11-02-2025 - RAGS TO RICHES (Joseph series) Genesis 41

MESSAGE BY PASTOR  ROB INRIG

FROM BETHANY BAPTIST EN RICHMOND, BC

I invite you to pray together: O Father of mercies and God of all comfort, our only help in time of need: We humbly beseech thee to behold, visit, and relieve thy sick servants for whom our prayers are desired. Look upon them with the eyes of thy mercy ( Vicky O, Nancy R, Tere G, Liz N, Stevie A, Socrates D, Sara's mom H, Margarita G,   Rosy Ch, Patricia L. Lina J.  Magda- Laci M.  Gloria F, Miguel A H. Silvia H.)   Comfort them with a sense of thy goodness; preserve them from the temptations of the enemy; and give them patience under his affliction. In thy good time, restore them to health, and enable them to lead the residue of their life in thy fear, and to thy glory; and grant that finally they may dwell with thee in life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

When pray, you can add names from family and friends who need prayer

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As rags to riches stories go, few exceed Oprah’s, the daughter of a teenage single mom.  Her early years marked by poverty and abuse, potato sacks as dresses, severe abuse as a child.  A runaway at 14, she gave birth to a baby who soon died. This hardly the background for someone who in time would be a global personality known by first name alone. And then there’s Starbucks’ Howard Schultz who grew up in a housing complex for the poor or Lia Ka shing who quit school needing to support his family due to the death of his father.

As impressive as their stories are, they might need to take a back seat to the rags to riches story we are looking at this morning.  I’m speaking of Joseph whose story we are picking up in Genesis 41. I know of no better way to approach this morning other than walking through this chapter and making some observations as we go.

41 Then it came to pass, at the end of 2 full years - as reminder, from earliest days, Joseph’s life has been a mess - hated by brothers, beaten and prepared to be killed, shipped to a foreign land, sold as a slave, unjustly accused and cast into prison.  Now we see him mired in prison life where he’s been for many years. 2 years before he had great hope, the wrongs he’s suffered would reach Pharoah’s ear and his mess would be over, but 2 years later forgotten with nothing changed.

His a story of wrongs not unlike the guy writing his insurance company.  Dear Sir: I am writing in response to your request for additional information. In block number three of the accident reporting form I put “poor planning” as the cause of my accident.  You said in your letter that I should explain more and I trust that the following details are sufficient:

I am a bricklayer by trade.  On the day of the accident, I was working on the roof of a new 6-story building.  When I completed my work, I discovered that I had about 500 pounds of bricks left over.  Rather than carry the bricks down by hand I decided to lower them in a barrel using a pulley, which fortunately was attached to the side of the building at the 6^th floor.

Securing the rope at the ground level, I went up to the roof, swung the barrel out and loaded the bricks into it.  Then I went back to the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to insure a slow descent of the 500 pounds of bricks.  You will note in block number 11 of the accident report form that I weigh 135 pounds.

Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope.  Needless to say, I proceeded at a rather rapid rate up the side of the building.  In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming down.  This explains the fractured skull and broken collarbone.

Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley.  Fortunately, by this time I had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold tightly to the rope in spite of my pain.

At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of bricks hit the ground and the bottom fell out of the barrel.  The weight of the bricks gone, the barrel now weighed approximately 50 lbs.  I refer you again to my weight in block number 11.  As you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the building.  In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming up.  This accounts for the two fractured ankles and lacerations of my legs and lower body.

The encounter with the barrel, slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell onto the pile of bricks and fortunately, only three vertebrae were cracked. I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the bricks in pain, unable to move, and watching the barrel six stories above - I again lost my presence of mind and let go of the rope!

I kind of think this is how Joseph must have felt before the rescue we read of today, a rescue  that comes because, Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river. Suddenly there came up out of the river 7 cows, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow.  Gen 41:1,2 

There is nothing arbitrary about the images in Pharaoh’s dreams.  The river would be the Nile which the Egyptians considered to be a gift from the gods essential for agriculture. Several gods are associated with the Nile, prominent among them, Hapi, the god of the Nile flood, who brought fertility to the land - the annual flooding often referred to as the ‘Arrival of Hapi’ and Sobek, a crocodile god representing the more fearsome aspects of the Nile.  

The images in this dream, cows and grain, are familiar because they are the 2 most important commodities of ancient Egypt.  In ancient hieroglyphics cows were often the symbol of Isis, the goddess of the earth.  So the early moments of Pharaoh’s dream would have been normal but then the unsettling comes in a picture that was anything but normal. 

Behold 7 other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the river. And the ugly and gaunt cows ate up the 7 fine looking and fat cows :3,4.

How do you make sense of that?  Cannibalistic, ugly and gaunt cows?  Pharaoh had no reference point for that.  No wonder we next read, So Pharaoh awoke but for now what’s seen is just weird.  So he does what you and I would do, He falls back to sleep until the weird gets weirder, Suddenly 7 heads of grain came up on one stalk, plump and good :5

7 heads coming up on one stalk is curious but to have them all be plump and good goes beyond anything normal, still the imagery nothing to wake up from until ...  Then behold, 7 thin heads, blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them.  And the 7 thin heads devoured the 7 plump and full heads :6  

This image is beyond anything that makes sense. Sure good  produce withering from blight and no water but ‘eaten’ by other heads of grain is beyond explanation.  

So Pharaoh awoke and indeed, it was a dream. But be assured, now sleep isn’t about to come, Pharaoh very aware what he’s dreamt is a communication from the gods.

 Before going further, understand, in the Egyptian culture, dreams were important.  As the Word Biblical Commentary observes, Sleep puts us in real and direct contact with the other world where not only the dead live but also the gods dwell.  Dreams therefore are a gift from the gods.  But in this case, there is far more to this. Pharaoh was considered to be the earthly representative of the gods.  Dreams important, royal dreams that much more.  

Now it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for ALL the magicians of Egypt and ALL its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh  :8.

So that’s the backdrop as well as the dilemma, the stage set for what comes.  Then the chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying: “I remember my faults this day.  When Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, both me and the  chief baker, we each had a dream in one night, he and I. Each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. Now there was a young Hebrew man with us there, a servant of the captain of the guard. And we told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us; to each man he interpreted according to  his own dream. And it came to pass, just as he interpreted, so it happened. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.” :9-13.

This dreamer who 13 years earlier, came within moments of being killed by his brothers for his dreams, their meaning still unclear to him, is now called on to make sense of Pharaoh’s dreams.  Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh :14 

While Joseph is rushed into Pharaoh’s presence, first barriers need to be removed that might invalidate his message.  In prisoner garb, he was hardly presentation ready to appear before the world’s most powerful leader so that’s addressed as is his physical appearance - he shaves.  Many years back much was made of Richard Nixon and John F Kennedy’s debate while they were running for president.  Many attributed Nixon’s later election loss to Nixon’s poorly shaven appearance, Nixon saying, Bad television makeup during the debate playing a big part in my losing.  One newspaper stated, Fresh out of a 2 week stay in hospital and without the benefit of makeup, Richard Nixon ceded a major opportunity to challenge his foe.

But Joseph was shaven for a more important reason than mere appearance. 

 If you were to look at ancient artwork of those who appeared before Pharaoh, you’d see that those appearing before him are almost always clean shaven.  Herodotus, a Greek historian, relates that Egyptian priests would shave their entire body every other day and would wash themselves twice in the morning and twice at night in order to present themselves as holy. The Hebrews on the other hand wore beards as a sign of honor, wisdom and obedience to God Lev 19:12

And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.” So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”  :15,16

Significant here more than anything else is Joseph’s clear declaration that while physically he stands in the presence of Pharaoh, his greater understanding is that he stands before God. His appearance and approach may have changed in order to give him audience, but the message his audience would hear would never change from what God had said.             

We live in a time where God’s truth is compromised because some of it doesn’t fit with what the culture wants to believe. We want to speak the politically correct and in so doing, tone down sin.  We want to come across as more ‘nice’ than true.  Timothy tells us, The time is coming when people won’t endure sound teaching but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions ... The Spirit says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teaching of demons 2 Tim 4:3; 1 Tim 4:1.  In other words altering doctrine to accommodate and please but not convict.  

If Joseph only saw himself standing before Pharaoh, he could have measured his words, making sure his message was harmonious with Egyptian culture and not disturbing the one before whom he stands. He could say what needs to be said without exposing beliefs that were much different than the world he was in. He wouldn’t have to deny his faith, he could just make it fit alongside things Pharaoh and the Egyptians already believed.  After all, they believed in God, actually an abundance of gods so he could just position his God alongside theirs.  Done well, he could tone down his faith and amplify the wisdom and practicality of his answer.

Because isn’t that what we so often do - not wanting to come off as too strong; not wanting to reveal what we really believe?  So much easier to speak about some act of compassion the  church is doing or speak of a God that’s all love and no judgment. Talking about things that are safe, rather than things that are true like without Jesus’ forgiveness of sin, people are lost and destined for Hell.  Softening words of Jesus alone forgiving sin and making us right with God.  Remaining silent rather than declaring that Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam can’t make us right with God, nor can our good life or acts of compassion.

In order to earn favour with Pharaoh, the logical thing would have been to claim credit for what he was about to say.  Yet Joseph’s response? what I will tell you is given to me from God. He reveals not me. This statement is saying to Pharaoh, the gods you represent are powerless. They cannot speak and they have no answer.  But what I speak is truth revealed by my God.

:17-24 - we are given a repetition of the dream so jumping to verse 25:

Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do: the 7 good cows are 7 years, and the 7 good heads are 7 years; the dreams are one. And the 7 thin and ugly cows which came up after them are 7 years, and the 7 empty heads blighted by the east wind are 7 years of famine. This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. Indeed 7 years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt; but after them 7 years famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land. So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe.  And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.  :25-32.

   It’s worth noting again - Joseph from before he hears the dream, as he unfolds its meaning and after as he sets forth the plan of action to be taken, gives all the credit to God - none to himself.  Joseph is clear - God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. What you’ve seen, will happen. In effect he is putting truth before Pharaoh upon which he must decide,  ‘Pharaoh, What will you  do with what you have heard?’  God’s truth despite what you now see, despite what you now know.

I have no doubt that Joseph over the years of his many difficulties, repeatedly asked God to change his situation and yet things hadn’t changed.  Released from a pit to be placed on a slave caravan to Egypt would hardly have been an answer Joseph was looking for.  And yet here, with little evidence God was answering what he asked, Joseph’s faith in God’s leading still the foundation of his life.   Faith in God that is stronger than his circumstances, stronger than tings working our exactly as he might like.  His faith in a God who knows best and does best even when those things make no sense in what is seen.  

Pharaoh, What will you do with what you have heard? is the question God asks of us. I’ve shown you Jesus for who He is - King of kings and LORD of lords, our Redeemer who gave His life so we may live.  He unlike any we have ever known.  So far beyond anything we’ve ever desired.  Far greater than any imagination we can conjure up.  Far more loving and grace giving than anything we deserve. He wanting what’s best for us more than we can possibly know  

But we, not truly believing this is the God we serve, allow our attention to be drawn to everything else.  We fixate on small loves and small dreams.  We chase small desires and small lifestyles.  We choose temptation over treasure; tinsel over what’s true.                                                           

And God’s warning to us? no different than what was said to Pharaoh, What’s been established by God, will shortly come to pass.  His promise certain - the Lord Jesus Christ IS soon returning as King.  That we are to be ready for His appearing.  That when He comes, we want to be living in ways that please Him.  That He will come as Saviour but He is also coming as judge for those who have refused to bow before Him. So  ESTAND BEFORE HIM, LIVING FOR HIM NOW.  Your life, my life given over completely to His lordship now not in some time to come.  

Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect 1/5^th of the produce of the land of Egypt in the 7 plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the 7 years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine.

So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?”  :33-38

A person in whom is the Spirit of God.   Wouldn’t that be something if the same thing could be said of us?  God’s Spirit so evident in us not to give us some ecstatic experience, but His Spirit in us as a living sermon of His truth and power - undeniable evidence to Whom we belong.  

That we are Spirit filled people who’ve been given strength for the difficulties to be faced.  Spirit filled for the practical things He’s called us to do.  Spirit filled to exercise forgiveness when we have reason to hold onto offence.  Spirit filled as a student, a business person, a parent, a tradesperson, a politician. 

Then the Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch (as you Have done) As God has shown 

you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”  And Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.’ Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. And he had him ride in the 2^nd chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, ‘Bow the knee!  So he set him over all the land of Egypt. Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”  :39-44

This rags to riches event is almost impossible to comprehend.  One moment a prisoner, the next a ruler over the most powerful nation on earth - his power second only to Pharaoh.  He of no pedigree, no instruction from great minds, no ancestry from common blood.  Instead, God working the miraculous, which we were reminded of last week is what God does. 

Pharaoh, having no evidence that what he had just been told was true but acting, elevating Joseph from pit to palace. Yet this story isn’t really the elevation of a man by a man, it’s the elevation of a man by God.  More than that, it is the revelation of this man’s God to a world  that is serving other ‘gods’.

All because Joseph had given God the throne of his life.  Which is what we are to learn, that when we occupy the throne of our life, God does not.  God only occupying what we give Him by invitation.  That in our lives God will not possess by force what is already occupied.

Gary Thomas observed - God didn’t just give us the gospel to save us, He gave us the gospel to enlist us. Enlisted to serve a God who is worthy of all our love, all our worship, all our obedience.  He not just wanting to save us but to use us so many more can come into His kingdom.  Enlisted to live in His truth and people willing to lovingly speak forth His truth. It’s true, that enlistment can take us into hard and uncertain places.  His plan different than ours.  His methods different than ours.  His timing different than ours.  And the best difference of all, His love different than ours. 

While serving with OM India, TB forced Doug Nichols into a sanitarium. Tho he didn’t speak the language, he tried to give Christian literature to the patients, doctors, and nurses.  Everyone politely refused but Nichols sensed many weren’t happy treating a ‘rich’ American when so many of their people required help. 

One morning during a coughing spell in the middle of the night, Nichols woke to see an elderly patient trying to get out of bed. He would sit up and try to stand, but he was too weak to do so.  Exhausted and crying, he finally fell back into bed. 

The next morning Nichol realized the man had been trying to get up to walk to the bathroom! The stench in the ward was awful. Other patients yelled insults. Angry nurses treated him roughly as they cleaned up the mess. One slapped him. The old man curled into a ball and wept. 

The next night Nichols’ coughing woke him up again. Like the night before the old man was trying to stand but again fell back whimpering.

Nichols got out of bed and went over to the man. When he touched his shoulder, the man’s eyes opened wide with fear. Smiling reassurance, Nichols picked him up and carried him to the washroom, - a small filthy room with just a hole in the floor. 

Nichols supported the man as he took care of himself. When he finished, Nichols picked him up and carried him back to his bed. As Nichols laid him down, the old man kissed him on the cheek, smiled, and said something he couldn’t understand.

The next morning another patient woke Nichols and handed him a cup of tea. He motioned with his hands that he wanted a tract. As the sun rose, other patients approached and indicated they also wanted the booklets he had tried to distribute before. Throughout the day nurses, interns, and doctors asked for literature.

Weeks later an evangelist who spoke the language visited Nichols, and as he talked to others he discovered that several had put their trust in Christ as Saviour as a result of reading the literature. What did it take to reach these people with the gospel? 

It wasn’t health, the ability to speak

their language, or a persuasive talk.

Nichols simply took a trip to the bathroom.

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