Twenty  Pieces of Silver

"They drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty  pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt." 

                                                                                     Genesis 37:28

        

         Joseph was a charming young boy. He was sold to Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver. He was sold to Ishmeelites by his own brothers. It was happened so because Joseph had revealed his dreams to his brothers which plotted the reign dominion over them. It erupted the anger and jealousy on Joseph. The dreams were given by God. The life of Joseph was plotted by God because the young little boy had a close affinity with the God. So the God was with Joseph.

        I wonder how could this happen to a young innocent boy who persuaded his brother to enquire their welfare. Also I wonder how could this happen if the Lord was with Joseph. The brothers were angry with Joseph because Jacob loved Joseph more than all his sons. Also Joseph dreams were explaining about his dominion over his brothers. He explained two dreams to his brothers. They are

•  We  were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. 
• Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.                                                                           Genesis 37:7,9              

        These two dreams really made his brothers to hate him more. The brothers wanted to kill Joseph to put an end to his dreams.   "And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him." Genesis 37:18. How hard to imagine that the brothers were ready to slay their own flesh even they knew he was young and innocent. When the young boy was approaching their brothers happily, they stripped off his coat and put him into a pit. "They stript Joseph out of his coat,  his coat of  many colours that  was on him;  And they took him, and cast him into a pit" Genesis 37 :23,24. 

      It was so sad to see  his own brothers were against him. Not only that, we had seen "What profit  is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?". Genesis 37:26. They wanted to get profit out of Joseph. They were unanimously ready to kill and conceal the blood of  Joseph. But they finally came to sell him to get some money. They sold Joseph for twenty pieces of silver to Ishmeelites. 

       Was it an end of dreams?. The Lord was with Joseph even he travelled from Canaan to Egypt. The Lord was with Joseph and lifted him to become the Governor of Egypt. How wonderful to learn the mighty power of the Lord. The dreams of Joseph came into reality when his brothers approached him to buy grains at the time of famine all over the world. They all came to Egypt and bowed down before Joseph to seek his kindness. The dreams which are given by God will never fail, it will come at the right time.  "For the vision  is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry."  Habakkuk 2:3
         Even though Joseph went through the hard phase of his life, he never departed his Lord. Joseph forgave all his brothers at the end. He shew kindness and caring to his brothers all his life span.  "But as for you, ye thought evil against me;  but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as  it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them." Genesis 50:20,21. 
         Our Lord Jesus was also  hated by his people. " He came unto his own, and his own received him not." John 1:11. He was envied by his own people. He was rejected by Israelites. Though God was with him, he was put into the hands of death. How could this happen even the Father was with Jesus as well. The Lord's planes are different. It is so hard for a man to understand when we go through pains and sorrows. "O LORD, how great are thy works!  and thy thoughts are very deep.  A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this." Psalm 92:5,6. The Lord plans our future. The pains and sorrows will surely  bring goodness in our life. The Lord is always with us even at the time of our pains and sorrows. 
      The Lord was priced for thirty pieces of silver. The soldiers parted His garments. "And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots" Matthew 27:35. The people were against Lord Jesus. They were ready to spill the blood of the innocent man. "He had done no violence, neither  was any deceit in his mouth." Isaiah 53:9. The Lord gave himself as a perfect lamb as ransom for our sin. Jesus spilled his holy blood to redeem us from curse and sin. Our Lord forgives all the sins of our life and will lift us to sit with him in heaven. 

 Hallelujah! Praise and Glory to Our Saviour Jesus for ever. 

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised  us up together, and made  us sit together in heavenly  places in Christ Jesus:  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in  his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2: 4-9. 
"He raiseth up the poor out of the dust,  and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set  them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory."I Samuel 2:8. 

Amen.