Moving On From a Tough Time

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. And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

Introduction

Joseph had been made to suffer. But God had used him to prepare for hard times.

- Joseph was hated by his brethren

- Joseph was thrown into the pit and sat down to eat.

- Joseph’s brethren contemplated killing him.

- Joseph’s brethren intended to sell him into slavery.

- The Midianites (cousins) beat them to it and sold him to Ishmaelites (cousins).

- Ishmaelites sold him into slavery in Egypt

- His brethren concocted a plan to convince his father that Joseph was dead.

- Became a slave in Potipher’s house

- Wrongly accused of rape

- Thrown into prison

- Butler forgot all about him after Joseph helped him

Manasseh - let it go

Genesis 41:51 KJV 1900

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.

Ephraim - fruitful in affliction

Genesis 41:52 KJV 1900

And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

But it was all of God and for good

Before Joseph was hated by his brethren, God had given Joseph a dream.

Genesis 50:19–20 KJV 1900

And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Closing

The lesson of Joseph is not persevere and maybe God will exalt you in a wicked land with a wicked ruler and have a pagan wife. That should not be our pursuit.

Joseph’s purpose was not ended with exaltation in Egypt, but to save his brethren and particularly Judah. If Judah had died, Jesus would not have come. Joseph’s suffering was for the glory of God — not of himself. It is all about Christ.