This story of Joseph and his brothers is one of my favorites in all of Scripture. Let me recap.
- Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob out of 12 boys.
- Joseph's brothers hated him as a result.
- Joseph had prophetic dreams and flaunted them before his brothers.
- The brothers sold him as a slave and lied about his "death" to their father.
- God was with Joseph.
- Joseph rose to prominence in the house of Potiphar.
- Joseph was falsely accused of rape and thrown in to prison for several years.
- God was with Joseph.
- Joseph had prophetic dreams regarding the butler and the baker and they came to fruition.
- Joseph rose to prominence in Pharoah's court.
- Joseph had prophetic dreams regarding a coming famine.
- Joseph was place in a leadership position over all the food storage and food distribution in Egypt.
- Joseph's brothers traveled to Egypt to purchase food for their family because of the famine.
- Joseph's brothers meet with Joseph but don't recognize him.
- Without his brothers knowing, Joseph puts them through a series of tests to see if they had indeed changed and were repentant of the evil they had done year's earlier.
- Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and declares the truth regarding all that had transpired.
The truth?
[5] And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. ... [7] And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. [8] So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. [9] Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, 'Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not tarry. - Gen 45:5, 7-9 ESV
The truth is that God is in control. He has a plan and purpose for your life. Though the circumstances may at times be bleak we can rest in His sovereignty and watch his good plan unfold. Although I am certain there were times Joseph was discouraged there must have come a point in his young life where he yielded to the sovereign plan of God for we find no trace of bitterness as he throws his arms around his brothers and weeps for joy.
A pastor I admire once defined bitterness as "Disappointed expectation fed by time." He was making a point about the difference between expectation and desire, but the principle is broadly applicable. We certainly see it in Joseph's story. Why wasn't Joseph bitter? Because he knew that God, not he Joseph, was the author of his fate. Who can argue with the sovereign Creator? Who would want to?
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