Meant for GoodSample

God’s Sovereignty and Love in Suffering

Read: Exodus 13:17-22

Discover

As we look at the closing chapter of Joseph’s life in connection with Exodus 13:17-22, we see the fulfillment of Joseph’s dying request to be carried back to the Promised Land, and the beginning of Israel’s journey out of Egypt. Even as the Israelites enter the wilderness after Joseph’s death, they carry his bones as a reminder that God’s promises persist through generations. But more than that, they carry a story of redemption and provision. Joseph’s life, like Christ’s, reveals the sovereignty of a God who uses suffering for a greater purpose. Joseph’s suffering is not in vain; it is part of a divine plan to bring life where there is famine. And in the same way, Christ’s suffering brings eternal life to us.

Learn

What we learn from Joseph’s story is that God’s purposes often unfold in the midst of prolonged suffering. Joseph does not see the full picture while he sits in a pit, is enslaved in Egypt, or is confined in prison, but God is always at work. It is easy to question God's love and sovereignty in seasons of exile or wilderness, but Joseph’s life shows us that God is always sovereign and always loving, even when we cannot see the immediate outcome. As the Israelites carry Joseph’s bones into the wilderness, they walk into their own long season of hardship. Yet this moment is a reminder that God’s faithfulness endures. Joseph’s story points forward to Christ, who entered into our ultimate exile, our separation from God, and through His suffering, brought us home to eternity with Him. Israel's years in exile are not an oversight or a sign of God’s absence; they are part of God’s loving, sovereign plan. Just as Joseph's suffering leads to the salvation of many, Israel’s suffering in Egypt and in the wilderness is a necessary chapter in their redemption story. And beyond that, it points to a greater Savior, Christ, who would walk the ultimate road of suffering to bring us out of our spiritual exile.

Apply

Joseph’s life and Israel’s journey teach us that God’s love and sovereignty are not negated by our suffering. They are often most clearly seen in the wilderness. The years of hardship, the detours, and the delays are not signs of God's distance but of His intimate involvement in our lives. God’s path is often not the one we would choose, but it is always the path of ultimate good, even when it involves seasons of exile. Joseph’s life is one long preparation for a moment of salvation. Christ’s life was the ultimate preparation for our eternal salvation. The exile of God’s people, though hard, is the place where they learn to trust, depend, and know the deep, sovereign love of God.

Where in your life have you been tempted to believe that God’s providence or love has faltered because of suffering? How does Joseph’s story, and more importantly, the story of Christ, reshape your understanding of suffering? The wilderness, the exile, the waiting, these are not wasted years. They are years where God is working His sovereign plan for your good and His glory.