The Favor Factor

We often hear favor ain’t fair. This is true. It is clear when God favor is upon you you have an outcome that even the most vicious most diabolical schemes can’t stop. 9 “And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him 10 and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. (Acts 7:9–10)

Here in Acts 7 we read the sermon of Stephen one of the first deacons. He was a man full of the Spirit! Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. (Ac 6:8).

Stephen gives us a summation of Joseph’s life in a few verses. We know from Genesis 37 the details. There is a saying that goes ‘A good start is half done.’ We all expect life to be smooth all the time. However, life does not unfold as we expect and many times we suffer from a difficult start.

Maybe you had a bad childhood, you struggled with your parent’s separation or divorce. Maybe you had very irresponsible parents and you are suffering the consequences of that. Maybe some of us have started something but we are finding difficulty moving forward. Maybe some of you wanted started off well and all of a sudden there is a break. A question people generally ask is, “Can I recover a bad start in my life? Or can I overcome a break up?”

Joseph’s childhood:

Joseph’s father, Jacob, though generally godly, embraced polygamy that was common in the day, which opened the door to jealousy, insecurity and almost constant conflict among his wives. As a result, Joseph had three stepmothers, ten step-brothers, one brother, and a step sister, all living together. Can you imagine the trauma of living in such a home?

There were three deaths in the family in Joseph’s childhood. First, Deborah, the nurse of Joseph’s grandmother, Rebekah died and was buried under an oak tree at Bethel. Second, Joseph’s own mother Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin. This loss brought home the fragility of life.

The third blow to the family came shortly after this when Isaac, Joseph’s grandpa, died and was buried where Abraham, Sarah, and Rebekah had been buried.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zipah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. Now Jacob loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.

There was tension in this home. But as it usually is in dysfunctional families, this little picture here is just the tip of the iceberg. Joseph’s brothers took turns being brutal, conniving, and openly immoral.

However, there were some significant spiritual markers in Joseph’s life growing up. Genesis 32 reports the time when Jacob returning from his father-in-law’s house, heard about Esau coming to take revenge on him with 400 soldiers. Jacob hastily divided his family and flocks and sent them on ahead. It must have been a scary time for Joseph, who was only a young boy. Dad was staying behind alone at the Jabbok River.

The next morning, Joseph saw his father limp into the camp. “Daddy, what’s wrong? Why are you limping, daddy?” he must have asked. And he heard of how his father wrestled with the angel of the Lord all night, and how when he finally submitted to God, he was blessed and got a new name from the Lord. Joseph’s father had been touched by the Lord Himself, and was changed for the remainder of his life. Joseph understood the lesson from his own father’s experience – God is real! He blesses those who realize their own brokenness and guilt and long for God more than anything else. Imagine the imprint this made on this young man!

Genesis 35 tells of another spiritual marker when Joseph was 13 years old. His father took the whole family to Bethel, where they came to the place where Jacob had his first personal encounter with God. Years before, running for his life from Esau, Jacob laid down and slept on the ground, where he dreamed about a great ladder which came down from heaven and touched earth, with angels ascending and descending. God was letting Jacob know that God was in control of his life.

Joseph heard his father speak of the covenant relationship that began then between God and himself. Then his dad called them to enter that covenant themselves. I believe Joseph and brothers gave their lives over to God with fresh surrender.

Though Joseph’s current family was a dysfunctional mess, the legacy of those who had gone before him was unmistakable. Joseph stood in the long shadow of the godly. These difficult moments combined with the lessons Joseph picked up in his early years, helped him break the cycle of a dysfunctional home, a bad start and become one of the heroes of the faith.

God’s Purpose in difficulties.

What is God’s purpose when we go through a tough time? Joseph tho he was his father’s favorite face constant difficulties with his brothers. Gen 37:4 said his brothers hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. This had to be difficult. The friction that was in the house. Even though he had relationship strains in hos family he remain obedient to his father. He accepted the rebuke of his father. He was obedient to his father when he was asked to go see about his brothers down in Shechem. His obedience extended even past his initial assignment. When he did not find his brothers in Shechem he inquired and went further to Dothan. Listen he was going to see about brothers who were not kind to him. Yet out obedience he went anyway! When you you God has a purpose for your difficulties you remain faith and obedient. You will be like James said you will count it all joy when you fall in divers temptations. Many times our greatest times of struggle is our time of greatest improvement.

God’s Promise in difficulties

How many know God will never leave you or forsake you? Joseph story is a testament of God’s promise. Joseph is thrown into a pit. Sold into slavery, thrown in jail before ascending to the second command in Egypt. Remember what his brothers said as he was approaching : Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”

Chapter 39:2 gives us the assurance we need in times of difficulty. 39 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2 The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. (Ge 39:1–2). Not only was the Lord with Joseph but because the Lord was with Joseph it blessed Potiphar house also!

Genesis 39:4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. 5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in house and field. (Ge 39:4–5). The connection of the blessed will rub off on others!

God’s Provisions and Prosperity in difficulties

21 But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. 23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed. (Ge 39:21–23). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.