Recently I read again the story of Joseph at the end of Genesis and the following account of Israel’s misery in Egypt at the beginning of Exodus.
They are stories I have read many times before but something caught my attention that I’d never really paid attention to before. The massive gap of information between Joseph and Moses. It interested me because I wonder whether sometimes the Bible says as much by what it doesn’t say as by what it does.
One of the buzz words in Christian circles today is “Legacy.” We are often prompted to think about what legacy we want to leave the next generation. Often in the context of what kind of church, business or organisation we want to pass on. Perhaps this may have even been a question Joseph considered towards the end of his life. But how did it get so bad that a couple of generations down the line Joseph and his services to Egypt had been completely forgotten? As I thought about this it led me to wonder why Joseph encouraged his brothers that God would give them back the land He had led Abraham into with his last words?
Joseph left the Israelites with a legacy of prosperity and promise. All seemingly very noble but perhaps there was a hidden problem?
I think very naturally many of us view promises as a destination but what if they are better interpreted as an explanation? An explanation of the process. When we view them as a destination we begin to forget how life works and we begin to subscribe to an attitude of entitlement. Instead understanding them as an explanation enables us to look for connections and patterns amidst the process. Joseph’s last words resonate so much with some of the things I hear from Christians today. A sort of utopian longing as our world faces all sorts of tensions and struggles, a longing for a perfect destination without all the hassle of the process.
Why didn’t the Israelites simply part company with Egypt and sign a treaty and go their separate ways at the first sign of tension, like their forefather’s had so often throughout Genesis? In truth its hard to say but perhaps the type of our legacy that we leave has profound importance.
So, long may our world come alive with more than promises or systems but may understanding and process lead to adventure and restoration.