Demonstrations of God's Sovereignty in the Life of Joseph
God's sovereignty is powerfully demonstrated throughout the life of Joseph, as divine purpose unfolds through human actions and circumstances. Joseph's story, beginning with his prophetic dreams, illustrates how God orchestrates events to fulfill His will, even through adversity [11].
Joseph, the elder of Jacob's two sons by Rachel, was born around 1746 B.C. [3]. His brothers hated him because their father, Jacob, loved him more and showed this preference through a special tunic [3]. Joseph's dreams, foreshadowing his future power, further intensified his brothers' animosity [3]. Flavius Josephus notes that Jacob was a man of great happiness and wealth, with virtuous sons, and that "God exercised such a providence" in Joseph's life [4].
The narrative shows God's hand in Joseph's journey from being sold into slavery to becoming a powerful ruler in Egypt. Despite being unjustly imprisoned, Joseph "found favor in [Potiphar's] sight" and was made overseer of his house [2]. The Lord's blessing extended to Potiphar's household because of Joseph [7]. Later, Joseph's ability to interpret dreams, a gift from God, led to his elevation by Pharaoh [8]. Pharaoh recognized that Joseph possessed "the spirit of God" and was intelligent and wise, making him suitable to govern Egypt [8]. This elevation demonstrated God's sovereign rule, assuring later Israelites that God would save them as promised [8].
Joseph himself recognized God's overarching plan, telling his brothers, "God sent me before you to preserve life" (Genesis 45:5). This perspective highlights that even the malicious actions of his brothers were ultimately used by God for a greater redemptive purpose [11]. The famine that brought Joseph's family to Egypt further underscored God's providential care, as Jacob acknowledged "the greatness of the works of God, and his kindness to him" upon learning of Joseph's status [6].
The story of Joseph serves as a testimony to God's faithfulness and power [5]. God's glory is exhibited through His works and power [1, 9]. Joseph's life, marked by trials and ultimate triumph, illustrates how God tests character and fulfills His promises [10, 13]. He lived eighty years after his elevation, witnessing the prosperity of both the kingdom and his own family, the "infant Church of God" [12].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Glory of God, The — Exhibited in Christ -- Joh 1:14; 2Co 4:6; Heb 1:3. Exhibited in His name. -- De 28:58; Ne 9:5. His majesty. -- Job 37:22; Ps 93:1; 104:1; 145:5,12; Isa 2:10. His power. -- Ex 15:1,6; Ro 6:4. His works. -- Ps 19:1; 111:3. His holiness. -- Ex 15:11. Described as Great. -- Ps 138:5. Eternal. -- Ps 104:31. Rich. -- Eph 3:16. Highly exalted. -- Ps 8:1; 113:4. Exhibited to Moses. -- Ex 34:5-7; 33:18-23. Stephen. -- Ac 7:55. His Church. -- De 5:24; Ps 102:16. Enlightens the Church -- Isa 60:1,2; Re 21:11,23. Saints desire to behold -- Ps 63:2; 90:16. God”
- Genesis “Joseph found favor in his sight. He ministered to him, and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. -- Genesis 39:4”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Joseph — (increase). + The elder of the two sons of Jacob by Rachel. He was born in Padan-aram (Mesopotamia), probably about B.C. 1746. He is first mentioned when a youth, seventeen years old. Joseph brought the evil report of his brethren to his father, and they hated him because his father loved him more than he did them, and had shown his preference by making a dress which appears to have been a long tunic with sleeves, worn by youths and maidens of the richer class. (Genesis 37:2) He dreamed a dream foreshadowing his future power, which increased the hatred of his”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 2, section 1: . How Joseph, The Youngest Of Jacob's Sons, Was Envied By His Brethren, When Certain Dreams Had Foreshown His Future Happiness. 1. It happened that Jacob came to so great happiness as rarely any other person had arrived at. He was richer than the rest of the inhabitants of that country; and was at once envied and admired for such virtuous sons, for they were deficient in nothing, but were of great souls, both for laboring with their hands and enduring of toil; and shrewd also in understanding. And God exercised such a providence ”
- Psalms “He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard a language that I didn’t know. -- Psalms 81:5”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 7, section 1: . The Removal Of Joseph's Father With All His Family, To Him, On Account Of The Famine. 1. As soon as Jacob came to know, by his sons returning home, in what state Joseph was, that he had not only escaped death, for which yet he lived all along in mourning, but that he lived in splendor and happiness, and ruled over Egypt, jointly with the king, and had intrusted to his care almost all his affairs, he did not think any thing he was told to be incredible, considering the greatness of the works of God, and his kindness to him, alth”
- Genesis “Genesis 39:5 (BBE) — And from the time when he made him overseer and gave him control of all his property, the blessing of the Lord was with the Egyptian, because of Joseph; the blessing of the Lord was on all he had, in the house and in the field.”
- Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 41:37: 41:37-40 Pharaoh recognized that Joseph was the man for the job; he had the spirit of God and was intelligent and wise. God showed his sovereign rule in Egypt; Israelites who later read the account could be confident that God would save them as he had promised.”
- Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 65:6: God's great power and goodness are the grounds of this confidence. These are illustrated in His control of the mightiest agencies of nature and nations affecting men with awe and dread (Psa 26:7; Psa 98:1, &c.), and in His fertilizing showers, causing the earth to produce abundantly for man and beast.”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 105:19: 105:19 tested Joseph’s character: See Gen 39:6-12.”
- Genesis (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Genesis 37:5: Here, I. Joseph relates the prophetical dreams he had, Gen 37:6, Gen 37:7, Gen 37:9, Gen 37:10. Though he was now very young (about seventeen years old), yet he was pious and devout, and well-inclined, and this fitted him for God's gracious discoveries of himself to him. Joseph had a great deal of trouble before him, and therefore God gave him betimes this prospect of his advancement, to support and comfort him under the long and grievous troubles with which he was to be exercised. Thus Christ had a joy set before him, and so have Christians. Note, God has ways o”
- Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 50:22: Joseph dwelt in Egypt--He lived eighty years after his elevation to the chief power [see on Gen 41:46] witnessing a great increase in the prosperity of the kingdom, and also of his own family and kindred--the infant Church of God.”
- Ezekiel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ezekiel 20:5: The thrice lifting up of God's hand (the sign of His oath, Rev 10:5-6; Exo 6:8, Margin; Num 14:30; to which passages the form of words here alludes) implies the solemn earnestness of God's purpose of grace to them. made myself known unto them--proving Myself faithful and true by the actual fulfilment of My promises (Exo 4:31; Exo 6:3); revealing Myself as "Jehovah," that is, not that the name was unknown before, but that then first the force of that name was manifested in the promises of God then being realized in performances.”