Says the prophet, "When Thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Let favor be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness, . . . and will not behold the majesty of Jehovah." Isaiah 26:9, 10. Thus it was after the Flood. Released from His judgments, the inhabitants of the earth again rebelled against the Lord. Twice God's covenant and His statutes had been rejected by the world. Both the people before the Flood and the descendants of Noah cast off the divine authority. Then God entered into covenant with Abraham, and took to Himself a people to become the depositaries of His law. To seduce and destroy this people, Satan began at once to lay his snares. The children of Jacob were tempted to contract marriages with the heathen and to worship their idols. But Joseph was faithful to God, and his fidelity was a constant testimony to the true faith. It was to quench this light that Satan worked through the envy of Joseph's brothers to cause him to be sold as a slave in a heathen land. God overruled events, however, so that the knowledge of Himself should be given to the people of Egypt. Both in the house of Potiphar and in the prison Joseph received an education and training that, with the fear of God, prepared him for his high position as prime minister of the nation. From the palace of the Pharaohs his influence was felt throughout the land, and the knowledge of God spread far and wide. The Israelites in Egypt also became prosperous and wealthy, and such as were true to God exerted a widespread influence. The idolatrous priests were filled with alarm as they saw the new religion finding favor. Inspired by Satan with his own enmity toward the God of heaven, they set themselves to quench the light. To the priests was committed 333 the education of the heir to the throne, and it was this spirit of determined opposition to God and zeal for idolatry that molded the character of the future monarch, and led to cruelty and oppression toward the Hebrews.

Profeten siger: "Når dine domme rammer jorden, lærer de, som bor på jorderig, retfærd."Vises der nåde mod den gudløse, lærer han aldrig retfærd; ser ikke Herrens højhed." Es. 26, 9-10. Sådan var det efter syndfloden. Så snart Guds straffedomme ophørte, gjorde jordens beboere igen oprør imod ham. Guds pagt og hans love var blevet forkastet af verden to gange. Både menneskene før syndfloden og Noas efterkommere gjorde oprør mod Guds autoritet. Så sluttede Gud pagt med Abraham og antog sig et folk, der skulle tage vare på hans lov. Men Satan begyndte straks at lægge sine snarer for at forføre og tilintetgøre dette folk. Jakobs børn blev lokket til at indgå ægteskab med hedningerne og tilbede deres afguder. Men Josef var tro mod Gud, og hans troskab var et varigt vidnesbyrd om den sande tro. For at slukke dette lys benyttede Satan sig af Josefs brødres misundelse, så at de solgte ham som slave til et hedensk land. Men Gud greb ind i begivenhederne, for at Ægyptens folk skulle få kendskab til ham. Både i Potifars hus og i fængslet fik Josef en undervisning og oplæring, der sammen med gudsfrygt beredte ham til den høje stilling som landets førsteminister. Fra Faraos palads nåede hans indflydelse ud i hele landet, og kundskaben om Gud spredtes vidt omkring. Israelitterne i Ægypten opnåede også fremgang og rigdom, og de, der var tro mod Gud, udøvede en vidtrækkende indflydelse. Afgudspræsterne fyldtes med forfærdelse, da de så, hvordan den nye religion vandt tilslutning. Satan indgød dem det samme fjendskab mod Himmelens Gud, som han selv nærede, og de besluttede at slukke dette lys. Det vær præsterne, der skulle uddanne tronarvingen, og det var deres hårdnakkede oprør mod Gud og deres iver for afgudsdyrkelsen, der kom til at præge den fremtidige monarks karakter og resulterede i, at hebræerne blev udsat for grusomhed og undertrykkelse.