UNDERSTANDING GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY: ENCOURAGEMENT IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY

Is God really in control of the little details in my life? How could God be in control when evil seems to be ruling all around us? These are pertinent questions, especially in the day and age in which we live. Believers need to have an answer to these questions for themselves and those who would ask this of them when they are wrestling with life’s circumstances. This topic becomes even more vital for us to understand around election time. When there is so much on the line for our nation, and all hope could be lost, our belief in God’s sovereignty is pushed to its breaking point and truly tested. These are the moments when every believer must bolster their faith in God’s control by studying His Word. This principle of God’s sovereignty is seen throughout Scripture, but there is one particular story we will investigate below to help bolster our trust in God’s ultimate plan.

Joseph

The story of Joseph is seemingly well-known across most Christian circles. We often remember the multicolored coat he received from his father Jacob, his ability to interpret dreams in Egypt, or his uncanny ability to plan for the coming famine in Egypt and ensure everyone was provided for. What we must realize about this story, however, are the elements or details God worked through to bring about His purpose in Joseph’s life, not only for Joseph but also for Israel and Egypt. A New Testament verse that is key to remember in this investigation of Joseph is Romans 8:28. This verse clearly states that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” This word “all” must be understood as “all.” God does not work half of everything together for the good of His people, but all things. This means the evil done to us by a neighbor will be worked for good by God. Let’s see this play out through the many evil things that happened in Joseph’s story.

The Favoritism of Jacob  

For our topic, the story picks up in Genesis 37. The first element that God worked through to bring about His purpose in Joseph’s life was the element of Jacob’s favoritism (Genesis 37:3). Jacob “loved Joseph more than all his sons because he was the son of his old age.” While there may be jokes thrown around in your family about one child being the parent's favorite, it is generally understood that this attitude from the parent is wrong. Parents should not look at their children with partiality but should love them equally as they seek to raise them in the hope of the gospel and the love of God. This action of partiality on Jacob’s part was wrong and produced hatred from the other brothers.

The Hatred of the Brothers

His father gave Joseph the task of checking on his brothers, who were tending the family’s flocks in Dothan. Because of the hatred that was in the brother’s hearts, “they plotted against him to put him to death” (37:18). Their hatred ran hotter than ever at that moment, and they had every intention of carrying out their murderous desires on Joseph until his brother Reuben stepped in. Reuben convinced the brothers to refrain from killing Joseph and throw him in a pit instead. They did this and would have been content to let him die until a more attractive option came along.

The Greed of the Brothers

That more attractive option was a caravan of Ishmaelites on their way to Egypt (37:25). As if this was the most logical argument, Judah spoke up and explained that they might as well get something for Joseph if they were going to get rid of him. The brothers' greed took over, and they sold Joseph to the caravan. This is a bold picture of the extreme action’s hatred will drive a person to. No familial relationship could trump the deep root of hatred in the brother’s hearts. The caravan of Ishmaelites acted as ordinary traders in this story as they quickly sold the now slave, Joseph, to an Egyptian captain named Potiphar.

Where Is God?

Up to this point in the story, there does not seem to be much good. Favoritism, hatred, jealousy, greed, and anger are all at the forefront of the characters' attributes. What good could come from all this? Could there really be a God who could work all these things together for good? Place yourself in Joseph’s shoes at this point, a slave in Egypt. How do his dreams about his family bowing down before him look now? Could God make that happen in the life of an Egyptian slave separated from his family? These are all questions that Joseph probably had and ones we can relate to as Christians in 2024. Could God work any good in a country that is twisted to the point of murdering countless babies every year? Is there any good to come in the Christian’s life when the world is becoming increasingly antagonistic toward the things of Christ? The answer lies at the end of the story of Joseph, so let’s continue.

The story picks up in Genesis 39 when things seemingly looked up for Joseph. He was a slave in Egypt, but Potiphar purchased him and promoted him to overseer in his house. This was because of the apparent blessing on Joseph’s life from the hand of God. He caused all that Joseph did to “succeed in his hand” (Genesis 39:3). This made Joseph and those who associated with his work successful. This seemingly lousy situation was suddenly starting to look much better. There was reason for encouragement in the overall outlook on life. But once again, sin reared its ugly head, and it caused what we would deem as unfortunate results.

The Lust of Potiphar’s Wife

This sin was the sin of lust by Potiphar’s wife. Joseph was a successful, good-looking man who was faithful in everything he did (39:3,6). Potiphar’s wife desired him to the extent of wanting to commit adultery with him. It is recorded that she tried to allure Joseph into her bed on several occasions. Joseph made no provision for committing this sin with her by not even listening to her (39:10). His preoccupation was not in pleasing his earthly master but pleasing God by not sinning against Him (39:9). In doing so, he remained steadfast on being faithful to his duties in Potiphar’s house as he sought to please God. As sin always does when left unchecked, it escalates. Potiphar’s wife was tired of taking no for an answer. She waited for a time when Joseph was in the house alone and grabbed him by his garment to get him to lie with her. Joseph shows great resolve by caring nothing for his appearance or dignity and fleeing the scene with his garment still in the woman’s hand. At this point in the story, we expect Joseph to be rewarded by God for his decisive action of pleasing God. Indeed, God would bless such a man, right?

The Imprisonment of Joseph

From an earthly perspective, the following heading in Genesis 39 would seem perplexing – “Joseph is Put into Jail.” Potiphar’s wife twisted the story of her lustful action with Joseph to accuse him of being the aggressor, landing him in jail. When putting ourselves in Joseph’s shoes, this is where we would assume he would be completely downcast. That is not what we see, however, as he is immediately viewed favorably by the chief jailor and put in charge of the jail. It is recorded that whatever was done in prison, Joseph “was the one who did it” (39:22). Just like in Potiphar’s house, God showed Joseph favor in making him and all that he did pleasing to those who were in charge. For those reading this story closely, it is clear that God is up to something; it is just unclear what that something is yet.

The Forgetfulness of the Cupbearer

While in this jail, Joseph had the opportunity to get to know two specific people. One a cupbearer and the other a baker. Both men had prior experience in service to Pharoah before they offended him and found themselves in prison. Joseph, the jail overseer, was responsible for these two men. God allowed Joseph to interpret dreams for these men through his faithfulness in this position. One of these men, the cupbearer, was soon to be reinstated to his position under Pharoah, and Joseph had a straightforward request of him, “remember me” (Genesis 40:15). This man did not remember Joseph immediately upon his reinstatement, and Joseph found himself still in prison. So, again, Joseph finds himself in a situation where he has been faithful and is still in a less-than-desirable position from an earthly standpoint. Would anything ever work out for Joseph?

The Shift in the Story

Genesis 41 represents a shift in the overall story of Joseph as the cupbearer remembered to tell Pharoah about Joseph when dreams needed to be interpreted. No longer is there any guessing about where God is. No longer is it easy to miss why certain elements are happening in Joseph’s life. How can any good come from Jacob’s favoritism, or the hatred and greed of the brothers, or Joseph’s slavery in Egypt, or the lust of Potiphar’s wife, or Joseph’s imprisonment? Chapter 41 represents a pulling back of the preverbal curtain of God’s ultimate plan behind all these things, like a painter’s canvas slowly being revealed. God worked through all these evil things to bring about good for Joseph and His people.

The Rise of Joseph

God had so appropriately prepared Joseph for the task of interpreting Pharoah’s dreams. Not only had God proven to Joseph before that He could give the correct interpretation for dreams, but God had also been with Joseph every step of the journey thus far. Throughout these elements of Joseph’s life, we see a resounding steadiness on his part that displays his trust in God. There is no record of him grumbling, complaining, or accusing God of giving him a rotten lot. While we can assume Joseph had questions and doubts because he was human, these things are not recorded, and his faithfulness is. We can look to his example to bolster our trust in God in uncomfortable circumstances.  

“There is no record of him grumbling, complaining, or accusing God of giving him a rotten lot”

Joseph correctly interpreted Pharoah’s dreams in Genesis 41. The interpretation would have customarily been grim, including the oncoming famine lasting for seven years. It was not gloomy, however, for with the dream’s interpretation, Joseph also offered some wise counsel to Pharoah in preparation for the famine (41:33-36). What followed is a remarkable testimony on the part of Pharoah. He recognized God’s hand on Joseph’s life and His giving of wisdom and appointed Joseph as second in command of all of Egypt (41:39-41). This began the process of preparation for the famine. Joseph had seven years of plenty to appropriately manage the goods in Egypt to ensure enough commodities for survival in the following seven years of famine.

The Plan of God Fully Revealed   

The story reveals that Joseph stored enough grain for Egypt to get them through the famine. Not just Egypt, however, but they were also able to feed some of their neighbors, including Joseph’s family who came from the land of Canaan (42:2). Once the brothers learned Joseph’s true identity in his rulership position in Egypt, they were frightened for what he might do to them in retaliation for them selling him into Egypt. Joseph’s response to this fear is vital as it recognizes God's ultimate plan. Joseph gave God the credit for sending him to Egypt to preserve life (45:5). This preservation was not just his life, however, but a remnant of survivors from the chosen family of Abraham (45:7). God’s ultimate plan through Joseph was to continue the lineage of His chosen people. He would ultimately bring His Son, Jesus, into the world through this lineage. This practically occurred through Joseph’s provision to his family during a famine in the land.

The Sovereignty of God in the Story of Joseph

Let us remember the verse mentioned earlier, “and we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). God worked all things together for the good of His people in and through the life of Joseph. His brothers meant evil against him by selling him into slavery. Still, God meant it for the good of his people (Genesis 50:20). The sins committed against Joseph in this story are numerous, but not a single one hindered God’s plan from coming to fruition. God worked through every element to flawlessly execute His will to preserve His people.

Application for Today

Most of us are not Israelites, so we cannot apply this text like we are. We can, however, see the principles of God’s sovereignty and cling to their truths in our lives. We learn through the story of Joseph that not a single thing happens by accident. This doesn’t mean that we will like everything that happens to us, but it does mean that there is a reason behind those things. Believers need not worry about the unknown events that will occur in the future because the truth is that God is working all things together for the good of His people. Just like Joseph kept his eyes focused on pleasing God in his circumstances, we should make this our preoccupation. When this is our focus, the reasoning behind our circumstances is left in the hands of the Sovereign One. We can then find enjoyment in waking up every day to see how God will work things together for the good of His people. This allows us to live so that we are prepared for the unknown because our faith is firmly placed in God.

“Two important points of clarification when we apply principles from this text are that God tempts no man with evil, and believers should never tolerate evil.”

Two important points of clarification when we apply principles from this text are that God tempts no man with evil, and believers should never tolerate evil. The book of James is explicitly clear that God cannot be tempted by evil, and He does not tempt anyone (James 1:13). This is an important consideration when we seek to apply God's sovereignty in our lives, which are surrounded by evil. The evil things we see and experience are not God’s doing but a result of sinful man. God allows these things and works through them for His purposes. The other point is equally important: believers should never tolerate evil simply because God is sovereign. While understanding God’s sovereignty provides comfort amid situations outside our control, it also supports the fight against evil. Joseph did not succumb to temptation in the situation with Potiphar’s wife but actively fought against it by making no provision for it. This aligns perfectly with the New Testament teaching to make no provision for the flesh regarding its lust (Romans 13:14). Evil is never something to tolerate in the believer's life.

In closing, we should bring this topic to a genuine, practical level to live out in the 21st century in America. How should we spiritually handle a massive election in our country with a proper understanding of God’s sovereignty? We should actively fight evil by promoting righteousness. We should hold those accountable for evil actions they partake in. We should obey all the things we have been commanded in Scripture. While doing these things now and in the time following, we should trust in the Sovereign One, who is ultimately in control. The One who works all things together for the good of His people. How should we spiritually handle the mass murder of babies across our country every day? We should actively fight it with everything that is within our power, understanding that God hates the destruction and murder of what He has so intricately knit together in the womb (Psalm 139:13-16). We should support anyone who is against this destruction and will stand for the innocent lives of babies. While doing these things now and in the time following, we should trust in the Sovereign One, who is ultimately in control. How God will work through this evil to bring about good is beyond human comprehension in most cases, but believers must cling to the hope of the sovereignty of God.

“We should actively fight it with everything that is within our power, understanding that God hates the destruction and murder of what He has so intricately knit together in the womb (Psalm 139:13-16)”

The truth of God’s sovereignty applies to so much more, but with the current events of the day and the struggle that the coming days will bring, we must understand these truths. Believers can rest assured that their God has and always will be in control. Just as He worked the evil in the story of Joseph together for the good of His people, so He will today. At the end of all things, we can look forward to God, knowing He will receive all the glory through His divine plan, which He intricately weaves through human history.