Their angry red faces matched the luxurious red fabric of his multicolored coat. They despised him. “Listen,” he said, as he stood before them, “I had this dream, and your sheaves of wheat bowed down to mine.” His brothers, sick of his bragging, his lofty dreams of grandeur asked, “Will you actually rule over us?” Joseph continued, “Listen, I had another dream and this time the sun, the moon and the stars bowed down to me.” That was it! They had to get rid of this boastful, spoiled, tattletale. Joseph was their father’s favorite and that alone feed their jealous hatred. They plotted to kill him. Instead of murdering Joseph, they threw him in a dry well, sold him to traders and made it look like he’d been killed by wild animals.
Do you have dreams? Do you see the Lord working through your difficult circumstances? Are you waiting to see your dreams, your ideas become reality? Have you been betrayed? If you answered, “Yes” to any of those questions then you have something in common with, Joseph, the dreamer.
This is the story of Joseph, one of the best loved characters in the Bible in Genesis. At 17, he was sold by the traders to a powerful Egyptian official, Potiphar, the captain of the guard. He was far from his home and everyone and everything he’d ever known. Even as a slave, Joseph so impressed his master that eventually he was put in charge of everything Potiphar owned. However, Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph and when he refused, she falsely accused him of attempted rape. He was dragged off to prison. The Bible repeats this phrase, “The Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.” In prison, God’s favor, Joseph’s exceptional character and integrity were obvious to the prison warden. He put Joseph in charge of the other prisoners.
This story in Genesis doesn’t record Joseph being disappointed, his loss of hope or his grief as his dreams seemed to vanish. Where had his dreams gotten him? Joseph faithfully continued to serve God in his dire circumstances, even in prison. Joseph remained in prison until Pharaoh’s cupbearer remembered that Joseph could interpret dreams. Joseph, after years in prison,, interpreted Pharaoh’s dream and was given a position of 2nd in command to Pharaoh over all of Egypt. God’s hand in Joseph’s life is evident throughout the story.
Joseph’s dreams were prophetic. His brothers, indeed bowed before Joseph. They were unaware that Joseph, now 2nd in command in Egypt was the very official they bowed before and asked to buy food during a great famine. Joseph had the power to seek revenge, to imprison them. After testing them twice, Joseph could no longer hide his identity or his deep emotions. Weeping loudly, he reveals his true identity. Joseph was used by God to save his family and all of Egypt from starvation. Later in the story, the brothers come to him fearful, seeking mercy and forgiveness. Joseph tells them, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” God used Joseph, even his suffering, to save his family, a nation, and ultimately, all who come to God through believing in Jesus. Joseph had no idea that God was orchestrating the salvation of many through Jesus, the Messiah who came through Judah, his brother’s lineage.
What can we do when life is disappointing and our dreams and hopes seem lost? Like Joseph, we can expectantly wait and trust God. If He gave you the dream, he’ll bring it about at the right time. It’s good to remember our timetable and God’s timetable are seldom the same. Faithfully continue to follow God even when it seems all is lost. We follow God, we don’t just follow our dreams. Trust him with the fulfillment of the dream. Trust that God is sufficient for all your needs and He’ll equip you for what He calls you to do.
Just as Joseph said to his brothers, “What you meant for evil, God meant for good”, we are assured that God is working for our good and for others’ good and for His glory. Joseph’s life is a foreshadowing of Jesus’ life. Woven throughout the O.T. and N.T. is a story of God’s redemption and restoration. I hope you’ll read this fascinating story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50.
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