*Joseph: Son of Jacob, A dreamer & interpretor of dreams*
Joseph, the beloved son of Jacob & Rachael, when betrayed by his brothers is sold into slavery to the Egyptians. God is faithful and shows him immense favour, despite his circumstances and raises him to favour in the court of Pharo. We seen that the tribe of Jacob, 70 in number, during a famine, migrates to Egypt and is given the choicest land in the fertile delta of the river Nile to settle amidst the Egyptians permanently. The Israelites eventually loose their identity and pick up the culture of the Egyptians. Having lost their true identity, they don't recognise themselves anymore as a people of God, a nation set apart to be the light of the nations. They are found intermingling with the local customs, traditions and way of lives, adopting them and making them their own. Some of them even marry local Egyptians and thus they become a hybrid race of both Jewish Egyptian culture. During their journey in the desert we find that these people are constantly struggling to identify themselves with the God of their ancestors who forewarned Abraham about the number of years of their slavery, 400 years. A journey of 40 days extends to 40 years for the Israelites to recognise God as their father. It took 40 years to get Egypt out of the Israelites and make them his family.
Being faithful to His part of the covenant, despite the unfaithfulness of the people, God raises up Moses to free the Israelites from the bondage of slavery to sin.
*Moses: Let my people go*
In the book of Exodus we constantly see how God the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, faithful to his eternal covenant, calls Moses, a stutterer, an Israliet, raised as an Egyptian, who is confused about his true identity, to confront Pharo, and hold him accountable for his share in the ill treatment of Israel.
Israel is called, the first born son of God, in contrast the Pharo self proclaims him-self to be a deity, the son of the created light, the Sun. The Egyptians worship the creation, while the Israelites are called to worship the creator. God sends Moses, to Pharos court and demands that Pharo sets the Israelites free, that they may journey through the desert and worship Him.
Through Moses God acts, and in a dramatic way rescued the Israelites. God caused 10 plagues to mock the 10 different Egyptian Gods in a show down of power. Eventually the Israelites pass through the Red sea while the entire army of Pharo that chased after them was destroyed. This passing through the Red sea was a miracle, a sign pointing to the hidden mystery of Baptism and cleansing of original sin, brought upon the human race through one man Adam, the first son of God.
*A new Exodus: Jesus Christ, the son of God, the son of David, the new Adam, the new Moses*
In the new testament we find Jesus, the new Moses preparing for a new Exodus, through the waters of Baptism. Through the sacrament of Baptism the original sin of The first Adam is destroyed. The ransom is paid and the baptised is set free through the merrits of the *Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the new Adam*
We find Jesus rebuking the unbelievers who refused to acknowledge the power of God acting through him by attributing it to the devil. This was the unforgivable sin that destroys the soul. Jesus warned them against that sin, and called them to repentance.
That Wicked and unfaithful generation wasn't interested in the salvation of their souls but enjoyed the display of power threw the working of miracles. *They were sign seekers, wonder worker seekers, every other seeker but NOT God seekers.*
for this they were rebuked by Jesus and for this he said the only sign you would be given was the destruction of the temple of his body which would be rebuilt after three days. But the temple that Jesus spoke of was the temple of His body.
Jesus knew his true identity, The old Adam didn't. Moses was confused about his true identity. Throughout salvation history we find God revealing himself as Father, and thus revealing to mankind their true indentity as sons and daughters of God.
Jesus came to reveal the father to us as a father who loves us, slow to anger abiding in merciful love. But most of the Israelites only knew God as a master, and considered them slaves to God. Jesus the only begotten son of God, revealed the true identity of God as a loving father not as a task master. The experience of slavery in Egypt clouded their vision of God and they saw God as their master,Pharo when God was their father.
Have you experienced God as a loving father in your life? If so please share your story.
How has God fathered you in your life? Did you struggle in your relationship to acknowledge him as your father? What were your struggles? Please share with the group.
*Candice Dsouza* August 03, 2020.
