Bible Reading Plan – January 15-21

Many times, evil unfurls its wings near us, or even around us, and we wonder where the plan of God is going. Is he really in control? If so, why is he allowing such grave evil? These are not abstract, philosophical questions, but questions that hit us daily when we hear a report from our doctor, see a friend ruin their lives with drugs, or watch yet another mass slaying occur in the news. These are questions we ought to raise regularly, even while we seek Scripture’s explanation for them.

The jealousy that Israel’s sons felt toward their younger brother, Joseph, spilled over into a plot to kidnap and sell their own flesh and blood into slavery. They would accomplish this through lying and deceit, selfishly gaining ease at their brother’s, and father’s, misfortune.  But Joseph rightly realized that what they meant for evil, God meant for good, although it would take many painful years for him to understand what that good was.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today

Genesis 50:20

And even then, Joseph only had a glimmer as to how magnificent that good would be.  His forced slavery in Egypt not only saves the promised family, but will eventually give us one of the most lasting pictures of our own salvation from oppression and hardship: the Exodus from Egypt.  God allows evil to happen to show his glory over it. God is so majestic, he even makes the evil plans of men and angels into the best of goods.

Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know– this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

Acts 2:22-24