Tested by the Word

Moreover He called for a famine in the land; He destroyed all the provision of bread. He sent a man before them— Joseph—who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the Lord tested him. The king sent and released him, The ruler of the people let him go free. He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his possessions, To bind his princes at his pleasure, And teach his elders wisdom.

The Story of Joseph (Genesis 37-50)

God’s Promise to Joseph

God’s promise to Joseph came through two dreams.

Genesis 37:1–11 NKJV

Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic 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 peaceably to him. Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.” And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.” So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

The promise was made to Joseph in his immaturity.

Joseph was 17 years old.

He was spoiled by his father’s favoritism.

He was prone to tattle on his brothers.

Joseph’s came across as privileged, arrogant, and proud.

The Promise and Maturity

The promise becomes the source of our vision.

In our immaturity, we receive God’s promises with a self-centered mindset.

The promise is intended to develop our maturity in Christ.

2 Peter 1:2–4 NKJV

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

The promise keeps us on the potter’s wheel until the vessel that can hold the promise is completed.

The maturing process involves a series of tests.

God does not tempt (James 1:13), but He does test (Genesis 22:1).

The Testing of Joseph

The Test of Rejection

Genesis 37:4 NKJV

But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.

The Test of Betrayal

Genesis 37:28 NKJV

Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

The Test of Servanthood

Genesis 39:1–6 NKJV

Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had in the house and in the field. Thus he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.

We must learn to serve another master (Matthew 19:20-28).

We will never be exalted until we learn to faithfully serve another Master (Lu 16:10-12).

The LORD was with Joseph.

The Test of Temptation

Genesis 39:7–12 NKJV

And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her. But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, that she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.

We must learn to say no to sin and say yes to Him!

The Test of Slander

Genesis 39:13–19 NKJV

And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and fled outside, that she called to the men of her house and spoke to them, saying, “See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. And it happened, when he heard that I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me, and fled and went outside.” So she kept his garment with her until his master came home. Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me; so it happened, as I lifted my voice and cried out, that he left his garment with me and fled outside.” So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, “Your servant did to me after this manner,” that his anger was aroused.

1) Misunderstood, Misrepresented, Mistreated.

2) We must learn not to defend our own character (Matthew 11:13-19; 1 Peter 2:21-23)

The Test of Suffering

Genesis 39:20–22 NKJV

Then Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing.

Psalm 105:18 NKJV

They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons.

Suffering for righteousness’ sake.

To learn God’s presence, mercy, and grace.

Genesis 39:21 NKJV

But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

To live free even amid bondage (suffering).

The Test of Shattered Hope

Genesis 40:14 NKJV

But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house.

Genesis 40:23 NKJV

Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

When all natural channels of hope are denied.

The pain of being forgotten.

Deep faith: “Do I really believe?”

The Test of Patience

Genesis 41:1 NKJV

Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river.

It was 13 years between the time Joseph was taken captive and the time of his release and exaltation. (age 30, Genesis 41:26 It was 22 years before Joseph saw and revealed himself to his brothers and was restored with his father. (around Age 39, Genesis 41:53; 45:6, 11)

Patience is learning perseverance and faithfulness during the “Quiet Seasons” of the promise.

Hebrews 6:11–15 NKJV

And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

Hebrews 10:35–36 NKJV

Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:

The Promise Fulfilled

The promise has a time and a purpose.

That purpose is not about us but about God and others.

For Joseph it was to save his family and Egypt during a severe famine.

Joseph was delivered and made ruler.

His brothers and family did bow before him just as God had foretold.

The Faithfulness of God

God sent Joseph to Egypt.

Genesis 45:5–8 NKJV

But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Joseph’s brothers intended evil against Joseph by sending him to Egypt, but God intended it for good.

Genesis 50:20 NKJV

But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

Response to the Word

Have you received a promise from God

Has the word of God tested you?

God has not forgotten His promise

He is preparing you to contain and carry the promise.

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