Studies in Genesis

Studies in Genesis Presentation 58

Joseph in Prison Gen 39v20-40v23 Presentation 58

Introduction We have followed the misfortunes of Joseph as he went from being a pampered son to a slave in Egypt. In this downward path of humiliation there has been no obvious principle of cause and effect operating. He has not suffered as a result of his folly or sin. His integrity stands careful scrutiny. Why does God allow one shattering blow after another to buffet this man? Why is he in prison? Christians today may well ask similar questions about circumstances that surround their lives. Why these bitter blows, disappointments and setbacks? Why do we at times we feel imprisoned by the circumstances of life, by our job, our health or by our difficult home circumstances? Presentation 58

Introduction Jerome's translation of Ps 105.18, a psalm that makes reference to Joseph’s imprisonment, reads, 'Iron entered into his soul in prison'. The translation though poor, suggests what God was doing. He was building character into Joseph's life. A high school motto, “Character before Career” was chosen because the school felt it more important to develop character than to equip its pupils to be high fliers in the business world! God also places great value on character building. He uses our imprisonments both literal and metaphorical to that end. Presentation 58

Introduction Samuel Rutherford, a famous Scottish Covenanting minister, was imprisoned for his religious beliefs. From his prison in Aberdeen he wrote: ‘When I am in the cellar of affliction, I look for God's choicest wine’ Rutherford realised that at the end of the day he was not in the hands of his enemies but in the hands of God. He was really in God's prison - God’s wine cellar! And if that were so, then God intended him to benefit from his experience and so he began to look for ‘God's choicest wine’. He looked to see what God intended to produce in his character as a result of his sore experience. Presentation 58

Joseph’s Character Development Joseph's character grew in prison. It would have been easy for him to have become withdrawn and bitter. He could have blamed God for not taking care of him. He could have blamed God for giving him a dream, which failed to materialise. A great many dispirited Christians begin to complain before God is finished his work within them. Who would examine an artist’s work when it is only half complete and then say, "I am not very impressed”? And yet time and again we do this with God’s work. Presentation 58

Joseph’s Character Development In what way did Joseph's character grow? First, his sore circumstances did not cause him to lose his integrity. He did not throw in the towel and say, 'I have served these Egyptians faithfully and been imprisoned for my trouble. From now own no more Mr. Nice Guy. I am going to be obstructive rather than helpful. I am going to work to rule. I am going to skive at every opportunity. I am going to disrupt the prison regime as much as I can.' Instead, Joseph was a model prisoner. He sought to please God in the way he conducted himself and as a result God blessed him. Joseph was entrusted with the responsibility for caring for the other prisoners. Presentation 58

Joseph’s Character Development Secondly, notice the way in which Joseph developed a sensitivity to the needs of others. People, who have been dealt hard knocks in life can easily become withdrawn and blind to everyone else's need but their own. They think, ‘I have enough to contend with without taking on the burdens of the world’. Now look at v6-7 this is not a man feeling sorry for himself or who has withdrawn from the needs of the world around him. When Joseph was suffering, he did not look at the pain within but at the world outside. That's character! Presentation 58

Joseph’s Character Development Thirdly, Joseph has not abandoned his confidence in God, his life was oriented Godward. God is still in all his thoughts. How do we know ? He seized upon every opportunity to proclaim the greatness of God v11. When the baker and butler share their troubling dreams with Joseph he immediately responds, 'Do not interpretations belong to God?' He could have said, “Don't get mixed up with Dreams. If it hadn't been for my dreams I would not be in Egypt or in prison.” Not only was Joseph not soured by his circumstances but he was eager to proclaim God's greatness to others despite his circumstances. Joseph lived with an awareness of God in control. Presentation 58

Joseph’s Character Development God's uses imprisonment , literal or metaphorical, to strengthen his servants and to advance his work. Paul wrote of his Roman imprisonment and said it 'served to advance the gospel‘ Phil.1.12. How was the gospel advanced? It caused some people to start preaching, who otherwise might not have had the courage to do so had Paul been free to do the job himself. But more than that, the gospel was advanced because his imprisonment meant that the whole of the Emperor's bodyguard was exposed to the gospel. Chained to a captive audience, he engaged in personal evangelism. Whenever the guard changed, that soldier became his next captive congregation! Presentation 58

Joseph’s Character Development Like Joseph, Paul saw the prison as God's prison and therefore looked for opportunities of service in his restricted circumstances. I suspect that many of us in our prison situations often pray, ‘Oh, God please change these circumstances get me ought of this mess and when you do, I will be free to concentrate my attention on serving you’. But so often God is saying, “Open your eyes you are presently in the place I have appointed for you, it is there in that prison circumstance that I want you to serve me”. Presentation 58

Joseph’s Character Development All of Joseph’s experiences; his father's favouritism, his dreams, sold as a slave into Potiphar’s house, false accusation and imprisonment - fit into a far broader canvas of redemption. These were not chance occurrences. God pulled all these threads together to manoeuvre Joseph to a place, where he would become the deliverer of his people and much more! All of the other characters involved in his life had their own agendas but ‘Many are the plans in a man’s heart but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails’ Prov. 19.21 . Years later Joseph comments on his brothers’ treatment of him: 'You intended me harm but God intended it for good. Gen 51.21. Presentation 58

The Dreams Now consider the dreams of these two officials who must not be thought of as menial servants. They were more than likely members of the Egyptian aristocracy, who played a role in worship ceremonies of the Egyptian god Horus. If so they would have carried the ceremonial bread and wine used in worship. Their high office has a bearing on what was to follow. Joseph interpreted the dream of the cupbearer indicating that he would be restored to his high office in three days time. The chief baker encouraged by this interpretation asks for his own dream to be interpreted only to be informed that in three days he was to be executed! Presentation 58

The Dreams God clearly used dreams as a method of communication! He was at work in the two dreams Joseph had as a boy, the dreams of the officials in prison and in the two dreams Pharaoh was about to be given. Modern psychologists say, that our dreams can reflect our sub-conscious desires, frustrations and fears. Recently a number of individuals related their recurring dreams to a panel of experts on TV . The experts then analysed, what they saw to be their subconscious anxieties. But when a member of the audience asked, if God ever spoke through dreams the embarrassed TV presenter quickly moved on. Presentation 58

The Dreams Many dreams do reflect our subconscious anxieties but in some cases dreams are clearly used by God. Isaiah cites God's ability to predict the future as proof that he alone and no other is God cf. Is 41.21-24 Clearly dreams are not God’s regular means of communication today. Members of an evangelistic team believed that God was using their dreams, to tell them which team member to marry. The situation became strained when two girls were equally convinced God had told them to marry the same person! War ensued! Such dreams were either an expression of the girls subconscious desires, or they had become unwitting dupes of the devil, who made use of their longings to disrupt their evangelistic programme. Presentation 58

The Dreams Dreams are rarely used by God in the Bible. They are used in Genesis, Daniel and Matthew. Their purpose is never to displace or contradict the trustworthy revelation of God in scripture. Today, there is evidence that God continues to use dreams, where people hunger after spiritual truth but have no access to God's Word. Dreams have sometimes been used to direct such people to where the truth of the gospel is to be found. This has been the case in some Muslim lands. But this method of communication is not intended to displace scripture. Once such people have access to scripture God rarely communicates with them through dreams again. Presentation 58

Joseph’s Expectation Imagine the great relief, which Joseph's interpretation brought to the cupbearer - freedom in three days! Joseph asked, to have news of his plight brought to Pharaoh’s attention. From then on his life in prison must have been marked by the heightened expectation of immanent release. Whenever, the prison door opened did Joseph run to see if Pharaoh’s pardon had at last arrived? But as the months passed this hope of human help was completely dashed. Two long years were to pass before anything happened. During which time Joseph would learn that only God could open the door of hope. His deliverance lay with God whose timing is perfect. Did this truth equip Peter to sleep peacefully the night before his trial and God’s miraculous deliverance? Acts 12.6ff. Presentation 58

Joseph’s Expectation Joseph could have allowed disappointment with others to embitter him. Do you know what it is like to feel forgotten- to be let down by the promise of human support and comfort? Perhaps you have had high hopes of help from a particular individual, a partner, a friend, a work colleague, an elder, a minister. But they have failed you! How was Joseph was delivered from the bitterness of spirit experienced by many when human help has failed? Joseph used his disillusionment with men and their promises to turn his thoughts towards the love and faithfulness of God. Iron entered his soul! When the failure of others drives us Godward then God can also use our prison experience to form iron in our souls. Presentation 58

Conclusion Let disappointment drive you deeper into the arms of God. Tell him that though men may have failed you trust him not to fail you. He will not forget you. The thief hanging on the cross next to Jesus asked, 'Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom’. Jesus instantly replied, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise'. Doubtless, throughout the thief’s life other men had made him promises and he been disappointed by them. But Jesus does not disappoint. Men may fail us. Men may forget us but God always remembers! Wait upon the Lord! Presentation 58

Studies in Genesis