Heroes of Faith Part 8 - Joseph

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Very few patriarchs ever made it to the stage and screen where they celebrate him in a glitzy musical showcase…all, that is, except Joseph who had a hugely successful one made of him called ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.’ If that isn’t big enough, consider that the music and lyrics were the works of none other than Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

In stricter biblical terms, Joseph is also anything but ordinary. His tale is as tragic as it’s euphorically triumphant but the beginnings were humbling. Although the favourite amongst grandchildren of Jacob, he became the incessant target of envy by his many elder brothers.

But nonetheless, of all the sons of Jacob, Joseph is the only one who made it to the hallmark of Hebrews 11 as a hero of faith and for many good reasons. And unlike his father, he is a remarkable example of a person who surrenders his life in utter obedience and submission to God.

Perhaps second only to Moses, Joseph’s heroics are stuff legends are made of. His is a story of unstinting honesty, trust, faith and obedience to God. No matter what the circumstances, he was unwavering; a shining example of someone in total surrender but it didn’t necessary started out this way.

As his father’s most favoured, Joseph was brimming with pride as he enjoyed his status among his envying brothers. He bragged, not understanding or appreciating the hurt he hurled at them and soon, anger boiled over, resulting in his brothers kidnapping him and then throwing him down a dry well before he was summarily sold into slavery via a passing caravan.

He eventually landed in Egypt where he was enslaved to Potiphar, a high-ranking official within the ranks of Pharaoh’s household. But Joseph worked hard and stayed humble. Soon he rose to the position of overseer of his master’s entire estate. Just as he thought he could work his way to freedom, Potiphar’s wife had different designs on him. Her lustful advance on him produced a stunning rejection from Joseph but fearful of the repercussions of her own actions, she screamed rape and accused him of wanting his way with her. His master had no choice but to throw him into prison.

Joseph must have been bewildered at how he was unfairly treated. Despite his diligence, he had become nothing but a prisoner, which could be worse than a slave but hard work got him to be in charge of all who were incarcerated therein. It was then that two of Pharaoh’s servants were also thrown into prison and each of them told Joseph about their dreams.

God used this opportunity to uplift Joseph. Equipping him with the gift of interpreting dreams, he laid out the cupbearer’s vision of freedom and resumption of his official duties. As for the other servant, the baker, the vision was death by hanging. Both of Joseph’s interpretations came true. Two years on and it was Pharaoh’s turn to have a dream. Not having anyone by his side to interpret what it meant, the cupbearer remembered Joseph and hence spoke of his gift.

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Summoned to the palace, Joseph’s interpretation had such a profound effect on Pharaoh that he was not only freed from prison but also put in charge of all of Egypt. In a role that is akin to a prime minister, Joseph had the entire land before him, under his rule and answerable only to the Pharaoh. And in all that he was placed in charge, he was also the one who stockpiled grain in order to overcome the ill-effects of a terrible famine that was to come.

All this while, Jacob was sickened with worry and grief at losing Joseph. No one had really told him the truth of the situation; not his other sons, no one. But when the famine struck their land, Jacob’s household had to act in order to survive and that meant going to Egypt to look for food to purchase home. Their presence in Egypt was therefore a submissive one. Humbled by the famine and having no other solution, the brothers were all at the mercy of the prime minster. Joseph, at this point, held an advantage in knowing who they were but they knew not who he was.

The feeling of gratefulness and complete humility would have washed over all the brothers once they discovered it was Joseph. In their contrition and remorse, Joseph had forgiven them. He then asked for their father, Jacob, to be sent including the rest of the household. In an act of startling generosity, they were all to be looked after by Joseph. Upon their arrival, Pharaoh had even bequeathed land for them to settle into.

Little did anyone know but God’s hand was at work to save all the twelve tribes of Israel. And He did all that by using His servant, Joseph. In many ways, the Bible leads us to view Joseph as a ‘type’ of Christ, a manifestation that is owed to how he foreshadowed the Messiah in saving his own people. 

Achievements

No matter how treacherous or tragic the circumstances, Joseph learned to trust God and by doing so, he was given amazing skills and gifts to become not just a conscientious and capable court administrator but also a profound interpreter of dreams. Ultimately he saved not only his own people but the entire Egypt from abject starvation from a ruinous famine.

Personal Strengths

Despite his prideful youth, Joseph quickly learned about humility and wisdom. He was industrious even as a slave. He loved his family, remembering always to save them and he had the strength of character to forgive his brothers for their past treachery. 

Personal Weaknesses

Partly his father to blame, Joseph’s young days were tainted in pride and conceitedness, which drove his brothers insane with jealousy and in the end, he was ousted by the very dissension that he caused. 

Lessons in Life

God offers us His strength – it’s up to us to accept His offer to overcome our painful circumstances, which Joseph did. And with God’s help and inspiration, Joseph found it possible to forgive his siblings also. The sufferings that Joseph endured, were also part of God’s plan to bring about a greater good. For Joseph, he knew that God was all he had but then again, God was all he ever needed. In Him, there is more than enough.

Hometown

Canaan

Family Tree

Asenath (wife); Jacob (father); Rachel (mother); Isaac (grandfather); Rebekah (grandmother); Abraham (great-grandfather); Sarah (great-grandmother); Manasseh (son); Ephraim (son); Dinah (sister)

Brothers include Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher

Occupation

Shepherd, slave to a caravan owner and then later high-ranking Egyptian official, property estate overseer, convict, prison administrator, prime minister of Egypt

Biblical References

Genesis 30-50; Exodus 1:5-8, 13:19; Numbers 1:10, 32, 13:7-11, 26:28, 37, 27:1, 32:33, 34:23-24, 36:1, 5, 12; Deuteronomy 27:12, 33:13-16; Joshua 16:1-4, 17:2-17, 18:5, 11; Judges 1:22, 35; 2 Samuel 19:20; 1 Kings 11:28; 1 Chronicles 2:2, 5:1-2, 7:29, 25:2-9; Psalms 77:15, 78:67, 80:1, 81:5, 105:17; Ezekiel 37:16, 37:19, 47:13, 48:32; Amos 5:6-15, 6:6; Obadiah 1:18; Zechariah 10:6; John 4:5; Acts 7:10-18; Hebrews 11:22; Revelations 7:8

Key Verses

Genesis 37:4 > “When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.”

Genesis 39:2 > “The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.”

Genesis 50:20 > “You intended to harm me but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Hebrews 11:22 > “By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.” 

Next Up 

Heroes of Faith Part 9 - Moses; December 19 2014