Genesis 50:19b “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good…” (NIV)
I am reading through Praying the Promises written by Max Lucado and Andrea Lucado. Each day the book talks about a character of the Bible. Page 32 talks about Joseph. My Pastor Joe suggested I write my next story about Joseph from Genesis. Joseph life is something we can all relate to in some ways. He was thrown in a hole by his brothers, thrown in prison later on, yet God used all Joseph’s hard times to work out for good for His’ people. Scripture is in italics and usually in the New Living Translation.
The Dreamer
I think my dad likes me better than all my other brothers. After all I am Rachel’s son, the one my dad worked fourteen years to marry. When I was sixteen my father gave me a beautiful coat. It was made with the finest materials and had many colors. I was so proud of that coat. I would strut around in it taunting my brothers with it! They mostly ignored me, but I could tell they resented me for being our father’s favorite.
When I was seventeen years old, I had a dream. I told my brothers my dream since it was about them. “Listen to this dream,” I said, “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!” My brothers got mad and said “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?”
Then I had another dream. I told my brothers this one as well. “Listen, I have had another dream,” I went on “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!” This time I also told my father about my dream. He looked at me and said, “What kind of dream is that?” he asked. “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you?” I think my father wondered about the meaning of this dream from the way he looked at me. My father is wise and once he told me about his dream at Bethel, so I think he understands.
The Brother’s Revenge
My father often sent me to check on my brothers when they were grazing the flocks away from home. One day my father sent me in search of my brothers. They were supposed to be near Shechem but when I got there my brothers were not there. A man asked me “What are you looking for?” “I’m looking for my brothers,” I replied. “Do you know where they are pasturing their sheep?” “Yes,” the man told me. “They have moved on from here, but I heard them say, ‘Let’s go on to Dothan.’” So off I went to Dothan.
By the time I got there I was so tired and thirsty. My water had run out after I had reached Shechem. I saw my brothers from a distance. They must have saw me because they were laughing and pointing in my direction, but I was too far away to hear what they were saying. When I got close several of my brothers grabbed me and threw me into a dry well. It was deep and I am lucky I did not break my legs. I was so frightened and confused. Why would they do this to me? I know I boasted about my coat and my dreams, but we are family! It is so terrifying to be in this well with no way out. I know my brothers are nearby because I can hear them talking. I started yelling for them to get me out, but they did not answer me. I was starting to get cold and my brothers had taken my coat before they threw me in this well. Why will they not help me? Finally, a rope was tossed down and when I reached near the top my brothers grabbed me. I thought they had come to their senses but, no, they were selling me to some Ishmaelite traders. I saw one of the traders count out twenty pieces of silver. I was put in chains and told to follow the man on a camel who had a long chain connected to my chained hands. Thankfully, they did not go fast and stopped soon after for the night. I was given some bread and a little water. One of the men threw a blanket my way to keep me from freezing to death during the desert night. I asked someone where they were headed and was told Egypt. My heart sank. I did not know if I would ever see my father again.
During the trip down to Egypt I thought about my life so far. I have been a boastful man with a lot of pride. I started thinking if I had not been so boastful, I would not be in these chains. Maybe God is teaching me to be humble. He wants me to think on my godly upbringing and to follow God more closely. I think God wants me to be more like my father who worked hard for his father-in-law for many years. So far in my young life I have had it easy until now. Time to grow up and change.
Potiphar
The Ishmaelites sold me to a man named Potiphar. He is one of Pharaoh’s officials. He is the captain of the guard. Potiphar and his wife live in a nice house with lots of servants. Remembering all I had thought about during the long journey to Egypt I went to work at whatever task Potiphar told me to do. God seemed to bless my work and I started to get promoted to better jobs. Finally, one day Potiphar came to me and said he saw how God was with me and he promoted me to his personal attendant and gave me charge over his entire household.
Potiphar’s Wife
Potiphar’s wife was a spoiled brat. She would purposely make extra work for her servants. She also was not faithful to Potiphar when he was gone on long trips. She would sleep with all the male servants she wanted to except me. I would not do that to my master or my God. That did not stop her from wanting me though. She begged me to sleep with her every chance she got. I always said the same thing “Look,” I told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.”
One day she caught me off guard when no one else seemed to be in the house. She grabbed my coat and said for me to sleep with her. She said she could command me because I was a servant. I was frightened but did not give in. Instead, I left my coat in her hand and ran out of the house. I went back to my sleeping quarters to wait for my master to get back later that day. I was going to ask to be sold to someone else because I could no longer work there. Little did I know Potiphar’s wife was scheming to put me in prison.
Prison
A few hours later a few of Potiphar’s men came and took me to prison. I asked why and was told Potiphar’s wife told her husband I tried to rape her. My heart sunk! First my brothers sold me then I end up in prison. This is an awful place. I am used to bathing regularly and eating good food. Here everyone smells bad, including the guards, and we get one meal a day. It tastes like paste too and sometimes smells sour. Ugh! The guards seemed to delight in beating us regularly. I have welts on my back I cannot properly care for here in prison. Why, God, have You allowed all these things to happen to me?
The Lord answered my prayer though but not in the way I wanted Him to answer. The warden noticed me and showed me kindness. You see, I was not like the other prisoners. I kept to myself and obeyed all the prison rules. I also requested water so I could bathe, something no one else seem to bother with, ever. Even though I was still in prison I felt God’s presence with me there. The warden gave me much better food and put me in charge of all the prisoners. I created rules for the guards and prisoners alike. I made sure we got better food and the guards were not allowed to beat us. Many of the prisoners were following my lead and requesting water to bathe in. It was getting better, but I still was in prison. How long Lord?
The Cupbearer and Baker
A few months later there were two newcomers to the prison. One was Pharaoh’s cupbearer and the other was Pharaoh’s baker. Both had offended Pharaoh. The warden put these two men under my charge, and I attended to them to make them as comfortable as possible.
One day I went into the cupbearer and baker’s cell and both looked very worried. I asked them “Why do you look so worried today?”. They answered, “We both had dreams last night, but no one can tell us what they mean.” “Interpreting dreams is God’s business,” I replied. “Go ahead and tell me your dreams.”
The cupbearer went first “In my dream,” he said, “I saw a grapevine in front of me. 10The vine had three branches that began to bud and blossom, and soon it produced clusters of ripe grapes. I was holding Pharaoh’s wine cup in my hand, so I took a cluster of grapes and squeezed the juice into the cup. Then I placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” “This is what the dream means,” I said. “The three branches represent three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift you up and restore you to your position as his chief cup-bearer. And please remember me and do me a favor when things go well for you. Mention me to Pharaoh, so he might let me out of this place. For I was kidnapped from my homeland, the land of the Hebrews, and now I’m here in prison, but I did nothing to deserve it.”
The baker eagerly told me his dream after he heard my interpretation of the cupbearer’s dream. “I had a dream, too. In my dream there were three baskets of white pastries stacked on my head. The top basket contained all kinds of pastries for Pharaoh, but the birds came and ate them from the basket on my head.” “This is what the dream means,” I was so sad when I heard the baker’s dream and told him “The three baskets also represent three days. Three days from now Pharaoh will lift you up and impale your body on a pole. Then birds will come and peck away at your flesh.”
Three days later it was Pharaoh’s birthday. He sent for the cupbearer and the baker. He restored the cupbearer to his former position, but he impaled the baker. However, no one came to release me from prison so the cupbearer must have forgotten me. Lord, God, how much longer must I endure this horrible place? Nevertheless, I submit to Your will.
Two years came and went, and I was still in prison. One day I was feeling low, like I would never get out of this place. Suddenly there was the cupbearer, and he came right up to me and spoke. “Please forgive me. I just remembered how you interpreted my dream when Pharaoh was telling his staff about his troubling dreams. Pharaoh wants you to come out now and hear his dreams. I could not believe it! I was finally getting out of here, even if it was only for a short time.
The cupbearer took me to his home so I could bathe, shave and put-on clean clothes. I threw my rags away. Oh, it felt so good to be clean and properly clothed again.
Pharaoh’s Dreams
As I entered the throne room, I was amazed at how beautiful it was. Everyone seemed to be focused on Pharaoh. I was led up to the front to stand before Pharaoh. He spoke directly to me. “I had a dream last night, and no one here can tell me what it means. But I have heard that when you hear about a dream you can interpret it.” “It is beyond my power to do this,” I told him. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.” Then Pharaoh told me his dreams. “In my dream,” he said, “I was standing on the bank of the Nile River, 18and I saw seven fat, healthy cows come up out of the river and begin grazing in the marsh grass. But then I saw seven sick-looking cows, scrawny and thin, come up after them. I’ve never seen such sorry-looking animals in all the land of Egypt. These thin, scrawny cows ate the seven fat cows. But afterward you wouldn’t have known it, for they were still as thin and scrawny as before! Then I woke up. “In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, full and beautiful, growing on a single stalk. Then seven more heads of grain appeared, but these were blighted, shriveled, and withered by the east wind. And the shriveled heads swallowed the seven healthy heads. I told these dreams to the magicians, but no one could tell me what they mean.”
As I listened to the dreams I felt as though God was speaking to me their meaning. I replied to Pharaoh “Both of Pharaoh’s dreams mean the same thing. God is telling Pharaoh in advance what he is about to do. The seven healthy cows and the seven healthy heads of grain both represent seven years of prosperity. The seven thin, scrawny cows that came up later and the seven thin heads of grain, withered by the east wind, represent seven years of famine. I went on to explain the seven good years will happen right away followed by seven years of famine. I boldly told Pharaoh to appoint a wise man over all Egypt to collect one fifth of the grain to store for the seven years when there was no food. What happened next nearly blew me over.
So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to me, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.”
Pharaoh declared me in charge of all of Egypt. He gave me his ring, a necklace of gold and gave me the chariot designated for the second in command of all of Egypt. He also gave me a new name, Zaphenath-paneah. Finally, Pharaoh gave me Asenath to be my wife. She was beautiful and I loved her instantly.
The seven years good crops went fast. Asenath and I had two sons. We enjoyed life but we knew what was coming. I taught her all about my culture and my God. She believed and made sure our sons practiced Hebrew customs. Then came the famine.
The Famine Years
The famine was not just in Egypt but all the countries around Egypt were hit as well. Even my homeland from what I heard. One day I was overseeing the selling of grain and looked up to see ten of my brothers come up to me and bow down. I then remembered my dream years ago. It appeared my brothers did not recognize me, so I decided to pretend I did not know them. Where are you from, I asked them through an interpreter pretending I did not know the language they spoke either. They said Canaan and we have come to buy food. I gave them an angry look and spoke. “You are spies! You have come to see how vulnerable our land has become.” “No, my lord!” they exclaimed. “Your servants have simply come to buy food. We are all brothers—members of the same family. We are honest men, sir! We are not spies!”
“Sir,” they said, “there are actually twelve of us. We, your servants, are all brothers, sons of a man living in the land of Canaan. Our youngest brother is back there with our father right now, and one of our brothers is no longer with us.” I told them I did not believe them and told them they needed to prove their story was true by bringing their youngest brother to him. I said I would let one go get their youngest brother while the others stayed here. I put them in prison for three days. When I brought them out of prison, I told them “I am a God-fearing man. If you do as I say, you will live. If you really are honest men, choose one of your brothers to remain in prison. The rest of you may go home with grain for your starving families. But you must bring your youngest brother back to me. This will prove that you are telling the truth, and you will not die.” To this they agreed.
I stood there and listened to them talk among themselves. They did not know I understood them. “Clearly we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph long ago. We saw his anguish when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in this trouble.” “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?” Reuben asked. “But you wouldn’t listen. And now we have to answer for his blood!” I had to turn away from them because tears started to come to my eyes. It broke my heart to hear them relating their situation now as punishment for their actions against me. I wanted so bad to tell them it is me, Joseph, but I wanted to see Benjamin. I regained myself and turned towards them again and told them I choose Simeon to stay behind while the others go get their brother. Reuben had saved my life in the past, so I chose Simeon who is next in line.
I told the ones who filled my brother’s grain bags to put the silver they brought to buy the grain back into their grain bags. I wanted to have the grain without paying. I am sure my brothers would be fearful when they saw the money.
A year went by and the brothers had not returned. I checked on Simeon from time to time and made sure he was given a little extra food without Simeon knowing it was from me. I kept watching the crowds of traders who would come to buy grain but still my brothers did not come.
The Reveal
One day as I was watching the traders, I saw them. I told my steward to bring my brothers to my house and prepare a feast for the noon meal. My steward did as I told him to do and I arrived at noon to eat with my brothers. I sat at one table and my brothers another. It is against our customs to eat Hebrews. I told my servants to give Benjamin five times as much food and drink as the rest.
After the lengthy meal I told my steward to have my brother’s grain bags filled again and to send them on the way. However, I told my steward to put my gold cup in Benjamin’s grain bag. I was told my brothers left the city. I told my steward to go after them and bring my brothers back claiming they are in great trouble for stealing my gold cup.
As they came back into my house, they threw themselves at my feet. “What have you done?” I demanded. “Don’t you know that a man like me can predict the future?” Judah answered, “Oh, my lord, what can we say to you? How can we explain this? How can we prove our innocence? God is punishing us for our sins. My lord, we have all returned to be your slaves—all of us, not just our brother who had your cup in his sack.” No, told them only the one who took my cup will be my slave. The rest of you are free to go home.
Then Judah speaks up. I could tell he was heartbroken more than the rest. Judah said his father would die brokenhearted if Benjamin did not return. Judah continued to plead My lord, I guaranteed to my father that I would take care of the boy. I told him, ‘If I don’t bring him back to you, I will bear the blame forever.’ “So please, my lord, let me stay here as a slave instead of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. For how can I return to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn’t bear to see the anguish this would cause my father!”
I could not take it anymore! I told all my servants to leave so I could be alone with my brothers. I started weeping and cried out “I am Joseph!” and then I asked if my father was still alive? My brothers just stood there with their mouths wide open. Perhaps they were seeing me for the first time. Perhaps they were remembering the teenage dreams I told them about long ago. I told them to come closer to really see me. I told them I was Joseph whom they had sold into slavery. But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. You see, I went on there is five more years of this famine to come. Go back and get your father and bring him down here to live. If you do not you will surely starve. You can live in Goshen. It is a beautiful part of Egypt and I will make sure you are provided for throughout the next five years.
I then wrapped my arms around Benjamin and wept. Hurry I said to all of them. I told them to take large carts for their wives and children to come back safely. I sent them on their way with fresh clothes and plenty of food for the journey to and from Canaan. Then I waited.
Reunited
When I heard my father and brothers were back in Egypt and settling in Goshen, I took my chariot out to meet them. As soon as I saw my father, I wrapped my arms around him and we both wept. I made sure they had everything they needed. It was wonderful having my family so close.
The next five years were rough. I had to make laws in order for there to be enough for all to survive on. My family did well in Goshen and God blessed them, so they grew in numbers.
Seventeen years later I learned my father was dying. I took my two sons to be blessed by my father before he died as a custom of both Egypt and Hebrews. My father blessed my children and asked me to swear when he died to bury his body next to his wife back in the land of Canaan where there was a family plot. I gave my father my word. My father passed away while I was with him. My brothers and I mourned greatly for our father. We took our father’s body and buried it then returned to Egypt.
When we got back my brothers must have been afraid of what I might do to them now that our father was gone so they sent me a message. The message said their father had told them ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.”
I went out to Goshen to talk to them. “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” After that, my brothers seemed to finally feel I forgave them. While I continued to live separately from them, I would go often and visit my brothers and their families. I asked them when they do return to Canaan to take my body and bury it nest to my father and they agreed.
Discussion
Joseph went from a boastful teenager to being a man God used to save His people. How many of us have suffered trails have come through the trials to find God intended them for good? I look back at the trials of my life and now see the good things which have come from them. How has God used your trials?
Below is some suggestions for additional reading. These are affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small percentage of your purchase at no extra cost to you. This helps with the costs of the running of this website. Thank you for your support.
| Praying the Promises: Anchor Your Life to Unshakable Hope By Max Lucado & Andrea Lucado God’s promises are as precious as gold and as sterling as silver. Ponder, believe, and claim them for your own as you explore this treasure-trove of pledges from Scripture! In Praying the Promises, Max Lucado invites you into a deeper understanding of the peace and security God offers his people.Through thirty Bible promises, reflections on the lives of biblical people of faith, and guided prayers, you will see a clearer picture of the promises of God and how he is the rock you can build your life upon. Hardcover. |
Joseph: Beyond the Coat of Many Colors (Following God Character Series)
By Mary Murphy
Joseph Beyond the Coat of Many Colors is an interactive Bible study in the familiar Following God format that offers hope, encouragement, and practical answersto life s problems. As one of Jacob s twelve sons, Joseph is a blueprint for understanding blended families with broken and betrayed relationships. The study also serves as a leadership manual for churches and businesses; a handbook for employees and employers; a guidebook for resisting negative peer pressure and instituting moral purity, grace and forgiveness. Literally, it has something for everyone.
Joseph and the Gospel of the Many Colors: Reading an Old Story in a New Way
By Voddie Baucham, Jr.
* Joseph and his coat of many colors is a favorite story among adults and children, but have we missed its point? Revealing that Joseph represents a key moment in the biblical narrative, Baucham examines his life in light of the gospel and reveals the pitfalls of moralistic, allegorical, and legalistic interpretations of the Old Testament. 224 pages, softcover from Crossway.
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