God Works All Things for Good

Posted On January 29, 2023

“One night Joseph had a dream….”

Genesis 37:5 NLT

Have you ever felt a true calling from God? Have you ever received a message that you just knew was from Him, a message about His plan for your life, a message you couldn’t wait to share? If so, was it received by others with the same enthusiasm, or did it end up alienating them instead? What about your obedience? Have you ever served God faithfully and honored Him with your actions, only to have it blow up in your face?

If you’ve ever felt confused or abandoned by God, you’re not alone. Joseph, Abraham’s great-grandson, faced situations like these and endured much suffering because of them. I’m sure he had a lot of questions about God’s plan, but through it all, he remained faithful to God — and God remained faithful to him. This week we explore Joseph’s story.

Our plan for 2023 is to journey through The NeverEnding Story of the Bible and discover how we fit into it along the way. Our plan for this year is loosely based on The Story, an abridged chronological version of the Bible, and the accompanying study guide The Heart of the Story by Randy Frazee.

Here is where we are in The Story:

MOVEMENT TWO: The Story of Israel (Genesis 12-Malachi)

Chapter 3 – Joseph: From Slave to Deputy Pharaoh

This chapter in The Story includes Genesis 37, 39, 41-48, 50. Last week we talked about Abraham and God’s promise that he would become the father of a great nation (Genesis 12:2). Abraham’s son Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau, and Jacob (whose name God later changed to Israel) had twelve sons, of which Joseph was the obvious favorite. Jacob’s preferential treatment of Joseph, as well as Joseph’s dreams about his older brothers bowing down to him, caused so much jealousy and hatred that his brothers actually plotted to kill him. They tore off the beautiful robe their father had given Joseph and threw him down into a cistern. Meanwhile, some Midianite traders came by, so they decided to sell Joseph into slavery instead. They covered his robe in animal blood to make it appear to Jacob that his favorite son had been killed by a wild animal, and let Joseph be taken away to Egypt. Joseph has already suffered quite a bit of trauma, and this is just the beginning of the story…

“Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.”

Genesis 37:3-5 NIV

“So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt.”

Genesis 37:28 NLT

We can imagine what Joseph must be thinking at this point. What did I do to deserve this? Maybe he had been bragging to his brothers about his dreams, or maybe he had just naively shared them, but either way, his prophetic dreams from God led to his demise. As he was led away from his home as a beloved and favored son toward an uncertain future as a slave, I’m sure he had many doubts about God’s plan.

“Imagine you are from a large family — a dozen or so kids. A family more blended than the Brady bunch. All the children are from the same dad, but they have four or five different moms…. You’re the favored son… and your brothers know it…. And they get even…. You find yourself surrounded by people you don’t know, learning a language you don’t understand, and living in a culture you’ve never seen. Imaginary tale? No. It’s the story of Joseph. A favored son in a bizarre family, he had every reason to be angry.”

Max Lucado, Cast of Characters

I can’t blame Joseph if he was angry and confused. What was going on? One minute God’s giving him amazing dreams about the future, and the next He’s letting Joseph be dragged away as a slave. In one day, Joseph’s life entirely changed, and it was because his own family betrayed him. How completely hurt he must have felt! Not just by his brothers, but even by God. How could God let this happen? Joseph didn’t know it at the time, but God had much bigger things in store, not just for him, but for the future nation of Israel.

“The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.”

Genesis 39:2 NLT

The Midianite traders sold Joseph to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s captain of the guard. Although he was a slave, Joseph prospered there. Scripture tells us that God was with him and gave him success in everything he did. Soon, Joseph became Potiphar’s personal attendant and was put in charge of his entire household.

“Four times Scripture says, ‘The Lord was with Joseph.’ God’s nearness and blessing made Potiphar take notice and put Joseph over more things. This falls right in line with the promises God made to the patriarchs (which is what we call the fathers of our faith who are from this particular family): God promised to bless those who bless them and curse those who curse them, and He’s fulfilling this promise with Joseph.”

Tara-Leigh Cobble, The Bible Recap

I’m only speculating, but I can imagine at this point Joseph is thinking, Okay, God, I think I see what You’re doing. You’re giving me opportunities here that I never could have had back home. Maybe this isn’t so bad after all! But it’s usually when we start to get too comfortable that God shakes things up again. Enter Potiphar’s wife…

“Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully…. She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible.  One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, ‘Come on, sleep with me!’ Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.”

Genesis 39:6-7, 10-12 NLT

Joseph experienced what we would now describe as a hostile work environment. He faced sexual harassment from the boss’s wife, and because of this, he did his best to stay away from her. After all, as a slave, he had no rights. But unfortunately, his efforts to avoid her failed. When she corners him one day, he refuses her and runs away.

“Joseph is easy on the eyes, so Potiphar’s wife launches a seduction campaign, but he remains honorable. He knows it’s a sin against Potiphar and her and himself, but mainly against God. Her seduction plans fail, so she forces herself on him, but he escapes. She takes revenge, using the clothes she tore off him to accuse him of trying to attack her. This is the second time Joseph is wronged by someone who uses his clothes to lie about him.”

Tara-Leigh Cobble, The Bible Recap

Joseph tried to explain to Potiphar’s wife that sleeping with her would be disrespectful to her husband and a sin against God. But apparently, she didn’t like taking “no” for an answer. She gets revenge on Joseph by falsely accusing him of attempted rape and has him thrown into prison. Once again, Joseph’s life is turned upside down in one day.

“Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story…. So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained.”

Genesis 39:19-20 NLT

I don’t know about Joseph, but at this point I would be thinking, Really?! I tried to do the honorable thing, and this is the thanks I get? God, what are You doing?

“From a Lower Story perspective, Joseph appeared to be abandoned by God. Where was the Lord whom Joseph refused to sin against? Did he change his mind about Joseph? Not on your life. Divine words from the Upper Story whisper, ‘But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.'” (Genesis 39:20-21 NIV)

Randy Frazee, The Heart of the Story

Once again, God has a plan. It’s a good plan, a plan that will lead to blessings for Joseph and his family, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy on Joseph. He was in that prison for at least two years. However, God did not abandon him. Far from it. Once again, Scripture tells us that “the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did” (Genesis 39:23 NIV).

“Pharaoh asked his officials, ‘Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?’…  So Joseph took charge of the entire land of Egypt.”

Genesis 41:38, 45 NLT

While Joseph was in prison, God gave him the ability to interpret dreams. And he used this gift to help out a couple of fellow prisoners who were troubled by dreams they didn’t understand. It turns out these men had been two of Pharaohs’s officials, and Joseph’s willingness to help them eventually led to a meeting with Pharaoh himself. When Joseph successfully interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams about a coming famine, Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of the necessary preparations. Joseph became a ruler in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. Yet again, Joseph’s life changed drastically in one day, this time for the better!

“We have no idea what betrayals and injustices await us today or may confront us tomorrow. All we know for sure is that in our lifetimes, we will have many occasions to wonder if God has forgotten us. Life is filled with disappointment, but when it hits, we must rise above it in the strength of God’s goodness, hearing him whisper that he loves us and will never abandon us, no matter what.”

Randy Frazee, The Heart of the Story

Everything that had happened to Joseph led him to that moment: the betrayal by his brothers that brought him to Egypt, the false accusations of Potiphar’s wife that landed him in prison with two of Pharaoh’s officials, and not to be overlooked, the values he learned from his father Jacob. Joseph was a man of faith, who refused to sin against God even when his obedience cost him his freedom, and who generously offered to help two fellow prisoners when they seemed upset. Everything in Joseph’s life prepared him for this. It wasn’t easy, but through it all, God was with him.

“But Joseph replied, ‘Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.'”

Genesis 50:19-20 NLT

The main lesson I take from Joseph’s life is this: God can use all things for good. God can take the hard things, the painful things, the mistakes of others, and even our own mistakes, and weave them into His perfect plan. And God always accomplishes His plan! Nothing we, or anyone else, can do will stop it. So we can let go of hurts or fears and trust God to work through everything we face in life. This means we have no reason to hold on to grudges. Joseph had every reason to be angry with his brothers when he finally saw them again. Sure enough, just like his dreams had foretold, they bowed down before him, begging for food when the famine hit the land. He could have gloated. He could have made them pay for what they had done to him. But he didn’t. Instead, he chose to forgive.

“Forgiveness comes easier with a wide-angle lens. Joseph uses one to get the whole picture. He refuses to focus on the betrayal of his brothers without also seeing the loyalty of his God. It always helps to see the big picture…. To forgive someone is to admit our limitations. We’ve been given only one piece of life’s jigsaw puzzle. Only God has the cover of the box. To forgive someone is to display reverence. Forgiveness is stating that God is fair and he will do what is right. After all, don’t we have enough things to do without trying to do God’s work too?”

Max Lucado, Cast of Characters

Joseph knew that God had been working all along to bring him to the perfect place at the perfect time in order to help his family. God was fulfilling His promise to Abraham to make his descendants into a great nation, and Joseph knew, despite all the hardships he faced, that he was blessed to be a part of that plan.

We are blessed, too. God can use everything we face — the good, the bad, and the ugly — to grow our faith and lead us to places we can’t even imagine. And He will be with us every step of the way.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.”

Proverbs 3:5 NLT

This week’s Scripture passages remind us to trust God at all times, because He always Has a plan. Often it unfolds in ways we don’t understand, and God’s timetable may seem slow from our perspective, but God knows better than we do. And He works all things for good!

“We know that God works all things together for good for the ones who love God,
for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28 CEB

References:

• Cobble, Tara-Leigh. The Bible Recap: A One-Year Guide to Reading and Understanding the Entire Bible. Bethany House, 2020.
• Frazee, Randy.  The Heart of the Story: Discover Your Life Within the Grand Epic of God’s Story. Zondervan, 2017.
• Joseph: King of Dreams. Dir. Robert Ramirez and Rob LaDuca. DreamWorks Animation, 2000.
• Lucado, Max. Cast of Characters: Common People in the Hands of an Uncommon God. Thomas Nelson, 2008.
• The Story: Read the Bible as One Seamless Story from Beginning to End. Rev. ed., Zondervan, 2008.
• “You Know Better Than I.” YouTube, uploaded by Wyntrebay, 8 May 2013, https://youtu.be/LQpF7cKkBvQ.

Images:

• Wheat Stalks image by Bruno /Germany from Pixabay (edited)
• Joseph in Pharaoh’s Court and Joseph Forgives His Brothers images taken from “Joseph: King of Dreams (2000) – I Am Your Brother Scene (10/10) | Movieclips.” YouTube, uploaded by Movieclips, 18 April 2019, https://youtu.be/-pq4FpNnvcg.
• Tree image (edited) taken from “Joseph: King of Dreams – Better Than I (Finnish).” YouTube, uploaded by abibxe, 30 October 2017, https://youtu.be/ISt-YZzFr5E.
• All other images taken from “You Know Better Than I.” YouTube, uploaded by Wyntrebay, 8 May 2013, https://youtu.be/LQpF7cKkBvQ.