Genesis 43.26-28-Second Stage of Joseph's Two Prophetic Dreams Is Fulfilled
Tuesday February 13, 2007
Genesis: Genesis 43:26-28-Second Stage of Joseph’s Two Prophetic Dreams Is Fulfilled
Lesson # 280
Please turn in your Bibles to Genesis 37:2.
This evening we will continue with our study of Genesis 43, which contains the record of the second journey of Joseph’s brothers to Egypt.
In Genesis 43:1-10, we read where Judah negotiated with his father for a return to Egypt with Benjamin in order to secure the release of Simeon who was still imprisoned at the time in Egypt as well as to buy grain to for their starving family.
This was followed by our study of Genesis 43:11-14 where we saw Israel operating in faith and agreeing to send Benjamin back to Egypt along with his other sons.
In Genesis 43:15-25, we read where Joseph’s brothers arrive in Egypt with Benjamin and have a conversation with Joseph’s house steward regarding the silver that was returned to them without their knowledge.
This evening we will note Genesis 43:26-28, which records the fulfillment of the second stage of Joseph’s two prophetic dreams, recorded in Genesis 37:5-11.
Genesis 37:2, “These are the records of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, when seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father.”
Genesis 37:3, “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic.”
Genesis 37:4, “His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms.”
Genesis 37:5, “Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.”
Genesis 37:6-7, “He said to them, ‘Please listen to this dream which I have had; for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf.”
Genesis 37:8, “Then his brothers said to him, ‘Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?’ So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.”
Genesis 37:9, “Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, ‘Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.’”
Genesis 37:10, “He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, ‘What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?’”
Genesis 37:11, “His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.”
Joseph’s two dreams, which are recorded in Genesis 37:5-11, predict his own career and the arrival of his entire family in Egypt to buy food and bow down to him as the prime minister of Egypt.
The dream/prophecy recorded in Genesis 37:5-11 was fulfilled in three stages: (1) Joseph’s brothers bowed once to honor him while he was prime minister of Egypt without Benjamin and Jacob (See Genesis 42:6). (2) With Benjamin but without Jacob, Joseph’s brothers bowed down twice to honor him while he was prime minister of Egypt (See Genesis 43:26, 28). (3) All Joseph’s brothers bow down to him along with his father Jacob (See Genesis 46:1-27).
Genesis 42:1-38 records ten of Joseph’s brothers bowing down to him, then Genesis 43:1-45:28 records the same ten again bowing down to him but this time with Benjamin and then all Joseph’s brothers bow down to him along with his father Jacob in Genesis 46:1-27.
After Jacob dies, Joseph’s eleven brothers throw themselves at Joseph’s feet (See Genesis 50:18).
Genesis 43:1, “Now the famine was severe in the land.”
Genesis 43:2, “So it came about when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought from Egypt that their father said to them, ‘Go back, buy us a little food.’”
Genesis 43:3, “Judah spoke to him, however, saying, ‘The man solemnly warned us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’”
Genesis 43:4, “If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.”
Genesis 43:5, “But if you do not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’”
Genesis 43:6, “Then Israel said, ‘Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man whether you still had another brother?’”
Genesis 43:7, “But they said, ‘The man questioned particularly about us and our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ So we answered his questions. Could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down'?’”
Genesis 43:8, “Judah said to his father Israel, ‘Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, we as well as you and our little ones.’”
Genesis 43:9, “I myself will be surety for him; you may hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame before you forever.”
Genesis 43:10, “For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could have returned twice.”
Genesis 43:11, “Then their father Israel said to them, ‘If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and carry down to the man as a present, a little balm and a little honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.’”
Genesis 43:11, “Then their father Israel said to them, ‘If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and carry down to the man as a present, a little balm and a little honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.’”
Genesis 43:12, “Take double the money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake.”
Genesis 43:13-14, “Take your brother also, and arise, return to the man and may God Almighty grant you compassion in the sight of the man, so that he will release to you your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.’”
Genesis 43:15, “So the men took this present, and they took double the money in their hand, and Benjamin; then they arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.”
Genesis 43:16, “When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his house steward, ‘Bring the men into the house, and slay an animal and make ready; for the men are to dine with me at noon.’”
Genesis 43:17, “So the man did as Joseph said, and brought the men to Joseph's house.”
Genesis 43:18, “Now the men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph's house; and they said, ‘It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time that we are being brought in, that he may seek occasion against us and fall upon us, and take us for slaves with our donkeys.’”
Genesis 43:19-21, “So they came near to Joseph's house steward, and spoke to him at the entrance of the house, and said, ‘Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food, and it came about when we came to the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and behold, each man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full. So we have brought it back in our hand.’”
Genesis 43:22, “We have also brought down other money in our hand to buy food; we do not know who put our money in our sacks.”
Genesis 43:23, “He said, ‘Be at ease, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money.’ Then he brought Simeon out to them.”
Genesis 43:24, “Then the man brought the men into Joseph's house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys fodder.”
Genesis 43:25, “So they prepared the present for Joseph's coming at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat a meal there.”
Genesis 43:26, “When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present which was in their hand and bowed to the ground before him.”
Genesis 43:27, “Then he asked them about their welfare, and said, ‘Is your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?’”
Genesis 43:28, “They said, ‘Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.’ They bowed down in homage.”
The first time that Joseph’s brothers bow down to him was an appropriate act of respect for a sovereign of a nation.
The second time they bow was in appreciation for asking about their health and well-being as well as that of their father.
Undoubtedly, this second bow involved thanksgiving to God that the lord of Egypt did not speak harshly to them as he did the first time and did not imprison them because of the silver that was returned to them without their knowledge.
Psalm 107:1, “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
Psalm 118:21, “I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me, and You have become my salvation.”
Unknowingly, by bowing down to him, Joseph’s eleven brothers fulfilled the second stage in the fulfillment of his prophetic dreams that he related to them at seventeen years of age, which are recorded in Genesis 37:5-11.
That all eleven of Joseph’s brothers bowed down to him was according to Joseph’s prediction in Genesis 37:5-11 and demonstrated that his two dreams were inspired by God and were a part of God’s plan and sovereign will from eternity past.
Therefore, these events were a manifestation of the spiritual principle taught in Jeremiah 1:12, that the Lord watches over His Word to perform it.
Jeremiah 1:12, “Then the LORD said to me, ‘You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it.’”
It is also a manifestation of the spiritual principle taught in Isaiah 46:8-11 that the Lord will accomplish in time that which He has spoken and planned from eternity past.
Isaiah 46:9-10, “Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’”
Isaiah 46:11, “Calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.”
The fulfillment of the first and second stages of Joseph’s two prophetic dreams was also a manifestation of the omnipotence of His Word.
Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
The fulfillment of the first and second stages of Joseph’s two prophetic dreams teaches us that we must wait patiently upon God.
Hebrews 6:13, “For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself.”
Hebrews 6:14, “saying, ‘I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU.’”
Hebrews 6:15, “And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise.”
Psalm 37:7, “Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him.”
The fulfillment of the first and second stages of Joseph’s two prophetic dreams teaches us that perseverance or endurance is essential in order to receive the fulfillment of God’s promises.
Perseverance is the capacity to continue to bear up under difficult circumstances.
Joseph had to continue to bear up under the difficult circumstance of being enslaved in Egypt and unjustly imprisoned in order to finally receive the fulfillment of his two prophetic dreams that he would rule over his family.
Romans 5:3, “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance.”
The Scriptures are designed to produce perseverance in us and to encourage us.
Romans 15:4, “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
Many times, the two prophetic dreams gave encouragement to Joseph while in servitude and while imprisoned.