Dreaming With Joseph: 7 Day Devotional On GreatnessExemplo

The favorite and hopeful Joseph is about to have his world completely stripped away. Although Joseph seems to be unsuspecting as he travels out to check on his brothers, the reader is not. We have read over and over again how intense their hate is for Joseph. Now they will be alone with their younger brother miles away from home.

Joseph has some trouble finding his brothers at first, but quickly gets on the right path and spots them in the distance. They also spot him from far away, mostly due to his brightly-colored cloak. A glaring reminder of their father’s favoritism. 

Now is their chance. The brothers come together and form a plan. At first, they want to kill him, but the eldest talks them out of it. They decide to teach him a lesson by throwing him into an empty well in the middle of nowhere. But then a third and better option presents itself – they decide to sell him to traders. That way they not only get rid of their brother, but they also cash in.

Once they are back home the brothers deceive their father into believing Joseph was eaten by a wild animal. They have all of their bases covered and for them, this is the end of Joseph’s dreams.

We are given a drop of hope, though, in the very last verse of the chapter. Joseph is purchased by an Egyptian official. As it turns out, the end of Joseph’s old life is really the start of his destiny.

Betrayal is a devastating blow to endure. Whether it was from a family member, a spouse, a friend. When someone betrays you it’s as if they literally rip out a piece of you. 

Joseph was betrayed by every one of his brothers. It was as if each one reached inside and ripped him apart. But the author doesn’t record any of his cries for help or mercy. Throughout the entire scene, Joseph is completely silent.

I don’t know why they decided to tell the story this way. Maybe it was to foreshadow how Jesus endured his own betrayal. Or maybe it’s because Joseph’s pain was so intense, the author couldn’t bring himself to write down his cries.

But what I do know is that even when others are done with us, God is not. Joseph’s brothers had given up on him; they wanted nothing to with him. But God had other plans.

Even when it seems as if the whole world is turning against you, remember this scene. Remember that we serve a God who sees and who cares, who doesn’t turn his back on us and will never stop writing our story. 

Takeaway: Even if the whole world gives up on us, God never will.