When Dreams Come True!

Opening Illustration

What did you dream you were going to be or do as you grew up?

Be a ballerina? Earn your first million dollars before age 30 .. retire early and never work again?

Maybe you dreamed of a lovely house … a supportive and caring spouse .. 3 beautiful kids who grow up making their own beds .. washing the dishes .. eager to get into their homework .. help around the house getting all the chores done. .. and then snuggle down with caring supportive spouse on a cold winter’s night .. with the fire on .. log fire preferably .. warm cup of cocoa … Whispering sweet nothings to each other

How’s it all working for you?

Seems you can hit MID LIFE are realise the dreams are dying .. you won’t be playing cricket for Aust. ... the family didn’t turn out as you thought they would ... the job is boring or stressful .. feel trapped .. mortgaged up to the hilt

Sometimes the dream turns into a nightmare

Pain is part of life .. relationships strained .. marriage / family .. still waiting for the supportive caring spouse .. the knight in shining armour

There are ANXIETIES ... health … op’s .. cancer .. brain tumor .. going broke .. parents .. demetia / heart ... toddlers ... teens … issues that keep us awake

It seems God’s plan is for our DISCONTENT!

What do I do? Well .. table spoon of concrete .. just harden up princess .. take a chill pill ... but that doesn’t help

Where’s God .. why isn’t this working out .. Esp when we keep thinking “well I’m faithful .. I’m putting in .. trying to show God to others BUT … why the mess .. is God POWERLESS or just HIDDEN??

The rest of Genesis .. 37-50 explores all that .. it’s a ripping yarn and it’s almost as if God is not there .. no appearances .. or miracles .. no speaking or correcting .. seems like God is missing

The Future of the Family Favourite

Ch.37 sets the scene .. we are introduced to Joseph .. Jacob’s favourite .. v.3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age;

Knowing Jacob’s other boys this isn’t a huge surprise .. they were all good candidates for the Israeli marfia

We’ve been seeing a sordid background .. one that’s dominated by lying and deceit, immorality and manipulation .. Joseph stands out heads and shoulders above the rest .. which is pretty impressive growing up in the environment he did for 17 yrs

Jacob does as his parents did .. showed blatant favouritism .. v.3 and he (Jacob) made a richly ornamented robe for him (Joseph) . … technicoloured dream-coat? .. you often see the brightly stripped rainbow coat in the picture books

It’s not that Joseph is a “spoilt brat” … this is a garment worn by ROYALTY (2 Sam.13:18)

Jacob is making a statement … the message is .. Joseph will be the FIRSTBORN .. get the inheritance .. get the blessing .. he’s the young prince

There’s an obvious reaction v.4 .. the bothers HATED Joseph .... never a kind word for him .. not helped by Joseph dobbing on his brothers

The icing on the cake is when Joe comes in one day and tells his brothers about this dream “You’ll never guess what happened last night .. I had this dream ..and we were tying sheaves of grain and mine stood upright and all yours bowed down to mine .. funny that? What do you think that means?” Well the brothers knew EXACTLY what that meant .. “So you’ll reign over us?... You’re going to RULE?” .. in your dreams!!

And then there is a second dream and this time he tells dads as well … the stars and the sun and moon bowing to him .. and Jacob is offended .. imagine him bowing down to his son .. ridiculous .. but keeps this matter in his mind (v.11) Is this dream a window into the future?

Was Joseph catching any of this? Wow .. look at my future .. people bowing down to me .. I’m going to be important …

NB imagine if he was given power at this point in his life?!

This all comes to a head when Joseph is sent to see how his brothers are going looking after the sheep .. you sort of get the feeling that Jacob doesn’t trust the brothers too much .. they might steal all the sheep and put the money on some camel races

Joseph dutifully goes … wearing his royal robe .. easy target to spot .. the brothers see him coming and true to form see it as the ideal opportunity to get rid of this puffed up little upstart PLAN A is to kill him .. but Rueben intervenes, he’s already in trouble with his dad so he wants them to throw Joe in a pit or cistern .. then he would come back and rescue Joseph and stay in his fathers’ good books … maybe the inheritance isn’t completely lost

They throw him in the pit .. fortunately there was no water in it .. then they very casually sit down and have lunch listening to Joseph screaming and pleading for his life (42:21) .. then they see some Midianites (Ishmaelites) heading to Egypt PLAN B Judah has the great idea sell Joseph .. maybe killing him is a bit too much .. after all he is flesh and blood!

So…. they make 20 shekels of silver (3 yrs wages for a shepherd) .. Joseph is gone out of their lives forever .. now for the cover up .. a goat and coat deception .. again .. they go home try and keep the tears back as they show Jacob the shredded robe smeared in goat’s blood ... lucky for them there is no CSI in Israel

There is no consoling Jacob’s grief … in mourning will I go down to the grave .. his grief will last as long as he lives

Meanwhile Joseph is sold off to Potiphar captain of Pharaoh’s guard

Take it up in Ch.39 .. the future Joseph was dreaming about was not looking very rosy .. but what we do see is God at work .. v.2,3,

The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, cf. 5,20,21,23

Joe starts life at Potiphar’s place as a despised Hebrew slave .. strange land, language, culture customs .. kicked pushed shoved to get on with the menial jobs ..

Yet Joseph doesn’t get the sulks .. doesn’t just do the minimal things .. he is efficient and organised .. plunges into his learning of Egyptian ways and language .. if you read carefully it looks like Joseph is in Potiphar’s employ for 11 yrs .. and it doesn’t go unnoticed

Potiphar knows that Joseph’s God is with him .. God’s man .. a man you can trust

There are problems when you are wise, well organised, efficient, handsome and well built v.6 .. the ladies take notice … and one in particular .. Potiphar’s wife .. the noticing ripens into desire .. “Come to bed with me” .. not to read bedtime stories .. immorality permeated this culture just like our own today .. unfaithfulness was common

Press pause and put yourself in Joseph’s shoes .. what’s going through his head at that moment .. what is the devil whispering in his ear ? .. “Now Joseph .. this is called adultery .. this is a big black filthy sin ..

I think the whispers are something like this ... “Wow she looks great Joey .. hmmm smell the perfume .. hey you’re the guy in control .. you know it will be important to keep Mrs Potiphar happy .. you want to keep this great job that God has given you .. remember it was God that said you were going to be important .. and you are .. this must be God’s will .. anyway how can something that feels so good be wrong .. you deserve it .. ENJOY”

The devil is the GREATEST liar!

NB Joseph’s response … INTEGRITY stamped all over him .. how could I betray your husbands TRUST in me

But .. more importantly v.9 …How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”

Day after day .. like a dripping tap she is relentless.. he does the smart thing and avoids her where possible .. It all comes to a head when she grabs Joseph ,, who runs leaving his cloak behind

Mrs Potiphar keeps the cloak … makes up the story to tell to her husband … and her lies put Joseph in prison

From Prison To Palace

Here he is in a dark smelly rat infested gaol .. but there is no PITY PARTY … there’s no Why me! .. no sulking in the corner and telling God where he can put his dream which is now a nightmare

HOWEVER .. v.20ff But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favour in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

One day some new inmates come .. Pharaoh’s cup-bearer and baker .. they have dreams .. Joseph says … God interprets dreams .. tell them to me

The cup bearer is dreaming of squeezing 3 branches of grapes into Pharaoh’s cup .. the baker is having birds eating 3 baskets of bread from his head .. Joseph tells the cup-bearer that God will restore him to his position in 3 days .. the baker gets excited wanting to know what God is telling him but it’s all bad news .. he will be executed

In 3 days it’s Pharaoh’s birthday and things turn out exactly as predicted .. and as the cup-bearer leaves Joseph .. Joey pleads to be remembered to Pharaoh .. but he forgets ... for 2 long years

But God remembers Joseph

Pharaoh is disturbed by dreams of 7 fat cows eaten up by 7 skinny cows and then 7 fat and healthy heads of grain eaten up by 7 weedy thin heads of grain .. a couplet .. this is what GOD is going to do .. it is set .. he will make it happen

Yet all the Pharaoh’s wise men, magicians and dream interpreters didn’t have a clue and then the cup-bearer remembers ..oops ..and tells Pharaoh that Joseph has a PhD in dream interpretation .. he is sent for out of prison .. has a wash and a shave (which would be ALL OVER … and Joseph is presented to Pharaoh

Again the godliness and humility of God’s man .. God will give you the interpretation Pharaoh

Seems pretty straight forward to me .. 7 years of abundance followed by 7 years of famine .. the benefit of hind-sight!

And Joe throws in a bit of free advice .. you need someone who is a good organiser .. some well adjusted person with integrity .. not afraid of hard work ..someone who God is with .. interprets dreams .. and good looking too .. to organise the storing of the abundance to provide for Egypt in the days of famine

And yes .. I’m available .. I’m between jobs at the moment

So ...Pharaoh makes Joseph his advisor .. his 2IC .. from prison to palace in a single leap

Everything happened just as God said it would .. in fact those 7 years of abundance brought in more grain than they could count .. they gave up taking records .. such was the blessing that God poured out and that’s not surprising really because that is what God promised that there would be this channel of blessing to ALL MANKIND

Application

There was a dream .. and Joseph’s life if working to FULFIL it .. the UNSEEN GOD preserving Joseph in order to PRESERVE a FAMILY ..that will become a GREAT NATION .. RELATIVES AND REAL ESTATE and RICHES are all coming there way but there are a few detours on the way .. EGYPT

No “coincidences” or “accidents” God never says OOPS ...He is ACTIVE and at work behind the scenes working his purposes out

Can you imagine Joseph in charge of Egypt when a young 17 yr old??

God has been PREPARING him .. injustice follows him .. dad plays favourites and his brothers hate him and try to kill him .. then sold to merchants .. then a slave in a foreign land .. then accused of a crime he didn’t commit and thrown in prison .. he needed to LEARN HUMILITY .. he was made all the better in his character going through these experiences .. experiences Joseph had no control over ..

If you live by the rule that good people never end up in trouble … BE GOOD AND BE BLESSED .. you’ve got a problem with Joseph and much of the Bible.. and esp the life of Jesus

God reveals His purpose to Joseph in a dream in a age where there was no Bible

Will God reveal your future in a dream?

Not usually .. but I’m not limiting what God continues to do in this day and age

What we DO have is God’s WORD .. His SELF REVELATION

When OUR dreams don’t come true .. what will we do?

When we are faithful .. but injustice and problems plague him .. that’s the ACID TEST .. will we TRUST God when our world is crumbling around us ... when our dreams are being shattered ... when the diagnosis is not what we want to hear

Friends .. God does plan IS for our DISCONTENT .. to be discontented with this world .. and crave the world to come!

To not care about trinkets and to care about our walk with Christ .. and it’s the CRUCIPLE of PAIN .. the periods of feeling the ABONDONMENT of God .. the season of suffering .. these anxious COVID days

Remember Paul .. “I was given a thorn in my flesh” (2 Cor. 12:7 NIV). Something that was UNRELENTING AGONY .. he pleaded .. and pleaded .. and pleaded .. 3X .. and God was silent

Paul NEVER asked why .. he knew why .. to keep me from becoming conceited .. and .. “a messenger of Satan, to torment me”

Y’see GOD’S GLORY and our growth in HOLINESS is more important to God than our COMFORT

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

(Romans 8:28–29 NIV)

God SEEMS HIDDEN .. He’s working ALL the things happening in our life for our GOOD .. and the GOOD = conformed to the likeness of his Son

Yep and I can’t answer why he takes some people through the most horrendous circumstances ... but He’s there

All things to make us BETTER .. not BITTER

For Jesus dying on the cross was unintelligible for people .. God didn’t intervene .. how can God be in this! BUT Jesus obeyed .. cried out in pain at being deserted by His Father but endured the pain .. and received the glory to come

We need to be conformed to this purpose .. we learn humility and patience and when we can’t see what He’s doing we must TRUST HIM

Conclusion

One day Joseph embraced his dad and walked out to go about his routine business .. he was a bit spoilt, naive .. bit full of himself .. a head full of dreams of importance

And the LORD so orchestrated the ways and events to test him and prepare him for a great job he would do .. we see him rise and fall .. rise and fall … the Lord using his abilities and gifts and blessing those he has contact with along the way

He has resilient faith through all the warp and weave of his life … he remains faithful and patient in those bad times believing the promises that would unfold in God’s time and in God’s way

We press on to a FIRMER GOAL .. we see so much further down the plan of God for the salvation of ALL MANKIND .. the ultimate blessing has come .. JESUS the only Son of the Father .. the Son whom he loves came as fulfilment of the PROMISE .. Jesus died so that we can have eternal life in a land not of this world .. the one thing we wait for is His return .. Come Lord Jesus Come