Exploring Old Testament Typology: Joseph’s Foreshadowing of the Savior | Elizabeth Prata

Exploring Old Testament Typology: Joseph’s Foreshadowing of the Savior

By Elizabeth Prata

There are lots of “types” in the Bible. A fancier name for it is Biblical Typology. Biblical Typology is…

…a special kind of symbolism. (A symbol is something which represents something else.) We can define a type as a “prophetic symbol” because all types are representations of something yet future. More specifically, a type in scripture is a person or thing in the Old Testament which foreshadows a person or thing in the New Testament. For example, the flood of Noah’s day (Genesis 6-7) is used as a type of baptism in 1 Peter 3:20-21. The word for type that Peter uses is figure.

Another example of a type is in Hebrews 9:8-9: “the first tabernacle . . . which was a figure for the time then present.” The blood sacrifices of lambs prefigured or was a type of the actual sacrifice of the Lamb of God. And so on.

Ligonier defines typology as

Typology is based on the fact that God works in recurring patterns throughout history and says that a past event or person can prefigure or serve as a type of a future person or event.

Joseph, son of Jacob, is in many respects one of the strongest types depicting the Savior.  Sold into slavery, descended into the pit (jail), Joseph interpreted the Cupbearer’s and Baker’s dreams and said to them as they were called to Pharaoh’s side, “Remember me”. Joseph was forgotten, … until the Cupbearer heard that Pharaoh needed someone to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph was called to the King’s side-

Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. (Genesis 41:14)

And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 41:41-44).

When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.” (Genesis 41:55)

Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth. (Genesis 41:57)

Hopefully you notice the similarities. Joseph was reviled, sold as a slave, they put an iron fetter around his neck. (Psalm 105:17-18). He was in the pit, forgotten and ignored. One day in a moment, a twinkling, he was exalted and put in second place, only the King was higher than he. He rode in the second chariot. He was given a fine garment and his iron collar replaced with a chain of gold. All were told to bow the knee to Joseph, just as they will bow the knee to Jesus (Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:10). Joseph saved all in the land, all the earth.

The almost exact language was used by Pharaoh about Joseph as Mary had stated at the Wedding at Cana.

“Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.” (Genesis 41:55 NIV)

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5).

Of course, typology only goes so far. Joseph gave grain (bread) to the people to save their life, but Jesus IS the bread of life. However, it’s interesting to note types as you read along to think more deeply about what God is showing us through His word. Here are some further resources for you on typology.

Ligonier: Typology vs. Allegory.
Carm: Dictionary- Type
GTY: Melchizedek, a Type of Christ

Healthy sodas, home air pollution, and the pope’s future | Denison Forum

Healthy sodas, home air pollution, and the pope’s future

Most of us want to do what we can for our health. Coca-Cola wants to help.

I know those two sentences don’t seem to go together, given the many problems with soda consumption in the US. But there’s a new trend toward prebiotic drinks that are healthier for our digestive systems. Products from Olipop and Poppi are recent examples.

Now Coca-Cola is launching its own prebiotic soda brand called Simply Pop. Consumers on the West Coast and in the Southeast can try it later this month.

Speaking of health, this headline caught my eye: “Air inside your home may be more polluted than outside due to everyday chemical products.” Air fresheners, wax melts, floor cleaners, and deodorants are now known to fill the air with “nanoscale particles that are small enough to get deep into your lungs.” As a result, they could potentially pose risks to respiratory health.

None of us are immune from health challenges, as Pope Francis’s hospitalization for bilateral pneumonia illustrates. But unlike many of us, he is not only focusing on his present health but also on his future legacy.

For example, he has extended the term of the Italian cardinal Giovanni Battista Re as dean of the College of Cardinals. This means that if Francis dies, Re will play a pivotal role in the conclave that will follow and deliver the pontiff’s funeral rites.

As we provide for the present and prepare for the future, there’s an element that transcends any resources we possess, one that is foundational today and for eternity.

If Joseph had not been enslaved

As described in the book of Genesis, Jacob left his homeland with nothing, fleeing from his brother for his life (Genesis 28). By contrast, his body was returned many years later to be buried “with all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, as well as all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s household. . . . And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company” (Genesis 50:7, 9).

This does not imply that all was easy and light for Jacob, as even a cursory reading of his life story reminds us. But it does show that God redeems all he allows, often in ways we could not imagine at the time.

Joseph enunciated this fact in a way that has echoed for four millennia when he told the brothers who had enslaved him, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (v. 20). If they had not sold him as a slave to the Midianites who then “took Joseph to Egypt” (Genesis 37:28), and if Joseph had not been unfairly imprisoned there (Genesis 39), imagine the difference in world history:

• He would not have interpreted Pharaoh’s cupbearer’s dream in prison.
• Pharaoh’s cupbearer would not have recommended him to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams.
• He would not have forecast the severe famine to come.
• He would not have been placed in charge of preparations for the famine.
• He would not have been able to provide for his family when they came for food.

If the first “domino” of his brothers’ mistreatment had not fallen, would Jacob’s family have survived the famine to become a great nation and the people through whom the Messiah would come one day?

Frederick Buechner’s walking stick

In one sense, God is Lord whether we make him our Lord or not. Charles III is the king of England whether people in England recognize this fact or reject it. “God is love” (1 John 4:8) is a present-tense fact regardless of our response to it—he loves us whether we love him or not (cf. Romans 5:8).

Frederick Buechner writes that he whittled into his walking stick words he “picked up somewhere in Jung”: vocatus atque non vocatus Deus aderit: “Whether we call on him or do not call on him, God is present with us.”

But in another sense, making Christ our Lord is crucial in that it positions us to experience his providential best in our lives. This is because he honors the freedom he has given us and has therefore chosen to limit the control he could otherwise exert on our lives. Thus, he must knock at the door of our lives to gain admittance (cf. Revelation 3:20) and cannot lead those who will not follow or give what we refuse to receive.

As a result, the key to experiencing our Father’s best is aligning ourselves with his providential purpose in our world.

How can we navigate our turbulent times in his wisdom and will?

As my wife notes in her latest blog, the key is not just to believe God but to believe in God. She points to the book of James, where Abraham is identified as an example: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (James 2:23, citing Genesis 15:6). Janet writes:

Abraham wasn’t found righteous because he knew God’s word; he was found righteous because he obeyed God’s word. All of us who have grown up in church, attended Sunday School and Bible study, and even read Christian blogs and articles like this can sometimes feel confident in the amount of Bible we have learned. According to James and Abraham, the righteous need to find confidence in the amount of God’s word they have obeyed (her emphases).

Trusting God as you trust your bank

How can we experience God’s provident best more fully?

The first step is to do what you know to be his will today.

Jesus asked us, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you” (Luke 6:46). 

Oswald Chambers therefore advised us: “We have to take the first step as though there were no God. There is no point in waiting for God to help us—He will not. But once we arise, immediately we find He is there. Whenever God gives us His inspiration, suddenly taking the initiative becomes a moral issue—a matter of obedience.”

What next step of obedience do you know God is calling you to take now?

As we trust him with the present we can see, we also trust him for the future we cannot. Pastor and writer Paul Powell encourages us:

Put your life and your troubles in God’s hands. Trust your life to him as you trust your money to the bank. God, who created all things, will take care of you. How often we look on God as our last and most feeble resource! We go to him because we have nowhere else to go. And then we learn that the storms of life have driven us not upon the rocks, but into the desired haven.

A wise mentor once advised me,

“Stay faithful to the last word you heard from God and open to the next.”

Will you do both today?

The post Healthy sodas, home air pollution, and the pope’s future appeared first on Denison Forum.

FEBRUARY 11 | Genesis 44; Mark 14; Job 10; Romans 14

UP TO THIS POINT IN THE NARRATIVE (Gen. 44), Judah has not appeared in a very good light. When Joseph’s brothers first declare their intention to kill him (Gen. 37:19–20), two of them offer alternatives. Reuben suggests that Joseph should simply be thrown into a pit from which he could not escape (37:21–22). This proposal had two advantages. First, murder could not then be directly ascribed to the brothers, and second, Reuben hoped to come back later, in secret, and rescue his kid brother. Reuben was devastated when his plan did not work out (37:29–30). The other brother with an independent proposal was Judah. He argued that there was no profit in mere murder. It would be better to sell Joseph into slavery (37:25–27)—and his view prevailed.
Judah reappears in the next chapter, sleeping with his daughter-in-law (Gen. 38), and, initially at least, deploying a double standard (see meditation for February 6).
Yet here in Genesis 44, Judah cuts a more heroic figure. Joseph manipulates things to have Benjamin and his brothers arrested for theft, and insists that only Benjamin will have to remain in Egypt as a slave. Perhaps Joseph’s ploy was designed to test his older brothers to see if they still resented the youngest, if they were still so hard that they could throw one of their number into slavery and chuckle that at least they themselves were free. It is Judah who intervenes, and pleads, of all things, the special love his father has for Benjamin. He even refers to Jacob’s belief that Joseph was killed by wild animals (44:28), as if the sheer deceit and wickedness of it all had been preying on his mind for the previous quarter of a century. Judah explains how he himself promised to bring the boy back safely, and emotionally pleads, “Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in the place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come upon my father” (44:33–34).
This is the high point in what we know of Judah’s pilgrimage. He offers his life in substitution for another. Perhaps in part he was motivated by a guilty conscience; if so, the genuine heroism grew out of genuine shame. He could not know that in less than two millennia, his most illustrious descendant, in no way prompted by shame but only by obedience to his heavenly Father and by love for guilty rebels, would offer himself as a substitute for them (Mark 14).

Carson, D. A. (1998). For the love of God: a daily companion for discovering the riches of God’s Word. (Vol. 1, p. 68). Crossway Books.

JOB 10 IS THE SECOND PART OF JOB’S response to Bildad the Shuhite. Bildad has argued that God cannot pervert justice (Job 8; see meditation for February 9). In chapter 9 Job replies, rather impatiently, that he knows all that: “Indeed, I know that this is true” (9:2). Job does not doubt that he too, like other mortals, cannot stand up beside the matchless righteousness of God: “But how can a mortal be righteous before God?” (9:2). So Job argues that that is precisely the problem: in this particular case, Job insists he is blameless (9:21), free from any evil that should have attracted the miseries inflicted upon him, but God remains unanswerable. Job is certainly not more evil than many contemporaries who are unscathed by the passing years. But how can a mere mortal plead his case before the Almighty? “He is not a man like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court” (9:32). There is not even available a suitable arbitrator (9:33). As for Job’s “friends,” they increase his suffering, for they will not admit that he is innocent (9:28); they are more than eager to drop him into the nearest slime pit to prove that he is dirty (9:30–31).
Job now turns to address God (chap. 10). He wants to know what charges God has against him (10:2). Full of self-acknowledged bitterness (10:1), Job asks, “Does it please you to oppress me, to spurn the work of your hands, while you smile on the schemes of the wicked?” (10:3). Certainly Job is prepared to acknowledge that God shaped him in the womb, carefully nurtured him, gave him life, and providentially watched over him (10:8–12). But now, it seems, there is another side: God will not only hunt him down if he sins, but even if Job is innocent he finds he cannot answer this God or compete against the pressures God is able to bring to bear (10:13–17). So why did God bring him to life in the first place? Or why did Job not die as soon as he was born, carried from the womb to the grave (10:18–22)?
This is the rhetoric of anguish and despair. We still await God’s answer. But Romans 14 may have something to say to Job’s miserable “friends”: “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” (14:19). Of course, in the context of Romans 14, Paul is focusing on Christian self-restraint for the sake of others, especially in the matter of eating food offered to idols (as in 1 Cor. 8; see vol. 1, meditation for September 3). Yet the broad principle applies nonetheless to Job’s friends: do they speak out of passionate commitment to “mutual edification” or out of frightened self-justification?

Carson, D. A. (1998). For the love of God: a daily companion for discovering the riches of God’s Word. (Vol. 2, p. 68). Crossway Books.

FEBRUARY 7 | Genesis 40; Mark 10; Job 6; Romans 10

TRUSTING GOD’S PROVIDENCE is not to be confused with succumbing to fatalism. It is not a resigned sigh of Que sera, sera—“What will be, will be.” This Joseph understood (Gen. 40).
The account of Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker does not tell us which of the two, if either, was actually guilty of something; it only tells us which of the two Pharaoh decided was guilty. Even then, we are not told the nature of the crime. The focus, rather, is on their respective dreams, and the fact that only Joseph, of those in prison, is able to interpret their dreams. The interpretations are so dramatic, and so precisely fulfilled, that their accuracy cannot be questioned.
Joseph himself is under no illusion as to the source of his powers. “Do not interpretations belong to God?” he asks (40:8). Even before Pharaoh, where he might have been expected to slant his explanations just a little so as to enhance his own reputation, Joseph will later insist even more emphatically that he cannot himself interpret dreams; God alone can do it (41:16, 25).
Yet despite this unswerving loyalty to God, despite this candid confession of his own limitations, despite the sheer tenacity and integrity of his conduct under unjust suffering, Joseph does not confuse God’s providence with fatalism. The point is demonstrated in this chapter in two ways.
First, Joseph is quite prepared to tell his predicament to the cupbearer (the servant who will be released in three days and restored to the court) in the hope that he might be released (40:14–15). Joseph’s faith in God does not mean that he becomes entirely passive. He takes open action to effect improvement in his circumstances, provided that action is stamped with integrity.
Second, when he briefly describes the circumstances that brought him into prison, Joseph does not hide the sheer evil that was done. He insists he “was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews” (40:15). The point was important, for most slaves became such because of economic circumstances. For example, when people fell into bankruptcy, they sold themselves into slavery. But that was not what had happened to Joseph, and he wanted Pharaoh to know it. He was a victim. Further, even during his life as a slave in Egypt he did “nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon”—which of course means he was incarcerated unjustly. Thus Joseph does not confuse God’s providential rule with God’s moral approbation.
Fatalism and pantheism have no easy way of distinguishing what is from what ought to be. Robust biblical theism encourages us to trust the goodness of the sovereign, providential God, while confronting and opposing the evil that takes place in this fallen world.

Carson, D. A. (1998). For the love of God: a daily companion for discovering the riches of God’s Word. (Vol. 1, p. 64). Crossway Books.

JOB’S RESPONSE TO ELIPHAZ TAKES UP two chapters. In Job 6 he argues as follows:
(1) In the opening verses (6:1–7) Job insists he has every reason for bemoaning his situation: his anguish and misery are beyond calculation (6:2–3). Nor does Job flinch from the obvious: in God’s universe, God himself must somehow be behind these calamities—“The arrows of the Almighty are in me … God’s terrors are marshaled against me” (6:4). Not even a donkey brays without a reason (6:5), so why should Job’s friends treat him as if he is complaining without a reason?
(2) Job utters his deepest request: that God would simply crush him, “let loose his hand and cut me off” (6:9). This is more than a death wish: “Then I would still have this consolation—my joy in unrelenting pain—that I had not denied the words of the Holy One” (6:10). From this, three things are clear. (a) Despite his agony, Job is still thinking from within the framework of a committed believer. His suffering is not driving him to agnosticism or naturalism. (b) More importantly, his primary desire is to remain faithful to God. He sees death not only as a release from his suffering but as a way of dying before the intensity of his suffering should drive him to say or do something that would dishonor God. (c) Implicitly, this is also a response to Eliphaz. A man with such a passionate commitment to remain faithful to “the words of the Holy One” (6:10) should not be dismissed as a light and frivolous prevaricator.
(3) Eliphaz’s position depends on the assumption that if Job acts as Eliphaz advises, all his wealth and power will be restored to him. Job insists he is well beyond that point: he has no hope, no prospects. He cannot conduct himself in such a way as to finagle blessings from God (6:11–13).
(4) Meanwhile, Job reproaches Eliphaz and his colleagues (6:14–23). “A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty” (6:14); that is what real friendship is like. Job analyzes the real reason why his friends have proved “as undependable as intermittent streams” (6:15): they have seen something dreadful and they are afraid (6:21). Their neat theological categories have been blown away by Job’s suffering, since they had believed he was a righteous man. They must now prove him to be unrighteous, deserving of his sufferings, or they too are under threat.
(5) Job ends with a wrenching plea (6:24–30). As far as he is concerned, his own integrity is at stake; he will not fake repentance when he knows he does not deserve this suffering. “Relent, do not be unjust” (6:29), he tells his friends.

Carson, D. A. (1998). For the love of God: a daily companion for discovering the riches of God’s Word. (Vol. 2, p. 64). Crossway Books.

JANUARY 29.—MORNING. [Or February 26.] “The Lord will provide.”

GENESIS 45:16–28

JOSEPH’S meeting with his family could not be long concealed; the happy fact oozed out, and the news was carried to the King himself.
16 And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, Joseph’s brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. (They were glad because so great a benefactor of their nation was made happy.)
17, 18, 19 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan; And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons (or chariots) out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.
20 Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is your’s. (Pharaoh thus delicately and with lordly generosity, spared Joseph any scruples about inviting his kinsmen to dwell in the land; they were to come into the country as the king’s own guests. Observe how he bids them leave all their “stuff” behind, as if he meant to give them so much that would be better that they need not bring their tents or their furniture with them. Certainly, when we come to Jesus, and receive his treasures of grace, all earthly things become mere “stuff” to us.)
21 And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.
22 To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment. (How Joseph’s goodness contrasted with their former cruelty. “They sent him naked to strangers, he sends them in new and rich liveries; they took a small sum of money for him, he gives them large treasures; they sent his torn coat to his father, he sends variety of costly garments; they sold him to be the load of camels, he sends them home in chariots.” Far greater still is the contrast between our ungenerous treatment of the Lord Jesus and his bountiful returns of grace to us.)
23 And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way.
24 So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way. (He knew them well, and feared that they might begin accusing each other, or might even become envious of Benjamin, as they had formerly been of himself.)
25, 26 ¶ And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father. And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not. (A sad heart is far more ready to believe a mournful falsehood than a joyful truth. When his sons wickedly shewed him Joseph’s coat he said, “Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces,” but when they tell him a true story, he believes them not. It is a pity when despondency makes our judgment lose its balance.)
27 And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived:
28 And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die. (First the words, and then the wagons aided Jacob’s faith, even as the words of Jesus and the gifts of Jesus enable us to believe on him. The venerable patriarch was more glad to hear that his son was “alive,” than that he was “governor over all the land of Egypt.” This was enough for him, and he resolved to have a sight of his beloved one. Where there is true love there will be a desire for communion. Those who love the Son of God will not be willing to live without heavenly fellowship. O may all united here in family worship, see Jesus by faith before they die, when they die, and then for ever.)

  Jesus, these eyes have never seen
     That radiant form of Thine!
  The veil of sense hangs dark between
     Thy blessed face and mine!
  Yet though I have not seen, and still,
     Must rest in faith alone;
  I love thee, dearest Lord! and will,
     Unseen, but not unknown.
  When death these mortal eyes shall seal,
     And still this throbbing heart,
  The rending veil shall thee reveal,
     All glorious as thou art.

Spurgeon, C. H. (1964). The Interpreter: Spurgeon’s Devotional Bible (p. 57). Baker Book House.

29 JANUARY (1860) | A revival sermon

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.” Amos 9:13
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Psalm 44

Pharaoh’s dream has been enacted again in the last century. About a hundred years ago, if I may look back in my dream, I might have seen seven ears of corn upon one stalk, firm and strong; anon, the time of plenty went away, and I have seen, and you have seen, in your lifetime, the seven ears of corn thin and withered in the east wind. The seven ears of withered corn have eaten up and devoured the seven ears of fat corn, and there has been a sore famine in the land. Lo, I see in Whitefield’s time, seven bullocks coming up from the river, fat and well-favoured, and since then we have lived to see seven lean kine come up from the same river; and lo! the seven lean kine have eaten up the seven fat kine, yet have they been none the better for all that they have eaten. We read of such marvellous revivals a hundred years ago, that the music of their news has not ceased to ring in our ears; but we have seen alas, a season of lethargy, of soul-poverty among the saints, and of neglect among the ministers of God. The product of the seven years has been utterly consumed, and the Church has been none the better. Now, I take it, however, we are about to see the seven fat years again. God is about to send times of surprising fertility to his Church. When a sermon has been preached in these modern times, if one sinner has been converted by it, we have rejoiced with a suspicious joy; for we have thought it something amazing. But, brethren, where we have seen one converted, we may yet see hundreds; where the Word of God has been powerful in scores, it shall be blessed to thousands.

FOR MEDITATION: The prayer of Habakkuk during a period of lean years (Habakkuk 3:2). Will you join him in prayer?

SERMON NO. 296

Spurgeon, C. H., & Crosby, T. P. (1998). 365 Days with Spurgeon (Volume 1) (p. 36). Day One Publications.

JANUARY 28.—MORNING. [Or February 24.] “Thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul.”

JOSEPH ordered a silver cup to be placed in Benjamin’s sack, and when his brethren had set out upon their journey he sent his steward after them to bring them back. By this means Joseph tried his brethren, and brought them into a fit condition to be informed of their relationship. Our reading commences with the scene when the brothers had been brought back into Joseph’s court-house.

GENESIS 44:14–34

14 ¶ And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.
15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine? (This he said to help himself in acting the part he had assumed.)
16 And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found. (Though innocent of the present charge, Judah confesses that their sad plight was well deserved by other sins.)
17 And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father. (To this Judah, the surety, could not yield; but pleaded in a marvellously touching manner. Note how eloquent he was. Our surety is our advocate, and his pleadings are mighty.)
18, 19 ¶ Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh. My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?
20 And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.
21, 22, 23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die. And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.
24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
25, 26 And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food. And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man’s face, except our youngest brother be with us.
27, 28, 29 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons: And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since: And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
30, 31, 32, 33, 34 Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad’s life; It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servant shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.
The power of Judah’s advocacy lay very much in its truth. It is a simple unvarnished narrative of facts. But its master weapon is found in the proposed substitution of himself for Benjamin. He is ready to smart for his suretyship. Do we not remember how Judah’s great antitype not only proferred to be our substitute but actually was so: in this lies the power of his intercession.

  Where high the heavenly temple stands,
  The house of God not made with hands,
  Jesus, our Judah, stands to plead,
  A brother born for time of need.

  He, who for men their surety stood,
  And pour’d on earth his precious blood,
  Pursues in heaven his mighty plan,
  The advocate and friend of man.

Spurgeon, C. H. (1964). The Interpreter: Spurgeon’s Devotional Bible (p. 55). Baker Book House.

JANUARY 26.—MORNING. [Or February 20.] “All things work together for good.”

WE left Joseph before Pharaoh, whose dream he had interpreted, and to whom he had given sage advice,

GENESIS 41:37–43; 46–57

37 ¶ And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? (Joseph’s words concerning the Lord had a manifest effect on idolatrous Pharaoh, and he spoke with reverence. We need never be ashamed to avow our faith. Good will come of holy speech.)
39, 40 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
42, 43 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
What a change from the prison to the chariot. Thus was the Lord Jesus uplifted from the grave, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. Such honours in their degree shall all persecuted saints obtain either here or hereafter.
46 ¶ And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
Prosperity did not spoil him. He set about his business, and discharged the duties of his office with great diligence.
47, 48, 49 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same. And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.
50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On bare unto him.
51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.
Our afflictions leave no sting behind. The Lord’s love so rinses out our cup of sorrow that no bitterness remains. Such forgetfulness is sweet.
52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. (Here again he ascribes his happiness to his God, and blesses him for his double gift. To forget the past, and bear fruit in the present is a precious boon.)
53 ¶ And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.
54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.
We may call this a typical gospel, for poor hungry sinners are now bidden to go unto Jesus, and what he saith unto them do. May we be every one of us led of the Spirit of God to seek unto him who alone can open the well-stored granaries of grace.
56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands. (To whom else can men go for salvation but to Jesus, the Saviour? Have all who join in this reading gone unto the Redeemer for heavenly bread? If not—why not?)

  Hail to the Prince of life and peace
  Who holds the keys of death and hell!
  The kingdoms of the earth are his,
  And sovereign power becomes him well.

  In shame and sorrow once he died,
  But now he reigns for evermore;
  Bow down ye saints before his feet,
  And all ye angel-bands adore.

Spurgeon, C. H. (1964). The Interpreter: Spurgeon’s Devotional Bible (p. 51). Baker Book House.

JANUARY 25.—MORNING. [Or February 18.] “God is for me.”

GENESIS 40:1; 3–23

AND it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt.
3, 4 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward. (Thus providence regulated the royal household with an eye to Joseph, who was even in prison favoured of the Lord.)
5 ¶ And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night.
Not only men awake but asleep also shall be made to serve Joseph’s interests.
6, 7 And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. And he asked Pharaoh’s officers that were with him in the ward of his lord’s house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day? (Thus should we show kindly sympathy, and seek each other’s welfare. What was fitting in a prison is even more so in a family.)
8, 9, 10, 11 And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you. (Joseph bore brave witness to the living God; every believer should do so.) And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: And Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand.
12, 13, 14, 15 And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days: Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler. But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon. (How lovingly does Joseph hide his brethren’s fault, and speak not of his being sold but “stolen.” He was stolen, for the Ishmeelites bought what the sellers had no right to sell. Let us use the gentlest word when called to speak of the wrong doing of others.)
16, 17, 18, 19 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head: And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head. And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days: Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.
20, 21, 22 And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand: But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them. (Whether for good or evil, the word of the Lord will be accomplished. Be it ours to have it in reverence.)
23 Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him. (Sad would it have been for Joseph had he put his trust in man; but though the butler forgot him his God did not. The Lord was reserving Joseph for a more timely deliverance; he was to come out of prison to a throne, and that was best secured by his waiting a little longer. It is good for a man to hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of God.)

     Put thou thy trust in God;
     In duty’s path go on;
  Fix on himself thy steadfast eye,
     So shall thy work be done.

     Though years on years roll on
     His mercy shall endure;
  Though clouds and darkness hide his path,
     His promised grace is sure.

Spurgeon, C. H. (1964). The Interpreter: Spurgeon’s Devotional Bible (p. 49). Baker Book House.

JANUARY 24.—MORNING. [Or February 16.] “In the world ye shall have tribulation.”

JOSEPH was Jacob’s best loved and most tried son. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth. This chapter opens a long scene of suffering.

GENESIS 37:2–14; 18–24; 28; 31–35

2 Joseph being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
His piety led him to protest against the wrongdoing of his brethren. He would not join them in evil, nor aid them by concealing their evil deeds.
5 ¶ And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
9, 10, 11 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying. (Whom God favours the ungodly are sure to dislike. The evil hate the righteous.)
12, 13, 14 And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them.… So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
18, 19, 20 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
21, 22 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.
23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him.
24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
31, 32 And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood: And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father, and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no.
33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.
34, 35 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sack-cloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him. (This was a very painful transaction, but let us not forget that the Lord overruled it for the highest good.)

  Crosses and changes are their lot,
     Long as they sojourn here;
  But since their Saviour changes not,
     What have his saints to fear?

Spurgeon, C. H. (1964). The Interpreter: Spurgeon’s Devotional Bible (p. 47). Baker Book House.

JANUARY 23 | Faithful Obedience

SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Peter 1:1–15
KEY VERSE: 1 Peter 1:7

The genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Though Joseph was sold into slavery, he refused to become embittered. As a result, God blessed him through Potiphar, an Egyptian officer who purchased him. He was taken into Potiphar’s home and given great responsibility. The Bible tells us that Joseph was a successful man (Gen. 39:2). All that Potiphar had was left in Joseph’s care.
However, what happened next in Joseph’s life was certainly a test of his character and obedience to God. It is fairly common for God to test our level of obedience. One day as Joseph was going about his duties, Potiphar’s wife approached him with an alluring temptation. She wanted Joseph to commit adultery with her, but Joseph immediately recognized the error and refused her advances.
Joseph said, “How then could I do this great evil, and sin against God?” (Gen. 39:9 NASB). His first thought was what such a sin would do to his relationship with God. Obedience was far more important to Joseph than a moment of physical pleasure.
Potiphar’s wife was furious and turned on him by lying to her husband. Potiphar had Joseph imprisoned. However, God was with him, orchestrating the circumstances of his life for even greater blessing.
If you are facing a situation that calls for obedience, ask yourself, Am I about to do something that will lead to my ruin or damage my faith? Faithful obedience always leads to blessing.

Precious Lord, thank You for the faith already instilled in my heart. Help me continue growing stronger each day in my spiritual journey of faith.

Stanley, C. F. (1999). On holy ground (p. 24). Thomas Nelson Publishers.

JANUARY 22 | Trusting God

SCRIPTURE READING: Genesis 39
KEY VERSE: Genesis 39:23

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.

People who have spent time in prison talk about the mind-numbing effects of incarceration. Days slide into days, months into months, and an inmate’s perception of time and reality may become stunted. It is easy to lose motivation or the will to live without hope, a goal, something to work toward.
Such was not the case with Joseph. If ever anyone had a reason to be bitter, it was Joseph. He did not even deserve to be in jail. Joseph could have allowed his frustration to deepen into resentment and then taken it out on his fellow prisoners and the guards. He could have made life miserable. Instead, Joseph chose to trust God:

But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. And the chief jailer committed to Joseph’s charge all the prisoners who were in the jail; so that whatever was done there, he was responsible for it. The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph’s charge because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper. (Gen. 39:21–23 NASB)

Joseph understood that God’s plans for him extended beyond the negatives of the here and now; in faith he could look past the present pain, and as a result, God turned his circumstances into a beautiful testimony of His love and provision.

I trust You, Master! By faith, I look beyond the past and present into the tremendous future You have planned for me. Turn my negative circumstances into a testimony of Your love and provision.

Stanley, C. F. (1999). On holy ground (p. 23). Thomas Nelson Publishers.

JANUARY 21 | The Test of Faith

SCRIPTURE READING: James 1:2–8
KEY VERSE: James 1:12

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

Most of us know the story of Joseph and the depth of his faith. Genesis 39–50 records the events of his life and how God provided emotional strength for him to rise above discouragement. The principle involved in Joseph’s life is one of extreme faith.
He didn’t enjoy being sold into bondage. Like any of us, he probably fought feelings of rejection, loneliness, and fear. He had worshiped and trusted God. Yet he ended up in a foreign land with no immediate hope of returning home to his family. Even there, Joseph held fast to his conviction—God had a plan for his life. He had been given a vision, and he refused to fall prey to sin and discontentment.
Each of us will face times of trial and discouragement. But it is here among life’s darker moments that God exposes the depth of our faith.
For the psalmist to write about his victorious journey through the valley of the shadow of death, there had to be a valley experience. For Joseph to testify to God’s faithfulness, there had to be an Egyptian encounter. For you to affirm the eternal love and strength of God, there must be a test of faith in your life as well. Remember, God will never abandon you. Just as He was with Joseph, He is with you—forever!

Precious Lord, despite the feelings of rejection, loneliness, and fear that sometimes flood my soul, I know You have a plan for me. Through all my trials, expose and then strengthen the depth of my faith.

Stanley, C. F. (1999). On holy ground (p. 22). Thomas Nelson Publishers.

December 19 | God’s View of Prosperity

Genesis 39:23

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.

Think about Joseph’s circumstances. He was a slave, bound to his master. Yet the Bible says he was prosperous. We have this idea in America that prosperity is related to money and possessions, but prosperity in the eyes of God refers to character. If we are true to the Lord and His Word, we are rich. If we are in His will, we have the assurance that all things work together for good, something we certainly see evident in the life of Joseph.

It has been said that God doesn’t do anything or allow anything to be done to us that we would not choose for ourselves, if we could only see things from His perspective. If we could see every event exactly as God does, we would do things the very same way. He sees the end from the beginning, how everything fits together, and how necessary some of our hurts and disappointments are. Prosperity isn’t a matter of circumstances, but a matter of character. When Scripture says that Joseph was prosperous, it has little to do with how many material possessions he had, but with how much of him God had. Even though a slave, Joseph was a prosperous man.¹

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¹  Jeremiah, D. (2002). Sanctuary: finding moments of refuge in the presence of God (p. 370). Integrity Publishers.

December 6 | A Candle of Hope

Scripture Reading: Genesis 39; 41

Key Verse: Genesis 45:5

Now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.

Many times in our spiritual walk with the Lord, we do not know where He is leading or why. Often we may misunderstand why He has allowed certain circumstances to invade our otherwise safe and appointed world.

More than likely, Joseph did not understand why God allowed his brothers to treat him with such deep animosity. He had faithfully worshiped the Lord, yet God did not save him from the trial of being sold into Egyptian bondage. Once Joseph was there, his life became a drama of ups and downs, good and bad. If we think about it, Joseph’s story may remind us of our own lives at times.

Because he could not escape captivity, he was forced to trust God throughout his Egyptian days. Think about it; he never again walked through his beloved homeland of Canaan. Even after God blessed him and Pharaoh appointed him over all the land, Joseph remained in Egypt. But God had a plan. He used Joseph’s banishment to save Israel from starvation when a famine struck.

Had Joseph not gone into Egypt, Israel would have perished. God used Joseph’s suffering to bless others. The years from the time of his arrest until the time of his family’s arrival were not explained in detail to Joseph. God’s servant walked through the darkness with only one candle of hope—his faith in a changeless God. And guess what? It was more than enough light!

Master, help me walk through the darkness with the candle of hope—my faith in a changeless God. Your light is enough for my journey.¹

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¹  Stanley, C. F. (1999). On holy ground (p. 357). Thomas Nelson Publishers.

November 24 | Acknowledging God’s Sovereignty

“By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones” (Heb. 11:22).

✧✧✧

God uses your present circumstances to accomplish His future purposes.

Like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Joseph was an heir to the covenant promises of God. His hope was firmly fixed on God, and he knew that someday his people would be at home in the Promised Land.

Although he spent all his adult life in Egypt, never seeing the Promised Land for himself, Joseph’s faith never wavered. At the end of his life, he instructed his brothers to remove his bones from Egypt and bury them in their future homeland (Gen. 50:25). That request was fulfilled in the Exodus (Ex. 13:19).

But Joseph’s faith wasn’t in the promises of future events only, for his life was marked by exceptional trust in God and personal integrity. His understanding of God’s sovereignty was unique among the patriarchs. Even though he suffered greatly at the hands of evildoers (including his own brothers, who sold him into slavery), Joseph recognized God’s hand in every event of his life and submitted to His will.

Joseph said to his brothers, “Do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life … and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God” (Gen. 45:5, 7–8). Later, after their father’s death, he reassured them again: “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to … preserve many people alive” (Gen. 50:19–20).

The genius of Joseph’s faith was his understanding the role that present circumstances play in fulfilling future promises. He accepted blessing and adversity alike because he knew God would use both to accomplish greater things in the future.

Joseph is the classic Old Testament example of the truth that God works all things together for good to those who love Him (Rom. 8:28). That’s a promise you can rely on too.

✧✧✧

Suggestions for Prayer: Reaffirm your trust in God’s sovereign work in your life.

For Further Study: Read about Joseph’s life in Genesis 37–50.¹

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¹  MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1993). Drawing Near—Daily Readings for a Deeper Faith (p. 341). Crossway Books.

October 17 | Holding a Grudge?

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
(Ephesians 4:32, NIV)

No one had more justification to hold a grudge than Joseph. You have a right to expect more from your own family. Disloyalty is not just a mistake, it’s a character flaw. Joseph’s brothers were jealous and vindictive. They “lied through their eye teeth” about him, and he finished up in prison for 13 years. Now he’s the Prime Minister of Egypt, and here come his brothers looking for help! What would you have done? You’ll be able to answer that by looking at how you’ve treated people who’ve done much less to you. Have you ever heard the words, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”? We laugh, as though that’s the way we’re supposed to act. (Read Matthew 7:1–2.)

It is tough when God tells the one who’s been hurt to be the first to extend mercy and forgiveness! Yet Joseph did! And Jesus did too! And He is telling you to do the same thing today! Listen to these words: “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13).

Sure it’s hard—but the moment you do it, all your questions will subside, and the first person to be set free will be you.

Don’t wait, do it today!¹

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¹  Gass, B. (1998). A Fresh Word For Today : 365 Insights For Daily Living (p. 290). Bridge-Logos Publishers.

October 12 | “And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into a prison … But Jehovah was with Joseph … and that which he did, Jehovah made it to prosper. (Gen.39:20–23)

WHEN God lets us go to prison because we have been serving Him, and goes there with us, prison is about the most blessed place in the world that we could be in. Joseph seems to have known that. He did not sulk and grow discouraged and rebellious because “everything was against him”. If he had, the prison-keeper would never have trusted him so. Joseph does not even seem to have pitied himself.

Let us remember that if self-pity is allowed to set in, that is the end of us—until it is cast utterly from us. Joseph just turned over everything in joyous trust to God, and so the keeper of the prison turned over everything to Joseph. Lord Jesus, when the prison doors close in on me, keep me trusting, and keep my joy full and abounding. Prosper Thy work through me in prison: even there, make me free indeed.—Selected.

A little bird I am,

Shut from the fields of air,

And in my cage I sit and sing

To Him who placed me there;

Well pleased a prisoner to be,

Because, my God, it pleaseth Thee.

My cage confines me round,

Abroad I cannot fly,

But though my wing is closely bound,

My soul is at liberty;

For prison walls cannot control

The flight, the freedom of the soul.

I have learnt to love the darkness of sorrow; there you see the brightness of His face.—Madame Guyon.¹

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¹  Cowman, L. B. (1925). Streams in the Desert (pp. 295–296). The Oriental Missionary Society.