The Essentials Of The Bible: Part 29 -- God Chooses A People – From Imprisoned Criminal To King

Joseph was persecuted and ridiculed by his brothers because their father favored him.  Jealousy sets in and bitterness takes hold of the brothers and they sell their little brother into slavery.  God allowed this for Joseph to grow in character.  When he is sold to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s Captain of the Guard, he has no idea that his circumstances are going to improve.  God blesses all that Joseph is given to do and Potiphar extends great privileges to him and gives him authority over all of his household matters.  He is a very young man and even though he had already been beat down by his brothers and beat down by being traded in slavery; it is imaginable that when things turned around under Potiphar; that Joseph’s youth would have made him a bit cocky.  Just when everything is going great and Potiphar has made him almost a son, he is falsely accused of rape and slammed down and thrown into prison. 

He was exalted as an executive and then brought down lower than a slave; now he is a criminal.  God is building character in a very young man, because God has a plan that is so wonderful, a blessing so great that Joseph would not be able to handle it, unless he had incredible strength and maturity of character.  From even a lower starting point, God once again begins to bless Joseph in prison.  The Warden of the prison turns over to Joseph; the complete management of prison; making him head over all of the prisoners.  Pharaoh’s Baker and Butler cross their mighty king and are thrown into Joseph’s prison.  Their dreams as interpreted by God; through Joseph; come true.  The Baker is hanged and the Butler is restored to serve Pharaoh personally.  The Butler saw the blessings, talent and favor of God that was upon Joseph; but once he is restored to Pharaoh; he forgets Joseph.

We don’t know how old Joseph was when he was sold by his brothers to the slave traders, or how old he was when Potiphar bought him.  The length of time that he served Potiphar; is not known or the length of time he was in prison.  Clearly God never abandoned him.  Then Pharaoh has two dreams that none of his magicians or wise men, can interpret. 

Genesis 41:17-24 ESV Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile.  (18)  Seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass.  (19)  Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt.  (20)  And the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows,  (21)  but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke.  (22)  I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good.  (23)  Seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them, (24)  and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me."

His Chief Butler remembers how Joseph‘s interpretation of his dream and the Baker’s dream came true.  Joseph is summoned to Pharaoh.  He is told the two dreams.  Once again Joseph claims no ability to be able to interpret dreams, but proclaims that the one true God in Heaven, the God of his fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob holds all power.  God reveals to Joseph the meaning of Pharaoh’s two dreams.  The seven Fat cows and the seven healthy plump ears of corn are the seven great years of unprecedented plenty that would be followed by seven starving cows and seven blighted ears of corn that will be seven years of the worse famine ever known.  The message of the dreams was told twice because it was to happen immediately.  Joseph tells Pharaoh that God has revealed to the mighty king what was shortly to happen.  The warning was to give Pharaoh the time to appoint a wise man over the years of plenty in order to put in reserve what would be needed for the years of famine.

No imagination could have predicted what would happen next.  God inspires Pharaoh to put Joseph in charge of this massive undertaking and appoints him governor over all of Egypt.  He is given absolute authority to rule over all of Egypt.  Only Pharaoh would be greater than Joseph.  He was thirty years old when he was appointed Governor; which in reality would be more at the level of a king, because Egypt was the greatest nation on the earth at the time.  From imprisoned criminal to king; in less than a day and it may have been less than an hour!  Only God; our God, the Almighty Heavenly Father; the LORD could do such a thing.

Genesis 41:38-46 ESV And Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?"  (39)  Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are.  (40)  You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you."  (41)  And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt."  (42)  Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck.  (43)  And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, "Bow the knee!" Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.  (44)  Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt."  (45)  And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.  (46)  Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt.

It is so easy to live by our human sight and not live by God’s inspired vision.  God cares no less for you and me than He did Joseph.  God has a plan even greater than this for you and me.  Do we worship God as the one who has such power to grant us greater things than our imagination?  God is perfecting our character so that His glory may shine in and through us.  God wants to make you and me kings!  It first requires character development.  It requires us to overcome our human nature and replace it with Godly, Kingly, Divine nature.

Revelation 3:21 KJV  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Jesus Christ is coming back to earth as King of kings.  He is not just King of kings on earth, but King of kings over the entire Universe.  We are called to be a king for all eternity.  God will grant us a kingdom much greater than Egypt.

Prayer:  LORD God Almighty, my Father, you have called me to a mighty future in Christ.  Raise my sights and inspire my vision.  Prepare me as your chosen, help me to overcome my human nature and transform me into your divine nature, in Jesus’ name, Amen.     




Copyright © 2006, 2011  Thomas C. Blake