When God seems weird and convoluting

Joseph’s brothers were really scared, because with their Dad now dead and buried back in Canaan, “What if,” they worried, “Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” Genesis 50:15.

Joseph had done some pretty strange things to them already too, like threatening them with death for spying (with no proof), demanding they bring their youngest brother to him or Simeon would remain in jail, craftily having their silver put back in their packs so they could be accused of stealing, and then having Joseph’s own special silver cup hidden in Benjamin’s sack so they could be accused of “repaying good with evil” and being “wicked” (44:4-5). “Perhaps (though),” was Jacob’s reaction when he heard his sons’ weird and sorry tale, “it was all (just one huge) mistake” (43:12)

On the other hand, perhaps it wasn’t a mistake, because in Genesis 42:18 Joseph told his brothers: “Do this and you will live, for I fear God.” In other words, “Do as I say because I believe God’s up to something,” which suggests God was actually inspiring Joseph to do all these strange things, and Joseph knew it, but it didn’t bother him. 

And, fortunately, he gives us the reason why it didn’t bother him. It’s on the occasion when his brothers, now deeply worried what Joseph might do to them now their Dad was dead, had thrown themselves at Joseph’s feet offering themselves as his slaves (50:18). And Joseph says in reply, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?” (19). In other words, “You’ve got nothing to fear from me, because I’m not the one deciding things here.” So, “Yes,” verse 20, “you intended to harm me, BUT God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” 

So all these strange things Joseph had been doing were God’s way of doing a lot of good for a lot of people. And clearly Joseph had no trouble with it, and nor did his steward, who way back in Genesis 43:23 had also told Joseph’s brothers, “It’s all right, don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father….” – HE’s the one behind all this. 

Weird and convoluting God may seem to be, then – perhaps in our own lives too – but it didn’t bother Joseph: God knew what he was doing so he didn’t need to. And that freed up Joseph to be “Able to love the unlovable”….(next blog)