There are few stories as compelling as the suffering of Joseph. He was wronged by his brothers. He was wronged by his master’s wife. He was cast into jail, and even there he was forgotten by a man he helped by interpreting his dream. It is not a stretch of the imagination to presume that Joseph may have considered himself a man whose constant location could be summed up in this manner, “The wrong place at the wrong time.”
However, God positioned Joseph in each of these “wrong” places and “wrong” times. God was not being an abusive Father, or a sadist, but was rather displaying His fidelity. It was only by the suffering of Joseph that the salvation of Israel would be accomplished. Here we have a foreshadow of the Lord Jesus Christ. But we are getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s consider the latter portion of Joseph’s life more closely.
When people study Joseph’s life, often they jump immediately to the last chapter of Genesis which provides Joseph’s understanding of his life. Genesis faithfully records his words to his brothers upon the death of their father. Joseph said to his brothers, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” (Gen. 50:20)
What did God do? As a dreamer, that is, as a recipient of God’s gift of understanding dreams, Joseph rightly interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams. As I mentioned earlier, Joseph helped a man in jail; the Pharaoh’s cupbearer. Two years after this event, Pharaoh would have a dream that no one could interpret. The cupbearer repented for forgetting Joseph and connected him with Pharaoh.
Joseph did not pretend to rest in his own might but said, “It is not in me [to interpret dreams]; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” (Gen. 41:16) He certainly did! God confirmed it by means of repeating the dream and Joseph’s counsel was simple, “let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.” (Gen. 41:33) Joseph presented Pharaoh with a plan of attack. What he didn’t expect is that Pharaoh would select him to execute this plan.
I imagine that earlier that day, as 30-year-old Joseph, who had spent the last 13 years of his life as a slave or prisoner did not anticipate what God had for him. As he woke up, unshaved and in ragged foul clothing sitting in a pit, I imagine he expected the same daily dose of awful that had become his daily portion. But at just the right time, God transformed his world. He started the day filthy, ragged, and unkept. He ended the day washed, shaved, clothed in the finest clothing, donning the signet ring of Pharaoh, endowed with the rank of second in command, and also now, newlywed. Talk about a transformation!
God had not abandoned Joseph though his life appeared as a living death. God was positioning him to advance His plan of saving the world through the seed of the woman. The 13 years of misery that Joseph endured, would be outmatched by 80 subsequent years of joy and restoration. (cf. Gen. 50:22) But Joseph’s suffering was as much a part of the plan, as was Joseph’s exaltation to the right hand of Pharaoh in preparation to save Egypt, Israel, and subsequently in Christ, the world.
Sometimes our lives are awful. They can be likened to being chained to the bottom of a pit. We are overcome by grief or sorrow. We are left obsessing over the ways people have wronged us. We become joyless, dour wretches. We may even be led to ask, “Where is God in all of this?” Psalm 88, the most miserable of all psalms, reminds us that if we are in a pit, joyless, hopeless, friendless, and seemingly alone God is right there with us. God was as much with Joseph when he was wearing the robe of many colors, in the pit, and even afterwards when he now had a beautiful family, steady job, and a life entirely different than his former days.
Just because you are in a pit today does not mean that God is not about to do something different. Even if God should choose to let us sit in a pit for years, which He is free to do, we are never alone. Our suffering will never have the last word because of the suffering of Christ whose death and resurrection will one day conquer all sorrow, sin, and death. When He comes again every tear, and reason for sorrow will vanish, and only God in His power, perfection, beauty, and joy will remain. We shall more joyful than a bride on her wedding day for every wrong will be made right and sorrow will be banished forever.