Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends…
You and I live in a deceit filled world, no matter where we live, am I right? Sometimes that deceit is further complicated by ‘cover-up’ and the result is profound heartbreak for people. May I ask, has your heart ever been broken in a deceitful cover-up? Join me today in one of the most famous cover ups of all time.
Yesterday I left you standing with several of Jacob’s sons as they had just completed the sale of their younger brother Joseph to a traveling caravan. Did I say SALE? Yes, his brothers actually SOLD Joseph! The caravan travelers bound young Joseph with ropes and dragged him off, going with them to Egypt, where he would be put on the slave trader’s block and sold to the highest bidder! Slave trade was legal in those days in that part of the world. Reuben, Jacob’s eldest son, had not been part of this slave sale and when he discovered it, Reuben was shocked at what his brothers had done. But his greatest concern was for his old father Jacob who Reuben was confident may die of a heart attack or at least a broken heart, if he ever found out what some of his sons had done in selling their younger brother Joseph!
The record does not tell us all that these brothers discussed as options while they watched the caravan disappear over the horizon in the distance, but finally one of them had an idea… a ‘cover-up’ idea. The Genesis record says: “…they took Joseph’s multi-colored robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. Then they took the ornamented robe back to their father Jacob and said ‘We found this, examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe.’ (Gen. 37:32) Look at Jacob’s face as he carefully examines the robe. His eyes are widening, tears are welling up, his chin is quivering. He’s desperately looking for something, anything, in that robe that will convince him it is not the beautiful robe he had proudly given to his son Joseph years before. But he found nothing…
“He recognized it and said ‘It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.’ Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and daughter came to comfort him, but Jacob refused to be comforted. He said ‘In my grief I will go down to the grave, to my son.’ And his father wept for Joseph.” (Gen. 37:31-35) If you are a parent who has lost a child to death, you have some understanding of Jacob’s deep grief.
Let’s step back a moment and look at this scene from the bigger picture. Many decades ago Jacob’s father Isaac was grieving in a very similar way. In Isaac’s case, it wasn’t the DEATH of his son, but rather the DECEIT of his son. Jacob had deceived his father Isaac in his old age blindness, claiming to be his brother Esau. Jacob had received from Isaac his brothers’ ‘favorite son, firstborn blessing’. In the days which followed, Isaac grieved, he deeply grieved. His son had betrayed his trust, lied to his face, disrupted Isaac’s long planned blessing of his beloved son Esau. It could not be reversed, the damage was done. Nothing could repair the broken father – son relationship. As Isaac sent his son Jacob away, running for his life, Isaac probably assumed he’d never see Jacob alive again, and he began to consider his son Jacob as good as dead. That is now what Jacob was doing, many years later, in his grief… considering his son Joseph dead.
But this story continues: “Meanwhile, the Midianite caravan sold Joseph in Egypt to a man named Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.” (Gen. 37:36) So let me ask you my friends, could things get any worse for either Jacob who is grieving the death of his son; or Joseph who is grieving the total rejection of his brothers and his new, hopeless life as slave to an Egyptian, several hundred miles from home? But let’s also consider the heartbreak this cover-up has caused his deceitful brothers who are now living a lie! Who do you think is the greatest victim of evil in this mess? Who is living with the deepest pain as a result of this tragedy?
Can you put yourself in the grief of Jacob the broken hearted father, or Joseph the rejected, broken hearted son, or the broken hearted, deceitful, scheming brothers? If somehow we could look into the throne room of God in heaven, what would we see… as God watches these events remembering the remarkable relationship He had built with Abraham and the Covenant promises made to Abraham, decades before? Now only three generations later oh my, what a mess. And if we could look into the presence of Satan and his demons, could we see almost boundless delight as they look at the pain, the mistrust, the broken hearts of Jacob’s Covenant promise family? And what is God thinking as He looks at you and me and our extended families, our circle of friends, today? And what is Satan thinking as he looks at you and me and our families and friends? How much heartbreak do both God and Satan see in your world and mine?
The record continues this remarkable story in Genesis 39 with this powerful statement: “The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered…” (Gen. 39:2) Oh my, that’s profound! I can’t explain how Joseph sensed God’s presence there in Egyptian slavery, but the record gives us some explanation of how Joseph concluded God was prospering him, even in slavery! Listen: “Joseph lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his master’s eyes and became his personal attendant. Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his household , and he entrusted to Joseph’s care everything he owned.” (Gen. 39:3,4)
I do not know, the record doesn’t tell us, but I presume Mr. Potiphar watched Joseph very closely, especially when Joseph was doing his servant work in Potiphar’s home, for I presume Mr. Potiphar lived a comfortable lifestyle, blessed by the Pharaoh. As Potiphar entrusted to Joseph more and more responsibility I presume he was asking Joseph lots of questions, as you would do if someone worked for you inside your home, with your family and your prize possessions. As Potiphar got to know Joseph and his family heritage, his spiritual values, his ethics, morality and character, I believe Potiphar began to hear from Joseph about the God of his grandfather Abraham. Slowly, Potiphar began to see that everything about his servant Joseph was centered in his belief in and respect for God. And it appears both Potiphar and Joseph begin to realize God’s great blessing was upon Potiphar, and they concluded… it must be because of Joseph and his God.
Now in closing today, please consider my friends, what the record says: “From the time Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his household…the blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in his house and in his fields. With Joseph in charge, Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.” (Gen. 39:5,6) Now what does it mean my friends? It seems Potiphar was enjoying prosperity and good times in all areas of his life and somehow he concluded Joseph’s God was blessing him. Have you ever experienced the blessing of God upon you or your family? What was it like? What led you to believe it was God in heaven pouring out His blessing on YOU?
I assume, because Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son, Jacob had told Joseph things about the God of Abraham that he had not told his other sons. And even though Jacob had not lived honorably for God, Joseph evidently found his heart drawn to seek to know the God of his great grandfather Abraham. Even though Joseph had been maligned and even sold as a slave by his brothers, it seems to me Joseph was determined to test the Covenant promises God had made to his family, by not allowing his mind to reject or his heart to harden against the God of Abraham despite what his family had done to him.
In response to that faith and resolve, Joseph was experiencing what a little known prophet named Hanani said to a king of Israel: “The eyes of the LORD range throughout the whole earth looking to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to God.” (2 Chronicles 16:9) Now my friends, this is an ageless truth which is happening today, all over our world. God is still looking to help and encourage and bless and strengthen His people…anyone, anywhere whose heart is fully trusting in and committed to honor God with their life! Can you and I grasp that and own it as God’s truth for us today? You and I can experience the power of Jesus strengthening us, despite the wrongs that have been done to us… IF we protect our hearts from turning hard or sour in the pain of life. The power of God is being unleashed to help His people, are you experiencing it my friends?
Here’s a song to help us understand this…
Today’s Scripture is Genesis 37:29-36; 39:1-6.
Choose below to read or listen.
Genesis 37:29-36
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Genesis 39:1-6.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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