Pastor Allan Kircher
Shell Point Baptist Church
26 Jan 2014
Genesis 41:1-44
FROM THE PRISON TO THE PALACE
Intro:
• We last saw Joseph; he was languishing/Egyptian prison.
• he had broken no laws
In prison because he had:
• Done the right thing and honored God in his life.
• Refused the advances of a wicked woman.
When we last saw Joseph:
• He was in a place of hardship/still faithfully serving the Lord.
• He was a man who had his priorities in order.
Wherever Joseph was, he could be counted on to be faithful.
• Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s chief butler dream….
• Asked/butler’s help in securing his release from prison
• butler was released from prison
• he immediately forgot all about Joseph
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Text today..
• going/watch/Joseph/delivered/prison/promoted/palace!
• Going/see/unseen hand of God at work in this man’s life
• going to see what the Lord did for Joseph
• He can do for you and me.
He knows where we are, and in His time, He knows how to bring us out of our prisons and place us in the palace.
Let’s join Joseph once again and notice the circumstances God used to move Joseph From The Prison To The Palace.
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I. v. 1-14 JOSEPH AND PROVIDENCE
• anyone looking/life/Joseph
• Must have appeared/Lord had forgotten all about him.
• He/faithful servant/Lord, but he was in a prison
• Doing time/crime he had not committed.
• Only looked like God had forsaken him.
• God/working behind scenes/accomplish His eternal purposes.
God used three amazing turns of events to bring about Joseph’s release from prison.
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A. v. 1a Providential Delays
• Joseph waited/prison “two full years”/after/butler/released
• Not told how long he was there before those events.
From 18 to 30…….young people…..
• Surrender your 20’s to serve the Lord/enormous way.
God used/long/grinding years/prison/teach Joseph patience and dependence.
• God placed Joseph/waiting room
• Left him/until some very valuable lessons had been learned.
• Taught Joseph/wait/Lord
• Trust the Lord, in spite of the situation at hand.
Have you ever experienced one of those waiting rooms in your life?
• time when/Lord seems/forgotten your address
• times/like your prayers are not being answered
• nothing is going like you planned
• Seems God is not interested in you or your need at all.
Providential delays are never easy, but they are designed to focus our faith and increase our dependence upon the Lord.
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v. 1b-8 Providential Dreams
dreams caused Pharaoh much concern.
• V 8 tells us he was “troubled”
• word/idea of being “disturbed, or greatly distressed”.
• He called for his “wise men”.
• These men/supposed/communicate/Egyptian “gods”
• Then share/Pharaoh the counsel of those “gods”
• they could not interpret the dreams either
• God closed their minds/caused them all/drawn blank/matter.
I know/sure these men never heard from their so-called “gods”
• Times past/would/ventured a guess.
• This time they were silent before Pharaoh.
• Providential work of the Lord in Joseph’s life.
• God sent the dream to Pharaoh and he also sent a blank mind to all of Pharaoh’s counselors.
• God/working behind the scenes to accomplish His eternal plan and purpose.
• Isn’t that a blessing?
Pharaoh/thought he/control/everything happened in Egypt.
In truth, God was/control of all things, even/heart/king/Pro. 21:1.
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This passage should serve to give us hope today!
• Let me tell you why.
• Our God is sovereign over all things Psa. 135:6.
• Kings rule/pleasure of the Lord Dan. 2:21
I refuse to worry about elections because I know God’s purpose will not be thwarted by a Democrat or by a Republican.
He will accomplish His purposes in this world.
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• God does not speak through dreams in our day.
• Joseph’s time they did not have the Bible.
• Did not have a complete revelation of God’s Word. We do!
• In our day, God speaks through His Word, alone!
• The Bible is superior to dreams and visions.
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v. 9-14 Providential Deliverance
• Butler finally shakes/cobwebs/mind/remembers Joseph.
• Tells Pharaoh the story and Joseph is delivered from the prison and brought to the palace.
Hand of God is seen/sequence of events.
• Joseph is brought to Pharaoh only when Pharaoh has been brought to a place of desperation.
• Any other day/powerful ruler would not have listened.
• On this day he had no choice!
• desperate for answers
• Willing to listen/anyone who could possibly give them/him.
Our God operates His universe on split second timing.
From the orbit of the tiny parts of every atom to the precise movements of galaxies, God has everything on a schedule.
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When we want to see something happen, we want it now.
• need to learn God orders events
• the very timing of those events
• all of life runs on His perfect schedule.
When did Jesus:
• Come to the disciples in the storm?
• Show up at the tomb of Lazarus?
• Arrive at the house of Jairus?
• Pass through the little town of Nain?
• Take a rest on Jacob’s well?
• Go to Calvary? rise from the dead?
• Come to you and save your soul?
When will Jesus move your mountain, meet your need, deliver you from your prison, etc?
Right on time! He will not be early and He will not be one second late! That truth blesses my heart!
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II. v. 15-36 JOSEPH AND PHARAOH
Joseph stands before Pharaoh
• Listens as the king explains his dilemma
• Gives Pharaoh the interpretation.
• Before he does Joseph displays true humility
• Points Pharaoh to the Lord.
Joseph is not bitter/actively seeking ways/bring glory and honor to the Lord!
• Not upset about the delays/problems he has had to face as a slave and as a prisoner
• Quick to use this opportunity to magnify the Lord.
• For Joseph, everything is about the Lord.
• In Joseph’s mind, Joseph doesn’t matter;
• His battles don’t matter; even Pharaoh doesn’t matter.
• All that matters is the Lord and His glory!
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• When life gets complicated
• seems God is not moving as we think He should
• It is easy to get angry at Him.
If we could ever grasp the truth:
• He orders every moment of our lives, it would change our perspective.
• We are where we are because He has placed us there for His Own purposes, it would focus our faith on Him.
• He is working out every detail of life for His glory and our good, Rom. 8:28
It would make the prisons and the waiting rooms of life much more bearable.
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We should always be in the business of magnifying Him!
He is worthy of:
• Our praise, even amid/darkest days/our lives.
• Receiving glory, even when our hearts are breaking.
We should strive to lift His name and point others to Him.
After all, you and I really don’t matter. All that really matters is the Lord, His glory and His will!
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v. 33-36 Joseph’s Plan
• Joseph knows/Lord is in this moment.
• not only tells Pharaoh what is about to happen in Egypt
• he tells Pharaoh what to do about it! His plan is threefold.
First, he recommends finding a wise man to oversee the project.
Second/gathering 20% food produced during/seven years/plenty.
Third, he recommends storing up that food and using it to feed the population during the seven years of famine.
• Joseph’s plan is an amazing plan.
• It is simple, but it will prove very effective.
• Not only will people be able to eat during the famine
• Egypt will have corn to spare.
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This plan did not originate with Joseph.
• Lord put it into his heart/he shared his heart with/king.
• God used a slave to set policy for a kingdom!
It is amazing to watch who the Lord will use to accomplish His purposes in this world.
• Uses some of the most unlikely candidates imaginable.
• Moses, David, Gideon and Saul of Tarsus?
• Chosen people like you and me to serve Him in these days?
• this is His specialty, 1 Cor. 1:26-29.
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III. v. 37-44 JOSEPH AND PROMOTION
v. 37-41 Joseph’s New Position
Pharaoh likes Joseph’s plan and decides that he would never find another man as wise as Joseph to administer that plan.
• In an instant of time
• Joseph went/slave/prisoner to being second only to Pharaoh.
He was promoted from being over a few prisoners in Potipher’s prison to ruling the whole nation!
• He is given the position of “Grand Vizier”
• He had all the rights and powers of the king.
• In the absence of the king, vizier functioned in that capacity
No One but God could accomplish something as astounding as that!
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v. 42 Joseph’s New Possessions
When Pharaoh promoted Joseph, he gave his some new possessions to go along with his new position.
A Ring – This ring was Pharaoh’s signet ring.
• symbolized Joseph’s authority to act as Pharaoh himself
• Authority to sign the king’s name.
A Robe – Joseph had lost the robe given to him by his father.
• That robe said he was head of the family.
• Now/new robe made from expensive Egyptian linen.
• This robe identified him as the ruler of the land.
• Joseph held onto this robe for 80 years.
In giving Joseph these things, the Lord was allowing Joseph to see a partial fulfillment of the dreams he was given years before
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There are times when we think:
• We have been forgotten by God
• Wheels of providence have run over us.
But, that is just how things appear! God has a plan and He can change our situation in an instant of time.
Jesus spoke:
• the storm stopped
• Dead man named Lazarus got up.
• Universe came into being.
Friend, He knows:
• Where you are today
• All about the prison and all about the pain.
• What you are facing and all that you have been through
And, one day, He will deliver you out of your time of bondage!
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Until then, stay faithful; love the Lord; grow where you are planted; look for ways to glorify Him and wait.
One day you will get up and everything will begin to change!
Conc: What are we to take away from this passage today?
• God is in control of all of life!
He is working in your life even when you cannot see His activity.
He has a plan to deliver you and to promote you in His time.
• Where does this message find you?
• Are you in need of some divine intervention?
• You should come seek Him for it.
Are you growing impatient as you wait for Him to move in your life?
You should come and ask Him for help to trust Him.
If He has spoken to you on any level, you should come to Him today and get the help you need!
