Kingdom of God
The Book of Beginnings • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 37:57
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· 460 viewsWhat does a king require?
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The sovereign God exalts His suffering servant to kingship in order to save the world.
Therefore we can rest assured that His suffering servant our king will indeed save!
INTRO
If you brought a copy of Gods Word with you today please turn to and if you did not bring a copy you can follow with us on page 33 of our pew Bibles. We will be covering both chapter 40 as well as 41 today. Due to the length of these chapters we will not be reading them in their entirety but rather will be looking at some specific verses contained therein.
As you are turning to let me tell read you a story Jesus told found in .
36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
Question for you...
What in the world does that text have to do with what we are talking about today?
Before we answer that let us pray over God’s word today.
PRAYER
SERMON BODY
So remember where we left Joseph off from our last chapter. He was falsely accused and sent to the kings prison.
Chapter 40 opens with verse one saying:
1 Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt.
So verse 1 does not tell us how much time passed exactly just that some time had passed before this event. Maybe you were like me and always assumed that these events were back to back, but they were not their was time in between all of these events we would do well to remember that. If for nothing else then our own perseverance and longsuffering under trials.
So here you have Joseph in the prison and at this point running the show and the two servants of Pharao come down there because of some offense, we don’t know what exactly but in light of al that happens it really does not matter. While they are in jail with Joseph they have dreams, each of them have dreams. According to verse 5 each with its own interpretation.
5 And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation.
So naturally Joseph being the kind of guy he was notices that they are not looking so great, they were troubled by these dreams and he asks them to tell him, [remember he had had some experiences with dreams in his past also]. Joseph is very clear in verse 8 that any interpretations given by him will come from God.
8 They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”
The Cupbearer
The cupbearers dream was one of a super fast growing grape cluster. From vine to flower to cluster in a matter of moments, in his dream the cupbearer took the grapes pressed them into juice for Pharaoh into his cup and gave the cup into his hand. This vine in his dream was made up of three branches.
Josephs interpretation for him was that each brach stands for three days and that in three days he will be returned to his post once again! Yay! thought the cupbearer this is good news right? Yes so Jacob asks him in verse 14...
14 Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. 15 For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”
The Baker
Since that was good news, and when you are in jail you can always use good news the baker told Joseph his dream also.
In the bakers dream there were three baskets of bread on his head and the birds kept coming and stealing and eating the bread out of the top basket. What could that mean you ask? Well Joseph tells us, and it is not good news.
The three baskets stand for three days and the birds will not be eating bread they will be eating your flesh after the king hangs you.
After three very long days, I would imagine, everything comes to pass just as Joseph has said and Joseph was released from prison and given a parade for being the best dream interpreter around! right!? No! Well, yes and no, Joseph was right and it all comes to pass but as verse 23 tells us Joseph was left alone yet again.
23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
Does this man remind you of yourself as much as he reminds me of me?
Do you ever find yourself coming to God for relief from something and then forget to remember Him later?
Chapter 41.1 gives us a reference point again.
1 After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile,
After a while Joseph would have come to the conclusion that he had been forgotten about. He would have just resigned himself to his lot in life.
What would you have done? Would you have been angry with God? Would you have stopped being righteous in your dealings with others? Would you have stopped managing the prison well more focused on your own miss-fortune then doing what God has brought you to do? You know that scripture tells us that those who are faithful with the small things can then be trusted with the larger?
So two years later Pharaoh has a dream, or should I say dreams.
Pharao
As he is standing by the nile in his dream seven good healthy fat cows come out and fed on the grass. Then seven ugly skinny cows came out after them and ate the big healthy fat cows but after they did you would think that they had not eaten anything. Naturally just as we have experienced in our lives he awoke from this strange and disturbing dream. When he fell asleep again he had a second dream. In this dream there were seven ears of grain were all growing on one stalk, they were all plump and healthy. Just as before a ugly withered unhealthy stalk with seven ugly withered heads of grain swallowed up the good and again Pharaoh awoke.
8 So in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
Like us Pharaoh wanted answers and like us he wanted a deeper meaning and like us he was looking for it in all the wrong places.
9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “I remember my offenses today.
So the cupbearer recaps the experience he had with Joseph for Pharaoh. Pharaoh sends for Joseph, Joseph gets all cleaned up and comes before Pharaoh. Pharaoh tells Joseph that he has heard about his ability to intemperate dreams.
16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”
Pharaoh recaps his dreams for Joseph and explains that no one can help him so far. - This is the climax of these two chapters… do you remember Rocky and Bullwinkle? Will Joseph be able to interpret these dreams? Will Pharaoh ever be able to sleep again? Find out next time on Joseph the Dreamer...
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one. 27 The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine. 28 It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, 30 but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land, 31 and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. 32 And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about.
Gen 41.25
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.
Joseph makes it clear who is the one who gave the dreams, who it is that gives the interpretation, and who it is who is in control. God gave the dream, God gives the interpretation, and God is in control!
The thing that is most astounding to me is what he adds in verse 32. “The doubling means that it is fixed by God” Joseph himself had two dreams that were really one, that God would raise him up to a position where his brothers and even his father would be bowing down to him. This also was fixed by God and in Gods good time He too would bring this about!
Gen 41.
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one. 27 The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine. 28 It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, 30 but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land, 31 and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. 32 And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about. 33 Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. 35 And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 36 That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.” 37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.”
After all that had happened to Joseph he still believed, he still had faith, he still trusted God! Joseph had spent his life being faithful in the little things and now God was going to put him over much!
Gen 41.25-
Joseph proposes a great idea to Pharaoh to store up the excess from the seven good years so as to have enough food for the seven bad ones. The idea was pleasing to Pharaoh and all who heard it. Pharaoh like all those who spent time with Joseph was forced to recognize that God was with him.
Gen 41.
38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.”
2 and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass. 3 And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile.
38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are.
Pharaoh gave him his signet ring, dressed him in royal clothes, gave him a chariot and informed all of Egypt that Joseph was in charge and that they were to “bow the knee before him and obey him”. Pharaoh gave him a new name and a wife and put him to work as the overseer of all of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt.
Joseph was 17 when he got sold into slavery and for 13 years he toiled, seeking to be faithful in the little things, knowing that God had revealed to him his destiny and that the thing was fixed by God and would happen in Gods time.
Joseph went about his work that he was called to. He stored up so much grain that they stopped keeping track of it all. He had two sons before the famine hit.
51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” 52 The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
At the end of the seven years of plenty the famine began just as God had said through Joseph. The famine was severe and those who had not know as Joseph did were not prepared. The section closes on 41:57 which says.
57 Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.
If it would not have been for Joseph humanity may not have survived!
The point of this whole narrative is this:
The sovereign God exalts His suffering servant to kingship in order to save the world.
God in His sovereign omniscience exalts Joseph to a position of authority in order to save not only his brothers but anyone and everyone that will come to him to buy grain. The sovereign God exalts his suffering servant to kingship in order to save the world from starvation through Joseph. Yet again in Christ the sovereign God exalts his suffering servant to kingship in order to save the world from sin.
Like Joseph, Jesus left His rightful home to come to a land which did not respect or recognize him, rather we accused and afflicted him. Jesus took on the form of a servant, yet at the proper time God exalted him in order that all who come to him might be saved, not just the jews but all mankind. Not saved from a famine of food but starvation of the soul!
As a Christian we like Joseph are here in a land that is not our own. We like Joseph are called as servants to be faithful in the little things that one day we too might be exalted. We like Joseph when given the opportunity should be diligent to be good stewards of the harvest of which God has made us overseers. We like Joseph ought to be faithful and wise servants, whom God has set over His household, seeking to give others of His spiritual food at the proper time.
Joseph knew that the famine was fixed by God and that it would happen only in a matter of time. We know as Christians that Jesus will come again, that it is fixed by God and is only a matter of time.
Jacob did not know, Judah did not know, Potiphar did not know, Potiphar’s wife did not know, the jailer did not know, the baker and the cupbearer did not know, Pharaoh did not know, even Joseph did not know. But God knew! He knew His time, His plan, His purpose.
The sovereign God has exalted his suffering servant [Jesus] to kingship in order to save the world. When will the harvest be over? When will the famine hit? When will He come again to claim that which is His and leave the rest?
36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
Matt 24.
Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
As a Christian we like Joseph are here in a land that is not our own. We like Joseph are called as servants to be faithful in the little things that one day we too might be exalted. We like Joseph when given the opportunity should be diligent to be good stewards of the harvest of which God has made us overseers. We like Joseph ought to be faithful and wise servants, whom God has set over His household, seeking to give others of His spiritual food at the proper time.
If you are called Christian then I beg you to be about the business that your father has called you to. Stay awake and keep watch for the Lords return, for blessed be the servant who is found at work when the master comes!
Serve the King!