COMFORT COMFORTED CONTINUE

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1 Introduction If you recall, we have finished three sets of sermon series on the book of Genesis: the first, Genesis, 1-11, Back to Basics, the second, Journey of Faith with Abraham, 12-24, and the third, Journey of Faith with Isaac and Jacob. We ended the third sermon series at Genesis 35 A completed narrative account of Jacob s past twenty-five to thirty years of being a fugitive running away from the wrath of his brother Esau, but it is also an account of God s faithfulness to him as He blessed him with the completion of the twelve heads of tribes of Israel. We will skip Chapter 36:1-43. This chapter of Genesis records for us the life and ancestry of Esau, the brother of Jacob. Suffice to say, Esau became the father of the nation Edom, or Seir. Genesis 36 is an account of the separation of Jacob the one blessed by God to continue the Abrahamic Covenant; while Esau would leave the Chosen line to form his own nation and people called the Edomites. Today we will begin the fourth and last of the sermon-series from the book of Genesis. It is about the life of Joseph in ten parts. The story of Joseph in Genesis 37 begins with the narrator (story teller) setting the stage for Joseph he would be elevated to rule over his brothers through the two dreams he had as he shared with them and his father, Jacob. These two dreams will come to pass sometime in the future. But the tension arises when these brothers would turn against him in hatred in part fueled by the favouritism shown by their father, Jacob toward Joseph. In part, these brothers were angry because of the interpretation of his dreams as the second youngest to rule over them someday. [Let me pray as we begin]. Recently I had some opportunities at home relaxing to view some of the recorded documentaries on National Geographic and Discovery Channels my wife had kindly made for me while I was away. The most recent were the earthquakes that shook Nepal, Katmandu; and closer to home, Mount Kota Kinabalu, Sabah; and the 1995 Kobe Earthquake which devastated the prefecture and country as a whole. A bus was traveling from Kyoto to Kobe on the expressway and when the earthquake struck, it formed waves and the bus almost keeled over when a section of the expressway collapsed! The driver became famous overnight, and lived to retell the story. The seven young students, and two teachers from Tanjong Katong Primary, and one mountain guide died on Mount KK, and our nation mourned the loss of these precious lives at such a young age. The Mount Everest Nepal tragedy was a national catastrophe. Just like Kobe, it will take years and billions of dollars to rebuild the country. Some religious relics of more than one-thousand years were lost to the earthquake. I d also watched a very interesting documentary, The world s busiest station : Shinjuku, in Tokyo, Japan. With thirty-five platforms and trains leaving every three minutes for 36 million people, life in Shinjuku is definitely not for the faint-hearted. What caught my attention was the number of suicides in Japan, and the number of such human incidences (as they so called it) in Shinjuku on a daily-weekly basis. An educational documentary, The Shepherdess hosted by Kate Humble (a Welsh woman), warmed my heart. It tells the story of a tribe living in the Pamirs of the huge landmass of Afghanistan bordering Pakistan. They live high up in the beautiful mountain ranges with temperature in the range of -15C! They shepherd sheep and goats and with yaks working alongside them. They live on goat s milk and hard bread made from flour. Their diet is under-nourished, and hence the high infant mortality rate. The average lifespan of these people is thirty-three! One woman lost all her seven children under five to the harsh living conditions of the land. In Singapore, just yesterday, we read the news of the intoxicated driver who took four precious lives away with his reckless driving, killing them instantly more than a year ago. Out of these four who died, three are Koreans in a family of four, including a Singaporean in that tragic accident. He is being sentenced to five years jail, and banned from driving for twenty-two years, and he intends to make an appeal. 1

2 When you take a look at life from these various documentaries (earthquakes, Shinjuku, Shepherdess) I have recently watched, or the latest news of this tragic car accident, you will realize in life, there are no re-runs. Life is precious, no matter where one lives; but when a precious life is taken away, there is loss and grief. Because life is precious, you cannot re-live your life from the video taken when you were five, running around; neither can you hope to re-live your life when you view the video taken on your wedding day. It matters how we view our life. It also matters how we respond to life, and it s unpredictable challenges too! As we begin this new series on the life of Joseph, I d trust we ll see that because in life there are no reruns, it will do us well to consider the Place/Purpose of GOD in our lives, we call this Providence. We cannot determine where, when, and how long we live as these snapshots of the various documentaries that I had just shared with you, but we can rest assuredly that perhaps there is Someone interested in your life and mine, and He directs our paths as He wills to fulfill His Purposes in our lives. As we walk alongside Joseph as the Narrator unfolds his story, it is actually God s Story, not his own. When we understand God s Providence in the life of Joseph, I d trust we will see that too in our lives. Second, we will see complications and complexities of relationships, especially in the family of Jacob, all concerning his sons and Joseph. In those complexities and complications, as we see how God deals with them, and how Joseph deals with them, I d trust we will see ourselves clearly before God, and before others and examine where and how our relationships with God and others must be touched by God and His Word to be changed. Third, we will see events and situations that take place in the life of Joseph, his brothers, Jacob, and even the Pharaoh, and Egypt where this story takes place for the most part of Genesis You and I will come to realize that events, situations, and people are what God uses to shape our lives. Genesis 37 is the story of God s Sovereign Choice of His future leader to accomplish His purpose, but however, that choice brought out the worst in the human heart envy and hatred in those who needed to learn to submit to God s Sovereignty over their lives. There is no place for such envy and uncontrollable hatred, especially in Christian ministry and leadership; however, one must recognize that there is a price to pay for Christian leaders opposition to their leadership, and they need to demonstrate faithfulness and integrity to that call, and only God could vindicate them in due season as we will see this played out in the subsequent chapters of Joseph s narrative. From this chapter Genesis 37, I want to draw out at least two theological truths for us to consider: First, the Providence of God seen through the life of Joseph at the age seventeen, as he was chosen to be the future leader. Second, his brothers responses to Joseph s two dreams as their father, Jacob showed preferential treatment toward him that caused his brothers to jealousy, and hatred and finally selling him off as a slave to the Ishmaelites. The key question you and I will always be confronted with is: IF YOU AND I WERE JOSEPH S BROTHERS, HOW WOULD WE RESPOND TO GOD S SOVEREIGN CHOICE OF LEADERSHIP THAT DID NOT INCLUDE US? How do you handle the success of others when you deemed yourself perhaps better than the one receiving the success? In other words, how do you handle jealousy and envy in your heart when someone gets the promotion and you didn t, and you have to work under him or her? Genesis 37 can be divided into three distinct scenes: Genesis 37:1-11; Genesis 37:12-28; Genesis 37:29-35; and Genesis 37:36 (Epilogue). Joseph favoured his son of old age, Joseph (born to him by Rachel), more than the other children, gave him a multi-coloured coat as a probable sign of authority, leading them to hate Joseph more when he brought back a bad report about them (37:1-4). Jacob reaped what he sowed, and he sowed 2

3 what he reaped disharmony, disunity, dysfunctions in the home front later his children will be a pain in the neck for him because he lacked the moral integrity to deal with sins in his own life. Just as he showed favouritism toward the wife [See Genesis 29:31-30:24 Children, tool for affection and lost love; 6 th of 10 messages (Journey of faith with Isaac & Jacob, Gen. 25:29-35:29), preached January 11, 2015]; he showed favouritism to Rachel s son, Joseph, and the other brothers of his would cause untold pains to him when they decided to sell him away to the Ishmaelites. 37 Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. 2 This is the ACCOUNT of Jacob s family line. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he MADE an ornate[a] robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Such a garment made especially for Joseph sent a wrong signal to his siblings, for such a gift signifies to others that Joseph was the heir apparent to the birthright of the eldest in the family. But Joseph was not the oldest son (Rueben was, but he had forfeited the right to the birthright because he slept with Jacob s concubine, Genesis 35 is also a time for correction punishment on Reuben s incestuous relationship with Jacob s concubine, Bilhah, the maid of Rachel (Gen. 30:3-8). Reuben was the first born son of Leah (Gen. 29:32), but would later forfeit the Abrahamic blessings because of his sin against his father Jacob. Rueben, through his sin, lost (disqualified) his birthright as the oldest in the family (Gen. 49:3-4). and when Joseph told Jacob and his brothers about his two dreams confirming his leadership from the Lord, the brothers hated him all the more, even though Jacob was perplexed by his son s dreams (37:5-11). 5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it. 8 His brothers said to him, Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us? And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. 9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. Listen, he said, I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me. 10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you? 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. Following his father s instructions, Joseph went out to inquire of his brothers whereabouts and welfare in Shechem, and with the direction provided by a certain man, found his brothers in Dothan instead (12-17). 12 Now his brothers had gone to graze their father s flocks near Shechem, 13 and Israel said to Joseph, As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them. Very well, he replied. 14 So he said to him, Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me. Then he SENT him off from the Valley of Hebron. When Joseph arrived at Shechem, 15 A man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, What are you looking for? 16 He replied, I m looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks? 17 They have moved on from here, the man answered. I heard them say, Let s go to Dothan. So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. Joseph s brothers upon seeing him coming their way, plotted to kill him, but changed their minds when Reuben suggested to throw him into a pit instead; and upon the advice of Judah later, they sold him into slavery instead (18-28). 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. 19 Here comes that dreamer! they said to each other. 20 Come now, let s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that A ferocious animal devoured him. Then we ll see what comes of his dreams. 21 When Reuben heard this, he TRIED to rescue him from their hands. Let s not take his life, he said. 22 Don t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don t lay a hand on him. Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe the ornate robe he was wearing 24 and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it. 25 As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them 3

4 down to Egypt. 26 Judah said to his brothers, What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood. His brothers AGREED. 28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels[b] of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. The brothers of Joseph had to cover one sin after another: First, they wanted to kill Joseph outright, but were dissuaded by Reuben, and hence threw Joseph into a cistern of pit instead. Second, on seeing the arrival of a caravan of traders on their way to Egypt, Judah suggested instead of killing Joseph, they decided to sell Joseph as a slave to get rid of Joseph for good from their lives. As if that was not enough, to cover up for the disappearance of Joseph, they came up with a lie that he was mauled by an animal while out in the fields. To account for the disappearance of Joseph, what proof would they need be convince their father? You re right the multi-coloured or ornate garment that their father had put on his favourite son! They tore the garments into pieces and stained it with animals blood to make it looked like Joseph had lost the battle with some wild animals. Jacob went into deep uncontrollable grief as a result of the deception and evil of Joseph s brothers (29-35) 29 When Reuben RETURNED to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. 30 He went back to his brothers and said, The boy isn t there! Where can I turn now? 31 Then they got Joseph s robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 They took the ornate robe back to their father and said, We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son s robe. 33 He recognized it and said, It is my son s robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces. 34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and daughters came to COMFORT him, but he refused to be COMFORTED. No, he said, I will CONTINUE to mourn until I join my son in the grave. So his father wept for him. If you have been following the series in Genesis with us, you would see the irony of this whole episode just like Jacob himself deceived his father Isaac of Esau s blessing (Gen. 27:16) with the skin of a goat, Jacob would now be deceived by his own sons with the blood of a goat (Gen. 37:31). Joseph found himself finally sold to Potiphar in Egypt (36) 36 Meanwhile, the Midianites[c] sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh s officials, the captain of the guard. Theological Reflections: Clearly in Genesis 37 and later on as we study through the life of Joseph until we reach the end of the book of Genesis, chapter 50 you and I will see the tapestry of God weaving dark threads through a piece of cloth (it s difficult for us today to imagine someone doing embroidery and weaving threads through a piece of cloth held tightly by a circular harness to keep the cloth tightened and flat for the weaver to put the needle through it). But that s what God does on the front side we see a magnificent embroidery of art and beauty; but when we look at the backside of this beautiful embroidery, we see a mesh of threads and weaving that make no sense to us. This picture, my dear friends is what we call PROVIDENCE. Sometimes we equate providence with the word, sovereignty. They both have the same meaning. A simple definition would be like this: Providence is the belief that the events or what happen in our lives do not lie in the hands of chance, but in the hands of a Sovereign God who accomplishes His purposes in and through life s journey with Him. When we consider the story of Joseph beginning in Genesis 37 through 50, and particularly in Genesis 45:5, and Genesis 50:20, we will clearly see the Providence of God. Joseph s narrative involves the Overall Plan of God for him, for his family, and ultimately for Israel as a nation. Joseph s narrative also involves multiple and complex events and people all used of God to bring about the fulfillment of His purpose and will, as we will see as we continue our study. Joseph s narrative also involves God s best interest for His chosen ones, not just Israel then, but His people, the Church today His children who have placed their faith in the Finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross on Calvary s mountain. From God s perspective, Psalm 105:16-22 seem clear for Joseph as God s Choice Leader for the hour to save the known world. The two 4

5 dreams given to him will come to pass in the future. 16 He called down famine on the land and destroyed all their SUPPLIES of food;17 and he SENT a man before them Joseph, sold as a slave. 18 They bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons, 19 till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the Lord proved him true. 20 The king SENT and released him, the ruler of peoples set him FREE. 21 He made him master of his household, ruler over all he possessed, 22 to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom. IF it is true that God sovereignly chooses His own to accomplish His Purposes, as He had chosen Noah to save the world from flood (Gen. 6-9), as He had chosen Abraham (Gen. 12) to be a Blessing to all nations, as He had chosen Isaac over Ishmael (Gen. 22), as he had chosen Jacob over Esau (Gen. 25); now He has appointed Joseph as His Sovereign Choice to save Israel and lead Israel from famine and drought, thus preserving the Blessings of God to all nations. Genesis 37 is a powerful text on the subject of God s Sovereign Choice of leaders to fulfill His Purpose; and how followers, especially Christians ought to respond to God s Sovereign Choice when God did not choose you or I for that position. As the second youngest son in Jacob s family, God chose Joseph to lead but in doing so, envy and hatred are expected from those who may feel more qualified to have that position of leadership. Joseph s brothers hated him at least on two counts: First, their father, Jacob showed favourtism toward Joseph, and honoured him above other older brothers he made an ornate garment for him as a symbol of favour and perhaps authority He sent him to see what his brothers were doing in the fields and brought back a bad report about them, though it might have been true that the brothers were not doing their jobs as shepherds. He sent Joseph out to look for them a second time as this text shows us, but unfortunately, he would not be able to make his way back, because his brothers sought to kill him, but later sold him as a slave to the Egyptians. Genesis 37 reminds me of Genesis 4 where we find Cain taking the life of his brother Abel Envy turned into hatred that led to murder [see Genesis 4: Brothers, 2 Hearts, 2 Roads. 5 th of 8 messages (Back to Basics, Gen. 1:1-11:26), preached April 6, 2014]. IF YOU AND I WERE JOSEPH S BROTHERS, HOW WOULD WE RESPOND TO GOD S SOVEREIGN CHOICE OF LEADERSHIP THAT DID NOT INCLUDE US? Envy and hatred as responses to leadership are carnal and evil. This happens everywhere: in the home, in the office, in the workplace, and even in the church, and Christian organizations too. These are not wisdom from God, but from the Devil, and or from our own carnal nature. The book of James chapter 3: (Two kinds of wisdom) is very instructive for us today as we study Genesis Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or DENY the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a HARVEST of righteousness. In the context of taming the tongue in James chapter 3, James distinguishes two kinds of wisdom found in the church or Christian fellowship: One from the Devil that leads to chaos and strife; and the other from heaven that leads to peace and grace. For people especially in Christian ministry, we demonstrate spiritual maturity when we learn to even HUMBLY submit to those clearly chosen by God to lead, even though we might feel more qualified to do so. Even when we may rightly feel envious and jealous because we are bypassed, we need to learn (no matter how difficult it might seemed) to submit to God s Sovereign Choice. We must not allow jealousy to turn into hatred and evil practice. That s easier said than done. I have written these verses from James in my journal entries so many times now that I have lost count. Each time I am tempted to doubt the goodness, grace and mercies of God in my life, I go back to James 3. 5

6 This past week, I had two significant conversations with two different Christian leaders and colleagues in ministry. I d met them by chance. I ll share one such conversation. I was asked: Gary, have you ever felt short-changed by God? I was taken aback, not knowing how to reply. What this close friend was trying to say was, Gary, you deserved more than where and what you are doing now. That sounded very flattering, wasn t it? I d thought hard and long, and said, even if I had, what difference would that make God is Sovereign, and I am not! IF I believe what I am preaching today, God is the Providential God who knows best where to put us to use us to accomplish His Purposes in and through us, even in small, insignificant places according to the eyes of the watching world. As I was preparing this sermon, I believe God prompted my heart to share out loud some thoughts I had penned in my journal back in July 2014 when I was having a good half-day of sitting in quiet rest before the Lord with a Bible and pen and paper in hand: I penned that it seemed my life till that point was a failure: But it was such a failure that has shaped my heart and life. I had written down three biggest failure. First, I saw God s humbling hand upon as a husband who had failed to be sensitive enough to meet the needs of my wife when she needed me most. Second, I saw God s humbling hand upon me as a person unlovable to many who see more weaknesses than strengths in me. Third, I saw God s humbling hand upon me in ministry: What have I to boast about serving here at CCBC these past eight years? No fruit as in numbers to crow about. If anything, at best the number has stagnated, and at worst, the number has dwindled under my watch. As for my role at the Baptist Theological Seminary, I am just but a part-time teacher. I answered my own question, What did I learn from these failures in my life? I wrote down four significant thoughts for my life: (1) That GOD is Sovereign: He is in control of my life, even in my darkest moments; (2) Do/Can/Will I TRUST in the Providence of GOD?; (3) Will He lift me up in due season (1 Pet. 5:5-6)?, Do I trust in His gifts or in the Giver of all gifts?, and Can I rejoice and give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess. 5:16-18; Hab. 3:17-19); and (4) Can my faith in GOD be perfected even when I am walking in darkness? Isa 50:10 Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on their God. I would like to give you a chance to respond to God s Word preached this morning. What is Providence for you and your life in relation to God; and how do you view other s success when you are stuck? As I ask Yihao to lead us in our closing song, Offering, and after the song is sung, I will read you a Prayer and you may respond as the Spirit directs your heart to do so (we are thankful for God s work of grace, as eight brothers and sisters courageously stood up to make personal decisions with God in their hearts). I asked God for strength that I might achieve; I was made weak, that I might learn to humbly obey. I asked for health, that I might do greater things, I was given infirmity, that I might do better things. I asked for riches, that I might be happy; I was given poverty, that I might be wise. I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men; I was given weakness, that I might feel the need for God. I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life; I was given life, that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I asked for, But everything I hope for. I am, among all men, most richly blessed. (Anonymous) 6