Central United Methodist Church
Joseph and His Brothers (Genesis 37-50)
Rev. Reta Steck
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Last week I preached on Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac. This week we take a bit of a leap in history into the story of Joseph and his brothers. Let me build a bridge. Abraham and Sarah’s child is Isaac, who marries Rebekah. Isaac and Rebekah have twin sons: Esau and Jacob. In Genesis 32, Jacob wrestles with God and receives a new name—Israel—thus the name “the people Israel.” Jacob has 12 sons by 4 different women. These 12 sons become the 12 tribes of Israel. Rachel, the most beloved of Jacob’s wives, is mother to two of the twelve sons: Joseph and Benjamin. In today’s sermon, we will be looking closely at Joseph’s biography.
But before we get into Joseph’s story, I want to share a story I read this week that even if an urban legend makes an interesting point. A sailor survives a shipwreck and drifts onto a deserted island. One day the sailor notices a ship close to the island. In a hurried frenzy, the sailor makes a fire in an attempt to be noticed and rescued. But the ship sails on past. Too late the sailor notices that the signal fire has set his shelter on fire. The shelter, the sailor’s only haven from the elements, burns to the ground. Depressed, the sailor sits hopelessly. Then the sailor notices that the ship is turning around. After being rescued, the sailor asks the ship’s captain, “What caused you to turn around?” “The fire was big enough for us to see” the captain explained.
The moral of the story: The very thing that appears to seal the stranded sailor’s fate is instead his means of deliverance. The moral of this sailor’s story mirrors the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50: What appears to be the most tragic event in Joseph’s life—being sold into slavery in Egypt—instead becomes the means not only for his own deliverance but for the survival of an entire people, God’s chosen people. Hear now the word of the God in Genesis 37, starting in verse 2. The story of Joseph:
Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers,…[Joseph] brought their father a bad report about [his brothers]. Now Israel [or Jacob] loved Joseph more than any other of his sons,…; and [Jacob]…made [Joseph] a long robe with sleeves. …[Joseph’s] brothers saw that their father loved [Joseph] more…, [the brothers] hated [Joseph], and could not speak a kind word to [Joseph] (Gen 37:2-4). This is the Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God!
From the beginning of the story we find out several important things about Joseph: 1) Joseph is 17 years old when the story begins. Not an uncommon age for young men to be kings in antiquity. 2) Joseph is the favored child of his father, Jacob, and receives a special robe. Most of us are familiar with the robe being described as multi-colored. We are familiar with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rendition of the story: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. But truer to the text, the coat was long-sleeved and ankle-length. In comparison, ordinary work coats were sleeveless and short to allow for ease of movement. The message: Joseph was not expected to do ordinary work. Every time his brothers saw Joseph, they were painfully reminded of their father’s special love for Joseph and of Joseph’s status above them by this awful coat. And third, we learn that Joseph’s brothers hated him—strong language! Joseph’s brothers hated him so much that they had difficulty even talking to him in a kind way. That Joseph openly shared his dreams that claimed his superiority only made his brothers’ hatred stronger.
Hatred festered. The brothers lay in wait until the right time to deal with their brother, the dreamer. Jacob sends Joseph out to check on his brothers in the field and opportunity knocks. As Joseph approaches at a distance, the brothers plot to kill him and tell their father that a wild animal devoured him. Reuben, the oldest brother, intervenes, convincing the others not to kill Joseph but to put him in a pit instead.
So Joseph’s brothers take his robe and throw him into a pit. As they sit down to eat, opportunity knocks again; a caravan on the way to Egypt appears. Judah said…, "…Come, let’s sell him…." His brothers agreed….[T]hey …sold [Joseph]… for twenty pieces of silver [the price Moses would later set for a young slave boy (Lev 27:5)]. And [the caravan] took Joseph to Egypt [the commercial and cultural center of the Mediterranean world] (Gen 37:23-28).
The brothers return to their father with Joseph’s bloodied robe in tow. Without the brothers saying a word, Jacob, as expected, surmises that Joseph was killed by a ferocious animal and that the coat is all that remains. Jacob would live the next 22 years believing his favored son Joseph is dead.
Meanwhile in Egypt, one of Pharaoh’s officials, Potiphar, buys Joseph. God blesses Joseph and the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake (Gen 39:5).
Things are going well until Potiphar’s wife sets her sights on the well-built and handsome Joseph. Joseph refuses her overtures and the scorned Potiphar’s wife accuses Joseph of “coming on” to her! Enraged, Potiphar throws Joseph into prison. “But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; [the Lord] showed [Joseph] kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden” (Gen 39:20ff).
Soon Joseph would get new cell mates. The king’s cupbearer and baker offend the king and are thrown into prison. Joseph, the dreamer, then becomes Joseph, the dream interpreter:
One night [the cupbearer and baker] both dreamed…. They said to [Joseph], "We both had dreams,…but there is no one to interpret them." Joseph said…, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me [your dreams]." (Gen 40:5-9).
Joseph interprets the cupbearer’s dream favorably and the baker’s dream tragically. Joseph appeals to the cupbearer: “…[W]hen all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison.” (Gen 40:14). Both dreams happen just as Joseph said. “The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; [the cupbearer] forgot him.” (Gen 40:23).
Then after two years, Pharaoh dreams (Gen 41:1). [Pharaoh sent] for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. …[B]ut…no one…could interpret [Pharaoh’s dreams]…. Then the chief cupbearer said…, "Today I am reminded of my shortcomings…. Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker…. Each of us had a dream the same night…. …[A] young Hebrew …interpreted [our dreams]…, giving each…the interpretation…. …[A]nd things turned out exactly as he interpreted them… So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon” (Gen 41:9-14).
Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I…had a dream,…. I have heard it said… when you hear a dream you can interpret it." Joseph answered Pharaoh, "I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” (Gen 41:15-16).
Pharaoh’s dream warns of a coming seven year famine. Joseph advises Pharaoh “to look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land… … collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain…. This food should be held…to be used during the seven years of famine…so that the country may not be ruined….” (Gen 41:34-36). Pharaoh sets Joseph over all the land of Egypt (Gen 41:41). Joseph was 30 years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Gen 41:46).
Just as Joseph had said, seven years of abundance came to an end; and seven years of famine began. There was famine in every country, but throughout the land of Egypt there was food (Gen 41:53-54). …[A]ll the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph… (Gen 41:57).
The famine reached the land of Canaan. When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he told his sons to go down and buy grain. Ten of Joseph's brothers set out for Egypt; but Benjamin, Jacob’s youngest son was not allowed to make the journey for fear of his safety (Gen 42:1-4).
Now opportunity knocks for Joseph. His brothers come to Egypt and bow themselves before him. Joseph recognizes his brothers, but they don’t recognize him. Joseph…treats them like strangers and speaks harshly to them. (Gen 42:6-8)…[accusing]his brothers—who do not recognize him—of being spies. Unsure that his brothers have changed their ways, Joseph puts the brothers to a few tests (Gen 42:15-16).
The first test: Joseph demands that one of the brothers remain in Egypt until the brothers’ return again for more food. When the brothers return, they are to bring the youngest brother, Benjamin, along. The brothers go back home and remain in Canaan but the famine persists. Under dire circumstances, Jacob gives into Joseph’s demand, telling his sons to go again to Egypt to buy food and to take Benjamin along (Gen 43:2, 13). When Joseph sees Benjamin, he is deeply moved, leaves the room, and weeps.
The second test: The next morning Joseph commands the steward: Fill the men's sacks with food,…and put each man's money in…his sack. Put my [silver] cup in the top of the sack of the youngest,…” [that is, Benjamin] (Gen 44:1-2). When [the brothers] had gone only a short distance from the city, the steward confronted them about the missing cup. Finding Pharaoh’s silver cup in Benjamin’s bag, the brothers are returned to Joseph. [T]hey throw themselves to the ground before [Joseph]. All agree to become Joseph’s slaves as repayment for the deed. Joseph, however, says that “only the [one] who was found to have the cup will be [Joseph’s] slave [that is, Benjamin]” (44:18). But the brothers cannot return home without the youngest brother, Benjamin, or their father will die.
Joseph could no longer control himself… Joseph…makes himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it. Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father still living?" But his brothers were not able to answer him… (Gen 45:1-3).
With Pharaoh’s blessing, Joseph invites Jacob and all his family to come live in Goshen, the best part of the land in Egypt. Jacob was 130 years old when he and his family came to dwell in Egypt. After Jacob’s death Joseph’s brothers fear reprisal: "What if Joseph holds a grudge…and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?" (Gen 50:15). But Joseph pronounces the final verdict with what is probably the best known passage in all of Genesis (50:20ff): “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid.” In the closing verses of Genesis, Joseph says to his brothers, "I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Gen 50:24). Here ends Joseph’s story.
For the sake of time, I will make only two points about this elaborate and amazing Old Testament story:
First: The modern world did not create the terms “dysfunctional” or “injustice” (although we continue to perpetuate both!). Jacob openly favors Joseph. Jacob openly favored Joseph’s mother, Rachel. From the beginning, Jacob is not the parenting poster-child! The dysfunction runs deep and has gone on for multi-generations. Even in the story of Joseph’s own life we see Joseph himself perpetuating the same vicious cycle of dysfunction and injustice. At the end of chapter 43, Joseph gives Benjamin (the only brother with the same father AND mother) five times as much food as anyone else. In chapter 45 when the brothers are sent back to Canaan to fetch their father, Joseph gives each of the brothers new clothing for the trip “but to Benjamin he gave three hundred [pieces] of silver and five sets of garments” (Gen 45:22). The point is this: Where dysfunction and injustice are accepted as normal, no one should be surprised when deep-seeded jealousy, anger, hatred, and, yes, in extreme cases, even murder occurs. There was a cost for ignoring dysfunction and injustice in Joseph’s world and there is a cost in our world! Will we act in our own families and in the world to stop dysfunction and injustice—or will we, like Jacob, turn a blind eye and continue to pay the price—both personally and as a society?
Lastly: I want to offer a warning against a common interpretation of Joseph’s famous verdict in Genesis 50:20: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good....” We hear the same theme in Romans 8:28 and in Ephesians 1:11:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who
love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
In [Christ] we were…chosen, having been predestined according to the plan
of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his
will,….
The story of Joseph and his brothers shows that God’s purposes and promises will be brought to fulfillment. Neither Jacob’s bad parenting nor the brothers’ hatred of Joseph could thwart God’s purposes; God is in control! But if we are not careful, we can easily conclude that what we do or do not do is unimportant in the grand scheme. Our thinking may sound something like this: “It doesn’t matter what we do, God’s will and purpose will be accomplished anyway.”
And in some sense this is true. But that is not the same as saying that God wishes us to engage in sinful behavior. That is not God’s preferred way of accomplishing His will in the world. It is arrogant to excuse our sinful behavior as being part of his grand design. Sin has consequences and God would prefer we not have to suffer those consequences. God would prefer that we experience the joy of faithful participation in God’s will in the world. God’s will is never obstructed, restricted, limited or inhibited by our sin. But our sin always (always!) hurts us!
I began this sermon by comparing Jacob’s story to that of a stranded sailor who accidentally sets his shelter on fire. The bleakest moment of the sailor’s life leads instead to his rescue. Likewise, that which Joseph would describe as most tragic—being sold into slavery in Egypt—led to his deliverance and the survival of the people Israel.
This Wednesday we enter the season of Lent and prepare for the darkest moment in human history—the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. During Lent may we too be reminded that our salvation, our deliverance, comes from what appeared to be the most hopeless event of all time!
The moral of the sailor’s story—the moral of Joseph’s story—and the moral of our story: The very thing that appears to seal a tragic fate instead leads to our eternal deliverance.