Character Impersonation Joseph the Dreamer The Dreamer, thats what they call me.

Indeed, for it is through my dreams that I was able to save my 11 brothers, my sisters, our mothers and our father from a great famine, consequently securing the Chosen People of God, the descendants of my father Israel. Joseph the Dreamer, whose dreams ensured that the Chosen People would prosper and Gods covenant to Abraham, my great grandfather would carry on. Look at the sky and try to count the stars; you will have as many descendants as that. Yes, my dreams played a significant part in fulfilling Gods promise to our people. And come to think that my older brothers used to mock my dreams. I just want to tell them, I told you so. Yet those dreams are not entirely mine. Every single one of them was a gift from God, who is always with me. Never lose faith in God, and always obey His commands, my father Jacob would always tell me and my brothers. Amidst all the adversities and the trials I have gone through, I have never lost my faith in Him. And this, more than anything else, has given me a prosperous life and saved my family. My father was always so affectionate towards me since I was his youngest son. He shows me affection that he does not show toward his other sons. My older brothers disliked me on account of this. Father loved me so much that he even made a long coat with stunning colors for me. Yes, this coat demonstrated how Father loved me above his other sons but it also heightened my brothers hatred toward me. When they saw my robe, they would frown, turn their backs, and they would not speak to me. We are brothers, arent we supposed to be good to each other? I asked myself. I was a child back then, oblivious to what was happening, and all this confused me. And then the dreams began. I was young and I could not make out the meaning of my dreams on my own, so I reported them to Father. In the first dream, we were in a field trying sheaves of wheat when all of a sudden my sheave stood in the middle and the other 11 sheaves bowed to mine. In the second dream, I was in the sky together with the moon, sun and 11 stars, and I was in the center off them all. My brothers mocked me and Father scolded me for having such ridiculous dreams. My brothers hatred and jealousy intensified because of this. But this did not stop me from being good to my brothers, for one of the things Father has taught me is to love my brothers. Although Father showed his love toward me more than my brothers, in truth he loved us all. But my brothers did not see this; their eyes were too clouded by their jealousy. One day Father sent them out to tend the flocks and, wanting to know if they were safe and to see what they needed, he sent me to check on them. And so I did as Father bid me, and of course, I wore my favorite coat. As I approached them they formed a circle around me. Is this the fulfillment of my dream? I asked myself. But they seized me instead. Their jealousy towards me led them to plot to kill me. My heart stopped for a second when one of them said, Come, let us kill him and throw his body into one of the dry wells and tell Father he was attacked by a wild animal.

Reuben, the eldest, thought otherwise and discouraged my brothers from killing me. They took my robe ripped it and threw me in the well, instead. Later, they pulled me out. I was thankful that they changed their minds but I was wrong. They sold me instead to strangers who were on their way to Egypt. Plucked from my home, I found myself in Egypt, a place unknown to me. My faith in God kept the feeling of despair at bay. I was later purchased as a slave and was brought to the household of Potiphar, one of Pharaohs officers. The Lord has always been with me through the years and he made me successful. Potiphar saw how promising I was and made me oversee his house and everything he owned. Indeed, the Lord blessed me with many things. Potiphar acknowledged how successful I was with matters concerning his properties and household. The Lord also blessed me with good looks and a well-built body and the masters wife took interest in me. In fact, she desired to sleep with me. Day after day, she would corner me and seduce me to sleep with her. But I refused her. I will not betray my masters trust, and most of all I will not commit sin against God. Frustrated that I denied her of her lustful desire and rejected her seduction, the masters wife accused me of attempting to rape her. Potiphar, upon hearing this lie, sent me to prison. I was a mere servant, what can I do? Even in prison, where there is only hopelessness and despair I kept my faith in God and the Lord was always with me. Sometime later, Pharaoh sent his chief baker and cup-bearer were to prison for displeasing him. One night, they both had dreams that disturbed them. I saw this on their faces so I asked them what was troubling them, they told me their dreams and asked me what I thought they meant. The cup-bearer told his dream first. My interpretation of his dream was that he will be freed in three days and be restored back to pharaoh. I also asked him to remember me when he is restored. The chief baker, upon hearing the favorable interpretation told me his dream. But his dream was the opposite. My interpretation of his dream is that he will be executed by the pharaoh. Three days later, my interpretation of their dreams came true. Pharaoh held a feast for his birthday. The cup-bearer was restored under Pharaohs service and the baker was executed and impaled. Two years have passed; I was summoned by the Pharaoh to interpret his dreams. The cupbearer whose dreams I have interpreted remembered me and told Pharaoh how my interpretation of his dreams and the chief bakers came true. I stood in the presence of the Pharaoh. No one was able to interpret his dreams and he asked me if I could. I told him, I cannot, Majesty, but God will give a favorable interpretation. The Pharaoh then told me his dreams. In his first dream, there were seven fat cows feeding on the grass near the Nile, and then seven thin and sickly cows came out of nowhere and devoured the healthy cows. In his second dream, there were seven heads of grain, full and ripe, growing in one stem, and then another seven sprouted, thin and scorched by the sun, and swallowed the healthy grains. These dreams were a message from God, I told the Pharaoh. The seven fat cows and the

seven healthy heads of grain are seven years of abundance and the seven sick cows and seven unhealthy heads of grain are seven years of famine. Then I advised Pharaoh to find someone with wisdom and insight to oversee the country during the seven years of abundance. Indeed the Lord is always with me. The Pharaoh and his officials, seeing God was with me, chose me to oversee the country as governor, second only to the Pharaoh himself. God has indeed blessed me. Through my governance and overseeing, Egypt still had plenty even though the seven years of famine ravaged the land. Then one day, to my surprise, my elder brothers came to Egypt seeking grain. It has been a long time, they did not recognize me but I recognized them. To test them I accused them of spying on Egypt so that they would reveal their intentions. They begged me they could buy grain from our stores. They were also affected by the famine in Canaan. I tested them further insisting that they were spies. But they defended themselves insisting that they were only here to buy grain and they needed the grain badly or else their household: mothers, fathers and their youngest brother would die of starvation. And I tested them even further. I imprisoned them and demanded one condition for their release. You will never leave unless you bring your youngest brother to me. One of you must go and fetch him while the rest wait here in prison. I declared. On the third day, out of my love for my brothers, I released them from prison. Despite what they did to me, I could not bear to see them suffer. My love for them still prevailed. I will allow you to buy grain and go home to your starving families, but one of you must stay. Then you must bring your youngest brother to me. This will prove that you are telling the truth. They agreed to my terms. I picked out Simeon and returned him to where they were kept in prison. Then I heard them blaming themselves for this mess, they blamed themselves for what they did to me in the past and whats happening now is a punishment. Reuben then scolded them for harming me and selling me off as a slave. I had been talking to them through an interpreter. I could understand everything they said but they did not realize it. I saw the remorse in their eyes, and I was brought to tears but I did not show it to them. I sent them off on their way, filling their bags with grain. But they did not know that I put each of their money back under the grain. Then I reminded them, Never return without your brother. The famine got worse and worse and they needed more supplies from Egypt. They sent out for Egypt bringing gifts for me: balms, spices, perfumes, and lots of money to pay back what I hid in their packs the last time. They also remembered what I demanded so they brought our youngest brother, Benjamin, with them. When I saw my brothers with Benjamin, my heart was filled with joy. I removed myself from their presence and cried for the love I have for my brothers is so great. Seeing them safe and also hearing the news that Father was still alive was a moment of great rejoicing. I ordered my servants to prepare a feast for them at once. I arranged the order of their seats according to their age, from oldest to youngest. When they saw this, they looked at each other with amazement. Benjamin, being the youngest was given much more food than my other brothers. And it was a great celebration. It was a celebration to thank the Lord for keeping my family safe, a celebration to thank him for reuniting us

again. But only I knew this, for I still have a final test for them and it is not yet time to tell them who I really was. I sent them home with packs full of grain, and again I secretly returned their money. But I put something special in Benjamins pack: my silver chalice! They were about to leave early in the morning when I sent my servant to search their packs since I lost my silver chalice. The servant knew my plan and accused them of stealing the chalice. They were quite sure that none of them has taken it, so sure that they even had to swear that if anyone of them has taken my chalice, that person should die and the rest of them will become servants. But I disagreed. I only want the one who took the chalice to be my servant; the rest of you can go home. This was my instruction to the servant. I was eager to see the reaction of each one once they find out that I planted the chalice inside Benjamins pack. They put their packs on the ground and with confidence; they opened their packs one by one. My servant checked them, from the oldest, Reuben, to the youngest, Benjamin. They went back to me to plead for their brother. They had the look of despair in their faces and they even tore their clothes because they were so depressed. They threw themselves to the ground before me, and this reminded me of a dream I had a long time ago. I scolded them harshly for stealing from me and thinking that they would not be caught. I could see the misery in their eyes; they all offered themselves to me as slaves. But I insisted that I could not take them all as slaves since only one of them was guilty. You are free to go home to your father and your families. I will only take the one who is guilty. I declared. Judah then pleaded, Take me instead of Benjamin as your slave. My father has already lost one son because of us. Our father will die of sorrow if we did not bring him back. I could not hold myself any longer. I sent everyone out of the room except for my brothers. When I was sure that no one else was there, I broke down in tears. They love that my brothers had for Benjamin and for Father stirred my emotions. When I was able to speak, I told them who I really was. I am Joseph, your brother, I cried out. They were baffled and speechless. They could not believe what they were hearing. I asked them to come closer. I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. Do not be upset about what you have done, do not blame yourselves. I explained to them, It was God who sent me here ahead of you to save our lives from this famine. There is still five years of famine left, I was sent here by God to make sure that you and your descendants survive. God has made me Pharaohs highest official. I rule Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. I sent them back to Father and instructed them to travel here to Egypt and bring all their property for I will give them a place in Goshen where they can thrive. The sons of Israel went back to their father and immediately went back to Egypt. Even Pharaoh was pleased when he heard the news that his most trusted governor was reunited with his long lost family.

Not only did we survive through the famine, we also thrived. God made sure that we prospered in the land of Egypt. For the Lord fulfills his covenant. God took care of me because I trusted Him amidst misfortune. If you put your trust in God, he will take care of you, too. Amen.