Lesson 314: JOSEPH - A FAITHFUL SERVANT

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INTRODUCTION. Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob. He was the first son of

his mother Rachel, Jacob's second and most beloved wife (Gen. 30:22-24).

Joseph was his father's favorite, for he was the son of Jacob's old age. Thus Jacob

gave Joseph a coat of many colors, and as a result Joseph's older brothers were

jealous. Their animosity increased when Joseph brought an evil report of them to

their father, and even more when he related his dreams in which his family bowed

down to him. Consequently, his brothers conspired against him, stripped him of his

coat, and sold him to merchants traveling in a caravan to Egypt. The merchants in

turn sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the

guard. At that time Joseph was seventeen years old. Meanwhile Joseph's brothers

took his coat, dipped it in the blood of an animal, then showed it to their father,

claiming they had found the bloody garment. Jacob thus believed his son was dead

and mourned for him many days (Gen. 37).

Although Joseph was a slave in Potiphar's household, he prospered for the Lord was

with him. Eventually Potiphar elevated Joseph to the position of overseer, placing

him in charge of his entire household. Potiphar's wife became infatuated with the

handsome young man and tried to seduce him. When Joseph fled from her presence

leaving his garment behind, Potiphar's wife lied to her husband. She claimed

that Joseph had tried to violate her and produced Joseph's robe as evidence. In

great rage Potiphar put Joseph in prison (Gen. 39:1-20).

Again the Lord was with Joseph, and after some time the keeper of the prison

placed Joseph in charge of all the prisoners. When the king's butler and baker were

thrown into prison, Joseph interpreted their dreams. Joseph's predictions for both

men came to pass, but when the butler was restored to his position in Pharaoh's

service, he forgot about Joseph (Gen. 39:21-23; 40).

After two years Pharaoh had two troubling dreams. When the wise men of Egypt

could not interpret the dreams, the butler then remembered Joseph and informed the

king about the young Hebrew prisoner. Pharaoh sent for Joseph who interpreted the

king's dreams which foretold seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.

Joseph outlined a plan to prepare for the famine and advised Pharaoh to select

a man to oversee the work. Pharaoh, impressed with Joseph's wisdom, appointed

him the ruler of Egypt, second only to himself. Joseph was thirty years old when he

stood before Pharaoh–he had been a slave and prisoner in Egypt for thirteen years

(Gen. 41:1-46).

Joseph prepared for the famine during the years of plenty by storing the surplus

grain. When the famine commenced, Joseph opened his storehouses selling his

grain not only to Egyptians, but to those of the surrounding countries. Eventually

Jacob sent his ten oldest sons to Egypt to buy grain. When the brothers came before

Joseph to make their purchase, they bowed to him not recognizing him. After

their grain was consumed, the brothers went to Egypt the second time to buy grain,

this time taking Benjamin (Joseph's younger brother, also the son of Rachel) with

them. When Joseph could no longer refrain himself, he revealed his identity to his

brothers. Joseph then sent his brothers back to Canaan to bring their father and

entire households to Egypt to live, for there remained five more years of famine (Gen.

41:47-46:7). Jacob's family who went into Egypt numbered seventy-five souls including

Joseph's family (Acts 7:14).