Joseph - Part 5

Q: What does the Bible say about grace and mercy?

The Bible speaks of grace as God's unmerited favor and mercy as His compassion toward sinners in need of forgiveness. Grace and mercy are central themes throughout Scripture, showcasing God's love and compassion for humanity. Grace is defined as the unearned favor of God. In Ephesians 2:8-9, we are reminded that we are saved by grace through faith, not of ourselves; it is the gift of God. Mercy, on the other hand, emphasizes God's compassion towards those who are sinful and in need of pardon. As seen in Joseph's treatment of his brothers, true mercy involves recognizing the plight of others and responding with kindness and forgiveness, despite their failures. Joseph's actions mirror the heart of Christ, who extends grace and mercy to all who come to Him in faith.

Q: How do we understand God's sovereignty in difficult times?

God's sovereignty assures us that He is in control of all events, working them for our ultimate good and His glory. The sovereignty of God is a comforting doctrine for Christians, especially in times of trial. Joseph's life exemplifies this, as he endured betrayal, slavery, and imprisonment, yet God used those very hardships to position him for a greater purpose: to save many lives during a famine (Genesis 50:20). This teaches us that God is orchestrating every event in our lives according to His divine plan, as stated in Romans 8:28, where Paul assures us that God works all things together for good for those who love Him. Understanding God's sovereignty means trusting that His plans are perfect and that His intentions, though often mysterious, are always for our ultimate benefit and His glory.

Q: Why is the story of Joseph significant in understanding redemption?

Joseph's story foreshadows Christ's redemptive work, highlighting themes of betrayal, suffering, and ultimate reconciliation. The story of Joseph is rich with themes of redemption and serves as a powerful typology of Christ. Joseph, who was betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery, later became a savior for them during a time of famine, demonstrating how betrayal can lead to divine reconciliation (Genesis 50:20). This parallels the New Testament, where Christ, betrayed by His own, suffered and died to reconcile sinners to God. Just as Joseph had the power to save, so does Christ, whose sacrifice and resurrection provide the ultimate redemption for mankind. Additionally, Joseph's ability to forgive his brothers reflects the grace that believers are called to extend to others, reminding us of how we are forgiven in Christ and thus empowered to forgive.

Turn with me now to Genesis 43. As I told you in the Bible study, we're going to move quickly. I'm at the mercy of the Lord making this to be a blessing. That's always the case. But I do pray he will make this to be a blessing. Ask the Lord to help you enter into this and stay focused on this because we're going to move very quickly. I really would like to finish this in one message. I'm going to read more verse by verse in the beginning. and then start hitting the high spot verses toward the end of the message.

So, here we go. The Bible study we just had a moment ago from Genesis 42, that pictured what takes place in the call and conversion of one of God's people. It is a shocking revelation of sin. It is a fearful revelation of God's holiness. And it is a humbling revelation of grace.

Jacob and his family, they were famished. There was a famine in the land. They were famished, but he heard that there was one in Egypt who could provide bread. So he sent his sons to go buy some. This is what we just looked at in the Bible study. He sent his sons to go buy some. And his evil, wicked, sinful sons ended up standing before their own brother Joseph, who they despised and sold and lied on and left for dead.

As a picture of Christ, he ended up being the only one who could save them and keep them alive. I'm ready to go. That's good enough for me. I like that. He dealt harshly with them and caused them to know their sin. But he dealt graciously with them, and he filled their sacks with corn, and he returned all the money to them that they'd brought to buy the corn with. His mercy was great toward them, and his grace was free. And we're about to see now that in his purpose, he is about to gather all of his own to himself. That's what he's about to do.

Now chapter 43 starts by saying in verse 1, And the famine was sore in the land. Just because they had seen Joseph and received mercy and grace from Joseph, that doesn't mean they were fully removed from their famine. And just because God's people have with the eyes of faith seen Christ and received mercy and grace from Christ, that does not mean that his people have been fully removed from this world of sin that is in them and around them.

We need mercy and grace today. We need it for today. We need it each and every day. We cannot live on yesterday's mercy. We need it to start over brand new every single morning. because we're still living in the midst of this famine. We need our Lord Jesus Christ to give more grace every single day. Verse one, the famine was sore in the land and it came to pass when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, go again, buy us a little food.

And Judah spake unto him, Judah, one of Jacob's sons, spake unto him saying, The man," and that's speaking of Joseph, "...the man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, You shall not see my face, except your brother be with you." Now in this moment, and quite a bit for the rest of this message, Benjamin, the youngest brother, they had to go back and get this younger brother.

He is a picture of Christ. He's a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. God has said, you cannot see my face and live without Christ, outside of Christ. You will only be accepted in the blood of Christ. That's it. You come any other way, you will not be accepted. Our Lord Jesus Christ said, no man comes to the Father but by me. That's the only way.

So verse three, Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, You shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food. But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down.

For the man said unto us, You shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. And Israel, or Jacob, said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether you had yet a brother? And they said, The man asked us straightly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? Have you another brother? And we told him according to the tenor of these words, Could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down? He said, we couldn't help it.

The valley was exalted. The crooked was made straight. The rough places were made plain. The woman at the well cried, come see a man who knows everything about me. Is not this the Christ? He knows everything about me. He knew to ask, do you have another brother at home? All knowledge, all wisdom, all understanding.

Verse 11 says, And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so, now do this. Take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels and carry down the man a present, a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds. and take double money in your hand, and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sack. Carry it again in your hand, peradventure it was an oversight. Take also your brother and arise, go again unto the man, and God Almighty give you mercy before that man, that he may send away your other brother and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I'm bereaved. And the men took that present and they took double money in their hand and Benjamin and rose up and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph. And when Joseph saw Benjamin. Now again, here's a picture within the picture. When the father saw Christ.

During the Passover, you remember the story of the Passover in Exodus 12, as death was coming to the entire land, every house, every house, death, death, death, God the Father said, when I see the blood, when I see the blood of my son, the lamb slain, I'll pass over you. Life will come to you, it'll come to all your house. What's the condition? When I see my son.

Verse 16, and when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, bring these men home and slay, kill an animal, prepare meat. and make ready, for these men shall dine with me at noon." He said, for Benjamin's sake, they're all going to be accepted into my home, and they're going to dine at my table.

Verse 17, and the man that the servant did as Joseph bade, and the man brought the men into Joseph's house, And the men, Joseph's brothers, were afraid because they were brought into Joseph's house. And they said, because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time, or we brought in, that he may seek occasion against us and fall upon us and take us for bondmen and our asses. And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house and they communed with him at the door of the house and said, Oh, sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food.

And it came to pass when we came to the inn that we opened our sacks and behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. And we have brought it again in our hand. And the other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food.

We cannot tell who put our money in our sacks." They said, Sir, we sinned on our record in the beginning and we have sinned on our record in the end. Our standing in our flesh is not good. We don't have a leg to stand on. as we say it down here in the South. All our righteousnesses are filthy rags. We need mercy again. We plead and beg for mercy again, verse 23.

And he said, the steward said, representing the Spirit of God, and he said, peace be unto you, fear not. Your God And the God of your father hath given you treasure in your sacks. I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them. He said, Peace be unto you. Your warfare is accomplished. Your iniquity is pardoned. You've received of the Lord's hand double for all your sin. Here's your money."

They were holding Simeon in prison while they went and got Benjamin. Here's your money and here's your brother. Verse 24, and the man brought the men into Joseph's house and gave them water and they washed their feet and he gave their asses for vendor and they made ready the present against Joseph. who was to come at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there. And what was the present?

It was thanks unto him. That's what it was. Thanks unto him. That's all that a sinner has to offer to God. Oh, give thanks for he is good, for his mercy, for his grace, for all of his saving provision he supplied to us. Give thanks. Verse 26, and when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house and bowed themselves to him to the earth.

And he asked them of their welfare and said, is your father well? The old man of whom you spake, is he yet alive? And they answered him, the servant, thy servant, our father, is in good health. He is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads and made obeisance. And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, is this your younger brother of whom you spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son. And Joseph made haste.

Now, think about this as we read this, okay? This right here is a picture of Christ. This is the heart of Christ toward his people. What we're about to read, this is the heart of the Lord Jesus Christ toward his people. This is his love that he has for them. We only love him because he loved us like this. Verse 29. He lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, is this your younger brother of whom you spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son. And Joseph made haste.

That means he left the room quickly. For his heart, that's what bowels means, his heart did yearn upon his brother. And he sought where to weep. And he entered into his chamber and wept there. You know, when our Lord wept at Lazarus's tomb, every person who stood around and saw it said, behold, how he loved him. Just look at how he loved him. Our Lord wept for Jerusalem before its destruction. Oh, Jerusalem.

But the glorious news of the gospel is our Lord did not weep in a way where He couldn't do anything about it. That's how we weep, but that's not how He wept. His weeping endured for a season, the season of the cross. His sorrow endured through the night of his bearing the darkness of our sin. He soaked the bed of his grave in tears. But come the light of the morning, there was nothing left but joy. Weeping endured for a season, but the end result of it was eternal joy. Verse 30, And Joseph made haste, for his bowels did yearn upon his brother, and he sought where to weep. And he entered into his chamber and wept there.

And he washed his face and went out and refrained himself and said, Set on bread. and they set on for him by himself." That means he ate by himself. And for them, by themselves, his brothers ate by themselves. And for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves, because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. Our Lord Jesus Christ was touched with the feeling of our infirmities, yet without sin. He who was made in the very likeness of sinful flesh, by the sacrifice of himself, condemned sin in his flesh. And he accomplished every bit of that alone, by himself. He ate that bread alone. Verse 33.

And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth. They sat in order. And the men marveled one at another. And he took and sent messes unto them, plates of food. He took and sent messes unto them from before him. But Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him. The least of all the brethren was made to be the greatest. The last was made to be first. The most humbled was the most exalted.

That's Christ. That's a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. All right, now they're getting ready to leave. They've had dinner. They're getting ready to leave. And these brothers have seen something of Joseph's greatness. They've seen something of his mercy and something of his grace. But he has not revealed himself to them yet. He has not revealed himself to them yet.

So he's going to do something again to bring them back to him. And that's how it is with our Lord. through the conviction of sin, He lovingly, mercifully keeps bringing us back to Him. He just keeps bringing us back to Him. Chapter 44, verse 1 says, And He commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry. and put every man's money in his sack's mouth. Mercy is still great. Grace is still free. You keep coming back, still going to be great. It's still going to be free.

Verse two, and this is what he said, put my cup. You put my cup. And this is a picture of Christ's cup. His cup of redemption, His cup of the New Testament of His blood. Verse 2, put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest. That's Benjamin. As a type of Christ, he bore the cup. Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest and his corn money, and he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses, and when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men, and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have you rewarded evil for good? Is not this it in which my Lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth, or he has the ability to judge you for this? You've done evil in so doing. Joseph told his servants, you go over, take them, you find the cup and you ask them the cup that Joseph drank. Are you going to drink from the same cup? Spiritually speaking. Are you going to steal that glory from him? Are you going to add your works in salvation to him? No, no, no. That's what they answered with. No, not under us. Oh, Lord, not under us. Verse seven. They said unto him, wherefore, saith my Lord, these words, God forbid that that servant should do anything. Should do according to this thing.

But look at verse 12, he searched and began at the eldest and left at the youngest and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. Again, as a picture of Christ, the lot fell on him. And I'm going to let me just speed up a little bit here. Let me just tell you in verse 13, they took him back to Egypt. They had to go back to Joseph's house. That's the most merciful place they could have been taken. Back to Joseph's house.

Verse 16, Judah said, What shall we say unto my Lord? What shall we speak? How shall we clear ourselves? All we can say is we're sinners before you. That's what he's saying. We're begging from there again, begging for. Is this not the life of a believer? Lord, I beg you for mercy. I'm begging for mercy. What I'm doing here is I'm begging for mercy. We need mercy. We're so sorry. We're just begging for mercy. This is the life of a believer. We need mercy.

And Joseph ended up telling him, you can all go, but Benjamin is staying here with me to be my slave. He's going to stay here and serve me. And Judah said, I beg you for my father Jacob's sake, keep me instead of him. It's a picture of Christ. Seek me, let them go.

Let everybody else go. He said, it'll kill my father of a broken heart. Nothing but sin has come from him. Nothing but sin has come to him. For mercy's sake, keep me, let Benjamin go. Sin upon sin has ruined us. That's all we are, is ruined in sin. Please be merciful to us. Chapter 45, verse 1. Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by. And he cried, cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud.

And the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph. Doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him, for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near, and he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.

Now therefore be not grieved nor angry with yourselves that you sold me hither for God did send me before you to preserve life. He said all this was ordered by God for the purpose of saving your lives. Verse nine, he said, haste ye and go up to my father and say unto him, thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me Lord of all Egypt, come down unto me, tarry not. He said, you go and say, this is your message. Fear not thou worm Jacob and you men of Israel, I'll help you. I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Look at verse 14.

And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept. And Benjamin wept upon his neck. Can you imagine the moment the Lord reveals himself to us? What this union, it's a reunion, I don't know what it is, but can you imagine it? Verse 15, moreover, he kissed all his brethren and wept on them. And after that, his brethren talked with him.

And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come. And it pleased Pharaoh well and his servants. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye. laid your beasts and go get you unto the land of Canaan and take your father and your households and come unto me and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt and you shall eat the fat of the land.

Now thou art commanded this do ye, take your wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives and bring your father and come and regard not your stuff. You don't need it. You don't need anything there. I got everything you need right here. You just come naked. Regard not your stuff, for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours. You go get them. That's what he said. You go get them. You go get them from all of their ruined, deserted land and you bring them to the house of bread.

Verse 21, and the children of Israel did so. And Joseph gave them wagons according to the commandment of Pharaoh and gave them provision for the way. To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment, but to Benjamin he gave 300 pieces of silver and five changes of raiment. And to his father he sent, after this manner, ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she-asses laden with corn, and bread, and meat for his father by the way. So he sent his brethren away, and they departed. And he said unto them, See that you fall not out by the way.

And then when they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan, unto Jacob their father, and told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he's governor over all the land of Egypt. Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not. And they told him all the words of Joseph which he had said unto them. And when Jacob saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived. And Israel said, it is enough. Joseph, my son is yet alive. That's enough. That's all I need. That's all I needed to hear. He lives. That's all I needed to hear. I'll go and see him before I die.

Chapter 46, and Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. And God spake unto Israel in the vision of the night and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said, I'm God, the God of thy father.

Fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great nation. I will go down with thee into Egypt, and I will also surely bring thee up again, and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.' And Jacob rose up from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father and their little ones and their wives in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. And they took their cattle and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt. Jacob and all his seed with him, his sons and his sons' sons with him, his daughters and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt."

Look at verse 29. And Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him, and he fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while. And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive. I can die in peace. Mine eyes have seen salvation.

Chapter 47 verse 11 says, And Joseph placed his father and his brethren and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Ramses, as Pharaoh had commanded. And Joseph nourished his father and his brethren and all his father's household with bread according to their families. Verse 27.

And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen. And they had possessions therein, and grew and multiplied exceedingly. And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the whole age of Jacob was one hundred forty and seven years. And the time drew nigh that Israel must die.

And he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt. But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place. And he said, I will do as thou hast said. And he said, Swear unto me, and he swore unto him.

And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head. Chapter 49, verse 33 says, And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people. chapter 50 verse 1, and Joseph fell upon his father's face and wept upon him and kissed him.

Verse 15, and when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, thy father did command before he died, saying, so shall you say unto Joseph, forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren and their sin, for they did unto thee evil. And now we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. Such tender compassion. Verse 18, And his brethren also went and fell down before his face, and they said, Behold, we are thy servants.

And Joseph said unto them, Fear not, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you thought evil against me. But God meant it unto good to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore, fear ye not, I will nourish you and your little ones. And he comforted them and spake kindly unto them. He said, everything that you did, you meant it for evil, but God meant every bit of it for good. All things work together for good. to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.

Verse 22, Joseph dwelt in Egypt. He and his father's house and Joseph lived 110 years and Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation The children also of Makar the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die, and God will surely visit you and bring you out of this land, unto the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from hence. And Joseph died, being 110 years old, and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. Joseph died, and Christ died. But Christ has risen, and behold, he's alive forevermore. And the story of his redemption will live on with him. It'll live on with him forever. Aren't we glad? Amen.

Joseph - Part 5

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What does the Bible say about grace and mercy?

How do we understand God's sovereignty in difficult times?

Why is the story of Joseph significant in understanding redemption?

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Joseph - Part 5

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about grace and mercy?

How do we understand God's sovereignty in difficult times?

Why is the story of Joseph significant in understanding redemption?

Sermon Transcript

About Gabe Stalnaker

Comments

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