September 16, 2012
“Joseph’s Precarious Path to ‘Providence’ ”
Genesis 37:1-28; & 50:15-21
Joseph was born to Rachel, the true love - favorite wife of Jacob, but only after many long years of childlessness. Immediately doting Jacob starts showing extra favor to young Joseph, even though he was younger than ten other sons, and in fact gave him an elevated status over them. Because of Jacob’s favoritism, Joseph was given a lavishly rich, multi-colored robe, that displayed openly the loving esteem his father had for him. It seemed Joseph could do no wrong in his father’s eyes, and was allowed to act with superiority, and tattle on any of his brother’s bad behaviors. Add to this, the seemingly grandiose dreams that Joseph received, interpreted, and bragged about - to his already peeved brothers, and you have a recipe for trouble. Father Jacob desired great things for his son, although he did question what the dreams meant - as to every one bowing down before Joseph. God also seems to be showing special interest in this younger son of Jacob.
Yet, our scripture narrative this morning ends on a bleak note. Because of his status, attitude, and dreams, Joseph is hated, to the point where the ten other brothers began plotting to kill him. Joseph nearly is murdered, but is spared when one of the brothers came up with the idea of selling him as slave to a caravan that happened to be passing by. This band of evil brothers take Joseph’s coat of many colors, smear it with blood, and make the false claim to their father - that he had been killed by wild animals. The fulfillment of Joseph’s dreams seems headed over a steep cliff. As we hear the story unfold, we wonder if Joseph will ever accomplish the dreams that God has given him. Hear our scripture text from Genesis 37:
If we read on in Genesis, we find that after Joseph was sold into slavery he lived his life faithfully, and became the lead servant/slave in Potiphar’s household. But then, he was falsely accused of assaulting Potiphar’s wife, who in a jealous rage uses another abandoned garment of privilege, conferred by Potiphar, to convince her husband to have Joseph thrown in prison. Despite this turn of events, Joseph lived his life faithfully in prison, earning the respect of the prison warden, who put Joseph in charge of the affairs of the prison. During his time there, Joseph was able to give two other prisoners interpretations of their troubling dreams. He did so, on the premise that they would remember him to Pharaoh when they got out. The days must have been disappointing and lengthy, as Joseph waited, looking up every time the door opened, in hopes that one of them had spoken well of him to Pharaoh. And yet, they had forgotten their promise, and Joseph languished for two long years, wondering if he would ever be free again.
As you can see, Joseph’s dreams were frustrated many times over, but that didn’t change the reality of God’s presence with him. It didn’t stop Joseph from clinging to hope, and doing what was right, nor did it change the fact that ultimately the dream would be realized. Finally, after two years of waiting, Joseph was at last remembered - and the prison door swung open. The reason: - Pharaoh had received two deeply troubling dreams, and couldn’t find anyone to interpret them. The royal cupbearer, hearing this, suddenly remembers Joseph’s ability to accurately interpret dreams, and on his say so Pharaoh called for Joseph. Pharaoh related to Joseph his mysterious dreams: ‘Seven ugly, thin cows came and gobbled up seven healthy, fat cows. And in the second dream, seven scorched, thin heads of grain ate up seven healthy, full heads of grain’. God enabled Joseph to rightly interpret the meaning of the dreams: - that there would be seven years of plenty, during which time it would be important to store grain and food, because that would be followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh recognized Joseph’s abilities, and not only freed him from prison, but made him to be the equivalent of Prime Minister over all of Egypt. However, it would be still another seven plus years before Joseph saw the reality of his own initial dreams come true.
The years of plenty passed, and then began the years of famine, wherein Joseph is the supreme administrator of Egypt’s version of Federal Emergency Management Administration. And then one day, when he least expected it, while he was attending to the affairs of keeping millions from starving, in walked ten men – from afar, bowing low to the ground, in hopes of purchasing food for their family. Joseph immediately recognized them as his brothers, the ones who forever altered his life by selling him into slavery. As the brother’s bowed down before him, he must have immediately remembered the dream about the sheaves of grain bowing down, and he realized that the God-sized dream was coming true. Because of Joseph’s faithfulness, he was used of God to provide salvation for Egypt, and for his own family during a life and death crisis. ROMANS 8:28 “…. God causes all things to work together for good - to those who love God…”
Do you ever think back over your life? Is there a once cherished dream that comes to mind? A vision for your life that hasn’t yet been realized? Have you faithfully entertained the hope of it becoming reality? Or, have you forgotten about God’s dreams for you? Between the dream dreamt, and the dream realized, life happens. Like Joseph, during the in-between time, we have the choice to sink into the pits of despondency, or to remain righteous, patient, and faithful in following God’s leading. Joseph knew the pits: his brother’s treachery, slavery, injustice, and prison. A lesser person would be tempted to forget the dream ever happened, or write them off as unrealistic fantasies.
Perhaps we prefer the smaller, human sized dreams - because they are safer, and easier to tackle. Those God-sized dreams are overwhelming, and so we find ways to set them aside for fear of failure. Instead, we should be pursuing the God-sized dreams, await their realization, and not settling for anything less.
If we read the concluding chapters of the Joseph story, Joseph comforts his frightened brothers, who fully expect him to exact revenge on them, after their father dies, and tells them not to worry, although what they did to him was a terrible evil, Joseph, the once self-promoting, spoiled, braggart, and bearer of tales, had through years of trial and testing ultimately come to know – in his words – “but God – meant it for good”. Providence had won the day. Joseph now sees - how the long circuitous route he endured, had all been for the best, and God had made those dreams of his youth come true, in a most amazing manner.
After some clever testing and intrigue Joseph sees a change in his brothers ways, and then reveals to them his true identity – with tears and embraces all around. The family of seventy are welcomed to Egypt, where they will flourish and become the large nation that had been originally promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Is there anything too hard for God? Can God bring about his purposes even though the way is long and hard? Notice how Genesis ends with brothers finally working through their differences and gaining a harmonious end. Joseph’s faithfulness and forgiveness are key in making God’s dreams and covenants become reality. An all important consideration in the narrative is the two words uttered by Joseph – “BUT GOD…” God’s providence trumps everything, and brings good out of evil. And this will not be the last time for such to happen!! So, Dream on, dream on, dream on! Amen.
Columbus
Behind - the Gates of Hercules;
Before him not the ghost of shores,
Before him only shoreless seas.
The good mate said: “Now must we pray,
For lo! the very stars are gone.
Brave Admiral, speak, what shall I say?”
“Why, say, ‘Sail on! sail on! and on!’”
“My men grow mutinous day by day;
My men grow ghastly wan and weak.”
The stout mate thought of home; a spray
Of salt wave washed his swarthy cheek.
“What shall I say, brave Admiral, say,
If we sight naught but seas at dawn?”
“Why, you shall say at break of day,
‘Sail on! sail on! sail on! and on!’”
They sailed and sailed, as winds might blow,
Until at last the weary mate said:
“Why, now not even God would know
Should I and all my men fall dead.
These wild winds forget their way,
For God from these dread seas is gone.
Now speak, brave Admiral, speak and say” –
He said: “Sail on! Sail on! And on!”
They sailed. They sailed. Then spoke the mate:
“This mad sea shows his teeth to-night.
He curls his lip, he lies in wait,
With lifted teeth, as if to bite!
Brave Admiral, say but one good word:
What shall we do when hope is gone?”
The words leapt like a leaping sword:
“Sail on! sail on! sail on! and on!”
Then, pale and worn, he kept his deck,
And peered through darkness. Ah, that night
Of all dark nights! And then a speck—
A-hoy! A-right! It’s land! All’s light!
It grew, like a starlit flag unfurled!
It grew to be Time’s burst of dawn.
He gained a world; he gave that world
Its grandest lesson: “On! sail on!” By Joaquin Miller
