Joseph was a handsome teenage boy (about 17 years old). His mother died when he was 15 years old. Two years later his father gave him the authority to be shepherd over the flocks, even though he had several other brothers. He had a couple of problems though.
He had ten older brothers and one younger one who were really jealous of him because he was the favorite of their father Jacob (Isreal). It didn’t help that Joseph’s father gave Joseph a beautiful coat that he himself made. It was fancy, decorated, with long sleeves and had many colors. People in Bible times loved beautiful clothes. They made their cloths out of black or white cloth. Sometimes they liked to use bright colors like purple, red, blue or yellow. Joseph’s coat was made by sewing colored threads into designs in the cloth. The coat/robe that Jacob gave Joseph was more than just a beautiful gift. It showed that Joseph had more importance in his family than his brothers did. This coat made the brothers more jealous than ever and they hated Joseph.
The second problem Joseph had was that he dreamed strange dreams. Worse of all, he liked telling his dreams to his family. He really should have been more private with them. Can you just hear him? “Listen to this one!” “I dreamed the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me”. His brothers thought that he was saying that some day he would be so important that they would all bow down to him like a king, even his mother and father. Joseph’s brothers thought that he was telling them how much better he was than them.
These two problems led him into big trouble. Jacob sent Joseph to see how his ten other brothers were doing in the far away fields where they took care of the sheep. When they saw him coming they made an evil plan to kill him. They were going to throw him into a near by well and tell their father that a wild animal ate him up.
His brother Reuben didn’t want this to happen to Joseph and told the others that they should just leave him by the well. He planned to come back for Joseph later. The other brothers agreed with him. But, while Reuben was away the other brothers took Joseph out of the well. They sold him for twenty pieces of silver as a slave to some merchants who were on their way to Egypt.
The brothers kept Joseph’s beautiful coat. They killed a goat and dipped the coat in its blood. When they got home they showed the coat to Jacob and pretended not to know that it was Josephs.
Jacob knew it was the special coat he made for Joseph and that the brothers killed a goat and poured its blood on it. Jacob was heartbroken, moaned and cried many days for the loss of his son.
Little did Jacob know that Joseph was alive in the far-away country of Egypt. He and Joseph’s brothers thought that they would never see Joseph again. Although Joseph no longer had the beautiful fancy coat, he still dreamed dreams and had God’s favor. In the land of Egypt he was sold as a slave to an Egyptian named Potiphar. Potiphar was very impressed with Joseph’s wisdom. Joseph managed his home and his property.
Joseph spent many years in the house of Potipher as a slave. He was wrongfully accused of a crime and put into prison for thirteen years. Eventually after these humble years he was exalted to a position of honor with the ruler. Through all of these bad and good times Joseph prayed and learned to be happy where he was. He wanted to be the best person he could be with what God gave him. He learned to trust God no matter what the circumstances were.
Some of us can identify with one or more of the hardships that Joseph encountered. He experienced betrayal, was deserted by his family, was exposed to sexual temptation, was forgotten by those he helped and was punished for doing what is right. His positive response transformed each set back into a step forward. He didn’t spend much time asking God “Why”? His approach was to pray and ask God, “What should I do now”? God was with him.
When you are facing a set back, pray, seek God and acknowledge that He is with you. There is nothing like His presence to shed a new light on a dark situation.
Gen (37)
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