Meant for Eveil, Yet Meant for Good
Notes
Transcript
Genesis 37-50
Do you believe that God reigns supreme over all things?
What about when things are going badly, and so much seems out of control around you?
Downward spiral (37-39)
Jacob’s favorite son (37:1-4)
Jacob loved Joseph more than all his other sons
Joseph brings a bad report of his half-brothers, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher
It is likely that this detail is here to show something about the way Joseph interacted as the favorite
He was probably being something of a tattletale
Jacob made a special robe for Joseph
Joseph’s dreams (37:5-11)
Sheaves in a field bowing down to his sheaf
Sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing down to him
Joseph is sold in Egypt (37:12-36)
Joseph is instructed to go check on his brothers
The brothers conspire to kill him
Reuben saves Joseph from being killed
They throw him into a pit (probably an empty cistern)
Judah suggests they sell Joseph to Midianite traders
They sell him and cover it up by pretending they found his robe torn by animals
The Midianites sell him to Potiphar in Egypt
Joseph is placed in prison (chapter 39)
Joseph works diligently, and Potiphar’s household prospers
He does not bellyache or wallow. He works heartily as unto the Lord
Yet, Potiphar’s favor is not long enjoyed
Potiphar’s wife desires Joseph
Joseph denied her advances time and time again
She gets him alone, but he flees
She makes up a lie about what happened, and Potiphar throws him into prison
Flee sin, even if it means short-term cost
It cost Joseph a great deal to flee sin
It was worth it
Don’t play games with sin, flee from temptation and sin to God, who will uphold and comfort you
It may cost you short-term loss and pain, but it is worth every cost
Dreamy rise (40-41:45)
Joseph interprets 2 dreams (chapter 40)
The chief cupbearer
The chief baker
Both dreams’ interpretations come to pass
Yet, Joseph is forgotten for two years
Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dreams (41:1-32)
Pharaoh’s dreams
Cows
7 attractive and plump cows
7 ugly and thin cows
The thin cows ate the plump cows
Ears of grain
7 plump and good ears
7 thin and blighted ears
The thin ears ate the plump ears
Joseph interprets the dreams
Joseph declares that interpretations belong to the Lord alone
7 exceedingly good years followed by 7 years of terrible famine
Joseph rises to power (41:33-45)
Joseph, in God’s wisdom, suggests what ought to be done
Store up as much grain as possible for the first 7 years
Distribute the grain over the last 7 years
Pharaoh recognizes Joseph’s wisdom and puts him second in charge over all of Egypt
Dealing wisely (41:46-47:31)
Joseph acts on the wisdom God gave him (41:46-57)
He stores up enough grain to sustain Egypt and gain revenue from foreigners
Pharaoh prospers greatly from the shrewd management of Joseph
Joseph tests his brothers (chapters 42-44)
His brothers come to Egypt to buy grain so that they can survive
Joseph sells them grain, but deals roughly with them
He accuses them of being spies with malevolent intentions
He puts all of them in prison for 3 days
He keeps Simeon in prison until they return with Benjamin
He places each of their money back into their packs
This causes great fear in each of them
Jacob does not allow them to return until their grain runs out
They finally return with Benjamin
Joseph frees Simeon and feeds them
Joseph tests his brothers
Joseph reveals himself to his brothers
Joseph provides for his family (chapters 45-47)
Pharaoh instructs Joseph to bring his family to Egypt
They all come to Egypt and dwell in the land of Goshen
Joseph makes sure that they have all that they need
Jacob’s family flourishes (47:27)
Divine plan (chapter 48-50)
Joseph recognizes God’s sovereign plan
He does acknowledge the role they play and their malicious intentions
But he does not primarily attribute all that has happened to their actions
The story has come full circle back to the dreams Joseph had about him and his family
He attributes the events of his life to the work of God
The favoritism of Jacob was God’s plan
The hatred of Joseph’s brothers was God’s plan
The sale of Joseph into Egypt was God’s plan
The lustful heart and seduction of Potiphar’s wife were God’s plan
The imprisonment of Joseph was God’s plan
The rise of Joseph to power was God’s plan
The sustaining of Jacob’s family was God’s plan
All of this sets the scene for the Exodus, which was God’s plan
Joseph rests in God’s sovereign plan
He is not embittered at his brothers
He forgives them and rests in the wisdom of God’s providence
He is comforted by recognizing the Lord’s mercy in His plan
He is made confident in the Lord’s strength the do all that He pleases and knows is best
Coming to terms with the absolute sovereignty of God over all things
God rules over all things and He does all that He pleases
He does not merely turn things for good
He purposes all things for good, no matter if they are pleasant or painful, full of holiness or wickedness
Psalm 33:11- The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.
Psalm 115:3- Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.
Embracing this reality will change your life
It will keep you from bitterness and revenge
Lamentations 3:37- Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it?
Proverb 19:21- Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
It will give deep comfort
It will make you a less anxious person
Luke 12:25-26- And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?
It will provide firm confidence
Isaiah 46:8-10- “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
It will lay your pride in the dust
James 4:13-16- Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
It will make you cling to Christ more tightly
Romans 8:28-32- And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 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. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
It will make you a more Godward person
Romans 11:33-36- Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
