Genesis 43:11 So their father Israel finally said to them, “If it can’t be avoided, then at least do this. Load your donkeys with the best products of the land. Take them to the man as gifts---balm, honey, spices, myrrh, pistachio, nuts, and almonds.
[Living Bible translations]
Luke 2:8, 16, 20: That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly an angel appeared among them, and the landscape shone bright with the glory of the LORD…They ran to the village and found their way to Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby…The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising GOD for all the things they had heard and seen…
[Living Bible and New International translations]
Biblical Summary:
Israel’s gifts
Israel was the father of many sons. However, Israel’s favorite son was the son of his favorite wife, Rachel. Rachel had two sons: Joseph and Benjamin. Benjamin was the youngest. Joseph was Israel’s and Rachel’s firstborn son and Israel’s most favorite. Because Israel loved Joseph so much and loved him more than Joseph’s other brothers, Israel gave Joseph a “special gift” ----a fancy coat of many colors. (Gen. 37:3)
In addition to this physical gift, Joseph also had spiritual gifts---one of his gifts was the gift of interpreting dreams. This spiritual gift came from GOD. But instead of Israel shepherding and helping Joseph to understand the importance of spiritual gifts and Joseph’s own spiritual gift, Israel’s physical gift to Joseph caused Joseph to place more emphasis on himself and less on GOD. Instead of telling his brother about the dreams, GOD gave him, instead of thanking GOD or giving GOD the Glory, Joseph saw everything as revolving around himself. Dressed up like a peacock, it was difficult for Joseph to see himself as merely a servant.
As a result of his boasting and fancy clothing, Joseph’s brothers hated him and sold him into slavery. (Gen.37:28) To cover up their wrong, they splattered Joseph’s coat with animal blood, showed the coat to their father, and convinced him that Joseph had been killed. Israel grieved greatly.
Time passed. There was a famine in the land. (Gen 43:1) To keep from starving, Israel sent his older sons (but not Benjamin) to look for food in Egypt.
Time changed Joseph too. He went from slavery to prison, to becoming the minister of agriculture over all of Egypt. (Gen. 41:48) Joseph was put in charge of the food supply of Egypt because of his spiritual gifts from GOD.
When the brothers came before Joseph, he recognized them, but they did not recognize him. Joseph questioned the brothers and then ordered them to go home and return with their brother, Benjamin. (Gen.42:16) The brothers returned home and told Israel about the high-ranking Egyptian’s request. Although Israel was frantic about the possibility of losing Benjamin, the brothers convinced their father to allow Benjamin to return to Egypt with them, explaining that unless they obeyed the Egyptian, they would all die of starvation.
Before the brothers left, Israel insisted they take a “gift” to the Egyptians. Israel told his sons to load up their donkeys with the best products of the land--- balm, honey, spices, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.
The Shepherd’s GIFT
Shepherds have always been low on the social ladder—from the time of Joseph to the time of CHRIST. Because of their occupation (low pay, late-night watches, unclean clothes and smell) shepherds lived outside the villages, had little social interaction and were poor and isolated from their faith. Yet when JESUS was born, the shepherds received GOD’s royal angelic invitation to see HIS GLORIOUS SON. (Luke 2:11) Because of GOD’s spiritual gift to them, it was the shepherds who praised GOD, became witnesses for GOD, and “told everyone” what had happened and how they had “seen” THE CHILD. (Luke 2:20) The lives of these shepherds were transformed forever, because of GOD’s SPIRITUAL GIFT to them and GOD SPIRITUAL GIFT to the world.
NUTS
Only two kinds of nuts are mentioned in the Bible—almonds and pistachio nuts. In Genesis 43:11, we are told that these products were among the best products of the land. Israel, Benjamin’s father, attempted to use these products as a “gift” and as leverage to save “the child of his heart.”
Today, nuts are still good for the heart. According to MayoClinic.com:
Most studies on people who eat nuts as part of a heart-healthy diet have found that nuts lower the LDL, low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol level in the blood. Elevated levels of LDL are one of the primary causes of heart disease, so nuts’ ability to lower LDL cholesterol seems to be quite beneficial.
Some of the other benefits of eating nuts include:
- They reduce your risk of developing blood clots that can cause a fatal heart attack;
- They improve the health of the lining of your arteries;
- They have “unsaturated fats”---“good fats”---both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats—and lower bad cholesterol levels;
- They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3’s are a healthy form of fatty acids, preventing dangerous heart rhythms that can lead to heart attack;
- They have L-arginine, which is a substance that improves the walls of your arteries and make them more flexible and less prone to clots that can block blood flow;
- They contain fiber, which helps lower cholesterol and makes you feel full, thus causing you to eat less. Fiber is also thought to play a role in preventing diabetes;
- They contain Vitamin E, which is thought to help prevent plaque in the arteries;
- They contain plant sterols, a substance that helps lower cholesterol.
See, “Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health,” https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/nuts/art-20046635
Nuts contain a lot of fat (about 80% of a nut is fat), so although most of this fat is healthy fat, you should eat nuts in moderation—without salt—and best raw. According to MayoClinic.com, you may end up canceling out the heart-healthy benefits of nuts if you cover them with chocolate, sugar or salts. In other words, no Hersey bars, Turtles cups, other covered nut candies.
FOCUS ON SPIRITUAL GIFTS
Like Joseph and his brothers, sometimes gifts can cause people to lose their focus. Joseph’s brothers were focused on his coat of many colors. Joseph was focused on himself instead of THE GIFT GIVER---GOD. Joseph also had the gift of freedom, sight, touch and many other gifts, but perhaps Joseph also underappreciated those gifts too until he was imprisoned or incarcerated. Later the brothers were so focused on giving the Egyptian ruler the right gifts so he would release their brother that they failed “to see” that “the Egyptian” was in fact their brother Joseph. At the time all the brothers, included David, failed “to see” how GOD’s spiritual gift to Joseph, the gift to interpret dreams, would bless them all, including the Egyptians, until later.
The Bible says “every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). This means that all of GOD’s gifts (e.g., the gifts of the HOLY SPIRIT---such as love; the gift of daily breath, the gifts “of life or living” (e.g., breath, sight, touch, smell, shelter, being ‘clothed’ in your right mind, being able to move, to see the sun, to feel the rain, to be able to praise GOD, to have a GOD WHO hears prayers and so many, many other blessings….) will “trump” earthly gifts every time!
So, enjoy eating a few nuts, but most importantly, enjoy GOD’s bountiful and many blessings. Don’t “go nuts” about the physical gifts—either buying them or receiving them. Pray we not lose our focus or fail to see and appreciate GOD’s GOODNESS or GOD’s PERFECT GIFT to humanity, JESUS CHRIST, the SAVIOR of the WORLD!
Like the shepherds, rejoice, behold, pray for spiritual insight to appreciate GOD’s GIFTS
BE a BLESSING and BE BLESSED!
