Lessons on God's sovereignty in the life of Joseph (Quality: Average)

[0:00] In the book of Genesis, chapter 42, verse 21. 42nd of Genesis, verse 21.

[0:18] And they said, one to another, we are very guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear.

[0:36] Therefore, is this distress come upon us? How encouraging it is.

[1:13] He did a forceful work of divine purpose, working in a group of men like this.

[1:25] Real men. Men of Hatter, men of the desert. Men among men, really.

[1:35] They brought to a point of unanimous agreement, without apparently any discussion among themselves, that the diabolical action of some years previous, did now come up for at least admission among them.

[2:05] One cannot be sure, but it is very unlikely that they ever discussed this, the way they had treated their brother, Joseph.

[2:19] But it is equally positive that they never forgot it. It lay in the court of conscience for these years.

[2:34] For these years, not even the massive famine in the land of Cain had any effect on them as regards to making them sin.

[2:50] They were still with their father, whom they had deceived. They were still his servants, yet not the slightest movement, not from any one of them.

[3:09] They had researchers finished their son.

[3:24] Wonder of Jesus. With you in the! Father dato it… But there was a vacant place, a vacuole, in that very large family.

[3:41] Quite apart from the sons of Jacob, twelve tribes, there were of course others by other wives.

[3:54] Yet among this large family, a purpose being worked out by God, and a purpose which not only affected this family, but was due to effect tremendous numbers the days to come.

[4:23] I say how encouraging to watch the mighty hand of God, and to see that nothing ever thwarts his purpose.

[4:39] And though we mortals may think ourselves quite equal to the task, we live to prove that God is stronger.

[4:55] As Elijah has said to Job, one of the early chapters, Shall mortal man be just before God?

[5:09] Is there any arm like the arm of God? Do we realize that we are in exactly the same position? There is a sovereign ruler of the sky that he's working at, though you don't agree or cannot see it.

[5:31] Neither can I. A gracious purpose. Working things together for good.

[5:43] Ultimate good. And bringing about his own gracious purposes.

[5:55] I say again, how encouraging to see these men here, that love, that long love, is to be brought to the place of understanding, at least partially.

[6:17] Not fully. On the other hand, there is the work going on in the individual Joseph.

[6:31] He does it now. He has been in Egypt. He has married. He has got two sons. And he called one of them Manasseh.

[6:47] The meaning of which is forgetfulness or forgetting. Because it says, I have forgotten my father-town.

[7:07] No question now, says Joseph, after these years and after this treatment. To ever go back home again.

[7:21] There is no question now of me ever seeing father or any of the others again. No one can trace me in this place.

[7:32] And this time they are told distinctly that he was 30 years old. So that if he was 17 and the incident happened over which these brethren are now confessing, that would have been 13 years.

[7:52] In which the events of God moved to face. So we have a disjointed picture.

[8:05] That nothing has come together yet. How often it is so in life, the disjointed picture. Nothing fits.

[8:18] Nothing is likely to fit. So it seems. Everything against us, as Jay could say.

[8:29] Everything ready. Yet everything ready. Like the carpenter. Everything ready. On his bench.

[8:41] All separate. All the wheelwright. Go and look at his bench. So he scoff. And you will see what to you looks like chaos.

[8:53] There it is. All ready. To dovetail together. All measured. All cut. All squared.

[9:05] The mind behind it. And the hands ready. To put together. That which has been so. Perfectly cut out.

[9:17] Squared and plain. So it is with God's purposes. And there is no comfort anywhere else. And faith will lay hold of this.

[9:30] But reason won't. And you will be just like the child. In the carpenter shop. And you will not understand the slightest thing about it.

[9:43] That when the Lord. Begins to move. What happens? These brethren come. With their hard hearts. And their guilty conscience.

[9:56] And their unhappy family life. At home. Because Jacob must. Show him signs of it.

[10:08] As he lived alone. In that abode. And what happened? They bowed before him.

[10:18] With their faces to the ground. This isn't the end. Marked you. It's the beginning. It's the beginning.

[10:30] Come a little later on. As you know. When the Lord squeezes. The matter. And the heavenly carpenter.

[10:42] Pits the joints together. More closely. You find. They bow. In much deeper. Reality.

[10:53] But. The beginning is made. That's the point. There is. An admission. But. To.

[11:04] To. To. Who had. Forgotten. Or said. That. He had. Forgotten. And so had. There comes.

[11:16] A sudden resurrection. In his life. But. Thirty years of age. He had been through some scenes. Before this. He had been in the pits.

[11:30] He had been in the clutches. Potiphar's evil wife. Had escaped them. He had been promoted to honour.

[11:43] And now. He finds. A remembrance of his dream. All those years ago.

[11:54] When he sees these brethren. The circumstances are such. That. They do not recognise him. He's so changed.

[12:08] But. He recognised them. That. There is something. Very remarkable. About the recognition. That God gives.

[12:20] To his people. And the hiding. Of certain things. From them. And here we have. An example of it. Had they recognised.

[12:33] It. That whole matter. Could never have gone. As it went. But now. The Lord. Thought of it.

[12:45] That. First of all. Chozo. Should. Remember. The dreams. Which he dreams. In verse 9.

[12:57] Oh. How remarkable. The life. Of these dreams. Must have been. In his memory. We read. The sound has told us. Until the.

[13:08] Time. That the. Word of the Lord. Came. The word. Of the Lord. Tried him. He had to.

[13:19] Carry that word. That promise. That dream. Because. It was. Of such. An outstanding. Nature. All.

[13:31] Through the pits. And all. Through the prisons. And the various crises. That. He had to go through. And he carried it with him.

[13:43] It tried him. For those. Says Paul. Who were exercised. Their life. It tried him. Couldn't.

[13:56] Get away. From this. Outstanding. Feature. In his. Furry days. Of this. Strange. Dream.

[14:08] Now. It's. Resurrected. As he sees. His. Ten. Brethren. Behold. Behold. How.

[14:20] Profitable. To see. How. God. Can. Begin. To. Melow. And. Humble.

[14:31] His. Children. And. His. People. Very. Slowly. Very. Effectively. And. Bring.

[14:44] Them. Just. Where. He. Wants. Them. Make. Them. Like. Clay. In. His. Hand. Them. But. Not. To. Do. It.

[14:54] All. At. Once. Any. More. Than. He. Opened. The. Blind. Man's. Eyes. On. Occasion. He. He. Did.

[15:05] It. Partially. And. The. Man. That. We. Are. Told. He. Saw. Men. In. Distinct. Trees.

[15:16] Walk. The. Lord. Put. His. Hand. A. Second. Time. Just. The. Same. As. He. Did. With. These. Brethren. This. Is. The. House. Time. They. Begin.

[15:26] To. See. But. Nobody. Knows. At least. They. Think. Nobody. Knows. Much. Less.

[15:38] That. Joseph. Understood. Every. Word. They. Said. Though. He. Himself. Remained. Hidden. Behind.

[15:48] An. Interpreter. They. Say. How. Interrupting. How. Profitable. When. You. Get. Into. God. Grift.

[16:00] Through. Grace. And. He. Lays. Hold. On. You. And. Begins. To. Passion. You. Mold. You. And. Bring. You.

[16:10] To. The. Place. That. You. Say. You. Never. Come. Work. In. You. A. Spirit. That. You. Always. Studiously.

[16:22] Avoid. It. And. Sought. To. Bring. Your. Proud. Power. To. Equal. His. Mighty. Power.

[16:33] I. Say. What. A. Comforting. Instructive. Statement. It. Is. Isn't it? Truly. It's. Written. For. Our. Learning.

[16:43] And. Happy. Are. We. If. We. Got. Any. Mark. From. This. In. Our. Lives. Not. Any. Molding. Of. Our. Own. Patterns.

[16:55] Not. Any. Dovetailing. Of. Our. Own. Sows. Out. Of. The. Pitting. Together. Of. His. Eternal.

[17:05] Proposes. And. His. Will. Will. And. Making. You. One. Of. His. Instruments. Either. For. Good. Or. Ill. The.

[17:18] Guilt. Now. Of. These. Ted. Brothers. This. Is. The. Subject. Of. The. Text. They.

[17:30] Said. One. To. Another. We. Were. In. Guilty. Concerning. Our. Brother. Isn't. It. Amazing. What. Sin.

[17:41] We. Can. Carry. In. Our. Consciences. And. How. We. Could. Be. Hardened. In. Isn't. It. Amazing. Now.

[17:53] I. Would. Credit. The. Iniquity. And. The. Amount. Of. It. The. Nature. Of. It. We. Can. Carry.

[18:03] In. Our. Parts. And. Conculpties. Try. And. Do. What. I. Can. Did. Buried.

[18:16] Until. God. Puts. His. Heavenly. Hand. Upon. It. And. Brings. The. Matter. To. The. Surpreens. Wonders. Of. Grace.

[18:27] To. God. Belong. And. This. Is. One. Of. Those. Wonders. Of. Grace. Is. Ever. The. The. The. One. So.

[18:39] How. Glorious. Is. This. Gospel. We. Have. To. Preach. Of. The. Divine. Power. As. Well. As. The. Divine.

[18:49] Sovereignty. Of. Jehovah. We. Are. Verily. Guilty. There. No. Doubt. About. It. Now.

[19:00] Guilt. Is. Something. Like. Wine. You. Know. And. Only. Something. To. Get. Stronger. The.

[19:11] Longer. It. Feeds. The. Longer. It. Bottled. Out. Longer. The. Guilt. Stay. Endured. My. Contra.

[19:21] The. Stronger. It. Yes. By. That. I. Mean. This. The. Louder. It. Speaks. It.

[19:32] Was. So. With. David. Didn't. Stay. Long. In. Peter. Contra. Mercifully. The. Lord. Delivered.

[19:43] Him. Quickly. How. Many. There. Are. Who. Carry. With. Them. And. I. Speaking. Of. The. Lord. People. Now.

[19:54] And. Looking. At. My. Own. Heart. Now. How. Long. Can. We. Carry. With. Us. Guilt. And.

[20:05] Say. Nothing. About. It. Put. A. Smooth. Service. Over. It. As. I. Been. Talking. About. The. Concrete. The. Builder. I.

[20:15] Need. And. The. Wheelwright. And. So. On. Let. Me. Speak. Of. The. Smooth. Surface. Put. Over. The. Concrete. Only. A. Thin. Layer. Of.

[20:26] It. Concrete. Underneath. Hard. As. A. Rock. Only. To. Make. A. Good. Faith. On. It. Is.

[20:37] Faith. So. With. A. Confirm. Hard. A. Rock. Face. With.

[20:48] Summer. Covering. To. Make. It. Look. What. It. Is. A. And. So. With. A. Guilty. Nature. This.

[21:00] People. Honoreth. Me. With. Their. Death. With. The. Lord. That. Heart. Is. Far. From. Me. What.

[21:12] A. Face. This. Is. Isn't it? That. Where. Is. The. Heart. That. Isn't. Beauty. Of. It. But. How. Let me repeat.

[21:25] Beautiful. To see the work of God now. Appearing. In the fulfillment.

[21:35] Of. That. Strange. Breathe. Which. Was. Just. An outline. Of. His. Blessed. Father. And.

[21:48] Now. The. Arrows. Have. Struck. Over. On. Every. One. Of. Them. Their.

[21:58] Mind. Goes. Back. To. That. Day. In. The. The. The. Thirty-seventh. Chapter. Of. Genesis. And. They. Put. Their. Brother. In.

[22:08] The. The. Slayer. They. Said. First. Of. All. And. The. Elder. Brother. Ruben. As. You. Know. He.

[22:20] Says. No. Just. Put. Him. In. Something. And. Er. He. Seeks. To. Preserve. And.

[22:31] He. Is. Preserved. There. Was. No. Water. In. That. Pit. One. Of. Those. Pits. Dug. In. Those. Lands.

[22:42] To. Conserve. Rainwater. There. There. There. There. Was. No. Water. In. It. You. Have. Ever. Been. In. One. Of. Those. Pits. In. Your. Soul. Experience.

[22:54] You. Will. Be. Exceedingly. Thankful. There. Was. No. Water. In. It. There. Yeah. Now. The end. Would have come. That.

[23:05] There. Was. No. Water. In. And. So. It. Was. With. Uh. Dear. Joseph. There. Was. No.

[23:16] Water. In. They. Look. Back. To. This. And. Then. They. Look. Back. To. The. Ishmaelite. Coming. Let. Us. Tell. Strange.

[23:27] Things. Are. Us. But. Not. Then. In. Those. Days. He. Was. A. Healthy. Young. Lad. Of. Seventeen. Or. Eighteen. An. Excellent. Buy.

[23:39] And. I. Purchased. Him. We. Told. Price. I. Take. Him. Down. Into. Egypt. He. Sold.

[23:51] To. One. Of. The. Pharaoh. Who. Made. Bottoms. I.

[24:01] Didn't. Know. Think. About. This. Side. Of. It. This. Was. Joseph. Side. Of. It. Is. This. How. Things. Work. Together. For. Good. Independent. Of.

[24:11] Anybody. Else. It. Certainly. Is. And. This. Is. How. God. Deals. With. His. People. And. There. Are. Thousands.

[24:23] Who. Can. Testify. To. This. The. Coordination. Of. Divine. Purpose. In. Their. Life. Which. Look. Chaotic. Dark. And.

[24:34] Dead. Dead. At. The. Time. Day. And. They. Go. Back. To. The. Scene. Of.

[24:44] Their. Beauty. Action. Now. What. Was. In. Their. Heart. At. Jealousy. Cruel as the grave.

[24:58] Jealousy. Terrible thing. Oh. It. It can't be described. Look at the world today.

[25:10] Or any other day for that matter. Run through the pages of history. See what jealous is done. Run through happiness. Family life.

[25:21] Home life. School life. Business life. Oh. Yeah. What does jealousy do? Does it break down all barriers?

[25:35] Indeed it does. Does it separate nature's closest ties? Indeed it does. There's no sword sharper than the sword of jealousy.

[25:49] Right in its place. Right in its place. Honorable in its place. But out of its place. How deadly. And this.

[26:03] Is what they remember. And this is what had stung their consciences. But they were able to confess it either to.

[26:15] Certainly. Joseph. Jacob knew nothing about it. Else the matter. Now. Else the matter would have been cleared up at home.

[26:25] And it wasn't. But it wasn't. But it wasn't. Here then. We see the old ruling hand of God on a man's consistency.

[26:38] and in this case ten men, very guilty. As the judge says in his opening of the case, do you plead guilty or not guilty? What's your answer, sinner? Do you plead guilty or not guilty?

[27:03] Verily guilty. Verily guilty. Oh, what a description. What an adjective. Oh, how it swells it out, opens it up to its greatest extent. No question of the next two.

[27:29] Oh, we carried this with us. Here we are, the land is empty of food. Little did they know in bowing before this man, that the very thing that the whole trouble was about, they had accomplished.

[27:51] And little do we see, the very thing that we do is the very thing that God has predetermined that we shall do.

[28:03] There's no excuse in this. But it does make it quite clear, as we say in our first hymn, there is a sovereign ruler of the sky.

[28:22] We are very guilty when we shall the anguish of his soul. We don't read much about this, if anything, when we have the account of the incident.

[28:43] There's not much said about it at the time. But it doesn't require a great deal of thought to see how angry Joseph would be when his brethren suddenly revealed their true intent. And they laid hands on it. All had been smothered up before.

[29:15] Now, if all they bear down as he goes into the pit. The look of anguish on his soul when he besought it.

[29:34] What would he be so safe to do? Or not to do? Why? Not to put him into the pit, of course. This would be his boy-like plea, wouldn't it? Startled out of all that he'd ever anticipated.

[29:55] Anguish? Is that the right word? Yes, it is indeed. And did these brethren see it? Did I and I communicate? It did indeed.

[30:09] Did it leave an indelible impression? Yes, it did indeed. I never forgot the look of anguish on their brother's face.

[30:22] Another sting for conscience then. Yes, the look of anguish. We are fairly guilty when he besought us.

[30:36] And we would not hear. Now, something else. Therefore, is this distress come upon us? Oh.

[30:49] Did they believe then in the fact that what we sow, we reap? Were they taught the overruling hand of God? We read in the word.

[31:06] The 28th verse says, what is this that God hath done unto us? Of course, their father had instructed them. He was the God of Jacob. God of Jacob had instructed his sons.

[31:31] And now they find some understanding, as is so often the case with young people. They are instructed in the overruling power of God. They are brought up, shall I say, to read their Bible.

[31:54] They know. They know there is a God. They know there is a God. They don't take much notice. They drop their heads. Well, listen. Time comes when they are brought face to face with this God like some of us have been.

[32:17] And there is no escaping it. So that this distress is related to the incident some years previous.

[32:29] Who has brought this about? Who has coordinated this solemn event? By God. Jehovah. The Almighty God. As we have it fit in with the work of grace.

[32:57] And one who has been gradually dealt with by the good hand of their God upon us. And how slow often this work is. And how rebellious they are. And how deep in their conscience lie a multitude of sins.

[33:23] And conscience keeps a fair work of rest of the times. Marking every false footstep. Yes.

[33:37] And God says to it that it is indeed born in remembrance. Thou shalt remember all the way. The Lord thy God has led thee these forty years.

[33:55] That wasn't a way of serenity and calm, was it? Not all the way. Some of it was. I shalt remember the time that you grumbled. That you rebelled. That you kicked. That you said, I have so loaded this light for you. I shalt remember the time when I favoured you. And you were blessed with manna.

[34:25] And the word that you were blessed with manna. And the word that was precious to you. And I shalt remember both the rough and the calm. But you shall remember it.

[34:41] And the way that you could like littleぃ heееest Sichuan and just think about it. sad fools, that we know nothing of their history. We know more of Joseph. But it doesn't come up for people that we want to point to, though we must speak about them. It's their God.

[35:09] Therefore is this distress among us. This distress. And this is as far as they've come. They knew that there was a considerable amount more distress in store.

[35:27] Now this was but a part of the unholding. The beauty of it is that God unfolds his purposes step by step. They ripen, but ripening isn't five minutes worth, is it?

[35:46] So don't you think that you're this distress, spiritually? Not in the matter of your soul's salvation. In the matter of the Lord's dealings with him.

[36:00] There are many things with him. Job says in his 23rd chapter, he performeth the thing that he's appointed for me. Yeah.

[36:15] Solomon's work. Solomon's work. He takes my mind back many years. When I cycled in, during the war, from Bournemouth to Downton, somewhat, country, odd miles.

[36:32] And that text. That text. On my mind. And a sick family as well. He performeth the thing that he's appointed for me. Yeah.

[36:47] I couldn't go on with a matter of clothes. It made me tremble and many such things are with him. Many such things are with him.

[37:00] More distress. More distress than how I've lived to prove it. Yeah. Deep distress. Don't let me make you unduly fearful.

[37:17] Because this distress is not something that we carry alone. It is something which God sanctifies.

[37:28] Nevertheless, the brothers had to learn that this was the first barrier before Joseph. And ultimately, how thankful they were. And so will you be.

[37:45] And you come to see how you first were brought to power before the Lord, the great Antityphe of Joseph. How he humbled you before him in the first instant. And brought his word to pass and his purpose to pass.

[38:09] And to be able to pass. And to be able to look at this will, of course, enable you to place a crown upon the right head. But it was distressed then. And then there is the question and the account of the strange behaviour which Joseph affected.

[38:36] This is a very remarkable point. This is a very remarkable point in the whole history of Joseph. That he should be so guided of the Lord and give wisdom. To so act and be so faithful with his brethren.

[38:56] That he should be so faithful with his brethren. And he should be so faithful with his brethren. And he accuses him of being spies. And very well knowing the true circumstances.

[39:24] In true circumstances. Or how nature and reason will shy away from such a thing as this. But no. He behaved himself straight.

[39:45] And the very well knowing the truth. And the very thing that he was doing. Was weeping. In his own chamber. He turned aside and wept.

[40:03] He got something to say. He got something to weep about personally. He got something to weep about personally. He had been. The remarkable answer to the dream. Consumation of that word which had tried him all these years.

[40:21] I believe in this instance. I believe in this instance. Dear Joseph. Wept. The outstanding goodness of God was.

[40:32] A remarkable way. A remarkable way that God had dealt with it. One might even allow themselves the thought that having reached such a position of authority as this. He would say to himself.

[40:52] I'll go and try and find my father. My old home. Wasn't very far really. He wasn't without transport as we say today. Was he?

[41:05] But no. God sends his brothers to him. Yes. Yes. So was the Lord Jesus. He came where his people were.

[41:24] He himself left his high boat. To come down. To where those were that he must redeem. The Lord will send his people to him or he will come to them.

[41:49] Now this distress. Now this distress. Was a lesson. And we see both sides of it. The brethren in distress. Joseph weeping. Behaving strangely to them. And he last all takes a hold on them by commanding that their money be put back in their sacks.

[42:18] And he was putting them more deeply into trouble. In a very sweet way. A remarkable way. And so with his way in grace. He puts his people more deeply into trouble. In a sweet, gracious way.

[42:41] So that they are. So that they are further indebted to him. And their consciences are set to work. What should we do with this money? Should we keep it? Here we are. Each with their money in their sack. Shall we keep it?

[43:01] There is no question. There is no question of what to do with it. It is kept whilst they are at home. And it is given back to them when they return the second time.

[43:17] To do back to the next time. To do back to the next time. To go again to the next time. But I'm leaving. Breath it's out of the evening. The water gets in it.

[43:29] The water gets in it. It reminds me of the water. It reminds me of that which I saw and felt in the hospital. And he showed me a river.

[43:41] Clear as crystal. Clear as crystal. No false pioneer in it whatsoever. And those who were the chief persons in the whole matter.

[44:08] brought to the very place. And so it is in his kingdom. It is with you. It is with me. He'll do with us as he will. When he will. As long as he will. So beware.

[44:27] And take instruction from the word of God. And not from your own imagination. Or judgment. As Jacob did at the time. When he said all these things were missed. Amen.

[44:49] We will close this morning. Service. Boating him number 1019. Cue 282.

[45:01] Oh that I know that sin was right. Oh that I could have been asked to me.

[45:17] That Jesus please do lay down. To lay my soul for you too.

[45:37] T aparece this morning. But now I hope sick. And in Creative Commons more than white people.

[45:55] Oh, God. Oh, God.

[46:07] Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.

[46:19] Oh, God. Oh, God.

[46:33] Oh, God. Oh, God.

[46:45] Oh, God. Oh, God.

[46:59] Oh, God. Oh, God.

[47:10] Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.

[47:26] Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.

[47:38] Oh, God. Oh, God. This will I shall win.

[47:56] Thank you.

[48:26] Thank you.

[48:56] Thank you.

[49:26] Thank you.

[49:56] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[50:36] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.