Broken Vessels: Joseph

The story of Joseph’s life has to be one of the most well known of the Old Testament. It is a great story that has everything in it. There is intrigue and betrayal, rescue and restoration, redemption and reunion. Not to mention, a happy ending. While God does not speak audibly to Joseph in the same way he did to Jacob, it is clear that God is orchestrating Joseph’s circumstances and blessing him even in and through the difficulties. Acts 7:9 puts it succinctly, “But God was with him.”

There is also a lot of story here. No fewer than 12 chapters of Genesis deal with the account of Joseph’s life. If I read the entire story, it would take longer than we normally spend on a message. So, I’m going to pick and choose a little bit, but I won’t take away too much because it is so important to see Joseph’s full life.

In fact, when both Jacob and Joseph are mentioned in Hebrews 11, it isn’t their faith during their lives, but their faith at the ends of their lives that get mentioned.

By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. 

 
By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.--Hebrews 11:21-22

Hebrews chapter 11 begins with “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” Clearly, Jacob and Joseph had faith that lasted them until the ends of their lives. They were looking expectantly forward to what God would accomplish not only in their own lives, but what he would accomplish in the lives of others. God will bless, God will deliver.

Let’s get started in Genesis 37.

This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
Genesis 37:2

Jacob had 12 sons altogether. Joseph was born to Jacob’s favorite wife, Rachel. Rachel had died after giving birth to Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob. Note that Joseph is introduced as bringing a bad report about his brothers.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
Genesis 37:4

Between making bad reports and getting the favored “coat of many colors,” Joseph’s brothers despised him. This series of messages is called “Broken Vessels,” that means that God chooses to work through all of us even though we are not perfect. Paul calls us “jars of clay” and says that God uses jars of clay to show that His all-surpassing power is from Him and not us. Clearly, Jacob as a broken vessel has created a dysfunctional relationship between his sons by favoring Joseph so obviously.

Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.
Genesis 37:5

They hated him already and could not speak a kind word to him before, now they hate him more, I’m not sure what that hatred looked like but it could not be good.

He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it."

His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.

Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers.
Genesis 37:6-9a

Obviously, Joseph has a little bit of a humility problem. Granted, he is only seventeen and quite sure of himself, but getting on his brothers' nerves does not bother him. Apparently, he does not really care what they think about him.

He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it."

His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.

Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers.
Genesis 37:6-9a

Okay so, Joseph has had two dreams saying that his brothers would bow down to him, not only that, the second dream says his father and mother as well. If you have brothers or sisters, what would you think if one of them came up to you and told you, “Hey one day you’re going to bow down to me. Pretty cool, huh?” I think in most families, the polite response would be something like, “Are you crazy?”

Now, Joseph’s brothers have taken the flocks to graze at Shechem, and Jacob sends Joseph to see how they are and bring back a report.

A quick geography lesson: Jacob had settled at Hebron which is quite a ways south of Jerusalem. Shechem is almost 50 miles north. So, it’s no wonder that Jacob would like a report about his sons. And, Joseph is taking quite a trip.

When Joseph arrived at Shechem, a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, "What are you looking for?"

He replied, "I'm looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?"

"They have moved on from here," the man answered. "I heard them say, 'Let's go to Dothan.' " So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan.
Genesis 37:15-17

Can you picture in your mind what Joseph looks like? Here is a adolescent wandering around with a rich coat on looking here and there on each ridge for his brothers. Dothan is another 20 miles beyond Shechem to the northwest. In terms of distance and elevation, it would be like sending you to Hendersonville, NC on foot to look for 10 guys and a bunch of sheep. These boys are a long way from home.

But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.

"Here comes that dreamer!" they said to each other. "Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we'll see what comes of his dreams."

When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. "Let's not take his life," he said. "Don't shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don't lay a hand on him." Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.

So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe--the richly ornamented robe he was wearing--and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it.
Genesis 37:18-24

As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.

Judah said to his brothers, "What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood." His brothers agreed.

So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
Genesis 37:25-28

Whose idea was it to sell Joseph? Judah, the compassionate brother? Okay, remember that because it is important later. Also, Joseph did not go quietly. Later, the brothers would recount, “He pleaded with us for his life.” (Genesis 42:21)

When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. He went back to his brothers and said, "The boy isn't there! Where can I turn now?"
Genesis 37:29-30

Also, a point to remember: Reuben was not there when they sold Joseph. Regardless of Reuben’s concerns, the brothers press on with their wicked scheme. They slaughter a goat and dip the coat in the blood. Returning home, they show the coat to Jacob and let him make his own conclusion. Jacob believes Joseph has been killed by a wild animal and begins to mourn Joseph’s “death.”

The entire family tried to comfort him. Talk about hard hearts. His sons do not confess, but instead try to comfort their grieving father. All of his sons and daughters witness the devastating effect this loss had on Jacob.

Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
Genesis 39:1

It is so easy to breeze over what has happened to Joseph. But stop and think, he’s in a new country. He doesn’t know the language. (Ps 81:5- “where we heard a language we did not understand”) He’s been sold. I don’t care who you are, I don’t care if you live in a culture that is familiar with slavery. If you’re a free man, and then you’re sold as a slave, that has to be humiliating and infuriating. God, this is not fair, this is not right, why did you let this happen? I’m sure that many people, myself included, would not be able to do your best in this new environment. Apparently, Joseph finds a way to lay down his pride.

The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So he left in Joseph's care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
Genesis 39:2-6a

Have you seen the Lord, “prosper the work of your hands.” I can tell you that I have seen the Lord prosper the work of my hands at my job many times. I am such a forgetful person, reading about Joseph brings the memories back to me like a flood. It is good to remember that God has been good to us. If you haven’t done that in a while, I encourage you to take some time this week to think through what God has done for you.

Well, the story doesn’t end here of course. God has greater plans for Joseph than being a successful manager of Potiphar’s household.

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!"

But he refused. "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.

When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, she called her household servants. "Look," she said to them, "this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house."

She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home.
Genesis 39:6b-16

Hurray Joseph. I can remember in college that we had a little phrase. It came from the beginning of II Timothy 2:22. Paul warns, “Now flee from youthful lusts.” We talked about dangerous moral situations, and agreed that sometimes the best response was, “you gotta flee.” Joseph passes the temptation test here. However, the price seems pretty extreme.

Then she told him [Potiphar, her husband] this story: "That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house."

When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, "This is how your slave treated me," he burned with anger. Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined.
Genesis 39:17-20a

Ouch, do the right thing, land in jail. Another opportunity to be mad at God. Why did this happen to me? Now would be the time to start sulking and give up hope, right?

But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
Genesis 39:20b-23

God gives him favor with the warden, and Joseph gets back up and starts working. While it would have been an easy thing to give in to the temptation with Potiphar’s wife, that would have crippled Joseph’s relationship with God. Instead, he has confidence that he has done no wicked thing and did not sin against God.

Now the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt both end up in the same prison with Joseph. Since everything in the prison is under Joseph’s care, he attends these two officials, and after some time they both have a dream on the same night.

When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. So he asked Pharaoh's officials who were in custody with him in his master's house, "Why are your faces so sad today?"

"We both had dreams," they answered, "but there is no one to interpret them." Then Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams."
Genesis 40:1-8

Joseph has definitely added humility in contrast with how he related to his own brothers. “Do not interpretations belong to God?” Joseph’s interest draws out these two officials.

So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, "In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh's cup and put the cup in his hand."

"This is what it means," Joseph said to him. "The three branches are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh's cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer.

But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. For I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon."
Genesis 40:9-15

Joseph definitely has a gift at interpreting dreams. It seems almost effortless how he responds to the cupbearer. He also sees this as an opportunity to secure his release, and makes a plea since the cupbearer will soon be freed.

When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation, he said to Joseph, "I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets of bread. In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head."

"This is what it means," Joseph said. "The three baskets are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat away your flesh."
Genesis 40:16-19

Joseph tells the chief baker the truth, even though it is unpleasant and probably a little difficult. It is significant that Joseph does tell the truth because of the cupbearer’s faulty memory.

Now the third day was Pharaoh's birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials: He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh's hand, but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation.

The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.
Genesis 40:20-23

Ouch, more waiting. When God, when will you hear my cries? How long, O Lord!

When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted--thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.

In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
Genesis 41:1-8

Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged. "

So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.

Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."

"I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires."
Genesis 41:9-16

What if Joseph had not told the truth to chief baker? Would the cupbearer have remembered him? Joseph is very careful to give credit to God for the gift to interpret dreams. And, Pharoah recounts both dreams of the cows and the grain. Seven fat and full swallowed by seven lean and gaunt.

Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.

"It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.
Genesis 41:25-32

None of the magicians or wise men can answer Pharoah, but Joseph is inspired by God and gives a complete explanation. But, not only does Joseph interpret, he immediately discerns a course of action to take during this famine.

"And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine."
Genesis 41:33-36

The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials.

So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?"
Genesis 41:37

Crickets chirping? Evidently, no volunteers.

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."

So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt."

Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, "Make way!" Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt."
Genesis 41:39-44

Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh's presence and traveled throughout Egypt.

During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully. Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.

The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food.

And all the countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the world.
Genesis 41:46-49,53-54,57

The seven years of abundance came to an end, and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. What a miracle! Through Joseph, God has saved the whole world.

There is a lot more to the story. I’d love to go through it in detail, but really there is not enough time. So in summary,

Jacob sends his oldest 10 sons to buy grain in Egypt while keeping Benjamin at home.

Now Joseph was the 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.
Genesis 42:6

Joseph recognizes his brothers, but they do not recognize him. Joseph questions them strongly, accusing them of being spies. In the end, he makes them promise to return with their younger brother while keeping Simeon in prison. If you remember, Reuben is the oldest, but he also was not present when Joseph was sold to the Ishmaelites. Simeon is held as the oldest brother responsible for Joseph’s captivity.

Joseph also arranges for their silver to be returned to their sacks of grain. Of course, when the brothers find this, they are even more terrified. They return to Canaan and tell Jacob about all that has happened, and that Benjamin must go with them back to Egypt to rescue Simeon from prison. Jacob does not want his last remaining son from his wife Rachel to be lost, so he refuses to send him even though Simeon is in prison and Reuben extends an offer to sacrifice his own sons if he does not bring Benjamin back.

Finally, they run out of food again because of the severity of the famine. Judah becomes spokesman for the brothers, possibly because he carries the guilt of selling Joseph. Judah offers his own life to guarantee the safety of Benjamin. In the end, the need for food outweighs Jacob’s fears for Benjamin. All eleven brothers return to Egypt.

Upon their arrival, Joseph arranges a banquet for the brothers. They are afraid because they have been sent to Joseph’s house, and they fear retribution over the silver they found returned to their sacks on the first trip. Joseph’s steward says they need not fear, and Simeon is returned to them.

Joseph arrives, and the brothers again bow down to him and present him with gifts. The banquet begins and Benjamin is given a portion five times greater than the other brothers.

Joseph arranges another test for his brothers to see if they have really changed. He has all their silver returned to their sacks, and he has his own silver cup added to Benjamin’s bag. Then, after their departure, Joseph sends his steward to confront them and retrieve his cup. The brothers are struck with fear and proclaim their innocence. They say that if the cup is found among them whoever has taken the cup will die and all the others will return to Joseph as slaves.

Of course, the cup is found in Benjamin’s sack. The brothers are stunned and return to Joseph and throw themselves at his feet. Joseph says that Benjamin must stay while the others are free to go. Judah begs for the life of Benjamin, that he would remain Joseph’s slave in the place of Benjamin. Judah says, “How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come upon my father.” (Genesis 44:34) Likely Judah has again in his mind the misery he saw in Jacob when Joseph was lost to him 22 years before.

Unable to control himself, Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. The brothers are terrified at his presence. At this point, Joseph makes a most significant statement,

Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.
Genesis 45:4-8

Joseph forgives his brothers. In spite of what they have done, he extends forgiveness going so far to say, “do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here.”

Joseph, supported by the wishes of Pharoah, invites Jacob and the entire family to come and live in Egypt. He supplies his brothers richly with carts and donkeys for the return trip. Genesis 45:24 says, “Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, "Don't quarrel on the way!"” Sixty-six members of Jacob’s family come down and live in the land of Goshen on the eastern Nile delta.

On their trip to Egypt, Jacob stops to offer sacrifices to God. The place is Beersheba, where God appeared to Isaac. Isaac had built an altar there. God appears to Jacob there and tells him, “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt.” God also promises to make Israel a great nation while they are living in Egypt.

After 17 years in Egypt, Jacob becomes ill. Joseph promises to bury Jacob in Canaan. (Remember Hebrews 11, Jacob worshipped on his staff by faith that God would make Israel into a mighty nation, and give them the land of Canaan.) Then, Joseph’s two sons are brought to Jacob and blessed. Jacob deliberately blesses the younger with his right hand over the older brother even though Joseph is displeased. Jacob adopts Joseph’s sons as his own, and in this way, Joseph will receive a double inheritance among his brothers. Then, Jacob prophesies about all his sons. After this, Jacob draws his feet up into the bed, breathes his last, and dies. He was 147 years old.

The people of Egypt mourn the death of Jacob for seventy days. After that time, Joseph goes up into Canaan and buries his father with the blessing of Pharoah. There is a huge procession of Jacob’s family and all of Pharoah’s officials and dignitaries, as well as chariots and horsemen.

Again, Joseph’s brothers are afraid upon the death of their father. They are afraid that Joseph holds a grudge against them. They make up a story and send Joseph a message that his father has given instructions that Joseph must forgive his brothers for their sins. When Joseph receives the message, he weeps. No doubt, he is deeply hurt at their lack of trust.

But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
Genesis 50:19-21

Joseph lives to be 110 years old, seeing his great-great grandchildren before he dies.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."
Genesis 50:24

At the end of his life, Joseph is looking forward to the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. By faith, he looks forward to what God will accomplish.

It is so easy for us to look back on the story of Joseph, and say, “Wow, that is so cool. God did some amazing things in Joseph’s life, but that could never happen to me.” But I don’t want you to draw that conclusion. I’m pretty sure that you won’t end up being the right hand man to Pharoah during a seven year famine. But God has given us precious promises that are far greater than anything Pharoah gave to Joseph.

What happened to Joseph? A bunch of crummy stuff that wasn’t his fault.

What has happened (or is happening) to you? I don’t know. Maybe some crummy stuff that was or was not your fault.

What ended up happening to Joseph? God was with him and rescued him from all his troubles. (Acts 7:9-10)

What will happen to you? God has delivered you from sin and death, and he has promised you eternal life in heaven. He has put his Holy Spirit in you to comfort you and as a deposit guaranteeing your inheritance (Eph 1:14)

What did God do for Joseph? He gave him authority over all of Egypt. Genesis 41:40 “Only in the throne will I be greater than you.”

What did God do for us? He has given us authority over …Jhn 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

What did God make Joseph into? He made him the governor (vizier), second in command, to the largest empire in the world, so that, “without [Joseph’s] word no one [would] lift hand or foot in all Egypt.”

What has God made us? He has made us co-heirs with Christ. We are brothers and sisters of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

I don’t know what is the challenge you face in your life right now. I don’t know what challenge you may face in the future. I do know that God has given you a way of escape from any temptation. I know that God has a plan not to harm you but to prosper you. How do I know these things? They are written in the Word of God. His promises are from everlasting to everlasting. His lovingkindnesses are new every morning, and his compassion never fails.

in Christ, God forgave you (Eph 4:32)
in Christ, we have freedom (Rom 8:1-2)
in Christ, we are God’s children (Gal 3:26)
in Christ, we have the peace of God (Phl 4:7)
in Christ, we are seated in heaven (Eph 2:6)
in Christ, we have every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3)
in Christ, we have a spirit of power (II Ti 1:7)
in Christ, our sins are not counted against us (II Cor 5:19)
in Christ, we speak before God with sincerity (II Cor 2:17)
in Christ, the barrier between us and God is taken away (II Cor 3:14)
in Christ, we were created to do good works (Eph 2:10)
in Christ, we have the righteousness that comes from God (Phl 4:7)
in Christ, you have the fullness of His authority (Col 2:9-10)
in Christ, we can give thanks in all circumstances (I Th 5:18)
in Christ, we have grace to be saved and to live a holy life (II Ti 1:9)
in Christ, God has a storehouse of glorious riches to meet your needs (Phl 4:19)
in Christ, we are called to the eternal glory of the God of all grace (I Pe 5:10)
in Christ, we are a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come (II Cor 5:17)

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ (II Cor 1:20)

Like Joseph, we need to remember the precious promises of God by faith, striving every day to do the right things in His strength.