Genesis 37-45: Joseph, the Dreamer

"And they [Joseph's brothers] came near. And he said, 'I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. . . .And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors." Genesis 45:4-6ish

This morning we take a look at the great and wonderful story of Joseph, which you probably have all heard before. In our last few devotionals, we've looked at Jacob, the deceiver, and learned about God's great grace upon those who do not deserve it. However, what do we learn from the story of his son, Joseph, the dreamer? Well, stick around, and we'll find out.

The story begins as Joseph, the dreamer, dreams two dreams, both showing how Joseph's brothers would someday bow down to him. Now, let us take a moment to note our context and remember how Jacob (Joseph's father) had twelve sons. Joseph was the oldest son from Jacob's preferred wife, Rachel, and we are already told that Jacob loved Joseph more than the rest of his brothers, even giving him a coat of many colors (37:3). Thus, Joseph's brothers already hated him. But if that wasn't bad enough, Joseph was now having dreams that his brothers would someday bow down to him. If his bro's weren't angry before, they certainly were now.

Thus, one day while all of the brothers were out pasturing the sheep, the brothers found an opportunity to murder Joseph. However, because of Reuben's plea, they decide not to murder him, but rather sell him to the Egyptians as a slave. However, they take his robe so that they can return it to Jacob and tell him that Joseph had died. Thus they do so, and Joseph is sold into slavery, and Jacob is distressed deeply now that his favorite son has perished.

Nevertheless, the story doesn't stop there. In chapter 38, we get a narrative break speaking of Judah's adultery with Tamar (which is a devotional within itself), but in chapter 39, the story returns to Joseph's side of the story, where we find him being blessed by the Lord and being promoted in the Egyptian kingdom. Now over all of Potiphar's house, we find his wife desiring to sleep with Joseph. Joseph runs from the scene as he obeys God's commands for sexual purity, yet he is convicted of attempted rape. Thus, Potiphar throws him in prison for trying to take advantage of his wife. Once again, Joseph is at the bottom of the barrel, yet it is all because of his righteousness.

Yet here at the bottom of the barrel is often when the Lord does his greatest work. God sends two men from Pharoah's kingdom down to the prison, and they both have dreams which Joseph interprets. In the next chapter, we find Pharoah dreaming a dream of his own, and one of these two men refer Joseph to Pharoah, who would be able to interpret the dream. Joseph is summoned, and he speaks of how Pharoah's dream foretold of seven years of plenty, but then seven years of famine that would come upon all of the lands. Thus, Pharoah sets Joseph over the land of Egypt that he might store food up so that the whole world might be saved.

Now Joseph, through God's grace and sovereignty, is at the top of the food chain. Thus in the years of famine, his very own brothers (who assume that Joseph is now dead) come to him in order to buy food. However, Joseph recognized them, and thus convicts them of being spies. In order to have them prove otherwise, he asks them to get their other brother, whom Joseph loved. They go and do so, and bringing back their other brother, they buy food and go back home. However, Joseph had his silver cup planted in Benjamin's sack, that they might be forced to come back because of Benjamin's alleged robbery. Thus they do come back, and at this point, Joseph can no longer handle himself. He breaks down in tears, reveals himself to his brothers, and weeps. He commands his brothers not to fear because of what they did for him all because it was all for God's greater purpose (see verses quoted above). Thus, Joseph encourages them to go down and get their father, that they all might live happily and blessed in the land of Egypt.

Wow...I didn't quite realize how long that story would be until I was done typing it. If you haven't given up on this devotional yet, you're truly a Solid Rock Blog overachiever. Nevertheless, let us ask: what do we see from this story? Answer: God's sovereignty. Although there are certainly many other great facets to this story, let us observe most greatly that God's sovereign hand is over the lives of Joseph and his brothers through all of these great and amazing nine chapters of scripture. Joseph was persecuted by his brothers, sold into slavery, thrown into prison for many years, yet in the end, he saved the world from perishing. Joseph could have complained, grumbled, or given up, but we find him keeping his integrity through every corner all because he trusted greatly in God's greater purpose. And through this marvelous story, God allows us to see the sovereign purpose, all so that we might realize in our own lives that even though things don't look great, God has a bigger, sovereign purpose that we cannot even imagine, just as he did in the life of Joseph.

However, lest we miss the big point of this story, let us look at how this applied to Christ. Similarly to Joseph, Christ was abandoned by his brothers (that is, you and me). He was persecuted, whipped, beaten, and broken, similar to how Joseph was sold into slavery and thrown into prison. Yet amidst all of that mess, Jesus was even thrown on a cross. What was happening? If we thought that Joseph's situation was dark, Jesus' was much darker. The Creator of all of the world was put on a cross by his own creation, what is going on? Well, I'll tell you what was going on: Jesus was saving the entire world. Just like Joseph went through slavery and prison in order to save the world from famine, Jesus went through persecution and a cross to save the world from sin, and through it all we see God's great sovereignty over his chosen people, a great sovereignty that is truly over all of your life too if you are his child. Dear Christian, do you fear today? Are you dismayed? Take to heart the story of Joseph, which points you to God's sovereignty and love for his children. Furtherore, take to heart the story of Christ, which proves to you that God is both on your side and always in control. Do not fear though the earth gives way, but realize that you have a sovereign, loving God who is working all things together for the good of those who love him (Rom. 8:28).