I love the story of Joseph. I think it's one of my favorite stories in the entire Bible. I'd like to take it apart piece by piece so I can show you why.
The setting: Joseph is the next-to-youngest son of 12 brothers. He's daddy's favorite. The brothers are sons of Jacob, a.k.a. Israel, who is the father of the Israelites. The year is 1900 BC, or thereabouts.
Genesis 37, starting with verse 2:
Joseph, when seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father.
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic. And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms.
So why did they hate him? Because he was the favorite son, because he walked around with a visible sign of his special status, and because he brought his father a bad report about them. Then came the last straw.
Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
And he said to them, "Please listen to this dream which I have had; for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf."
Then his brothers said to him, "Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
He had a second, similar dream. Then the brothers became murderously hateful. This is just the beginning of the story, but already there's something special going on. The Old Testament was written before Christ, but it is full of references and imagery and symbols of Him. (Jesus Himself said the Old Testament spoke of Him, as in John 5:39.) Joseph's story has everything to do with Jesus' story.
Again, why did they hate him?
Beloved son;
had signs of his status;
told on the brothers to the father;
told them he'd rule over them someday.
What did Jesus say about Himself? Why did they hate Him enough to kill Him?
Keep in mind that this story is among the Dead Sea scrolls, which pre-date Jesus.
Cool, huh?
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4 comments:
Beautifully organized, Holly.
Holly, I've tagged you for a meme. Don't know if that will work for your blog format -- so PLEASE don't feel any pressure!
Thinking more on Joseph...He forgave his brothers and welcomed them to the "home" he had prepared (since there was famine in the land and Joseph had stored up food). Likewise, Jesus forgives us and welcomes us to a home in heaven that he has prepared for us!
Amen!
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