Finishing Genesis

I started reading the book of Genesis three years ago when I took a Bible study on the Pentateuch, the books of Moses. I missed the first meeting and the lesson about how the Israelites came to be in Egypt. I decided to get the whole story and started with the beginning of Genesis (redundancy is funny). Recently, I picked up where I left off so long ago, with the death of Rachel, and I finished the book in a few weeks.

Funny aside -- I had a friend at work who is Jewish and I recall him telling me about the play Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat. Being a Biblically illiterate Christian, I kept wondering why he was interested in the story of Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. Ohhh...different Joseph.

As you may know, Joseph was one of the sons of Jacob (Israel) and was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers for he was his father's favorite. What did I learn from Joseph's story?

• If God chooses to prosper you, you will prosper regardless of where you are -- even in jail.
• Bad things can happen to those God chooses to prosper, e.g. they can be thrown into jail for no wrongdoing on their part (e.g. the false accusations of the boss's lustful wife).
• People are fickle (pharoah restores the cupbearer but executes the baker).
• You must be patient (Joseph waited two more years in prison because the cupbearer forgot him despite his promise).
• Strange things happen and we don't know why but the Lord God is sovereign.
• Be glad in your prosperity and in your ability to help others and always realize it is because what God has done for you and not what you have done for yourself.

The story of Joseph is in Genesis Chapters 39 - 50.