Answers Bible Curriculum Second Edition Unit 5 Lesson 46
This week in Sunday school, we learn about what happened to Joseph after he was taken to Egypt. How did God bless Joseph, even in bondage? Why did God still ordain Joseph to suffer when Joseph did nothing wrong? And how does this account teach us to view our own sufferings that seem to make no sense?
Our main text for this lesson is Genesis 39:1-40:23.
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well good morning thank you so much for being here for Sunday school looking forward to continuing our study of the Bible and going through Genesis with you there’s a quick update on the fire situation if you saw my email or if you’ve seen the news you know that the Saddle Ridge fire has been burning north of Los Angeles getting a little bit closer to where Emma and I live we haven’t been in any danger but we did lose our internet which I don’t know that is a pretty big pretty big deal in the modern age and it did a threaten the ability to do Sunday school but internet came on again last night so I’m able to continue to do Sunday school with you so raise the Lord for that and it seems like they are working to contain the fire most recent thing I saw said 33 percent contained so but I think for the Lord’s providence in that and thank you for your prayers if you were thinking of praying about that but we’re continuing with the life of Joseph today last week we saw how God sovereignly arranged for Joseph to be taken down to Egypt and today we’re gonna look at how God blesses Joseph in Egypt you see God does not abandon Joseph and Joseph for his part he clings to God in faith but not everything goes well for Joseph he will be abundantly blessed but he will also suffer pretty severely by the end of our text today that we’re going to look at we’re gonna see that Joseph is in prison and he has no prospect of relief and he has no idea why any of this is happening to him but in this account and through all these things we’re gonna see another powerful testimony as to why we can and should always trust God trusts are good loving and sovereign God now let’s pray ask the Lord’s blessing at this time and we’ll investigate that further our great God you are the king you are our Heavenly Father and you do all things well and yet God we many times cannot see or understand exactly what you’re doing god I pray that in those times we would trust you even in those times you bless us God and we’re so thankful but in those times of uncertainty and suffering I pray God that your people would learn from the life of Joseph to trust you Jesus name Amen now some of you might remember that I’m one of the classes I’m taking right now is exposition of job and Ecclesiastes in that class we’ve been focusing on Ecclesiastes to start and one of the main themes of Ecclesiastes is the concept of have l have l is a hebrew word you could also pronounce it have L with Abby but it’s the word behind that famous word in Ecclesiastes vanity vanity of vanities says the preacher right have L heavily mitts the same word have L though translated vanity and it does have a sense of vanity more literally means air breath or vapor and this is a very appropriate term for describing life Solomon says life is have L and what does he mean by that a couple different nuances life is like a vapor it passes quickly and the things of life the work the pleasures they also don’t give lasting satisfaction on their own but also like a vapor life is frequently mysterious enigmatic you can’t fully explain it or understand it and this is I think relevant for our text today because when it comes to life we do try to make sense of it especially when we suffer when some very difficult thing happens to us or some turn in our life we say why is this happening to me what is God doing what did I do to deserve this and so because we crave to understand to give some sort of sense to what’s going on around us we’ve many times fall back on some version of the prosperity gospel we say to ourselves well the reason I’m experiencing this hardship must be because God is displeased with me it must be because I’m in sin after all God promises in the scriptures to be to bless those who are faithful to him and if I’m not experiencing that blessing if I’m not feeling that blessing then I must have done something to offend God by the way when we think this way all rather let me say it this way this line of thinking does it remind you of anyone in the Bible trying to explain suffering the reason these bad things happen to you is because you’ve sinned you know job’s friends right that’s exactly what they said what’s so tricky about that perspective is that there’s some truth to it if you’re aware of the Scriptures at all especially the Old Testament you will see that God does bless those who are faithful to him he does promise that and he says that he will curse or he will chase and he will discipline those who sin against him those who oppose him sin and righteousness do have consequences but the problem is that life is more complicated than that and this is Solomon’s observation in Ecclesiastes sometimes it looks like God is giving undeserved but abundant blessing on those who persist in sin the wicked prosper and sometimes God brings devastating hardship on those who are the most faithful to him and so we God we ask ourselves why God why do you do this we want to understand my brothers and sisters we need to face the fact that sometimes we simply cannot know specifically why God brings us into suffering we want an explanation you want order but we won’t see it it is good for us to examine whether we are in a pattern of unrepentant sin but walking faithfully with God is no guarantee that you will avoid suffering in fact many sections of Scripture affirm that suffering will follow those who follow God Paul writes to Timothy all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be what persecuted and g’s says to his disciples in this world you will have what tribulation and using a metaphor Jesus also tells his disciples if you’re a true branch of the vine and I’m the vine what will the father do to you you will prune you you will cut off part of you if you’re a Christian that means that you will suffer and why God never tells us specifically in each situation it’s not like when you enter some mode of suffering he says by the way here’s exactly what I’m doing here doesn’t do that and it doesn’t have to he’s got now he does tell us generally in the scriptures why he uses suffering why he ordains suffering for us even as his people he says I’m doing this so that you will bear more fruit I’m doing this to make you more like Christ I’m doing this to display your true faith more brightly to the world I’m doing this to bring about some glorious purpose in the future which you do not see yet ultimately I’m doing this for a good reason and you need to trust me now the question is for you do you trust God even when your suffering doesn’t make sense when it’s inexplicable when you can’t see the specific reason for it do you fall back on these promises of God where he says generally this is what I do in these kinds of situations in your life the pastor’s we’re gonna look out today well show us more of why we can and must do this please open your Bibles to Genesis 39 Genesis 39 is on page 42 if you’re using the Pew Bible in Genesis 39 we pick up again with the life of Joseph it last left him at the end of Genesis 37 being enslaved and taken off to Egypt and in Genesis 38 there’s an interlude illuminating the immoral life of Joseph brother Judah I won’t go through all the details of that but you remember Judah was the ringleader in selling Joseph to Ishmaelites and genesis 38 we hear about some pretty pretty heinous immorality that he gets involved in but then the narrative switches back to Joseph now we’re going to pick up that account in Genesis 39 our first section is going to be to go through verses 1 to 20 and then later in the class we’ll look at a second section that goes into Genesis 40 down to the end of that chapter now let’s read and then we’ll observe verses 1 to 20 here’s what it says now Joseph had been taken down Egypt and Potiphar an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh the captain of the bodyguard bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there the Lord that is the ahwe was with Joseph so he became a successful man and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian now his master saw that Yahweh was with him and how Yahweh caused all that he did to prosper in his hand so Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal servant and he made him overseer over his house and all that he owned he put in his charge came about that from the time he made him overseer in his house over all the dione the ahwe blessed the Egyptians house on account of Joseph thus Yahweh’s blessing was upon all that he owned in the house and in the field so he left everything in he owned in Joseph’s charge and with them there he did not concern himself with anything except the food which he ate now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance it came about after these events that his master’s wife looked with desire at Joseph and she said lie with me but he refused and said to his master’s wife behold with me here my master does not concerned himself with anything in the house and he has put all that he owns in my charge there is no one greater in this house that I and he has withheld nothing from me except you because you are his wife how then could I do this great evil and sin against God as she spoke to Joseph day after day he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the household were there inside she caught him by his garment saying lie with me and he left his garment in her hand and fled and went outside she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and he had fled outside she called to the men of her household and said to them see he has brought in a Hebrew to us to make sport of us you came in to me to lie with me and I screamed when he heard that I raised my voice and screamed he left his garment beside me and fled and went outside so she left his garment beside her until his master came home then she spoke to him with these words the Hebrew slave whom you brought to us came in to me to make sport of me and as I raised my voice and screamed he left his garment beside me and fled outside now when his master heard the words of his wife which she spoke to him saying this is what your slave did to me his anger burned so joseph’s master took him and put him into the jail the place where the Kings prisoners were confined and he was there in the jail all right let’s start with basic observations of this passage her said Joseph is sold to Potiphar a high-ranking official captain of Pharaohs bodyguard then look what we mediately see in verse 2 it says Yahweh was with Joseph Yahweh was with Joseph even in slavery even in Egypt even far removed from Jacob and the rest of the family God is with Joseph now what does God caused to happen for Joseph well God essentially gave Joseph a Midas touch whatever he does wherever he turns whatever goes into his hand is successful and prospers verse 3 Potiphar notices this God is granting Joseph’s success and so this leads to Joseph’s very rapid rise Potiphar starts giving more and more responsibilities to Joseph from household slave he becomes Potiphar’s person attend verse four and it becomes overseer of all Potiphar’s house and all that Potiphar owns verse six says the Potiphar did not concern himself with anything except his own food the most personal of concerns he left everything else ago civ I mean talk about trust talk about authority it’s true he’s still enslaved but Wow life has really turned around for Joseph he’s become a man of great authority great honor even inside pot furs household and probably lives somewhat comfortably and what was the result for Potiphar says God blessed everything a pod for his household because Joseph was managing it by the way does this remind you of anything we’ve seen lately where else did we see this recently yeah Jacob right with whose household with Layton’s house well that’s why labour didn’t watch it with Jacob to leave right coming up with schemes to make Jacob work for more because he sees hey I’m blessed whenever you work for me same thing happening with Joseph year but there is one source of blessing on Joseph that turns out to be his downfall in the household because the second part of verse six says that Joseph was handsome in form and appearance so what handsome could also be translated beautiful who else did we see recently who was described this same way beautiful in form and appearance say that again similar to Moses not the exact same phrasing but they do his parents Duke notice that he is beautiful that he’s a lovely child that’s true but actually this exact same phrase was used of someone else actually Rachel Jacobs wife and Joseph’s mother they’re the only two people in the Old Testament given this exact description beautiful in form and appearance this is true of Joseph and verse 7 says Potiphar’s wife notices how handsome Joseph is and looked with desire at him and she even propositions Joseph saying lie with me she wants Joseph to commit adultery with her now Joseph for his part he refuses her advance and notice what he says in explanation he notes how much trust and authority the master has given and that verse 10 he asks how could I do this great evil and sin against God in other words not only would this be a terrible violation of the Masters trust and a roast step of ingratitude based what all the things the master has done to the Joseph’s but it would be sin against God now that’s some definite faith that’s a definite display of devotion of Joe to god it’s the very conscientious man and this is in strong contrast to Judah in the previous chapter though Joseph says this too odd for his wife she doesn’t give up she tries to speak to Joseph day after day and what’s Joseph’s response to this ongoing sexual harassment says he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her just kind of interesting you made us that phrasing is a little unique it seemed that part of his wife liked her request to Joseph just to have Joseph lie next to her or spend time with her but justice not gonna have any of it he’s committed to staying away from her as much as you can now you sort of compromising situation but then verse 11 there’s one day where there’s no one in the house except her and Joseph and verse 12 says she caught him by his garment and then told him to lie with her now this word garment probably refers to Joseph’s tunic which is essentially a long shirt meant at this time they often were basically two pieces of clothing they wore undergarments think something like a pair of shorts and they wore a tunic this long shirt that that went down past your waist she grabs him by the tunic what is Joseph do it says he left his garment in her hand and fled and went outside he didn’t just leave he fled very specific description he slipped out of his shirt his tunic and he ran apparently he didn’t say anything to her or if he did it’s not record it he just left his tunic behind and went outside meaning that he’s actually half naked at this point he’s probably just in his undergarments and that’s gonna raise some questions won’t it hey Joseph what are you doing with that your tunic and uh why does the Masters wife have it master’s wife decides that she’s gonna make Joseph the one who looks bad in this situation for all she does have some pretty incriminating evidence against Joseph look I’ve got his clothes so she calls the other household slaves and accuses Joseph of trying to rape her do you notice the way she says this to the other household members she says he has brought in a Hebrew to us to make sport of us now who is the he of this statement Joseph but Potiphar her husband he’s the one who obtained Joseph as a slave and so she says he brought in this Hebrew to make sport of us so basically she’s saying this is partially Potiphar’s fault and notice her use of the term Hebrew I mean why bring up Joseph’s next ethnic origin all of a sudden he is a slave but he’s also if he’s not an Egyptian he’s a Hebrew that means he’s a foreigner so when she says look this this foreigner did this to me she’s drawing on some xenophobia right and this is so common even today right it’s the people outside the country were coming in and ruining everything she’s drawing on people’s latent suspicion of those who are not native and say look what this foreigner did to me now she’s being really subtle but cunning with language she’s making herself seem like the victim when she was really the one trying to victimize Joseph and in verse 17 we see that she gives a similar story and similar blame to her husband whenever he comes home apparently he had been away maybe with Pharaoh maybe out of town but he eventually comes home he hears the story and how does he react says verse 19 his anger burned now doesn’t say against whom his anger burned doesn’t say anything her burn against Joseph he was angry and he does act against Joseph verse 20 says the Potiphar put Joseph into prison not just any prison notice it says the place where the Kings prisoners were confined now there’s one strange aspect to this choice of putting Joseph into prison rape or attempted rape even of another’s wife what was a capital crime in Egypt that would net you the death penalty and it would actually do the same in Moses as law when God gave it to Israel you attempt to rape another person’s life you’ll be put to death but Joseph is not executed yet steadies put in prison why with these outpatients it’s now consider a few interpretation collisions first why does God blessed Joseph in Potiphar’s house clearly blesses him why does God do so think about what we’ve seen so far in Genesis we’ve been seeing blessing on different people and what’s been the connection between they’re receiving that blessing most recently has all been about a promises and covenant to Abraham has it not when God first called Abraham out of her she promised that he would have less him and that he would bless his descendants and that you would bless those who blessed him we saw that happen in Abraham’s life with all that happened in Isaac’s life I saw that happen in Jacob’s life and now we’re seeing it happen in Joseph’s life of course there are other parts of this what God is just showing grace God is blessing those who are obedient to him who have faith in Him this is involved with God’s purposes for the future but all the centers around the Abrahamic covenant there’s special promises of blessing that God gave to Abraham and his seed we’re seeing that manifest in Joseph’s life now a question in a different venue how does Joseph’s response to his master’s wife’s lustful advances illustrate righteous principles elsewhere in the Bible he reacts to this attempted seduction very righteously but where do we see the principles that he’s basically following elsewhere in the Bible yeah Roy right yes that’s a great observation great observation Roy he doesn’t have the scriptures but there is enough revelation in the world passed down via word-of-mouth and other ways that God communicated to people in those days that Joseph knows what is the righteous way what is the wise way and it does go back to that basic principle expressed when God created man and women which is a man shall leave his father mother may be joined to his wife singular and the two shall become one flesh that is not to be separated that is not to be violated and it is a principle even without God especially communicating that to you it is a principle evident in creation it’s something that people know deep down and that’s part of their suppressing the truth and unrighteousness that we have the adultery and the violation of God’s marriage designed today so now that people don’t know really it’s just that they suppress the truth that they know but still the question I’m asking is are there specific sections of Scripture that go along with exactly what Joseph does here and Duane I see your hand exactly and what does that say that’s right Christine 6:18 flee immorality or we can actually point to a number of other scriptures proverbs 5 proverbs 6 proverbs 7 they all talk about be wearing the adulteress and propers 5:8 says keep your way far from her do not even go near the door of her house Jesus says in Matthew 5 Matthew 5:27 2:30 remember that if you look at a woman with lust you’ve committed adultery and then right next that he says whatever you need to cut off so that you don’t go into sin do that if you have to gouge out your right eye cut off your right arm even if it’s costly to you it’s better that you lose that then you stumble into sexual sin Hebrews 13:4 says marriages to be held in honor among all and the marriage bed is to be undefiled for fornicators and adulterers it says God will judge and we could point to other scriptures now I do want to point out to you that this section here Genesis 39 it is not meant as at least not primarily meant as an instruction booklet for dealing with sexual temptation there’s a greater purpose in all this but Joyce’s response is a great illustration of the righteous and wise way before God declared another parts of the scripture now again Joseph didn’t have these scriptures but he knew enough and he was someone clearly filled with the wisdom of God he is a very wise man and that is illustrated in how he walks before God Joseph realized you don’t mess around with a moral temptation now you’ve heard the phrase shoot first and ask questions later but when it comes to sexual sin and temptation you need to flee first and ask questions later when your conscience first begins to say I don’t think I should be here but when you notice huh I think this situation is becoming potentially dangerous you need to get out you need to flee because otherwise if you stay under immoral temptation your judgment will soon be clouded God made that the sexual passions very powerful as part of his good design for marriage but those passions will be used against you if you linger in a situation of amoral temptation he will likely be entrapped now if you die evilly foolishly want to push the limits if you want to play with fire you will get burned you will fall into sexual sin and by doing so you will hurt yourself you will hurt others you will dishonor marriage and you will sin against God just like Joseph says therefore there is something to learn from the wise and faithful response of Joseph in this situation now of course I should also mention that there is forgiveness there is forgiveness of even the worst sexual sin in Christ but the life consequences of that sin are very painful very damaging so God urges you in his word not to proceed down that foolish path and we’re also warned in the scriptures that if you do not turn from sexual sin you will not inherit the kingdom of God fornicators and adulterers will be judged God says they will not see the new heavens and the new earth now one other question I want to ask here why wasn’t Joseph executed for this supposed crime he committed why didn’t that happen now there could be a few reasons it may be that the husband did not totally believe his wife’s story I mean she blames him after all and that would be annoying maybe the husband wanted to do more investigation we don’t hear any defense from Joseph in his text in this text but surely he protested his innocence maybe the husband did take that into consideration or maybe he did believe his wife after all she did have Joseph’s garment but Joseph had been faithful for years and so out of some sympathy for Joseph he lessens the penalty or maybe because it was only attempted and actually fulfilled maybe he thought all right I don’t have to put yourself to death but whatever the master was thinking we know the ultimate reason that Joseph was not killed and that is because of God God’s sovereignty God’s kindness and Joseph in this situation God has a very important purpose for Joseph’s life it cannot end in execution at least not right now Joseph needs to go to prison so God made sure to arrange things so that that was the result and he didn’t just go to any prison he went to a very particular prison because it’s in this prison that he’s gonna meet two important people and we’re gonna actually look at that now let’s look at our next passage Genesis 39 going from verse 21 – where’s 23 of chapter 40 we read what happens next to Joseph it says but Yahweh was with Joseph an extended kindness to him and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer chief jailer committed to Joseph’s charge all the prisoners who were in the jail so that whatever was done there he was responsible for it chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph’s charge because Yahweh was with him and whatever he did Yahweh made to prosper then it came about after these things a cup ever and the Baker for the king of Egypt offended their Lord the king of Egypt Pharaoh was furious with his two officials the chief cupbearer and the chief Baker so he put them in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard in the jail the same place where Joseph was in prison the captain of the bodyguard put Joseph in charge of them and he took care of them and they were in confinement for some time then the cup bearer and the Baker for the king of Egypt who were confined in jail both had a dream the same night each man with his own dream in each dream with his own interpretation what Joseph came to them in the morning and observed them behold they were dejected yes pharaoh’s officials who were with him in confinement in his master’s house why are your face is so sad today and they said to him we’ve had a dream and there’s no one to interpret it then Joseph said to them do not interpretations belong to God tell it to me please so the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him in my dream behold there was a vine in front of me and on the vine were three branches and as it was budding its blossoms came out and it’s clusters produced ripe grapes a Pharaoh’s Cup was in my hand so I took the grapes and squeeze them into Pharaoh’s cup and I put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand then Joseph said to him this is the interpretation of it the three branches are three days within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office and you will put Pharaoh’s cup into his hand according to your former custom when you work up ever only keep me in mind when it goes well with you and please do me a kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh and get me out of this house for I was in fact kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews and even here I’ve done nothing that they should have put me into the dungeon when the chief Baker saw that he had interpreted favorably they said to Joseph I also saw in my dream and behold there were three baskets of white bread on my head in the top basket there was some all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh and the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head then Joseph answered and said this is its interpretation three baskets are three days within three more days Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and will hang you on a tree and the birds we your flesh off you thus it came about on the third day which was Pharaoh’s birthday that he made a feast for all his servants and he lifted up the head of the chief Cup ever and the head of the chief Baker among his servants he restored the chief cupbearer to his office and he put the cup in the Pharaohs hand but he hanged the chief Baker just as Joseph had interpreted to them yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph but forgot him all right well let’s deserve this passage notice this section begins with the same phrase that was on the beginning at the last one Yahweh was with Joseph even here God hath not a bent dosa and God is still blessing Joseph they even through the harrowing experience of false accusation and imprisonment God does bless his people in fact what do you notice happens in the jail that mirrors what we saw previously Joseph finds favor in the side of the overseer and he’s eventually put in charge of everything and God blesses it hlg man Joseph must had some serious gifts of administration this guy was a hard worker he was smart he was trustworthy but were those the real reasons for his success again look at verse 21 it says not only that Yahweh was with Joseph but it says God also extended kindness to Joseph and behind this Hebrew word for kindness is that special word that I mentioned to you before has said it’s that word normally translated loving kindness and a new American Standard but it has the idea of loyal love or covenant kindness God is continually pouring out on Joseph even through these difficulties that covenant love I said so how is it that God arrived Joseph obtained favor with the chief jailer it was God’s grace God gave it to Joseph God gave us if that favor Joseph was faithful it’s true that’s not ultimately why Joseph was successful or successful because God made Joseph successful that’s true for our successes too by the way if you experience success in your life it’s because God granted it to you not because you’re so smart or even because you’re so faithful God grants it there’s still as he’s experiencing this blessing even in this difficult situation Joseph meets two important people Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer and Pharaoh’s chief Baker and these are important positions before Pharaoh not only because food and drink are personally interesting to Pharaoh he wants to eat and drink good food and drink but they are also potential sources of poison so Pharaoh needs men he can trust in these two important positions but both of these men did something to offend their Pharaoh and that’s why they’re put into the prison where Joseph is now these are VIP prisoners and verse four says the captain on the bodyguard who is probably still Potiphar he puts Joseph in charge of these two men after some time it turns out that both of these men have a dream the same night and verse six says in the morning which also comes to serve these two prisoners they’re looking dejected they tell him why when he asks because they don’t have anyone to interpret their dreams now I need to remember and I’ve said something about this before ancient times dreams were treated as a very big deal especially in Egypt especially in Babylon the world of dreams was thought of as like a half-way realm between the world of men in the world of the gods many Egyptians consider dreams to be omens or messages about the future there was a whole science science of dream interpretation in Egypt there were hand books published about how to interpret dreams and there were specialists who could tell you about your dreams these court officials the baker and cupbearer they’re probably used to having access to dream interpretation resources but stuck in prison they don’t have that anymore but they have these significant dreams they want to see how they should be interpreted and they just don’t know but so does Joseph’s response to them when they tell him this he says do not interpretations belong to God right away Joseph asserts if there’s a divine message in a dream God has to be the one to interpret it for you so there’s a quick repudiation of the whole dream science of the Egyptian cult but then Joseph says he’ll it to me tell it to me please so then Joseph hears and interprets the dream of the cup picker he tells the cup bearer after three days you’ll be restored to your position before Pharaoh then notice verses 14 and 15 Joseph makes requests he says remember me when things go well with you speak to Pharaoh on my behalf get me out of this dungeon because I have done nothing to be placed here I’m innocent hearing this favorable interpretation the paper the Baker pipes up and he tells Joseph about his dream and when Joseph interprets it notice there’s a startling play on words the cupbearers head would be lifted up in a sense of receiving Pharaoh’s favour again but the Baker’s head would be lifted up in the sense that it would be removed from him his head would be removed and his body would be hanged that is impaled and the birds would eat the flesh off of it Wow that would get a very interesting response from the baker but as Joseph right in these interpretations he is after three days it’s Pharaoh’s birthday it’s part of the celebration he restores the cup ever he executes the Baker but then notice verse 23 it says at the chief however did not remember first but forgot him oh come on man you don’t remember that the Hebrew slave in the prison was so good to you who attended you who interrupted your dream for you and comforted you you don’t remember him apparently not therefore Joseph continues to languish in prison for a crime he never committed actually suffering because someone else sinned against Joseph as Joseph really experiencing the blessing of God let’s interpret again how is it that Joseph accurately interprets the dreams presented to him it says dreams belong to God but then he says why don’t you tell me your name what’s the connection that’s right he is interpreting these dreams because God is giving him the ability now how Joseph knew he had this ability is never explained he had dreams before but somehow Joseph knew all the while he’s giving credit to God God is the one who will grant the interpretation I’m merely the messenger of it and this ability will prove key to what happens with Joseph before Pharaoh and we’ll look at that next time but he’s able to interpret the dreams here because God gives in that ability why is it though that the cup ever forgets Joseph come on cup air wasn’t this a significant thing we don’t know the old or we don’t know the specific reason maybe the joy of getting out of that prison he just made him one to forget that whole experience maybe he figured out you know just in Hebrew slave he’s not important I don’t know me to worry about him and it’s true also that people just have an amazing ability to forget kindnesses the showing gratitude so maybe that’s happening here you just besides not to really care about Joseph leaves Joseph and suffering but again we know the old Simon reason the ultimate reason that Joseph is forgotten in prison is because that’s what got her Dean that’s what God sovereignly chose just copy over his mind is in the Lord’s hands God could have caused him to remember but he didn’t didn’t do that God has sovereignly determined that Joseph will be in prison a longer amount of time actually we’ll see you next time that it’s two more years after he has this interaction with the coupler and in total a being in Potiphar’s household and then being in the prison it will be 13 years for Joseph that’s up to here amount of time and the question that goes along with it is of course why why God why are you treating your servant so badly he’s doing everything right he’s being a good sleigh he’s remaining sexually pure he’s even serving diligently while in prison so God why are you leaving him there in suffering well first we have to say Texas already told us that God is with Joseph even in these situations so God has not left Joseph alone and the all the while in this period of time in Egypt he has been experiencing good from God yes he was enslaved in Potiphar’s household but he was blessed there and yes he’s in this prison situation but he was blessed there too so God has not simply left his servant to suffer but ask to the trouble the ongoing trouble Joseph’s experiences God does not explain himself to Joseph and he doesn’t have to so what’s keeping Joseph going on what is he able to clean only two things who God is and what God promised he knows who that is he is the sovereign God he is a gracious God and he remembers the promise someone automatically declared but Joseph did have those dreams God declared to Joseph and Joseph family that one day God’s her Jacobs family would bow down to Joseph certainly what’s happening right now to Joseph does not look anything close to that but God declared it would happen and that’s the promise that Joseph could cling to and because we don’t her because we know Joseph didn’t we know the rest of the story we actually know exactly why these things are happening to Joseph it had to happen this way because well let me let’s go through a step by step Joseph was purchased by Potiphar this very specific official so that when falsely accused by that man’s wife Joseph would end up in the prison that royal officials go to that way Joseph would meet the cup ever and interpret the cup errors dream and why was Joseph forgotten in the prison was very important it’s so that Joseph would only be remembered when Pharaoh was in crisis when Pharaoh has some dreams that he once interpreted and that no one else is able to interpret therefore when Joseph is released at that time it doesn’t simply get out of prison but he becomes the most exalted man in Egypt outside of Pharaoh he becomes second-in-command of Pharaoh which enables him not only to receive honor and authority and blessing but it also allows him to save Egypt and the surrounding area from a terrible famine that’s going to come in the future and that’s gonna have an impact on Joseph’s family Jacob and his sons they will need food to to survive the famine and they will find it in Egypt because of Joseph being exalted now again Joseph doesn’t notice but what is experiencing it will actually lead to a glorious end the same is true for us now in the exact same way as Joseph but in a similar way now someone might ask couldn’t God have accomplished this in some way that was a little easier on Joseph and in a way yes he could have but God didn’t do that and we know that God does whatever he pleases and the thing that pleases God most to glorify himself God determined in his perfect wisdom that this was the best way this would most glorify God this would most sharpen in shape Joseph’s faith this would best instruct the later generations of Israel and this would best instruct us even today so then brothers and sisters I know that you are going through or will go through suffering in your life that does not make sense you will do what it’s right you will do what’s right and you will suffer for it you will hold true to God and then encounter deep tragedies you will be sinned against and the one who sins against you gets away with it while you experience injustice many of these painful difficulties will be long even lasting years and you will ask why god what did I do to deserve this trouble the unspoken answer to you will be this is not punishment for sin this is my working out of a glorious purpose that you do not yet see remember how the disciples encounter a blind man in John 9 and they asked Jesus who is it that sinned this man or his parents that he should be born blind what did Jesus say in response he says neither this man nor his parents sinned but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him do you see that that is the answer for you when you experience inexplicable suffering God is yet at work and he’s doing something good for you for others and for his own glory he is yet with you as he is with Joseph here his blessings yes even every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places as Paul talks down to fusions one they are yet on you not to remove you from suffering but to sustain you through suffering this is why Christians can do what Paul says in Ephesians 5:20 giving thanks for all things at all times even through injustice suffering persecution God is with you if you know Christ his blessings do not stop he is working out a kind purpose and his covenant love so brothers and sisters you need to own this need to believe it you need to drive it deep down into your heart this will give you strength and trials and even cause you to give thanks through something God loves you but his ways are higher than yours don’t demand a specific answer from God about the circumstances you see in life you’re not capable of seeing all that God sees do as Joseph did old fast the God’s character hold fast to God’s promises it will all work out in the end and then end though maybe after you passed from this world and that will be one of the amazing things when we go to be with God we will see oh you know this thing I suffered it had an important impact years down the road even in a generation past when I lived Joseph was treated unjustly but he’s still entrusted himself to his faithful God and who did this to an even greater extent our Lord Jesus the Son of God suffered the greatest injustice by being rejected by men by his people and by being put on the cross but what did he do he entrusted himself to his father because he knew that what he was experiencing was accomplishing a great purpose so will it will so it will be with you as Jesus’s followers learn from Jesus’s example not just Joseph’s Hebrews 12 3 Hebrews 12 3 4 consider him who endured such hostility by sinners against himself so that you will not grow weary and lose heart this is the main truth I think you need to see today you can trust God even when you suffer injustice and even when you can’t see what God is doing again this is all part of that same message that Genesis keeps bringing us to you need to see it now a few more questions of application as we wind up our time today first and these are for you to think about explore in your mind are you grateful for all the ways that God blesses you even through difficulty if you are God’s child you are blessed not just because you live in this world which has common grace in it but you Freed’s every spiritual blessing that was in the heaven places are you grateful for that do you see those blessings do you thank God for those blessings even when you experience hardship God does bless his people just as he did with Joseph how have you been treated unjustly in your life you have been I’m sure has these things have these things made you bitter against God and against those who committed those sins against you do you realize first and foremost that you do not deserve any good from God you have to have that attitude that Jacob had which we saw a few weeks ago where Jacob told God I am not worthy of all the loving-kindness and faithfulness that you have shown me can your heart truly testify of that because you know what a sinner you have been against God do you realize you’re unworthy of any good from God you secondly realize that the sin and injustice that you experienced was under God’s control it could have prevented it but he didn’t and then thirdly they realized then that God is working out something good for you for others and for themselves or very injustice is that you suffered in light of all that how do you need to humble yourself before God and actually glorify him for what he is doing another set of questions as your sin brought suffering into your life do you realize that God is gracious and accomplishing a redemptive purpose even in allowing your sin and its consequences he’s the common good even in that one of those chief goods is to draw you to repentance have you learned from your dealings with sin seeing now instead how to live wisely and avoid all the ways that send damages and destroys of course we’re never going to be perfect in this well you are to be growing growing in holiness growing and wisdom and those two things they go exactly together are you learning from your deacons with sin Truscott and do you love God for his kindness to you in spite of your sin do you love God especially for what he did for you in Christ in Christ’s life death resurrection and ascension how he loved you while you were yet a sinner and how he loves you even when you still fall into sin remember Romans says it is the kindness of God that ought to lead you to repentance questions or comments about today’s lesson I hope this lesson has been precious to you there are some very sweet shoes here I’ll go ahead Steve yeah that’s a great point Steve and it’s worth reiterating but there are so many kindnesses and blessings undeserved that we experience in life just the ability to experience any good or to be alive and as Christians we should be most aware of that the people of the world just as you were saying Steve they’re they’re not aware of that or rather they suppress that because they still have an exalted view of themselves but we’re not to be like that and I think that’s part of the reason why we’re able to give thanks in every situation as the New Testament says as the whole Bible says it’s because all around us we’re just constantly seeing God’s goodness and even when our circumstances are very difficult there’s still something that’s very kind that God is doing in his and what he’s working out in that situation or the inheritance that we have with God so Christians ought to be marked by thankfulness not this entitlement attitude oh you know it’s just food or it’s just another day no these are gracious gifts of God that’s a great points to you mystery if you have other questions or comments on today’s lesson definitely email me that’s it for this week next week we see what happens to Joseph what happens to Joseph next he will go and meet Pharaoh and he will become the second most powerful man in Egypt all a part of God fulfilling his great purposes that are already at work and what we saw today as closing prayer lord I pray that just as Steve mentioned and just we talked about Lord there there would be profound gratefulness among your people for the many blessings we receive even through difficulty you are a good god you are a God abounding and loving-kindness and truth and we experience that but Lord sin has a way of choking out all that gratefulness and like like Adam and Eve we can have a garden full of fruit trees and resent that we can’t have that tree Lord God I pray that we would see the folly of that we would see the ingratitude of that that we would see the sin of that and turn away from it and now when things happened to us that we don’t understand even injustice and suffering the Rhema trust you say I don’t need to know exactly what God is doing because I know he’s doing something good because he’s that kind of God you are that kind of God to us God you were so gracious to us forgive us for our sins and our ingratitude in our lack of trust and help us instead God to walk by faith before you because you are worthy of it and that is the way of wisdom and blessing I pray that that would be true for the people of Calvary and anyone who listens to this lesson today in Jesus name Amen you’re most welcome I’ll see you again soon