We are rolling into chapter 37 of Genesis with our word for today which will actually be two related words. תִּמְלֹךְ֙ from the root word מָלַךְ be the king, rule, install as king, become king, reign. It is used 344 times in the Old Testament. And מָשׁ֥וֹל from the root word מָשַׁל rule, make someone lord, have dominion, reign. It is used 80 times in the Old Testament. It is not surprising that our word is used the most in the books of first and second kings and chronicles. We find official kings over nations described with our word. 1 Samuel 13:1 Saul was thirty years old when he בְּמָלְכ֑וֹ became king, and he מָלַ֖ךְ reigned over Israel forty-two years. 2 Samuel 8:15 David וַיִּמְלֹ֥ךְ reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people. 1 Kings 11:42 Solomon מָלַ֨ךְ reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.
God himself as the king over all nations is also described with our word. Exodus 15:18 The Lord יִמְלֹ֖ךְreigns for ever and ever. Psalm 47:8-9 God מָלַ֣ךְreigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.
Let’s look at how our word is used in our chapter for today. Genesis 37:8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to תִּמְלֹךְ֙ reign over us? Or are you indeed to מָשׁ֥וֹל rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
It is interesting how Joseph’s brothers mocked him while they were planning evil against him. Genesis 37:19-20 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” Now as we will see life is going to get very difficult for Joseph from this point forward. It will not seem like God is working these dreams he gave him into reality but as we will see he most certainly was. Proverbs 21:30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord. God uses the free will actions of sinful people to accomplish his will.
God has created us to live fully from our hearts. Joseph was simply sharing what God was putting in his heart. This invites persecution because people around us who are not living fully from their hearts become convicted because they know that is how they should be living so they try to stop the hearts voice. This is usually directed toward the one living from their heart. God was putting inside of Joseph’s heart the future purpose He had for him which involved ruling over not only his family but the entire nation of Egypt. God did this to save the people from famine which was the immediate need. But also to provide a place where the twelve sons of Jacob could grow into a huge nation. And as we have seen this nation was the context where he brought his son into the world to save us which is our greatest need of all. So let’s live fully from our hearts with the confidence that even though we will face hardship and persecution God will accomplish his good pleasing and perfect will in and through our lives.
