Read it: Gen 37
Live it:
In today’s Scripture reading, Jacob has been reconciled with his twin brother Esau after approximately 40 years of estrangement. But we see Jacob making some mistakes in his nuclear family that made life difficult for Joseph, his next-to-youngest son. Jacob loved Joseph more than he loved his other sons. He overtly showed that favoritism, and that stirred hatred for Joseph among the six sons of Leah, the two sons of Bilhah, and the two sons of Zilpah.
Joseph, probably inadvertently, added to the hatred expressed by his brothers. In verse 2 we see Joseph as a tattletale. He shared his dreams with his brothers about their becoming subservient to him. The hatred for Joseph continued to mount.
Then, Jacob made another domestic blunder by sending Joseph to check up on his older brothers while they were away from home grazing the flocks. The brothers took advantage of the opportunity and sold Joseph to a band of Ishmaelite traders, and they took him to Egypt where they sold him into slavery. Joseph suffered some great injustices while in Egypt before he was finally elevated to Prime Minister of Egypt, a position second only to the Pharaoh. When famine brought his brothers to Egypt to buy food, Joseph had a chance to get revenge; however, in Genesis 50:19–21 (NLT) we read, 19 But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 21 No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.
The reconciliation was extraordinary. Is there a hurtful family situation that has resulted in your need for reconciliation? Ask the Lord for strength to reconcile today.
Ps. Rod