Michelle
I am getting confused by the names as both their names are being used. So this is about Joseph son of Jacob, who is Israel, and his dreams. We are learning about Joseph and his beginnings here when his brothers sell him after some of them decide they shouldn't kill him. But here are Jacob's sons being deceitful yet again. We are seeing this theme over and over so far in this first book. Everyone is always trying to deceive someone else and for what purpose, cuz it never works out the way they think it will. Maybe that is a lesson we are to learn, that deceitfulness is not a trait to be copied. It seems that Joseph is some sort of prophet or seer though as, if I recall correctly, at the end of his story, his brother's are bowing to him as he has risen in power or status and he spares their lives or something like that. So his dreams seem prophetic. We then go an to learn about Judah, Joseph's brother, and his line and problems that arise from his offspring and the wife of his first born. And here is yet another short passage about the wife who deceived her father-in-law by pretending to be a prostitute and getting pregnant by him. But then Judah says "She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn't give her to my son Shelah." I don't understand how she is more righteous.
This psalm is one of the well known ones. I read something about it before that said it is meant to show us that we should stop and be present in God. I have a hard time explaining what I mean and as I type that out it doesn't make sense except in my mind. It's like we should stop and smell the roses and be in awe of what is around us. That if we stop and be present with God we will be shown the way and he will refresh our minds and souls. That we are ever in his presence and he guides us even when we don't see it.
Julie
I had a hard time with this passage too. There are things that seem contradictory in the righteousness department. In addition to the things Michelle mentions I want to include the way Onan was treated. When I initially read it I didn't understand why he was put to death for not wanting to sleep with his brother's widow. The explanation says that it was tradition for the next brother in line to marry the widow and that it was selfishness on Onan's part that he did not want to have a child with her. I am not sure how him having children with her would have changed things for any other children he might have. That did not seem clear.
There really is a lot of deceit in this book. I agree it seems that there are lessons in this, but it does seem overwhelming...
The Lord will take care of us if we remain faithful in him. He is our shepherd. This really is a great Psalm to remind us to just how the Lord is there for us all the time.
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