创世记

Meditative Reflection
All Things Work for Our Good

It is interesting that the author of Genesis repeatedly mentioned the fact that the Egyptians detested shepherds, and so the Hebrews. This is understandable because according to Egyptian history, they were constantly under the threat of nomadic tribes from the east which were far less cultured and sophisticated. Sarcastically, Pharaoh had now elevated not only one of these nomads, but a slave to rule over them, giving him almost absolute authority. Worst, a choice piece of land would be given to them, albeit they numbered only slightly over 70 people — a very small and insignificant number, so they thought.

However, as much as they submitted to Joseph’s supervision, they did not, because of him, mellow a bit when it came to discrimination against the Hebrews. Why then would God not change their attitude, so that the sons of Israel would have not only a new home for the next 430 years, but a harmonious relationship with the local people? Well, we can see how wise our God is in this matter.

The Egyptians worshipped many gods, and although Joseph was given an Egyptian wife, we can tell that when the Israelites left Egypt after 430 years, they were not tainted by the Egyptian culture and religion. Most Israelites appeared not to have Egyptian wives. This, in itself, was amazing, but it had much to do with the Egyptian’s discrimination against them and their desire not to associate with them socially.

Indeed, all things do work for the good of those who love God and in this case those whom God has chosen to call His own. (Rom. 8:28) Time and again in your life and mine, we can testify to similar experiences. We might wonder why although it was clearly God’s guidance that has led us into a situation, and yet not all was well. It is enough that we have the certainty that we are walking according to God’s will, and then we can trust God’s wisdom and intention that all things will definitely work for our good.

Meditative Reflection
Transformation is Possible

It is quite remarkable to see the hand of God transforming this dysfunctional family of Jacob through Joseph.

Jacob’s favoritism of Joseph has caused not only jealousy, but has likely led to the godless and violent lifestyle of his sons. If we were Jacob’s neighbors, we would probably forbid our children to be associated with the sons of Jacob. They were simply bad influences. In selling Joseph, I believe, they were not only trying to hurt Joseph, but their father. It was the ultimate payback for his total disregard for their well-being. In other words, there was no love lost between the sons and their father.

But as the story of Joseph progressed, God began to work on their conscience and eventually, they had come to confess their sins (Gen. 42:21). Now, they were not only brought to face their past sin before Joseph, they were put to the ultimate test of true repentance ― would they, once again, forsake their youngest brother whom they held the same jealousy against and hurt their father again.

If they had not repented, this would be the golden opportunity to get rid of Benjamin, because this Egyptian ruler (whom they had no idea was Joseph) held Benjamin alone responsible for the alleged crime of stealing the silver cup. Also, this would really be the ultimate revenge they could deal his father for all these years of neglect and favoritism.

But they had truly repented. This was why Judah, on behalf of all the brothers, offered themselves as slaves (44:16). What a transformation, the ones who formerly sold their brother as slave, were now willing to be slaves instead.

Furthermore, Judah, in his long speech, mentioned his father 14 times. He was pleading for the sake of his father. What a transformation! The ones who were bent on hurting their father, were now willing to protect their father from further hurt at all cost.

A once dysfunctional family was now gelling as one. If such a dysfunctional family as Jacob’s could, at last, be reconciled, there is hope in Christ for all dysfunctional families, “For He Himself is our peace who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…” (Eph. 2:14)

Meditative Reflection
Complete Forgiveness

As much as Judah, on behalf of all the brothers, pled their case with Joseph and in the process, manifested their transformation, their repentance was not complete. In front of Joseph, Judah never confessed what they did to him. He would only say, “His brother is dead.” (Gen. 44:20). Their mutual confession in 42:21 was not a direct confession to Joseph, because they thought he would not understand their language. And there is no mention at all in the Bible of their confession to Jacob about what they did to Joseph.

And yet, their awareness of their sin and their acts of repentance in not abandoning Benjamin and in caring for their father were enough for Joseph to completely forgive them. As deep as the hurt was to him, to the point where he wanted to completely wipe out these painful memories of the past, forgetting even his father’s household (41:51), Joseph was able to face this past head-on with a brand new perspective.

Because he was able to turn his focus from himself to God:

- he was able to turn from self-pity into pity for those who harmed him — “otherwise, you and you your household and all who belong to you will become destitute” (45:11);

- he was able to turn from his own agenda to that of God — “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God” (45:8);

- instead of seeing himself as a victim, he now can see himself as agent for God, even for His plan of salvation — “because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you” (45:5).

And when he told his brothers, “do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here,” I can see that his forgiveness was complete. He even really cared whether his brothers were able to forgive themselves.

Thirteen years of slavery, apart from being separated from the father who loved him deeply, he was defamed; he was imprisoned, without hope of freedom, without hope of returning home. The hurt was deep, the pain was real. As hatred continued to dominate his life, he was the most miserable person imprisoned not only by the jail, but by his own unforgiveness.

His first encounter with his brothers in Egypt was so sudden that perhaps he was not prepared to face the past which he thought he had buried. No one can really bury one’s past. It often surfaces at the most unexpected moment. It is only when we are willing to confront the past head-on and deal with it with total forgiveness that we are truly free. Joseph has successfully dealt with it by — facing it; bringing it before God; making sense of it from God’s angle; focusing on the blessings that have come out of the past; accepting it as from God’s hand; and giving thanks even for the painful past. As a result, he was able to turn from self-pity to pitying those who have offended him. This is the key to complete and genuine forgiveness.

Meditative Reflection
Wonderful Grace

As we reflect on how this dysfunctional family of Jacob was gradually taught to learn love and respect for one another, I invite you to reflect on the lyrics of this more contemporary song, the lyrics of which are very meaningful:

Wonderful grace
That gives what I don’t deserve
Pays me what Christ has earned
And lets me go free

Wonderful grace That gives me the time to change
Washes away the stain
That once covered me

And all that I have
I lay at the feet
Of the Wonderful Saviour who loves me

Wonderful love
That held in the face of death
Breathed, in it’s final breath
Forgiveness for me

Wonderful love
Who's power can break every chain
Giving us life again
Setting us free

And all that I have
I lay at the feet
Of the Wonderful Saviour who loves me

(By John Pantry)

Meditative Reflection
God Works in Mysterious Ways

In the Old Testament, whenever God’s children leave the Promised Land to go to Egypt or seek help from Egypt, it is seen as an act of lack of faith. Abraham left for Egypt because of a famine, and obviously he did so without consulting God. The result was a near disaster and a threat to the promise of God (Gen. 12:10ff). Fearing that Isaac might follow the footsteps of his father, God chose to appear to him and warned him from going into Egypt because of another famine (26:2). He was to “live in the land where I tell you to live.”

In subsequent history, it was the same. Even trying to seek help from Egypt was seen as an act of lack of faith (Isa. 30:2). And yet, the journey into Egypt of Jacob and his family was not only approved by God, it was engineered from start to finish by God. It was Jacob who was reluctant to go (and he might have learned his lesson from both Isaac and Abraham), and it took God’s appearance to him to assure him that it was okay for him to go, and the assurance that “I will surely bring you back again” (Gen. 46:4). In other words, Jacob’s move to Egypt was an act of faith and obedience.

I think the lesson for us is that we should not put God into a box. His ways are higher than ours and so are His thoughts (Isa. 55:9). Therefore we should not judge others so quickly when their action appear to be a faithless or presumptuous act. And for ourselves, of course we should not use “God’s will” as a guise to serve our own agenda. But when we have a clean heart and a genuine conviction that our vision or desire comes from God, we should be courageous enough to step out in faith, although others may not agree with us, and question our intention. William Carey is a good example in this respect. In spite of the mockery of more experienced churchmen, he obeyed God’s call to be a missionary to India.

Meditative Reflection
A Person of Integrity

Although the Bible paints a picture of complete trust and harmony between Pharaoh and Joseph, common sense tells us that given the Hebrew background of Joseph and the extremely high profile and power that he had attained, there would necessarily be Egyptians officials in the court waiting for opportunities to attack Joseph of some wrong doing and in particular smear his character. I am sure Joseph was well aware of this political power play. This is why we find Joseph taking great care in selecting only five of the brothers to see Pharaoh and coaching them in detail as to what to say to Pharaoh.

It is also obvious that Joseph was not only well aware of the Egyptian (including Pharaoh’s) despise of “all shepherds”, he might also be leery about how Pharaoh might react to the fact that his family’s occupation was that of shepherding. But instead of hiding this fact or using words that could have camouflaged their occupation, he wanted to be absolutely honest with Pharaoh. Moreover, he wanted his brothers not to lie to Pharaoh. Therefore, instead of coaching the brothers to lie, he coached them to tell the truth. He knew how deceptive his brothers could be. He did not want them to lie. He was a man of integrity.

It was exactly this quality, I am sure, that he gained the complete trust of Pharaoh.

Meditative Reflection
Our Pilgrimage

Hebrews 11 gives us insights into how the patriarchs viewed their lives on earth. As much as they, in general, lived much longer lives than you and I, Hebrews 11 tells us that they, in fact, lived as aliens and strangers on earth, and they all lived with the hope for the eternal city.

As we read the life of Jacob, we tend to exclude him from the Hall of Faith, because of how he lived a good part of his life in deceitfulness, not being a good model for his children. But towards the end of his life, as he was greeted by Pharaoh, surprisingly he expressed the same attitude of life as Abraham and Isaac as he used the word “pilgrimage” twice to describe his life: “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty…do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers” (Gen. 47:9). The word, pilgrimage, has the meaning of being awhile.

How did Jacob eventually come to embrace such an attitude of life? Perhaps, what he told Pharaoh has already given all of us a clue.

He described his years as few. A hundred and thirty years is not exactly a short time, not to mention he still had some years to go before he died. Perhaps, Jacob was not talking about his physical years of life on earth; rather he was referring to the number of years that was truly meaningful, years that truly contributed to the purpose of God in his life, and years that truly counted for the Kingdom of God in which he would receive his reward.

Yes, if this was what he referred to, then we could not help but agree with him.

He also described his years as difficult. Again, we would agree, except those years of his youth when he was pampered, carefree and lived under the godly example of his father Isaac who was totally loyal to his wife. In those days, it was rare. And by his own admission, he witnessed a father who feared the Lord (Gen. 31:42). But after he cheated his brother’s blessing from his father, everything went downhill from then on.

He fled and lived under the manipulation of his uncle, Laban for some twenty years (31:38). Those were difficult years in that he almost lived like a slave in status. His uncle basically owned him.

Yes, as he eventually cheated his way out of this manipulation of Laban, he lived as a free man with significant wealth. But wealth did not bring peace. His own life’s example, his inability to discipline his children and his blatant uncaring attitude toward all his children except those born by Rachel contributed to a family of strife, of violence and of immorality. There was no peace to speak of in his family and he only had himself to blame. He paid dearly for his mistakes with the loss of Joseph, the one he loved most. For some 22 years, he lived in mourning over the assumed loss of Joseph. Yes, most of his life was miserable, without peace and dominated only by strife. Were it not for Joseph and the “severe mercies” of God, his life would have continued to be difficult. But by God’s grace, through Joseph, his sons had repented and even learned to care about him. Even more importantly, through Joseph and the grace of God, he finally had come to trust in God and looked forward to the heavenly city. He now recognized this life as a pilgrimage.

I guess, it is true that: better late than never!