Have you ever wondered why Moses allotted more space in Genesis for the Joseph story than for anyone else’s story? More than Abraham, of all people! Not what I’d have expected.
Is it because Moses saw in Joseph the early fulfillment of God’s covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? (Promises such as: “A very great and numerous nation will descend from you; all the nations will be blessed through you; kings will descend from you. I will give you the land of Canaan.”) Indeed, at the time when Moses wrote Genesis, the Israelites were already very numerous, and by God’s mighty miracles they had been delivered from bondage and were en route to the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Application? God always delivers on His promises!
Is it because the story of Joseph displays God’s sovereignty? No matter what came down the pike (jealousies, wickedness, famine, evil despots, human failure), God was accomplishing His plan. The takeaway? We can say with complete confidence whenever we find ourselves in Ishmael’s caravan, Potiphar’s service, or the dungeon of slander and false arrest, “Lord, You’ve got this!” Even when we can’t see any possible resolution to our crisis.
Is it because Moses wants to point us, through Joseph, to God’s gracious and forgiving nature? We marvel at Joseph’s willingness to forgive his brothers for their hatred of him and for all they had done to him. To forgive them before they had even asked leaves us speechless! Not an ounce of vindictiveness. We are truly moved by his compassion and generosity toward them. But a better than Joseph came to us at Christmas, didn’t He! The Lamb of God who takes away our sin!