Covenant 8/23/2020

Well, good morning. Everyone great to see you in person. And for those of you folks to her joining us from afar weather as a part of our congregation or Beyond we welcome you and this morning we're continuing our series entitled forerunners of our faith. And today we're going to bring to a close our journey through the Book of Genesis and we're going to do so with a pretty remarkable figure. His name was Joseph the title of my message this morning is from the pit to the palace and she might be surprised to find that the Joseph is really one of the key focal points 13 chapters in The Book of Genesis are devoted to the story of Joseph. And you might be surprised to realize you'll see it today. But the story of Joseph is not just a independent story about how God work in his life, but it's a grand answer to the whole problem that the Book of Genesis raises and you're familiar with that problem because we studied these forerunners of our faith in that very context. It was there in the garden that Adam and Eve created in the image of God in for his glory enjoyed all that God had made and yet they rebelled against God and sinned against him out of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil and brought condemnation death and destruction upon their own children and upon the world that God had created and it even in the midst of their sin. God showed them Grace. She promised them in the very interested in which he brought his judgment upon them that one day a child from this pair out of would be born it would crush the head of the serpent who had brought about their destruction the very evil that Satan intended God in the power of His Sovereign might the power that created the universe by a single word the power that called Jacob out of the very womb before he had done anything good or bad that very power would use the evil that Satan intended for good to bring about the salvation of the Nations and to demonstrate not only that God is a god of justice, but it's Corp God is a god of grace and mercy something that the human Community as well as the Angelic host would come to know as God redeem this man and this woman and their children's children from their sin in the person of Jesus Christ had to the story of Joseph is an answer not simply to the challenges and pitfalls that he experienced in his life, but it's a gray Witness for The Sovereign power of God to take even what is intended for evil and use it for good for his Divine purposes. And for his glory is plan. If you got a Bible I'd like you to take it out with me as we journey through the life of Joseph that you may not have heard it framed before going to begin before Joseph grew and into being a young man. We're going to begin where we left off last week is Jacob moved from the land of his father-in-law in Peron back into the promised land you recall that he met his brother Esau there on the border and after great fear and trepidation the night before wrestled with a man overnight in that man's blessed Jacob and even changed his name from Jacob to Israel. If any man have a power to change the name of one of the Patriarchs in Genesis certainly not head so they are on the eve of meeting with his brother Esau Jacob wrestle with God a man present with him over that night as he struggled and strove most likely up reincarnation experience with Jesus Christ himself in Jacob was blessed by God and his name was changed to Israel and the Lord promised him that all the nations of the world would be blessed through him or Jacob continued over the river that night and met his brother Esau and then landed in the promised land and the story of Jacob now returning with the promise of God renamed Israel the one who wrestles with God and Men head overcomes begins And it begins with a very strange story to the promised land. They came to a town named shechem. You guys remember the town name shall come from the biblical Old Testament narratives that you've read what tragically a horrific event took place in shechem. And I want to look at this event before we look at the wife of Jacob because Joseph because it will tell you a little bit about the character of Joseph's brothers Genesis chapter 33, Verse 18 and following is where will begin. Hey Jacob came safely to the city of shechem, which is in the land of Canaan on his way from padanaram Eddie Camp before the city and from the sons of ham or check on his father. He bought 400 pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent there. He erected in older and called it a Aloha is real. Shechem was the favored son of hamour the leader of this area and that he was well-known and yet he was a Godless man. Jacob's daughters Diner a daughter of Leah entered into shechem to see the city and meet its inhabitants and tragically on that trip into town. She met the namesake of that town shechem to sign up for more and shut them took advantage of Dyna in a gross Act of ungodliness that's recorded here in the pages of scripture. And as this event was learned by Jacob and his sons they became very angry and distressed that insult to injury her more and check them approached Jacob and his sons admitting to what had taken place and then asking having the gall to ask that Dinah be given to shechem in marriage. Well as you might expect Dinah's Brothers the 11 Sons at least maybe the 10 sons of Jacob at this point. We're in raged at this request and yet they deceived her more and Shake him into believing that they would accept it and would welcome them and their family until we read in Genesis 39 13 sons of Jacob answering shechem and his father homework deceitfully because he had taken advantage of their sister Dinah and the story continues. It's a surprising story, but it's one that we're confronted with here in the pages of scripture in Genesis. 39 13 on the third day. I let me just tell you one last piece of the store here before they would allow their sister Dinah to be married to get to shechem and his family and the tribe that he represented. He demanded that the men of shechem be circumcised. The sign of the Covenant that God had given to Abraham they said it would be an Abomination if they were to bind their families together with he's uncircumcised men. And so Jacob and his sons had the city of shechem circumsized in all of the men that were a part of their tribe and then the story continues to 39 13th on the third day when they were sore two of the sons of Jacob Simeon and Levi Diana's Brothers took their swords and came against the city while it felt secure and killed all the males be killed her more and his son shechem with the sword and took died out of shechem house and went away the sons of Jacob Came Upon This Lane and plunder the city because they had taken advantage of their sister. They took their flocks and their heard their donkeys head. Whatever was in the city and in the field all their wealth all their little ones all their wives all that was in their houses. captured and plundered Ben Jacobs said to Simeon and Levi fuel brought Trouble On Me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land the Canaanites in the perizzites by numbers are few. And if they gather themselves against me an attack, I shall be destroyed both I and my household but they said should you treat our sister this way and not answer for it. The reason I tell that story is because it's recorded in the pages of scripture. This is probably one of the most brutal acts that we run across as we move through the stories of the forerunners of our faith. And if you read this story carefully at no point, do you find God approve of what these men have done or give them instruction to do it? They've acted on their own accord? And I think even from the biblical warrant that will find an exodus as God provides his loss. They went Way Beyond Justice in this incident. The grace of God has been poured out on Jacob and his family and yet as we've seen even from our study in the life of Jacob these were not perfect people. These were men who were sinful and at times were filled with vengeance and fury but it paints a snapshot of Jacob Joseph's brothers and Jacob son that these were men who could be very violent at times. I can't even imagine the events that took place there. Of course, I can't imagine what happened to Dinah as well, but it's a snapshot of those who do not deserve it. But those who God has placed his grace upon me. It's an important story to think about before we move into the story of Joseph because he experienced hardship at the hands of these very Brothers as well. The story continues as we read a little bit further, I think in a little bit further in Genesis and a verse 16. I think it's the next chapter then they Journey to the family from Bethel and women were still some distance from Ephraim. Rachel went into labor and she had a hard labor and there were late and when her labor was at its hardest the Midwife said to her do not fear for you have another son and it's her soul was departing for she was dying. She called his name's been an eye, but his father called him Benjamin. The Rachel died and she was buried on the way to ephyra that is Bethlehem and Jacob set up a pillar over for Tomb. This is the story of the family of Jacob as they enter in to the promised land and if they find a place to abide for a season in peace under the blessing of God with a family that was a full of deception at times but they made terrible decisions and run about brutal acts of violence against those who opposed them get it was a family that was marked by God's grace and now the story in Genesis focuses in on Joseph one of the forerunners of our faith and it's a remarkable story as well. See today. We read in Genesis chapter 37 in verse following verses 1 and following the story of Joseph. These are the generations of Jacob were told and The Story begins to focus in more distinctly on his son Joseph. Joseph being 17 years old was pastoring the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bill Hall and zilpah. Those were the Servants of Rachel and Leah respectively both Rachel and Leah had given their main servant to a Jacob as why but they might have more children and times that they were Barren. That's how Jacob had these 11 now 12 sons and head Joseph with out in the field as a shepherd with the sons of these handmaidens and and and Oprah's father and Joseph brought a bad report about his brothers to their father. I mean if you guys had a younger brother growing up or younger siblings any of you I was an only child so nobody ever bought brought a bad report about me, but I've got two boys now Bradenton Bryson every now and then during the day I'll get a report you guys remember the report the little reporting agent comes into the room and will report on the condition. Taken place will Joseph brought a bad report to his father about his brothers and were told in verse 3 now Israel Love Joseph more than any of his sons that remind you of anything even in the story of Jacob and watching his own parents household as his mother had loved him more than Esau and his father had loved Esau more than him and get tragically instead of learning from that gross active Injustice a parent should love their children openly and equally to the best of their ability. He did the very same thing that he loved Joseph more than any of his other Sons because Joseph were told was the son of his old age. And he was also the son of his beloved wife is well. Eddie made Joseph a robe of Many Colors with his brothers saw that their father loved Joseph more than all his brothers. They hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. And so the Story begins now we will see the story unfold is that the Joseph begins his journey as a very young man and then we'll see in in the moments that had that fit. The God is already beginning to work with Joseph and his life. He is beginning to give Joseph a vision of the things that are to come that we've been told that Joseph was Jacob's favored son at the time in which we read the story. He's 17 years old and this favor was demonstrable and undeniable to all of his brother's butt for 17 years. Jacob had showed his favor to Joseph and I can only imagine if his favor was poured out on Joseph as Jacob's mother poured her favor upon him as he was little and spent time with Joseph. Much more time most likely than the time he spent with his other son and he would have instructed Joseph Haydn the ways of the Lord in the stories of how God had blessed Abraham and Isaac certainly would have told him the story that we have learned about Adam in about know about the Tower of Babel in the dispersion of the people's about the call of Abraham the great-grandfather and of isak and even about the story of how God had Russell with him in the night on the Jabbok River Ford. It's a Joseph was well instructed. I would expect about the the wings of the Lord at this point in time in his wife and what's interesting is that we look at the pages in Genesis. Joseph is the youngest of the bleeding family to begin to understand and internalized the things of God. Abraham was called as a grown man hyzak of course was instructed in those ways, but we don't get a great deal of in the side and Isaac's life of Faith as a Young Man Jacob wrestled with God until long into his years until he was on the way to his father-in-law's house in her on but here Joseph at 17 years old begins to be taught by God in a very unique and Powerful way has God prepares Joseph for the things that are ahead in his life until we read in Genesis 37:5 that familiar story that Joseph had a dream and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. And now often people portrayed Joseph at the snot-nosed little kid who turns his brothers in for for no apparent reason and Lords over them and disproportionate ways, but you don't really read that from the biblical account. You read the story of the young man whose wrestling to understand the dream that God had given him and sharing that with his family members and you hear that that story was not well-received Joseph had a dream and his brothers and they hated him even more. He said to them here this dream that I have dreamed behold. We were binding sheaves in the field and behold my sheets a rose and stood upright and behold your she's gathered around it and bow down to my sheep his brother said to him. Are you indeed to rain over us? Are you indeed to rule over us? They hated him even more prison dreams and for his words and you can see the anger begin to build and and these men's heart much older than their younger brother and the sons of a different mother did the one who was loved by their father becomes hated by the brothers Kennedy dreamed another dream. We're told them verse 9 and he told that to his brother's we learn his father was there as well behold. I have another dream in the sun in the moon at 11 stars were bowing down to me and to his brothers. His father rebuked him and said to him. What is this dream that you have dreamed shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to Bow ourselves to the ground before you and his brothers were jealous of him. But his father kept the saying in mind. And that makes me recall the words of Mary when the angel Gabriel told Mary what would come of Jesus Christ and we're told that she treasured those truth in her heart. Enter the Jacob publicly say will you rule over us? He began to wonder what God had in store with this beloved Son of his. The story continues the rage and anger that his brothers felt to him began to grow and yet obviously God was at work and preparing the heart of this young man for the things that he would experience Joseph interpreted dreams later in his life. I'm hard-pressed to believe that after he shared this dream that he did not understand it if his father and his brothers understood the implication of the dream and certainly Joseph understood it year old boy who would accomplish nothing who had never seen the world. I would only seen the back some sheep in the tents of his father that one day he would rule over the world, but even the sun in the moon would bow down to him. Is a 17 year old man boy. You don't know a great deal. That's why I'm sure that even for Joseph it was difficult to get a sense of what that would look like. I remember when I was ten or eleven years old was when God impressed upon me that he was calling me to pastoral Ministry. I had not developed as a young boy. My intellect hadn't developed. I had a passion for Jesus Christ and I already had known I'd come to know him and to love him and yet at that very young age. She very distinctly made it clear to me that that was his call upon my life. I remember a few years later as I shared that with my aunt Debra and told her that God was calling me to pass troll Ministry. I thought she was it was so great. I'm so glad I'll be praying for you. But you simply laughed at me and said, well, that's what that's what every little kid thinks when they're growing up. Is that God's calling them to Ministry at 11 year old boy. I had a very strong sense that God was calling me in that direction and yet I had no idea what I would look like as it turns out. That's exactly what God called me to do and gave me the education and understanding and the low for the Lord in the opportunity to fulfill that golf at 1752 with processing what God has laid. So strongly upon his heart. There was no mistake that God made this impression on Joseph starts because it was prepared. It was to prepare him for the adversity that he would experience in the days ahead. Here we go a little bit further in the chapter in Genesis first 12 how his brothers went to pasture their fathers Block near shechem. And Israel said to Joseph are at your brother's pastoring the flock at shechem, I will send you to them and he said to him here I am so he said to him go now and see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock and bring me word verse 18 and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. They're outside the the outskirts of shechem the very City in which Simeon Levi had struck down an entire tribe of men with their own hands in which the other brothers had looted that City for their own game. They still had possession and people that they had stolen in that affair on the outskirts of that town as their brother Joseph comes they hatch a plot to take his life from him. They conspire against him to kill him and he said to one another verse 19 Here Comes this dream. Come now, but it's kill him and throw him into one of the pits or the sisters that were made to take to get to gather water together for the townspeople. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him and we will see what will become of his dreams. Is God made a dream on your heart? Not sure if that's the case and the end of your life. Sometimes you look back on the dreams that God has fulfilled but even this week I've heard story at least one member at covenant retirement who sang Lord. What's the future look like for me? What can I dream going for it? It's never too late to dream. It's never too late to ask the Lord's. What would you have me do in this season it often when we begin to figure out what those dreams and those Impressions that Lord has placed on a heart are sometimes they're not well received by those around us and that's discernment process as we seek. The counsel of fellow Believers is sometimes a difficult one will this dreamer in the hands of his brother would find a hard reality. First 21 we're told that a little bit of Mercy is shown, but when Ruben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands thing. Let us not take his life Ruben the older brother of the group here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him that he might and then were told by the author I bet he said those things that he might rescue him out of their hand and restore him to their father will it looks like Ruben left after he gave them that charge expecting them to follow through and the other brothers were left is Joseph arrived. So when Joseph came to his brothers verse 23, they stripped him of his robe. The robe of Many Colors that he wore I can only imagine what a painful moment that was and how how sad and and and tragic is it was is Joseph found himself in the hands of his brothers who he assumed would have loved him and they took him and they threw them into a pit. The pit was empty. There was no water in it and then they sat down to eat. Put a picture of the hearts of his brothers. They would do such a thing and only a few moments later sit down to enjoy a meal and perhaps laugh about what had taken place a caravan of ishmaelites. And so of course ishmeal is basically a family related memory that the sons of Ishmael you think of Isaac and Ishmael coming from giliad with your camels bearing Gumball and murder on their way to carry it down to Egypt ben-judah said to his brothers. What profit is it? If we kill our brother and conceal his blood, when did the ishmaelites and let not our hand be upon him for he is our brother our own Flash. What a Nobel case that's made there by Judith to save in Spare the life of his brother and just sell him into slavery for all-time. Right? What a merciful and loving brother. Judah was Judas Brothers listen to him by and they drew Joseph off and lifted him out of the pit and sold Joseph to the ishmaelites for 20 shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt. When Ruben return to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in it, he tore his clothes and return to his brothers and said the boy is gone and I where shall I go? They took Joseph's robe and slaughtered a goat head dip the robe in Blood and they sent the robe of Many Colors and brought it to their father. Is it this we have found please identify whether it is your son's robe or not?

I think of the language that can use with God is God approached Cain and said where is your brother? And he said to the Lord. Am I My Brother's Keeper? A gross disregard for the one who they had been charged to care for and a great disregard of their father. Even is Jacob and disregard Isaac and deceived him out of his brother's blessing. So to his sons had disregarded him and not simply deceived him out of the blessings of their brother be deceived. They're very father into believing that his beloved Son was dead and they set their brothers robe, but they basically had sold away into slavery for all-time bloodied with the stains of animal blood in his hands and watched him break down and weep before their very eyes. Jake Jacob identified the robe and said it is my son's robe Touch Fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt Torn to Pieces Than Jake for his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and board for his son for many days. This is the story of the promised family. The forerunners of our faith those who God has set apart as his own. Not a pretty picture is it? God's grace does not come to those deserve it God's grace comes to those to whom he chooses to show it. I need chosen to show his grace to this family to mark them with his name. This was Israel. The very nation that would bear his identity before all of the world spin Nation through who the Messiah would come into the world to save all men through him and get these are the men who mistreat their brother and lie to their father with his very blood in the sentence on their hands. Joseph Brothers had forsaken him. God had not if that God was placing Joseph exactly where his Sovereign hand intended him to be later on in the story will see Joseph tell his brothers that what you intended for. Evil. God has used for good. The story of Genesis is a remarkable. Once we learn of a sovereign god with the power of His word can bring light into existence can separate dry-land from the waters with the power of His word can bring into existence every kind of animal can creature with the power of His words can create a creature in his very image that will live for eternity giving him glory and nnn being odd the grand jury embrace the gods displayed and here we learn that God is Sovereign not only over the world that he has created but over the lives of those who he has made and called In, His Image. And he's probably stopping over that but he's even Sovereign over the intentional acts of evil that men commit. Joseph's brothers heinous actions had no intention of bringing about his good letter blown the salvation of others and yet God was at work and they're very evil Deeds the evil plans of man God by his Sovereign might uses for his grace and Glory. It's true in Joseph's life. It was true in Jacob's life and Isaac's life and Abraham's wife and Noah's life and Adam and Eve's life and it's true in your life as well. There's not a single atom in the universe that is out of the control of the Lord God Almighty and there is not a single event in your life or the live lives in any in human history for beyond the providential care and direction of the Lord. And so we continue in Joseph's story. He finds himself now. It's slave in Egypt sold into the house of potiphar one of the Pharaohs officials. You're familiar with this story there in Potiphar's house Joseph quickly Rises to promise to preeminent. She's trustworthy and capable and potiphar entrust his entire house to Joseph care and yet we're told that that Joseph was beautiful in form and appearance. Much like his mother Rachel was he was a handsome young man. And Potiphar's wife was attracted to him a woman from a pagan Society with the views on sexuality that were much more open than than this promised son would have been called to fitted to be and itchy approaches Joseph and it tends to seduce him when the servants are out and yet still he turns away from her seduction in pain runs. She grabs hold of His Garment and tears it from him as he runs out of the house and and she calls out to the servant that Joseph attempted to shed to assault her when potiphar returns and learns the news from his wife. He believes her and immediately had Joseph thrown into prison. Joseph finds himself in a pit again hopeless and despondent. What do you think went through Joseph's mind in the course of these events. He was not a foolish young man seems like each step of the way that he would process what was taking place in light of God's grace and God's hand upon his life that he kept in the back of his mind for the promise that God had made that one day. God would bless the world through him and we could not see it fulfilled in his circumstances. He was able to look Beyond his circumstances because he knew that God was greater than his circumstances. It's a young man who was far more mature than his years would indicate its processing what the Lord is up to? And yet here he finds himself not simply an app. It would certainly was bad and Sloat sold to slave Traders, which certainly was bad to put in a prison cell in Egypt. destined for death in Chains the story continues in chapter 39 verse I'm sorry chapter 39 verse 19

As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him Potter for that is and if this is the way that your servant treated me, she told him his anger was kindled and Joseph Master took him and put him into the prison but verse 21, the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of The Keeper of the prison and The Keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners during the prison The Keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge because the Lord was with him and whatever he did the Lord made successful. And it was there in that prison that to Unique prisoners were brought into their care. There was a great to-do in Pharaoh's house one day at the guards came and brought two very powerful man the cup bearer of the king you think of Nehemiah who you study later in scripture the very right hand of pharaoh as well as his Baker work imprisoned for something that they had done it and Joseph was set over them the prison keeper Believe been trusted Joseph and so he entrusted these two prisoners the most important prisoners that were in his care to Joseph charge. And then we read in Genesis 40 that this was no accident. But the Lord's plan at work sometime after these men were imprisoned the cupbearer of the king of Egypt in his Baker where we're putting chains with Joseph and Pharaoh was angry with them and the chief cut beer in the end in the chief Baker any put them in custody in the prison where Joseph was confined to the captain of the Guard Pony Joseph to be with him and attend them to be continued for some time in custody and one night. They both Dreamed A cupbearer in the baker of the king of Egypt who were confined in the prison each his own dream any dream with its own interpretation when Joseph came to them in the morning he saw that they were troubled. So we asked pharaohs officers who were with him in custody in his master's house. Why are your faces Down cast today? We've had dreams and there is no one to interpret them and Joseph said to them not interpretations belong to God, please tell them to me. Told any further of Joseph's ability to interpret dreams beyond the dreams that God had given to him to understand what God has in store for him at god-given Joseph other dreams over the course of his life in the midst of his difficult circumstances are not shared with us. But here is he learns that these two significant men have been given dreams the trouble didn't he? Ask them to explain the dreams and then it's the Lord provides the interpretation. Remember Daniels were to Nebuchadnezzar that I don't have the ability to do these things. But the Lord God Almighty chance. So tell me your dream of game and all interpreted for you was so to Joseph shows that same very dependent upon God. How do you interpret the dream and one? Accused and the other was put to death the cut bear was restored to Pharaoh has his dream indicated as Joseph foretold it and the baker was put to death even as Joseph interpreted his dream. Joseph said it to the cupbearer after he interpret his dream only do this for me. Remember me when it is well with you and please do me the kindness to mention me to pharaoh to get me out of this prison cell. Be at the cupbearer forgot about Joseph in Genesis 41. We read that two whole years past is Joseph waited to see if the cupbearer was going to remember what he had done for him. And then God's timing came to pass a dream as well. You remember the story God gave Pharaoh a dream that took him to the very core any look for someone to interpret it, but he could find none chapter two whole years Genesis 41 Pharaoh dream that he was standing by the Nile and behold there came up out of the Nile 7 cows attractive and plump and they fit in the Reed grass and behold 7000 ugly and came up out of the Nile after them and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile and the Ugly thin cows ate the seven attractive plump cows and Pharaoh awoke. And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time and behold seven years of grain Plumping good we're growing on one stock and behold after them is sprouted 7 years thin and blighted by the East when and the seniors swallowed up the seven plump. Ken Farrah woke and behold it was a dream. So in the morning is Spirit was troubled and he sent and called for The Magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. I told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to pharaoh. Did the Chiefs cut bear Center Farrow? I remember my offences today was angry with his servant and put me in the chief Baker in the custody in the house of the captain of the Guard. We dreamed on the same night. He and I each having a dream with its own interpretation and a young Hebrew is there with us a servant of the captain of the Guard when we told him he interpret our dreams to us giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream hand as he interpreted. So it came to be I was restored to my office and the baker was hanged. Imperial sand and call Joseph and they quickly brought him out of the pit and we had shaved himself and changed his clothes. He came before pharaoh and Pharaoh said to Joseph height had a dream and there is no one who can interpret it. I've heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it Joseph answered Pharaoh. It is not in Me. God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer. And Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dream the dreams of pharaoh are one God has revealed to Farah what he is about to do the seven good cows or seven years and the Seven good years or 7 years. The dreams are one of the seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them or seven years and the save an empty blighted ears of corn are 7 years as well. It is a famine that will come as I told Pharaoh. God has shown to fair when he is about to do and Joseph goes on to explain that 7 years of prosperity will be followed by these seven years of famine head. So Joseph as he interprets it to Pharaoh Pharaoh suggestion. Therefore let him select a Discerning and wise man verse 33 and set him over the land but for a procedural point overseers over the land and to take 1/5 of the produce of the land of during the 7.24 years 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 that the food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine this proposal, please pharaoh and all his servants had Pharaoh said to his servant can we find a man like this and whom is the spirit of God in Pharaoh said the Joseph says God has shown you all this there's none so Discerning as wise as you 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 finish the story in this picture the sovereignty of God over the fares of men even the most evil of actions that God brought Joseph the one who board that special quote that Mark of privilege from his father that God wrote that Joseph Who Bore much more than the mark of his father in those days, but the very Mark of God himself. Do you remember the story of Jacob and even in the womb before Jacob or Esau had done anything good or bad? The Lord said the younger will be served by the older than even is God had Marc Jacob in the womb godhead Mark Joseph as well and watched over him and brought about his plans and purposes in his life. Not simply despite the evil actions of his brother's but using those very evil actions to put Joseph exactly where he intended to be exactly when he intended to be there. The Lord God Almighty is Sovereign over the events of men and over the events of angels. And that is what this story makes very very clear Joseph. Now the second man most powerful in all of Egypt oversees the famine and cares for those who otherwise would have starved and died the whole Known World Egypt has the greatest power in the world at this point in the midst of that famine who comes to Egypt, but Joseph is Joseph's brothers who are dying of famine in the land of Canaan and they come before Joseph himself to seek his favor and to seek food to feed the family that promise family who God had marked as his own and got it plays Joseph in that very place for that very seasoned to care for them. And not only that but Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, he tells them exactly who he is in pain weeping. He shares himself with them he test them first, but eventually he reveals himself to his brothers brings his father to Egypt and he cares for his father in the land that God had him pointed him that. The leader over. Eventually Joseph father Jacob dies and when he dies there in the land of Goshen in Egypt and not surprisingly Joseph brothers are afraid for their very lives. They conclude that the only way they're Brother Joseph who's now who's the most powerful man in the world apart from Pharaoh himself has reserved his Vengeance from falling upon them is for the sake of their father. So they could have cared less about their father's heart. So they could care less about their father as they lied about the death of their brother at the at the fangs of some vicious animal. They knew that Jose did care for him to be as soon as soon as their father would past that Joseph would bring his vengeance upon them and that's where the story of Joseph comes to a close with a great statement not simply to Joseph's brothers, but you are the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve ourselves. Here's what we read and Genesis chapter 50 verse 14 and following Sweet Joseph's brother saw that their father was dead. They said it may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him. So they sent a message to Joseph saying your father gave this come in before he died. This is something completely made up Saint Joseph. Please forgive the transgressions of your brothers and their sin because they did Evil to you and now please forgive the transgressions of the Servants of the god of your father. Joseph's response certainly somewhat unexpected by his brothers. We're told here in 417. Joseph wet when they spoke to him. Certainly he saw through the news they were deceivers from the time that they were young and Getty wept because he loved his brothers and they didn't know the grace in the mercy that he would show to them. His brothers also came and fell down before him and said behold. We are your servants and now in one of the most important verses and all the scriptures listen, very careful carefully Joseph says his brother a truth that reverberates down through the pages of human history from Adam and Eve's despicable act in the garden to the coming of Jesus Christ and the Redemption that will result in his return and the re-establishment of the new Heaven and a new Earth. Joseph says this to them but Joseph said to them do not fear. Am I in the place of God? That's for you. You meant evil against me. But God meant it for good. To bring it about that many people should be kept alive as they are today. So do not fear I will provide for you and for your little ones unless he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. Eventually Joseph dies there in Egypt of old age and were told this in Genesis chapter 50 verse 24 Joseph. I am about to die. But God will visit you and bring you up out of this land with a dream that he had. I don't know how we know these things to the land that he swore to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and Joseph name the sons of Israel. Swear saying God will surely visit you and you shall carry up my bones from this place. So Joseph died big 110 years old and they involved him and put him in a coffin in Egypt until Moses and the people would take Joseph home some 400 years later.

Story of Joseph is not a one-off story. and the answer that God provides there and its pages is the answer to the act of the serpent in that Garden so long before but the evil that Satan intended to destroy the Sons and Daughters of Adam and Eve God has used for his good and for his glory that he might demonstrate to all of the earth into the Angelic host as well that not only is he a god? That is good. Not only is he a God who is just But he is also a god who's filled with grace to those who do not deserve it. Satan intended for evil God by the power of His might and mercy used for good to bring about our salvation and to demonstrate to the entire world. All of creation itself that he is not simply a god of justice, but he is a god of Grace for the undeserving to those he calls simply out of his own love for us. forerunners of our faith Adam and Eve Noah Abraham Isaac, Jacob Joseph men and women who are faithful But all the more so the God who is faithful to them. Let's close in a word of Prayer. gracious and holy God We did you thanks for the accounts of our brothers and sisters. We give you thanks Lord for a story like Joseph that's there in the promise line. There was a young man who was so much more faithful. It seems then even his siblings to being the one that you called him to be. Or do you have made promises to us? That we are no longer condemned in Christ, but that we have been reconciled to you and you have called us to be a blessing to the world in which we live. So do I pray for us, but you would Empower us to carry out that dream to share the good news of Jesus Christ with those who you have placed in our lives. Then we find ourselves in a pit. We Supply find ourselves the victim of evil actions for senseless Deeds. We find ourselves grieving death itself and Satan brought upon upon us with the most evil of intent. What help us to see through the walls of that pit into the future that you intend because you use even those evil things for your good for your glory because of the grace that you've shown to us for all these things in Jesus name. Amen. It's Dan for a closing song.