Joseph, Dead, yet Speaking (2)

Scripture Reading: Genesis 15:13-16

Key Verse: .. He is patient with you, not waniting any to perish, but everyone to come to repentance  (II Peter 3:9)

Meditation: The death of Joseph teaches us these are often divine mysteries behind delays. These mysteries, however  may be  understood only with the passing of time when we gain a new perspective of the reason the delay was necessary. We may be given a glimpse of the reason in prophetic scriptures that are actually a preview of history before it actually takes place. Both of these factors, mysteries and prophecy, play an important parts in the postponement of the exodus.

The numerical strength of Israel at Joseph's death was about 300 of Jacob's family. They would not have been able to dislodge the Canaanites who occupied the land, not could they occupy 11,000 square miles of territory. Time was needed to expand the population to at least one million persons before the venture could be undertaken safely.

Another reason for the delay was the prophetic word God had spoken earlier to Abraham,"the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure," While we do not know how sinful these inheritance of Canaan were, we can  determine from archaeological artifacts that their worship for polytheistic; it included child sacrifice and also the practice of religious prostitution and divination. Yet god was patients and just, waiting for their sin to reach its full measure before exercising judgement.

Thought for the Day: Today we would not presume God is under any obligation to suspend His judgement on sin except for the purpose of affording time for repentance.