It's Kingdom Building Time--Part V (God Calls and Prepares at the Same Time)

A Dungeon Becomes an “Ante” Room to the Throne Room.  Keep in mind God allows no experience yielded to Him in obedience to be unprofitable (See Romans 8:28), as in Old Testament Joseph’s experience.  He had a dream of ruling and reigning, the legitimacy of which was acknowledged by his father, Jacob, in presenting Joseph with a coat of many colors (signifying royalty).  Because this dream involved his brothers bowing down to him, his sharing of it with them stirred them to anger and jealousy.  So intense were these emotions they would have killed him, but for the providential passing by of a caravan bound for Egypt to which his brothers sold him as a slave.  (Isn't it ironic Joseph was clad in his many-colored coat when they betrayed him.  Oh, yes, they stripped him of that coat almost as if to say, "Now let's see what becomes of your royal dream.") 

In Egypt, because God’s favor was upon him, Joseph soon became head of Potiphar’s household.  When Joseph had learned all he could in that household, the Heavenly Father arranged for him to have advanced training in Pharaoh’s dungeon.  Actually, Joseph was betrayed again, this time by Potiphar's wife accusing him of an act of which he was completely innocent.  No matter.

God’s favor which had been upon Joseph in Potiphar’s household, attended him in the dungeon with the result he soon had authority over all the inmates.  This meant the very enemies of Pharaoh, highly placed persons in the Egyptian court, were now persons over whom Joseph exercised authority.

To the natural eye it would appear "all the parts” were in place.  Joseph had superb mastery of the Egyptian language along with its customs and his administrative skills had been sharply honed.  But the time was not yet.  Two more years elapse before a realistic expectation of release might occur.  Then one day, almost suddenly, there came a call for him to present himself in Pharaoh’s throne room.  As a result of the interview that followed, which involved some dream interpretation, and some suggestion about requirements needed in a person to carry out implementation of the dream, Joseph became “Prime Minister”, 2^nd only to Pharaoh, of the most powerful nation on earth. 

In time, his brothers would bow before him, just as Joseph had seen in his dream.  God’s destiny for Joseph played itself out and because the his character had been thoroughly dealt with, he could say to his brothers at a point of reconciliation, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive” (Genesis 50:20).

Training will be commensurate with the “job description” God has for you—willingness to submit to that training will be determine where the Heavenly Father “plugs you in”.