The Historical Liar

Ross Knight

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How many times did I fight with my older brother growing up? A lot! my brother is about 6 1/2 years older than me. He’s always had a considerable size advantage over me, so growing up and us fighting, rarely did I stand a chance. And before you dismiss these fights as just simple brotherly blows, let me be clear, it could get a little scary. You see one of my downfalls growing up was my ability or maybe addiction to argue. Whether I had the right information about the subjects I would argue about was of little consequence. If it was overcast outside, I would argue until I was blue in the face, that the sun was out. I would make my brother so angry at me with arguing, it was my sister who had to step in and rescue me from time to time. One time I had run my mouth for so long as an 8 year old, that my brother grabbed me by both arms and tossed my across the living room. If I’m not mistaken, I think we were arguing what the new name of the Tennessee Oilers football team would be, my brother correctly knew they would be the titans, but i thought I had heard tigers…and it was something that petty that led us to an all out physical argument. My brother and I have mostly moved on from those days, but we sure had some battles through the years of sibling rivalry. change slide

It was through sibling rivalry, or jealousy, most likely that the first brothers in history found themselves in. I’m referring to Cain and Abel. is where we will begin our journey this evening, but before we go further, lets take a moment and pray.

Martin Luther King, Steve Jobs, and Henry Ford all had something very much in common. They were dreamers. They had vision for greatness. Today we call them successful because of the great success they attained in their lives, but they also had plenty of obstacles in their way, telling them to let their dreams just be dreams

We understand the significance now of their dreams. Steve Jobs refused to be told what to do. He wasn’t the master designer of every apple computer, or even the ipod, but he believed in distributing quality and user friendly technology. He had a vision for what people wanted and cared about and created a means for people to get the products they wanted. He believed what was on the inside of the components of a computer was every bit as important as how it looked on the outside. By age 23, he was a millionaire, by 24, he was worth over 10 million, and by 25, he was a man worth over 100 million dollars. As his company grew, Jobs encountered men who seeked to advise him to stick to the status quo, or great job, “we’ll take it from here.” He eventually was kicked out of his own company he had built (which had started in a garage). However, years later, he was begged to return and bring back his quality vision for the company. Today Apple is one of the biggest and most popular and recognizable technology companies in the world. I don’t expect many who worked for and witnessed this company in its early stages could become something so large. However this level of success did not seem to be out of range of possibility in the mind of Steve Jobs. Jobs was a dreamer.

tells us that Cain was the first born and worked with Earth. He knew how to grow things. You could say he had more than a green thumb. Abel was a keeper of the sheep. The sacrificial system had been established with Adam and Eve following their sin which had led to God’s removing them from the garden of Eden. It can be implied that Cain and Abel were familiar with this system. The wages of sin, was death. Because sin existed and offering of sacrifice had to be made.

Then there were men like Henry Ford. Ford’s Model T was not his greatest vision cast. Actually it was use of the already established assembly to build the Model T was his greatest vision cast and delivered. In that day and age most people couldn’t afford an automobile, and only the rich had such a luxery. However, Ford, came along and revolutionized and industry by creating an automobile that the middle class could afford. Not only that, but his company created countless jobs and led to a major industrial revolution as other companies adopted the assembly line as well. In that day, there was an established way of doing business, as well as how factory work was done. Ford astonished the world in 1914 by offering a $5 per day wage ($120 today), which more than doubled the rate of most of his workers. Ford's policy proved, however, that paying people more would enable Ford workers to afford the cars they were producing and be good for the local economy. He viewed the increased wages as profit-sharing linked with rewarding those who were most productive and of good character. These were philosophies Ford initially was met with much resistance on. Resistance did not squash Ford’s dreams. Ford was a dreamer.

Have any of you wondered why God had them offer up and innocent lamb? Unless you work at a slaughter house, and I can’t think of any reason why someone would want to kill a lamb. Their cute, and fluffy. God chose the lamb to represent one day his Son coming and sacrificing himself, for all the sins of the world. But as two brothers figuring out the world, this must’ve been one of the hardest realities of life to participate in. A thought I had once though, was, shouldn’t this have been easier for Cain. He wasn’t as close to the sheep as his brother, shouldn’t it have been less painful to bring a lamb offering before God than it would have been Abel.

One commentary says makes this point saying, “the fact that the two offerings correspond to the brothers respective occupations also suggests Cain’s dramatic dilemma. For in order to offer a right and acceptable sacrifice, Cain, the older brother, would have to request the help of his younger brother. “It is likely that Cain’s pride prevented him form the humiliation of that request.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s most famous speech he delivered is known as the “I have a dream” speech. Dr. King had vision for equality for all men. This idea of equality was a polarizing topic. Today equality is something states, companies, and sports want to be known for supporting. From early on, there were men and women both black and white calling for Dr. King to let his dreams be only dreams. If he kept opening his mouth, he just might get himself killed. Dr. King had a vision for the country he loved, that it might grow out of racial prejudices. Much because of the movement he started, I grew up in a world where it was not uncommon for children of different races to play together and develop friendships and bonds. Dr. King may have been killed but his dreams and visions were not. While racial prejudice still heavily exists in people, there has been much growth since those days. Dr. King had the courage to cast such a vision, while it was ridiculed and very much threatened. Not even death could squash Dr. King’s dreams.

How many dreamers have their been in our own church? How many are still left only dreaming? The Bible talks about many dreamers, but one such dreamer sticks out to me. That dreamer was Joseph. Today I want to examine the early life of Joseph and see if there are any links to Joseph’s dreams and members of our church seeking to cast a vision of their dreams? Is God behind the dreams, or are we simply self-seeking.

4 And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.

Before we go further, lets take a moment to pray.

I won’t bore you to much with the hebrew words for very angry and his face fell. But understand Cain had a quick variety of emotions, depression, distress. Where it says his face fell, at first glance it just seems to indicate that Cain was sad, his offering wasn’t accepted, the phrase his face fell, is also translated as his countenance fell, this idiom means the light fell from his face. Light meaning favor. Cain has lost divine favor in the sight of God. This is not a forever thing, and God even asks Cain, why he is angry, why has your face fallen? If you do well will, won’t you be accepted? In other words, Cain if you obey me once, more won’t the light return, there are consequences to your actions. Don’t fall victim and become a slave to sin, because as he puts it, sin is crouching at your door.

Many of you whom I’ve become most acquainted with know I am the youngest of 3 siblings. Yes sometimes I had that younger brother complex. I wanted my voice to be heard.

Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

The Hebrew word used here, teshuqah, also occurs in 3:16 in relation to Eve’s desire for her husband. Both here and in the curse of 3:16, the context is negative: The desire represents something to be resisted, as it is connected to sin.

I realize Joseph was not the very youngest, but he was far closer to the youngest of the brothers, than he was to the middle or the eldest. When I picture Joseph growing up, I tend to picture him as one who just wanted to be heard and respected. He also may have been a little bit of a tattle tale as well. Seriously, when you’re the younger brother, its just something you do. Dad, Rueben and Judah skipped out on work again! It probably didn’t help much that Joseph was born from Rachel, whom their father loved the most. Joseph and his younger brother Benjamin’s very existence threatened the status quo of the brothers livelihood. Would Joseph be receiving an extra birthright because he was born from Rachel? Could it be, Father Israel would could be contemplating bypassing the tradional oldest brother birth right to his son, he seemingly loved most?

sheds some light into the thoughts of the brothers toward Joseph.

Cain being the older brother who had the birthright of mashal rule over his brother. Mashal rule is to be understood as great responsibility, and demonstrator of self-control, as the intended leader of the family.

Therefore it easier for us to understand the state of mind Cain has found himself in following the following verse. Feeling threatened, probably wouldn’t do it justice. Abel the one who is suppose to be the inferior brother has had his offering accepted, and Cain’s rejected. Has his seat authority within the family gone with it? Verse 8

8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.

8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

Gifts from parents means a lot to their kids, and it is difficult not to compare what the parents get for their children. Or what age kids are allowed to do or have things. For instance it didn’t sit well with either my brother or sister when I was given the 9:30 bed time at 11 years old when they didn’t get their bump up until they were 12!

Seems like a quick jump from being distressed, to killing your brother. But Cain had made a decision already. If he wasn’t good enough to inherit what was his, no one would. When faith is replaced by human work and control, all kinds of evil can ensue. Cain killed his brother, not because he was right and his brother was wrong, but, on the contrary, because he had succomb to his wicked inclination and his brother had demonstrated himself righteous, and he now hated him.

Joseph, already known as the favorite, who probably has less manual labor to do as well as other perks from father, is now getting a brand new tunic with rich colors to it! I imagine the brothers were looking at their handmedown raggedy robes and thinking….um what gives??

God comes to him after his deed and asks the question, “where is Abel, your brother?” It isn’t because he is unaware of what has happened.

I imagine also, Joseph was just a tad bit naïve as a 17 year old. In my mind, he didn’t even realize how much his brothers resented him. He may not have even realized he was treated so particularly special by his father. I imagine, him walking with brother, saying…Have you noticed the rich color of my tunic Judah? He is also talking about throwing me special celebration for my 18th birthday, He’s going to be giving me my preference on living quarters! Isn’t that exciting?! Judah looks at him and replies… “yes, so exciting…:/” (sarcastically)

When my dad was a boy going to church, it was time for the lamb’s offering where the kids of teh church would collect money from the adults for the church, before the children’s story. This particular day, my dad, rather than place the coins he had collected for the offering, put his hand in the basket and unbeknownst to anyone took a couple quarters out, and quickly put it in his pocket. No one had seen, no one except for his father, one of the elders sitting on the stage above him. When they got home, my dad put his quarters on his dresser, but in came his father, and immediately asked him, “where did those two quarters come from?” My dad already pale faced, became even whiter, he knew his dad knew where they came from, all he could do was cry. His dad, not known for dolling out grace, gave some gentle grace to his son, but my dad, when sharing with me this story told me how he was told to pay back the quarters he had taken and also some more from his piggy bank.

You might be wondering, what this may have to do with our church. First off let me ask you. Who do you relate to most in the story so far? Do you relate to Joseph, the naïve favored as well as despised younger brother or do you relate to the brothers so far. Maybe you relate most to Jacob the father, the wise father who has already had his adventures and now lets his sons battle it out. Personally I relate to portions of Joseph, as well, as the brothers. I have been the naïve younger brother with everything handed to him, but I’ve also been the hard working, prone to jealousy brothers who focus on whats fair most. I know one thing, in the seventh day Adventist church, and in all sorts of churches, there are plenty of each amongst the body.

God, asking Cain, where his brother was, was an opportunity for Cain to confess. Cain was more bold than my father’s when caught. His answer mirrors the one of his father Adam.

Let’s continue…

After Adam and Eve had sinned and eaten of the forbidden fruit of the garden, God asks Adam:

Now come the dreams. Up until this point Joseph has just been this annoying little brother who has had a lot of things spoon fed to him. Its been annoying, but I imagine the brothers are thinking he’ll eventually have a wake up call when he gets thrust into the real world and father isn’t always there to hand things to him.

Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”

I remember my saying something one time while he was in college, as I was showing him some of my new clothes mom had bought me. He said, “wow it must be nice to still have Mom buying your clothes” implying that I was spoiled.

and he answered, “the woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me the fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Rather than accept blame and responsibility for his action, Adam chose to deflect blame to his beloved Eve. In his opportunity to repent, he chose instead to insinuate, it was somehow it was God’s fault, for of course, it was Him who provided Adam, Eve.

Then Joseph has a dream.

Cain, likewise, chose to deflect, when asked where his brother was, he answered, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” He believes somehow, out of losing favor with God, and possibly lost the responsibility of being by birthright, the keeper of his family, that he can answer back with such disgust. God makes it known to Cain, He can hide nothing from him, his blood calls out to him from the ground.

5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. 6 So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”

Cain then, was expelled from his family’s land by God, as his parents were expelled from Eden. He doesn’t destroy Cain, but actually curses anyone who would seek vengeance on Cain by killing him. Cain is forced to live with the conscienceness he has killed his own brother.

8 And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

What caused Cain’s rebellion? It was believing the same lie, Satan told Eve in the Garden, You will not surely die, if you do what is forbidden, or the lie that he could somehow be an equal to God. As Adam and Eve had to pay the price of their sins, so did Cain. You see it was the devil from the beginning who wanted to be like God. It was he was once great, the greatest of all the angels. Lucifer.change slide

I remember vividly my first church board meeting that I sat in on. I am not referring to our church boards here in boone or banner elk. This was while I was a student intern. There were some young people who were making a pitch to the board about some youth activities and and worships they wanted to plan. I’ll admit their ideas appeared a little (if not misguided, then a little naïve). But they did seem to have some good ideas as well. My estimation, they just needed a nudge in the right direction. I was not prepared for the response they got. They were asked to leave the room so it could be discussed, pretty normal. The board seemed to be in consensus this was not something they wanted. They feared these ones were seeking to compete with their main service. They called them back into join them and told them pretty point blank the church would not be supporting this endeavor, and then they quickly moved on.

Story of Lucifer

I will say, I am not trying to judge to harshly here, because I would like to suggest this church board was the exception to many wonderful church boards I’ve witnessed an been a part of., however this first one was eye opening for me. They appeared more concerned with feeling threatened rather than seeking to find a way to empower these young people. I didn’t see to much of those young people again in that church. This was an example of the young people trying to convey a vision, or dream, and than being met with a pretty flat NO in response.

Story of Lucifer

It’s not a perfect parallel, these young people weren’t suggesting the church would now bow before them, but Imagine Joseph’s brothers response to him in conveying a dream he had showed just how threatened by Joseph they really were. I don’t know if Joseph even really understood the significance of the dream that he was retelling, but our texts don’t seem to suggest he was prepared to receive much resistance. He even feels bold enough to relay his 2nd dream.

Story of Lucifer – His Origin

9 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”

To find the origin of Lucifer, we turn to the Old Testament. In the Hebrew, the name Lucifer is translated from the Hebrew word "helel," which means brightness. This designation, referring to Lucifer, is the rendering of the "morning star" or "star of the morning" or "bright star" which is presented in Isaiah.

10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” 11 And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

Change slide

"How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon; I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High’" ().

The context of this passage is a referral to the king of Babylon as presented in his pride, splendor and fall. However, it is to the power behind the evil Babylonian king that this is actually addressed. No mortal king would claim that his throne was above that of God or that he was like the Most High. The power behind the evil Babylonian king is Lucifer, Son of the Morning.

It is interesting to note the progression of the prophetic dreams which had been relayed by Joseph to his family. The first dream, the brothers interpret to mean that they will all one day bow before Joseph. But now after the 2nd dream, this kid really must have quite the nerve and ego to make up a story like this. They interpret this to mean, not only will they bow down to Him, but also their father bows to him. Perhaps God Himself favors Joseph to all of them. This is getting out of hand. Someone needs to take this kid down quite a few pegs. The have had it! Even Jacob, father Israel himself is concerned, Jacob is taking these dream concoctions a little far. However, being that he was a veteran in having dreams revealed to him, he does ponder the matter…Is God up to something?

Story of Lucifer – His History

There is wisdom in Jacob’s response here that we as a church, we as parents should seek to emulate. It’s good for us to seek the motivation behind fresh ideas, and thinking…however, we can’t be like the brothers driven by the sinfulness of envy, jealousy, and self seeking in their hearts. Jacob actively ponders what is taking place. The brothers can only think of themselves in this moment and see how something is actively shaking their family hierarchy.

Lucifer, the angelic name for the devil called Satan, who as head of the evil world-system is the real, though invisible, power behind the successive rulers of Tyre, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and all of those evil rulers that we have seen come and go in the history of the world. This passage goes beyond human history and marks the beginning of sin in the universe and the very fall of Satan in the pristine, sinless spheres before the creation of man. The prophets such as Isaiah, and Ezekiel were not just simply addressing wicked kings, but the one whom was masked behind them.

Then comes the time when Joseph is asked by his father to go check on his brothers as they are supposed to b out tending the flocks in shechem. I don’t know if he was instructed to bring food to replenish them, but the texts seem to indicate he was on a mission to kind of spy and report back to his father. My parents had me go spy on my siblings occasionally when they had friends over….its much less over bearing, if I as the baby brother goes in and reports back, doesn’t make you the popular brother though. That’s for sure! Joseph looks in shechem but doesn’t find them. He is pointed to Dothan, and heads that way. He may have already made a note that the brothers were not where they were suppose to be.

We also see this same motif in Ezekiel: "Moreover the word of the LORD came to me: Mortal, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord GOD: You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, carnelian, chrysolite, and moonstone, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald; and worked in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. With an anointed cherub as guardian I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the stones of fire. You were blameless in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you. In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and the guardian cherub drove you out from among the stones of fire. Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you. By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade, you profaned your sanctuaries. So I brought out fire from within you; it consumed you, and I turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all who saw you. All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever" ().

18 Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him. 19 Then they said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is coming! 20 Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ We shall see what will become of his dreams!”

This passage seems to be addressed to the "king of Tyre." In reality, it goes beyond the king to the one who is behind the evil king of Tyre. This passage also has near and far prophecy about Lucifer/Satan because although his final end is already sure, it has not happened yet and it occurs after the final judgment (). In both the Isaiah passage and the Ezekiel passage, the representation is not of Lucifer/Satan as confined to his own person but his working in and the consummating of his plans through earthly kings and rulers who take to themselves divine honors and who, whether they actually know this or not, rule in the spirit and under the aims of Satan. "For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (). Satan is the principality behind the powers of this corrupt world system.

23 So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. 24 Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it.

Notice the statement that is given in the passage in Ezekiel, "the anointed cherub." These statements could never apply to a human king but, they do apply to Lucifer/Satan who is behind the human king. This angel is the highest creature the LORD ever created. The LORD says of him, "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty." Satan was the wisest creature God ever created. No other angel, no other being was created with the intelligence that God gave to this creature. God says that this creation is "perfect in beauty." Apart from the Holy Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, this creature is today the highest being.

25 And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry them down to Egypt. 26 So Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh.” And his brothers listened. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

In verse it says, "You were the anointed Cherub." This tells us we are not talking about a human king. The word cherub is singular for cherubim. The cherubim are symbolic of God's Holy presence and His unapproachable majesty. These cherubim occupy a unique position. The "anointed cherub who covers" is the picture given to us in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve had been sent out and God had placed cherubim to guard the way of the tree of life. Also, when Moses made the mercy seat and placed it into the tabernacle's Holy of Holies, God's glory came and dwelt between the cherubim. They "covered" the mercy seat with their wings. So we now see that Satan was a cherub and his position was to guard the very throne of God. His position was that of protecting the holiness of God. Satan had the highest of all positions, a position which he despised and lost. We have here in Ezekiel a picture of the highest of God's creatures, perfect in wisdom, beautiful beyond description, a musician and on top of all that, he was given this high, exalted position. But, this creation, with all of these wonderful attributes also had a free will. One day, God says to this marvelous creature, "Iniquity was found in you."

What is interesting to me, is Joseph is heading towards his brothers, seeing them as family, and as men a part of the same clan with similar goals. He had no contempt for his brothers. Yes he mustve been a little naïve to think his brothers would embrace him after he had been going on and on about his dreams, but at the end of the day, they were his brothers. They would love him no matter what right? No the brothers saw opportunity to rid themselves of their dreamer brother once and for all. They saw him only as a nusance. They might’ve even killed him had it not been for Rueben.

Story of Lucifer – His Status

You see Joseph was a lot of things, a dreamer, and explorerer, and an adventurer, but he was also one who had demonstrated faithfulness. Here in Genesis, you read about Rueben and Judah’s moral falls, and I imagine the others fell short in many areas as well. However it is made blatantly clear that the God of their father Israel was Lord over his life. Not only was Joseph faithful to God, but he enjoyed being faithful to God and honoring God in the way in which he lived. This mustve driven the brothers insane. Not only does dreamer boy Joseph follow the rules, but he actively enjoys it. No way were they ever going to be bowing down before this pretty boy. So they tossed him in the pit, and eventually sold him into slavery. Little did they know what was to come. Little did Joseph know his dreams were about to become a reality.

What kind of iniquity was found of him? In the book of Ezekiel, God has let us stand with Him at the very beginning, to see the origin and the creation of Satan. But, why does God say this? What is this iniquity? We must look back to , which tells us of Lucifer/Satan's choice. "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon; I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High." Did you notice in this passage all of the "I wills. " He said he would exalt his throne above the stars of God. The word "stars" here does not refer to what we see in the night sky. It refers to the angels of God. In other words, "I will take over heaven, I will be God." That is Lucifer/Satan's sin and that is the iniquity that was found in him. He does not want to be God's servant. He does not want to do what he was created to do. He wants to be served and there are millions who have chosen to do just that; serve him. They have listened to his lies and chosen to follow him. Eve believed the lie that she would be like God. The reason Lucifer/Satan tempted her with that was because it is the very thing that he wants -- to be God.

God had an important plan for Joseph the dreamer. It didn’t matter if he had support from his brothers or not because God purposed his dreams and purposed Joseph for a special mission. The question should be asked once more. Are we more closely related to Joseph’s brothers, Joseph, or maybe the father? Remember God uses each of these members to fulfill his will. The brothers would eventually find redemption. But it took allowing God to be Lord over them. It took their mistake to finally surrender and be transformed.

It’s this desire to be or be equal to or like God, has been lie to humanity down through the ages, especially to kings and leaders. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon was no different. He believed the lie of his God/king status. After Daniel, the hebrew wiseman, had accurately told him his dream of the statue, he became fixated that the head of gold represented his kingdom, and none of the other kingdoms to follow would be quite as great as his. Hearing your future, no matter how great, will increase your desire to make it even grander.

Joseph is far from the only person in the Bible to be purposed by God and to have dreams for the future. Samuel? David? Solomon?, Daniel? Any of those names come to mind? Each of them had obstacles, in the form of brothers, scoffers, and those who felt threatened.

Let’s look at change slide

Daniel 3 ESV

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Golden Image

Daniel 3

This was a time where status meant a lot. Dreamers such as Joseph threatened to shake up the status quo. I know there are those among us who are dreamers as well. Those who desire to stand for God no matter what. There are also some of us who would like to protect God’s church from misguided dreamers. These people also have an important role to play. However if were going to be the older brothers, lets not be like Josephs brothers and discard the dreamer. Let’s not be like the church board I had mentioned. Let’s be the brothers that take dreamers under our wing and help empower and discover God’s plan for those dreamers. If God is using them. Let’s not push them aside, but instead give them a platform! We have a lot of great kids, youth, and young adults here. We’ve got some new believers here! We’ve got people with energy! Let’s do what we can to empower them, because I’ll tell you one thing, if God has a plan for them, it is going to be fulfilled with or without your inclusion. Over the last couple months we walked through the book of James and realized to be the kind of Christian God calls us to be, we have to find a point of surrender. When it comes to Joseph and his brothers, they all found a point of surrender. The brothers surrender came later in their guilt for selling Joseph. Joseph’s surrender came as a slave. I’m imagine when Joseph had his dreams, he didn’t envision what was to come before those dreams became the reality. Those of you dreamers out there, often God gives us our moments in the pit first. While Joseph’s circumstances changed drastically. God never changes, and He is always with his children and enables them in their greatest of challenges. The following chapters in Genesis when referring to Joseph use the word successful many times, because it is linked to God’s special blessing upon Joseph. God remembers his people.

At the beginning, I mentioned some successful men. You see how they did revolutionary work. Just think what you and I can do when we dream big for what we can do for God. Or better put, what if we dream big about what God can do in us! If you desire to work for God and pray to be used by Him, don’t be surprised when He shows you His plans for you! And brethren, when you see God working in someone else’s life, get on board with what the Lord is doing!

Nebuchadnezzar’s Golden Image

3 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” 7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

You can imagine the king’s ego at this point is off the charts. How couldn’t he believe he was a God. Thousands of people at his feet kneeling and worshipping him, He was the God king. We don’t know where Daniel was, context would suggest he was away missing this spectacle, but his friends were present. They saw the wickedness all around, maybe they were even tempted to kneel and then just simply be praying to their true God, what would it hurt if nobody else truly knew. But out of faith and obedience to the true God, they would not succomb to the Devil’s lies the same as Nebuchadnezzar. They served the true God, in Heaven. change slide

English Standard Version Chapter 3

8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

Here is Nebuchadnezzar, possibly remembering their friend Daniel, and wanting to give these men a chance to change their course. But these 3, hearing their God be blasphemed against, they dig their heels into the sand. change slide

English Standard Version Chapter 3

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.

It should have been game over. These three men refused to kneel before anyone but their Lord. They counted it an honor even to be able die for God. There was no threat, there was action that the king could do that would change their resolve. In the New testament, in the book of acts, records the beginnings of the church. The apostle Peter was taken before the Jewish religious leaders, and Peter, although was seemingly there on trial before them, put them on trial, letting them know the role they played in the killing of Christ. These were men who would rile up crowds to stone men for less, and Peter boldly stands for his God. It was at this point the religious leaders had a similar feeling that King Nebuchadnezzar felt in front of Shadrach, Mishac, and Abednego. There were no threats they could make that could change their resolve, or in the apostles case, their movement. When Peter and his friend and colleague, John were released, they went and met with more believers, and prayed, just of thanksgiving for God’s protection, but prayed that they could be even more bold. This is recorded in imagine, their prayers were for the same boldness to which Daniel’s three demonstrated to the King of Babylon. We believe, that our God, can and will save us, but even if he doesn’t we will still not bow down. Its in these situations those who work for Satan tend to lose their cool and get desperate. The flames were so hot, it killed the men who would throw them into the furnace

English Standard Version Chapter 3

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. 27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

There is something important in this story, that I hope you all take notice of. I hear preachers out there preaching a prosperity gospel. You’ll get rich, or your life will be so great if you align yourself with Christ in the battle between Christ and Satan. I don’t think the martyrs of the Bible would agree. Throughout the Bible and throughout church history, we find men and women suffering and paying the ultimate price of death for their faith.

My friends, God does not promise to rescue you from every fiery furnace you find yourselves in. But be assured your savior will stand with you amongst the flames. While the devil would leave you to be destroyed because of his hatred for humanity, God’s love is for everyone, even the great sinners and saints alike.

The last lie, the devil tells and has even maybe told himself. He still argues that Christ has not won! Nothing pleased Satan more than when his enemy Christ was crucified, it wasn’t just the Roman guards, guarding his tomb. The devil wanted Christ’s body to remain forever.

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But he couldn’t hold Him. Death could not him! The gospels tell us Christ rose and later ascended back to Heaven.

The disciples, later to be called apostles had to remember Christ’s prophecying, He would come again! What signs were they to look for?

English Standard Version Chapter 24

3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

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knowing how Satan responds to losing, He informs them of the havoc, the devil will wreak upon the Earth, he will make the world so bad, many would believe God had abandoned everyone.

You look at all the chaos in the world, whether it be hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, and all of the above. You see so much hatred in the world. You see even united nations such as our divided on just about every major issue. Tension is growing higher and higher.

People without faith may become more and more scared. When I see all the calamity, the one thing that calms me is knowing Jesus warned us about these coming…and it only means, He is soon coming! He is soon coming!!!! But we also have a responsibility, as this battle rages on, one in which we understand the final outcome. God has called his faithful to spread the message of hope around the world. When we are exposed to the truth of his coming, it is also now our responsibility to tell others about Him as well, and live for him in our daily lives. I’m going to talk more about that in our next study, but before I leave you, remember this, The Battle has been won! Don’t believe satans lies. Jesus IS coming again!

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