Let us turn to God's Word and
turning to the chapter where we've read here in the book of
Genesis Genesis chapter 41 and directing you for a while be
seen into the words that we have in verse 38 Genesis 41 38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants,
Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit
of God is? And I want really to center your
attention upon those words in the second half of the verse,
a man in whom the Spirit of God is. a man in whom the Spirit of God
is. Well, who is being spoken of?
Well, clearly in the historical context there is no doubt that
this is a reference to Joseph who was able to interpret the
dreams of Pharaoh but Surely one greater than Joseph is here. In the spiritual interpretation
are we not right to conclude that this person spoken of is
the Lord Jesus, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? Are we
not told concerning the Lord Jesus Christ there at the end
of John chapter 3 He whom God hath sent speaketh the words
of God, for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. If any man was blessed with an
unction of the Spirit, surely it was the Anointed One, the
Christ of God. And so really here we have what
we might term a type of the Lord Jesus. But to begin, let's look
at the historical context and what's being described, events
that actually occurred, historical events. And what do we see here
concerning this man Joseph? Well, we see at least two things.
We see something of his wisdom, but also something of his great
humility. he was a wise man was Joseph
and it doesn't Farah go on to say as much in verse 39 for as
much as God has showed thee all this there is none so discreet
and wise as thou art how he was a wise man we see it in the way
in which he understands and interprets the dreams of Pharaoh He says
in verse, well verse 25 really right through to 32 he's speaking
to Pharaoh. Verse 25 he says the dream of
Pharaoh is won. God has showed Pharaoh what he
is about to do. And then again at the end of
that passage he's speaking as I say right the way through to
verse 32 and in verse 32 he says that the dream was doubled unto
Pharaoh twice. It is because the thing is established
by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. He understands
the dream, He interprets the dream, and He makes it clear
that God is definitely going to do something, and He has indicated
to this man, the Pharaoh, what is about to happen. Clearly,
we know that dreams were very significant in the life of Joseph. He was a dreamer. There was that
occasion when his brethren said mockingly, Behold this dreamer
cometh. He had had a dream back in chapter
37 where we're first introduced to him. and he tells his dreams
to his brethren, and in the dreams he speaks, doesn't he, there
in the opening part of chapter 37, how all the sheaves of his
brethren they bowed down and did obeisance to his sheaf. And
then again he speaks of another dream in which he sees the sun
and the moon and the eleven stars bowing down before him. and the dreams are of God and
of course in due course he is going to be exalted in his own
family above all his brethren he's probably not always wise
in the way in which he speaks to them but God was clearly speaking
to him dreams had this significant part in his early life and then
later when he's cruelly betrayed by his brethren sold into slavery
in to Egypt and finds himself a prisoner because he will not fall in with the
wicked ways of his master's wife and he's there in the prison
with the butler and the baker in chapter 14 where Ido is able
to interpret the dreams that are given to these two men and
the butler's dream is one in which he is going to be restored. He'd been put into prison because
of some misdemeanor. Pharaoh had put him away, but
he will be restored to his office as the chief butler to the Pharaoh. And the baker, seeing that that
dream was well interpreted, is then ready to tell Joseph of
his dream. But the baker's dream, alas,
is not a good one because rather than being restored he's going
to be hanged he will be taken out of the prison he'll be hanged
and so he is able to interpret dreams and as I said although
we didn't read the passage we started reading at verse 14 but
just previous to that we're told aren't we of the butler how he
he remembered what had happened in the prison how he and the
baker had dreamed dreams and there was a young man there,
a Hebrew servant who was able to interpret the dreams and so
that dream that was told by the butler came to pass just as Joseph
had interpreted it and he was restored to his office and now
we see that Joseph is the one who is going to interpret another
dream the opening words of the chapter he came to pass at the
end of two full years of Pharaoh dreamed a dream and behold he
stood by the river and he seized his cattle we read the accounts
the seven well-favored kind who were then consumed by seven thin
lean fleshed and they gobble up, as it were, the fat, the
well-favoured cattle and yet they're no different and then
there's another dream and he sees ears of corn seven upon
one stalk and they're good, they're fat and good but then there are
seven thin ears blasted with the wind that consume that good
corn and jets they know better for it that's the dream that
the pharaoh dreams and he tells the dream to this man Joseph
and he's able to interpret what he said to him he's wise he's
wise in interpreting the dream and telling what the significance
of it is and as I said it's a very it's a very solemn the communication
that has been given to the Pharaoh God is certainly going to do
these things and that's why the dream was doubled to him it came
to him twice as it were there's something definite about it well
what's to be done? well we see that this young man
he's not only wise in being able to interpret the dreams But he
is also wise in the counsel that he gives to Pharaoh. I've been told him what the dreams
are. Verse 33. He says, Now therefore let Pharaoh
look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of
Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let
him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part
of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. and let them
gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay
up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the
cities. And that food shall be for store to the land against
the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt,
that the land perish not through the famine. All this is good
counsel. Here is a wise man. but furthermore
Joseph is a wise man in that he has a fear of God the fear
of God is in his heart and we see it in the house of Potiphar
when that wicked woman in a lustful way desires this young man but
he refuses her because the fear of God is in his heart or the
fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom he's a wise man in
that he has God's fear in his heart and the secret of the Lord
is with them that fear him he will show them his covenant this
man has God's fear and he has an understanding mind he's a
wise wise man is this Joseph and not only that he has confidence
in God he has confidence in God it's interesting isn't it when
he interprets the butler's dream what he goes on to say to that
man there in that 40th chapter verse 14 in chapter 40 he says
to the butler think on me when it shall be well with thee and
show kindness I pray thee answer me and make mention of me unto
Pharaoh and bring me out of this house but then the chief butler
though he is restored he forgets completely forgets all about
this young man who had been so kind to him and yet here is Joseph
he seems to have confidence in his God He will trust in what
he's been able to say to the butler. The good will come to
him subsequently. A wise man, Joseph. But not only
a wise man, but surely we see him also as a very humble man. A very humble man. Although he's
able to interpret the dreams, he doesn't take any of the glory
to himself. When he answers Pharaoh here
at verse 16, what does he say? It is not in me. Pharaoh says, Joseph, I have
dreamed a dream and there is none that can interpret, and
I have heard say of thee that thou canst understand a dream
to interpret it. Joseph answers Pharaoh, saying
it is not in me. God shall give Pharaoh an answer
of peace. Again, back in chapter 14, there
with those two in the prison, in verse 8 he says, do not interpretations
belong unto God. That's the answer he gives to
the butler and the baker when they want their dreams interpreted.
Answers belong unto God. And he emphasizes that in the
way in which he's speaking to the Pharaoh, three times. It's not Joseph, it's God that's
in these things. Verse 25 he says, God hath showed
Pharaoh what he is about to do. Again at verse 28, This is the thing which I have
spoken unto Pharaoh. What God is about to do, He showeth
unto Pharaoh. And again at verse 32, The dream
was doubled unto Pharaoh twice. It is because the thing is established
by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. He is a man
of humility. He really believed what he was
saying. He believed that he had seen that that was the word of
God. And so he speaks plainly of what
God himself is doing. Of course, we're in the Old Testament
here. God's word is not complete. God is giving his words. and
God gives his word as we see in various ways, in diverse ways,
a whole variety of manners. He often speaks by the seers,
by the prophets. He also would speak in visions
and in dreams. We have that word, don't we,
in Job 33, the language of that man Elihu. the three friends
had spoken with Job, the series of speeches that we have earlier,
you know, the cycles of speeches, each of the friends speak, Job
answers, but this man stands back and waits, and then we have
a long speech. Elihu says remarkable things, and in chapter 33 of
Job, verse 14, he says, God speaketh once, yea, twice, yet man perceiveth
it not. in a dream, in a vision of the
night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon
the bed, then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their
instruction." And Joseph was aware of that, that God would
speak in these various ways and manners. He's a wise man, he's
a humble man, He recognizes God in all of these things and as
he behaves so circumspectly and gives God the glory so we see
how he is duly exalted, how he had been humbled. And now the
time that God had indicated to him by that dream or those dreams
that he'd spoken of to his own brethren back in chapter 37 the
time has come there's that remarkable verse in Psalm 103 until the
time that his word came the word of the Lord tried him until the
time that his word came God had given his word as it were to
Joseph in those dreams that he'd spoken of to his brethren until
the time that that word came how God's word tried him how this man was greatly humbled
But the time would come and God's Word would be fulfilled and he
would be exalted. And here it is, it begins now.
What does Pharaoh say unto Joseph? Verse 40, Thou shalt be over
my house and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled. Only in the throne will I be
greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph,
See I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh
took off his ring from his hand and put it upon Joseph's hand,
and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain
about his neck, and made him to ride in the second chariot
which he had. And they cried before him, Bow
the knee! And he made him ruler over all
the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph,
I am Pharaoh, And without thee shall no man lift up his hand
or foot in the land of Egypt. And when these sons are born
to him, the firstborn Manasseh in verse 51, what does Joseph
say? God said, He hath made me forget
all my toil and all my father's house. The very name Manasseh
means forget. He forgets all. the dreadful
trials and troubles he's been through, all the humiliation
that he's had to suffer. And then the second sign is called
Ephraim. For God hath caused me to be
fruitful in the land of my affliction. And the very name Ephraim, of
course, means fruitful. The one name means forgetful.
He forgets all his past troubles, all the trials, and now he's
made fruitful. Oh, what a man! What a man is
this! He was a humble man as well as
a wise man. Peter says, Be clothed with humility,
for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace unto the humble.
Humble yourselves therefore unto the mighty hand of God, that
ye might be exalted in due time. Here then we see something of
Joseph. But as I said at the outset,
a greater than Joseph is who we see time and again in Scripture.
We read of David, but there's a greater than David. We read
of Solomon, there's a greater than Solomon. And here is the
Lord Jesus Christ, the words of our text, a man in whom the
Spirit of God is. And God giveth not the Spirit
by measure, unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Without measure is the
Spirit bestowed upon Christ. What an effusion of the Spirit
upon the Lord Jesus and as I said on previous occasions when we
read the Gospels it is well worth observing the ministry of the
Spirit in terms of the life of the Lord Jesus. His dependence upon the Spirit
or it's a person of God the Son manifest in the flesh is equal
to the Father is equal to the Spirit he's sent by the Father
he's the Father's servant but in the course of his earthly
ministry why the man Jesus Christ is so dependent upon the Spirit
and God give us not the Spirit by measure unto him now I'm sure
you know what the book of Genesis is, what it means, the very word
Genesis. It's the book of beginnings.
It's the book of beginnings. How in the beginning God created
the heavens and the earth. That's the very name that's given
to the book, Genesis. But it's not only the book of
beginnings. When we read through it we discover
it's also the book of generations. the book of the generations.
If we go back to the second chapter, there at verse 4, these are the
generations, mark that, these are the generations of the heavens
and the earth when they were created in the day that the Lord
God made the earth and the heavens. And then We turn to chapter 5
and verse 1, this is the book of the generations of Adam. In
the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he
him, male and female created he them. The book of the generations
of Adam. And then in chapter 6 and verse
9, these are the generations of Noah. Noah was a just man
and perfect in his generations and Noah walked with God and
so it goes on and the last of the generations that we come
to is what we have in chapter 37 and here it is really that
we're introduced to Joseph Beginning of chapter 37, Jacob
dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger in the
land of Canaan. These are the generations of
Jacob. Joseph, being 17 years old, was
feeding the flock with his brethren. And the lad was with the sons
of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah and his father's wives. And Joseph brought unto his father
their evil report. Now Israel loved Joseph more
than all his children because he was the son of his old age
and he made him a coat of many colors and so on. So from chapter
37 if you go right the way through to the end, chapter 50, it's
all the history of Joseph really. It's all the history of Joseph.
These are the generations of Jacob and then we read Joseph
being 17 years old. The generations of Jacob who
became Israel, all center in the history of this man called
Joseph. Now, when we come to the New
Testament, the generations of God's spiritual Israel, that
is the church, the generations of God's spiritual Israel, all
center in her. It all centers in the Lord Jesus
Christ. that one who is the head over
all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of
him that filleth all in all. And so, surely we recognize that
this man Joseph is a significant figure here in the Old Testament.
It might surprise you, but there are some who say that Joseph
is not really a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. And they say that
because he's never referred to in the New Testament as a type
of Christ. But surely, if we're reading
our Bibles are right, it is so obvious. When we read of this man in whom all the generations of
Jacob who became Israel's center This man surely is a type of
him who is the head of God's spiritual Israel, the Lord Jesus
Christ. Now, of course, with Joseph we
have dreams. He's a great dreamer. But how
different it is when we come to Christ. As Peter says here, we have a
more sure word of prophecy. and more sure words of prophecy. For the opening words of Hebrews,
God who at hundred times and in diverse manner spake in time
past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last
days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of
all things, by whom also he made the worlds, being the brightness
of his glory, the express image of his person. God in time past
would speak in diverse manners, but now in these last days He
has spoken to us by His Son. What does Daniel say? Remember
those words that we have in Daniel's prophecy concerning the Lord
Jesus. He finished the transgression,
He made an end of sin, He made reconciliation for iniquity,
He brought in everlasting righteousness, He sealed up the vision and the
prophecy. This One who is the Lord's Anointed,
He has sealed up the vision and the prophecy. We look to the
Word of God, and it is God's Word that governs us. Looking at what we have here
concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, a man in whom the Spirit of God
is. You think of the wisdom of the
Lord Jesus Christ. I thought to say something of
the wisdom of Joseph. But what of the Lord Jesus Christ?
We read of Him in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge. That's the Lord Jesus. Colossians
2.3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Oh, we see him in a remarkable
fashion in the Book of Wisdom. He's there, isn't he, in the
Proverbs. The Book of Proverbs, there in
the opening chapter. Verse 20, Wisdom crieth without,
she uttereth her voice in the streets. she crieth in the chief
place of concourse in the openings of the gates in the city shuttereth
her word saying how long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity
and the scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge
turn you at my reproof behold i will pour out of my spirit
unto you i will make know my words unto you now i've said
on previous occasions that paragraph is fulfilled in in John 7 where at the feast
of the tabernacles the great day of the feast the Lord raises
his voice there in the city in the temple and what does he speak
of he speaks of the coming of the spirit you can read it there
in in John's account John chapter 7 verses 37 through 39 John says
doesn't he how the Lord is speaking of the spirits that was not yet
given because Jesus was not yet glorified what we have there
in the opening chapter of Proverbs is a prophecy of Christ preaching
and then a prophecy of that great promise of the gift of the Holy
Spirit. He is wisdom. He is wisdom. And we see wisdom again crying
out in the 8th chapter. And what does wisdom say there?
When there were no depths, I was brought forth. When there were
no fountains abounding with water, before the mountains were settled,
before the hills was I brought forth. Oh, He is that one eternally
brought forth, He's the eternal Son of God. He's God manifest
in the flesh. The Lord Jesus Christ is wisdom,
and that's what He's made to us. Of Him are ye and Christ
Jesus, who of God is made unto us, Paul says. Wisdom, and righteousness,
and sanctification, and redemption. That as it is written, He that
glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Or want we wisdom? Well, if any man lack wisdom,
let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and appraideth
not. And it will be given him, James
says. Do we lack wisdom? Surely we're to understand that
wisdom that James speaks of is none other than the Lord Jesus.
We're to ask. We might know this one. again James goes on to speak
of that wisdom that is from above which is first pure and then
peaceable and gentle and easy to be entreated and full of mercy
and good fruits and without partiality and without hypocrisy that wisdom
is a person and that person is the Lord Jesus Christ or the
wisdom of Christ why is Joseph a wise man Our pharaoh says to him, there
is none so discreet and wise as thou art. But how much more
glorious is the antitype, the Lord Jesus, what wisdom there. Lord, to be made wise unto that
salvation that is found only in him. But then, besides the
wisdom of Joseph, we should also say something with regards to
his humility. He was a humble man. He was a
humble man, was Joseph. He says it, doesn't he, concerning
what Pharaoh is asking of him, the interpretation. It is not
in me, he says. God shall give Pharaoh an answer
of peace. Do not interpretations belong
unto God? He doesn't take any glory to
himself. And so too the Lord Jesus in
the state of His humiliation. He says in Mark 13 concerning
that day and that day and that hour He says, Knoweth no man,
no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but
the Father. The Father has put all things
under His hand. here he's got the son in that
state of humiliation he has come to serve God for the mind of
Christ again Paul says let this mind
be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who thought it not robbery
to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation took
upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness
of man and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. That
great second chapter in Philippians, it's full of great doctrine concerning
Christ, but it's such a practical application that the Apostle
makes, we have to have the mind of Christ. That humility, that
humility spoken of there. And that very one, of course,
who humbled himself is the same one who is then exalted. Wherefore
God also hath highly exalted himself, the Apostle, and given
him a name which is above every name, that is the name of Jesus. Every knee should bow and every
tongue confess. Things in heaven and earth and
under the earth, all are to acknowledge him. Oh, the Lord Jesus, the one who
humbled himself, is the exalted one. And to what end has He been
exalted? He is exalted for sinners. He
is exalted to the highest heavens for the sake and for the good
of sinners. Thou hast ascended on high. Thou
hast led captivity captive. Thou hast received gifts for
men. Yea, for the rebellious also. that the Lord God might
dwell amongst them. And now the Apostle takes those
words out of Psalm 68 and speaks specifically of Christ there
in Ephesians 4 verse 18. He is exalted for sinners. Being by the right hand of God
exalted, having received of the Father the promise of the Holy
Spirit, he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear. It's
his gift. it's what he received of the
Father who is exalted to give the Holy Spirit he's exalted
to give repentance he must got exalted with his right hand to
give repentance to Israel and the forgiveness of sins we want
repentance or we want to know sorrow Godly compunction over
our sins we want to hate our sins and turn from our sins from
whence can we obtain such a spirit of that, we have to look to the
Lord Jesus Christ. He's exalted to give repentance
and forgiveness of sins. He's exalted to give faith. We
have to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. All
of salvation is there. But coming back to Joseph, we
read the chapter through, from verse 14, to the end and what
do we read there at verse 56 Joseph opened all the storehouses the famine was over all the face
of the earth and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold
unto the Egyptians and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt
but he opened all the storehouses and he sold Ah, but you see, the anti-type
is so much greater than the type. Joseph, in his wisdom, has made
that provision and now the Egyptians and people from all the nations
round about and in due course, of course, his own father and
his brethren will be there to buy corn. But the anti-type. Joseph sells the corn and the
Pharaoh is enriched in all those years. But the Lord Jesus Christ,
when He opens the storehouses, they are storehouses of grace,
free grace. All these things are to be obtained,
this great salvation that is in the Lord Jesus. It's there,
it's without money, it's without price. You know the passage there,
those opening words of Isaiah 55, O every one that thirsteth, come
ye to the waters. And he that hath no money, come
ye by, and each ay come by wine and milk without money and without
price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread,
and your labour for that which satisfies not? Hearken diligently
unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight
itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto
me, hear, and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting
covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have
given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander
to the people." It's that one who is greater than David that
he's being spoken of, who speaks of that that comes unpurchased, no money, No price. It's free. It's a free salvation. And it's almost the very last
words of Holy Scripture, isn't it, there in Revelation 22? The
Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say,
Come. And let him that is at thirst come, and whosoever will,
let him take of the water of life freely. Freely. going to free salvation you know
it goes on doesn't it to say so much concerning this man Joseph
in chapter 47 when his brethren come what do we read chapter 47 verse 12 Joseph nourished his father and
his brethren and all his father's household with bread according
to their families. How Joseph could nourish all
his family. And that's what the Lord Jesus
Christ does. He nourishes all his family. Even all that the
Father has given him to redeem, how he nourishes them, he feeds
them. We were thinking this morning,
weren't we, of that? that is provided. That text at
the end of verse 3 in Psalm 37. God does feed his people. He
feeds his people. The Lord says, I am the living
bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread,
he shall live forever. And the bread that I will give
is my flesh. He has given himself. My flesh
is meat indeed, he says. My blood is drink indeed. He humbled himself but he's exalted.
And he's exalted for sinners and he feeds sinners. And he
bestows upon them all that they need. Does he have the Spirit
without measure? He bestows the Spirit. We need
the Spirit. And we need to know Him as the
Spirit of Christ. We can know nothing really at
all. savingly about the Lord Jesus without the Spirit we can
fill our heads we can study the Bible we can read it and meditate
upon it and have a wonderful understanding intellectually
but we really know nothing at all savingly until we have the
Spirit and the Lord Jesus tells us We have to ask for the Spirit. If ye, being evil, know how to
give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly
Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? We have to
ask for the Spirit, that same Spirit that was bestowed without
measure upon the man Christ Jesus. A man in whom the Spirit of God
is. Oh, the Lord then be pleased
to grant to us such a revelation of that One who is the only Saviour
of sinners. And the Lord bless His Word to
us. Amen. The hymn 181, the tune Salzburg
861, the scripture at the head of the
hymn, who of God is made wisdom. Believers, though they are but
blind, they know themselves unwise, but wisdom in the Lord they find,
who opens all their eyes. Hymn 181, tune 861.