I recently saw a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at my local arts and enrichment center. Although many creative liberties were taken with this production, the basic story from the Bible was still present. Do you remember the story? It is in Genesis, chapters 37-50. Let’s see if we can find an easy way to remember part of this captivating story.

Joseph was the son of Jacob and Rachel. His brothers were jealous of him.

They were jealous of his

• Position- He was Jacob’s favorite son.
• Possessions- Because he was Jacob’s favorite son, Joseph had him a special coat of many colors made. This made him stand out above his brother to onlookers.
• Proclamation- Joseph had a couple of dreams that he interpreted to mean that someday his brothers and even his father would bow to him. He told this to his brothers, and they were furious.
• Potential- The brothers wondered if this dream could be true. They were determined not to let that happen.

Because of the brother’s actions, Joseph found himself in four different places. He was in

• (The) Pit- Joseph’s brothers threw him into a pit and left him to die. One of the brothers felt sorry for him and convinced the others to get him out of the pit and sell him into slavery instead of letting him die.
• Potiphar’s house- Joseph was sold to be a servant in Potiphar’s house. He was even given the responsibility to run the household. Potiphar’s wife tried to convince him to have an affair with her. Joseph refused her advances, and this leads us to the next place that Joseph found himself.
• Prison- When Joseph refused to have an affair with Potiphar’s wife she accused him of rape, so Potiphar had him sent to prison. Joseph was in prison at the same time that the Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker. Joseph interpreted their dreams for them and asked the cupbearer to remember him to Pharaoh. The cupbearer was released from prison but forgot about Joseph’s request until two years later when Pharaoh had a dream and needed an interpreter.
• Palace- Because Joseph found favor with Pharaoh when he interpreted his dream, Pharaoh made him head of security in his household as well as gave him other important duties in the government.

Wherever Joseph was, the Bible tells us, he had the spirit of God in him. He acted in that spirit whether he was in trapped in the pit, tempted in Potiphar’s house, falsely imprisoned or elevated to a place of position in Pharaoh’s palace. Because of the spirit of God living inside him, he was able to offer forgiveness and help, to his brothers, years later. Through all of the hardships he had faced, God had placed him where he could provide for his family when they experienced famine.

The brothers still were not convinced that he would not seek revenge after their father died. They thought that Joseph had held his retaliation at bay, out of respect for their father and feared what Joseph would do to them now that Jacob was dead. Joseph forgave them not because of his earthly father, Jacob, but because of the work of his Heavenly Father. His reply to their fears was one that we should all seek to have toward those who have wronged us. He looked at the big picture and saw God’s plan.

 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.” (Genesis 50:20) (KJV)