Lessons from the Life of Joseph (8)
“Forgiveness & Reconciliation” Genesis 43:1-14 & 45:1-7
Last week we were reminded that God sometimes allows us to get into situations that bring us face to face with our sin & disobedience. Joseph’s older brothers tried to cover up the evil they did to him twenty years earlier. They tried to suppress their guilt. But now finding themselves in big trouble in Egypt, their consciences began to trouble them. “They said to one another, ‘Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us.’” (v 21)
The brothers did not know that the powerful official standing in front of them was in fact their brother Joseph. As he had been communicating with them through an interpreter they didn’t realise that he could understand every word of their discussion. For the first time in his life Joseph realised that his brothers actually felt truly bad about how cruel they had been to him. Their consciences were being awakened. One of the first signs of an awakening conscience is the admission of personal guilt. Some people know perfectly well that they have caused others a whole lot of pain & hurt, yet they do not admit that they have done anything wrong. If, however, we have knowingly done wrong & have knowingly hurt others, unless we do admit our sin & turn away from it, God cannot use or bless us.
The famous story of the Prodigal Son illustrates this truth powerfully. The young man had wasted all his inheritance & ended up feeding pigs. Finally, it says in Luke 15:17, “…he came to his senses…” He realised he couldn’t blame his father or his older brother for the mess he was in. He alone was responsible. So he decided to return home, a truly broken & repentant young man, begging for his father’s mercy & forgiveness. Of course he was met by his amazing forgiving father & welcomed home. God often allows us, like the prodigal and like Joseph’s brothers, to be brought face to face with our sin & rebellion. He wants us to confess our sin, seek forgiveness & come home to the Father. Sadly many of those listening to the story Jesus told were religious, self-righteous Pharisees who refused to see their spiritual bankruptcy & need.
Isn’t it incredible that 20 years after their crime against Joseph God brings all ten brothers in front of the one they had wronged! But also amazing is the fact Joseph, the one wronged, never lashed out in hate or revenge. Instead he turned aside to weep. Tears not revenge - what a sign of Joseph’s godly character! It was not yet, however, the right time for him to let his brothers know who he was. He still had to test whether or not they had changed. No doubt he also longed to see his brother Benjamin & his father Jacob. After having Simeon, one of the brothers, bound & held as a hostage Joseph warned them that if they were to ever return they must bring their youngest brother Benjamin with them. And he “…gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey.” v 25.
The brothers must have been relieved to get out of Egypt, though of course one of them remained behind as a hostage. When they stopped for the first night on the journey home “… one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack. ‘My silver has been returned,’ he said to his brothers. ‘Here it is in my sack.’ Their hearts sank & they turned to each other trembling & said, ‘What is this that God has done to us?’ (v 27 & 28) They were now so stirred up by God’s convicting power that even the fact their money had been returned to them made them afraid. Of course they knew they had paid for the grain and that it must have been the Egyptians who returned their silver to them. If you or I have money refunded aren’t we extremely pleased? Sure, but not these guys! Once back home, finding that all their money had been returned, they were shaken.
Jacob too was shaken. He was not handling things too well. He said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more & Simeon is no more, & now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!” v36 Jacob’s despair might seem understandable from a human perspective but had he looked at things from God’s perspective he would have been able to trust that God was in control. Little did he realize that in fact God was working for him. As Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Everything was not against Jacob – in fact God was working for him, for the deliverance of the whole family. When Winston Churchill, the famous wartime Prime Minister of Great Britain lost an election after the war his wife suggested that it might be a blessing in disguise. Churchill replied, “If this is a blessing, it is certainly very well disguised.” I guess Jacob might have felt the same way. He had no idea of what God was planning.
We do not know how long the food they bought in Egypt lasted but we read in 43:1 & 2, “…the famine was still severe in the land. So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, ‘Go back & buy us a little more food.’” Jacob’s sons reminded him that unless Benjamin was with them the official in Egypt would not help them. Incredibly one of the sons, Judah, promised to ensure Benjamin’s safety and Jacob finally agreed to let them go. The rest of chapter 43 describes the dramatic events as they returned to Egypt. In fear & trembling they tried to explain about the money they had found in their sacks following their previous visit. To their amazement Joseph’s steward reassured them: “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks: I received your silver.” v 23 And then Simeon was brought out to them. They were told to wash themselves & rest up a bit for at noon they were to eat lunch at the home of the powerful official they so feared. The Bible continues, “When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought …and they bowed down before him to the ground. He asked them how they were, and then he said, ‘How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?’” v 26 & 27
When Joseph saw his younger brother Benjamin he spoke kindly to him. “God be gracious to you, my son”, he said. Joseph was so deeply moved he had to rush away to a private room to weep. After composing himself again he returned & the meal began. According to Egyptian custom the visitors ate on their own separate from the Egyptians. Joseph had arranged the seating according to their ages & had ordered that 5 times more food be given to Benjamin. No wonder the brothers “looked at each other in astonishment.” v.34 Maybe it was another little test – to see if the brothers would show resentment to Benjamin as once they had to him.
Joseph’s final test for them was about to come. The whole group of them were sent on their way in the morning loaded up with food but secretly Joseph’s own silver cup was hidden in Benjamin’s sack. We then read in 44:4 & 5, “They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, ‘Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? Isn't this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done.’” Of course the brothers protested their innocence. They were so sure of their innocence that they added, “If any of your servants is found to have it, he will die; & the rest of us will become my lord's slaves.” The steward said only the one found with the cup would need to be a slave. The rest would be free. Imagine the tension as the search started, first from the oldest brother’s sack on down to the youngest – Benjamin. And yes, “…the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.” v 12
The brothers were totally devastated. They were taken back to the city. “Joseph was still in the house when Judah and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him.” v. 14 Joseph acted as if he was very angry. He finished by saying, “Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave. The rest of you, go back to your father in peace.” v 17 What a test! Previously the brothers had sold Joseph as a slave. Would they now leave Benjamin in a similar situation so as to save themselves?
This was when Judah came forward to plead with Joseph. In moving detail he explained to Joseph the whole situation. He told how the loss of Joseph had broken his father’s heart and now if Benjamin the youngest were also to come to harm, the old man would surely die. Judah lays his own life on the line for Benjamin saying, “Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord's slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers.” v 33 Judah was clearly a changed man, as were the other brothers prostrated before him. Judah’s heartrending appeal so moved Joseph that he could no longer control himself. He ordered all his attendants to leave and then burst into loud sobbing. We read in 45:2 & 3: “…he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him… Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph! Is my father still living?’ But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.”
Amazingly we read that although his brothers were understandably terrified, Joseph said to them, “‘Come close to me.’ Joseph could have had all his brothers executed but instead he reached out to them in love & forgiveness. What a picture this is of the Lord Jesus! We stand before Him as guilty undeserving sinners but He reaches out to us with His nail-pierced hands and offers us forgiveness & salvation. Jesus says: “Come close to me. I want a personal relationship with you. I invite you to be part of the worldwide family of God’s people.” Joseph continued, “‘I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed & do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. … God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. v 4-7
What an amazing understanding Joseph had of God’s sovereign rule in history! God was in control. Joseph did not see himself as merely the victim of his brothers’ cruelty & sin. He didn’t allow bitterness & revenge to blind him to the overall purposes of His God. All that had happened to him had been part of the plan of Almighty God. Three times Joseph told his brothers, “God sent me ahead of you” (vv. 5, 7) and “It was not you who sent me here but God” (v.8). Later in Genesis 50:20 he makes the incredible statement, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Of course, the fact God had His sovereign plan and had overruled everything in Joseph’s life did not excuse the brothers for what they had done. They were still guilty. They were still responsible. Yet having confessed their guilt and shown true repentance, Joseph was more than ready to forgive them. In fact he welcomed them with open arms, just like the father welcomed back the prodigal son and just like the Heavenly Father welcomes us back when we come to Him in repentance.
We too need to admit our guilt before a holy God but the wonderful thing is, when we repent He is ready to forgive, to heal & restore. In turn, like Joseph, we who have been forgiven by God need to be ready to forgive those who have sinned against us. It is as we pray in the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Matthew 6:12
Someone said: “If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator; if our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist; if our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist; if our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer; but our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Saviour.” Through Jesus we receive forgiveness and through the power of His Holy Spirit we can forgive those who have sinned against us.
As we forgive others & as we actively bless those who have hurt us, we openly resist the evil one. We take back spiritual ground and release those who have hurt us to receive God’s work in their lives. As we close today, I want us to pray a prayer of forgiveness: Heavenly Father, I bring to You today the sinful things done against me by _________ (name the person & the offense before the Lord). What he/she did to me was wrong. I choose today to cancel the debt I feel is owed to me. I release _______ from my judgment & place him/her into Your hands. I forgive him/her. I bless him/her. Please release the power of the Holy Spirit to help me get over this offense so that I can move on in my life in obedience to Your will. I repent of my own anger & bitterness (name any other sinful reactions towards the person) and I receive Your forgiveness, Lord. I rebuke any evil spirits that would try to take ground in my life and that try to stir up anger, bitterness, or resentment. I refuse to give them any place in my heart. In the name of Jesus, I command the power of the enemy’s influence to stop now and to leave me. I ask You, Lord, to come and heal me, restore & revive me, and fill my heart with Your life & peace. Guide me, by Your Spirit, as to how I should deal with _____________, particularly when things don’t change right away the way I would like them to. I surrender my own expectations to You, Lord, and choose to walk in Your freedom & grace. In Jesus Name, Amen
Lessons from the Life of Joseph (7)
“Character & Conscience”
Genesis 41:41-42:38
The Pharaoh and all his officials were deeply impressed with Joseph’s wisdom & his personality. The power of his godly character shone through everything Joseph said & did but the source of that power, the foundation of his godly character, was the Spirit of God. Pharaoh asked the revealing question: “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the Spirit of God?” (v 38) If indeed Egypt was going to experience 7 years of abundance followed by 7 years of famine, as Joseph had predicted, then Joseph was the ideal person to take on the job of managing the economy.
So Pharaoh put Joseph in charge. He gave Joseph his signet ring, a sign of his authority. He dressed him in a new suit (actually linen robes), gave him a golden chain and provided him with a government limousine – not a luxury German or Japanese car but an Egyptian-made chariot. Wherever Joseph went in Egypt runners cleared the way for him. His words carried authority. People had to obey his orders. On top of all this, Pharaoh gave Joseph an Egyptian name – a sign he was now a naturalized citizen of his new country. He was fully accepted, no longer regarded as a second-class foreigner. By the way, Joseph’s Egyptian name “Zaphenath-Paneah” meant: “the one to whom God reveals secrets” – surely showing how Joseph’s faith had impacted the Pharaoh who gave him the name.
The Pharaoh also gave Joseph a wife called Asenath. She was the daughter of a leading Egyptian called Potiphera (not Potiphar). How sad if three years earlier Joseph had given in to the seductions of the wife of his former master Potiphar! It is always worth waiting for God’s time & not compromising what we know to be right or rushing into relationships like marriage. Joseph must have known Asenath was the woman he could love & respect as his wife. This was a multi-cultural marriage between a Hebrew & an Egyptian and God blessed them. Joseph & Asenath had at least two sons.
Joseph was thirty when he began his service for Pharaoh. We read in Genesis 41:48 & 49, “Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt & stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea.” Joseph stored the grain in each region where it was produced. This was a wise policy for no doubt those living in each region made sure their grain was looked after properly. Joseph was not like some leaders in history who have taken the food produced in one part of their country to feed those in the capital city only, or who have siphoned off the wealth of their nation to make themselves and their officials rich.
Of course the seven years of famine also came. We read in v 53, “The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, & the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said.” Now notice a most interesting comment in v 55. “When all Egypt began to feel the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, ‘Go to Joseph & do what he tells you.’” The Pharaoh told everyone to go to Joseph. He was the one who would meet their needs in the time of crisis.
We have mentioned before that in many ways Joseph is a foreshadowing of Jesus. In many ways he reminds us of Jesus. As we go to Jesus He quenches our spiritual thirst & meets our spiritual hunger – just as going to Joseph was the answer to the needs of the Egyptians when the years of famine started. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry.” (John 6:35) and He said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me & drink.” (John 7:37) Just as Joseph “opened the storehouses” and met the physical needs of the Egyptians when they went to him for help, so too Jesus meets our needs when we come to Him.
Joseph was someone who reflected in his life and in his work the God he loved & served. When he suffered unjustly in prison he trusted God and waited for God’s time. In the same way, when all seemed to be going well, when he was successful & famous, he trusted in God and drew strength & wisdom from God. Joseph’s heart was not crushed when he was humiliated nor did his head swell up with pride when he was promoted. Joseph’s personality, his character, was moulded & shaped by God. His character was not determined by his circumstances but by his faith. May this be true for you and me too! Whether we are going through dark days or days filled with sunshine, let us live for Jesus. Let us draw strength, wisdom & help from Him. Whether the road we are travelling is rough or easy, may we know His wonderful presence & guidance along the way! May we allow Him to shape us and mould us just as Joseph allowed the Lord to shape & mould him!
The story of Joseph now takes a very significant turn. For a long, long time we haven’t heard anything about his old father Jacob or his cruel brothers – nor had Joseph. About 20 years had passed but all this time God was at work. The time had now come for His sovereign plan to begin to unfold. At the end of chapter 41 in v 57 we read, “And all the countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the world.” The famine was also affecting the land of Canaan where Joseph’s family lived. The focus switches back to Canaan. We read, “When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, ‘Why do you just keep looking at each other? …I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there & buy some for us, so that we may live & not die.’”
Jacob had a very large family with many dependants. The famine was seriously affecting them. They were fast running out of food & running out of options. Their very lives were at risk. When Jacob heard about the abundance of grain in Egypt he could not understand why his sons just sat there doing nothing. Why, when he suggested they go to Egypt to buy food, did they just look at each other – & say nothing? I wonder if in fact their consciences were beginning to bother them. All those years since they sold their younger brother into slavery they had lived a lie at home. Maybe the mention of Egypt stirred a sense of guilt in their hearts. For all they knew, Joseph their brother who they sold as a slave to Egypt was already dead, for the life of a slave was cheap. Their consciences troubled them. No wonder they looked at one another and said nothing.
Well, facing starvation was a matter of life & death, so eventually “…ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.” (v3) All of them went except the very youngest, Benjamin, Joseph’s brother. Jacob dare not send Benjamin “…because he was afraid that harm might come to him.” Benjamin was not only his youngest but was the only remaining child, so Jacob thought, of his beloved wife Rachel. Having lost Joseph, he could not face the thought of possibly losing Benjamin as well. Jacob’s ten older sons however took off on the journey to Egypt. They were among a crowd of people all travelling for the same reason - to try and buy grain.
Can you picture the dramatic scene? Here are Joseph’s brothers – part of a large crowd of desperate people arriving in Egypt, one of the great civilizations of the day, trying to communicate the fact they wanted to purchase grain for their starving families back in Canaan. And the well-dressed, powerful governor of the land is there. He is Joseph of course, in charge of the whole operation, of all the grain supplies. People are bowing low before him begging for his favour & help. To his shock & surprise, among those in the pressing crowd of foreigners bowing before him, Joseph recognizes his brothers! V 7 tells us, “As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger & spoke harshly to them. ‘Where do you come from?’ he asked. ‘From the land of Canaan,’ they replied, ‘to buy food.’”
Of course his brothers didn’t recognize Joseph. He was no longer a 17 year old. He was closer to 40. Those of you who are around 40 years old compare your present looks with how you looked when you were 17. You might notice quite a difference! And Joseph was dressed very differently. He was dressed as an Egyptian official and was speaking through an interpreter. V 8 says: “Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.” As Joseph saw his brothers bowing down before him the Bible says, “…he remembered his dreams about them.” (v 9) More than 20 years earlier as a young teenager Joseph had dreamed of his brothers bowing down before him. And naively, but probably innocently, he had told them about his dreams. Those dreams were one of the reasons his brothers had hated him so much. Memories must have come flooding back to Joseph. Although desperate to know news of the family, in a split second he must have made a decision to try to discover first if his brothers perhaps had changed. Did they feel any sorrow for their evil deeds? He decided to keep his identity a secret until he got some answers. A plan quickly formed in his mind, no doubt guided by God.
“You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected.” He accused them of a very serious crime. These normally rough & violent men were afraid. They were in a foreign land and the official before them was accusing them of a capital offense. Shaking with fear they protested their innocence. “‘No, my lord,’ they answered. ‘Your servants have come to buy food. We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.’” (v 10 & 11) When Joseph repeated his accusation the brothers again denied they were spies, but their deep down sense of guilt seemed to come a little closer to the surface. They said, “Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.” (v 13) Of course, unknown to them, the one they referred to as being “no more” was standing right in front of them. Twenty years earlier they had accused Joseph of coming to spy on them – for his father. And they had thrown him in the dry cistern & sold him as a slave. Now they were to get some of their own medicine. They were accused of being spies and were thrown in prison for three days. Joseph was not being spiteful but by doing this he was giving his brothers the chance to recognize & admit their own sin. He was giving them time to think and no doubt he was planning his next move.
After three days Joseph had them brought from the prison. He actually told them that he feared God. I wonder what they thought about that? Did it remind them of the fact their father Jacob also feared God? Then too Joseph had softened his position. Instead of keeping all except one of them in prison, Joseph says in vrs 19 & 20, “If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go & take grain back for your starving households. But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified & that you may not die.” Having outlined his conditions Joseph let the brothers talk amongst themselves. As all along Joseph had used an interpreter they did not know that he understood every word. And what an incredibly revealing conversation they had!
“They said to one another, ‘Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us.’ Reuben replied, ‘Didn't I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn't listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.’” (vrs 21 & 22) How interesting that they connected their imprisonment with what they had done to Joseph. God sometimes allows us to get into situations that bring us face to face with our sin & disobedience.
I remember as a ten year-old going to a friend’s house to play. Sadly no one was home except their house helper, a kind black man. So I made myself at home, playing with my friend’s things, helping myself to some cake out of the fridge & using an old boxing glove I found to punch a spray of water shooting out from a hole in the garden hose. After an hour or more when my friend still had not come home I thought I was quite a good boy to pile all his toys in a muddy heap on the veranda together with the soaking boxing glove. And I went home. Half an hour later I saw the car of my friend’s parents come over the hill and, dear O dear, it turned into our driveway. As soon as I saw that car my guilty conscience hit me. I knew I was in big trouble. Sure enough I soon heard my friend’s mother at the front door speaking to my father. That old boxing glove was her husband’s treasured possession – from when he had won a boxing match. Now it was ruined. But even before I heard the lady speaking to my father, I knew I had done wrong and was in for a spanking.
God graciously helps us to see that we have done wrong. He brings conviction because He wants to bring healing & forgiveness. But before there can be healing & forgiveness there has to be a thorough admission of guilt and a willingness on our part to repent & turn from our sin. The Bible says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves & the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful & just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 4:8 & 9)
Lessons from the Life of Joseph (6)
“From Prisoner to Prime Minister” Genesis 41
After many long years Nelson Mandela was released from prison in Cape Town, South Africa, on February 11th. 1990. Just over four years later, following South Africa’s first fully democratic election, he became President of his country. The story of this remarkable man is told in his book “Long Walk to Freedom”. The many things Nelson Mandela suffered, the injustice, the humiliation, the loneliness, did not make him bitter. Strongly influenced by the Christian faith, he learnt to forgive others, even his prison guards, and became the catalyst for reconciliation within the nation. In four short years he went from prison to being president. He became a symbol of wise & humble leadership. Joseph did not have nearly as long in prison as Nelson Mandela but his rise from being a prisoner to being Prime Minister of Egypt, one of the major civilizations of the time, was nothing short of miraculous. A mere thirteen years earlier he had arrived in Egypt as a 17 year-old slave, a foreigner not understanding the culture or speaking the language. Now virtually overnight he was brought from a prison dungeon and elevated to second in the land. No one except the Pharaoh had more power & prestige. At the end of Genesis 40 we left Joseph in prison, forgotten by the cupbearer, and seemingly forgotten by God. Of course God had not forgotten Joseph. In fact God’s plan was about to change into top gear. In the first verse of chapter 41 events start moving fast. The Pharaoh wakes up after two very disturbing dreams. He was worried. In the first dream the Pharaoh saw himself “…standing by the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek & fat, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, ugly & gaunt, came up out of the Nile & stood beside those on the riverbank. And the cows that were ugly & gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows.” (vrs 1-4) How strange, & as Bill Crowder put it, “This would have been a terrifying thing to witness – cows don’t eat beef, they are beef!” In his second dream the Pharaoh saw: “Seven heads of grain, healthy & good, were growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted - thin & scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads.” (vrs 5-7) The Pharaoh must have sensed that his dreams were not ordinary dreams, and they were not the result of too much rich food the night before. They seemed to have significance for him as leader of a nation totally dependent, as Egypt was, upon the Nile River for water & fish and needing good harvests to feed its people. But what did the dreams actually mean? He was desperate for answers. Being a pagan who worshipped many gods, and being someone the ordinary people regarded as a god himself, the Pharaoh turned to the only people he knew might be able to give him answers. V 8 tells us, “…he sent for all the magicians & wise men of Egypt.” Some of these so-called wise men must have been learned scholars, but others majored in reading the stars, in fortune telling & performing magic. They would have relied on occult practices for their powers. What they didn’t realise was they were not dealing with realities they knew, or with a God they knew. The Pharaoh told them his dreams but it seems all they could do was look down at the floor & feel embarrassed. V.8 continues. “…no one could interpret them for him.” At that moment, the chief butler suddenly remembered Joseph who had interpreted his dream two years previously when he was in the prison. He felt guilty about having forgotten Joseph but now in God’s sovereignty the perfect time had come. God over-ruled even the failings of the chief butler. The butler told the Pharaoh about what happened in the prison when he and the chief baker told Joseph about their dreams: “…he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us.” (v 12 & 13) Well, Pharaoh was desperate & all the wise men of Egypt had run out of ideas. V 14 tells us: “So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved & changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.” Some of our most important opportunities come unexpectedly. One minute Joseph was going about his normal duties in the prison and the next he is told he is going to see the supreme leader, the Pharaoh. He had hardly any time to prepare himself. Imagine what he might have been thinking as he hurriedly shaved & changed. Was his heart pumping at twice its normal speed? Was he nervous? I guess he may well have been but it is amazing how well Joseph was prepared. Such was his trust in God & such was his relationship with God that whether he was in prison or standing in front of the most powerful man in Egypt, Joseph was ready. Nothing seemed to shake his remarkable poise or his gracious unassuming confidence. He had been hurried out of the dark & dirty dungeon into the bright lights and splendour of the palace. He stood in front of the supreme leader. “Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I had a dream, & no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.’” (v 15) What a challenge! How would Joseph answer? Would he try to use this chance to impress the Pharaoh, hoping perhaps to gain his freedom? Or would he freeze in panic? Neither! Look what Joseph says in v 16: “‘I cannot do it,’ Joseph replied to Pharaoh, ‘but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.’” Joseph speaks four words that express an extremely important truth which anyone who wants to serve God must know. These words are - “I cannot do it”. Worldly wisdom says the opposite. It says, “I can” or to quote Barack Obama, “We can! Yes, we can!” Heavenly wisdom however, the wisdom Joseph possessed, says: “I cannot do it!” “I cannot do it for I am nothing on my own. I cannot do it for I am weak & unworthy. Yes, if we want to serve God we had better forget thinking about how clever we are, or how gifted we are, or how lucky God is to have us serving Him. The truth is that without Him, without His Presence, without the power of His Spirit, you and I can do nothing, for as Jesus said: “apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) Joseph knew that he could do nothing but notice his next two words, which are even more important for us to remember. His next two words were: “But God”. He was saying, “I can’t, but God can and God will!” Dear friends, Joseph is saying something that is essential for us to understand whether we are talking about serving God or even simply talking about living the Christian life. Joseph didn’t try to promote himself. He didn’t try to impress others with how much he knew. He had learned to put his trust in God, and not in himself. He had a realistic view of himself but he also had a great view of God. His God could do anything. His God was not for Sundays only, but was for every day and every situation. His God was not the God who did miracles somewhere else but never here. His God was not the God who did great things in the past but not any longer. His God not only used other people but He was ready to use him and speak through him. Joseph knew his God, & his God was right there with him, ready to act in the here & now. So Joseph gave glory to God. And we must do the same. Whenever the Lord uses us to accomplish something we must give the glory to Him alone. This is why I love the young Brazilian football player, Kaka. Long before he was recognized as one of the best players in the world he unashamedly gave glory to God. This is why I love the story of Eric Liddell, the famous Olympic sprinter & missionary to China. Despite all the pressures to compromise he always put God first in his life. He ran for God’s glory & said “God made me fast and when I run I feel His pleasure.” His life was lived for the glory of God. Do we live like that? Do we seek to bring glory & honour to God, or do we try to get recognition and praise for ourselves?
The Pharaoh told Joseph his dreams and ended by saying, “I told this to the magicians, but none could explain it to me.” Now Joseph was on the spot. All eyes were upon him. What would he say? He spoke with humble confidence for God had shown him the interpretation. He said in v 25, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.” Again Joseph focuses on God. Far from being afraid to bring God into things, God was central. How often do we honour God as we should? Do we leave Him out of our conversation, fearing what others may think? For many years I used to help organize visits to China by top Christian professionals. They would give seminars and share their expertise. I will never forget the visit of a Swiss grape-juice expert – one of the best in Europe. He was brilliant and the visit was a huge success. At a farewell banquet hosted by the deputy mayor of Qingdao, my Swiss friend Robert Rahm, naturally & graciously shared his faith in the Lord Jesus. Even the top Communist Party members around that table listened intently. Are you ashamed to let others know what Jesus has done for you? Learn from Joseph and give the glory to God. Keep Him at the centre of your life and do not be afraid to speak of Him to others. Live with transparent integrity and you need fear no one. What a picture it must have been - the unknown slave standing before the powerful Pharaoh! Joseph explained the meaning of the dreams. In v 28 he told Pharaoh, “God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, & the famine will ravage the land.” In v 32 Joseph explained that Pharaoh had been given two dreams with the same meaning because “…the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.” But notice, Joseph had more than an interpretation for Pharaoh. He had a plan as well. When God shows us something he usually intends us to do something about it. We need to apply the truth. We need to act upon God’s Word. God had shown Joseph what was going to happen and Joseph urges the Pharaoh to appoint someone to take action. There is not even a hint that Joseph thought the Pharaoh should appoint him. He simply shared his suggestions with calmness & dignity. “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning & wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.” (v 33) Joseph’s plan was a smart plan. Those of you in business or administration have probably heard about SMART goals. SMART is an acronym. The S stands for “specific”. The M stands for “measurable”. The A stands for “attainable”. The R stands for “realistic” and the T stands for “time frame”. Smart goals need these elements and Joseph’s recommendations in verses 34-36 measured up. They were specific, measurable, attainable, and realistic and they had a definite time-frame. It was a plan in which all Egyptians would play a part and through which all would benefit. It balanced the need for both responsibility & welfare – responsibility on the part of every citizen and welfare when and for whom such help was truly needed. What happened next was truly dramatic. We read in v 37 & 38, “The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, ‘Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the Spirit of God?’” Pharaoh was so deeply impressed with Joseph’s wisdom & his demeanour that he could not help but connect all this with the God Joseph had been talking about. Joseph not only talked about His God, he knew his God. The Spirit of his God was upon him. Pharaoh recognized that Joseph was the man for the job!
There are many instances in the Bible where men & women are said to be those in whom God’s Spirit dwelt. Joshua was one. Daniel was another. In the New Testament in Acts those chosen to be deacons in the Early Church were to be men “known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom”. (Acts 6:3) Dear brothers & sisters to serve the Lord you and I need to be full of the Holy Spirit. Like Joseph we need to display in our lives the fruit of the Spirit – graces & qualities like “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness & self-control”. Many of these beautiful qualities Joseph learnt in the dungeon. Only then & in God’s time was this Spirit-filled young man ready for the challenges of being Prime Minister.
How about you and me? Are we so focused on pleasing the Lord and putting Him first in our lives that whatever happens we are ready to speak up for Him? Are we so resting in His promises that whether we are in the dungeon or in the palace we have a poise & confidence because we know He is with us? Are we like Joseph - people in whom others can see the Spirit of God? Do others see Jesus reflected in our everyday words and actions – whether we are in church, or at home or at work? Important questions, right!