Do you believe God works in everything for good to those who love Him and are called for His purpose? (Romans 8:28) Do you think that because the Bible says so or have you come to KNOW it because you have experienced it? Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? We often see bad things happening to good people, which may cause us to wonder where God is in this.
Only God sees the end from the beginning, and we may never know what good He will bring from our tragedies, hurt, and broken dreams. Sometimes, we get to look back at a hard time and realize how the Lord has been working through our disappointments to help us grow and bring us to a better place beyond the pain. I do not understand why God allows the suffering and destruction brought about by misguided, evil people, but I know two things about God: He is good, and He works for good to those who love Him and are called for His purpose.
Allow me to bring what I’ve just said into the context of Joseph’s story in Genesis 37: 19-36. His brothers have stripped him of his fancy robe, with intent to kill him but are deterred by Reuben, sparing his life. They throw him into a pit while Reuben is away and sell him to a group of merchants going to Egypt.
How do you think Joseph may have felt about what his brothers were allowed to do to him? Do you think he willingly gave in as they stripped him of his robe and threw him into the pit? No, I think he fought them with every ounce of his strength. I don’t think the first thing that came to his mind was some nice platitude such as, “It’s ok guys. God’s going to take care of me. Go ahead and do what you want to do.” I think he reacted the way you or I would have acted if we had been treated like this: outraged, mad as could be. Remember, he is seventeen and the favorite of his father. He doesn’t know what will happen, and his father is not there to rescue him.
The Bible doesn’t tell us these things I’ve mentioned, nor does it say anything about how he may have questioned God about what has happened. I think the long trip to Egypt provided Joseph many opportunities to talk to God about his troubles and perhaps bring up a couple of dreams God had given him. Life has made a big U-turn for Joseph, and he’s probably angry and confused. His father’s favorite is now a slave.
God works in the culture and circumstances of His people. What are some details about Joseph’s story that may help us understand how God works in bad things for good for His people?
First, an important trade route went from Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) to the east and turned south toward Egypt. This road ran through the strip of land called Canaan, connecting the great civilizations of Mesopotamia (ancient Babylon) and Egypt. Merchant caravans would be a common site for people along this route. Dothan, where Joseph found his brothers, was near the trade route, allowing them the option of selling him instead of murdering him.
Next, a vital part of the economy was the slave trade. The traders profited from “human trafficking” as well as the spices, cloth, and other goods they carried with them. The slave trade industry existed for thousands of years in this part of the world. Those who bartered for him saw him as a healthy young man who would provide a good profit in Egypt. They purchased the favorite son of Jacob for twenty pieces of silver. To them, he was a commodity to be sold to the highest bidder. This precious son of God’s heir to the promise becomes a victim of the greed and disregard for human life represented by slavery. God, for some reason, allowed this to happen.
The last detail I want to mention concerns those who purchased Joseph. Two groups are associated with the transaction, the Ishamaelites and the Midianites.
Have you noticed who bought Joseph? How are they identified? They are Ishmaelites. (Genesis 37:28) Does that “ring a bell” for you? Ishmaelites are the offspring of Ishmael, Abraham’s son by Hagar. Joseph, Abraham’s great-great-grandson, has become the property of the progeny of Ishmael. What do you make of this? Is it possible that God is working through Ishmael’s family to keep His promise to Ishmael’s brother Isaac?
The Midianites are also mentioned, but he is sold to the Ishmaelites. However, in Genesis 37:36, we are told that the Medianites sold Joseph to Potiphar. Who are the Midianites? They are the posterity of Median, the son of Abraham by Keturah. Median is also a great-great-grandson of Abraham. God uses Median’s family to keep His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. While not approving of slavery, God is working through this ungodly cultural issue to carry out His plan.
How do we resolve the apparent conflict of how the Ishmaelites bought Joseph but the Midianites sold him to Potiphar? While there are several versions of what happened, I think it probably went like this. Both groups come upon the scene where Joseph is. The Ishmaelites buy him and then trade or sell him to the Medianites, who sell him to Potiphar. If you come up with a better explanation, let me know. Thanks
While we may not know all the details of how Joseph became a slave, we know for sure that God knows what’s happening to Joseph and will use it to continue His plan.
Does God know the details of your life? Yes, He does, and He is working in every detail to bring some good out of everything you may be experiencing. Trust Him and be faithful.