THE ELEVEN STARS (7).

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*THE ELEVEN STARS (7).*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Gen 37:8 *And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

God will not give revelations to destroy but to build!

*Scripture Commentaries.*

The problems of the brothers of Joseph may not have been just the dreams but the person through whom the dream came.

Many have lost the God-given dreams of their lives because of the source through whom the dreams came.

A despised person, a person of lower status etc have robbed people of higher status of timely divine prophecies and revelation.

Not to say you should believe every prophecy but learn to pray, rebuke and align with God's word (ref Jer 28:1-17)

God will not bring to birth and destroy.

It was His will that we exist eternally (no death but eternal life, ref Gen 2:17, 3:22).

He did not give the dreams to Joseph to destroy the family.

The internal grudge that started within a family of twelve developed into inter-tribal wars between the twelve tribes. In Judges 20, it resulted in one of the most severe internal crises in early Israelite history, almost causing the extinction of an entire tribe (the Benjamin tribe).

The dreams were two-fold.

First is to reveal a difficult journey in the lives of a family that would ultimately result in the fulfillment of a divine purpose for twelve children and their parents. It was to prepare them for their difficult but fruitful life ahead of them.

Second is to ultimately fulfill a divine life-saving purpose.

There was no divine instructions to Joseph whether or not to reveal the dreams unlike the specific instructions to Samson's parents by the angel which was just to obey the specific instructions concerning Samson, Judg 13:3-18.

In Gen 25:23, though God revealed whom Jacob and Esau would be, there was no divine directive to reveal or not to reveal the secret to Isaac, (her husband and father of Jacob and Esau).

The secret to Samson's parents was not recorded to have been told to Samson but his subsequent exposure to Delilah suggests he was told by his parents.

The instruction was to Manoah and his wife and as pertaining the secret of Samson's strength as a Nazarite, the mother should observe all that was commanded her (Judg 13:14). To the question asking for the name of the angel, the angel of the Lord replied *"....Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?* (Judg 13: 18).

His parents guided him but his eventual fall was his misuse of his power, rather than a parental mistake. 

However the knowledge of Samson of the secret behind his power teaches us about the supremacy of concentrating on the obedience of fulfilling a divine revelation. Taking it as more important than the person from whom it came through.

By the angel of the Lord not revealing His name to Samson's parents, He wanted them to know that the focus of the divine revelation was on obedience to the instructions rather than knowing the divine entity's personal name (Judges 13:18).

The eleven brothers despised Joseph (the vessel through whom the dreams came) instead of a desire to dilligently seek to inquire the divine essence and purpose of their obeisance to"the standing sheaf" and *"....the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to....."* to him.

The word of the Lord through dreams, revelation prophecy etc can come through the most junior in faith or the most uncommon vessel or circumstances.

Obedience and possible further enquiry from God should be our first focus rather than the hatred or despise of the entity through which the revelation came.

Rebecca did not share God's word to her concerning Jacob and Esau yet both Rebecca and Isaac chose to love discriminatorily, Gen 25:23, 28 yet there was confusion.

Scripture did not reveal if Samson's parents told Samson the secret as a Nazarite but it was apparent he must have been told because he told Delilah, Judg 16:15-17, yet there was confusion.

We have given dreams, divine, prophetic revelation bad names. It was not God's intention.

Disclosing it became a problem

Joseph' dreams became dreams of long-term sufferings rather than dreams that should position them for the task ahead. Sharing the dreams, that were divine and prophetic messages from God,

became a premature disclosure that acted as a catalyst/ accelerant for premeditated murder and immediate familial destruction.

It teaches that people can make bad, God's good and perfect intentions for their lives.

God wants us to focus on the obedience of His divine dream.

Not disclosing it has its side effects too.

The bad effect of falling into what would be if we failed to reveal it (Gen 40).

The story also teaches why some people whom God revealed dreams about other people withhold such dreams from them.

However, do not intimidate dreamers of prophetic revelations.

There are divine revelations. Do not ignore, discourage, rebel, resist them. Pray. Let God open your eyes.

While God remains the ultimate, our obedience to a God-given dream is esteemed in the sight of God.

He uses the lows and the highs. Do not despise either the lows or the highs God uses. Do not despise the vessels through whom divine messages come.

*Remorse corner.*

Becareful about dreams, especially when it involves other people. Some may heed to the warnings. Some may take you as their enemies.

*Call to Word action.*

Talk to God about dream disclosure.

Dream disclosure requires wisdom especially when it involves others.

*The Christian clarion duty.*

While disclosing it should not intimidate, let us receive dreams on our behalf with love and humility, talking to God about it.

*Prayer.*

Lord, help me to treat divine revelation with Godly fear. Help me to discern divine revelation and vessels through whom they come in Jesus name.

Good morning all and be blessed as you go today.

God bless you.

Shalom.