The One in whom the Spirit of God is (Gen 40-41)

One in whom the Spirit of God is.

Gen 40-41

Key Verse 38 So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?"

Today’s passage is about the success of Joseph’s life. As we explore his success, I pray that God may give us an in depth understanding of success in life.

Joseph was sold to median merchants by his brothers because of their jealousy and hatred. He was sold as slave to Portiphar, the captain of royal guard.  In a day, his life changed from a loved son to a slave. But he endured and did not sin. He upheld God’s name and God was with him in all that he did. As the result he became the master servant of Potiphar’s house. He managed the house of Portiphar and most powerful man in the house except his master Portiphar. But Potiphar’s wife noted his success and made many attempts to seduce him. This was a big and daunting challenge for a young and powerful man, Joseph.  But in fear of God, he refused, rejected ungodly affair with the wife of his boss and ran away from such seduction. But as a result he was put in a prison, labeled as a sexual offender.

In this way, Joseph kept his faith when he was at the bottom of his life. Also he kept his fear of God when he was at the top of his success. But in both of these occasions, Joseph’s life was brought down to the bottom, not by his own wrong doing but by the wrongs of others. After the first one, he became a slave. After the second one he became a prisoner.  He was convicted to be a sexual offender and in order to pay for his crime, he was put in prison. In some sense this was much worse than first, because

•                    He actively sought what was good and right in the eyes of God.

•                    This active decision to follow God was rewarded with conviction of crime that he did not commit and he had to pay for it by his prison life.

•                    Imprisonment is much worse than being a slave and living as a convicted criminal is much worse than being a slave.

In time of such undue hardship, how did Joseph do? Joseph did not lose his trust in God and he did not resort himself to his own justice or anger or vengeance. The sin he did not commit that he had to bear did not affect adversely to Joseph. Rather Joseph still believed God’s goodness and justice. God was with him in everything he did.  This intimate relationship between God and Joseph did not suffer despite of such undue punishment on Joseph’s life.

40:20 Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there.

Since then, some time had passed by. But there was no sign of when or how he could get out of this prison. But one day, Pharaoh was angry with two of his officials, his cupbearer and his baker, and put them in prison at the same time. It seemed that King Pharaoh found out some foul play but he did not know who it was; these two were suspects of that foul play. It might have been a scheme to kill Pharaoh.

In this prison Joseph took care of them.  But one day, the same night each of them had a dream. The cupbearer had a dream:  

40:9-11. So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, "In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, 10 and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh's cup and put the cup in his hand."

At that same night, the baker also had a dream:

Genesis 40:16-17.., "I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets of bread.1 17 In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head."

These dreams were so strange to them. They knew that it was related to Pharaoh’s anger on them. But they did not know what they meant. Was it full restoration or punishment? If it is punishment, would it be just loss of job or death? So, both of them became gripped with fear and uncertainty. They were depressed and did not know what to do. As they shared their dreams it became clear to them that these dreams were too strange to be casual dreams because:

•        Both of them had dream at the same night.

•        But they were totally two different dreams but they came at the same time with some similarities.

At the moment Joseph saw them, he knew something was wrong with them and asked them why.  As he came to find out that it was because of their dreams, Joseph said this,  

"Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams."(8b)

Being encouraged by Joseph, the cupbearer told Joseph his dream. God gave Joseph the interpretation of the dream. In three days, the cupbearer will be restored to his position. In addition he added this request for the cupbearer.

14 But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison.

As the baker heard this, he also asked Joseph to interpret his dream.  Joseph interpreted that in three days, Pharaoh would impale the cupbearer.  It was warning on a forth coming judgment on this man for what he did.

What did these dreams mean to Joseph? . 

As we noted it was too strange to be casual dreams since it was at the same night and they had similar element.  They both were charged with the crime that Pharaoh was angry with.  Through these, it is clear that these dreams came from God and by God.

Secondly this means that in them were the will and purpose of God.  They were not just predictions of what would happen to them. We do not know what they did.  But one thing is clear, one will be lifted up to his position and the other will be lifted up to be impaled.

Thirdly, God used Joseph to deliver his messages to these two men; one to restoration of his position, the other to a judgment on his wrongdoing.  God wanted to make him known as the one on whom God entrust his plan.

Fourthly, the message was about judgment on the evil and restoration of the good.  There were two distinctively different dreams, one is to prove his innocence and the other is to prove his guilty and beat its consequence, i.e death. In these two men we can find two things: judgment for the wrong doing and blessing and restoration for the right. It is interesting to note that the death of the baker is through impalement.

Long before Pharaoh decided to do or expressed what he was about to do, God gave these dreams to these two people. What does it mean? It is God that controls life; one good is to be restored to blessing the other is to be judged for the wrong he committed; judgment in form of impalement. In this way God let Joseph and these two officials know that God is the judge of the living and the dead.

The word of God’s judgment was brutally clear. It is very hard for Joseph to say this to the baker. But Joseph said this to the baker. You will be impaled in three days; it is the word of God and it shall happen. Though it would be Pharaoh that would carry out this, it was in God’s ultimate principle and message for Joseph as well as for these two people. God is the head of Pharaoh and God determines the life according to his goodness and righteousness.

As he said, three days later the cupbearer was resorted to his job and the baker was impaled. But the cupbearer forgot Joseph and his request.  Another two years passed by. Joseph was still in prison as usual. It seemed as though Joseph might have to stay in prison for life. There was no sign or hint of any resolution of his undue prison life.  What was God doing? Joseph personally understood that God judges the wrong and rewards the good and righteous. Joseph was in prison though it should have been the wife of Portiphar. God is in control and he will do good for those who live righteous life. Despite of the fact that he could not see anything of his future, this is the comfort and confidence; “God will do good to him as long as I live in fear of God”.  Here is clear picture of restoration or vindication for his godliness. God will do it!

Yet Joseph did not know when and how. Like this two years passed by. God began to do something.  

King Pharaoh had a dream: in his dream, he was standing by the Nile River, seven cows sleek and fat came up out of the river and grazed among the reeds. Soon after them seven cows, ugly and gaunt came out of the Nile and ate the seven sleek and fat cows.

Soon after this, Pharaoh had another dream. At this time there were seven heads of grain that were healthy and good. This was followed by seven heads of grain, thin and scorched by the east wind. These thin and scorched grain heads ate up the healthy and good heads of grain.

These dreams gave him a great anxiety. He never seen such ugly cows and even after eating all those fat and sleek cows, they were still ugly.  Whatever it might be, ending with such ugly scene was very worrisome. So he called in all magicians and asked them to interpret the dreams but no one could.

The dreams were from God and by God. Unless God gives no one can understand these dreams. At this time of dead-lock situation, the cupbearer remembered Joseph and recommended Joseph to Pharaoh and Pharaoh called Joseph in.

Pharaoh asked Joseph this question;

15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."  

Pharaoh thought that Joseph was able to interpret the dream because of his power or ability to do so. But Joseph denied this in this way:  16 "I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires."

Did Pharaoh know the God of Joseph? No! Did he care about God? Very unlikely! Nevertheless, Joseph introduced His God to Pharaoh. That God was the source of dream and he was the one who would give Pharaoh the interpretation of the dreams. In this way, Joseph unveiled the presence of God behind this event and upheld his absolute authority in this matter.  

So Pharaoh told Joseph the two dreams.  As soon as he heard the dreams, Joseph explained the dream.

V25-32.

In this way, Joseph delivered the message of God to Pharaoh. There is a strong emphasis on the fact that it is what God is about to do. It is stated at the beginning and in the center or middle and in the end.(25,28,32)  These dreams came from the God of Joseph. That God controls the world with blessing and with punishment. God decided firmly and God will do it soon. Here is urgency on this matter because it has been decided and it shall happen immediately and that it needs a decision and action.

It is about blessing and judgment; seven years of blessing and seven years of judgment—that would be so severe enough to threaten the very existence of people and even to the extent that it might decimate the entire nation, the kingdom.  

The draught will cover the entire land of Egypt and its surrounding region. God had intention to put the entire land under his will. Nevertheless, God revealed this to Pharaoh so that they might not perish but had opportunity to save themselves from the coming judgment. Was there any solution?

Joseph added his suggestion:

V33-35

·         33 "And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.

·         34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.

·         35 They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food.

·         36 This food should 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 the famine."

It is amazing that Joseph interpreted the dreams so well without any trace of doubt or ambiguity. He not only interpreted the dreams but also read God’s intention in the dreams. God firmly decided to do it soon. Also he offered the suggestion and it was also remarkable too.

When Pharaoh and all of his officials heard this, Pharaoh ask them one question; Can we find any one like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?

“One in whom is the Spirit of God” characterizes who Joseph was. Since he had dreams , God clearly revealed to him what he vested in Joseph’s life. Since then God had been with him and Joseph did not fail God’s expectations. He upheld God high above all though out his life. He did this when he had the two dreams. He did this even he was in prison, He did this when he was high, in power and riches, He did this when he was greatly tempted by Portiphar’s wife,

So the phrase ‘God was with him’ has been repeated few times;

•                    Genesis 39:2  The LORD was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.

•                    Genesis 39:3  When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did,

•                    Genesis 39:21  the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.

•                    Genesis 39:23  The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

The fact that God was with Joseph was visible to the eyes of Portiphar when Joseph worked for him. .Also this was also evident to the warden when Joseph was in prison. These were the most difficult times of his life; one as a slave and the other as a prisoner. But in each of these two periods, ‘God was with Joseph’ was repeated twice on each. This means that it was noticeable; his faith, his fear of the Lord, and his trust in God were visible in his actions, and in his words.

Finally this was seen and confirmed by Pharaoh.

39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you."

What does it mean to us? Is our life of faith evident in the eyes of many? The fact that God is with us is shown in words and deeds? What is the most convincing proof that God was with Joseph?  How can one uphold God above his or her own life?

In view of what God did, it was God’s one-sidedly poured out blessing to Joseph that made Joseph such a success regardless of his weaknesses or failures. But it is notable that there was no weakness or failure mentioned in those time of struggle. There is a strong suggestion that Joseph reciprocated God’s revelation with faith. The epitome of this faith was seen in his handling of Portiphar’s wife’s lure for sexual affair. So it was not just God’s one-sided enforcing of his blessing that made him great. Joseph lived in fear of God. He did this in time of distress and in time of success. In this way, Joseph was proven to be worthy of greater blessing and worthy of greater purpose.

Fear of God above all and believing in His goodness and his plan make man walk differently and God blesses such men profusely.  

The ultimate form of God’s blessing was to use him to save the world. This purpose was envisioned in his first dream and it is revealed to Joseph fully in God’s revelation on Pharaoh’s dream.

God uses each man according to his will and purpose. Not all men are to be great like Joseph. But to every man that he calls, God gives dream. This dream hatches in and through Christ. This becomes clearer as we review the life of Abraham. As the essential part of his faith, God gave him a dream about what was yet to come of his descendants. (Gen 15). In that dream God gave, he saw many generation after him. His descendants would be enslaved for four hundred years and then they would come back to possess the land. Seeing the future cannot be conveyed easily through the communication by words. But it is more real through dream. If Abraham is the father of faith for all that believes, and then, his dream was also an essential part of the content of faith, then, it is not too wrong to say that we all believers are to have such dreams. In his sermon Peter indicated this(Act 2:17) Peter indicated this by quoting Joel’s message (Joel 2:28).

Joe 2:28 "And it will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions.

Those dreams have to do with God’s plan or scheme of salvation of the people of the world. So it invariably includes about future of their lives and ultimate ending is one’s eternal perspective in God’s kingdom. Dream may be a dream as a dream at night, dream as one’s vision in spirit, and dream as one’s perspective in intellectual realm. Whatever one the dream might be if it is of God. Dreams were the mainstay of God’s revelation and the source of Joseph’s faith. This fact is well recognized by Pharaoh

This was seen in Pharaoh’s word and is seen in action.

41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt."

42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and people shouted before him, "Make way!" Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

Simply Joseph had full authority of King Pharaoh, except Pharaoh himself. So he declares :

44.., "I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt."

Why did Pharaoh do all these?  There is a strong emphasis on Joseph’s power and authority over the entire people of Egypt, the kingdom; No one except Pharaoh was greater than Joseph; No one among his people or his officials should dare to challenge this. Why? Did he want to raise Joseph so high? 

The entire event is caused by God and Pharaoh feared the God that gave him the dream and the plan that God would impose upon Egypt, the entire land; God of Joseph is the God who has supreme authority and power over his life and his kingdom.  Joseph only had such intimate relationship with that God. He has the answer and he only has favor of the God that was going to bring such blessing and judgment. So what he did to Joseph was exact reflection of what kind of fear and respect to God Pharaoh had.

As Pharaoh said, Joseph became the second in command in Egypt. He rode chariot and royal robe. Whatever he said and did was to make sure that no one in his kingdom dare to challenge Joseph and his plan because God was with him.  He had all power, and glory and respect from the whole people of Egypt.

What does this success meant to Joseph personally? What does this teach us Joseph’s life, particularly in regard to his dream? 

A.    God needed a man of God’s will. God led Joseph as the man through these three dreams.  

·                     God gave a dream to Joseph—let him see God’s choice for his life in the grandeur scheme of salvation of people. It is within his family and personal life, and in the sphere of the world and heavenly realm.

·                     God gave dreams to cupbearer and baker—in the sense of God’s judgment and blessing on righteousness and evil. For Joseph, a man of God must be keenly aware that God judges the wrong but blesses those who do not rebel and fear God. The fear of God is godliness. 

·                     God gave dream to Pharaoh-the king of Egypt—It opens the mind of Joseph toward God’s plan for the world. In it is God’s will to bring the whole world under God’s authority(repossession of his creation—this is revealed in Joseph’s administration of famine)  

B.   God raised Joseph by being with him; God was with him all along in life of slavery, and in prison, over 13 years of suffering and pain. Behind these difficulties, there was a deep ‘spiritual and world view’ in him that kept his lite pure and godly and worthy of God’s blessing. He is the model for Christian life. This is seen in the life of Jesus,
Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:2 NIV)

Daring ability to suffer and persevere may be proportional to how much one see things in godly perspective. The more our view of God’s kingdom becomes clearer to us, the more easily we can bear all things for the sake of coming glory in this kingdom.

C.   What did Joseph see through all these?

Pharaoh gave Joseph a wife and he had two children from her. Their names were

51 Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, "It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household." 52 The second son he named Ephraim and said, "It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering."

These two names of his son is the reflection of his life in God’s perspective;

First one was Manasseh; meaning that God has made me forget all my trouble. As we learned his troubles were caused by the wickedness and sins of his brothers. It remained as a credit that he had to get it back from them. They owe to Joseph and Joseph had right to demand its payback. But God made him forget. As we read it, God forcefully made him to forget this credit to him and debt that his brothers had to pay to him. In other words, God paid the debt of his brothers with such abundance of blessing and Joseph was compelled to forget the wrongs of his brothers and forgive their sins.

If he held bitterness, anger, hatred and revengeful mind against his brothers, he could not see God’s blessing. It is God who made us forget all the wrongs of our brothers and sisters, and many people of the world. Only when we see God’s blessing, in his grace, we can forget all the credit we have against others or debt we owe can be nullified or wiped off. It came first in the mind of Joseph.

Second, Ephraim, God made him fruitful in the land of suffering; how can one handle suffering? What should be our attitude toward suffering? When Joseph suffered along with God, God made him fruitful and successful. How long did Joseph suffer? If it was at seventeen when he was sold to Egypt, then his suffering was for 13 years, suffering as a slave and as a prisoner.  When he endured these sufferings, God made him fruitful.

Though Jesus was the Son of God, he served people in all their needs as if he were a slave. Jesus suffered on the cross for the sins of all men. But God led him to the glory and has become the second in command in heavenly realm.  

God has chosen us and gave us dream to be princes and princess of the kingdom of God. God is with us and we can dare to suffer as a slave for the sake of others and as a prisoner paying for the sins of the people of the world. Soon coming is the glory for us, which will be so great that we will forget the life of suffering.