Joseph was the twelfth of Jacob's sons, the first with Rachel. It means, “To add”.

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Genesis 30:24 - So she called his name Joseph, and said, “The LORD shall add to me another son”.

Everything in his life was abundant.

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Joseph received many blessings, including a double portion. His two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, each became the founder of a tribe of Israel.

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Because of him, the entire nation of Israel was greatly blessed.

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Genesis 49:25-26 - May the God of your father help you; may the Almighty bless you with the blessings of the heavens above, and blessings of the watery depths below, and blessings of the breasts and womb. May my fatherly blessings on you surpass the blessings of my ancestors, reaching to the heights of the eternal hills. May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph, who is a prince among his brothers.

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God doesn’t bless us because of our worthiness or for our benefit alone. 

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We see it in Abraham’s life. God promised to bless him and make him a blessing.

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We all need to be prepared to act like Joseph, for hard times are coming.

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God himself will give us authority to make and carry out quick decisions that others will respect and obey.

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Joseph was a planner; he did his job with excellence. He instructed the officials to prepare for a famine, even though it was years away, gathering up food to store up, even during the seven years of “plenty.”

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He was able to change the destiny of Egypt and also the house of Israel. When the Lord sends the famine, he also sends “Josephs” to feed the hungry.

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We all need to be prepared to act like Joseph, for hard times are coming.

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Joseph showed grace and mercy to his brothers, even though they had sold him into slavery, but first he hid his identity from them and then created a scenario that forced them to admit their wrongs and allowed him to reveal his true identity.

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Joseph had character and integrity. He was honest. He was tempted at multiple times, and he resisted.

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He was a precious stone!