In Genesis 35 we are introduced to Jacob’s twelve sons including Joseph who was born to Rachel, who Jacob loved. In chapter 37, Joseph is distinguished by his dreams about greatness. He dreamt twice that his entire family were bowing prostrate before him. Once he dreamt of grain stalks and the those belonging to him were stood upright, while those belonging to his family all bowed down in honour of him. The second time he dreamt that the sun, the moon and the eleven stars all bowed down to him. In this dream the sun and moon represented his parents and the stars were representative of his brothers. His father rebuked Joseph when he shared this dream but he kept it in his mind. His brothers on the other hand, hated and envied him for this dream. His dreams symbolised authority and dominion over his family. In the subsequent chapters his brothers plotted to kill him and Reuben who feared God stopped them from killing him. He convinced them to throw him in a pit instead, as his plan was to rescue him later.
Judah convinced his brothers to sell Joseph to a band of Ismealites for twenty shekels of silver. They then took his coat, killed a goat, dipped it in blood and convinced his father that he had been killed by a wild animal. Their intention was to get rid of Joseph because of his elaborate dreams about dominion over them. God’s purpose was separation, pruning and preparing for the assignment which Joseph needed to accomplish. In Egypt he became a slave in Potiphar’s house and he excelled and dominated among all the servants. “The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian” (Genesis 39:2). His master saw the favour of God on his life and made him overseer of his house. Although this was a good position, God had to separate and refine Joseph further for his assignment. Potiphar’s wife developed romantic feelings towards Joseph and tried to get him into her bed. He fled and due to his scorn, she made up a lie and had him thrown into prison.
Even in the prison, Joseph still had dominion and the keeper of the prison put him in charge. “The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper” (Genesis 39:23). In due course two fellow prisoners had dreams about restoration and execution. Joseph begged the one who was restored as Pharoah cupbearer to remember him. He forgot about Joseph until one day when Pharoah had a dream. The cupbearer wasn’t wicked, but Joseph’s season of obscurity was for his pruning, preparation and refining. At the right time, he was brought before Pharoah, interpreted his dreams and was promoted to Prime Minister. Joseph was seventeen when he had his dreams and was sold into slavery by his brothers. He was thirty years old when he stood before Pharoah, so the time that elapsed was thirteen years. For thirteen years he was a slave, a prisoner, and a person of no reputation.
In the first year of the famine his family turned up to Egypt to buy grain and provisions. The famine also affected them and Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams, and the spirit of God in him, helped him to save all of Egypt and the surrounding nations from starvation. Joseph’s assignment was redemption and true to his dreams, everyone who came to purchase supplies had to bow down to him. After he had tested his brothers, he revealed his identify to them and asked that his father and the rest of his family be brought down to Egypt to live with him. Joseph’s dreams had come to pass and he had dominion over his family and was established over most people in the land. The only person with more authority than Joseph was Pharoah. Yet, Joseph’s assignment could not be accomplished in the presence of his family. God had to separate him and send him to a foreign country, where he had to learn a new language and customs in order to fulfil his assignment.
Separation does not always feel good and it produces seasons of isolation and obscurity. The reality is that sometimes our historical foundations are faulty and dysfunctional. Our proximity to people can often determine the outcome of our future and destiny. We sometimes cannot fulfil our God given assignment and purpose while being attached or connected to everyone. I am not advocating for isolation or withdrawal from people, but sometimes we experience rejection from even our own family. One way to interpret this is that perhaps God needs to separate you, in order to accomplish the assignment which he has for you. Even our loved ones can keep us in limited cycles and patterns of behaviours and most people can’t see beyond the scope of their current existence. Most people repeat generational patterns and cycles around things like educational attainment or relationship stability for example. Sometimes if we want different, we have to accept that we may not always fit in and that can include our family.
“Though your beginning was small, Yet your latter end would increase abundantly”
(Job 8:7).
“When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me”
(Psalms 27:10).
A.P.-Y. – Anneta Pinto-Young
Devotional Inspirations 