It's A Setup
25 Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers agreed. 28 When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt. (Genesis 37:25-28)
Joseph was one of Jacob's favored sons because he was the first child born from Rachel. Rachel was the wife Jacob truly loved, though he had been tricked into marrying her older sister, Leah, first. Rather knowingly or inadvertently, Jacob was creating the same disfunction that he had experienced when his own father favored his brother, Esau. As a result of Jacob's favoritism, Joseph's brothers hated Joseph. It didn't help that Joseph occasionally slacked off of the work they were all supposed to be doing, and frequently told his brothers about dreams he had - God given, though they were - where they would bow down to and serve him. Most of Joseph's brothers wanted him dead. So, one day when Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brothers, they saw him approaching and planned to kill him. One brother, Rueben, intervened and suggested that, rather than shed blood, they should throw Joseph into a pit because Rueben intended to go back and retrieve Joseph later. But their brother, Judah, suggested that they sell Joseph into slavery. So they sold Joseph and he was taken to Egypt.
We don't get to find out what happened to Joseph until next week. For now, we are stuck with him heading to Egypt and into slavery - quite the opposite of what his dreams showed. We can acknowledge that, while Joseph was not very likable and a dose of humility was definitely needed, the harsh treatment from his brothers had to be devastating. How do we hold on to hope when God's promises don't seem to be coming to fruition? We can choose to see every situation and every road block - however difficult - as a setup for God's promises. We can remember that God is good, even when we are not, and, while every challenge we face may not be caused by God, God can certainly bring good out of it all.
6 O offspring of his servant Abraham, children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
16 When he summoned famine against the land, and broke every staff of bread,
17 he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
18 His feet were hurt with fetters, his neck was put in a collar of iron;
19 until what he had said came to pass, the word of the LORD kept testing him.
20 The king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free.
21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possessions,
22 to instruct his officials at his pleasure, and to teach his elders wisdom.
45b Praise the LORD! (Psalm 105:6, 16-22, 45b)
