Genesis 37:19

Joseph then starts on his mission. He is sure of his father's love. He knows his brothers hate him. And deep inside he carries an idea of future greatness that he does not yet understand. Responding to the will of the father, he did not shrink from the post of danger which the father did not foresee for him... instead of returning when he could not find them, he stays at his post until he gets news of them. He then follows them to Dothan. He was not ready for the murderous, spiteful welcome waiting for him.

They could not bear the idea of his exaltation. They hated him, and called him "this master of dreams" (v. 19), so they plotted his death. But Reuben rescued him, and says, "Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit."

For them Joseph is only a dreamer whose dreams they would gladly frustrate by conspiring to kill him... And how eager man is to express his hatred. "When they saw him afar off … they conspired against him to slay him." But God's thoughts are not our thoughts, nor His ways our ways. If it is a question of the Son of the Father's love drawing near to men, then indeed He will be rejected while still far off. But what if it is a question of a sinner drawn to the Father? Then we read that while he was "still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him."

These words strongly remind us of the parable in Matthew 21. "But last of all he sent to them his son, saying, They will respect my son. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance. And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him." God sent His Son into the world with this thought: "They will respect my son." But sadly, man's heart had no reverence for the "well beloved" of the Father. They cast Him out. Earth and heaven were at issue about Christ, and they are at issue still. Man crucified Him; but God raised Him from the dead.

They thought his dreams were only an idle fancy, which they could easily get rid of. They had to learn that the dreams were a revelation of the purpose of God, and they could not overthrow it.

The dreams of Joseph were God-sent, and as real in the outcome as the realities of others are only daydreams. And what a mercy it was for his half-brothers, who were not brothers in heart! Their cruel purpose took effect only in part. God, in His goodness, wisdom, and power, turned it to bring about the very rise they hated as much as they envied.

Man imagines in vain that corruption and violence will prosper. The brothers of Joseph did the same. They had planned to kill their brother and meant to cover their act with lies, yet they could say with complete confidence, "We shall see what will become of his dreams." They will indeed see. And it is a terrible thing for those who reject Christ. They too will see, for it is written: "Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him."