Genesis 41 - Praying God's Word

Please read Genesis 41.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/gen/41/1/s_41001

Meditate on verses 16b, 25b, 32b, and 39.

It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.

God has told to Pharaoh what He is about to do.

The matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it to about.

So Pharoah said to Joseph, “Since God has informed you of all this,

 there is no one so discerning and wise as you are.

Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream …

—Genesis 41:1

Joseph, forgotten by Pharaoh’s cupbearer, remained in prison for two more full years. He was enslaved and in jail for a total of 13 years (Genesis 37:2; 41:46).

Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, falsely accused by others, and forgotten by those who should have remembered. Yet Joseph never forgot God, and God remembered Joseph. God vindicated him when the time was perfect.

The cupbearer finally remembered to tell Pharaoh about Joseph. He was hurriedly brought out of the dungeon to meet the most powerful man in the world. Imagine Joseph being able to shave himself and change his clothes after being in a dungeon! Joseph answered Pharaoh with clarity of mind that God would give the answer to Pharaoh’s puzzling dreams. He did not self-promote (Genesis 41:9-16)!

Throughout the chapter, Joseph continued to give God glory, which caused Pharaoh to give God glory, which pleased God. God then caused Pharaoh to put Joseph in charge of the entire land of Egypt (Genesis 41:39-43). After waiting on God for 13 years, in one day Joseph went from a dungeon to being in control of the most powerful country in the world!

Be encouraged by the Word of God. Glorify God no matter what is happening to you.

Do not let bitterness or depression control you; it will blind you to God’s work in your life. God determines the matters of your life, and He will quickly bring them about (Genesis 41:32). Be ready!

Pray Genesis 41:32 and 39 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, please determine this matter for _________ and me.

Quickly bring it about. Inform us, God.

 Make us wise and discerning.


For the glory of Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Genesis 40 - Praying God's Word

Please read Genesis 40.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/gen/40/1/s_40001

Meditate on verse 23.

Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph,

but forgot him.

Notice the time phrases in Genesis 40. “Then it came about after these things ...” (v.1). “When Joseph came to them in the morning ...” (v. 6). “Thus it came about on the third day ...” (v. 20).

“Timing is everything” is certainly true in Genesis 40. The cupbearer and baker had to offend Pharaoh after Joseph was put in jail, so Joseph could be in jail with them the morning after they had disturbing dreams, so he could interpret their dreams, so three days later they could—forget about Joseph!

Does God’s timing ever make you want to scream? The cupbearer forgot Joseph! How was that even possible? It happened because it was not time for the cupbearer to remember Joseph. God had much bigger plans for Joseph’s life than just whisking him out of prison and back home to daddy. In God’s timing, Joseph will ...

Well, you will get to read another time phrase tomorrow. Until then, ponder this:

While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.

 —Luke 2:6

Approximately 730,000 days were completed from the time of God’s first promise to Abraham of Messiah (Genesis 12:3) until Jesus was born. The Old Testament faithful believed God would keep His promise of Messiah (Hebrews 11). God kept His promise; Jesus was born when God’s fullness of time came (Galatians 4:4).

Do you feel forgotten? Have you felt forgotten for quite some time now? Be encouraged by God’s planning and God’s timing. Joseph had to be in prison at the perfect time for a certain number of days for God’s plan to work. Jesus had to come to earth in the full, completed timing of God for God’s plan to work.

As a faithful, prayerful watchman use Genesis 40:23 to pray over those who feel forgotten.

“LORD, _________ feels forgotten.
They think no one remembers them.


Let them know that You and I remember them.

In Your name, Jesus~”

Call that person today and tell them you are praying for them.  If possible, spend time with them this Christmas.

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Genesis 39 - Praying God's Word

Please read Genesis 39.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/gen/39/1/s_39001

Meditate on verse 23b.

The LORD was with him,

 and whatever he did the LORD made to prosper.

The LORD was with Joseph is repeated four times in Genesis 39.  In the midst of being sold into slavery, God was with Joseph.  When Joseph had favor with his bosses, God was with him.  As Joseph faced false accusations, God was with him.  When Joseph was confined to jail, God was with him.

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son,

and they shall call His name “Immanuel,”

which translated means, “God with us.”

—Matthew 1:23

Jesus came to earth because He is “God with us.” As a Christian, you have the Spirit of Jesus filling you. When Jesus came into your life, He came with a promise: “I will never leave you, nor will I ever forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5b).

Joseph knew Immanuel. Throughout his life, the LORD proved to Joseph that He was with him, and He was not going to leave him. The LORD was with him in prosperous times, and the LORD was with him when it appeared Joseph had favor with no one.

Jesus is your Immanuel. He is with you when times are good and when times are really bad. Your Savior is always with you; get to know Him even better this Christmas.

Pray Genesis 39:2-5 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, be with _________ and me.


As You are with us, make us successful where You have put us.

 Cause everything we do to prosper.


Give us favor in the sight of our bosses;


bless them and their homes as well.


In Your name, Immanuel~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Genesis 38 - Praying God's Word

Please read Genesis 38.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/gen/38/1/s_38001

Meditate on verse 7.

But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the sight of the LORD,

 so the LORD took his life.

Joseph’s life story foreshadowed the coming of Jesus Christ. Why would God include such a scandalous story in the middle of it? Observe the chapter carefully, for it also contains the Christmas story.

Genesis 38 begins with God killing two men because they were evil and displeasing to Him (vs. 7, 10). The story continues with Tamar, the wife of the dead men, tricking Judah, her father-in-law, into having a physical relationship with her. He thought she was a prostitute, so he paid to have sex with her. Amazingly, God did not kill Judah and Tamar for their wickedness. In fact, God allowed Tamar to get pregnant by Judah. She gave birth to twins and named them Perez and Zerah.

The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah ...

 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar;

 Perez was the father of ...

—Matthew 1:1, 3

Genesis 38 is the graphic story about people in the lineage of Jesus! It is a chapter that is usually left out of most Advent readings. Yet, it is the reason the world needs a Christmas story. Without Christ, everyone is Er and Onan, Judah’s two sons who were struck dead by God because of their sin. All deserve to die because of their evil, displeasing acts against God and man. But God extends His love, grace, and mercy to everyone, even those who deserve it the least, just like He did to Judah and Tamar. The LORD redeemed their hopeless situation, and they became the great, great, great ... grandparents of Jesus Christ.

But God, being rich in mercy,


because of His great love with which He loved us,

even when we were dead in our transgressions,

 made us alive together with Christ.

By grace you have been saved.

—Ephesians 2:4-5

Pray Genesis 38:7 and 26 over someone for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman who needs the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

“LORD, please give ________ more time on
earth to turn from evil to You.


Make them righteous and let them stop doing what displeases You.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL  ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Genesis 37 - Praying God's Word

Please read Genesis 37.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/gen/37/1/s_37001

Meditate on verse 31.

So they took Joseph’s tunic,

and slaughtered a male goat

and dipped the tunic in the blood.

You are in the middle of Advent season, preparing yourself for the celebration of Christ’s first coming to earth 2,000 years ago.  You have observed in Genesis “Jesus sightings,” where an angel of the LORD appeared to people, and it became apparent from the conversations that the “angel” was actually the LORD (Genesis 16, 22).   Now you come to the story of Joseph.  For the next two weeks you will read the fascinating details of this man’s life.  While Joseph is not Jesus, his life has many interesting parallels to the life of Christ.  As you read, look for ways that Joseph’s story was a foreshadowing of Messiah.  Consider these parallels from Genesis 37:

* Joseph was loved by his father. Jesus is beloved by His Father (Mark 1:11).

* Joseph brought a bad report about his brothers to their father; they hated him for it.  When Christ came to earth, He exposed sin; the world hated Him for it (John 15:22-24).

* Joseph’s brothers thought they would never bow to him.  They were wrong!  People in the world think they will never bow to Christ.  They are wrong!  Someday every knee will bow to Jesus (Philippians 2:9-11).

* Joseph was mocked by his brothers. Jesus was mocked throughout His ministry and at His crucifixion (Matthew 27:29-31).

* Joseph’s brothers plotted to kill him because of envy.  The people plotted to kill Jesus because of envy (Matthew 27:17-18).

* Joseph was sold for 20 pieces of silver. Jesus was sold for 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15).

* Joseph was stripped of his tunic. Jesus was stripped of His robe (Matthew 27:28). 

* Joseph’s tunic was dipped in blood. Jesus’ robe is dipped in blood (Revelation 19:13).

* Joseph was sent to Egypt. Jesus went to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15).

God’s Word is fascinating!  Just imagine what the two men on their way to Emmaus thought when Jesus explained this part of the Old Testament to them (Luke 24:13-36)!  Be amazed by your Savior like never before this Christmas as you read about Him in the story of Joseph.

As a faithful, prayerful watchman, use Genesis 37:8 and16 to pray for someone who needs to be found by the LORD and needs to submit to His rule over their life.

“LORD, like Joseph was looking for his brothers, You are searching for ________.

Please let them submit to Your reign and authority over them.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Genesis 36 - Praying God's Word

Please read Genesis 36.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/gen/36/1/s_36001

Meditate on verse 2a.

Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan.

Esau married daughters of Canaan. The Canaanites were idol worshippers. In defiance to his parents, Isaac and Rebekah, Esau chose to marry women who did not worship the true God, Yahweh. Esau brought their idolatrous practices into his home, and God’s Word describes his wives as bringing grief to Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 26:34-35).

If you are not yet married, choose wisely. God does not want you to marry a “Canaanite,” someone who does not love and worship the only true God, Jesus Christ. If you are already married to a “Canaanite,” pray for God to bring them to faith in Christ. Rahab was a Canaanite who chose to become a follower of Yahweh. She is in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Joshua 2; Matthew 1:5; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25). There is hope for “Canaanites” because before you became a Christian, you, too, were one.

As a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7), use Genesis 36:2 as a reminder of how to pray for those who will someday choose their husband or wife.

“LORD, please do not let _________ marry a spiritual Canaanite.

Let them marry someone who loves You
more than they love themselves


because You hate every form of idolatry.


In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Genesis 35 - Praying God's Word

Please read Genesis 35.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/gen/35/1/s_35001

Meditate on verse 2.

Put away the foreign gods which are among you,

 and purify yourselves and change your garments.

After Jacob’s sons massacred the men of Shechem, God told Jacob to move to Bethel. Jacob obeyed, instructing his family and everyone with him to get rid of the idols among them and purify themselves. They were moving to Bethel, the place where God revealed Himself to Jacob in a dream over 20 years earlier (Genesis 28:12-13).

Thankfully Jacob did not keep his “vow of silence” from Genesis 34 or hide in shame over past foolish decisions. Genesis 35 portrays a man who led his family, instructing them to purify themselves, and teaching them about God.

What an encouraging story! Satan’s lie is that you have done such a poor job as a family member there is no hope for you or your family now or in the future. With God nothing is impossible; His mercies are new every morning (Mark 10:27; Lamentations 3:23)!

No matter what you did or did not do yesterday, take a stand for righteousness today! Speak about the faithfulness of God and be a Godly leader in your family.

Pray Genesis 35:2-3 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, may ________ and I put away the foreign gods which are among us.

Purify us, LORD!
Thank You for letting us exchange

our garment of sin for your robe of righteousness.

 Let us arise and go to Bethel, to Your house, God.

God, we will make an altar to You

 because You have answered us in our day of distress,

and You have been
with us wherever we have gone.


In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell