Today’s passage tells of God’s faithful covenant being carried from Abraham to Isaac, then to Jacob, and now Joseph. Jacob loved Joseph more than his brothers because he was born to Jacob in his old age. Jacob’s favoritism toward Joseph caused the others to feel deep anger toward Joseph.
Beyond Jacob’s treatment of Joseph, his sons grew even angrier after hearing of their brother’s dream, in which Joseph would reign over each of his siblings and their parents, too. The brothers’ jealousy and anger loomed so large that they schemed to take Joseph’s life; however, they settled with selling him into slavery instead, making it appear as though an animal had killed him.
In Egypt, Joseph became a slave of the officer Potiphar, who promoted him over his household. God gave Joseph great success in serving his new master. Joesph obeyed God amidst life’s challenges, even against the temptation of Potiphar’s wife, in which he declared, “…how could I sin against God?” Though this refusal would send Joseph to prison, God was with him and granted him favor despite his terrible circumstances. Even the warden knew God was with him.
God gave Joseph the ability to interpret his fellow prisoners’ dreams and Pharaoh’s dreams as well. God’s sovereign care to be with Joseph and give him the ability to interpret dreams resulted in him being raised to oversee Pharaoh’s entire household. As Joseph served Pharaoh, God granted him wisdom to provide grain during a famine, not just for others in the land, but for his brothers as well. This is a full-circle story of God’s sovereign provision, faithfulness, and grace through trials.
At the closing of Genesis, Joseph—in the aftermath of slavery, famine, and injustice—declares that God used his brothers’ evil plans to bring about flourishing for His people. Joseph extended words of comfort, courage, and kindness his brothers did not deserve.
In Christ, we receive an even greater gift —everlasting life, the undeserved bestowal of immeasurable peace, courage, and kindness. Christ experienced injustice and suffering on our behalf so that we might gain eternal life and redemption. As faithful to God as Joseph was, Jesus is even more faithful, forever renowned as the suffering Servant who takes away our sin. Pray for boys and girls to place their faith in the One who redeems our sins and suffering for His glory and our good.
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