Year 1, Day 49: Genesis 50

All Good Things Come to an End

The End of Genesis.  At first Genesis 50 seems like such a sad chapter.  Jacob dies.  Joseph dies.  All the people we have been growing to love because of their humanity and because God should grace through them are dead.  Feels a bit like losing a friend, doesn’t it?  I mean, you don’t spend 49 days reading a book without feeling close to the characters – or at least I don’t.  And I hope you don’t either.

Loose Ends

As we close this chapter, we should ask: “Why was it so important for Jacob to be buried in Canaan?  Was it just a family connection?  Was he just adhering to human tradition and wanting to be buried with his father and grandfather?  I mean this as an honest prayer: Dear God, I hope not!  Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with family tradition.  But there is something much more at stake here in Jacob’s desire to be buried with Abraham and Isaac than just some human tradition.

Jacob wants to be buried in Canaan because he has finally come to a place in his life where his faith and his spirituality mean something.  God has finally gotten hold of him and Jacob wants to partake in the promise that God has given to his father and grandfather.  His desire to be buried in Canaan is not because his family is there, but because it is the land that God has promised to him, his predecessors, and his offspring.  Canaan isn’t so much the Promised Land as it is the Promise.

By this I mean that to call Canaan the Promised Land puts the emphasis on God’s gift of the land.  Our relationship shouldn’t be about what God gives us in material terms but what God gives us in spiritual terms.  Jacob’s body is going back to Canaan because that’s where God’s promise was given to him and present for him in his life.

The Brothers

Now let’s turn to the brother’s response.  In many respects it is sad to see the brothers still scheming after Jacob dies.  They come to Joseph with a lie.  They tell Joseph about a promise from Jacob when Jacob has really said no such thing.

If nothing else, it can tell us how the world just doesn’t get true forgiveness and repentance.  This is why Joseph weeps.  Joseph sees right through his brother’s scheming.  He sees completely through their plans and their plotting.  Joseph is saddened by what they have to say and how they assume Joseph will treat them.  Joseph is sad because they don’t really “get” faithfulness in God quite yet. 

Joseph’s brothers still want to “work out their forgiveness” from Joseph when Joseph has already forgiven them through grace.  Unfortunately, we get one last reminder of generational sin.  Is this so different than when Jacob was coming back to meet Esau and he sent forward all of the messengers to soften Esau’s heart – which was already forgiving?  Human beings have a difficult time buying into forgiveness by grace without being able to “earn it” or “manipulate the other into forgiveness.”

It is the same with us.  How often do we – even those of us who should know better! – try and work out our forgiveness with God?  How often do we try to bargain with God when we should live confidently knowing that He has forgiven?  Joseph gives us the same response that God gives through Christ: Fear not! 

Our sin is forgiven because Christ has died on the cross.  Repent, therefore, and believe!  What a way to end Genesis!

God Meant for Good

I think Genesis 50:20 is one of my favorite verses.  However, like most inspirational passages I think we take it the wrong way.  It is too easy to get caught up in the promise and lose sight of the truth.

Joseph doesn’t say, “What you guys intended to do me harm God intended for my blessing.”  Joseph isn’t proclaiming some sort of self-centered spirituality here, although that is how we like to take this verse.  We like to hear this verse as God promising to make us prosper when that really isn’t the purpose of it at all.

What Joseph actually says is that it was designed for the salvation of many people.  God brought Joseph to Egypt so that his family would be saved.  What the brothers intended for evil God used so that His will would be accomplished!

Joseph is truly a man of God.  He’s not focused on himself, his own prosperity, or his own success.  He’s focused on the movement of God’s plan.  He’s focused on how God can use anything to accomplish His will.  That’s the greatness of God.  What a man of God Joseph truly is!

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Year 1, Day 48: Genesis 49

The Blessing of the Sons

By and large, Genesis 49 is another genealogy – although it is written in the form of a prophetic vision rather than as a look at the past.  However, that should not bother us.  A genealogy is a genealogy.

Notice that Jacob takes the sons in order and he does bless them.  In this particular genealogy, though, we can get a sense of how the brothers acted in life.  We can also get a perspective on how the families would take shape and develop characteristics within the Hebrew culture themselves.

Reuben

For example, take a good look at Reuben.  We know that Reuben was a leader and a person who took charge of his life.  We know that because there are many words here about him.  Of course, we also know that although Reuben may have been a “take charge” kind of guy, things didn’t always work out all that well for him.  Because of his impulsive and sinful tendencies, he ultimately falls from grace and loses the honor that should have been his as the first-born of Jacob.

Simeon and Levi

The same can be said of Simeon and Levi.  There are a significant number of words here, but they by and large reflect their sinful reaction to life.  They too can be seen as leaders, but they are leaders who are flawed.  The good news, however, is that God is a god of grace.  Just as God took His time in preserving His line through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God will take His time preserving Simeon and Levi.  Simeon largely becomes associated with Judah (which is a god thing as we shall see) as the Promised Land is divided up.  Levi becomes the line of God’s chosen priests – largely on account of Aaron, Moses’ brother.  Even Simeon and Levi will end up in a place of grace, although they may have to wait a few centuries to see it happen.

Judah

Judah is another of the brothers that we can see as a “take charge” brother, although here in Jacob’s blessings we get a strong sense that Judah has come a long way in redeeming himself.  Here we get promises of Judah being like a lion, ruling over his brothers with a scepter, and washing his garments in grapes (which are often a symbol of wrath).  Of course, the typical Jew would see these words as a prophecy pointing to David – and they are!  David ruled as a lion in charge of his “pride,” he certainly was in a position of leadership since he is remembered as the greatest king of all Israel, and he was not far from treading in grapes of wrath as David’s rule was filled with violence and other unfortunate stories. 

However, we as Christians can see this passage with a fulfillment even beyond David.  We can see Christ in these words.  Certainly we view Jesus as the Lion of Judah, the King of the World, and certainly Jesus Himself was the victim of the wrath of humanity as he hung on the cross.

The Rest Except Joseph

The rest of the brothers – except for Joseph – are to be seen as non-type A personalities.  There is not much said about them, so their blessings are small.  This is probably because their own personalities were largely overshadowed by the vibrant personalities of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, and Joseph.  This is not a bad thing, mind you.  The world needs leaders and the world needs followers. 

There are challenges associated with leading and there are challenges associated with following.  In the end, we can see these other brothers largely as followers who gain a “safe” prophetic blessing through Jacob even if it is a small one.  Some people are the “go big or go home” mentality.  Other people like to fly under the radar and settle for less while assuring that it is at least good.

Joseph

The final brother that I will give time to here is Joseph.  Joseph’s blessing is the longest by far.  We should not be surprised by this at all.  Joseph was Jacob’s beloved. Joseph was estranged from Jacob for at least 13 years, so Jacob has that on his mind.  Joseph is the one who provided for the means in which the sons of Jacob could come into prosperity.  Perhaps most importantly, Joseph is shown as a patriarch who was faithful to God throughout his whole life. 

Joseph really was an amazing man, and in many respects he deserves the praise and blessing that he receives.  The sad part of this passage is that unfortunately we don’t see much of his lineage in the rest of the Old Testament.  Sure, we get glimpses here and there – but no more than the other brothers who are given small blessings.  While Joseph may have been a great man, his lineage throughout the generations does not always live up to his standard of greatness.

Summary of the Blessings

In the end, I’m going to choose to leave the comments about Jacob’s death until tomorrow when our chapter will allow me to focus on it.  So let’s summarize what this genealogy teaches us.  Those who are called to lead will have a greater chance for blessing, but also have a greater chance to fall.  Those who are called to follow will have a reduced chance of falling, but they will also have a reduced chance at a great blessing.  There is nothing wrong with either place in life.  The important part is determining to which place God has called you and then move forward in following God’s design.

A really think this is an amazing conclusion to reach.  Some of us are spiritual giants.  Others among us are spiritual dwarves.  There isn’t anything wrong with either position.  The tragedy is when someone that God has equipped to be a spiritual giant becomes a spiritual dwarf and when someone who is equipped to be a spiritual dwarf tries to become a spiritual giant.  It is best to know ones place and live it out while humbling oneself before God.

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Year 1, Day 47: Genesis 48

Coming to a Close

As we read Genesis 48, we really begin to get a sense that God is wrapping up the story of the patriarchs.  Jacob comes fully clean again and confesses that his life had been filled with evil but it has since been redeemed.  We finally see the stories being woven through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob being drawn up together.  The generational sin has now been dealt with, and the time for the patriarchs is coming to a close.

Blessing of the Boys

However, there are still a few things that we can learn here.  I find it interesting that Jacob intentionally blesses Ephraim over Manasseh.  Of course, by now this should be absolutely no surprise.  All throughout the history of the patriarchs it is the younger son, the younger daughter, or the younger everything that has been preferred to the eldest. 

Of course, this doesn’t make the eldest bad.  It simply means that we have a pattern here that is being followed.  Seth was chosen instead of Cain, Isaac chosen over Ishmael, Jacob chosen over Esau, and Rachel chosen over Leah.  What makes this time special is that before the preference for the younger has always been through human manipulation and sin.  Now we can see that the preference is up front and intentional.

Perhaps you have spent all this time through Genesis wondering what God has against the firstborn.  Well, it isn’t so much the firstborn as much as the pattern that God is trying to put into the history of His people.  If we read Hebrews 10:8-10 we can understand a little bit about what is going on from God’s perspective. 

That passage states that God has been working throughout history to “do away with the first” in order to “establish the second.”  In the context of Hebrews, the author is writing that God has done away with the old system of forgiveness/repentance/sanctification, the law of the Old Testament and all the sacrifices, in favor of a new system of forgiveness/repentance/sanctification, Jesus’ death on the cross.  Again we see the old replace the new.

Now, this doesn’t mean that the first way is completely discarded.  After all, did not God still watch out for Cain, Ishmael, Esau, and Leah?  Certainly God still cared for them.  But God’s plan for salvation came through the others.  The same is true about the law.  Certainly God cares about the law and that we follow His ways.  But salvation comes through a new way in Jesus Christ rather than the first way which is the law.

Crossing of the Arms

Another neat thing happens as Jacob blesses Ephraim and Manasseh.  I don’t want to make a big deal about this because if I make too big of a deal about it this can really sound hokey.  But notice that in blessing the boys Jacob crosses his arms.  In a way, we have a very brief but clear foreshadowing that this process of setting aside the first to establish the second will ultimately find its fulfillment in the cross.  Again, I don’t want to make this a big theological point lest it sound contrived.  But I do think that it is a neat point to ponder and be satisfied with its simplicity.

Genealogical Comparisons

We also should not miss the comparison made in Genesis 48:5.  When Jacob speaks of Joseph’s sons he compares them to Reuben and Simeon.  Who were Reuben and Simeon?  Well, they were nothing less than the first born and second born of Jacob!  In this expression, Jacob is telling Joseph that he is taking Joseph’s sons and elevating them up to be as high – or higher – than his own firstborn sons.  Essentially, Joseph’s sons are being told that they are the leaders of the family now.  They are not merely an old man’s afterthought.  They are the leaders of the family clan.  That is high praise.

In the end, I must echo Jacob’s sentiments here.  God is good.  God may work in mysterious ways and God’s ways may occasionally seem foreign, strange, or anything but straightforward.  But none of that changes the fact that God is good and that God’s ways are better than our ways.  Look at what God has brought about from Abraham up to Jacob – especially how God has worked in Jacob’s life alone!  Yes, God is good.

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Year 1, Day 46: Genesis 47

Tithing

Alright, I’m in a bit of a mood to take things out of order today.  Yes, I’m still going to deal with Genesis 47, but I’m not going to deal with the passage in order has become my routine.  So let’s talk about Joseph’s requirement of servitude.

When the people come and spend all their money, Joseph asks for their livestock on Pharaoh’s behalf.  When the livestock is sold, the next year the people offer up their land and service.  Within this context, I think we see an amazing teaching.  Notice that when Joseph sets up the arrangement with the people – servants, or vassals, if you will – Joseph requires 20% of the product of the land to become Pharaoh’s share.  Joseph buys the land from the people and allows them to remain and use the land so long as they give 20% to Pharaoh.

Why is this so amazing?  Well, because our God only asks for 10%!  Granted, the average person in America doesn’t even give 2% of their possessions to charitable causes, much less God and thus 10% thus it sounds like a tremendous amount!  But from the perspective of what the world requires of us, 10% is not that much. 

Think about it.  Here Joseph sets up a 20% tribute to Pharaoh.  In a similar line of thinking, how much does our American government take in the form of taxes?  Keep in mind that we pay both income tax and many states in America have an additional sales tax.  The world requires so much more of us than God asks, yet we are so willing to give to the world and so unwilling to see God’s offer as a generous one.

What does the world give to us for what it takes away?  What does God give us for what he asks us to return to Him?  Which one is the better arrangement?

The Hebrew People Settle

Now let’s return to the hanging thread I left yesterday: the issue of Joseph’s people and the land of Goshen.  Did you pick up as you read today’s passage about how prime this land called Goshen is?  Did you hear the condition that Pharaoh states in Genesis 47:6? 

Pharaoh is sending the Hebrew people into Goshen to be in charge of not only their own livestock but also Pharaoh’s livestock!  Pharaoh is certainly not sending the Hebrew people into a desolate country so they can live peaceably apart from the Egyptians.  Rather, he is sending them into the prime land to become the chief shepherds!  Pharaoh is shrewd, and the Hebrew people also benefit from Pharaoh’s generosity.  This is a win-win for Pharaoh and the Hebrew people.

Jacob

Although there is much more that could be commented upon, I am going to only speak of one more thing.  Notice Jacob’s perspective and how it has really changed as he aged.  In youth, he was all about leaving home and finding a wife … well, wives.  Jacob was all about making a name for himself and increasing his wealth.  Jacob was all about finding ways to manipulate Esau and take what was by right Esau’s blessings, feelings, and possessions. 

But now as Jacob ages he testifies that his days are cut short by the evil he has done.  As his life is coming to an end suddenly other things become more important than his stuff.  Suddenly his relationship with Joseph becomes very important.  Jacob wants to be buried with his father and grandfather under God’s providence.  As he ages, we really get a sense of what has happened to Jacob to make him become Israel. 

That is a pretty neat thing to watch, especially when we realize that this occurs over the process of a lifetime.  Jacob has to grow into becoming Israel, and that is something I enjoy recognizing because most of the people I know are the same way.  Most people that I know do not flip some sort of spiritual switch and become a brand new person over night.  Most people I know grow a little bit each day, even backsliding once and a while.

I am growing gradually in my faith – as are the spiritual people around me.  Sure, some days we grow more than others.  Periodically we might even make a leap of faith rather than a baby step of faith.  But most of life is spent understanding the slow growth of faith that happens as we remain faithful to God’s ways and God’s desires.  As Israel’s life comes to a close, let’s reflect on how good God is to allow us the time and the space to make our share of mistakes while growa into true faith.

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Year 1, Day 45: Genesis 46

Jacob’s Reaction

There honestly isn’t a whole lot going on in Genesis 46, so this might be a good day to catch a breather and wrap up some loose ends. 

First, notice that Jacob hesitated in going to Egypt until he is visited by God and told that it is okay to do so.  Remember that Abraham went to Egypt and got himself into trouble.  Remember that Isaac was forbidden from going to Egypt.  Jacob is cautious for good reason.  Also notice that after he receives the vision from God Jacob is obedient to God and we hear scripture change his name back to Israel again.

Second, notice that in Jacob’s vision he is promised that although he will go to Egypt it will actually be Joseph himself that brings Jacob up out of Egypt to bury him in the land of Abraham and Isaac.  This is important for a few reasons.  First, it shows that God is faithful in his promises to Abraham as the generations go by.  It also helps set up the anticipation of the Exodus so that Abraham’s people all come home to Canaan.  Third, it shows Jacob that restoration will occur between him and his favorite son.  Joseph will bury his father.  Although it is a morbid thought, it no doubt is a comforting thought for a father to know that his treasured – and once lost – son will be the one to bury him as he buried his own father.

Genealogy

As for the genealogy, let’s simply say that it is remarkable how we went from Isaac (1) to Jacob and Esau (2) to the twelve sons (12) to now 70 sons of the twelve (70).  In a mere four generations we have seen population explosion from 1 to 70 – and this also gives us a foretaste of the population explosion the Hebrew people will have when they are allowed to dwell in the fertile region of Goshen.  Goshen is in the delta region of the Nile, and deltas are usually the most fertile region of a river system.  Thus, when we transfer from Genesis to Exodus and see the massive numbers of Hebrew people in only a few hundred years, this should not surprise us!

Joseph and Pharaoh

As for the words between Pharaoh and Joseph, much has been said in commentaries about Joseph using his cunning to get the fertile places for his family.  Many make a case for Joseph using the fact that his people are shepherds to their advantage.  By this, I mean that people say that since the Egyptians considered shepherds abhorrent, Joseph uses this to convince Pharaoh to give Jacob’s sons land that is far away from the Egyptian people.  In this manner, the descendants of Israel may preserve their heritage and not be corrupted by Egyptian lifestyle. 

I don’t buy the argument, although I accept in the end that I may certainly be wrong.  As I have said before, Goshen is an incredibly fertile land.  I find it hard to believe that if Goshen really was as incredibly fertile as it is reported that Goshen would not have plenty of Egyptians already living in it.  In fact, I find it hard to believe that Goshen would not have already been a major place for agricultural production.  I cannot buy into the idea that Joseph convinces Pharaoh to let his family go to Goshen so that they can “be alone” and not become “polluted by the ways of the Egyptians.”  If Goshen was that fertile, surely the Egyptians knew about it and occupied it.

Rather, what I think we actually see here is Pharaoh showing great respect for Joseph’s faithfulness.  Joseph’s family goes to Goshen because it is fertile and because Pharaoh wants to be generous to Joseph.  Pharaoh desires to give to Joseph because it is only through Joseph’s closeness to God that Egypt is saved in the famine!  In fact, in Genesis 47 we will see hints at the fact that the Hebrew people are not going up to Goshen to be alone but rather to go up to Goshen and help develop the land to make it more productive than it already is. 

The Egyptians were known in the ancient world of being very accommodating of foreigners, especially foreigners with talents the Egyptians did not possess themselves.  In this chapter we see that Pharaoh is presented with a group of people who are highly skilled at doing a job that the Egyptians think is abhorrent.  Of course Pharaoh is going to take them in and use them to the best of his advantage!  What Joseph presents to Pharaoh is a blessing, because now Egypt can have livestock resources without the Egyptians having to shepherd the flocks themselves. 

This is a complete win-win scenario for Pharaoh.  He is happy to set up Joseph’s people in the fertile region where they can be productive.  Yes, Joseph uses his family’s shepherding heritage to the best advantage, but it is not in a deceptive manner so that the Hebrew people can be alone.  Rather, it is so that his people can prosper in addition to keeping a good relationship with Pharaoh.

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Year 1, Day 44: Genesis 45

More on Repentance and Forgiveness

In the spirit of John Milton, I think we can call Genesis 45 “Paradise Regained.”  Here we see Joseph forgive.  Here we see God’s greater plan outmaneuvering the schemes of humanity.  Here we see God restoring relationships and reuniting people who believed they have been lost to each other forever.  And we get even more of it tomorrow, too!

However, I’ve been talking repentance and forgiveness for the past few days, so I don’t want to jump off of that train yet.  Notice that Joseph does not abandon the issue of repentance as he goes forth into forgiveness.  Joseph fully holds them responsible in Genesis 45:5.  Joseph acknowledges “you sold me into slavery.”  Joseph expresses an accountability that is so often lost in the process of hearing repentance and forgiving the repentant sinner.

But then Joseph explodes into forgiveness.  The dam breaks and Joseph’s love pours forth.  In many ways, this is precisely the model of Christ that I hinted at yesterday.  Joseph is very similar to Christ here.  Christ holds the sinner accountable during repentance, but once the sins have been repented of Jesus reminds us that he has already taken care of the atonement process!  We can move straightway into forgiveness and effecting true change in our lives!

God’s Action and Responsibility

I also like the fact that Joseph holds the brothers accountable in spite of saying that God has re-planned their sinful acts to serve the purpose of good.  We need to be careful as we look at these words.  Joseph does not presents a reality in which God forces the brothers “to do evil” so that God could later “change it over for good.”  Thinking like that is anathema, although one can see how we can arrive at that conclusion. 

Rather, the reality that Joseph presents is a reality in which the brothers are free to choose evil – or good, had they wanted.  God was willing to take that choice and use it – whatever the choice actually happened to be.  God grants us free will.

This does not give us permission to choose whatever we want knowing that God will make it okay in the end.  Rather, it frees us to honestly choose and allow our true self to come out while knowing that our choices will not necessarily affect God’s absolute plan.  We can show our true colors and plan, scheme, and plot in the presence of God.  God is more powerful than our sinfulness, although we will certainly be held accountable for our sin.  There is an inherent sense of freedom knowing that even if we choose evil, God’s plan cannot be thwarted.

Pharaoh’s Reaction

I’d like to just mention that Pharaoh gives choice land to Joseph.  Joseph’s faithful service to Pharaoh – differences in religion aside – brings about Pharaoh’s blessing.  Faithfulness is a good thing regardless of whether or not the person to whom we are being faithful is God-fearing or not.  Of course, that statement should be read with the disclaimer that faithfulness is defined as acting in a way that is congruent with God’s ways.  So long as we can abide in God’s ways, we should be faithful to the godly and ungodly alike.  Through our faithfulness we display God’s faithfulness to us.

Joseph and Israel

To this point I haven’t spoken about Joseph and his father.  Joseph is overcome by his emotion with his brothers, but his concern also extends to his father back in Canaan.  He has to know that things have not gone well there.  After all, had things gone well the brothers wouldn’t have been sent to Egypt to buy grain in the first place!  So Joseph remembers his father back in Canaan and tells the brothers to go and get him and bring him back to Egypt so that he can dwell in the safety of God’s provision.

Israel is slow to concede the invitation, but once he hears the words and sees the prosperity he is convinced to go and see Joseph.  I can understand his dilemma.  He knows that Canaan had been promised to his people, but he is no doubt also torn to see his lost son.  Before he dies, Israel heads down to Egypt to see Joseph one last time.

Here we can see the true fruit of our willingness to repent.  Repentance brings about restoration of relationships.  It’s like the parable of the Prodigal Son.  Whatever sin may have driven apart father and son, what is important is that the family is reunited.  In this case, we see Israel more interested in focusing upon his restoration with Joseph more than we see him interested in accusing Joseph’s brothers for their earlier treachery and subsequent cover-up of their deed.  Repentance restores relationship.

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Year 1, Day 43: Genesis 44

Fulfillment of Joseph’s Dreams

Now we see a full confession.  I am deeply moved by Judah’s speech, but I will save that for the end of the story.  First, let’s pause for a moment and look at Genesis 44:14.  Here the brothers bow before Joseph – all 11 of them!  This fulfills Joseph’s dreams, and Joseph can now readily see that God has indeed been with him and provided for him all along.  The dream that started this whole chain of events has finally come to be fulfilled and it marks the beginning of the end of this story.  It is neat to simply pause and look at how a story of God’s faithfulness is marked by God’s proclamation in the beginning and God’s fulfillment in the end.

Judah

Let’s get on with Judah’s speech.  Here we have a passionate speech of repentance and forgiveness.  Here the rubber meets the road, and Judah fully understands what life has dealt him.  Judah knows that his own reputation with his father – as well as the lives of his children back in Canaan – is at stake.  So Judah has no reason to hold back.  He has fallen as far as he is going to fall.  He has fallen as far as he is capable of falling.  He lets it all out. 

I find it very interesting that this remains true.  Until people have fallen completely, people will only confess what they feel safe to confess.  It is only when they have fallen completely and they have nothing left to hide or protect that it all comes out.  Only when it all comes out can change really occur.

Notice what Judah confesses here.  Judah begins in Genesis 44:16 with recognition of guilt.  As Judah relates the story, notice that he includes the story of Joseph’s “demise” and Jacob’s reaction to it.  Judah may not realize it, but his inclusion of this part of the story shows Judah’s repentance to Joseph.  Judah may be including it to help this Egyptian vizier to understand why Benjamin is so important to Jacob, but Joseph hears the words and knows how the sinful act of selling him into slavery has torn apart this family.

Finally, Judah pleads to remain instead of Benjamin.  Here Judah is willing to accept the blame for an act that he did not commit.  Here Judah shows to Joseph what lies at the heart of a truly repentant person: selflessness. 

Sin comes out of our own selfish desire, ambition, and perspective.  When we repent, we take our focus off of ourselves and put it back where it belongs, back where it is in line with God’s perspective.  Repentance allows us to see the community and the people around us in addition to ourselves. 

Joseph’s Response

Joseph understands just how much Judah has come to a new place in his life, a place where his love for father and brother would mean a willingness to sacrifice himself.  That is a truly different Judah than the one we saw who argued for Joseph’s slavery!

This is such an incredible story of repentance on the behalf of Judah.  Perhaps back in Genesis 38 you thought as I did, “Why, God, did you pick Judah as the son through whom Jesus would come?”  But now it is clear.  Judah was no saint, but he did repent and fully come around to see God’s ways.

This really sounds like someone else we will meet in the Old Testament from the line of Judah: King David.  In both of these figures we understand that God truly does desire true repentance more than absolute perfection.  Neither of these characters is a shining moral example of the Godly life.  But both figures are a beautiful shining example of godly repentance: men after God’s own heart.

Christ

One final thought.  I really see Christ here in this story, although it took reading a commentary for me to come to truly see it.  Like Judah before Joseph, the sinner stands before God and confesses their sin expecting to be judged and expecting their life to be over.  But Christ stands before the sinner while hearing the honest confession.  As we shall see portrayed through Joseph in the next chapter, after hearing the confession Christ weeps and embraces the repentant sinner back into the fold. 

I challenge you to see Judah as an analogy to the stereotypical sinner – even yourself.  As you read the next chapter, I challenge you to see Joseph as the analogy to Christ.  Not that he is Christ, of course, but Joseph acts in a manner similar to Christ.  I think we can read these passages far more deeply when we see the cycle of repentance and forgiveness that these chapters tell us is available also for us through Jesus Christ.

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Year 1, Day 42: Genesis 43

True Repentance

Genesis 43 gives a good sense of the change of heart.  But notice that it takes a hungry stomach to bring it about.  We left Jacob in Genesis 42 unwilling to give up Benjamin because he still had grain to eat.  We left Jacob unwilling to return his sons to Egypt as Joseph had requested.  Now in Genesis 43 his stomach is empty and his hunger overtakes his mind.  Finally – even through the worldly rationale of his stomach – Jacob reverts back to making good decisions.  And notice that here in this passage we hear him once more referred to as Israel!

Outside of Jacob/Israel, we can actually see some more serious repentance going on.  First, notice that it is Judah here who makes a promise to Israel that Benjamin will be kept safe. Judah has come a long way since he sneaked around behind Joseph’s back and plotted to sell Joseph into slavery.  See Genesis 37:26-27.  Now Judah is willing to step up like a man and take ownership.

We also see the men returning with the “previously returned money” in addition to more money with which to buy more grain.  The brothers are more interested in maintaining a good relationship with the vizier of Egypt – that is, Joseph – than they are about material gain.  The fact that they are more interested in the relationship and less about the physical world is definitely a step in the right direction.

They also make a full confession to Joseph’s steward.  That is a huge step in the right direction!  Full confession of one’s sins is a key part in the repentance/forgiveness process.  So I give the brothers fairly high marks in this respect.

Return to Egypt

However, there is the matter of the gifts that they bring.  Gifts are a funny thing – especially when connected with the repentance/forgiveness process.  They can be taken two ways – one of which is proper while the other is actually a sign that growth has not occurred. 

First, the negative view.  Often when one gives a gift to someone to whom they need to repent the gift is an attempt to buy the person’s favor.  The reason that this is wrong is two-fold.  A gift of this manner is an attempt at manipulation, of course.  But perhaps more harmfully a gift actually detracts from the power of true forgiveness.  If a person gives a gift in order to earn the favor of another, the gift giver never is able to realize how significant the forgiveness is because there will always be the thought that the forgiveness actually came about as a response to the gift.  Gifts that are given in this fashion are actually harmful to the repentance/forgiveness cycle.

On the other hand, sometimes it is necessary to make restitution for one’s sins.  This is really the only meaningful way that a gift can be a part of the repentance/forgiveness cycle.  Actually, from this perspective it is restitution and not therefore is not truly a gift.

So as I look at the brothers, while I think they are showing great signs of growth, I have to question the fact that they brought down all the gifts with them.  Are they items of restitution because they think Joseph might be angry because somehow their money was returned to them?  If so, then I have no problem with the gifts – because they are given as restitution and not as objects for manipulation of forgiveness.  But I am suspicious of these gifts.  There is some doubt in my mind as to whether the balm, honey, nuts, etc were restitution or objects of subtle manipulation in order to keep a good relationship with Egypt.  So while I give the brothers high marks for improvement, like all of us they still have a few things to learn.

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Year 1, Day 41: Genesis 42

Forgiveness

Where does true forgiveness begin?  Repentance, of course.  But where does repentance begin?  That is an important question as we look at Genesis 42.  The truth is, most of us in America – myself included – don’t know the first thing about making repentant communities and living within them.  We like to live in communities where everyone gets along, but very few of us really know how to do that in practice.  We can only play nice for a time before our true inner self comes out and division occurs.  Unless we really know how to deal with this ugly inner self we will never learn how to truly live in communities of repentance.

We have a great example here in Genesis of how to bring about a community of true repentance.  In Genesis 42, we see Joseph meet up with his brothers. Joseph recognizes them – because they still speak like Hebrew people and they were grown before they got rid of Joseph. 

The brothers don’t recognize Joseph because he was only 17 when he left them and he has no doubt undergone some speech modification having learned the tongue of the Egyptians.  Given all of this, it makes sense that Joseph recognizes them and they don’t recognize him. 

The question is, why does Joseph play hard ball with the brothers?  Why does Joseph not reveal himself?  How does this fit in with this idea of living in true community?

The answer goes back to the first question: true repentance.  The unity of the family is nowhere near as important as the repentance of the brothers.  Getting along in peace is not as important as each of us walking right with the Lord.  It just simply isn’t!  So Joseph waits until he has seen true repentance before handing out forgiveness.  Joseph needs to evoke genuine confession and repentance – genuine desire to change – before displaying the power and fullness of God’s grace for the brothers to see.

So Joseph plays hardball.  He accuses them of spying on the nakedness of the land.  Here we no doubt have a reference to his own self when he was stripped of his coat and sold into slavery by these very brothers.  What is the result of Joseph’s playing hardball with them?  Read Genesis 42:21-22.  The brothers confess amongst themselves that they are guilty of Joseph’s blood and Reuben reveals that he foretold that their actions would come back to haunt them. 

Here is the beginning of repentance: admission of guilt.  We observe that we have something within ourselves that needs to change.  We reflect upon how our own choices are impacting our life.  We see ourselves as we truly are.

Submission

The rest of the story is about the second step in the process of repentance: submission to a greater authority.  Yes, we understand God to be the greatest authority and the ultimate one to whom we should submit.  But within this story the brothers here must submit to Joseph.  Simeon is bound and the brothers go home as Joseph asks.  They go in order to bring Benjamin back with them.  They submit to Joseph in their repentance. 

True repentance requires more than just an admission of guilt.  It requires a submission to a new pattern of behavior.  When the brothers acted impulsively and sold Joseph into slavery, they were following their own hearts.  Now the hearts of the brothers are beginning to be tamed and they are starting to submit to someone else’s plan – namely God’s plan as brought into reality through Joseph.  Without submission to God true repentance is not found.

Once we have observed and reflected what we need to change we can come before God and ask what He would have us do.  We can submit to Him.  With His help, we can plan to be different and act upon that plan.

Binding Simeon

As I look at Joseph’s role in the story, I find it interesting that Joseph bound Simeon as the second oldest and not Reuben as the oldest.  But then I must remember that Joseph was a Godly man.  Joseph heard Reuben’s charge to the brothers that he warned them that selling Joseph would turn out poorly.  Reuben’s honest confession within the story likely gives us the reason that Joseph binds Simeon.  Joseph has already forgiven Reuben and has accepted Reuben’s apology and defense. 

Thus the burden of bondage falls to Simeon.  He is bound and kept behind while everyone else is released to go home.  Even in this story we find Joseph as not just the strong-handed agent of God bringing his brothers to repentance but also the forgiving and compassionate agent of God where true repentance is sought and found.

Furthermore, the fact that Joseph returns the money shows an even more forgiving side of Joseph.  Joseph wants to see his brothers again.  By keeping Simeon, he hopes that he has ensured that.  But by returning the money, Joseph has also ensured that the brothers will have the financial resources to return and buy more grain.  He also is attempting to demonstrate that Egypt holds no ill will against the brothers.  In his forgiveness, Joseph is active in helping to remove all the obstacles that might get in the way of the repentance of the brothers.  I find that as I read this story anew this year that I have a great reason to respect Joseph now that God has brought him through the lessons of his youth and early adulthood.

The Return of Jacob

Notice one more thing that I will likely pull out tomorrow.  As the brothers return back to Canaan … Israel reverts back to being called Jacob.  That implies that Jacob will have a moment of spiritual weakness and his old character is going to come back out.  So watch out for it tomorrow as we read!

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Year 1, Day 40: Genesis 41

Great Leadership

Here in Genesis 41 we gain another great glimpse of Joseph’s faithfulness.  Even after being in slavery of one kind or another for 13 years – he was 17 when his brothers sold him and he was 30 when Pharaoh pulled him out of prison – he was still faithful to God.  What a testimony of faith: 13 years of “bad luck” could not shake Joseph’s faith!  In fact, those 13 years of bad luck was really God teaching Joseph how to be a true servant leader – a task that his father Jacob had abdicated when he gave Joseph the coat of an overseer.  Here Joseph proves the literal example of what Jesus tells us in Luke 16:10 – one who is faithful in little will be faithful in much.  Joseph is faithful when there is little reason to be faithful, thus God can expect Joseph to be faithful when there is much reason to be faithful.

The Nile

There is a great theological debate here in this chapter that we will revisit at the beginning of the Exodus story.  The Egyptians revered the Nile as a god – or at the very least as the direct product of the gods’ handiwork.  When the gods were happy the Nile flooded and brought vast quantities of rich silt up out of the banks into which the Egyptians could plant their crops.  When the gods were angered the Nile didn’t flood and the Egyptians paid the consequences of their lack of belief. 

Now, along comes a dream about the Nile that the court magicians cannot – or worse, refuse – to interpret.  The only one who is willing to interpret is Joseph, who very clearly gives the glory of the interpretation to his God, the God of Abraham.  The statement being made here is that the God of Abraham and Joseph is far stronger than the gods of Egypt.

In many cases, this oversight of Pharaoh with respect to the power struggle between the God of Joseph and the Egyptian gods will set up the conflict between Moses and the Pharaoh of Moses’ day.  The whole story of the Exodus is compounded by the same issues we have here.  The only difference is that there will be years to let the conflict fester between the Hebrew people and the Egyptians.

The Dreams

The dreams of the Pharaoh serve two major purposes.  Of course, the serve the overarching story as a means to elevate Joseph and provide for the descendants of Abraham survive the coming famine.  That’s the major overarching point.

But the subtle point behind the dreams is to demonstrate God’s grace.  God tells Pharaoh about the famine beforehand.  In fact, God tells Pharaoh about the famine while there is a superabundance of grain in the land.  Pharaoh has an opportunity to prepare for famine.  In fact, this chapter reads as though without these dreams, Pharaoh would not have thought to prepare against famine in the time of abundance.

God’s grace is amazing.  God’s grace falls upon those who love Him and those who ultimately reject Him and seek another god to worship.  God loves the people of this world, and he sets up Pharaoh with the resources and access to the wisdom to do what is required.  He is indeed a gracious God.

Joseph’s Marriage

There is one aspect of this story with which I do continue to struggle.  I wonder why after so many negative illustrations of the sons of Abraham marrying Canaanite women we see a positive marriage between Joseph and an Egyptian woman.  Certainly God is not saying that the Egyptians were more acceptable than the Canaanites – for neither culture honored Him. 

Rather, I wonder if there is more to the story than we can know.  Perhaps Joseph was one of the lucky few who were able to lift his wife up in faith rather than be dragged down into unfaith as is far more often the norm?  Perhaps the real commentary is that Joseph’s heart was pure and thus who he married wasn’t important whereas Esau’s and Judah’s heart was impure and thus the fruit of the marriage is evidence of their rebellious nature?  Whatever the case, we can say for certain that Joseph’s marriage produces children whose Hebrew names imply that God is still being honored within the family.

The Providence of God

Finally, as we look forward to tomorrow let’s look again at the providence of God.  God has shown Joseph that He can use the events of the world to lift him up.  The seven years of feasting give Joseph something to do as he fills the storehouses of Egypt with the wealth of grain.  The seven years of famine give Joseph the ability to demonstrate his ability – from God, of course – to save Egypt. 

However, God has another surprise for Joseph.  God will not only use the famine for the benefit of lifting up Joseph in power but also to bring Joseph back into relationship with his family.  God is able to use both the good and the bad things in this world to His glory.  And that’s a pretty cool thing to think that our God is not limited to only using the good.

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Year 1, Day 39: Genesis 40

Dreams and Their Interpretations

Genesis 40 is a fun passage – at least for me.  Here we get to see basic truths and easily recognize them.  And, we get to talk about the interpretation of dreams – which is clearly not a science but still a fun topic about which we can talk.

First, I think Joseph’s comment in Genesis 40:8 is important to lift out of the text.  “Does not the interpretations of dreams belong to God?”  Just for fun, I looked up the definition of the Hebrew word used for “interpretation” and here’s what I discovered: “The act or result of giving the meaning words or signs.” 

I know that definition is likely exactly what we understand by the word interpretation, but that definition really helped me put Joseph’s comment into perspective.  Interpretation happens because a sign, or in this case a dream, occurred.  And where do we believe these signs and dreams come from?  God, of course!  So if the dreams and signs come from God, then is it not reasonable to expect that the interpretation of such dreams and signs should also come from God?  After all, if He is the one delivering them, He should be the most reliable one to interpret them, too?  All too often I think we as human beings fail to take the time to truly consult God before spouting off our understanding of events, dreams, visions, etc.  Joseph reminds us of this today.

Opportunistic “Friends”

A second basic truth that we can learn about humanity is found in Genesis 40:16.  “When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of chief cupbearer’s dream was favorable, he said to Joseph…”  There are many people out there who will intentionally wait to make sure that we are in a good mood to say good things before asking our opinion.  The chief baker waited until he heard that the cupbearer’s interpretation was a good thing before asking for an interpretation of his dream.

Although we don’t have any clue as to why these two people were in prison in the first place, we can see some validation for the outcome based on how they treat Joseph.  The cupbearer trusts Joseph’s interpretation whether it will be good or bad.  The baker uses Joseph only after he finds that Joseph says favorable things to the cupbearer.  At least in this single event, the cupbearer is righteous while the baker is manipulative and self-seeking. 

If one event is good enough to judge a person – and for the record, it is not – then Pharaoh made the right decision in sparing the cupbearer while judging the baker.  All of this brings us back around to a simple truth: there are people in the world who are searching for truth regardless of whether it judges them favorable or not, and there are people in the world who are only looking for the truth when it will validate their own existence.

A third basic truth about humanity is found in Genesis 40:23.  “Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, he forgot him.”  So often the people we help forget us when their moment of need is over.  Or, let’s spin that around the other way.  How often do we use another person when we need them and then forget about them when our need is over?  You see, we are surely able to understand Joseph’s position as the often forgotten one.  But we should be equally as willing to understand the cupbearer’s action as the forgetful one.  That is just human nature, and it is unfortunate.

God Remembers

There is one more additional truth that we can learn from this passage, although it is about God and not humanity.  God is remembering Joseph in prison.  God is setting up Joseph to find release – albeit after a few years of being in prison as we shall see next chapter.  But God has not abandoned Joseph; God has given Joseph the ability to stand up and attest to his faithfulness.  Joseph has proven himself willing to interpret dreams and in so doing to give the glory to God.  God has not forgotten; God will never forget those who are faithful to him regardless of the depth of the prison in which they may find themselves.

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Year 1, Day 38: Genesis 39

Back to Joseph

We now return back to Joseph in Genesis 39.  Here we begin to see a story that demonstrates Joseph as a character who ultimately believes in God’s sovereignty.  Because Joseph is faithful to God, God is with all that Joseph does.  But even here in this story, notice that Joseph’s life is not easy – and certainly not simple!

Obedience

Joseph is about following God’s ways.  He knows that it is absolutely wrong to have sex with Potiphar’s wife.  Notice just how much this automatically sets up a contrast with Judah from the prior chapter.  Joseph is obedient to God with respect to human sexuality; Judah is out marrying Canaanites and looking for prostitutes.

Yet, this lifestyle ultimately lands Joseph in prison in spite of the fact that he did nothing wrong.  It is Joseph’s purity and refusal to have sex with her that lands Joseph in the cross-hairs of Potiphar’s wife.  That is often the way it is in this world.  It is difficult to stand up for one’s morality and ethics when the world would rather have us compromise them.  Sometimes the world gives problems to those who act ethically because the ethical actions of one only causes to illustrate the unethical nature of the other.  It is precisely this reality that lands Joseph in prison.

God’s Love

Yet notice that God does not abandon Joseph because he is in prison.  So often we think of prison as the place where bad and evil people go.  Often, that is indeed the reality.  However, God does not judge a person based on whether or not they have been in prison.  God judges a person based on whether or not they love Him.  Joseph may have been an inmate, but he was an inmate that God could love because it was his innocence and purity that got him there!  Is it not better to have caught the hatred of the world and retained the love of God than the other way around?

Leaving Behind Items of Personal Value

I do enjoy the irony of the “leaving behind the cloak incident.”  In the prior chapter, Judah willingly gave Tamar his ring and staff and Tamar rightly used it to identify him and convict Judah in his sin.  Here, Joseph is surprised by Potiphar’s wife and leaves his cloak behind although he has done nothing wrong.  Potiphar’s wife then uses that accidentally left cloak as proof of something that never happened.  The irony between the two contrasting stories should not be ignored. 

It also should remind us that sometimes the natural conclusion is the correct one – as in the case of Judah – and sometimes the natural conclusion is nowhere near the truth – as with Joseph.  We are always in danger of jumping to wrong conclusions even when the evidence seems all-to-clear.  We must be careful when determining fault to be sure.

Path to Great Leadership

There are three lessons that Joseph learns in this chapter – lessons that he needs to learn in order to be a great leader.  These are lessons that he probably would have never learned had he been able to stay underneath Jacob’s sheltering from the real world. 

• First, Joseph learns how to be a servant in Potiphar’s house.  He learns how to let other people be in charge and how to respect their authority while acting underneath it.
• Second, Joseph learns how to stay true to his character even when the world wants him to compromise his ethics. 
• Third, Joseph learns one of the hardest lessons of life: people who never undergo suffering have a hard time developing character.  How true is it the wisdom is learned from mistakes and character is best developed out of persecution?

If we think about our lives, most of us will say that it is when the chips were down that we learned the most about ourselves and about the glory of God.  Most of us can admit that it is when we are faced with a tough decision that we truly learn to value the insight of faithful people and especially God’s Word.  I am willing to bet that Joseph’s time in prison may not have been enjoyable, but as we shall see it did help develop him into a strong leader and it will teach him to trust in God’s sovereignty. 

Indeed, Joseph is a strong man of faith because he successfully undergoes a tremendous amount of suffering and never loses sight of God in the process.  Joseph’s identity is solidly rooted in God in spite of the persecution by which he finds himself surrounded.  He is an awesome example of a man developing character in a very realistic and approachable way.

Although I do not desire this to be a pronouncement of suffering on those who read this, I do pray that whatever suffering you do endure would bring you to a greater place of trust in God.  May we all learn the lessons of Joseph here: a servant nature, a strong ethical stance, and faith through endurance of suffering.

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