Bible Texts (Concordant Version
of the Old Testament and Concordant Literal New Testament with keywords
Concordance (Main text: Genesis chapter 37)
It is another day to get blessed as you read this week's blog. Last week blog ended with the fact that Esau's kingdom was established while Jacob's kingdom was far from it. It was also concluded that Yahweh's ways are not his ways. He will surely fulfill his plans and covenants on whomever he relates with.
This week's blog begins the process Yahweh took to bring the covenants he had with Abraham to pass. Following the demise of Isaac, Esau and his families had moved on to Seir. The city was called Edom. Jacob stayed put in his father's place. Jacob might have thought that maybe it was time for him to also settle down in the land of Canaan. On contrary, it was getting to the time to fulfill what Yahweh told Abraham in Genesis chapter 15:13-15. Did you see a young man being sold to the slave merchants in the above picture?
It all started this way.
Among sons born to Jacob was Joseph. He was the first son of Rachel. The young man always reminded Jacob of Rachel. He was the son born at Jacob's twilight. Jacob transferred the love he had for Rachel to Joseph. He saw Rachel in the face of Jacob. Joseph was very dear to him. This was noticed by the rest 10 sons that Leah (first wife); Zilpah (Leah's maidservant) and Bilhah (Rachel's maidservants) born to Jacob. Therefore, these 10 sons hated Joseph. Joseph was always supervising all that his 10 brothers did. So, he acquired supervisory and management roles. He was able to read and write also. These skills were possessed by Joseph to carry out his roles in his family. However, Yahweh was building him up for future events even though he might not have realized it. Jacob might have thought he would keep Joseph closer to him because of the love he had for Rachel. He even went far to the extent of making Joseph a distinctive tunic (cloth of many colors). His brothers raised eye brows to this distinct affection.
In verse 5, Yahweh gave a strange dream to Joseph. Like any exciting young man, Joseph informed his brothers about it. Joseph stated that he was in field with his brothers binding grain-sheaves. He added that while they were binding grain-sheaves, his grain-sheaf got up and stood upright while his brothers' grain-sheaves all bowed down to his own. His brothers had already known what this implies. They hated him more. You might think Joseph should not have this kind of dream anymore because it would continue to hurt his brothers but not so fast! Yahweh was brewing this trouble to make Joseph get to the place he needed him to be.
In verse 9 of Genesis chapter 37, Joseph had another dream. This time, Yahweh went a little further by showing Joseph that Sun, Moon and 11 Stars all bowed down to him! This also implies that Joseph's family members will bow down to him. His brothers could no longer stomach this. Even, Jacob rebuked Joseph for this strange dream (verse 10). However, he pondered on the dream. Do you know why he pondered on this dream? He probably knew Joseph's dream was a message from Yahweh with assurance (verse 11). He might had an undying love for Joseph but he never expected to see Joseph being elevated to a high level to the extent to which his other sons or himself would have to pay obeisance to him. Surely Yahweh's ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).
As we all walk into Yahweh's plans with or without our knowledge, Jacob sent Joseph to go and see how his elder brothers were doing in their assigned task. All these brothers did was to ensure Jacob's flocks graze grass. Joseph was excited to carry out this task (verse 12-13). Little did he know that it would take a long time for him to see his father again. Joseph did not find his brothers at Shechem where his father thought they might be. An unknown man informed Joseph that his brothers were at a place called Dothan. This man was the connection between Joseph's past, present and what was waiting for him in his future (verse 15). He found his brothers there just as the man said.
From verse 18-29: Joseph's brother saw him coming afar. They connived together to get rid of him. Reuben was objected to killing him. So, when Joseph arrived to the place where his brothers were, his brothers seized him, beat him up, torn his distinctive cloth and put him in a cistern. Reuben planned to protect Joseph but he later found that his brother had sold him to the Ishmaelites! The Ishmaelite were found coming from Gilead with their Camels and were going to trade in the land of Egypt. Thus, Joseph was sold for 20 pieces of Silver to these merchants and he was taken down to the land of Egypt. I believe 20 pieces of silver were too cheap to sell Joseph. His brothers just wanted him to get away from their sights to prevent the fulfilment of his dreams. Were they right? Was their idea great?
His brothers killed an animal and dipped his cloth into the blood of an animal they killed to make their news real. They showed it to their father after they broke their "fake" news that Joseph was killed by a wild animal while he was looking for them in the field. Jacob wept and mourned so bad to the extent that he refused to be comforted (verse 31-34).
This is a familiar story. However, I want you to ponder on the following extractions from this week chapter:
Ø Joseph did not ask for the two dreams but he was given the dreams. The dream should have been given to his father or someone else but Yahweh decided to show the dreams to Joseph only. Joseph's level of comprehension/life experience may not be as much as his father or his brothers but the dreams were given to him. Was there no reason(s) for this?
Ø In relative sense, Jacob would not want Joseph to wander about. Should Joseph not know this and hurry back to his father to report that they had left Shechem where Jacob thought Joseph's brothers might be? However, an unidentified man who appeared to be a "Good Samaritan" pressed Joseph forward to his destiny in absolute sense. By the way, who was this man? Was he an Angel or just an ordinary man? Anyway, the future was waiting for Joseph in the land of Egypt.
Ø Why did his brothers not kill him? It was because as much as Joseph's brothers hated him, Yahweh did not put it in their minds to kill him because Yahweh had a purpose for him.
Ø What kind of actors Joseph's brothers were? They deserved "Oscar Awards" for their feign behaviors. How did they come up with such a creative way by deceiving their father that Joseph was killed by a wild animal? In deed Yahweh worked this evil through these brothers in absolute sense and they lived with it for many years until the whole truth was revealed. This may be difficult to understand but nothing just happens. Acts 17:28 points out that in Yahweh we live, breathe and have our being. Whatever we do had been planned by Yahweh before we were born. Deep down in the minds of Joseph's brothers, they knew that they had done wrong thing. They knew they had hurt their father's feelings but their consciences had been sealed! Wow, these brothers were wicked in relative sense!
Ø In long run, Yahweh achieved his plan for Joseph and his brothers. He had to separate him from his family for a while. Yahweh tells the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). Jacob only saw the present but Yahweh who knows the future had already informed them through the dreams he gave to Joseph. He made sure Joseph could not keep the dreams to his mind but pushed him to speak them out be activated. How Yahweh works things out may be strange to all of us but in the end, we will all see it and say, "THANK GOD (YAHWEH)"! We never say this at the beginning of our problems but at the end of them. As always, Yahweh takes all glory after our troubles are over. Why is that? It means he puts us through the problems to make us achieve the plan he has for us before we were born! Have you ever wondered why Yeshua's prayers in Matthew chapter 6 verse 13 were contradictory? "And mayest Thou not be bringing us into trial, but rescue us from the wicked one" . I discussed this topic in detail in one of my audio podcasts last week. In short, Yahweh knows these problems will not kill us but to make us stronger and wiser. Amen.
I understand this week blog may be a lot loaded but please, feel free to write your comments and be nice with them.
Peace!
One of my favorite bible chapters. I am blessed with it.
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