You Said What?

Genesis 37 - 50  Read it here!

My Thoughts

This is a clear story of jealousy, hate, love, forgiveness, joy, and a lot of things. This is for sure a must read story.  And this is just a summary of how I feel about it.

Joseph was clearly a favorite of his father. But because of that his brothers hated him. Joseph did not choose the way he was being treated. But to make matters worst, he had dreams.

Both dreams dealt with him being above his brothers, and even his parents. I don't know if he personally knew what the dreams meant or not, but the fact that both dreams showed him as being "higher" than his family clearly rubbed everyone the wrong way. Culturally, the younger is not higher than the older because of birth order, and especially when it comes to child and parent. Yet in this case, God had it all flipped.

As a dreamer, I wonder if it's a good idea sometimes to share my dreams. Even now, I'm sure there are many people who have great dreams from God and are probably confused by it because it doesn't make sense. I wonder if that's why Joseph share the dreams. It could not have possibly been possible because of how things are in terms of who is higher than who. But of course, God is the one who says who is higher or not (not in a condescending way).

So because of what Joseph said about his dreams, his brothers wanted to get rid of him to make sure that his dreams never come true. It's crazy, but not surprising that the situation turned out this way. There are people who will stand with you, and people who won't. If people are your true friends or family, the will be happy at your elevation, or raise, or what ever even if it means that you are at a higher position than they are. Clearly not so here.

Joseph was sold into slaver only to have matters look good for a time then completely sour. God was with Joseph so no matter what he did, he succeeded. He succeeded so much that the Pharaoh of Egypt had him in charge of everything in his house. The Pharaoh's wife lusted after Joseph and framed him because he kept his integrity, but she was the one who was in the wrong. Because she made it seem like he was trying to rape her while he was trying to run away from her aggressiveness, he was put into prison. But even there he succeeded.

Joseph was put in charge of all the prisoners. How he got to that position, only God knows. While there two prisoners had dreams and Joseph gave the correct interpretations. Both dreams happened in 3 days just like he said. But in that he told the one guy who lived to tell the Pharaoh about him, but he completely forgot. Joseph had to continue in the prison for another 2 years (apparently Isaac, he grandfather passed away during that time?) before the former prisoner remembered Joseph.

So again, Joseph rose higher, but this time even higher than he has ever been! He was in charge of all Egypt. It's like a little preview of Jesus, no? Joseph was in the pit; prison, only to rise after a time, to be in the position that he was rightly supposed to be in. Christ died and rose from the grave and defeated death itself! Because of this, so many people we saved. There were 7 years of plenty, and 7 years of nothing. But because of Joseph's leadership, Egypt survived.

During the 7 years of famine his brothers had to go to Egypt to get food. Joseph was a complete jerk to them lol. I'm sorry, but to me that was very funny and yet "whaaat?" I makes me think about how much Joseph had changed over the years that he behaved the way he did and that of course his brothers, though they thought he was dead, didn't couldn't recognize him, or even think that the person reminded them of their brother Joseph.

It is very interesting to me how God was watching everything as Joseph did what he did. What's even "more" interesting is how Joseph's brothers reacted to the "negative" events happening to them. They believed that it was God punishing them for the harm they've caused Joseph. It's been more than 15 years, but that guilt was still eating them up. So whenever misfortune took them by surprise, it was seen as God's punishment because of what happened several years ago.

They literally all bowed down in front of Joseph just like the dream said. Joseph's father came as well later on and he too bowed in front of his son. That's WILD! It took more than 15 years before the dreams came true. There was a whole lot of conditioning before the dream could happen. Joseph had his highs, and he definitely had his lows. but all those things prepared him for what he needed to do 15+ years later.

There are so many dreams that I have. Some of the things I've spoken, people laughed at, but still happened. Some dreams I've had, though I tried to prevent or make happen in my favor, completely went sour, yet still happened the way it was in my dreams. God has His ways of communicating to us. God has His ways of doing things. God knows us way more than we can even know ourselves. God is more forgiving than any of us combined.

After a while, Joseph's father died. After his death, Joseph's brothers thought that Joseph would now take revenge for all the wrong they have done. Again, still in that mentality even though Joseph showed them kindness and provided for them, but this one response destroyed all the guilt and shame that have been building up for those, maybe by this point, 20+ years. 

 Genesis 50:19-21 - "But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them."

Our dreams aren't "our" dreams. God shows us things, many times, that are bigger than us. In those thing, I believe that God wants to show how magnificent He is to us. Even if something looks like there is no way out, you just wait and see how God shows up in ways unimaginable. God is one who is bound by time, space, or matter. He is beyond all realms. Anything we can possibly think of, He is greater. So your dreams? Don't be so quick to give them up just yet. I think it is time for things to start looking up again. Keep going through the prison and be a prison guard well, and when the time comes, you'll be in charge of the entire land. In the mean time, keep walking the journey.

Blessings this 2018