Father to Pharoah

     These last few chapters I have been re-reading the story of Joseph. Today's chapter brought me to the brothers' revelation that Joseph's dreams had come true. I had two observations about this. One is that neither Joseph nor his brothers were bad sports about how things turned out. The brothers were afraid of what Joseph might do, but were happy for him in the end. Joseph could have lorded it over them, but he was moved to tears by Judah's willingness to be a slave rather than come home without Benjamin.

     My second observation is the curious title that was accorded to Joseph. He was named a father to Pharaoh. This was a high honorific given to viziers in that culture. It would be best understood as head of household. It says a lot about the trust that Pharaoh had in him. This was only possible because God was with Joseph.

     I am humbled by the thought of what I could accomplish if I yielded completely to God as Joseph did.

Did You Know?

     It has been a while since I commented on my Bible readings. Most of it has been familiar ground. Jacob married Laban's two daughters then swindled him out of his flock. Jacob wrestled with God and came away with a limp. Jacob and Esau reconciled. Jacob had children by both of his wives and two maid servants. Later on, Jacob's daughter, Dinah, would be sexually assaulted and then courted by the same man. Dinah's brothers would slaughter the entire town in retaliation.
     Then we come to another familiar story. Joseph, his coat, his dreams, and his brothers' jealousy. By this point in the story, Joseph's mother has died giving birth to Benjamin. So Joseph is Jacob's favorite member of the family. I remembered most of the details of the plot to kill Joseph. I knew that Reuben convinced his brothers to throw him in the pit instead of killing him. What I did not recall was his intention of going back later to retrieve Joseph after the others had gone. He wasn't there when Judah convinced them to sell Joseph into slavery.
     Judah would go on to lose three children to God's wrath. He would then have twins by his daughter-in-law. Though devious, she insured that he could not hold her accountable for tricking him.     
     The line of Judah would lead to King David, and ultimately, to our Lord Jesus. But I think it might be interesting to see what happened with the line of Reuben.

The Lesser of Two Evils

     First, a note on Isaac. He inherited his father's faith. He would obey God without question when commanded, but he didn't trust God to protect him. He made a similar claim in the land of the Philistines that his wife was his sister.
     Now, a note about his sons. We see in the 25th chapter, and at the end of the 26th, that they had flawed characters. Esau had no respect for traditions or his father's God. He sold his birthright  for a bowl of stew and he married to foreign women. But Jacob was no saint. He did not make the bowl of stew out of generosity or kindness. It was cold, calculated manipulation.
     This is a reminder that we don't come into God's presence on merit. We aren't worthy. He makes us worthy.

Brief note on a long chapter

     Today's chapter was the account of Abraham's servant and his quest to find Isaac a wife.He went to the country where Abraham's siblings dwelt. He asked for God to point him to the right young woman and God obliged.
     The two things I pulled out of this account were the servant's humility and determination to obey. This is the attitude God wants from his children. We need to get out of our own way and follow God's leadership. His will and way are always best.

Putting Down Roots

     In the next four chapters, we find some familiar stories. Isaac is born despite the age of his parents. He grows in to a teenager. God tests Abraham's faith by commanding him to sacrifice Isaac to him. Abraham's faith stands up to the challenge and Isaac is spared.

     But there are other events going on that aren't as commonly told. In the 20th chapter, Abraham tries to pass his wife off as his sister again. This time to a Philistine king. It seems that Abraham's faith is not always as it should be. (Hence, the test with Isaac.) The resolution of this conflict ended with a treaty of non-aggression.                                                                                                                    The miraculous birth of Isaac in the next chapter cemented the power of his God in the minds of his neighbors. In the 23rd chapter, when Sarah died, they acknowledged God's power in the negotiation for a burial place. They conned him into buying a whole plot of land (rather than a tomb) at an exorbitant price. Little did they know that they had played into God's plan for Abraham and his descendants. God had promised the land of Canaan to him.

     God can use anyone and everything to carry out his will.

A Familiar Story?

     In the 18th and 19th chapters we find the familiar story of how The Lord and his angels came down to render judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham interceded on Lot's behalf. Lot and his daughters made it out, but his wife hesitated and got killed for it.
     The curious part is at the end of the 19th chapter. Lot's daughters had no faith in God's providence regarding the continuance of the bloodline. So they got their father drunk and had sex with him.
     This is a disgusting act, but it was the custom for people who lived apart from God. The curious part is the children who were born from this incest. The child of the youngest was called Ben-Ammi from which the Ammonite people would later descend. The child of the eldest was called Moab from which the Moabite people would descend.
     The Ammonites would be a constant thorn in the side of Israel and Judea. Today, the country of Jordan is likely descended from that people.
     The Moabites would play a part in the royal bloodline as King David would descend from Ruth, a Moabitess.
     In other words, God can use anyone who is faithful to him.

Patience and Faith

     The 16th and 17th chapters illustrate that faith is more than just taking God at his word. Abram trusted God most of the time, but that isn't enough. Trusting God completely means trusting his timing as well. The age of  instant gratification has eroded our faith.
     Abram and Sarai believed that God was taking too long to give them an heir. At Sarai's urging, Abram made her servant pregnant. This was the custom when a wife was sterile. A servant would become a surrogate. However, it wasn't what God had promised. Their lack of trust led to drama between Sarai and Hagar (the servant).
     After returning Hagar and Ishmael to the household, God reiterated his promise. To seal the covenant, God changed Abram's name to Abraham and ordered that every male in Abram's household be circumcised. This would be extended to all his descendants and their households.
     As Christians, we also have a covenant with God. He has promised that we are forever forgiven and his heirs. We are baptized as a sign of this covenant. When we remember this covenant, we should trust in his promises and timing.
     May we never forget that covenant.