(Joseph) “What time is it? Oh, time again to check
on the prisoners. That is what I do every day since I have been in this prison.
I was not always in this prison. I was, in fact, a slave in Potiphar’s home
(Genesis 39:1). And I know that Potiphar trusted me very much to the point
where I thought he might consider me a son rather than a slave (Genesis
39:4-6a). But then one day I was accused of something which I had not done
(Genesis 39:13-19). And Potiphar had me thrown in prison (Genesis 39:20). And
that is where I am now. Two years ago I had great hope that I would be set free
because I met Pharaoh’s cupbearer and I was able to interpret his dream for him
(Genesis 40:9-13). I then asked him at that time to speak to the Pharaoh on my
behalf (Genesis 40:14-15). But I have not heard anything as yet. That was
already two years ago. So now I am still here in prison and, of course, no one
knows that I am here. So I expect to he here for the rest of my life. What is
that? A knocking on my door? Who could that be? I don’t expect anyone to come
to see me. I better go and check it out for that because that person may not go
away otherwise. Let me open the door. “Who are you? You have come from
Pharaoh’s Court? Pharaoh wants to see me? He wants to see me now? Please let me
change my outfit because I cannot possibly go to Pharaoh in my prison outfit (Genesis 41:14).”
And so Joseph,
after having washed, shaved, and changed his clothing, appeared before
Pharaoh.
(Pharaoh)
“Are you that Hebrew man named
Joseph? You are. I have been told you can interpret dreams (Genesis 41:15). You
cannot (Genesis 41:16a). But your God will give you the interpretation (Genesis
41:16b). Ok, let me then tell you my dreams. My first dream was about seven fat
cows and seven thin cows. And the seven thin cows ate up the seven fat cows
(Genesis 41:17-21). I then woke up, went back to sleep and had another dream.
This time I saw a stalk with seven healthy heads of grain and a stalk with
seven thin heads of grain. And the stalk with the seven thin heads of grain
swallowed up the stalk with the seven healthy heads of grain. What do you think
these dreams could mean? None of my magicians and wise men could explain these
dreams to me (Genesis 41:22-24). They are of no use to me so I am thinking of
getting rid of them.”
Pharaoh looked expectantly at Joseph,
for there was no-one else he could turn to. He was not disappointed, for God not
only gave Joseph understanding of the meaning of the dreams, He gave him
understanding how to implement them. (Joseph)
“Pharaoh, God has given me the
understanding of your dreams. The first dream and the second dream mean both
the same. Both dreams point to the fact that you will have a seven-year period
of fruitful harvest followed by a seven-year period of famine (Genesis
41:25-32). And may I advise you, Pharaoh, that you put someone in charge who is
able to store up at the time when you have an abundant harvest so that you will
have plenty of food for the time of famine (Genesis 41:33).”
After having listened to Joseph’s
explanation of his two dreams, Pharaoh understood that in front of him stood a
man who was full of knowledge and wisdom, despite the fact that he was nothing
more than a Hebrew prisoner. Pharaoh knew too that Joseph was the one who
should be overseeing his proposed plan, as we can read in Genesis 41:37-39 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ”Since God has made all this known to you, there is no-one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my Palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”
We can see here that Pharaoh recognised
and honoured the God that Joseph served. We can see here too that God intended
Joseph to use all the practical skills he had developed when he was in charge
of the household of Potiphar, as well as the time when he was overseeing
everything in prison, so that he would now be capable of overseeing the storage
of food. Likewise,
you too may know that God has a specific calling for you but you may not be
walking in it at present . As a matter of fact, you may be doing something that
may not seem to be related to what you believe the Lord is calling you to do.
If that is so, then do not despair. God will use your present training to make you
ready physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. And, at the right
time, you too will walk in what God has for you.
Going
back to the story of Joseph, after seven years of plenty, the seven years of
famine started. This period did not just affect Egypt but its neighbouring
countries (Genesis 41:57). The famine affected even Jacob and his family, so
one day he told his sons to travel to Egypt to buy grain (Genesis
42:1-2). With these words, Jacob sent his sons on a path that would end up with
them all bowing down to Joseph, as we can read in Genesis 42:6
Now Joseph was governor of the land, the one who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.”
(Joseph) “What an amazing few days it has been. It
started three days ago. I was providing people with grain when a group of men
came to me (Genesis 42:3). When they stood before me, they bowed down to me.
The moment I saw them, I recognised them. They were none other than my ten
brothers (Genesis 42:5-6). They had all grown older but I could still recognise
them (Genesis 42:7). What a moment that was. For, at that very moment, when I
saw them bow down to me, God reminded me of my dreams (Genesis 42:9). The dreams
He had given me when I was a young, foolish seventeen-year old. I remember that
time. I remember their jealousy because my father, or rather our father, had
given me this special coat (Genesis 37:3). And I wore it is front of them.
Moreover, I then told my brothers these dream which caused them to hate me
(Genesis 37:11). And to hate me to the point of selling me to merchants
(Genesis 37:28). But I now see that God was behind my brother’s evil scheme.
For he has used my time in Egypt as a slave in Potiphar’s house and as a
prisoner to train me up and to teach me many Godly things. And I now understand
that God trained me up so that today I can take care of people, including my
own family. I know that God has changed my heart. But I do not know if God has
changed my brothers’ hearts. So I decided to test them. I did that by keeping
one of my brothers, Simeon, in prison and have sent the others on their way
back home (Genesis 42:24b). I did listen to some of their conversations and,
from what I heard, it seems God may have somewhat changed their hearts (Genesis
42:21-23). However, I am not quite sure at this time.”
The
brothers, except Simeon, travelled back to Jacob and reported everything to
him, including the fact that Joseph had insisted that their younger brother be
brought back with them. Jacob was not willing to let his youngest son Benjamin
go to Egypt
(Genesis 42:29-38). But then, once again, in time, they ran out of food and
Jacob had no choice but to let them go to Egypt and to let Benjamin go with
them (Genesis 43:1-13). Once again, they appeared before Joseph, this time with
their youngest brother (Genesis 43:15). Joseph had his staff prepare a special
meal for them, and they ate and drank with him in his house (Genesis 43:16,
32-34). The next morning, the brothers were sent on their way home with as much
grain as they could carry. Joseph gave them one more test to see if they had
changed; he had his special silver cup placed in the sack of Benjamin. (Genesis
44:1-3).
(Joseph) “My
brothers have really changed. They came back to me again. And this time they
did bring back with them my youngest brother (Genesis 43;15, 29-30). It was
amazing for me to see my baby-brother after all these years. Of course, I could
not let anyone know what was going on the inside of me. So I stayed calm and
all I did was to invite them for a meal at my home (Genesis 43:32-34). And then
the next morning, I gave them food again to take home with them. But I decided
to test them one more time. Simeon was released, of course. But I had my
steward place my special silver cup in the sack of Benjamin (Genesis 44:1-2). They did not know
this, of course. They left. After they had gone, I sent my steward after them
(Genesis 44:4). And I waited. And sure enough, a little while later they all
came back with the steward. The moment they saw me they all threw themselves on
the floor (Genesis 44:14). I then demanded that Benjamin stay behind as my
slave (Genesis 44:17). And then I watched what they would do next. And what I
watched was a most moving scene for Judah came forward and Judah pleaded with
me to let Benjamin go. And for him to take Benjamin’s place as my slave. He
explained to me that they could not go home without their baby-brother Benjamin
for their father would die if Benjamin would not return to him since he had
already lost one son (Genesis 44:18-34). I then knew that the moment had come
to reveal to them who I really was; their long-lost brother Joseph. So I spoke
to them in Hebrew and said to them, “ I am Joseph.” The brothers were shocked
to hear me speak to them in Hebrew and hear my say to them that I am the
brother they had sold to merchants on their way to Egypt (Genesis 45:1-3). I
then told them not to be afraid for, though they had planned evil, God had
meant it for good. God had meant it so that I could now save the family
(Genesis 45:4-8). I told them to go back home at once, speak to our father,
tell him to come and live in Egypt with the whole family (Genesis 45:9-11). So
they have gone back and I am now waiting for their return. But this one thing I
know; I will see my father again.”
And so the brothers returned home
(Genesis 45:25). Their minds were still very much on what had happened in these
last few days, in particular that they had been reunited with their long-lost
brother Joseph (Genesis 45:3). Who would have thought that this “Egyptian”
ruler, whom they had met some time ago when they had gone to Egypt for the first time to buy
food, was, in fact, their brother Joseph, whom they had sold as a slave to a
group of merchants all these years ago. God had made them face their sins and
they knew it.
And that how it is for us. Sooner or
later, God will want us to face anything we may have done in the past that has
not been made right. This is for our sake so that we can be forgiven of those
things and be set free from any guilt or condemnation in relation to those
things.
As
for Joseph’s brothers, when they arrived back in Canaan
they told their father Jacob that they had seen Joseph (Genesis 45:26). Jacob
was stunned to hear that news and he would not believe them. However, the
brothers were able to convince him and so they set off for Egypt, as we can
read in Genesis 46:5-6 Then
Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel’s sons took their father Jacob and their
children and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him.
They also took with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired
in Canaan, and Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt. He took with him to Egypt
his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters – all his offspring.
When they arrived in Egypt
Joseph went to meet them.
(Joseph) “Yesterday
was the happiest day in my life for a very long time; I saw my father! Not only did I see him, I
was able to embrace him. He looks old and frail. But he is alive. I have
dreamed for a long time about seeing him and embracing him. And yesterday that
became a reality. And I don’t mind telling you that I wept (Genesis 46:28). I
had been wanting to weep for a long time already but I just could not do so.
But yesterday when I held him in my arms I could no longer stop these tears
from coming down my cheeks. So I wept and wept. And that has helped me so much
to let go of the pain of the past. And now my father is here with me. God is so
good for He has given my father back to me.”
Eventually,
Jacob died and Joseph’s brothers were once again afraid that Joseph would take
revenge for all the evil they had done to him. But God had done work in the
heart and life of Joseph, as we can read in Genesis 50:19-20 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid.
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now
being done, the saving of many lives.
It had
taken Joseph many years to have a full understanding of God’s plan for his life.
But the day had come when he realised that having been sold as a slave had not
prevented his God-given dreams of his family bowing down to him from happening.
On the contrary, God had used the circumstances in his life to make these
dreams come true. Joseph had finally learned that with God nothing is impossible
(Luke 1:37) and He will do what He has promised to do. But it will happen in
His way, His time and for His purpose.
Joseph’s story is to encourage us that, just as God had a plan for
Joseph, which God fulfilled to its smallest detail, likewise, God has a plan
for each one of us, as we can read in Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to.
As in the case of Joseph, you may well
have to undergo a training program specifically for you, to make you ready for
what God has for you to do. That training program, you believe, may not seem to
fit the particular calling God has for you. Nevertheless, if you do as Joseph
did, and are willing and obedient to serve the Lord, wherever that may be, and do
whatever He has for you to do then, when the time is right, you will walk in
the fullness of your calling. And, like Joseph, you will then fully understand
that your training was absolutely necessary, as preparation for the task God
had prepared for you all along.
