I was reading Joseph's story to my wife and sons as we were trying to teach them about doing a good job, no matter what job you are doing or the circumstance you are in, and the benefits of doing a good job. We ran across this verse and picked up on something I hadn't before.
Genesis 39:
1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there.
Having read this story many times, I had always missed that it was Ishmaelites who had taken Joseph to sell him into slavery. Since Isaac was Joseph's grandfather, these Ishmaelites were very likely his 2nd cousins. This led me to thinking about Abraham and the reason Ishmael was born in the first place. If Ishmael was not born, then Joseph may never have been sold into slavery in Egypt, which means Joseph doesn't become governor of Egypt, which means the famine kills so many people in Egypt and possibly Joseph's family, and the Israelites never get to Egypt to eventually become slaves, and Moses and the Ten Commandments never come to fruition.
Amazing the things God can use to work His plans! Our mistakes and even our rebellion can be used for our own good to bring about what we need. Hardship is not the end of our story.
Genesis 50:
20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.
Genesis 39:
1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there.
Having read this story many times, I had always missed that it was Ishmaelites who had taken Joseph to sell him into slavery. Since Isaac was Joseph's grandfather, these Ishmaelites were very likely his 2nd cousins. This led me to thinking about Abraham and the reason Ishmael was born in the first place. If Ishmael was not born, then Joseph may never have been sold into slavery in Egypt, which means Joseph doesn't become governor of Egypt, which means the famine kills so many people in Egypt and possibly Joseph's family, and the Israelites never get to Egypt to eventually become slaves, and Moses and the Ten Commandments never come to fruition.
Amazing the things God can use to work His plans! Our mistakes and even our rebellion can be used for our own good to bring about what we need. Hardship is not the end of our story.
Genesis 50:
20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.