Family Ties

Genesis 45

Joseph is overwhelmed with emotion, so he kicks everyone out save his brothers and reveals his true identity. He says, "I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" which is odd since the last chapter ended with Judah pleading "Do not let me see the misery that would come upon my father."

So the siblings are scared, but Joseph comforts them and sends them home to collect dear old dad. He tells them- you've got the best of what's here. Leave your possessions- you can have new and better things once you get here.

So they head back home full of wealth and promise- especially Benjamin. Apparently remembering his brothers well, his words to the departing brothers are "don't quarrel on the way." What could they have to fight about? Which one gets to tell their dad the great news?

Israel is stunned, but the wealth convinces him that it's all on the level and he says "My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die."

Highlight: When Joseph comforts his brothers, he works hard to remove their guilt. He says, "do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you."

And later, "So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God." He's saying, it's over- fuggedaboutit. It's all part of the plan.

So maybe the key here is our calling not only to forgive- but to help each other break off the shackles of guilt, find a way to live with ourselves and our past, and be able to sleep at night, despite what we may have done.

Sad Sack

Genesis 44

So the boys prepare to head home- none the wiser regarding Joseph's ruse. Joseph has his steward load their sacks with as much food as they can carry and their silver. He also has him plant his silver cup in Benjamin's sack.

After they leave, Joseph sends his servant after them accusing them of stealing his cup. Naturally they deny it, not knowing the cup is in Benny's bag. They say- we even brought back the silver from before, why would we steal? If one of us has it, he'll die and the rest of us will be your master's slaves.

The steward says sure- it's a deal ,just as you said. Whoever has it will be my slave and the rest of you will be free (which isn't what they said, but apparently what he's prepared to enforce).

When the cup turns up in Benjamin's belongings, the clothes tearing begins. Imagine the shock and dread at knowing the fate of your brother and the consequent reporting of the event to your dad- especially after what they'd done to Joseph.

So they offer their services as Joseph's slaves and sneaky Joseph says- no- I'm not that kind of man- just the one who we found it on- the rest of you go free.

Is Joseph yanking their strings? Does he intend to keep Benjamin with him and then have a change of heart or is he trying to emphasize his point here?

Judah pleads his case, recapping the highlights from the last several chapters. Saying please don't turn us back to our father- I couldn't stand to see his misery.

Lesson for me- the danger of rash promises. Judah assured his dad that everything would be okay. His overestimation of the amount of control he had over the situation comes back to bite him. And honestly- how much of life do we have much control over? Like Mongo, we are often merely pawns in game of life. But unlike mongo we view ourselves as king- or at least a really crafty bishop.

Curious observation. Twice in this chapter Joseph's use of divination with his cup is mentioned (at least in the NIV). Does this mean he used the cup to commune with God (weird)? Or is he involved in some cultish practice that it would seem that God wouldn't have been a fan of (Also weird).

Maybe you Should Have Opted for Chocolate Covered

Genesis 43

So Israel has said in no uncertain terms- you're not going back with Benjamin. The implication...I hope Simeon has a comfortable cell. So they're home with food and money...and Israel is willing to sacrifice his son to avoid any risk coming to Benjamin.

But when the food runs out- papa sings a different tune. Well okay Judah, if you can protect him, I am feeling rather peckish. So the boys head out while dear old dad stays at home. To be fair, it could be that he sees the only way to save the family, including Benjamin, is to risk harm coming to him. Maybe he worked up the trust in God's care he needed to make this a trip worth taking.

So they go with gifts- balm, honey, spices, myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. OK, I understand that culture and technology dictated a very different gift-giving climate, but these still seem like pretty lame gifts if the attempt is to save your sons. They do go back with double silver though- enough to pay for the food they already got and enough to buy more.

Judah's guarantee seems to hold more water with Israel than Reuben's- does he trust Judah more? Or is it a context thing- we're more desperate now than when Reuben made his pitch.

What's happening with Simeon all this time? Has Joseph really left him rotting in prison? Remember, he's been there longer than he should have been. They waited till the food ran out to go and try to save him. What would this have done to his self esteem? If the drought had ended, would you have ever come for me? And would Joseph have imprisoned him in the first place if he knew that they would wait so long?

Simeon doesn't seem to know that it's Joseph, or he at least doesn't spill the beans once la familia arrives. Joseph asks about his dad and is choked up when he sees Benjamin and goes off to cry in private. Not so much an attempt to maintain his bravado as a means to keep his identity secret as far as I can tell.

Interestingly, they eat "together"- well kind of. They are all served separately- Joseph- the brothers - and the Egyptians. This segregation was necessary because it was detestable to Egyptians to eat with Hebrews. So was Joseph passing as Egyptian? Or does his separate serving indicate that he couldn't eat with Egyptians either? But if that's the case, why is he served separately from his brothers? Part of the charade?

Lesson for me: the brothers tried to return the silver and Joseph's steward would have none of it. He says- I got your money- your God gave you the gift of silver.

God provides- when we have needs- or maybe even sometimes when we just have wants- God provides.

If you remember back (or even if you don't), Joseph had ordered those bags filled up. So maybe the point is that God often provides...through us. As we look out for each other, as we perform acts of kindness, random or otherwise, God is working to help His children. And his gifts are often better than pistachio nuts.

Ben to Canaan

Genesis 42

The famine is going strong and Jacob hears of grain in Egypt. He curtly tells his sons to go buy some. They all go, but leave Bennie behind- Jacob was afraid that some harm would come to him.

Once again I'm struck by the blatant favoritism shown by Jacob. Many of his kids seem to be bad news, but I wonder how much of that is because they know they aren't loved as much as the spawn of Rachel.

When they arrive in Egypt, Joseph sees them and recognizes them. He pretends to be a stranger and even speaks with an interpreter which ends up enabling him to eavesdrop on their conversation. What's the motivation of Joseph here? Is this revenge rearing it's ugly head? Is he just making the reconciliation dramatic? At some point does he see it as a means to reunite with his full-brother Bennie? Is it a combination of all of these things?

They bow down to him (Joseph remembers his dream) and ask to buy food. Joseph accuses them of being spies and tells them they can't leave until the youngest brother comes to Egypt- an event that would verify the claim of who they are. He says they can send one brother back to get him.

He apparently reconsiders, maybe like his dad fearing for Bennie's safety, or maybe just being compassionate, because he lets them all go except Simeon. Why does he pick out Simeon? Is he especially resentful toward him? Does he like him best and this will give him an opportunity to be around him while the travel occurs?

So the nine brothers return home with grain intending to return with Benjamin. They come to realize though that the silver they used to purchase the grain has all been returned in their baggage. Having already been suspected as spies, this scares them. Will the Egyptians think they are theives? What will happen to Simeon when the silver is discovered missing?

Jacob is at wits end- first Joseph is gone, then Simeon, and now Benjamin is to leave? The world is against me. Reuben swears to him on the lives of his children that he will bring Bennie back to him. Jacob wants none of it- not gonna happen my friend.

Seems odd that Reuben would offer the lives of his own children on a proposition as shaky as this. Why would he be willing to risk this? Does he have an inflated view of his ability to keep Benjamin safe? After all, he did so well protecting Joseph and Simeon. Does he suspect that something is amiss with the Egyptian situation? Does he have amazing faith in Yahweh?

And what kind of grandfather would be satisfied after losing his son by killing his grandchildren. Not this grandfather apparently- because he says no.

Big lesson for me. Jacob thinks all is lost- Joseph, Simeon and soon to be Bennie- all things he assumes will be forever gone. But he's wrong- his woe, his stress, his paranoia are all unwarranted. How much stress do we bring on ourselves assuming the worst, forgetting that God's with us and keeping us safe. Our worries usually don't fall into the death of child category, but maybe we worry about the stress of the job, or selling the house, or losing some weight, or even dealing with our sinful natures- and then we get a raise, or the house sells, or the weight drops or we receive peace that passes all understanding and we wonder what all the stress was about in the first place.

Rule Like an Egyptian

Genesis 41:41-57

So Pharaoh puts Joseph in charge. He honors with him with fancy schmancy clothes and jewlery and names him as second-in-command. He tells him that "without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt." He then renames Joseph "Zaphenath-Paneah" which doesn't have quite the same ring to it. He also gives Joseph, or Zaph, a wife- Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Not long after, Joseph has two children Manasseh and Ephraim.

Joe does a good job saving up food for the time of famine. In fact, he saves so much that it is beyond measure. This lesson is confusing to me- it seems in direct contrast to Jesus' teaching about not building up for tomorrow in barns. Maybe the lesson is to examine your circumstance and do what is most appropriate.

This idea is a little scary- the phrase "situation ethics" is one that has been used only with contempt in religious circles that I've been a part of, but it seems like maybe there are times to save for tomorrow (a famine is coming, you're about to lose your job, your child is going through college?) and times when it's simple greed (you've won the lottery, you've got a massive pay raise, you can help others). Maybe I'm reading too much into this.

So when the famine hits, the hungy masses clammored to Pharaoh for food- and like a good leader, he says "go to Joseph and do what he tells you." All the countries come to Joseph to buy food.

Joe's a good bit beyond prison by now. And while things are going well, it seems that he's still harboring a little resentment toward his brothers- and understandably so. He names his first child Manasseh (probably "forget") because "God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household." How do you get past the evil that men do and move on? Or is that what he's done- if I can just forget them, I won't bear this resentment.

Maybe the lesson is that sometimes forgetting is the best solution. If I bring up the past, I may spark painful memories and drudge up pain for others. Maybe I create awareness of something that someone else never knew about. Maybe I force a relationship that can only cause more stress and discomfort- so instead of trying to make a relationship work, I forgive, move on- and forge into new relationships. My legalistic nature strives to find people I've wronged in big and small ways and try to "make up for it" somehow, as if I could. And the result can be ripped open scabs and created resentment for people who never knew the wrongs existed in the first place. Or even awkward strains on relationships.

Joseph later gets the chance at reconcilliation. But he doesn't seek it out, it just happens. Maybe forgiveness happens when we can forget.

Father forgive us, we sure don't know what we're doing.

Everybody Has a Dream

Genesis 41: 1-40

Two years later, Pharaoh has a dream. He sees seven fat cows grazing and seven ugly, gaunt cows (was Egypt currently overrun with beautiful cows?) came up and ate the fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up, perhaps craving a good steak and a glass of milk. When he went back to sleep he dreamed of seven healthy heads of grain on a single stalk. Seven other heads of grain popped up, thin and wind-scorched. The thin ones swallowed up the fat ones.

Moses lets us know- it had been a dream. Were things so different in this era ordinarily that Moses needs to emphasize that the stalks of grain didn't really eat each other?

So none of the wisemen can figure out the dream. And then the cupbearer remembers our old friend Joe. He recants his tale of dreaming in prison and the fate of himself and the baker and Pharoah is sold.

Pharoah sends for Joseph. He shaves and changes his clothes and goes before Pharaoh. Pharaoh tells Joe that he's had a dream and no one can figure it out- but word on the street is that you've got a knack with such things.

Joseph replies that he can't do it "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires." Is this Joseph speaking the same way Red Sox player Trot Nixon does when he says that it was Jesus swinging the bat for him tonight, or is he speaking for God? It feels like the latter, but it's a pretty bold claim if that's true. I wouldn't dare claim that God will do something for someone that He hasn't specifically promised already. What if this interpretation wasn't part of God's plan- or maybe God has already warned Joseph about the event and told him that He'll come through for him.

However it was, it turns out the dream predicts famine- seven years of it following seven years of plenty. Oh and by the way Pharaoh, Joseph shamelessly plugs, you'll need a wise man in charge of storing up twenty percent of the food in the good years to use as food in the lean years. Oh where will you find such a man...what? Me? Well I guess I could if you don't need me in prison anymore...

Pharoah says that since God has Joseph's ear, there is no one wiser in the land. You are in charge and people will follow your orders. "Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you."

Two huge things here-
First, there may be great lulls in our lives where it seems that we aren't being productive, where we aren't fitting into God's work- where we might even begin to question our worth in God's eyes because we seem to be just treading water. Joseph sat for two years in prison just waiting, and the plan that had been working out years before finally started to more blatantly include Joseph. Patience and the ability to realize that we don't know the big picture may be essential tools to following God.

Second, the good that Joseph does helping the cupbearer pays off...two years later. When we do good works we may never see the fruit that comes from it- or if we do...it may be way down the line. We may undersestimate the impact our interactions have on others. Actions we make out of love may do everlasting good for ourselves and the object of that love.

Sadly the opposite may be even more true.

Maybe it was just the pizza I ate last night

Genesis 40

While in prison, Joseph is put in charge of the king's cupbearer (bartender?) and baker who have lost favor with Pharaoh. One morning, Joseph notices them both a little down in the mouth, so he asks them what the matter is.

It seems they've both had dreams and they can't find someone to interpret. Joey says that "interpretations belong to God." So the cupbearer unloads.

He sees a vine with three branches. Once the vine budded, it blossomed and developed into grapes. The cupbearer had Pharaoh's cup in his hand so he took some grapes, squeezed the juice into the cup and handed it to Pharaoh.

Joe has a response ready. The branches represent days- in three days you'll be returned to your prominant position. But- once this happens, please don't forget me- get me out of this prison. I haven't done anything worth being imprisoned for.

Now the baker hears the favorable interpretation and begins watering at the mouth- here's my dream:

He had three baskets of bread on his head. The top one had baked goods, but birds were munching away on them.

Joseph says that the three baskets are once again days. In three days Pharaoh is going to hang him and birds will eat his flesh. I would say that this dream officailly qualifies as a nightmare.

Three days later both events came to pass- but the cupbearer didn't remember Joseph.

Once again I'm puzzled by the role of dreams in the plot of biblical stories. How did they know that the dreams weren't the result of spicy food from the night before? Do dreams still have a predictive power now and if not, what sparked the change? If we could interpret our dreams to predict the future would we want to? Would the baker's last three days have been more pleasant if he were clueless about his fate?

The thing that strikes me most here is that Joseph notices that these men are troubled and sets out to help them. It might be easier sometimes to avoid people who seem to be annoyed or worried- to not invest too much in the troubles of others, after all we've got our own problems. My car broke down,my job is stressful, the cubs are losing, I'm stuck in prison myself- but Joseph doesn't cop out. He sees an opportunity to try to ease suffering, and he acts.

And the result- God is glorified (it's by His power after all), the cupbearer is comforted, and if I remember correctly, eventually he remembers the plight of our hero. It does seem that the baker might end up worse off- but maybe it gave him three days to contemplate the purpose of his existence and to make things right with his maker.

Or maybe it didn't- maybe the point here is that sometimes our attempts to help, gum up the works and make things worse- but the answer is not to stop being concerned and to stop trying to help- maybe the answer is to care and to pray and to show love...and the rest is in God's hands.