Torah portion: Genesis 37:1-40:23

One thing that amazes me about the story of Joseph is just how much God was able to do with a life that kept on, apparently, going ‘wrong’. You name it, Joseph suffered it: but God worked through it to achieve His purposes - for Joseph and for many others.

A Disastrous Hand?

Genesis 37-40 covers Joseph’s early life, his being sold into Egyptian slavery, his ‘fall from grace’ while working for Potiphar and his spell in prison. But let’s work back, because we know the end of the story: eventually (though not in these chapters) Joseph is ‘resurrected’: brought out of prison, given lordship over all of Egypt and positioned perfectly by the God to save many people from famine, including his own family.

God could have found an easy way to orchestrate these things, but instead He allowed Joseph to be dealt a seemingly disastrous hand. It’s a story with which many can sympathise today: a ‘broken’ family with multiple marriages leading to children of different parentages co-existing unhappily together; bad behaviour, ‘toxic’ relationships and a father who showed favouritism. Some siblings stoking jealousy and rivalry; others trying their best to avoid conflict. Eventually, betrayal and parental heartbreak, compounded by lies.

If it were happening today, most of us would shake our heads and ask how someone with that kind of start in life could ever turn out well. But it gets worse: down in Egypt, Joseph ends up on the receiving end of false allegations of sexual misconduct. In a drama worthy of the #MeToo movement, it’s her word against his - and he ends up languishing indefinitely in prison.

Only God

Only God, in His manifold wisdom and grace, could take such a situation and work it to good ends. While vayeshev (the title of this Torah portion) refers to the first words of its first verse, ‘And he lived’ also stands as a victory statement for Joseph: he went through all this, and he lived! – and so did many others as a consequence. Indeed, Joseph could later say to his brothers: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Gen 50:20).

Furthermore, only God, in His manifold wisdom and grace, could orchestrate the story to foreshadow so beautifully the journey His own beloved Son would take, betrayed by His brothers, falsely accused and sold unjustly into captivity, even unto death. And He lived!, rising from the pit and saving countless lives – including, eventually, those of His brothers.

Only God, in His manifold wisdom and grace, can take our broken relationships, unwise decisions, experiences of injustice and rock-bottom moments, and somehow conform them to His good plans. There may be heartbreak on the way, perhaps sometimes avoidable, but ultimately “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28).

Oh, to get to the end and be able to rejoice: that all of life’s mistakes, trials, ‘misfortunes’ and attacks were overcome - even worked to God’s glory - and we lived!

Author: Frances Rabbitts