No, You Can't Part 4

Taking Abigail to work, saw funeral procession; lights, flags on car, some in between—why flags, why lights; as drove, thought of mundane of life while someone gets honor of small procession as accompany body to space where honorably placed in the ground; death big deal, yet other cars in between going other places, Abigail going to feed people, help them celebrate, someone was celebrating new life; ALL part of life; should ALL stop for burial—no, but good to think of death—it forces to evaluate; to think about purpose and values; Jacob is dead; how can we forget—remember that large procession Gen 50:7-11? focused on that 8/29/21, 9/5/21, indeed, have focused on Jacob’s last days and burial since end of chapter 47 8/18/19—can’t we move on? Yes, came back from burying v. 14, but immediately confronted with mess v. 15 NOT NEW, just brought to NEW life by Jacob’s death, something that happened some 39 years before; something ashamed of, but seemed forced on them, it was messy, not even sure of plan; happened so quickly—came from years of favoritism, unloved, judged w inability to gain trust; WHY are we even talking about it!?!b/c

I. Sin’s Brokenness Runs Deeper than you Know vs. 15-18

we will pay—WHAT? It came to surface some 19 years ago—Joseph roughed them up a bit w/o revealing who he was; in view of what he could have done, it was NOTHING; but then told them forgave them as wept over them, proved it as he protected, lavished care on them; going from famine to top of what Egypt had couldn’t be better; 17 years of it, so WHY bring it up again? Let it go! Live! I’m trying—married, children, job, bills, broken plows, birthday parties, but the past makes me drive drunk through present, live at times like one possessed/hunted—showing,

A. You Can’t Do What You Want v. 15

can’t think of brother being at top w/o thinking how he got there; nothing they/Joseph did could free them, torn apart by guilt, fear of consequences, inability to live w uncertainty of dark future; Why?

Justice runs deeper than justifications; Injustice cries to be made right

Jacob loved, respected by Joseph, now dead; What if only good to us b/c of him? it WAS valid thought, WERE grievous wrongs/injustices, broken relationships, THEY responsible; remember statement?

You Must, You Will, but the Remedy is Not With You.

talking about them or you? THEM, but it speaks to you; b/c looked from below, living inside OWN judgments about sin/consequences, how others would handle it, were left to own devices/schemes to right wrongs and bring peace to conflict, desperately doing all in power to protect from their reality; but not only found that doing what want unlivable, but they/we must acknowledge that

B. You can’t Restore Relationships vv. 16-18

believe me, they tried, launched best plan, vv. 16-18 waited in suspense, thoughts racing OR frozen And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. wept? Don’t know why, but perhaps not die, prison; relief led to action, 18 Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” Place of utter submission/debt—our lives are yours! But why would one treated almost as a god in Egypt who had been so wronged by these despised shepherds not treat them as their sins deserved? b/c all hope from below is shallow & transient;

You Must, You Will, but the Remedy is Not With You. However,

There IS a remedy, and it is both Personal and Transcendent.

And so, w brothers at his feet, moved to second point

II. God’s Restoration is More Complete Than You Could Imagine. vv. 19-21

A. It Starts by Establishing Transcendent Order v. 19

Both sides needed place of God’s Word strengthened; brothers drowning b/c couldn’t accept Joseph’s words of justice/ forgiveness/reconciliation BECAUSE couldn’t accept God’s words of justice/forgiveness/reconciliation w or w/o consequences; IF brothers word final, left wallowing in self-judgment, God only to be feared for judgment; if Joseph trusted his word/only saw God through that lens, then bitter, resentful; not a God who can/will be worshipped; Joseph looked beyond his view, brothers—it’s time to testify! can’t make you understand, trust my words, actions, but I CAN tell why your fears must stop even though you ARE right that YOU are wrong! 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? your fears must stop—why?groundless, not based on reality WHY? God—yes, we too are servants of your father’s God—yes, He saved your life, He judged us w pain and famine and . . . Yes, God have mercy; STOP!! Am I in the place of God? Why am I weeping? Yes, 1. b/c of my father & his care for us all, 2. Yes b/c I care for you as I’ve tried best for past 17 years 3. Yes, b/c you fully admitted your sin and asked forgiveness, but still so paralyzed by fear, but also 4. Because I AM NOT GOD! STOP treating me like I am! you DO have to deal w me, there IS brokenness; you NEED to be repentant, Gen. 42:21-22

heard me crying when threw in pit, crying when dragged me up, when sold me & they grabbed me; you responsible for this and ALL that followed, but you only thinking about me in light of you/ your pain; AND are only thinking about God in terms of judgment you rightly deserve; think about me, about God through my eyes; you think hard to be guilty? Get in MY shoes; more than just pain/wrong of what you did; how do I process all emotions, questions all tangled together that flood mind; like Where is security, love, future? What about reaping good for any right choices? All trying to obey, faithfulness worth little? years of being object of father’s love/care, resulting security not enough; Yes, injustice, but felt power of all this suck life, couldn’t breathe; needed way to live; where go w fear, uncertainty? God seemed silent! Then standing on slave block--what do I feel, hope for, how process? how pray? Hands all over like I was animal; God seemed silent; but I kept crying out to Him (so engrained from father, childhood; stories of His faithfulness to forefathers) He still there, over; it must have seen foolish to Egyptians for me to follow a god who allowed this to happen to me, but still spoke of God to Potiphar Gen. 39:2-3, God blessed, but when refused Potiphar’s wife to honor God Gen. 39:9 she screamed, lied, slandered, should I be thankful Potiphar didn’t kill me? Was THAT JUSTICE? So twisted; Your wrong wasn’t on my mind then; where was dad, God to right that wrong right then? though my head/heart reeling, kept looking up & doing next right thing—God gave favor w jailor as I sought to honor God, worked hard to make jail prosper; then 2 of Potiphar’s highest came—dream; Gen. 40:8 asked God for interpretation—HE GAVE IT; so relieved, though one would die, asked other for justice b/r Pharaoh Gen. 40:14-15, grateful, thought he would, but Gen. 40:23; where do I go w another injustice! 2 more years! And all you can think about is how I will handle YOURS? I needed solid word b/c even father’s word to care, bring justice, protect, love not strong enough; Potiphar’s word, butler’s, even Pharaoh’s word all not strong, good enough, definitely not MY word—but healing & life in God’s Word; He has been w me; He is here NOW, look outside yourselves, my brothers; you’re not even seeing ME past your fears, your deeds; Brothers join me in our place under God! for Joseph to live this way, had to release his hold on past, future so free to trust God in present—that does NOT mean seeing/understanding all, meant trusting God’s Word for hope, life, future, justice, timing; God worked this deep in Joseph’s heart, therefore free to be Waltke, God’s instrument, NOT surrogate (replacement); DON’T be afraid; now that I’m not greater than God, Joseph continues, 20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good

B. It Includes Learning About God’s Character v. 20

1. There is Something BEYOND Your INTENT

You meant it for evil; NOT merely talking about act, talking about where it lived—intent, goal, value; the EVIL action brings all this to life; that’s why when real or perceived evil/wrong action, try so desperately to prove NOT my intent, WASN’T me, I’m not like this; even if you didn’t MEANT IT, are you vindicated when turns out terrible and YOU did it? Are you sure your good is good?But what if DID “meant it?”brothers DID, same word they used in v. 17 they did you wrong both agree on this; THEN work so hard to prove you’ve changed; STOP PROVING YOURSELF;maybe you HAVE changed, but final hope doesn’t come from depending on others to forgive you or give you another chance (so much emotional instability, insecurity, bondage created by focusing on intent—hard on relationships as defensive, hiding in shadows, drowning in feelings that your life is wasted/worthless, so afraid others are talking about you, assuming others are tearing you apart, defenseless if they are, OR if THEY did it to you, think can’t live b/c of what THEY did, shame, hurt brought on you & your family—we miss opportunity for freedom and restoration when focused on our/their heart Matt. 15:17-19, don’t go to your heart for defense—denying Biblical reality—whether meant it or not, unregenerated heart is NOT trustworthy; my brothers look past yourselves AND your intent, There WAS EVIL, THAT WAS YOUR INTENT, and there was MORE—MORE AND MORE EVIL AND INJUSTICE, but there was also something else, there was another MEANT You meant evil BUT GOD meant it for good; God!

Both sides appealed to God as final word and over them, but both needed to grow in apprehension and consequent relationship with God—they must not merely see Him in relationship to themselves—where it benefitted them or tormented them, but to worship Him as He IS; Look at Joseph doing this as he speaks of their evil intent right up against God’s holy intent!(paraphrase of Bush) saw grace of God needed in own life and given to him, HAVING grace enabled him to see grace of God along w evil; THIS puts their wickedness against him in perspective; both needed grace; otherwise, just pine away w unfairness and judgment; Brothers look at God for GOD! YES, Judgment, but what else? Ask Moses Ex. 34:5-7; ask David Ps. 32:1-2; can God really do this, even in THIS situation? Brueggemann “They could not see that in the midst of their scheme was another plan about which none of them knew, a plan hidden but sure in its work.” in Waltke P. 624 we are talking about characteristic of God that I would love to think on more

2. Worship God’s Providence

MUST—bulletin, How chill and withering is the breath of that noxious philosophy, that would detach our minds from viewing God in His works of Providence! The Christian who lives in this atmosphere, or on the borders of it, will be unhealthy and unfruitful in true works of righteousness. This malaria destroys all spiritual life. Alexander Carson in Treasury of David on Ps. 104:32 ARE YOU constantly aware of providence? What is providence?

Hear provision, root--to see, then beforehand; opposite of secular

“everything happens according to fixed natural causes, and God, if He is actually there, is above and beyond it all. He is just a spectator in heaven looking down, perhaps cheering us on but exercising no immediate control over what happens on earth.” Sproul, What is Providence 5/5/21

NO, means God is for us, Romans 8:28, 31-37;

When I use the word "providence"…I mean that wonderful, strange, mysterious, unguessable way Yahweh has of ruling His world and sustaining His people, and His doing it, frequently, over, under, around, through, or in spite of the most common stuff of our lives or even the bias of our wills. Dale Ralph Davis I Samuel, Christian Focus, 1988, p. 94

SS, God’s eyes are watching. His hand is working; THIS is world talking about, but gets stickier when say, Nothing ever comes into life of any of his children He hasn’t approved first Boice, p. 1254—there are no accidents; um THIS part okay, but scars, pain, some good, but God orchestrating? They Meant it for evil; if evil is evil, then how can a good God sanction evil/have ANY part in evil to use it to bring good? Joseph separates b/n the wicked counsels of men and the admirable justice of God by ascribing the government of all things to God in a way that His divine administration did not pick up any “stain from the vices of men.” Calvin PER/fidy--deceitfulness

“The selling of Joseph was a crime detestable for its cruelty and perfidy; yet he was not sold except by the decree of heaven. For neither did God merely remain at rest, and by conniving for a time, let loose the reins of human malice, in order that afterwards he might make use of this occasion; but, at his own will, he appointed the order of acting which he intended to be fixed and certain. Thus we may say with truth and propriety, that Joseph was sold by the wicked consent of his brethren, and by the secret providence of God.” p. 487 “. . . he both governs the counsels of men, and sways their wills and turns their efforts at his pleasure, and regulates all events: but if men undertake anything right and just, he so actuated and moves them inwardly by His Spirit, that whatever is good in them, may justly be said to be received from him: but if Satan and ungodly men rage, he acts by their hands in such an inexpressible manner, that the wickedness of the deed belongs to them, and the blame of it is imputed to them. For they are not induced to sin, as the faithful are to act aright, by the impulse of the Spirit, but they are the authors of their own evil, and follow Satan as their leader. Thus we see that the justice of God shines brightly in the midst of the darkness of our iniquity. For as God is never without a just cause for his actions, so men are held in the chains of guilt by their own perverse will.” Calvin pp. 487-488

don’t get it, don’t understand what Calvin said; don’t trust him anyway, AND, don’t want to understand it, IF TRUE, I couldn’t trust God

1. Keep God above you,

means retain mystery; don’t demand full understanding of providence. Worship the God of Providence! There is unquestionably a great mystery here as to how a holy God who cannot even look upon evil (Hab. 1:13) can work His will through evil, but that He does is the clear teaching of Scripture. If something could get outside the will of God, it would become a god unto itself and a rival to God. Such can never be the case. God alone is God; there is no other. Walter Elwell Evangelical Dictionary of the Bible p. 653 how “keep God above” live? The longer I live, the more faith I have in providence, and the less faith in my interpretation of providence. Jeremiah Day (President of Yale in early 1800’s, following Timothy Dwight) More secret than diplomacy, deeper than the investigations of the wise, and mightier than all the kingly power, is the providence of God. John Broadus Matthew, p. 21

Habakkuk 1:13 NASB95

Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they?

2. Don’t Exclude evil from God’s Providence

THIS is climax/central idea overarching whole story—God works His Providence through sinful man, 45:5-7; YES, you sinned, Potiphar’s wife, cupbearer forget, but I’m NOT THERE, I’m here now—HOW? While I waited for 2 years, cried for justice, wondered, questioned, there was more to do (living b/r God, people to care for, work); then cupbearer remembered me when Pharaoh had dream—should I be quiet about God b/r Pharaoh just because of seeming silence regarding injustices? NO! Gen. 41:15-16, God gave interpretation, and do I say Pharaoh raised me up? God raised me up; Can’t you see? He is SO much bigger than me, Look at you at my feet—proves His Word! Remember crazy dreams? Gen. 37:7-11, Pharaoh commanded all to bow to me in Gen. 41:40-43, when you came for grain, you bowed 42:5-6, when came back, you bowed 43:26-28 then, after accused of stolen cup, they bowed again, 44:12-14, now you are bowing again! 50:18 I don’t understand it all, but when I see God’s deliverance and trustworthy word and look back over these 19 years reunited with you/dad/provision through famine for nations, how can I not say, God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. it WAS/ IS good, so why would I question His means of accomplishing these good purposes? VonRad “Even where no man could imagine it, God had all the strings in his hand. But this guidance of God is only asserted; nothing more explicit is said about the way in which God incorporated man’s evil into his saving activity.” Wenham, p. 490 All honey would harm us; all wormwood would undo us – a composition of both is the best way to keep our souls in a healthy constitution. It is best and most for the health of the soul – that the warm south wind of mercy, and the cold north wind of adversity – do both blow upon it. And though every wind which blows, shall blow good to the saints; yet certainly their sins die most, and their graces thrive best, when they are under the frigid, drying, nipping north wind of calamity, as well as under the warm, nourishing south wind of mercy and prosperity. Thomas Brooks The Mute Christian Under the Smarting Rod, 1659 Want practical? Elisabeth Elliot—tough first few years as missionary, then loss of two husbands, one murdered by Auca Indians and second slowly destroyed by cancer. “The experiences of my life are not such that I could infer from them that God is good, gracious and merciful necessarily. To have had one husband murdered and another one disintegrate, body, soul and spirit, through cancer, is not what you would call a proof of the love of God. In fact, there are many times when it looks like just the opposite.” “My belief in the love of God is not by inference of instinct. It is by faith. To apprehend God’s sovereignty working in that love is—we must say it—the last and highest victory of the faith that overcomes the world.” P. 1254 Boice Can you worship God’s Providence—God watching, working? God works ALL for good, what crosses mind? What are deepest wounds, scars, fears, insecurities—feel foolish, small, branded, etc. Ps. 27:13-14 problem w providence isn’t merely we doubt God’s intent or possibility that good can come from seemingly terrible, just seems to all get lost in bad; before get lost in what NOT GOOD, Look again at Him and

3. Worship God’s Power

God meant it for good; what makes this amazing? the intent of those who MEANT to hurt and destroy Joseph would seem a power too strong to overcome—and Joseph the victim speaks right through that pain because of a greater power. did you see how many times Joseph acknowledged God in verses given? Once have v. 19, v. 20 makes sense—I’m NOT God—I don’t see all, understand all, do all rightly; I am weak, BUT learned God was stronger than what YOU meant, than what Potiphar’s wife meant and all the power of Potiphar that stood against me, than the cupbearers dishonor by forgetting; He made that evil submit; NO, He didn’t stop them; from what? Evil—but what HAPPENED—pain, rejection, loss—um . . . yes, but you didn’t look far enough—NO, I would rather have died in the famine and been together w dad than have THIS life—really? Then DON’T care about more than you, not looking beyond you, larger than you—but God cared about more pieces than you ever notice and all power of evil intent woven into power to bring ALL into subjection to Himself(Phil. 3:21) The wonder of wonders to me is not just the miracle where God instantly invades and just interrupts and violates the flow of everything, to me the greater wonder is that God can take it all and still make it work for His will. That’s astounding to me. The diversity of an innumerable number of events, circumstances and attitudes that occur within the limited freedom of men and demons and God pulls it all together to accomplish exactly what He wants done. Incredible not only to conceive that it can be done but to make it happen. But that is precisely what God does. So that the world with what we assume to be an almost infinite number of random choices is doing nothing more than acting out that which is predetermined by God. John MacArthur http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermons/2400_The-Amazing-Burial-of-Jesus-Part-2 look at us here today ALIVE after famine—despised shepherds on top of Egypt—TOGETHER, w character changed; yes about us individually and family, but something even greater; why we talking about one Jewish family in midst of Egyptians? Gen. 12:2-3, Heb. 11:12God redeeming a people for Himself to proclaim His glorious power over sin and death and to bring them to Himself; “The doctrine of providence tells us that the world and our lives are not ruled by chance or by fate but by God, who lays bare his purposes of providence in the incarnation of his Son.” THL Parker in Evangelical Dictionary of Theology Scripture FULL of power of God to bring about His Providence; Boice “As long as the cross stands in history, no one who knows its meaning will be able to pronounce a limitation on God’s providence.” P. 1255 evil is always evil; sin has consequences, which WILL eternally separate you from God—BUT GOD always had a way to be reconciled to Him leading to finished work of Christ—worship power of God to bring about His Providence through Christ; Eph. 2:4 But God made us alive—why amazing? You were dead—do you know what it takes to pull that off? Well if any are drowning under weight of sin, when see ick of yourself, know that need greater power than you; worship God, Rom. 5:8 But Goddemonstrates his own love—why amazing? Sinners Acts 13:30 He was put to death, But God raised Him from the dead; God is GOOD and orchestrates all to His desired good end, and YOU (unfaithful, unholy you) can KNOW the goodness of God as His beloved child because He not only willed it, He had the power to pull it off Eph. 2:4-7; AND if you are truly “in Christ,” then Power that raised Jesus from dead power to give life to your mortal body; see this as God worked life in Joseph so not merely SAY these words of God’s Providence and Power, but able to give comfort to brother’s tormented souls again and again—brothers, see what God has done!

C. It Lives with Freedom to Serve v. 21

Think what confidence this gives; “Let the impious busy themselves as they please, let them rage, let them mingle heaven and earth; yet they shall gain nothing by their ardour; and not only shall their impetuosity prove ineffectual, but shall be turned to an issue the reverse of that which they intended, so that they shall promote our salvation, though they do it reluctantly.” So that whatever poison Satan produces, God turns it into medicine for his elect.” P. 488 “If human minds cannot reach these depths, let them rather suppliantly adore the mysteries they do not comprehend, than, as vessels of clay, proudly exalt themselves against their Maker.” Calvin, p. 488 if God over all, then we need to stay inside the bounds of our vocation, discharge our duty even if can’t see how it will work out, “take care that we do not fly in confused and erratic circuits, as fanatical men are wont to do.” P. 488-489 Joseph NOT erratic, found the path of stability under God’s Providence—free to care; they had another opportunity to give up deep-rooted fears as they were shown Goodness of God 21 “So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. true test of forgiveness when can liberally do good to those who have persecuted you; literally “spoke to their heart” Baldwin Sailhamer says, this care by Joseph foreshadows God’s comfort for His people as they awaited their return to the Promised Land Is. 40:1-2

Isaiah 40:1–2 NASB95

“Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God. “Speak kindly to Jerusalem; And call out to her, that her warfare has ended, That her iniquity has been removed, That she has received of the Lord’s hand Double for all her sins.”

Conclusion: Took us 4 sermons to get here, but looking at depth of injustice, identity, forgiveness, and reconciliation showed us that You Must, You Will, but the Remedy is Not With You. too many pieces even when try to fix that are outside your power to fully control; but today, saw beautiful picture There IS a remedy, and it is both Personal and Transcendent. These God-glorifying words and actions from Joseph did not just come from the goodness of his heart; they were formed in him through the WHOLE experience of past 39 years by a powerful, present, providential God; only God could bring this book to close w brothers together where everything said they would be torn apart like Jacob/Esau, Isaac and Ishmael, etc.; shows God’s powerful work to bring about His plan; DON’T waste this picture of Rom. 8:28; submit to God’s process of transforming you; then, like Joseph, under God, you can LIVE now according to His Word and see pieces of Eden restored as God transforms your heart and then uses you to display that increasingly God-glorifying heart to others; Amen—May it be so!