Genesis 37:25-36
25 Then they sat down to eat.
And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt.
26 Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh."
And his brothers listened to him.
28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.
29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes 30 and returned to his brothers and said, "The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?"
31 Then they took Joseph's robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 And they sent the robe of many colors and brought it to their father and said, "This we have found; please identify whether it is your son's robe or not."
33 And he identified it and said,"It is my son's robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces."
34 Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said,
"No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning."
Thus his father wept for him. 36 Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.
Sat down to eat. Wow.
25 Then they sat down to eat.
The Sons of Jacob. Sons of Abraham. And Jesus cried out the rocks would praise Him if the children of Israel would not. Scripture repeats, as we read different and similar aspects of God. Joseph explains what God has told him in his dreams. And he is scorned and laughed at. Something we are familiar with during Pandemic brain. God picks Joseph up and moves him on.
If you are critical of mankind - raise your hand. Yet, God sees this group of people and He says, "Save them." Something is going on only God can see. God is still saving the world. Today.
If this was a day in our lives
If we look at this Genesis Chapter as a Snapshot of Real life and Real Time, and we were Joseph in the caravan - we would so want to know what happens next. Our lives - what is going to happen?
If we could speak to Joseph of Genesis 37 - Joseph was building his life. Because God was building Joseph's Life.
And if we could ask the first owner of Joseph as a slave - Potiphar was a Captain of Pharaoh's army. He was living in God's plan, but not knowingly.
The Sons of Jacob. Sons of Abraham. And Jesus cried out the rocks would praise Him if the children of Israel would not. Scripture repeats, as we read different and similar aspects of God. Joseph explains what God has told him in his dreams. And he is scorned and laughed at. Something we are familiar with during Pandemic brain. God picks Joseph up and moves him on.
If you are critical of mankind - raise your hand. Yet, God sees this group of people and He says, "Save them." Something is going on only God can see. God is still saving the world. Today.
Joseph was placed in a hole in the earth, these easily collapse.
God kept Joseph safe.
If this was a day in our lives
If we look at this Genesis Chapter as a Snapshot of Real life and Real Time, and we were Joseph in the caravan - we would so want to know what happens next. Our lives - what is going to happen?
If we could speak to Joseph of Genesis 37 - Joseph was building his life. Because God was building Joseph's Life.
And if we could ask the first owner of Joseph as a slave - Potiphar was a Captain of Pharaoh's army. He was living in God's plan, but not knowingly.
And then we have the New Testament, a passerby is Theophilos.
Translated Latinized form of the Greek name Θεοφιλος (Theophilos) which meant "friend of God", derived from θεος (theos) "god" and φιλος (philos) "friend". In the New Testament, the evangelist Luke addresses his Gospel and the Book of Acts to a man named Theophilus.
We would find the first are last and the last first. We might find Potiphar meeting Jesus in Eternity and finding this about Joseph.
We all serve God.
What God could see.
Meanwhile, back with the Sons of Jacob...
Reuben was the only son of Jacob who was trying to trick his brothers into living righteously.
We would find the first are last and the last first. We might find Potiphar meeting Jesus in Eternity and finding this about Joseph.
1 Peter 1:12
It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
Ephesians 3:20
Now to him, who is able, according to the power that is at work within us,
to do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine
Meanwhile, back with the Sons of Jacob...
The beginning of the multi-year drought in so many levels.
Reuben
Reuben was the only son of Jacob who was trying to trick his brothers into living righteously.
He wanted to get the child, Joseph, back to his father Jacob/Israel. And Reuben found by not winning over grown siblings, he was now involved in a plot to keep their incredible cruelty from his father. The Light of Christ in Reuben intended goodness and found himself unable to let them all fall in front of Jacob. God tells us to Honor God first and live in the truth.
With 10 men and all the hired workers, wouldn't a slave caravan head to Egypt? Why not look?
Reuben's 'mercy' is going to eat at Reuben in various ways. Eventually, Reuben is going to sleep with one of his father's wives.
Bilhah
Unworried, Bilhah doesn't have a real root to cling to in her family life. Laban's handmaid, given to Rachel as her handmaid on Rachel's marriage to Jacob. Rachel failed at first to have children, Rachel gave Bilhah to Jacob as a concubine to bear children. Bilhah gave birth to two sons, whom Rachel claimed as her own, naming the sons Dan and Naphtali. (The Tribes Dan and Naphtali are destroyed when Assyria invades Israel. To the horror of the other Tribes.) Genesis 35:22 calls Bilhah Jacob's concubine, a pilegesh.
Bilhah, Hagar and Jacob's daughter Dinah reflected the culture.
They aren't mentioned much, but overall, we assume Dinah died at a young age. Dinah was raped in an age injury could lead to death.
We see in movies all the time, time traveling - you don't show new technology to Stone Age dwellers. The Provident School is a marvelous educational system. Each grade level progresses in the history of man's development. This is an amazing educational tool. Reflecting on the human brain's ability to learn, just as the centuries and cultural tools teach. Wow. I'm overwhelmingly impressed with this idea.
Forget history rewriting or Judging Sanctimoniously about History. Mankind develops. It's a cultural process. Be gracious and kind in dealing with History and the ages. Be factual. Don't repeat the mistakes of History when Moses and Jeremiah said history would repeat, going with fake history re-checks, when the culture was clashing. Especially during Pandemic culture brain waves of tremendous stress and upset.
Jesus arrives and in John 4, He immediately deals with women and uplifts women. Even Rome began to see the changes quickly. Coincidentally, Rome began to allow women to own property and inherit just as Jesus was born. (During, Augustus' travel to Bethlehem get tax counted. Way to go Baby Jesus coincidental miracle!)
Why is Bilhah unworried to change from Jacob to Reuben? It was probably the only decision she made for herself. However, Bilhah was placed in Jacob's family for some safety when Esau approached. In the front of an attack, as a barrier, from the people who would really matter.
Building Life as the Way and Truth is important.
Bilhah as a real person, a Child of God finally has a choice. There was no way in God's Green Earth Bilhah was going to be allowed Reuben. Frankly, Bilhah, given the time and culture is lucky she wasn't stoned to death. But Bilhah needed wise internal and human counsel to not be just the temporary love interest and instead use the opportunity to support the large family. Bilhah hasn't chosen entirely wisely. And in this dysfunction, we find Mercy exists. Unnamed Mercy with some unpleasant consequences for the History of 3000 years. Family History.
Treating this as real History, remember the Mercy. This was an age where newborn human infants were flayed open on farming ground to pray for fertility of the crop and financial stability. Bilhah reflects people with a more generous nature. Recall with me, Bilhah is given to Jacob by his father-in-law Laban. Laban is just pretty generally a scumbag, deceiving manual family labor and daughter suppression, not caring slave giver and idol worshiper.
We remember Hagar.
But learn more layers and harm without living in truth, again, from Reuben and Bilhah.
Reuben receives a Blessing as part of the 12 Sons of Jacob from Jacob. But Reuben has significantly reduced his own blessings as his intentions fell again to what pleased Reuben and not placing God first.
Reuben is a life lesson on - get out of trouble honestly as fast as possible.
It's ironic, the 10 sons of Jacob put Joseph in a hole that easily could have collapsed. And Joseph escaped leaving his brothers to dig their own hole.
Captain Potiphar was a gift of God to Joseph.
Joseph
Captain Potiphar was a gift of God to Joseph.
Joseph begins to live as his dreams were real and play out. Jacob always believed in God's blessing, Yet they lived in tents in the land only promised to them. Immediately life goes well for Joseph.
If his brothers could see him now. Ugh.
Seeds to Flower. Passion Vine ~ from the Passion of Jesus Christ to save us enduring the Crown of Thorns.
Genesis 37 is mourning.
If his brothers could see him now. Ugh.
Seeds to Flower. Passion Vine ~ from the Passion of Jesus Christ to save us enduring the Crown of Thorns.
Genesis 37 is mourning.
And in these brief verses, we have an analogy of struggles as part of God's Plan. And see a little of what Jesus said in He goes to prepare a Place for Us. Africa - Egypt. Where Eve's DNA is found to be true in our DNA today. Jesus went to Egypt. God does not discount Egypt in Salvation. His Love flows over All.
Jacob continues his life he has built - with Grief. Life continues.
Joseph goes on. Joseph is going to see Paradise. Joseph, in faith, plans exodus for his bones. Today, we see a little of what Jesus said about being with Him in Paradise. Genuine article faith.
Joseph has something. Something in common with us today.
Jacob continues his life he has built - with Grief. Life continues.
Joseph goes on. Joseph is going to see Paradise. Joseph, in faith, plans exodus for his bones. Today, we see a little of what Jesus said about being with Him in Paradise. Genuine article faith.
We are all destined to see God. To see Jesus Christ. Joseph has something in common with the other sons of Jacob.
Joseph has today.
We don't perfectly know our next step. Today, we have our children. Our spouse. Our health. Today we spoke with someone we love.
With Gratitude - Joseph can enjoy today. Did he? He focused on his job and found he did well. Joseph displays peace surrounded in what kills many voyaging this way. 1.1 million people perished in being marched off as slaves in Nebuchadnezzar II taking slaves. Joseph is displaying Gratitude. And this flourishes.
Joseph did not function as a typical slave. He was elevated by his own personal, internal freedom.
Joseph has today.
We don't perfectly know our next step. Today, we have our children. Our spouse. Our health. Today we spoke with someone we love.
With Gratitude - Joseph can enjoy today. Did he? He focused on his job and found he did well. Joseph displays peace surrounded in what kills many voyaging this way. 1.1 million people perished in being marched off as slaves in Nebuchadnezzar II taking slaves. Joseph is displaying Gratitude. And this flourishes.
Galatians 5
For freedom Christ has set us free;
stand firm therefore,
and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Joseph has an internal faith belief in God as Goodness and Love.
Galatians 5
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Abba, Father God,
We ask You for Your Blessings - knowing Your Love, so we ask.
More Life, More Love. More Heaven. Father, more help seeking You first.
We have seen someone we love today - we know Joy.
We have the Comfort You have put in our lives today - we know Peace.
We have Your Love - so we know we have experienced Your Patience.
We have done something today for someone else - we know Kindness in ourselves
and from someone else teaching us kindness. Thank You.
We see Goodness is others. We have Goodness in us to see this.
We take care of ourselves and breathe care for the Holy Spirit in us.
Love ourselves. Faithfulness.
Love another as ourselves - Faithfulness. Especially in Matrimony Vows.
Honoring God in prayer. Faithfulness.
Gentleness - taking one more breath and considering before answering. Pause.
Self-Control is easier
when we are Grateful for God and Today.
Knowing God's Law of Liberty - Worshiping God in Spirit and in Truth. Loving Abba. Loving Jesus. Loving the Holy Spirit.
We ask this for the ones we Love. For the people - You have given us. Asking Jesus to bring us closer, The Spirit gives Life, and in this Life, we are asking Jesus to provide more Heaven on earth.
More Life for the people who call upon Jesus. For our Nation. For Peace.
Jesus for Elliott and his increasing good cell count
and the end of his tumor. Thank You, Jesus. Life.
In the Highest Name of Jesus, Amen.
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