God Still Blesses His Children

God Still Blesses His Children


Text: Genesis Chapters 48-50 Our Focus Text: 48:3-5; 49:1,2,28,33; 50: 7-9,13,15-21

What we will see is that the Nation of Israel has begun:

Gen 49:28 says All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.

God allowed Jacob to spend 17 more years with his entire family before he died. It had been 12 years since the famine was over and some say Jacob should have taken his family back home. He was not in the promised land.

The Bible says:

Gen 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

We also know God told Abraham:

Gen 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
Gen 15:14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

No one could have known that this unknown nation would be Egypt. No one could have known when all this would come about, but it has begun as the scriptures are saying.

God's Word will be fulfilled because God knows all things.

Isa 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
Isa 46:10 [Declaring the end from the beginning], and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
Isa 46:11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
Isa 46:12 Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness:
Isa 46:13 [I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.]

There is no one that can figure out what God is doing or how He created it all, other than we have His Word to tell us:

Ecc 3:11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

Joseph was still second in command of Egypt. We should believe that it would have been almost impossible for him to leave Egypt. He would provide for his family as long as he lived. The children of Israel were on the best land in Egypt and Pharaoh himself was paying them to do what they loved to do. They were herdsman and shepherds. They did not have to roam to find grass for their own herds. In our way of thinking, they really had the best of both worlds. Not many of them would even want to leave Egypt.

The Bible says:

Psa 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

Jacob had seen peace in his family for these 17 years but Jacob knew that he did not want to be buried in this foreign land. He wanted to be buried where Abraham, Isaac were buried. That's not so much different than all of us. We seem to want to be buried next to our family. Jacob remembered what God had said to him:

Gen 35:12 And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.

Joseph was a faithful son and made a promise to his father that he would take him home.

You know when we die our bones may be buried in the soil of this earth but Jesus is coming back to raise us up and to take all of us home. Our souls will be reunited in a glorified body. Our home is in Heaven:

1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, [even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him].
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

Just as Jacob, when we die we will pass from time to eternity!

Jacob had played many parts in his life time:

1.) He had been a "trickster" with Esau:

Gen 25:30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.
Gen 25:31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

2.) He had been a "runaway" for this same Esau:

Gen 27:41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

3.) He had been a "stranger" to Laban:

Gen 29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.

4.) He was "hire hand":

Gen 30:28 And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.

5.) He was God's "prince":

Gen 32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

6.) But he was the father of the nation of Israel:

Gen 49:28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.

Jacob left a rich heritage for his family. He had not done many things right but once he found God he grew in faith and reliance and through it all his family was regathered and all in one accord at his death.

Jacob had found peace by knowing God!

Jacob would be remembered, even in the time of Jesus:

The woman at the well ask Jesus this question.

Joh 4:12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

*****Our Text:

Gen 48:3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
Gen 48:4 And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
Gen 48:5 And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.

Gen 49:1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
Gen 49:2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.

Gen 49:28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.

We know that Jacob became very emotional at this time near his death.

Gen 48:11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.

Jacob had never expected to see his son Joseph ever again and yet God had reunited this family in the last years of his life. Not only had he seen his son but he had gotten to see the children of Joseph. This was a great blessing to Jacob and he was showing it.

Now Jacob was explaining to Joseph the promise of God in the land of Canaan. This is the land God had promised to the Nation of Israel. Jacob knew that Joseph would never return to Canaan while he was alive and it was Joseph that would get the blessing of the first born. He was the first born of Rachel but Reuben was his first born son.

Because Reuben had defiled the relationship by committing a sin with the concubine of Jacob, he would not get the blessing of the firstborn son.

Gen 49:3 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
Gen 49:4 Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

Jacob used this opportunity to tell Joseph that he was adopting the two sons Ephraim and Manasseh, and by doing this thing they would get their portion of the land in the new Israel. This would be the same as giving Joseph a double portion. By a legal adoption this could not be changed.

Heb 11:21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

In "type" we can see that this is a type of the Church being adopted and given a double portion of the inheritance of King Jesus as He will be the recipient of the promise to King David and Abraham.

1.) Abraham:

Gen 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

2.) David:

2Sa 7:11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
2Sa 7:12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
2Sa 7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

Psa 89:3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
Psa 89:4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

Psa 89:29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

Psa 89:33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
Psa 89:34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
Psa 89:35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.
Psa 89:36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.

Psa 132:11 The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.

Act 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
Act 2:31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Act 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

It is Jesus Christ that began the Church!

To continue we can see that Jacob had more concern for strength in the ways of God, character, and leadership than in the order of birth.

We also know that God is no respecter of persons as is proven throughout the Bible. God is a whosoever will God and does not limit His Ways to one group of people but to all people the exact same.

We hold these things in our own hands. All we need do is accept the free gift of Salvation and all these things will be given to each and every one of us.

The Bible says:

Joh 3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
Joh 3:35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

Joh 17:7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 [But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins].

AND IT IS STILL BY FAITH!

*****Our text:

Gen 49:33 And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and [was gathered unto his people].

Gen 50:7 And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,
Gen 50:8 And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen.
Gen 50:9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company.

Gen 50:13 For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.

We can think what we want too but when the Bible says Jacob was gathered to his people it does not mean those that were left behind.

No, Jacob was gathered to to Rachel and Leah and to Abraham and Isaac and Sarah and Rebekah and all those that had gone on before him including Deborah the nurse to Rebekah.

All those that have gone on before us are in Heaven waiting on us to get there! Yet, if you do not know Jesus Christ as your Saviour you will never see them again!

Jacob was gathered up by all his family that awaited him in Heaven.

Genesis 50 tells us that Jacob had elaborate funeral. The Egyptians were experts at preserving dead bodies. Jacob's body had been preserved in order for all these things to happen. [Later in the time of Jesus, the Jews would have a custom to bury their dead on the same day that they died].

As far as we know Joseph remained in his position of authority until the day he died. Joseph was moved to tears to hear that after all these years his brothers still carried their burden of guilt.

You know if we do not ask for forgiveness daily through prayer, we then will carry our burden of sin and there is no doubt that this brings Our Lord Jesus to tears when we carry a burden that He suffered so much for to free us of our sin.

There are many that believe that you can lose your salvation. This also brings Jesus to tears because it takes away from what He did for us on the cross. Once saved, you are truly saved. You didn't do anything to deserve it and you cannot lose it. God does not take His gifts away.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Joseph calmed their fears:

Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Jesus calms our fears;

1Jn 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; [that ye may know that ye have eternal life], [and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God].

Our sin will not be remembered against us!

Mic 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and [thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea].

Psa 103:11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
Psa 103:12 [As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us].

Isa 38:17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: [for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back].

Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: [for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more].

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, [God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh]:

Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, [that he might redeem us from all iniquity], and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

God would not say these things if He did not mean them!

The only "predestination" of any human being, is that all are predestined to go to Heaven that believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Joseph lived to be 110 years old. He was about 17 years old when he came into Egypt. He was 30 years old when Pharaoh made him second in command of Egypt. He remained in that position for 80 years and for 80 years he served God and his people but he also served the Egyptians as fairly as the rest.

Psa 84:12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Joseph through a Holy God had saved many people from suffering death by starvation. He also helped change the course of history of many nations by preserving Israel.

We may think that one man or one woman cannot make a lot of difference in this world but when that one person is touched by the hand of God it can affect the world on a global scale.

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God wrote:

2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

We will also notice that when Joseph died he had not asked to be taken out of Egypt for burial at that time. By him being so honored by the Egyptians it was to the advantage of Israel for him to be buried in Egypt. But he did make them promise to take his bones with them in the future when he knew God would call them out.

God's promise to Abraham would be fulfilled.

Joseph would later be buried in Shechem:

Jos 24:32 And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and [it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph].

Jacob had bought this land:

Gen 33:18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.
Gen 33:19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money.

The covenant to Abraham had passed to Isaac, then to Jacob and now to these twelve sons. Joseph was not a patriarch in this same sense.

Gen 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Gen 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
Gen 17:9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

The death of Joseph concludes the Book of Genesis but it did not end the story of God working with this nation but that story has just begun.

Joseph never got to read Romans 8:28:

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

But we can see that when the Apostle Paul was inspired to write it so we could read it that God had already proven this to Joseph.

Joseph said:

Gen 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

The brothers of Joseph had allowed fear to rule their lives for 17 years. How many of us have allowed our own guilt to rob us peace of mind just because we have not trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We could never save our selves. We "never" could! We cannot keep ourselves saved. We can "never" do that! Only through the saving "Grace" of Christ Jesus" Our Lord can we get to Heaven. "Our only work is to be believe". It's not to blow up people. It's not to harm those that do not believe as we do.

When we do not accept that fact, [we are still living with a burden of sin].

Christ Jesus did all the work to get us saved and He said all that work was finished!

The Book of Genesis ends here but it is only the end of the book of the Beginnings. The last of the beginnings is the birth of the Nation of Israel.

God created and developed a World. God filled this world with creatures of all sort. Humanity is a story of people and their relationship with this Almighty God. We can still see how this world still tries to have their own answers for this Creator God. They will never know Him as He is until they accept Jesus Christ for who He is! The Supreme God and the Creator of it all.

Is God still searching for a faithful people?

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: [for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him].

When Genesis began we first saw "Elohim".
Through Joseph we saw "El Shaddai".
We will next see "Jehovah God".

We have studied the beginning and we know God will complete what He has begun!

Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

We can only discover what God intends for each of us as we see His blessings before our very eyes. Every blessing comes through faith. If we do not act on the truth of God we will remain LOST.

The Book of Genesis has taught us that God is absolutely necessary for a complete life on this Earth and Eternal Life in Heaven. Without God we will never understand this world we live in. The Book of Genesis teaches us that it is God who holds the secrets to life and He tells us all about it in His Holy Word.

Israel, since 1948 is still located in the promised land of God. It has nothing to do with America. It has nothing to do with the United Nations and it has nothing to do with all those surrounding Muslim nations.

Do you realize there was not one, not one Muslim in the world at the time of God's promise. There will always be trouble from those that deny the Word of God and make their own way!

Back at the beginning when Satan distorted God's Word:

Gen 3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
Gen 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, [and ye shall be as gods], knowing good and evil.

There can be only one God!

Psa 12:3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
Psa 12:4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?

Let's take the new beginnings God gives us when we are saved and serve the Lord as long as we live. Joseph served 80 years that we can account for. I waited to late in life to attain that goal but I can make my own new record because I also have the newness of life through Jesus.

Let's Pray!

Security In The Lord

God Secures Those He Owns

Our Text: Genesis Chapters 46-47

Our Thought for today:

Gen 46:3 And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:
Gen 46:4 I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.

God goes where His children go!

God would give Jacob seventeen more years with all his sons before his death. Once Jacob was convinced that his son Joseph was alive, he wasted very little time in making plans to go to Egypt.

Joseph gives to all of us an example of the rewards for trusting and waiting on the Lord. His reward was that he was not only favored in the eyes of God but he had seen his own family reunited with God and reunited with each other.

You know God has a way to bring all families back together but it can only happen according to His Word for it to last. It will then last for eternity!

Despite a world going through a famine God had put a plan in place many years ahead of that time. God had placed certain people in certain situations so at the time of His choosing, the chosen of God would not suffer the same as the world.

God has such a plan in place for His Church now!

1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

In reality the children of Israel were not bothered by the famine once they got to Egypt because of Joseph.

The Church will not be bothered by the tribulation period because of Jesus.

Even so we also know that certain of the Nation of Israel will also be preserved during the time of tribulation but just as they had to live in Egypt during this famine, they will will go through the tribulation period of seven years.

You see we all serve the same God. The same God Joseph served.

So the Bible says:

Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

God will preserve and secure His Own!

God's children will never be forsaken!

The Bible says:

Psa 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
Psa 37:24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: [for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand].
Psa 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
Psa 37:26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
Psa 37:27 [Depart from evil, and do good]; and dwell for evermore.

You see we are born sinners. We are not sinners because we sin! WE SIN BECAUSE WE ARE SINNERS!

We must depart from evil and do good. That takes an action on our part but it can only be accomplished by holding to the hand of the Lord.

Jesus is the only way!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Jesus Christ is the only truth of this world:

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall [make] you free.

Notice the word "make". It does not say "set" as some versions say.

"Set" means: To put, place or fix in any situation. God set the sun, moon and stars in the firmament.

"Make" means: To bring into any state or condition; to constitute.

God told Jacob not to fear, "I will go down with thee" and He has this same message for each and every one of His saints, His believers, His children.

The Bible says:

Deu 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Deu 31:7 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.
Deu 31:8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

Again the Bible says:

Isa 41:8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
Isa 41:9 Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.
Isa 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

He will be holding our hands wherever He sends us and whatever we do, if it abides by His Word!

*****Our Text:

Gen 46:1 And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.
Gen 46:2 And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.
Gen 46:3 And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:
Gen 46:4 I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.
Gen 46:5 And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
Gen 46:6 And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him:
Gen 46:7 His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.

I believe we can see that even with the good news of Joseph and the invitation to go to Egypt to be with his son, Jacob knew he also needed to hear from God. Beersheba was a special place to Abraham:

Gen 21:33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.

Isaac the father of Jacob had dwelled at or very near Beersheba:

Gen 24:62 And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.
Gen 24:63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.

It was southwest of Beersheba.

Jacob knew if God would talk to him, surely He would at this place.

In our early walk as a Christian we will make many mistakes. We should learn from them. We will not stop making mistakes until we get to Heaven but we should not be making the same mistakes over and over again or it will show that we are not learning and not obeying the Word of God. Jacob was cautious this time before he left Canaan land, the Land Promised of God to the children of Israel.

Jacob stopped to pray at Beersheba and God came to him in a vision. God called Jacob by name. We know God is no respecter of persons:

Act 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
Act 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

If God knows the name of Jacob, He knows the name of all His children.

The Bible says:

Exo 33:17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, [and I know thee by name].

Again: The Words of Jesus.

Joh 10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: [and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out].

We will always be known by our name though some will get new names:

The Bible says:

Mat 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
Mat 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
Mat 17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

Notice that even at this time of the transfiguration, Moses and Elijah are still known by their own names. We will be known by our names!

Isa 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.

It should be a real comfort to know that a Mighty God will call you one day by your own name.

Remember He said "Lazarus, come forth".

We are not nameless individuals in the eyes of God but we are real people, with real names, with real problems who have a real God, not some Idol nor some false deity that does not care. We have a God who cares for each and everyone of us.

The Bible says:

1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1Pe 5:7 [Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you].

God knows more about you than you know yourself:

Psa 139:1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
Psa 139:2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
Psa 139:3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
Psa 139:4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
Psa 139:5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
Psa 139:6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Psa 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
Psa 139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
Psa 139:9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Psa 139:10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
Psa 139:11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
Psa 139:12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
Psa 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
Psa 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
Psa 139:15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Psa 139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
Psa 139:17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
Psa 139:18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

You see God knew Jacob was frightened and God knew how to calm Jacob.

We should never try to leave God out of any part of our lives. It's called "Pray, pray, pray and then pray some more".

God is not limited to space and time as we are. God is everywhere, all the time!

Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Once Jacob was made aware of the truth then faith took over.

You see that's what it's all about. Once we are made aware of the truth:

Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

That's when we place our faith in the Word of God. It is the truth of God that makes us free. Without His truth we remain bound to Satan and the lies of this world. When we know Jesus Christ as our Savour then the things of this world will not mean anything to us because we will know we are only here for a little while, because Heaven is our home. Heaven is not just a place to the Christian. Heaven is home and we will be going home whenever God calls us home. One at a time through the death of our flesh, our tabernacle or all at one time through the Rapture of the Church.

The Hebrew word "Elohim" is mentioned 2366 times as God in the Old Testament. He is the Living God. He is the God of Creation. He is the Eternal God. He is the Sovereign who is in control of all things.

He does not give us the spirit of fear:

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Such peace can only come to us through Jesus Christ our God and Savour!

Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

There were sixty six souls of the bloodline of Jacob that went into Egypt but 430 years later there was an army of 603,550 men, plus women and children and even some that just wanted to go with them that left Egypt.

Again in "types", when Christ ascended back to Heaven from the Mount of Olives, His Church was very small. When He calls out His Church from this world there will be a really great number.

You see God has promised a home to all them that follow Him:

2Co 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Rom 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

Christ owns us!

He bought and paid for us on Calvary!

Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, [which he hath purchased with his own blood].

All those that assemble and [reject the Blood of Jesus] cannot truly call themselves a part of the Church of the Living God.

*****Our text:

Gen 46:28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.
Gen 46:29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
Gen 46:30 And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.

The land of Goshen:

It is certain that Joseph lived close to this region because he was able to be easily notified of the arrival of his family in Goshen and then travel out to meet them. The region of Goshen is only 30 to 40 miles long (maybe 900 square miles total), bordered by Lake Timsa and the Nile itself. One of the amazing things noted in Scriptures, during the events leading to the exodus, was that God protected this geographic region from some of the plagues which were felt throughout the rest of Egypt.

A few major cities are identified with the region of Goshen, notably Pithom and Rameses, especially in regards to the slave labor of the Israelite in the generations following Joseph. These store cities were likely expanded due to the memory of Joseph's earlier actions in storing provisions in the face of famine. Clearly the decendants of Jacob, themselves, were spread throughout the entire region as they were multiplied greatly during this time.

It is likely that Rameses was a regional name, even at this much earlier period, because Rameses is a title simply meaning "begotten (or born) of (the Sun god) Ra" or "of the (Sun god) Ra". This could be applied to either places or people, as it was with the Pharaoh later on. In this view, the region is first called the district of Rameses, then a store city is named after the district, and finally the Pharaoh, who were from this region were called by the same name.

Untill Joseph made his brothers aware that he was their brother they never recognized him. This was not the same with Jacob. Jacob knew it was his son as soon as he laid eyes on him.

In "type" God will always know us just as we will know Him.

1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

1Jn 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

You know Joseph was second in command of the most mighty nation in that day but to his father he was still just his son. Joseph respected his father just as Christ respected His Father in Heaven.

Jacob was now at peace. He could rest.

You know the saints of God have a rest that will come one day when we meet our Savour.

The Bible says:

Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

We may be away from Our Lord at this time but there is never a final good bye. We will be together again and we will also join up with all our loved ones that have gone on before us.

Joseph knew that Egyptians belief were different than those of his family. There was a great dislike for shepherds. Joseph told his family to say that they were more cattlemen than they were shepherds of sheep. A shepherd was an abomination in the eyes of the Egyptians. The Egyptians had made gods of cattle and especially of the bulls.

During the early dynastic period animal gods were gradually anthropomorphed, being portrayed with animal or bird heads on human bodies. Over the course of time these animal deities appeared many different ways, including in full animal form, animal heads with human bodies, and completely human. In all of these various forms, animal deities were drawn performing human activities, such as engaging in battle and conquering enemies.

Among the most important animal cults were the bull cults, which appeared in Egyptian writings as far back as the First Dynasty. The ancients believed that the powerful bull represented the personality of the king; slate palette dating back as far as 3100 BC even show kings as bulls. This animal was chosen because it symbolized the king’s courageous heart, great strength, virility, and fighting spirit. Bulls’ horns even embellish some of the tombs of courtiers who served the first Saqqara kings.

Priests of the bull cults identified a sacred bull by its very specific markings. Once the bull was proclaimed to be a god incarnate, it was taken to the temple compound where it was purified, stabled in majestic quarters, fed the best foods, and given a herd of the finest cows.

The Apis bull cult is probably the best known of the three most prominent and divine bull cults, and it is considered to be the most sacred. Herodotus wrote that the Apis was the "calf of a cow which is never afterwards able to have another. The Egyptian belief is that a flash of lightning descends upon the cow from heaven, and this causes her to receive Apis."

The Apis bull was originally considered to be the incarnation of the god Ptah, the creator of the universe and master of destiny, but this was a lesser-known association. Later the Apis became widely known as the incarnation of Osiris, god of embalming and cemetaries, when Ptah himself took on funerary characteristics and became associated with Osiris. Plutarch wrote that the "Apis was a fair and beautiful image of the soul of Osiris". At any rate, only one bull was considered to be the sacred Apis at a time; a replacement could be sought upon the death of the bull. The new Apis was transported to Memphis on a boat with a specially built golden cabin.

Of course all this was working in the plan of God. The children of Israel would remain separated from the Egyptians and their blood lines would remain pure.

Here again we see a "type" of Christ. We see Joseph stood as the mediator between Israel and this Pharaoh.

And Christ:

1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Heb 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Heb 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Heb 2:12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
Heb 2:13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

The Lord will never cast off His people:

Psa 94:14 For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.

Jesus said:

Joh 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

When a sinner trusts Jesus Christ a Savour, he is then sealed at that very moment and hidden with Christ Jesus In God. The believer will not be rejected nor thrown out of the family of God!

The Bible says:

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

*****Our text:

Gen 47:1 Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen.

Gen 47:5 And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee:
Gen 47:6 The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.
Gen 47:7 And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

Gen 47:11 And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.
Gen 47:12 And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to their families.
Gen 47:13 And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine.

Gen 47:20 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's.

We see Jacob the patriarch of God's chosen family at that time. A family of just over seventy people giving a blessing to the Monarch of the known world at that time.

This action also is a "type" of the Second coming of Christ in which Christ will, at His second advent, present His brethren, the Jews, in the court of heaven, restoring them to the place of blessing in the earth. As Jacob here blesses King Pharaoh, so Israel’s portion in the Millenium will be that of blessing the kings of the earth.

The Bible says:

Gal 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

It was Jacob that was the Elder of these two men. Notice how Jacob responds to the question of Pharaoh. "How old art thou? "

Jacob says the days of his pilgrimage which means he considered himself a temporary resident. You know at one time Jacob wanted to build a house which is a permanent residence.

You know the Bible says there things we can do to lengthen our days on this earth:

1.) 1Ki 3:14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, [then I will lengthen thy days].

In other words to be obedient to God's Word.

2.) Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: [that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee].

3.) 1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Faith and trust in Christ Jesus is the only answer to life's problems.

Jacob and his family were given the best land in Egypt for raising cattle and crops:

Psa 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Psa 84:12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

We should also notice in verse nine "few and evil have the days of the years of my life been" that Jacob said it is the evil's of this world that is the reason he wasn't going to live as long as his grandfather and his father.

We all know how smoking, drinking, drugs both illegal and legal are shortening people lives and this does not take in affect the absolute evilness that goes on in this world. Just this week more than 300 people were killed in some fashion that made the news. There is no telling what the actual count was throughout the world.

No matter how far medical science has come it is the word of God that still reigns true.

The Bible says:

Psa 90:9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
Psa 90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

Only the most developed nations have a life span average that approach what God says. Most undeveloped countries fall short such as Laos which is around 55 years.

What we see near the end of chapter forty seven is that at the end of this famine the ruling government owned all the land and all the animals. In fact the government owned all the people except the false religions which were allowed total freedom and sustenance.

We see that God has secured those that belong to Him but the rest of the world were slaves to false religion and the ruling government.

We should ask ourselves "Where are the leaders of America taking us?" In fact every individual should ask themselves this question where ever they live. We see that God will secure His own but the World Governments are all about ruling and taking away the rights of the people.

These Egyptians had to pay 20% back to the government for using land they use to own and animals they use to have. They owned nothing and never would.

Wake up America! Wake up World!

We see false religion linked up to the government:

We find the out come in the Book of Revelation:

Rev 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

To move on we know that indeed the Nation of Israel did grow from from this small family and into a nation while they themselves were in bondage.

On May 14th, 1948 this nation again was back in the land God gave them.

1.) There are now over 6,000,000 people living in Israel.
2.) They have a working democratic government.
3.) They have a military strength that is the envy of many nations,
4.) They have developed agriculture techniques until they are self sufficient and even market products to the world.

God has truly blessed them:

The Bible says:

Isa 35:1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.

In these final chapters of the Book of Genesis we see a family regathered. A family that loves and respects one another. The past has been forgotten. It was time to build the nation God had promised to Abraham. Through Joseph, this family had been saved, they had been preserved.

The saints of God are preserved forever by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jud 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Jud 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Jesus will save all (whosoever) that will come to Him and He has promised eternal life to all that do so:

Psa 89:29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

Pro 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Let's Pray!

God Sustains Us

God Sustains

Text: Genesis 41-45

Focus: Genesis 41: 14-16, 28-31, 38-40; 42:2,3,5,6; 45:3-8

Here is a good thought:

What we are about to see is that Joseph, the dreamer, at the age of about thirty years old was in one of the most crucial places of leadership, influence and service in all the history of mankind. Joseph had been a shepherd but he would soon be on the right hand of the Pharaoh, the king.

As Joseph was the solution to Pharaoh’s problems, so Christ Jesus is the solution to all who call on His name. He will relieve your heart of all its burdens. As Joseph was first Rejected, and then Exalted, Jesus is now taking a Gentile Bride to be with Him(the Rapture) when the “Time of Jacob’s trouble” comes upon the earth. The faithful believer will be abundantly recompensed for the disgrace he has patiently suffered and his righteousness will shine forth so all will know that God is with him.

Here again as we study in this first Book of the Bible we will see many "types". If we watch we can see a "type" of Christ, a "type" Church and a "type of Christian and even some others. Those that so easily toss away the "truth" of God's Word for some manmade thinking are dooming many to Hell and themselves to eternal torment.

Pilate ask Jesus:

Joh 18:38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?

The Truth is!

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.

Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

This is the unchangeable truth!

God said to leave His truth alone.

Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, [If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book]:
Rev 22:19 And [if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book].

God doesn't ask us to be religious, He does ask us to be righteous. We can only be righteous through the saving blood of Jesus Christ.

Eph 4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
Eph 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

A wise man once said:

Pro 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Pro 30:6 Add thou not unto his words, [lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar].

Joseph trusted the Lord and through him the children of Israel became the nation of Israel.

God uses men to have His way in this world!

We will also see that "guilt" will never grant peace to a man but, "forgiveness" will always bring peace to the forgiver. Satan binds people in the chords of guilt. He tells the unbeliever that a true God could never forgive such an evil person. That they are too "black" of a sinner to be washed "white" with the "red blood" of Jesus. We know that Our Lord is a "whosoever will" God. If he had limits, then I would probably not be saved today. To be free from the prison of sin, you need faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Forgiveness is the "knife" that cuts the chords of guilt.

Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
Heb 10:15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
Heb 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
Heb 10:17 [And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more].

*****Our Text:

Gen 41:14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
Gen 41:15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.
Gen 41:16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

Gen 41:28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.
Gen 41:29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
Gen 41:30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
Gen 41:31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.

As we begin again in this study of Genesis, let's remember the covenant to Abraham:

Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Everything we have studied up till this point has been toward the fulfillment of this covenant. God is about to build a nation in ways we could never dream of. You see God has a plan for each and everyone of us and we each play some part in the fulfillment of God's plan.

We can either be blessed as we serve in the will of God or we can be in misery as we serve in the will of God. We make that choice ourselves. God will put us in place and sustain us if we will just be obedient and have patience.

God also told Abraham:

Gen 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
Gen 15:14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

The Bible says:

Psa 105:24 And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.

God made the nation of Israel great while they were in bondage. He made them stronger than their enemies.

We only have to look across the ocean and we can see that Israel still stands as a nation created from this time in the Book of Genesis.

We talked earlier about God making revelations in dreams and we see again that these dreams were to an individual of that did not know the Lord God, El Shaddai.

These Egyptians had many gods, they still do. To Pharaoh this God of Joseph was just one god among many. A Pharaoh later, in the years of Moses, would find out the truth in a harsh way.

It had been two years since the baker had been hung and the butler restored to his functions for Pharaoh. This butler had forgotten about Joseph as soon as he was restored. You see it wasn't in God's timing.

You know Joseph probably didn't have to take the time to clean up and shave but he did have respect for this king. The Bible teaches to have respect for those that sit in the seat of authority. This may have been the key to Pharaoh choosing Joseph to guide Egypt through these coming years.

The Bible says:

1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1Ti 2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

You know I would clean up to go before the Mayor of our city, the Governor of our state or surely our President but I have to be God cleaned to go before my Lord. There is only one way to be that clean:

Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Joseph quickly told Pharaoh that it was not he but God that would give him the answer. You see if we do not give God the glory some drastic things can happen whether we are saved or not.

For instance take Herod for an example:

Act 12:21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
Act 12:22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
Act 12:23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, [because he gave not God the glory]: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

If we think these things do not happen then we are wrong. It is a Holy God that sits on the throne of "His" creation.

What we see is that Joseph even in his darkest hours has never forgotten, WHO IS IN CHARGE. We can see Joseph here as a "type" and an example of what a Christian should be like.

God did indeed speak to men through dreams in the past. God now speaks to "us all" through His Own Words which He has delivered to us. There will not be any new revelations from God that go against His written word.

If His Word is settled in Heaven then it is settled on this Earth also:

Psa 119:89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
Psa 119:90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.
Psa 119:91 They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.

*****Our Text:

Gen 41:38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
Gen 41:39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
Gen 41:40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

Joseph was wise, way beyond his years:

(1)He had shown that wisdom when he ran the house of Potiphar for some years.
(2)He had shown it when he ran away from Mrs. Potiphar.
(3)He had shown it while he was locked away in prison.
(4)He had shown his wisdom when he cleaned himself and shaved before going before this Pharaoh.
(5)He had shown it when he gave God the glory for everything that happened in his life.

Now God would back up a dump truck full of blessings and dump them on Joseph. Now, God does not make everyone of us rich on this Earth but one day in glory we will see the riches of His Kingdom.

My Lord Jesus is a King:

Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

God used Pharaoh to bless Joseph on Earth:

1.) Pharaoh acknowledge that Joseph had wisdom from his God.
2.) Pharaoh made Joseph the ruler over his own house.
3.) Pharaoh made Joseph second in command over Egypt.
4.) Pharaoh made Joseph the lawgiver in Egypt. (the ring)
5.) Pharaoh dressed Joseph like royalty.
6.) Pharaoh made the world bow down to Joseph.
7.) Pharaoh gave Joseph a new name (treasury of the glorious rest)
8.) Pharaoh gave Joseph a gentile bride.

Can we see a "type" of Christ ?

1.) Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

2.) Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

3.) Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Php 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

4.) Eph 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

5.) Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

*****Our Text:

Gen 42:2 And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.
Gen 42:3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.

Gen 42:5 And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
Gen 42:6 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.

Gen 45:3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.
Gen 45:4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
Gen 45:5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
Gen 45:6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
Gen 45:7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
Gen 45:8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

When we talk about "types" in the Bible we, for the most part, see "types" in people. If we take a close look in the plan of Joseph we can see another "type".

Before the famine was to come Joseph stored up enough corn and grains to see everyone through those years.

Now take a look a God's plan of redemption:

1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 1:20 [Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world], but was manifest in these last times for you,

We can see that before the first sin was ever committed (famine) God had already put in place the means for redemption. (God's plan, Christ's blood)

Everyone even all non-believers would bow to Christ.

Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

God's plan was not some after thought. The World can never get "one up" on God.

The Bible says:

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Jacob, as the patriarch, knew that his family would not survive this famine unless he could get them food. It was in desperation that he sent his ten sons to Egypt.

We are about to see the first of Joseph's dreams come true:

Gen 37:8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

You know God has His own methods of reminding us of unconfessed sin in our lives:

A wise man once said:

Pro 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Pro 28:14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

"and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth"

When Joseph hid the money back in those sacks he again was showing a "type" of Christ.

Christ always does more than we might expect! If we cannot trust the KEEPING POWER of God how can we trust the SAVING POWER of Christ Jesus.

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. [But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound]:

The Bible says:

Eph 3:20 [Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think], according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

When Joseph heard the plea of Judah, he could no longer contain his emotions. He no longer wanted to embarrass his brothers, he wanted to embrace them. Forgiveness is a wonderful thing in each persons life that will forgive. God makes it a rule, a command, for all His children:

Mar 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Mar 11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

We cannot be forgiven unless we are forgiving others. How many of us fail when we just cannot forgive?

Joseph said, I am Joseph:

Our scripture says:

Gen 45:7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
Gen 45:8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

God had told Abraham that the children of Israel would spend four hundred years in a foreign land.

God chose Egypt for many reasons:

1.) Egypt was a country in which Jacob's descendants would be forced to remain a separate and distinct people.

2.) There would be almost no intermarriage. This was not the case in Canaan.

3.) They could not even eat with the Egyptians, because of the diet differences.

4.) They were shepherds. This was an abomination to the Egyptians.

God said:

"I will make of thee a great nation" God needed for the blood lines to remain Hebrew to develop this nation of Israel.

Was Joseph the foreshadow of the Saviour?

1.) Both were beloved of their fathers.

Joseph:

Gen 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children

Jesus:

Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

2.) Both were shepherds:

Joseph:

Gen 37:2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren;

Jesus:

Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

3.) Both were sent by their fathers:

Joseph:

Gen 37:13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.

Jesus:

Luk 20:13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.

Heb 2:12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

4.) Both hated by their brethren without a cause:

Joseph:

Gen 37:4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him,

Jesus:

Joh 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

Joh 7:5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.

Joh 15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

5.) Their brethren plotted against them:

Joseph:

Gen 37:20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

Jesus:

Joh 11:53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

6.) Both were severely tempted:

Joseph:

Gen 39:7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

Jesus:

Mat 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

7.) Both taken to Egypt:

Joseph:

Gen 37:28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

Jesus:

Mat 2:14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
Mat 2:15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

8.) Both stripped of their robes:

Joseph:

Gen 37:23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;

Jesus:

Joh 19:23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
Joh 19:24 They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.

9.) Both sold for the price of a slave:

Joseph:

Gen 37:28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

Jesus:

Mat 26:14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,
Mat 26:15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

10.) Both were bound:

Joseph:

Gen 39:20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.

Jesus:

Mat 27:2 And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

11.) Both remained silent and offered no defence:

Joseph:

Gen 39:20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.

Jesus:

Isa 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

12.) Both were falsely accused:

Joseph:

Gen 39:16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.
Gen 39:17 And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:
Gen 39:18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.

Jesus:

Mat 26:59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
Mat 26:60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

13.) God was with them both:

Joseph:

Gen 39:2 And the LORD was with Joseph,

Gen 39:21 But the LORD was with Joseph,

Gen 39:23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.

Jesus:

Joh 16:32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

14.) Both respected by their jailors:

Joseph:

Gen 39:21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

Jesus:

Luk 23:47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

15.) Both placed with two other prisoners of which one of those was lost and the other saved:

Joseph:

Gen 40:2 And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.
Gen 40:3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.

Jesus:

Luk 23:32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.

16.) Both were around thirty years old when their ministry began:

Joseph:

Gen 41:46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

Jesus:

Luk 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,

17.) Both were highly exalted after their suffering:

Joseph:

Gen 41:41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

Jesus:

Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Php 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

19.) Both took Gentile brides:

Joseph:

Gen 41:45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

Jesus:

Eph 3:1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
Eph 3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
Eph 3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
Eph 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
Eph 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Eph 3:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Eph 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
Eph 3:12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

20.) Both lost their brethren for awhile:

Joseph:

Gen 42:7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
Gen 42:8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

Jesus:

Rom 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
Rom 10:2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
Rom 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Rom 11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
Rom 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

21.) Both forgave and restored their brothers:

Joseph:

Gen 45:1 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.
Gen 45:2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.
Gen 45:3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.
Gen 45:4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
Gen 45:5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

Jesus:

Zec 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
Zec 12:11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
Zec 12:12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;

22.) Both visited and honored by all nations:

Joseph:

Gen 41:57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

Jesus:

Isa 2:2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
Isa 2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Isa 49:6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

Don't you just love the written word of God? People say they cannot understand it but they just will not read the Book that God took so much patience to preserve for us and it was the job of this nation, Israel, to bring the Word Of God to the World. The proof of this is that we have God's Word and that the Nation of Israel still stands.

You know in Joseph's day he never knew just how important his time in Egypt was. He could only see the small part of preserving his family. He did not fathom that he was preserving the soon to be Nation of Israel. We are the same today. Every Christian is just a cog in the wheel of God's plan. In fact every living soul is.

Those that acknowledge God and His Son and His Spirit and His plan will go home to Heaven one day to live eternally with Him. Those that do not will end up in the burning lake of fire. That's just the facts. THAT'S JUST THE TRUTH!

Joseph had faith that God would work things out for his good and He did. We should all have the same faith Joseph had.

Let's Pray!

God Will Prove Us

God Proves Joseph


Text: Genesis 39;40 Our Focus: Genesis 39:1-4, 7-12, 20-23; 40:14, 15, 23.


We know Joseph as the eleventh son of Jacob, the first born of Rachel. We have met Joseph the dreamer. We will now meet Joseph the slave.

A whole new world opened for Joseph. Instead of being the favored son in the house of his father, he was a slave in the house of a foreigner. Here Joseph would prove himself to be a person of ability and integrity. We will see him show moral uprightness and mature responsibility. You see God helped Joseph and he was successful in doing the things that were assigned to him.

The Bible says:

Pro 3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
Pro 3:2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
Pro 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
Pro 3:4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Pro 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Pro 3:8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

Joseph had no Bible to read, what Joseph did came from the heart. How many of us would just have given up under such circumstances. Remember Joseph was also a very young man at this time and he was in the middle of a pagan nation that not only worshipped their king but many other foolish things. Joseph was not in the line to the Messiah so if God gives this much space in His book to one individual then it must be important to us. Joseph is also a type of Christian, an example for us all.

God always allows trials in our lives. There will be times of testing but God will always prove faithful through them.

Let's take a brief look at ancient Egyptian religion:

Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of beliefs and rituals which were an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. It centered on the Egyptians' interaction with a multitude of deities who were believed to be present in, and in control of, the forces and elements of nature. The myths about these gods were meant to explain the origins and behavior of the forces they represented, and the practices of Egyptian religion were efforts to provide for the gods and gain their favor. We can see that this is a religion of works and not "Grace".

"Formal" religious practice centered on the pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Although he was a human, the pharaoh was believed to be descended from the gods. He acted as the "intermediary" between his people and the gods, and "was obligated to sustain the gods through rituals and offerings" [so that they could maintain order in the universe]. Therefore, the state dedicated enormous resources to the performance of these rituals and to the construction of the temples where they were carried out. Individuals could also interact with the gods for their own purposes, appealing for their help through prayer or compelling them to act through magic. These popular religious practices were distinct from, but closely linked with, the formal rituals and institutions. [The popular religious tradition grew more prominent in the course of Egyptian history as the status of the pharaoh declined]. Another important aspect of the religion was the belief in the afterlife and funerary practices. The Egyptians made great efforts to ensure the survival of their souls after death, providing tombs, grave goods, and offerings to preserve the bodies and spirits of the deceased.

The religion had its roots in Egypt's prehistory, and lasted for more than 3,000 years. The details of religious belief changed over time as the importance of particular gods rose and declined, and their intricate relationships shifted. At various times certain gods became preeminent over the others, including the sun god Ra, the creator god Amun, and the mother goddess Isis. For a brief period, in the aberrant theology promulgated by the pharaoh Akhenaten, a single god, the Aten, replaced the traditional pantheon. Yet the overall system endured, even through several periods of foreign rule, until the coming of Christianity in the early centuries AD. It left behind numerous religious writings and monuments, along with significant influences on cultures both ancient and modern.

We know that the religion of Egypt is now Muslim. According to the constitution of Egypt, any new legislation must at least implicitly agree with Islamic law; however, the constitution bans political parties with a religious agenda. We can still see that any other religion would still be considered an abomination in Egypt.

Our text:

Gen 39:1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.
Gen 39:2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
Gen 39:3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
Gen 39:4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

These Ishmaelite were descendant of Ishmael the son of Abraham through the mistake of Sarah. We can be sure that they knew that Joseph was also a descendant of Abraham but they showed no mercy.

Just so there is no confusion, Ishmael the son of Hagar and Abraham and Midian the son of Keturah and Abraham are essentially brothers. Abraham sent him and his brothers East. The children of the east were of Ishmael. These two groups, the Ishmaelite and the Midians, are interrelated.

We find further proof in the Book of Judges:

Jdg 8:22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
Jdg 8:23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.
Jdg 8:24 And Gideon said unto them, [I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)]
Jdg 8:25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.
Jdg 8:26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment [that was on the kings of Midian], and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.

We can see here that these names are interchanged meaning the same people or at least people who associated very close together. The Bible does not make mistakes.

We now meet Potiphar:

The name "Potiphar" means "belonging to the sun". This was no child of God.

He was:

1.) An officer of Pharaoh.

In other words he was commissioned by Pharaoh to perform public duties.

2.) The Captain of the Guard.

As Captain of the Guard he was responsible for the protection of Pharaoh, his body guard.

3.) He was an Egyptian.

He was not some converted foreigner as some kings would have but a full blooded Egyptian.

(verse two,three,four)

We have already seen how the brothers of Joseph acted. How Judah had yielded to the flesh with Tamar. You can search the Bible but you will not find bad things written about Joseph.

"the Lord was with Joseph"

The Bible says:

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

We will see the truth of this verse in the life of Joseph.

We can see that others noticed how God worked in the life of Joseph.

We will see that Joseph is a "type" an example of what a Christian should be.

The Bible says:

Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Php 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
Php 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Php 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

We can see how Joseph reacted:

Col 3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Col 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

We can see how God will work in the life of a believer even under bad circumstances. We are never alone, the Lord is always with us no matter where we are at.

We do not see hate for anyone in this young man who trusts in the Lord. God had been known only as Elohim and El Shaddai but we are seeing the actions of Jehovah God in this life of Joseph.

The Bible says:

Mat 23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
Mat 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
Mat 23:10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
Mat 23:11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

*****Our Text:

Gen 39:7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.
Gen 39:8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;
Gen 39:9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
Gen 39:10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
Gen 39:11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.
Gen 39:12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

Temptation. First consider this:

Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Jas 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Since we have the Word of God, we know the results of Joseph in Egypt. We know this temptation did not come from God. That only leaves one place, Satan.

Why does it seem that women are used a lot by Satan. I can't answer the question, "are women more suscitable to Satan's use" but I do know, men are attracted to women. I believe that to be part of the creation of God. Women are used in more advertisements than any other thing because they will get a look and most of the time a second look and more, from men.

Job had the right idea:

Job 31:1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

As single people living in this immoral world it will be good to listen to Job and see also this time of Joseph.

Joseph might not have totally understood this one but he understood what God meant:

The Bible says:

1Co 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

and:

Pro 6:24 To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
Pro 6:25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
Pro 6:26 [For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life].
Pro 6:27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
Pro 6:28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
Pro 6:29 So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
Pro 6:30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;
Pro 6:31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
Pro 6:32 [But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
Pro 6:33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
Pro 6:34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
Pro 6:35 He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.]

Joseph also would find this truth:

Pro 30:20 [Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness].
Pro 30:21 For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
Pro 30:22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
Pro 30:23 [For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

Christ Jesus warned us about the lustful look:

Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

(verse 9)

Let's not forget that Joseph was a slave. To say no to his master "could mean death". Joseph explained that everything in the house was in his control except Mrs. Potiphar. It would be a sin(wrong) to do what this woman asked but more important it would be a sin in the eyes of God. Joseph resisted knowing that this woman considered this an act of disobedience. Joseph placed his trust in God and hoped to show Potiphar his trustworthiness.

(verse 10-12)

When this woman saw that they were the only two in the house, she exerted her authority, and trapped Joseph in her clutches and he wriggled out of his clothes and ran. How many of us men would have or could have done this. It would take a lot of strength in the Lord. I pray I have such strength as Joseph.

The Bible says:

Pro 2:10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Pro 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
Pro 2:12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;
Pro 2:13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
Pro 2:14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
Pro 2:15 Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
Pro 2:16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
Pro 2:17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
Pro 2:18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
Pro 2:19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

*****Our Text:

Gen 39:20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
Gen 39:21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
Gen 39:22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.
Gen 39:23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.

If we look again into "types", we can see that in type this wife of Potiphar represents the worldly lust of this world trying to seduce, to entice the Church into the ways of the World. Just as Joseph, the Church must flee from this, but many are falling by the wayside, many are allowing the world inside the Church. The world is now trying to imprison the Church. To take it out of the way and in fact saying that it is the Church that is evil. Saying that it is the Church that is "mocking" all the good things that the World is doing for good.

Just as we will see of Joseph, the true Church will prosper.

The Church must continue in the work God has given us!

The Bible says to the Church:

2Co 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
2Co 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Isa 61:2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

What we see is that Joseph did not have to go very far to this prison. It was in the same house where he served Potiphar. Probably in the basement or what would be called a dungeon.

Proof:

Gen 40:3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.

Remember Potiphar is the "captain of the guard".

The next thing we see is " But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy,"

Jesus said:

Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Heb 13:6 So that we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me".

(Verse 23)

What we now see is Joseph was given a prison ministry:

This the first time we see the word "prison" in the Bible. (verse 22).

You know again in "types" before Joseph would be the right hand of Pharaoh, he had to descend into the prison. He told them about God.

The Bible says:

1Pe 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

The Lord Himself went down into Hell to preach to those prisoners before He ascended to the right hand of God.

Because:

Rom 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

No matter where we take God's Word it will prosper!

Isa 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

You know our prison systems could learn from this time of Joseph. When a man of God can have free time with prisoners much good can come from it. This prison Joseph was in just gave him free reign with the prisoners:

"The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper."

Not only that but even Potiphar knew how things were improved:

Gen 40:4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.

But the main thing that was happening was that Joseph was learning from God. Joseph would be reminded of his own dreams through the dreams of others. He now knew only God could interpret dreams.

"Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you."

*****Our text:

Gen 40:14 But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house:
Gen 40:15 For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.

Gen 40:23 Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.

Joseph had gently asked this butler of Pharaoh to remember him when his dream came true. What Joseph could not have known was it was just not the right time yet.

The Bible says:

Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Jas 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

And to the Church:

Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
Rom 15:6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Joseph could not see the hand of God in all the good that was happening to him in his saddest hour. We are also wrong when we can only see the bad things in our lives and not see that God is still with us and sustaining us.

The Bible says:

Psa 3:5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.

When we wake up from a nights rest, we should thank the Lord.

Psa 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

We will continue with this time of Joseph in our next lesson.

Let's pray!