Genesis
chapter 37 speaks to each of us about the depravity we humans are
capable of committing. We see domino effect of jealousy and pride.
From earth’s perspective, the bad guys win. Israel loves the
first-born son of his beloved Rachel, “more
than any of his other sons“.
Israel makes many mistakes in pampering Joseph, and Joseph show an
incredible lack of maturity. It is clear that Joseph has no problem
tattlling on his brothers by bringing “a
bad report about them”
to his father, but Israel’s favoritism compounds the hatred they have
for him. We are told Israel, “made
for him a richly ornamented robe… when his brothers saw that their
father loved him more… they hated him and could not speak a kind
word to him“.
This robe was more than just a nice gift, it was a symbol of
Joseph’s position, that Israel was going to pass the blessings of the
first-born on to him. To compound things, Joseph tells his brothers
of a dream he has where “Your
sheaves of grain gather around mine and bow down to it“.
This only adds to their hatred of Joseph;’ “Do
you intend to reign over us?“.
If the wasn’t bad enough, Joseph then tells another dream in which,
“the
sun, the moon and eleven stars bow down to me“.
Even his father is angered by this one. As parents, particularly in
the age of blended families, it is difficult to not show favoritism,
but as this story illustrates, the effects are powerful.
Next,
we see the brothers out tending the flocks and Joseph still at home
with dad. “Go
and see if all is well with your brothers and the flocks and bring
word back to me“.
It seems the brothers had enough (perhaps they were goofing off?),
“they
saw him at a distance and before he reached them, they planned to
kill him“.
They greeted him with taunts, “Here
comes the dreamer…lets kill him and throw him into one of these
cisterns… then we will see what comes of his dreams“.
But big-brother Rueben steps in, “Let’s
not take his life“.
He suggests just throwing him in alive and planned to rescue him
later. When Joseph arrived, “they
stripped him of his robe”
and threw him into a cistern and sat down to eat. Next, they see a
caravan heading to Egypt and Judah has an idea, “Let’s
sell him to the Ishmaelites… after all, he is our brother“.
So they sold him to the merchants for twenty shekels of silver.
Interestingly, we read no words from Joseph throughout this ordeal.
Finally
the brothers slaughter a goat, “and
dipped the robe into the blood“.
Then they ask Israel with great cruelty, “We
found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe“.
Israel concludes, “Joseph
has surely been torn to pieces“.
We read, “Israel
mourned many days“.
He refused to be comforted and said, “In
mourning will I go down to the grave to my son“.
He is completely broken hearted. The chapter concludes, “Meanwhile,
the Mideanites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s
officials“.
From all accounts this appears to be a senseless tragedy and loss,
but as we will read, God is completely in control. When we see
injustice around us, we need to remember the words of Isaiah 55:8,
“For
My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are My ways your ways
declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are
My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your
thoughts“.
God knows the end form the beginning and works all things for His
good will.