January 14
Genesis 37:1-38:30; 1 Chronicles 2:3-6; 1 Chronicles 2:8; Genesis 39:1-23
Many know that evil exists, but we do our best to ignore it, drown it out, and go on as though it really isn't happening. There is a new short film titled, "Sing A Little Louder". It is the true story of an elderly man who recalls his younger years when he attended a church in Nazi Germany. Behind his church were railroad tracks in which every Sunday while the church service was taking place they would hear the train whistle blow, the trains creak, and the Jewish people who were on those trains screaming, crying, and pleading for someone to hear as they passed the church. For the most part these cries were ignored as the service continued. One day the train came to a stop directly behind the church. The sounds were so loud that no one could hear the pastor give his sermon. So he picked up the hymnal and began singing loudly, then encouraged the choir, and the congregants to do the same to drown out the voices behind the church. The movie is less than fifteen minutes long and is well worth your watching. Unfortunately, no one wanted to hear the voices of those going to the death camps. As horrible as that reality was, are we any more civilized now? How about the voices of the unborn babies in the womb of the nearly sixty million abortions which have transpired in our nation since it was legalized in 1973. How about the many voices, which most prefer not to think about, who have recently died of coronavirus all alone in hospitals and nursing homes with any and all loved ones barred from being there to assist and comfort them.
We come to the story of Joseph in our chronological journey through the Bible. Joseph, along with Daniel, though not perfect, aside from Jesus who is perfect, are two of the only characters in Scripture in which no wrongdoing is mentioned. Some find fault in his telling on his brothers for not working, but his robe indicated that he was placed in charge after Reuben forfeited his role as leader for sleeping with one of Jacob's wives (Genesis 35:22). Others find fault with the boldness with which he revealed his dreams to his family, but if God gives a vision, are we to withhold it or boldly proclaim it to others, no matter who it upsets? The narrative continues as Joseph is sent by his father to check on his brothers. He finds them in Dothan, which is around seventy miles from their home in Hebron. When his brothers see Joseph, who they hate due to his position, their father's favoritism towards him, and his dreams, they decide to seize him and throw him in an empty cistern to die. Besides the shock and physical injury, you can envision Joseph in that cistern screaming for help, crying, pleading for his life from his own brothers. It is easy to miss this, as we read the next verse in 37:25, "Then just as they were sitting down to eat,...". After assaulting and plotting to kill their own brother they sit down for a meal. You can imagine as Joseph's pleas rose in volume, they simply spoke louder to deafen his voice. We read Reuben's response who was not there when Joseph was sold as a slave to the traders in 37:29-30, "Some time later, Reuben returned to get Joseph out of the cistern. When he discovered that Joseph was missing, he tore his clothes in grief. Then he went back to his brothers and lamented, “The boy is gone! What will I do now?” Thinking only of himself, One thing that Reuben could have done was take off after the caravan and attempt to retrieve his brother. They then contrive a plan to present Joseph as dead to their father, being torn to pieces by an animal. Knowing the truth, we see the coldness of their response in 37:34-35, "Then Jacob tore his clothes and dressed himself in burlap. He mourned deeply for his son for a long time. His family all tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “I will go to my grave mourning for my son,” he would say, and then he would weep."
We will continue to see in the story of Joseph, that though it seemed like no one saw his plight, God never took His eyes off of him. The same is true now. We may be mistreated, falsely accused, ignored, etc., but though the world might choose to do this we serve a God who is ever watching over us. But humanity and society is not as "good" and benevolent as they like to appear. Evil is very much present, it is simply easier to pretend it isn't really happening if it doesn't directly affect us. Spending more time on social media and the news on television might make us aware of certain injustices, but always with a worldly slant. We have allowed voices to call good, evil; and evil good, as we read in Isaiah 5:20, "What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter." Why going through the entirety of Scripture is so important, is because God's voice is the only true voice. His voice as read through His Word should soften our consciences and open our eyes to the reality of our world. There is hope, but it does not rest in the next worldly leader. Our hope is a living hope, and it rests on the finished work of our Messiah, Jesus Christ, who paid for our sins and offers us eternity with Him in heaven, if we only see our sins for what they truly are and repent of them, then accept Jesus' offer of salvation.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: