches us that God will not always reveal everything to even His true prophets, no matter how close they are to Him. Jehovah keeps some things secret even from His true prophets. He permits some things to happen to them or around them about which they have no foreknowledge or understanding. Even Prophet Moses, the man who spoke face to face with God, still confessed, ‘’The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.’’ Deuteronomy 29:29 (NKJV) And even the man of God, Prophet Elisha, a man who supernaturally knew what the king of Syria discussed with his military advisers in his secret chambers, didn’t deny the fact that God didn’t foretell him about the sudden death of the only son of his beloved friend and benefactor, the woman of Shunem. “Now when she came to the man of God at the hill, she caught him by the feet, but Gehazi came near to push her away. But the man of God said, "Let her alone; for her soul is in deep distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me, and has not told me." 2 Kings 4:27 (NKJV) The same God who informed Prophet Elisha about the secret plans of Syria to attack Israel chose not to inform him about the devil’s plan to kill the only son of this beloved woman who housed and fed him for many years! Believe me we need trusting faith to walk with this God. Therefore do not let Satan discourage your faith about certain events, especially sad ones, which may happen or has happened to or around you as a child of God or to an anointed man of God. The fact that you or he didn’t foresee it does not mean God has forsaken you or him, or that you or he is not in tune with God anymore. Sin may not even be responsible for such ignorance. God reveals as He deems fit. Satan has used such events to discourage the hearts of many Christians and to lure them away from the faith of our Lord and to abandon their pastors or churches. Many have even been lured into voodoo or to false prophets who claim to see or know all things about them. Don’t be deceived; Jehovah may not always reveal or foretell certain events to his children or His anointed ones. And even though God may not always give His servants foreknowledge about every event, He always gives them the grace to overcome those sad events if only they trust His wisdom and love in that situation. And why did God keep Joseph’s true status from Jacob even though he was his father and His own prophet? Well, I perceive that God wanted to keep Jacob and everyone member of his family from interfering with His works in Joseph’s life. Like a baby developing in the darkness of the womb, and like a photo negative developing in the photographer’s darkroom, God wrought His wonderful works in Joseph’s life secretly in Egypt. And surely, just as the baby is presented after 9 months of silence to its mother in its perfect state, even so did God present Joseph in his fulfilled state to Jacob his father after 22 years of separation and painful silence. John the Baptist was kept in the desert by God until the time for his manifestation to Israel came: ‘’So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.’’ Luke 1:80 (NKJV) And yes, God in His wisdom and love may keep certain information from you about something dear to your heart until the fullness of the time. There some things that you may never know or understand now however close you are to God. Some you will know later or in the bye and bye. But settle it in your heart that whatever God keeps secret from you is not to harm, hurt or hinder you, rather it is for your peace, good and prosperity. Jacob was happy to receive Joseph again, not as he lost him, but as he now discovered him: better in every way. So my dear friends, let us relax and enjoy our walk with God by faith. Let us trust His love and wisdom, knowing that He has our good and prosperity at heart in whatever He allows in our lives. If these words bless you, please SHARE this message with your friends. Someone around you needs these words NOW. Thank you for your obedience. Have a blessed day. See you again tomorrow. PLEASE READ GENESIS CHAPTER 46 TODAY AND PERSONALLY DISCOVER ADDITIONAL GODLY WISDOM FOR A SUCCESSFUL LIFE.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Jul 2013 05:36:01 +0000