JOSEPH-DREAMER- INTERPRETER-PRISONER- GOVERNOR- SAVIOUR
Israel indulged Joseph, being indifferent to his other children. In his fondness: he preferred him with an exclusive jacket of many colors. Gen 37;3 His brothers resented and hated him, speaking coarsely to him: Joseph’s brothers’ jealousy and envy were insidiously destructive.. Joseph dreamed of his supremacy , sharing it with his brothers, whose hatred intensified. Joseph’s sheath stood upright; while their sheaves stood around and bowed to his. His brothers determined never to bow to Joseph, disputing all possible reign or dominion. They could not imagine what God planned in a generation. In Joseph’s second dream, the sun moon and 11 stars bowed to him. Even his proud father rebuked him for self-worship. God does not limit Himself, who will fulfil HIS prophecies years later, as events drastically unfolded.
Joseph was deeply concerned for his brothers’ well-being, finding them at Dothan. When they saw him afar off, they conspired to kill him, scorning him as the dreamer. They plotted murder, casting him into a pit, vainly attempting to hide their sin. They deceived their father, Jacob, alleging that ’some wild beast has killed him‘ while they ridiculed possible fulfillment of dreams, Joseph rests his cause securely in God’s hands. We are also immovable in HIM.
Reuben intervened, rescuing Joseph from the pit, and preventing his murder. Reuben planned to liberate him. The Bible does not record whether Joseph prayed or how he responded.. They violently stripped Joseph’s unique coat, just as ruthless soldiers disrobed the Son of God at the cross, gambling for his cloak and outer garment, as detailed in Psalm 22. They cast him into an empty pit, and cold-heartedly dined, when they were interrupted by Ishmaelites ( Muslims arose from this group) from Gilead, with camels carrying spices, balm and myrrh en route to Egypt. Joseph’s brothers eventually carried similar luxuries to Egypt for the Governor.
With cold-blooded reasoning, they debated his slaughter, devising false evidence, to deceive Jacob. Judah pleaded, ‘Do not slay our brother; sell him as a slave‘. They roughly dragged him from the pit, pricing him to the Ishmaelites at 20 shekels of silver. Judas sold Christ for 30 pieces of silver, of whom Joseph is a type. Reuben deplored this conduct, tearing his clothes in grief., crying, ’Where shall I go?’ With cunning, crafty, deplorable trickery, they dipped Joseph’s tunic in a kid’s blood.. ‘Judah, is this your son’s coat,’ shamming innocence?” A wild beast has torn him to pieces.’ A broken-hearted, demoralized, inconsolable Judah grieved.
He loathed the spurious comfort of his sons, expecting relief only from the grave.
Meanwhile, God protected, over-ruled and gloriously led this teenager. In the providence of God, Potiphar visited the slave market, being attracted to this fine innocent teenager. This senior officer of Pharoah’s guard eventually purchased him as a slave. Paul said, ‘The things that happened to me were for the furtherance of the gospel.’ This truth applies today. Is that your experience?
In these extenuating circumstances, a successful Joseph enjoyed God’s unwavering presence. He enriched the house of his Egyptian master. Do friends appreciate you? Potiphar observed Joseph’s dignified bearing, and that everything prospered in his hand. Does God bless you in your daily work, study, and with sporting associates?
Checed is God’s loving-kindness, mercy, or favour. ’Joseph found favour in God’s sight, and served him. Potiphar relied entirely on Joseph; despite being his slave. The Lord blessed him as the overseer of the house; and of the field, presumably with farming and cattle. Joseph, reared on the land, had acquired farming expertise and management skill. God can use all our personal talents.
A subtle temptation unexpectedly came to Joseph from Potiphar’s wife, who schemed to seize a favorable moment. With Joseph handsome in appearance and form, she brazenly cajoled, ’Lie with me‘; determined to achieve her purpose.. Fallen human nature allures. Temptation has not changed- with man or woman. While sexual temptations are real, we may oppose them in Christ’s strength, or yield disastrously. Don’t give in or get involved. Christian or unbeliever- firmly resist them.
Joseph rejected her enticement. ‘No one in this house is greater than I nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. ‘Then his burning conviction, ‘How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God.?’
She pressured this sexual temptation day by day. Wisely, he did not heed or stay with her. When she caught him by the garment, saying ‘Lie with me’, he left his garment in her hand, and fled. Some times we must run from evil and evil people. Don ’t be a cheat like Marion Jones, who won 3 Olympic gold medals, while on performance-enhancing drugs, which she had strongly denied until her recent tearful confession of this deceptive ploy. She surrendered 5 Olympic medals. Has God’s Spirit convicted her? The Lord will forgive her, if she seeks it, even though facing prison.
Holding Joseph’s cloak, Potiphar’s unfaithful wife boasted her innocence and his attempted abuse of her. She convinced the men; and may have persuaded her husband. Her hatred of the Jews showed firstly to the servants ( v14) and to her husband , claiming ‘The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me.’ (17) Lie! Satan has opposed the Hebrew people even in these early chapters, and later including the Nazi Holocaust. This aroused Potiphar’s anger, so he imprisoned him bound, where the king’s prisoners were confined. Marvel that he did not kill Joseph with scorching, though false, accusation from his wife.
Joseph was accused unjustly and cheated of recognition.. ’The Lord was with him and showed him mercy ( checed ) loving-kindness, and He gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.’ A miracle for this young man, after years of slavery and imprisonment, to enjoy the favour of the eternal God. How would we respond? Grudgingly, bemoaning or complaining. ‘The keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing.’ Astonishing achievement as a prisoner. ‘The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s hand, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it to prosper.’ (v23)
God intervened in Joseph’s life through dreams which he interpreted. Pharoah irritably imprisoned his chief butler and chief baker, who each dreamed on the same night. No interpreter could meet their need. Joseph disclaimed any special gift, saying ‘Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.’(v5) Joseph interpreted the dream of the vine with three branches for the butler, pleading that he ’Remember me and please show kindness to me; mention me to Pharoah, and get me out of this house.’ (v14) The chief butler recounted his dream, which. Joseph interpreted. ’Within three days Pharoah will take your life, and birds will eat your flesh.’ He restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and placed the cup in Pharoah’s hand. He hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted. The chief butler forgot Joseph. Joseph did not fume or resent this unjust forgetfulness.
God’s timing was precise, even though two years passed. Pharoah dreamed, and recalled it: seven ugly, gaunt cows ate seven fine-looking , fat cows. As he slept, a second dream gripped him. Seven thin corn heads devoured seven plump, full heads.
Pharoah woke.in the morning with a troubled spirit. He called for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt to help him, but. no one could interpret the dream for Pharoah. The Holy Spirit stirred the chief butler, who confessed, ’I remember my faults this day.’ he explained, ’ ’There was a young Hebrew man with us in prison, a servant of the guard, who interpreted our dreams. As he interpreted, so I was restored to the palace. Our omnipotent God interrupted Joseph’s imprisonment.. Great is the Lord.
‘Pharoah sent and called Joseph and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing ( convict garb to royal attire ), and came to Pharoah. V14 . ’I have dreamed a dream, and no one can interpret it. ‘I have heard that you can understand and interpret it.‘ Joseph humbly replied, ‘ It is not in me. God will give Pharoah an answer of peace‘. Then the ruler revealed his dream, ‘I have never seen such ugliness in all the land of Egypt. ‘Joseph explained, ‘God has shown Pharoah what He is about to do. Seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt. After them, seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt while famine will deplete the land. The dream was repeated twice because the thing is established by God, Who will shortly bring it to pass. ’
Joseph counseled Pharoah, ‘Let Pharoah select a wise and discerning man, and set him over the land of Egypt. (v33)’Collect one fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years: let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharoah, and let them keep food in the cities. Then that food shall be for a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine, that the land may not perish during the years of famine.’
Only the living God could elevate Joseph, changing a nation’s history as Pharoah did, saying to his servants, ‘Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God. ‘Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.’ Upgrading and extolling followed: ‘You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word, only in regard to the throne shall I be greater than you.’ Pharoah said to Joseph, ‘See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt‘. Then Pharoah took his signet ring, and put it on Joseph‘s hand, and he clothed him in garments of linen and put a gold chain around his neck. Joseph enjoyed unlimited jurisdiction. He rode in Phaoah’s second chariot, and they cried out before him, ‘Bow the knee.‘ So he set him over all the land of Egypt.
Joseph would have vividly recalled his dreams, and his father and brothers‘ scoffing.
Pharoah gave Joseph an Egyptian name, meaning ‘preserver of the age’, a prelude to our Saviour, the Protector of all who believe: and a wife to enrich him. So Joseph , now 30 years old, the age when our Lord Jesus commenced His ministry, went out over all the land of Egypt. Confined for 13 years in a dungeon, Joseph is now free! In the seven bountiful years, the ground brought forth abundantly. He gathered up all the food which was in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities. Joseph gathered very much grain as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting; for it was without number.
Enriching his home life, two sons were born. ’The name of the first was Manasseh,’ God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.’ God blotted out the distasteful memories of family rivalry and rejection. Just as Christ ‘blots out our sins, casting them into the depth of the sea, where they shall be remembered no more for ever.’ ’Ephraim was the name of the second, ’For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.’ Joseph instinctively praised his great God whenever he called his sons‘ names. We may be so disciplined as to praise our God as life unfurls.
God’s plan unfolded. ‘The seven years of plenty in the land of Egypt ended. And the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said, ’ While the famine was in all the lands, in all the land of ‘ Egypt there was bread.’ God kept his word. Pharoah said to all the Egyptians, ‘Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.’ Mary used this expression at Cana. Oh, for implicit confidence in our beloved Lord. The universal scarcity showed for ‘the famine was over all the face of the earth. Joseph opened all the store houses,’ and sold to the Egyptians.’ With severe shortage in Egypt, so all countries came to Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was so severe in all lands.’
Understandably, ‘Jacob grasped that there was grain in Egypt, rebuking his sons for their delay. ‘Why do you look at one another?’ I have heard there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place, and buy for us there, that we may live and not die.’ (43:2) So Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. Reticent Jacob did not send his secluded Benjamin with his brothers, ‘lest some calamity befall him‘.
Joseph’s boyhood dream was realized . ‘Joseph was governor over the land, and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. Joseph saw and recognized his brethren, but acted as a stranger to them, speaking roughly to them. ’Innocently, he asked, ’Where do you cone from? From the land of Canaan to buy food, they responded . ’So Joseph recollected his brothers, but they did not recall him. Overjoyed as bilingual, , he heard Hebrew, his mother tongue, He identified the voices of his brothers, yet he used an interpreter from Egyptian to Hebrew.’ Joseph recalled the dreams about them. ’Blurring the issue, he said, ’You are spies’, You have come to see the nakedness of the land,’ which they vigorously denied. Then they recounted their family history, ’Your servants ( note this servitude ) are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest ( Benjamin ) is with our father, and one (that is Joseph) is no more.’ Nothing further from the truth, for Joseph is Governor, central in the negotiations; and in control.. So should Christ Jesus be.
Joseph surprised them by putting them all into prison for three days.(42;17) Why? To be confined in prison, which they had precipitated 13 years or 4,500 days previously for Joseph, who showed no bitterness. A true example of the suffering Saviour.
His faith in the living God surfaced as he preached, ’ Do this and live, for I fear God.
‘If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined to your prison house but you, go and carry grain for the famine of your houses. Then Joseph’s deep yearning surfaced, ’Bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die. And they did so. Then Holy Spirit conviction descended like a cloud, covering events possibly 15 years prior. The Comforter stirs our memories , pointing us to the holy God, presenting the Lord Jesus as our Substitute and Saviour.
Joseph overheard their confession, ’We are truly guilty concerning our brother. For we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us. ’ Reuben interjected, ’Did I not say to you, Do not sin against the boy; and you would not listen? Therefore, his blood is now required of us.’ Joseph was stirred when they owned up in his precious Hebrew. ’They did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter‘. Tender, merciful floods rolled over Joseph, who ‘turned himself away from them and wept.’ Then he returned to them again and walked with them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him ( gently not brutally )before their eyes.’
The brothers returned to Canaan, reporting to their esteemed father, Jacob. They contended that ‘the lord of the land ( their unrecognized brother Joseph ) spoke roughly to us and took us for spies of the country.’ They reiterated that they were of a family of 12, including Joseph ( one is no more ) and the younger ( Benjamin ) is with the father in Canaan. Joseph’s mercy overflowed in money stuffed into each man’s sack.’ Jacob was saddened, ‘You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more; Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin also. All these things are against me. ‘ Reuben guaranteed his two sons that Simeon would be released. . Jacob could not agree for his beloved Benjamin to leave him for Egypt.
When Jacob urged the brothers to return to Egypt for grain, they reminded him that the prime minister demanded the presence of their younger brother, Benjamin. Israel protested, but they justified themselves that this governor had enquired whether they had another brother. Joseph longed to see Benjamin, his full brother. Judah acted as surety for Benjamin. Jacob relented: ‘Take some of the best fruits of the land, a little balm and a little honey, spices, myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds’. Memories of his boyhood will flood when Joseph sees the products. ‘Take your brother also, and arise, go to the man.’ His benediction looked to the Lord’s checed, loving-kindness, ‘May Almighty God give you mercy before the man.’ (43:14)
Joseph celebrated the coming of Benjamin, whom he had not seen for nearly a generation. ‘Take these men to my home. Slaughter an animal, make ready; these men will dine with me at noon. The man brought the men into Joseph’s house. The brothers’ sensitive consciences made ‘the men afraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house,’ presumably palatial, consistent with his status as next in line to the Pharoah. They sought to allay their fears, by discussing with the steward of the house, presumably in native Hebrew. Joseph’s influence on this Egyptian officer showed in his response, ‘Peace be to you. Do not be afraid, Your God and the God of your father has given you the treasure in the sacks. Then he brought Simeon out to them. He gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed’.
’When Joseph returned home, they brought him the present that was in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth.’ Unmistakably proving that God had given the dream to Joseph, who enquired, ‘Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke. When they responded that ‘He was alive and well, they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves.’ In this climactic moment, he spotted his beloved brother, ‘Is this your younger brother, of whom you spoke to me?’ He tenderly greeted Benjamin, ’God be gracious to you my son.’ A benediction.
His heart yearned for his brother(after years of separation); so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. And he went to his chamber and wept there. ’He washed his face and came out; he restrained himself, deciding to ’serve the bread.’ He ate separately, ’for the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, for this is an abomination to the Egyptians.’ The brothers were mystified, for they sat in order before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked in astonishment at one another.’ Mathematically, one possibility in millions could explain the eleven brothers in such order. Actually, Joseph ordered this. ‘He took servings to them before him, but Benjamin’s serving was five times as much as any of their’s.’ No doubt where his heart lay.
Joseph tested them harshly when he instructed his steward to put his personal cup into the youngest one‘s sack: and apprehended them outside the city. When challenged, the brothers volunteered that the guilty should die, not knowing that it was Benjamin. They immediately retraced their steps to Joseph’s house, falling before him on the ground. Again the Holy Spirit deeply declared their guilt, ‘How shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants: .here we are my lord’s slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found.’ (44;16)
Judah as Benjamin‘s advocate, came near to him, ‘O My lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s hearing. And do not let your anger burn against your servant for you are even like Pharoah. ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age who is young; his brother is dead ( Joseph could verify most statements), and he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him. ‘The boy cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, he would die.’ Judah intercedes for Benjamin, offering himself as substitute. ‘Please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a slave to my lord. And let the boy go up with his brothers.
Joseph’s heart burst: ’He could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, ‘Make everyone go out from me.’ Joseph was overcome. ’No one stood with him, while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. He wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharoah heard it. His pent-up emotions swirled and his hidden Hebrew language gushed out. ’He said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph: does my father still live‘. His brothers could not answer him for they were ( understandably ) terrified and distressed in his presence.’ While petrified with awe and fear, Joseph said, ’Come near to me,’ is Hebrew for as close as in sexual relationship‘: to identify some birth mark; or see eye to eye; were his wrists scarred with cords that once bound him.? One glimpse of their brother confirmed this relationship. ’ I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt‘ (45:4). Historic, unrepeatable, moment!
Joseph’s profound character and balanced attitude guided him, ‘Do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.(v5) For these two years the famine has been in the land and there are still 5 years in which there will be no ploughing or harvesting. God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God and he has made me a father to Pharoah, and lord of all his house and a ruler throughout the land of Egypt.’
Joseph had grasped God’s attributes of providence, omniscience and omnipotence.
Jubilantly, he requested, ‘Hasten, go up to my father. Thus says your son Joseph, ‘God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me, do not tarry‘. You shall dwell in the land of Goshen and you shall be near to me, you and your children, your children’s children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have.’
Joseph added, ‘Your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. Tell my father of all my glory in Egypt; of all you have seen.
Floods of tears flowed, ‘ Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept; and
Benjamin wept on his neck. Joseph did not seek revenge for the ill-treatment he had received,. Rather, ‘He kissed all his brothers, and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him.‘ They marveled at his fluent Hebrew, carefully preserved in his frontal cortex, though spoken only with his steward during those years.
Recently a beloved brother returned from East Africa where he had mastered a language a generation ago. The Lord awakened memory of the language, enabling Ross to preach and pray in their beautiful tongue. To God’s praise and their delight.
Jacob disbelieved his sons’ account of this ruler of this great nation; until he saw the wagons which Joseph had dispatched for him and the family. ‘And his spirit revived.
Israel responded,’ ‘Joseph my son is alive. I will go and see him before I die.’ (45:28)
Joseph is a type of our Lord Jesus, the only person in scripture of whom no bitterness or resentment or revenge was recorded. . Dreams or prophecies concerning Him were accurately fulfilled; he was hated and rejected by his Jewish brothers: sold for a paltry sum of silver; falsely accused; imprisoned, forgotten; then honored, promoted, becoming saviour of Egypt and all other nations. Symbolic of Christ, prophesied from Genesis to Malachi: restored and exalted from humiliating death by resurrection and enthronement; Israel will look on Him (Me) whom they have pierced and mourn for Him as one mourns for an only Son. providing salvation for every believer in the nations of earth.