Rather than over viewing the life of Joseph, I will interact with some of the instances that stand out in my mind. The first is that Joseph is envied by his brothers. He is the youngest and yet he is set over them in a position of authority. This was because of an unrighteous favoritism on the part of their father, but as the story unfolds, it is also apparent that he is over them because he is better than them and has been chosen by God to be their savior. This is foreshadowed early in the story by the visions of sheaves and heavenly bodies bowing down to him. It is worth interjecting at this point that this is the first time that the sun, moon and stars are used symbolically of earthly authorities. This is a symbol that will be picked up and regularly used by the writers of scripture.
Envy is a cancer that has killed innumerable people, families, offices, and churches. Unlike covetousness, which wants what belongs to another, envy wants what the other person has to be taken from them. In other words, Joseph’s brothers are not concerned with having his colorful coat for themselves, they just want Joseph to be coatless. They want him stripped. They want him, not up above them but down in a well, not ruling over them, but sold as a slave. In their minds they were thinking, “this arrogant little punk needs to be taken down several notches.” Now, I do not believe the common view that Joseph was an arrogant youth. Like Cain, they saw that their works were evil and that they were inferior to their little brother and so they laid hands on him. In this same way, Jesus was delivered up to pilate by the envious priests and elders of the people. The fact that a person is genuinely humble and godly, does not disarm the envious, but only works them into a greater frenzy.
Americans understand that everyone deserves equal opportunity and equal rights and equal protection under the law because we are all created equal. Many misunderstand this important truth and think the founders were saying that everyone has equal ability. But this is not the case. Everyone has equal worth before God. Everyone citizen deserves equal rights. But we are most certainly not all equal in ability. Joseph was a great man. Jesus was a perfect man. Paul was a highly intelligent man with an unstoppable drive. In every family, workplace and church are people with widely differing abilities and skills. We can either choose to accept this diversity and appreciate what God has given to others and be content with what He has given to us, or we will be forever trying to tear down those who rise above us. The corollary is equally important. Those with great talent, must understand that they have nothing to boast about. It is God who has made them excel. Joseph understood this and told Pharaoh that it was God who gave him his great abilities.
Joseph dealt with the temptation he encountered in Potiphar’s house in a most remarkable way. As his master’s lewd wife continually sought to seduce him, he resisted her for two reasons. She was not his wife and he would not trade his relationship with God for a few moments pleasure with her. In an age when sexual morality, even among God’s people, was confused to say the least, Joseph stands as an example to all people of all time as to how and why we should remain sexually pure.
After his cloak was stripped away a second time and used as a means to deceive others, Joseph finally emerges from prison to be placed in great authority over the world’s superpower. Undoubtedly, he was dressed in a robe that would represent the greatness he had attained. However, the greatest demonstration of Joseph’s valor is seen not in his sexual restraint, nor in his visions and interpretation of dreams nor his wisdom to rule, but in his decision to forgive his brothers of their treachery.
Throughout his painful journey, Joseph must have felt alone and abandoned by God. It is to his credit that he did not let those feelings guide his decisions. Throughout the course of his hardships he maintained the belief that God was with him, guiding him. In the end God’s gracious purpose was made clear. Many wicked people had sought to destroy Joseph, but God made every sinful act of man a means of bringing about the salvation of His people from the famine.
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