From The Pit To The Palace: A Sermon On Joseph's Liberation

HE TEXT OF LIBERATION

Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence. Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you..."

FROM THE PIT: THE JOURNEY OF DESCENT

Brothers, sisters, let us remember where Joseph came from.

He didn't start in a palace. He started in a pit - thrown there by his own brothers, stripped of his coat of many colors, left for dead. Then sold into slavery for twenty pieces of silver. Betrayed. Falsely accused. Imprisoned. Forgotten.

But let me tell you Joseph's WHOLE story, because you need to see the journey:

THE DREAMER

Joseph was seventeen years old, tending the flocks with his brothers. His father Jacob loved him more than all his other sons - made him that coat of many colors. And Joseph had dreams. Dreams where his brothers' sheaves bowed down to his sheaf. Dreams where the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed down to him.

His brothers hated him for those dreams. Hated him for that coat. Hated him for being favored.

THE PIT

So they plotted to kill him. They saw him coming from afar and said, "Here comes that dreamer! Come now, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns."

They stripped him of that beautiful coat - tore it right off his back. They threw him in a pit - a dry cistern with no water. And while he was crying out from the bottom of that pit, they sat down to eat their meal.

Can you imagine? Your own brothers eating lunch while you're screaming for your life in a pit!

SOLD INTO SLAVERY

Then they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming, and Judah said, "What profit is there if we kill our brother? Let's sell him to the Ishmaelites." So they sold their own brother - their own flesh and blood - for twenty pieces of silver.

Joseph went from the pit to the slave market. From favored son to human property. From dreams of glory to chains of bondage.

POTIPHAR'S HOUSE

But watch this - even in slavery, the Lord was with Joseph! He was sold to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard. And because God was with him, everything he touched prospered. Potiphar saw it and made Joseph overseer of his entire household.

From the pit to Potiphar's right-hand man! It looked like things were turning around!

THE FALSE ACCUSATION

But then Potiphar's wife set her eyes on Joseph. Day after day she tried to seduce him. And when Joseph refused - when he ran from her advances - she grabbed his garment and screamed, "Rape!"

Another garment taken from Joseph. Another false accusation. Another descent.

Potiphar threw Joseph in prison - the king's prison where political prisoners were kept. From Potiphar's palace to Pharaoh's prison.

THE PRISON YEARS

But even in prison, God was with Joseph! The warden put him in charge of all the prisoners. And when Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker were thrown in prison, Joseph interpreted their dreams.

To the cupbearer he said, "In three days you'll be restored to your position." To the baker he said, "In three days you'll be executed." And it happened exactly as Joseph said.

Joseph asked the cupbearer, "Remember me when it goes well with you. Mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison."

But the cupbearer forgot him.

Two more years Joseph languished in that prison. Two more years of waiting. Two more years of wondering if God had forgotten the dreams.

THE PALACE - PHARAOH'S DREAM

But then - oh, but then! - Pharaoh had a dream that none of his wise men could interpret. Seven fat cows devoured by seven lean cows. Seven good heads of grain swallowed by seven thin heads of grain.

And suddenly - SUDDENLY - the cupbearer remembered Joseph!

They rushed Joseph out of the dungeon, cleaned him up, shaved him, brought him before Pharaoh. And Joseph said, "I cannot interpret dreams, but God can."

God gave Joseph the interpretation: Seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. And Joseph didn't just interpret - he gave Pharaoh a plan: "Appoint someone wise to store up grain during the good years to prepare for the famine."

Pharaoh looked at Joseph and said, "Since God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only regarding the throne will I be greater than you."