Our Bible story this past Wednesday bridges one major era to another. We are moving from the time of the patriarchs to the time of the people of Israel. As we know from Val Kilmer’s greatest film, The Prince of Egypt, the Israelites explode in growth while in Egypt and are eventually enslaved. But how did we get from a blessed family in the Promised Land to slaves in Egypt? That’s where Joseph comes in.

The story of Joseph covers thirteen chapters in Genesis (37-50) and is worth taking the time to read.  In fact, now might be a good time. I’ll wait . . .

So as you just read, Jacob had many sons through his two wives, Leah and Rachel (remember the uncle who played the switcheroo?), and their maidservants (if your wife couldn’t get preggers, she gave you a servant in her place- weird…). His favorite son was Joseph. He made it obvious that he loved Joseph more by giving him what has become known as the “technicolor dream coat,” although the original Hebrew doesn’t actually mention any colors. This son dreams that his family will bow down to him, which makes his brothers so mad that they want to kill him. Chickening out at the last moment, they end up selling him into slavery.

Down in Egypt, Joseph ends up in charge twice (with a stint in jail in between for not sleeping with his boss’s wife- trust me, just read it). Because he is the only one who planned ahead for the famine that Pharaoh foresaw in his dream, his brothers come down to buy food from him. Joseph messes with them for a while, and then they kiss and make up.  The whole family moves to Egypt and lives like rock stars- until they all die. The next Pharaoh decides their children were too powerful and enslaved them all.

Once again, we have a story in which people respond very differently to God’s will. Some like it and some don’t. The human sins of pride, jealousy, and selfishness cause much pain and suffering for both the guilty and the innocent. Even with all of the scheming and suffering, God’s ultimate will- the promise that God will be with us and save us – wins out.

The key idea in this story is summed up by Joseph: “Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.” (Genesis 50:20) God works through the situation to bring about good. Joseph’s wisdom in planning for the famine was for the benefit of Egypt, but God used his actions to preserve his family and God’s promises. God’s saving acts in the Joseph story – one who is thought dead, ends up alive and is used by God to save people — parallels the themes of the death and resurrection of Christ.

Think back over situations in which the ways God moved were not always evident at the time. Whether in good times or bad, we all can see evidence of God’s presence and activity in our lives that end up making a huge difference.  Even when others intend harm, the good news is that God will use it for good! Thanks be to God.