Joseph – The Providence Of God

by Micky Galloway

The story of Joseph is one of the greatest lessons on the providence of God. Joseph is a major character of the Old Testament upon which the scheme of redemption rests. Were it not for Joseph the nation of Israel, through whom Christ came, would not have developed. The lesson of Joseph is the longest running narrative in the Old Testament, perhaps with the exception of Abraham. The story of Joseph is not given to entertain, but to learn of the great providence of God in the preservation of Israel before the nation ever came to be. In this study we want to learn the purpose of this narrative by asking and attempting to answer three questions.

First, Why should God use so much space in giving the story of Joseph? Certainly in the use of so much space in Scripture we see the providence of God working throughout the life of Joseph. As Joseph identifies himself to his brothers he said, “And now be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and there are yet five years, in which there shall be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a remnant in the earth, and to save you alive by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt” (Genesis 45:5-8). In this story Joseph had stored up grain to preserve life in a time of famine for many nations. Why was Joseph able to do this? The King had appointed him to this job, but why? Joseph had interpreted the dream which the King had about seven lean cows coming up out of the river and consuming seven fat cows and yet the lean cattle grew no fatter. But why had Joseph interpreted his dream? Because Joseph had been in prison and the King’s servant in prison knew of Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams. The servant had forgotten Joseph for some time until the King’s dream. Had you considered “what if” the servant of the king had remembered Joseph immediately upon his release, how different the story would have been? Yet, Joseph remained in prison until sent for to interpret the King’s dream. But why was Joseph in prison? Because he had been falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife of making improper advances toward her. This woman had made numerous advances “day by day” toward Joseph, but he refused her, saying, “he is not greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). But why was Joseph in Egypt, in Potiphar’s house? Because his brothers hated him and sold him to a caravan of traders heading for Egypt. Have you considered what a difference it would have made in the story of Joseph if the traders had been traveling north instead of south to Egypt, or if they had not arrived at the time when the brothers of Joseph were determined to dispose of him? Or have you considered what a difference it would have made if his brothers liked him instead of hating him or killed him instead of selling him? God took so much space in telling this story that we might know that God can over rule the wickedness of man and use it to accomplish His purposes. “And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive” (Genesis 50:20).

Second, When Joseph rose to a place of second in command of all Egypt, why didn’t he just go home to the land of Canaan? Why did he remain there, collect grain for seven years of plenty and distribute grain through two years of the famine, and never go home to be with his father or see his brothers again? Perhaps he did not want to. His brothers had badly mistreated him, even threatening to kill him. They had lead his father to believe he had been killed. “And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a he-goat, and dipped the coat in the blood; and they sent the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father, and said, This have we found: know now whether it is thy son’s coat or not. And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat: an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces. And Jacob rent his garments, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down to Sheol to my son mourning. And his father wept for him” (Genesis 37:31-35). Furthermore, his father was rich, had many servants and never came to look for him. Perhaps Joseph just wanted to forget. He married and named his son, Manasseh, which means “I have forgotten.” “And Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh: For, (said he), God hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house” (Genesis 41:51).

Third, Why should God select twelve men who were hard-hearted enough to sell their brother as a slave, to become the founders and leaders of twelve tribes of people who would be called the chosen people for 1500 years of the history of the world? If God wanted to bring up a chosen nation, why should he select these men to be the head of that nation? When these brothers of Joseph came to Egypt to buy grain, through a series of events Joseph’s younger brother Benjamin was brought with them and stood before Joseph accused of stealing the governor’s cup that had been hidden in his sack. Then, “Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; and he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground. And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? know ye not that such a man as I can indeed divine? And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s bondmen, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup is found” (Genesis 44:14-16). Judah and his brothers plead for the life of Benjamin. Judah offers to stay in Egypt in the stead of his brother. “Now therefore, let thy servant, I pray thee, abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, if the lad be not with me? lest I see the evil that shall come on my father” (Genesis 44:33-34). Joseph is touched and tenderly identifies himself to his brothers. “Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood before him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard” (Genesis 45:1-2). To answer our third question, “Why did God select men who had sold their brother to be the founders of a new nation?” These were not the same men who had participated in such an ungodly act. Forty days after Peter had cursed and swore that he did not know the Lord, he preached the first sermon, opening the doors of the church. Certainly, we do not want to be judged for the worst thing we ever did, but for the repentance and sorrow that exists for what we did. The brothers of Joseph volunteered to give themselves for the life of Benjamin.

The providence of God is seen on every page of the story of Joseph. Joseph was sent by God into Egypt to preserve life, to preserve a remnant in the earth and to save alive by a great deliverance those descending from Abraham. Without Joseph, there would be no scheme of redemption, no nation of Israel, and no Savior of the seed of Abraham.