Lessons from the life of Joseph

I have always loved the story of Joseph in Genesis 37-50. So often, the circumstances of my life have made little sense to me. Sometimes, circumstances just don't go my way. But other times, people sin against me. Mean, cruel, hurtful sin. And sometimes, the people who sin against me should be the ones who are most for me--my brothers and sisters in Christ. When I can't reconcile it on my own or see how the pieces could possibly fit together for good, I turn to God's revelation of Himself through the story of Joseph and I get perspective.

What would it be like to be sold into slavery by your own brothers? To be accused of rape and then thrown into prison unjustly? Then, receiving a glimmer of hope that you would get out, just to be left to rot in prison for years longer. What was it like to face betrayal after betrayal after betrayal? Even after he got out of prison, his promotions surely felt hollow in light of all he had lost by betrayal up to that point. If he was like me, he was likely so wounded by what he had experienced up to that point that he couldn't enjoy any of his successes for fear of new betrayal.

Genesis doesn't record much in the way of Joseph's emotions, and one might think he just got over it and it never bothered him. But I always cry when I read Genesis 45 and see Joseph's deep, gutteral cry when his brothers show up and the fractured pieces of his life suddenly come together. He finally sees this complex tapestry God has woven to put him in the place where he alone could save the tiny nation of Israel from being wiped out by famine. Suddenly, Joseph's decades of suffering have the most profound meaning as God uses him to preserve the line of the Messiah. Joseph tells his brothers, "You meant if for evil, but God meant it for good." And not just small time, sentimental good, but deep eternal long term Kingdom building good. Without Joseph, the little nation of Israel starves to death and we wouldn't have Jesus.

Joseph's story is so beautiful to me. My circumstances are radically different than his, but my God is the same. The same God who miraculously wove the worst of sin and betrayal against Joseph into beautiful good is the same God weaving together the tapestry of my life. It gives me perspective on my current struggles.

However, in the Hall of Fame of Faith in Hebrews 11, NONE of these things about Joseph are mentioned.

22By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

There are 2 parts to the lesson of Joseph's life. First, God used him for kingdom purposes in this earthly life. But, second, and maybe even more importantly, God used Joseph for eternal kingdom purposes of which Joseph at his death still looked on from afar. And though Joseph hadn't seen it accomplished in his lifetime, his faith was evidenced when he continued to believe it anyway.

Here is a GREAT sermon entitled The Long Road Home (what a great name!) from an intern at our church. He deals with the contrast between Joseph's earthly reality and his convictions of God's eternal plan. It is an encouraging, convicting discussion from Exodus 13 of the tension between our hope of God's promises being realized in our lifetime verses the eternal kingdom purposes extending well past our lifetime that He's working in and through us.

I hope it is encouraging to you.