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Jacob and Joseph
Learning from Calamities And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.—Genesis 50:18-20 John Hummel Conflict, like persecution, contributes to the development of the new creation (see Colossians 3:13). Difficult experiences provide essential opportunities for personal growth and provide preparation for future work in Christ’s kingdom (1 Corinthians 10:13). Direct experience is a useful method for learning; however, there is also benefit in studying conflicts that occurred in the lives of biblical characters. Two such examples are Jacob and his son Joseph. Jacob “And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother (“a relative of her father”—Net Bible), and that he was Rebekah’s son: and she ran and told her father. And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.” (Genesis 29:10-14). Laban welcomed his nephew into his house, made him feel comfortable and offered him work. Jacob asked for no pay other than the hand of Rachel in marriage. Over the next seven years Jacob performed faithfully and expected to gain what had been promised to him. “And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?” (Genesis 29:21-25) Laban’s explanation for the deception—“It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn”—suggests that he planned to deceive Jacob from the initiation of the agreement. Laban lied to Jacob for his own benefit. The words, “Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years” (Genesis 29:27,28), show that Jacob had to work seven additional years. Tests of Faithfulness on the Church Three important lessons come from this incident between Jacob and Laban: 1) Jacob did not protest when he faced the additional seven years of work; 2) Jacob maintained his respect for his relative and kept a positive attitude, even after an unjust act was committed against him; 3) Jacob silently accepted the experience as coming from God. Jacob’s desires came to fruition when he was given Rachel as his wife a week later. Some of Jacob’s suffering was no doubt retribution for his own behavior when he lied to his father Isaac (Genesis 27:19). Later, Laban experienced retribution for his deceptive behavior when Rachel stole his images and lied about it. Lies beget lies. Acts have consequences. Jesus told his followers they would be treated unjustly (Matthew 10:22; 24:9). Faithfulness to God’s principles must be exhibited. We must freely choose the right course based on the inculcation of God’s principles. As Jacob did when experiencing conflict and injustice, we are to put trust in God, maintain our faith in him, and look for the proper lesson in the experience. If we are faithful, our desires will also come to fruition, if not in this life, certainly when we awake from death in Christ’s likeness. Joseph Genesis 37:3-11 describes Jacob’s love for Joseph, his first son by Rachel. Joseph’s jealous brothers would not speak a kind word to him. When he claimed he dreamed that they bowed down to him, the brothers took radical action: “When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death. And they said to one another, Here comes this dreamer! Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we will say, A wild beast devoured him. Then let us see what will become of his dreams!” (Genesis 37:18-20, NASB). Reuben, the eldest brother, was not able to stop the plan altogether, but he did not agree with the plan to kill Joseph: “When Reuben heard this, he rescued Joseph from their hands, saying, ‘Let’s not take his life! … Don’t shed blood! Throw him into this cistern that is here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.’ Reuben said this so he could rescue Joseph from them and take him back to his father.” (verses 21,22, Net Bible). In Reuben’s absence, Judah convinced the others not to kill Joseph but to sell him to some passing traders traveling to Egypt. Their goal to rid themselves of Joseph was accomplished at a handsome profit. But it resulted in both Joseph’s removal and a nearly life-long lie to Jacob. For Jacob, it was another bitter pill to swallow, but for Joseph, it was a significant step in God’s plan for him. Joseph Taken to Egypt Despite the evil intent of his brothers, Joseph prospered in Egypt. Sold as a slave, his faithfulness resulted in his master Potiphar giving him more and more responsibility. Joseph became a trusted keeper of his entire household. Paul wrote: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, NIV). While this is a promise given to the church, it is a principle of God that has wide application. Ultimately, Joseph gained the victory over his brothers because he kept his faith in God and stood for the principles of righteousness. Those who live according to this principle throughout every conflict will find peace. Joseph trusted God. He learned faith, humility, patience, and endurance in the conflicts of his life. We too must learn these lessons as new creatures. We may not always see what the Lord has in mind at the time of a bitter experience, but we can be assured that ultimately it will work out for the good of his plan. Once a lesson is learned further development can take place. However, this may mean more setbacks and more difficult experiences. Joseph was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and was sent to the king’s prison. His attitude again remained exemplary. He might have become discouraged, confused, or even angry. In every situation he had stood for righteousness, and in every situation he had been mistreated. Joseph refused to succumb to the bitterness that such conflicts can bring. Likewise we must realize that God’s favor cannot be measured by temporal circumstances that encompass us. Job said, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him” (Job 13:15). We must trust even when we cannot discern an immediate purpose in our circumstance. In Joseph’s case, no university could have taught him as much about government as he learned in the king’s prison! That experience prepared him for the next fourteen years and more. Joseph Reunited with his Brothers Joseph’s steadfast faith during years of seeming abandonment was rewarded with his elevation to the right hand of the pharaoh of Egypt. His wisdom led to a full granary during a great famine, and he opened the storehouses to provide the people with grain (Genesis 41:56,57). Not only did all Egypt and the surrounding countries receive food, so did Joseph’s family. Bowing down before their unknown brother in an ironic fulfillment of Joseph’s dream, the ten brothers who had sold Joseph as a slave learned a lesson in humility. Rather than taking revenge through his position of power, Joseph showed mercy. Through a series of tests he discovered that his brothers had truly repented of their evil deed. He had the proof he needed and revealed himself to his brothers (Genesis 45:1-5). Joseph’s sterling character is revealed in his reassurance to his fearful brothers: “God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt” (Genesis 45:7,8, NIV). What a powerful example of maintaining a spirit of faith and forgiveness! Joseph never saw anything but God in all of his conflicts and experiences. Conflicts Build Character Conflicts are a necessary part of a Christian’s life because they build character. While conflicts are inevitable, we should not be the instigator of them, and we should try to resolve them using Scriptural principles. Like Joseph, we should be ready to respond positively to persecution. In the experiences of Joseph, we see how God overruled the circumstances for the outworking of his plan. Without Joseph in Egypt, the nation of Israel would never have come into existence. Likewise, Jesus’ development as a high priest, and the church’s similar development as under priests through experiences in an unfriendly world, are a necessary part of their preparation for the next age. Let us accept the conflicts in our lives as means of learning the lessons necessary to fulfill the role of mediator. May we all echo the words of Joseph: “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good” (Genesis 50:20). |