From Slave to Hero

I want to once again thank my best friend and husband, Eric Dauber, for his continued encouragement and patience that enabled me to search out the biblical facts and write this book.

I want to also thank my friend and professional illustrator, Mishel McCumber, for creating another fantastic book cover that so honorably depicts the meaning of this book.

And I want to thank the Lord for inspiring me, teaching me and guiding me throughout the writing of this book. To Him, I give all the praise and all the glory!

Dedication

To my grandchildren and to every child who wants to know more about the men and women of the Bible who changed the world for God.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Dedication

Table of Contents

Introduction

Casting Shadows

A Growing Family

Joseph is Born

The Coat of Many Colors

Joseph the Dreamer

Revenge of the Brothers!

Joseph Becomes a Slave

A Servant Arises

Beauty is the Beast

The Dungeon

The Butler and the Baker

The B&B Dreams

Forgotten in the Dungeon

Pharaoh’s Dreams

Pharaoh Calls for Joseph

A Rise to Fame

The Pangs of Death

What Goes Around Comes Around

Dangerous Accusations

The Great Rescue Plan

Getting Even

Opened Eyes Cry Big Tears

Boomerang!

Facing Their Nightmare

Joseph’s Confession

Pharaoh Calls for the Brothers

Tears of Joy

Life in the Wilderness

Joseph Comes Home to Jacob

An Hour of Humility

Joseph, the Master Mind!

Joseph, the Hero

God’s Great Plan!

A Forgiving Heart

Introduction

Most Christians have read something about Joseph, and they know that he was the boy whose father made him a coat of many colors. Others have read about the tragedy that he went through as a child and who he became as an adult. But few actually know the significance of his life.

I’ve read other publications about the life of Joseph and most of them just cover the basic facts that are set out for us in the Bible. Few of them reveal how God planned Joseph’s life so that through him the promise God made to Abraham would be carried out. Unless we truly understand who Joseph is and why God chose him, we will never really appreciate our own lives today.

Joseph is one of the most significant examples in the Old Testament of love, faith, and forgiveness! When we read about his life, we can actually see how God worked through him to teach us one of the greatest lessons we could ever learn.

I wrote this book as a novel; as a story from the beginning of his life to the end. I never changed or added any facts, and I used only the book of Genesis as my resource. However, I did write the lines in between to turn the facts into an exciting story that readers will enjoy.

I also wrote it in a way that will be an excellent read for people of all ages. I hope that children, youth, adults and new believers will read this book and realize the value of Joseph’s life—and how it applies to them today! And to fill in any blanks and answer any questions that I know will be asked, I have added my special helper.

As in all the books of the Crown Series, Grandpa is reading the story to his inquisitive grandson, Lucas, who loves to ask questions! His questions are the ones that I know new believers, children and teens would ask, so I’ve mixed them in with the story so that through Grandpa’s answers, readers will get a better understanding of what they are reading.

Grandpa is a loving character who’s filled with love and blessed with a sense of humor. As he shares this story, we are able to learn the truth about Joseph and the reason why his life is so important to us today.

It’s my hope and prayer that everyone who reads this book will learn and be blessed, and will realize that God loves them and forgives them more than they know!

…Ronnie Dauber

Chapter 1

Casting Shadows

Lucas sat on his bed and sighed heavily as he tried hard to fight the boredom. The sounds of children playing baseball in the park a block away echoed in his ears and reminded him that he wouldn’t get to play in the final tournament this year. Just as he was about to close his eyes in frustration, there was a gentle knock on his bedroom door as it creaked open.

Grandpa! I knew it was you.

Hey, Lucas! How are you doing? Wow! Look at all the signatures and little pictures on your cast. Let me just add mine right here. Okay, so how’s the leg doing now? Still hurting?

It doesn’t hurt as much today unless I try to move around, and then it aches a bit. But I hate it. I’m supposed to be out with my friends, not in my room. What’s in your backpack? Did you bring me something?

Yeah, I thought I’d spend some time with you and help you get through this really traumatic time in your life.

Grandpa, I broke my leg; I’m not dying.

Well, your mom said that you could use some company and so here I am. And I brought you some treats that I thought just might put a smile back on your face. Here’s your favorite—caramel popcorn. Nana made it just for you this morning.

Grandpa, I love this! Thanks.

You know, maybe by next week you’ll be able to hobble around, and I can take you to one of the games. I’m sure the other kids will be glad to see you there.

Grandpa, what’s the point? I can’t play, and I don’t want to just watch them play.

Well, Lucas, you may have a broken leg, and you obviously can’t play, but you can be there to support the others. They could use some coaching from a friend.

Maybe. What else is in your backpack?

Oh, well I brought a book that I want you to read. It will help you to see that you’re not the only person who has bad things happen to them.

Thanks, Grandpa. But I’m not in the mood for reading. Maybe later.

Later? Nah, later never comes. I’ll read it to you, then. I want you to see that life isn’t over because you can’t play in the baseball tournament. Some people in the Bible faced a lot worse than this, and they didn’t get to do what they wanted to, either. But you know what? They became heroes for doing something else.

Those are Bible stories, Grandpa. This is real.

These are real stories about real people, Lucas. They may have happened a long time ago, but they are authentic, and we can learn a lot from them.

Maybe, but did any of them have their best friend trip them on purpose so they broke their leg right in the middle of a game?

Well, not baseball, but there was….

Or did any of them have to sit on the sidelines and watch the game because of what someone did to them?

I know this is hard for you, Lucas.

What my friend did was really mean, Grandpa! And now I can’t play anymore this season—or maybe ever again, and all because of him. He’ll never be my friend again. My whole life could change because of what he did to me.

I see. But you know, Lucas, there’s a guy in the Bible who went through something very similar—actually worse. His brothers did something really cruel to him. This guy not only hurt, but he was scared to death, and he lost a lot more than just a baseball tournament. But you what? He became one of those heroes I mentioned.

Who was that?

Joseph in the Old Testament—he’s the one with the coat of many colors.

Oh! I learned about him in Sunday school, but what did he do that was so important?

Are you kidding me, Lucas? Joseph is very important, and this is why I brought you this book. Joseph had something terrible happen to him, and he thought his life was over, too. But God had a plan for his life, and things really changed for him.

What happened to him, Grandpa? Did he break both legs?

Worse! It sure is a good thing that I brought this book to read to you today. And I bet when we’re done, you’re gonna see that your broken leg isn’t so bad.

Worse than my broken leg, Grandpa?

Yeah, worse than your broken leg!

Okay. I hope you’re right, though.

Of course I’m right, Lucas. This grey hair gives me more than charm, you know. It’s a symbol of wisdom, as well. Grandpa chuckled and then reached into his black leather backpack and pulled out a book.

But Grandpa, don’t you think I’m a little old to have someone read a story to me?

Well, I was hoping you’d read it to me. I’ll just pull up this chair here and get comfortable. Where’s my coffee? Oh yeah, I left it in the backpack. There we go. Okay, I’m ready; start reading.

Well, I can’t eat popcorn and read at the same time. I guess you better read the book to me.

Now you’re talkin’. Oh, I almost forgot to give this to you. Here’s your own little carton of chocolate milk and a green straw, same color as your team shirt. Okay, let’s get to the story. You’re gonna see how God can turn things around to work for good and that our attitude is a big part of it. Are you ready?

Yeah, I’m ready, Grandpa.

"Okay. This is the second book in the Crown Series, and it’s called, From Slave to Hero. It’s the story of Joseph. The first book was called From Cradle to King, and it’s all about the life of Jesus. Great book, too. We read that when you had your tonsils out. Remember?"

Yeah, I got a tub of chocolate ice cream with that book.

"Yes, you did. All right! The first chapter is called, A Growing Family, and it’s the background that we need to know so we can understand why such a bad thing happened to Joseph."

Chapter 2

A Growing Family

Starting at the beginning, we know that God created the Garden of Eden and that Adam and Eve lived in this garden where God visited them often. But when they disobeyed God and allowed sin to enter them, God put them out of the Garden and into the world. Sin continued to grow until God regretted that He’d made people and wanted to destroy the earth. But there was one man named Noah who loved God along with His family.

So God told Noah to build an ark, and he did, and then years later the floods came and destroyed everything wicked on the earth. Noah and his wife, and his three sons and their wives were the only ones saved from the flood. So when the flood waters were gone, Noah and his family lived on the land, and God blessed them. Soon the family spread, and he had a great, great grandson named Abraham.

But by the time Abraham was born, sin had once again come to life, and the land was filled with evil. Abraham was born in the city of Ur of the Chaldeans, which we know today as the country of Iraq. The people didn’t believe in the God of Heaven, and so Abraham was raised to worship idols and to even sacrifice to them. But whenever Noah was alone with Abraham, he told him about God, and as he grew older, Abraham began to realize that the idols around him were wrong and he wanted to know God. God heard his silent prayers, and so after Noah died, God encouraged Abraham to move away from this land that was filled with wicked people.

So Abraham and Sarah packed up their things and prepared to move away. They took his father, Terah, and his nephew, Lot, who he had raised since Lot’s father had died, and they traveled about 500 miles to a land called Haran. We know this land today as the country of Turkey.

Abraham and his family stayed in this land until his father died. By this time, God had shown Abraham that He was real and Abraham loved God with all of his heart.

After his father’s death, Abraham was praying one day, and God told him to pack up his family again and move on to a land called Canaan. Many people refer to Canaan as the Promised Land, and this is where Abraham lived for most of his life.

Okay, Grandpa, so where does Joseph come in?

Well hang on there, Lucas. We’re getting to that. We need to know about Abraham first so we can understand who Joseph is and why he’s so important. Let’s keep going.

Sin continued to spread across all the land, and Abraham was one of the few people left who loved God. Years earlier, though, God had made a promise to Eve that He would send someone to take away the sins of the people so they could be free to be with God again. God would keep His promise, and He would give this promise to Abraham, as well.

Abraham loved God, but he didn’t have a country that he could call home because every town and city was filled with evil people. Abraham didn’t have any children, and he was worried that when he and Sarah died, there wouldn’t be anyone left on the earth who loved God. How could God keep His promise to Eve if there weren’t any good people left? This worried Abraham.

Well, Grandpa, Lot could get married and have kids, so there would still be lots of Christians on earth.

Well yeah, Abraham taught Lot about God, but Lot grew up and moved away and did his own thing. We’ll learn about him in another story. But no, Abraham needed to have kids of his own to pass down God’s message to and to keep people believing in God. Does that make sense?

Kind of, Grandpa. So, did God give him a country?

Well, let’s not rush things! Two people aren’t really enough to become a country. Let’s read on and find out what happens.

When Abraham