Genesis 37.2-38.30

Genesis 37.2-38.30

Ahhh YES, my favorite part of the book of Genesis. We are reaching the life of Joseph, folks! I love being able to read about Joseph. The discord with his brothers. His trials. Seeing how God works all things out!

Joseph lived out his time in this passage with faithfulness, which is a high quality he possessed throughout his life. He is faithful. He is firmly devoted to the Lord. Are we faithful? Are we firmly devoted to God? Or, do we only give Him a small part of us? Are we faithful to our daily quiet time? Questions to ponder!

Joseph took a bad report about his brothers (Gad, Asher, Dan, and Naphtali) to his father. It wasn't out of hatred, but love. We want the best for our siblings. It's like when we rebuke someone. It is out of love, not hate~ We want the best for them! It's easy to love when things are good. What about when things get hard? Faithfulness is a characteristic of Joseph that we see through his life! His brothers did not appreciate him. They knew he was treated differently by their father. It was a very special relationship between Joseph and his father. He was the favorite. The text says that it was because he was the son of Jacob's old age. There is one hint that adds to why Joseph was the favorite: he is the son of Rachel. He is also much more faithful than his brothers.

His brothers experienced much hatred and envy against Joseph that only grew higher as time went on. It grew when his father gave a very special, decorated coat to Joseph. It grew much more when Joseph shared his dreams with them. His brothers wouldn't speak a peaceful word to their brother, Joseph.

I understand the brothers frustrations: It's hard when our relationship with someone isn't idle. We look at others' relationship with that person, instead of our own. Faithfulness is fully part of this process. Seeking to give God our all! He strengthens those relationships. Our focus is on HIM, not what we do not have. These brothers were envious of Joseph: They hated him and would not speak a kind word to him. It was fused up anger that would soon explode… They looked at what Joseph had versus what they had. They were in no way lacking. Jacob would of fully taken care of each of his children.

Obediently following his father's orders, Joseph traveled to find his brothers to make sure all is well. While they see him coming, they conspire to kill him. Instead they sell him and come up with a story to tell their father.  Their problem wasn't with Joseph. It was with themselves: sin was crouching at their door, and they refused to do right. Gen 4:6-7 says it like this: 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” We can choose to rule over sin. We do not need to give into it! We choose! They chose to let the anger dominate. They chose to carry out their evil deeds: hating, conspiring, selling Joseph, bloodying the coat, and telling Jacob a lie that devastated him.

Their faithlessness is so evident. Later in chapter 38, Judah makes known his unfaithfulness. If only they would do what was right in the Lord's sight, they would have been corrected and not giving into sin. If they welcomed correction, they would not of allowed anger to be crouching at their door like it did with Cain. Judah promised a widow his son, but does not deliver him to her. Instead, she posed as a prostitute in attempt to bear children. Just when she is about to be burned to death for what she did, he sees it was him who slept with her. She is seen as more righteous than he was. Faithfulness is what we need to be. Faithful! If only we would give ourselves to correction, Truth, and pursue righteousness. This is what I am reminded of today: faithfulness. Where is our faith in how we are living?

Jacob: pondered the dreams Joseph shared with him.

Reuben: planned to deliver Joseph from the pit, but got there too late.