David Jeremiah - The Life of Joseph: Betrayed By His Brothers

July 6, 2025 | 58:20

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Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah | David Jeremiah - The Life of Joseph: Betrayed By His Brothers | July 6, 2025

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Male announcer: you've heard dr. david jeremiah
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Teach bible prophecy.
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Now experience those truths in his first ever novel,
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John haggerty is trained to stop global threats,
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The end is near, and he's running out of time.
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[wind instrumental]
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♪♪♪
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Narrator: he had a dream, a dream that shook kingdoms.
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Favored above his brothers,
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But favor cast a dangerous shadow.
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Betrayal had a price, but so did survival.
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From a father's embrace to a slave master's house,
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From the depths of a forgotten prison to the heights of power.
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From the pit, to the prison, to the palace,
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His suffering would save nations;
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And his broken life, the very instrument of deliverance.
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Because while others meant it for evil,
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God meant it for good.
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♪♪♪
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♪ all my hope is in jesus ♪
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♪ thank god that yesterday's gone ♪
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♪ all my sins are forgiven ♪
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♪ i've been washed by the blood ♪
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♪ all my hope is in jesus ♪
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♪ thank god that yesterday's gone ♪
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♪ all my sins are forgiven ♪
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♪ i've been washed by the blood ♪
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♪ all my sins are forgiven ♪
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♪ i've been washed by the blood ♪
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♪ i've been washed by the blood of jesus ♪
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♪ been washed by the blood ♪
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♪ i thank you, lord, thank you, lord ♪
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♪ been washed by the blood ♪♪
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Announcer: coming up on "turning point."
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Dr. david jeremiah: the bible says: "all things work together
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For good to those who love god
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Who are the called according to his purpose."
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God is working in your life.
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He's working in my life.
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And he's working toward a good end,
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Not a difficult or a bad one.
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God has a purpose for you, and he's preparing you
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Providentially for that purpose.
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♪♪♪
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Announcer: prayer, keep it simple,
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Keep it specific.
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"everything to god in prayer: guided prayers for your deepest
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Provides you with 100 carefully crafted prayers
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To guide you through
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Life's challenges and celebrations.
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When words fail you during times of grief,
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When your heart is filled with gratitude,
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But you can't express it, when you're facing decisions
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That seem impossible, dr. jeremiah helps you
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Bring everything to god.
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The bible tells us to go to god in prayer for all things.
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But sometimes we need guidance on how to pray effectively
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And specifically.
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Reading and praying these guided prayers
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By dr. jeremiah will help you learn to pray with confidence
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And clarity and with renewed passion
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And purpose.
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From "turning point" today.
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Announcer: thank you for watching "turning point."
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Here is dr. jeremiah with his message, "the life of joseph."
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Dr. jeremiah: in order to use us, sometimes god puts us
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Through some stuff, doesn't he?
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He makes us make some choices we would not normally make
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And to see things from a perspective
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We might not normally anticipate.
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Sometimes that means we experience awful pain,
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Giving up what we want to keep and going forward into areas
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We'd rather leave unexplored.
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But if we're going to be used by the lord for his purposes,
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That process has to take place.
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And that's exactly what happened to joseph,
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The man we are going to study.
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Joseph was a favored young man, as you remember.
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He was his father's pet son.
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He was going to be the heir of the family.
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He wore the many-colored coat.
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He was unexpectedly one day dropped into a pit.
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Before he knew what was happening, he was a family slave
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In a foreign country, serving under a hard man.
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And after years of hard work, earning the trust of his master,
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Joseph was again let down, this time by the slanderous lies
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Of another person.
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He was rewarded for his faithfulness by being sent
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To jail and forgotten by those he had helped.
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If ever a man had a reason to be bitter, it was joseph.
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He had done all the right things,
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And everything bad had happened to him.
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But the wonderful thing is that joseph did not become bitter.
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Joseph had a dream to recognize the fact
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That god was shaping him for ministry,
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And he understood perhaps more than we can counter
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The tough times of his life were preparing him
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For something great.
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And before he could take his place as a leader and the savior
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Of a nation, joseph had to experience the ignominy
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Of being a slave and a prisoner.
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God had him face difficulties so he could prepare him
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For greatness.
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All of us, no matter who we are, go through trying times.
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Can i get a witness?
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We go through trying times and they don't happen by accident.
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God arranges those to help us grow.
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And in this study of the life of joseph,
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We'll discover what brought him through his darkest days
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And how we can learn from his example.
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This study is for everyone who wants to know god
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And be used for his purposes.
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Joseph illustrates the success of faith,
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And he was victorious and triumphant at every turn,
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Capturing our attention to the strength
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Of his character.
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I love joseph, and joseph is a great model for all of us
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As we read the story of his life and we think,
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"oh, i'm going through some really bad things."
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Read joseph and you'll feel a lot better
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About your own life.
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I've yet to spend one day in a pit.
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I haven't been to prison yet.
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Yet.
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And i have so much to be thankful for.
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You know, god often uses the stories of people in the bible
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To teach us, to inspire us, sometimes to warn us.
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Think about the powerful lessons you learned from the life
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Of david and daniel and esther and ruth and jonah and job.
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It's one thing to read about concepts, but it's a whole
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Different thing to see those concepts lived out
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In the lives of real people.
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And when you see them, you think, "well, god,
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If you did that for them, why can't you do that for me?
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They're no different than i am.
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They're the same kind of flesh and blood people as i am.
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God, you're the god of all of us."
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And when you see god at work in the lives of others,
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It encourages you that he's also at work in your life.
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That's why romans 15 says this.
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Listen to these words.
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"for whatever things were written before
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Were written for our learning, that we through the patience
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And comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
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God has given us this wonderful book we call the bible, and this
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Book is given to us to help us know that god is on our side,
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That he has not forsaken us, that he's working in our life.
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And if we're going through a difficult time,
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Instead of asking why, we should ask what.
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What do you want me to learn through all of this?
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What can i figure out that will make me more effective?
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And that's the way we see joseph.
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So let me introduce you to this man in this early message.
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First of all, i want you to notice that joseph's life
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Was very pivotal, crucial to the whole story
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Of the old testament.
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His life is the link between genesis and exodus,
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From israel being a family to israel being a great nation
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In bondage.
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After being sold into slavery by his brothers,
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Joseph rose to power in egypt,
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Thanks to his wisdom and the favor of god.
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And meanwhile, his family remained in canaan,
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And a severe famine struck.
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It caused the people of the surrounding nations to come
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To egypt because word got out that egypt was the only place
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Where there was any food.
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And, of course, that was thanks to joseph,
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Who had stored up food for seven years
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So there would be enough to feed the people of egypt.
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Genesis 46 tells us that when joseph's father,
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Jacob, moved his little family to egypt,
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There were only 70 in that family.
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By the time we get to exodus chapter 1,
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That little family has grown into a nation
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Of 2 million people.
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That chapter tells us that there arose a new king over egypt
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Who did not know joseph,
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So we know that things are about to change.
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"the king of egypt said to his people one day,
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'look, the people of the children of israel
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Are more and mightier than we;
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Come, let us deal shrewdly with them,
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Lest they multiply, and it happen,
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In the event of war, that they join our enemies
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And fight against us, and so go out of the land.'
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So they set taskmasters over them to afflict them
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With their burdens.
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And they built for pharaoh supply cities,
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Pithom and raamses.
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But the more they afflicted the israelites,
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The more they multiplied and grew.
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And they were in dread of the children of israel."
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No matter what the egyptians did, this little band
00:12:06.208 --> 00:12:08.577
Of israelites kept getting bigger and bigger,
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A nation within a nation that stayed
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In that nation for 430 years.
00:12:14.316 --> 00:12:19.588
It wasn't until israel was under the leadership of moses
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That they marched victoriously out of egypt
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And back to the promised land.
00:12:25.995 --> 00:12:28.430
It is impossible, men and women, to understand the transition
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From canaan to egypt and from prosperity to slavery
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If you don't study the life of joseph.
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He's the hinge between all of this.
00:12:40.676 --> 00:12:43.112
He lived in both worlds, and he makes it possible
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For us to understand how this all happened.
00:12:46.415 --> 00:12:49.819
His life was pivotal, but his life was also providential.
00:12:49.819 --> 00:12:54.356
Though at times joseph may have hated his situation and wondered
00:12:54.356 --> 00:12:57.927
About god's purposes, eventually his life
00:12:57.927 --> 00:13:01.630
Was an example of the rule of god's providence.
00:13:01.630 --> 00:13:05.067
God took the darkest events and used them as stepping stones
00:13:05.067 --> 00:13:09.572
To move joseph into position.
00:13:09.572 --> 00:13:12.141
Even when joseph couldn't understand what god was doing,
00:13:12.141 --> 00:13:15.644
The lord was still at work.
00:13:15.644 --> 00:13:17.813
God was arranging the situation even when it seemed
00:13:17.813 --> 00:13:21.383
Like he was far away.
00:13:21.383 --> 00:13:23.519
He often does that in our lives.
00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:25.087
We wonder, what is going on with me right now.
00:13:25.087 --> 00:13:29.258
If we could only see it from god's perspective,
00:13:29.258 --> 00:13:31.594
We wouldn't worry.
00:13:31.594 --> 00:13:33.062
God's up to something.
00:13:33.062 --> 00:13:34.763
He doesn't have to tell us.
00:13:34.763 --> 00:13:36.165
He's not obligated to bring you in on the story.
00:13:36.165 --> 00:13:40.035
And joseph, if you really look at it carefully,
00:13:40.035 --> 00:13:43.205
Went through more tough times than just about anybody else
00:13:43.205 --> 00:13:45.908
In the bible except perhaps for job.
00:13:45.908 --> 00:13:49.411
No matter what he did, listen to me,
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Bad stuff kept happening to him.
00:13:51.914 --> 00:13:54.817
He wasn't being rewarded for being good and righteous.
00:13:54.817 --> 00:13:57.720
It seemed like he was being punished.
00:13:57.720 --> 00:14:00.155
When we look back at his story, we can see that god had a plan.
00:14:00.155 --> 00:14:04.260
It's like that saying: god's plan is like reading hebrew;
00:14:04.260 --> 00:14:08.330
You have to read it backwards.
00:14:08.330 --> 00:14:10.132
You can't read it forwards.
00:14:10.132 --> 00:14:11.800
You have to look back and say,
00:14:11.800 --> 00:14:13.135
"oh, so that's what was going on."
00:14:13.135 --> 00:14:16.472
You know something, men and women, if we knew everything
00:14:16.472 --> 00:14:18.774
God had planned for us, we'd be so scared
00:14:18.774 --> 00:14:21.243
We probably wouldn't get out of bed in the morning.
00:14:21.243 --> 00:14:24.980
But when we look back on our lives,
00:14:24.980 --> 00:14:26.682
We often have those a-ha moments when we say,
00:14:26.682 --> 00:14:30.586
"i didn't understand it then, but now i get it.
00:14:30.586 --> 00:14:34.957
I know what god was doing."
00:14:34.957 --> 00:14:37.192
For example, when joseph's brothers sold him into slavery,
00:14:37.192 --> 00:14:41.530
They couldn't have imagined what would have happened years later.
00:14:41.530 --> 00:14:45.701
Fast forward to the end of the story.
00:14:45.701 --> 00:14:48.237
There's a severe famine.
00:14:48.237 --> 00:14:50.472
They come to egypt seeking food,
00:14:50.472 --> 00:14:52.174
Not realizing they would have to face joseph.
00:14:52.174 --> 00:14:55.010
It's a wonderful story.
00:14:55.010 --> 00:14:56.345
We'll get to it.
00:14:56.345 --> 00:14:57.680
When they finally recognized him, they were terrified.
00:14:57.680 --> 00:15:00.916
I mean, they had treated him terribly.
00:15:00.916 --> 00:15:03.052
Now that he was in power, what would he do to them?
00:15:03.052 --> 00:15:07.189
Would he seek revenge for what they had done?
00:15:07.189 --> 00:15:10.392
But listen to joseph, genesis 45, verse 5:
00:15:10.392 --> 00:15:14.363
"but now, do not be grieved
00:15:14.363 --> 00:15:16.699
Or angry with yourselves because you sold me here;
00:15:16.699 --> 00:15:20.502
For god sent me before you to preserve life."
00:15:20.502 --> 00:15:26.275
They were afraid because of what they had done,
00:15:26.275 --> 00:15:28.410
But joseph knew what god had done.
00:15:28.410 --> 00:15:30.813
Behind the scenes, god had orchestrated this whole thing
00:15:30.813 --> 00:15:34.249
So he would be in the right place when the famine came
00:15:34.249 --> 00:15:37.953
And be able to preserve the whole nation of israel.
00:15:37.953 --> 00:15:41.623
A few verses later, he added, "god sent me before you
00:15:41.623 --> 00:15:45.494
To preserve a posterity for you in the earth,
00:15:45.494 --> 00:15:48.664
And to save your lives by a great deliverance."
00:15:48.664 --> 00:15:52.001
You see, joseph was able to see past the surface events
00:15:52.001 --> 00:15:55.537
To what god was doing.
00:15:55.537 --> 00:15:57.406
His brothers' envy was used by god to move joseph to egypt,
00:15:57.406 --> 00:16:01.577
And there, in the process,
00:16:01.577 --> 00:16:03.879
Joseph was the salvation of the whole family.
00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:07.116
One of the most well-known verses in the bible
00:16:07.116 --> 00:16:09.218
Found in chapter 50 captures this perfectly.
00:16:09.218 --> 00:16:13.188
Joseph told his brothers, "you meant evil against me;
00:16:13.188 --> 00:16:17.860
But god meant it for good,
00:16:17.860 --> 00:16:20.162
In order to bring about as it is this day,
00:16:20.162 --> 00:16:22.531
And save many people alive."
00:16:22.531 --> 00:16:25.768
Joseph had it all in perspective.
00:16:25.768 --> 00:16:28.370
He saw that god was willing even the evil things
00:16:28.370 --> 00:16:31.807
Of this world to illustrate his work in the lives of men.
00:16:31.807 --> 00:16:36.545
Joseph's life was pivotal, and it was providential.
00:16:36.545 --> 00:16:39.715
God was at work in the life of joseph.
00:16:39.715 --> 00:16:42.951
But joseph's life was also prosperous.
00:16:42.951 --> 00:16:46.622
And i like this part of the story
00:16:46.622 --> 00:16:48.323
Because so often over the years as a pastor,
00:16:48.323 --> 00:16:52.561
I have heard successful men and women who are christians
00:16:52.561 --> 00:16:57.366
Apologize for their success, as if perhaps being a christian,
00:16:57.366 --> 00:17:03.739
You shouldn't be successful.
00:17:03.739 --> 00:17:05.808
Well, let me tell you about joseph.
00:17:05.808 --> 00:17:08.277
Joseph is one of the few truly successful men
00:17:08.277 --> 00:17:12.181
Mentioned in the bible.
00:17:12.181 --> 00:17:14.116
God records his success for us so that we
00:17:14.116 --> 00:17:17.086
Might study the principles of his prosperity.
00:17:17.086 --> 00:17:20.322
To really understand his prosperity,
00:17:20.322 --> 00:17:22.191
You have to examine the fact that joseph was a dreamer.
00:17:22.191 --> 00:17:27.096
Got any dreamers here today?
00:17:27.096 --> 00:17:29.298
People who--i don't mean sleeping in church,
00:17:29.298 --> 00:17:30.933
I mean having a vision for the future.
00:17:30.933 --> 00:17:36.638
The bible records six different dreams in the story of joseph.
00:17:36.638 --> 00:17:41.610
The first two were his own dreams about the future,
00:17:41.610 --> 00:17:45.247
Which he shared with his father and his brothers.
00:17:45.247 --> 00:17:48.350
And while in prison, joseph interpreted two more dreams:
00:17:48.350 --> 00:17:51.120
One for the butler, the other for the baker.
00:17:51.120 --> 00:17:53.856
The last two dreams were pharaoh's dreams
00:17:53.856 --> 00:17:56.358
Which joseph interpreted,
00:17:56.358 --> 00:17:58.393
Leading to his rise in prominence.
00:17:58.393 --> 00:18:01.096
Now, in the first dream, joseph was out in the field.
00:18:01.096 --> 00:18:04.933
He was harvesting, and his sheaf was upright,
00:18:04.933 --> 00:18:08.070
But the sheaves of his brothers bowed down to him.
00:18:08.070 --> 00:18:11.507
In joseph's second dream, he saw the sun, the moon,
00:18:11.507 --> 00:18:14.376
And 11 stars bowing down to him.
00:18:14.376 --> 00:18:17.513
Now, joseph knew that this was a promise from god.
00:18:17.513 --> 00:18:21.583
God had a plan for joseph's life,
00:18:21.583 --> 00:18:24.820
A plan that would ultimately put him in prominence.
00:18:24.820 --> 00:18:28.257
It was god's way of saying, you are going to be prosperous.
00:18:28.257 --> 00:18:31.460
You will one day be a successful man
00:18:31.460 --> 00:18:34.730
Under the hand of god.
00:18:34.730 --> 00:18:36.331
And that's why the story of joseph is filled with phrases
00:18:36.331 --> 00:18:40.435
Describing him as a success.
00:18:40.435 --> 00:18:43.438
Genesis 39: "the lord was with joseph,
00:18:43.438 --> 00:18:47.709
And he was a successful man.
00:18:47.709 --> 00:18:52.281
And his master saw that the lord was with him
00:18:52.281 --> 00:18:55.450
And that the lord had made all he did to prosper.
00:18:55.450 --> 00:18:59.922
And the blessing of the lord was on joseph's life
00:18:59.922 --> 00:19:05.961
And all that he had in the house and in the field."
00:19:05.961 --> 00:19:10.332
Even when joseph was thrown into prison,
00:19:10.332 --> 00:19:13.802
I don't know how you're successful in prison,
00:19:13.802 --> 00:19:15.704
But joseph figured out a way.
00:19:15.704 --> 00:19:18.006
He didn't stop being successful when he was thrown in prison
00:19:18.006 --> 00:19:21.510
Because he resisted the advances of potiphar's wife.
00:19:21.510 --> 00:19:25.247
The bible says the lord was with joseph and showed him mercy
00:19:25.247 --> 00:19:29.318
And gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
00:19:29.318 --> 00:19:33.689
And the keeper of the prison committed to joseph's hand
00:19:33.689 --> 00:19:36.725
All the prisoners who were in the prison.
00:19:36.725 --> 00:19:39.027
Whatever they did there, it was his doing.
00:19:39.027 --> 00:19:41.530
And the keeper of the prison did not look at anything that was
00:19:41.530 --> 00:19:44.700
Under joseph's authority because the lord was with joseph,
00:19:44.700 --> 00:19:49.538
And whatever he did, the lord made it prosper.
00:19:49.538 --> 00:19:54.509
Joseph, he was killing it.
00:19:54.509 --> 00:19:59.915
Everywhere he went, he became the person in charge.
00:19:59.915 --> 00:20:04.720
Like cream rising to the top, god made him successful.
00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:09.091
Joseph didn't make himself prosper.
00:20:09.091 --> 00:20:11.893
He followed god, and god made him prosper.
00:20:11.893 --> 00:20:14.896
And that's the whole key to it, isn't it?
00:20:14.896 --> 00:20:16.832
It isn't for us to make ourselves successful.
00:20:16.832 --> 00:20:19.534
Oh, we should follow the principles
00:20:19.534 --> 00:20:21.270
And practices that we know,
00:20:21.270 --> 00:20:23.305
But we should ask god to lead us into the pastures
00:20:23.305 --> 00:20:26.842
Where he wants us to be and to the places of influence
00:20:26.842 --> 00:20:28.443
Where we can make a difference in his behalf.
00:20:28.443 --> 00:20:32.547
And we should never apologize for that when he does it.
00:20:32.547 --> 00:20:37.052
We should be thankful and grateful.
00:20:37.052 --> 00:20:39.121
Lift up our hands and praise to the lord
00:20:39.121 --> 00:20:41.156
That he has been so good to us and trusted us
00:20:41.156 --> 00:20:44.159
With such influence and blessing.
00:20:44.159 --> 00:20:46.762
So it was with joseph.
00:20:46.762 --> 00:20:48.830
There was nothing wrong with joseph's dreams.
00:20:48.830 --> 00:20:51.867
They were god's way of telling him about his future,
00:20:51.867 --> 00:20:55.370
And god promised joseph that he would be successful.
00:20:55.370 --> 00:21:00.008
So this man joseph's life was pivotal,
00:21:00.008 --> 00:21:03.412
And it was providential, and it was prosperous.
00:21:03.412 --> 00:21:08.183
And here's one for us all in this day
00:21:08.183 --> 00:21:10.819
When so much is not like this: joseph's life was pure.
00:21:10.819 --> 00:21:16.625
Joseph had some tough times along the way,
00:21:16.625 --> 00:21:20.329
But he always seemed to learn from them.
00:21:20.329 --> 00:21:23.165
And whenever god put him in a pressure situation,
00:21:23.165 --> 00:21:26.735
Joseph saw it for what it was, and he survived it.
00:21:26.735 --> 00:21:30.939
There were basically three major challenges in joseph's life.
00:21:30.939 --> 00:21:34.976
First of all, he had to pass the test of self-pity.
00:21:34.976 --> 00:21:39.648
Now, what do we do when we involve ourselves in self-pity?
00:21:39.648 --> 00:21:44.152
Here's another word for it.
00:21:44.152 --> 00:21:45.887
We pout.
00:21:45.887 --> 00:21:48.190
Anybody here ever pout?
00:21:48.190 --> 00:21:51.727
We feel sorry for ourselves.
00:21:51.727 --> 00:21:54.529
We end up feeling like we're the only ones who are going through
00:21:54.529 --> 00:21:57.132
What we're going through, and it's not fair,
00:21:57.132 --> 00:21:59.768
And god shouldn't be doing this to us, and he's picking on us.
00:21:59.768 --> 00:22:04.139
Let me assure you of something, my friend.
00:22:04.139 --> 00:22:06.208
God is not picking on you, and he's not picking on me.
00:22:06.208 --> 00:22:11.380
He is instead entrusting you and me with certain trials
00:22:11.380 --> 00:22:16.084
To help us grow and learn and be stronger than we were.
00:22:16.084 --> 00:22:20.522
And self-pity is never productive
00:22:20.522 --> 00:22:23.325
And does not lead to anything good in our lives.
00:22:23.325 --> 00:22:28.296
And i want to advise you, if you're a pouter, to give it up.
00:22:28.296 --> 00:22:37.005
Because it's not going to take you anywhere.
00:22:37.005 --> 00:22:40.008
Somebody said it's kind of like jealousy.
00:22:40.008 --> 00:22:42.144
You know what jealousy is?
00:22:42.144 --> 00:22:43.745
It's swallowing poison and expecting somebody else to die.
00:22:43.745 --> 00:22:50.118
So he passed the test of self-pity.
00:22:50.118 --> 00:22:52.687
Through all of his problems, joseph never complained.
00:22:52.687 --> 00:22:56.758
Then he passed the test of sexual enticement.
00:22:56.758 --> 00:23:00.796
In genesis 39, we are told that joseph was tempted
00:23:00.796 --> 00:23:04.166
By his boss's wife to commit adultery.
00:23:04.166 --> 00:23:07.569
And joseph ran out of the house.
00:23:07.569 --> 00:23:10.372
The bible says she had tried to grab his coat,
00:23:10.372 --> 00:23:13.175
And he left his coat in her hands.
00:23:13.175 --> 00:23:16.178
Rather than succumb to temptation,
00:23:16.178 --> 00:23:18.113
Joseph chose to obey god.
00:23:18.113 --> 00:23:20.849
He knew how much he owed his boss, so he couldn't do
00:23:20.849 --> 00:23:23.952
Such an evil thing as to sleep with his boss's wife.
00:23:23.952 --> 00:23:27.856
He knew how much he owed god, and joseph was not willing
00:23:27.856 --> 00:23:30.959
To sin against the lord, and he survived victoriously
00:23:30.959 --> 00:23:36.331
Over that temptation.
00:23:36.331 --> 00:23:37.799
And you know what happened to him because of that?
00:23:37.799 --> 00:23:40.836
He was thrown in prison, and he was there for at least two years
00:23:40.836 --> 00:23:45.707
Because he did the right thing.
00:23:45.707 --> 00:23:48.543
And then, thirdly, i think joseph had another test,
00:23:48.543 --> 00:23:53.281
Which i will call the test of self-indulgence.
00:23:53.281 --> 00:23:57.252
Just think about this now.
00:23:57.252 --> 00:23:58.587
Joseph comes to power.
00:23:58.587 --> 00:24:00.555
He has every opportunity to use his wealth and his power
00:24:00.555 --> 00:24:05.093
To take revenge on his brothers
00:24:05.093 --> 00:24:07.596
Or simply to grant his every whim.
00:24:07.596 --> 00:24:10.599
Instead, he chooses to use his power for the benefit of others,
00:24:10.599 --> 00:24:15.637
Saving his family, helping to feed many nations of the world.
00:24:15.637 --> 00:24:19.908
I've seen people pass the test of adversity
00:24:19.908 --> 00:24:23.278
Only to fail the test of prosperity.
00:24:23.278 --> 00:24:27.315
Now, joseph, he refused to be sucked in by adversity,
00:24:27.315 --> 00:24:31.353
Allurement, or advancement.
00:24:31.353 --> 00:24:33.555
And pharaoh told us what the secret of his life was.
00:24:33.555 --> 00:24:38.326
Pharaoh said, "can we find such a one as joseph,
00:24:38.326 --> 00:24:42.430
A man in whom is the spirit of god?"
00:24:42.430 --> 00:24:46.735
How did pharaoh figure that out?
00:24:46.735 --> 00:24:49.004
By watching joseph deal with life,
00:24:49.004 --> 00:24:52.541
Not being full of self-pity,
00:24:52.541 --> 00:24:55.010
Not succumbing to the sexual temptations of his life
00:24:55.010 --> 00:24:58.647
And not being willing to get revenge
00:24:58.647 --> 00:25:01.816
On his brothers for what they did to him.
00:25:01.816 --> 00:25:06.388
His life was pivotal and providential,
00:25:06.388 --> 00:25:09.591
Prosperous, and pure.
00:25:09.591 --> 00:25:11.459
And finally, joseph's life is prophetic.
00:25:11.459 --> 00:25:15.597
I told you before that joseph's life is signaled to us
00:25:15.597 --> 00:25:19.801
As important just by the press it gets in the bible,
00:25:19.801 --> 00:25:23.338
Genesis 37 to genesis 50.
00:25:23.338 --> 00:25:26.041
It's a lot of space.
00:25:26.041 --> 00:25:28.243
But joseph was a picture of jesus christ.
00:25:28.243 --> 00:25:32.714
Joseph is an old testament picture
00:25:32.714 --> 00:25:35.684
Of the new testament jesus.
00:25:35.684 --> 00:25:38.119
Joseph and jesus are names that come
00:25:38.119 --> 00:25:41.022
From a kind of similar root word.
00:25:41.022 --> 00:25:44.426
They mean salvation.
00:25:44.426 --> 00:25:47.028
Joseph became the savior of the people of israel.
00:25:47.028 --> 00:25:50.765
Jesus is the savior of the world.
00:25:50.765 --> 00:25:54.336
A.w. pink, who has written on the book of genesis,
00:25:54.336 --> 00:25:58.273
Lists a hundred comparisons between joseph and christ.
00:25:58.273 --> 00:26:03.645
They're amazing when you think about them.
00:26:03.645 --> 00:26:05.981
For instance, joseph was a shepherd feeding his sheep.
00:26:05.981 --> 00:26:10.485
Jesus said, "i am the good shepherd."
00:26:10.485 --> 00:26:14.489
Joseph was beloved of his father, and god said of jesus,
00:26:14.489 --> 00:26:18.960
"this is my beloved son, in whom i am well pleased."
00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:23.665
Joseph was hated by his brothers, and we read of jesus,
00:26:23.665 --> 00:26:27.969
"they hated me without a cause."
00:26:27.969 --> 00:26:30.972
Joseph was not believed by his brothers,
00:26:30.972 --> 00:26:33.441
And the scripture says:
00:26:33.441 --> 00:26:35.176
"neither did jesus's brothers believe in him."
00:26:35.176 --> 00:26:39.681
Joseph was envied by his brothers, and we read of jesus:
00:26:39.681 --> 00:26:43.985
"the chief priests delivered him for envy."
00:26:43.985 --> 00:26:47.922
Joseph was sold for 20 pieces of silver.
00:26:47.922 --> 00:26:51.626
Jesus was sold for 30 pieces of silver.
00:26:51.626 --> 00:26:55.697
Joseph was sold into egypt, and of our lord we read:
00:26:55.697 --> 00:26:59.868
"out of egypt i have called my son."
00:26:59.868 --> 00:27:03.338
Joseph was a man in whom the spirit of god was, and we read
00:27:03.338 --> 00:27:07.242
That god anointed jesus with the holy spirit and with power.
00:27:07.242 --> 00:27:12.614
Joseph was put into a pit.
00:27:12.614 --> 00:27:15.684
Jesus was put into the grave.
00:27:15.684 --> 00:27:18.887
Joseph was taken out of the pit three days later.
00:27:18.887 --> 00:27:22.791
Jesus came out of the grave after three days.
00:27:22.791 --> 00:27:27.662
Are those all coincidences?
00:27:27.662 --> 00:27:30.331
I don't think so.
00:27:30.331 --> 00:27:32.067
Those are reminders to us that as we study the life of joseph,
00:27:32.067 --> 00:27:36.571
We see the life of jesus.
00:27:36.571 --> 00:27:39.140
So what can we learn for ourselves that we can take away
00:27:39.140 --> 00:27:43.011
From this to our homes this week?
00:27:43.011 --> 00:27:46.181
Let me just go back and look over my shoulder for a moment
00:27:46.181 --> 00:27:51.553
And remind you that joseph's life was pivotal,
00:27:51.553 --> 00:27:55.957
But so is yours.
00:27:55.957 --> 00:27:57.992
Have you ever gone back and said, "if i hadn't done that,
00:27:57.992 --> 00:28:01.262
I wonder what my life would have looked like"?
00:28:01.262 --> 00:28:04.399
Your life is pivotal.
00:28:04.399 --> 00:28:05.867
Somebody's counting on you to do the right thing.
00:28:05.867 --> 00:28:08.303
God has a plan for your life.
00:28:08.303 --> 00:28:09.971
Don't ever say your life is not important.
00:28:09.971 --> 00:28:12.373
Your life is pivotal.
00:28:12.373 --> 00:28:14.075
People are counting on you to do the right thing.
00:28:14.075 --> 00:28:16.811
Do the right thing.
00:28:16.811 --> 00:28:19.280
Joseph's life was also providential, and ours is, too.
00:28:19.280 --> 00:28:24.552
The bible says: all things work together for good
00:28:25.787 --> 00:28:29.724
To those who love god,
00:28:29.724 --> 00:28:31.059
Who are the called according to his purpose."
00:28:31.059 --> 00:28:34.329
God is working in your life.
00:28:34.329 --> 00:28:35.964
He's working in my life.
00:28:35.964 --> 00:28:37.799
And he's working toward a good end,
00:28:37.799 --> 00:28:39.634
Not a difficult or a bad one.
00:28:39.634 --> 00:28:41.636
God has a purpose for you, and he's preparing you
00:28:41.636 --> 00:28:44.839
Providentially for that purpose.
00:28:44.839 --> 00:28:47.909
The bible tells us that "if we commit our way to the lord,
00:28:47.909 --> 00:28:52.714
He will give us the desires of our heart."
00:28:52.714 --> 00:28:56.484
What does that mean?
00:28:56.484 --> 00:28:57.819
It means two things.
00:28:57.819 --> 00:28:59.154
First of all, what it says.
00:28:59.154 --> 00:29:00.955
If you commit your way to the lord, the lord isn't gonna put
00:29:00.955 --> 00:29:03.591
You in a place where you don't have any joy in what you do.
00:29:03.591 --> 00:29:08.329
But here's the other part of that.
00:29:08.329 --> 00:29:10.465
When you commit your way to the lord, god gives you his desires.
00:29:10.465 --> 00:29:15.503
So you no longer just have your desires, you have his desires.
00:29:15.503 --> 00:29:19.741
You want to do his will, his work, and live life his way.
00:29:19.741 --> 00:29:25.580
And god has done that in my life as well,
00:29:25.580 --> 00:29:27.649
And he will do that in yours.
00:29:27.649 --> 00:29:29.784
Give your heart to god as joseph did.
00:29:29.784 --> 00:29:32.987
Turn your back on the things that you think are so important
00:29:32.987 --> 00:29:36.357
For yourself, make god number one.
00:29:36.357 --> 00:29:39.928
Watch what he does.
00:29:39.928 --> 00:29:41.896
You will be surprised.
00:29:41.896 --> 00:29:44.299
♪♪♪
00:29:44.365 --> 00:29:49.404
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Jesus christ as your lord and savior, you can do that today.
00:30:42.323 --> 00:30:46.861
If you will allow us, dr. jeremiah
00:30:46.861 --> 00:30:48.897
Would like to send you two resources that will help you.
00:30:48.897 --> 00:30:52.166
The first is a booklet called "your greatest turning point,"
00:30:52.166 --> 00:30:55.303
Which will help you as you begin your relationship with christ.
00:30:55.303 --> 00:30:58.673
And the second is our monthly devotional magazine,
00:30:58.673 --> 00:31:01.109
"turning points," to give you encouragement
00:31:01.109 --> 00:31:03.311
And inspiration throughout the year.
00:31:03.311 --> 00:31:05.847
These resources are yours completely free
00:31:05.847 --> 00:31:08.182
When you contact "turning point" today.
00:31:08.182 --> 00:31:10.151
Announcer: if you enjoyed today's message, watch the
00:31:14.322 --> 00:31:16.324
Entire "god meant it for good" series on turning point+.
00:31:16.324 --> 00:31:20.328
Start streaming this series today along
00:31:20.328 --> 00:31:22.463
With more than 1200 messages from dr. jeremiah's 4 decades
00:31:22.463 --> 00:31:25.767
Of broadcast ministry.
00:31:25.767 --> 00:31:27.535
On turning point+ you'll find dr. jeremiah's bible-strong
00:31:27.535 --> 00:31:30.672
Teaching, original programming, plus special collections
00:31:30.672 --> 00:31:34.008
And playlists, all on demand and on any screen.
00:31:34.008 --> 00:31:37.645
Visit turningpointplus.org to get started today.
00:31:37.645 --> 00:31:40.682
Announcer: coming up on "turning point."
00:31:43.151 --> 00:31:45.954
Dr. jeremiah: god sent him before them.
00:31:45.954 --> 00:31:48.523
He prepared all of this.
00:31:48.523 --> 00:31:49.958
This was providential on god's part.
00:31:49.958 --> 00:31:52.327
Joseph didn't know it when it was happening.
00:31:52.327 --> 00:31:54.462
He probably wondered, "why is this happening to me?"
00:31:54.462 --> 00:31:57.165
But as time went by, the key point in the passage
00:31:57.165 --> 00:32:00.234
Is that even before the famine, the lord sent joseph ahead.
00:32:00.234 --> 00:32:04.739
Announcer: stay tuned for another message
00:32:06.074 --> 00:32:07.775
From dr. jeremiah's series,
00:32:07.775 --> 00:32:09.477
"god meant it for good: the story of joseph,"
00:32:09.477 --> 00:32:12.146
Coming up next here on "turning point."
00:32:12.146 --> 00:32:14.949
♪♪♪
00:32:17.418 --> 00:32:27.462
Narrator: he had a dream,
00:32:28.162 --> 00:32:30.498
A dream that shook kingdoms.
00:32:30.498 --> 00:32:33.101
Favored above his brothers,
00:32:35.770 --> 00:32:38.940
But favor cast a dangerous shadow.
00:32:38.940 --> 00:32:43.244
Betrayal had a price, but so did survival.
00:32:43.244 --> 00:32:49.650
From a father's embrace, to a slave master's house,
00:32:49.650 --> 00:32:55.323
From the depths of a forgotten prison to the heights of power.
00:32:55.323 --> 00:33:01.062
From the pit, to the prison, to the palace,
00:33:01.062 --> 00:33:06.167
His suffering would save nations; and his broken life,
00:33:06.167 --> 00:33:11.506
The very instrument of deliverance.
00:33:11.506 --> 00:33:15.143
Because while others meant it for evil, god meant it for good.
00:33:15.143 --> 00:33:20.581
♪♪♪
00:33:20.648 --> 00:33:26.421
Announcer: here is dr. jeremiah with his message,
00:33:26.421 --> 00:33:29.090
"betrayed by his brothers."
00:33:29.090 --> 00:33:31.759
Dr. jeremiah: i need to tell you something that we probably
00:33:31.826 --> 00:33:34.362
All know if we stop and think about it for a moment.
00:33:34.362 --> 00:33:37.732
Few things in life hurt us worse than personal betrayal.
00:33:37.732 --> 00:33:42.904
If you ask me if anyone has ever betrayed me,
00:33:42.904 --> 00:33:46.040
I'd answer with a cautious yes.
00:33:46.040 --> 00:33:48.743
Would you?
00:33:48.743 --> 00:33:50.511
Have you ever been betrayed?
00:33:50.511 --> 00:33:52.447
Betrayal is one of the strongest words on the emotional scale.
00:33:52.447 --> 00:33:56.918
We don't use it lightly.
00:33:56.918 --> 00:33:58.486
What makes betrayal so raw and painful is that it comes
00:33:58.486 --> 00:34:01.823
Not from our enemies, but from those who are close to us,
00:34:01.823 --> 00:34:05.293
From our families, from our friends.
00:34:05.293 --> 00:34:08.262
People can't betray us unless we've allowed them
00:34:08.262 --> 00:34:10.598
Into our life,
00:34:10.598 --> 00:34:12.166
Unless we've let down our guard and trusted them.
00:34:12.166 --> 00:34:15.369
So betrayal exposes and exploits our vulnerability.
00:34:15.369 --> 00:34:19.440
It wounds because it makes us subject of a doublecross.
00:34:19.440 --> 00:34:23.711
Perhaps you've shared your most private thoughts with someone
00:34:23.711 --> 00:34:27.515
Only to discover they betrayed your confidence
00:34:27.515 --> 00:34:29.984
And told someone else.
00:34:29.984 --> 00:34:32.753
Maybe you've paid someone in advance for work or equipment
00:34:32.753 --> 00:34:35.790
Without getting what you bargained for,
00:34:35.790 --> 00:34:37.558
Or more painful is discovering that your spouse
00:34:37.558 --> 00:34:40.128
Is cheating on you or a sibling has lied to you.
00:34:40.128 --> 00:34:44.332
Many people feel betrayed by a dad or mom who failed to love or
00:34:44.332 --> 00:34:48.035
Respect them, or by a business partner who did them dirty.
00:34:48.035 --> 00:34:53.541
David said this on one occasion.
00:34:53.541 --> 00:34:56.144
I think he captured the essence of what i've been saying.
00:34:56.144 --> 00:34:59.347
He said, "it is not an enemy who taunts me--
00:34:59.347 --> 00:35:03.084
Then i could bear it;
00:35:03.084 --> 00:35:05.052
It is not an adversary who deals insolently with me--
00:35:05.052 --> 00:35:08.389
Then i could hide from him.
00:35:08.389 --> 00:35:09.891
But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion,
00:35:09.891 --> 00:35:14.295
My familiar friend."
00:35:14.295 --> 00:35:17.031
Did you know that even jesus was not immune to all of this?
00:35:17.031 --> 00:35:20.635
You know what happened to him at the hand of judas.
00:35:20.635 --> 00:35:24.038
And then, of course, peter, who denied him three times.
00:35:24.038 --> 00:35:27.508
He was also denied by the religious leaders of his day.
00:35:27.508 --> 00:35:30.978
He felt the sting of betrayal.
00:35:30.978 --> 00:35:33.748
But i want to talk to you today about one of the most famous
00:35:33.748 --> 00:35:36.250
Stories in the bible about betrayal,
00:35:36.250 --> 00:35:38.286
And it happens to be in the life of joseph.
00:35:38.286 --> 00:35:40.721
The whole story is in the 37th chapter of genesis.
00:35:40.721 --> 00:35:44.492
Joseph's formative years were linked
00:35:44.492 --> 00:35:46.928
To his father jacob's journeys.
00:35:46.928 --> 00:35:49.897
Joseph and his brothers traveled alongside their dad,
00:35:49.897 --> 00:35:53.234
And they witnessed the increasing prosperity
00:35:53.234 --> 00:35:55.670
Of the family.
00:35:55.670 --> 00:35:57.405
While working for his father-in-law in hebron,
00:35:57.405 --> 00:36:00.608
Jacob became very wealthy.
00:36:00.608 --> 00:36:03.010
In fact, his flocks had become so great
00:36:03.010 --> 00:36:05.813
That there was no longer any room in hebron to graze them.
00:36:05.813 --> 00:36:08.583
So he eventually dispatched his ten older boys to shechem
00:36:08.583 --> 00:36:13.888
To graze the flocks in a larger area.
00:36:13.888 --> 00:36:17.291
One day jacob asked young joseph to go see how his brothers
00:36:17.291 --> 00:36:22.463
And the flocks were doing in that part of the land.
00:36:22.463 --> 00:36:26.067
Israel said to joseph, 'are not your brothers
00:36:26.067 --> 00:36:28.469
Feeding the flock in shechem?
00:36:28.469 --> 00:36:30.271
Come, i will send you to them.'"
00:36:30.271 --> 00:36:32.773
Now, it's not hard to understand why jacob was concerned
00:36:32.773 --> 00:36:36.844
About his boys.
00:36:36.844 --> 00:36:38.346
First, they were grazing near shechem,
00:36:38.346 --> 00:36:41.148
Where his daughter dinah had been raped,
00:36:41.148 --> 00:36:43.517
And his boys had committed murder in defending her honor.
00:36:43.517 --> 00:36:47.622
"now it came to pass on the third day,
00:36:47.622 --> 00:36:50.157
When they were in pain,
00:36:50.157 --> 00:36:51.692
That two of the sons of jacob, simeon and levi,
00:36:51.692 --> 00:36:55.029
Dinah's brothers, each took his sword
00:36:55.029 --> 00:36:57.765
And came boldly upon the city and killed all the males."
00:36:57.765 --> 00:37:02.770
So that happened there, where the boys were with the sheep.
00:37:02.770 --> 00:37:06.507
Second, his boys had been involved in flagrant evil in the
00:37:06.507 --> 00:37:09.944
Past, and on one occasion, joseph had witnessed them
00:37:09.944 --> 00:37:13.581
And reported the incident to his father.
00:37:13.581 --> 00:37:16.217
He snitched on them, which made him even more popular
00:37:16.217 --> 00:37:18.753
Than his dreams.
00:37:18.753 --> 00:37:21.088
The fact is, jacob's sons weren't very good boys,
00:37:21.088 --> 00:37:24.692
So he wanted to see what they were up to.
00:37:24.692 --> 00:37:27.395
I have to also tell you that probably jacob
00:37:27.395 --> 00:37:29.497
Was remembering what he was like when he was their age.
00:37:29.497 --> 00:37:32.266
He was no saint either.
00:37:32.266 --> 00:37:34.101
In fact, his nickname was trickster.
00:37:34.101 --> 00:37:36.470
He was a deceiver who got in a lot of trouble
00:37:36.470 --> 00:37:38.572
Because he could never tell the truth about much.
00:37:38.572 --> 00:37:41.509
He was pretty sneaky and manipulative
00:37:41.509 --> 00:37:43.344
When he was younger,
00:37:43.344 --> 00:37:44.679
And i think the thing that worried jacob most about
00:37:44.679 --> 00:37:46.414
His sons was probably the things he remembered
00:37:46.414 --> 00:37:48.616
That he had done himself.
00:37:48.616 --> 00:37:50.451
So he sends joseph, his young son, to go check on the boys.
00:37:50.451 --> 00:37:55.856
"jacob said, 'please go and see if it is well with your brothers
00:37:55.856 --> 00:37:59.560
And well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.'
00:37:59.560 --> 00:38:03.431
So he sent him out of the valley of hebron,
00:38:03.431 --> 00:38:06.334
And he went to shechem."
00:38:06.334 --> 00:38:08.636
The bible says that joseph looked high and low
00:38:08.636 --> 00:38:11.672
When he got to shechem, and he couldn't find his brothers.
00:38:11.672 --> 00:38:14.842
Where were they?
00:38:14.842 --> 00:38:16.677
A stranger explained to joseph that they had moved on
00:38:16.677 --> 00:38:19.914
To dothan, another town close by.
00:38:19.914 --> 00:38:22.883
So genesis 37:17 says: "joseph went after his brothers
00:38:22.883 --> 00:38:27.888
And found them in dothan."
00:38:27.888 --> 00:38:30.524
Let me pause and tell you two interesting things about joseph
00:38:30.524 --> 00:38:33.761
In this regard.
00:38:33.761 --> 00:38:35.296
First of all, he was courageously obedient.
00:38:35.296 --> 00:38:38.966
Joseph had to have known that he wasn't popular
00:38:38.966 --> 00:38:41.569
With the rest of the boys.
00:38:41.569 --> 00:38:43.371
It was no secret that his brothers hated him,
00:38:43.371 --> 00:38:46.006
And he could feel the tension with them,
00:38:46.006 --> 00:38:48.075
Yet he knew that his job was to do
00:38:48.075 --> 00:38:50.244
What his father told him to do.
00:38:50.244 --> 00:38:52.446
So he went to check out his brothers 50 miles away,
00:38:52.446 --> 00:38:56.384
In a place far from his father's protection.
00:38:56.384 --> 00:38:59.553
He immediately obeyed.
00:38:59.553 --> 00:39:01.188
There was no questioning, no complaining, just obedience.
00:39:01.188 --> 00:39:04.859
He did what his father asked him to do, point number one.
00:39:04.859 --> 00:39:08.362
But number two, he was not just courageously obedient,
00:39:08.362 --> 00:39:12.032
He was completely obedient.
00:39:12.032 --> 00:39:14.201
Get this: he gets to shechem and his brothers aren't there.
00:39:14.201 --> 00:39:18.773
Now, if i'm joseph and i know how they feel about me,
00:39:18.773 --> 00:39:21.976
Here's how i reason: "my dad told me to go to shechem
00:39:21.976 --> 00:39:24.812
And find my brothers.
00:39:24.812 --> 00:39:26.247
They're not in shechem, i'm going home."
00:39:26.247 --> 00:39:30.017
But not joseph.
00:39:30.017 --> 00:39:31.419
The bible says when he found out that they'd gone to dothan,
00:39:31.419 --> 00:39:34.688
Which was 24 miles down the road,
00:39:34.688 --> 00:39:37.425
He went to dothan to find them.
00:39:37.425 --> 00:39:39.226
He knew that his father's desire was to find out
00:39:39.226 --> 00:39:42.897
How the boys were doing.
00:39:42.897 --> 00:39:45.299
He went the extra mile to be obedient
00:39:45.299 --> 00:39:47.268
Because he knew his father's heart.
00:39:47.268 --> 00:39:49.603
His promptness and thoroughness reveal his character.
00:39:49.603 --> 00:39:53.007
Joseph's response was one of courageous
00:39:53.007 --> 00:39:55.643
And complete obedience.
00:39:55.643 --> 00:39:57.845
Now, the interesting thing is how he's gonna be received
00:39:57.845 --> 00:40:00.848
By his brothers.
00:40:00.848 --> 00:40:02.683
How will they receive him?
00:40:02.683 --> 00:40:04.151
The next verses in our passage tell us that they come up
00:40:04.151 --> 00:40:07.254
With an evil scheme against joseph.
00:40:07.254 --> 00:40:09.423
Let's read about this in verses 18 through 20:
00:40:09.423 --> 00:40:13.360
"now when they saw joseph afar off,
00:40:13.360 --> 00:40:15.896
Even before he came near them,
00:40:15.896 --> 00:40:18.199
They conspired against him to kill him.
00:40:18.199 --> 00:40:21.502
Then they said to one another, 'look, this dreamer is coming!
00:40:21.502 --> 00:40:25.039
Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit;
00:40:25.039 --> 00:40:28.776
And we shall say, "a wild beast has devoured him."
00:40:28.776 --> 00:40:32.146
And we shall see what will become of his dreams
00:40:32.146 --> 00:40:34.748
When we do that.'"
00:40:34.748 --> 00:40:36.083
I mean, a little sarcasm there.
00:40:36.083 --> 00:40:37.785
Joseph the dreamer is about to have his dreams buried in a pit,
00:40:37.785 --> 00:40:40.955
According to his brothers.
00:40:40.955 --> 00:40:43.190
So they saw him coming.
00:40:43.190 --> 00:40:44.558
You see, how did they know it was joseph?
00:40:44.558 --> 00:40:45.926
Because he was wearing his special coat of many colors,
00:40:45.926 --> 00:40:49.930
The coat that represented the fact
00:40:49.930 --> 00:40:51.365
That he would be the heir to the family,
00:40:51.365 --> 00:40:54.034
One of the reasons why he was so hated by his brothers.
00:40:54.034 --> 00:40:57.438
He was the heir, and they hated him.
00:40:57.438 --> 00:41:00.107
They also noticed that they were afar off, far away from anyone
00:41:00.107 --> 00:41:03.978
Who could witness their actions.
00:41:03.978 --> 00:41:06.447
And their minds immediately began to conspire
00:41:06.447 --> 00:41:08.682
How they might get rid of this pest in their family,
00:41:08.682 --> 00:41:11.952
This dreamer who made their life so miserable.
00:41:11.952 --> 00:41:15.155
Their plan was to throw him into a pit,
00:41:15.155 --> 00:41:17.958
A term referring to a deep hole with a wide bottom
00:41:17.958 --> 00:41:21.295
And a very narrow top designed to ensure
00:41:21.295 --> 00:41:24.265
That once someone was placed there, climbing out would
00:41:24.265 --> 00:41:27.902
Be impossible because of the way the pit was constructed.
00:41:27.902 --> 00:41:32.072
This wasn't a moment of passion that took joseph
00:41:32.072 --> 00:41:34.708
From his family.
00:41:34.708 --> 00:41:36.277
This was a premeditated crime on the part of his brothers.
00:41:36.277 --> 00:41:40.114
They were going to kill him and throw him into a pit.
00:41:40.114 --> 00:41:43.918
But the story becomes more intriguing
00:41:43.918 --> 00:41:46.654
Because of a couple of the brothers.
00:41:46.654 --> 00:41:49.456
One by the name of reuben, who was the oldest,
00:41:49.456 --> 00:41:52.760
Should have been the head of the tribe.
00:41:52.760 --> 00:41:54.862
In the midst of all of this, he comes up with a proposal
00:41:54.862 --> 00:41:58.165
Because he's uncomfortable with killing joseph.
00:41:58.165 --> 00:42:02.069
And we read in verses 21 and 22 of genesis 37:
00:42:02.069 --> 00:42:06.907
"but reuben heard it,
00:42:06.907 --> 00:42:08.609
And he delivered him out of their hands,
00:42:08.609 --> 00:42:10.311
And said, 'let us not kill him.'
00:42:10.311 --> 00:42:13.047
And reuben said to them, 'shed no blood,
00:42:13.047 --> 00:42:15.349
But cast him into this pit
00:42:15.349 --> 00:42:16.951
Which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him.'"
00:42:16.951 --> 00:42:20.454
And the bible tells us that he said that
00:42:20.454 --> 00:42:22.556
So that he could come and deliver him
00:42:22.556 --> 00:42:24.158
Out of their hands and bring him back to his father
00:42:24.158 --> 00:42:27.094
When they weren't paying attention.
00:42:27.094 --> 00:42:29.129
He thought if he could get his brothers to put him in a pit,
00:42:29.129 --> 00:42:31.999
They would pay no attention,
00:42:31.999 --> 00:42:33.367
He'd come back and get joseph and rescue him.
00:42:33.367 --> 00:42:36.270
"so it came to pass," verse 23,
00:42:36.270 --> 00:42:39.106
"when joseph had come to his brothers,
00:42:39.106 --> 00:42:41.642
That they stripped him of his tunic, the tunic of many
00:42:41.642 --> 00:42:45.479
Colors that was on him, and they took him
00:42:45.479 --> 00:42:48.916
And cast him into a pit.
00:42:48.916 --> 00:42:51.051
And the pit was empty; and there was no water in it."
00:42:51.051 --> 00:42:53.754
Now watch this.
00:42:53.754 --> 00:42:55.255
"and they sat down to eat a meal."
00:42:55.255 --> 00:42:58.792
Here's their brother in this pit,
00:42:58.792 --> 00:43:00.928
Probably crying out to get out of the pit in anguish.
00:43:00.928 --> 00:43:04.465
And the boys sit down and have lunch in earshot
00:43:04.465 --> 00:43:08.569
Of what they've done to joseph.
00:43:08.569 --> 00:43:11.572
But the story continues.
00:43:11.572 --> 00:43:13.407
Another brother gets involved.
00:43:13.407 --> 00:43:15.542
This brother is named judah.
00:43:15.542 --> 00:43:18.112
And reuben wanted to save his brother,
00:43:18.112 --> 00:43:20.247
But he wouldn't have the chance
00:43:20.247 --> 00:43:21.782
Because judah comes up with a new plan.
00:43:21.782 --> 00:43:24.184
Now, let me just tell you about judah.
00:43:24.184 --> 00:43:25.753
He seems to be the materialist in the family
00:43:25.753 --> 00:43:28.922
Because he figures a way he can get something out of joseph.
00:43:28.922 --> 00:43:31.992
Watch this, verse 25: "then they lifted their eyes and looked,
00:43:31.992 --> 00:43:35.562
And there was a company of ishmaelites,
00:43:35.562 --> 00:43:37.131
Coming from gilead with their camels,
00:43:37.131 --> 00:43:39.833
Bearing spices, balm, and myrrh,
00:43:39.833 --> 00:43:41.769
On their way to carry them down to egypt.
00:43:41.769 --> 00:43:43.704
So judah said to his brothers, 'what profit is there
00:43:43.704 --> 00:43:46.974
If we kill our brother and conceal his blood?
00:43:46.974 --> 00:43:49.877
Let's sell him to the ishmaelites,
00:43:49.877 --> 00:43:52.146
And let not our hand be upon him,
00:43:52.146 --> 00:43:54.114
For he is our brother and our flesh.'
00:43:54.114 --> 00:43:57.718
And his brothers listened.
00:43:57.718 --> 00:43:59.286
And the midianite traders passed by;
00:43:59.286 --> 00:44:01.522
So the brothers pulled joseph up out of the pit,
00:44:01.522 --> 00:44:04.925
And sold him to the ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver.
00:44:04.925 --> 00:44:09.363
And the ishmaelites took joseph to egypt."
00:44:09.363 --> 00:44:12.833
Those brothers sold joseph for the equivalent of $9.
00:44:12.833 --> 00:44:18.338
Apparently, reuben wasn't present when all the scheming
00:44:18.338 --> 00:44:20.874
Took place, for when he rejoined his brothers, joseph was gone.
00:44:20.874 --> 00:44:25.379
And genesis 37 records what happened next: "then reuben
00:44:25.379 --> 00:44:28.682
Returned to the pit, and indeed joseph was not in the pit;
00:44:28.682 --> 00:44:32.252
And he tore his clothes.
00:44:32.252 --> 00:44:34.088
And returned to his brothers and said, 'the lad is no more;
00:44:34.088 --> 00:44:38.559
And where shall i go?'"
00:44:38.559 --> 00:44:40.694
Now watch this.
00:44:40.694 --> 00:44:42.763
He comes back to the pit and joseph isn't there,
00:44:42.763 --> 00:44:45.132
And he's somewhat worried about joseph,
00:44:45.132 --> 00:44:46.967
But he's more worried about himself.
00:44:46.967 --> 00:44:49.503
He says, "the lad is not here; and where shall i go?"
00:44:49.503 --> 00:44:51.572
Because he's got to give a report to his dad,
00:44:51.572 --> 00:44:53.807
And he knows that his father is going to be very upset
00:44:53.807 --> 00:44:56.643
When he doesn't come back with joseph.
00:44:56.643 --> 00:44:59.079
Reuben had one thought, not about joseph, but about himself.
00:44:59.079 --> 00:45:03.717
What is going to happen to me?
00:45:03.717 --> 00:45:08.322
So the bible says: "they took joseph's tunic,
00:45:08.322 --> 00:45:13.026
They killed a kid of the goats,
00:45:13.026 --> 00:45:15.329
And dipped the tunic in the blood.
00:45:15.329 --> 00:45:17.598
And they sent the tunic of many colors, and they brought it
00:45:17.598 --> 00:45:20.367
To their father and said, 'we have found this.
00:45:20.367 --> 00:45:24.271
Do you know whether this is your son's tunic or not?'
00:45:24.271 --> 00:45:28.242
And he recognized it and said, 'it is my son's tunic.
00:45:28.242 --> 00:45:31.912
A wild beast has devoured him.
00:45:31.912 --> 00:45:34.448
Without doubt, joseph is torn to pieces.'"
00:45:34.448 --> 00:45:39.086
With joseph on his way to egypt as a slave,
00:45:39.086 --> 00:45:41.588
The boys purposefully deceived their father.
00:45:41.588 --> 00:45:45.425
Somebody said they weren't willing to lie to their father,
00:45:45.425 --> 00:45:48.128
But they didn't have any problem deceiving him,
00:45:48.128 --> 00:45:50.964
As if there's a difference between the two.
00:45:50.964 --> 00:45:54.168
"then jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his waist,
00:45:54.168 --> 00:45:58.238
And mourned for his son for many days.
00:45:58.238 --> 00:46:01.375
And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him;
00:46:01.375 --> 00:46:05.112
But he refused to be comforted, and he said, 'i shall go down
00:46:05.112 --> 00:46:08.782
Into the grave to my son in mourning.'
00:46:08.782 --> 00:46:11.518
And his father wept for him."
00:46:11.518 --> 00:46:14.288
It's evident as you read the story that jacob believed
00:46:14.288 --> 00:46:17.157
That joseph was dead throughout all his adult life.
00:46:17.157 --> 00:46:20.594
For all of his adult life, he believed that his son was dead,
00:46:20.594 --> 00:46:24.031
And his whole world was colored by the fact
00:46:24.031 --> 00:46:26.200
That he had lost his son.
00:46:26.200 --> 00:46:28.168
He thought about it every day.
00:46:28.168 --> 00:46:29.970
It was never far from his mind.
00:46:29.970 --> 00:46:31.872
What a sad story for a man to lose his beloved son
00:46:31.872 --> 00:46:35.342
In such a way.
00:46:35.342 --> 00:46:36.677
And what hardness there must have been in the hearts
00:46:36.677 --> 00:46:39.179
Of his boys who allowed their own father
00:46:39.179 --> 00:46:42.749
To go through such awful grief
00:46:42.749 --> 00:46:44.918
When they knew what was going on was not the real story.
00:46:44.918 --> 00:46:49.990
One of the great betrayals of the bible,
00:46:49.990 --> 00:46:52.226
The betrayal of jacob by his own sons.
00:46:52.226 --> 00:46:57.397
So i want to talk with you for a moment
00:46:57.397 --> 00:46:59.166
About what we should learn from this as god's people.
00:46:59.166 --> 00:47:02.302
First of all, we should learn about the power of envy.
00:47:02.302 --> 00:47:07.074
Acts 7:9 says: "the patriarchs, becoming envious,
00:47:07.074 --> 00:47:10.644
Sold joseph into egypt.
00:47:10.644 --> 00:47:13.213
But god was with him."
00:47:13.213 --> 00:47:14.581
Envy caused these boys to sell their brother into slavery.
00:47:14.581 --> 00:47:19.286
They did it because they were jealous of joseph.
00:47:19.286 --> 00:47:21.989
He was an affront to them.
00:47:21.989 --> 00:47:24.024
That's why they put him in the pit.
00:47:24.024 --> 00:47:25.659
That's why they told his father he was dead,
00:47:25.659 --> 00:47:27.628
That's why they sold him to the midianite traders,
00:47:27.628 --> 00:47:30.931
Not because they didn't like him as a person,
00:47:30.931 --> 00:47:33.033
But because they were jealous of him
00:47:33.033 --> 00:47:35.202
And his role in the family.
00:47:35.202 --> 00:47:37.437
He had the coat of many colors.
00:47:37.437 --> 00:47:40.574
It teaches us a little bit, doesn't it,
00:47:40.574 --> 00:47:42.910
About sibling rivalry?
00:47:42.910 --> 00:47:44.745
Could i just put this little practical thought in here?
00:47:44.745 --> 00:47:47.314
Don't ever say to your kids,
00:47:47.314 --> 00:47:49.349
"why are you not like your brother?
00:47:49.349 --> 00:47:51.151
Why are you not like your sister?"
00:47:51.151 --> 00:47:52.986
I'll tell you why they are not like their brother and sister,
00:47:52.986 --> 00:47:55.489
Because they are not their brother and sister.
00:47:55.489 --> 00:47:58.992
And they're all individuals, and thank god they're all different.
00:47:58.992 --> 00:48:01.795
What a sad story it would be if they were all alike.
00:48:01.795 --> 00:48:05.098
But if you're not careful as a family,
00:48:05.098 --> 00:48:07.234
You can engender envy among the children,
00:48:07.234 --> 00:48:09.569
And certainly jacob bore some guilt here.
00:48:09.569 --> 00:48:12.606
When he pulled off the tunic thing,
00:48:12.606 --> 00:48:14.608
He set the brothers' hearts on fire with envy and jealousy.
00:48:14.608 --> 00:48:19.680
Then notice secondly, not only the power of envy,
00:48:19.680 --> 00:48:22.382
But the pretense of morality.
00:48:22.382 --> 00:48:24.785
This is throughout the story, and it's really amazing to me
00:48:24.785 --> 00:48:28.722
How these brothers patted themselves on the back
00:48:28.722 --> 00:48:33.093
For not killing their brother
00:48:33.093 --> 00:48:35.195
When they sent him off to egypt as a slave.
00:48:35.195 --> 00:48:38.498
In other words, "we could have done worse,
00:48:38.498 --> 00:48:40.567
And we didn't do worse, and we are really good people.
00:48:40.567 --> 00:48:43.437
We're righteous people.
00:48:43.437 --> 00:48:44.871
We could have killed this boy, but we didn't.
00:48:44.871 --> 00:48:46.573
We just sent him off as a slave."
00:48:46.573 --> 00:48:48.408
You say, "nobody does that."
00:48:48.408 --> 00:48:50.644
You do it, and i do it.
00:48:50.644 --> 00:48:52.746
We congratulate ourselves that we haven't done the worse thing
00:48:52.746 --> 00:48:56.183
When we've done something that's just as sinful
00:48:56.183 --> 00:48:59.152
On god's chart as what we didn't do.
00:48:59.152 --> 00:49:02.089
The natural man will do almost anything to substitute
00:49:02.089 --> 00:49:05.192
His own morality for god's morality.
00:49:05.192 --> 00:49:08.295
It's just how we're made.
00:49:08.295 --> 00:49:10.130
A man was telling how he had overcome temptation
00:49:10.130 --> 00:49:12.766
In the village general store one day.
00:49:12.766 --> 00:49:15.502
He said he had the chance to steal a bag of flour
00:49:15.502 --> 00:49:18.472
While the shopkeeper was out of the room
00:49:18.472 --> 00:49:20.173
For a minute, "and i resisted the impulse
00:49:20.173 --> 00:49:22.809
And just took a loaf of bread instead."
00:49:22.809 --> 00:49:26.313
That's how we reason.
00:49:26.313 --> 00:49:28.348
Watch out for the pretense of morality.
00:49:28.348 --> 00:49:31.318
Don't make yourself better than you should be when you're doing
00:49:31.318 --> 00:49:33.987
Something you shouldn't do.
00:49:33.987 --> 00:49:36.056
The power of envy, the pretense of morality,
00:49:36.056 --> 00:49:39.226
And the penalty of sin.
00:49:39.226 --> 00:49:41.595
Sin always hurts people.
00:49:41.595 --> 00:49:43.964
Even when we can't see the hurt right away.
00:49:43.964 --> 00:49:47.234
The brothers' sin hurt joseph, making him a slave
00:49:47.234 --> 00:49:51.271
And causing him to be separated from his brothers
00:49:51.271 --> 00:49:53.840
And his father for 20 years.
00:49:53.840 --> 00:49:56.843
It hurt jacob, who thought his son was dead and grieved
00:49:56.843 --> 00:49:59.780
All those years for joseph.
00:49:59.780 --> 00:50:02.249
But most of all, that sin hurt the brothers.
00:50:02.249 --> 00:50:06.553
As the memory of that wicked day replayed over and over
00:50:06.553 --> 00:50:10.157
In their minds,
00:50:10.157 --> 00:50:11.892
We shouldn't fool ourselves
00:50:11.892 --> 00:50:13.326
Into thinking we can get away with sin.
00:50:13.326 --> 00:50:15.562
Everybody pays the penalty.
00:50:15.562 --> 00:50:17.597
And there's a verse in the bible that says this:
00:50:17.597 --> 00:50:20.233
"be sure your sin will find you out."
00:50:20.233 --> 00:50:24.538
I've been watching this now for over half a century,
00:50:24.538 --> 00:50:27.574
And i can promise you it's pretty accurate.
00:50:27.574 --> 00:50:31.044
Hardly anybody gets away over a long period of time
00:50:31.044 --> 00:50:36.450
With things like what the brothers did.
00:50:36.450 --> 00:50:38.518
They carried it in their heart, and it destroyed their ability
00:50:38.518 --> 00:50:41.655
To sleep at night.
00:50:41.655 --> 00:50:43.523
Then let me talk with you about the providence of god finally.
00:50:43.523 --> 00:50:47.394
The brothers sold joseph into slavery,
00:50:47.394 --> 00:50:49.362
Thinking they had shut him up and his dreams were over.
00:50:49.362 --> 00:50:52.766
But you know what happened?
00:50:52.766 --> 00:50:54.301
In doing what they did, they made his dreams come true.
00:50:54.301 --> 00:50:58.438
In seeking to defeat god's purposes,
00:50:58.438 --> 00:51:01.108
They helped in their fulfillment.
00:51:01.108 --> 00:51:03.777
Let's turn to psalm 105 and verse 16,
00:51:03.777 --> 00:51:07.380
And notice how this paragraph summarizes
00:51:07.380 --> 00:51:10.050
What happened to joseph's life.
00:51:10.050 --> 00:51:12.819
"moreover god called for a famine in the land;
00:51:12.819 --> 00:51:16.890
He destroyed all the provision of bread.
00:51:16.890 --> 00:51:19.659
And he sent a man before them-- joseph--who was sold as a slave.
00:51:19.659 --> 00:51:24.431
They hurt his feet with fetters, he was laid in irons.
00:51:24.431 --> 00:51:27.934
Until the time that his word came to pass,
00:51:27.934 --> 00:51:31.438
The word of the lord tested him.
00:51:31.438 --> 00:51:33.373
The king sent and released him,
00:51:33.373 --> 00:51:35.375
The ruler of the people let him go free.
00:51:35.375 --> 00:51:38.211
He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his
00:51:38.211 --> 00:51:40.680
Possessions, to bind his princes at his pleasure,
00:51:40.680 --> 00:51:43.884
And teach his elders wisdom."
00:51:43.884 --> 00:51:46.319
If you read that paragraph, you see god's perspective on this.
00:51:46.319 --> 00:51:50.724
God sent him before them.
00:51:50.724 --> 00:51:53.326
He prepared all of this.
00:51:53.326 --> 00:51:54.794
This was providential on god's part.
00:51:54.794 --> 00:51:57.130
The bible tells you what happened to joseph
00:51:57.130 --> 00:51:59.099
When he was taken away.
00:51:59.099 --> 00:52:00.867
You think, "well, what if the story ended
00:52:00.867 --> 00:52:02.469
When he was sold as a slave?"
00:52:02.469 --> 00:52:04.371
The story didn't end there.
00:52:04.371 --> 00:52:05.739
The bible tells you what happened.
00:52:05.739 --> 00:52:07.274
Behind the scenes, god is at work.
00:52:07.274 --> 00:52:10.010
So if you're going through a difficult and confusing time and
00:52:10.010 --> 00:52:13.613
You're asking yourself in your mind, "god, what are you doing?"
00:52:13.613 --> 00:52:17.484
Remember that if you walk with god,
00:52:17.484 --> 00:52:20.187
God's purpose will be resolved in this life or in the next.
00:52:20.187 --> 00:52:25.025
Often we only see his hand in hindsight.
00:52:25.025 --> 00:52:28.428
Right now it may seem like betrayal and hurt and confusion
00:52:28.428 --> 00:52:31.965
Are dominating your life.
00:52:31.965 --> 00:52:34.568
But his grand design will eventually come to light
00:52:34.568 --> 00:52:37.637
And you will trust him,
00:52:37.637 --> 00:52:39.439
And it may seem like the dark clouds hover over you,
00:52:39.439 --> 00:52:42.642
But the lord is at work in your life.
00:52:42.642 --> 00:52:45.679
That's been so true in my life, and i know it's true in yours.
00:52:45.679 --> 00:52:50.050
Ladies and gentlemen, we don't have to live our lives
00:52:50.050 --> 00:52:53.019
Dominated by envy and jealousy.
00:52:53.019 --> 00:52:55.555
And if you've been playing this silly game that so many people
00:52:55.555 --> 00:52:58.725
Play, or you think you're righteous because you're not
00:52:58.725 --> 00:53:01.828
Doing as many bad things as other people you know,
00:53:01.828 --> 00:53:06.233
That's also a dead-end street.
00:53:06.233 --> 00:53:08.635
You go down that road,
00:53:08.635 --> 00:53:09.970
And you're gonna get in a lot of trouble.
00:53:09.970 --> 00:53:11.871
Don't do that.
00:53:11.871 --> 00:53:13.206
Be honest with what's going on in your life.
00:53:13.206 --> 00:53:16.309
And then, most of all, remember god is at work.
00:53:16.309 --> 00:53:21.581
He's at work.
00:53:21.581 --> 00:53:23.316
If you trust him, he's trustworthy.
00:53:23.316 --> 00:53:27.988
And the bible tells us that he does these things for us
00:53:27.988 --> 00:53:32.425
Who are called according to his purpose,
00:53:32.425 --> 00:53:35.095
That he might show us his power in our lives.
00:53:35.095 --> 00:53:39.666
I'm going through some stuff right now i never anticipated,
00:53:39.666 --> 00:53:43.370
But i know that god is at work in my life, and i don't know
00:53:43.370 --> 00:53:47.140
What he's up to, and he hasn't given me the final story,
00:53:47.140 --> 00:53:50.877
And i'm gonna hang on as long as i can until he does,
00:53:50.877 --> 00:53:55.115
But i want you to know i can trust god.
00:53:55.115 --> 00:54:03.757
Along the way, he's showing me some things i didn't know before
00:54:03.757 --> 00:54:08.295
And helping me be strong in the midst of physical weakness.
00:54:08.295 --> 00:54:13.767
But every day, i trust god to show me what to do,
00:54:13.767 --> 00:54:17.370
And he never fails.
00:54:17.370 --> 00:54:19.406
And he's always there.
00:54:19.406 --> 00:54:20.907
Sometimes i have moments, as you can well imagine,
00:54:20.907 --> 00:54:24.511
But i never have a moment when the lord god
00:54:24.511 --> 00:54:27.147
Is not there to help me.
00:54:27.147 --> 00:54:29.015
All of us, in the midst of whatever we go through,
00:54:29.015 --> 00:54:32.118
Should ask the lord to help us
00:54:32.118 --> 00:54:34.087
Be his person in the midst of it,
00:54:34.087 --> 00:54:37.924
And trust him every day to give us the wisdom
00:54:37.924 --> 00:54:41.361
We need as we go forward.
00:54:41.361 --> 00:54:44.030
And i promise you, god will do that.
00:54:44.030 --> 00:54:46.232
I don't say that because it's in the bible.
00:54:46.232 --> 00:54:49.135
I say it because i've experienced it,
00:54:49.135 --> 00:54:51.237
And i know it's true.
00:54:51.237 --> 00:54:52.906
♪♪♪
00:54:52.972 --> 00:54:58.478
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00:57:04.671 --> 00:57:06.873
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00:57:06.873 --> 00:57:09.175
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David Jeremiah - The Life of Joseph: Betrayed By His Brothers

July 6, 2025 | 58:20

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