Genesis Review Concluded

Finally, in the book of Genesis, we see that God provides for His people, even when they may not deserve it.  Joseph's brothers had treated him with nothing but hatred years before, and now they needed his help simply to survive.  All people, at some point in their life, treated God wrong, whether with actual hatred or just by denying Him or ignoring His law, and will need His help to find real life.  We are all sinners, either in need of salvation or having already accepted the salvation of Christ.  These are the only two choices.  Joseph's brothers did not recognize him when they first went to him, because they thought he was either dead or was no longer anywhere that they would ever see him again.  They certainly never expected Joseph to be in a position of authority.  When we are lost sinners, we may never expect to encounter God, because He is either dead to us or we do not acknowledge His authority in life.  Joseph required his brothers to do certain things to prove that their nature had changed, and they were reluctant to do what he required.  God expects two things of us when we come to Him, and that is that we confess our sins and accept Christ as our Savior and Lord.  When Joseph's brothers finally did what he required, they were restored to a loving relationship with him.  They still waited until all other hope of having their needs met were exhausted before they did what he required.  God waits for us to come to Him through faith in Christ to restore a loving relationship with Him, and yet people too often refuse to come to Him, or wait until there is no other hope.  Once his brothers returned to Joseph on his terms, there was a great family reunion.  When we come to God on His terms, we are a part of His family forever, so in effect there is a great spiritual family reunion.  Though I have been alternating between the Old and New Testament, since there are more books in the Old, we will next go to the book of Exodus.