Genesis
37:1-11
Jacob lived
in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.
2 These are
the generations of Jacob.
Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his
brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives.
And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now
Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of
his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. 4 But
when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers,
they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.
5 Now
Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even
more. 6 He said
to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold,
we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood
upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my
sheaf.” 8 His
brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to
rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
9 Then he
dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have
dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing
down to me.” 10 But
when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and
said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother
and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And his
brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.
The answer to the question is an obvious, YES. They come to the land of Egypt and do bow to Joseph. Joseph becomes the second most important person in all of Egypt. These dreams do come true.
It is very easy for us to become prideful and arrogant when God gives us a good thing. You can think of the Cup bearer who is restored to his position, and forgets all about Joseph in Prison. We can think of the elder brothers, who are not doing their duty in the field. Joseph may seem like a spoiled brat. But he is beloved by his Father, and by God.
You are loved by God. You are loved by your family. You are loved by other people. You are not loved because of your prominence. You are not loved because you are a perfect person. You are not even loved because you are better than other people.
God loves you because he has made you. God loves you because he has given you everything you have. God shows his love for you by sending his son to die for you. It will ultimately be the sacrifice that Joseph makes by being sold into slavery, and ending up in prison, that will lead him to the prominence. It is the suffering that he will go through that will allow him to rise and stand over his brothers. But it is this same thing that will entreat him to forgive his brothers and love his brothers.
It is very easy for us to become prideful and arrogant when God gives us a good thing. You can think of the Cup bearer who is restored to his position, and forgets all about Joseph in Prison. We can think of the elder brothers, who are not doing their duty in the field. Joseph may seem like a spoiled brat. But he is beloved by his Father, and by God.
You are loved by God. You are loved by your family. You are loved by other people. You are not loved because of your prominence. You are not loved because you are a perfect person. You are not even loved because you are better than other people.
God loves you because he has made you. God loves you because he has given you everything you have. God shows his love for you by sending his son to die for you. It will ultimately be the sacrifice that Joseph makes by being sold into slavery, and ending up in prison, that will lead him to the prominence. It is the suffering that he will go through that will allow him to rise and stand over his brothers. But it is this same thing that will entreat him to forgive his brothers and love his brothers.
No comments:
Post a Comment