“God’s Purposes in Our Problems”
“Genesis 50:19-21”
Genesis 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
**********
I. Joseph’s Problems
a. His dream becomes a nightmare
The story of the life of Joseph is a long narrative so it is impossible to cover all the information so the best we can do is summarize all the events surrounding his life. In Genesis chapter 37 a young Joseph has a dream where he sees his family bowing down to him. Verse 11 tells us the reaction of his family to his dream. It states that “…his brethren envied him…” This is the beginning of his troubles. He is sold into slavery in Egypt.
b. He goes from a pit to a prison
In chapter 39 he is purchased from the Ishmeelites by a rich Egyptian, the Lord prospers him, and he becomes the chief steward of this man’s house. It looks like things are on the upturn for him until Potiphars wife sets her cap for Joseph. Joseph refuses her advances, she makes a false accusation against him and even though he is innocent he is thrown into prison. If Egyptian prisons were like others of that day then the conditions for Joseph were miserable.
c. A forgotten promise
We are told in chapter 40 that Pharaoh’s butler and his baker (I wonder what happened to the candle stick maker) have also been imprisoned for offending their master in some way. Both of these men have dreams which Joseph interprets to mean life and restoration for the butler and death by hanging for the baker. Joseph requests that the butler remember him when he is restored to his position which the butler promptly forgets.
I read this week about some American soldiers who during the Korean War had rented a house and hired a Korean man to cook for them. This guy had an unbelievably great spirit about him. The Americans loved teasing him. They nailed his shoes to the floor. They put grease on the stove handles. They balanced buckets of water over the door. The Korean, brushed it off, and kept working with a smile, holding no grudges. Finally, the Americans were just ashamed of themselves and wanted him to know that they were going to stop all the practical jokes. The Korean asked, “You mean no more nail shoes to floor?” “No more.” “You mean no more sticky on stove knobs?” “No more.” “You mean no more water buckets on door?” “No more.” “Okay then, me no more spit in soup,” the Korean responded with a smile and shrug. We smile and say we’ve released our grudges but we’re still spitting in the soup!
(Swindoll, Two Steps, 76, 77).
Joseph refused to spit in the soup!
II. Jehovah’s Providence
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
“Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love and the future to God’s providence.”
Augustine
a. The action of providence
God works on behalf of his servants.
ILL - When Hudson Taylor went to China, he made the voyage on a sailing vessel. As it neared the channel between the southern Malay Peninsula and the island of Sumatra, the missionary heard an urgent knock on his stateroom door. He opened it, and there stood the captain of the ship. "Mr. Taylor," he said, "we have no wind. We are drifting toward an island where the people are heathen, and I fear they are cannibals." "What can I do?" asked Taylor. "I understand that you believe in God. I want you to pray for wind." "All right, Captain, I will, but you must set the sail." "Why that’s ridiculous! There’s not even the slightest breeze. Besides, the sailors will think I’m crazy." But finally, because of Taylor’s insistence, he agreed. Forty- five minutes later he returned and found the missionary still on his knees. "You can stop praying now," said the captain. "We’ve got more wind than we know what to do with!"
b. The assurance of providence
Paul said that “…we know…” that all things…Those who know God have the assurance from His word that He is working for their good.
THE UNPUBLISHED HYMN
The hymn writer Fanny Crosby gave us more than 6,000 gospel songs. Although blinded by an illness at the age of six weeks, she never became bitter. One time a preacher sympathetically remarked, "I think it is great pity that the Master did not give you sight when He showered so many other gifts upon you." She replied quickly, "Do you know that if at birth I had been able to make one petition, it would have been that I should be born blind?" "Why?" asked the surprised clergyman. "Because when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior!" One of Miss Crosby's hymns was so personal that for years she kept it to herself. Kenneth Osbeck, author of several books on hymnology, says its revelation to the public came about this way: "One day at a Bible conference in Northfield, Massachusetts, Miss Crosby was asked by D. L. Moody to give a personal testimony. At first she hesitated, then quietly rose and said, 'There is one hymn I have written which has never been published. I call it my soul's poem. Sometimes when I am troubled, I repeat it to myself, for it brings comfort to my heart.' She then recited while many wept,
'Someday the silver cord will break,
and I no more as now shall sing;
but oh, the joy when I shall wake
within the palace of the King!
And I shall see Him face to face,
and tell the story -- saved by grace!'"
At the age of 95, Fanny Crosby passed into glory and saw the face of Jesus.
(Source: from a sermon by Chris Surber, "A Pilgrim's Marker" 7/16/08)
c. The aim of providence
The aim of God’s providence must have seemed convoluted to Joseph from time to time. We begin his story with parental favor, then he is thrown into a pit by his envious brethren, then sold to an Egyptian and elevated to chief steward, then thrown into prison unjustly because he refused to give in to the advances of Potiphar’s wife, then in prison he interprets the dreams of the butler and baker and when the butler is released he forgets his promise to Joseph for two years, then he is elevated to the office of prime minister Egypt.
III. Jehovah’s Purposes
I’ve chosen three words to characterize the purposes of God in
a. Growth
THE REFINER'S FIRE
III - The story is told of a group of women that met for Bible study. While studying in the book of Malachi, chapter three, they came across verse three which says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." This verse puzzled the women and they wondered how this statement applied to the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out more about the process of refining silver, and to get back to the group at their next Bible study. The following week, the woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him while at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest, beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith work, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire, where the flames were the hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot, then she thought again about the verse, that "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the entire time the silver was being refined. The man answered yes, that not only did he have to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on it the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "But how do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that’s easy--when I see my image in it."
b. Grace
Grace is defined by Chuck Swindoll, “To show grace is to extend favor or kindness to one who doesn’t deserve it and can never earn it.”
Over and over again Joseph demonstrates grace. When his brothers arrive in Egypt in chapter 42 he is gracious and after his Jacobs death in chapter 49 and 50 when his brother fear retribution Joseph relieves their fears and reassures them of his love.
c. Glory
Do you remember our key verse and what Joseph says at the end?
Genesis 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
God had made a promise to Abraham many years earlier to preserve, protect and provide for His people. Although at the start it was difficult to see, Joseph being sold into Egypt was a part of that plan.
DADDY, ARE YOU THERE?
ILL - Oh how blessed it is to know that when the times of pain come and when our hearts become broken, we have Someone to whom we can turn that will give us Strength and that will keep us Safe. Only Jesus does that! A little girl and her father were returning from the funeral of their dearly loved mother and wife. Some kind neighbors invited them to spend a few days with them so they wouldn't be alone in the house with all its sad memories. However, the father decided it would be better to go home. That night the father placed the little girl's bed next to his, but neither could fall asleep. Finally the child said, "Daddy, it's dark, I can't see you. But you're there, aren't you?" "Yes, dear, Daddy's here right next to you. Go to sleep." The little girl finally dropped off to sleep. In the darkness and the depth of sorrow, the father in tears said aloud, "O Heavenly Father, it's so dark, and my heart is overflowing with sorrow. But You are there, aren't You?" And immediately there came to him a passage from the prophet Isaiah: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness" -- Isaiah 41:10
(From a sermon by Joseph McGaha, Christ - The Healer of the Broken Hearted 12/5/2009)
