The Mercy of Sovereignty

God’s Mercy Reigns Over Meteorology (1-2)

Genesis 43:1–2 ESV

Now the famine was severe in the land. And when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.”

A famine drove the story

God told Abraham that "sojourning servanthood” would come

Genesis 15:13 ESV

Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.

God sent His Famine to Secure His Family

The produce the boys brought back from Egypt had run out

There were few options and death was the least desirable one

Behind the scenes, God was at work

First, famine produced the need for a rescue

Joseph became the means for rescue

Egypt became the unlikely place of refuge

Joseph became the means by which God displayed his salvation

Later, Egyptian captivity ensured a need for rescue

Rescue insured a need for a rescuer

The rescuer (Moses) exposed the glory of the God of Salvation (El Yeshuati—Joshua—Jesus)

God’s Ordained Will Was Rescue & Promise

For Jacob (Israel) and his sons

Rescue from death during a famine

Promise of blessing for the world

For the Nation of Israel

Rescue from slavery

Promise of a Land and Prosperity

For Believers

Rescue from slavery to sin and death (separation) from God (life)

Promise of a peace with God and resurrection with Christ (new life)

God Is Always Working on Behalf of His People

When famine hits, God is bringing about His purpose

When oppression looms, God is bringing about His purpose

You see, everything does indeed happen for a purpose

In fact, God says through the Apostle Paul,

Romans 8:28 ESV

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

Even now

While hurricanes ravage the Gulf

While Wildfires rage in Colorado and California

While the Climate Debate Rages On

Our Sovereign God is at Work

Listen, Our Sovereign God’s mercy for His people is at work even when you and I cannot see it.

There is Mercy in God’s Sovereignty

God’s Mercy Reigns Over Methodology

The Rise of Judah

Genesis 43:3–15 ESV

But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’ ” Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?” They replied, “The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice.” Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry a present down to the man, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds. Take double the money with you. Carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight. Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man. May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” So the men took this present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin. They arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

Judah Was the Fourth Born Son

Normally Judah Would Not Be in the Lead

But Circumstances Made This Father of Kings the Lead Son in Jacob’s House

Judah Was the Leader Because His Brothers Chose Other Methods to Deal With Their Father’s Favoritism

Reuben thought that defiling Rachel’s handmaid would end the tyranny

Simeon and Levi Thought that slaughtering their sister’s enemy would alleviate their anger

All three were wrong and all three had given up their place in the family line

Judah Lead Differently Than His Brothers

Judah told Jacob the Facts

“The man told us not to come back without our youngest brother.”

“We merely answered benign questions”

Judah takes responsibility

Unlike Reuben’s ghastly gesture, Judah made himself the pledge

Judah also reminded Jacob of their costly loss of time

Judah took responsibility for the welfare of the entire clan

The Leadership of Judah (8-10)

He was the new leader

From this moment onward, Judah was the leader among the brothers

This is incredible! Judah was already becoming the father of a kingly tribe that produced David and Solomon

You see, God was at work even while the brothers, and Judah in particular, were fearful of the famine and of the ruler in Egypt

Fear cannot compare to God’s Merciful Sovereignty

Jacob, Judah, and Judah’s Brothers All Used Different Methods to Obtain Their Desired Outcome

Jacob lied about his wife and wondered why the boys told the truth to Pharaoh

Reuben slept with Rebecca’s handmaid and brashly offered his son’s lives as collateral for Benjamine

Simeon and Levi slaughtered Dinah’s abusers

Judah was diplomatic with his dad

Incredibly, God was at work in every decision and every outcome

God was accomplishing His purposes in the sinful and the sanctified acts of His people

And guess what, He had work in your life the same way

God Is At Work In And Through His People

In the middle of a Pandemic

While Iran threatens nuclear build up

While China continues to threaten

While the presidential election looms over us

While the anti-God culture continues to rail against the church

God is still at work bringing about his purpose of redemption for His people

God is at Work not because of our methods, but often times, despite them.

God’s Mercy Reigns Over Monstrousness (16-25)

Genesis 43:16–25 ESV

When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon.” The man did as Joseph told him and brought the men to Joseph’s house. And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house, and they said, “It is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants and seize our donkeys.” So they went up to the steward of Joseph’s house and spoke with him at the door of the house, and said, “Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food. And when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it again with us, and we have brought other money down with us to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.” He replied, “Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. And when the man had brought the men into Joseph’s house and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder, they prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.

The Brother’s Thought They Were Discovered as Thieves

Think about it, these men were taken to the vice-regent's house!

It was common knowledge that Egyptian rulers often had private dungeons in their homes

These men though they were in trouble

Fear lead the brothers to confess without any accusation

Look, we got home and this money was in our sacks, but we know we paid

Perhaps the brothers though confession would lesson the crime

Surprise comes in Joseph’s steward’s reply

First, the steward attributes the “blessing” of the money to Elohim, the true God

Second, the steward tells the brothers that he is the one who took their money the first time

God is still working during Monstrous Situations

Look, we all have moments of fear

The brothers did not know it, but God was working to save his people while they cowered before the Powerful potentate of Egypt

Get it? God was at work while the brothers feared

But, when we realize that God is at work, fear fades

Covid-19 is less alarming when we believe God is at work

The economy is less fear inducing when we believe God is at work

God’s Sovereign Mercy Works Despite Our Fear

Fear is really unbelief in God’s sovereign plan

Incredibly, God still works even though we fall into patterns of fear

God’s Mercy Reigns Over Majesty

Genesis 43:26–34 ESV

26 When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground. 27 And he inquired about their welfare and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” 28 They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves. 29 And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!” 30 Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out. And controlling himself he said, “Serve the food.” 32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. 33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement. 34 Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.

The Brothers Bow

It was customary for the lessor to bow before the greater

In this case, the brothers were frightened by what the Egyptian official might do and their need to feed their family

Joseph also Bowed

Joseph wept because of his compassion for his brothers and the now 30 yr old Benjamin

Joseph wept because God had brought his family back to him

Benjamin’s Portion Was Larger

Of course this was true

Infant Benjamin had nothing to do with the betrayal

Joseph and Benjamin were children of the favored Rachel

Now Joseph gets to be with his only full brother

There is More To This Moment Though

You see, God was the one to whom Joseph bowed

The most powerful man in all of Egypt bowed to something greater

This is evident in the steward’s statement that God had provided for the brothers

Joseph bowed to God because he saw God as the driving force behind his whole life (more about this in the next several weeks)

What about you and me?

When you and me remember God’s Sovereign mercy, we bow to Him above all else

That reminds me of a little thing that happens on Tuesday

The election of a Republican or a Democrat is nothing of much less concern when we bow to God alone

That does not mean that we do not care about what happens

It does mean that we care about God a whole lot more

One of the speakers at the MBC said, “our churches are producing more Republicans or Democrats than Disciples.”

My prayer is that you and I would not succumb to that kind of thinking

Instead, let us bow to God in Christ Jesus

God’s Sovereign Mercy is Always at Work

Meteorology—Bows Before God

Methodology—Bows Before God

Monstrousness—Bows Before God

Majesty—Bows Before God

Invitation