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An Egyptian Leader. Pharaoh appointed Joseph second in Egypt.
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Pharaoh appointed Joseph second in Egypt. • “Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt” (Gen 41:40-41). • Joseph’s position would have been something like a prime minister in many modern nations.
Joseph bragged to his brothers about his dreams (37:5-11). • His dream about the sheaves. • His dream about the celestial bodies. • Bragging causes much strive. • “Charity vaunteth not itself” (1 Cor 13:4). • The sinful Gentiles boasted (Rom 1:30). • When we boast, we focus on what we can do, rather than on what God can do.
Joseph’s life changed spontaneously (Gen 37:12-36). • Our lives, too, can be changed spontaneously. • “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that” (Js 4:13-15). • We need to live knowing that our lives can change spontaneously.
Joseph resisted the temptation with Potiphar’s wife (Gen 39:7-12). • We need this same resolve in resisting temptation. • When we are angry, we must not sin (Eph 4:26). • We need to put on the whole armor of God so that we may stand in the evil day (Eph 6:13). • Our Lord prayed that we would not be led into temptation (Matt 6:13).
With all Joseph endured, he remained faithful to God. • When Potiphar’s wife attempted to seduce him, his reply was, “How can I sin against God?” • The Lord showed Joseph mercy while he was in prison. • When prisoners were troubled by dreams, Joseph said that the interpretations belonged to God (Gen 40:8). • Humanly speaking, Joseph had every reason not to be faithful.
Joseph’s brothers greatly wronged him. • Yet, he forgave his brothers (45:1-8). • We must forgive those who wrong us. • Our forgiveness from God is dependent upon our forgiveness of others (Matt 6:14-15). • We are to forgive one another as God in Christ as forgiven us (Eph 4:32).
Joseph kept his word to his father. • Joseph promised Jacob that he would bury him with his fathers (Gen 47:29-31). • Joseph kept that word (Gen 50:4-7). • We need to keep our word. • We are to let our “Yes” be “Yes” and our “No” be “No” (Matt 5:37). • We are to speak the truth to our neighbor (Eph 4:25).
God continually sharpened Joseph’s life. • Over and over Joseph was knocked down, but God would lift him up. • “God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance” (Gen 45:7). • God can work in our lives as well. • He will work in any situation (Rom 8:28). • How does He do so? • Our character may become stronger. • We may be able to minister in new ways. • We may depend on God more.