The Life of Joseph || Message 3 "It's a Hard Knock Life"

God’s people are never promised a life free from suffering - in fact it is the exact opposite.

James, the apostle goes so far as to urge us to consider it all joy in

James 1:2 CSB

2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials,

Although God speaks to us through every circumstance - God seems to get our undivided attention in times of defeat, loss, and pain.

suffering may cause some people to turn against others and become bitter. It’s not what we suffer, but how we respond that determines whether our trials and struggles change us for the better or for the bitter.

Review

Joseph endured many difficulties:

Joseph was sold into SLAVERY by his brothers.

Joseph was accused of RAPE by his master’s wife

One landed Jospeh in a PIT, the other landed him in PRISON

Joseph’s trust in God never faltered. He believed God would remain faithful to His promises.

Joseph did not allow his heart to become BITTER or RESENTFUL - instead Joseph PERSEVERED.

Chapter 40 picks up in the Life of Joseph and his troubles in Egypt. Every time we see Joseph he is being elevated - something that only God could be lining up.

He is a slave - then placed over the other slaves.

He is put in prison - then placed over the other prisoners; don’t miss this important note - Potiphar was the “captain of the guards” in Pharaoh’s prison system - if Potiphar truly trusted his wife - why would he turn right around and place Joseph in a position like overseeing prisoners? GOD’S FAVOR!

Say it with me - NOTHING CAN KEEP GOD’S FAVOR FROM ME.

All of this points to something that might be going through your mind right now - How does God allow this to happen to someone He loves and has a plan for? I thought giving my life to Christ would bring blessing and prosperity.

God is concerned with His will and His plan - not ours.

God has promised to walk with us through every trial and every valley. We need not worry. He is working it out.

Remember that nothing can separate you from the Love of God.

Remember: Job - What if we prayed a prayer of Job? Oh God - allow me to lose it all, get sores, have all my kids die, my family reject me, my livestock (bank accounts) gone, take it all away - for your glory - I will not turn my back on you, nor be bitter. I know you are working it out. Remember Job did not know that blessings that were to come, He just trusted the giver of all blessings, and at the end of it He stood and proclaimed -

“Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise Him all creatures here below, Praise Him above ye heavenly Hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” Amen and Amen.

Let’s get to this portion.

Genesis 40:1–13 CSB

1 After this, the king of Egypt’s cupbearer and baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guards in the prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guards assigned Joseph to them as their personal attendant, and they were in custody for some time. 5 The king of Egypt’s cupbearer and baker, who were confined in the prison, each had a dream. Both had a dream on the same night, and each dream had its own meaning. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they looked distraught. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?” 8 “We had dreams,” they said to him, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.” 9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: “In my dream there was a vine in front of me. 10 On the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms came out and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” 12 “This is its interpretation,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days. 13 In just three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand the way you used to when you were his cupbearer.

God’s Favor & God’s Power

We must come to a rapid realization that with God’s favor comes God’s power - and we CANNOT get it mixed up!

If God’s hand is on your life, and you are finding favor with God and He is allowing things to happen in your life, your see prayers being answered, things lining up, and such - remember - YOU AIN’T DONE NOTHING! God is moving and working.

It is GOD’S FAVOR and GOD’S POWER at work in your life.

There is punishment v1-4

The Cupbearer and the Baker are sent to prison - (likely due to Pharaoh blaming them for eating bad food, or getting ill after a meal)

A Prophetic Dream v 5-7

Joseph was responsible for the well-being of the prisoners - including the cupbearer and the baker (v4) when they reported a troubling dream - Jospeh was ready to help. (we should learn from this - be ready to help those in need)

They had been in jail for some time and both had odd dreams on the same night.

They were anxious and confused about their dreams.

Have you ever had a dream that seems so real that you wake up and believe the things really happened? Science would call these lucid dreams. Dreams that seem so real that you feel them. The other night I had gone to bed earlier than Jamie and I was knocked out - deep sleeping. I was dreaming about Jamie and I and this cruise we are taking soon (because I am nervous to be on a ship like that) Jamie came in the room about the time I was at a part in the dream that we were falling off the boat and when she laid down beside me and woke me - I grabbed her around the neck and arms - thinking I was saving her from going overboard. I was saving her. She’s my lady. I am her hero. (let’s go with that) and not that I was holding on to her to keep from falling off the boat. :)

Most people on the ancient world attached significance to dreams. The Egyptians and Mesopotamians kept records of dreams and their interpretations. The biblical account of dreams and interpretations proves scriptural integrity as it aligns with customs.

By the means of these dreams the cupbearer and the baker would receive special insights or prophecy into their future.

Bringing us to a controversial topic:

Does God still use dreams to reveal prophetic insight?

General Prophecy - NO.

There is nothing new under the sun and as a preacher of the gospel I feel the need to warn you - If someone comes to you and announces they are received a new revelation from God, they are false prophets. if it’s new - it’s not true.

Be very carful of persons coming to you claiming to have a “special word” over your life, or more so - individuals that claim to have insight into future events (the world will end on this date) a person claiming to be a prophet - that makes heard a prophecy that does not come to pass - is to be put to death (Deut 18:20-22

Deuteronomy 18:20–22 CSB

20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a message in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods—that prophet must die.’ 21 You may say to yourself, ‘How can we recognize a message the Lord has not spoken?’ 22 When a prophet speaks in the Lord’s name, and the message does not come true or is not fulfilled, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.

Failed prophecies are prevalent in group/cults that change the gospel: Mormonism, Christian Science, Jehovah Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, Neo-Hebrewism

Both Seventh Day advent and Jehovah Witness Adventist founder Miller and soon wife Ellen White - said the end of the world would occur in 1883 - then nothing happened they moved it to 1884.

JW’s proclaim that the end of the world would come in war “The battle of the the Great God Almighty” in 1889 and all the earth’s rulership would be handed over to God in the new Heaven. Then later in the watchtower periodical they corrected this and said the downfall would begin in 1975 and all humanity would end as we know it 3-4 years later.

Mormons join in the false prophesies as well. Joseph Smith the delusion founder of Mormonism said he received his insight from an angel named Moroni - here are a few of the failed words. 1. the end of the world “final pruning” would come around 1835. The US government would be overthrown “in a few years - this was stated in 1843.

These are only a few. over the last few hundred years a number of people have come and claimed to have special revelation from God and the authority of Prophecy from God - Charles Russell: jehovah Witness, - Ellen G. White - Seventh Day Adventisits - Mary Eddy: Christian Science. Joseph Smith: Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. Their predictions failed, their cults are founded on peoples ideas and not solely on the word of God. There is no need to change a prophecy given by God; as we see each of the above needed to make, and continue to this day to make changes to their doctrines, ideas, and prophecy - as one after the other fails.

Personal Prophecy - Yes

God may reveal to you, as an individual something of importance. These are not prophecies that change the word of God, or make predictions of the word of God that we do not know. (speculation)

Personal Revelation - God is revealing something to you, for you, or something concerning a situation. It is NOT global (whole church) it is personal (one person, or myself)

I cannot stand here and say that next thursday at noon, all of your problems will be over and that every problem you have will be over - if so, biblically I will be put to death. BUT - I can tell you on more than one occasion God has revealed something to me -for me- or another person, that is not proclaimed to every person but to that person alone. Recently someone ask me to pray that they would get more work, and I said I will pray, and in that very moment God through the Holy Spirit spoke to me and told me to tell this person to get ready- they are about to get work before they even know it. I got a text during the week confirming that the work was coming in just as we had prayed for and that I had heard God speak to me.

Am I as prophet - NO. Do I pray “a lot” yes! Does God speak to me all the time - NO! I believe God gave me a word of wisdom, and insight for one person in their time of need - when they needed to hear it. Because I am a plain person - I was scared even speaking it, but I knew Who it came from.

Beware - false prophets will come and take believers away from the true gospel. Gal.1:6-7

Galatians 1:6–7 CSB

6 I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from him who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—7 not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are troubling you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

We must be a people seeking the wisdom (discernment) of and from God. James 1:5

James 1:5 CSB

5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.

Now back to the life of Joseph>

Joseph Knows His Source.

Genesis 40:8 CSB

8 “We had dreams,” they said to him, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”

Joseph tells them - I know God and all that I can do comes from God.

Likewise - God must be our source - not a resource. In all our ways we are to acknowledge Him, so that He will lead us where He wants us.

God is my ROCK.

Psalm 18:2 CSB

2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Jospeh knew the Rock, He Knew the Fortress, He knew the Refuge, He knew the Stronghold, He knew where his salvation came from -

We MUST know this as well.

The Rock don’t Roll

The Fortress don’t fall

The Refuge don’t hide

The stronghold don’t fall

The Deliverer is on time every time - in time for every need we have.

He is I AM - and He STILL IS! The God of Abraham Issac and Jacob. He is the God who Saves. Do you Know Him today? have you given your life to him?

The Dreams Explained.

Genesis 40:14–23 CSB

14 But when all goes well for you, remember that I was with you. Please show kindness to me by mentioning me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this prison. 15 For I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing that they should put me in the dungeon.” 16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was positive, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream. Three baskets of white bread were on my head. 17 In the top basket were all sorts of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.” 18 “This is its interpretation,” Joseph replied. “The three baskets are three days. 19 In just three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from off you—and hang you on a tree. Then the birds will eat the flesh from your body.” 20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he gave a feast for all his servants. He elevated the chief cupbearer and the chief baker among his servants. 21 Pharaoh restored the chief cupbearer to his position as cupbearer, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22 But Pharaoh hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had explained to them. 23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.

Using the supernatural power of God - Joseph begins to interpret the dreams of the cupbearer and the baker (cupbearer could also be called a butler)

to the CUPBEARER : the cup bearer had a dream of 3 branches

to the BAKER: the baker has a dream of 3 baskets of bread

There is importance to the number 3. Numbers are important. Let’s see the Hebrew meaning

3 = Shelosh - meaning life, and completeness.

3 is sometimes used as an empathetic Semitic triplet - not just holy, but HOLY - HOLY - HOLY it bring attention to the first word and adds importance.

3 - branches giving Pharaoh “new juice”

3 baskets with the top of bread but birds are eating the bread.

Joseph explains to the men:

CUPBEARER - the 3 branches are 3 days, in 3 days Pharaoh will restore you to your place and everything will return to how it was before with you as Pharaoh’s cupbearer.

BAKER - the 3 baskets are 3 days, within 3 days Pharoah will hang you from a tree and the birds will eat your flesh.

On Phararoh’s birthday there was a feast for all the servants and he had the cupbearer and the baker in with them all - then he restored the cupbearer and hanged the baker - just like Joseph had interpreted to them.

Joseph “Remember Me”

Genesis 40:14 CSB

14 But when all goes well for you, remember that I was with you. Please show kindness to me by mentioning me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this prison.

Joseph asks the cupbearer that when things go well for him - please do not forget me in prison.

The cupbearer forgot Joseph -for the time being- maybe Joseph felt deserted, alone, and forgotten - and after he revealed such great news to the cupbearer.

Genesis 40:23 CSB

23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.

Joseph asks the cupbearer to REMEMBER ME when things go well for you

Have you ever felt “forgotten” - I know I have - Spiritually and Personally. It’s not the time to pretend to be super-spiritual and act like you’ve never wondered if God is listening, if God is working, if God even knows you exist.

We all experience seasons of bitter disappointment or circumstances that seem to go from bad to worse. During these times we may struggle to detect God’s work or presence in our lives. We may lose hope in God’s plan or succumb to self-pity while we wait for God to rearrange the scenery. His call to us as believers, however, is to remain faithful even when His voice seems faint and His presence distant.

Joseph’s response to suffering was to keep moving forward in the faith that God was going ahead of him. The Genesis narrative doesn’t reveal all of Joseph’s thoughts or actions during his imprisonment. It does focus on his continued reliance on God and God’s gift of dream interpretation. It never leaves us in doubt about God’s presence with Joseph, blessing him and his masters, providing true interpretations of the officials’ dreams. As Joseph’s story continues, we see how Joseph’s imprisonment strengthened his character and increased his trust in God.

In Romans 5, Paul writes about how God uses suffering to create growth in our lives. According to Paul, we can rejoice in our sufferings because we know that “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” Rom 5:4 This process helps us mature as Christians and gain wisdom from our past trials—but it does require our active participation.

Romans 5:4 CSB

4 endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope.

Joseph knew all about trials. He suffered when his brothers sold him into slavery, but he endured to gain Potiphar’s respect because of his godly character. Later, Joseph’s commitment to God caused him not only to resist the advances of Potiphar’s wife, but also to remain hopeful during a long and unjust imprisonment. In doing so, Joseph demonstrated the proper, though difficult, response to suffering: unwavering faith.

FAITH IS THE STARTING POINT .

We must have a relationship with God.

John 14:6 NKJV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Acts 2:21 CSB

21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Acts 17:28 CSB

28 For in him we live and move and have our being, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’

He is our all in all - our everything. JOSEPH a man of integrity and no stranger to trials had learned to put God first at all times.

Romans 10:9 NKJV

9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

GOD HAS NOT FORGOTTEN YOU.

It appeared that God had forgotten Joseph. Sometimes it appears that God forgets His people. It seems that the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper. However, we must look at Romans 8:28

Romans 8:28 CSB

28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

and believe that God doesn’t make mistakes.

GOD IS WORKING IT OUT.

A Detour still get you to your destination

A Delay is NOT a DENIAL

TRUST HIM.

WILL YOU SAY THESE THINGS WITH ME TODAY AS WE STAND:

REMEMBER:

God Has The Plan

My Life is in His Hands

God is working it out for me.

All things work together for good for those that love God

I HAVE A PURPOSE

I WILL TRUST GOD.