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Providence and Faith in the life of Joseph, the son of Jacob

December 1, 2013 cm-admin People 0

1 Dec by Tony Dibble –

Joseph, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, was perhaps the greatest man throughout the world during his time. However, his worldly success should not concern us so much. He was a remarkable man who was spiritually strong. About a third of the content of Genesis is centred on Joseph. This comprises the final thirteen chapters (excluding chapter 38) of the book.

Joseph’s early life saw jealousy within his family. Jacob loved Joseph the most. This was apparent to his brothers. Joseph also narrated a dream where he stood above his brothers. This was ultimately to come to pass some years later (Gen 42:6). His brothers meanwhile, arranged his murder by dumping him into a pit. They soon changed their minds. Instead, they sold him as a slave to a passer-by caravan. Joseph was then made chief steward of a prominent household in Egypt. However, evil beset him. He was framed as he refused to participate in sin. This led to his imprisonment and he was almost forgotten.

After about two years, a fellow prisoner recalled Joseph. Thereafter his ascent to greatness began. He rose to solidify Egypt’s agricultural economy. Joseph saved Egypt from famine and he built up Pharaoh’s treasury and consolidated the king’s agricultural landholdings. He virtually set up the land tenure system. Land cultivators retained eighty per cent of their produce, paying the king the remaining twenty per cent. A massive resettlement programme of migration to the cities was also instituted.

Egypt was one of the magnificent ancient civilisations in the early history of mankind. Joseph had a major role in consolidating its socio-economic structure, largely founded on agriculture. The country was not involved in any military conquests during Joseph’s tenure. Food for survival was the paramount concern. All countries depended on Egypt to avert a famine. None better than Pharaoh, was to conclude this. Pharaoh’s words to everyone who asked for assistance were, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do (Gen 41:55-57)”.Pharaoh later blessed Joseph and the rest of Jacob’s family with the best land and produce (Gen 45:18).Joseph’s family was saved from famine and prospered in the land of Egypt. The Abrahamic line thus continued and GOD used the efforts and skills of Joseph in perpetuating this.

In Joseph’s first job, the Bible says, “the Lord was with Joseph and he was a successful man…and his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.” Joseph was in charge of the household of Pharaoh’s captain of his guards (Gen 39:2 & 3). A verse continues, “…the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field,” (Gen 39: 5).He had full authority in the captain’s household other than the authority held by the captain’s wife (Gen 39: 8 & 9).

Joseph knew instantly when confronted with temptation that sin was against GOD. He had no doubts about the matter (Gen 39:9).Joseph had a fear of God, something which he later testified to his brothers (Gen 42:18).When imprisoned as a result of being framed, “…the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison,” (Gen 39:21).The prison warden trusted Joseph and made him supervise the other prisoners. The warden did not interfere with anything that was under Joseph’s control “…because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper (Gen 39:23)”.

Even when Pharaoh had a dream, Joseph considered the interpretation to depend on GOD. He told Pharaoh readily that GOD would supply an “answer of peace” to the dream (Gen 40:8 & 41: 16, 25 &, 28).Pharaoh was able to recognise the Spirit of GOD in Joseph as well as to identify Joseph’s exceptional judgement and wisdom as GOD-given (Gen 41:38 & 39).

Pharaoh invested Joseph with great authority and pomp. He was given Pharaoh’s signet ring. This was the equivalent of an unlimited authority to do whatever he saw fit, in Pharaoh’s name (Gen 41:40-45). Joseph was at the pinnacle of his success by the time he was thirty years old. All told, his tribulation took a period of some thirteen years. He was to live to the ripe old age of one hundred and ten years (Gen 37:2; 41:46 & 50:26).

Upon the birth of his two sons (before being reunited with his family), Joseph said on the first occasion that GOD made him forget everything about his hard life and his father’s family. On the second occasion, Joseph reflected that GOD made him fruitful in the land of his affliction (Gen 41:51& 52).Despite his phenomenal success in Egypt, Joseph still felt sorrowful. However, he acknowledged that GOD had enabled him to overcome his deep-seated sadness. This possibly explained his somewhat erratic behaviour when his brothers eventually turned up in Egypt. He was unable to cope with the situation and went through to absurd lengths in dealing with them.

Perhaps the best testimony about Joseph’s captivity arose when he said that GOD had sent him to Egypt “to preserve life” including the future generations. He also said that GOD had sent him to Egypt to make him “a father to Pharaoh and lord of his house and ruler throughout all Egypt (Gen 45:5,7& 8)”. Joseph’s understanding of GOD’s providence was a cornerstone in his spiritual life. He considered evil designed against him by man (through his brothers) to be for good by GOD, in order that many would be saved (Gen 50:20). This was a foretaste of GOD’s eternal plan of salvation.

Joseph’s life was to have other parallels. Moses was a refugee in the desert before leading GOD’s people into the Promised Land. David was a political refugee before ascending the throne to rule over GOD’s people. Daniel was left in the lions den to be scavenged but was left untouched, and was soon to acquire political eminence that gave GOD the glory. This echoes 2 Tim 2:12 that if we endure the testing, we shall reign with Christ.