May the mumbling commence!
And the blessings continue. There is so much in today’s readings from Genesis 47:13-50:26! I must admit Joseph’s distribution of the food at the end of chapter 47 has always troubled me. I realize that the food must last until the end of the famine, but I am not sure that power was justly used in the process. Talk about the rich getting richer and the poor poorer. First, Joseph collected all the money in the known world. Even when the people told him this and asked for food anyway, Joseph insisted that they buy the grain with their livestock. And, after another year, Pharaoh had not only all the money but he also owned all the livestock. When the next year rolled around, the people did not even bother to ask Joseph for food. They offered their land and their lives. So, Pharaoh owned all the money, all the livestock, and all the land – plus he made slaves of everyone. And this enslavement was at the hands of Joseph. And Joseph also instituted the one-fifth tax on all produce which lasted long after he passed away.
I can be especially bitter about this passage because of the current conditions in Egypt. I am not saying that democracy (with a small “d”) is the be all and end all – far from it. What I am saying is that power should be shared and used responsibly. I believe that justice was not fully done with Joseph at the controls so long ago nor is it being fully done today. I pray for a peaceful resolution of this situation that can benefit the majority of people in Egypt. But, Joseph’s actions in this passage make me wonder if his selling of the known world to Pharaoh was a large factor in the eventual enslavement of the Hebrew people.
Enough of that. Let’s move on to cheerier subjects – like the faithfulness of Israel unto his deathbed. At the end of chapter 47, Joseph promised to take Israel’s body back to Canaan to be buried – where their ancestors are buried. Though Israel ended his life in Egypt, he knew that his true home was in Canaan, the Promised Land of God.
And before his death in chapter 48, Israel got to bless the sons of Joseph. Israel never expected to see Joseph again, let alone Joseph’s sons. That’s just like God – far exceeding expectations. And Israel blessed the younger son, Ephraim, over the firstborn. God does not work the way that the world work; God sees things as they truly are and acts accordingly. Then, Israel repeated his wish to be buried in Canaan.
In chapter 49, Israel gathered his sons together and blessed them, remembering what each had done. Reuben was demoted as firstborn because he defiled his father’s marriage bed. Simeon and Levi were demoted because of their murderous anger that surfaced in Shechem. So, Judah, the next born, was raised up as ruler over his brothers. In verse 10, there is a foreshadowing of Christ (who comes from this lineage). “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.” The scepter belongs to Jesus, the Lion of Judah. And note that the obedience of the nations is his – not will be. At that point, Jesus had already earned the nations’ obedience. Near the middle of the blessings of Israel’s sons, Israel made an emphatic statement of his belief in the Lord. He made the confession, “I look for your deliverance, O Lord.” God is the only dispenser of blessing, and Israel acknowledged this fact.
Then, Israel spoke of his favorite son, Joseph – the firstborn of Rachel. It was Joseph that Israel wishes to extend the blessing of the Lord given first to Abraham, then to Isaac, and that now resides with him. Israel acknowledged that Joseph is a fruitful vine that the Lord has blessed. Israel only echoed this blessing to this prince among his brothers.
Israel’s last remarks before he died were revealing. Israel repeated his wish to be buried with his fathers – the third time he had said this. This time, however, Israel added a piece of information – this burial cave was where Leah is buried. Though his heart was for Rachel, Israel gave the prominence to Leah as his first wife, the wife of the promise and the mother of Judah.
And Israel’s sons followed their father’s wishes and buried him with his forefathers. Deceptions still arose after Israel’s death, but Joseph makes two important statements. “Am I in the place of God (and punish my brothers)?” And Joseph repeated the wish of their father for himself. He told them that God would deliver them back to the Promised Land. As I seek to bless others, may I, too realize that it is God that does the blessing. God is the source of all blessings? Give thanks unto the Lord for His deliverance!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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