This post was intended to be posted Friday, but as a writer you've gotta have a thrill for dramatics and what's more dramatic than a religious post on a Sunday. The Bible is filled with many characters that all go through many test. The only character that was perfect was Jesus, whichh adds to the human element that all people can enjoy and relate too. Without further ado let's jump into #5...........
Joseph (Not Jesus' Step Dad)
Ahhh another good story of half brothers in the Bible. Thankfully I don't have any half siblings, but one can only imagine the different thoughts that go through your head if you had to deal with a half sibling. Why does father treat me this way? Why does he treat so and so another way? Does it have anything to do with me? What about my mom? Confusion. Confusion. Confusion. The Bible leaves no figuring out that Joseph was his father's, Jacob, favorite son. Joseph had some things going for him, for one he was one of Rachel's sons, but he too was honest, faithful and thoughtful. His father Jacob loved him so that he gave him a long colorful cloak. This cloak was probably the first Ed Hardy fit, and yall know how crazy yall went off for those ugly colorful shirts back in 07 and 08; just imagine in 1800 BC what it was going for.
Of course Joseph was the talk of his brothers for the coat and they were jealous by it. Turns out Joseph's brothers did some bad things from time to time, and Joseph being an honest guy, snitched on them. As a sibling, and one that's been snitched on before, I'm sure we can definitely feel the anger these gentlemen had with their brother. On top of being a snitch Joseph was a guy who had weird dreams, all which came from God and just another annoying reason for his brothers to hate him. Well it's the Old Testament, so take that anger and multiply it by 3,000. They wanted to kill him, but thanks to his brothers Rueben and Judah, they selected a lighter option; beat him up, throw him in a pit, then sell him as a slave for 20 pieces of silver. His brothers killed a goat, dipped the jacket in blood, and tricked their father into believing that Joseph had died in the wilderness. Savage.
As for Joseph he was taken all the way into Egypt by the Ishmaelites and sold to an Army veteran named Potiphar. Joseph being the great guy he is, didn't take long becoming Potiphar's favorite and ended up being the head of estate, as far as slaves went. Joseph was so popular in Potiphar's house that even Potiphar's wife wanted a piece of Joseph. Of course Joseph turned her down, and just like any woman who has been denied the D, she lied and told her husband Joseph approached her. Potiphar was pissed, therefore throwing Joseph into prison.
In prison, similar to what happened in Potiphar's house, Joseph impressed the prison guards and became in charge of his fellow prisoners. Early in his time as a prison guard, Joseph ran across two servants from the house, two chefs, one in charge of wine the other in charge of bread. Upon the first night, both servants had dreams and Joseph was there to interepet. For the wine pourer, Joseph had great news, in three days he would be back in the house serving wine; for the bread maker, in three days he would be hung. Must've served those rocks for rolls they sometimes served us on Thursday's at LHS. In three days both situations happened, and the wine pourer was so excited to be free he forgot all about Joseph. Joseph spent another two years in prison until the Pharoah had a dream his self.
The pharaoh asked around to see who could tell of this dream, and the chief butler finally remember Joseph. Joseph was sent from prison immediately and was the Pharoah told him his dream. Joseph broke it down to the t, telling him that they'll be 7 years of feasting. 7 years of just absolute rich flowing blessings, but after those 7 years are up, there will be another 7 years where there won't be anything. No crops, no animals, just dry dirt. Joseph warned the king that in those 7 years he better put back and not enjoy it all. The Pharoah was impressed so that he appointed Joseph as lord of the lands and dressed him as a King.
Joseph stayed steady, was hands on with his new job, and led by example in the fields. The King even rewarded Joseph with a wife and had two sons. Those 7 years of good went by quicker than a snap from Thanos, and just like in life, some people did right by their food and some didn't. People came from all over to buy food from Joseph, and Joseph reserved so much he was selling it to them. Just like any good story people from the past showed up to test the character of our main character. Joseph's 10 brothers, the same 10 who sold him into slavery, are now begging their brother, who they did not recognize, to buy food. Joseph's humanism comes into affect as he accuses his brothers of being spies and throws them into prison. Joseph hears the sorrow in Rueben's voice and allowed 9 of the brothers to go home and kept Simeon. The brothers returned home and ate food, but their father was upset with them. For the second time they have travelled and did not return with one of his sons. So when the food ran out and they needed to go back to Egypt, but upon Joseph's request that all his brothers show. Their father Jacob was hesistant, but Judah, the same Judah that sold Jacob, ensured that all his brothers would return. Joseph sat them all down and ate with them when he saw that all 10 of them were there. He sat them down and ate and reavealed just who he was to his brothers.
Of course this was a happy ending, but here are the things that make Joseph one of my favorite characters in the Old Testament:
1. Unwavering faith: Beat up by his brothers, sold into slavery, lied on by Potiphar's wife, and thrown into prison. Had that been one of us we'd curse God and prayed that he'd kill us right then. Not Joseph he stayed steady to who he was and God continued to reward him.
2. He sought out vengenance, but didn't play God: How rewarding must it had been for Joseph to see his brothers that sold him into slavery, now begging for food from him. Even better they didn't recognize him, it had been 23 years. He got a chance to get some revenge on those guys, but he didn't harm them. Once again, I'm not sure I'd been so nice.
3. Importance of Family: Lastly, Joseph appreciated family. Growing up all those years without seeing his father, without being around his brothers, he realized how much he missed them, and blessed them in abundance when he sent them on their way. He made them bring his baby brother Benjamin, Rachel's last son, just to meet and see what he had become. Joseph forgave his brothers and did the right thing by his family.
Joseph (Not Jesus' Step Dad)
Ahhh another good story of half brothers in the Bible. Thankfully I don't have any half siblings, but one can only imagine the different thoughts that go through your head if you had to deal with a half sibling. Why does father treat me this way? Why does he treat so and so another way? Does it have anything to do with me? What about my mom? Confusion. Confusion. Confusion. The Bible leaves no figuring out that Joseph was his father's, Jacob, favorite son. Joseph had some things going for him, for one he was one of Rachel's sons, but he too was honest, faithful and thoughtful. His father Jacob loved him so that he gave him a long colorful cloak. This cloak was probably the first Ed Hardy fit, and yall know how crazy yall went off for those ugly colorful shirts back in 07 and 08; just imagine in 1800 BC what it was going for.
 |
| Cloak's this playa could strike some envy in me too! |
Of course Joseph was the talk of his brothers for the coat and they were jealous by it. Turns out Joseph's brothers did some bad things from time to time, and Joseph being an honest guy, snitched on them. As a sibling, and one that's been snitched on before, I'm sure we can definitely feel the anger these gentlemen had with their brother. On top of being a snitch Joseph was a guy who had weird dreams, all which came from God and just another annoying reason for his brothers to hate him. Well it's the Old Testament, so take that anger and multiply it by 3,000. They wanted to kill him, but thanks to his brothers Rueben and Judah, they selected a lighter option; beat him up, throw him in a pit, then sell him as a slave for 20 pieces of silver. His brothers killed a goat, dipped the jacket in blood, and tricked their father into believing that Joseph had died in the wilderness. Savage.
As for Joseph he was taken all the way into Egypt by the Ishmaelites and sold to an Army veteran named Potiphar. Joseph being the great guy he is, didn't take long becoming Potiphar's favorite and ended up being the head of estate, as far as slaves went. Joseph was so popular in Potiphar's house that even Potiphar's wife wanted a piece of Joseph. Of course Joseph turned her down, and just like any woman who has been denied the D, she lied and told her husband Joseph approached her. Potiphar was pissed, therefore throwing Joseph into prison.
 |
| Potiphar couldn't believe Joseph. |
In prison, similar to what happened in Potiphar's house, Joseph impressed the prison guards and became in charge of his fellow prisoners. Early in his time as a prison guard, Joseph ran across two servants from the house, two chefs, one in charge of wine the other in charge of bread. Upon the first night, both servants had dreams and Joseph was there to interepet. For the wine pourer, Joseph had great news, in three days he would be back in the house serving wine; for the bread maker, in three days he would be hung. Must've served those rocks for rolls they sometimes served us on Thursday's at LHS. In three days both situations happened, and the wine pourer was so excited to be free he forgot all about Joseph. Joseph spent another two years in prison until the Pharoah had a dream his self.
The pharaoh asked around to see who could tell of this dream, and the chief butler finally remember Joseph. Joseph was sent from prison immediately and was the Pharoah told him his dream. Joseph broke it down to the t, telling him that they'll be 7 years of feasting. 7 years of just absolute rich flowing blessings, but after those 7 years are up, there will be another 7 years where there won't be anything. No crops, no animals, just dry dirt. Joseph warned the king that in those 7 years he better put back and not enjoy it all. The Pharoah was impressed so that he appointed Joseph as lord of the lands and dressed him as a King.
Joseph stayed steady, was hands on with his new job, and led by example in the fields. The King even rewarded Joseph with a wife and had two sons. Those 7 years of good went by quicker than a snap from Thanos, and just like in life, some people did right by their food and some didn't. People came from all over to buy food from Joseph, and Joseph reserved so much he was selling it to them. Just like any good story people from the past showed up to test the character of our main character. Joseph's 10 brothers, the same 10 who sold him into slavery, are now begging their brother, who they did not recognize, to buy food. Joseph's humanism comes into affect as he accuses his brothers of being spies and throws them into prison. Joseph hears the sorrow in Rueben's voice and allowed 9 of the brothers to go home and kept Simeon. The brothers returned home and ate food, but their father was upset with them. For the second time they have travelled and did not return with one of his sons. So when the food ran out and they needed to go back to Egypt, but upon Joseph's request that all his brothers show. Their father Jacob was hesistant, but Judah, the same Judah that sold Jacob, ensured that all his brothers would return. Joseph sat them all down and ate with them when he saw that all 10 of them were there. He sat them down and ate and reavealed just who he was to his brothers.
Of course this was a happy ending, but here are the things that make Joseph one of my favorite characters in the Old Testament:
1. Unwavering faith: Beat up by his brothers, sold into slavery, lied on by Potiphar's wife, and thrown into prison. Had that been one of us we'd curse God and prayed that he'd kill us right then. Not Joseph he stayed steady to who he was and God continued to reward him.
2. He sought out vengenance, but didn't play God: How rewarding must it had been for Joseph to see his brothers that sold him into slavery, now begging for food from him. Even better they didn't recognize him, it had been 23 years. He got a chance to get some revenge on those guys, but he didn't harm them. Once again, I'm not sure I'd been so nice.
3. Importance of Family: Lastly, Joseph appreciated family. Growing up all those years without seeing his father, without being around his brothers, he realized how much he missed them, and blessed them in abundance when he sent them on their way. He made them bring his baby brother Benjamin, Rachel's last son, just to meet and see what he had become. Joseph forgave his brothers and did the right thing by his family.
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