GENESIS: Snoopy's Short & Snappy Review

[unsafe]

I don't see Joseph acting on specific instructions from Pharoah. He seems to function quite independently as Pharoah's administrator. He knows what side his bread is buttered on as I suggested a few days ago.

The arrangement seems to suit both of them just fine.

Well that may be your opinion ----

But this clears it up ====in my view --

Genesis 41:46

New International Version​

46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt.

Joseph was serving Pharaoh and did what pleased his Boss ---the same as what we would do when we enter the service of our jobs ---Please the Boss ----

 

[paradox3]

Yes I agree that Joseph was serving Pharoah. I just don't think he was totally lacking in agency or the ability to make his own decisions.

He likely couldn't have done his own thing to any great degree without offending Pharoah, though. And he was too shrewd for that.

We see no indication his conscience bothered him when he enslaved the Egyptians.

So we might be saying almost the same thing here.

 

[paradox3]

Good morning All.

We have come to the end of Genesis. At 50 chapters it is the second longest book of the bible.

My purpose in reading it was to better understand the Jewish roots of our faith. This will be an ongoing process.

I believe it to be largely mythological but I don't rule out historical elements. We really can't know how much actual history Genesis contains. What does it tell us about God? What does it tell us about our spiritual ancestors? Both of these questions are worth pondering.

Many of the stories were taught to me in my Sunday School days but much of the material was unfamiliar. I expected to find polygamy and some trickery. But I was surprised by the extent of the deception and rivalry. Ditto for murder and incest. Who knew Genesis had a sexual assault and also a false accusation of rape?

There are a few themes that will later appear in the NT:
Love, forgiveness and reconciliation.
The numbers 40 and 70.
Three special visitors
Angels
Worship of God. Altars.
12 tribes/ 12 disciples
And probably more.

God uses imperfect people to achieve God's purposes. Good can come out of surprisingly terrible circumstances. These are two takeaways from Genesis.

Thanks very much to everyone who has participated in the discussion. It has been fun and worthwhile. More to follow.
P3/ Snoopy

 

[Waterfall]

Thank you very much for being the worthy host for this most interesting thread. Very much appreciated and I feel I have learned many new insights. Well done!

 

[unsafe]

God uses imperfect people to achieve God's purposes. Good can come out of surprisingly terrible circumstances. These are two takeaways from Genesis.

It is not about us fixing the circumstances we face -

It is about the circumstances fixing us -----bringing us to the realization that we learn though our troubles and that when we are close to God he never leaves us but Gently brings us to the right end -----

To me that is what Genesis teaches ------

 

[unsafe]

Thank you very much for being the worthy host for this most interesting thread. Very much appreciated and I feel I have learned many new insights. Well done!

And I second that ----great job ! paradox3

 

[Mendalla]

Yeah, this was excellent. Sorry my participation tailed off near the end. Life got in the way.

 

[Mystic]

Joseph to his brothers: "Even though you intended it for harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people (50:20)."

Notice that divine foreknowledge precedes predestination:

"For those whom He [God] foreknew He also predestined (Romans 8:28)."

Transcending time, God foreknows all the ways we will abuse our free will and fits this into His plan. God is like the Chess Grandmaster playing a novice. The novice is free to make any moves he/she wants, but God' mastery of the game of life allows Him to ultimately accomplish His desired result.

The movements of Jacob and his family clan neatly mirror what archaeologists have discovered about the movements of ancient Israelites in this period.
Beyond that, the question of how historically accurate this story is will be determined by questions like whether one is willing to accept the biblical claims of God's revelation in history.