"Greetings Everyone in the Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"
Today's Blog Title: "Joseph Sold by his Brothers"
Today's Scripture Reading: Genesis 37:12-36
Today's Key Verse: Genesis 37: 36 "Now the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard."
This Chapter opens up with the brothers of Joseph moving the sheep from Shechem to another area, perhaps to find better pastures for the sheep. You will note here, that Shechem continues to play a role in Genesis. Abram build his first altar there. Jacob tells Joseph to go to his brothers, to see how things were with them and the flock in Shechem. Joseph who was his father's favorite son, and probably had always stayed home while the brothers tended the sheep, was I would imagine excited to be able to go on this task that his father had requested of him.
Joseph went he arrived at Shechem, was wandering around looking for his brothers, when a "certain man", found him wandering in the field, and asked, "Who are you looking for?" When Joseph tells him that he is looking for his brothers, he is told that he had heard that they had moved the sheep to the pastures in Dotham.
His brothers, because of Joseph's tunic of many colors, recognize Joseph from a distance. They then because of there envy and hatred for him, and perhaps also they feared that his dreams might actually come true, decide that by killing him, it would prevent his dreams from coming true.
Reuben, who was the firstborn son and principle heir and who had the most to lose if Joseph's dreams were to come true, steps in to spare Joseph's life. He tells his brothers that instead of killing and shedding his blood that they could put him in the empty well.
Joseph then arrives, and his brothers stripped him of his tunic of many colors, and they put him in the empty well. Now as they were eating they saw an Ishmaelite caravan heading to Egypt, and now the brothers who wanted to kill Joseph, decide that why kill him and have his blood on our hands, when we can sell him an make a profit. So they sold there brother for twenty shekels of silver. The brothers considered Joseph as good as dead; because they figured that he would never return from Egyptian slavery.
Reuben had left his brothers prior to them selling Joseph and it would seem he was unaware of it. He then comes back into the story and finds that Joseph was not in the well. He then torn his clothes and says, "The lad is no more, and I, where shall I go." The tearing of clothes was an expression of profound grief. Reuben's grief was a deep down feeling for his younger brother, and also the fact that he being the oldest would be blamed.
The brothers then kill a goat and dip Joseph's coat of many colors in the blood, and took it to there father and they ask him a question knowing fully well the answer, "We have found this. Is this your sons tunic or not?" When Jacob sees the tunic with the blood all over he it, he torn his clothes just as Reuben had done to express his sorrow.
It would appear here in verse 35, that Joseph's fate only made Jacob love Joseph more, and withdrew him from the rest of the family. The brothers DID NOT gain their fathers favor by getting rid of Joseph.
As the Chapter ends, we see in verse 36, that the Joseph is now sold in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard, who was an important official in the Egyptian royal court.
It is interesting to note that in this Chapter it would appear that Joseph was silent during this whole process. Joseph's silence prefigures the silence of Christ before His judges on his crucifixion day.
Blessed be the Lord, who daily pours on us all His benefits.
Blessed be the Lord, who daily pours on us His benefits.
He that is our God, is the God our salvation.
Unto God the Lord, belongs the glory.
Blessed be the Lord, who daily pours on us His benefits.
Heavenly Father, How we praise and glorify Your Name which is above Every Name. We are thankful of Your benefits and how You protect and take care of those that belong to You. May the Holy Spirit guide us and teach us in our daily life's.
Amen
Have a God Filled and Spirit Led Day. Go in Peace and Serve the Lord with Gladness. Love God More Today and always remember, when you have spiritual defeat in your life that yells, "I Can't", God whispers to you, "BUT I CAN".
Yours in Christ
Cindi
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