Genesis 37 Old Testament: Joseph's Life

Genesis 37 Old Testament: Joseph's Life
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Act 3: Joseph
When God’s favor is upon one’s life, nothing can prevent that person from achieving God’s will and purpose. The story of Joseph found in Genesis 37-50 is of the most interesting narratives in the Bible due to its structure and chronological order of events. It is a rags-to-riches tale that has captivated many Christians. It continues to resonate today because it addresses timeless themes and issues like sibling rivalry, parental favoritism, mistaken identity, jealousy and betrayal, forgiveness and reconciliation, sexual intrigue, and revenge. All these themes present a powerful lesson to today's believers. Joseph overcame all the difficulties he faced through God's power, blessings, and grace. The story helps Christians understand that God has good plans for everyone, and when his favor is upon his people, he cannot let evil plots be planned against those who believe and trust in him. The background of this Biblical analysis follows various events that occurred during the life of Joseph.
Joseph was born in Mesopotamia, Haran, to his parents Jacob and Rachel. He was Jacob's youngest son, who Jacob bore at an older age. At six years old, Joseph and his family left Haran. They moved to the land of Canaan before settling in Hebron. Jacob showed much more love for Joseph than the other brothers because he ore him at an old age. He even made an ornate robe for Joseph (Genesis 37:3). The affection Jacob had towards Joseph made his brothers envy him. These jealousy feelings intensified when Joseph told about his two dreams that portrayed him as a ruler over his brothers. Joseph saw his brothers' bundles bowing to his bundle in the first dream while gathering wheat in the field. In the second dream, Joseph envisioned that the sun, the moon, and all the eleven stars bowed to him (Genesis 37:9). The tension between his brothers was exacerbated when Joseph was seventeen. Due to increased tension, his brothers plotted to kill him.
One day when his brothers went to graze at their father's flocks near Shechem, Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brothers if all was well with them. Little did he know that he was seeing his beloved son for the last time, until their reunion many years later (Fox, 2012). Seeing Joseph from a distance, the brothers plotted to kill him. They throw him into an empty pit with his robe stripped. A few moments later, the brothers saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead and sold Joseph for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. In Egypt, Joseph was sold to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard (Genesis 37:36).
For a while, things began to work out well for Joseph. Respect for God made his masters favor him, including appointing Joseph as the head of Potiphar’s estate. However, this appointment was short-lived due to the lustful feelings Potiphar's wife had towards Joseph. Being a good-looking person, Joseph attracted Potiphar’s wife, who desired to sleep with him, but Joseph persistently declined. One day, when Joseph was home alone with his mist...