From Famine To Freedom Series

Last week, Scott Hayes spoke from Genesis 41 - where Joseph—once a slave and prisoner—had been lifted to second in command in the most powerful nation of the world. We know that Pharaoh tried to Egyptianize Joseph: he changed his name, clothed him in royal garments, married him into an Egyptian priestly family who served foreign gods, and paraded him before the nation who bowed before him. However, though Joseph lived in Egypt he didn’t forget who he was nor did he forget his God.

Joseph’s naming of his sons was a crucial indicator of his loyalties. He chose Hebrew names for his sons—Manasseh (“God has made me forget my trouble”) and Ephraim (“God has made me fruitful”) because he remained faithful to the One and only True God who delivered him out of his troubles and exalted him for His own purposes.

It’s one thing to be faithful in the pit; it is another to be faithful in the palace. Many are humbled by suffering; fewer are humbled by success. But Joseph remained disciplined, sober-minded, and God-centered. Every season of Joseph’s life—dreams, pit, slavery, prison—had been divine preparation for the great responsibility given him. By the time the famine had begun, Joseph was around 39 years old and the famine wasn’t local; it spread over the entire known world.

Let’s read:

Genesis 42:1–24 (SL 2)

1 Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?” 2 Then he said, “Look, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy some for us from that place, so that we may live and not die.” 3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “I am afraid that harm may happen to him.” 5 So the sons of Israel came to buy grain among those who were coming, because the famine was also in the land of Canaan.

6 Now Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was the one who sold grain to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he disguised himself to them and spoke to them harshly. He said to them, “Where have you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”

8 But Joseph had recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him. 9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he had about them, and he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land.” 10 And they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. 11 We are all sons of one man; we are honest men, your servants are not spies.” 12 Yet he said to them, “No, but you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land!” 13 But they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no longer alive.” 14 Yet Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you, you are spies; 15 by this you will be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here! 16 Send one of you and have him get your brother, while you remain confined, so that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, you are certainly spies!” 17 So he put them all together in prison for three days.

18 Now Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God: 19 if you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in your prison; but as for the rest of you, go, carry grain for the famine of your households, 20 and bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified, and you will not die.” And they did so. 21 Then they said to one another, “Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; for that reason this distress has happened to us.” 22 Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not tell you, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Now justice for his blood is required.” 23 They did not know, however, that Joseph understood, for there was an interpreter between them. 24 Then he turned away from them and wept. But when he returned to them and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.