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2008-06-03 issue:

Lederach wrong about Joseph

by Jean S. Martin, Valparaiso, Ind.

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It seems everything we learned as children is up for revision. Joseph may have been a spoiled child because of his father’s favoritism, but it seems the Lord God himself took care of that by taking him away from his father most of his life.

But that wasn’t God’s doing according to James Lederach (“And No Tribe of Joseph,” April 15). According to Lederach, nothing was God’s providence or care for the Israelites in the whole story. Rather, it was about a son of Abraham becoming so “culturally assimilated” that he “goes over to the dark side.”

Wrong. God’s providence and plan are all over the Joseph story, and the end bears this out. The brothers were against Joseph, but God used it for good. It remains an example of God’s people, enslaved to sin, in need of deliverance, with Yeshua (Joshua) himself leading them into the Promised Land.
Just as Yeshua (Jesus) has delivered us from enslavement to sin and brought us into the glorious freedom of the children of God (Romans 8:21), we also have an example of faith and courage as Joseph trusts God through enslavement, prison, interpreting dreams and finally, directing a relief program unequaled in our Mennonite Central Committee programs.

I interpret a lot of The Mennonite’s writers as being willing to ignore the truth to be creative, or unique, in their interpretation. I hope it is only that. God help us if we disbelieve what He says.

Associated Issue: Evangelism - April 15, 2008

Associated Article: And no tribe of Joseph