The Bible Course Muestra

Joseph, the coat, and the dreams – down to Egypt 

Reflect 

There’s a beautiful Japanese ancient art called ‘Kintsugi’ that involves piecing broken pottery back together using liquid gold or silver. What was broken is now more valuable and more beautiful because of its ‘scars’. Sometimes breaking something is the means to bring about greater worth.   

Genesis has taken us from the cosmic view of the creation and fall of God’s world to the microscope view of one chosen family. Hand-picked by God, this family would bring blessing, restoration, and reconciliation to the world. But this is not the family that you would expect. 

Note down examples of dysfunction in the family of Joseph  

The whole story of Abraham’s line is one of mess. And this is no ordinary family mess: this is a deep, distorted, disgraceful mess. Jacob’s clear favoritism towards Joseph, fused with Joseph's arrogance and the jealousy of his brothers, leads them to plot to kill him. To save having blood on their hands, they sell him into slavery ‘down to Egypt’ (verse 28) – and make a profit on the deal.  

The golden boy turns slave boy. But God had a plan. Every twist, every disappointment, every long wait, God was working. Joseph’s story is a kintsugi story. God was putting back the pieces to create something of greater worth. He was writing a better story all along: Joseph ends up prime minister, becoming a savior figure during a huge crisis.   

‘When the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians ... Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt, to Joseph, to buy grain because the famine was severe. (Genesis 41.56–57) 

Genesis 50.20 are the words of Joseph at the end of his life: ‘You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.’ Joseph could see God at work even in the mess.  

What does this mean for us today?  

We may not be able to see it right now, but God is always at work in the mess. God is the master of kintsugi. He is into recycling! He can take the rubbish in our lives, and make something beautiful again. TODAY he is working all things for good (Romans 8.28).  

Respond 

These days, we don't often stop to reflect. Look back and trace the careful hand of God in your life.