Part 2: Preparations Through Providence

Introduction

Last Sunday, we looked at an overview of the life of Joseph from where he was sold into slavery because of the jealousy of his brothers, to where he come out on top as second only to Pharoah.

As I said last week, we are going to begin looking deeper into these trials and victories from his life…These trials and victories show us something amazing, and that is that they are a demonstration of the fact that the Lord will never leave us, nor forsake us. It also shows us more than anything that God is working things out to the good of them that love Him…It’s been said that Joseph’s life is the Old Testament Romans 8:28!

Romans 8:28 AV

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

Here in Genesis 37, what looks like the end for Joseph is actually just the beginning as we see that much of his early life consisted of God preparing him for what’s to come.

We saw through the overview of his life, that there was a big storm brewing, and preparation was essential for him to survive!

You know, there’s a lesson right here for us all; we don’t like adversity, we don’t like pain, we don’t like heartache, we don’t like trials and tribulation; we like to be comfortable, all the time, but listen, without trouble, we miss out on learning many lessons from God on how to deal with things and have victory!

Let’s look at a few things this morning from the life of Joseph on the thought of “Preparations Through Providence”...

Growing Discernment

Genesis 37:2 AV

These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

We meet Joseph here when he is only seventeen years old. Jacob is around one hundred and eight years old and Joseph was his favorite son. The story opens with this teenage young man feeding the flock with his older half-brothers Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. These young men were doing something wrong because Joseph brings his father an evil report concerning their actions. Based upon verse fourteen, reporting to his father may have been part of Joseph's responsibilities.

I want to show you something interesting right here...

One of the great pictures shown in the life of Jacob is where we see the conflict between the two natures of a believer.

After Jacob’s struggle with the Lord at Peniel, the Lord gave Jacob a new name: Israel. And God gave the reason:

Genesis 32:28 AV

And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

Later, God appears to Jacob/Israel again in Bethel, reaffirms the name change, and gives him the same covenant that Abraham had received (Genesis 35:9–12).

Thus the “heel-catcher” became “one who struggles with God.”

We see the struggle between the flesh and the Spirit in him. As Jacob, he was a reminder of the deceitfulness of the flesh. As Israel, we see him as a prince with God.

Now, something we really need to pay attention to is this: Joseph stuck out like a sore thumb when it come to his brothers (we will see more of this later), but what was so different about him? We know after he’s thrown into the pit, and sold into slavery and other things in his life, the Bible says the Lord was with him…But there’s something different in his young life also, and I believe it’s this:

For the most part Joseph’s brothers were raised by the old Jacob (the old trickster, the supplanter), while Joseph was primarily raised by the new Israel.

We usually get in our children the product of either raising them as we live in the natural power of the flesh or in the spiritual power of the Holy Spirit.

The point I’m trying to prove is that Joseph would need discernment for his future troubles…Even right now he would feel pressure to conform, but he didn’t…he was different.

While the world calls on us to conform, the Bible says otherwise, being different is OK…

Romans 12:2 AV

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Don’t let the world press you into it’s mould.

Proverbs 1:10 AV

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

Joseph didn’t let anyone or anything make him conform! He had discernment from God!

Today, we could use a dose of discernment that would keep us from conforming to the world and from concealing in darkness those things that should be brought into the light.

You do not have to fit into anyone’s mold to be accepted. The only person you have to please is the Lord God! If you are living your life in a manner that pleases Him, then you are living the right kind of life. Never sell out to this world or to people who want to make you like them! Make up your mind that you’ll settle for nothing less than the approval of God upon your life.

Hey, He made you, He loves you, He died for you, and if you are saved, He saved you. You are going to His Heaven to live with Him for eternity. Realize and recognize that you are an individual and that you are unique among all the people who have ever, or will ever live. God made you special and your duty is to live for Him.

Gracious Dress

Genesis 37:3–4 AV

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. 4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

Joseph was Jacob’s favorite perhaps because Joseph was the firstborn of Rachel, who was Jacob’s first love. No matter the reason, Israel, or Jacob made no attempt to hide his favoritism.

Verse 4 tells us they hated him, and wouldn’t even talk to him peaceably. Jacob, or Israel’s favoritism made his brothers hate him!

Now, Joseph becomes a beautiful picture of Jesus Christ, because of his status as a favored son.

Let’s look at some ways that Jesus is favored by God...

What’s the only way to become a child of God?

Galatians 3:26 AV

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

The Bible tells us in:

John 14:6 AV

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus is favored by God, He is the only way you will get to Heaven!

Let’s look at what the Bible tells us regarding Christ and His relationship to the Father:

Matthew 3:16–17 AV

16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Matthew 17:5 AV

While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

Except for the last three words, this is the same message spoken in both verses...

Look at four things about Christ in these statements:

First, the Person of Christ.

“This is my beloved Son.” The statement, especially the “Son” part enforces the emphasis upon the Deity of Christ.

Second, the passion for Christ.

“Beloved.” The love of God for Christ is beyond human measurement. No love is so great. Yet, God gave Christ to die on Calvary for our sins.

Randy Alcorn wrote, “Some people can't believe God would create a world in which people would suffer so much. Isn't it more remarkable that God would create a world in which no one would suffer more than He?”

This is why if you reject Christ, hell is the only place fitting for you.

Third, the pleasure in Christ.

“In whom I am well pleased.” God had said this of Christ at His baptism prior to Christ’s public ministry; now in saying it again, God says that the ministry of Christ is also pleasing. Much of the world was not pleased with Christ’s ministry, but God was. Christ could not please both the world and God at the same time so He chose to always please God. We should choose the same.

Fourth, the precept about Christ.

“Hear ye him.” People today listen to many different people, most of those people speak very little wisdom. What men need to start doing, however, is to listen more to Jesus Christ. His words are full of wisdom. They will never lead you astray. They will not corrupt your character.

Glorious Dreams

Genesis 37:5–11 AV

5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. 8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. 9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. 10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? 11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

Joseph had a great privilege concerning his dress, but he had another great privilege in that of his dreams!

But these things made his brother’s hate him even more!

Fuel was added to the fire when Joseph received a dream from God and shared with his brothers and his father the two dreams predicting his future supremacy over them.

When Joseph told his brothers of the dream where their sheaves of wheat bowed down to his, they "hated him yet the more" and said, "...shalt thou indeed have dominion over us?".

When he told his father of his dream about the sun and moon and eleven stars bowing down to him, Jacob, seeing himself and Leah in the homage was irritated and rebuked him.

The dreams made the brothers jealous but they made Jacob do a lot of soul searching (37:11).

These dreams though are the first indication that God has big plans for Joseph.

Eventually, both will be completely fulfilled, I would imagine that is was these dreams that sustained Joseph through the pain of the pit, Potiphar’s house and the prison; it was these dreams that reassured him that God had a plan for his life and that, eventually, everything would turn out all right.

There is a word concerning hope in these dreams...

In his dreams Joseph received the shadow of a promise from the Lord. God worked this way all throughout the Old Testament concerning Jesus Christ…This is what is meant by the saying, “The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.”

One thing that is certain from studying the lives of these Bible characters is this: rest assured that God will accomplish in your life all those things that please Him in His time!

When God births a dream in your heart, don’t let anything take it away!

There is a word concerning dreams right here...

Now, to be clear, today, you better back up your dream with the Word of God! Back in Joseph’s day, they didn’t have the Bible, they didn’t have the written Word of the Lord, so God would work through other means such as dreams, visions, speaking directly to them, etc. We tend to get these things mixed up sometimes, and God can use many things to get our attention, but I hope you understand, that whatever His will is, it’s found today in His Word!

If what you’re doing or about to do goes against the Word of God, it’s going against the will of God!

There is a word concerning hatred in these dreams...

When you serve the Lord, live clean and follow the dream God gives you, some people are going to rise up against you, but keep on going forward for the Lord!

Don’t be surprised when you are hated for following the Lord.

They hated Him and they will hate you.

John 15:18 AV

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

Don’t let the world stop you from achieving your fullest potential in the Lord.

Conclusion

Joseph was learning to discern—he would need this when pressured to conform to Egypt and to conceal potential wrong-doing.

Joseph was willing to be different—he didn’t see his position as a favored son as a curse but as a blessing.

Joseph was ready to dream—this would sustain him through some very difficult and challenging times.

All of these things were preparations from the hand of a knowing God. - Joseph didn’t know what was ahead of him, but God did, and everything that come his way was God working in the background to prepare him for the days ahead!

If you look at the struggles and challenges in your life as anything less than His “Preparations Through Providence” you will find yourself continually bitter, frustrated with your circumstances, and failing to dream.