Genesis chapter 41 verses 15 and 16. Can somebody read that for us please? Pharaoh had a dream. Pharaoh said to Joseph, I have heard you say, you hear Adrian, you can interpret me.
I cannot do it, Joseph replied to Pharaoh. But God would give Pharaoh the answer he desired. Okay.
Can somebody read verse number nine? Can anyone read verse number nine? Just to refresh our memory on why Joseph may be the person to interpret Pharaoh's dream. What's verse number nine say?
Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. - Continue. - Pharaoh was once angry with his servants and he imprisoned him and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard, each of us had a dream the same night and each dream had a meaning of its own. Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard.
We told him our dreams and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us. I was restored to my position, and the other man was in poverty. And so Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.
And you knew Joseph was in Potiphar's house, and the situation between Joseph and Potiphar's wife, he went into prison as a result of that, and then interpreted these dreams. And this dream of a cupbearer, Joseph told him, remember me. Okay, remember me when you get out of here and the cupbearer did share this with Pharaoh and then Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dream and it's significant here in verse number 16 that Joseph said, I cannot do it, replied Pharaoh. But what?
What's he say? But God will give Pharaoh the answer. desires okay and then joseph uh goes on to interpret pharaoh's dream okay and what joseph says to pharaoh and we'll just go on down to verse number 33 and it says and now that pharaoh looked like a cerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of egypt based on what he had interpreted pharaoh's dream to be okay about there going to be a family based on his interpretation of the dream you need to put somebody in charge of the land of egypt let pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land take a fifth of the harvest of egypt during the seven years of abundance they should collect all the food these good years that are coming and store the grain under the authority of pharaoh to keep them in cities with food this food shall be held in reserve for the country to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon egypt so that the country may not be ruined by famine okay verse number 37 cleansing good pharaoh and to all his officials so pharaoh asked them can we find anyone like this man who One in whom is the Spirit of God.
Okay? Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since God has made all his known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace. All my people are to submit to your orders.
Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you. So Joseph said, so Pharaoh said to Joseph, I hereby put you in charge of what? The whole land of Egypt.
Okay? And so verse number 46, Joseph was 30 years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And he was second in command to Pharaoh. Okay?
And that is significant takeaways for me that God used Pharaoh, Egypt, put Joseph in a position to where he rose to be what? Second in command to Pharaoh for a reason because there was a famine coming. Okay?
Everybody follow that? Okay. If we go on and look at Genesis chapter 46, and I'm skipping through, well, let me look at Genesis chapter 42 before we go to 46. Turn to Genesis chapter 42, and let's look at verses 1 and 2. When Jacob learned that there was rain, where? In Egypt. In Egypt.
What did he do? He said to his sons, why don't you just keep looking at it, Joe? Isn't that an interesting comment? Listen, we don't have any food. Why are y'all looking at each other?
Okay? When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, why do you just keep looking at each other? He continued, I have heard that there is grain where? In Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us.
So that we may what? Live and not die. So, Jacob gives his sons this edict to go into Egypt and buy food. Let's turn to chapter 43. They went to Egypt.
They got a little rain. They came back. Verse number 1 says, now the famine was still what? Severe in the land.
So when they had eaten all the grain, what did they do? They had brought from Egypt. And the father said to them, go back and buy us what? A little more food.
A little more food. Okay. All right. So his sons had gone into Egypt.
They brought some food. They came back. Benjamin wasn't with them. Okay. Joseph wants to see Benjamin.
Sends the brothers back. Tell them that they need to bring Benjamin back with them. He kept one of the brothers there. Alright? That's in chapter number 44. Okay?
Chapter number 45. Chapter number 45. This is interesting. Chapter number 45. Let's read verses 1 through 9. And Joseph could no longer control himself for all his attendings. And he cried out, Everyone leave my presence. So there was no one that made himself known to his brothers.
And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's household heard about him. Joseph said to his brothers, I am Joseph. Is my father still living?
But his brothers were not able to answer him because they were terrified at his presence. Then Joseph said to his brothers, Come close to me. When they had done so, he said, I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into. And now do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourself for selling me here because it was to save lives. It was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.
Brother Stan, let's just stop right there. Now do not be distressed. and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here because it was to what save life it was to save lives that god sent me ahead of you right so god was using the kingdom of egypt why at this time but when he used egypt the same way he used uh pharaoh back to Moses for his purpose.
So he knew God was ahead of time. So he knew that the famine was coming and he allowed the brothers to put him in the hole and he was going to be saved. And the second in command would say Israelites would be lying on the edge.
Exactly. So we read God's word in retrospect. We see our history and we can see how God has you see how he has a plan of salvation for humanity and how he used egypt in this entrance and joe said and now do not be distressed do not be angry for yourself i'm telling you because it was the same mind that god sent me ahead of you here's now there's been famine in the land for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping but god sent me ahead of you to preserve for you Like you said, what?
A remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great what? Deliverance. So then it was not you who sent me here, but who? God. But God, he made me what?
Father to who? Pharaoh. He made me father to Pharaoh. Lord of his what?
Entire household and ruler of what? Of all Egypt. Now hurry back to my father and say to him, this is what your son Joseph said. God has made me Lord of all Egypt.
Come down to me, don't delay. Isn't that beautiful? Yeah. Isn't that beautiful how we can just read God's plan and you may say, well why Egypt? Because God wanted it.
Egypt was fertile. We read here, this is the era characterized by what? Stability, prosperity, and what?
And trade. So Egypt was prosperous. Folks were going to Egypt so God used Egypt in this way.
Okay? Alright. So, if we look, if we go from here to now we can go over to verse 46. Jacob goes to, okay, and if we look at verse 46, it says, so Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. God spoke to Israel in a vision at night, said, Jacob, Jacob. Here I am, he replied.
I am God, the God of your fathers. Do not be afraid to go down to where? Egypt. Egypt. For I will make you into a great nation.
Where? There. In Egypt.
There. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you. I will surely bring you back again, and Joseph's only will close your eyes. Okay?
So Jacob goes into Egypt, right? So now we can go to verse number 27 of chapter number 46. Okay, well let's start with verse number 26. All those who went to Egypt with Jacob, those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons' wives, numbered how many people? 66 persons.
With the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob's family which went into Egypt were how many? 70. Were 70 in all. 70 people in all but what did God just say to him yeah yeah do not be afraid to go down to Egypt for I will make you into a great nation there he going in with 70 people going in with 70 people but he said I'm gonna make you into a great nation there okay everybody with me all right now let's go over to chapter number 47 okay And let's read verses 1 through 6. Can somebody read that for us? other than brothers in the stand.
I love how he reads. I love how he reads. Somebody else.
Then Joseph went and told Pharaoh and said, My father and my brothers, their flocks and their herds and all that they possess have come from the land of Canaan. And indeed they are in the land of Goshen. And he took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh. Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, What is your occupation?
And they said to Pharaoh, Your servants are shepherds, both we and also our fathers. And they said to Pharaoh, We have come to dwell in the land because your servants have no pasture for their flock, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen. Pharaoh said to Joseph, saying, Your father and your brothers have come to me.
The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land. Let them dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know any competent men among them, then make them chief herdsmen over my livestock.
All right. So Joseph's family comes into Egypt. He presents them to Pharaoh.
Pharaoh makes this statement to Joseph. tells them to live in the land of Goshen okay if we look at verse 28 of this chapter go down to verses 28 I'm sorry let's start at verse 27 verse 27 says now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen right they acquired property there and and were fruitful and increased greatly in number. Right? But they started out with how many of them?
Seventy. Started out with seventy. Okay. But they went to the region of Goshen, they acquired property there, and were fruitful and increased in number.
Okay? So let's continue reading through here, and let's go to chapter number... Okay? Chapter number 50. And let's look at verses 19 through 26. Joseph said to them, don't be afraid.
I am in the place of God. What does he say here? Okay? This is after it had passed and they were afraid that maybe Joseph would take revenge, right? And then Joseph said to them, don't be afraid.
I am in the place of God. You intended to what? You intended to harm me. But God intended it for good. To accomplish what is now being done.
The saving of what? Meaning life. So then don't be afraid.
I will provide for you and what? And your children. And he assured them and spoke kindly to them. Joseph stayed in Egypt along with all his father's family.
He lived 110 years and saw the generation of Ephraim's children, the generation of Makar's son of Manasseh were placed at birth in Joseph's knees. And Joseph said to his brothers, I'm about to die. but God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.
So Joseph died at the age of 110, and after they embalmed him, He was placed in a coffin where? In Egypt. So what are some of your takeaways, that story of Joseph going into Egypt? Yes, sir. Even though his brothers thought that they were, I don't know whether, he was still their brother, so they say he's still our brother.
And it was all in God's order. So they were acting on behalf of the Lord. Right. Okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
You agree? Disagree? The problem with that idea is that When we sin or when we cheat somebody wrong, we can say, I was acting on behalf of God.
So I'm sort of concerned about that. Without their knowledge is what I meant. How? Without their knowledge, knowing that they acted on behalf of the Lord. But see, that sounds as if they were doing right, but they weren't.
You know what I'm saying? God used, God turned their wrongness, and he made it work for him. You understand what I'm saying? I'm sort of having difficulty with that.
So therefore, if I do something wrong to you, I can say, God wanted me to do that anyway, and he's going to fix that on down the line. And so that sort of exonerates them of their sin. What they did to their brother was wrong.
God used it for good. You understand? He turned it, and that's the magnificence of God, that he can do that.
And he does it often. But that doesn't exonerate the person from doing wrong. You understand what I'm saying? Yeah, but without their knowledge, though... I'm thinking what you're saying is God had changed it into good versus in the beginning it was evil for what they did to their brother.
But I was thinking that maybe that was the plan all along to get them there. It definitely was a part of God's plan. We are, we make choices.
Brother McDaniel, I remember Coming to church on one occasion. I was late my appointment here. I was moving pretty fast on 65 Faster than the speed limit said that I should be moving. Okay, right and I got here and I said whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I made my appointment.
Thank you, Lord, I made it. And I could hear just as vividly in my mind God saying, don't bring me into that. I just heard him say that. You know, you just broke all kind of laws and speed limits to get here, to get to church, and then you're going to say, thank you, Lord.
Amen. I made it here to my meeting on time, and the Lord said to me, don't bring me into that. Did you see what I'm saying?
I think that's what Jan is saying. Don't bring me. He said to me, William, I never will forget it.
I thanked him. I prayed. I said, Lord, thank you.
I made it on time. He said, uh-uh. I didn't have nothing to do with everything you did out there on the interstate.
Yeah, we would use that all the time. We'd use it all the time. You know, I did this wrong.
God's going to use it and fix it up. But we're still responsible for the intent of our actions. Their actions were bad.
You know what I'm saying? They were jealous, and they were going to kill him, and they were going to hurt him, and all this stuff. They still went to slavery. They were wrong, but God used it. God fixed it.
And God, you know, God's omnipotent, omnipresent. He knew that that had to be a part of my experience to share with you in class today. You know, I mean, this stuff is deep. It is deep. So he had me have an experience that I will never forget.
To support what Sister Janet is saying in class about don't put stuff on God when you sin. Okay. Sister Gibson and then Brother John, I saw Sister Gibson. Yes, ma'am. My takeaway is we have to do the right thing.
We have to trust God. We may not understand the way he handles situations, but we have to trust him and know that everything that he does is for our good. Yes, yes. Amen to that.
Amen. Brother John, did you have a point? I'm just thinking, first of what you were saying a while ago, what you brought out in your comment. Yes, sir. The Lord told you that because you forgot it.
Because I what? You didn't think about it in the first. Yeah, yeah. And... When you started, you forgot God.
You took matters into your own hands. That's why I'm saying this to you. I took, I like that John, I took matters in my own hands. It's something as simple as obeying the speed limit. The speed limit is the speed limit.
It's the law of the land. It says I should be going 55 miles an hour. However, I was late.
So I took things into my own hands. Let me step up the speed to 65. I'm not going to tell y'all if I eat my whip after that. If I step it up to 65. Because I need to get to the church building.
I'm justifying this behavior. I'm justifying this behavior. And then I'm going to get to the church house and say to God, thank you, Lord, for getting me here on time when I just broke the law.
And he said, uh-uh. William, Don't put me in on that one. I had nothing to do with that. I will never forget it. I will never forget it.
And share it with you in this class. So yes, Brother McGann, he knows everything. He knew what Joseph's brothers were like. But just like what we just read, Joseph said that God did this because he had a plan.
He had a plan of, he allowed it. He allowed it because he had a plan of salvation for Joseph. Joseph's brothers. Yes, sir. Because it was his plan to get Joseph there anyway.
Yes. And God could have done it in a number of ways. He could have done it in a number of ways. And I think it's significant as we continue to study the kingdoms. We could talk about the individuals and the characters and their behavior.
That's all interesting. It's all very interesting. But what Brother McCleskey and I want to do is think about the kingdoms and how God used this particular kingdom at this point in history and why he did it and why he did it.
Okay? So, any other comments? Yeah.
In support of Sister Parham's comments, I want to back up even more from where she was at. So God is demonstrating through Joseph's story a simple fact that we can understand is that he is in control, not you. It doesn't matter what you do, good or bad, God is in control. And he's using Joseph as a forerunner of Christ. He is a shadow and a type of Jesus that's going to come.
The very same things that happened to Joseph happened to Jesus. And so God is demonstrating, he's signaling to us, These events are going to happen again. I had this under control, and I'm going to have that under control.
Joseph was beloved of his father. So was Jesus, beloved of his father, Matthew 3, 17. Joseph was rejected by his brothers. Jesus was rejected by his own people, John 1 and 11. Joseph was sold for silver. Jesus betrayed for silver, Matthew 26, 16. Joseph was falsely accused.
Jesus was falsely accused. Mark 14:56. Joseph suffered but remained faithful.
Jesus remained obedient unto death. Philippians 2:8. Joseph was exalted to a place of power, seated at the right hand of God.
Joseph was exalted to the right hand of Pharaoh. Joseph became the source of life and provision for all of mankind. through Egypt. Jesus is the bread of life, John 6:35.
And Joseph was offered forgiveness to his betrayers and Jesus on the cross said, "Father, forgive them. They know not what they do." So God is demonstrating that he is in control and he's given us a foreshadowing. He's given us a look Into the redemption that he's bringing to mankind in the story of Joseph, but I'll stop right there. I got no Matter of fact make sure that gets in notes Every class that brother McCluskey and I put together he does a summary of of the lesson, the comments that you make, the discussions that we have, and he puts it out there. When Brother McCleskey and I start the class next week in the training room, out of respect for everyone here, we are not gonna go back and start from day one.
We won't do that. What I am gonna say to them is every lesson that we have covered to date is out here on Brother Johnson's website. So you can go back and look at the lessons and catch up.
We will do a quick review. We will just do a very quick review next Lord's Day. But we want to get into...
a continuation of the study of the kingdom of Egypt, okay, because we have other kingdoms we want to get to, okay, over the course of the next three months. But Barry does an excellent job of summarizing each class and capturing everybody's thoughts and notes. Make sure what you just said is part of the notes in the class because that's the whole reason for doing this class.
What is God symbolically doing with the individuals or the kingdom, the principal characters in history with this kingdom of Egypt and Joseph going into Egypt? What's the symbolism behind that? I think Brother Barry did an excellent job.
He told me yesterday, we were together, he said, I got a little surprised. I appreciate you, brother. You know what, brother?
I appreciate you sharing it with the class because I was stuck on verse 19 and when you said that, it applied to what Joseph said to them. Don't be afraid. I am in the place of God. Am I in the place of God?
And when you said all that, I thought about this verse right here. I said, what's that? So as we wrap up class today, this is where we're going to i will do a little quick review because we'll be down in training room we'll have a lot of people in the class from my brother turner brother phillips class they'll be joining us for the next three months but we'll do just a very quick review over the kingdom concepts but i will point them to the website so we don't have to today and hopefully we can get them here next week. I want you to read, everybody is familiar with Moses' story. So we want to talk about this power struggle between God and Pharaoh and the symbolism behind it.
Look what happened. We read Exodus chapter 1 verse number 8. Somebody who has the King James Version because that's what I grew up. There arose a Pharaoh who knew not Yeah. Okay. So someone, if you have the King James Version, read verse number 8, verse number 8, 9, and 10, and then we'll bring our class to a close.
Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. Come on, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply and it come to pass that when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies and fight against us.
And so get them up out of the land. Yes. Now, we are moving from the middle kingdom where this occurred, this story with Joseph occurred, we're moving into what they call the New Kingdom period, which was from 1550 to 1070 BC.
This is often considered the height of ancient Egyptian civilization, okay? And Moses went into Egypt to bring out the children of Israel. This period of history is considered the height of Egyptian civilization. This period includes famous pharaohs like King Tut, King Tutankhamun, and then Ramses II. There are some scholars who believe when Moses went back into Egypt that Ramses II was possibly the Pharaoh.
But Ramses II, this king who rose up who knew not Joseph, this was Ramses' father. This was Seti. This was Pharaoh. Seti I, possibly, is what history says. So we're going to assume that this is Sete, Sete I, okay?
And this occurred from 1300 B.C. during this period of time that they refer to as the New Kingdom, okay? So this is where we will start next Sunday, Lord willing. Thank you for attendance and class. Yes, sir?
You listen to the website again? Barry's Bureau. Barrysbureau.com.
Barrysbureau.com. B-A-R-R-Y-S Bureau. B-U-R-E-A-U.com.
Thank you.