Justin Matthew Reid

Bible Teachings - Joseph was considered dead when he went down into Egypt

Last night before bed, this scripture came to mind:

Joshua 24:15

"...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Then I started reading previous verses in that chapter and came to this one:

Joshua 24:4

"And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt."

Then it hit me that the nation of Israel had such seemingly small and humble beginnings. I said out loud something like: "Joseph was considered dead when he went down into Egypt". I said that meaning in the natural, but the spiritual application immediately hit me. Egypt is a type of the sinful world. Jacob/Israel considered Joseph to be dead, but God obviously knew that Joseph was still alive. Joseph was going into Egypt to accomplish something for God. We today are in the sinful world, but not of it. We are here to accomplish something for God.

Romans 6:11

"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

John 17:14-20

"I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy Truth, thy Word is Truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the Truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;"

Praise the Lord, He's so good.

Justin

May 22nd, 2006