He was loved of his father, distinguished
above all his brethren, hated by his brethren without a cause,
taken by their hands, discarded, left to die, sold into slavery,
wrongly accused while in the service of his master, and then
thrown into prison, then raised to an exalted throne. You're talking about Joseph,
aren't you? No, I'm talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. But Joseph
does picture him in so many ways. Turn with me again tonight to
Genesis chapter 41. So much in this chapter, just
too much to try to cram into one study or one lesson. And
last time we talked about how God had to reveal Pharaoh's dream
to him. Joseph told Pharaoh in verse
15, he said, I've dreamed a dream and there's none that can interpret
it. And I've heard say of thee that
thou can't understand a dream to interpret it. And Joseph answered
Pharaoh saying, it's not in me. It's not in me. God shall give
Pharaoh an answer to peace. The preacher, the interpreter,
can't reveal anything to a sinner. Pharaoh, in detail, told Joseph
both of his dreams, and in verse 25, Joseph said, the dream of
Pharaoh is one, God has showed Pharaoh what he's about to do.
And then Joseph told Pharaoh what his dreams foretold. And
in verse 28, Joseph said, this is the thing which I've spoken
unto Pharaoh. What God is about to do, he showeth
unto Pharaoh. And sinner, if God ever saves
you, he's going to show you. He is going to have to show you.
He's going to have to reveal to you what he's about to do.
God has to reveal these things to us. Joseph interpreted the
meaning of the dreams, but God had to reveal it to Pharaoh.
Now God's servants must preach the gospel of Christ in truth.
That's the ordained means that God uses to save the lost. But only the Holy Spirit can
reveal the things of Christ to us. But let's start tonight in
verse 29. Joseph interprets The dreams. Verse 29, behold,
there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land
of Egypt. And there shall arise after them
seven years of famine, and all the plenty shall be forgotten
in the land of Egypt, and the famine shall consume the land. And the plenty shall not be known
in the land by reason of that famine following, for it shall
be very grievous. And for that, the dream was doubled
unto Pharaoh twice. And it is because the thing is
established by God. And God will shortly bring it
to pass. Who brought about this famine?
It was established. It was prepared. That's what
that word means. It was prepared by God. God brought
the famine. who will bring the famine, who
will bring the plenty to pass. Same person. God will shortly
bring it to pass. I wish folks could learn that.
I wish I could believe it like I ought. God's in control. God does what he wills. really need to know, all we really
need to know is that whatever happens in heaven, earth and
the seas, all the deep places, the Lord is doing what he pleases.
That's what the scriptures teach, Psalm 135, six. God would send
the plenty, God would send the famine. It was all established,
prepared by God. He would sovereignly bring it
all to pass as He does all things. We've talked about that so much
every time we read in the scriptures and it came to pass and we read
that quite frequently. It was God who brought it to
pass. And aren't you glad to know that? Aren't you glad that
God's revealed that to you? Nothing happens in this world
Absolutely nothing happens that should cause the child of God
any stress, any worry or panic. And notice I said nothing that
should, because there are many things that do, but none that
should. Why? Because God is working all
things after the counsel of His only. And that same God is working
all things for the good of His people. And that should settle
it for us. Everything's gonna be all right
with God's people because God is seen to it that his people
are taken care of. God's gonna take care of us.
He always has. You remember what David said?
He said, I've been young. And he said, now I'm old. I've
seen a lot of things. But I've never, never seen the
righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread. God will take
care of his people. Now there's one on the throne
who has made ample provisions for his elect, those that have
been given to his care. And there is such comfort and
such hope found in that great truth. Oh, that God would just
allow us to believe it like we should. Lord, make that so. You know,
wouldn't it be a miserable existence to think that everything was
left up to chance, blind chance and luck? My, that just, how
helpless that, miserable that would be. What did Joseph say?
He said, everything's established by God. Everything's established. He'll shortly bring it to pass.
Look at verse 33. Now therefore let Pharaoh look
out a man, discreet and wise, and set him over the land of
Egypt. Joseph told Pharaoh to find a man that was discreet
and wise, the task that lay ahead for Pharaoh. these next 14 years
would be one that should employ a discreet man. And that word
discreet in the English language means to be, we know it means
to be careful and inconspicuous. It means to be subtle and careful
and restrained. But in the Hebrew, discreet means
a totally different thing. It means to be marked. It means
to be separated. It means to be shrewd, well-advised. You see, the task that lay ahead
called for a unique man. It called for a man who was marked
for this appointment. It called for a man who was set
apart for this special work. God had to set this person apart. one who was wise in the things
of the Spirit of God, one who had special insight and knowledge
and wisdom. Look at verse 34. 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
and all those good years that come and lay up corn under the
hand of Pharaoh and let him 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. And the thing was good in the
eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. Pharaoh
and his servants recognized here that Joseph's wisdom was not
of this world. Oh, don't we see again how he
pictures our Lord and Savior. Joseph's wisdom didn't find its
source in the occult magic that Pharaoh's magicians sought after. Joseph had spoken with wisdom
far different from Pharaoh's philosophers. And Pharaoh and
his servants both knew it. They said, there's something
about this young man. There's something different about
him. Our Lord made a profound impression upon those that heard
him speak, didn't he? They said, never man spake like
this man. Never a man spake like him. The
people were astonished at his doctrine. They said that he taught
them as one having authority and not as the scribes did. He taught them, the scriptures
say, in the synagogues, insomuch that they were astonished. And
they said, whence hath this man this wisdom? Now, I want you
to look closely at verse 38. And Pharaoh said unto his servants,
He asked them a question. He said, can we find such a one
as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? And you know,
I read that several times. And when Pharaoh asked here,
when he asked, can we find such a one as this? He wasn't asking
them if they thought they could find a man with those requirements.
That's not what he was doing. Pharaoh was pointing to Joseph.
And he's saying, can we find such a one as this man? Can we
find such a one as this man named Joseph? You know, he was answering
his own question. He was saying, we're not gonna
find a man like this. We're not gonna find a man like
Joseph, a man in whom the Spirit of God is. And I thought to myself,
isn't that what preaching is? That's exactly what preaching
is. We point to Christ in the scriptures. And we ask, can you
find such a one as this? Can you? Can you find such a
one as He? Can you find such a one as the
God-man in whom the Spirit of God dwells in such abundance? Can you find such a one in whom
God is so well pleased? Can you find such a one as this? Can you find such a one that
would cause God to deal with you in love? Can you find such
a one that would enable God to show you grace? Can you find
such a one as this? Can you find one who will give
you acceptance with God? Will you find one who will give
you forgiveness with God? Can you find such a one as Christ
who only He can give you perfect righteousness? Only He can give
you complete justification? Only He can provide you complete
preservation? Can you find such a one who possesses
the Spirit of God without measure? Can you? Can you find such a one as this?
Notice closely. Pharaoh's statement here, he
said, can you find such a one as this, a man, a man in whom
the Spirit of God is. The one that we must find must
be a man. Got to be a man to do us any
good. There's one mediator between
God and man, the man, Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2, 5, only a
perfect man can redeem a fallen man. Only a righteous man can
atone for the sins of a sinful man. The mediator cannot be just
an ordinary man. It has to be a very special and
unique man. It has to be a man who hears
from God. It has to be a man who communicates
with God. It has to be a man whom God hears. It has to be the God-man. There's
only one mediator between God and man, and that's the man,
Christ Jesus. Pharaoh needed a man of God. You and I need a God-man. Pharaoh
said unto his servants, can we find such a one as this? He's
not asking them to go out and find one, he's already found
him. And he points to him and he said, can we find a man like
this one? No, no, no, we found him. Then in the very next verse,
verse 39, Pharaoh said unto Joseph, for as much as God has showed
thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou
art. Pharaoh called all those magicians. Now these weren't the guys in
tuxedos and the big hats that pulled rabbits out. These were
some of the wisest and philosophers in the land of that day. And
when Pharaoh told them the dream, they just looked at each other
and shrugged their shoulders. Oh, I'm telling you, Pharaoh
said, for as much as God has showed thee all this, there's
none so discreet. Remember what we said that word
mean? There's none so wise as thou art. And I can't help but
to think about the Lord Jesus Christ there on five different
occasions in the scriptures. God from heaven said, this is
my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. And if God is well pleased
with Christ the Son, shouldn't we be? Pharaoh, who we know represents
God in this story. And Joseph, who represents Christ. Pharaoh looked at Joseph. He said, can we find one like
this? He found him, hadn't he? You know, if God is well pleased
with Christ his son, then you and I had better be well pleased
with him. Pharaoh was well pleased with
Joseph, and so were all his servants. And I guess the most glorious
thing about that is that if God is well pleased with Christ his
son, and if you and I are found in Christ, God's son, then God's
also well-pleased with us. And that's our only hope of ever
being reconciled to God, that in Christ, God is well-pleased
with you and I. How well-pleased was Pharaoh
with Joseph? We'll look at verse 40. He said,
thou shalt be over my house. And according unto thy word shall
all my people be ruled, and only in the throne will I be greater
than you. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph,
see, I have set thee over all the land. And I was thinking
about that from shame in prison to glory, from a dungeon to a
throne, from being bound in shackles to riding free in a kingly chariot. Joseph was exalted and set over
Egypt, and how beautifully this speaks of Christ. He hung on
Calvary's cross in humiliation and shame, but God has highly
exalted him. He's gone into heaven, the scriptures
say, and he's on the right hand of God, and angels and authorities
and powers being made subject unto him. And he who was once
crucified is now glorified. And he who was murdered on Calvary's
cross has now been placed on a throne of glory, a throne in
glory. And Christ sits on the right
hand of God. And how glorious is the thought
that Christ my Savior, whom the scripture says, being in the
form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made
himself. This is the most remarkable thing.
He thought it not robbery to be counted equal with God because
he was God. But he made himself of no reputation
and he took upon himself the form of a servant and he was
made in the likeness of man. Oh, when you read these verses,
you think about what this is talking about. And being found
in a fashion as a man, he humbled himself. and became obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also
hath highly exalted him." Now, do you know what that means in
just plain old Kentucky language? That means that Jesus Christ
is God. God made himself of no reputation. God took on the form
of a servant. God was made in the likeness
of man. God became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross. God did. Why? Because that's
the only way, the only way that he could justly pay for our sins. God the Son had to satisfy the
holy justice of God the Father. Not just anybody can do that.
Only a perfect man can do that. Only a perfect man. It must be
perfect to be accepted. God accepts nothing less than
perfection. In order for God to be just and
justify the ungodly, he himself had to die for our sin. That's the only way we could
be saved. Anything less than perfect cannot be accepted. Now look at verse 42. And Pharaoh
took off his ring from his hand, and he put it upon Joseph's hand,
and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and he put a gold
chain about his neck. And I'm telling you that Pharaoh's
ring here is much more than just jewelry. It's much more than
just a ring. Oh, it's an insignia. It was a seal. It was his signature. It was Pharaoh's signature. The
king would dip his ring in clay or he would dip his ring in hot
wax and he'd stamp out a decree. And when he put his ring, that
insignia on that document, it was law. It was law. This was Pharaoh's law. Pharaoh, the king's, it was a
decree of the king, is what I'm trying to say. And if Joseph
stamped that ring for you to do something, it was the same
as Pharaoh was saying, do it. How much more so is it with Christ,
our king? Him hath God exalted with his
right hand to be a prince and a savior. Look at verse 43. And he 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 the
land of Egypt. When Joseph rode in his chariot,
the chariot that Pharaoh gave him, the second chariot, next
to Pharaoh alone. All the people bowed their knee
to him in reverence and respect. And I thought about this today,
even Potiphar and his wife. Even Potiphar and his wife. And
on the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the Jews who had crucified
and killed the Savior, he said, therefore, let all the house
of Israel know assuredly that God has made this same Jesus
that you've crucified, he's made him both Lord and Christ. And friends, one day, every knee,
every knee is gonna bow to him. And every tongue is going to
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father. In verse 44, and Pharaoh said
unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee, shall no man lift
up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt." And this simply
means that no one could do anything relating to the affairs of Egypt
without Joseph's permission. He ran the whole shooting match.
Friends, God has commended and he's committed all things unto
the judgment, the power, and the authority of his son. He's put it all into his hands. All the blessings of God are
in his son, all of them. The last thing that we see in
the verses before us tonight is that Joseph receives a new
name from Pharaoh. Verse 45, and Pharaoh called
Joseph's name Zaphnath-peah-neah. Now this is the only time that
name is mentioned in all the Bible. And Joseph is the only
man to ever have this name. The name was an Egyptian name. One dictionary defined it as
a revealer of secrets. I think we mentioned that in
an earlier lesson, a revealer of secrets. Another Hebrew translation,
I think it was Thayer Dictionary, said that it meant treasury of
glorious rest. I like that. I like that. And one other said it meant man
of food and famine. And then the Egyptian meaning
was savior of the world. Again, what a picture we have
of Christ. Zaphnath, Paeonea. Christ is
the divine healer or revealer of the hidden mysteries of God. All things are delivered unto
him. No man knows God but the Son and to whom the Son will
reveal him. If you are ever to see God as
He is, as He's described in this group, I mean truly see Him with
eyes of faith, it's Christ who reveals Him to you. And in these
last days, how does God speak to His people? By His Son. That small, still voice that
believers hear is none other than the voice of God. the voice
of Christ, the voice of his spirit. And if you're gonna hear from
God, if God's going to bless you, if God's gonna save you,
if God's gonna forgive you, if God's gonna put away your sin,
it's gonna be by his son. And we see that everywhere we
look in scripture. Secondly, Christ is the treasury
of glorious rest, isn't he? I'll take that definition any
day, because that's exactly what he is. to believers. Our rest is secured by Him substituting
Himself in the chosen sinner's place and appeasing the wrath
of God for them and against them. And you know, I can rest. I can
really rest in knowing that my sin's been put away. My sin's
been paid for. If you're trusting in Christ
to do for you what you cannot do for yourself, can't you just
rest? It's done. It's finished. It's
accomplished. Your sin's gone. That won't mean
much to someone who doesn't really think that God's going to punish
sin. But to one who knows something about the holy justice of God,
that'll be a treasury full of rest. Christ is a man of food
and famine. When does a man need bread the
most? When he's starving. Christ is
the bread of life in a famine. Oh, I remember when my soul was
parched and a mile near it was just dead, dead. Oh, Christ is a living. He who partakes of him will live
forever, the scripture says. And then Christ is the savior
of the world. Zaphnath paeonea means savior
of the world. Joseph was savior of the world
in the sense that he provided, as we'll see, all the provisions
needed during that famine. We've said this more than once,
but when we get into the next chapter, We'll see it even more
clearly. If you were going to get corn,
you had to get it through Joseph. We trust in the living God, the
scripture says, who's the savior of all men. And then it says,
especially of those that believe. And you take a scripture like
that, 1 Timothy 4.10, I believe it is. You know, people just
say, see right there, he's the savior of the whole world. Well,
does Christ not cause the sun to rise on the good and on the
evil, and he sends the rain on the just and the unjust? In that
sense, he is savior. He's Savior of the whole world.
And that is the light in which we understand a verse like that.
He's the Savior, but especially, especially to them that believe. God, Christ is the Savior of
all men in a providential way. He gives us breath, He provides
us all our necessities, He sustains all that is necessary to life,
but my Jesus Christ is specially savior to those that believe.
Do you believe? I believe, but Lord, help thou
my unbelief. That's something I pray every
day. Lord, I believe, I really do, but help my unbelief. I need help, I need help to believe
more. Wherefore God also hath highly
exalted him, and given him the name which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue
confess that he is Lord. Joseph's brethren would one day
very soon see that their lives depended on the very one whom
they had dealt so treacherously with. And do you see that your
life depends solely on Christ with whom you and your sin have
dealt treacherously with? Joseph's brothers would bow to
him. He had told them long before
in a dream that that day was coming. Christ's true brethren
will bow to him. The sustenance of physical life
was in Joseph's hand, but the sustenance of eternal life is
in Christ's hand. I hope we see the difference
there in the type. I bet, I just bet, though I'm
not a betting man, I just would wager that the multitudes that
Joseph fed, said, thank God for Joseph. Don't you just imagine? Thank God for Joseph. Do you
thank God for Christ? We certainly should if we've
tasted that the Lord is gracious. Have you tasted that the Lord's
gracious? Thou shall call his name Zaphnath Panea, savior of
the world. But the Bible says thou shall
call his name Jesus. For he shall save his people
from their sin. He shall. And that's where we
rest. That's where we find our hope
and comfort. And may God continue, as Larry prayed, to enable us
to cling to him and him alone. All righty. Appreciate your attention. Paul, would you dismiss us?