The Goodness of God as a Mystery

Genesis 49

There are things in the Bible that I just don’t understand. God elevates the most unlikely people into positions of authority, but they may or may not be in the lineage of the Messiah. Take the line from Abraham through Joseph. Abraham’s faith was credited to him, in spite of his many failings, including impregnating his wife’s servant (Genesis 16) when he got impatient for God to fulfil his promise of an heir. Isaac, like his father, told a king that his wife was his sister. Jacob was a conniving second-born who managed to steal his older brother’s birthright and blessing (Genesis 25, 27). And then Jacob’s sons, who became the twelve tribes of Israel were all kinds of trouble, especially the sons of Leah, Biljah, and Zilpah (an unloved wife and two servant concubines: Genesis 29–30). Joseph and Benjamin, the sons of Jacob’s beloved, Rachel, were pampered and spoiled. Joseph was so cocky that he bragged about his dreams while parading around in a “coat of many colors” until his brothers had enough and sold him off as a slave, telling their father that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal (Genesis 37). Of all the brothers, Joseph found success in spite of his arrogance in youth and his servitude. Over time, he matured into a God-fearing man, trusted by the king of Egypt and made Prime Minister (Genesis 39–41).