December 15, 2024 • 25 mins
# 51 - Joseph: The Prisoner - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein we look in on Joseph. From the depths of an Egyptian prison, Joseph's story of unjust suffering unfolds into a testimony of faith and divine favor. Join us as we explore how God's light transforms the darkest moments into opportunities for hope and redemption.
Episode 51 of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein is inspired by the Book of Genesis.
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For more information about Yael Eckstein and IFCJ visit https://www.ifcj.org/
Today's opening prayer is inspired by James 1:2, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.”
Listen to some of the greatest Bible stories ever told and make prayer a priority in your life by downloading the Pray.com app.
Show Notes:
(02:35) Intro with Yael Eckstein
(04:05) Joseph: The Prisoner - Cinematic Retelling
(17:37) Reflection with Yael Eckstein
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Hmm, Joseph, I would like to appoint you as my
household over here. Everything I own, everyone who lives here,
and all the crops I grow will be under your gear.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
However, you may.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Under no circumstances order my wife or her maid servants.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Potiphar's wife lounged nearby, her eyes lingering on Joseph. At
twenty five, he had grown into a man of striking appearance.
She watched him with a predatory gaze. Joseph, feeling her
eyes upon him, did his best to avoid her.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Stare lie with me.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Before she could lean in to kiss him, Joseph pushed
back and shook his head. I cannot do this, Please leave.
Potiphar's wife seized Joseph by the belt of his garment
and pulled in forcibly. This time there was a deep
rage within her. Listen to me, slave, you are still
(01:06):
owned by this household, You are still owned by me.
That may be so, but before you and my master.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I am owned by another.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
I will not sim against my guard to the nile
with your god.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Ride with me, or face the consequences.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Joseph, out of options, decided to run with his garments
still in her hand, Joseph fled out of his room.
The garment slid off his body, and Joseph ran naked
through the halls. Just as he turned the corner, he
heard a loud scream echo through the entire home.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
He attacked me.
Speaker 5 (01:42):
This people of slave lulled me into sleep.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
With me, but I screamed quickly he went that way.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Joseph was beaten and drowned to Potiphar by his hair.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
So this is how you repay my kindness. You are
my master and my friend. Have I not earned you trust?
By now? I tell you I've done nothing wrong.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
It's a lie.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Please you must believe me.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
You will rot in prison for the rest of your
Day's Hebrew take him away.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
In an instant, Joseph was taken up by the gods
and thrown into the royal prison where Pharaoh's prisoners were confined.
Joseph was once again in.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
The bed, forsaken by men, but found by God. Joseph's
journey into the dungeon shows our creator's divine favor for
his people. Lloh, my friends, from here in the Holy Land,
(02:50):
I'm l Extein with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews,
and welcome to the Chosen People. Each day we'll hear
a dramatic story inspired by the Bible. Story is filled
with timeless lessons of faith, love, and the meaning of life.
Through Israel's story, we find this truth that we are
all chosen for something great. If you'd be so kind,
(03:11):
take a moment to follow the podcast leave of you
and share it with your friends. These small steps make
a huge difference in the podcasting world. Now let's begin
what happens when the righteous are forsaken?
Speaker 5 (03:26):
Where's God?
Speaker 4 (03:27):
When the faithful are forgotten? Does His light still reach
the darkest dungeons. Joseph's tale is a mirror to our struggles,
and it invites us to ask what is the nature
of God's presence and our suffering? How do we find
hope when every sign points to despair. Let's immerse ourselves
(03:51):
in this dramatized story inspired by Genesis thirty nine twenty
one to twenty three and seek the hidden threads of
redemption that are woven throughout the trials of Joseph.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Darkness engulf Joseph both in his surroundings and within his soul.
The prison cut into a small hill outside Pharaoh's palace
was a place forsaken by the sun. By day, the
cell remained in perpetual shadow. By night, the freezing desert
wind howled through the barred windows. A slender beam of
(04:33):
moonlight pierced the gloom, casting silver rays that danced feebly
upon the damp stone floor, as if the moon itself
pitied him. Joseph leaned his head against the cold, wet
walls and stared up at the slice of night sky.
The monotonous drip of water echoed through the cell, a
(04:55):
metronome of despair. Sleep eluded him. Frustrating gnawed at his heart,
and he thumped his head against the wall. His anger
directed of the silent heavens. So much for dreams. He
glared at the moon, seeking answers in its pale glow,
but the only response was the infuriating drip of water.
(05:18):
He shivered, curling his legs to his chest, silent tears
streaming down his face. Years of slavery had hardened him,
but here, in the bows of this god forsaken place,
he felt himself breaking. He had believed that faithfulness to
God and diligent work would bring deliverance. He was wrong.
(05:40):
Here he was imprisoned for a righteous act.
Speaker 6 (05:43):
Is this how you treat your faithful? My brothers are
probably warming themselves by the fire.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
With my father.
Speaker 6 (05:50):
My master's wife has probably sound asleep in a warm bed.
Here I sit running in a cell. Well my victimizer's
laugh and run free.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
His voice echoed off the stone walls, a chorus of
despair that returned to mock him. Joseph stood and screamed
at the moon, his voice a raw, animalistic cry. No
answer came, only the ceaseless strip of water. In a
fit of rage, he hurled a stone at the wall
and then collapsed, curling into a ball. Weeping himself into
(06:24):
an uneasy slumber. Joseph awoke to the sound of a
door creaking open. A faint light pierced the darkness as
the warden's servant entered, carrying a wooden bowl. He set
it down and quickly withdrew. Joseph rushed to the door,
slamming his fists against it.
Speaker 6 (06:45):
So on, please answer me.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
The footsteps receded into silence. Alone once more, Joseph looked
down at the bowl, a stale piece of bread floating
in a few spoonfuls of broth. He took it to
the center of his cell, where a small patch of
sunlight provided a modicum of warmth, and ate his meager breakfast.
The cells rough walls glistened in the dim light, revealing
(07:10):
jagged edges and sprouting moss. Joseph wondered if any of
it was edible. The source of the incessant dripping was
a small puddle formed by water seeping through the cracks.
He spent the day pacing, examining every inch of his confinement.
The sharp stones cut into his bare feet, forcing him
(07:31):
to tear strips from his garment to staunch the bleeding. Eventually,
he lay down, sprawling on his back, sighing in lamentation.
Memories of his brothers, the pit, and his first night
in the slave quarters filled his mind. Despite the horrors
of those times, he preferred them to this endless despair.
(07:53):
Back then, he had held on to hope. Now hope
seemed a cruel illusion. Joseph's stomach cramped from hunger. When
dawn arrived, he propped himself up, awaiting the servant's return.
The door opened and the servant filled his bowl. Joseph
(08:14):
ate greedily, licking every inch of the bowl. Clean tears
mingled with the broth, and he wept, feeling more like
an animal than a man. He wailed, but there was
no one to hear his cries. His soul was a
void of self pity and anger.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Are these my days?
Speaker 6 (08:32):
Is this how spend the rest of my life?
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Night fell, and Joseph watched the moonlight flicker through the clouds.
He thought of his tent in Canaan, the warm furs,
the sweet scent of wild flowers. He imagined his mother's
voice and his father's hearty laugh. He missed his father.
He wondered if he was still alive. Closing his eyes,
(08:56):
he drifted into dreams of simpler times. The next morning,
he was up before the servant's arrival. As the door
cracked open, Joseph grabbed the servant's arm.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Please don't be afraid. I mean you no harm.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
The servant drew his sword, pressing it against Joseph's throat.
In the flickering torchlight, Joseph saw the weariness in the
young man's eyes. Raising his hands in surrender, he pleaded, I.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Just want to speak to someone.
Speaker 6 (09:26):
I haven't spoken to anyone in days.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
The servant withdrew the blade, leaving without a word. The
broth had spilled, the bread trampled. Joseph sighed and ate
off the floor, his dignity crumbling with each bite. The
only water to quench Joseph's thirst was the water dripping
from the ceiling. Joseph gathered the loose stones and gathered
them underneath the drip. He stagged the stones into a
(09:52):
small well and covered the cracks with some of the
moss he pulled from the walls. By the end of
the day, the well was full of fresh Joseph cut
some in his mouth and smiled. It was the first
gulp of water he had had in days. He could
feel the cool water drip down his throat. It was
a euphoric experience, and it filled Joseph with the simplest
(10:15):
feeling of joy. Joseph turned his eyes to the opening
in the ceiling. He felt the warmth of the sun
gently kiss his cheek. He gathered some more moss from
the walls and made himself a bed. That night, he
finally slept soundly. Flashes of his past dreams entered his mind.
(10:36):
Distant memories of a more innocent time comforted him. The
next day, he began to transform his cell. He smoothed
out rocks to make a stool, created a bed from
moss and vegetation, and stacked stones as makeshift art. When
the servant entered, he lingered, scanning the room with a
(10:58):
curious gaze.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Ah, it is you kept my distance this time.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
The servant looked at Joseph for a moment. He seemed
to be pondering something. He set the food down and left.
Joseph shrugged and continued to work on his prison cell.
Later the door opened again. This time it was the
warden himself, flanked by the servant. The warden, shorter than
(11:24):
Joseph had imagined, wore a long linen garment tucked under
a leather breastplate. He held keys in one hand and
a leather whip in the other. Joseph's heart pounded as
the warden approached, the whip's tip dragging along the ground.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
I am your warden. You are my prisoner. You are
nothing but the prisoner. Are we clear?
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Joseph nodded quickly, Good, turn round. Joseph leaned against the
wall with his palms exposing his back. He knew what
was coming. He had been a slave long enough to
know that whippings were a natural part of Egyptian culture.
The warden needed Joseph to know he was in charge
and willing to harm him, so he did. Seven lashes
(12:12):
were given to Joseph. He had been whipped many times
in his life, he never got used to it. The
warden wiped Joseph's blood off his whip and tucked it
back behind his belt. Without a word, he left. Joseph
spent the night tending to his wounds best he could.
He poured water over his exposed flesh. The coolness helped
(12:35):
reduce the swelling, but it still stung like a swarm
of bees. Joseph looked up through the opening. The sunlight
had been replaced by the silver beams of the moon.
Give me favor, Lord, show me favor as you once did.
The next morning, the warden entered his cell again.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Ye, dark, come with me.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Joseph rose, his back burning with pain, but he stood tall.
The guards bound him and escorted him through the prison's
narrow halls, lit by flickering torches. At the end of
the corridor, a heavy wooden door stood flanked by ten guards.
The warden unlocked it, revealing a larger cell with multiple
rooms cut into the rock. Over a dozen prisoners milled about,
(13:21):
rolling dice, sleeping, talking. Joseph's heart lifted at the sight
of other faces. He spent the day getting to know
the prisoners. Many were former servants of Pharaoh or his officials,
victims of circumstance like himself. Some were from the stables,
others were military aids, and some of them were cooks.
(13:42):
It was a comfort to speak with others, to share
his story and hear theirs. The conversation dulled the pain
in his back and the ache in his heart. As
the weeks went by, Joseph had done his best to
make himself useful. He built a well inside the cell,
as he did before. He wove beds of moss and
(14:03):
leaves from the vegetation growing on the walls. Eventually, Joseph
came up with a system to ration the food given
to them, so everyone could enjoy two hardy meals a day.
The other prisoners began to rely on Joseph to speak
with the warden on their behalf. At night, underneath the moonlight,
the prisoners would gather around Joseph to listen to his
(14:24):
stories about the God of his ancestors. One morning, Joseph
had gotten up early to tend to the small garden
of flowers he had planted underneath the opening in the ceiling.
As the door opened up for food, the warden stepped in.
Speaker 7 (14:38):
You there, Joseph, come with me.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Bound once more, Joseph was led to a stool opposite
the warden. The warden leaned forward, his gaze piercing.
Speaker 7 (14:50):
This prison has operated by force, fear, and asolution. I
am trained to remind these men that they they are criminals,
and this is not their home.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
But they're too. However, Ever, since you arrived.
Speaker 7 (15:11):
The prisoners seem to think they are a family and.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
This is their home.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Joseph dipped his head apologetically. The warden was a harsh man.
He had heard stories about in killing prisoners who disobeyed him.
The warden stood up and walked up to a small
chest sitting on the floor near the entrance. He opened
it and took out a few scrolls. He opened them
and perused their contents.
Speaker 7 (15:38):
In these past weeks, since you've been with the prisoners,
there have been no riots, no attempts at escape or
assants on my guards. I have not heard them big
for more food or complain about lack of water.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
It is clear you are of favor.
Speaker 7 (16:00):
I don't know whether it comes from the gods or
your own skill, and quite frankly, I do not care.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
All I know is that you have.
Speaker 7 (16:08):
Made my job easier, and you have kept my gods
safe because.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
The prisons are content.
Speaker 7 (16:18):
I told you already I don't care about your gods.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Although I certainly believe you, what you've displayed here with
men cannot be denied.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Joseph kept his head down and flashed a smile. He nodded,
but remained silent.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Joseph, I am putting you in charge of these men.
Speaker 7 (16:40):
I have other prisons in the city that I must
attend to, so I leave these under your care, as
well as the two other selves within this prison. You
will have charge over my guards and the ability to
request more resources if they are available. This is not
a request, but an order. You are still a prisoner here,
(17:04):
and I am your warden.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Are we clear, then you are dismissed.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
The warden slid two items across the desk, keys to
the cells and a whip with iron tipped phrase. Joseph
took the keys, bowing his head in acknowledgment, but left
the whip behind. As he returned to his cell, a
sense of purpose welled within him. He might be a prisoner,
but here, in this dark place, he would shine a light.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
Joseph's story has always been a bomb for my soul.
Here's a man who knew betrayal, who knew darkness, Yet
even in the bowels of an Egyptian dungeon, he found favor.
God was with him. It's a profound picture of God's
unyielding commitment to his chosen people. God was with Joseph,
(18:03):
an extended kindness to him even in his darkness. The
cold stone walls of Joseph's prison must have felt suffocating,
but God's presence was a warm embrace to him. This
reality that God's favor doesn't require our circumstances to be
ideal really speaks to me.
Speaker 5 (18:26):
Favor isn't about.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
A life free from trouble. It's about our companionship, our fellowship,
and our connection with God even in the midst of trouble.
What I've learned throughout my life that God's love isn't
just present in prosperity. No, sometimes I feel his closeness
(18:48):
in the pits and prisons of life. It's there there
that I feel that His love shines the brightest. Sometimes,
Can you relate to that that even in our darkest
places you can feel God's light breaking through? Do you
relate to that that, even in your darkest places, that
(19:10):
you can feel God's light breaking through, that when you're
so far from joy or clarity, you can feel so
close to God. I think of the words of the Psalmist,
where can I go from your spirit? Where can I
flee from your presence? King David says, even in the depths,
(19:34):
God is always there with us, and sometimes it's especially
in those depths that we feel Him closest. When I
learn Joseph's story, it connects me to my ancestors, the
Chosen people, and to the enduring faithfulness of our God
still today.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
In this story, I see the.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
Jewish experience of persecution, of hardship, but also of endurance,
of trust and of hope. But even as he endured,
even as he trusted in God, even as he tried
to cling to hope, Joseph was still imprisoned. While in prison,
(20:18):
the warden gave Joseph tremendous responsibility over the other prisoners
but why the warden couldn't have known of Joseph's administrative abilities.
Verse twenty three tells us exactly why. Quote the warden
paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the
(20:38):
Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever
he did.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
End quote.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
But how did the prison warden know that God was
with Joseph? This we don't know, because the Bible doesn't
tell us. But something about Joseph, just another prisoner in
Pharaoh's jail, exuded godliness. There was a special light that
(21:05):
shined from Joseph that the warden saw even in that dark,
dismal dungeon. And of course, Joseph knew from his dreams
that he was destined for greatness, and so even when
he was in jail, he behaved in a fashion that
deserved and that destined greatness. You know, as we often
(21:31):
point out in this podcast, every one of us is
destined for greatness in one way or another, and God
certainly has a very special plan for each one of us.
Speaker 5 (21:43):
Our responsibility, like Joseph.
Speaker 4 (21:46):
Is that even when we don't feel like greatness, even
when we're in the dark of our lives, even when
God's glory is hidden. We need to live our lives
in a way that shows we believe in our greatness
because we are.
Speaker 5 (22:06):
Loved by God.
Speaker 4 (22:08):
And throughout this story, with highs and lows, with light
and darkness, with royalty and prison, we've seen a consistency
to Joseph's character. We could see it in Potifar's house.
Speaker 5 (22:24):
And we see it now in prison.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
Even in the depths of despair, Joseph allowed himself. He
had the audacity to see opportunity. He saw people who
needed serving and things that needed tending to, and he
took that on himself to do to be empowered to help.
(22:48):
Let's all be empowered and inspired by the perspective of Joseph,
who saw the opportunity to serve others even in the
midst of his own suffering. There's a transformation that occurs
in our trials when we stop focusing on ourselves and
we start focusing on others and the bigger picture. I've
(23:10):
certainly seen that here in Israel, living over a year
of war in the Holy Land, and yet always being
able to go out and give others hope, delivering a
food box on behalf of the fellowship going and visiting
an elderly at a border city that's being bombarded by
rockets on behalf of the fellowship, placing a bomb shelter
(23:34):
for children on behalf of the fellowship. Even in the
darkest times this past year, I've seen how we've been
able to help.
Speaker 5 (23:43):
One of the many things.
Speaker 4 (23:45):
That Christians and Jews shares, the perspective that suffering can
bring about a profound transformation, and that even in the darkness,
we're always able to help others. Hope and adversity is
not naive optimism. It's a deep faith that God's promises
hold true. When Joseph sat in Pharaoh's prison, he didn't
(24:08):
know how his story would unfold, but Joseph trusted the
God who is with him in that cell, just as
we the Chosen People, can trust that God is always
with us, even in our hardships, listening to us, protecting us,
and ready to bless each one of us.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
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(24:52):
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(25:16):
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Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Hmm, Joseph, I would like to appoint you as my
household over here. Everything I own, everyone who lives here,
and all the crops I grow will be under your gear.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
However, you may.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Under no circumstances order my wife or her maid servants.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Potiphar's wife lounged nearby, her eyes lingering on Joseph. At
twenty five, he had grown into a man of striking appearance.
She watched him with a predatory gaze. Joseph, feeling her
eyes upon him, did his best to avoid her.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Stare lie with me.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Before she could lean in to kiss him, Joseph pushed
back and shook his head. I cannot do this, Please leave.
Potiphar's wife seized Joseph by the belt of his garment
and pulled in forcibly. This time there was a deep
rage within her. Listen to me, slave, you are still
(01:06):
owned by this household, You are still owned by me.
That may be so, but before you and my master.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I am owned by another.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
I will not sim against my guard to the nile
with your god.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Ride with me, or face the consequences.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Joseph, out of options, decided to run with his garments
still in her hand, Joseph fled out of his room.
The garment slid off his body, and Joseph ran naked
through the halls. Just as he turned the corner, he
heard a loud scream echo through the entire home.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
He attacked me.
Speaker 5 (01:42):
This people of slave lulled me into sleep.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
With me, but I screamed quickly he went that way.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Joseph was beaten and drowned to Potiphar by his hair.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
So this is how you repay my kindness. You are
my master and my friend. Have I not earned you trust?
By now? I tell you I've done nothing wrong.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
It's a lie.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Please you must believe me.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
You will rot in prison for the rest of your
Day's Hebrew take him away.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
In an instant, Joseph was taken up by the gods
and thrown into the royal prison where Pharaoh's prisoners were confined.
Joseph was once again in.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
The bed, forsaken by men, but found by God. Joseph's
journey into the dungeon shows our creator's divine favor for
his people. Lloh, my friends, from here in the Holy Land,
(02:50):
I'm l Extein with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews,
and welcome to the Chosen People. Each day we'll hear
a dramatic story inspired by the Bible. Story is filled
with timeless lessons of faith, love, and the meaning of life.
Through Israel's story, we find this truth that we are
all chosen for something great. If you'd be so kind,
(03:11):
take a moment to follow the podcast leave of you
and share it with your friends. These small steps make
a huge difference in the podcasting world. Now let's begin
what happens when the righteous are forsaken?
Speaker 5 (03:26):
Where's God?
Speaker 4 (03:27):
When the faithful are forgotten? Does His light still reach
the darkest dungeons. Joseph's tale is a mirror to our struggles,
and it invites us to ask what is the nature
of God's presence and our suffering? How do we find
hope when every sign points to despair. Let's immerse ourselves
(03:51):
in this dramatized story inspired by Genesis thirty nine twenty
one to twenty three and seek the hidden threads of
redemption that are woven throughout the trials of Joseph.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Darkness engulf Joseph both in his surroundings and within his soul.
The prison cut into a small hill outside Pharaoh's palace
was a place forsaken by the sun. By day, the
cell remained in perpetual shadow. By night, the freezing desert
wind howled through the barred windows. A slender beam of
(04:33):
moonlight pierced the gloom, casting silver rays that danced feebly
upon the damp stone floor, as if the moon itself
pitied him. Joseph leaned his head against the cold, wet
walls and stared up at the slice of night sky.
The monotonous drip of water echoed through the cell, a
(04:55):
metronome of despair. Sleep eluded him. Frustrating gnawed at his heart,
and he thumped his head against the wall. His anger
directed of the silent heavens. So much for dreams. He
glared at the moon, seeking answers in its pale glow,
but the only response was the infuriating drip of water.
(05:18):
He shivered, curling his legs to his chest, silent tears
streaming down his face. Years of slavery had hardened him,
but here, in the bows of this god forsaken place,
he felt himself breaking. He had believed that faithfulness to
God and diligent work would bring deliverance. He was wrong.
(05:40):
Here he was imprisoned for a righteous act.
Speaker 6 (05:43):
Is this how you treat your faithful? My brothers are
probably warming themselves by the fire.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
With my father.
Speaker 6 (05:50):
My master's wife has probably sound asleep in a warm bed.
Here I sit running in a cell. Well my victimizer's
laugh and run free.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
His voice echoed off the stone walls, a chorus of
despair that returned to mock him. Joseph stood and screamed
at the moon, his voice a raw, animalistic cry. No
answer came, only the ceaseless strip of water. In a
fit of rage, he hurled a stone at the wall
and then collapsed, curling into a ball. Weeping himself into
(06:24):
an uneasy slumber. Joseph awoke to the sound of a
door creaking open. A faint light pierced the darkness as
the warden's servant entered, carrying a wooden bowl. He set
it down and quickly withdrew. Joseph rushed to the door,
slamming his fists against it.
Speaker 6 (06:45):
So on, please answer me.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
The footsteps receded into silence. Alone once more, Joseph looked
down at the bowl, a stale piece of bread floating
in a few spoonfuls of broth. He took it to
the center of his cell, where a small patch of
sunlight provided a modicum of warmth, and ate his meager breakfast.
The cells rough walls glistened in the dim light, revealing
(07:10):
jagged edges and sprouting moss. Joseph wondered if any of
it was edible. The source of the incessant dripping was
a small puddle formed by water seeping through the cracks.
He spent the day pacing, examining every inch of his confinement.
The sharp stones cut into his bare feet, forcing him
(07:31):
to tear strips from his garment to staunch the bleeding. Eventually,
he lay down, sprawling on his back, sighing in lamentation.
Memories of his brothers, the pit, and his first night
in the slave quarters filled his mind. Despite the horrors
of those times, he preferred them to this endless despair.
(07:53):
Back then, he had held on to hope. Now hope
seemed a cruel illusion. Joseph's stomach cramped from hunger. When
dawn arrived, he propped himself up, awaiting the servant's return.
The door opened and the servant filled his bowl. Joseph
(08:14):
ate greedily, licking every inch of the bowl. Clean tears
mingled with the broth, and he wept, feeling more like
an animal than a man. He wailed, but there was
no one to hear his cries. His soul was a
void of self pity and anger.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Are these my days?
Speaker 6 (08:32):
Is this how spend the rest of my life?
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Night fell, and Joseph watched the moonlight flicker through the clouds.
He thought of his tent in Canaan, the warm furs,
the sweet scent of wild flowers. He imagined his mother's
voice and his father's hearty laugh. He missed his father.
He wondered if he was still alive. Closing his eyes,
(08:56):
he drifted into dreams of simpler times. The next morning,
he was up before the servant's arrival. As the door
cracked open, Joseph grabbed the servant's arm.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Please don't be afraid. I mean you no harm.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
The servant drew his sword, pressing it against Joseph's throat.
In the flickering torchlight, Joseph saw the weariness in the
young man's eyes. Raising his hands in surrender, he pleaded, I.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Just want to speak to someone.
Speaker 6 (09:26):
I haven't spoken to anyone in days.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
The servant withdrew the blade, leaving without a word. The
broth had spilled, the bread trampled. Joseph sighed and ate
off the floor, his dignity crumbling with each bite. The
only water to quench Joseph's thirst was the water dripping
from the ceiling. Joseph gathered the loose stones and gathered
them underneath the drip. He stagged the stones into a
(09:52):
small well and covered the cracks with some of the
moss he pulled from the walls. By the end of
the day, the well was full of fresh Joseph cut
some in his mouth and smiled. It was the first
gulp of water he had had in days. He could
feel the cool water drip down his throat. It was
a euphoric experience, and it filled Joseph with the simplest
(10:15):
feeling of joy. Joseph turned his eyes to the opening
in the ceiling. He felt the warmth of the sun
gently kiss his cheek. He gathered some more moss from
the walls and made himself a bed. That night, he
finally slept soundly. Flashes of his past dreams entered his mind.
(10:36):
Distant memories of a more innocent time comforted him. The
next day, he began to transform his cell. He smoothed
out rocks to make a stool, created a bed from
moss and vegetation, and stacked stones as makeshift art. When
the servant entered, he lingered, scanning the room with a
(10:58):
curious gaze.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Ah, it is you kept my distance this time.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
The servant looked at Joseph for a moment. He seemed
to be pondering something. He set the food down and left.
Joseph shrugged and continued to work on his prison cell.
Later the door opened again. This time it was the
warden himself, flanked by the servant. The warden, shorter than
(11:24):
Joseph had imagined, wore a long linen garment tucked under
a leather breastplate. He held keys in one hand and
a leather whip in the other. Joseph's heart pounded as
the warden approached, the whip's tip dragging along the ground.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
I am your warden. You are my prisoner. You are
nothing but the prisoner. Are we clear?
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Joseph nodded quickly, Good, turn round. Joseph leaned against the
wall with his palms exposing his back. He knew what
was coming. He had been a slave long enough to
know that whippings were a natural part of Egyptian culture.
The warden needed Joseph to know he was in charge
and willing to harm him, so he did. Seven lashes
(12:12):
were given to Joseph. He had been whipped many times
in his life, he never got used to it. The
warden wiped Joseph's blood off his whip and tucked it
back behind his belt. Without a word, he left. Joseph
spent the night tending to his wounds best he could.
He poured water over his exposed flesh. The coolness helped
(12:35):
reduce the swelling, but it still stung like a swarm
of bees. Joseph looked up through the opening. The sunlight
had been replaced by the silver beams of the moon.
Give me favor, Lord, show me favor as you once did.
The next morning, the warden entered his cell again.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
Ye, dark, come with me.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Joseph rose, his back burning with pain, but he stood tall.
The guards bound him and escorted him through the prison's
narrow halls, lit by flickering torches. At the end of
the corridor, a heavy wooden door stood flanked by ten guards.
The warden unlocked it, revealing a larger cell with multiple
rooms cut into the rock. Over a dozen prisoners milled about,
(13:21):
rolling dice, sleeping, talking. Joseph's heart lifted at the sight
of other faces. He spent the day getting to know
the prisoners. Many were former servants of Pharaoh or his officials,
victims of circumstance like himself. Some were from the stables,
others were military aids, and some of them were cooks.
(13:42):
It was a comfort to speak with others, to share
his story and hear theirs. The conversation dulled the pain
in his back and the ache in his heart. As
the weeks went by, Joseph had done his best to
make himself useful. He built a well inside the cell,
as he did before. He wove beds of moss and
(14:03):
leaves from the vegetation growing on the walls. Eventually, Joseph
came up with a system to ration the food given
to them, so everyone could enjoy two hardy meals a day.
The other prisoners began to rely on Joseph to speak
with the warden on their behalf. At night, underneath the moonlight,
the prisoners would gather around Joseph to listen to his
(14:24):
stories about the God of his ancestors. One morning, Joseph
had gotten up early to tend to the small garden
of flowers he had planted underneath the opening in the ceiling.
As the door opened up for food, the warden stepped in.
Speaker 7 (14:38):
You there, Joseph, come with me.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Bound once more, Joseph was led to a stool opposite
the warden. The warden leaned forward, his gaze piercing.
Speaker 7 (14:50):
This prison has operated by force, fear, and asolution. I
am trained to remind these men that they they are criminals,
and this is not their home.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
But they're too. However, Ever, since you arrived.
Speaker 7 (15:11):
The prisoners seem to think they are a family and.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
This is their home.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
Joseph dipped his head apologetically. The warden was a harsh man.
He had heard stories about in killing prisoners who disobeyed him.
The warden stood up and walked up to a small
chest sitting on the floor near the entrance. He opened
it and took out a few scrolls. He opened them
and perused their contents.
Speaker 7 (15:38):
In these past weeks, since you've been with the prisoners,
there have been no riots, no attempts at escape or
assants on my guards. I have not heard them big
for more food or complain about lack of water.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
It is clear you are of favor.
Speaker 7 (16:00):
I don't know whether it comes from the gods or
your own skill, and quite frankly, I do not care.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
All I know is that you have.
Speaker 7 (16:08):
Made my job easier, and you have kept my gods
safe because.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
The prisons are content.
Speaker 7 (16:18):
I told you already I don't care about your gods.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Although I certainly believe you, what you've displayed here with
men cannot be denied.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
Joseph kept his head down and flashed a smile. He nodded,
but remained silent.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Joseph, I am putting you in charge of these men.
Speaker 7 (16:40):
I have other prisons in the city that I must
attend to, so I leave these under your care, as
well as the two other selves within this prison. You
will have charge over my guards and the ability to
request more resources if they are available. This is not
a request, but an order. You are still a prisoner here,
(17:04):
and I am your warden.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Are we clear, then you are dismissed.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
The warden slid two items across the desk, keys to
the cells and a whip with iron tipped phrase. Joseph
took the keys, bowing his head in acknowledgment, but left
the whip behind. As he returned to his cell, a
sense of purpose welled within him. He might be a prisoner,
but here, in this dark place, he would shine a light.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
Joseph's story has always been a bomb for my soul.
Here's a man who knew betrayal, who knew darkness, Yet
even in the bowels of an Egyptian dungeon, he found favor.
God was with him. It's a profound picture of God's
unyielding commitment to his chosen people. God was with Joseph,
(18:03):
an extended kindness to him even in his darkness. The
cold stone walls of Joseph's prison must have felt suffocating,
but God's presence was a warm embrace to him. This
reality that God's favor doesn't require our circumstances to be
ideal really speaks to me.
Speaker 5 (18:26):
Favor isn't about.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
A life free from trouble. It's about our companionship, our fellowship,
and our connection with God even in the midst of trouble.
What I've learned throughout my life that God's love isn't
just present in prosperity. No, sometimes I feel his closeness
(18:48):
in the pits and prisons of life. It's there there
that I feel that His love shines the brightest. Sometimes,
Can you relate to that that even in our darkest
places you can feel God's light breaking through? Do you
relate to that that, even in your darkest places, that
(19:10):
you can feel God's light breaking through, that when you're
so far from joy or clarity, you can feel so
close to God. I think of the words of the Psalmist,
where can I go from your spirit? Where can I
flee from your presence? King David says, even in the depths,
(19:34):
God is always there with us, and sometimes it's especially
in those depths that we feel Him closest. When I
learn Joseph's story, it connects me to my ancestors, the
Chosen people, and to the enduring faithfulness of our God
still today.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
In this story, I see the.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
Jewish experience of persecution, of hardship, but also of endurance,
of trust and of hope. But even as he endured,
even as he trusted in God, even as he tried
to cling to hope, Joseph was still imprisoned. While in prison,
(20:18):
the warden gave Joseph tremendous responsibility over the other prisoners
but why the warden couldn't have known of Joseph's administrative abilities.
Verse twenty three tells us exactly why. Quote the warden
paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the
(20:38):
Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever
he did.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
End quote.
Speaker 4 (20:45):
But how did the prison warden know that God was
with Joseph? This we don't know, because the Bible doesn't
tell us. But something about Joseph, just another prisoner in
Pharaoh's jail, exuded godliness. There was a special light that
(21:05):
shined from Joseph that the warden saw even in that dark,
dismal dungeon. And of course, Joseph knew from his dreams
that he was destined for greatness, and so even when
he was in jail, he behaved in a fashion that
deserved and that destined greatness. You know, as we often
(21:31):
point out in this podcast, every one of us is
destined for greatness in one way or another, and God
certainly has a very special plan for each one of us.
Speaker 5 (21:43):
Our responsibility, like Joseph.
Speaker 4 (21:46):
Is that even when we don't feel like greatness, even
when we're in the dark of our lives, even when
God's glory is hidden. We need to live our lives
in a way that shows we believe in our greatness
because we are.
Speaker 5 (22:06):
Loved by God.
Speaker 4 (22:08):
And throughout this story, with highs and lows, with light
and darkness, with royalty and prison, we've seen a consistency
to Joseph's character. We could see it in Potifar's house.
Speaker 5 (22:24):
And we see it now in prison.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
Even in the depths of despair, Joseph allowed himself. He
had the audacity to see opportunity. He saw people who
needed serving and things that needed tending to, and he
took that on himself to do to be empowered to help.
(22:48):
Let's all be empowered and inspired by the perspective of Joseph,
who saw the opportunity to serve others even in the
midst of his own suffering. There's a transformation that occurs
in our trials when we stop focusing on ourselves and
we start focusing on others and the bigger picture. I've
(23:10):
certainly seen that here in Israel, living over a year
of war in the Holy Land, and yet always being
able to go out and give others hope, delivering a
food box on behalf of the fellowship going and visiting
an elderly at a border city that's being bombarded by
rockets on behalf of the fellowship, placing a bomb shelter
(23:34):
for children on behalf of the fellowship. Even in the
darkest times this past year, I've seen how we've been
able to help.
Speaker 5 (23:43):
One of the many things.
Speaker 4 (23:45):
That Christians and Jews shares, the perspective that suffering can
bring about a profound transformation, and that even in the darkness,
we're always able to help others. Hope and adversity is
not naive optimism. It's a deep faith that God's promises
hold true. When Joseph sat in Pharaoh's prison, he didn't
(24:08):
know how his story would unfold, but Joseph trusted the
God who is with him in that cell, just as
we the Chosen People, can trust that God is always
with us, even in our hardships, listening to us, protecting us,
and ready to bless each one of us.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
You can listen to the Chosen People with Isle Eckstein
ad free by downloading and subscribing to the Prey dot
Com app today. This Prey dog comproduction is only made
possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina
max Bard, Zach Shellabager and Ben Gammon are the executive
producers of The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein. Edited by
(24:52):
Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltefianu. Characters are voiced by
Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore.
Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and
Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paulinier, Robin van Ettin,
(25:16):
Kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship
of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot
com productions on the Prey dot com app, available on
the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you
enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and
leave a review.
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