Do we realize just how little we control? When we last spoke about Joseph, we discussed his integrity and that was completely in his control. However, what happened next was completely out of his control. Read Genesis 39:12-20. Now when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, “This is what your slave did to me,” his anger burned. So Joseph’s master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined; and he was there in the jail. Genesis 39:19‭-‬20 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.39.19-20.NASB Her story completely switched. Instead of telling the household and her husband exactly what she…

Integrity. This is definitely a common word used to describe the characteristics of an individual who does what they say they are going to do. It is a highly sought after trait in the business world. But how do we develop and demonstrate integrity? Joseph found out in Genesis 39: 7-12. There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?” Genesis 39:9 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.39.9.NASB Joseph is a slave in this household. He has been put in charge of everything in the household…. everything…

The successful slave. Joseph has made the journey from Canaan to Egypt in the possession of the slave traders. Then he is bought by an Egyptian commander, Potiphar. Joseph could have been mad and resentful. He could have spent his time trying to convince Potiphar of his dreams and to let him go. Instead, he just gets busy doing the work. See Genesis 39:1-6. It came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house on account of Joseph; thus the Lord’s blessing was upon all that he owned, in the house and in the…

Twenty pieces of silver. Last we saw Joseph, he is searching for his brothers because his father asked him to. Well, he finds them and they aren’t happy to see him. Ultimately they decide to sell him as a slave for 20 pieces of silver. See Genesis 37:18-36. Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt. Genesis 37:28 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.37.28.NASB I’ve often wondered what Joseph’s response was throughout this. Was he yelling at them? Did he beg them to let him go? Ultimately…

Do what you’re told. Most of us were probably told that as children at some point or another. We felt the authority of our parents or guardians or teachers and we knew the expectation was our obedience. Joseph, even after these dreams that so angered his brothers, is now asked to go check on them. See Genesis 37:12-17 Then he said to him, “Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. Genesis 37:14 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.37.14.NASB It would be interesting to know what…

Joseph’s dreams. Probably one of the most commonly known pieces of the story of Joseph are the dreams that he has as a boy. In Geneses 37:5-11 we see these dreams and how his family reacted. His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. Genesis 37:11 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.37.11.NASB His brothers simply weren’t having it. What, their little brother ruling over them? I don’t think so. They weren’t interested in anything else about the dreams, except that they were bowing down to their little brother. Joseph didn’t have to share the dreams. I always kind of wondered about the second dream and why he shared…

The favorite tattletale. As we move into the scriptures that start to speak directly about Joseph himself, we see some interesting ideas about what others thought about him. Read Genesis 37: 1-4. His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms. Genesis 37:4 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.37.4.NASB At the ripe old age of 17, Joseph is starting to make his way in the world. He has experienced so many things through his mother and father that have shaped his outlook on life and now he is starting to make some of his own decisions.…

Death and loss. Next into Joseph’s world came death and loss. In Genesis chapter 35. We see how Jacob cleaned out all the other idols that were in his household, but then shortly after that Rachel, Joseph’s mom, dies giving birth to his brother Benjamin. Later, some time after they arrive at the place where Jacob grew up, Jacob’s father Isaac dies as well. Joseph saw how Jacob dealt with disappointment and grief. It came about as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. Genesis 35:18 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.35.18.NASB As Rachel was dying, she gave her new son a name…

Does your relationship with God impact others? As Joseph was growing up, we see that his mother Rachel wasn’t focused on God, but what about his father? Not long after Joseph was born, Jacob had a life-altering experience with God. Reading through Genesis 31 and 32 you can see the whole set up, but take a look at Genesis 32:30 So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” Genesis 32:30 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.32.30.NASB Jacob knew about God and had even prayed to God before, but that was when He really committed himself to God. You gotta admit,…

The life of Joseph. Over the next several days, I am going to be looking more closely into the life of Joseph and how God worked through him. Taking a look back at his birth in Genesis 30:22-24 we see: Then God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and opened her womb. So she conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” She named him Joseph, saying, “May the Lord give me another son.” Genesis 30:22‭-‬24 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/gen.30.22-24.NASB To look back at the story, Rachel couldn’t have children.  Locked in a battle with her sister of who can have the most male children,…