Joseph Believed God Would Allow Him to Achieve His Dream
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March 18, 2018 |
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 Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee
"By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones" (Hebrews 11:22).
We can fulfill our heart's desires if we ask God the Almighty with true faith. Joseph was the 11th son of Jacob, the father of Israel. He did not forget a dream given by God and finally achieved it with faith. Let's look into his faith.
1. The points we should realize through the life and faith of Joseph
First, the cause of hardship lies mostly within one's shortcomings.
Jacob loved Joseph more than all the other sons because he was the son of Jacob's old age and his mother was Rachael whom he loved. He made him a multicolored tunic and let him stay with him even when the other brothers worked outside. His brothers felt uncomfortable due to their father's bias for him. They even hated him for having brought back bad reports about them to their father. Of course, Joseph did so because he couldn't let something unrighteous slip through his self-righteousness. But it was not right in God's sight.
One day, Joseph talked to his brothers about a dream he had in which their sheaves gathered around and bowed down to his sheaf. Not long afterwards, he related another dream where the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to him. This dream turned out to be reality in the distant future. But, if Joseph had been wiser and humbler, he would have kept it quietly in his heart without rousing his brothers' jealousy.
However, he was a young boy who wanted to brag about it. He lacked virtuous generosity and wisdom to consider others. As they continued hating him more and more, they finally sold him to a Midianite trader. Their actions were really evil, but if Joseph hadn't acted so arrogantly and had humbly served them with love, it would not have happened (1 John 5:18). Thus, if you are in hardship, first look back upon yourself and your shortcomings.
Second, a person with true faith won't lose heart in any kind of situation.
Joseph was sold to Egypt and became a slave, but he didn't lose heart. He believed God would guide his life. He also hoped that God would arrange for him to reach an honorable position as he had been in the God-given dreams.
Joseph was sent to the house of Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard. As he worked diligently there, God set him as the overseer over Potiphar's whole house. But his wife tempted Joseph to lie with her but he constantly turned her down. Then, she wrongly accused him of harassing her and he was put in jail. However, he didn't hold a grudge nor give any excuse.
Even when he was faced with hardship, and even when the dream seemed far away from him, he was sure that he would be made a beautiful vessel for God through His refinement if he endured everything with faith.
Third, a person with true faith is recognized for his diligence even by worldly people.
Joseph did not feel disheartened even when he was put in jail. He diligently served others with a bright face and he sacrificed himself as well as not committing sins in God's sight. He pleased God by becoming light and salt with his good deeds. So, God blessed him to receive love and gain recognition from others wherever he went. Even the chief jailer recognized him and committed all the prisoners in the jail to his charge.
One day, the cupbearer and the baker for the Pharaoh of Egypt were confined in the jail. Both had a dream the same night, and each man had his own dream. Joseph interpreted each dream for them, and just as he interpreted, the baker was hung, and the cupbearer was restored to his office.
Two years later, Pharaoh had dreams and looked for a man who could interpret them. Then, the cupbearer remembered Joseph and talked about him to Pharaoh. Before the Pharaoh Joseph introduced God saying, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer." And he gave Pharaoh a clear interpretation on his dreams. He even presented how to deal with the problems that would come (Genesis 41:1-36). Eventually, he was given the duty as the second ruler over Egypt. It happened 13 years after he had been sold into slavery in Egypt.
Fourth, a person with true faith never loses hope and rejoices in hardship.
As Joseph interpreted, abundance came to Egypt for seven years, and famine followed for the next seven years. However, they prepared for famine according to Joseph's wisdom, so there was enough food in Egypt even during the times of famine. Joseph's brothers in Canaan also came to Egypt to buy food. It was at that time that they bowed down to Joseph to ask for food.
Through Joseph, Jacob's family was saved from the famine. Joseph's dreams at an early age finally came true. Things he went through, such as being sold as a slave and being imprisoned led him to the fastest track to fulfill the dream in the sight of God. He humbled himself more at the low positions and came to have a broad heart to accept many people with love and virtuous generosity. As he constantly relied on and communicated with God, he reached the measure of the status which belongs to the fullness of Christ. He prayed unchangingly with faith, never lost hope, passed through refinement by diligence, and glorified God in the end (Romans 5:3-4).
2. Joseph fulfilled a dream with faith and hope.
Joseph did not blame his brothers who had sold him. He just kept the God-given dream in heart and tried his best in everything with belief that the dream would be fulfilled. He also firmly believed God would bring the sons of Israel to the land of Canaan that God had promised to Abraham. So, when he died he told his people that they should carry his bones up there to the land of Canaan they would enter (Genesis 50:24-25; Hebrews 11:22).
God chose the sons of Israel for the providence of human cultivation. And he planned to let them establish a nation and to send Jesus through the nation. However, at the time of Joseph, the sons of Israel were just a small group of people. They needed a place of shelter from strong enemies around them. They needed food and necessities to survive during the 7-year famine as well.
That is why God sent Joseph to Egypt before the sons of Israel, made him the second ruler over Egypt, and then led them to Egypt. By this, they did not suffer in the famine, multiplied for the ensuing 400 years that followed, and they became a great nation. Knowing it was the providence of God (Genesis 45:7-8), Joseph confessed his faith even when he died. It tells us how much he hoped and tried to accomplish the dream with faith during his entire life.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I pray in the name of the Lord that you will possess unchanging faith like that of Joseph and enjoy overflowing answers and blessings until you enter the glorious heaven.
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