Creator, Father, King #63

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

YOU’VE HEARD THE STORY of Joseph and his coat of many colors, right? Jacob dearly loved his son Joseph and gave him an ornate robe. Perhaps that doesn’t sound like a great present to us in the twenty-first century. But for a nomadic, tent-dwelling shepherd in ancient times, this was quite a gift!

Joseph’s coat was all the rage . . . literally! Jacob’s favoritism of Joseph sent his older brothers into a fury. “When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him” (Genesis 37:4, NIV).

Joseph (perhaps a little boastfully) then shared a few dreams he had about his brothers bowing down to him, and it only increased their anger. So one day, they tore off his robe, threw him in a pit, and sold him into slavery to merchants heading to Egypt.

Joseph quickly rose to prominence in his new master’s household, but he was unjustly thrown into prison, where he languished for two years. Things certainly looked bleak. He must have questioned God’s purposes. But Joseph was about to learn an amazing truth about God.

What’s It Mean?

By God’s grace, Joseph was released from prison after God allowed him to accurately interpret Pharaoh’s dreams about a coming famine. He became Pharaoh’s second-in-command and saved Egypt from the ravaging food crisis he had foretold—one that even reached Canaan and threatened to destroy Jacob’s family.

When his brothers arrived in Egypt looking for food, God’s divine plan became clear to Joseph. God had turned their wickedness into good by sending Joseph ahead of them into Egypt so he could save them years later and keep God’s covenant to Abraham intact. Only the Lord God Almighty could do such a thing! Joseph exclaimed to his brothers in today’s verse, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Perhaps you are going through something difficult or downright evil. Take heart! The God who helped Joseph is still active today. He is still turning evil to good in his divine sovereignty and love. As Romans 8:28 says, “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” He will do this for you if you trust in him!

Now What?

Read the story of Joseph’s life in Genesis 37 and 39–50.

Did You Know?

Joseph’s dreams about his brothers bowing down to him came true (Genesis 42:6).