Twenty Pieces of Silver

• Printable Version - Share on Facebook - Posted by Dion Todd October 26, 2018 - Filed in Devotional - 5,927 views
  Judah said to his brothers, 'What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, and let's sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not let our hand be on him; for he is our brother, our flesh.' His brothers listened to him. Midianites who were merchants passed by, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. They brought Joseph into Egypt. Genesis 37:26 WEB
  
  Very few of us had brothers as bad as Joseph. They became so jealous of him, his dreams, and his coat of many colors, that one day when he came upon them alone, they decided to kill him. 'Come now therefore, and let's kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, 'An evil animal has devoured him.' We will see what will become of his dreams' (Genesis 37:20). With family like that, you sure don't need enemies.
  
  Reuben, the eldest brother, wanted to rescue Joseph. At first, they compromised by throwing Joseph into a cistern, and then they sat down and ate lunch. While the brothers ate their meal, Joseph was scared and alone in a hole in the ground, then a group of traders came by heading for Egypt. When Judah saw them, he had an epiphany and said 'Hey let's sell him! We will make nothing by killing him. After all, he is our own brother.'
  
  So they sold Joseph as a slave for twenty pieces of silver. Then dipped his coat of many colors in goat blood and brought it to his father, who had once used a goat to deceive his own father (Genesis 27:16). They asked him 'Is this your son's coat?' They did not even use his name, or call him their brother (Genesis 37:32).
  
  Joseph was then carried to Egypt by the traders and sold to Potiphar, the captain of the guard. God was with Joseph, he prospered, and soon he was in charge of Potiphar's entire household.
  
  Potiphar's wife became attracted to Joseph physically and tried to seduce him day after day, but he refused. Joseph basically told her 'There is only one thing in this house that I cannot have, and that is you.' Unlike Eve, Joseph did not see the one forbidden fruit as a point of frustration, and he left it alone.
  
  As time passed, she grew weary of his rejection. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. She tried everything, but when Joseph would not give in and sleep with her, she finally accused him of trying to rape her, and he was thrown into prison.
  
  God was with Joseph in prison (Genesis 39:21). Joseph prospered there and was soon taking care of the other prisoners. After some years passed, he was brought before Pharaoh and elevated to the second-in-command of Egypt.
  
  Joseph had a dream, but after that he went down, down, down. Joseph went from a special son, to a pit, from the pit to a slave, from a slave to a servant of prisoners, and then he was elevated to be ruler of Egypt. What a road to follow. Joseph was on the road to heaven, but it sometimes looked like hell.
  
  If you would have seen Joseph trapped in a cistern, or as a slave, or as a prisoner, you would not have called him blessed, but yet he was. Joseph would have appeared to have been forsaken by God, but He was with Joseph as a young man, in the cistern, while a slave, while a prisoner, and later while a leader.
  
  Your circumstances do not separate you from God, for He is there to help you in the circumstance. Joseph was humbled and learned to be a responsible leader along the way. When the time came, God raised up the one that He had been preparing for many years.
  
  Though your life may have taken a turn for the worse, it will actually work out for the better. Because you feel abandoned in a cistern, does not mean that He is not with you, or that you are not on the right path. Be patient while God works out the details. Stay sweet, stay loving, and be the greatest servant they ever met. Elevation time is coming.
  
  Prayer: Heavenly Father I thank You for bringing me this far. Help me see this situation through Your eyes and keep the big picture in mind. This will not beat me for I know that You have plans for me. I will not die, but live and declare the goodness of God in the land of the living. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray.
  
  Note: "I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer" (Psalm 17:6) If you have a prayer need, we are here for you! We and the prayer team are ready to lift you up at our private prayer page: RHM Prayer Network
  
  
  

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