From Background Notes [BN] for Sept 13th &
14th written by Pastor Bob Brown:
The compensation did not help Reuben
deal with the implications of what his brothers had done. They had insulted his
authority as natural firstborn and acted in his absence and against his wishes.
Worse, he was now left with explaining
this to his father: "The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?"
(37:30). His fears are realized as the brothers continue their deception by
staining the royal robe with the blood of a goat. In returning it to Jacob,
they make no verbal pretensions but simply want him to identify it as Joseph's.
What happens here only underscores the dissension within Jacob's family, marked
by disrespect toward both Reuben and their father, not to mention the horrible
enslavement of Joseph. This was a badly divided family, deeply in need of
restoration: brother to brother, son to father. Such is the great theme of the
human condition in separation from God. [BN,5]
Join us this week in Study, Worship, Praise and Celebration at Chicago First Church of the Nazarene:
* Saturday 6:00pm
* Sunday 8:30am & 11:00am
Join us this week in Study, Worship, Praise and Celebration at Chicago First Church of the Nazarene:
* Saturday 6:00pm
* Sunday 8:30am & 11:00am
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