Book Report~Genesis

Tradition says that Moses wrote Genesis around 1440 B.C.
He most likely wrote it sometime in the 40 years he spent in the wilderness.
Genesis tells the story of the beginning of the world.
We read about Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and all the others that were involved in their lives.

I find that I cry alot while I read Genesis.

And this is why:
Gen. 3:9~Poor God. He made Adam and Eve to pour out His love on them and to receive their love back. After they had eaten the forbidden fruit, their eyes were open to the knowledge of evil. Before that, they had only known good. And now, they knew they were naked and they hid from God instead of coming to meet Him in the garden. And this is the sad cry of God. "Where are you?" and later.."What have you done?" Oh, I never want Him to cry over me like this. How prideful of me to think that He never has.

Gen. 4:10~Poor dear God. There are now just four measley people on earth and Cain goes and kills his brother Abel in a jealous fit. God required blood in the sacrifices offered Him. Abel sacrificed accordingly but Cain brought in some of his nicest produce. Uh-oh. God wasn't happy with him. So Cain killed Abel. That should fix things. Again, God cries out, "Where is your brother? What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground." And God has to deal with Cain and sends him away from the presence of the Lord. So, God loses the fellowship of another of His own. Cain marries a wife...oops...maybe there were more than four...Where did she come from anyway?..I am distracting myself. Anyway, it's sad.

Gen. 37:30~This is just wrong. Joseph's brothers had taken Joe's beautiful coat that Jacob had made special for him. They killed a baby goat and dipped his coat in the blood and tore it up and brought it to Jacob and asked innocently if this was Joseph's coat. Of course, he recognized it as his favorite son's coat and he cries, "The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?" I feel so sorry for Jacob. He is not one of my favorites, but I can weep with him here.

Gen. 42:21~Joseph's brothers are standing before him in Egypt and he is letting them feel some of his pain. He is probably testing them. He puts them in prison and let's them out with the command to bring their youngest brother back with them the next time they come. He hears them say, "We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us." It makes us think back to the time that they put Joseph in the well with the intent of leaving him to die there. They ate the lunch he brought them while he cried out in anguish until he was hoarse...until he could cry no more. He was hungry and thirsty and very, very scared. Dear Joseph. I weep for you.

Gen. 43:30~The brothers had brought Benjamin back to Egypt with them. Joseph saw him and it says, "Now his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep..." He must have missed Benjamin the most throughout all those years in the prison and in the palace.

I like Joseph. He was faithful in adversity and he was faithful in prosperity.
The only thing I would 'change about him' would be the impulsiveness with which he shared his dreams. But, if he had not done that, his brothers would not have hated him. And if they had not hated him, they would not have sold him. And if they had not sold him, he wouldn't have made it to Egypt where he saved their lives and the lives of those whose posterity would usher in Jesus Christ.
Joseph said to his brothers, "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. Now therefore, do not fear. I will provide for you and your little ones."

Joseph saw things from God's perspective. He knew how to make the best of bad situations. He was full of integrity in the midst of temptation and adverse circumstances. And he was humble. He did not think that he should take the place of God and judge his brothers. He is one of the golden men. He shines like a star in the universe. He is another than I can't wait to meet.