The average human being has experienced the pit of despair. This may come in the form of a complete loss in life or overwhelm you with the absence of hope. As Joseph tries to recover from being roughed up by his brothers. Moses doesn’t mention if Jospeh could hear what his brothers were talking about. Nonetheless, Joseph is eventually sold as a slave to a group of merchants on their way to Egypt.
When Joseph had come to his brothers, they stripped him of his [distinctive] long garment which he was wearing; 24 Then they took him and cast him into the [well-like] pit which was empty; there was no water in it. 25 Then they sat down to eat their lunch. When they looked up, behold, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites [mixed Arabians] coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum [of the styrax tree], balm (balsam), and myrrh or ladanum, going on their way to carry them down to Egypt. 26 And Judah said to his brothers, What do we gain if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites [and Midianites, these mixed Arabians who are approaching], and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brothers consented. 28 Then as the Midianite [and Ishmaelite] merchants were passing by, the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the well. And they sold him for twenty pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph [captive] into Egypt, Genesis 37:23-28.
Like an award-winning film, Moses skips the boring details and goes right to a divine employment with Potiphar. Joseph takes an awkward situation and makes the best of it, imitating the words of the apostle Paul in Colossians 3:17;23 before they were written. From a slave to caretaker of a large estate is a feel-good story until Potiphar’s wife ruins Joseph’s reputation and ends up in prison.
Then Joseph could not restrain himself [any longer] before all those who stood by him, and he called out, Cause every man to go out from me! So no one stood there with Joseph while he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept and sobbed aloud, and the Egyptians [who had just left him] heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard about it. 3 And Joseph said to his brothers, I am Joseph! Is my father still alive? And his brothers could not reply, for they were distressingly disturbed and dismayed at [the startling realization that they were in] his presence. 4 And Joseph said to his brothers, Come near to me, I pray you. And they did so. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt! 5 But now, do not be distressed and disheartened or vexed and angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me ahead of you to preserve life, Genesis 45:1-5.
When Joseph’s brothers sold their brother into slavery, they had no idea that God’s providence was set into motion. Although Potiphar’s wife prolongs Joseph’s wait to determine God’s will for his life, Romans 12:1-2, the Lord is working behind the scenes to set the stage for Jospeh’s greatness as a leader. If this blog finds you far from knowing or understanding God’s will for your life, remember that God makes everything beautiful in His time, Ecclesiastes 3:11.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 