JOSEPH – RULER OF EGYPT.  THE SLAVE WHO RISES TO COMMANDER IN CHIEF – AND SAVES A NATION.  HIS ACTION-PACKED LIFE ENCOMPASSES LOVE, HATE, BETRAYAL AND REDEMPTION.  HE RESCUES HIS FAMILY AND FOREVER CHANGES THE WORLD.  JOSEPH: RULER OF EGYPT

INTRODUCTION

The story of Joseph is one of the most colourful yet powerful narratives in all the Bible. Laced with family drama, court intrigue, and enough twists and turns, it’s a simply thrilling story. At the heart of it all is a young man sold into slavery at the age of 17 by his jealous brothers. He’s taken down into Egypt by Ishmaelite traders, where he’s sold to one of the most powerful men in Egypt. 

Potiphar, Joseph’s master, was captain of Pharaoh’s personal bodyguard. He was a man of power and wealth, and Joseph served him for nearly a decade. Moving within Potiphar’s circles, Joseph would have had an opportunity to mix with the wealthy elite of Egypt. All this would have prepared him for the significant role he would ultimately play in Egyptian politics.

But before he rose to prominence in Egypt, this pampered son turned slave boy took a painful and unexpected detour. Falsely accused of assault, Joseph was tossed into prison, where he languished for a number of years. All of this would’ve broken a lesser man, but not Joseph. 

What was the secret of Joseph’s fortitude? It was his unwavering faith in, and reliance on God. Joseph’s faith in God didn’t insulate him from hardship, but it did sustain and equip him to meet his challenges head on. When Joseph had hit rock bottom in an Egyptian prison, God intervened in his life in a remarkable way. 

What followed was a mind-boggling reversal of fortune. Joseph soon found himself face to face with Pharaoh, and went from being an imprisoned slave to the prime minister of Egypt and Pharaoh’s second in charge. Never in his wildest imagining could Joseph have thought that he would end up as the grand vizier of Egypt, wielding power that was second only to Pharaoh’s. 

His promotion to greatness was not the end of his journey. It was just the beginning. God had grand plans for Joseph, and through him, for the prosperity of his family. Placing Joseph in the very centre of the Egyptian royal court was just the first step. 

This week, we look at the final chapter of Joseph’s story, as the seven years of plenty come to an end and the famine rages through the land. How does Joseph handle the crisis? What circumstances bring him face to face with his brothers? And how does Joseph handle the reunion? 

Join us as we look at the final part of the fascinating story that is Joseph’s life in this week’s episode of The Incredible Journey. 

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GRAND VIZIER

Joseph’s unexpected arrival at the royal court in Egypt didn’t happen because of his own careful planning and strategy. Rather, when God gave dreams about the future to the Pharaoh of Egypt, he looked for someone to give him an interpretation, and the meaning of the dreams. The dreams predicted seven years of famine, but they also predicted that the seven years of drought would be preceded by seven years of plenty. 

Joseph was summoned to the royal court and God gave him the wisdom to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, and to offer him suggestions about how he might plan for the impending years of plenty and the following years of famine. 

In response to Joseph’s suggestions, Pharaoh appointed him Grand Vizier of Egypt and gave him the task of managing the entire operation. Joseph would be in charge of gathering and storing grain during the seven years of plenty and dispensing it during the seven years of famine. The amazing reversal of fortune would have left Joseph stunned, but he recognised the providential leading of an all-powerful and all-knowing God. 

Right after Pharaoh elevated Joseph to the position of prime minister of all Egypt, he gave Joseph a new name. The name Zaphnath-Paaneah is believed to mean ‘God speaks and He lives.’ Pharaoh then went one step further and gave Joseph a wife. Now, Asenath was the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. The translation of his name, which means ‘he whom Ra has given’, implies that he was probably a high priest of Ra and governed the temple of Ra in On. 

Such a ranking position meant that he was not only powerful but also affluent as well. Sun worship, along with polytheism and pantheism, were the main beliefs in ancient times. Their religion was based on fear and superstition, and the people would go to great lengths to appease their gods. 

Ancient Egyptian temples were part of this religious system, and owned large portions of land, and employed thousands of workers and merchants to supply their many needs. This made them not only centres of religious worship but also important economic centres as well. 

So Joseph, as the son-in-law of one of the wealthiest and most influential priests in the kingdom, would have had influential and powerful connections. Pharaoh most likely hoped that this would give Joseph access to the key power brokers at court and help him save Egypt from famine. 

But Joseph’s success had always rested on his connection with the God of his fathers. Joseph rejected the religion of the temples and their worship of many gods. He was faithful to the God of his fathers, Jehovah. And so, regardless of his high-powered connections in the royal palace, Joseph would have felt led by God in his important work of building storehouses and gathering grain. 

During the seven years of plenty, God blessed Joseph with two sons. He named his firstborn Manasseh, a touching tribute to God’s love and care for him. “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house,” he said, referring to the meaning of his son’s name. His second son’s name was no less meaningful. He named him Ephraim, saying, “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.” 

WEAVING A MASTERPIECE

And so Joseph’s life had reached a pinnacle. Joseph’s story reflects the promise found in Romans 8:28, which says, 

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” 

Looking back over the painful journey he had taken to reach the important position he now occupied, Joseph would have realised and experienced the truth of this statement. He would never have chosen a life of slavery or imprisonment for himself. Each of those circumstances had been forced on him by the choices of others. But God was ultimately in control of his life. He overruled every dark circumstance, weaving it all together to form a masterpiece. 

Every one of Joseph’s trials shaped him into the man he needed to be to occupy one of the most important positions in Egypt. They provided Joseph with the training he needed to be prime minister of Egypt, and to guide the powerful nation through a difficult time in its history. 

Often in life, when we are faced with trials and difficulties, it’s easy to shake our fists at God or to even deny his existence. We ask the question, if God is so all-powerful and all-knowing, then why is there so much suffering in the world? Well, the Bible tells us that suffering is the result of sin. It was jealousy that led Joseph’s brothers to sell him into slavery. It was lust and pride that led Potiphar’s wife to falsely accuse Joseph. 

And yet despite the awful consequences of these actions, God still works to bring good out of evil. God is in the business of restoration. As the Bible says in Isaiah 61:3, 

“God is always working to console those who mourn, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning.” 

Through remarkable providences, God turned Joseph’s time of mourning into a time of rejoicing. Not only was Joseph blessed, but he was given a unique and important opportunity to be a blessing to others. 

POLITICAL NAVIGATIONS

Joseph’s first job as prime minister of Egypt was to organise the gathering and storing of grain during the seven years of plenty. Joseph would have also had to navigate the intricate web of court politics in order to ensure the cooperation of each of the 42 provincial governors, also known as nomarches. 

Though Egypt was united under a single Pharaoh, the nomarches who governed each province wielded considerable power. They levied their own taxes and kept their own armies, which could be called upon by Pharaoh to defend the kingdom in case of an invasion. 

Having a foreigner suddenly promoted to the coveted position of Tjaty [Vizier] of Egypt would have greatly annoyed these nomarches. Joseph worked hard to fill the royal storehouses with enough grain to survive the famine and also to gain both the trust and loyalty of these Egyptian overlords. 

The Bible tells us that as the famine worsened, the Egyptians first ran out of money to pay for grain. Joseph suggested that they pay him with their livestock. But before long, the people ran out of livestock to trade as well. Finally, in desperation, with nothing left to barter, the people came to Joseph and basically sold themselves into slavery in exchange for food.

“We will not hide from my Lord that our money is gone,” they said, addressing Joseph. “There is nothing left in the sight of my Lord but our bodies and our lands. Why should we die before your eyes both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread and we and our lands will be servants of Pharaoh; give us seed that we may live and not die, that the land may not be desolate.” (Gen. 47: 18, 19)

Well, Joseph accepted their offer, and the Egyptians sold themselves to Pharaoh, ensuring that he had absolute control over the land. This seems to indicate the near complete collapse of the powerful Egyptian noble class, a fact that is attested to in history books as well. 

THE FAMINE SPREADS

In ancient Egypt, storing grain for a year or two was quite common. This ensured a reserve of food in case of some unforeseen circumstance, but it also provided seed for the following year’s crops. The fact that near the end of the seven years of famine, no one in Egypt had food or grain except for what was gathered in Pharaoh’s storehouses, suggests that the nomarchs didn’t store extra grain in their storehouses. This would’ve led to a shortage within each nome, or provincial district, forcing both the nomarchs and their tenants to come begging to Pharaoh.

Another important question to ask ourselves is how far did the famine extend? Was it confined solely to Egypt or did it extend beyond its borders? And if it did, did it affect Joseph’s family in Canaan? Well, the Bible tells us, 

“The famine was over all the face of the earth.” (Gen. 41:54)

Suffering from the famine, the nations surrounding Egypt heard that the Egyptians had grain, and they all started to make their way into the kingdom to buy food. Now, it wasn’t long before Joseph’s family back in Canaan began to feel the results of the famine. Seeing his sons unsure of what to do to feed their families, Jacob encouraged them to go down into Egypt and purchase food. 

UNEXPECTED REUNION

In Egypt, the 10 sons of Jacob were ushered in to see the prime minister. While they saw nothing more than an Egyptian dressed in royal linen, with a gold collar around his neck and kohl around his eyes, Joseph immediately recognised his brothers. Oblivious to the fact that they were in the presence of their brother, who they had sold into slavery, the 10 men came forward when they were called and fell down on their faces in a show of respect to the powerful man before them. 

Joseph would have immediately remembered his dreams as a teenager, the very ones that had so annoyed his brothers, and yet here they were, falling down on their faces before him, just as he had told them they would nearly 20 years before. 

Joseph’s first reaction towards his brothers was not cordial. Wanting to test them to see if they were still as cruel and hardened as they had been, he treated them roughly, accused them of being spies, and tossed Simeon into jail. He then told them to bring his younger brother Benjamin with them when they came next to buy grain. 

For 20 years, the brothers had carried around the guilt of what they had done to Joseph when he was not much more than a boy. And now their cruelty seemed to have come back to haunt them. Speaking among themselves in their own language, they berated each other, saying, 

“We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress is come upon us.” (Gen. 42:21)

Joseph understood what they were saying, though he had been communicating with them through an interpreter. Overwhelmed by emotion, he left the room and wept. Seeing his brothers 20 years after they sold him into slavery really upset Joseph. 

With sacks of grain secured to their donkeys, the brothers went home without Simeon. They were dejected and terrified of telling their father that he had potentially lost another son and that they could not return for more grain without taking Benjamin with them. 

When Jacob heard of what had happened, he was devastated and refused to allow them to take Benjamin with them when they returned. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing yet another son, especially Rachel’s only remaining son. 

But the grain didn’t last forever. And in desperation, Jacob eventually approached his sons with a request. “Go back and buy us a little food.” Judah then reminded his father of the warning issued to them by the governor of the land. They were not to come back without Benjamin. Seeing the dire straits they were in, Jacob eventually agreed. The family needed food, and Judah promised to take care of his youngest brother. 

When they arrived in Egypt and Joseph saw Benjamin, he struggled to keep a grip on his emotions. Not only was he overwhelmed at seeing his family again, but he was also overwhelmed at how much they had changed. They were not the same angry, arrogant men who had tossed him in a pit and then sold him as a slave 20 years before. They seemed far more compassionate and kind-hearted. 

AN ULTIMATE TEST

But Joseph needed to know for sure, and so he set up the ultimate test. He got the steward of his house to place his personal silver cup in the mouth of Benjamin’s sack. He then allowed his brothers to leave. 

They were well on their way out of Egypt when Joseph’s steward and his guards stopped them and demanded to know why they had stolen the governor’s cup. Confused and convinced of their collective innocence, they invited the steward to search their sacks. The man told them that only the person who had the cup would be punished, and the punishment would be slavery. 

Unflinchingly, they agreed, sure that none of them had taken the cup. Well, when the steward opened Benjamin’s sack, they all stared in horror at the cup nestled in its mouth. Tearing their clothes in grief, they went back to face the governor. The brothers knew that their father couldn’t survive losing Benjamin. They had seen what losing Joseph had done to him. But all Joseph wanted to know was how his brothers would react to the situation. 

20 years ago, they had callously thrown away their younger brother’s life. Would they do it again or had they changed? Judah acted as a spokesman for the family. Pleading with Joseph for mercy, Judah presented the situation to him in a way that showed Joseph beyond a shadow of a doubt that his brothers had definitely changed. 

Judah explained that their father had already lost one son. Benjamin was the only living child of their father’s beloved wife. Pleading for the life of his youngest brother, Judah offered himself as a substitute, volunteering to take the punishment in Benjamin’s place. 

So why did Joseph test his brothers this way? Why was it so important to him to know that they had changed? Was he exacting some kind of revenge? No. Joseph had already forgiven his brothers. He makes this clear when he reveals his true identity and tells them,

“But now do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.” (Gen. 45:5)

HOW GOD OVERRULES

He understood that God had been in control of his life throughout his time in Egypt. Regardless of what his brothers had done to him, God had overruled their purpose to work out his plans for Joseph’s life, and Joseph recognised that those plans were good. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, 

“‘For I know the thoughts that I think towards you,’ says the Lord, ‘thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.'” 

Joseph recognised that while his brothers had only murder on their minds, God’s intentions were filled with hope and peace. When Judah offered to take Benjamin’s place, it showed Joseph that his brothers truly had changed. Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers [only] after Judah’s offer to take Benjamin’s place. 

What followed was a tearful reunion, which then led to an equally tearful reunion with their father Jacob. Jacob was shocked and grieved when his oldest sons confessed what they had really done to their younger brother, but Jacob also would have recognised that God had cared for Joseph during his time in Egypt. 

Regardless of their weaknesses and faults as a family, God had worked to provide for them and carry them through any crisis. As Joseph put it in Genesis 25:19 when he spoke to his brothers, 

“But as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” 

God had taken the terrible circumstances Joseph found himself in and turned his negatives into positives. Not only did he bless Joseph, but he used Joseph to save the very people who had hurt him in the first place! 

God’s grace is beyond human comprehension. There may be times in your life when you make serious mistakes. But don’t despair. God is in the business of making broken things whole. If you feel broken, then bring your brokenness to him, and you can be assured of his grace. Not only will he bring healing, but he will use the painful experiences in your life to be a blessing both to you and to others. 

RESTORING LIVES

No one can restore lives like Jesus can. Joseph’s faith in God’s word remained steadfast to the very end of his life. Despite being surrounded by the influences in Egypt, Joseph’s eyes were fixed firmly on the promises God had given his fathers. 

In Genesis 50:24-25, the Bible describes Joseph’s last words, giving us a glimpse of his unwavering faith in the God who had led him through all the ups and downs of life. 

“I’m dying,” he said, “but God will surely visit you and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And you shall carry up my bones from here.” 

Joseph had his brothers promise that they would carry his bones out of Egypt to Canaan, the land that had been promised to his forefathers. Though Joseph’s position entitled him to a full Egyptian burial, he wanted to make sure that his bones were carried back to Canaan when God finally led his people home. 

Joseph died when he was 110 years old. His body was embalmed and then placed in a coffin in Egypt. When the children of Israel left Egypt at the time of the Exodus, Moses fulfilled the promise by taking Joseph’s bones with him when he left Egypt. In Joshua 24:32, the Bible says, 

“The bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel had brought up out of Egypt, they buried at Shechem.” 

The traditional site of Joseph’s tomb is located near present day Nablus in the West Bank, about 70 kilometres north of Jerusalem. It’s a sacred site that has been venerated down through history. Joseph has been respected and honoured as one of the most important and inspiring characters in Bible history. 

Joseph’s life was filled with ups and downs, and yet through it all one thing remained constant – his unwavering faith in God. His faith was the anchor that kept him steady amid the storms of life. 

SPECIAL OFFER AND CLOSING PRAYER

What about you? As we come to the end of this series on the amazing life of Joseph, maybe we could ask ourselves this important question: what anchors my life? Is it my career, my family, my education, or my possessions? 

The Bible tells us that the safest and most steadfast anchor is Jesus. The storms of life can sink our careers, wash away our possessions, and claim the lives of our family. But through it all, Jesus will always remain steadfast and reliable and a fixed beacon of hope. Why not choose to experience what God can do in your life today? 

If you would like to read the entire story of Joseph and the stories of other major Bible characters who faced similar challenges in life, then I’d like to recommend the free gift we have for all our Incredible Journey viewers today. It’s the book Patriarchs & Prophets. This fabulous book is our gift to you and is absolutely free. I guarantee there are no costs or obligations whatsoever. So make the most of this wonderful opportunity to receive the gift we have for you today.

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Dear heavenly Father, we thank you for the story of Joseph and for the encouragement it brings us. We want to make Joseph’s God our God. And we choose to give our lives to you, just like Joseph did, so that we can experience the same deliverance and power that he did. We ask these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.