Joseph In Egypt
Many bad things happened to Joseph from the time he was sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers. All through the bad times Joseph believed and trusted in the LORD God. We can learn from Joseph and wait on the LORD for our destiny with Him.
Genesis 39:1- 23, Genesis 41: 1- 57
We remember that the brothers of Joseph sold him to the Ishmaelite’s, and they sold him to Potiphar, in Egypt. Potiphar was a captain of the guard for the Pharaoh of Egypt. The Pharaoh was like the king of Egypt. Potiphar was a prosperous man. The LORD was with Joseph.
Potiphar liked Joseph because he could see that the LORD was with him. And he made Joseph an overseer of all his house and everything he had he put into the hands of Joseph. LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.
Joseph was a good person. Potiphar’s wife thought Joseph was very good looking and told him to sleep with her. Joseph refused and reminded her she was the wife of his master. Joseph told her that it would be a great wickedness and a sin against his God if he would do such a thing.
This did not make her happy and day by day she tried to get him to sleep with her. Then one day Joseph went into the house to do what he was supposed to be doing and there was no men in the house. She caught him by his garment and he fled and left his garment in her hand.
She called to the men of her house and told them that Joseph had tried to sleep with her. She said she cried out and Joseph ran away leaving his garment behind. When Potiphar heard this he threw Joseph into prison. The LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. Everything Joseph did in prison was blessed by the LORD and it prospered.
There was also in the prison with Joseph the baker of Pharaoh and the chief butler of the Pharaoh or King of Egypt. The chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, ìIn my dream, behold, a vine was before me; and in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: And Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.
Joseph told the chief butler that the interpretation of his dream was: The three branches are three days: Within three days Pharaoh shall restore you unto your place you had before you were thrown into prison. Joseph asked the chief baker to think of him when all was well with the baker. Joseph asked him to make mention to the Pharaoh of him and bring him out of the prison. Joseph reminded the chief baker that he had been stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews and had done nothing that they should have put in into the dungeon.
When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good he ask Joseph to interpret his dream. He had three white baskets on my head: And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bake goods for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.
Joseph interpreted the chief bakers dream by said that the three baskets are three days: within three days the Pharaoh shall cut off his head and shall hang him on a tree; and the birds shall eat his flesh from off him.
Three days later was the Pharaoh’s birthday and he made a feast for all his servants and brought back the chief butler and the chief baker to join in the feast. Pharaoh restored the chief butler. The chief baker the Pharaoh had hung just as Joseph had interpreted his dream. The chief butler did not remember Joseph.
It was two full years later that Pharaoh had a dream where he stood by the river. There were seven well feed cows that came out of the river and fed in a meadow. Then there were seven other cows that came out of the river that were sick and they stood by the river. The sick cows ate up the seven healthy and fat cows. Pharaoh woke up.
Pharaoh fell asleep again for a second time and there were seven ears of corn that came up and was really healthy and good. Then seven thin ears of corn blasted with the east wind and sprung up after them. The seven thin ears devoured the seven healthy good ears. Pharaoh woke up and his spirit was troubled. He sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt to interpret his dreams.
Then the chief butler spoke to Pharaoh and remembered to tell him about Joseph and how Joseph could interpret his dreams. Pharaoh sent and called Joseph and brought him out of the dungeon all cleaned up and ready to see Pharaoh. Pharaoh told Joseph his dream. Joseph told Pharaoh that it was the LORD God who would give Pharaoh an answer of peace and interpret his dream.
Joseph said unto Pharaoh, that the dream of Pharaoh is one dream not two: the LORD God has showed Pharaoh what He is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; the dream is one. The seven thin and sick cows that came up after the seven years; and the seven empty ears of corn with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.
The LORD God is going to give Egypt seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt; there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land. The famine shall be very grievous. The LORD God told the double dream because the thing is established by the LORD God, and He will shortly bring it to pass.
Pharaoh set Joseph over the land of Egypt and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. Joseph gathered all the food of those good years that came up and laid it up in storage for when the famine came. Pharaoh took off his ring of authority and put it on Joseph and arrayed him in fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. Joseph was thirty years old when he stood side by side before Pharaoh.
Joseph had two sons bore to him before the years of famine came. The firstborn was Manasseh; For God, said he, has made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house. The second son was called Ephraim; For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. Then the seven years of famine came to the land of Egypt. Joseph was prepared.
What Can This Story Teach Us?
Many bad things happened to Joseph from the time he was sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers. All through the bad times Joseph believed and trusted in the LORD God. We can learn from Joseph and wait on the LORD for our destiny with Him.
Many times in our lives we thing that everyone is picking on us and life is not fair. Only our LORD know what is in store for us and what it is going to take to fulfill what His plans are for us. We need to learn how to learn the lessons of life and go forward to fulfill the expectations that the LORD has for us.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Joseph In Egypt:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2015.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1859,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, January) “Joseph In Egypt:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1859,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “Joseph In Egypt:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1859, (accessed).
