One of my favorite Bible stories since I was small has been the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis. His story has always inspired me to be good and be hopeful. As the story goes, his father, Jacob, gave him a colorful robe which made his brothers envious. Joseph has a talent of interpreting dreams, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. They sold Joseph to slavery in Egypt and he was even imprisoned. God used this seemingly hopeless situation to change the course of history. God used Joseph not only to save his family and the nation, but also to teach the world important lessons.
Joseph taught us that even in our worst situation, even if you find yourself in “prison,” we should not lose hope in God’s promises. God’s ability to transform sorrow into joy and to breathe life into a seemingly dead situation. Joseph showed compassion, forgiveness, love, faithfulness and hope because God is always with him. God is always with us.
"Vizier", Digital Illustration
Week 2, Day 4: "Sueño (Dream)"
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PS. This is my interpretation (aka fan art) of Thomas Blackshear III's artwork "Coat of Many Colors". I included symbols that are narrated in Joseph's story. When Joseph was seventeen years old he had two dreams that made his brothers plot his demise. In the first dream, Joseph and his brothers gathered bundles of grain, of which those his brothers gathered, bowed to his own. In the second dream, the sun (father), the moon (mother), and eleven stars (brothers) bowed to Joseph himself. These dreams, implying his supremacy, angered his brothers. (Genesis 37:1-11)
During his imprisonment, the warden put Joseph in charge of the other prisoners, and soon afterward Pharaoh's chief cup-bearer and chief baker, who had offended the Pharaoh, were thrown into the prison.[14] Both men had dreams, and Joseph, being able to interpret dreams asked to hear. The cup-bearer's dream was about a vine with three branches that was budding. And as it was budding, its blossoms came out and they produced grapes. The cup-bearer took those grapes and squeezed them into Pharaoh's cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. Joseph interpreted this dream as the cup-bearer being restored as cup-bearer to the Pharaoh within three days. The baker's dream was about three baskets full of bread for the Pharaoh, and birds were eating the bread out of those baskets. Joseph interpreted this dream as the baker being hanged within three days and having his flesh eaten by birds.
Joseph requested that the cup-bearer mention him to Pharaoh to secure his release from prison, but the cup-bearer, reinstalled in office, forgot Joseph. After two more years, the Pharaoh dreamt of seven lean cows which devoured seven fat cows; and of seven withered ears of grain which devoured seven fat ears. When the Pharaoh's advisers failed to interpret these dreams, the cup-bearer remembered Joseph. Joseph was then summoned. He interpreted the dream as seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine, and advised the Pharaoh to store a surplus grain.
Following the prediction, Joseph became Vizier, under the name of Zaphnath-Paaneah, and was given Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, to be his wife. A silver cup was also used by Joseph to deceive his brothers. He ordered it to be planted in the sack of their youngest sibling. The following morning the brothers began their journey back to Canaan. Joseph ordered the steward to go after the brothers and question them about the "missing" silver cup. When the steward caught up with the brothers, he seized them and searched their sacks. The steward found the cup in Benjamin's sack just as he had planted it the night before. This caused a stir amongst the brothers. However, they agreed to be escorted back to Egypt. When the Vizier (Joseph) confronted them about the silver cup, he demanded that the one who possessed the cup in his bag become his slave. In response, Judah pleaded with the Vizier that Benjamin be allowed to return to his father, and he himself be kept in Benjamin's place as a slave.
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