Genesis 37:1-11. Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. 2 This is the account of Jacob’s family line.
Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate[a] robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”
8 His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.
9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
God’s most precious covenant given to us is the covenant of Christ. The people of the covenant—the remnants in the Bible—came to understand the reason for their nation’s slavery, captivity, and occupation, and they saw this covenant in advance (Hebrews 11:1–40). By faith, they did not merely react to circumstances; they interpreted history through God’s promise and held onto what was unseen as more certain than what was visible.
Therefore, we too must learn to see in advance the reasons behind the present state of the world and its future. We must discern why so many churches today are closing their doors at an alarming rate and why the gap between the Word and reality seems to widen. Only then can we interpret everything through the lens of God’s absolute sovereignty, rather than being shaken by temporary conditions. This alone becomes the true path to saving the world.
Amid severe family conflict, Joseph held firmly to God’s absolute covenant (Genesis 37:1–11). Though betrayed and misunderstood, he did not lose hold of God’s promise. His father Jacob also treasured this in his heart, continually praying for God’s covenant to be fulfilled in his son’s life, showing us the importance of spiritual support and intercession.
When Israel was in complete ruin under Egyptian slavery, Moses grasped in advance the covenant of the blood through his mother (Exodus 3:1–10). Even before standing before Pharaoh, the covenant had already taken root within him. Through that covenant, the Exodus—the greatest act of deliverance in the Old Testament—unfolded according to God’s plan.
In the wilderness, through his father-in-law Jethro, Moses came to understand a crucial principle for governing the people of Israel (Exodus 18:1–21). This shows that God not only gives spiritual promises but also provides practical wisdom needed to carry out His work.
Rahab, though a prostitute in Jericho, recognized God’s hand at work and saw in advance His plan of salvation for the world (Joshua 2:1–16). Her faith went beyond her circumstances and background, and she aligned herself with God’s covenant. All of these individuals held to God’s covenant ahead of time, and their lives became part of its fulfillment.
When you stand upon the firm foundation of God’s covenant, you will be victorious in every circumstance—even when no one stands with you. You will not be defined by success or failure, gain or loss. Instead, everything in your life will become part of God’s covenant journey, because He Himself will guide you step by step with perfect faithfulness.
Every event and every place in Joseph’s life became the stage of God’s covenant: his family (Genesis 37:1–11), slavery (Genesis 39:1–6), prison (Genesis 40:1–22), and the palace (Genesis 41:1–38). Because of this, Joseph was neither discouraged in hardship nor proud in success. He maintained spiritual balance, seeing in advance the fulfillment of God’s greater plan not only for himself but for many nations.
God desires to work in the same way in your life. To accomplish this, He will open your eyes to the mystery of prayer, allowing you to communicate with Him beyond circumstances. He will reveal His power in your work so that what you do becomes a channel of His strength. And through your life, He will bring life and restoration to others who are lost and searching.
When you begin to recognize what God has already given you and what He intends to accomplish through you, you will see that the message you receive from His Word is not theoretical—it is actively being fulfilled in your life. This realization strengthens your faith and gives you confidence to continue.
Moses witnessed the fulfillment of the message of the coming Messiah that he had first heard from his mother. In the wilderness, he recorded God’s complete answer for the world in the Book of Genesis, revealing the origins of creation, humanity, and God’s redemptive plan.
In the Book of Exodus, he reveals the only way to be freed from the power of darkness—the blood of the Passover Lamb. The mystery of the coming Messiah is also woven throughout this book in the manna, the ark of the covenant, and the Tabernacle, each pointing to God’s provision and presence.
Furthermore, in the Book of Leviticus, Moses explains the blessing and order of true worship, and in the Book of Numbers, he highlights the importance of raising disciples who will carry out God’s mission for world evangelization despite challenges and failures along the way.
In the Book of Deuteronomy, he emphasizes the crucial mission of leaders and parents: to imprint the covenant in the hearts of the next generation, to help it take deep root in the Word, and to raise leaders with a gospel-centered nature. This generational transmission of faith is what enabled the people of the covenant to overcome Egypt and ultimately conquer Canaan.
You are a child of God, set apart with a clear purpose—to participate in His plan to save the world. Do not fill your heart and mind with the fleeting things of the world that only bring confusion and emptiness. Instead, fill them with the living Word of God, which carries the power to transform not only your life but the world around you.
Take time to discover the “you” that God has uniquely created. Reflect on and uncover what He has already placed within you—your calling, your gifts, and your field. No matter where you are now, you can begin again by holding firmly to God’s absolute covenant.
Prayer. Father, I thank You for the absolute covenant You have given me. Open my eyes to see in advance what You have prepared for me to save the world. Help me to hold firmly to Your Word in every situation and to walk step by step in Your guidance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.