Series: From the Pit to the Palace: Joseph, Genesis 37-50
Message 2: In a Empty Pit
As we continue in our study of the life of Joseph, we move into one of the most unusual parts of his life.
Think about this; as we ended last week Joseph’s brothers hated him and their jealousy grew. His father
did nothing to correct any of his brother’s attitudes or Joseph’s for that matter.
A Faithful Son on Mission
Genesis 37:12-36 (ESV) 12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. 13 And
Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to
them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” 14 So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers
and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to
Shechem. 15 And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you
seeking?” 16 “I am seeking my brothers,” he said. “Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” 17
And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ” So Joseph went
after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
Now, even in the midst of the hatred, Jacob wants young Joseph to go check up on them as they are
tending the flock at Shechem. [Why Shechem?] This is leads us to one or more conclusions. Either
Jacob had no idea of the rancid relationship of the brothers, or he did not realize that hatred and
jealously could lead to a murderous situation even between brothers.
Joseph responds with an affirmative, “Here am I.” This phrase is constructed much like Isaiah’s response
to the God in Isaiah 6:8 (ESV) And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will
go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” Joseph’s eager response shows us that he may have
underestimated the situation as well, but he will soon find out.
Many times we find ourselves in a similar situation as Joseph. We are loved by our heavenly Father, and
we, as believers, are robed in the gift of grace, the righteousness of Christ. We are eager to follow, and
cry out “here am I,” but we are unaware of where the father’s request may take us. Ed Litton said
recently, “When God says Go! He does not promise we will come back.” This was the case with Joseph;
he wasn’t coming back.
Joseph was wandering around in Shechem. He knew the mission, yet he was lost. I wonder how many
of us, after receiving a commission from God, have been wandering in the fields looking for our
brothers. This is when God intervenes with the mysterious man.
Who was he? Many believe that this was an angel. Whether the “man” was an angel or a human, God’s
unseen hand is clearly seen. He found Joseph, had overheard the brother’s conversation, and directed
Joseph to them. God’s sovereignty over our circumstances constantly amazes me, and here we see the
preservation and ultimate salvation of Joseph and Israel as God’s chosen people. Rest assured, even in
the place of wandering God is there and when we Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV) 5 Trust in the Lord with all your
heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make
straight your paths.
In a Pit with No Water
18
They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. 19
They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one
of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of
his dreams.” 21 But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his
life.” 22 And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do
not lay a hand on him”— that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. 23 So
when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. 24
And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
Have you ever felt like this? I’m in a pit, an empty place with nothing refreshing. This is the place, I
believe, that Joseph realized how desperately he needed God’s assurance. He had just found out the
brother’s plan and now they were debating to kill him. Now he’s in the pit with no water. He’s been
stripped of his robe, the symbol of his father’s love. This is a desolate place.
Good circumstances can prop up your faith and it will feel stronger than it actually is. When all the
props are gone, and all you have is Jesus, then you realize: He's enough!
Even in the pit, God was still involved, still protecting, still providing, and still loving. “God places His
saints where they will bring the most glory to Him; we are totally incapable of judging where that may
be.” (Oswald Chambers) There’s one thing about being in a pit, you can only look up!
Lifted Out and Taken Away
25
Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with
their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to
his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the
Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers
listened to him. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the
pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.
Talk about no regard for their brother. He’s in a pit, and they fire up the pit barbeque and sit down to
eat. Years later they will only eat, by the graciousness of their brother. Then they looked up.
I don’t think it was happen stance that this caravan was passing by on their way to Egypt. Some 20 miles
north from Shechem, Dothan was on a trade route. God had enabled the selling of Joseph to traders on
their way to Egypt. We find out at the end of the chapter that once they got to Egypt, Joseph was sold
“to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.”
Even in life’s difficult places, God can still provide a way out. You may be here this morning and been
thrown in the pit by others. You may be here in a pit of your own digging. You may be in the pit of
deception, anger, jealousy or even hatred. A pit dug by temptation and filled by sin. But there is hope,
in the hopelessness of that place. There is peace in the middle of un-peaceable relationships.
The hope and peace is found when we turn to God to find our refuge. Psalms 46:1-11 (ESV) 1 God is our
refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our
fortress. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the
earth!” 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Turn to the Father! He has a plan for your life. He loves you and sent his son to die in your place and
mine. And because of the cross, we can find forgiveness and peace and hope. Place your trust in Him
and accept His gift of salvation. He will lift you up!
The Cover up and a Father’s Mourning
29
When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes 30 and
returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone, and I, where shall I go?” 31 Then they took Joseph’s
robe and slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 And they sent the robe of many colors
and brought it to their father and said, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son’s robe
or not.” 33 And he identified it and said, “It is my son’s robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is
without doubt torn to pieces.” 34 Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and
mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he
refused to be comforted and said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father
wept for him. 36 Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the
captain of the guard.
It is amazing to me that Reuben returns, he assumes Joseph is dead and tears his clothing a sign of
morning. His plan to rescue Joseph had failed. What Rueben thought was a failed plan, God already had
better plans. How many times do we plan and fail? The Bible says in Proverbs 19:21 (ESV) Many are the
plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
We need to be reminded that ultimately God has a greater purpose for us than we can imagine. Jacob is
left mourning, weeping for his dead son. Joseph is now a slave in Potiphar’s household. This is why
Jeremiah, who is no stranger to a pit, records in a letter to the Exiles in Jeremiah 29:11-13 (ESV) 11 For I
know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future
and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek
me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
Conclusion
So you may be wandering in the field, or thrown in a pit, or find yourself in a foreign place, but know
this: God is there with you! Seek Him with all your heart and you find Him in your desolate place. It’s
the desperate places of our lives, that force us to seek Him and this is where we find that He has been
with us all the time. Remember the promise of 1 Corinthians 4:16-18.
When we reach the point of understanding that God does have a plan for us, we can then pray and seek
and he hears and we find Him and discover what his purpose is in our lives.