Recurring Themes

Genesis 37-38

Gen 37 is all about Joseph, his dreams, his brothers, his getting sold as a slave and getting shipped off to Egypt. However, the entire thing starts (before the dreams) with parent-child favoritism that this family just can't seem to stop. Verses 3-4 make it clear: Now Israel (formerly Jacob) loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

On an unrelated note, this is a funny line from verses 26-27: "What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." His brothers agreed. Wow! If he's your brother, your own flesh and blood, then why is selling him into a lifetime of cruel slavery deemed okay? I assume their logic would say, "At least we didn't kill him." If this is your justification for your behavior (at least I didn't kill him/her/them), then you're not making a strong case.

Gen 38 is this CRAZY story of Judah and Tamar. There's too many tangential thoughts here (i.e. God just takes out this guy Er because of his wickedness - just kills him), so I'll just stick with the other recurring theme: God's Providence. Once again, God guides and directs things to ensure the line of the Messiah goes the way He wants it to. God can use men's worst moments and still achieve His over-arching purposes. Tamar acts like a prostitute and sleeps with her father-in-law. This produces a pregnancy with twins, one of which continues the line of the Messiah. Is there anything we have done that God cannot redeem? Apparently not.

Finally, read Genesis 39 and then read Psalms 13. I think David could identify with Joseph's thoughts in jail.