Shall we bow our
heads for prayer?
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Eternal and loving Father,
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what a joy it is to
come into Your presence.
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to study the Word which
You gave us through the power
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of the Holy Spirit.
We ask that as we study
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about History's Invisible Guide
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that Your Spirit will
show us that this world
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is not composed of a
series of disconnected events
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but that You are seated
on the throne of the universe
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guiding and controlling
everything to Your intended end.
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We ask that You will
help us to understand
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how this applies to our
own personal walk with You.
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And we thank you
for hearing our prayer
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for we ask it in
Jesus' name, Amen.
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Why do bad things
happen to good people?
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Why do calamities
afflict our lives?
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Why many times do our lives
appear to be out of control
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with no guiding force?
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Well, in our subject today
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we are going to study about
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History's Invisible Guide.
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And we're going to
notice that history
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generally - in our lives
specifically - are not composed
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of disconnected events that
have no relation one to another.
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We're going to see that in this
world and in each of our lives
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there are two forces
struggling to gain dominion
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and power. And we're
going to notice that even though
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many times bad
things happen to good people
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God ultimately will
use those bad things
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and He will turn them into good.
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But it's only as we
look back on our lives
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that we understand this.
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When we're looking forwards
and we're going through these
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trials, it's difficult
many times for us to understand
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exactly what is happening.
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Now we're going to study this
subject from the perspective
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of a wonderful story
that we find towards the end
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of the book of Genesis.
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It's the story of Joseph.
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I don't see any story in
the Bible that speaks about
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God's providence in such
a marvelous way as the story
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of Joseph. Now, it
probably would be a good idea
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for us to examine first of
all the home life of Joseph.
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You know, we live in a
world today where people have a
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tendency of passing the buck
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and blaming other
people, blaming circumstances,
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blaming heredity,
blaming the environment
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for the things that
happen in their lives.
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But as we look at the
life of Joseph we discover
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that Joseph had a
less-than-ideal heredity,
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he had a
less-than-ideal environment,
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and less-than-ideal
circumstances in his home.
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And yet Joseph
cooperated with God
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and the end of the
story is absolutely glorious.
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Now let's talk a little bit
about the family life of Joseph.
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As you know, Jacob
was deceived into marrying
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Leah. But he did not love Leah.
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And the Bible tells
us that Leah with Jacob
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had four sons.
Let's read about this
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in Genesis
chapter 29 and verse 30.
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Genesis 29 and verse 30.
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It says here:
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Can you imagine what it was like
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to live with a husband
that really did not love you?
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And yet we're told in the
story that Jacob and Leah had
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four sons if you continue
reading after this verse.
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They had Reuben,
Simeon, Levi, and Judah.
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Of course, Jacob
later married Rachel.
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And Rachel was
envious of her sister.
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In fact, we find in
Genesis 30 and verse 1
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this sibling rivalry being
clearly and strongly expressed.
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Notice Genesis 30
and verse 1. It says:
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This is quite a sibling
rivalry that we have here.
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You know, Leah has
had these four sons;
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Rachel can have no children.
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And so Rachel
comes up with an idea.
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She says to Jacob:
"Jacob, why don't you
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go in to my maid Bilhah
and maybe you can have children
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for me with Bilhah.
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And so that's
exactly what Jacob did.
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He went in to Bilhah and
Rachel - through Bilhah -
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actually had two sons.
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The names of the two
sons were Dan and Naphtali.
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Now this led
Leah to say to Rachel
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"Oh yeah? You think
that you can have children
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with your servant?
Well, I've got a servant too
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and I can have my servant
go in to Jacob as well. "
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And so we find in
Genesis chapter 30 and verse 9:
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And now Jacob has with
Zilpah, the servant of Leah,
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the following
sons: Gad and Asher.
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But Rachel still did
not have sons of her own.
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And so at this point you'll
notice that these two sisters
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are struggling
against each other.
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This tremendous rivalry, and
Leah rubs it in Rachel's face
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that she has children and Rachel
doesn't have her own children.
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Now it's interesting
that after Leah has two sons
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with Zilpah, Gad and Asher,
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that Leah actually
bore three more children.
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This is found in Genesis
chapter 30 and verses 18-21.
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It says there:
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So at this point Leah
has had seven children
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of her own and two
children with her servant.
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And Rachel has only had
two children with her servant.
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And, of course, Rachel
is envious of her sister.
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But God, according to
this story, eventually opened
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Rachel's womb and
gave her two children.
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Let's read about it in
Genesis chapter 30:22-24.
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The first of these,
of course, was Joseph.
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It says:
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And so now Rachel has Joseph.
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But God has told her that
she's going to have another son.
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And we find in Genesis
chapter 35 and verse 18
00:10:02.36\00:10:07.67
that Rachel has her second
son. His name, by the way,
00:10:07.70\00:10:11.74
is Benjamin... the
youngest of all of the brothers.
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It says there in
Genesis 35 and verse 18:
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Now can you imagine
what it must have been like
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to sit at the dinner
table in this household?
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Jacob - who has two wives
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and two concubines -
all sitting at the table
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with their thirteen children.
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Can you imagine what Rachel's
children must have said,
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Joseph and Benjamin,
must have said to Leah's sons:
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"You know, our dad
doesn't love your mom
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as much as he loves our mom. "
00:11:01.26\00:11:04.06
And you can imagine the
rivalry between these young men
00:11:04.39\00:11:08.60
and among these wives.
00:11:08.73\00:11:11.30
It was warfare! It was
the worst type of environment.
00:11:11.63\00:11:15.07
And then of course as the
brothers of Joseph grew up
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we find several of them
with serious - very serious -
00:11:19.54\00:11:23.88
character flaws. For example
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Joseph grows up in an environ-
ment where Simeon and Levi
00:11:26.82\00:11:31.19
are cold-blooded murderers.
You can read the story
00:11:31.32\00:11:34.62
of Shechem. Amazing how they
had all of the men of Shechem
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circumcised, and then when
they were in the utmost pain
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on the third day
they turned against them
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and killed every
man in that city.
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Cold-blooded murderers.
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You have Reuben, who was guilty
00:11:48.20\00:11:50.64
of incest. You have Judah
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who slept with a prostitute.
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You have also Reuben
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who had the
backbone of a jellyfish
00:11:57.55\00:11:59.88
when it came to delivering
Joseph from the wrath of his
00:12:00.15\00:12:03.18
brothers. You have a dys-
functional group of brothers
00:12:03.22\00:12:08.89
in this family, and this is
the household in which Joseph
00:12:09.02\00:12:13.23
grew up. So don't
blame heredity. Don't blame
00:12:13.36\00:12:18.73
the environment.
Don't blame circumstances
00:12:18.90\00:12:22.94
for the way in
which your life moves
00:12:23.07\00:12:25.77
because we can thrive in
the best of circumstances
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like Joseph did.
Now, what sets the tone
00:12:29.58\00:12:33.65
for this story is two
dreams that Joseph had.
00:12:33.78\00:12:37.22
Notice Genesis chapter
37 and verses 9 and 10.
00:12:38.22\00:12:43.36
Genesis 37:9-10.
00:12:43.59\00:12:45.99
This is the one about the
sun, the moon, and the stars.
00:12:46.23\00:12:50.47
It says here:
00:12:50.70\00:12:52.20
So he's rebuked by his
father for these dreams.
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But this sets the tone for
Joseph's life because Joseph
00:13:30.97\00:13:34.91
knows that some day
- he doesn't know how,
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he doesn't know when -
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but he does know that
some day he is going to be lord
00:13:39.68\00:13:44.19
over his father, his
mother, and his brothers.
00:13:44.32\00:13:48.29
And so all throughout
the course of his life
00:13:49.09\00:13:51.59
this guides his
thoughts: "God has a plan.
00:13:51.73\00:13:56.13
I don't understand all of
the circumstances, but God
00:13:56.30\00:13:59.23
has a plan. "
00:13:59.37\00:14:01.77
And he decided that
he was going to cooperate
00:14:02.20\00:14:05.21
with God's plan.
00:14:05.34\00:14:07.38
Now we're told in the story that
Joseph's brothers despised him
00:14:07.71\00:14:11.78
because of these
dreams that he had.
00:14:11.91\00:14:14.02
Notice what we find in
Genesis 37 and verse 11.
00:14:14.25\00:14:17.79
Genesis 37:11.
00:14:17.92\00:14:20.19
It says here:
00:14:20.42\00:14:21.99
Now I don't believe
that Jacob understood
00:14:29.56\00:14:33.34
how much his brothers hated him.
00:14:33.47\00:14:35.84
And so we're told
in the story that Jacob
00:14:36.17\00:14:39.87
asked Joseph - who was
17 years old at this time -
00:14:40.78\00:14:44.58
to take some provisions to
his brothers who were tending
00:14:44.71\00:14:48.42
the sheep. I believe
that if Jacob had realized
00:14:48.45\00:14:52.62
the hatred that his
brothers had for him -
00:14:52.65\00:14:55.32
the profound hatred - he
wouldn't have sent Joseph.
00:14:55.46\00:15:00.20
So we ask the question:
why did Jacob send Joseph
00:15:01.03\00:15:05.67
knowing how his
brothers felt about him?
00:15:05.80\00:15:09.64
And then we notice that Joseph
comes to where his brothers are
00:15:10.77\00:15:16.68
and his brothers
see him from afar.
00:15:16.91\00:15:19.25
By the way, he's
traveled approximately 65 miles
00:15:19.48\00:15:22.68
at this point from
Bethel - where Jacob lived -
00:15:22.82\00:15:25.82
all the way to Dothan
according to the Bible.
00:15:25.95\00:15:28.36
And Joseph is very tired,
and when his brothers see him
00:15:28.49\00:15:32.06
from a distance they
come up with an idea.
00:15:32.19\00:15:34.83
They say: "This is the
time to nip this in the bud.
00:15:34.96\00:15:37.90
Let's kill him.
Let's get rid of him
00:15:38.13\00:15:41.30
and then we'll see what
will happen with his dreams. "
00:15:41.44\00:15:44.01
In fact, let's read this.
It's found in Genesis chapter 37
00:15:44.24\00:15:48.31
and verses 19 and 20.
00:15:48.44\00:15:50.91
Now the question
immediately arises:
00:16:09.23\00:16:12.67
why didn't his
brothers kill him?
00:16:12.80\00:16:17.34
Obviously they hated
him enough to kill him,
00:16:17.47\00:16:21.58
but for some reason - first
of all - Jacob sends Joseph
00:16:21.91\00:16:26.65
knowing that his
brothers despise him.
00:16:26.78\00:16:28.82
Then when they say "Let's kill
him" their plans are interrupted
00:16:29.05\00:16:33.25
and they don't kill him but
they throw him into a cistern.
00:16:33.39\00:16:36.69
Very strange...
when he was hated so much
00:16:37.03\00:16:40.06
by his brothers. And
then it just so happens
00:16:40.30\00:16:43.30
that when Joseph is in that
cistern - at that very moment,
00:16:43.43\00:16:47.24
at that very time - some
Ishmaelites are traveling
00:16:47.37\00:16:51.81
through that
country to the land of Egypt
00:16:51.94\00:16:54.71
at that precise instant.
00:16:54.94\00:16:57.31
Is this a coincidence?
00:16:57.55\00:16:59.35
In fact, let's read about
it. It's found in Genesis 37
00:16:59.58\00:17:02.55
and verse 28. It says:
00:17:02.68\00:17:05.22
Question: why did Jacob
send Joseph in the first place?
00:17:23.51\00:17:29.28
Why didn't his
brothers kill him?
00:17:29.51\00:17:33.01
Why at that precise moment
did the Ishmaelites come by?
00:17:33.85\00:17:38.79
Why were the
Ishmaelites traveling to Egypt?
00:17:39.05\00:17:43.49
Obviously Joseph
somehow had to arrive in Egypt.
00:17:43.73\00:17:48.53
Now it appeared like Joseph
had gotten a pretty raw deal.
00:17:48.86\00:17:52.37
Here this good boy -
obedient to his father -
00:17:52.70\00:17:56.07
is being taken to a
strange land for no reason...
00:17:56.30\00:18:00.64
simply because of the jealousy
and the envy of his brothers.
00:18:00.88\00:18:04.48
Joseph could have said:
"What good is it to serve God?
00:18:04.61\00:18:08.08
Look... I serve
Him, I trust Him,
00:18:08.32\00:18:11.05
and here I end up being
sold by my brothers to Egypt. "
00:18:11.19\00:18:16.22
But Joseph knew
that God had a plan.
00:18:16.73\00:18:21.66
At this point he didn't
understand all of God's plan
00:18:22.20\00:18:24.97
but he knew that at some point
his dream would be fulfilled.
00:18:25.10\00:18:29.70
Actually his two
dreams would be fulfilled.
00:18:29.94\00:18:32.94
And so now Joseph takes
this long trip to Egypt.
00:18:33.41\00:18:38.81
By the way, he would have
re-tracked his steps from Dothan
00:18:39.08\00:18:42.95
to Bethel. In fact,
Ellen White says in the book
00:18:43.08\00:18:45.82
Patriarchs and Prophets that
he could see his father's tents
00:18:45.85\00:18:48.92
from afar as the Ishmaelites
were taking him to Egypt.
00:18:48.96\00:18:52.36
And then he would have
had to travel from Bethel
00:18:52.59\00:18:55.06
several hundred miles
further south to Egypt.
00:18:55.20\00:18:58.90
This trip would have taken
a significant amount of time.
00:18:59.13\00:19:02.87
Eventually the
trip comes to an end
00:19:03.71\00:19:06.91
and Joseph is
taken to the marketplace
00:19:07.04\00:19:09.28
to sell. And it just so happens
00:19:09.41\00:19:12.61
by coincidence - and I say that
00:19:12.75\00:19:15.72
not... I say that
kind of like ironically
00:19:15.85\00:19:18.65
or sarcastically - by
coincidence a man named
00:19:18.79\00:19:22.66
Potiphar ends up in the
marketplace and purchases
00:19:22.79\00:19:27.46
Joseph. In fact,
let's read about it.
00:19:27.66\00:19:31.00
Genesis 39 and verse 1:
00:19:31.13\00:19:33.64
And so Joseph
ends up of all places -
00:19:51.05\00:19:54.32
there are many individuals
who could have bought Joseph -
00:19:54.46\00:19:56.93
but he ends up
being bought by Potiphar.
00:19:57.09\00:20:00.46
Now I believe that there
are two reasons in this story
00:20:00.73\00:20:04.17
why Joseph ended up
in Potiphar's house.
00:20:04.30\00:20:06.84
Reason number one: it
was necessary for Joseph
00:20:07.27\00:20:11.71
to meet Potiphar's wife.
00:20:11.84\00:20:14.84
And secondly, it
was necessary for Joseph
00:20:15.71\00:20:19.68
to sharpen his
administrative skills
00:20:19.81\00:20:23.32
because God had a
HUGE plan for him...
00:20:23.65\00:20:27.79
a world-wide
plan at that time...
00:20:28.02\00:20:31.33
and he needed to be a
keen and sharp administrator.
00:20:31.56\00:20:36.23
And so God is preparing Joseph
00:20:36.56\00:20:38.90
by administrating
the house of Potiphar
00:20:39.03\00:20:41.97
for these huge responsibilities.
00:20:42.14\00:20:44.97
In fact we are told
in Genesis chapter 39
00:20:45.11\00:20:48.48
and verses 2 and 3:
00:20:48.61\00:20:50.55
By the way, this
reminds me of the words of Jesus
00:21:00.72\00:21:03.93
in Luke chapter 16 and verse 10
00:21:04.06\00:21:06.33
where Jesus said this:
00:21:06.36\00:21:08.10
In other words, it was necessary
for Joseph to learn to be
00:21:21.11\00:21:24.21
faithful in the
small administrative duties
00:21:24.35\00:21:27.22
in Potiphar's house
in order to be qualified
00:21:27.35\00:21:30.42
for the huge administrative
duty which awaited him
00:21:30.55\00:21:34.32
in the future. And of course
we know how the story develops.
00:21:34.46\00:21:39.29
This faithful young man
one day meets Potiphar's wife
00:21:40.10\00:21:44.40
in the house, and Potiphar's
wife wants to have sexual
00:21:44.53\00:21:47.37
relations with Joseph.
00:21:47.40\00:21:49.07
And we all know the
famous words of Joseph.
00:21:49.30\00:21:51.97
Let's read them in
Genesis 39 and verse 9.
00:21:52.11\00:21:54.78
Joseph says to this woman:
00:21:54.91\00:21:56.75
And Joseph's faithfulness
lands him in prison.
00:22:11.66\00:22:16.36
Now what justice
could there be in this?
00:22:16.70\00:22:19.53
First of all, he's a good boy
00:22:19.77\00:22:21.84
and he's sold as
a slave to Egypt.
00:22:21.97\00:22:24.54
And then now
because he's faithful to God
00:22:24.77\00:22:27.24
in keeping the 7th commandment
he ends up in prison.
00:22:27.51\00:22:31.28
You wonder at this point in
the story: why did he end up
00:22:32.25\00:22:36.62
in prison? Must it be perhaps
00:22:36.75\00:22:39.75
that there was someone
in prison that he needed
00:22:39.89\00:22:42.22
to meet as this plot develops?
00:22:42.26\00:22:45.73
Obviously yes. At
this point, by the way,
00:22:45.96\00:22:48.16
Joseph had been in
Egypt for ten years.
00:22:48.40\00:22:50.33
He was 27 years old.
00:22:50.47\00:22:52.57
Now another interesting aspect
is that when Potiphar discovered
00:22:53.00\00:22:58.51
what had happened with
his wife and with Joseph -
00:22:58.84\00:23:02.78
it actually didn't
happen we know, but the events
00:23:02.91\00:23:05.15
had taken place - Potiphar
instead of killing Joseph
00:23:05.18\00:23:10.02
he has Joseph
thrown into prison.
00:23:10.15\00:23:12.35
Now we know that he did
not believe his wife's story
00:23:12.59\00:23:16.22
but he still could have
had Joseph killed to save face,
00:23:16.36\00:23:19.83
couldn't he? In fact,
notice what we're told
00:23:19.86\00:23:22.36
in Genesis
chapter 39 and verse 20.
00:23:22.50\00:23:25.67
And so Joseph has gone
from his home in Bethel
00:23:35.71\00:23:40.78
to Egypt to prison...
all in spite of the fact
00:23:40.92\00:23:46.39
that he was faithful to God.
00:23:46.62\00:23:49.36
And you might say: "There's
so much injustice in this story.
00:23:49.59\00:23:52.93
I mean, these are bad things
happening to a good person. "
00:23:53.16\00:23:56.53
But Joseph in his
mind had the dream.
00:23:56.77\00:23:59.60
He says: "God has a plan.
00:23:59.73\00:24:01.87
I don't know how all of
these events are being weaved
00:24:02.10\00:24:05.34
together, but God has a plan
and I know that these things
00:24:05.37\00:24:09.14
are happening for a reason.
I'm going to hang in there
00:24:09.18\00:24:11.95
with God. " Notice
Genesis 39 and verse 21.
00:24:11.98\00:24:15.92
It says there:
00:24:16.15\00:24:17.55
You say: "Yeah, right...
the Lord was with Joseph.
00:24:26.83\00:24:29.93
Where was God when he
was sold as a slave to Egypt?
00:24:30.17\00:24:33.74
Where was God when he
was thrown into prison?
00:24:33.97\00:24:36.84
You mean to say
that God was with Joseph
00:24:37.07\00:24:39.57
and He had mercy with Joseph? "
00:24:39.71\00:24:41.68
That's what the story
says because God had a plan.
00:24:41.81\00:24:45.58
Now by Joseph being in prison
00:24:46.38\00:24:49.32
he was able to further sharpen
his administrative skills.
00:24:49.48\00:24:53.79
You see, God had a purpose in
allowing Joseph to go to prison.
00:24:53.82\00:24:57.09
He needed to be polished for
the duties that God had for him
00:24:57.33\00:25:01.90
in the future.
Notice Genesis 39:22-23.
00:25:02.03\00:25:07.27
It says:
00:25:07.97\00:25:09.14
And so we find Joseph
being faithful in the prison,
00:25:33.63\00:25:37.03
being a faithful administrator,
00:25:37.37\00:25:39.37
preparing for the duties that
God has for him in the future.
00:25:39.50\00:25:44.14
But of course, the real
reason why he ends up in prison
00:25:44.74\00:25:47.74
is because he
needed to have an encounter
00:25:47.88\00:25:51.55
with another
individual in this story.
00:25:51.71\00:25:54.62
Of course, all by coincidence.
00:25:54.85\00:25:56.95
As he's in prison at
this particular place and time
00:25:57.29\00:26:01.66
a baker and a cupbearer of
Pharaoh are cast into prison.
00:26:02.32\00:26:08.30
And so you ask the
question: "Why were the baker
00:26:09.03\00:26:12.23
and the cupbearer
cast into the prison
00:26:12.37\00:26:14.60
at exactly that time
when Joseph was in prison? "
00:26:14.74\00:26:18.31
There was a
purpose in this story.
00:26:18.64\00:26:21.38
Notice what we find in
Genesis 40 and verse 8.
00:26:21.61\00:26:25.55
And so to make
a long story short
00:26:43.57\00:26:45.90
the baker and the cupbearer
tell Joseph their dreams
00:26:46.03\00:26:48.87
and Joseph says to the
baker: "I'm sorry to tell you
00:26:49.00\00:26:53.91
that you are ancient
history so to speak. "
00:26:54.14\00:26:57.71
And he says to the cupbearer:
"You are going to be released
00:26:57.85\00:27:00.68
from prison and you're
going to end up serving wine
00:27:00.72\00:27:04.99
to Pharaoh again. "
00:27:05.12\00:27:06.72
And then Joseph says
in Genesis 40 and verse 14
00:27:08.29\00:27:12.76
to the cupbearer these words:
00:27:12.89\00:27:14.93
So he says to him: "When
you get out of this place
00:27:29.94\00:27:32.58
please remember me when
you go before Pharaoh. "
00:27:32.81\00:27:36.12
And the interesting
thing is the cupbearer goes out
00:27:36.35\00:27:39.69
and he suffers some strange type
00:27:39.82\00:27:43.69
of divine amnesia.
00:27:43.83\00:27:46.19
He forgets Joseph. In
fact, he forgets Joseph
00:27:47.03\00:27:50.30
for two whole years. Why did
he forget Joseph for two years?
00:27:50.33\00:27:54.54
It wasn't simple forgetfulness.
00:27:54.67\00:27:56.97
It's just that it was not time
yet in God's calendar to act.
00:27:57.21\00:28:02.91
You see, at this point the
cupbearer knew that there was
00:28:03.18\00:28:06.88
someone who
could interpret dreams.
00:28:07.02\00:28:08.98
That was the important point.
00:28:09.22\00:28:10.99
Two years go by and
Pharaoh has two dreams.
00:28:11.22\00:28:16.93
During those two years Joseph
patiently fulfills his duties
00:28:17.93\00:28:23.80
in the prison knowing
that God would intervene.
00:28:23.93\00:28:26.77
And so Pharaoh has two dreams:
00:28:26.80\00:28:28.70
the dream of the stalks
and the dream of the cows.
00:28:28.94\00:28:31.91
And to make a long story short
00:28:32.14\00:28:34.04
Joseph says this means
there are going to be 2 periods
00:28:34.18\00:28:39.81
in the history
of Egypt upcoming.
00:28:39.95\00:28:43.28
One is going to be
seven years of super-abundance
00:28:43.52\00:28:47.26
and plenty and
there's going to be 7 years
00:28:47.39\00:28:49.89
of devastating
famine after that.
00:28:50.03\00:28:52.69
Notice that God is revealing
the end from the beginning,
00:28:52.93\00:28:56.10
folks. Now I want you to notice
00:28:56.23\00:28:58.97
what we find in
Genesis 41 and verse 25.
00:28:59.00\00:29:02.24
By the way, Joseph - at this
point - is thirty years old.
00:29:02.37\00:29:05.07
He's been in Egypt
since he was seventeen,
00:29:06.04\00:29:08.58
so he's been in Egypt for
a period of thirteen years.
00:29:08.71\00:29:11.48
God's plans know
no haste and no delay.
00:29:11.75\00:29:15.05
It says there:
00:29:15.28\00:29:16.42
And remember that what God
00:29:27.56\00:29:29.16
permits, according to
the Bible, God also causes.
00:29:29.30\00:29:33.60
He doesn't cause it
directly... He permits sometimes
00:29:34.34\00:29:38.21
things to happen. And
so the question is asked...
00:29:38.34\00:29:41.81
In fact, Joseph says to
Pharaoh: "Pharaoh, you need to
00:29:42.04\00:29:44.71
find a wise man who is able
to gather during the seven years
00:29:44.75\00:29:48.25
of plenty so that during
the seven years of famine
00:29:48.38\00:29:51.72
you have provision so that
society will not disappear.
00:29:51.85\00:29:54.72
And, of course, Pharaoh says:
00:29:55.52\00:29:57.86
"Who but you would be
the ideal person to do this?
00:29:57.99\00:30:02.96
You who have been able
to interpret my dreams. "
00:30:03.20\00:30:06.84
And the interesting thing is
that at this point in the story
00:30:07.94\00:30:10.97
the tables begin to turn.
00:30:11.11\00:30:13.71
In fact, Pharaoh says
to Joseph: "You will now be
00:30:13.84\00:30:18.35
Prime Minister of Egypt.
00:30:18.48\00:30:21.22
People will come
before you and they will bow
00:30:21.45\00:30:25.09
and they will show you
respect just like they show me.
00:30:25.22\00:30:28.72
I will be above you
but you shall be the lord
00:30:28.96\00:30:32.19
over everyone in the kingdom. "
00:30:32.33\00:30:34.46
Is that exactly what
Joseph had seen in his dreams?
00:30:34.93\00:30:39.93
Absolutely. The
tables are turning.
00:30:40.27\00:30:43.67
In fact, what his brothers
did to frustrate his dreams
00:30:43.91\00:30:48.58
God has now used to
make his dreams come true.
00:30:48.71\00:30:53.35
It reminds me of that
text in Matthew 25 and verse 21
00:30:54.15\00:30:59.52
where we're told: "Well done,
thou good and faithful servant.
00:30:59.85\00:31:03.39
Thou hast been
faithful over a few things...
00:31:03.63\00:31:07.03
I will make thee
ruler over many things. "
00:31:07.30\00:31:11.20
At this point Joseph has been
faithful in Potiphar's house.
00:31:11.43\00:31:15.20
He has been faithful
in his duties in prison.
00:31:15.44\00:31:17.77
So God said: "You have
been faithful over little; now I
00:31:18.01\00:31:21.38
will place you over much. "
00:31:21.41\00:31:23.85
And now we need
to ask the question:
00:31:24.88\00:31:27.72
why were there going to
be seven years of plenty
00:31:27.95\00:31:32.39
followed by seven
years of famine? "
00:31:32.52\00:31:35.52
By the way, in the Bible God
does not directly cause famine.
00:31:36.62\00:31:40.90
God does not cause
Himself calamities such as this.
00:31:41.90\00:31:46.10
God allows Satan to work
00:31:46.43\00:31:50.07
to cause calamities...
what we call natural disasters.
00:31:50.21\00:31:53.91
And you would ask: "Why would
God allow seven years of plenty
00:31:54.34\00:31:57.98
and then allow the devil
to devastate for seven years
00:31:58.11\00:32:02.35
not only Egyptian
society but all society
00:32:02.48\00:32:05.99
in the Middle East? "
00:32:06.12\00:32:07.86
The answer is given
very clearly in scripture.
00:32:08.09\00:32:12.43
It's because Satan
wanted to eliminate and destroy
00:32:12.76\00:32:18.73
the holy line. We've
discussed this before.
00:32:18.87\00:32:21.37
In other words, he
wanted to get rid of Jacob
00:32:21.70\00:32:24.04
and all of his family. But God
knew this before it happened.
00:32:24.17\00:32:28.31
And so God sent
Joseph down to Egypt
00:32:28.54\00:32:31.41
to make provision during
the seven years of plenty
00:32:31.65\00:32:35.62
so that during the seven
years of famine the holy line
00:32:35.75\00:32:40.16
from which the
Messiah would come
00:32:40.29\00:32:42.06
would not
disappear from history.
00:32:42.19\00:32:45.23
But we still have the
question: why to Egypt?
00:32:45.46\00:32:49.86
Why didn't God just
allow Jacob and his family
00:32:50.13\00:32:55.00
to remain in Canaan
and to proliferate there
00:32:55.14\00:32:59.51
without allowing the
seven years of famine... forcing
00:32:59.67\00:33:04.48
Jacob and his
family to move to Egypt?
00:33:04.61\00:33:07.28
I'm going to put
that on hold for now.
00:33:07.52\00:33:10.85
Now notice Genesis
chapter 41 and verse 46.
00:33:11.12\00:33:15.76
It says:
00:33:16.42\00:33:17.56
Let me ask you: was
the experience of Joseph
00:33:31.34\00:33:36.01
in Potiphar's house and
in administrating the prison
00:33:36.14\00:33:39.95
an invaluable resource to Joseph
00:33:40.18\00:33:43.65
now when he had to organize
the gathering in of the grain
00:33:43.79\00:33:47.26
from all of the land of Egypt
to save all of civilization
00:33:47.29\00:33:51.69
at that time? Obviously
he sharpened his skills
00:33:51.93\00:33:55.73
for this huge responsibility
which God now had for him.
00:33:55.86\00:34:00.80
Notice Genesis 41:57.
00:34:01.34\00:34:05.17
This famine not only afflicted
Egypt, it afflicted Palestine.
00:34:05.21\00:34:09.28
It says in verse
57 of Genesis 41:
00:34:09.51\00:34:12.98
And so Jacob says to his sons:
00:34:24.93\00:34:30.70
"Sons, I want you
to go down to Egypt
00:34:30.83\00:34:34.00
because I hear that
there's provision down there. "
00:34:34.14\00:34:36.17
Interesting. God has
sent Joseph down to Egypt
00:34:36.60\00:34:41.24
because somehow He wants
Joseph's family to gravitate
00:34:41.58\00:34:46.21
towards Egypt. There a
plan in taking them to Egypt.
00:34:46.35\00:34:49.25
Not only to preserve the
holy line we're going to notice
00:34:49.48\00:34:51.79
but there's another reason
why He takes them out of Canaan
00:34:51.92\00:34:55.02
down to Egypt. And
so Joseph's brothers
00:34:55.16\00:34:59.29
make the journey down
to Egypt... the first trip.
00:34:59.43\00:35:03.53
Notice Genesis
chapter 42 and verse 21.
00:35:03.70\00:35:07.50
"Then they said
one to another... "
00:35:10.71\00:35:13.24
This is when Joseph
said: "You are all spies!
00:35:13.48\00:35:17.38
I'm going to throw
you all in prison. "
00:35:18.28\00:35:20.88
They say: "We are truly
guilty concerning our brother
00:35:21.12\00:35:25.49
for we saw the anguish of
his soul when he pleaded with us
00:35:25.72\00:35:29.09
and we would not hear.
Therefore, this distress
00:35:29.32\00:35:34.20
has come upon us. "
00:35:34.36\00:35:36.36
And so Joseph says to his
brothers: "You say that you have
00:35:37.40\00:35:39.83
a younger
brother that stayed home?
00:35:39.87\00:35:41.77
That your father wouldn't
let him come with you? "
00:35:42.00\00:35:44.34
Well, in order for me to know
00:35:44.57\00:35:46.91
that you're not spies, I want
00:35:47.04\00:35:48.44
you to go and I want you to
00:35:48.48\00:35:49.61
bring back that brother. "
00:35:49.64\00:35:51.15
And they said: "Our father will
never allow us to bring back
00:35:52.31\00:35:55.38
our brother. "
Joseph said: "Tough luck. "
00:35:55.42\00:35:57.62
In fact, he takes Simeon
and he throws Simeon into prison
00:35:58.95\00:36:04.73
and he says: "I'll leave
him there until you come back
00:36:06.09\00:36:08.90
with your younger brother. "
00:36:08.93\00:36:10.37
Now why Simeon?
00:36:10.70\00:36:12.47
Let's read about it first of
all and then I have a quotation
00:36:12.70\00:36:15.14
from Patriarchs and Prophets.
00:36:15.17\00:36:16.57
Genesis 42:24:
00:36:16.60\00:36:18.61
Notice that he didn't
only cast Simeon into prison.
00:36:32.29\00:36:35.19
He bound him before
he was cast into prison.
00:36:35.32\00:36:37.73
Why did he do this?
00:36:38.06\00:36:39.86
In Patriarchs and
Prophets page 225 we find this
00:36:40.10\00:36:44.77
incisive comment by
Ellen White. She says:
00:36:44.90\00:36:48.70
You can imagine Simeon
thinking: "Huh, I was the one
00:37:13.33\00:37:17.10
that had Joseph bound
and thrown into the cistern.
00:37:17.23\00:37:20.27
Now the tables are being turned.
00:37:20.40\00:37:22.80
There's something
strange going on here...
00:37:23.04\00:37:25.84
something strange happening. "
00:37:25.97\00:37:28.04
And so they go back to Canaan
and they tell Jacob: "Jacob,
00:37:28.28\00:37:32.08
Father, unless we
take Benjamin back to Egypt
00:37:32.25\00:37:36.62
Simeon will be a
prisoner forever. "
00:37:36.75\00:37:38.42
And Jacob says: "Forget it.
00:37:38.75\00:37:40.99
You're not going to take
Benjamin. I've lost Joseph
00:37:41.22\00:37:44.69
and now I only have one son left
from my beloved wife Rachel.
00:37:44.93\00:37:49.46
You can't take him. " But
eventually they're suffering
00:37:49.60\00:37:52.83
so much hunger that
Jacob decides to send Benjamin
00:37:52.97\00:37:57.07
with his brothers.
00:37:57.21\00:37:59.21
And so they take a
second journey to Egypt.
00:37:59.64\00:38:02.91
Notice Genesis chapter
43 and verses 28 and 29.
00:38:03.14\00:38:07.45
They arrive in Egypt
00:38:07.82\00:38:10.09
and they say this to Joseph:
00:38:11.92\00:38:14.82
Do you see
what's happening here?
00:38:28.74\00:38:30.67
What the brothers did
to try and keep the dream
00:38:30.91\00:38:34.21
from being fulfilled...
Now their very action has
00:38:34.34\00:38:38.25
fulfilled the dream or
the dreams that Joseph had.
00:38:38.38\00:38:41.55
And so they bow before him.
00:38:41.78\00:38:43.79
And we're told in
Genesis 43 and verse 33
00:38:44.02\00:38:47.26
that Joseph sits them at
his table by order of age.
00:38:47.39\00:38:52.69
Now they know that something's
really strange that's going on
00:38:53.40\00:38:57.13
here. Joseph is
leading them to think...
00:38:57.17\00:38:59.20
It says in Genesis 43:33
00:38:59.33\00:39:01.70
"What is this that this
individual knows how to sit us
00:39:11.98\00:39:15.42
in the order of our age? "
00:39:15.55\00:39:17.32
But it gets even
more interesting.
00:39:17.55\00:39:19.59
We're told in Genesis 43:34
00:39:19.82\00:39:22.66
that Joseph gave
Benjamin five helpings of food
00:39:22.79\00:39:27.86
compared to his brothers.
00:39:27.93\00:39:29.66
Notice what we find
there... Genesis 43 verse 34:
00:39:30.10\00:39:33.47
Why did Joseph do this?
00:39:44.91\00:39:46.61
Because he wanted to see if they
were still jealous and envious.
00:39:46.85\00:39:50.19
But it says that they're happy.
00:39:51.75\00:39:54.46
They don't mind that Benjamin
has five times the helping
00:39:54.69\00:39:58.99
that they have.
And so Joseph is saying
00:39:59.13\00:40:01.66
"These individuals have gone
through a conversion experience.
00:40:01.80\00:40:04.73
They've been
changed by this ordeal. "
00:40:04.87\00:40:06.87
Imagine, folks,
for so many years
00:40:07.00\00:40:10.24
hiding this lie
from their father.
00:40:10.37\00:40:13.64
Terrible... and
seeing their father suffer
00:40:13.88\00:40:16.78
thinking that Joseph has died.
00:40:16.81\00:40:18.88
And the guilt that
goes along with this.
00:40:19.11\00:40:21.68
And now they see
these things happening.
00:40:21.92\00:40:24.12
They don't care if
Benjamin has five times the food
00:40:24.79\00:40:28.09
that they have. Then of
course you know the story
00:40:28.12\00:40:31.63
in Genesis 44 verses 12 and
13 they start the trip home.
00:40:31.76\00:40:35.63
Joseph has had his cup
placed in the sack of Benjamin.
00:40:35.76\00:40:40.54
Notice how this is
picked up in Genesis 44:12-13.
00:40:41.50\00:40:46.31
And so they're all taken
back and now you can imagine
00:40:58.15\00:41:02.26
the pain and the sorrow
that the brothers are feeling.
00:41:02.39\00:41:05.79
They're saying: "Our
father has lost Joseph
00:41:06.33\00:41:09.16
and now he's going
to lose Benjamin. "
00:41:09.50\00:41:11.57
And so they're taken
back to where Joseph is
00:41:11.60\00:41:13.40
and Joseph says: "Why have
you dealt with me this way? "
00:41:13.54\00:41:15.97
And he says it
in a very harsh way.
00:41:16.20\00:41:18.84
And the brothers begin begging
for the life of Benjamin.
00:41:19.07\00:41:24.05
And in fact
Judah says to Joseph:
00:41:24.38\00:41:28.78
"Why don't you
just keep me as a slave
00:41:29.12\00:41:32.22
and let Benjamin go
back to my father, because
00:41:32.45\00:41:35.09
if my father knows that
he's lost another son by Rachel
00:41:35.22\00:41:39.69
it's going to break his
heart and he's going to die. "
00:41:39.83\00:41:42.60
The brothers have gone
through a tremendous conversion
00:41:44.40\00:41:46.84
experience. There's no more
envy; there's no more jealousy.
00:41:46.87\00:41:51.37
They feel the
pain of their father.
00:41:51.61\00:41:54.11
Joseph is trying to calibrate
them to understand how they feel
00:41:54.24\00:41:58.85
at this point. And so
Judah offers his life in place
00:41:58.98\00:42:04.09
of the life of Benjamin.
00:42:04.22\00:42:06.19
Now we still have that question
that I left on the table
00:42:06.92\00:42:10.23
and that is: why
was it even necessary
00:42:10.56\00:42:13.70
for Jacob and his
family to go down to Egypt?
00:42:13.83\00:42:18.33
You see, folks, there was
a prophecy which was uttered
00:42:18.57\00:42:23.04
by God to Abraham
several hundred years before.
00:42:23.17\00:42:27.31
It's found in
Genesis 15 verses 13 and 14
00:42:27.44\00:42:32.61
and it says this:
00:42:32.75\00:42:34.68
You see there was a prophecy
that God had given to Abraham
00:42:58.84\00:43:02.48
where Joseph knew that they were
going to go down into Egypt.
00:43:02.71\00:43:08.22
They were going to
be there for 400 years
00:43:08.35\00:43:10.72
and then God was going to
take them once again to the land
00:43:10.85\00:43:14.86
of Canaan. And of course
immediately the question arises:
00:43:14.99\00:43:19.03
why not just
leave them in Canaan?
00:43:19.26\00:43:21.26
Why bother to take them
for 400 years down into Egypt
00:43:21.50\00:43:25.20
to take them back to Canaan?
00:43:25.33\00:43:26.53
Why not just
leave them in Canaan?
00:43:26.67\00:43:28.64
Why did God give
this prophecy to Abraham?
00:43:28.87\00:43:30.87
There was a very special reason.
00:43:31.57\00:43:33.58
In our second textbook
in this seminar, Patriarchs
00:43:33.91\00:43:36.78
and Prophets page
232, we find the reason.
00:43:36.81\00:43:41.82
It says there:
00:43:42.05\00:43:43.92
Are you understanding this?
00:44:52.35\00:44:54.72
This whole scenario of Joseph
00:44:54.86\00:44:57.66
having to go down into Egypt
00:44:57.69\00:44:59.33
and as a result Jacob's family
00:44:59.46\00:45:01.40
going down into Egypt
00:45:01.43\00:45:02.60
was because they
could not stay in Canaan
00:45:02.73\00:45:04.80
because there were giants there
that they could not overcome.
00:45:04.93\00:45:08.44
It wasn't the
time in God's calendar.
00:45:08.57\00:45:11.41
And besides, if they had mixed
00:45:11.54\00:45:13.04
with the Canaanites
they would have become
00:45:13.07\00:45:15.74
corrupted by the Canaanites.
00:45:15.78\00:45:17.75
She continues saying:
00:45:17.88\00:45:19.05
And of course, that
was the land of Goshen.
00:45:39.13\00:45:41.00
And now notice this:
00:45:41.24\00:45:43.47
Are you understanding how
God's plan is developing here?
00:46:07.66\00:46:11.10
It took years and years
for this plan to be fulfilled
00:46:11.90\00:46:16.67
and yet God's plan was
fulfilled to the very letter.
00:46:17.41\00:46:21.08
First of all, the holy line from
which the Messiah would come
00:46:21.31\00:46:25.65
was preserved. And
secondly, Jacob and his family
00:46:25.78\00:46:31.32
emigrated to Egypt where
they could live in Goshen,
00:46:31.45\00:46:34.82
proliferate,
grow in relative peace
00:46:34.96\00:46:38.23
without becoming contaminated
with the idolatrous practices
00:46:38.36\00:46:42.76
of the Egyptians.
Now let me ask you:
00:46:42.90\00:46:46.23
as Joseph looked back upon his
life, do you think he would say
00:46:46.37\00:46:49.87
that it was worth it?
00:46:50.01\00:46:51.34
You know, if you just
think about the life of Joseph
00:46:53.34\00:46:56.18
from the time that his brothers
took him and threw him into
00:46:56.31\00:46:58.98
the cistern I can imagine
Joseph saying: "Huh... wow!
00:46:59.01\00:47:03.05
What's going to happen
now? " He had the dream
00:47:03.18\00:47:05.59
and he had the prophecy
given to Abraham in his mind
00:47:05.72\00:47:08.56
but he doesn't know
exactly what's happening.
00:47:08.79\00:47:11.76
But he cooperates with God
00:47:11.99\00:47:14.00
and step by step God
reveals to Joseph His plan.
00:47:14.10\00:47:18.17
And Joseph cooperates with God.
He walks step in step with God
00:47:18.30\00:47:22.70
because he knows
that God has a plan.
00:47:22.97\00:47:25.21
Some day God will make
him lord, and in this way
00:47:25.34\00:47:29.21
he will save the holy line
and he will prepare the world
00:47:29.24\00:47:34.18
for the coming of the Messiah.
00:47:34.32\00:47:36.69
You see, folks, history
is moving under the guidance
00:47:37.72\00:47:41.89
of God's omniscient
and omnipotent hand.
00:47:42.02\00:47:45.66
And it's moving
toward a specific goal.
00:47:46.70\00:47:49.53
History is not an ebb
and flow of unrelated events.
00:47:50.47\00:47:55.54
History is being nudged
forward by an invisible hand.
00:47:55.77\00:48:00.81
If I choose to participate,
God's plan will be fulfilled
00:48:01.81\00:48:05.98
with me. If I
choose not to participate,
00:48:06.11\00:48:09.52
God's plan will be
fulfilled anyway without me.
00:48:09.65\00:48:13.52
Kind of reminds me
of the story of Esther.
00:48:15.62\00:48:17.96
Mordecai says to Esther:
"Esther, you'd better go in
00:48:19.79\00:48:22.30
and you'd better
intercede for your people. "
00:48:22.63\00:48:26.13
And he says: "If you don't,
00:48:26.37\00:48:29.44
help will come
from some other place. "
00:48:29.67\00:48:32.51
The beauty of this story
is that Joseph decided to
00:48:33.54\00:48:36.64
cooperate with God step by step.
00:48:36.68\00:48:39.58
He didn't understand
everything that was happening,
00:48:39.81\00:48:42.15
but he was guided by his
dreams and by the prophecy
00:48:42.28\00:48:45.15
given to Abraham. You see,
folks, when we look at life
00:48:45.19\00:48:50.69
after we've lived it,
00:48:51.03\00:48:53.09
we can see the hand
of God's providence.
00:48:53.23\00:48:56.26
You see, I like to compare
historical events with the
00:48:56.40\00:48:58.83
thread in a tapestry.
00:48:58.87\00:49:01.14
See, each event in our life
is a thread that God is adding
00:49:01.97\00:49:05.31
to the tapestry.
00:49:05.44\00:49:07.18
And you only see the full
picture when all of the threads
00:49:07.51\00:49:13.15
come together. Then you
know that God has been leading
00:49:13.31\00:49:17.99
your life and that
what God allowed to happen
00:49:18.12\00:49:21.39
and that what God
caused was absolutely wise.
00:49:21.52\00:49:26.53
Kind of reminds me of
that verse in Romans chapter 8
00:49:27.40\00:49:31.17
verses 28 and 29.
We all know this verse.
00:49:31.37\00:49:34.94
Probably we can
repeat it from memory.
00:49:35.17\00:49:37.67
It says there:
00:49:37.91\00:49:39.44
"And we know... "
Notice it doesn't say we think.
00:49:39.67\00:49:44.08
It says: "We know
that all things... "
00:49:45.18\00:49:49.22
How many? Even the bad?
00:49:49.35\00:49:52.22
Yes, even the bad.
00:49:52.45\00:49:55.02
"We know that all
things work together
00:49:55.46\00:50:00.50
for good to those who love God,
00:50:00.83\00:50:06.20
to those who are called
according to His purpose. "
00:50:06.33\00:50:11.77
If we kept this in mind,
we wouldn't grumble and gripe
00:50:12.01\00:50:15.61
and complain about the
things that happen in our life.
00:50:15.64\00:50:18.11
But many times when
things come to our life -
00:50:18.25\00:50:21.35
calamities and
problems and difficulties -
00:50:21.48\00:50:24.02
we gripe and we come complain
and we say: "Lord, why me? "
00:50:24.15\00:50:29.02
When really we
should not say "Why me? "
00:50:29.29\00:50:32.33
we should say: "Lord, I don't
exactly understand what You're
00:50:32.46\00:50:35.13
doing right now. This is a
very difficult time in my life.
00:50:35.16\00:50:39.33
I can't understand
these circumstances, but Lord,
00:50:39.57\00:50:42.67
you know what? You have
more experience than me.
00:50:42.80\00:50:45.04
And so I'm just going
to kind of follow along.
00:50:45.37\00:50:47.74
You take the step and I'll
walk right in Your footsteps.
00:50:47.88\00:50:50.35
I'll walk in Your footsteps
the way that You lead me. "
00:50:50.58\00:50:52.51
And we can't go wrong no
matter how many calamities
00:50:52.75\00:50:56.42
come to our lives
we can't go wrong.
00:50:56.55\00:50:58.72
This reminds me of a
fantastic statement in the book
00:50:59.72\00:51:03.16
Desire of Ages pages 224 and 225
00:51:03.29\00:51:06.16
that I'd like to
read. You know this -
00:51:06.49\00:51:08.76
you've read it before -
00:51:08.90\00:51:10.13
where Ellen White is
speaking about the experience of
00:51:11.23\00:51:14.04
John the Baptist.
00:51:14.07\00:51:15.60
You know, you look at
John the Baptist. He also was
00:51:15.94\00:51:17.97
thrown into prison.
00:51:18.11\00:51:19.47
Jesus never went to visit him.
00:51:19.91\00:51:21.84
You'd say: "Come
on... he was Jesus' cousin
00:51:24.01\00:51:27.38
and Jesus didn't show any
interest whatsoever in him.
00:51:28.35\00:51:31.59
Here he's thrown into prison
and he's apparently abandoned
00:51:31.72\00:51:34.49
and forsaken. What
justice is there in this?
00:51:34.62\00:51:38.59
Because John the
Baptist was faithful to God.
00:51:38.86\00:51:41.93
Why should he end up there? "
00:51:42.06\00:51:43.77
And of course, John the
Baptist had doubts himself
00:51:44.83\00:51:47.70
about what was happening.
That is, until he sent his
00:51:47.84\00:51:50.57
disciples to ask Jesus:
"Are You the One that we're
00:51:50.61\00:51:53.38
expecting or are we
to wait for another? "
00:51:53.41\00:51:55.58
And Jesus didn't
answer the question.
00:51:56.41\00:51:57.95
He simply performed
miracles that whole day.
00:51:58.08\00:52:00.68
You can read it in scripture.
00:52:01.02\00:52:02.75
And at the end of the day
Jesus says to the disciples
00:52:03.08\00:52:05.45
of John: "Now you go back
00:52:05.59\00:52:07.02
and you tell John
what you've seen. "
00:52:07.06\00:52:09.06
And when they told John
what they had seen Jesus do
00:52:10.19\00:52:14.76
we find in Desire of
Ages that John now had peace.
00:52:14.93\00:52:20.64
He knew that Jesus
was the promised Messiah
00:52:20.97\00:52:24.27
and he was willing to give his
life... he was willing to die.
00:52:24.61\00:52:28.08
And then Ellen White says that
John the Baptist, by his death,
00:52:29.08\00:52:32.55
became an inspiration
to many others who would be
00:52:32.68\00:52:35.18
martyred for their faith.
00:52:35.32\00:52:36.72
In other words,
he saved many people
00:52:36.95\00:52:38.59
through his death
00:52:38.72\00:52:40.42
besides all of the people that
00:52:40.56\00:52:41.96
he saved through the message
00:52:41.99\00:52:43.56
that he imparted from God.
00:52:43.73\00:52:45.19
In this context is where we
00:52:45.43\00:52:47.30
find this statement in
Desire of Ages pages 224-5.
00:52:47.30\00:52:50.90
So if we could see the...
If Joseph had been able to
00:53:27.90\00:53:30.97
see the end from the beginning
00:53:31.11\00:53:32.97
do you think Joseph
would have changed anything?
00:53:33.11\00:53:35.08
He would not have
changed one thing.
00:53:35.41\00:53:37.65
He would have said: "OK, Lord,
00:53:37.88\00:53:40.85
we're walking together through
these trials and tribulations. "
00:53:40.98\00:53:43.99
He would have chosen the
very way that God chose for him.
00:53:44.75\00:53:48.52
Because if we knew
the end from the beginning
00:53:48.86\00:53:51.53
we would not choose any
other way than the way which God
00:53:51.66\00:53:55.60
has established for us.
00:53:55.73\00:53:57.40
In another very significant
statement in Desire of Ages
00:53:58.23\00:54:01.20
page 208... this
also is very well known...
00:54:01.34\00:54:05.04
we find this
marvelous statement.
00:54:05.27\00:54:07.78
Because some people
say: "Well, you know, Jesus,
00:54:07.91\00:54:10.38
He was... He had a different
nature than we have, you know.
00:54:10.51\00:54:13.55
And He was closer to
His Father than we are. "
00:54:13.58\00:54:16.38
And you know, we
start making excuses
00:54:16.52\00:54:19.09
as to why Jesus could
overcome and we can't overcome.
00:54:19.22\00:54:22.19
Notice what Ellen White has
to say in Desire of Ages 208.
00:54:22.52\00:54:25.63
Sounds kind of like Joseph, huh?
00:54:36.71\00:54:39.77
Joseph made no
plans for himself.
00:54:40.01\00:54:41.88
Every day he said:
"Lord, you know, show me...
00:54:42.01\00:54:43.68
show me what You want me to do.
00:54:43.81\00:54:45.08
Show me what Your plans are.
00:54:45.25\00:54:46.41
Choreograph my life. "
00:54:46.55\00:54:48.45
She continues saying:
00:54:48.78\00:54:50.72
By the way, the
Lord's Prayer says
00:55:09.00\00:55:10.81
"Give us this
week our daily bread. "
00:55:11.04\00:55:14.01
Thank you. It
says: "Give us THIS DAY
00:55:15.68\00:55:18.85
our daily bread. "
God does not reveal to us
00:55:18.98\00:55:22.32
His plans in weeks
or months or years.
00:55:22.45\00:55:25.89
He reveals it in
a day-to-day basis.
00:55:26.09\00:55:29.69
And we're told here that
Jesus made no plans for Himself.
00:55:30.03\00:55:34.10
Every day He said: "Father,
what are Our plans today? "
00:55:34.23\00:55:39.20
Now you say: "How
does that affect us? "
00:55:39.37\00:55:41.27
Notice the last
part of this statement:
00:55:41.60\00:55:43.54
Isn't that a
marvelous statement?
00:56:02.76\00:56:04.96
And they key is: "So utterly
was Christ emptied of self. "
00:56:05.93\00:56:10.90
See, when we say: "Why
is this happening to me? "
00:56:11.73\00:56:14.50
"Why am I having these trials? "
00:56:14.64\00:56:16.30
"Why am I having
this tribulation? "
00:56:16.44\00:56:18.27
It's a
manifestation of selfishness.
00:56:18.41\00:56:20.44
We're supposed to say:
"Lord, what's in this for You? "
00:56:21.71\00:56:25.05
"I'll walk with You;
I'll follow Your plans
00:56:26.31\00:56:29.65
just like Joseph did. "
00:56:29.88\00:56:31.22
And when you look
at the story of Joseph
00:56:31.39\00:56:33.49
you have a glorious conclusion
to a providential story...
00:56:33.62\00:56:38.49
God leading step by step.
00:56:38.66\00:56:42.83
On a lesser scale, we
can have the same experience
00:56:43.87\00:56:48.04
as long as we trust God the
way that Joseph trusted God.
00:56:48.37\00:56:54.21
We may not have a dream say-
ing that we're going to be lord
00:56:54.54\00:56:57.35
but we do have a
Bible that says that someday
00:56:57.48\00:57:00.05
we will be lords. The Bible
says that if we suffer with Him
00:57:00.18\00:57:04.49
we will also reign with Him.
00:57:04.62\00:57:07.46
And Jesus says also
in a text that we read
00:57:07.69\00:57:11.26
"Well done, thou
good and faithful servant.
00:57:11.39\00:57:13.63
Because you have
been faithful in little
00:57:13.76\00:57:15.76
I will place you over much. "
00:57:15.90\00:57:18.63
May that be the living
experience in our lives.
00:57:18.87\00:57:24.31