God’s Man
Genesis 37:28–36
Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt. Genesis 37:36
“When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” The gist of that saying could have been spoken to Joseph, telling him that since he was in Egypt, he might as well do as the Egyptians did and adopt Egypt’s religion and morality. But Joseph retained two great things in Egypt: his character and his awareness of God’s presence. Joseph was no less moral in the loincloth of the slave than he was in the richly ornamented robe given to him by his father. Joseph was constantly aware of God’s presence, and it is this that gave him his character and kept him on track. When you read Joseph’s story, do you ever notice that his speech is constantly filled with references to God?
When Potiphar’s wife propositioned him, Joseph replied, “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (39:9).
When Joseph had been thrown into prison and the chief cupbearer and the chief baker of Pharaoh had dreams and related them, Joseph instantly replied, “Do not interpretations belong to God?” (40:8).
When he appeared before Pharaoh and Pharaoh asked for an interpretation of his dream, Joseph responded, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer” (41:16). When he interpreted the dream, Joseph began by saying, “God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do” (v. 25; cf. vv. 28, 32).
When he saw his brothers later and revealed himself to them, Joseph explained the past events by noting, “God sent me before you to preserve life. . . . God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God” (45:5, 7–8).
Joseph said of his sons Ephraim and Manasseh, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here” (48:9).
At the very end Joseph replied to his brothers, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive” (50:19–20).
His last words were, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land. . . . God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here” (vv. 24–25).
God! God! God! God! This was the dominant theme in Joseph’s speech and life, and it is this that made him what he truly was: God’s man in godless Egypt. May that same awareness make you God’s true man or woman wherever his own wise plan has placed you.
Taken from Come to the Waters by James Boice ISBN 9798887790954 used with permission from P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg NJ 08865
Scripture quotations are from the ESV (the Holy Bible English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.