Jacob's Caravan (Genesis 46)

Jacob immediately packs up the whole family and hits the road for Egypt. On the way there, God visits his dreams. Mostly, God just showed up to reassure Israel that he’s doing the right thing, that the family will be in Egypt for a while, and that Joseph will in fact be there to lay Israel/Jacob to rest when that day comes. And the entire family goes, and gets listed through some future generations that aren’t even physically on the trip, like little Benjamin’s progeny. After the long list of names, Israel sends Judah on ahead to meet up with Joseph in Goshen. When everyone else joins them, Jacob falls upon Joseph and they have a good cry together. Israel even goes so far as to say that he “can die now, having seen for [himself] that you are still alive” (46:30) Before Joseph leaves again to tell Pharaoh that the family has arrived, he makes sure that his family knows to say that they’re shepherds if they’re asked about their profession.  Seems a little weird to me, seeing as, well, they are shepherds…

<3 Agnostic in the Pews

Sokath, His Eyes Opened (Genesis 45)

We went to commercial right after Judah gave one seriously passionate speech to let all the brothers return home and therefore save the sanity of their dear beloved father. Now, having heard this, Joseph, overcome with emotion, sends his Egyptian attendants from the room. He just couldn’t take it anymore, and he confesses who he really is to his brothers. Greeted by stunned silence, he reiterates his identity. This time he adds in the joyful little reminder that they sold him into slavery. Oh, but don’t worry. He’s not actually mad about it anymore.  It was all part of God’s plan for his brothers to be awful human beings… And as a result, now his brothers will be rewarded by being able to bring the whole family to the fatted calf that is Egypt in the midst of the famine. I want to point out that Joseph makes all these promises to his brothers before checking in with Pharaoh. Luckily, Pharaoh makes pretty much all of the same promises without any apparent suggestions from the peanut gallery. The brothers depart to gather everyone, and tell Jacob that Joseph is still alive.  After the shock wears off, Jacob decides that he just simply must go see Joseph with his own two eyes.

So this is the first time that I’ve seen someone refer to God having a plan for his life without it being explicitly spelled out by God ahead of time. There’s a trust level that’s been built up at this point, and a lot of assuming, and a desire for comfort in times that make absolutely no sense. I get that. People need to know that there’s a reason for the crappy things that happen in the world and to them. If they believe that it’s God’s all encompassing plan for life, it would be comforting in the face of the senseless things that happen in the world. Violence, war, sickness, being sold into slavery by your brothers… I don’t know about all of that. I think sometimes, shit just hits the fan. Human beings have free will, and while an omniscient God would be able to account for the choices that the humans are going to make, or the natural actions set in motion from the beginning of everything, the way God’s plan is discussed most of the time makes it sound like God was whispering in the ears of Joseph’s brothers to be awful to him. Or that God plans for a small child to get cancer and die before even getting to really live. So that… what? Another small child will get cured of the same cancer a hundred years from now and becomes a president? I still don’t see how that’s comforting.

<3 Agnostic in the Pews

They Never Saw It Coming (Genesis 44)

After the big party, the brothers will be getting ready to head home with all the most recently purchased grain. Joseph, however, still has some embarrassing and revenge taking to do. He tells his steward to hide Joseph’s own silver cup in Benjamin’s grain, as well as putting all of the brothers’ money in with the grain. Then, the steward is to follow them out of town, overtake them, and accuse them of stealing it all. The steward does exactly as he’s told, and obviously the brothers are the most confused. They all resent the accusation and begin unpacking their bags one by one, starting with the oldest, to prove their innocence. The suspense must have been palpable. When Benjamin opens his, the cup is finally found, and everyone goes back to the city.

Joseph, the true perpetrator, again accuses his brothers. Don’t they know how important this silver cup is? He uses it for divination and everything! (Actually, it’s kind of a big deal… and by kind of, I mean it’s a huge deal) Judah speaks up, asking what they can do to redeem themselves and go home. Joseph tells them that everyone is free to go, except Benjamin, who has to stay and be a slave. Hm… youngest brother as a slave… Well played Joseph. Well played.

Judah can’t abide this. In fact, he’s had enough of all of these games it would seem. He gives a long impassioned speech detailing everything they’ve had to deal with since the start of the Joseph revenge escapades, and the hardship it has put upon them and their father, who’s heart is strained by the separation with Benjamin because Israel has already lost a youngest son, and he fears to lose a second.

I wonder what this could possibly be building to…

<3 Agnostic in the Pews