God Meant It For Good
By George Davis and Michael Clark
Joseph, the favored son of Jacob in the Old Testament, endured many things at the hand of his brothers. His brothers were jealous because their father favored him and gave him a special coat of many colors. Few of us have known the level of betrayal and suffering that he knew as a result. Worse yet, Joseph had dreams that seemed to suggest that God also favored him. The brothers grew to hate this "dreamer" who dared to believe that God had a special plan for his life.
One day, Jacob sent Joseph out in the field to check on his brothers. "Here comes that dreamer" they said among themselves as they saw Joseph approaching from a distance. They plotted to kill him but instead ripped off the special gift of his father's favor, the coat of many colors, threw him into a dry cistern and later sold him to some Ishmaelite traders passing by on their way from Gilead to Egypt. In Egypt, these slavers sold Joseph to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials. Joseph served Potiphar, as a faithful steward gaining his trust and esteem for seven years before everything fell apart again. Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him and when failing to do so, she falsely accused Joseph of molesting her. Potiphar threw Joseph into Pharaoh's prison where he suffered for another seven years.
All these injustices happened because of the envy and hatred of his brothers, right? If anyone had a reason to be bitter, Joseph did. When he later interpreted the dreams of his fellow prisoners, Pharaoh's baker and wine taster, he ask one of them to be sure to let the king know that he had been unfairly imprisoned and enslaved. Finally, after two more years of bondage, Joseph was called before Pharaoh to interpret a dream that warned of a great famine throughout the land. This time he mentioned not a word about his injustices, but pointed the king to God alone. It would seem that the last vestiges of resentment and blame were finally gone. Because of God's favor on his life, Joseph was exalted and made second in command in all of Egypt. He was put in charge of storing food for the coming famine.
As God would have it, Joseph's father and brothers heard of the stores of food down in Egypt in the midst of the famine and Jacob sent the brothers down into Egypt to bring back food. They eventually came in and stood before Joseph, not knowing who he was for he was dressed like a king. It had been over twenty-one years since they had been face to face. A lot had changed. Wouldn't a little poetic justice be in order here? This was Joseph's chance to "set things right" and take his revenge. What would you do? Would Joseph throw them into prison to give them a taste of what he had suffered at their hands? Then would he "throw away the key"? How often we have heard men who have been wronged say, "I will forgive, but I will NEVER forget!"
Joseph's words, spoken to his brothers after he finally revealed his identity to them, show the deep and precious work God did in his heart through years of suffering. He finally came to see beyond the ill-intentions of his brothers and see God's greater purpose in it all. When the eyes of the brothers were finally opened to see who this great leader of Egypt really was they panicked. To their surprise and relief Joseph said to them, "You meant evil against me but God meant it for good..."
(Gen 50:20-21 WEB).
What wonderful words are these, proceeding from a broken heart, which suggest that all life's struggles and sufferings work together toward some greater good, for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose (See Romans 8:28)? Could it be that even the greatest sorrows of our lives are messengers of good? This was the lesson that Joseph learned through his many wounds. Though men mean to do evil to us, God means it for good. He uses anything that happens to us to bring us into the perfection of His Son, Jesus Christ (See Hebrews 12:6).
By George Davis and Michael Clark
Joseph, the favored son of Jacob in the Old Testament, endured many things at the hand of his brothers. His brothers were jealous because their father favored him and gave him a special coat of many colors. Few of us have known the level of betrayal and suffering that he knew as a result. Worse yet, Joseph had dreams that seemed to suggest that God also favored him. The brothers grew to hate this "dreamer" who dared to believe that God had a special plan for his life.
One day, Jacob sent Joseph out in the field to check on his brothers. "Here comes that dreamer" they said among themselves as they saw Joseph approaching from a distance. They plotted to kill him but instead ripped off the special gift of his father's favor, the coat of many colors, threw him into a dry cistern and later sold him to some Ishmaelite traders passing by on their way from Gilead to Egypt. In Egypt, these slavers sold Joseph to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials. Joseph served Potiphar, as a faithful steward gaining his trust and esteem for seven years before everything fell apart again. Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him and when failing to do so, she falsely accused Joseph of molesting her. Potiphar threw Joseph into Pharaoh's prison where he suffered for another seven years.
All these injustices happened because of the envy and hatred of his brothers, right? If anyone had a reason to be bitter, Joseph did. When he later interpreted the dreams of his fellow prisoners, Pharaoh's baker and wine taster, he ask one of them to be sure to let the king know that he had been unfairly imprisoned and enslaved. Finally, after two more years of bondage, Joseph was called before Pharaoh to interpret a dream that warned of a great famine throughout the land. This time he mentioned not a word about his injustices, but pointed the king to God alone. It would seem that the last vestiges of resentment and blame were finally gone. Because of God's favor on his life, Joseph was exalted and made second in command in all of Egypt. He was put in charge of storing food for the coming famine.
As God would have it, Joseph's father and brothers heard of the stores of food down in Egypt in the midst of the famine and Jacob sent the brothers down into Egypt to bring back food. They eventually came in and stood before Joseph, not knowing who he was for he was dressed like a king. It had been over twenty-one years since they had been face to face. A lot had changed. Wouldn't a little poetic justice be in order here? This was Joseph's chance to "set things right" and take his revenge. What would you do? Would Joseph throw them into prison to give them a taste of what he had suffered at their hands? Then would he "throw away the key"? How often we have heard men who have been wronged say, "I will forgive, but I will NEVER forget!"
Joseph's words, spoken to his brothers after he finally revealed his identity to them, show the deep and precious work God did in his heart through years of suffering. He finally came to see beyond the ill-intentions of his brothers and see God's greater purpose in it all. When the eyes of the brothers were finally opened to see who this great leader of Egypt really was they panicked. To their surprise and relief Joseph said to them, "You meant evil against me but God meant it for good..."
(Gen 50:20-21 WEB).
What wonderful words are these, proceeding from a broken heart, which suggest that all life's struggles and sufferings work together toward some greater good, for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose (See Romans 8:28)? Could it be that even the greatest sorrows of our lives are messengers of good? This was the lesson that Joseph learned through his many wounds. Though men mean to do evil to us, God means it for good. He uses anything that happens to us to bring us into the perfection of His Son, Jesus Christ (See Hebrews 12:6).