CSSA 1-1-13 - JOSEPH - RULER IN EGYPT

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13. JOSEPH - RULER IN EGYPT

"Thou shalt be over my house and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled."

Aim

To show how Joseph was brought out of prison and rose to be a ruler in Egypt

When Joseph had, by God's power, interpreted the dreams of the chief butler and baker, he asked the butler to remember him before Pharaoh, but the butler forgot. Two full years passed. Joseph remained in prison, still faithful to God, but unable to move beyond the prison-house. Then God moved to release him and to promote him to be a ruler in Egypt. It was all part of God's purpose with Israel.

Genesis 41 and 42

THE BUTLER REMEMBERS JOSEPH: Genesis 41:1-31

One night Pharaoh, King of Egypt, had a remarkable dream. He dreamed that he stood by a river and saw seven fat kine (or cows), come up out of the river and feed in a meadow. Presently, seven thin, hungry-looking cows also came out of the river and they ate the fat cows, but they themselves did not become any fatter. Pharaoh was very puzzled and wondered what this strange dream meant. The same night he had another dream. This time he saw seven full ears of corn and seven thin ears dried by the east wind. Just as the lean cows had eaten the fat cows, so the thin ears of corn devoured the fat ears, but did not become any fatter themselves.

In the morning Pharaoh was troubled. He called for the magicians and wise men of Egypt, but there was no one who could tell him the meaning of his dreams. This made Pharaoh still more troubled.

At last the chief butler remembered Joseph, and how his own dream had been explained. Surely, he thought, the young Hebrew in prison would be able to help the King. He told Pharaoh about Joseph and soon Joseph was brought to the palace. He was asked if it were true that he could tell what the strange dreams meant. Joseph answered Pharaoh, "It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace!" (v. 16). Joseph explained that the dreams both meant the same thing. The seven fat cows and the seven fat ears of corn meant seven years of good harvests and plenty of food in Egypt; the seven thin cows and seven thin ears of corn meant seven years of famine that would follow.

JOSEPH BECOMES A RULER IN EGYPT: Genesis 41:32-57

Joseph warned Pharaoh that this would surely take place, "because the thing is established by God" (v. 32). He advised him to choose a man "discreet and wise and set him up over the land of Egypt". He suggested that corn should be stored up in the seven years of plenty and used when the seven years of famine would come upon the land.

Pharaoh and his counselors readily agreed. They could see the wisdom of this plan, and Joseph himself was appointed to be ruler of the people! He was given fine clothes, a gold chain around his neck, and the King's own ring. He was made second only to Pharaoh, and rode in the second chariot. Pharaoh had seen what a wise and godly man Joseph was and said to his servants, "Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?" (v. 38). In the next seven years Joseph proved to be a wise ruler indeed. He "gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much" (v. 49) and stored it away to use in the next seven years of famine. When the famine came, just as Joseph had said, the people cried to Pharaoh for food and he sent them to Joseph. "Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do" (v. 55).

So Joseph became famous through all the land of Egypt. By doing this God was slowly bringing to pass His purpose with the children of Israel.

JOSEPH'S BROTHERS COME TO EGYPT: Genesis 42:1-6

Many countries round about Egypt suffered from the famine too and sent their messengers down into Egypt to buy food. So it was that Jacob also, in the land of Canaan, heard that there was food in Egypt and said to his sons, "Get you down thither and buy for us from thence, that we may live and not die" (v. 2). Jacob kept Benjamin at home however, because he had still not got over the loss of Rachel's other son, Joseph. (Remember how Jacob thought he had been killed by a wild animal). So the ten brothers came to the ruler of the land "and bowed down themselves before him" (v. 6). They did not know that here was their brother Joseph and the dreams he had told them about many years before were being fulfilled; but "Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them" (v. 9). How patiently Joseph had waited all those years, suffering many things but trusting in God. How wonderful it must have been for him not only to see his brothers again, but to know that God was bringing to pass what he had shown him in those dreams.

THEY ARE ACCUSED OF BEING SPIES: Gen. 42:7-24

Although Joseph recognised his brothers, they did not of course, recognise him. He looked to them like an Egyptian ruler. He decided to put them to the test for he wondered if they had changed over the years or if they were still as heartless as ever.

So Joseph spoke roughly to them and asked them where they came from. When they answered that they had come from Canaan to buy food, he accused them of being spies. They had not thought they would be spoken to so harshly and told the man that they were ten brothers, sons of one man in Canaan; their youngest brother was at home with their father and "one is not" (v. 13). Again Joseph accused them of being spies. One of them must stay behind in Egypt and the others go back and fetch their youngest brother.

As they anxiously talked among themselves of what the ruler had said they must do, they did not realise, of course, that Joseph could understand their words. It distressed him and he turned away so that they could not see his tears. Then he bound Simeon and sent them back to Canaan with their sacks of food. He loved his brothers still, but it was not yet the right time to show them who he was. It was their turn now to suffer a little for what they had done.

THE SONS OF JACOB IN TROUBLE: Genesis 42:25-38

So the nine brothers returned to their father, Jacob. No doubt they spoke on the way about how harsh the ruler of Egypt had been. They would have felt anxious for Simeon and fearful of what such news would do to Jacob.

They stopped on their way home at an inn and as one of them opened his sack to get food for his ass, he found the money he had paid for the food back in the sack. Now they were quite afraid, wondering what would become of Simeon after all.

When at last they got home, they told the whole story to Jacob. "Bring your youngest brother unto me," the man had said, "then shall I know that ye are no spies ... so will I deliver you your brother (i.e. Simeon)". Then, as each one of them emptied their sacks of food, they were astonished to find every man's bundle of money in his sack and "they were afraid" (v. 35).

But Jacob would not let Benjamin go. "Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away ... My son shall not go down with you" (vv. 36, 38).

So the famine continued in the land and Jacob and his family were kept alive by the food they had brought back from Egypt.

LESSON FOR US

How different Joseph was from his brethren. He could see the hand of God working in his life and patiently waited for God to bring to pass the things he had shown him in his dreams. His wisdom was known to all and everyone who knew him, honoured him. Though he suffered many things, he was not afraid, but trusted in God always. Let us, in our daily life, serve God faithfully as he did, always remembering the promises He has made in His Word, because He will surely bring them to pass.

QUESTIONS

Short Answers

How much longer did Joseph stay in prison before the butler remembered him?
How many years of plenty and how many years of famine came upon Egypt?
Whom did Jacob send down into Egypt for food?
What did Joseph € s brothers do when they came before the ''ruler of Egypt"?
What did Joseph accuse his brothers of?
Who had to stay behind in Egypt?
Who did Joseph say must come down to Egypt?
What did the brothers find in their sacks?