Before Joseph was second...
Illustration
Object:
Before Joseph was second in command under Pharaoh, he was a prisoner in a dark, dirty
dungeon for years, wallowing in filth. Before the prison stay, he was a household slave who
made a good name for himself but was falsely accused by his master's wife who had him sent to
prison. Prior to being a household slave, he was tricked by his hateful brothers and sold to a
caravan as a "run of the mill" slave out of spite and envy.
The scene in Genesis 45:1-15 has fast forwarded Joseph's life to the post of second-in- command of all of Egypt during a famine that brings an encounter with his brothers. The brothers are unaware of who Joseph is until he reveals himself to them. They are terrified (Genesis 45:3) because of their ungodly act of selling their own flesh and blood to the highest bidder.
Joseph attempts to quell their fears in Genesis 45:5. His attitude reminds me of something I read from an anonymous author, "Some people complain that God put thorns on roses, while others praise him for putting roses on thorns." Joseph could have blamed God, his brother, and his captors, but he doesn't. How much do we complain about our circumstances in life?
The scene in Genesis 45:1-15 has fast forwarded Joseph's life to the post of second-in- command of all of Egypt during a famine that brings an encounter with his brothers. The brothers are unaware of who Joseph is until he reveals himself to them. They are terrified (Genesis 45:3) because of their ungodly act of selling their own flesh and blood to the highest bidder.
Joseph attempts to quell their fears in Genesis 45:5. His attitude reminds me of something I read from an anonymous author, "Some people complain that God put thorns on roses, while others praise him for putting roses on thorns." Joseph could have blamed God, his brother, and his captors, but he doesn't. How much do we complain about our circumstances in life?
