Lessons from Joseph

by Leslie John

And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife
cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But
he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master
wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath
committed all that he hath to my hand; (Genesis 39:7-8)

“And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he
it was that sold to all the people of the and Joseph’s
brethren came, and bowed down themselves before
him with their faces to the earth” (Genesis 42:6)

Joseph was born to Rachel, when she was in
humiliation for having no children, and Leah; Joseph’s first
wife had children. Joseph walked on rough road all
through his life. After Dinah was born to Leah through
Jacob, Rachel, the second wife of Jacob was feeling
very depressed, and prayed to God. “And God
remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and
opened her womb”. Genesis 30:22 When a son was
born to Rachel she was filled with joy and said, “...God
hath taken away my reproach...” Gen. 30:23.

What a similarity we find in the birth of Jesus when Mary
was found with a child in her womb even before she was
married to Joseph. Perhaps, she would have been humiliated
by her own kinsmen, distant relativses and friends. It
was no suprise when Joseph, who was just man thought
of putting away Mary secretly, but then angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a dream and said to him that the pregnancy
of Mary is of the Holy Ghost and that he should not
be reluctant to take her as his wife. Joseph obeyed God’s
guidance by the angel in his dream and took Mary as his
wife. He named the baby as Jesus, because He was the one
who was to save His people from their sins and in His birth
prophecy was fulfilled. (Matthew 1:21, Mattew 1:23 and
Isaiah 7:14)

47 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 31, 2012