Joseph and the Salvation of God's People

This week we’ll continue to walk through the highlights of the Old Testament with the story of Jacob’s son, Joseph. 

This is another story that is more or less seared into our popular imagination (due, no doubt, in part to the 1968 musical about him and his “technicolor dreamcoat”). Joseph, the youngest and favorite son of Jacob, is sold into slavery by his brothers because of their jealousy over his preferred treatment. 

Along the way, Joseph rises and falls in station multiple times, until he is finally installed in Genesis 41 as the “commander” of all Egypt. “Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you,” Pharaoh says.

As the effective ruler of Egypt Joseph helps them to avoid famine, and is reunited and reconciled with his family when they, too, come looking for food. 

It is a story of two great themes in this story that are to carry through the rest of the scriptures: forgiveness (Joseph extends forgiveness and reconciles with his brothers who effectively “left him for dead”) and providence (“what you meant for evil, God meant for good”).

The story of the patriarchs also sets the scene for what is to come: the people, dwelling and prospering in Goshen (a part of Egypt) for the next 400 years. It is from here that the archetypal event in Israelite history is to begin: liberation from slavery in the Exodus from Egypt.

Scripture to consider:

• Gen. 37-50

  
  

Question for your kids

• I wonder: what might it be like to see your family after all that time? 

• I wonder: have you ever had to forgive your brother or sister? What makes that hard? Why do you think it’s important to forgive?

Peace,

Danny+