| Subject: Genesis 37 vss 25-30 Post 180 |
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Hillbilly
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Date Posted: 19:45:52 01/23/12 Mon
Genesis 37:25-30 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. 26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? 27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. 28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt. 29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. 30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?
The callousness of Joseph's brothers is seen in their sitting down to eat while Joseph is left to ponder his fate. I believe the initial intent of most of the brothers was to abandon him there and let him die of thirst and starvation. As they were eating they spotted a caravan of Ishmeelite traders coming toward them and Judah hatches the plan to sell him to the Ishmaelites. Whether Judah was doing it to prevent Joseph's death we don't know but his statement to the effect he was their brother and their flesh shows it wasn't all together to his liking. The transaction is made for 20 pieces of silver and the Joseph is sold as a slave. Reuben is more than likely out with the flocks and away from camp at the time of this dealing because he returns to the pit not knowing Joseph was already gone. When he goes to the pit, possibly to release Joseph, he finds him gone. Reuben rends his clothes in sorrow, shame and fear as he realizes what has happened.
The selling of Joseph has parallels to the selling of Jesus. Joseph was sold for silver and Jesus was sold for silver. Joseph brought 20 pieces of silver while Jesus brought 30. We don't know how much profit the Ishmaelites got when they sold Joseph to Potiphar in Egypt.
The selling of Joseph was the result of betrayal as was the selling of Jesus. Judas hatched the plan to sell Jesus and Judah hatched the plan to sell Joseph. Judah in the Old Testament is the same as Judas in the New Testament.
Judas showed repentance and remorse for what he had done. Reuben showed remorse and repentance for what had taken place. It was Reuben who had come up with the idea to put him in the pit as it was Judas who came up with the idea to turn Jesus over to the priests. Neither wanted what happened to take place. Matthew 27:3-4 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
Had Judas known Jesus would be condemned to die he might not have sold Jesus. Had Reuben known Joseph was going to be sold he might never have put him in the pit. Actions have consequences and these actions both had stupendous consequences. The act of Judas led to the redemption of millions upon millions of people. The actions of Reuben and his brothers saved the household of Jacob from loss of everything in the coming famine.
As mentioned before. Types, shadows and allegories are never perfect representations of the true. They are imperfect just as a shadow cast by light against an object never portrays a perfect image of what is being illuminated. What we see are amazing similarities in the life of Joseph and his brethren that cannot be accidental. What is being carried out unintended by these actors on the stage of their lives is in actuality movements initiated by the unseen Spirit of God. As Joseph will say to his brothers when it is over is: "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." (Genesis 50:20 )
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