Joseph - Setbacks Were God's Set Ups for a Come Back

I know that going through life we have all had our shares of setbacks. Whether they were finical struggles, health issues, family relationships, or spiritual stumbling; we have all seen and experienced something that has made us fearful about our future. There are many examples of people in the Bible that dealt with setbacks, and Joseph was one of those individuals. As we read through part of Joseph's story, we will see how Joseph's setbacks were actually God's setups.

Sold into Slavery

• Genesis 37:3-4
  • Jacob was renamed by God to Israel
    • Joseph was loved more from his farther than any of his other brothers because he was born much later in Jacob's life.
    • Jacob made a coat of many colors to give to Joseph because he loved him so much.
    • Joseph was not liked by his other brothers because he was their Father's favorite.
    • At this point, Joseph must have felt on top of the world. He was his father's favorite. He had an ornate colored rob, which would have been a great status symbol. Things at this point in his life must have been hitting on all cylinders. (Except that his brothers did not like him.)
• Genesis 37:5-11
  • Joseph told his brothers twice about his dreams.
• Genesis 37:19-24
  • His brothers plotted to kill Joseph by leaving him in the cistern. Thanks to Reuben, the brothers did not actual shed Joseph's blood and kill him with their own hands.
  • Here is Joseph who was on top of the world, now stripped and thrown alone in the cistern. What must have been going through his mind as he was left there?
• Genesis 37:25-32
  • Then before leaving they saw a caravan of Ishmaelite's on their way to Egypt and the brothers decided to sell their brother into slavery and make some money off the deal.
  • They took his robe and dipped it in goats blood and threw him in a dry cistern.
  • Imagine how Joseph must have felt when his brothers showed up to pull him out of the cistern. How he must have thought that this nightmare was over, but then found himself being sold into slavery.
    • Egyptians thought of shepherds as part of the lowest class of people. And here is Joseph being sold into slavery and headed to Egypt.

Accused of trying to sleep with Potiphar's wife

• Genesis 39:1-4
  • Joseph was sold to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard.
  • Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph, he placed him in charge of all he owned.
  • The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had because of Joseph.
  • We start seeing how God used this Set Back as a Set Up for something great. Because Joseph remained faithful to God, He continued to bless Joseph. Joseph must have thought that he was finally over the hardship of being sold into slavery. He was starting to feel on top of the world again.
• Genesis 39:6-7
  • Joseph was tempted to sleep with his master's wife, but Joseph's faith to God and his integrity would not bend to this temptation.
  • Joseph was cornered by the master's wife, and ran out leaving his robe behind.
• Genesis 39:19-20
  • The master's wife lied to her husband about what had happened, and Potiphar burned with anger and threw Joseph into prison.
    ii. Once again, Joseph was dealt another setback, just when things were getting good again in life. What must have been going through his mind?

Forgotten by the Cupbearer

• Genesis 39:20-23
  • Again, the Lord was faithful to Joseph and showed him kindness.
  • Joseph was put in charge of all those who were in prison.
  • The Warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the Lord was with him.
• Genesis 40:4-5
  • Joseph was put in charge over Pharaoh's cup bearer and baker.
  • Both the cup bearer and baker had dreams with different meanings.
• Genesis 40:8
  • We see something different about Joseph, as he focused everyone's attention to God. Instead of using it as a means to make himself look good. Joseph gave God the glory.
• Genesis 40:9-15
  • Joseph explained the cup bearers dream and asked him to remember him when he was in Pharaoh's court once again. In this moment, Joseph must have been getting excited to see a light at the end of his tunnel in the prison.
• Genesis 40:23
  • The cup bearer was restored to Pharaoh's service, but Joseph was forgotten.
  • How Joseph must have felt after days passed by and he was still in Prison. How he must have thought of this as another setback.

Greatness

• Genesis 41:1-7
  • After two years pass by, Pharaoh two dreams.
  • How Joseph must have wondered for such a long period of time, if he would ever get out of prison.
    b. Genesis 41:8-36
  • The cup bearer remembers Joseph and tells Pharaoh how he interrupted his dreams.
  • Pharaoh sends for Joseph to interrupt his dreams
  • In verse 16 we see Joseph again acknowledging God being the one that can bring forth the meaning of the dreams.
  • Joseph explains to Pharaoh about the famine, and a plan to preserve Egypt.
• Genesis 41:37-40
  • We see God revile Joseph's Come Back.

Isn't amazing how from Joseph perspective, the setbacks seemed like a big blow to how well things were going in his life. In much the same way, I think we can relate with him when we encounter our own setbacks. That in the moment that we face the setback, we feel like we are being slammed into a wall. And some setbacks can last but a brief moment, and others can last years. However, God has a way of using these setbacks as a setup. That through our faithfulness and relationship with him, he is able to use the bad for good. What in one season in our life may feel like an unbearable struggle, he is able to use it as a catalyst to bring about something that we could never foresee.

What setbacks have you faced that were actually setups?