The Book of Genesis tells the story of the Patriarchs - the founding fathers of the Hebrew nation.
Abraham - the man of faith.
Isaac - the son of promise – the line continues.
Jacob - the schemer who comes good.
Joseph - the means of the family’s deliverance.
Isaac makes only a brief appearance in the narrative. He comes across as a holy and godly man, but his chief contribution to the biblical story is that he provides the link between his father, Abraham and his son, Jacob. Isaac is the ‘between’ generation, his story illustrating that God is in control of circumstances.
THE PARADOX OF JACOB
Jacob is a complex character – a mixture of good and bad. His name means 'he that supplants the heel'. He is born, a younger twin, delivered clutching his brother Esau's heel, earning him the name 'supplanter', which is a metaphor for his later career, foreshadowing his scheming to trick his father and supplant his brother, thus inheriting the blessing given to Abraham.
By contrast to his venerable grandfather, Jacob is a schemer and a cheat. He steals his brother's birthright, as well as his father's blessing, and is forced to flee for safety to Haran, his ancestral land. Here he meets his match in his uncle, Laban, before returning home and experiencing the hand of God upon his life.
Jacob’s story: He steals Esau’s blessing (Genesis 27).
His life at Haran: dream, labours, flight (Genesis 28 & 29)
His return: wrestling with the angel (Genesis 30 – 32).
He makes peace with Esau (Genesis 33).
His residence in Canaan (Genesis 35)
Jacob's Treachery (Genesis 25:22ff)
Jacob's craftiness persuades Esau to part with his birthright in return for a dish of stew. The story suggests that Esau is a shallow character, quite unworthy to stand in succession to Abraham: lacking in faith. However, Jacob comes out of the story little better. His underhand behaviour is also despicable.
What is the significance of the birthright?
In Hebrew society, the firstborn son had an exalted position. He received the largest share of his father’s estate. In spiritual terms, the story of Esau selling his birthright is a picture of people who throw away their heavenly hope for the sake of temporal things. Our birthright as God's people is membership of His family. We lose that when we reject God and deny Him his rightful position as our Lord and Master.
The theft of the blessing (Genesis 27)
Isaac is by now almost blind and knows that his days are numbered. He resolves to pass on his blessing to his favourite son, Esau. Rebekah is determined that her favourite son, Jacob, should receive the blessing, and so the deceit is hatched. Jacob again becomes his brother's deceiver.
In the early stories of Genesis, God’s blessing is viewed in terms of material prosperity; later in the Old Testament, it consists more of gifts such as wisdom and righteousness. The blessing is certainly thought of as prophetic and certain of fulfilment. When Jacob receives the blessing, it cannot be reversed. Words have power. What has been done cannot be undone.
Jacob's dream - the beginning of the change (Gen 28:10-22)
Jacob sets off for Haran, virtually going into exile - aware of the guilt of his deceit, possessing a promise, but little likelihood of ever being able to get back into the land to fulfil it. He knew that his brother's vengeance would be waiting for him.
Yet even within his sinful nature, there was something that made him turn back to God - an inner yearning to fulfil the promise. Through his dream, we are made aware of the nearness of heaven to earth: there is free access between the believer on earth and the Lord of heaven. The way is open to everyone. We see God coming close to Jacob. Deceitful sinner he may be, yet God does not give up on him.
At Bethel, (the House of God) God confirms his promise. Jacob knew that God was in charge. God has set his seal upon him. Jacob's response: “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth” (28:20-22), is his first uttering of faith.
Jacob's Punishment.
God has set His seal upon Jacob, and ensured the ultimate fulfilment of His purposes, but Jacob still has to take the consequences for his actions. For twenty years, he is at the mercy of Laban, who outsmarts him, and tricks him into marrying the wrong daughter. However, Jacob willingly acquiesces to Laban's demands and finally marries Rachel. Jacob has sons in plenty, but before the birth of Joseph, the one who will carry forward the promise, we read another example of God intervening - to open Rachel's womb.
After another round of sparring between Jacob and Laban, they eventually part on equal terms, and Jacob returns to his homeland to face Esau.
Jacob's Conversion. (Gen 32:1-32)
Even after 20 years, there is much anxiety for Jacob as he prepares to enter his own land. Esau is still waiting for him. This is the background for his second spiritual experience, which complements the earlier dream at Bethel. For 20 years he has been chastened and disciplined, now he receives divine approval to re-enter the land, and to play his part in fulfilling God's promise.
In this story of Jacob wrestling with an angel, we witness the crisis of his conversion. Whatever happened during that dark night, by daybreak he was a changed man, no longer called ‘Supplanter’, but Israel, ‘Perseverer with God’. Jacob is raised to the position of Patriarch. He doesn't become a saint overnight, but from this point onwards God’s grace grows in him, and he develops a new stature. Like many saints, he earned the right to the title only through God's grace. We learn from Jacob the important lesson that God never gives up, and always completes the work which He has begun; for our part, we have the assurance that however deceitful or wicked our past, with God there is always hope for the future.
JOSEPH, THE DREAMER
The story of Joseph dominates chapters 37 – 50 of Genesis. The name Joseph means 'May the Lord add'.
Joseph was Jacob's favourite son, primarily because he was the first son of his beloved wife, Rachel. Spoiled by Jacob, despised by his brothers, who didn't like their father's favouritism (the coloured coat) or Joseph's interpretation of his dreams, they sold him into slavery. He was employed by a prosperous Egyptian, Potiphar, and became steward of his household. His employer's wife tried to seduce him. Refusing her advances, he stands out as a man of moral courage, falsely accused by Potiphar's wife, who sought to disgrace him. During a period of unjust imprisonment, he made a reputation for himself as an interpreter of dreams, which brought him to the attention of Pharaoh, and led to his promotion as senior state official.
Joseph made careful provision for the famine that was to come, which eventually led his family to Egypt, and to re-union. Joseph was able to care for his father and brothers and interpreted this as being God’s hand upon the events that had brought him there. In his old age, Jacob pronounced a blessing on Joseph and his two sons, as well as on his other sons. Joseph forgave his brothers for their treachery and made provision for them.
What can we learn from the story of Joseph?
God's promise is vindicated. Abraham’s family grows into a dynasty, which soon aspires to nationhood. The promise given to Abraham begins to take shape. But even with twelve sons, the future is far from certain. The prospect of famine threatens the future of the entire tribe. Again, it is a case of 'the Lord will provide', at the right moment. It is only the Lord's initiative, yet again, which brings about the birth of Joseph, and the consequent means by which the safety of the whole family is brought about.
Jacob's family is very human: full of tension, with jealousy and treachery - hardly a united dynasty, even from the beginning. God's saints are not pin-up heroes, but very ordinary people. Even Joseph himself, in the early stories of his life, comes across as rather conceited.
The Price of Integrity: the episode with Potiphar's wife. Gen 39:1-23
The story shows the kind of person that Joseph became. As a youngster he had been spoiled and conceited. Now he has changed. The temptation he resists is more than simple lust. He knew what would happen to him if he failed to yield to Potiphar's wife. He could have given in, to save his own skin. Yet he knows the right course of action - not to sin against God, and he is prepared to pay the price of his integrity.
Joseph's faithfulness earns him respect, even in prison. (cf. St. Paul 'I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself’ Phil 4:11.) Similarly, for us, displaying the fruit of the Spirit in whatever circumstances we find ourselves and behaving in the right way is more important than worrying about what we 'do' for God.
The result of Joseph’s integrity is that he comes to the attention of Pharaoh and is promoted. He gets himself into a position where he can be a blessing to his family (and subsequently the whole of his nation). We too, can achieve similar influence if we continue to stay close to God, and live in the way that He commands.
Listening to God
Joseph said, 'All interpretation belongs to God.' (Gen 40:8).
Joseph's faithfulness to God is unwavering throughout the story, and he expected God to speak to him, reminding us of the importance of being alert and prepared for God to speak to us. Perhaps we don't accord dreams with the same significance as Joseph's contemporaries, but we must never neglect the fact that God does speak to us today. Our task is to discern God's interpretation of the events in which we are involved.
The importance of reconciliation.
When they discover what has become of Joseph, his brothers were worried, with some justification. 'If Joseph treats us as we treated him, what hope is there for us?' Fortunately for them, Joseph doesn't bear a grudge, but sees the hand of God in all that has happened. His magnanimity prevents a feud that could have divided the family and taken generations to heal. A simple act of reconciliation prevents a lifetime of hostility.
Remember the words of Jesus: 'If you are presenting your gift at the altar and remember that your brother has a grievance against you, leave your gift where it is before the altar. First, go and make your peace with your brother.' Matt 5:23ff.
Joseph's forgiveness of his brothers offers a picture of Christ's forgiveness for us.
God's overruling providence.
'You meant to do me harm; but God meant to bring good out of it by preserving the lives of many people, as we see today' (Gen 50:20). Through Joseph, the people were spared. William Neil writes: 'Joseph incarnates the experience and the redemptive work of the people of God..... Despite the malevolence of his brothers, the pique of a jilted lady, and the perils of high office, his success is assured.' (Neil’s Bible Commentary)
The ultimate purpose of the story is to depict God’s glory. There is a parallel between the story of Joseph and that of Jesus. Just as Joseph is the means of salvation for his family, so too, Christ, who is crucified, at the insistence of his own people, is raised up by God to be the means of salvation for the world. In Christ, the promise made to Abraham is fulfilled. Through him, all the nations of the earth are blessed.
JACOB'S BLESSING
The parable of the crossed hands 48:1-22: Jacob blesses Joseph's two sons, but the crossing of the hands puts Ephraim before Manasseh. The tribe of Ephraim became sufficiently important to be synonymous with the Northern Kingdom after the death of Solomon, but the real significance of this event is that it demonstrates again the sovereign power of God. God doesn't look on the outward appearance but chooses those whom He knows to be most worthy to receive His blessing.
49:1-27: The blessing of all of the sons of Jacob purports to outline the destinies of the twelve tribes of Israel. Of particular note is the blessing on Judah, which implies future dominion for that tribe, and the appearance in it of one who will obtain the 'obedience of the nations'. Here is a Messianic prophecy - David and consequently Jesus, are of the tribe of Judah.
So the tribes of Israel are happily settled in Egypt, where they will stay for the next 400 years, awaiting the next phase of the divine plan, but not quite living ‘happily ever after’, as the events in the book of Exodus will demonstrate.
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