Joseph the son of Jacob.

We started our discussion on faith with the life of Abraham.

Today we are going to look into the life of Joseph.

I had to distinguish this Joseph from Joseph the foster father of Jesus Christ.

Joseph was the son of Jacob which his beloved wife Rachel, bare to him after years of barrenness.

Joseph was the first child of his mother Rachel, but the eleventh son of his father Jacob, out of twelve sons. He was loved by his father who made him a coat of many colors.

“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him”.

Gen 37:3‭-‬4 KJV.

Of course in such a large family there has to be rift, so Joseph’s family was not an exception, his brothers hated him because their father loved him more than them and because he brought evil report about them to their father and they hated him even more because of his dreams.

“These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report”.Gen 37:2 KJV.

Just like everyone of us, was created with destiny and purpose. Although as a young growing man he did not understand this.

He was gifted in dreams but didn’t understand, so he shared his dreams with his brothers. It is important to know who you share your dreams with, some people may pretend to be happy for you but in sincerity they are not. I’ve been a victim a few times, sharing dreams with someone I regarded as a very close friend but was spiritually attacked afterwards and I learned a great lesson from it, thank God our Lord Jesus Christ delivered me.

“And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more”. Gen 37:5 KJV.

“And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words”.Gen 37:8 KJV.

Joseph’s brothers hated him so much that they conspired to kill him. What wickedness will make one want to kill his own brother.

Yes, they were bitter towards him, they were envious of him and his dreams and they said let’s kill him and see what will become of his dreams.

And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.Gen 37:18‭-‬20 KJV.

They had it all planned out but Reuben stopped them saying, don’t kill him, let’s not shed blood instead let’s throw him in the pit, he intended to rescue him afterwards.

Can you imagine that Joseph was seventeen years old at this time, a teenager with bright future ahead of him and yet his wicked brothers out of jealousy decided to kill him. Thank God we serve an awesome God who said he will never leave us not forsake us. God saw the innocence of Joseph’s heart and decided to deliver him from his brothers.

Rom 8:28 says, “……all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Joseph’s brothers eventually threw him into a dry pit and when they some merchants passing by, they got a bright idea to make money out of their younger brother, so they sold him to the Midianite traders who took him to Egypt.

“And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no. And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days”.Gen 37:31‭-‬34 KJV.

How heartless they were, after selling their brother, they covered their wickedness with a lie to their father.

In Egypt, Joseph was sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharoah, the captain of the guard. God being with Joseph showed him favor with Potiphar.

He was dedicated in his duties that Potiphar put him in charge of everything in his house.

“And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand”.

Gen 39:2‭-‬4 KJV.

God is always good to his children.

There is nothing impossible with God.

Imagine Joseph at the prime of his youth being sold into slavery by his brothers whose wicked intention was to silence him and his dreams forever.

How many people in our world today are facing similar situations?

They are uncountable and many cannot even speak out about their plight for fear of further victimization.

Thank God for Divine intervention. Our God is alive, he never sleeps nor slumbers.

We shall continue next time with the challenge, Joseph faced at Potiphar’s house and his imprisonment.

To be continued.