January 23 ▪ Day 23

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 7:2
Genesis 45–46
Matthew 23
Psalms 23

Verse Focus (Proverbs 7:2)

Keep my commands and you will live;
     guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.

Meditation

We come to the end of another long week. How fitting is our proverb for today! Proverbs 7:2 says, “Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.” We want to live, we want life and abundant life. We want renewal. Keeping the commands of Scripture, practicing the words of Jesus — this is how we will live.

I think about the “apple of your eye” and how sensitive it is. We take care not to poke ourselves in the eye (or to get poked in the eye) because it’s pretty painful when that happens. An injury can be dangerous as well — there’s always the possibility of losing your vision. But one of the things I realize is that, over time, the protection of our eyes has become second nature to us. And we want that in our obedience to God’s statutes — to have it become automatic and second-nature. But it won’t happen unless we take pains to guard it as if it were fragile. (We’re actually the ones that are fragile; God’s word is firm, but our ability to hold on to it and to remember it and to practice what it says is very tender and fragile when we first start.)

Father God, please help me to keep your commands. Help me to be vigilant in learning your Scripture. Guard my ability to practice what I learn from you. Thank you for the Holy Spirit, our Helper, and thank you for your Son, Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

In our Old Testament readings today, Genesis 45 and 46, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and the entire Israelite clan moves down to Egypt because the famine will last for yet another five years. I noticed verse 2 today: that Joseph wept so loudly that the Egyptians and the entire household of Pharaoh heard him. I’m not sure if this means gossip travels fast, or if it was an indication that Joseph’s residence was actually physically in the same buildings where Pharaoh lived. In any case, all Egypt knew that something was up with Joseph.

Another thing I noticed today was in verse 3. Once Joseph does reveal himself, his brothers are “so dismayed” that they don’t respond at first. NIV translates the word as “terrified.” I guess I expected them to be happy at this reunion, not dismayed or terrified. Joseph was certainly happy to see them! But fear makes sense. Their sins had literally caught up with them. They may not have been easy in their conscience with what they did to Joseph 22 years earlier, but at least they thought it was over and done with — in the past. To suddenly have Joseph in front of their face… dismay makes sense. So, I don’t know why reading about their dismay struck me today. But it did.

Joseph reassures his brothers and tells them that God is the one that arranged sending him down there. God sent Joseph ahead to save all their lives. He tells his brothers that the famine will last for five more years, and he tells them to bring his father and all their wives and children down to Egypt. In fact, when Pharaoh and the servants understand what all the weeping was about — that Joseph’s brothers are there — they are pleased for him. Pharaoh tells Joseph to send wagons for his family. He graciously sends this message to Joseph’s family: “Give no thought to your possessions, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.” (v. 20)

As the brothers leave Egypt to return to their father in Canaan, Joseph warns them not to quarrel on the way home (v. 24). I’m amused by this foresight — clearly, Joseph knows his brothers very well! But I suppose it’s also human nature, that quarreling might occur in the wake of such momentous and emotional revelations.

Israel starts on the journey to Egypt. When he reaches Beersheba, he makes a point to offer sacrifices to God. And God speaks to Jacob in a vision and tells him not to be afraid of going down to Egypt. God reaffirms the covenant promise to make Israel into a great nation, and He assures him that He will be with them in Egypt. He also promises that He will bring them back again. I think of how compassionate God is in the timing of this vision to Jacob: He gives reassurance of their covenant just as huge changes were occurring in the lives of all the Israelites.

So Jacob and all his offspring went with all their livestock and possessions down to Egypt. Including Joseph and the sons born to him in Egypt, there are a total of 70 men. I would have liked to know the number of women and girls, too, but that number was not recorded. (sigh — patriarchal societies!) At least God knows who those women were. 🙂

Joseph settles his family in the region of Goshen, which is near to where Joseph lives and suitable land for flocks and herds. He warns his family to tell Pharaoh that they are shepherds so that they will be allowed to live in Goshen. But Joseph also mentions, as an aside, that “all shepherds are abhorrent” to the Egyptians. Again, we have a whisper of forewarning about how the Egyptians will later treat the Israelites.

In Matthew chapter 23, Jesus speaks relatively harshly concerning the Pharisees. He tells us to do what they teach, but not what they do since they do not “practice what they preach.” As you recall, the Pharisees were the devout and observant Jews of Jesus’ time. You might compare them to today’s evangelical Christians. They were the “good guys.” The ones who tried to honor God with how they lived their lives. So Jesus’ criticisms are particularly striking — and it’s a devastating commentary. Jesus cries seven “woes” on the teachers of the law and the Pharisees for hypocritical practices and for observing details while ignoring the truly important things. He compares them to whitewashed tombs — beautiful on the outside, but full of death and decay within. Finally, Jesus laments over Jerusalem — he expresses how he has longed to gather the people together and nurture them, but they were “not willing.”

It’s easy to read this chapter and feel somewhat removed from the Pharisees. They were Jesus’ enemies, and so it seems fitting that they are lambasted and criticized for their behavior. But I think the Holy Spirit would remind us that we are also the Pharisees. Every sin Jesus criticizes in them are sins we find within ourselves. It is only by the grace of Christ that we are able to stand righteous before the throne. So I encourage you to search your hearts as you read this chapter today.

Our final reading is Psalm 23. Oh, what a beautiful psalm! If there is one psalm that people know and remember, it is this one. What makes it so special? I can’t really say why there is such power and beauty in this one psalm. But countless individuals throughout the generations have considered this psalm as the most beloved of all. As for me, I’m so glad that the LORD is my shepherd.

Father God, I thank you that you are the Good Shepherd. I thank you that you give me what I need and that you walk with me in the valley and that you set a feast for me even when enemies are all around. Thank you that your love will be with me forever. Thank you that your love will follow me wherever I go. When I stray, you find me.

Please help me to become who you want me to be. Don’t let me be hypocritical. Search my heart and show me if I’m being insincere. Don’t allow me to harbor sin. Keep me from willful disobedience.

Thank you, again, that you made this master plan that spans centuries. When you called Abraham, you knew that the Israelites would go down to Egypt. You knew they would stay there for over 400 years, and you planned to bring them out with a great exodus. You set aside a people for yourself to teach them your ways. You chose David, and blessed him. You sent us Jesus to teach us and heal us and to die for us — thousands of years before I was even born. And you have a plan that you’re still working out. Thank you for your glory and majesty. Thank you for your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.