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We are continuing our study through the book of Genesis this morning. Please turn in your bibles to Genesis 37 and stand if you’re able. Jake will read the bookends of our text this morning.
Genesis 37:1–11 (ESV) — Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan. These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.
Genesis 41:38–45 (ESV) — And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
We begin this morning with Joseph’s two dreams. We will end this morning at the beginning of their fulfillment, which Mike will pick up on in two weeks.
There are three pairs of dreams in our text this morning, which goes all the way from Genesis 37 to 41. We have Joseph’s two dreams, those of the cupbearer and baker, and two dreams of Pharaoh himself.
How seriously do you take your own dreams? Literature and film have often explored the mysterious world of our dreams.
If you’re a Disney fan, you’ll recognize one of the most famous Disney songs, sung in the opening credits of Pinocchio in 1940.
When you wish upon a star,
Makes no difference who you are.
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you.Like a bolt out of the blue,
Fate steps in and sees you through.
When you wish upon a star,
Your dreams... come... true!
If you’re a baseball fan, perhaps you think of the movie, “Field of Dreams,” and the whispered phrase, “If you build it, he will come.” Motivated by a voice and a vision, the main character, Ray, builds a baseball field in the middle of his farm in Iowa.
My thoughts went to C.S. Lewis, Narnia and the Dawn Treader sailing unawares through the dark mist to an Island where all your dreams come true, which sounds great until the crew realizes all of the scary things they have dreamed in the past.
The six dreams in our text are different. First of all, they are given by God himself as mysterious revelations of God’s will for the individuals involved. All six of these dreams predict the future. As a part of our narrative, they set an expectation and direction for our story, and serve as a reminder that God is the main driving character.
We are entering the final section of the book of Genesis where we get our tenth and final “These are the Generations…” chapter markers in 37:2. This is the story of the final generation in the Genesis narrative. Like Abraham, Joseph is going to get a whopping 14 chapters, which give us fascinating insights into God’s Providence and involvement in the deeds of men and nations.
Today we will follow the early years of Joseph’s life, from age 17 to 39. We’ll see Joseph live out his faith in several very different circumstances—from favored son to household servant; from a prisoner to one of the most powerful positions in the world.
Mike will pick up our series in two weeks with some of the later years of Joseph’s life, taking a closer look at God’s sovereignty over all things. What I hope you will see above all else today is that God was with Joseph, and that made all the difference.
The Joseph narrative is eventually going to take us to significant heights of power and prestige. But, it doesn’t begin that way. It begins with your basic family rivalry. Perhaps you can relate to bickering siblings or bickering children or teenagers.
Joseph found himself as the 11th son in a complicated blended family. Not only is there rivalry among the sons, there was also rivalry among Jacob’s four wives. Joseph as a 17 year old lad was assigned the task of being a helper to the sons of Leah and Rachel’s servants, Bilhah and Zilpah. Joseph brought back an evil report to Jacob, their father. As much as sibling rivalry is a part of the story, I don’t know that we have a reason to believe Joseph is being a malicious tattle tale.
Though we would hope that Jacob would have learned his lesson about favoritism toward sons by his own experience with his brother, Esau, it seems he did not. Not only did he treat Jacob with subtle favoritism, he gave him a special robe so that everyone in the family would know who his favorite was. The result of this parenting strategy is not surprising.
Genesis 37:4 (ESV)
Then Joseph has two dreams. Not only is he Jacob’s favored son, but it seems he has also been chosen by God himself to rule over his brothers, and even his father and mother. One does wonder if Joseph was lacking in some emotional intelligence by sharing these dreams with his family. How did he think they would respond? “Oh, sorry brother, now we will treat you with love and respect!” The result is again predictable.
Genesis 37:8 (ESV)
Now, in one of the most famous episodes in all of the Old Testament, Joseph’s brothers conspire against him. Their first plan was just to outright kill him—that would show him! Reuben, who had already forfeited his birthright as the firstborn thinks he might be able to use this situation to his advantage and suggests that they just throw him in a pit. They do, and then “sat down to eat.” While eating their lunch, a group of Ishmaelites come by on a trade route. Judah suggests that they make some money off of this situation, and they sell their own brother into slavery for twenty shekels of silver.
How was God with Joseph in his family situation? His dreams. They were foretelling what would happen many years later, but they were also a sign that God was with him.
Turn now to Chapter 39, where the story returns to Joseph’s plight.
Genesis 39:1–4 (ESV)
Though it seems like Joseph landed in a pretty good gig, don’t be fooled. In Potiphar’s house Joseph is living in a foreign land among foreign gods away from his family. He is not free; he has no rights. As we will soon see, he is beset with temptations daily, and he is eventually removed from this post as quickly as he got it through the lies and injustice of Potiphar’s wife.
We know that Joseph was 17 when he was sold by his brothers, and that he was 30 when he entered Pharaoh’s service. We don’t actually know how many of those 13 years were in Potiphar’s house vs. in prison. But, the Lord was with him in both places.
Genesis 39:19–23 (ESV)
Could Moses have been clearer about what really mattered? Wherever Joseph goes, the LORD is with him.
We don’t know whether Joseph could see that the LORD was in the process of bringing his dreams to pass, but it certainly feels like these were significant detours.
I’m sure this has happened to you, but not long ago, I was driving home after a long day at work. I’m anticipating a warm, home cooked meal, an orderly house, and a warm welcome when I get home. Traffic was bad. As usual, people were inexplicably driving 12 mph UNDER the speed limit on the Highway 55 bypass through Holly Springs. I get through all of that city stuff and onto the country roads that I enjoy. I’m on the home stretch down Angier Road, just a few minutes from my house. WHAM! The road is completely shut down due to an accident. There is no convenient side street to skirt around it. The only way home is several miles back the way I came, and then through Fuquay Varina with more traffic. I’m beginning to wish I hadn’t drunk that whole water bottle before I left work 45 minutes earlier.
I don’t remember what was for dinner that night, or whether the house was orderly when I got there. I probably took those things for granted, but I remember the detour. I remember how much it threatened to steal my joy in the moment, to make me think somehow life wasn’t good or fair. My detour was 14 minutes of inconvenience, tops. Joseph’s was fourteen years of real trials, uncertainty, and difficulty.
If you are in the middle of what you feel is a detour, remember that the Lord is with you in the journey as well as the destination.
The LORD was with Joseph.
While in Potiphar’s house, Joseph encountered a particular kind of difficulty—temptation. We often think of suffering as the circumstances that only bring difficulty from the outside. Sickness, slander, hunger, strife. But temptation highlights our own weaknesses and failures.
Joseph is a great example for us.
Genesis 39:6–12 (ESV)
Perhaps Joseph could have given into the temptation and kept it hidden from Potiphar. Perhaps Joseph could have gone along with the loose sexual morals of the culture. Perhaps it would have been understandable for Joseph to give in since Potiphar’s wife was in a position to do him harm if he dismissed her advances.
But, the Lord was with Joseph.
This is perhaps THE greatest thing to strengthen us in the midst of temptation.
But, how was God with Joseph?
God was in Joseph’s thoughts. Joseph was living Coram Deo, before the face of God. Joseph knew that this situation was not just between himself and Potiphar’s wife. He knew that it would be a sin against Potiphar, her husband, but even more before God.
Psalm 51:4 (ESV) — Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
Our moments of temptation are when we feel the most like God is nowhere near. We forget God. We convince ourselves that he does not see—that he does not care.
One of our greatest helps in temptation is to remember that God is with us, that he sees, that he cares. It seems somewhat childish, but I find it helpful to ask, would you do what you are doing if Jesus were sitting next to you? Would you watch that movie? Would you write that biting social media post? Would you mislead that customer? Would you yell in anger at your spouse or kids? If you truly considered God’s presence, would you have greater faith to choose the right thoughts, words, and actions?
Psalm 139:1–12 (ESV) — O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
Joseph remembered that the Lord was with him.
And he fled the temptation, risking losing everything again rather than transgressing against his God.
There is much we can learn from his response. It was steadfast. It was decisive. He was willing to face the consequences of his obedience.
Our passage this morning does show us a contrast to Joseph’s faith-filled obedience.
As I hope you’ve noticed through our journey through the book of Genesis, the Bible is very honest about the fallenness of its characters. We have seen that over and over again. From our first parents, Adam and Eve, God has not limited himself to working through perfect people. And, as a mark of its authenticity, the Bible does not hide or sugar-coat the significant flaws of its main characters. It is a story of redemption and restoration.
There are moments, still, when we encounter in-your-face depravity which God overcomes by his grace.
If you’re familiar with these chapters of scripture you might have wondered if we were going to skip over Genesis 38. If it were a movie, it’s not one you would let your kids watch.
It is important that we consider why Moses included it here in the middle of the Joseph narrative, as well as what we should take away from it.
Genesis 38:1–2 (ESV)
“At that time” refers back to the end of Chapter 37. Joseph had been sold into Egypt, and Jacob, thinking Joseph had been killed, refused to be comforted, continuing to mourn beyond what was customary, declaring he would mourn until he died and joined Joseph. It sounds like pretty difficult family dynamics at this point in Jacob’s household. It’s hard to imagine all of the sideways glances shared by all the brothers, knowing that Joseph was not killed, but sold out of jealousy and spite.
In other words, Chapter 38 tells what was going on in Judah’s life while Joseph is in Potiphar’s house, in prison, and beginning his service in Egypt under Pharaoh. It is quite a contrast, which is certainly one of the purposes of its inclusion here.
Why do we need to know what was going on in Judah’s life at all? We don’t get the same window into the other 10 brothers’ lives.
The important key to remember is that the covenant promises are going to be carried through Judah’s line, not Joseph’s.
You may be thinking that Judah was not Jacob’s firstborn—and you would be correct. Judah is actually the 4th son. However, through some significant failures, Reuben, Simeon, and Levi have each forfeited their claim to the rights of the firstborn.
Judah is next in line. The royal, kingly line (and therefore the Messiah) will come through him (Gen 49:8-10).
Though Jacob’s family will be rescued from a famine through Joseph’s being sold into Egypt, and though the power of God will be shown through the Exodus of God’s people out of Egypt led by Moses centuries later, the ultimate salvation of the world will come through the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev 5:5).
We’ve already seen that Judah was willing to sell his own brother into slavery and then lie to his father about it.
When Judah left his father’s house, he basically began living like the pagan Canaanites around him.
Thankfully, the story does not end there. Judah does seem to have found some repentance and come to grips with his guilt. We see that in at least two ways.
First, we see in Genesis 38:26 that he eventually acknowledges that Tamar is more righteous than him, and she gives birth to Judah’s twins, which will be in the genealogy of Jesus.
Matthew 1:3 (ESV) — and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,
There is further evidence that this was a redemptive moment for Judah in the way that he behaves later in the narrative when dealing with Joseph in Egypt. We won’t look at that today.
It is abundantly emphasized through this chapter that God’s story is a story of redemption, and that his redemptive plans are not thwarted by man’s sin.
Turn to Genesis 41. Things are about to change for Joseph. For the last 14 years, he has been in slavery or in prison. God has been with him in his difficulties and through his temptations. God again acts in his Providence and intervenes to change Joseph’s circumstances by giving two disturbing dreams to Pharaoh.
Genesis 41:8–14 (ESV)
This all happens rather fast, much like Joseph’s previous changes of position: from favored son to near-death-but-sold-into-slavery; from favored servant over the entire household to unjustly condemned prisoner.
Will this be the break that Joseph has been waiting for?
Genesis 41:15–16 (ESV)
Notice how quickly Joseph points to God and not himself. He didn’t say, “well, I have had some success in the past in interpreting dreams.” He knows where the power and wisdom are.
As I read vv. 25, 28, 32, notice how actively God is involved.
Genesis 41:25–32 (ESV)
God is revealing and God is acting. Even after 14 years of trials, Joseph has a crystal clear picture of God’s Providence over all things.
I’ve used the word “Providence” a few times now, and it may not be a word you’re accustomed to. God’s Providence means that things do not happen by random chance, or by determinism or fate. He is personally, actively working upon and through his creation to bring about his purposes.
We see this in what Joseph is claiming. God has revealed what he is about to do. God is foretelling the future, and he is determining what will happen.
Genesis 41:37–40 (ESV)
God had prepared Joseph for this very moment. We must not think that we can be close to God in the successful, public moments when we’ve not been walking by faith in the difficult times.
There is one more bit of evidence showing Joseph’s continued awareness of God’s presence and blessing. It’s in the naming of his sons. Remember, Joseph has been apart from his father’s house now for almost 20 years, immersed in the paganism of Egypt. When his sons are born, he names them in a way to call attention to God’s covenant faithfulness.
Genesis 41:51–52 (ESV)
We often think of God’s blessings as being most apparent during times of prosperity, but remember these warnings.
Neither Poverty nor Riches
Proverbs 30:8–9 (ESV) — give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
We must learn the secret of having plenty
Philippians 4:12–13 (ESV) — I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Joseph’s dreams did come true.
I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Joshua 1:9 (ESV) — Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Remember that God is present with you in that moment.
1 Corinthians 10:13–14 (ESV) — No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
Flee
Does your story feel more like Judah’s than Joseph’s?
Our hope is not in Pinocchio’s FATE, nor in the whispering voice of a deceased baseball player. We don’t have to dread that our nightmares might one day come true.
Our hope is in another like Joseph that suffered for wrongs he didn’t commit. He was convicted unjustly and punished, even put to death for the sins of others. He did this willingly.
And, like Joseph, he was raised to power, but not just the power of the 2nd command in Egypt. Jesus was raised from the dead and ascended to the right hand of God the Father.
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