Lessons That Christians Can Learn from Joseph's Demotion to Promotion

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Do you really wish your life were all but smooth sailing? Sorry to say but God's plan is far from that. The Old Testament heroes never had it better so why should Christians? One good example is the story of Joseph read from Genesis 37-50. I suggest reading it and reflecting on it especially on how Genesis 38 and 39 contrast each other - Judah's sin and Joseph's resistance.

Let's get started with the story of Joseph. We recall the account of Joseph's birth was where his mother Rachel couldn't have children. She foolishly allowed Jacob to have her handmaid Zilpah to bear children for her - a decision that would produce several jealous half-brothers for Joseph. Jacob would have probably been 90 years old when Joseph was born. Jacob was 40 when he reached his uncle Laban's house and had to work 14 years just before he could get Rachel. Jacob was now paying the price for deceiving his own father. He wanted Rachel but he got Leah first. He would be 47 when he got Leah and 54 when he got Rachel. Then he had a total of four wives - Leah, Rachel, Zilpah and Bilhah. God never intended polygamy to be the norm either!

Now, the story of Joseph started with several things gone wrong. Although Jacob never raised Joseph as a spoiled prince but that coat of many colors started the whole conflict. It was a very petty reason for the older half-brothers to hate their father's son of their old age. So how old the half-brothers were is unknown but it's possible that many of them were old enough to be Joseph's father. The jealousy was just so disgusting at how they sold him into slavery for 20 pieces of silver, torn the coat, dipped it in blood (though today's forensics would've caught them red-handed) and lied to their father. Jacob went insane thinking his son had died!

Joseph was now a slave but not for long. He entered into the service of Potiphar. Some suggest that Potiphar was an eunuch - which may explain why Mrs. Potiphar lusted after Joseph. Though you still have the situation where the wife who has a husband and children would still lust after a handsome young teenager. Joseph was described to be very attractive but he wasn't arrogant about it. Potiphar was described as a captain of the guard - which I think he probably had children. He probably was a promoted man. I would like to imagine that either Mrs. Potiphar was a young woman married to a much older man or a middle aged woman looking for sexual escapades. Either way what she did was wrong when she attempted to commit adultery with Joseph. Joseph refused and what did he get? He got a phony rape charge and was thrown by an undiscerning Potiphar. Don't believe the lie that as long as you do good then you won't get into trouble. On the contrary - you can get into trouble for doing good. Joseph may have never considered how ruthless Mrs. Potiphar was. He probably tried to defend himself but wasn't listened to by his master Potiphar.

Yet it didn't stop there. Joseph was in jail for a crime he didn't commit yet soon enough he was put in charge of other prisoners. Probably, the jailer saw his innocence and requested Pharaoh for permission to put Joseph in charge of the other prisoners. Then he got to interpret the dreams of both the butler and the baker. The butler then forgot about Joseph. It sounded unfair! Joseph had to wait for two years before he got out of whatever job he was in charge in prison. He was an assistant warden by now but he just wanted to go home. The late Dr. Vernon McGee suggested that God's hand was at work to why the butler forgot about Joseph. Would have Joseph gotten released from Egypt - he would have gone home to his home. But God had a great job. Two years passed and the butler soon remembered Joseph. The butler told the incumbent Pharaoh of Egypt about the servant of the warden who could interpret dreams. It was because the was this great responsibility God had for Joseph.

Joseph himself soon appeared before the incumbent pharaoh of Egypt that time. He interpreted the dreams. Joseph never promoted himself but humbled himself. It was God who did the promotion. Joseph was soon made governor of Egypt. Imagine, a Hebrew as a governor in the land of pagans! But that purpose was so God can fulfill the 430 years in Egypt - 30 years of peace and 400 years of affliction. Yet, it was also a portrayal that salvation was for all. Egypt was the very exporter of paganism that time yet God would mightily use Joseph. Joseph was soon put in charge of storing food during the seven years of plenty. I wonder did Joseph even create ancient food preservation methods that are found by archaeologists and anthropologists in Egypt? There was the method known as "banking" where there was a barrier between the food and the soil - something that kept molds, mildew and pest from ever entering the place. I guess Joseph himself can be safely attributed as a scientific contributor to food preservation.

So why didn't Joseph take revenge on his older half-brothers who sold him? Remember when he pretended not to know them? It was only to test them if they have truly changed. He soon revealed himself to them after Judah (the one who suggested to the others to sell him) chose to take the place of Benjamin who didn't take the cup. Joseph saw how much they've changed. Judah somehow represented two things - (1) remember Judas is Greek for Judah the one who sold Jesus for 30 pieces was named Judas and (2) Jesus came from the royal Tribe of Judah and was later sold for 30 pieces of silver. I guess Judah's betrayal of Joseph was also part of God's plan so the curse will hit the Messiah to fulfill prophecy. Later Joseph admitted in Genesis 50:20 that even his afflictions were all part of God's plan to keep the people alive for later. As Romans 8:28 would say is that for those who love God - all things work together for good. God has a purpose for all the hardships in the world for the Christian life. 

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