Joseph: God makes a way for HIS people

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

Genesis 37:1-4    And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.

This is a very interesting statement:  "in the land wherein his father was a stranger."

Jacob left Laban and returned to Isaac because God told him to do that ... but that was to a land wherein his father was a stranger.

We read about being a stranger in the lands on this present earth in the following New Testament scripture:

Hebrews 11:8-10   By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.  By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

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Wherever we live at the present time on this present earth, we are only here as one who is a "foreigner", just passing through.  If we travel in another country, we view the happenings but we will not likely be involved for it is not our country.  This present earth cannot be viewed as our permanent home.  If we view it as permanent, we will fight and strive for it as do the people who do not know God.  And then in the end it all vanishes anyway one way or another.  Either we die or this earth is destroyed at the end of this world.  (II Peter  3:10-14)

We know God has prepared a better place for us.  It is a place where there is no pain or sorrow or tears.  We will have another form of body, not the one we currently have.  The new "body" will not be subject to corruption as is our current flesh.  That body will not grow old.  There will be no deterioration of that body.  That body will not be subject to pain, nor disease, nor distress.  It will be forever.  (I Corinthians 15)

We know these things because we know scriptures:  

Revelation 21:1-5  And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and HE will dwell with them, and they shall be HIS people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 

And HE that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And HE said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

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Hebrews 11:13-16   These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

And truly, if they had been mindful of that from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

If we keep the past before us and keep our mind thinking about the past, we might end up missing the future things of God.

But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for HE hath prepared for them a city.

By the Bible, we know we will never be able to cause this present earth to be righteous.

II Peter 3:13   Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

In fact, the apostle Paul tells us this present earth will get worse and worse.

II Timothy 3:1-5      This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Finally the wrath of God, the great tribulation, will come upon this present earth and then after that appointed wrath, the present heavens and earth will pass away.

God prepares a place for HIS people, the new heavens and the new earth "wherein dwelleth righteousness."

***

These are the generations of Jacob. 

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, 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 colours.

And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

***

We who are born again often experience envy from the church people who are not born of the Spirit of God.

We have the Spirit of God to lead us.

We have the gifts of the Spirit of God which cause us to stand out in the church groups.

Some of us have the offices of the ministries given after Jesus arose.

Ephesians 4:8;11-12    Wherefore HE saith, When HE ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men ... And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

There are people in the congregations who delight in the ministries given by God to help the church ... and there are others in the church groups who are envious.

It is the same type of envy Jesus encountered from the rulers of the synagogue.

Mark 15:10    For he knew that the chief priests had delivered HIM for envy.

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Genesis 37:5-11   And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.

And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:

For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.

And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

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That WORD given us by God brings attention to us and the people of God rejoice to hear that word from God through us ... but many are not of God and they envy, desiring themselves to be exalted in the eyes of other people.

We see such in the church ... and in the workplace ... and in the neighborhoods ... and even in our own households.

But because we believe that word has come down to us from God, we speak that word with joy and suffer the shame of Jesus, the cross.

What Joseph is going to go through is for the salvation of the entire nation of Israel at that time.

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In this story of Joseph, we see the remarkable ability of God in delivering HIS people and causing success in spite of all.

Regardless of the evil done by humans against Joseph, God caused Joseph to rise again and again to the top and a high position of leadership.

Everything came about as a result of the gifts of God given to Joseph.

Proverbs 18:16   A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

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Joseph was sold into slavery by his envious brothers. 

Genesis 37:12-34    And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.

And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.

And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?

And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.

And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.

And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.  Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.

And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.

And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;

And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.

Joseph is down in that pit without any bread or water and the brothers sat down to eat.

And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood
Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

"Let not our hand be upon him?"  but they just cast Joseph into a pit.  It is like they think they are doing Joseph a favor by not killing him and by selling him into bondage.

But all the evil the brothers are about to do is going to be "meant" for good by God, for Joseph will end up being salvation to the entire nation of Israel in the years ahead.

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Genesis 37   Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.

And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?

And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;

And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no.

And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.

And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

***

Joseph was only 17-years-of-age when his brothers sold him into slavery.

His mother was dead, Rachel, who died enroute back to Jacob's (Israel's) father's land.

Joseph has nothing and is brought into Egypt where he is sold as a slave.

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Genesis 37:35-36   And all his (Israel's) sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.

And the Midianites sold him (Joseph) into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.

***

Genesis 39:1-4    And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. 

And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

Incredible!  Here is a 17-year-old boy with nothing at all who is sold into slavery in Egypt and God made him prosper and he is described as "a prosperous man."

And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. 

And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

Those gifts of God which are unseen caused Joseph to prosper in the sight of the world.

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I Corinthians 4:7    For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

Everything is from God.

If you have physical beauty, that is from God.

If you have leadership qualities, that is God given.

It can be used for good or for evil.

But when God wants something to be accomplished for HIS purpose, whether good or evil, it will be done.

Isaiah 55:8-13    For MY thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways MY ways, saith the Lord.   For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY ways higher than your ways, and MY thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:  So shall MY word be that goeth forth out of MY mouth: it shall not return unto ME void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. 

For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

(I especially rejoice when I think of verse 13.)

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God is going to use Joseph for the purpose of providing food for the nation of Israel in his day.  God gives Joseph exactly what he will need to accomplish that purpose.  And it is the same throughout each generation and each period of time.

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Genesis 39:5-27    And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.

***

Potiphar's wife lies about Joseph and causes Joseph to be cast into prison: 

7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;  There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.  And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth,
That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice:

And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out.

And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.

And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:  And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.

And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.

And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.

***

But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.

The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.

***

So God caused Joseph to rise to a position of authority even while he was in the prison.

And Joseph was kept in the prison for more than 2 full years.

Abraham had to wait 25 years for the birth of the child God had promised him.

Jacob worked for Laban 14 years for payment for his two wives.

To some of us to wait for a month for that which we have prayed or for that which God has promised seems a very long time. 

These examples of the Old Testament are given to us for our benefit as examples that we would not give up.  Jesus is an example that we would not become weary and faint in our minds!

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Hebrews 12:1-4    Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 

(Deliberately setting aside those things that pull us down during the trial.)

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

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Hebrews 10:36   For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

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Joseph in prison:

Genesis 40:1-4   And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.  And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.

And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.

One day, Joseph goes into their area and sees a problem with their countenance.  Something has happened to them.

Genesis 40:6-14   And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. 

And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day? 

And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. 

And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you. 

And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand. 

And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days:  Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler. 

But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.

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Genesis 40:16-23    When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head: And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.

And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days: Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee. 

***

And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:

But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.

Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.

***

It can be disappointing when something does not work out but we have to know that God is going to help us, HIS children.

We build our faith in God and avoid pitfalls of discouragement as we force ourselves to turn to God and as we refuse to wallow in our feelings.

First, we pray.

Second, we make ourselves focus on things of God, considering what God has said about our situation and encouraging our faith in God by reading Bible and godly exhortations!

***

On December 6, 2018, I fell at my house in Texas.  As a result, after surgery, I had to spend 2 1/2 months in rehabilitations hospitals.  I was basically alone in the hospitals.

Pam Padgett, our church group, lived 450 miles away.  She came down to help me and when she left she said she would be back in 2 1/2 weeks.

To me this seemed an impossible time to continue alone at that hospital.

I prayed, asking God to help me to endure the time alone.

That time literally flew by.  

It was truly amazing!

Philippians 4:6-7   Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

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