Saturday 18 November 2023

Psalm 100

Background

The Genesis story we have been studying this week moves on a generation and we meet the sons of Jacob. Joseph – he of the dreams and the multi-coloured robe – is a young man, just 17 years of age. He is both deeply loved and deeply hated. Described as the son of Jacob's old age, as well as being the firstborn of Jacob's beloved late wife Rachel, Joseph is clearly favoured by his father over his ten older half-brothers. It doesn't help that Joseph tells his father of his brothers' misdeeds. He also tells his brothers of the powerful dreams he is having that suggest all of them will one day bow down to him. The arrogance of youth!

Joseph’s brothers are ready to kill him, and they get their opportunity. All ten are tending the family flocks near Shechem, north of the family home in Hebron. Jacob sends Joseph to his brothers to get a report on how the flocks are doing. When they see Joseph coming, the brothers immediately form a plan to kill him. Reuben, the eldest, however, suggests they throw Joseph into a pit and leave him to die in the wilderness. Reuben's secret plan is to return and rescue Joseph later and bring him safely to Jacob – so earning their father’s favour. The brothers agree to Reuben's plan. They strip Joseph of his robe and lower him alive into the pit. Later, while Reuben is away, they spot a group of traders on the road to Egypt. Judah suggests a new plan. Why not make some money and get rid of Joseph at the same time? If they sell him as a slave instead of killing him, or allowing him to die, they can claim they are innocent of the blood of a family member. Those present agree, and Joseph is sold to the traders.

In this account we see how family tension, jealousy and rivalry so often play out in the biblical story, as they do in contemporary life. The story also shows God using human frailty and sinfulness and redeeming the situation. This has been the common thread which has run throughout our engagement with the book of Genesis this week. God acts to bless the chosen people; those chosen people come to believe themselves blessed and therefore beyond challenge. The blessing of one turns into a curse for another and conflict ensues. Consequences of the conflict have been various throughout the different stories, but God has remained constant in faithfulness and desire to redeem and restore humankind, taking the story back for God’s own purposes.

To Ponder:

• If you were one of the brothers, would you find Joseph insufferable, and would you want to kill him?
• If you were Joseph, how would you feel towards your brothers in this story?
• Have you experience of conflict leading to a positive outcome and greater good?