Today, I am reading and commenting on  Genesis 39-41.

It feels like I write this every year, but I want to focus on how Joseph gives us a model on how we should deal with set backs in our lives.  Despite the many set backs Joseph experienced in his life he never stopped doing the best he could.  When his brothers sold him into slavery and he ended up in Potiphar’s house, he worked hard and to the best of his abilities so that he rose to a position of importance in Potiphar’s household.  Then he was falsely accused of attempted rape and thrown into prison.  Once more, he worked hard and to the best of his abilities, rising to a position of importance.  Then God gave him an opportunity to bring himself to the attention of those who could get him released from prison, and they forgot him and left him to rot.  Finally, in God’s time, he got the opportunity to be released from prison.  And at every step along the way Joseph honored God and gave credit to Him for his success.  When Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him, he rejected the offer on the basis that he would not sin against God.  When he interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh’s two servants in prison, Joseph gave credit to God.  When he interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams, he once again gave credit to God.

Yesterday, I wrote about how very recent archeology shows that there was indeed a kingdom of Edom in the time period covered by the kings of Edom listed in yesterday’s passage.  Today, I spent a little time to see what modern archeology might say about Joseph.  I found that while we do not find a record of someone who matches Joseph we do find a record of a period of good years and famine years which fit that described here.  As importantly, we do not have record of who served in the role which the Genesis account of Joseph suggests that Joseph filled.  But there is a record of a Canaanite (Joseph would have appeared as a Canaanite in Egyptian records) serving in a similar role.  We have no reason to believe this particular Canaanite was Joseph, but it confirms that a Canaanite could fill have risen to that role in Egypt.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.