I may have mentioned my love for VeggieTales before. The creator's of VeggieTales take the story of Joseph and turn it into the Ballad of Little Joe (it's a Biblical western).
Larry the Cucumber plays the everly-optimistic "Little" brother of the 11 french pea brothers. He is honestly slightly obnoxious in his dream telling. And his father is slightly obnoxious in showing off Joseph and his fine robe.
Which makes one feel a little sympathetic towards the 11 brothers and their feelings toward Joseph.
There are 2 brothers that VeggieTales overlooks somewhat (they do have limited time after all) is Reuben and Judah.
Initially the brothers plot to just kill Joseph and put him out of their lives. That wouldn't have gone along very well with God's plans or Joseph's dreams. I'm not sure what went through Reuben's head or heart that made him speak up, but he did. He convinced his brothers to throw Joseph in a pit, so that "he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father." (verse 22)
And then there is Judah. Oh Judah. His name is so similar to Judas, and he just wants to make money. Hey, Jude, we all think money is nice, but selling your own brother?! But he convinced his brothers to sell Joseph, to rip up the robe, and deceive their father further.
Not the greatest beginning to one of the greatest biblical stories, is it? A young man who has always been the favorite, now sold into slavery.
And yet, God has a plan. Joseph is a great Old Testament example of the New Testament proclamation found in Romans 8:28: 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[a] for those who are called according to his purpose.
While it isn't specifically mentioned in chapter 37, Joseph does love God. And God had a calling on his life. As we will see in the chapters following, God used all these things that could have harmed Joseph for good.
Tomorrow's scripture focus: Genesis 38
1 comment:
It's amazing to me how God is so powerful that He can use our sin to accomplish His purposes. Who would have ever thought that God would use this horrid event to put Joseph in the position to save Israel from the famine to come, which led to the fulfilment of the 400 year enslavement prophecy, which led to the Exodus, which led to..... and on and on and on. The sovereignty of God is so amazing!
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