Joseph – Reflections (1)

 

Vickie and I have been reading the story of Joseph in Genesis; what an amazing story, what highs and lows and twists and turns, what a picture of Jesus Christ!

 

It strikes me that Genesis begins with strife between brothers that results in murder (Cain and Abel), and that it concludes with strife between brothers that results in redemption and salvation.

 

I wonder how Adam reacted to Cain’s murder of Abel. Did he take any responsibility for it? After all, had Adam and Eve not disobeyed God and allowed sin and death to enter the human race, would there have been a murder?

 

Then I wonder how Jacob reacted when he realized the deceitful conspiracy of his ten sons in selling Jospeh into Egypt. On the one hand his joy must have been overwhelming, on the other hand what might he have felt when he considered the pain and suffering Joseph endured, not to mention his own pain and grief for many years.

 

Did Jacob see himself in the deceitfulness of his sons? After all, Jacob was a deceiver, scheming to steal his brother Esau’s blessing, taking advantage of Esau’s hunger to purchase the birthright. In wresting with the angel of God Jacob comes to the end of his natural strength, yet there is more debilitation to come in his loss of Joseph to a supposed death by a wild beast.

 

Genesis begins with unreconciled strife between brothers; it concludes with strife between brothers that is redeemed. Not only is the latter strife redeemed, but we also see that the strife was purposed by God for the redemption of the very ones who rejected and betrayed and sold Joseph into slavery.  As Jospeh says to his brothers:

 

“Do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life” (Genesis 45:5).

 

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive” (Genesis 50:20).

 

It is hard to see the whole picture of life, it is challenging to have a clear picture of even a segment, there is so much we just don’t know or understand. What must Jospeh’s perspective have been when he was thrown into a pit by his brothers? When he was sold to slave traders? When Potiphar consigned him to prison?

 

What about his father when he saw the coat he had given to Jospeh soaked in blood?

 

What about Joseph’s brothers after the betrayal and the lie to their father? Was life the same for them after this?

 

How do we react when we realize that our sins forged the nails that pierced the body of Jesus on the Cross?