Pharaoh Serves in Joseph's Court

Genesis chapter 41, Pharaoh serves in Joseph's court. No, that's not a misprint. That's exactly how it's supposed to read. Although Joseph was number two in Egypt, it truly was Pharaoh who would serve Joseph.

Joseph was the man and God elevated him to a supreme position in Egypt. We want to talk about that this morning. He has learned something that most of us have a hard time learning. And that is this adequacy in reaching my most valued goal in spite of great suffering over unmet desires. That's contentment adequacy in reaching my most valued goal in spite of great suffering over unmet desires. He was able to reach his most valued goal and that was to give glory and honor to his God. You see, a goal is something that you have complete control over.

A desire is something you have no control over, but can only influence. A goal is something that you can control, and that is your attitude on how or whether or not you will glorify the Lord God of the universe. You can control that. You can decide today whether or not you will glorify the Lord. Now, tomorrow, the next day, whatever situation you find yourself in, you're going to put God on display. You're going to give him the glory. You're going to make sure that other people see him in your attitude.

That's the most valued goal. And Paul would say, we are to give glory to God in every situation, whether you eat or whether you drink. You're to do all to his glory and honor. That, my friend, is the supreme definition of contentment. And today, you can be content in whatever situation you find yourself if you decide to give glory to God no matter where you're at, no matter what happens to you, in spite of great suffering over unmet desires. Joseph was that kind of man. Joseph gave glory to God in spite of great suffering over unmet desires.

Do you think he wanted to be in a pit? Wanted to be in prison? Wanted to be lied about? Wanted to be mistreated? Wanted to be abandoned? No, he didn't want any of that stuff. You don't want it either. But when those things happen, his main goal, his main objective was to do the only thing he can control, and that is to put his God on display. And you can decide whether or not you will do that today or tomorrow. In every situation, you decide whether or not you're going to do that. That's what made Joseph the man he was.

That's what made Paul the man he was. They decided to put God on display. And when you do that, guess what? Everybody else sees your God, and that's what read about Joseph. They all saw his God. They all saw something about Joseph that made him unique, made him different than everybody else, because that's what he wanted to do. Today, in Genesis 41, Pharaoh will serve in Joseph's court. How did God prepare him? Four points I want you to see in our study today. Number one is Joseph's preparation.

Number two, Joseph's position. Number three, I want you to notice with me, Joseph's plan. And number four, Joseph's progeny. It's a tremendous lesson that we'll learn today. You will leave this place encouraged if, if you make it your one objective to glorify and honor your God. Joseph's preparation. How did he get to where he was? Would you notice with me two things?

Number one, God's timing. Number two, God's tools. This is important for you. It's important for me. God's timing is always perfect, right? God's timing is always perfect, and God's tools always perfect. See how easy that is? Did you get that? God's timing is always perfect. God's tools always perfect. Let's look at it.

First of all, God's timing. God is timeless. He's outside of time, right? We call it the eternal nature of God. That's so hard for you not to understand, right? He exists outside of the realms and the confines of time. He created time. God is timeless. And because our God is outside of time, the Bible tells us in Revelation chapter one, verse number eight, I am the alpha and the omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. Now that's a power-packed verse. God says, I am the alpha and the omega.

That's everything from A to Z. I am omniscient. Remember he said to the religious leaders in John 8, verse number 58, before Abraham was, I am. He didn't say before Abraham was, I was. No, that would date him. That would make him old. But God's eternal. Before Abraham was, I am. You see, he is outside the realm of time. Can you fathom that? I have a hard time understanding that. That's important. Because you see, as we read through the book of Genesis, we see Joseph's life, and we see what's happening day after day after day.

He could not read Genesis 41. He couldn't read Genesis 42 and 43 and 44. He couldn't read those things. We can. We know what's going to happen next. Joseph didn't. Just like you don't know what's going to happen next, but God does. Because he's outside the realm of time. God is timeless. His timing is therefore always perfect. Always. His tools, always perfect. Can I share with you those tools? Number one.

The first tool that God used in Joseph's life was that he was forsaken by his family. He was forsaken by his family. You read Genesis chapter 37. They hated him. They despised him. They wanted to kill him. They sold him to the Ishmaelites. They wanted nothing to do with him. He was forsaken by his family. Tool number two.

He was sold into slavery. He was sold into slavery. To be forsaken by family's rejection, to be sold into slavery is humiliation. He was the favorite son of his father. He had everything going for him. Now he has nothing. Now he's a slave in Egypt. He had to learn a culture. He had to learn a language he did not know. But he was sold into slavery. And then he was tried and tempted. From rejection to humiliation to temptation. He was sold into slavery. He was in Potiphar's home. And of course it was Potiphar's wife who would seduce him and go after him all that she possibly could with everything that she had.

And he resisted her. He didn't have the verse, you know, that if you hide the word of God in your heart, you're not going to sin against God. He didn't know that verse. It wasn't written yet. But he knew to be faithful. He knew to honor his God and to live for his God. Because he knew his God, he could refrain from succumbing to temptation. So he went from rejection to humiliation to temptation to number three, persecution.

Why? Because he was placed into prison. He didn't deserve to be there. He was lied about. The truth was he did nothing wrong. The truth was he was faithful to God. The truth was he was obedient to his maker. The truth was he wasn't going to sin. And because he wasn't going to sin, he paid for it. In prison, God would use the tools of being forsaken by family, sold into slavery, tried and tempted, placed into prison and forgotten by friends. Isolation. Isolation. He was left all alone. The cup bearer forgot about him.

The cup bearer didn't remember him. It would be two more years before the cell door would open and they would ask for Joseph to come out. He was involved in isolation. You see, those were Joseph's preparations and they were all designed to perfect the man. They were all designed to purify the man. They were all designed to mature the man. They were all designed to make him ready for the position that he would have in Genesis chapter 41. But Joseph didn't know what position he was going to have. Did he?

All he knew is that his God needed to be put on display wherever he was and that's what he did. And God was preparing him. You say, well couldn't God prepare him another way? Couldn't God prepare him on the island of Tahiti someplace? Couldn't he prepare him by giving him a lot of money? Couldn't he prepare him by being nice to him? Oh, God was being more than nice. God was being great because God was making Joseph into a great man. Oh, I wish God could prepare us that way. I wish he would, but the tools he uses are tools to take away the dross.

We have lots of dross on us, lots of impurities on us, and God wants to wash us from those things and make us like refiners gold, pure gold, so people will see Jesus Christ in and through our lives. He used him in a mighty way. I think of Joseph's isolation. Joseph was alone an awful lot, wasn't he? Had to stand by himself. You know, great leaders have to stand by themselves. So many times we want to be surrounded by people who will like us and accept us, but Joseph had to stand by himself. And what makes a man great is his ability to stand alone when nobody else will stand with him.

In fact, he even likes being alone because it's in those times he knows that it's his God and him, and that relationship is deepened. Remember the words of our Lord in John 16? He was talking to his men. He said these words, Do you now believe? Do you now believe? Verse number 31. And imagine that there's a pause. There's no pause between 31 and 32, but just imagine there's a pause there. Christ asks a question. They said, By this we believe that you came from God. Disciples are affirming on the night of the eve before the crucifixion that Jesus is from God.

They're affirming this. And Christ responds, Do you now believe? Pause. Maybe each of the disciples look at one another.

Yeah, yeah, we believe. Jesus says this. Behold, the hour is coming. Hen has already come for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave me alone. Ah, that's a great verse. To leave me alone. And yet, here it is, I am not alone. And then he says this. Because the Father is with me. Oh, he gives them the answer. There's coming an hour. Behold, an hour that's already come. It's upon us. It's here. That you're all going to be scattered. In other words, you're all going to be by yourselves.

You're all going to be alone. You're all going to be isolated. And you're going to leave me alone. And then he says, Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. You see, he's telling them the answer to their problems. When you're alone, guess what? My Father's with you. He's there. And if you're going to lead, if you're going to be my disciples, if you're going to lead the way for Christianity, if you're going to build the church, if you're going to be part of that process, let me tell you something.

You're going to be isolated. You're going to be alone. And they were. They all died a martyr's death, except for one. That was John who was exiled to the island of Patmos. He was really alone. But they all had to stand alone. But the Father was with them. I think of Joseph. He had to stand alone. I think of our high school students who need to stand alone in their high schools, in their junior high schools, our college students who need to stand alone in the workplace. You need to stand alone with your God.

Let me tell you something. If you stand for God, you will stand alone. It's inevitable. If you do what God says, you're alone, even in the church.

I hate to say it that way. Even in the church, because many people in the church don't want to be alone. They don't want to stand up by themselves. Joseph, think of the men in the Bible. They all stood alone. And yet their Father was with them. God was with them. And that's the secret of contentment. Again, Joseph's preparation. Two things. God's timing is always perfect. God's tools always perfect, always purified. And so wherever you are at, whatever you're doing right now, and I don't know where you're at in your family, but you look at it and say, okay, God, I know you have a perfect timing for everything.

And because your timing's perfect, I know that you have a plan for me. And that plan is to perfect my life so that I might better honor and glorify your name. And I want to be prepared as Joseph was prepared. You know, we read the story of Joseph. We say, oh man, I wish I could be like Joe was. Joe was just a great guy, man. He could do everything, man. He was used of God in a mighty way in Egypt and in Israel, in his family. What an impact he made. But the route he took to get there, we don't want any part of.

And that's why you'll never be like Joseph. You'd be like 90% of the other Christians, but not like Joseph. Isn't that what you want? Sure it is. That's Joseph's preparation. Second thing I want you to see is Joseph's position.

Six areas. Number one, geographical. He had geographic responsibility. The text says in Genesis chapter 41, verse number 41, these words, I have set you over all the land of Egypt. Can you imagine the expanse of the land of Egypt? His position geographically was that he was over the entire land of Egypt, over its cities, over its pyramids, over its people. He was the man. And then not only was it a geographical position, it was a financial position because he gave him his signet ring. The signet ring was used by the king to place his symbol in soft clay to prove that it had the authority behind the stamp.

And Joseph received that. It'd be like receiving a platinum visa card from the president saying here, it's all yours. Buy whatever you want, whatever you want, for as many people as you want, it's yours. That's what Joseph had. He had financial position. He had geographical position. He had social position. He had a social status. Why? He was given this fine linen to wear. He was given a golden chain. He went from the chain gang to the golden chain. I mean, can you imagine? This man had status. I mean, he was dressed to the hilt.

And then he had a royal position. I mean, he would have his own chariot, and he would go down the streets, and there'd be a group of men who would go before him, like they went before the pharaoh, and they would yell, bow the knee, bow the knee, bow the knee. And everybody would have to bow the knee and have his own chariot. He didn't ask for anything, did he? He didn't ask for that to happen. No one in the text would say, well, could I have this too? Could you give me that? He was as flabbergasted as anybody else was, probably more so.

And then there was that political status, that political position, Joseph's greatest honor. It says down in verse number 44, without your permission, no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. That's political power. They had to come to him. That's why we have entitled this Pharaoh serves in Joseph's court, because nobody could do anything in the land without Joseph's permission. Nobody could. Not pharaoh's permission, Joseph's permission. And then he had familial position. He was given a wife.

He was given a new name, Zathnath-pa-aniah, which means savior of the world. Oh man, what an amazing thing. And it all happened when he was 30 years of age, 30 years. You think he's 55, 65, getting up. No, he's 30, 30 years old. He becomes the key man in Egypt at 30 years of age. Wow, God did a great work. I was thinking of Joseph's position and immediately made me think of my position and your position. And immediately made me think of the things that I received that I never asked for. As Joseph received a new position, so you too receive a new position, not because of what you did, but because of who God is.

Joseph's preparation, Joseph's position. Thirdly, Joseph's plan. And that brings us to our text today. Genesis chapter 41, verse number 46. Now Joseph was 30 years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. And during the seven years of plenty, the land brought forth abundantly. So he gathered all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt and placed the food in the cities. He placed in every city, the food from its own surrounding fields.

Then Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea until he stopped measuring it for it was beyond measure. The first thing I want you to know about Joseph's plan is his storing up of the grain.

Joseph didn't ask for the position. Joseph just accepted the position. I mean, it was better than being in prison, right? Sure. So he accepts the position and he does exactly what he said needed to happen. He would store up the grain. And the Bible says that there was so much grain, he had to stop measuring it because there was too much.

Can you imagine that? God supplies us. God said there's going to be an abundance. And guess what? There was an abundance just like God said. Joseph's plan was to store the grain. Number two was to sell the grain.

Look down at verse number 53. When the seven years of plenty, which had been in the land of Egypt came to an end and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said, then there was famine in all the lands. But in all the land of Egypt, there was bread. So when all the land of Egypt was famished, people cried out to Pharaoh for bread. And Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, go to Joseph. He's in charge. Go to Joseph. Whatever he says to you, you shall do. You see, Pharaoh served in Joseph's court.

When the famine had spread over the face of the earth, then Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. And the people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph because the famine was severe in all the earth. Joseph would sell the grain. He didn't give him the grain. He sold it. Why? If he just gave it away before the seven years was up, he wouldn't have enough left. But because he sold them the grain, they had to be wise towards their money, right?

They had money. They didn't have any food. And there would be enough to take him to the seven years of famine. Joseph had a great plan. And God used him to fulfill that plan by placing him in a position by fully preparing him for that plan. Isn't that great? You see, I read this and I think, you know, God did exactly what he said he was going to do. Exactly what he said he was going to do. I love that. God promises a day that they'll come and test upon the whole world. Not just part of the world, but the whole world.

To test those who dwell upon the earth. That's a phrase used over 10 times in the book of Revelation to describe the unbeliever. Those whose permanent home is here on earth. They're called earth dwellers versus those whose home is in heaven. And that test will come upon the whole world. God promises it. But you know what? There are many people that don't believe that. That ain't gonna happen. Or comes to fruition. I'll give my life to God then. Know what my answer to that is? No, you won't. You won't.

I don't care what books you've read recently. You won't. Because this book says you won't. In fact, it says these words in Revelation chapter 16. As the bowls of wrath are being poured out upon the earth. And the fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun. And it was given to it to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with fierce heat. And they blaspheme the name of God who has the power over these plagues. And they did not repent so as to give him glory. Does it say they repented? It says they didn't repent.

And then it says this. The fifth angel poured out his bowl upon the throne of the beast. And his kingdom became dark. And they gnawed their tongues because of pain. And they blaspheme the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. And they did not repent of their deeds. Let me tell you something.

Don't be taken by by the fact that listen if if the tribulation period comes upon the whole earth. I'll give my life to Christ then. No you won't. Bible is very clear. Though the bowls are being poured out upon man they did not repent. In fact it says this when the seventh bowl was poured out. It says this in every island fled away. And the mountains were not found. And huge hailstones about 100 pounds each. Can you imagine a hailstone 100 pounds? Came down from heaven upon men. And men instead of repenting.

Instead of saying oh God have mercy upon me. The text says they blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail. Because its plague was extremely severe. They blasphemed his name. They did not repent. That's why the Bible says today is the day of salvation.

Today if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts. It's in the day of provocation. Don't do that. Because today is a day. Because it's coming a day where there will be a tribulation that will encompass the entire world. And then it will be too late. The last thing I want you to see is Joseph's progeny. Back to Genesis chapter 41. It says in verse number 50. Now before the year of famine came two sons were born to Joseph. Whom Asenath the daughter of Potiphar a priest of arm bore to him. And Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh.

For he said God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household. And he named the second Ephraim.

For he said God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction. This is so good. Two boys. Manasseh and Ephraim. Manasseh means God has caused me to forget. And Ephraim means God has caused me to be fruitful. Or literally doubly fruitful. Now this is so good. Joseph says I'm gonna name my first boy Manasseh because God has caused me to forget my past.

Can you imagine that? Does that mean that Joseph forgot that he was sold in slavery? No. Does that mean that Joseph forgot that he was mistreated by his brothers and rejected by his family? No. Does that mean that Joseph forgot about Potiphar's wife and how she lied about him? No. No. What does it mean? It means that God caused Joseph to forget about the pain associated with all those events. That's what it means. God removed the sting. God removed the pain. You see it wasn't because he received a new wardrobe and got a new chariot and got a new place to live and got the signet ring.

I mean buying new clothes and getting a new car and buying a new house. You know I mean all that stuff does is suppress the pain of the past. It doesn't cause you to forget the pain of the past. But for Joseph he says God has caused me to forget the pain associated with the past. You know as well as I do you don't forget what happened in the past. When the Bible says that that Christ removes your sins as far as east from the west and throws them into the deepest sea and remembers them no more.

Does that mean he forgot that you were a sinner? It means that he refuses to ever bring them up again to you. God didn't forget anything. It's like you're not going to forget. But the pain involved in those events God can cause you forget all of that. And then he had another son and this is even better because he named him Ephraim which means that God has caused me to be fruitful. Where does it say God caused me to be fruitful? In his land of what? His land what's the text say? Of his affliction.

That's where. He see he is still recognizing God in every event of his life. He is totally giving glory to God for everything. Oh he might be robed in Egyptian garb but underneath there's a heart totally surrendered and submitted to God above. He says God has caused me to forget and God has caused me to be fruitful. Literally doubly fruitful. Meaning this you will never be fruitful in the present if you don't forget the past. Can you remember that? You will never be fruitful today unless you forget yesterday.

And there are so many people who harbor resentment and bitterness and anger over past events and they are seething inside. They are boiling inside and waiting for the day to get revenge. And all the while in the present they are miserable. They are not fruitful. They don't even see the hand of God in their lives because God can't work in a heart like that. I should rephrase that. God won't work in a heart like that. And Joseph he's the example. What's he say? Look what God has done. All of it the pain is gone and God has made me fruitful.

He has blessed my life and I give him glory. If the story ended here wouldn't it be great? If the story ended here it'd be oh man this is the greatest story I've ever read. It doesn't end here. This is just the beginning of the end of the story. You won't want to miss next week. Let's pray.