Does God cause Evil that Good may come?

Many believers today have the idea ingrained in their brains that God may cause evil, or bad things, to happen to people in order that God may bless another with something good. There are probably thousands upon thousands of examples given by those who hold to this belief. The death or sickness of a loved one was God's way of bringing a relative to salvation, or God caused a horrific disaster that lead many to Christ; we have all heard such testimonies.  When questioned by those who are not believers, or by believers who simply can not ascribe such acts to God, the testifiers claim that we must not seek answers or question God as we can not possibly understand how God works.

Many thousands of years ago, a young man who was loved dearly by his father endured a horrific situation. He was ripped from his father by his own brothers and sold to slave traders. Most of us are very familiar with the story of Joseph, his beautiful coat, and very jealous brothers. The question is, was God the cause of Joseph's brothers selling Joseph in order that some good might be done in the future? This is what countless Christians believe and teach; it must be so as God controls everything.

My goal is to take a look at some of of the passages in Genesis relating to this story and examine whether God authored Joseph's ordeal. If you wish to read the entire saga, it begins in Genesis chapter 37.

"...God intended it for good..."

Genesis 50:20
Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. 

Genesis 50 seems to solidify the fact that God did sell Joseph into slavery so that a good purpose could be served.  Was there a lapse in time between the sale of Joseph and God's plan? Or, were these acts one in the same? We know that God had plans for Joseph's family, but how does this story fit into God's plans?

It is interesting to see that nowhere in the portion of the story when Joseph is sold into slavery do we find that God caused this to happen, or that Lord had any hand in it. The first time we hear of  the Lord is in Genesis 39:2 where it is stated that the Lord was with Joseph and everything that Joseph did as a slave was blessed and the Lord caused Joseph to prosper, as a slave. In other words, Joseph did a very good job and also,  Joseph most likely was not the most private in his worship of his God. Joseph was a testimony for the Lord among a land of idol worshipers.

Genesis 41 gives us yet more insight into whose hands were working for Joseph's favor.  Pharaoh had strange dreams that none of his wisest men could interpret. Here is a place where we can see God's hand begin to work in Joseph's life (and in Pharaoh's), and that of the areas in and surrounding Egypt. The dreams ultimately point towards a coming disaster.  When Israel as an established nation suffered at God's hands due to a breakdown in their relationship with God, God  lets Israel know what is coming and that God has caused it. This of course is the case here. Joseph proclaims to Pharaoh that God indeed is going to cause a famine. Here is an early act of power displayed by God to the world, just as God displays to a future Pharaoh in Exodus. 

"See, I have..."
Genesis 41:41  
And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt." 

As a result of God's work through Joseph, Joseph is placed in a position of immense power in Egypt. Such a position will ensure that God's plans for Israel will continue. Genesis 41:38-41 we see that Pharaoh, not God, placed Joseph in this position. Pharaoh sees no alternative that makes sense; because of God, Joseph is wise and must be the one who can lead them through the coming famine. I believe this was entirely Pharaoh's decision. If Pharaoh had not come to this conclusion then God would have provided a way for Joseph to lead. I sincerely believe that if God had directly placed Joseph into the position over Egypt that the scriptures would surely tell us so. God shares power, it's true. We can also see the Pharaoh's heart towards God when comparing him to the future Pharaoh who had a disposition against Israel. How soon God is forgotten when things are going well.

Note the next point to when Joseph gives any glory to God. It is not until he is blessed with a son, Manasseh, that Joseph praises God for making him forget all of his troubles endured while in Egypt. We must take pause and wonder if Joseph praised God at his new seat of power; certainly the Pharaoh did in a certain manner, just by his actions.

"...What is this that God has done to us?" 
Genesis 42:28

Genesis 42 continues the saga of Joseph. His brothers appear on the scene during the famine seeking food to bring back home. Without going into detail, you can read for yourself, Joseph works to make sure the brothers will return with Benjamin, Joseph's unknown youngest brother. Verse 28 shows how the brothers incorrectly attribute the acts of Joseph to God. Furthermore, Jacob in no way blames God for any of this, in verse 36, Jacob simply exclaims that "All this has happened to me!" Jacob does not blame God as his sons did! We can also see the guilt ridden brothers try to see some type of judgment in their situation when, in fact, there is none!  

Genesis 43:23  
He replied, "Rest assured, do not be afraid; your God and the God of your father must have put treasure in your sacks for you; I received your money." 

Joseph now tells his brothers that God put the money in your sacks. He states that he has received the money they paid for the grain. Of course this is not true! God never placed any money in the sacks, Joseph did. So why then would Joseph claim this? I believe Joseph is very emotional at this point, he is overwhelmed at the sight of his brothers, the same that sold him into slavery. Yet, Joseph shifts blame away from them or himself  and towards God in order to ease their conscience. Joseph, a very man whom the Lord is with, a man who fears God, does not seek judgement but want reconciliation though he is not quite reading to declare his purpose. We must not attribute things to God that have not been plainly stated that they are a s such.

When the brothers return Joseph again has something, a silver chalice, placed in the sack of Benjamin. Again the brothers are dismayed and this time are brought back to Joseph by his servant. In Genesis 44:16 the brothers again lay the cause of this at God's feet as a judgement yet it was Joseph, not God who engineered the 'theft'. 

"...for God sent me before you to preserve life."
Genesis 45:5

I believe that we see the same language used by Joseph in Genesis  45 as we did back in chapter 43. Once Joseph tells his bothers who he is he can see the guilt and self-condemnation on their faces. Joseph wants, in no way, for his brothers to have such guilt. This is an amazing picture isn't it? The brothers were deserving of death, if not at least a life of slavery for their actions. Yet Joseph has no such thoughts! His only wish is to again be reunited with his family! No retribution, only reconciliation, just as with God our Father who wishes to have the world conciliated to Himself. I do not believe that Joseph attributing his brothers actions to God. 

"...God intended it for good..."

Genesis 50:20
Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. 

So now we come back to chapter 50 and the question of the entire saga of Joseph in Egypt as being attributed to God.

If you remember back in chapter 37, Joseph had dreams of his rise to power. I do believe it was a position that God desired Joseph to be in for the specific reason that God's people needed to grow and multiply. Egypt as a current world leader was the place that God chose. 

Joseph's brothers action against him was clearly viewed as sinful. Read Genesis 42:22, Reuben declares as much. If God was the catalyst in Joseph being thrown into a pit, possibly murdered, or being sold as a slave, then God was the cause of sin. This can not be as we know God is not the author of sin! I believe God did have a plan but the way in which the plan was to come about was never set in stone. This was certainly not a case of righteous judgment against Joseph or his family. The brothers were jealous and acted on their own. What they intended for harm against Joseph, God used for good. God did intend for Joseph to be in a position of leadership and strength which is clear from Joseph's own dreams; the manner in which it worked was not necessarily all of God's doing. I firmly believe their are other such places in scripture where we can see God as having an ultimate goal or plan yet men thwart God's plan at certain points yet, God still can take these actions and work them toward the desired goal. 

To often God is seen as a being that moves everything like pawns in a giant plan to accomplish God's goals while creation has no say or choice in the play leading to the finale. I believe that far more than not, God shares the movements that reach toward the finale with creation. What makes for a greater God? One that must make sure every single aspect of life towards the final goal of All In All is strictly controlled, or a God that can sit back and let creation develop a true relationship in which there is give and take, a sharing in the plan, yet still see the plan through?