Learning from Joseph in uncertain times

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We live in turbulent times. In these times, it helps us to consider the heroes of God in His Word. If you want to know how Joseph remained faithful to God despite adverse circumstances and rose to become an influential man after difficult years, then be sure to stay tuned and read this article to the end.

Raised as the favorite son

Joseph is one of Jacob's twelve sons. The eldest son of Rachel, Jacob's favorite wife. And this eldest son is especially loved and favored by his father. Jacob made it clear to his sons that Joseph was his favorite. He gave him special clothes, such as a colorful robe, which made him stand out. Joseph enjoyed this attention from his father, but his brothers hated him for it.

Joseph loved God and cultivated a relationship with the Lord. He didn't do this casually, but rather made time for God. God spoke to Joseph through dreams and revealed to him what would happen in the future. In Joseph's dreams, his brothers and even his father Jacob bowed down before him. Joseph told his family about these dreams, which is why his brothers called him the Dreamer. Jacob disagreed with Joseph's dream and couldn't imagine that it would come true.

Unfortunately, Joseph's favoritism did not come without negative consequences. The growing hatred for Joseph led his brothers to sell him to Ishmaelite merchants in order to get rid of him. The Ishmaelites took Joseph to Egypt and then sold him to Potiphar. He was no longer there for Joseph's family, but the Bible tells us in Genesis 39:2-6:

“And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a man who prospered in everything he did; and so he was allowed to stay in the house of his Egyptian master. And when his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he undertook prosperous, Joseph found favor in his eyes and was allowed to serve him; and he made him overseer of his household and put everything he had into his care. And from the time he put him over his household and all his possessions, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s household because of Joseph, and the blessing of the Lord was on everything he had, in the house and in the field. So he gave everything he had into Joseph’s care and worried about nothing except the bread he ate. Now Joseph was handsome and good-looking.”

In Potiphar's House

Joseph arrived in Egypt as a slave and was treated like a second-class citizen. Slaves were placed on a platform and sold in front of everyone, like horses, donkeys, cows, or sheep. Everyone who wanted to buy Joseph would first examine him and check if he was strong and healthy enough to work hard. Then, as now, slaves were tested like cars. With cars, you test the driving dynamics under the influence of forces such as cornering, acceleration, and braking.

The slaves were meant to bring in money, so it was important to know how resilient they were. For Joseph, it was a tough test, since he had lived like a prince at home. It was humiliating and degrading for him. Joseph had to endure it all.

How resilient are we today? Do we become dissatisfied and grumpy when we are treated unfairly? Joseph had to endure all of this. When Joseph is taken to Potiphar's house, we read in Genesis 39:2: "The Lord was with Joseph, and he prospered in everything he did; so he was allowed to stay in the house of his Egyptian master." During this time as a slave, he does not become angry, dissatisfied, or grumpy. He remains with the master, and the master with him.

How would you have reacted if you had been torn from your familiar surroundings and sold? Would you have endured everything as patiently as Joseph did, simply trusting God? Joseph could have resisted and threatened them, but he remained silent. Why did Joseph remain silent? Because the Lord was with him. He could accept everything from His hand. “And […] his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he undertook prosperous in his hand” (Genesis 39:3).

Joseph had previously belonged to high society when he was with his family. This is a group of people with the greatest material wealth and the highest social status within a society. Before, Joseph had servants who did all the cleaning for him, but now he had to do the cleaning himself. Potiphar brought Joseph to his house and instructed him to clean and tidy it.

He was a young man of about 17 or 18 years old. Joseph stood out because he performed his work conscientiously. But it wasn't just the quality of his work that was satisfactory; his work ethic also impressed everyone. Joseph was cheerful and content at work and spread good cheer, as he never complained or grumbled.

As a result, Potiphar promoted Joseph, giving him responsibility for the entire work crew. This promotion had a profound impact, drastically changing the atmosphere in Potiphar's house. With Joseph in charge, the work was much more successful; there was no more complaining, only laughter. Joy filled the workspace. Potiphar realized that everything he entrusted to Joseph was even more blessed, and so he appointed him overseer of everything he owned. "From the time he put him in charge of his house and all his possessions, the Lord blessed the Egyptian's household because of Joseph, and the blessing of the Lord was on everything he had, both in the house and in the field" (Genesis 39:5).

How do our colleagues and neighbors see us? Do they see that we are children of God and that God is with us? The Lord was with Joseph, Potiphar saw that. Potiphar didn't notice that Joseph was a Hebrew. It wasn't his origin and culture that stood out, but his relationship with the Lord. Each of us has our own nationality and culture. Some are native-born, others immigrants or late repatriates, returning refugees or displaced persons.

But our culture and our origin are not decisive; rather, our identity as children of God is important. While our culture certainly shapes us, our most important influence should be the Word of God and our relationship with the Lord. Every culture has its own mentality. Mentality can be, for example, a way of thinking or a way of working within a population group. In the Bible, we would find the word "attitude" instead of "mentality."

Our behavior should be determined by the mindset of Jesus, not by the mentality of those around us. If everyone around me is dissatisfied and complaining about the weather or the government, how do I react? Do I join in the complaining because everyone else is, or do I stand out because I am content and gratefully accept everything from God's hand? In the Psalms we read: "And he called a famine upon the land and broke every support of bread. He sent a man before them; Joseph was sold as a servant" (Psalm 105:16-17).

God has a plan and He carries it out. Sometimes God's plans are incomprehensible to us because He chooses unusual paths, as with Joseph. God's plan was to take Joseph to Egypt and have him sold into slavery there. Jacob certainly wouldn't have let him go to Egypt, since Joseph was his favorite son. But God knows no dead ends; He arranged for the transport to Egypt.

It seems very unusual and uncontrolled to us, and we think that God has lost control and the enemy is ruling the world. But it is God's plan; He always remains in control and guides everything for our good. Lamentations 3:37 says, "Who has spoken and it has come to pass except by the Lord?" The Lord must give his approval to everything that happens in this world.

Innocent imprisoned

The Apostle Paul was a wise, intelligent, and learned man. Although he was a successful evangelist, Paul was imprisoned for two years in Caesarea and another two years in Rome. One is tempted to ask why God allowed Paul to sit idly in prison. But if Paul hadn't been in prison, we wouldn't have 14 letters from him. Paul wrote his letters while in prison.

He wrote four letters to pastors: Titus, Philemon, and two to Timothy. These letters contain instructions on how to lead and build up a church. They also include guidance for pastors on how to preach and how to live in relationships.

The other ten letters of Paul address the following topics: church planting, church leadership, and instructions for daily life. Those four years Paul spent in prison were not wasted time. God used Paul to communicate His will to us in writing. God had a purpose when He imprisoned Paul, just as He did with Joseph. Joseph was sent to Egypt as a slave. He didn't know why. There certainly could have been other possible paths. But God chose this one.

In Potiphar's house, Joseph quickly became popular because he performed his tasks precisely and neatly. Although Joseph did his best and everyone was satisfied with his work, God allowed him to be imprisoned. First a slave, and then prison. In prison, Joseph met two of the king's officials who had also been thrown in jail. Joseph was given responsibility for all the prisoners by the jailer. This meant that Joseph took on all the jailer's duties.

One night, the cupbearer and the baker each had a disturbing dream. They told Joseph about their dreams, and with God's help, he interpreted them. Both dreams came true. The baker's dream meant that he would be hanged after three days. The cupbearer's dream meant that after three days he would be released from prison and reinstated as Pharaoh's cupbearer.

After Joseph had interpreted the cupbearer's dream, he said to him, “If you should remember me when things go well for you, show me mercy and mention me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house! For I was carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and I have done nothing here to warrant being imprisoned!” (Genesis 40:14-15).

Joseph tried to use his connections to get out of prison. But God had a different plan for Joseph and didn't need connections to carry out His plan. Sometimes we want to use our connections because we get impatient and everything takes too long.

The Pharaoh's Dreams

After two full years, the Pharaoh had a dream. In this dream, he stood on the banks of the Nile and saw seven beautiful, well-fed cows emerge from the river and graze in the grass that grew on the bank. Then he saw seven other cows emerge from the Nile, ugly and thin, and they stood beside the fat cows. And the thin cows attacked the fat cows and devoured them. The Pharaoh awoke and fell asleep again. Once more, he had a dream and saw seven plump, full ears of grain growing on a single stalk. After them grew seven other ears of grain, which remained stunted and withered by the east wind. And the stunted ears of grain swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. Then the Pharaoh awoke and realized that it had been a dream.

In the morning, he was very troubled and summoned all the scholars and soothsayers of Egypt. He told them what he had dreamed, but none of them could tell him what it meant. Then the chief cupbearer remembered Joseph and told him how Joseph, while in prison, had interpreted his dream and the dream of the chief baker. Both dreams had come true. He was reinstated as chief cupbearer, and the chief baker was hanged.

God wanted to show Joseph that relationships don't matter to Him. God's plan for Joseph was two more years in prison. And that plan of God came to pass. God's will is that we follow Him faithfully. Then He promises to be with us. God's timing is good.

We don't know where Joseph would be if he had been released immediately. But now Pharaoh had a dream, and no one could interpret it. “Then Pharaoh sent and summoned Joseph, and they quickly released him from the hole. He had his head shaved and changed his clothes and went into Pharaoh's house” (Genesis 41:14). Pharaoh told Joseph that he had been told he could interpret any dream on the spot.

But Joseph replied, “Not I! The answer comes from God. He will announce what is good for Pharaoh!” “Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, ‘What Pharaoh dreamed means the same thing: God has let Pharaoh know what he is going to do’” (Genesis 41:25). Pharaoh had his eyes on Joseph and was expecting an answer from him. But Joseph turned all his attention to God and looked up to heaven. He did not exalt himself, but praised the name of God. A person like Joseph, who lives with God and has God in his heart, wants to show everyone else: God is the one who holds my life and yours in His hand. God is the beginning and the end of every story.

Joseph focuses Pharaoh's gaze on the one true God. Through Joseph, Pharaoh begins to understand and comprehend who God is. Joseph repeatedly directs all attention to God: "The fact that Pharaoh had the dream twice means that the matter is decided with God and that God will quickly bring it about" (Genesis 41:32). Joseph does not leave Pharaoh alone with this news, but offers him advice: "Then Pharaoh said to his servants, 'Can we find a man like this, in whom the Spirit of God is?' And Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'After God has told you all these things, there is no one as understanding and wise as you'" (Genesis 41:38-39).

It's striking that Joseph never mentions wanting to be released from prison. He's helpful and even offers good advice, without putting himself in the spotlight. He seeks the best interests of the Pharaoh and the land of Egypt, despite not having been treated particularly well. How would we have behaved if we were in a similar situation? Would we think of ourselves first, or would we seek the best interests of others?

Elevation to ruler over Egypt

“And Pharaoh said to his servants, ‘Can we find a man like this, in whom the Spirit of God dwells?’” (Genesis 41:38). That was the secret of Joseph. The Spirit of God was in him. Can our fellow human beings say the same about us? If Jesus Christ lives in us, then He is our adornment, and that is visible to others. We may think that no one can see it. But by our behavior and our speech, it can be recognized whether Jesus lives in us. “And Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘After God has told you all these things, there is no one as understanding and wise as you’” (Genesis 41:39).

When God is within us, we are wiser and more insightful than all the most highly respected scholars. Now that Joseph is in a high position with great responsibility, God's plan can be understood. Joseph first had to be a slave and spend time in prison so that he could gain a different perspective on these people. He saw all the slaves, all the workers who were there. And Joseph knew what they were thinking and how they felt. He himself had been a slave. Pharaoh was a learned man; he understood human psychology and was wise in many things.

But he couldn't know what a slave was thinking. God led Joseph down this path so that he could interact with the lower classes with understanding. And Joseph understood these people. When he sat on Pharaoh's throne, he knew who the criminals were. This experience proved invaluable in his responsible ministry. God blessed Joseph in his service, and he was very successful, increasing Pharaoh's wealth.

During times of famine, people sold all their possessions and bought grain and other food. God determined Joseph's path in life, and Joseph followed it, thus fulfilling God's plan. In these difficult times, Joseph lived in relationship with God and trusted Him. Joseph remained faithful to God, even though he did not understand His ways.

When famine struck Canaan, Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy grain. Joseph's brothers had wanted to spite him and didn't understand that God had sent Joseph to Egypt so that they and their children wouldn't starve. In the 42nd chapter of Genesis, we read about Joseph's encounter with his brothers. They feared that Joseph might take revenge on them. But Joseph feared God and understood that it was God's plan, not his brothers'. God was simply using his brothers to bring him to Egypt.

“When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, ‘Joseph might be hostile to us and repay us for all the evil we did to him!’ So they sent a message to Joseph saying, ‘Before his death, your father commanded, “Say to Joseph, “Please forgive your brothers their guilt and their sin, for they did such evil to you. Now forgive the servants of your father’s God their guilt.”’ When they sent this message to him, Joseph wept. Then his brothers themselves went and knelt before him and said, ‘Behold, we are your servants!’ But Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid! Am I in God’s place? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to bring it about as it is now manifest, to preserve the lives of a large number of people. So do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your children.’ And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” (Genesis 50:15-21).

Joseph is a role model for us today. He was always faithful to God and trusted Him. He was in communion with God every day of his life, in good times and bad. It is also important for us to live in relationship with our Lord and to hold fast to Him faithfully until the end of our lives. For it is not the beginning that is crowned, but the end. We live in uncertain and difficult times. Jesus will soon return to take His bride home.

But only those who live in relationship with Him and not in sin will be raptured. Therefore, it is important that we live with the Lord like Joseph and remain faithful until the end of our lives.

Our relationship with God sustains us when we go through difficult times. We can clearly see this in Joseph's life. Joseph learned to love and obey God from a young age in his childhood home. He learned to trust God and remain faithful to Him. However, Joseph's trust in God was tested when he was unexpectedly taken to a foreign land and enslaved. Yet even in his work as a slave in Potiphar's house, Joseph remained faithful to God by doing his best and motivating others to do the same.

God has a purpose in every circumstance He allows. Joseph was imprisoned because he remained faithful to God and fled from temptation. Joseph did not initially recognize God's will, yet he remained faithful to Him at all times. Only through Pharaoh's dreams did Joseph understand how God transformed everything for the best. Through his perseverance and faithfulness, Joseph glorified God and brought Him special honor. Let us, like Joseph, glorify our God by remaining faithful to Him and trusting in Him.

Viktor Folz

Municipality of Cloppenburg