September 12th, 2020

It should not be too surprising that a gospel text from the Gospel according to Matthew takes us again, with its close connection to the Old Testament, to the very first book of the Bible for the Old Testament reading. What IS surprising is that this time, the text is part of the very last chapter [Genesis 50:15-21]. This text actually can come up twice within the three-year series (the next time near the very beginning of the Pentecost season in year C), but this is the very last reading from the book of Genesis. There are only a few more verses, and then there is the end to this important and foundational book.

How a movie ends is important, and how a book ends is important as well, and this is true even in ancient times. At the ends of a few books in the Old Testament, there is still something that has not been resolved. Even the Old Testament itself does that with the book of Malachi and the promise of a coming messenger who will prepare the way for the LORD (Malachi 3:1).

The story of Joseph has been the focus for many chapters near the end of the book of Genesis. And those details are a good reminder of how the LORD is able to turn things around. Joseph went from being in prison to being the second-most powerful person in the very powerful country of Egypt.

The entire structure of Genesis may be based on how God turns things around. Previously in the book, when God remembered someone, something significantly good happened after that. But now Joseph is on the scene, and the text says that when Joseph ‘remembered the dreams that he dreamt, and he said to his brothers, “You are spies (42:9)!”’ That remembering falls significantly short, especially when compared to God’s remembering.

So where does the end of the book of Genesis lead us? Do we focus on God? On Joseph? There are some things in the biblical text that lead us to a better answer than either of those choices.

I think I have mentioned this before—and I owe it to the Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler of The Lutheran Hour for pointing this out—that there are four mentions of the LORD being WITH Joseph within the details of that story. Here are some literal translations of those mentions:

Genesis 39:2 And Yahweh was with Joseph, and he was a prospering man….

Genesis 39:3 And his master saw that Yahweh was with him, and all that he was doing, Yahweh was prospering him in his hand.

Genesis 39:21 But Yahweh was with Joseph, and he showed to him kindness….

Genesis 39:23b … Yahweh was with him, and whatever he was doing, Yahweh was prospering him.

It is one thing to have God remember. It is another thing to have Yahweh, the LORD, be present; this is a significant step down AND in our direction.

Some have made the point that God’s presence seems to decrease as the book of Genesis nears the end. But there is also the point to made that the LORD’s presence is articulated in greater detail as the book of Genesis nears its end.

Within the text for this Sunday, Joseph poses a question which gets at the heart of the issue of God’s presence. He says (in verse 19), ‘Am I in the place of God?’

If that question sounds familiar, it was asked earlier in the book. Rachel is not having any children, and she is jealous of her sister, and she says to her husband, Jacob, ‘Give me children or I will die!’ And the above question is Jacob’s response (30:1-2). That question (‘Am I in the place of God?’) is an important one at that place and time. It gets the reader or the listener to consider the main characters involved—God and man. And one should also take into account the main character of sin, which separates those two.
By focusing on man too much, he becomes an example to follow—or not to follow. To focus on God too much, and he seems far away—and he can certainly seem that way at times. The problem of sin was clearly articulated near the beginning of Genesis, and we will get to a proper conclusion when we finally get to the New Testament, when God became man.
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In much the same way there is not just one gospel account that says what Jesus did—that would make it a history lesson. There are four gospel accounts that give four slightly different perspectives regarding what he did for our salvation. That makes it a significant salvation story.