The Measure Of A Man

The 1960’s signaled the onset of the emasculation of Western Society with the advent of effeminate male musical groups and the women’s liberation movement exacerbated by a drug culture, liberalism and civil disobedience, the fallout resulting in widespread destruction of the family unit. It’s no secret that we are living in evil times, men wanting to become women and women men among other abominations promoted by media, the tacit promotors of political correctness and group-think. 

And although I myself am not entirely without fault I will present one of several great examples of the kind of man that most men would do well to emulate in today’s world. 

(Genesis 37: 2 - 4) Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a lad with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought an ill report of them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him. 

Later his brothers conspired to be rid of Joseph, they stripped him of his robe and threw him into a pit. This may be viewed as a repeat of Cain and Able, Joseph’s brothers evil behavior began as envy which morphed into hatred and turned into malevolence against him as they had intended to kill him.

(Genesis 37: 25 - 28) Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ish′maelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ish′maelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers heeded him. Then Mid′ianite traders passed by; and they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ish′maelites for twenty shekels of silver; and they took Joseph to Egypt.

(Genesis 39: 1 - 4) Now Joseph was taken down to Egypt, and Pot′i-phar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ish′maelites who had brought him down there. The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian, and his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. 

Joseph managed to maintain an excellent attitude in spite of his predicament which in turn paid him great dividends. However Potiphar’s wife who tempted him continuously with her sexual wiles would be difficult for most men to resist, where today an opportunity to satisfy male sexual appetites generally takes precedence over everything and common sense becomes fleeting.

(Genesis 39: 6 - 19) Now Joseph was handsome and good-looking. And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph, and said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Lo, having me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my hand; he is not greater in this house than I am; nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife; how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” And although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie with her or to be with her. But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and got out of the house. And when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and had fled out of the house, she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to insult us; he came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice; and when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment with me, and fled and got out of the house.” Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home, and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to insult me; but as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment with me, and fled out of the house.”

When his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled. And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. 

The Pharaoh’s chief butler and chief baker were also both put in prison for infractions during which time they both had dreams and both men’s dreams were interpreted by Joseph, what he told them came to pass exactly as he had said. Two years later Pharaoh had a disturbing dream and the chief Butler told Pharaoh of how Joseph was able to interpret dreams. He sent for Joseph who interpreted Pharaoh’s dream predicting seven good years and seven years of famine. 

(Genesis 41: 38 - 44) And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a man as this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discreet and wise as you are; you shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command; only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; and he made him to ride in his second chariot; and they cried before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. Moreover Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”

Unlike most people today, Joseph took his imprisonment in stride without complaining or becoming embittered by the experience because he had great trust in God and knew that there was a greater purpose for him being there and that somehow he would be vindicated. This is the power of faith in action, may God help us all get a grasp on the strength of that kind of faith and internalize it in our own lives. I believe that we all have a higher purpose for our lives often times it’s a matter of making the right choices rather than taking the easy road.

(Genesis 41:56 - 57) So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

(Genesis 42: 1 - 8) When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” And he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live, and not die.” So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might befall him. Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. Now Joseph was governor over the land; he it was who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came, and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. Joseph saw his brothers, and knew them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. “Where do you come from?” he said. They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.” Thus Joseph knew his brothers, but they did not know him. 

Joseph insisted that they go and get their youngest brother and and present him before him and he would give them the grain. 

(Genesis 42: 21 - 25) Then they said to one another, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us and we would not listen; therefore is this distress come upon us.” And Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you not to sin against the lad? But you would not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.” They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. Then he turned away from them and wept; and he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them.

They were dismayed to find the money in their sacks when they returned to Canaan and related what has happened to their father and how the Pharaoh’s man had required them to bring back their youngest brother. 

(Genesis 43: 11 - 15) Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down to the man a present, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds. Take double the money with you; carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight. Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man; may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may send back your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” So the men took the present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin; and they arose and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

Joseph took advantage of the brother’s ignorance of who he really was and terrified them with the things that followed until finally he could stand it no longer and revealed himself to them. Here is an example of greatness in his ability to forgive them for selling him into slavery so many years ago and to understand that there was a higher reason for all that had happened. If only we all could have such insight, such character and fine qualities as Joseph.

(Genesis 45: 1 - 7) Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him; and he cried, “Make every one go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, I pray you.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.