Genesis 42:35-36 The River of Affliction!

35As they began emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his bag of silver! And when they and their father saw the bags of money, they were dismayed.

36Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my sons. Joseph is gone and Simeon is no more. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is happening against me!”

Each brother was given a undeserving gift, it paints a picture of undeserving gifts we receive from Jesus!

“Everything is happening against me!” Jacob was drinking from the cup of affliction, he woke up and went to bed thinking of his affliction even though he was a blessed man!

“If you drink of the river of affliction near its outfall, it is brackish and offensive to the taste, but if you will trace it to its source, where it rises at the foot of the throne of God, you will find its waters to be sweet and health-giving” (Spurgeon).

Romans 8:28: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Consider Joseph’s affliction and circumstances, he never drank of “the river of affliction” as Jacob did! Joseph was “called according to His purpose”.

“· If Joseph’s family wasn’t messed up and weird, his brothers would never have sold him as a slave.

· If Joseph’s brothers never sold him as a slave, then Joseph would never have gone to Egypt.

· If Joseph never went to Egypt, he would never have been sold to Potiphar.

· If Joseph was never sold to Potiphar, Potiphar’s wife would never have falsely accused him of rape.

· If Potiphar’s wife never falsely accused Joseph of rape, then Joseph would never have been put in prison.

· If Joseph was never put in prison, he would have never met the baker and butler of Pharaoh.

· If Joseph never met the baker and butler of Pharaoh, he would have never interpreted their dreams.

· If Joseph never interpreted their dreams, he would have never interpreted Pharaoh’s dream.

· If Joseph never interpreted Pharaoh’s dream, he never would have become prime minister, second in Egypt only to Pharaoh.

· If Joseph never became prime minister, he never would have wisely prepared for the terrible famine to come.

· If Joseph never wisely prepared for the terrible famine, then his family back in Canaan would have died in the famine.

· If Joseph’s family back in Canaan died in the famine, then the Messiah could not have come from a dead family.

· If the Messiah did not come forth, then Jesus never came.

· If Jesus never came, then we are all dead in our sins and without hope in this world.

· We are grateful for God’s great and wise plan.” Guzik

Are you like Joseph or Jacob?

Do you drink from the river of affliction or do you ask the Lord to help you endure it?

Joseph’s affliction saved a family, brought forth a nation, gave us the Messiah, and Salvation to the world!

What will your affliction bring?

Blessings, David