The next phase in the Genesis
of Israel marked the beginning of their long-prophesied transition into the crucible
of Egypt. It had dawned on Abraham as a horror of darkness that portended 430
years of slavery and hardship under the Pharaohs.
The critical
bridgehead to that migration was the selling out of Rachel’s firstborn son and
Israel’s most favored offspring, Joseph. It’s a contradiction really, as Rachel
seems, reading between the lines, to have lost favor. Yet Joseph grew in favor.
Why Joseph?
The reason for his
favor is given as, “he was the son of Israel’s old age”, not that he was the
cherished son of Rachel. It led to obvious favor and a coat of many colors. It
also led to bitter resentment on the part of his brothers.
Undoubtedly he was an
exceptional young man and God had his hand on him, despite the fact that Judah
was the chosen route to Messiah.
To confirm his
spiritual pedigree, Joseph had some prophetic dreams, as had his father in the
preceding years. It was not a genetic trait, but a divine unction that
understandably favored Jacob and presumably did the same for Joseph, for the same
reason.
It is clear that both
men were sensitive to God.
The dreams foresaw a
day when the sheaves of his father and brothers would bow to him, duly
confirmed by a vision of the moon and eleven stars doing the same.
Israel rebuked Joseph
for his fancifulness, but the damage was done. When he went to visit his
brothers in the fields, they cast him into a pit. Reuben prevented his death,
but then they sold him to a caravan of Ishmaelites who took him down to Egypt.
It is ironic that the half
son of Abraham should play such a role. Whatever, having been cast down into a
pit, he went down, down, down, to reach the lowest point of his life.
Meanwhile, in Judah’s house …
Meanwhile, problems
were brewing in Judah’s household. Of his three sons, the first two dishonored
God and died. That left a widow, Tamar, and she was told to wait until the
third son, Shelah, was old enough to take her as his wife.
It is a very delicate
moment, for Judah carried the promised seed, the blessing of Abraham. From him
would arise the Lion of Judah, Jesus. That blessing was only conferred in
Genesis 49, but it spoke of a scepter that would not pass from his line.
Er, Judah’s firstborn
was wicked. But Onan dishonored his brother’s wife by spilling his seed on the ground,
a deep offence to the royal seed he carried. God cut them both off.
Thus, not for the first
time in history, the destiny of the Messianic thread hung in the balance. It
was as tenuous as ever. A frightfully delicate thing.
Well, sadly Shelah did
not do the right thing by her, but through no fault of his own. It was Judah
who failed her. Yet, she had some of that sense of Abraham’s blessing that
Jacob once had, and had her way with the help of some deceit.
Its a kind of shrewdness and persistence admired in scripture, because of the righteous motive and it recalls the words of Jesus, "Be as wise as serpents, but as gentle as doves". It also reminds of what a wise man said to me when I decried church politics. He said, "People are Politics".
Its a kind of shrewdness and persistence admired in scripture, because of the righteous motive and it recalls the words of Jesus, "Be as wise as serpents, but as gentle as doves". It also reminds of what a wise man said to me when I decried church politics. He said, "People are Politics".
Another righteous woman steps in
Playing the harlot she
got Judah to sleep with her. Thus she claimed his seed directly and sired twin
boys, but the firstborn received the scarlet thread that marked him as the
baton carrier of the royal seed that would ultimately climax with Jesus.
It almost cost her
life, until Judah realized that she had acted righteously in clinging to her
conjugal rights, as promised by Judah. Little is said of her, but she was
another astute woman who saw the light afar off and pushed in by faith.
Yet, with a name meaning "Palm Tree", she is a prophetic precursor to the King who would eventually ride into the great city of Jerusalem to die for our sins.
Her firstborn’s name
was Phares, meaning breech, because he pushed through to claim the
spoils of birth. It was a divine moment. As such, Phares appears in
both the genealogies of Christ.
The scarlet thread
The royal line thus “broke
through”, but intriguingly, the name of his brother, Zerah, added to the
prophetic drama – it meant dawning or the “rising of light”. He thus became a
herald for the coming messiah and is also mentioned in Christ’s lineage, though
not as a direct ascendant.
Given that John the
Baptist, cousin of Jesus, was the final herald of Messiah, is it possible that
he might also have descended from Zerah and thus from Tamar and Judah?
What a poignant
picture of that sacred thread and the way that God’s hand so carefully sifted
His son out of the complex threads of the Genesis story.
The background to that
was the unfolding drama of Joseph’s life, his betrayal and descent into Egypt,
which foreshadowed the coming redeemer. He was also led into Egypt, to escape
Herod, but returned to be lifted up before Jacob, as the great redeemer.
Where do you fit into all of this
Although the story has
such significance, there is a Shakespearean irony to it that emerges from the
seemingly mundane, almost dubious background of an obscure story. Obscure it
may have been, but what a difference it made.
Never underestimate
the value of a faith that pushes in and lays claim to our collective heritage.
Don’t let anyone deny your place in the unfolding drama of the greatest story
ever told. You have a place in that if you will fight for it.
It may be a small
part, but never let such that belie the significance that will follow. Never
despise small beginnings and always trust God to add the increase to your
limited inputs, your small basket of fish and bread, for He will multiply your
faithfulness.
(c) Peter Missing @ bethelstone.com
