Daily Devotionals

Discovering Christ Day by Day

Devotional: January 14th

Today’s Reading: Genesis 41-42

Joseph Opening the Storehouses

Genesis 41:56

Joseph opened the storehouses in Egypt by royal authority (Genesis 41:41; Genesis 41:44-45). Pharaoh gave all things into Joseph’s hands, all food, all authority, all power. When the people came to Pharaoh for anything, he said, “Go to Joseph!” Behold! A greater than Joseph is here! By God’s royal design and decree, all things pertaining to life and godliness (all grace, all mercy, all salvation, all life, and all heaven) have been given into the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ. God the Father has put all things in Christ (John 3:35-36). All power and authority belong to him (John 17:3). All the fullness of the Godhead is in Christ (Colossians 2:9-10). All the fullness of grace and glory are in Christ (John 1:16; Colossians 1:19). The only way any sinner can get anything from God is to go to Christ. He has everything (Ephesians 1:3-4). Why? “For it pleased God!” God is determined “that in all things Christ might have the preeminence!”

A Worthy Man

Joseph was the only fit person to open the storehouses (Genesis 41:53-55). He was the only one who knew what was going on and what must be done. Joseph had prophesied that the famine would come. No one else knew about it. Joseph planned the crops and built the storehouses, and had them filled before the famine came (Genesis 41:35-36; Genesis 41:49). Even so, our blessed Savior is the only fit Person to open the storehouse of God’s mercy, love, and grace to needy sinners. As Joseph built the storehouses and filled them in anticipation of the famine, so Christ in the covenant of grace provided for the needs of his people before the world began. The storehouse of grace is God’s covenant (Ephesians 1:3; 2 Timothy 1:9). The provision is Christ, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8).

A Filled Storehouse

Christ filled the storehouse, too. In the fullness of time the Son of God came to this earth in human flesh. He obeyed the law in order that his people might have perfect righteousness before God. He died on the cross that we might be justified through his blood. The storehouse is full. Let all who are hungry come. Sinners find grace abundant and free in Christ. He alone has the capacity to contain all fullness. He alone has the wisdom to distribute all fullness. He alone has all fullness forever, immutable and undiminished, though all his people draw upon it continually (2 Timothy 1:12; Philippians 3:20-21).

An Opened Storehouse

We are specifically told that Joseph opened the storehouses “when the people cried for bread” (Genesis 41:55-56). When hungry sinners cry for bread, Christ opens the storehouse of grace and feeds them (Matthew 7:9-11; Luke 11:5-13). Lost sinners who cry to him will be heard (Romans 10:13). Needy believers who cry to him will be heard (Hebrews 4:16). As often as we cry to him for the bread of his grace, he gives it. Joseph opened the storehouses to all who came (41:57). And our Lord Jesus Christ opens the storehouse of grace to all who come to him. “Whosoever will, let him come, and take of the water of life freely!”