Scripture: Genesis 47:11
Joseph settled his father and his brothers, and granted them a holding in the land of Egypt, in the best part of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had instructed.
Thought for the Day: Today, May 31, is the 151st day of the year. It is also the day Rameses II took the Egyptian throne back 1270 BC. Rameses II is the Egyptian Pharaoh depicted in the classic movie, The 10 Commandments, as well as the animated movie, The Prince of Egypt. It is thought that he lived until he was almost 100 years old, and because of his age and many accomplishments, he is the usual go-to Pharaoh for the Exodus story. This is probably incorrect, for there were 8 or 9 other Rameses before Rameses II.
The date is probably not what is paramount in the Exodus narrative. It is a story of a people whose circumstance radically changed – from good to lousy to desperate – and the God who heard their desperate cries and worked to liberate them. It is the defining story for our Jewish brothers and sisters, and it is clearly an interpretive lens through which the Gospel writer of Matthew interprets the Jesus story.
Archeology and other historical study are very important to our understanding of the Biblical story, but there are times when the Bible is less interested in giving us a specific context in hopes that we capture the character of God. In this case, a God who hears and responds to the desperate needs of humanity.
Prayer: God of history, you have and continue to communicate who you are through the stories of what you have done. As we glimpse a little more of who you are, may we better understand what it means to be your followers. Amen.
TOMORROW
IS
YOUTH SUNDAY
Come Celebrate our Young People
