God's Special Family Pt. 2

Recap: God’s Special Family Pt. 1

“Generations of Jacob/Joseph Story”

Joseph, Background:

2nd youngest son of Jacob

Son of Rachel—favorite wife

Family Problems: Brothers hate Joseph

Brought EVIL REPORT of them

Father’s FAVORITE

ROBE of MANY COLORS

DREAMS

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(Q) What do they do? SELL him as a SLAVE

POTIPHAR’S HOUSE (CAPTAIN of GUARD)

LORD W/ HIM— HE PROSPERS

FALSELY ACCUSED by POTIPHAR’S WIFE

PRISON

GOD W/ HIM— HE PROSPERS

RISING in RANKS

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(T) PICKING UP NEXT PART of HIS LIFE

AIMING to COVER CH. 40-45

FASTER PACE— READING LARGER CHUNKS

PARAPHRASING SOME SECTIONS

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Text:

Genesis 40: Interpreting Prisoners’ Dreams

READ (40:1-4): Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody.

OFFICERS COMMIT UNKNOWN OFFENSE

((PERHAPS PHARAOH GOT SICK))

CONVENIENTLY—CAST INTO SAME PRISON!

JOSEPH SERVES THEM...

(T) Why is this significant?

READ (V5-23) 5 And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why are your faces downcast today?” 8 They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”

9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, 10 and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” 12 Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. 13 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer. 14 Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. 15 For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”

16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, 17 and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.” 18 And Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. 19 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.”

20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. 23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

JOSEPH ACCURATELY INTERPRETS BOTH DREAMS— SADLY for BAKER

JOSEPH HAS ONE REQUEST… WHAT was IT?

(V14) REMEMBER ME/GET ME OUT of HERE!

UNFORTUNATELY…JOSEPH = FORGOTTEN...

(T) REAL BUMMER… ANY HOPE??

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Genesis 41: Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams

READ (41:1-8) 41 After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, 2 and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass. 3 And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 4 And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. And Pharaoh awoke. 5 And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. 6 And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind. 7 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. 8 So in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

(Q) HOW LONG PASSED?? 2 YEARS!!

NOTHING CHANGES...

SUDDENLY—PHARAOH HAS DREAM

—>> NO ONE CAN HELP— NO MAGICIAN or WISEMAN...

(T) Certainly SHOULD BE ABLE to FIND SOMEONE??

READ (V9-13) 9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “I remember my offenses today. 10 When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, 11 we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation. 12 A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. 13 And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.”

CONVENIENTLY— JOSEPH = RIGHT WHERE CUPBEARER LEFT HIM!

READ (V14-16) 14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. 15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”

JOSEPH HAS PERFECT OPPORTUNITY— NOTE WHO CREDIT GOES TO.

*JOSEPH RECOGNIZES HIS GIFTS are FROM GOD*

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**Summarize (V17-24)**

PHARAOH RECOUNTS the DREAMS--

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(T) Joseph responds:

READ (V25-36) 25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one. 27 The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine. 28 It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, 30 but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land, 31 and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. 32 And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about. 33 Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. 35 And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 36 That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”

JOSEPH INTERPRETS— WHAT “GOD” is GOING to DO...

7 YEARS of PLENTY

THEN…7 YEARS of FAMINE COMING

JOSEPH GIVES MORE THAN ASKED FOR—ALSO GIVES ADVICE— “SAVE 1/5 of GOOD YEARS!”

(T) Does Pharaoh approve of JOSEPH’S INTERPRETATION??

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Joseph Rises to Power

READ (V37-46) 37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 40 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.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42 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. 43 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. 44 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.” 45 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. 46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt.

30 YEARS OLD— 13 YEARS AFTER DREAMS— JOSEPH RISES to POWER in an INSTANT!!

VIZIER—2ND in COMMAND...

o He’s given a signet ring…

§ ZIBBC: “The signet ring allows him to make decisions and authorize them in the name of Pharaoh”[1]

WONDERFUL CHANGE for JOSEPH

SIGNIFICANCE COMES LATER...

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**Summarize (V47-55)**

JOSEPH’S INTERPRETATION COMES TRUE:

7 YEARS of GOOD

THEN FAMINE COMES

DURING GOOD YEARS—HAS 2 CHILDREN.

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(T) FAMINE STARTS— PEOPLE COME to BUY GRAIN:

ME, READ (V56-57) 56 So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

(T) Why’s this all matter???

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Genesis 42: Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt

READ (42:1-6) 42 When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” 2 And he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die.” 3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might happen to him. 5 Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6 Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground.

FAMINE = EVERYWHERE… EVEN CANAAN!

JACOB SENDS 10 SONS to EGYPT....

(Q) Do you notice SOMETHING THAT HASN’T CHANGED?? FAVORITISM—keeping Benjamin behind…

LAST TIME SON of RACHEL WENT W/ BROTHERS— DIDN’T GO SO GOOD...

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SAFELY ARRIVE… COME BEFORE JOSEPH & BOW.

(Q) Now, why is this significant?

* FULFILLMENT of JOSEPH’S DREAMS!! One of the root causes of all this trouble!

**Summarize (V7-V37)**

JOSEPH RECOGNIZES BROTHERS— THEY DON’T RECOGNIZE HIM

BETWEEN 20-22 YEARS HAVE PASSED— JOSEPH = NOW 37-38 YEARS OLD!!

HE TREATS THEM HARSHLY—CALLING THEM SPIES

THEY RESPOND—WE’RE HONEST,, ORDINARY GUYS.

(Q) ARE THEY HONEST? NOT REALLY, LOOK WHAT THEY DID to JOSEPH!

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JOSEPH CONCLUDES:

IF THEY WANT to COME BACK— BRING BENJAMIN—YOUNGEST BROTHER

KEEPS SIMEON in CUSTODY

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THEY RETURN to CANAAN— W/ GRAIN ((& MONEY RETURNED!))

RECOUNT STORY to JACOB

TELL HIM to SEND BENJAMIN NEXT TIME

JACOB REFUSES...

REUBEN OFFERS HIS SONS as TRIBUTE…KILL THEM if BENJAMIN DOESN’T COME BACK...

JACOB RESPONDS:

ME, READ (v38) 38 But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”

**JACOB’S SORROW** “THE ONLY ONE LEFT”

CONCLUDES: THEY’D BRING HIM DOWN to SHEOL—REALM of DEAD— W/ GREAT SORROW....

(T) BUT if YOU’RE HUNGRY…ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN DO:

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Genesis 43: Joseph’s Brothers Return to Egypt

READ (43:1-10) Now the famine was severe in the land. 2 And when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.” 3 But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’ ” 6 Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?” 7 They replied, “The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” 8 And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. 9 I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. 10 If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice.”

PREVIOUSLY— REUBEN VOLUNTEERS SONS… NOW JUDAH VOLUNTEERS HIMSELF...

(Q) ANYONE REMEMBER WHOSE IDEA it WAS TO SELL JOSEPH? JUDAH

HE’S WILLING to RISK HIMSELF— TAKING BLAME FOREVER

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**Summarize (V11-34)**

JACOB CONCEDES

SEND GIFT/RETURNING MONEY/PRAYER

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JOSEPH HAS THEM OVER for DINNER

JOSEPH GETS EMOTIONAL—STEPS OUT— BROTHERS = STILL CLUELESS!

(T) STORY—TAKES MAJOR TURN:

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Genesis 44: Joseph Tests His Brothers

READ (44:1-2) 44 Then he commanded the steward of his house, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, 2 and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph told him.

**Summarize (V3-11)**

JOSEPH PLAYS BROTHERS W/ SILVER CUP...

SENDS BROTHERS on THEIR WAY

SENDS SERVANT to ACCUSE THEM

BROTHERS CONCLUDE:

FIND IT?? KILL HIM.— WE’LL BE SERVANTS

SERVANT CONCLUDES:

ONE W/ CUP WILL BE SERVANT...

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ME, READ (v12-13) And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.

(Q) WHY is THIS SO IMPORTANT? JACOB DIDN’T WANT to SEND BENJAMIN...

**NOTICE ANYTHING DIFFERENT HERE//THIS TIME??**

COULD’VE LEFT SON of RACHEL BEHIND & ESCAPED...

YET THEY ALL RETURN!

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**Summarize (V14-17)**

JOSEPH ACCUSES THEM of STEALING

THEY AGREE to BE SERVANTS

JOSEPH ONLY WANTS BENJAMIN...

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(T) SEE RESPONSE:

READ (V18-34) 18 Then Judah went up to him and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself. 19 My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’ 20 And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a young brother, the child of his old age. His brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him.’ 21 Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’ 22 We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ 23 Then you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall not see my face again.’

24 “When we went back to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. 25 And when our father said, ‘Go again, buy us a little food,’ 26 we said, ‘We cannot go down. If our youngest brother goes with us, then we will go down. For we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ 27 Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons. 28 One left me, and I said, “Surely he has been torn to pieces,” and I have never seen him since. 29 If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs in evil to Sheol.’

30 “Now therefore, as soon as I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy’s life, 31 as soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. 32 For your servant became a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.’ 33 Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers. 34 For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father.”

GREATEST CHANGE in TODAY’S STORY— JUDAH VOLUNTEERS AS TRIBUTE. TAKE ME INSTEAD.

(Q) AGAIN… WHO SOLD JOSEPH? JUDAH

NOW HE’S PUTTING HIMSELF on the LINE...·

(T) THEY’VE PASSED the TEST:

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Genesis 45: Joseph Provides for His Brothers and Family

READ (45:1-15) 45 Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. 3 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.

4 So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; do not tarry. 10 You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. 11 There I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come, so that you and your household, and all that you have, do not come to poverty.’ 12 And now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth that speaks to you. 13 You must tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” 14 Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him.

CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE THEIR SHOCK!!

&&& WHAT MERCY!!

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JOSEPH HAS PERFECT OPPORTUNITY for REVENGE...

INSTEAD TELLS THEM NOT to BE ANGRY AT THEMSELVES!!

WHY??

(V5/V7) — THIS WAS GOD’S DOING.— WE’LL REVISIT this SHORTLY

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**Summarize (V16-24)**

PHARAOH HEARS JOSEPH’S FAMILY = HERE...

THEY SEND for JACOB & CO

DON’T EVEN BRING YOUR STUFF— WE’LL TAKE CARE of YOU!!

BEST in EGYPT is YOURS!

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(T) TEXT CLOSES...

READ (V25-28) 25 So they went up out of Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. 26 And they told him, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” And his heart became numb, for he did not believe them. 27 But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28 And Israel said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

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WONDERFUL STORY of GOD’S PROVIDENCE

PROVIDENCE = GOD’S DIVINE GOVERNANCE of CREATION

** WHEN YOU CAN SEE HIS FINGERPRINTS— EVEN THOUGH HIS NAME isn’t in LIGHTS**

BEHIND the SCENES

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Looking back over Joseph’s life:

1. FATHER’S FAVORITE—oops.

2. EVIL REPORT from Joseph

3. SPECIAL ROBE

4. DREAMS— AND TELLS

5. FATHER SENDS—CHECK on BROTHERS

6. BROTHERS DECIDE—KILL HIM

REUBEN— PIT

JUDAH— SLAVE

7. He is SOLD to POTIPHAR.

8. He is FALSELY ACCUSED BY POTIPHAR’S WIFE... because he refused to sleep with her.

9. He is SENTENCED to PRISON

10. PHARAOH’S OFFICERS COMMIT UNKNOWN OFFENSE.

11. SENT to SAME PRISON

12. HAVE DREAMS and happen to tell Joseph.

13. JOSEPH INTERPRETS

14. CUP-BEARER FORGETS HIM!

15. After two years, PHARAOH HAS DREAM... conveniently, JOSEPH = RIGHT WHERE CUP-BEARER LEFT HIM!

16. JOSEPH INTERPRETS PHARAOH’S DREAMS...

17. JOSEPH = ELEVATED — 2ND in EGYPT

18. JOSEPH’S BROTHERS COME & BOW— FULFILLING HIS DREAMS...

19. PHARAOH HAS JOSEPH PROVIDE for HIS FAMILY....

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CONSIDER “BIG PICTURE”

(Q) WHAT WERE GOD’S PROMISES to ABRAHAM?

DESCENDANTS

LAND

BLESSING to ALL NATIONS

PROBLEM ALL ALONG?? NO KIDS.

THEN ISAAC— THEN ESAU & JACOB — THEN 12 SONS...

(Q) WHAT if the FAMINE KILLED THEM ALL? PROMISE = VOID.

GOD COULD’VE RAINED BREAD from HEAVEN—BUT OFTENTIMES GOD WORKS SUPERNATURALLY THROUGH NATURAL MEANS.

USING NATURAL CIRCUMSTANCES to ACCOMPLISH HIS PURPOSES...

JOSEPH CONCLUDES: GOD SENT ME HERE.

HE SENT ME HERE— TO SPARE LIFE…PRESERVE a REMNANT!!

BUT GOD USED SINFUL HUMANS—FORGETFUL HUMANS… ETC....

WHAT WOULD THIS STORY HAVE LOOKED LIKE IF ANYTHING WERE DIFFERENT??

IMAGINE BROTHERS DIDN’T HATE HIM

IMAGINE HE SLEPT W/ POTIPHAR’S WIFE

IMAGINE if CUP-BEARER WOULD’VE REMEMBERED...

GOD WAS at WORK…THE WHOLE TIME.

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(T/Q) DOES GOD STILL DO THIS?

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Romans 8:28–29 (ESV)

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

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

GOD STILL WORKS THIS WAY…WORKING ALL THINGS TOGETHER for GOOD— ULTIMATELY OUR CONFORMITY to JESUS

**YOU DON’T SEE IT in the PRESENT**

WALKING BY FAITH:

YOU’LL UNDERSTAND LATER.

YOU’LL SEE HOW it TIES TOGETHER LATER

CAN YOU WALK BY FAITH in the MIDST of the STORY—ACKNOWLEDGING THAT YOU’LL SEE HIS HAND at the END of the STORY??

CAN YOU BE FAITHFUL... WHEN LIFE = HARD

CAN YOU BE GRACIOUS/MERCIFUL.... WHEN OTHERS DON’T DESERVE IT

CAN YOU OVERCOME...WHEN TEMPTATION is SO SWEET

CAN YOU TRUST GOD… WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES OUTSIDE YOUR CONTROL GIVE YOU ALL SORTS of GRIEF....

SURELY GOD is at WORK in ALL of OUR LIVES...

HE WATCHED OVER JOSEPH

HE WATCHES OVER the SPARROW...

SURELY HE CARES for US.

CLOSE in PRAYER

Takeaways:

· God working behind the scenes to fulfill His purposes

· God keeping His promises.

· Genuine Repentance—Expressed through deeds, not mere words.

o Consider Judah’s change of heart that was proven through actions.

§ Matthew 3:8

[1]John H Walton, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (Old Testament): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009), 132.