Participants:
Series Code: SSP
Program Code: SSP220025S
|
00:01 Hello Friends, welcome to 3ABN Sabbath School Panel,
00:03 I'm John Lomacang. 00:04 Thank you for taking the time to join us 00:06 as we have been going through the book of Genesis 00:08 in an unusual revelatory way... 00:12 seeing things that we have forgotten 00:14 and learning things that God has brought back to our memory. 00:17 Now, this is called: Joseph, Prince of Egypt 00:20 Lesson Number 12 00:22 which means, we'll only have one more 00:23 but keep with us for the exciting conclusion 00:26 of how Genesis has reminded us of the goodness of God. 00:30 To get a copy of the lesson, 00:32 go to: 3abnsabbathschoolpanel. com 00:34 and download a copy 00:35 or better yet, go to our local Seventh-day Adventist Church 00:38 where you can enjoy brother-to-brother... 00:40 sister-to-sister study through this exciting book. 00:43 Stay tuned... we'll be right back. 00:45 Music... 01:16 Lomacang: Hello and welcome to 3ABN Sabbath School... 01:18 I'm John Lomacang. 01:20 Thank you for taking the time to join us. 01:21 We have been enjoying our study through the book of Genesis 01:24 haven't we? Panel: Amen. 01:26 Lomacang: And we've had fun together, 01:27 we've learned a lot together and I pray that that has been 01:30 your experience too 01:31 as we've opened the book of Genesis 01:33 from the fall... looking at the frailty of humanity 01:37 and the glory of God through broken, ruined vessels. 01:41 God can take any bad situation 01:44 and reverse it to His honor and glory 01:47 and for the betterment of every one of us. 01:49 That's been the constant lesson 01:51 and we've read some stories that would cause you to blush 01:54 and others that will cause you to praise God 01:56 and today is going to be another revelation, 01:59 Joseph, Prince of Egypt. 02:00 How did his life affect the lives of those in Egypt? 02:04 Well, stay tuned, you'll find out. 02:05 But right to my left is my good friend, James Rafferty, 02:08 good to have you here, James. 02:10 James: Good to be here John, 02:11 I am going to be covering Monday's lesson 02:12 which is: Joseph confronts his brothers. 02:14 Lomacang: Oooooh! I can't wait for that one 02:16 and I know you have a good one... 02:17 Jason, we haven't seen you all Quarter 02:19 but good to have you today. 02:21 It's great to be here, I'm excited about this, 02:22 I have Tuesday's lesson entitled Joseph and Benjamin. 02:26 Lomacang: Hmmm... and Jill, I always look forward to your 02:29 expositorily outlined approach to the Word of God. 02:34 Jill: I am super excited about this lesson. 02:36 I think it's one of my favorite the whole Quarter. 02:38 Lomacang: Okay, and Shelly... the lady from Texas. 02:41 Shelley: Lady with the Texas here... 02:43 I am so excited to be here 02:45 and I get to talk about how even human foibles... 02:50 God... God's providence overrules human's foibles... 02:53 human foibles. 02:55 Lomacang: That's a new word: foibles... I like that one. 02:58 Shelley: I've had to say that two or three times. 02:59 Panel: Laughter. 03:00 Lomacang: Well, good to have you here. 03:02 Well, Jason, we haven't seen you all Quarter 03:03 so, why don't you have a prayer for us today? 03:05 Jason: Absolutely, "Dear Heavenly Father, 03:06 we thank you that we have the opportunity and privilege 03:10 to open your Word and study together 03:12 and Lord, we just ask for the presence of Your Holy Spirit 03:15 as we study... in Jesus' name, we pray, amen. " 03:17 Panel: Amen. 03:19 Lomacang: You know, we talked about 03:21 the unusual providence of God 03:24 in getting Joseph to the palace in Egypt 03:28 and I talked about it from pits to palaces. 03:32 God doesn't put you somewhere 03:34 except there's a providential purpose behind it. 03:38 Panel: Yeah. 03:39 Lomacang: God doesn't just give us a position to... 03:40 to lavish it or languish in it 03:43 but God puts us in places 03:46 where he knows his name can be glorified 03:48 but it comes down to the decisions that we make. 03:51 So, we find in Genesis chapter 41... 03:53 let's all go there together 03:55 and what we're going to see is how God worked in amazing ways 04:00 through the revelations that He allowed Joseph to communicate. 04:04 The understanding of each of these revelations came from God 04:07 but the revelations themselves 04:09 were an opportunity for God to be glorified. 04:11 The... the text we have first is in Genesis 41 verse 28, 04:15 this is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh, 04:20 God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. 04:24 I love that... what He is about to do. 04:27 So, any time God reveals anything, 04:30 God is always up to something. 04:32 I've always stood back and have been amazed 04:35 at how God has worked through the most 04:36 unpredictable circumstances... 04:38 even the most harrowing circumstances, 04:40 even the most... 04:42 the circumstances that have caused you 04:44 to pull over on the side of the road and say, 04:45 "Lord, I just... I can't handle this... 04:48 what's this all about?" 04:49 And I've had those experiences in my own life. 04:51 When I came to church one day and I said you know, 04:54 "Have you ever had the feeling that 04:56 this is the place you don't want to be? 04:58 I don't want to be here right now, 05:00 I need you guys to pray for me. " 05:01 And people surrounded me and prayed for me. 05:03 But I realize that God brings us to certain places 05:08 that are for a number of reasons, 05:09 one... refinement and also... remembrance. 05:12 When we forget God, He will find a way to remind us 05:15 and the Lord took Joseph through a series of catastrophic events 05:21 to bring him to a place of prominence 05:23 because the Lord loved Pharaoh just as much as He loved Joseph. 05:28 That's amazing what the Lord did, 05:30 let's look at verses 37 to 57 as the narrative unfolds 05:34 in the courts of Egypt. 05:37 Speaking about the advice. 05:40 This is Genesis 41, 05:42 "So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh 05:45 and in the eyes of all his servants. 05:47 And Pharaoh said to his servants, 05:49 'Can we find such a one as this, 05:53 a man in whom is the Spirit of God?' 05:56 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, 05:58 'Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, 06:01 there is no one as discerning and wise as you. " 06:05 That's what happens when God is in charge of your life. 06:09 Panel: Amen... yeah. 06:10 "You shall be over my house, 06:12 and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; 06:15 only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you. " 06:20 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, 06:22 "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt. " 06:24 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand 06:27 and put it on Joseph's hand; 06:28 and he clothed him in garments of fine linen 06:31 and put a gold chain around his neck. 06:33 And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; 06:37 and they cried out before him, "Bow the knee!" 06:40 So he set him over all the land of Egypt. 06:43 Verse 44, "Pharaoh also said to Joseph, 06:46 'I am Pharaoh, 06:48 and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot 06:53 in all the land of Egypt. ' " 06:54 That's powerful. 06:56 Panel: Yeah. 06:57 Lomacang: That's some amazing power... 06:59 he was in a prison not too long before that... 07:02 now, he's giving commands 07:03 and Pharaoh says, "You say it... they will move... 07:06 if you don't say it... nobody's moving. " 07:08 Look at verse 45, 07:09 "And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-Paaneah. 07:15 And he gave him as a wife Asenath, 07:19 the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. 07:25 So Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. 07:28 Joseph was thirty years old 07:31 when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. 07:33 And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, 07:35 and went throughout all the land of Egypt. 07:38 Now in the seven plentiful years 07:41 the ground brought forth abundantly. 07:43 So he gathered up all the food of the seven years 07:48 which were in the land of Egypt, 07:49 and laid up the food in the cities; 07:51 he laid up in every city 07:53 the food of the fields which surrounded them. 07:57 And Joseph gathered very much grain, 07:59 as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, 08:03 for it was immeasurable. 08:05 And to Joseph were born two sons 08:08 before the years of famine came, 08:09 whom Asenath, 08:12 the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On bore to him. 08:15 So, Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: 08:19 'For God has made me forget all my toil 08:21 and all my father's house. ' 08:23 And the name of the second he called Ephraim: 08:26 'For God has caused me to be fruitful 08:27 in the land of my affliction. ' 08:29 Then the seven years of plenty 08:31 which were in the land of Egypt ended, 08:33 and the seven years of famine began to come, 08:35 as Joseph had said. 08:38 The famine was in all the lands, 08:40 but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 08:43 So when all the land of Egypt was famished, 08:47 the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. 08:49 Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, 08:52 'Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do. ' 08:56 The famine was over all the face of the earth, 09:00 and Joseph opened all the storehouses 09:03 and sold to the Egyptians. 09:05 And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt. 09:08 So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, 09:12 because the famine was severe in all lands. " 09:15 What a story! 09:16 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... hmmm... 09:18 Lomacang: And this has been a pattern 09:19 throughout the entire lesson. 09:20 The... the... the writer of the lesson 09:22 has given us a lot of reading 09:23 but if you think about going through 13 Lessons 09:26 and 50 plus chapters, 09:28 it's not an easy task. 09:29 So, it was necessary... and sometimes we skip through it 09:33 and you miss the examples. 09:35 So, let's go to the question that was written 09:37 by the constructor of our lesson. 09:39 What is God's place in the success of Joseph? 09:44 Now, what I liked about this and I want to read exactly 09:47 the way that the person who wrote the lesson said, 09:50 it says, "Pharaoh selects Joseph to take charge 09:53 not so much because he had interpreted his dreams correctly 09:57 and revealed the forthcoming problem of the land, 10:01 but because he had a solution to that problem. " 10:04 You know, God has a solution to every problem. 10:07 Jill: Amen. 10:08 Lomacang: You may be in a circumstance today 10:09 that you might wonder, "Is there a solution?" 10:12 Wait on the Lord and the solution will come 10:15 but the one thing that you could do that can reverse... 10:18 that can make the situation more dire 10:20 is try to bring about a solution when God is not in it. 10:23 God brought a solution 10:25 for man who not too long before this was in a pit 10:28 but now, everyone in Egypt knows who Joseph is. 10:31 Genesis 41 verse 37, 10:34 the Bible reminds us about Joseph 10:36 and the advice that God gives. 10:38 So, the advice was... what? 10:40 Good in the eyes of Pharaoh 10:42 and in the eyes of all the servants. 10:44 When God gives you wisdom and understanding, 10:46 nobody can counteract what God has revealed to you. 10:49 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 10:51 Lomacang: The Bible says, "If anyone lacks wisdom, 10:52 let him ask of God 10:53 and He will give it without withholding anything. " 10:55 And so, also Joseph made it very clear 10:58 that God was in charge of his life. 11:00 Look at Verse 38, this was the clear declaration 11:04 that Pharaoh saw in the life of Joseph. 11:07 "Can we find such a one as this, 11:09 a man in whom is the Spirit of God?" 11:12 When you look at the lesson, one of the things you find is 11:16 that Joseph didn't tell Pharaoh 11:19 it was imperative for him to accept his God 11:21 but he allowed God to be reflected through his life. 11:25 You know, sometimes you encounter people that 11:27 may not want to be what you are 11:28 doctrinally or spiritually, 11:29 but that doesn't hinder you from allowing your life to be a 11:32 place where God is being revealed. 11:34 I run into people that are secular and very... 11:37 some political... some very secular... 11:38 some don't want to hear about God at all, 11:40 but I've learned this and this is something we can learn. 11:43 You know, there are people that are very wise 11:45 in the ways of the world 11:46 but I've seen in many instances... 11:48 I worked for insurance companies... banks... law firms, 11:51 and I've seen... whenever the conversation... 11:53 even when I was a member of the Sky Squires Field... 11:57 RC Airplane Club down here in Southern Illinois, 12:02 I notice that when difficult times came, 12:04 the Head of the Club came to me one day and said, 12:06 "You know, my wife is going through difficulty, 12:08 can you pray for me?" 12:10 Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... hmmm... 12:11 I never told him... I never preached to them on the field, 12:13 but they saw something that in a moment of difficulty 12:17 he came to me and said, 12:18 "My wife is going through a difficulty, 12:20 can you pray for me?" Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 12:22 Lomacang: Right on that Sunday afternoon... 12:23 right there at the Sky Squires Field, 12:24 we had all of our model planes ready to fly... 12:27 so, when you live the life that you should live, 12:30 God will direct people to you... not for your glory 12:33 but always for His. 12:34 You find also, these are the things that was evidence 12:38 that God was in the life of Joseph 12:42 and what happens... 12:43 what evidences should be revealed 12:45 in the lives of those who are led by the hand of God? 12:47 Psalm 19 verse 7, 12:49 notice what happens when we follow God's leading, 12:51 "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; 12:55 the testimony of the LORD is sure, 12:57 making wise the simple. " 13:00 Joseph... at one point in his life, 13:03 had a lot of learning to do. 13:05 I like the way you pointed that out. 13:07 He couldn't keep his mouth shut for his own glory 13:11 but now he's opening his mouth for the glory of God. 13:13 He became wise... he used to be simple... 13:16 Psalm 119 and verse 130, 13:18 "The entrance of Your words gives light; 13:21 it gives understanding to the simple... " 13:23 and when that understanding is revealed, 13:25 all you've got to do is stand back and let God be seen. 13:29 "Let your light so shine before men, 13:31 that they may see your good works 13:33 and glorify your Father which is in heaven. " 13:35 Matthew 5 and verse 16. 13:37 Not only that, 13:38 Joseph recognized that it was not his actions but God's. 13:42 Philippians 2:13, 13:44 "For it is God who works in you both to will and to do 13:49 of His good pleasure. " 13:51 God can do for us also what He did for Joseph 13:55 and what was that? 13:57 Here's the quick reminder. 13:58 Genesis 41 verse 33, 14:01 "Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning 14:06 and a wise man, 14:08 and set him over the land of Egypt. " 14:10 God can give you discernment and wisdom 14:13 and then put you in a position where He is glorified. 14:16 Panel: Amen... amen. Lomacang: James. 14:18 James: Amen, thank you, John. 14:19 My name is James Rafferty and I have Monday's Lesson: 14:22 Joseph Confronts His Brothers. 14:24 This is based on Genesis chapter 42 14:27 and like you said John, 14:28 the author of the Quarterly wants us to read a lot. 14:31 Read Genesis 42. 14:32 Well, we're not going to read the whole chapter, 14:34 I'm going to summarize it because there's a lot here 14:36 that the Quarterly has brought out that I think is really good. 14:39 So... famine... the famine in the land 14:41 really obliges Jacob to send his sons to Egypt. 14:44 That's where we left off... there's a famine in the land... 14:46 it wasn't just in Egypt but it was in the whole land 14:50 and sometimes, God works through the famines in our land 14:53 to bring us to the place where we can be helped... 14:56 where we can be delivered... where we can be saved 14:58 and this is what's happening with Joseph. 15:01 Now, remember, Jacob hasn't seen his son 15:04 forever... right? 15:06 He believes he's dead... he's lost 15:08 and God is going to work through this famine 15:10 as He works through the famines in our lives 15:12 to bring a blessing to Joseph... 15:15 to bring renewal to him 15:18 to reunite him with his lost son 15:22 and I think God is going to work through the famines 15:24 in our lives... to reunite us with our lost destiny, 15:27 with our lost image with the kingdom that God established 15:30 on this earth that we would enjoy for... for all eternity. 15:33 So, ironically it's Jacob who initiates this project. 15:36 Now, I believe God is working on his heart 15:38 because, of course, God has a purpose for him 15:41 and sometimes God speaks to us... He works on our hearts... 15:43 we don't know why it is 15:45 that we make some of the actions that we do 15:46 but afterward, we see 15:48 that God was working through the whole thing... 15:50 through the whole process. 15:51 So, the unfortunate old man, 15:53 is a victim of circumstances beyond his control... 15:55 thinking they're bad but they're actually good... 15:57 unknowingly sets in motion an amazing chain of events 16:00 that will lead him to being reunited with the son 16:03 whom he has mourned for so long... praise God. 16:06 So the providential nature of this meeting 16:08 is highlighted through two fundamental characters. 16:12 First of all, it is seen as a fulfillment of Joseph's dreams. 16:16 Remember the event was predicted in Joseph's dreams 16:18 that your sheaves will bow down to my sheaf, right? 16:21 That's Genesis 37 verse 7. 16:22 This is now taking place... 16:24 Joseph is identified as the governor over all the land. 16:28 All right, that's Genesis 42:6, 16:31 "And the lord of the land... " Genesis 42:30 and 33, 16:34 so, Joseph's powerful position is in contrast 16:38 with the need of his brothers 16:40 who bow before him with their faces to the earth, 16:42 Genesis 42:6. 16:44 When they go there to the... to the governor of the land, 16:47 to try to get victuals... to try to get food 16:51 to keep their families and their flocks alive. 16:55 And then it goes on to say 16:56 the same ten brothers who mocked Joseph 16:58 about his dreams and doubted their fulfillment. 17:00 It says "ten" because there's 12 altogether, 17:02 Joseph was number 11... 17:03 Benjamin who hadn't been born yet was Number 12. 17:06 So, second, this providential meeting is described 17:09 as a response. 17:10 The linguistic and thematic echoes 17:13 between the two events 17:14 underline the characteristic... 17:16 the character of just retribution. 17:18 Now, here we go, 17:20 the phrase "they said to one another" 17:24 was also used when they began to plot against Joseph 17:26 in Genesis 37 verse 19. 17:29 So they said to one another, 17:30 "Here comes that dreamer of dreams... " 17:32 they said to one another, "Okay, the governor... he... " 17:35 and... and the story goes on. 17:37 They also used this... 17:39 the brothers also when they were sojourning... 17:41 when they were sojourning in prison... excuse me... 17:44 it echoes the sojourn of Joseph when he was in prison 17:47 in Genesis 40:3 and 4. 17:48 In fact, Joseph's brothers relate 17:51 what is currently happening to them 17:53 and what they did to their brother perhaps 20 years ago. 17:56 when they say... "Then said they one to another, 18:00 'We truly are guilty concerning our brother, 18:03 for we saw the anguish of his soul 18:05 when he pleaded with us, 18:07 and we would not hear; 18:08 therefore this distress has come upon us. " 18:11 Now, I kind of want to pause here for just a second, 18:14 this is really significant 18:15 because sometimes when we turn away from good 18:19 and we do evil, we close our ears and our eyes 18:23 to God's conflicting Spirit. 18:25 Obviously these brothers had not done that yet 18:28 and so, they're coming to a place 18:30 where they're remembering their evil 18:33 and they're regretting it. Panel: Yeah. 18:35 James: They're coming to a place and they're really... 18:37 they're open to this... they're susceptible to... 18:39 to think about what they did in the past 18:41 and to make a turn for the better. 18:43 So, we need to recognize 18:44 sometimes when God reminds us of our past, 18:47 you know, sometimes it happens, you know, we get a guilt complex 18:49 or Satan comes in there... whatever... 18:50 sometimes that's to bring us to a place 18:52 where we stand before God guilty... so that Romans 3:19... 18:56 our mouths could be stopped... 18:57 we can become guilty before God 18:59 and then we can return to Jesus Christ... 19:01 we can return to His forgiveness 19:02 and that's what these brothers needed right now 19:04 and this is what they're going to accept... 19:06 they're going to experience. 19:08 So, it goes on here and it says, Reuben's words... 19:11 "His blood is now required of us. " 19:13 Genesis 42 verse 22, 19:14 is the echo of the past warning, 19:16 "Shed no blood. " Genesis 37 verse 22, 19:18 So, they reinforced the link between 19:20 what they were now facing and what they had done. 19:23 You know, every one of us is going to face... 19:25 come face to face with the record of our lives 19:28 and... and God is calling us to come face to face 19:31 with that record right now 19:32 while there's a Mediator in heaven 19:33 and while we can have forgiveness for our sins. 19:36 That's what God decides. 19:37 Some men's sins are opened beforehand... go into judgment 19:40 and others... they follow after. 19:41 And those that follow after can't be hid, 19:43 God wants to hide our iniquities, 19:45 He wants to hide the history of our sins. 19:46 The whole thing is going to be blotted out. 19:48 God wants to do that for every single human being 19:50 on planet earth. 19:52 That's really what the Investigative Judgment 19:53 is all about... it's not a negative thing, 19:55 it's... it's part of the everlasting gospel 19:57 so, it must be a good thing... it must be good news. 20:00 So, most of us surely have done, the Lesson Quarterly says, 20:04 things for which we are sorry 20:05 so, how can we... to whatever we did possible 20:08 make up for what we've done? 20:09 Also, why is accepting God's promise of forgiveness 20:13 through Jesus so crucial for us? 20:15 Why is it so important for us and how can we... 20:17 how can we make amends? 20:19 Well, one of the ways, I think, that's really important for us 20:22 to recognize and make amends 20:24 is as Joseph's brothers did to think about our past 20:28 when the Spirit convicts us 20:30 and to allow God to give us that remorse and that regret. 20:33 Don't be afraid of that... don't be afraid... 20:36 if you've made a mistake, 20:37 don't be a afraid to acknowledge it. 20:38 This was the experience of... 20:40 of the famous leaders of the Old Testament 20:43 like David, for example 20:44 who Jill, you brought out in our last Session, 20:47 acknowledged his sins and iniquities in Psalm 51. 20:50 "Against Thee and Thee only have I sinned... " 20:52 because really, ultimately all sin was paid for by God. 20:57 God wants us to experience forgiveness. 21:01 Now, what's really interesting, I'm just going to jump back here 21:04 to Genesis 41... 21:05 John, you covered that chapter with just one verse 21:07 that I think is really significant, verse 51, 21:11 it says that Joseph named his son, Manasseh 21:14 because God has caused him to forget 21:17 "all of my father's house and all of my trouble. " 21:19 Now, that word "Manasseh" is a really significant word 21:22 it means in the root... to forgive... to remit 21:25 to remove... God has caused me to forget. 21:27 In other words, Joseph had come to the place where 21:30 God had caused him to forget and in a sense forgive 21:33 what his brothers had done to him 21:35 because Joseph had realized... 21:37 God's brought all this evil for good. 21:39 Praise the Lord 21:41 and so, God does that in our lives. 21:43 God works in our lives 21:45 so that He can actually heal us. 21:47 He can bring forgiveness to us 21:49 even if other people who have hurt us 21:52 are not in the picture yet. 21:53 Sometimes that forgiveness comes first to us 21:56 before the other people are even in the picture. 21:57 Joseph's brothers aren't in the picture yet. 21:59 He hasn't even see them 22:00 but he's already feeling the... the grace of God... 22:03 the forgiveness of God. 22:04 God... and he says, 22:06 "I'm going to name my first son... 22:07 I'm going to name him: Manasseh... " 22:08 and by the way, Dan is not present in Revelation chapter 7, 22:12 the Sealing Chapter, 22:13 you know, you have the 12 tribes there symbolized. 22:15 Dan is gone... because Dan is an adder in the way. 22:17 We'll talk about that later but... but he is replaced... 22:20 there are still 12 tribes there 22:21 and the one who replaces him is Manasseh... 22:23 the one who forgives 22:25 or the one who causes to forgive. 22:27 Now... but I think this is significant 22:30 even though Joseph forgives his brothers, 22:33 he still tests them when they show up. 22:36 Just because we forgive people 22:38 doesn't mean we just bring them right into the circle again 22:40 and we just trust them, right? 22:42 We can forgive people 22:43 and still have a little bit of a... a boundary there, 22:47 right? Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 22:48 James: We can have a little bit of a boundary there and say, 22:50 "Wait a minute, I want to see if these guys have changed... " 22:52 I mean, when we look at the stories of the Old Testament, 22:53 we see this over and over again, 22:55 for example, Job... he prayed for his friends, 22:57 "These miserable comforters... 22:58 worthless facetious friends... 23:00 he prayed for his friends, right? 23:01 But he still challenged them when they said, 23:03 "Yeah Job, your... 23:05 you know, your theology is off... " 23:06 "No, it isn't... " 23:08 "You don't believe in... " "I do believe in God... " 23:10 he stood up to them, right? Panel: Hmmm... hmmm... 23:11 James: So, our attitude toward others of forgiveness... 23:14 of prayer... of intercession 23:15 doesn't mean that we just acquiesce to what they believe 23:18 what they... we don't have to be what others say we are, 23:21 we are what God calls us to be 23:23 and we see this in David too, you know, 23:24 David had this attitude of forgiveness towards Saul 23:28 but he didn't head back to the palace, you know, 23:31 he maintained his distance. 23:33 He had healthy boundaries 23:35 and Joseph has set up these healthy boundaries. 23:38 "I want to see if these brothers have changed... 23:40 if they're different 23:42 and I'm going to put a little test in... in place here. " 23:44 And so, when Joseph's brothers come, 23:46 we see the whole... and this is the whole scenario of... 23:48 of Genesis chapter 42... he tests them. 23:51 He decides, you know, 23:53 "I'm going to put the cup in there 23:54 and I'm going to put the Silver back 23:56 and I'm going to see how they treat Benjamin. 23:57 I'm going to see if Benjamin will come... 23:58 I'm going to put one of them in prison... 24:00 I'm going to test these guys. " 24:01 And you know, they... they bear that test. 24:03 They accept their situation 24:05 and eventually, as Joseph reveals himself... 24:08 they confess indeed that they had sinned 24:12 They confess it not just to Joseph but also to Jacob 24:14 and reconciliation takes place, 24:17 you know, forgiveness brings reconciliation 24:19 to all of our relationships 24:21 and that's what God's all about. 24:22 Panel: Amen... 24:24 Lomacang: Thank you, that's wonderful... wonderful. 24:25 You know, I also want... 24:26 I've been mentioning the writer of the lesson, 24:28 I want to just acknowledge Jacques B. Doukhan 24:30 who has done an excellent job in constructing these lessons 24:33 with an entire wonderful Committee. 24:35 But we have more for you to enjoy, 24:37 don't go away, we'll be right back. 24:39 Music... 24:45 Ever wish you could watch a 3ABN Sabbath School Panel again 24:48 or share it on Facebook... 24:50 Instagram or Twitter? 24:52 Well, you can by visiting: 3abnsabbathschoolpanel. com 24:56 A clean design makes it easy 24:59 to find the Program you are looking for. 25:01 There are also links to the Adult Bible Study Guide 25:05 so you can follow along. 25:06 Sharing is easy... 25:08 just click "Share" and choose your favorite Social Media. 25:11 Share a Link... Save a Life for Eternity. 25:14 Pause... 25:16 Lomacang: Welcome back to our 3ABN Sabbath School Panel 25:18 on the book of Genesis 25:20 and now we're going to go to Jason Bradley. 25:22 Jason: All right, I've got Tuesday's Lesson 25:25 and it is entitled: Joseph and Benjamin 25:28 and you know, Joseph's journey is perhaps 25:31 one of my favorite stories in the Bible. 25:34 There are so many lessons that can be gleaned 25:37 from his experience 25:38 but I'd like for us to start by looking at his father Jacob 25:43 and there's somewhat of a natural order to life 25:46 and what I mean by that is 25:48 that parents aren't supposed to outlive their children. 25:52 Panel: Hmmm... 25:53 Jason: It's unfortunate that death is currently 25:56 a part of life... and I can't think of anyone that I know 25:59 that hasn't experienced the loss of a loved one. 26:02 I know, for me, I've lost consistently 26:05 about two loved ones... two family members per year 26:11 for five or six years in a row. Panel: Hmmm... 26:14 Jason: Death is painful 26:16 and traumas from tragedies can make us slower to move 26:20 and sometimes leads us to a state of analysis paralysis. 26:23 I want us to look at several verses 26:25 and you'll notice a common thread here. 26:27 The first verse I want us to look at is Genesis chapter 37 26:31 verse 35. 26:33 You may want to write these down 26:34 because we're going to move through these rather quickly. 26:36 But Genesis chapter 37 verse 35 says, 26:39 "And all his sons and all his daughters 26:42 arose to comfort him; 26:43 but he refused to be comforted, 26:45 and he said, 'For I shall go down into the grave 26:48 to my son in mourning. ' 26:50 Thus his father wept for him. '" 26:52 Genesis chapter 42 verse 38, 26:55 "But he said, 'My son shall not go down with you, 26:59 for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. 27:01 If any calamity should befall him along the way 27:05 in which you go, 27:06 then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow 27:10 to the grave. " 27:11 Perhaps by now, you're noticing the common thread 27:15 but we'll look at Genesis chapter 42 verse 4, 27:18 it says, "But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin 27:22 with his brothers, 27:24 for he said, 'Lest some calamity befall him. '" 27:27 It is only when we are placed in desperate situation 27:31 that we take desperate action 27:33 and as the lesson points out... 27:34 Jacob could not easily allow the departure of Benjamin 27:38 his only son with Rachel who remained with him. 27:41 He was afraid that he would lose him 27:43 as he already lost Joseph. 27:45 It is only when there was no more food 27:47 and when Judah pledge to guarantee 27:50 the return of Benjamin, 27:51 that Jacob finally consented for a second visit to Egypt 27:55 and allowed Benjamin to go with his brothers 27:58 and I can only imagine that Jacob's level of anxiety 28:03 must have been at an all-time high. 28:06 Genesis chapter 43 verses 13 and 14. 28:09 "Take your brother also, and arise, 28:13 go back to the man. 28:14 And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, 28:18 that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. 28:22 If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!" 28:26 And I can picture him saying that with... with such pain 28:30 and... and passion in his voice. 28:32 It's interesting... according to Dr. Kevin Fleming, 28:35 "Persistent complex bereavement disorder 28:39 is a DSM-5 Diagnosis 28:41 assigned to individuals 28:43 who experience an unusually disabling or prolonged response 28:48 to bereavement. " 28:49 Some of the symptoms of PCBD that stood out to me 28:55 has it could possibly have pertained to Jacob's situation 28:58 were: feeling shocked... stunned... 29:01 or numb since a loved one's death. 29:03 Feelings of disbelief or inability to accept the loss. 29:09 Rumination about the circumstances 29:12 or consequences of the death. 29:14 Trouble trusting others. 29:16 Intense reactions to memories or reminders of the deceased. 29:22 The thing that continues to blow my mind 29:25 is that Jacob's grief or his bereavement 29:28 fell under false pretenses. 29:30 In other words, Joseph wasn't dead 29:33 and the actions of his brothers 29:35 caused their father an immense amount of pain 29:38 for an extended period of time 29:40 and impacted his decision-making process. 29:43 Now, I don't want to sound too cliché 29:46 but it's important that we're cognizant 29:48 of the choices that we make 29:51 realizing that they don't just impact us. 29:54 They have long-lasting ramifications 29:57 for others as well. 29:58 The lesson poses the question: 30:01 What effect had Benjamin's presence 30:04 on the course of events? 30:06 I'd like to submit to you that 30:09 Benjamin was the spiritual barometer 30:12 by which Joseph measured the fruit of his brothers' lives. 30:16 Allow me to unpack that. 30:18 Matthew chapter 7 verses 18 to 20 says, 30:23 "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, 30:26 nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 30:29 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down 30:33 and thrown into the fire. " 30:35 And verse 20, 30:36 "Therefore by their fruits you will know them. " 30:41 Joseph tested his brothers on multiple occasions 30:45 as you brought out earlier Pastor Rafferty, 30:48 and I love this quote that's found in Patriarchs and Prophets 30:51 it's on Pages 228 and 229. 30:54 It says, "Joseph sent messes unto them from before him; 30:59 but Benjamin's was five times as much as any of his brothers. 31:03 By this token of favor to Benjamin 31:06 Joseph hoped to ascertain 31:08 if the youngest brother was regarded with the envy 31:11 and hatred that had been manifested toward himself. 31:14 Still supposing that Joseph did not understand their language, 31:18 the brothers freely conversed with one another; 31:22 thus he had a good opportunity to learn their real feelings. 31:27 Still, he desired to test them further, 31:31 and before their departure 31:32 he ordered that his own drinking cup of silver 31:36 should be concealed in the sack of the youngest. " 31:39 There are a couple of key takeaways: 31:42 Number 1: Joseph valued family and sibling unity. 31:47 Number 2: The ministry of reconciliation 31:51 is our responsibility. 31:53 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verses 17 through 20, 31:57 says, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, 32:00 he is a new creation; 32:02 old things have passed away; 32:04 behold, all things have become new. " 32:07 Now, normally we stop right there, we say, 32:09 "Amen... hallelujah... praise the Lord" 32:11 but we're going to continue till verses 18 through 20, 32:15 because you have to catch this. 32:16 "Now all things are of God, 32:18 who has reconciled us to Himself, through Jesus Christ, 32:22 and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 32:26 that is, that God was in Christ 32:28 reconciling the world to Himself, 32:30 not imputing their trespasses to them, 32:33 and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 32:37 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, 32:41 as though God were pleading through us: 32:43 we implore you on Christ's behalf, 32:46 be reconciled to God. " 32:49 Panel: Yeah... yeah... that's right. 32:50 Jason: Point Number 3: 32:52 Sometimes it's in our darkest moments 32:55 that God's light shines the brightest. 32:57 Joseph possessed qualities that were needed in trials. 33:01 and so, let's take a look at those qualities. 33:05 James chapter 1 verses 19 and 20. 33:08 "So then, my beloved brethren, 33:11 let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 33:17 for the wrath of man 33:18 does not produce the righteousness of God. " 33:21 Point Number 4: 33:23 Sometimes, separation is preparation 33:26 for our eternal destiny. 33:28 God took the tragedy that occurred in Joseph's life 33:33 and turned it into a triumphant saving grace. 33:37 Panel: That's right... amen. 33:38 Jason: And finally, Point Number 5: 33:40 We all experience trials and that's a fact. 33:44 How can we profit from trials? 33:46 James chapter 1 verses 2 through 5, 33:49 "My brethren, count it all joy 33:51 when you fall into various trials, 33:53 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 33:58 But let patience have its perfect work, 34:01 that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 34:05 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, 34:08 who gives to all liberally and without reproach, 34:12 and it will be given to him. " 34:15 So, the question I leave you with 34:17 is who do we reflect as we're going through our trials? 34:24 Panel: Amen... amen... 34:25 Jill: Great job Jason, I love that. 34:28 Each one of you... thank you for the lesson. 34:30 I am Jill Morikone 34:32 and I have Wednesday's Lesson: The Divination Cup 34:36 but I actually took the liberty to re-name this Lesson. 34:39 My name for it is: True Repentance Revealed 34:43 because that's what we see in Genesis chapter 44. 34:47 As we've seen already through this journey, 34:50 Joseph was sold as a slave when he was 17. 34:53 He spent 10 years in Potiphar's house... 34:56 three years in prison... 34:57 he's 30 when he became Governor of Egypt. 35:00 Over all the land, there was seven years of plenty 35:04 and the famine began... 35:05 so, it's been a while since he has seen his father. 35:09 We're talking years. 35:11 Now, it's interesting. 35:13 Why did it take Joseph so long 35:16 to reveal who he was to his brothers? 35:18 When Pastor James had his lesson in Genesis chapter 42, 35:23 Joseph could have said, "Hey guys, I'm Joseph... " 35:25 but he did not 35:26 and there has to be probably at least a year 35:30 or more than a year 35:31 from Genesis 42... till we get down to Jason and my lesson 35:34 because they were there in Egypt... 35:36 they went all the way back to Canaan... 35:38 they ate and ate and ate and used up all the food 35:41 and then finally, Daddy Jacob gives permission 35:44 for Benjamin to go with the brothers back to Egypt. 35:47 So, this is quite a while 35:49 and then, Joseph still has the meal 35:52 and gives more portions to Benjamin 35:54 and still, he does not immediately reveal who he is. 35:58 You see, in Genesis 42, 36:00 as Pastor James brought out so well, 36:02 there was conviction and there was regret. 36:05 The Holy Spirit was working bringing conviction... 36:07 what did they do to Joseph? 36:09 There was regret but I don't think you see true repentance 36:13 till you get to Genesis chapter 44. 36:15 I divided it into three sections... 36:18 we have the setup... 36:19 the brothers' response 36:21 and then, Judah's intercession which is my favorite part. 36:26 So, let's look at the setup, 36:27 we're in Genesis 44 verses 1 through 5, 36:29 "And he... " this is Joseph, 36:32 "commanded the steward of his house, saying, 36:34 'Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, 36:37 and put each man's money in the mouth of his sack. 36:40 Also, put my cup, the silver cup, 36:43 in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, 36:44 and his grain money. ' 36:46 So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. 36:48 As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away, 36:51 they and their donkeys. " 36:52 I'm sure they were happy they had this feast 36:54 but Benjamin gets to go back... 36:55 Simeon's released... everything's going well. 36:57 "When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, 37:00 Joseph said to his steward, 37:02 'Get up, follow the men; 37:04 when you overtake them, say to them, 37:05 'Why have you repaid evil for good? 37:07 Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, 37:11 and with which he indeed practices divination? 37:14 You have done evil in so doing. '" 37:16 So, they were set up... the brothers were 37:19 to make it look like they had stolen. 37:21 They had stolen the money 37:22 and they had also stolen the divination cup. 37:26 Scyphomancy... I hope I pronounced that correctly, 37:31 Scyphomancy is divination using a cup or a goblet. 37:35 It may involve forecasting by using a cup of water 37:39 and reading the signs 37:41 represented by certain articles that are floating in the water. 37:45 It's considered one of the oldest methods 37:48 of foretelling the future 37:49 by means of crystalline reflection 37:52 both in ancient Egypt and in Persia. 37:54 So, divination with liquids was common 37:57 but it was strictly forbidden. 37:59 We know that... in Leviticus, 38:00 you shall not eat anything with blood 38:02 nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying. 38:06 So, why does Joseph even make it appear 38:08 as if he's using the divination cup 38:10 because that's clearly not Biblical? 38:12 I would say there are three reasons. 38:14 First, the divination was a means of acquiring information. 38:18 Joseph used the cup to acquire information 38:21 not by pouring liquid into it in some sort of Séance 38:24 with trying to foretell the future. 38:26 He did it by testing his brothers. 38:28 That's how he used it to acquire information. 38:31 Had they really changed? 38:33 Were they repentant? 38:35 The second reason I see is that taking the divination cup 38:39 increased the guilt of the offender. 38:41 It would have held great financial 38:43 and spiritual significance in the land of Egypt. 38:45 So, if one of the brothers was found to have 38:47 the divination cup, 38:48 it would be a huge deal for them there in Egypt. 38:51 And the third reason is the divination cup would indicate 38:54 to the brothers that Joseph could read their hearts. 38:57 Patriarchs and Prophets, page 229, 38:59 "Joseph had never claimed the power of divination, 39:03 but he was willing to have them believe 39:05 that he could read the secrets of their lives. " 39:08 Once again, it's putting pressure on them. 39:11 Now, let's look at the brothers' response. 39:14 The first response is that of innocence. 39:16 "Who Us? We didn't take the money, 39:18 we didn't do anything, why would we take the cup?" 39:21 Their second response is one of smugness... 39:24 one of cockiness... 39:26 "We are so certain that we didn't take the cup 39:29 that whoever's bag has the cup, 39:32 you can kill him. " 39:33 That's smug, right? 39:35 "We're certain that we didn't take the cup. " 39:37 And the steward kind of modifies the sentence, it says, 39:40 "No... they're not going to be killed 39:42 but they'll just be the slave. " 39:43 They will become a slave. 39:45 Now we see the true repentance being revealed 39:48 because the brothers could have said, what? 39:49 "Okay, it's in Benjamin's cup, 39:51 good riddance... he's going back to Egypt, 39:53 we're going home to Daddy... 39:55 we're not concerned about it... " 39:57 like they had done with Joseph, right? 39:58 "He's gone... we don't care... 40:00 we're going back to Dad... 40:01 we don't care if we break our father's heart... 40:03 we don't care if we hurt him... 40:05 we don't care what our sin has caused... " 40:07 but instead, they all tore their clothes. 40:10 Instead, they all returned to Egypt with Benjamin. 40:13 Takeaway Number 1: 40:15 True repentance acknowledges my own sin 40:18 and doesn't point fingers at others. 40:21 All the brothers responded with grief. 40:24 All the brothers took the blame. 40:27 And then, we see Judah speaks in Genesis 44 verse 16, 40:31 Judah said, "What shall we say to my lord? 40:33 What shall we speak? How shall we clear ourselves? 40:35 God has found out the iniquity of your servants; 40:38 here we are, my lord's slaves, 40:40 both we and he also with whom the cup was found. " 40:43 Pause... 40:45 Judah recognizes that they're guilty before God... 40:47 not that they took the cup 40:48 they're not guilty of that. 40:50 But their sins of the past have come back to... 40:54 you could say... haunt them. 40:56 They recognize the guilt that they incurred 40:59 with being jealous of their brother... 41:02 with hating their brother... 41:03 with selling their brother. 41:04 Takeaway Number 2: 41:06 True repentance acknowledges guilt before God alone. 41:10 Our sin is to God and God alone 41:14 and they acknowledge and recognize the sin in their life. 41:18 Joseph answers and he says, 41:20 "You're all not going to be slaves, 41:21 I'm only keeping Benjamin. " 41:23 Now we come to my favorite part... 41:25 this is Judah's intercession. 41:27 It's the longest speech that you find in the book of Genesis. 41:32 Right here is Judah's intercession. 41:34 I think there's three elements in Judah's appeal. 41:37 There's an attitude 41:38 namely submission to Joseph's authority. 41:42 There is an action namely repentance. 41:45 This is a change in Judah's behavior 41:48 in which he's willing to offer himself as a slave 41:51 so that Benjamin can go free. 41:54 And there is an affection or an emotion 41:57 seen in the heartfelt appeal that Judah makes 42:00 to Joseph's compassion 42:02 where he gives the devastating consequences... 42:04 "This is what's going to happen to our Dad 42:06 if you keep Benjamin... 42:08 this is what's going to happen to our Dad. " 42:11 Judah offers himself in the place of Benjamin. 42:14 He says, "Let Benjamin go free to our father and I will stay, 42:19 I will be the one imprisoned... 42:21 I will be the slave. " 42:23 We studied several lessons ago, Mount Moriah... 42:26 Substitutionary Atonement. 42:27 Remember when Abraham was ready to offer his son, Isaac, 42:31 the ram was caught in the thicket 42:33 and the ram was offered in place of Isaac. 42:35 We see Substitutionary Atonement here... Judah, what does he say? 42:40 "Take me... I will be the substitute... 42:43 I will take the penalty... 42:44 I will take that on myself... 42:46 I will stand in Benjamin's place 42:48 so that he can go free. " 42:50 Judah... the one who suggested to sell Joseph as a slave, 42:55 he is now offering his own life 42:57 in exchange for his younger brother. 43:00 Why? because he loves his father 43:02 and he doesn't want to cause him pain. 43:05 Takeaway Number 3: 43:06 True repentance grieves the sin 43:09 that hurts our Father's heart. 43:12 Takeaway Number 4: 43:14 True repentance doesn't want to commit another sin 43:17 to further grieve our Father's heart. 43:21 Judah regretted... he was sorry for... 43:23 he repented what he had done in selling Joseph as a slave 43:26 and he didn't want to hurt his father more by keeping Benjamin 43:30 from his father. 43:31 You know, I used to wonder why Judah... 43:33 why Jesus came from the lineage of Judah, 43:36 why is that? 43:37 Because he sold his brother as a slave. 43:40 But we see the greedy man who sold his brother 43:43 is now willing to become a slave himself 43:45 so that he can go free. 43:46 I used to wonder... why is Judah the father of Jesus 43:50 because he had that whole affair with Tamar his daughter-in-law 43:55 and yet, the man who lived a sensual pleasure-oriented life 43:59 now offers to deny himself any pleasure... 44:02 any rights... any personal freedom 44:04 in exchange for his brother's freedom. 44:07 The man who closed his heart against his father's grief 44:10 for 21 years 44:12 now says... he cannot bear to see his father grieve 44:15 from the loss of his brother Benjamin 44:17 and so, he offers himself as a substitute in Benjamin's place 44:23 so that Benjamin can go back home to his father. 44:26 That is true repentance revealed. 44:29 Panel: Amen... amen. 44:31 Shelley: Praise the Lord and thank you all for... 44:34 this is such an amazing study, I'm Shelley Quinn, 44:37 I have Thursdays... 44:38 and it is: I am Joseph Your Brother. 44:42 You know, in Genesis 45, 44:45 the providence of God is made manifest 44:48 in a very powerful way. 44:51 So, Joseph looks very Egyptian... 44:56 he's dressed Egyptian... no facial hair I'm sure... 44:59 probably had a shaved head, 45:01 his brothers don't recognize him... 45:03 he's speaking in Egyptian 45:06 and as you said, he was 17 when he was sold into slavery, 45:10 30 when he was brought before Pharaoh, 45:13 seven years of good... so now we're at 37 45:16 and this is probably a couple of years into it 45:18 so, it's 21 or 22 years since he was sold into slavery. 45:24 They don't recognize him 45:26 but he's listening in... 45:27 they don't know he can speak Hebrew... 45:30 listen to Genesis 45:1, 45:33 Joseph is overwhelmed by his brother's words 45:36 and he could not restrain himself 45:38 before all those that stood before him; 45:40 and he cries out, "Make everyone go out from me. " 45:44 He sends out the Egyptian attendants 45:46 because he wants to maintain his dignity. 45:49 So, on one stood with him, 45:52 while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 45:59 The... the Quarterly brings out, "made himself known... " 46:04 that expression is used of God in a number of instances 46:10 so, in a sense, God is making Himself known... 46:15 He's revealing His providence during this episode. 46:20 So, verse 2, Genesis 45 verse 2, 46:23 "Joseph wept aloud: 46:26 and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it. " 46:30 He's releasing 22 years of pent-up emotion 46:34 and Joseph said to his brothers, 46:36 'I am Joseph; does my father still live?' 46:41 But his brothers could not answer him; 46:43 for they were dismayed in his presence. " 46:47 They're stunned! 46:48 Here all of a sudden... I'm sure 46:50 he... he's now speaking to them in Hebrew... 46:54 Judah turns to them... 46:56 and he hears this Egyptian Governor 46:59 who's saying to them, "I'm Joseph your brother" 47:02 and they're like, "Uh oooh... " 47:05 I mean, they're not sure. 47:07 Joseph said in verse 4 to his brothers, 47:11 "Please come near to me. " 47:13 That would be breaking protocol... 47:14 they came near 47:16 and then he says, "I am Joseph your brother, 47:19 whom you sold into Egypt. " 47:23 Now, what I love is the next three verses, 47:27 because there is this profound confession of faith 47:32 because what we're going to see is three times... 47:36 Joseph acknowledges it was God who sent him to Egypt. 47:41 Genesis 45:5, "But now... " 47:44 he's speaking to his brothers, 47:47 "do not, therefore, be grieved or angry with yourselves 47:50 because you sold me here; 47:51 for God sent me... " that's the first time... 47:55 "God sent me before you to preserve life. 47:58 For these two years the famine has been in the land, 48:02 and there are still five years 48:06 in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. " 48:10 Verse 7, "And God sent me... " 48:13 second time he's acknowledged this... 48:15 "before you to preserve a posterity... " 48:18 you know what that word literally, means? 48:21 A remnant... 48:22 he says, "God sent me to preserve a remnant 48:26 for you in the earth, 48:27 and to save your lives by a great deliverance... " 48:31 and look at verse 8, 48:33 he said it twice... listen to what he says again, 48:36 "So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; 48:41 and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, 48:44 and lord of all his house, 48:45 and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. " 48:51 You know what? 48:52 It's interesting... 48:54 Joseph was this spiritually immature young man... 48:59 a little bit full of himself... 49:00 he gets sold into slavery 49:03 and I guarantee you... 49:04 on that long walk to Egypt, 49:06 that's when God began to mature him 49:09 because we see his spiritual maturity... 49:12 when he was in Potiphar's house... 49:14 in prison and now in front of Pharaoh, 49:17 but he recognizes... it was God's hand that providentially 49:23 set him where he was 49:25 and God worked beyond their bad intentions. 49:28 The brothers didn't have good intentions. 49:30 But it was actually God who sent him to Egypt 49:34 to preserve life through Joseph's leadership 49:39 and as I said, we see that... 49:42 when he uses this word: posterity... 49:46 it means: Remnant... 49:47 Joseph understood the Abrahamic Covenant. 49:51 Jacob understood... he'd explained it to Joseph, 49:56 Joseph understands that this covenant promises 50:00 a nation... referring to the people of Israel 50:04 who are then to spread God's covenant blessings 50:09 to all future generations and nations. 50:12 So, verse 9, Genesis 45:9, 50:15 here's what he says, 50:16 "Hurry up and go to my father, and say to him, 50:20 'Thus says your son Joseph: 50:22 "God has made me lord of all Egypt, 50:25 come down to me, do not tarry. 50:28 You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, 50:31 and you shall be near to me, you and your children, 50:35 and your children's children, 50:37 your flocks and your herds, and all that you have. 50:41 There I will provide for you, lest you and your household, 50:46 and all that you have, come to poverty; 50:50 for there are still five years of famine. "'" 50:53 See, God didn't just give Joseph a plan to save Egypt, 50:59 He gave him a plan to save the clan of Jacob 51:06 by moving them to Goshen and you know what? 51:08 Goshen was the most fertile area in Egypt, 51:12 this is where their herds could be roaming 51:16 and actually grazing in richness 51:19 and over 400 years later, at the time of the exodus, 51:24 where do we find the... the clan of Jacob? 51:28 In Goshen... so they lived there for over 400 years. 51:34 Now, what Joseph does 51:36 is... he arranges for all these animals and the caravan 51:41 of the brother to be loaded up with food 51:44 to take to Jacob and the relatives 51:47 but then this is interesting, 51:50 the text kind of makes it sound like it's Pharaoh's idea 51:54 but at least we know Pharaoh approved of it. 51:56 They sent carts down 51:59 and these carts are going to play... 52:01 these were to transfer the weaker members of the clan 52:06 when they are immigrating back to Egypt 52:10 and they play an important role in the story, 52:13 let's look... Genesis 45 verse 25, 52:16 "Then they went up out of Egypt, 52:19 and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. 52:23 And they told him saying, 52:25 'Joseph is still alive, 52:28 and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. ' 52:33 And Jacob's heart stood still... " 52:38 I want to say something here, 52:41 this abbreviated account, 52:43 remember we talked about how distilled 52:45 the accounts in Genesis are, how condensed they are. 52:49 This abbreviated account of this incidence doesn't record 52:56 Jacob's sons confessing to their father their sin 53:00 but obviously, they had to confess... 53:04 I would assume at this point, they're confessing... 53:07 can you imagine... 53:09 this is one thing that's hard for me to imagine. 53:14 These brothers... ten brothers... 53:19 had kept a secret for 22 years. 53:22 They had watched their father mourn for 22 years. 53:31 They knew their sin caused him pain 53:35 but as you said, Jill, 53:38 they didn't come to true repentance 53:41 until it nearly happened again 53:45 with Rachel's other son, Benjamin... 53:47 is when they finally... 53:49 there's a selfishness that's revealed here 53:52 but he's stunned because he does not believe them 53:55 but when they told him 53:57 all the words which Joseph had said to them... 53:58 "When he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him" 54:04 that... that was key... 54:07 "the spirit of Jacob their father revived. 54:10 And then Israel... " 54:11 that's the spiritual name God that gave to Jacob. 54:16 Israel is a spiritual name... 54:17 so, now Israel says, "It is enough. 54:22 Joseph my son is still alive. 54:24 I will go and see him before I die. " 54:29 God's blessing is on Jacob... 54:33 he's going to be reunited with his son. 54:35 He is going to enjoy prosperity 54:38 and I've got one final point that I'm going to leave 54:42 for our concluding thoughts 54:44 but it's a beautiful story. 54:46 Panel: Amen... amen... amen. 54:48 Lomacang: Okay, I thought you were going to give it right now, 54:50 I was waiting for her. 54:53 Well, James, summarize your day. 54:55 James: Well, forgiveness is a two-way street 54:57 but first, forgiveness comes from God 55:00 and then it comes to us unconditionally... 55:02 just like it did with Joseph. 55:03 Joseph forgave his brothers 55:05 but when his brothers came to the place 55:06 where they were about to experience that forgiveness 55:09 in ways, they didn't understand 55:11 and many times, we experience forgiveness from God 55:13 in ways, we didn't understand. 55:14 It tested them... forgiveness is a two-way street 55:18 because it elicits a response 55:20 and that response is vital in the plan of salvation. 55:23 Panel: Amen. Lomacang: Jason. 55:25 Jason: Just as Joseph was sitting there 55:26 listening to his brothers 55:28 as they were speaking in their language, 55:29 people are watching how you respond to trials 55:33 and if you respond in a way that brings Christ the honor 55:37 and the glory in the most difficult of times, 55:39 someone's soul could be won to Him as a result of that. 55:44 Jill: Amen... that's good. 55:45 Genesis 44 is all about repentance 55:48 and specifically Judah's repentance 55:51 although it was all of the brothers. 55:53 I don't know, in your life 55:55 you might feel that you have walked a Judah path. 55:57 Maybe you've acted out of jealousy... 56:00 maybe you've killed someone... 56:01 maybe you've acted out of hatred and envy and lust 56:06 and passion. 56:08 Know that the Lord Jesus can forgive... 56:11 that He can restore... 56:13 that you can have the privilege of walking with Jesus 56:18 and becoming a leader for Him. 56:20 Shelley: Amen... my thought as I read through Genesis 45... 56:25 this is a story of reconciliation 56:29 and Joseph is an inspiring example to us 56:33 of how we should forgive... not hold grudges... 56:39 and be reconciled to one another 56:43 and sometimes, you know, when people do bad things to us, 56:47 later Joseph is going to tell them, 56:49 "What you intended for evil, God intended for good. " 56:54 But when people do bad things to us, 56:57 we need to remember, "Hey, God's in control... 57:01 how is God going to turn this around?" 57:05 That's what Joseph did and he's an inspiration to me. 57:08 Panel: Amen. 57:10 Lomacang: Wow, what a story! 57:11 I mean, this book has been rich. 57:13 Genesis... you wouldn't think that the Bible could begin 57:17 like a blockbuster movie 57:20 and we have really been able to break this story down 57:24 into small tidbits to be able to digest it 57:27 and it has shown us the clarity and the beauty of God 57:30 and that's why I love the words of John 14:29, 57:32 "And now I have told you before it comes, 57:36 that when it does come to pass, you may believe. " 57:39 I believe... 57:40 we believe because God has been so wonderful to us. 57:43 We're going to encourage you to come back and join us 57:46 for our Lesson Number 13: 57:47 which is entitled: Israel in Egypt. 57:50 What can we learn from that? 57:52 but here's a thought about Joseph's life. 57:55 Proverbs 15:33, "The fear of the LORD 57:57 is the instruction of wisdom, 57:59 and before honor is humility. " 58:03 If you want to experience the honor of God, 58:05 choose to be humble. 58:07 See you next time. 58:08 Jill: Amen. |
Revised 2022-06-02