Gen 37:17-24 | KingComments | STEP | Although “Israel” ( ) knows his sons, he sends Joseph, the son of his love, to his brothers. This proves that Jacob does not neglect his other sons in favor of Joseph. Here too we see a beautiful picture of the Father Who sends His Son. As Joseph says, if his father wants to send him, “Behold, here I am”, the Lord Jesus says at His coming into the world, “Behold, I have come … To do Your will, O God” ( ). Jacob is concerned about the welfare of his sons and also about the welfare of the flock ( ). Thus God is concerned about the welfare of His people and His creatures. Jacob thinks his sons are in Shechem. When Joseph comes there, he cannot find them. Then he meets a man who asks him what he is looking for. Joseph gives the wonderful answer: “I am looking for my brothers.” Joseph knows his brothers aren’t considering him as such, but he sees them that way. Thus the Lord Jesus also came to “His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him” ( ). The man tells him where he can find his brothers. Then Joseph goes there. His obedience goes beyond what his father told him to do. He could have gone back with the announcement that he did not find his brothers at the place Jacob sent him to. Of course God knows the condition of His people when He sends His Son. The Son’s obedience did not go beyond what the Father asked of Him, for the Son acted in all things out of obedience to the Father. During His life on earth He does nothing more and nothing less than to be perfectly and fully obedient. He cannot do otherwise, for it is His food to do the will of Him Who has sent Him ( ). In His obedience is no gradation.

‏ Genesis 37:17-24

Jacob Sends Joseph to His Brothers

Although “Israel” (Gen 37:13) knows his sons, he sends Joseph, the son of his love, to his brothers. This proves that Jacob does not neglect his other sons in favor of Joseph. Here too we see a beautiful picture of the Father Who sends His Son. As Joseph says, if his father wants to send him, “Behold, here I am”, the Lord Jesus says at His coming into the world, “Behold, I have come … To do Your will, O God” (Heb 10:7 ; 9). Jacob is concerned about the welfare of his sons and also about the welfare of the flock (Pro 12:10). Thus God is concerned about the welfare of His people and His creatures.

Jacob thinks his sons are in Shechem. When Joseph comes there, he cannot find them. Then he meets a man who asks him what he is looking for. Joseph gives the wonderful answer: “I am looking for my brothers.” Joseph knows his brothers aren’t considering him as such, but he sees them that way. Thus the Lord Jesus also came to “His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him” (Jn 1:11).

The man tells him where he can find his brothers. Then Joseph goes there. His obedience goes beyond what his father told him to do. He could have gone back with the announcement that he did not find his brothers at the place Jacob sent him to.

Of course God knows the condition of His people when He sends His Son. The Son’s obedience did not go beyond what the Father asked of Him, for the Son acted in all things out of obedience to the Father. During His life on earth He does nothing more and nothing less than to be perfectly and fully obedient. He cannot do otherwise, for it is His food to do the will of Him Who has sent Him (Jn 4:34). In His obedience is no gradation.

The Plan to Kill Joseph

When the brothers see Joseph coming, they immediately think of his dreams. These dreams are also the reason for their murder plans. They want to do everything they can to prevent their brother’s dreams from coming true. They want to kill him especially because he has said they will bow before him. And they never want that! In the same way, the Lord Jesus has been consciously killed because He will rule as heir, and that is what the leaders themselves want to do (Mt 21:38). “Men of bloodshed hate the blameless” (Pro 29:10a).

In the consultation there is still a protest through Reuben. Likewise, there is a Nicodemus who objects to the course of events concerning the condemnation of the Lord Jesus (Jn 7:50-51). With his proposal, Reuben prevents the murder of Joseph.

Joseph Rejected and Sold

Joseph is thrown into the pit. They do not care about the distress of their brother’s soul and his pleading for mercy (Gen 42:21). The coldness of their hearts becomes clear when they sit down and eat after this act. The thought that they are free from his possible rule provides them with peace and joy (cf. Rev 11:10).

The prophet Amos also refers in his prophecy to what the brothers are doing here. He uses their example to denounce the attitude of the people toward God. He does not use a soft language: “Who drink wine from sacrificial bowls while they anoint themselves with the finest of oils, yet they have not grieved over the ruin of Joseph” (Amos 6:6).

Amos points out with these words that, while Israel sighs under the consequences of sin, its inhabitants surrender to carelessness, lust and indolence. All the gifts God has given them, they use for themselves. The pursuit of one’s own pleasure causes the situation among God’s people to be pushed into the background. Israel is in need, the greatest need being that the people do not see their need. It laughs and dances to its downfall.

Also today, Christians are indifferent to how the whole church is fragmented into countless pieces. It is even justified by terms such as “the multicolored nature of God”. The pursuit of our own convenience makes us insensitive to the decline in the church and the divisions that exist.

When Ishmaelites come, Judah proposes to sell Joseph. The Ishmaelites are descendants of Abraham via Hagar (Gen 16:15). The Midianites are descendants of Abraham via Ketura (Gen 25:1-2). The brothers sell Joseph to related merchants. They sell him for even less money than a slave is worth (Exo 21:32). This is where the Judas spirit comes to the fore, which the Lord Jesus has handed down for money (Mt 26:14-16).

Reuben has stipulated that Joseph is not killed, but thrown into a pit. With this he thinks he rescued Joseph’s life, because he wants to take him out of it later and bring him back to his father. He will have been absent for a moment when the other brothers sell Joseph. When he discovers that Joseph has been sold, he desperately tears his garments and blames his brothers for making his life unbearable. Here we see that inventors of evil follow their own plans and do not take any account of each other.