2017.01.10 09:18
이삭 167세, 야곱 107세, 요셉 17세
더 나아가 요셉의 꿈은 하나님께서 횃불 언약을 성취시키기 위하여, 야곱의 가족을 애굽으로 이주시키려는 하나님의 섭리가 요셉을 통하여 이루어질 것을 예고하는 꿈이었습니다. 평소 아버지의 사랑을 독차지하여 형들에게 미움을 받던 요셉은(창 37:3-4), 꿈을 꾼 이후에 형들에게 죽임을 당할 뻔했고(창 37:20), 결국 애굽으로 팔려 가는 비운(悲運)을 겪게 됩니다(창 37:12-36).
이 때 베냐민의 나이는 한 살 정도로 추정됩니다. 어머니 없는 외로움 속에서 힘든 시간을 보내었던 요셉은 어린 베냐민을 홀로 남겨 두고 떠날 때 더없이 괴로웠을 것입니다.
요셉이 17세에 팔려 갈 때에 이삭은 167세로 아직 살아 있었으며, 야곱은 107세였습니다. 따라서 이삭은 180세까지 사는 동안, 야곱이 그의 사랑하는 아들 요셉을 잃고 슬퍼하는 모습을 13년간이나 지켜보면서 함께 가슴 아파했을 것이며, 야곱에게 신앙의 동반자로서 큰 힘과 위로를 주었을 것입니다.
형들에게 의해 미디안 상고들에게 팔린 요셉은 애굽에서 다시 보디발의 집에 종으로 팔려 가정 총무가 됩니다(창 39:1-6). 요셉은 애굽에 간지 10년쯤 되었을 때, 보디발 아내의 유혹을 뿌리친 일로 옥에 갇히게 됩니다(창 39:7-23).
범죄와 전혀 상관없이 누명을 쓰고 옥에 갇히게 되면 누구나 자신의 억울함을 풀려고 백방으로 힘을 쓰기 마련인데, 요셉은 그럴 만한 배경이 전혀 없는, 이방 나라에서 잡혀 온 비천한 노예 신세였습니다. 그렇게 감당하기 어려운 고통과 참담함 속에서 2년 넘게(약 3년) 옥에 갇혀 있었습니다(창 41:1).
이 때 요셉이 당한 오랜 시련과 고통에 대하여 시편 기자는 “그 발이 착고에 상하며 그 몸이 쇠사슬에 매였으니 곧 여호와의 말씀이 응할 때까지라 그 말씀이 저를 단련하였도다”(시 105:18-19)라고 하였습니다.
실로 요셉이 당했던 극심한 시련은 이미 아브라함에게 주어진 횃불 언약을 성취시키기 위한 하나님의 섭리였던 것입니다.
박윤식 목사, "잊어버렸던 만남" (휘선, 2016), 237-238 中
The History of Joseph
Two Dreams that God Gave to Joseph and the 13 Years of Trial (Gen 37:; 39; 40),
1899 BC, 183rd year of the Covenant of the Torch
Isaac's age, 167; Jacob's age, 107; Joseph's age, 17
furthermore, the dream was also foretelling how God's plan to move Jacob's family to Egypt in order to fulfill the covenant of the torch would be accomplished through Joseph. Joseph had monopolized his father's love an was hated by his brothers (Gen 37:3-4). After the dream, he was almost killed by his brothers (Gen 37:20), and experienced the adversity of being sold into Egypt (Gen 37:12-36).
Presumably, Benjamin was about one year old around this time. Joseph suffered the heartache of the early loss of his mother, but it must have caused him more pain to leave his infant brother behind. Isaac was 167 years old and still alive, and Jacob was 107 years old when Joseph was sold at the age of 17. Since Isaac lived until the age of 180, he "shared the grief of Jacob over the loss of his son for 13 years." Isaac probably comforted Jacob, as he "could see in these sorrows of Jacob the hand of God."
Joseph's brothers sold him to the Midianite merchants, who then resold him in Egypt to Potiphar, who put Joseph in charge of his household (Gen 39:1-6). When it had been about ten years since Joseph was sold into Egypt, he was unjustly imprisoned for a baseless accusation of rape because he had rejected the sexual advances of Potiphar's wife (Gen 39:7-23).
It is only natural for a person who is unjustly accused and imprisoned to try to prove his innocence. However, Joseph was just a slave in a foreign land and had no power to do so. Consequently, Joseph endured his wretched state in prison for over two years (nearly three years [Gen 41:1]). Regarding Joseph's trial and suffering, the psalmist wrote, "They afflicted his feet with fetters, he himself was laid in irons; until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him" (Ps 105:18-19). Severe affliction upon Joseph was part of God's administration to fulfill the covenant of the torch, which He had made with Abraham.
