The older will serve the younger . . .
The idea that the older will serve the younger is often demonstrated in the Bible. God has a way of taking the least likely people and placing them in leadership positions. I think it shows that He is in control and that He doesn’t follow the conventions of putting the “most likely to succeed” person in power.
Joseph, second youngest, is now almost the “patriarch” of the family. He demonstrates great amounts of mercy and forgiveness to his brothers and instructs them on what to do. He tells them to move to Egypt and how to do it and even tells them not to quarrel on their way back to their father! (Genesis 45:24).
It makes me think about two things for my life:
1. Are there ways that God wants to use me that may be unlikely or unexpected? Am I open to doing whatever He asks?
2. Are there people in my life who may be different or “less mature” that God wants to use in my life? Are there unlikely people that are supposed to speak into my life?
Hannah
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on November 14th, 2008 at 8:55 am
This is a really good point. So often in the Bible God chooses to use the most unqualified unlikely people to carry out a service to Himself.
He chose a man with a speech impediment to be his voice in front of Pharoah. He chose a cowardly wheat thresher to lead Israel’s army against the Midianites. He used leper’s to save the city of Samaria from famine. And He chose a motley crew of fisherman, a tax collector, a terrorist, and a corrupt accountant who would later betray Him. My speculation is that God uses the nobodies to demonstrate His power. And so that the glory will be His and not the persons. I think the moment we replace our humility in front of God with Pride in ourselves, thats when and where, God can no longer use us.
on November 14th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Yeah, God is pretty hard to figure out sometimes.
He does make the older serve the younger in this passage. And in yesterday’s passage we even see Judah pleading with Joseph to not keep Benjamin. This is the same Judah who had the idea to sell Joseph as a slave, and later slept with his own daughter in law.
But God chose Judah to be the ancestor of King David and of Jesus. That’s bizarre too!
At least we see Judah being responsible in protecting Benjamin in yesterday’s reading. Maybe he has matured a little.
on November 17th, 2008 at 8:43 am
Alan, It is amazing how God using weak men/women is all over the Bible! Thanks for putting out those references. What did you mean by the leper that saved Samaria? What story is that?
Richard, I am glad that you brought up Judah because I just keep thinking that over and over again. Joseph isn’t even part of the Messianic line. It is Judah! God works in mysterious ways.
Hannah
on November 19th, 2008 at 8:09 am
see 2 Kings chapters 6 and 7 for Samaria story
on November 19th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Oh, right. I remember the story now. I guess I never looked it at as the lepers saving Samaria from famine. But I think you are right that they did because if they didn’t go and check out the camp, the city may have just kept waiting and eventually died.
Thanks for the reference.
Hannah