Life of Joesph Part 3
Notes
Transcript
Life of Joseph Part 3
Life of Joseph Part 3
Life of Joseph Part 3
We talked about ending the Sins of Past generations to pass
Living our dreams /// Road there not always pretty ///
Recap
Have faith that God has a plan...
We talked about ending the Sins of Past generations to pass to our family
Living our dreams /// Road there not always pretty ///
Living a life of Integrity,
That our work and how we carry our selves is a part of our witness
Have faith that God has a plan...
Asked the question, are we living our life and walking with God… So close that he not only will bless us but those around us...
Living a life of Integrity,
That our work and how we carry our selves is a part of our witness
Today we are going to pick up the story where Joseph interprets the Pharoahs dreams...
In Genesisn
God had used two dreams to single Joseph out as the leader of Israel (37:5–9). He had used two dreams to test Joseph’s faith in the prison (40:5–23). And now he would use two dreams to elevate Joseph from the horrible prison to the glory of the court. Joseph had proven himself faithful in the little things again and again; now he would be put in charge of great things.
Asked the question, are we living our life and walking with God… So close that he not only will
God had used two dreams to single Joseph out as the leader of Israel (37:5–9). He had used two dreams to test Joseph’s faith in the prison (40:5–23). And now he would use two dreams to elevate Joseph from the horrible prison to the glory of the court. Joseph had proven himself faithful in the little things again and again; now he would be put in charge of great things.
Pharaoh’s
bless us but those around us...
Today we are going to pick up the story where Joseph interprets Pharaohs dreams...
*After two whole years, Pharaoh had a dream that he was standing by the Nile. 2 Seven fine-looking and fattened cows suddenly came up out of the river, and they grazed in the meadow. 3 Then seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the riverbank. 4 The ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine-looking and fattened cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.
5 He slept and dreamed a second time. Seven ears of grain suddenly came up on one stalk, plump and good. 6 *Then seven thin ears, scorched by the east wind, sprang up after them. 7 The seven thin ears devoured the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream.
NOTE
Modern English Version. (2014). (Thinline Edition, ). Lake Mary, FL: Passio.
God had used two dreams to single Joseph out as the leader of Israel (37:5–9).
None of the experts knew what to make of the dreams.
Not even the magicians
He had used two dreams to test Joseph’s faith in the prison (40:5–23).
And now he would use two dreams to elevate Joseph from prison to the right hand of Pharaoh
Seeing this… The cup bearer remembered…
Finally after forgetting his promise to Joseph… and told Pharao of this guy named Joseph
Joseph had proven himself faithful in the little things again and again; now he would be put in charge of great things.
When Jospeh was summoned before Pharao, he told him that the interpretation was beyond his power....
*“He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much. And he who is dishonest in the least is dishonest also in much.
BUT not GOD’s
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*After two whole years, Pharaoh had a dream that he was standing by the Nile. 2 Seven fine-looking and fattened cows suddenly came up out of the river, and they grazed in the meadow. 3 Then seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the riverbank. 4 The ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine-looking and fattened cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.
5 He slept and dreamed a second time. Seven ears of grain suddenly came up on one stalk, plump and good. 6 *Then seven thin ears, scorched by the east wind, sprang up after them. 7 The seven thin ears devoured the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream.
It is important
None of the experts knew what to make of the dreams.
Not even the magicians
Seeing this… The cup bearer remembered…
Finally after forgetting his promise to Joseph… and told Pharaoh of Joseph
When Jospeh was summoned before Pharaoh, he told him that the interpretation was beyond his power....
BUT not GOD’s
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Theres a lot to learn from this…
We all have certain things in life that we are good at… some we are not…
We have to know that the Gifts we have… are not our own…
We are entrusted with the talents and gifts from God
to be used for his Glory…
In this world… we face so many problems…
Politically, culturally there is a great divide… tensions between people….
I watch all these news stations calling in the experts… They need to call in Godly people willing to use their gifts…
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Both of Pharaohs dreams showed there were going to be 7 years of feast and 7 of famine.
When Joseph interpreted these dreams…
God’s revelation demanded a response. So Joseph advised Pharaoh to choose an intelligent and wise man
33 “Now, therefore, let Pharaoh seek out a man who is discerning and wise and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officials over the land and collect the fifth part of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven abundant years. 35 Let them gather all the food from those good years that come and lay up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. 36 This food will be for a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will be in the land of Egypt, so that the land does not perish during the famine.”
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Something I see in this little portion…
We do not have to self promote when we serve God
Sometimes we want to push our dream to the point that WE are the ones placing ourselves in positions…
You don't think Joseph had the idea… that he would be good for the Job
He had been sitting on his dreams… wondering where life was taking him for 13 years!!!
Now he is talking to the most powerful person of authority… He gained influence with him by just being willing to serve…
Following Gods lead…
What is he felt Joseph was just trying to gain position… he would think that he was coming with a angle…
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37 The counsel seemed good to Pharaoh and to all of his servants. 38 *Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom is the Spirit of God?”
39 *And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. 40 *You will be over my house, and according to your word all my people will be ruled. Only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”
41 *Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42 *Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand and arrayed him in clothes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.
What a journey… 13 years earlier having his fine Coat of many colors ripped off of him… now its being restored…
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Moving through the scriptures…
Beginning in …
A casual reading might lead to the conclusion that Joseph was simply making life difficult for his brothers.
But there is more to it than that.
Because of his dreams.. Joseph knew that his brothers were destined to be stars (i.e., leaders) under his authority.
But the last time Joseph was with them, they were filled with jealousy, hatred, and anger, so much so that they attempted to destroy their brother and deceive their father.
That is not the stuff of leadership, spiritual or otherwise.
Joseph’s purpose, then, was to test them to see if they had changed.
So He came up with a plan where he could put them into situations that were similar to past events to see if they would act differently.
The first test was a test of conscience.
Joseph arranged things to see if the brothers remembered what they did to him and had any regrets
opens with a note that the famine was widespread, reaching even Canaan where the family lived (42:1).
So Jacob sent his sons down to Egypt to buy food for them.
He sent all his sons except Benjamin (42:4)
because he did not want to risk losing him.
Why didn't he send Benjamin?
Maybe he was scared of what happened to Joseph… he wanted to protect his only other child with Rachael
Jacob had to know what kind of people they were. Joseph use to tattle on them…
When the brothers arrived in Egypt, they came to Joseph and bowed down before him.
Joseph recognized them right away. It must have been reassuring for Joseph to see his brothers bowing before him, that is exactly what his dream was…
Joseph “pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them” (42:6–7).
Speaking through an interpreter, he accused them of being spies—
not once, but four times (42:9, 12, 14, 16).
I think he was trying to jog their memory…
think about it…
they had considered Joseph a spy for their father,
Joseph was putting them in a similar situation to see how they would react.
When they protested that they were innocent men (42:10–11), they mentioned that there was another brother (42:13),
Joseph decided that he would keep them in prison until one of them went and got the younger brother
Gave them sometime to think about what they had done…
After a three-day custody of the brothers, Joseph altered his plan a bit: He would keep one of them there in custody, Simeon, and the other nine could go home with the grain they bought (42:19, 24).
But if they did not return with the younger brother to prove that they were not spies, Simeon would be killed.
With this new arrangement, the brothers began to sense that something powerful was happening to them.
21 *Then they said one to another, “We are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. Therefore, this distress has come upon us.” 22 *Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not speak to you, saying, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Therefore, his blood is now required of us.” 23 They did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter. 24 *He turned himself away from them and wept, but then turned back to them again and spoke with them. Then he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.
Joseph had their silver that they had purchased the grain with… put into their sacks
At a way station one of them opened his bag and discovered the money.
They just knew that they were going to be accused of being thieves…
Think of how they were feeling.. returning home with out Simeon…
Jacob tells them Joseph is dead, Simeon is no more… and you will take Benjamin away?
Test of Conscious Test of Jealousy
Things were bad in the land…
When they had eaten up what they had bought, Jacob sent them to go buy more.
Judah said.. hey wait.. we cant go back without Benjamin…
Judah tells Jacob… he will be personally responsible.
Jacob instructed them to take all kinds of gifts to the man,
the best products of the land, including balm, honey, spices, myrrh.
They also took double the money that was in their sacks.
The brothers hurried down to Egypt to get things settled, not knowing what to expect.
They were quickly taken to the governor’s (Joseph’s) house. They were terrified, thinking they were going to be imprisoned and made slaves.
They tried to explain the situation about money to the steward, but the steward told them not to be afraid because their God must have put that money in their sacks
How could God be doing these good things when they felt so guilty?
They were reunited with Simeon…
Jospeh started being nice to them…
They were going to eat with Joseph at noon
And when they came before him they were shocked .
They presented their gifts to him and bowed down to the ground before him,
thus fulfilling Joseph’s dreams precisely (37:7).
When Joseph saw his brother Benjamin, he asked if this was the younger brother, the one of whom they had spoken. Then he blessed Benjamin, saying, “May God be gracious to you, my son” (43:29).
Then Joseph was moved with compassion (43:30; and had to leave the room.
By its description of the words and feelings of Joseph, the text is showing that the prayer of Jacob was being answered in a way that he could not have imagined, for he had prayed, “May God Almighty give you mercy [rakham] as you go before the man …” (43:14). Joseph could not hold back his tears; he had to leave their presence to compose himself (43:30; cf. 42:24).
At the meal, the brothers realized something else very troubling had happened—
they were all seated according to their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest (43:33).
It was clear to them that someone knew a whole lot more about them than they were comfortable with—
they may have assumed it was God, or perhaps the ruler’s powers of magic
Even though they were likely uneasy, they enjoyed the meal, eating and drinking freely (43:34).
Benjamin got the hook up!!!
—he received five times more food than all the others.
Joseph was trying to see if there was a hint of jealousy in them, but there did not seem to be any, for they all were comfortable with the fact that Benjamin was being given special treatment (43:34). This was a second test, like the test of conscience earlier (42:1–38).
Test of Conscious Test of JealousyThe test of Loyalty
The final test from Joseph involved not only putting the men’s silver back in their sacks, as at the first trip, but also placing Joseph’s silver cup in the sack of Benjamin