September 17
Genesis 41: 56: And the famine was over all the face of the earth:
And Joseph opened all the storehouses,…
Joseph opened the storehouses. He did so at the fit time. Joseph did not open
them during the time of plenty. He waited until the famine was over all Egypt. Joseph waited until those who came to him were
famished, crying for bread and had nowhere else to turn.
Sinner, do you see that you are famished?
You need wisdom you do not have, righteousness you do not have, holiness you do
not have and redemption you do not have. It was only when the people were
famished that they cried. Likewise, it will only be when you see the famine of
your sin that you will you cry out to the Lord Jesus in truth. When God gives
his people spiritual life and draws us to cry out for mercy, Christ will open
the storehouse. He already has in giving
us life and in drawing us. The very
purpose for which Christ suffered and bled and died was to save sinners. “For
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Rom 10: 13) Our
Lord is plenteous in mercy, and delights to show mercy. But he does so at the
fit time: only when he has brought us down to see that we are sinners with no
other choices. (Lk 19: 10; Mt 9:13; 1 Tim 1: 15; Jn 7: 37-38) We must be lost, sick, sinners, thirsting for
righteousness. When we can only come to
him begging mercy then Christ opens the storehouse.
Furthermore, Christ opens the storehouse of
grace freely. Notice Joseph “sold unto the Egyptians.” (Gen 41: 56) But for
every true sinner Christ opens the storehouse freely. He says, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come
ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come,
buy wine and milk without money and without price.” (Is 55: 1) That is the
prerequisite to buy at Christ’s storehouse, we have to be bankrupt. (Is 55: 2) Why
spend and labor under the elements of the world, under the law, for spiritual life
to try to satisfy God? Our works cannot obtain spiritual life or eternally
satisfy God! “With the heart man believeth
unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Rom
10: 10) Christ says to eat by hearkening, to come to him by inclining the ear, to
live by hearing and we are made righteousness by believing. (Is 55: 2-3)
These things are as opposite to works as we can get.
Only
Christ can tell a dead sinner to hearken and hear then give him spiritual life
to do so! But we cannot work for life
and satisfaction with God, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God.” Instead we are justified freely by
God’s grace through the redemption Christ has accomplished. God set him forth to be the mercy seat
through faith in his blood. (Rom 5:
23-25) Christ is that Bread which satisfies God and Christ satisfies his people
when he has given us faith to rest in him.
So for every true sinner who comes to Christ, with no money and no
price, the storehouse is open freely by Christ. All blessings of grace were
purchased just for them, for those God shall give life, faith and draw to
Christ. (1 Cor 1: 30; Col 1: 14; 3: 11; 1 Cor 1: 31) Come to Christ sinner. He
will open the storehouse freely!