Genesis 36 – 39

We open the reading with Esau’s family lineage. Interesting to note that in this case, the Edomites are blessed through God’s promises, proving the promise was not exclusive to Jacob. After this we start the story of Joseph, Jacob’s most loved (v 37:3) and that gave Joseph a bit of an attitude. It didn’t help that he had two dreams that had his family bowing to him. Joseph let this get to his head and was prideful and arrogant. This cause strife in the family and eventually lead to his brothers plotting against him.

In the end Joseph was not killed but sold into slavery, but the brothers told Jacob/Israel that he was mauled by an animal. Dad’s response in verse 37:34 was what one would expect:

Then Jacob wailed in agony and tore his clothes with the depth of emotional pain only a father could feel upon losing a child. He dressed in sackcloth and mourned his son for a long time.

I could not imagine how I would respond if I got word that one of my children died. We see Joseph mourns for quite some time.

Now chapter 38 is one that seems to be dropped into the story with no real logic. It’s about Judah and his three sons, the eldest marries Tamar and then gets God upset to where he is killed. Then the next in line marries and does the same thing and dies. Finally, Judah keeps his third son away and this causes Tamar to be upset. It ends with Judah fathering twins (Perez and Zerah) with Tamar.

Now this is one of those chapters that one scratches their head for many reasons. The first is passing ones wife from brother to brother. Then the deception of Judah into being tricked and the fact Judah slept with a “prostitute” is unsettling. Then why is this story dropped into the story of Joseph? Judah’s line plays a key role in Israel’s later history. We find that King David and his eventual grandson, saves the world. It’s interesting that the one who was stepped on and pushed out of the way at birth is again the saving grace of Israel.

Even in slavery Joseph is blessed in all he does and follows God closely. Verse 39:20 is the resulting consequences of denying sex with his masters wife:

So Potiphar, Joseph’s master, put him into prison and locked him up in the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. Joseph remained there for a time.

So honoring God, Joseph is humbled even more by doing the right thing and still being jailed. Yet instead of being angry with God, he humbles himself and honors God, who continues to bless him even as a slave in prison (now think how low that has to be). This is often what happens to the most prideful of the world, we get humbled. And I said we, since I often times get full of myself and don’t give credit to God.

This is something I personally need to work on, because often this innocently starts as being embarrassed to acknowledge God in  my life, I guess that comes from years of being in engineering where the Flying Spaghetti Monster gets more credit when God is talked about. I tend to initially not give credit which morphs into taking credit, which often times results in humbling. I pray that I have learned my lessons, but even then it seems to be difficult. Like today, I am out of work, over extended in debt and we are closing on a house we have paid off. God is big time in the mix here, yet I rarely give credit. Sure I imply, but even among Christians I withhold this story out of embarrassment of the blessing. I am looped when it comes to logic!