Genesis 44 - Steve Wiggins Daily Devotional

“Your servant became accountable to my father for the boy, saying, “If I do not return him to you, I will always bear the guilt for sinning against you, my father.” Now please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him go back with his brothers.” Genesis 44:32-33

After all the talk of Joseph being a “type” of Messiah, maybe we should give Judah a closer look.

The spirit of self-sacrifice which Judah’s speech reveals, offering to remain as a slave in Benjamin’s place, holds parallels to the life story of Moses, who sought G_d to blot out his name from the Book of Life, unless his people, Israel is saved with him.

“Then Moses returned to the L_rd and said, ‘Oh these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! Yet now, if You will for give their sin – but if not, I pray, blot me out of your book which You have written.’” Exodus 32:31-32

The same Ruach (Spirit) was in the Apostle Paul, who called himself a voluntary “slave of Messiah”. He made himself a slave (servant) to all, so that by all means he might win some for Messiah. Paul also said, he wished that he could be cut-off from the L_rd, that others could take his placed in the kingdom.

“I speak the truth in Messiah – I am not lying; my consciencs is testifying to me with the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) – that I have intense sorrow and continual anguish in my heart. For I could almost wish to be cursed and cut off from the Messiah for the benefit of my brothers, my own flesh and blood.” Romans 9:1-3

Of course, the greatest display of self-sacrifice was Yeshua’s upon the cross. He gave himself completely so that our sin debt would be laid upon Him, that His righteousness could then be imputed to us. As Judah voluntarily offered himself, completely accountable for the life of his brother, so Yeshua offered Himself accountable for the disciples whom the L_rd had given to Him…and He accomplished His goal! Yeshua prayed to the L_rd before His crucifixion,

“I have lost NONE of all that You have given to me” John 18: 9

For those who have accepted the Grace of G_d, through the resurrected Yeshua, our names are added to the Book of Life. We become sons & daughters of G_d, and brothers & sisters of Yeshua: Co-inheritors. The Bible even calls Yeshua the “Lion of Judah”. How much more than Judah would Yeshua, Who created all that exists, effectively stand in your place of punishment…just to save you?

Blessings,
~Steve Wiggins, Associate Leader, Worship Leader
Shuvah Yisrael
Daily Devotional, Sunday, February 23, 2014