In the Beginning: A Study in Genesis 37-50Sample

What are the 5 signs of the Spirit in a person?

The ungodly Pharaoh clearly saw the Spirit of God at work in Joseph and, in a sense, borrowed his faith by obeying God’s commands. Recognizing that Joseph was both discerning and wise by God’s power, he appointed Joseph to a position of rank over Egypt second only to his throne. In this way, Joseph is ruling over Pharaoh’s kingdom as his vicegerent in much the same way that God appointed Adam to rule over creation in the opening chapter of Genesis.

At this point in his life, Joseph was 30 years of age and had gone from a nomadic shepherd boy despised by his brothers to a ruler in Egypt. He had the Spirit of God in his heart, enabling him to do the miraculous, and signet ring of the king on his finger, enabling him to run the state affairs of that great nation with the authority of the Pharaoh. God also blessed Joseph with a wife and sons according to God’s covenant promises.

After 13 years in Egypt mostly suffering, he was a prisoner with a life sentence by morning and, by the afternoon, he received a royal upgrade. Joseph gets a corporate Amex Platinum Card, designer suit, gold watch, Mercedes-Benz chariot, and the runway model wife. It’s history’s first rags-to-riches story.

Additionally, we see how Joseph responds to the new identity the Pharaoh tries to give him. The Pharaoh gave him an Egyptian name and an Egyptian wife, but Joseph doesn’t assume this identity. He had two sons with his wife, but he gave them Hebrew names. From the time he was falsely accused of rape to now (as he’s been bestowed a false identity), Joseph doesn’t forget who he is and who God made him to be. The big idea is that the world will try and define us, but we must be vigilant to only accept the identity we have in relationship with God no matter what the world says about us.

Like his great grandfather Abraham, Joseph obeyed the Lord in faith. He stored up vast amounts of food during the seven years of plenty that God had promised would come. And, in the ensuing seven years of severe famine, King Pharaoh entrusted to Joseph the distribution of food to the many nations coming to him with great need in partial fulfillment of God’s covenant promise to bless the nations through His people (Genesis 41:57).

Joseph’s new responsibility is similar to how he served Potiphar, only on a national scale. He has, time and time again, proven himself to be an excellent steward of whatever resources he is given. Because he was faithful with a little, even in prison, God has now blessed him with a lot. The Pharaoh might have thought it was his kingdom that he handed to Joseph, but Joseph knows it all begins and ends with the Lord. We must think in the same way; all of our resources come from the Lord, and we need to ask God what He wants us to do with the money, the time, and the talents He has blessed us with. Additionally, we can look at Joseph’s life and see what God was preparing him for. The management skills he acquired while working for Potiphar were taken into his new job in the Pharaoh’s cabinet. Even if we don’t think our current job matches our potential, like Joseph, we must trust in God’s sovereignty over our life and believe that there is something God is working in us and through us in every stage of our life.

By Genesis 41:53, seven more years have passed and the famine in the land has begun but, due to Joseph’s interpretation of the dream and his astute planning, Egypt has plenty of food to go around. Meanwhile, back at home, Jacob heard of this surplus and sends his sons to buy grain so that they won't starve. He hadn’t learned from his mistakes with Joseph however, and he still is playing favorites by asking Benjamin–Rachel’s other son–to stay back for his safety, determined not to lose the now-favored son just as he lost Joseph.

In a dramatic plot twist, Joseph’s brothers appear before him and bow down requesting grain, just as they had in his dream for which they sold him into slavery in Egypt. And, though Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him, perhaps both because he had aged and also now looked, acted, and sounded Egyptian. Cleverly, Joseph spoke to his brothers through an interpreter, though he could speak both Egyptian and Hebrew. Therefore, not thinking that Joseph could understand them, his brothers spoke openly in Hebrew in Joseph’s presence about their remorse for selling him into slavery.

Wanting to see them again, and hoping to discover if his beloved father Jacob was still alive, Joseph devised a plan to keep one brother, Simeon, in custody until they returned with their youngest brother, Benjamin, who was Joseph’s only full blood brother born by both Jacob and Rachel.

Upon returning home, the boys informed Jacob of their plight and the need to take Benjamin, which greatly troubled Jacob. But, having apparently grown in faith and godliness over the years as his father Jacob had before him, Judah stepped forward and took responsibility for the safe return of Benjamin.

Jacob/Israel then asked God to protect his sons and sent them to Egypt in faith that God would protect them but with fear of their fate. Upon returning to Egypt, Joseph invited his brothers, including Benjamin, to a meal during which he learned that his father was still alive, which caused him to weep with joy. Though Joseph did not eat with his brothers, he did provide a feast for them, complete with portions five times larger than anyone else’s for Benjamin.

Forgiveness is free, but trust is earned. Some of us don’t understand the difference between forgiveness and trust, and we let people who have hurt us back into our lives to wreak havoc, because we think this is forgiving. Joseph had already forgiven his brothers (or else he would be seeking vengeance) but he is going to test them to see if he can trust them. He sends all of them except for one back to Jacob to see if they’ll abandon another brother like they abandoned him.

When Jacob’s sons return to him and tell him that this Egyptian vizier (Joseph) has taken Simeon and now wants to see Benjamin, Jacob just about loses his mind. His awful parenting habits come out once more when he says that Benjamin is “the only one left” (seemingly ignoring the rest of his sons). Reuben then demonstrates how far the apple has fallen from the tree as he offers the lives of his sons, Jacob’s grandchildren, should he not bring Benjamin back alive. This family is totally messed up, and God’s grace for them and hope for us is that He still chooses to work through them.

Eventually the grain they brought back runs out and they must return to Egypt, but Judah reminds his father that they cannot return empty-handed. Jacob, who has schemed and tricked his way through his entire life, finally decides to surrender his future up to God. In verses 43:11-14, he instructs his sons to do what Joseph has commanded, he says a prayer, and then offers the equivalent of “God’s will be done.”

Joseph welcomes his brothers back to Egypt and hosts them in his own house. His brothers are expecting the worst, but Joseph shows nothing but grace and generosity to the same men that sold him into slavery over 20 years ago. This is an example to us of our relationship with God. We are the people that took our brother Jesus, bound him in chains, and condemned him to the worst form of death. In return, He invites us into the Father’s house, and asks us to dine with Him at his table. He loves us and blesses us when we don’t deserve any of it.

Question:

The Holy Spirit is often mentioned to be at work around, in, and through Joseph. How do you see the Holy Spirit working “behind the scenes” in this section of the testimony of Joseph?