Psa 105:19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.

Psalm 105 is a psalm of praise to God for His marvellous works in the children of Israel. The Psalmist recounts God's work among His people from the time of Abraham up to the delivery of His children into the Promised Land. It is a wonderful reminder to us of God's faithfulness As God is faithful to Abraham and to the Children of Israel, He will likewise be faithful to us today. The Psalmist begins with Abraham (v.6). He says God remembers the covenant He had made with Abraham (v.8, 9). The scheme of God’s redemption begins to unfold from Abraham and his descendants. The Psalmist says because God knew of a great famine that would come upon the land of Canaan, He sent Joseph years before it happened into Egypt (v.16, 17). Poor Joseph; He didn’t know he was born with a mission. He did not go there as an emissary of a king. Nor did he go to Egypt as an expatriate. He was forcibly sent into Egypt, sold by his own brothers. He became a slave and a prisoner in Egypt. Joseph spent 13 years in misery and afflictions. It is estimated that ten of those years were spent in a prison in Egypt. The Psalmist says it was only when the Pharaoh of Egypt looked upon Joseph and made him lord of his house that his misery ended (v.20, 21). The famine came and Jacob and family arrived in Egypt (v.23). The family of Jacob multiplied until a new Pharaoh came to the throne and hated them and made them slaves (v.24, 25). Years later, God raised up Moses who delivered Israel out of Egypt (v.26-45). I would like for this devotion to talk about Joseph. The Psalmist says he was suffering in the prison “Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him” (v.19). Until the time that his word came – What was the “time” here referring to? I referred to a few commentaries but did not get a satisfactory answer. Then, I remember the dreams of Joseph (Genesis 37:9-11). Joseph had a dream in which his mother, father, and brothers would bow down in front of him and told his father and brethren about his dream. His father Jacob rebuked him and said: “Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?” (Genesis 37:10). When did Joseph’s word come to pass? It came true when he was 30 years old when the Pharaoh made him Second in Charge of Egypt and his brethren came bowing down to him. The word of the LORD tried him — How did the word of the LORD test Joseph? It tested his faith and patience. Joseph had faith in God. In spite of having to undergo affliction for such a long period of time, he did not lose faith in God. Joseph believed that what God had revealed to him in the dream, He would bring it to pass. Joseph had to undergo a baptism of fire, whereby refining and preparing him for his approaching exaltation to glory and honour. God has his times, and Joseph knew he must wait till his “until” is fulfilled. The same word of God will test our faith and patience. By the word of God, we have come to believe in Him. We also believe in the eternal life that He has promised to us (Revelation 2:10). From now till the “until”, we have to wait patiently for the promise (word) to be fulfilled. Joseph trusted that God would deliver what He had promised and waited patiently for it. Likewise, we must be patient as we wait for the promise to be fulfilled in us: “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain” (James 5:7).