Study notes

Genesis 45:5 & 7

"... Because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you... 7God sent me ahead of you to save your lives by a great deliverance."

• In the Bible, alot of foreshadowing is used. And I think that these verses here use some. Just look at John 3:16:

For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

In Genesis 45:5, it says: "God sent me ahead of you...", which can go along with: "He gave his only begotten son...", from 3:16

Where it says, In 45:7: "... to save your lives by a great deliverance.", that can be compared to what it says in 3:16. That entire verse in fact, speaks of a great deliverance of the people from the consequences of their sins (Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death...").

So? What does this verse in Genesis mean?

1. Questions come up like:

• What did we need rescuing from?
• Who was Joseph foreshadowing?
• What are we being rescued into?

Lets now turn to the second question (we'll get to the first later)

• Who is Joseph? What is significant about Him?

1. He was the lord over alot of land
2. He was the cheif adviser of the pharoh
3. In this verse it says he was one sent ahead to save lives in a great way.

• How is Jesus like that?

1. He is Lord over all things
2. He is at the right hand of God
3. He was sent to save the world from the sins by dying in the horrible and gruesome story of the cross

   Lets focus now on the first question asked: What did we need rescuing from? And why?

   • Eternal damnation is what we need saving from. Or in other words, rescuing from hell.
   
   
   • What is hell? Hell is known as the lake of fire, the second death, the blackest darkness, a place of weeping and nashing of teeth, a place of loneliness and sorrow and suffering. Doesn't sound alot like the retirement plan you'd want after you die, huh?

Now, onto the final question:

1. 1 John 2:25 says this

"And He Himself has promised us this: eternal life."

No matter what, we will have a tomorrow, or an afterlife. It's up to us though, on whether or not it's in heaven or hell. We know what hell looks like, but heaven?

• Rev 21: 3 says it clearly.

"...I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them."

But now we wonder, what does that look like?

• Rev 21:5-6

"He who was seated on the throne said, "5I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true. 6He said to me: "it is done. I am the Alpha and Omega, The Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life."

• Then in verses 9-27 then go deeper into what there is. A city made of pure gold shining with the glory of God, surrounded by walls 200 ft. thick, made of jasper 1400 miles long, tall, and wide. A city that doesn't need a sun, or lights because Jesus is the light. It's gates made of pearl never are closed, yet still keeping impure and evil things and people who are impure and do things shameful and deceitful out, thus making the city absolutely perfect in every single way imaginable way possible.