Year 7, Day 36: Genesis 37

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Genesis 37 is the beginning of the end.  We start the story of Joseph, the last of the patriarchs.  However, in many ways I think these are my favorite chapters of the whole book.  In general, though, Genesis is one of my favorite books of the Bible.  I like the whole thing.

In this story, we find Joseph at a young adult age.  He’s old enough to know that he’s special, but not old enough to have wisdom about it.  His dad gives him a special, valuable cloak.  Then, God grants him a dream.  He has a dream to know his importance.  God is preparing him for the future.  But Joseph doesn’t have the wisdom to handle it.  He begins to brag.  He begins to exalt himself.  He makes himself a stench in the eyes of his brothers.  He is hated for it.

Because of his lack of wisdom, Joseph finds himself in a pit.  He is actually supposed to be killed by his brothers, that’s how bad his lack of wisdom was!  However, a last minute rescue by his older – and wiser – brother saves him from death.  Instead, he is sold into slavery.  But don’t lose sight of the undercurrent in this story.  Joseph is special.  God is planning on using him.  However, Joseph lacks the wisdom to use that special nature properly.  His lack of wisdom is what lands him in trouble with his brothers.

That doesn’t mean that God isn’t at work.  God can take the sins of all of these brothers and use them for His plan.  God can use Joseph’s lack of vision and still work through him.  The road may be a little difficult, but God is still at work along it.  God is bigger than our individual or collective sinfulness.

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