GENESIS: Power and Authority Given by God will Give You Favor With Man; Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land."

Then he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to point out before him the way to Goshen. (Genesis 46:28) 

And they came to the land of Goshen. So Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while. And Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive.” (Genesis 46:29-30) 

After over 20 years, Jacob and Joseph are reunited! How emotional and wonderful all at the same time, for a parent to be reunited with a child he believed to be dead. Many people have lost loved ones, but the loss of a child has to be one of the most difficult to accept.  Even if Joseph had really died, Jacob should have, and all parents who are Christians should have the same hope as King David would one day express after his son died, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” (II Samuel 12:22-23)

One day we'll all be reunited with those we've loved, if they were saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Children are saved by grace without having to make a confession of Christ Jesus. (Romans 10:8-10) How merciful is our God! But fortunately for Jacob, Joseph was really alive, because as Joseph had declared to his brothers, "God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt." (Genesis 45:7-8)

As second in command in Egypt, Joseph was in a position to make sure his family would be welcomed in the land. Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘My brothers and those of my father’s house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. And the men are shepherds, for their occupation has been to feed livestock; and they have brought their flocks, their herds, and all that they have.’ So it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ that you shall say, ‘Your servants’ occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.” (Genesis 46:31-34) 

Why were shepherds an abomination to the Egyptians? Read "Why were shepherds detestable to Egyptians?" But more than likely, Joseph being a wise man wanted to make sure that his family and all they had could live independently in an area that was fertile and had a water supply, so that the Egyptians wouldn't feel like they were trying to come in and be taken care of or be treated as if they were Egyptians. Pharaoh liked Joseph and the people respected his position in the land because it helped them, but that same courtesy wouldn't necessarily be extended to all his family.

Then Joseph went and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers, their flocks and their herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; and indeed they are in the land of Goshen.” And he took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh. Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we and also our fathers.” And they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to dwell in the land, because your servants have no pasture for their flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.” (Genesis 47:1-4) 

Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know any competent men among them, then make them chief herdsmen over my livestock.” (Genesis 47:5-6) 

Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How old are you?” And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh. (Genesis 47:7-10) 

And Joseph situated his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. Then Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household with bread, according to the number in their families. (Genesis 47:11-12)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)

I pray each of us are able to spend this day with people we love, but if not, let's always remember to be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

Have a Happy and Thankful Thanksgiving!

GENESIS: Sometimes Big Changes Are Necessary in Order to Save Our Lives; Israel took his journey with all that he had, and He said, “I am God; do not fear to go down to Egypt. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again."

Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. (Genesis 45:25)

Eleven of Jacob's sons returned from Egypt to give him the news that the twelfth brother was still alive. And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them. But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived. Then Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.” (Genesis 45:26-28)

Remember, when the oldest ten sons lied to him and told their father that Joseph was killed by evil beasts, Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, “For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. (Genesis 37:34-35) Many years had passed, but Jacob was still mourning for Joseph, until he received this news, then his spirit revived.

So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” And he said, “Here I am.” So He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.” (Genesis 46:1-4)

They only reason they were moving from the promised land was because of the sever famine in the land.  This move was not to be permanent, because God had told Abraham, Isaac and now Jacob that He had given them the land of Canaan, and He would surely bring them up again. But for now, everyone in Jacob's family and household and everything they had had to move to Egypt to, as Joseph stated, "God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God;..." (Genesis 45:5-8)

Then Jacob arose from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives, in the carts which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. So they took their livestock and their goods, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him. His sons and his sons’ sons, his daughters and his sons’ daughters, and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt. (Genesis 46:5-7)

Now these were the names of the children of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt: Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn. The sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puvah, Job, and Shimron. The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the persons, his sons and his daughters, were thirty-three. (Genesis 46:8-15)

The sons of Gad were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. The sons of Asher were Jimnah, Ishuah, Isui, Beriah, and Serah, their sister. And the sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel. These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob: sixteen persons. (Genesis 46:16-18)

The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife, were Joseph and Benjamin. And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. The sons of Benjamin were Belah, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. These were the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: fourteen persons in all. (Genesis 46:19-22)

The son of Dan was Hushim. The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and she bore these to Jacob: seven persons in all. (Genesis 46:23-25)

All the persons who went with Jacob to Egypt, who came from his body, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six persons in all. And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two persons. All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy. (Genesis 46:26-27)

GENESIS: God's Detours will Still Keep Us on His Path for Our Lives; Then Joseph said, "God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God!"

Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Make everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it. (Genesis 45:1-2)

Joseph finally revealed who he really was to his brothers.  Then, he went on the explain why God allowed everything they did up to that day to happen . Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; does my father still live?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence. And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. (Genesis 45:3-4)

Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. (Genesis 45:5-8)

"But God..."! What a powerful phrase! It doesn't matter what man may try to do to us, because we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) Man may think they can destroy us, and maybe they can destroy us physically; but Jesus said, “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!" (Luke 12:4-5)

When the Jews took Jesus before Pilate, Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” (John 19:10-11) God is in control of our lives, when things are going good, and even when we think things are going bad.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)

Just because we're Christians doesn't mean that everyone will like us, that everything in our lives will be perfect, nor that we won't have to suffer; but, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:1-5) 

Joseph obeyed God in everything, even when he could have done wrong in order to save himself from going to prison, he wouldn't do it. For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield. (Psalm 5:12) For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. (Psalm 84:11) Because Joseph found favor with God, God blessed him to find favor with man. God used everything Joseph went through to become the hope of Israel and his children. God sent him before them to preserve a posterity for them in the earth, and to save their lives by a great deliverance. 

Joseph gave his brothers the following instructions, “Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph: “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry. You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children, your children’s children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have. There I will provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine.”’ (Genesis 45:9-11)

“And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.” Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him. (Genesis 45:12-15)

Now the report of it was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” So it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and depart; go to the land of Canaan. Bring your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land. Now you are commanded—do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come. Also do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’” (Genesis 45:16-20) 

And this is how the children of Israel would end up leaving the promised land of Canaan and going to Egypt, because of the seven years of famine in the land.  In order to preserve their lives, and thus fulfill the promise God gave to their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and their father Jacob (aka Israel), they had to go to a land where their needs would be met until the famine was over.  That's why God sent Joseph before them - Divine providence! 

Moreover He called for a famine in the land; He destroyed all the provision of bread. He sent a man before them— Joseph—who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, he was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him. The king sent and released him, the ruler of the people let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possessions, to bind his princes at his pleasure, and teach his elders wisdom. (Psalm 105:16-22)

Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them carts, according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey. He gave to all of them, to each man, changes of garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments. And he sent to his father these things: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and food for his father for the journey. So he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them, “See that you do not become troubled along the way.” (Genesis 45:21-24)

GENESIS: People are Moved by What We Say and How We Behave; "Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he made himself known to his brothers."

And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money.” So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. (Genesis 44:1-2)

Previously we studied how Israel sent his ten oldest sons to Egypt to buy grain because of the sever famine that was in the land. When Joseph recognized who they were, he sent them back home with grain, but kept Simeon as a slave until they returned with Benjamin, their youngest brother, to "prove" that they were not spies. (Genesis 42) Israel would not let them take Benjamin because he feared something would happen to him, and then he would lose both his sons from the wife he loved, Rachel. However, after running out of grain, Judah finally convinced him to let them take Benjamin with them and he promised he would bring him back. (Genesis 43)

When they returned and Joseph realized that they did bring Benjamin back with them, he had his servants prepare of feast for them at his house and he joined them for a meal.  And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked in astonishment at one another. Then he took servings to them from before him, but Benjamin’s serving was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him. (Genesis 43:33-34)

Now, they were preparing to leave, but Joseph does not want his whole brother to leave, so he has his servants plant silver cup in Benjamin's sack. As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys. When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Get up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? Is not this [silver cup] the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing.’” (Genesis 44:3-5)

So he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words. And they said to him, “Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from us that your servants should do such a thing. Look, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.” (Genesis 44:6-9)

And he said, “Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless.” Then each man speedily let down his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack. So he searched. He began with the oldest and left off with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city. (Genesis 44:10-13) 

The first time we read in scripture of someone tearing their clothes is when Job got the news that all his possessions and children were destroyed. (Job 1:20) Then when Job's friends came to comfort him, when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. (Job 2:12) The next time we see someone do this is Reuben, when he returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes. (Genesis 37:29) Now, all the brothers tore their clothes, as a sign of mourning, because they said that whomever was found having the cup, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.

So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there; and they fell before him on the ground. And Joseph said to them, “What deed is this you have done? Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?” Then Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; here we are, my lord’s slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found.” But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father.” (Genesis 44:14-17)

Judah had convinced their father to let them take Benjamin with them. Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. (Genesis 43:8-9) How would he return to his father without him?

Then Judah came near to him and said: “O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s hearing, and do not let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even like Pharaoh. My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father or a brother?’ And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, who is young; his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him.’ Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’ And we said to my lord, ‘The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.’ (Genesis 44:19-23)

“So it was, when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him the words of my lord. And our father said, ‘Go back and buy us a little food.’ But we said, ‘We cannot go down; if our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we may not see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons; and the one went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn to pieces”; and I have not seen him since. But if you take this one also from me, and calamity befalls him, you shall bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.’ (Genesis 44:24-29)

“Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life, it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.’ Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?” (Genesis 44:30-34)

The best way to plead a case is by telling "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth"! They did not know who Joseph really was.  They thought he was an Egyptian. They were very careful to represent themselves, their father, and their God the right way; having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. (I Peter 2:12) 

Their honorable conduct before Joseph, even when being falsely accused, caused Joseph to not be able to hide the truth from them any longer. Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Make everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it. (Genesis 45:1-2)

GENESIS: Don't Delay, Do What God Says Immediately; Then Judah said to Israel his father, "For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time.”

Now the famine was severe in the land. And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, “Go back, buy us a little food.” (Genesis 43:1-2)

Israel had sent his ten older sons to Egypt to get grain because he said, “Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die.” (Genesis 42:2) When the brothers got to Egypt, Joseph recognized them, but they did not recognize him.  After them convincing Joseph that they were not spies and him observing them showing some remorse for what they had done to their brother (ie. Joseph), Joseph gave a command to fill their sacks with grain, to restore every man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. Thus he did for them. So they loaded their donkeys with the grain and departed from there. But as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed at the encampment, he saw his money; and there it was, in the mouth of his sack. So he said to his brothers, “My money has been restored, and there it is, in my sack!” Then their hearts failed them and they were afraid, saying to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?” (Genesis 42:25-28)

Now they've run out of the grain they received from the first trip, so Israel wants them to go back to buy more. But Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ [Genesis 42:12-20] If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’” And Israel said, “Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother?” But they said, “The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ And we told him according to these words. Could we possibly have known that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” (Genesis 43:3-7) 

Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time.” (Genesis 43:8-10) Reuben, the oldest son, made the same plea to Israel when they returned the first time, saying, “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.” But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.” (Genesis 42:37-38) Remember, Israel had issues with Reuben which obviously affected their relationship and lead to Israel's lack of trust in him. (Genesis 35:21-22)

However, Israel was finally willing to listen to Judah. And their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and carry down a present for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. Take double money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight. Take your brother also, and arise, go back to the man. And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!” (Genesis 43:11-14) 

So the men took that present and Benjamin, and they took double money in their hand, and arose and went down to Egypt; and they stood before Joseph. When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my home, and slaughter an animal and make ready; for these men will dine with me at noon.” Then the man did as Joseph ordered, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house. Now the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, “It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may make a case against us and seize us, to take us as slaves with our donkeys.” (Genesis 43:15-18)

When they drew near to the steward of Joseph’s house, they talked with him at the door of the house, and said, “O sir, we indeed came down the first time to buy food; but it happened, when we came to the encampment, that we opened our sacks, and there, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; so we have brought it back in our hand. And we have brought down other money in our hands to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.” But he said, “Peace be with you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. (Genesis 43:19-23)

Remember, as a guarantee that they would return with Benjamin, Joseph took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. (Genesis 42:24) He was in prison all that time, waiting for them to return, because Israel was determined not to lose Benjamin.  He was willing to sacrifice one son for fear of losing the last of his two sons with Rachel, the wife he had loved.  As Judah said, if they had gone back with Benjamin when they first told Israel, by now they would have returned this second time. As Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.” (Genesis 41:55) As Mary, Jesus mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” (John 2:5) 

Sometimes, the instruction doesn't seem to make sense, but whatever God tells us to do, just do it! For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ... Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (I Corinthians 1:19-25) It all comes down to faith, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. (I John 5:2-4)

So the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed. Then they made the present ready for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they would eat bread there. And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth. Then he asked them about their well-being, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” And they answered, “Your servant our father is in good health; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves. [Genesis 37:5-8] (Genesis 43:24-28)

Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your younger brother of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” Now his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. And he went into his chamber and wept there. Then he washed his face and came out; and he restrained himself, and said, “Serve the bread.” (Genesis 43:29-31)

So they set him a place by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves; because the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked in astonishment at one another. Then he took servings to them from before him, but Benjamin’s serving was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him. (Genesis 43:32-34)

Joseph commanded that they return with Benjamin so that he could see for himself his little brother was okay and that they had not done any harm to him. Now, he was giving him extra provision because that was his way of taking care of him as his big brother. What an emotional reunion for Joseph, and his brothers were still unaware of who he really was. As Jesus told Mary, before He turned the water to wine, "My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:4) Joseph had one more test for the brothers before he would be ready to reveal who he truly was...

GENESIS: God's Word Always Comes to Fruition; "So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them."

When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” And he said, “Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die.” (Genesis 42:1-2)

The last we heard from Jacob, the ten brothers had lied to him that Joseph was killed by evil beasts. Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, “For I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning.” Thus his father wept for him. (Genesis 37:34-35) He had not gone down in the grave yet, but the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. (Genesis 41:54)

So Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “Lest some calamity befall him.” And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. (Genesis 42:3-5)

Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth. Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them. (Genesis 42:6-7)

Remember, the last time he saw his brothers, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it. ... Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt. (Genesis 37:23-28) The last memory he had of them was of them hating, envying and being jealous of him.  He did not trust them, which was why he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them.

Then he said to them, “Where do you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.” So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them [Genesis 37:1-11], and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!” And they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men; your servants are not spies.” But he said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land.” And they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and in fact, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more.” (Genesis 42:7-13)

But Joseph said to them, “It is as I spoke to you, saying, ‘You are spies!’ In this manner you shall be tested: By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of you, and let him bring your brother; and you shall be kept in prison, that your words may be tested to see whether there is any truth in you; or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies!” So he put them all together in prison three days. (Genesis 42:14-17)

Why did Joseph demand that they bring the youngest brother, Benjamin to Egypt? Probably two reasons: 1. because he was Joseph's whole brother, having the same mother; the sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. (Genesis 35:24) 2. because he wanted to make sure the brothers hadn't killed Benjamin or caused him some kind of harm, like they thought they had done to him. Either way, his dream had to come fruition, "There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.” (Genesis 37:7) The brothers were bowing before him, begging for grain, and if they wanted to get what they needed, they were going to have to do what he said.

Then Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God: If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined to your prison house; but you, go and carry grain for the famine of your houses. And bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so. Then they said to one another, “We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us.” (Genesis 42:18-21)

And Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not speak to you, saying, ‘Do not sin against the boy’ [Genesis 37:21-30]; and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us.” But they did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter. And he turned himself away from them and wept. Then he returned to them again, and talked with them. And he took Simeon [meaning, God's salvation] from them and bound him before their eyes. (Genesis 42:22-24) The first step in receiving forgiveness is showing remorse.  They, or at least Reuben was genuinely remorseful for what the brothers had done to Joseph, and they attributed all of their suffering and distress to what they had done. 

Then Joseph gave a command to fill their sacks with grain, to restore every man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. Thus he did for them. So they loaded their donkeys with the grain and departed from there. But as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed at the encampment, he saw his money; and there it was, in the mouth of his sack. So he said to his brothers, “My money has been restored, and there it is, in my sack!” Then their hearts failed them and they were afraid, saying to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?” (Genesis 42:25-28) They feared they would be charged with stealing the grain because their money was in their sack.  They did not know that Joseph had commanded their money to be returned to them.

Then they went to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan and told him all that had happened to them, saying: “The man who is lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country. But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies. We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is with our father this day in the land of Canaan.’ Then the man, the lord of the country, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, take food for the famine of your households, and be gone. And bring your youngest brother to me; so I shall know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. I will grant your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.’” (Genesis 42:29-34)

Then it happened as they emptied their sacks, that surprisingly each man’s bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid. And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me.” Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.” But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.” (Genesis 42:35-38)

One interesting note, that Joseph kept Simeon, whose name means God's salvation. Then, Joseph sent the brothers back to Canaan with the grain they needed and returned their money to each of them. This represents God's free gift of salvation to each of us. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) None of us can buy what we need from God, nor can we earn it.  We just have to accept God's salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) ...through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. (Romans 5:18)

GENEIS: During Our Times of "Famine", Continue to Trust in God; Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.”

So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” (Genesis 41:37-38)

Pharaoh had two dreams that he nor any of the wise men of Egypt could interpret.  He was told about Joseph, so he had Joseph brought to him from prison. God gave Joseph the meaning of the dreams, "This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt; but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land. So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe. And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass." (Genesis 41:28-32)

Then Joseph advised Pharaoh, “Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine.” (Genesis 41:33-36)

The advice was good because it was from God. Even Pharaoh acknowledged that the Spirit of God was with Joseph. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 41:39-41)

Talk about from the bottom to the top, hated by his brothers and sold into slavery by them; slave in Potiphar's house, but God blessed him and he became master of the house; falsely accused of rape by Potiphar's wife and thrown in to prison, but God blessed him and he became keeper of the prison; now from prison to second after Pharaoh in Egypt. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39) Remember, Christ Jesus is Lord God from the beginning, and just like He intercedes for us now after we accept the free gift of salvation through faith in Him, He was interceding for Joseph back then.

Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him over all the land of Egypt. Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnath-Paaneah. And he gave him as a wife Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. So Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:42-45)

Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. Now in the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth abundantly. So he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them. Joseph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable. (Genesis 41:46-49)

When God elevates us, many people feel they've "arrived" so they don't have to work as hard.  Joseph shows us that that is not the attitude we're supposed to have. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23-24) ...as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord,... (Ephesians 6:6-8) God gave Joseph the plan, and Joseph implemented it to the very end.

And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.” And the name of the second he called Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.” (Genesis 41:50-52)

Then the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt ended, and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.” The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt. So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands. (Genesis 41:53-57)

In our lives, we will experience times of famine, where we feel we don't have everything we need or aren't able to get them.  We have to have someone we can go to, and whatever he says to you, do. That person is the Lord Christ Jesus, and He has said to us, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? (Matthew 6:25-27)

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:31-34)

Even if the "famine" in our lives lasts for a long time and it's difficult to deal, keep trusting in God, knowing that He loves us and He will bring us through. Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls— yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills. (Habakkuk 3:17-19) AMEN!

GENESIS: Always Give God the Praise, Even Before Kings; And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?”

Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream;... (Genesis 41:1) 

Two years of Joseph being in prison for a crime he did not commit, being accused of rape by Potiphar's wife. (Genesis 39) While in prison, God still blessed him, and he was put in charge of the prison by the keeper of the prison.  Pharaoh's chief butler and chief baker were put in prison for some reason, and while there they each had a dream that God gave Joseph the interpretation to. Joseph had asked the chief butler, after giving him the interpretation of his dream, that when he got released to please "...remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house. For indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon.” (Genesis 40:14-15)

Now Pharaoh had a dream, ...and behold, he stood by the river. Suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow. Then behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the river. And the ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine looking and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke. He slept and dreamed a second time; and suddenly seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, plump and good. Then behold, seven thin heads, blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them. And the seven thin heads devoured the seven plump and full heads. So Pharaoh awoke, and indeed, it was a dream. Now it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh. (Genesis 41:1-8)

Egypt was always a great power during those times, and we know from history how advanced they were as a people in education and knowledge.  (read "Ancient Egypt") Yet, none of the magicians and wise men of Egypt could interpret Pharaoh's dreams. Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; and again,“The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” Therefore let no one boast in men. (I Corinthians 3:18-21)

Then the chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying: “I remember my faults this day. When Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, both me and the chief baker, we each had a dream in one night, he and I. Each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. Now there was a young Hebrew man with us there, a servant of the captain of the guard. And we told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us; to each man he interpreted according to his own dream. And it came to pass, just as he interpreted for us, so it happened. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.” (Genesis 41:9-13)

Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.” So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” (Genesis 41:14-16) Joseph never changes, always giving God the praise for what He does through him, just like he told the chief butler and chief baker while in prison, “Do not interpretations belong to God?" (Genesis 40:8)

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “Behold, in my dream I stood on the bank of the river. Suddenly seven cows came up out of the river, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow. Then behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such ugliness as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt. And the gaunt and ugly cows ate up the first seven, the fat cows. When they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were just as ugly as at the beginning. So I awoke. Also I saw in my dream, and suddenly seven heads came up on one stalk, full and good. Then behold, seven heads, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them. And the thin heads devoured the seven good heads. So I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.” (Genesis 41:17-24)

Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do: The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years; the dreams are one. And the seven thin and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads blighted by the east wind are seven years of famine. This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt; but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land. So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe. And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. (Genesis 41:25-32)

Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy? (Amos 3:7-8) How merciful God is, always giving us a warning before trouble comes, in the hope that we will do what's necessary to avoid as much of the possible consequences as possibly can. Not only did God give Joseph the interpretation, but He also gave Joseph a plan that would help Egypt deal with the famine that would come seven years after the seven years of plenty.

“Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine.” So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” (Genesis 41:33-38)

Pharaoh declares that the Spirit of God was in Joseph, before God actually filled man with the Holy Spirit. Before Christ's death, resurrection and ascension, God would oftentimes fill a person "with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,..." (Exodus 31:3, 35:31) This was in order for them to accomplish a particular task God had for them to do. The same was true for Joseph, as we will study in the next lesson.  And that's why God fills us with the Holy Spirit today, not only to be sealed for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30) But, "when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come." (John 16:13)

Therefore, let's make sure to be mindful of the trustworthiness of the God we serve, verses the wisdom of man; Pharaoh realized it, and all of us should too, that Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your mercy, because of Your truth. Why should the Gentiles say, “So where is their God?” But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. ... The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s; But the earth He has given to the children of men. The dead do not praise the Lord, nor any who go down into silence. But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 115) AMEN!

GENESIS: Some Dreams do have Meanings; So Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.”

It came to pass after these things... (Genesis 40:1)

After these things being, Joseph's brothers hating him because their father loved him more than the rest (Genesis 37:3-4); his brothers being jealous and envious of him because of the interpretation of his dreams, that he would rule over them one day (Genesis 37:5-11); his brothers kidnapping him and selling him into slavery to Midianites merchantmen, and then lying to their father that he was killed by evil beasts (Genesis 37:12-35); then being sold into slavery in Egypt and becoming in charge of Potiphar's house, but his wife falsely accusing him of rape and being thrown into prison (Genesis 39).

While in prison, the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing. The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper. (Genesis 39:22-23) So, ...that the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker. So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; so they were in custody for a while. (Genesis 40:1-4)

Then the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream, both of them, each man’s dream in one night and each man’s dream with its own interpretation. And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were sad. So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in the custody of his lord’s house, saying, “Why do you look so sad today?” And they said to him, “We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.” So Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.” (Genesis 40:5-8)

Two things about dreams: 1. not all dreams mean something, because The Lord knows the thoughts of man, That they are futile. (Psalm 94:11); 2. if a dream does have a meaning, the interpretation can only come from God, not through a medium or sorcerer or any other such person; And when they say to you, “Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,” should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? (Isaiah 8:19) For God may speak in one way, or in another,Yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds, then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction. (Job 33:14-16)

Then the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, “Behold, in my dream a vine was before me, and in the vine were three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes. Then Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” (Genesis 40:9-11)

And Joseph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days. Now within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand according to the former manner, when you were his butler. But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house. For indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon.” (Genesis 40:12-15)

When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and there were three white baskets on my head. In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.” So Joseph answered and said, “This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you.” (Genesis 40:16-19)

The way we'll know if our dreams mean something or not is first, if God does not give us the interpretation, we must speak with someone who is a Christian, filled with the Holy Spirit and has the gift of interpretation, because There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. (I Corinthians 12:4-11)

Secondly, if the interpretation of the dream comes true, then we'll know the dream or vision or prophecy was from God. "As for the prophet..., when the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent.” (Jeremiah 28:9) when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:22) 

Now it came to pass 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 butler and of the chief baker among his servants. Then he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. (Genesis 40:20-23)

Fortunately for the chief butler, Joseph's interpretation of his dream came true. Unfortunately for the chief baker, Joseph's interpretation of his dream came true also. “God is not a man, that He should lie,Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19) Scripture does not give us the details behind these two servants being put in jail, but obviously Pharaoh felt the butler's crime was not deserving of death but the baker's was. We can't just dream away or imagine away the consequences of our actions. "Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10) So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12)