How God Qualified Joseph to Become Ruler of Egypt

Psalm 105:21-22

He made him master of his household,
ruler over all he possessed,

to instruct his princes as he pleased
and teach his elders wisdom.

The Pharaoh of Egypt found in Joseph not just a humble and able administrator over the entire land, he had a man who possessed God’s wisdom. Joseph’s two-pronged task involved training the ministers in taking the proper steps in assuaging the effects of the seven-year famine and to create among the counselors the necessary values that will strengthen the backbone of the nation especially during that time of crisis. His own lessons in rejection by his brothers and in suffering imprisonment taught him the patience and fortitude to face problems with faith and with dependence on God’s strength and grace.

As virtual prime minister and second only in power and influence to Pharaoh, he harnessed all that he had learned as a child of Yahweh much like David the shepherd who would also became ruler of Israel. The prophetic abilities he had served him well in his gradual ascent into the halls of power in Egypt. Such miraculous gifts we may not have in our life to help us solve our many problems in society, but armed with the faith and the assurance that God is still in control of the Universe, anyone can become an instrument of heaven to accomplish as much as Joseph did in his lifetime.

God chose Joseph from among his brothers even as a small boy. He trained him early on by giving him the ability to interpret dreams. But even that gift was not enough to qualify him for the great task he was to do in Egypt. He had to go through physical and emotional pain in order to see how God could prove to him and to others that He can not only save one person’s life but that of an entire nation, no, of two nations.

When we go through great suffering, we often miss the whole point of the matter. Unlike Job, many of us do not gain the experience of discovering the “joy in unrelenting pain”. We do not plod through wind, rain and mud long enough to discover the golden treasure of “indestructible life”.

Romans 5:3-5

…but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Job and Joseph learned to eventually comprehend life as something they did not merely receive from their parents but ultimately from God. And this they did after they had unraveled the role of suffering in perfecting that priceless wisdom that the Holy Spirit instilled in their hearts.

Joy in pain or hope in suffering -- now that is something worth having in life.