11 Joseph - Genesis

Joseph really was a good boy and very clever. God spoke to Joseph in his dreams. He really was special.. Joseph told his brothers about his dreams. “I dreamed,” said Joseph, “that we all had bundles of wheat. And your bundles bowed down to mine.” (and actually they do bow down to him later in life)
“I dreamed,” said Joseph, “that the sun and the moon and the stars bowed down to me.”‘ Joseph’s brothers were jealous. “We will never bow down to Joseph,” they said. They really didn’t like him at all.

One day they sold Joseph to some men who were going to Egypt. Then they told their father that Joseph had been eaten by wild animals. Joseph’s father Jacob (now called Israel) was very upset with this news, but they all carried on their lives without him, thinking he was dead. But he was not dead, he went off to Egypt to become someone very looked up to. He could interpret dreams, he got himself in a bunch of trouble. Not by any faults of his own though. While he was in jail he began to get control there too, and he interpreted some dreams there too, but that would make the story longer. Actually I will tell you a little bit. He was thrown in jail cause the man he was a servant to, had a wife, and she had eyes on Joseph. She wanted him bad and tried everything to attract him, and he refused her advances every time and she was getting upset with him. So when they were alone, she started screaming rape. and the man he was working for believed him, but had to take the words of his wife and throw him in jail. Two years!!! So sad but true, but while in jail he impressed people by interpreting their dreams. Later that would help him get out of jail. Once out of jail, he impressed Pharoah, and after proving himself with him he became a faithful servant. He was actually put in charge over all of Egypt. He warned Pharoah to store food in preparation of a coming famine, which was a dream he interpreted. He gained favour with the Pharoah and he headed up the whole operation. Now there came a time when people were starving and turned to Joseph for food. His brothers actually went to Egypt to get food. Their families were starving because there was no food in Canaan. When they saw the man in charge of food, they all bowed. They didn’t know that he was their brother Joseph, because it had been so many years. Joseph’s dream had come true, they were now bowing down to him. Joseph forgave his brothers for what they did. Then he invited his whole family to come to Egypt, where there was enough food for everyone. Joseph’s father was very happy. His favorite son was alive, and his family was saved. And after all that Joseph went through, he realized his slavery, imprisonment and promotions into what he had become were all a part of God’s plan to settle his family in Egypt. I love this story in the bible.. one of my favorites. Way more details if you read it yourself.. it’s a great story.