Our Lives Then and Now; Joseph and his Dreams…
As I read the Old Testament word-by-word, chapter-by-chapter some of it seems familiar to me. Some of the phrases which are unfamiliar to me ring true because they make sense plain and simple. Kind of like that visit to Williamsburg when I was humorously characterized by the reply “what, are you a people of the wilderness?”
The days of Isaac were 180 years and “being spent with age” he died. Are we spent with life? All used up and consumed? Reminds me of one of my first experiences with the old timers working in the refinery as a very young man. Their hypothesis was to smoke, drink, and live life to its fullest. Why die with good lungs and a good liver when your heart gives out? This was before donating organs was as widespread as it is now.
Don’t we all want to live out the fullness of life? Experience every experience possible? But the reality is of course we cannot. We don’t live 180 years any more like Isaac did. We can try to do as much as possible—travel, see our favorite entertainment, and meet as many people as possible to get a sense of our time, our world. The reality is our time is very short on this earth and since we don’t generally really realize the enormity of that reality until we are in our 50s, our time alive is even shorter. Better to find Jesus in your heart and trust in the Lord that what he directs and you seek will be a fulfillment of your life.
There were dukes and tribes and “the name of the city was his.” Numerous little kingdoms with lots of sheep. Some folks had God’s blessings and many did not.
The old adage to “not do something in private that you would be ashamed of if it was made public” ruled even back then. A semen-stained blue dress now was a ring, bracelet, and staff back then. “By the man, to whom these things belong, I am with child. See whose ring, and bracelet, and staff this is.”
The story of Joseph begins to unfold in Matthew Chapter 37: Joseph is hated by his brothers; Joseph dreams; Joseph is sent to his brothers; Joseph’s brothers conspire; Joseph is sold into slavery; Joseph’s father Jacob (Israel) mourns for him; Joseph is sold to Putiphar; Joseph prospers; Joseph resists temptation; Joseph is cast into prison; Joseph advances in prison; Joseph interprets the butler’s dream; Joseph interprets the baker’s dream… to be continued as I cannot read, pray and interpret all of Matthew in one day!
We all have dreamed dreams and there is nobody to interpret them to us. Joseph did so for the butler and the baker while in prison. Who is interpreting your dreams? The butler was forgiven by Pharoa while the baker was beheaded. Go figure. Stay tune for more interpretation by Jesus. In your life and in the Bible.
God speaks in the Old Testament, Jesus speaks in the New Testament and today The Holy Spirit speaks in every one of us.
Day 3: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Our Lives Then and Now; Joseph and his Dreams…
Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis Chapters 35-40
Bible Notes:
Genesis, the genesis or origin of the world, the history of Creation.
Noe and the Deluge, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph
Closes with the deaths of Jacob and of Joseph in Egypt, whither Joseph had called his father and brothers.
Genesis Chapter 35: Jacob purges his household of idols; Jacob builds an altar at Bethel; Death of Debora; God blesses Jacob; Rachel bears Benjamin and dies; The sons of Jacob; Isaac’s age and death;
Make there an altar to God: who heard me in the day of my affliction, and accompanied me in my journey.
Cast away the strange gods that are among you, and be cleansed and change your garments.
The terror of God.
Thou shalt not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name.
And the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give to thee, and to thy seed after them.
The sons of Jacob were twelve (by four wives—Lia, Rachel, Bala (Rachel’s handmaid), and Zelpha (Lia’s handmaid).
The days of Isaac were 180 years and being spent with age he died.
Genesis Chapter 36: Esau’s wives; Esau dwells in mount Seir; Generations of Esau; Generations of Seir; Kings of Edom; Dukes of Edom;
Departed from brother Jacob, they were exceedingly rich, multitude of their flocks, land unable to bear them both.
These were dukes of the sons of Esau. (Duke definition—a male holding the highest hereditary title in the British and certain other peerages). Duke definition as used in the bible—derived from the Latin dux, meaning “a leader;” Arabic, “a sheik.” This word is used to denote the phylarch or chief of a tribe.
Kings of Edom, before the children of Israel had a king.
And the name of his city was…
Dwelling in the land of their government…
Genesis Chapter 37: Joseph is hated by his brothers; Jesus dreams; Joseph is sent to his brothers; Conspiracy of Joseph’s brothers; Joseph is sold into slavery; Jacob mourns for Joseph; Joseph sold to Putiphar.
Joseph was 16 years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren… and he accused his brethren to his father of a most wicked crime.
Jacob/Israel made Joseph a coat of divers colors.
Behold the dreamer cometh; they thought to kill him.
Do not take away his life, nor shed his blood: but cast him into this pit.
Sold Joseph to the Ismaelites for 20 pieces of silver.
It is my son’s coat, an evil wild beast hath eaten him, a beast hath devoured Joseph.
Genesis Chapter 38: Sons of Juda; Widowhood of Thamar; Sin of Onan; Thamar’s Deceit; Juda sends his shepherd to find Thamar; Juda forgives Thamar; Birth of Phares and Zara.
Onan spilled his seed upon the ground… and therefore the Lord slew him, because he did a detestable thing.
Surely she cannot charge us with a lie.
By the man, to whom these things belong, I am with child. See whose ring, and bracelet, and staff this is.
Genesis Chapter 39: Joseph prospers; Joseph resists temptation; Joseph is cast into prison; Joseph advances in prison.
The Lord was with Joseph.
But thee, who art his wife: how then can I do this wicked thing, and sin against my God?
And he refused the adultery.
The Hebrew servant Joseph was cast into prison.
Genesis Chapter 40: Pharao’s butler and baker; Joseph interprets the butler’s dream; Joseph interprets the baker’s dream;
We have dreamed a dream and there is nobody to interpret it to us.
Joseph: Doth not interpretation belong to God? Tell me what you have dreamed.
Butler forgiven by Pharoa; baker beheaded by Pharoa.
The butler forgot his interpreter Joseph.
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