“Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him.” Genesis 37:3, NIV

 

Even patriarchs make mistakes. Have you ever reflected on families in Biblical times, and wondered about their daily life? What was it like to mostly walk everywhere, or ride a donkey if going on a journey; and who would run errands, or bring back pizzas?

 

Families tended to stay together in mutual support. The psalmist writes: “Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.” (Psalm 127:4-5a)

 

Jacob was certainly blessed with a full quiver, but life was messy. Sometimes, we think families held together better then, but in fact it was complicated having different children from different wives, plus the wives, themselves, all living together. Undoubtedly, the potential for drama always lurked.

 

In any family, daily, there’s the risk of sibling rivalry and squabbles flaring up in minutes, and frustration with parents who "don’t understand." This was no different for Jacob and his twelve sons; but in Jacob’s case, another problem emerged – favouritism – evoking jealousy, and animosity, which caused grief, and guilt, in them all. Our verse has already alerted us to Jacob unwisely making Joseph the apple of his eye.

 

Joseph had already become unpopular with his brothers when “he brought their father a bad report about them” (Genesis 37:2) but when Jacob presented Joseph with an elaborate, colourful coat, it enraged his other sons. The result was that when “his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.” (Genesis 37:4)

 

By putting Joseph in charge to check on them, Jacob compounded this hurt; and Joseph, immature and proud, incensed them by telling them all about dreams he’d had in which the whole family bowed down to him. This made even “his father rebuked him and said, '... Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?’” (Genesis 37:10)

 

As we know, they actually did, in Egypt, years later, where Joseph was second-in-command to Pharaoh, and after much turmoil, anger and fear. Plotting to kill Joseph, then selling him as a slave, and lying to their father about it, took its toll. Grief for Joseph hung over the family, and guilt consumed the brothers. Jacob paid dearly for idolising Joseph, and the brothers for treating Joseph ruthlessly. Joseph suffered too; firstly, sold as a slave, and then, unjustly, for long years in a foreign prison; but God had His hand on him throughout.

 

God redeemed the situation.

 

Joseph rose from prison to power, and was able to save Egypt, and his family, from starvation. And, able to see God’s bigger picture, that “it was to save lives that God sent [him] ahead of [them] … to save [their] lives by a great deliverance”, (Genesis 45:5,7) Joseph forgave his brothers and provided for them, and his father. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20)

 

Prayer: Dearest Father, family life is seldom easy because we are sinful human beings, but You are love. Thank you for Your grace that enables us to love one another through all circumstances and forgive the wrongs against us. Amen