The Story of Joseph: From Betrayal to Glory
"I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing." (Genesis 12:2)
Then, in Genesis 15:13-14, God established a formal covenant with Abraham, predicting a four-hundred-year sojourn in Egypt before his descendants would return to the Promised Land:
"Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance."
This marks the beginning of the people of Israel, through whom Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Son of God, would come into the world.
Joseph's Background
Abraham had a son, Isaac. Isaac had a son, Jacob, who became the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. One of Jacob’s twelve sons was Joseph, who was seventeen years old at the time of this story. He was tending the flock when tensions with his brothers escalated. Joseph's brothers hated him because they perceived him as a threat to their livelihoods and social status.
Jacob's eldest son was Reuben, born to his senior wife, Leah. Joseph, on the other hand, was the firstborn of Rachel, Jacob's favorite wife—whom he had labored fourteen years to marry. According to the law of primogeniture, Jacob's vast wealth, including land, cattle, and slaves, as well as the blessing of God, was meant to pass to his eldest son, Reuben, upon Jacob’s death.
Although Rachel and Leah managed to coexist, there was fierce rivalry between them due to Jacob’s preference for Rachel. This rivalry naturally extended to their sons. Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin, and after her premature death, Jacob loved Joseph even more. Joseph’s brothers feared that their father might bypass Reuben and instead grant Joseph his inheritance.
Adding to their resentment was Joseph’s coat of many colors—a clear sign of not just affection but also rank. The brothers saw it as a symbol of their father’s choice of Joseph as heir. Matters worsened when Joseph shared two dreams, both depicting his eleven brothers and even his parents bowing before him.
Genesis 37:8 records their reaction:
"His brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words."
Joseph's Betrayal and Sale into Slavery
A day came when Joseph's brothers had the opportunity to act on their jealousy. Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brothers, and as he approached, they plotted to kill him:
"Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams." (Genesis 37:19-20)
Reuben, however, tried to spare Joseph's life. He suggested they throw him into a pit instead of killing him, hoping to rescue him later. The brothers agreed and cast Joseph into the pit. But soon after, a caravan of Ishmaelites passed by, traveling from Gilead to Egypt. Seeing an opportunity, the brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty pieces of silver.
To cover up their crime, they took Joseph’s special coat, soaked it in animal blood, and presented it to their father. Jacob, believing his son had been devoured by wild animals, mourned deeply. The brothers thought they had ended Joseph’s story.
Joseph in Egypt
When Joseph arrived in Egypt, he was sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard. Joseph served faithfully, and Potiphar entrusted him with his entire household.
However, Potiphar's wife developed an interest in Joseph and tried to seduce him. When he refused, saying,
"How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:9)
she became furious. Out of spite, she falsely accused Joseph of attempting to assault her. Potiphar, believing his wife, threw Joseph into prison.
Joseph in Prison
Even in prison, God’s favor remained with Joseph. He gained the trust of the prison warden and was placed in charge of the other prisoners.
Some time later, Pharaoh’s chief butler and chief baker offended him and were imprisoned. One night, both had troubling dreams, and Joseph accurately interpreted them. The butler was restored to his position, while the baker was executed, just as Joseph predicted.
Joseph’s Rise to Power
Two years later, Pharaoh himself had two disturbing dreams. No one could interpret them, and that was when the butler remembered Joseph. Joseph was summoned, and he correctly interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams—predicting seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine.
Pharaoh, impressed by his wisdom, made Joseph the second-in-command over Egypt:
"Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled." (Genesis 41:40)
The Fulfillment of Joseph’s Dreams
Joseph oversaw the gathering of grain during the seven years of plenty, ensuring Egypt would not starve during the famine.
When the famine struck, people from surrounding nations came to Egypt to buy grain—including Joseph’s brothers. They did not recognize him, but eventually, he revealed his identity to them.
By this time, Joseph was thirty-nine years old—twenty-two years had passed since they sold him into slavery.
His brothers were stunned. They had tried to eliminate "the dreamer," but in doing so, they had fulfilled his dreams. They bowed before him, just as he had once foretold.
Eventually, Joseph invited his family to live in Egypt to survive the famine. Thus began the fulfillment of God's prophecy—Abraham’s descendants would sojourn in Egypt for four hundred years, just as God had said.
The story of Joseph is one that should ignite our spirits.
In an attempt to destroy him, his brothers betrayed, enslaved, and falsely accused him. Yet, in the midst of it all, God lifted him far above them and fulfilled His divine purpose.
There is absolutely no one who can stop the will of God. Whatever trials you are facing today, God will turn them into a testimony of upliftment, in Jesus' name.
Thanks for reading. God bless you!
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