Living the Dream

Joseph & his brothers in Egypt

Last week we looked at a message from the prophet Jeremiah that reminded us that we can trust God, no matter what!

This morning, I want us to take a look at a case study in trust from the Old Testament. Perhaps there is no life that shows more clearly how we can trust God than the life of Joseph. His life tells a tumultuous story of a man whose life is, in many ways a precursor of the life of Jesus.

There is emotion galore in the story. His was a life of great turmoil.

And yet, Joseph navigated every situation with absolute faith and trust in God.

Joseph’s story reminds us that…Sometimes God may seem SILENT, but He is never ABSENT. Oftentimes things don’t go as we plan, but in the midst of even dark places, God is still at work.

Let’s quickly recap his story.

Joseph was loved by his father above all of his brothers. He was the favorite. But he was hated by his brothers. One day they threw Joseph down into a well. They intended to leave him there to die. But they decided the compassionate thing to do would be to make a little side cash, so they sold him to some Egyptian traders.

That decision saved his life, but they went home and lied to their father saying Joseph had been killed by a wild animal. They even manipulated the evidence to make it appear so.

After being sold as a slave in Egypt, Joseph became a servant for a guy named Potiphar Joseph was given great authority until his boss’ wife falsely accused him of rape and back into a pit he went, only this time his pit was a lonely prison cell.

While he was in prison he gained authority and earned the respect of the warden and his fellow prisoners. He interpreted some dreams for a couple of inmates. One loved his interpretation. The other, not so much.

The inmate that survived promised to put in a good word for Joseph upon his release. But…when he got out of jail, he forgot all about Joseph.

It would be two long years later until he remembered Joseph. That happened when Pharaoh had a dream of his own. Joseph explained the meaning of Pharaoh’s dream.

Seven years of plenty were coming, followed by seven years of famine in Egypt.

Pharaoh was convinced that Joseph’s interpretation was probably accurate, so he made Joseph the Prime Minister of Egypt, that way he could prepare the country for the crisis that was on the way.

Joseph’s job was to save the lives of the Egyptians and procure a future. During the first seven years there was an abundance of food in the land and Joseph wisely and consistently set aside a portion of the food for when the famine came.

It all happened, just as Joseph had said.

Genesis 41:55–57 NLT

55 Eventually, however, the famine spread throughout the land of Egypt as well. And when the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told them, “Go to Joseph, and do whatever he tells you.” 56 So with severe famine everywhere, Joseph opened up the storehouses and distributed grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt. 57 And people from all around came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph because the famine was severe throughout the world.

The famine Joseph had warned them about had finally come. Because of the wisdom and hard work of Joseph in preparing for the famine, there was food available in Egypt. Lives of people not only in Egypt, but all over the known world were saved because of Joseph’s leadership.

That included Joseph’s family, over in the land of Canaan. Food was a scare commodity. Joseph’s father, Jacob, hearing that food was available in Egypt, sent his ten oldest sons to Egypt to buy grain for the family.

It was their only hope of survival. But Jacob didn’t allow his youngest son, Benjamin to make the trip. Joseph had been Jacob’s favorite son because he was Rachel’s first born son, but since he thought Joseph was dead - he had a new favorite, Benjamin, who was Joseph’s only full brother. Rachel was Jacob’s true love, so he valued her sons over the others. Since Joseph was gone, Jacob couldn’t bear the thought of losing Benjamin. So, he kept Benjamin at home and his 10 brothers made the trip to Egypt.

Little did they know how this trip would change their lives. You see, the life the brothers had treated so carelessly over 20 years ago, would be the only person that could save theirs.

Joseph was a teenager when these brothers betrayed him. There had been many years of life under the bridge since then. Now he is a grown man, closing in on 40 years of age. Joseph is now the Prime Minister of Egypt, the one who’s mercy his brothers now need the most.

Little did they know when they arrived in Egypt, the Prime Minister standing before them, was that same teenage boy they had abandoned and sold so many years ago.

Genesis 42:5–8 NLT

5 So Jacob’s sons arrived in Egypt along with others to buy food, for the famine was in Canaan as well. 6 Since Joseph was governor of all Egypt and in charge of selling grain to all the people, it was to him that his brothers came. When they arrived, they bowed before him with their faces to the ground. 7 Joseph recognized his brothers instantly, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where are you from?” he demanded. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We have come to buy food.” 8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they didn’t recognize him.

This is incredible drama! It’s the kind of stuff that movies (or at least musicals) are made of. Little do they know that they are at the mercy of their betrayed brother. He has what they need. They’re desperate. Without Joseph’s approval, their lives may be over. They are in danger of starving.

Joseph decided to turn up the heat on his brothers. He accused them of being spies looking to see where the kingdom was unprotected. Joseph’s brothers fear for their lives. They just came for food. That’s it! They have no hidden agenda. They explain they are all a part of one family, there is one more brother still at home and they have one brother that was lost many years ago - it was clear that they had no idea that the brother was the one standing before them.

Of course, Joseph was glad to hear his father was still alive. But this is the first time, he gets a glimpse into what his brothers must have told his father about why he had never made it home that night so many years ago. Could his father have thought he was dead all this time?

Joseph throws them in prison to buy himself a little time to think things over. He knows who they are. They still have no idea about him. Three days later Joseph returns to the brothers and makes them a deal. He had Simeon bound and taken back to prison where he would remain, until Benjamin would be brought to Egypt. This was how they were to prove their innocence, that they were not spies. This is how Joseph would get to see his younger brother.

Joseph listened as the brothers began arguing among themselves. Reuben told his brothers that he felt like they were being punished for the way they had treated Joseph. He said, I told you we shouldn’t have done it. Little did Reuben, or any of the brothers know, that their betrayed brother was standing right there in the room with them. Since Joseph had been using an interpreter, they didn’t realize that he understood every word of their discussion.

Joseph was overwhelmed with emotion. He had to look away to hide the tears. He took a deep breath, then turned back to the bickering brothers and ordered they be released to head home to get their youngest brother.

He had their bags filled with grain. He also made sure the silver they had used to pay for the grain was returned to their bags as well. So, nine brothers begin their journey home, while their brother Simeon remains a prisoner in Egypt. About half way home they stopped for the night. One of them opened his bag to get some food for his donkey. That’s when he discovered the silver he used to buy grain had been returned. Their hearts sank.

Now the Prime Minister would think they were THIEVES as well as SPIES. As soon as they arrived at home they all emptied their sacks of grain to feed their starving families only to discover each man’s silver hidden among the grain. This guy, the Prime Minister of Egypt really had it out for them, and they had no idea why. Surely stealing from him would mean death, and now they had to try to explain to their father that another of his sons was gone and that they couldn’t return to Egypt without Benjamin or Simeon would remain in jail.

Genesis 42:38 NLT

38 But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down with you. His brother Joseph is dead, and he is all I have left. If anything should happen to him on your journey, you would send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave.”

And that was that - sorry about your luck Simeon, but you’re stuck in prison. That was that...End of discussion...until the food ran out.

What now?

The brothers knew there was no need to go to Egypt without their youngest brother. Ultimately, Jacob had no choice. He released Benjamin into the care of his half-brothers along with the original silver, and more money to purchase food for a second time.

Judah stepped up promising to take full responsibility for Benjamin. Jacob also sent along some gifts of their land to try and smooth over the seemingly impossible situation in which the brothers were suspected of being spies and thieves.

When they finally arrived in Egypt, the brothers were taken to Joseph’s house. There, they would sit down for a feast with the Prime Minister, none of them aware they would be dining with their long-lost brother, Joseph. Simeon was even released from prison to join them for the meal. They had their gifts, ready to present, hoping to find favor with Joseph and turn things around.

They sat in awkward silence as they waited for Joseph to arrive. When Joseph entered the room, seeing all his brothers together for the first time in so many years, brought a huge wave of emotion. He tried to steady his voice as he asked about their father. He then introduced himself to his younger brother, pretending not to know who he was. Joseph was so deeply moved by the sight of his young brother that he had to hurry out of the room to look for a place to have another good cry. This was such an overwhelming experience for Joseph, as you might imagine. He was finally able to pull himself together and return for the feast.

He had ordered the brothers be arranged around the table according to their birth order. He made sure that Benjamin was given a portion five times larger than the rest. The brothers were, as you can imagine, quite taken aback that he could know so much about them, even down to their birth order, but they didn’t say a word.

The next morning all 11 confused brothers prepared to leave Egypt. They purchased their grain, loaded their donkeys, and were ready to return to begin their journey home to their father. They didn’t know it yet, but Joseph made sure their money was right back in the mouth of their sacks again. But this time, he upped the ante - and had his silver goblet, the one that he drank from, placed in Benjamin’s bag.

When they were just outside of town, Joseph sent his servants racing after his brothers to accuse them of stealing his silver cup. The brothers couldn’t understand why Joseph would accuse them of such a thing. They were confident that it would not be found, so they told the servants of Joseph to search their bags and the one whose bag held the cup would be put to death. You don’t offer that kind of consequence unless you are positive that it is not there.

LITTLE DID THEY KNOW.

They had no clue what was happening. The officials began the search, starting with the oldest brother’s bag. One by one each bag was opened, but no goblet was found. No goblet until they reached the final bag, the bag belonging to Benjamin. When the servants pulled the beautiful goblet out of the bag, the brothers had no defense. They were all taken back to the city.

As they entered the house they threw themselves at Joseph’s feet. Judah tries to explain their entire story to Joseph. He told Joseph everything as he pled for Benjamin’s life. Judah knew his own father’s life depended on the survival of his baby brother. He knew he couldn’t be responsible for taking another son from Jacob.

I think it was in that moment that it became evident to Joseph that so much had changed. Not only had he changed, but his brothers had changed as well. These men were no longer the boys who would readily sacrifice their brother’s life in anger, or for personal gain. The tension in the room was immense!

Judah and the others were desperate, but they were in for the shock of a lifetime. They were clearly fearful for Benjamin’s life. They were completely at Joseph’s mercy, and they didn’t even know who he was.

Genesis 45:1–3 NLT

1 Joseph could stand it no longer. There were many people in the room, and he said to his attendants, “Out, all of you!” So he was alone with his brothers when he told them who he was. 2 Then he broke down and wept. He wept so loudly the Egyptians could hear him, and word of it quickly carried to Pharaoh’s palace. 3 “I am Joseph!” he said to his brothers. “Is my father still alive?” But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them.

Can’t you just picture the look on the faces of these brothers as they get the news that Joseph is alive…from Joseph himself!?

Joseph’s dream had come true. There they were on their faces before him, just as he had dreamed when he was a boy. Joseph was living the dream! He was finally able to reveal his true identity to his brothers. And for the first time, in more than 20 years, I wonder if he felt at home. After all, these were his brothers. Joseph was finally back with his family. But the brothers were still in shock. They had to be wondering…What would Joseph do to them? Joseph has all the power now. He could easily seek revenge for what they had done to him. And who would blame him? Even the brothers would understand. Joseph must have seen the fear in their eyes as he began to explain his perspective on the last two decades.

And this is where something profound happens. Something that really does have the potential to change your life.

Genesis 45:4–7 NLT

4 “Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. 5 But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. 6 This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors.

What an incredible recognition of grace by Joseph toward the brothers who had sold him years before. Joseph said, God sent me here? Are you kidding me? I thought it was the brothers. I thought this was all their fault. Joseph demonstrates such incredible insight as he remembered something we so often forget. Joseph knew God was in control…and he LIVED LIKE IT.

Joseph had faith that God was with him…

When he was living safely at home.

When He was in a well.

When he was sold into slavery.

When he was on his way to Egypt.

When he was at Potiphar’s house.

When he was falsely accused and thrown into prison.

When he was elevated to Prime Minister.

God was with Joseph through the 7 years of plenty

and now He is there in these 7 years of famine.

He knew God was always with him.

He believed God was fully in control and He is reminded that God can be trusted.

He had this incredible faith in God. Joseph saw the world through an entirely different set of lenses than his brothers. Joseph believed God was in CONTROL (in the good times and in the bad times) and he believed that God could be TRUSTED. Joseph told his brothers, “God is the reason I am here. He is the One who put me here. He sent me here ahead of you to save your lives.”

Genesis 45:8 NLT

8 So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.

They were finally a family again. Then Joseph took this act of reconciliation one step further. He longed to see his father and he didn’t want to lose his brothers again. So, he insisted they come and live in the nearby land of Goshen, all of them. They were to bring their wives, their children, their flocks, and everything they owned. The famine was expected to last another five years. With his family nearby, Joseph knew he could continue to provide for them there.

So it was, that in his old age, Jacob was reunited with his lost son. It is an amazing TRUE story of a God who is trustworthy even when things seem bleak.

Just think what God could do in your life if you could learn to trust Him on this level. This kind of trust means we know that God is in control - this trust says He is God, and I am not! I refuse to put my trust in myself, I trust in HIM!

The brothers intended evil, but God brought good out of what had appeared to be evil. It didn’t happen quickly - it took many years and a great deal of struggle on Joseph’s part. But God was always with Him…in the pit, in the cage, in Potiphar’s house, in the dungeon, and when he sat in the seat as judge over all of Egypt..God was there.

Rev. Steve Green sums this up in an online sermon, this way…

Remember, You will never experience all the good that can come from the bad in your life until you are willing to ACKNOWLEDGE God in the bad and REFUSE TO PLAY God in the good.

Joseph models for us incredible faith, character, strength, dignity, and grace. He was a human being, just like you and me. The thing that set him apart….Joseph was filled with GOD’S SPIRIT and he lived each day like God could be TRUSTED.

HE CAN BE TRUSTED!!!