SOVEREIGN GOD. We can t complete the Joseph story without talking about the sovereignty of God.

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1 SOVEREIGN GOD We can t complete the Joseph story without talking about the sovereignty of God. This book of Genesis was written to explain to a few million people who had lived in slavery for 400 years where they came from, where the world came from and how the world works. It was preceded by the book of Job an account of a righteous man s suffering and struggle to understand the sovereignty of God. Job s conclusion? Though He slay me, still will I trust Him. The people of Israel had lived for generations in a culture that lived in fear of a multitude of gods that inflicted various kinds of evil on people. Joseph s story is the longest account of an individual life and becomes the conclusion of the Genesis account. The Sovereignty of God in the Joseph story: The dreams of Joseph, Pharaoh s butler and baker and Pharaoh himself demonstrate the foreknowledge of God. Each is interpreted with the explanation, God has revealed Twice Joseph explains horrible events as things that God allowed in order to save Joseph s family. Genesis 45:5-8 This means that God allowed the brothers to betray Joseph and sell him. God allowed the brothers to lie to their father and break his heart.

2 God allowed Joseph to go to the slave block and be sold. God allowed Joseph to be falsely accused by Potiphar s wife and go to prison. (In fact the text says the Lord was with Joseph in the prison. God allowed the butler to be restored to his post and the baker to be hanged. God orchestrated a time of great plenty and brought a time of great famine. There is a fine line between what God allows, what God permits and what God does. WHAT DOES GOD SAY ABOUT HIS SOVEREIGNTY? The sovereignty of God in the whole of scripture: Gen. 1:1 in the beginning God Gen.1:27,28 Mankind was created in the image of God to rule. Gen.2:15-17 You are free to eat from any tree in the garden You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die. Mankind is clearly given free will and choice. Genesis 3:22 the man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever. Free will, knowledge of good and evil and the power of choice= disaster! The image of God combined with the knowledge and power of God without the character and nature of God resulted in great evil. Some people cope with evil in the world by saying, We must forgive God He can t help it! God Himself doesn t ever make excuses or ask for our forgiveness. He accepts responsibility for everything! Exodus 4:10-17 Moses said to the Lord, O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past, nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue. The Lord said to him, Who gave man his mouth? Who makes

3 him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go: I will help you speak and will teach you what to say. But Moses said, O Lord send someone else to do it. Then the Lord s anger burned against Moses and he said, What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. HOW COMPLETE IS GOD S FOREKNOWLEDGE AND SOVEREIGNTY? Proverbs 16:9 In his heart man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. (Scrabble pieces, roll of the dice) Daniel 4:34-35 His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: What have you done? Matthew 10:29-31 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Because God s care and control is absolute, we have nothing to fear. There are no missing molecules in the entire universe. Everything from the smallest atomic particle to the vastest galaxy of the universe is under God s control and being used to fulfill His sovereign purposes. I Timothy 6:15 (Phillips) God is the blessed controller of all things. EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IS FATHER-FILTERED. DOES GOD S SOVEREIGNTY RELEASE US FROM RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR SINS?

4 Acts 2:22-24 Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. But God. God can allow evil people to do sinful things to fulfill His purposes without Himself becoming sinful. Note vs.36 They are still responsible for their evil choices. God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. DOES GOD CAUSE, OR ALLOW THINGS THAT ARE PAINFUL TO US? I Peter 4:19 So then, those who suffer according to God s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. Just as God allowed Job to suffer and Joseph to suffer; just as God endured excruciating pain in Christ and with Christ, He allows us to endure pain as part of His purpose. (Ken with rocks in the palms of his hands Daddy make them stop!) CAN WE UNDERSTAND AND EXPLAIN THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD WELL ENOUGH TO TAKE AN UNMOVEABLE DOCTRINAL POSITION REGARDING IT? (Theists, Naturalists, Calvinists, Arminians ) Romans 11:33-36 Oh, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever Amen. If we could completely understand and explain the sovereignty of God we would have to be God ourselves!

5 Did God allow Joseph to be betrayed? Yes. Did God allow Joseph to suffer horribly? Yes. Did God allow Joseph s brothers and Pharaoh s wife to sin against Joseph? Yes. Did God allow Jacob to suffer grief and loss for years? Yes. Did God give Joseph explanations and updates along the way? No. Joseph s explanation: Genesis 50:18-21 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. We are your slaves, they said. But Joseph said to them, Don t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me (literally you wove harm but God rewove it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your children. And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Joseph could see two layers of God s sovereignty: In fulfillment of his dreams, 1. God was building his character and preparing a leader to manage a world-wide crisis. 2. God was preserving a family and fulfilling His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. All Joseph had to go on was God s word to him through the dreams. But there are other layers: 3. God was giving a message of His goodness to all nations through the famine and through the children of Israel. 4. God was caring for the nation of Israel and the twelve tribes that had not yet come into being.

6 5. God was preparing to punish Egypt for its evil idol worship and cruel domination of other nations. 6. God was bringing a messiah for Israel and a savior for all nations into the world through Israel. 7. God was weaving Joseph s story into the fabric of the message of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. 8. God was incorporating other nations into His story so that He can have a grand family reunion around His throne with people for every tribe and nation and tongue. All eight of these purposes and far more were included in every decision God made that affected Joseph s life! HOW DOES ALL OF THIS AFFECT US? Don t be afraid! The pattern of Joseph s life is the pattern of life. EVIL. GOD. GOOD. People weave evil. God reweaves good. Stand with me and stand on the truth of God s word: Romans 8:26-39