Welcome to another Genesis study Genesis chapter 41 Gonna pick up in verse 25. This is number 79 in our studies of Genesis going verse by verse just the way God wrote it and the way God intended us to study it and I want to start right off with a word of prayer. Father, we thank you for everyone who is tuning into these studies and so many thousands of people now listening online by means of the YouTube and other video uploads and at Sermon Audio. And also our Internet radio station. And Lord, it's just so humbling to know that there are so many people out there hungering for the Word of God. And it's sad that there's so many who can't find a good Bible teaching church within driving distance. But we're thankful that for the time being, anyway, you've allowed us to use this Internet as a means for teaching the Word of God. Bless each one, Lord. There's many things that you will teach them that I won't mention. Your word will not return void. I pray that the things that you've given me to teach will be clear, and that as accurate as it is, that it would also take root, and if anything I say is out of line, just let it go right over their heads. But the main thing is that your word is what they receive Lord and we just ask for your help with your Holy Spirit in Jesus name. Amen Amen, we want to give out a hillbilly holler to brother Ron Cronin down in Texas Brother Ron Is just a great encouragement. I'll just put it that way. He's one of these folks that you just love to hear from. He loves the word. We just pray the Lord will give him guidance and wisdom and use him. We love all of our listeners. We've got a bunch of listeners down in Texas, but it's a big state. It only makes sense that we'd have a big listenership, viewership, down in the big state of Texas. I want to start out before we get into our study by looking at a quote from the book we've been referring to from time to time, written by a fellow named Joey Faust. And like I said, I don't know much of anything about him, but I know this book is just incredible. It's outstanding. And I don't know if it's out of print. I don't know the status, but if you can get it, it's called The Word, God Will Keep It. It is just chock full of great information, mostly great quotes like we're going to share with you now. And there's a fellow named Alexander Campbell. He became the founder, basically, of the Church of Christ cult. The Churches of Christ are a heretical cult that teaches you're saved by water baptism. He originally was a Baptist. Alexander Campbell was a Baptist. He had a little problem trying to sucker people into his new baptism cult. And by the way, this is a heresy that is pervasive through many Christian denominations. It's baptismal regeneration, is what it's called. I'm going to do some studies on that in the future. We've talked about it from time to time in our other studies. It comes from not rightly dividing the Word of Truth, and you go into Acts 2.38, and you try to make that the Gospel, when it's not. If you want to know what the Gospel is, it's spelled out for you in black and white in 1 Corinthians 15, verses 3 and 4. Just go there and then compare that to Acts 2.38, look at the context, look at who's speaking, look at who the speaker is speaking to, and look at the dispensations. and alexander campbell would have been saved from having to answer to god for being a call founder if he had done that but his problem wasn't just the fact that there were people who uh... you know wouldn't accept what he was teaching the problem was is they they stuck to the king james text uh... this is what he said in 1828. This is from page 70 of the book I mentioned, The Word, God Will Keep It. Quote, "...so ill taught are many Christians that they cannot think that any translation of the Scriptures deserves the title of the Word of God except that of King James." Did you get that? That's 1828. One of the reasons we've been quoting this book, and we'll quote other things in our studies, of course, is because there's this lie that King James-only-ism started in the 20th century. A lot of people try to point at Peter Ruckman. Other people try to point at a Seventh-day Adventist. I think his name's Wilkerson. And other people point at this person or that person. It's always within the last hundred years or so. And I'm here to tell you the proof is in this book, and it's in any research you'll do, that when the King James Bible came out, the people of God knew it was the Word of God, and they put all their faith in it, and not in Greek, Hebrew, or some professor, or some Bible-correcting pastor, or preacher, or teacher. And that was the problem Alexander Campbell had when he was trying to pull everybody into his Church of Christ cult. He continues, he says, quote, I would thank some of those ignorant declaimers to tell us where the Word of God was before the reign of King James, end quote. And, of course, that's the same line of nonsense you hear to this day. And our answer to that is simple. The Word of God was wherever God wanted it to be, and I speak English, and I live in the year, this year is 2016 when this thing's being recorded, And all I need to know is where can I find the Word of God now? And if I lived in 1828, I would still say the same answer, the King James Version in English. If it was before, you know, is it 1500, 1200, 500? We can do some research and figure that out. But I don't have to worry about that. I don't live then. I live now. And if I lived in 1828, I wouldn't have to worry about then. I lived in 1828. I'd know I have the King James Bible. Then I have the infallible Word of God. And every one of these cults start by of course, not rightly dividing the word of truth, and go on with adding or changing or altering the King James text. And we'll have to leave it there, but I just want to start off with that as an explanation to you newcomers as to why we don't quote other material, we don't quote other versions, we don't go to the Greek and Hebrew and try to correct the King James Bible. We believe what Christians have always believed. In English-speaking countries since 1611, we know we have the Word of God in that King James Bible, and as Printing and characters changed and spelling was updated. They made those kind of updates and revisions, but the words remain the same and that's what we hold on to. So getting into our text, we left off with Joseph finally being called up to meet Pharaoh. Remember, he had been left in jail after he helped out the butler, at least gave him the interpretation of his dream, gave him some comfort, gave him some good news. The butler said, you know, well, Joseph asked him, please remember me, and the butler didn't. So it's two years later, verse 25 picks up. It says, and Joseph said unto Pharaoh, the dream of Pharaoh is one. God hath showed Pharaoh what he is about to do. Now, so Joseph begins by making two points to Pharaoh. Point number one is the two dreams have one message. The two different dreams have the same message. And number two, God is giving Pharaoh a prophecy it's not joseph joseph's humility just shines through here it's uh... just as jesus said of himself in john twelve forty nine for i have not spoken of myself but the father which sent me he gave me a commandment what i should say and what i should speak that's an awesome thing to meditate on a study the trinity in the relationship between father son holy ghost They are co-equal, but they're not the same. The Jesus-only group and the one-ness Pentecostal groups, it's nonsense. They try to say Jesus is the Father, Jesus is the Son, Jesus is the Holy Spirit, and He shows up just as the Father sometimes and the Holy Ghost sometimes. Nonsense. And here Jesus, He says, the Father which sent me, they aren't the same. They'll say, well, Jesus said, I and the Father are one. Yes, He didn't say they're the same. To be one is in unity. That doesn't mean they're the same. So now, with this demonstration of humility, Joseph explains the dream for Pharaoh, beginning in verse 26, the seven good kind, these are cows, are seven years, and the seven good years are seven years, the dream is one. And verse 27, and the seven thin and ill-favored kind that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine. Verse 28, It says this is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh what God is about to do he showeth unto Pharaoh so Joseph is giving Pharaoh definition of terms and he's showing this is this and that is that and God has given you this so now let's Let's look at what it means. It's now Joseph's given the terms and now he's going to interpret and apply it in practical terms And that's what we we should do with the Word of God beginning verse 29 says behold there comes seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt. Verse 30, and there shall arise after them seven years of famine, and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine shall consume the land. Verse 31, and the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following, for it shall be very grievous. In other words, it's gonna be so bad in that second seven years, everybody's gonna forget the good times. And of course, they probably had forgotten it by the end of the first year, if not sooner. That's how people are. And that's what's going to happen. I'm telling you, in America, that's what's going to happen. Payday's coming. I just pray it's after the rapture. But again, I repeat over and over and over, there's no biblical basis for believing that complete economic failure and persecution of Christians could not happen before the rapture. The Bible only promises that we will not have the seals, the vials, and the trumpet judgments, those 21 judgments between Revelation 6 and Revelation 19. We won't have that poured out on us. That's God's judgment. but to say we won't have economic failure, famine, pestilence, earthquake, aside from those judgments, and great persecution, aside from what's going to happen for those who don't take the mark of the beast. It's all possible. It's happened in other countries. Why can't it happen in America? And I'm telling you, people get upset at me for teaching that. A lot of people now are upset with me for continuing to teach what the Bible teaches about a pre-trib rapture because it's the end thing now to become a Bible boob and to completely pretend that God's going to pour out His wrath on His own people during the tribulation period and the church, the bride, is going to be beaten by the husband. It's nonsense. But then I have all these pre-trib rapture people get mad at me because I remind them of the truth that we could face really bad times just like we're seeing here in the story of Joseph here in Genesis chapter 41. So, that's how bad in the tribulation period, Daniel's 70th week, some of you are real touchy about calling it the tribulation period. That's spiritual infancy, folks. Grow up. We use terminology that isn't exactly what you find in the Bible, like the word trinity, or the word Bible itself, or the word rapture. It's language communicates ideas, and the Bible teaches this idea of seven years of great tribulation. It's Daniel's 70th week, the time of Jacob's trouble. And it'll be so bad during that seven year period that previous history would just be totally forgotten. And just like it is here in our text. So verse 32 says, and for that dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice. It is because the thing is established by God and God will shortly bring it to pass. In other words, because this is so important, so serious, so severe and extreme, God gave the dream in two versions for double emphasis. Now listen, God only needs to say something once, but when God repeats a thing, you'd better be sure to take notice. And here's where God demonstrates his wisdom in Joseph and promotes Joseph in the mind of Pharaoh, who in turn will promote Joseph in his kingdom. In other words, Joseph's going to demonstrate the wisdom of God, and Pharaoh then is going to, based on that, promote Joseph. It's what we read in Psalm 75, 6. It's a good Bible reference to marking your Bible. Because it says, for promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. Okay, where does it come from then? The North. Look at it closely. If you don't have it open, open your Bible and turn to it. Psalm 75, 6. Promotion cometh neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from the South. What's that leave? North. Neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from the South leaves North. And we're told that God is in the North. Psalm 48, 2. God's city is described saying, beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion on the sides of the north. the city of the great king and you go back to isaiah fourteen we read about the fall of lucifer identifies where he fell uh... when he tried to dethrone the lord and become as the almighty uh... he says in uh... verse thirteen isaiah fourteen thirteen for thou has said in nine heart i will ascend into heaven i will exalt my throne above the stars of god what's this i will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the watch North. And that's from the planet we're on. I've had people, yeah, it's crazy. If you was out in another galaxy, it wouldn't necessarily... I'm not on another galaxy and God's not talking to people in another galaxy. On the Earth, God is due North. It's just ridiculous some of the things... people hit you with, because they don't want to believe what the Bible says. That's the bottom line. Now let's continue. Joseph is promoted by God. Verse 33 says, Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Joseph's just saying. You find a man who can take control of this thing and make it happen. Verse 34, Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And we'll come back to that. Verse 35, and let them gather all the food of those good years that come and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh and let them keep food in the city. So there's basically gonna be a 20% tax of the corn. They're going to take the corn being grains. And like we talked, there was corn. It's not, you know, an error in your King James Bible. Go back to the last study. We discussed this, that there is evidence that proves, historically, that there was corn in Egypt. And a fifth of everything everybody harvests is to be given over to Pharaoh. It's tax. And then, well, what's it say? Verse 36, and that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land perish not through the famine. uh... now keep in mind that this is just words at this point uh... josephson it nothing's happened joseph just described this thing and now he's given his counsel on what to do about it and it's pretty amazing here because verse thirty seven says in the thing was good in the eyes of pharaoh in the eyes of all the servants it's it's just without any proof the this is pretty impressive I mean, you talk to people today and they can't believe the Bible. Why? Because they can't see it. I can't believe in a God I don't see. And it's just ridiculous. You believe in all kinds of things you can't see. You can't see the electricity coming through and making everything in your house work, but it's there. You can't see the wind, but you see the effects of the wind, so you know it's there. And no, you don't see God, and it's a good thing, because you're fallen. You're in sin. Even if you're saved, you're still not glorified, so you still have the stain of sin on you. You still have death in your body, which is why it is appointed unto men once to die, and then the judgment. And if you were to see God in His glory, you would just evaporate. So it's a good thing God has mercy and doesn't allow you to see him. But what do you see? You see the effects of God. And you should have discernment. And those who have a heart for God will have discernment. That's what's lacking in the church today and all these YouTube goofballs and all their scare tactics and melodramatic nonsense, telling everybody we're all going to be rounded up in Walmarts and all that JadeHealth15, going back to Y2K and that nonsense. And now that, you know, everybody says, oh, you can't even vote for a presidential candidate because they're all of the devil, you know, and all that kind of thing. People lack discernment. Thankfully, Pharaoh and his servants had discernment. Verse 38 says, and Pharaoh said unto his servants, can we find such a one as this man? A man in whom the Spirit of God is? They're looking right at Joseph and saying, hey, you know, he just told us all this and we believe it. We think it's really gonna happen. So, you know, there you go. This guy, this man, I mean, what a statement. A man in whom the Spirit of God is. And remember the dispensation we're in here in Genesis. This isn't our day. In our day, you repent toward God with faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ, believing how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and immediately the Spirit of God regenerates you and comes in to dwell in you, and you are sealed unto the day of redemption. That's today. Don't make every age like that because it didn't happen back then. But here is Joseph and he's got a testimony, he's got a witness that he has the Spirit of God in him. And before our church age, Psalm 5111 teaches that it can be taken from you. David prayed, cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. That's not true today. Non-dispensationalism is a form of insanity. You have to make a difference. So respecting that difference, it is very impressive that they would say that about Joseph. So, Pharaoh continues to speak in such a way that it is clear that God has given him a special endowment of discernment. Verse 39 says, And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath showed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art. Verse 40, thou shalt be over my house, and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled only in the throne. Will I be greater than thou? What an amazing example of humility. You don't see that very often in men. And although Pharaoh here shows great discernment, but there's no statement that he's a believer uh... any more than a maybe kind of a nominal believer in the fact that it's all there's this god over here that joseph worships pretty impressive but i still have my god so fair is not repenting of his false gods and turning to god And yet, God's given him this discernment. He's demonstrating great humility. And beginning in verse 41, we see him demonstrating great wisdom. Verse 41, and Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen. That's interesting. And put a gold chain about his neck. These are tokens of authority, and the fine linen thing is just wonderful. I mean, Jesus is going to have this fine linen on, and then his saints in our glorified state will have this fine linen on. It has his ring, a gold chain about his neck, and it's sort of like the official seal of the President of the United States. No one's supposed to use that, and if you're running for President, you're not supposed to use it. Only the president is supposed to use that official seal, and that's what this ring and gold chain and the vestures all speak of. Verse 43 says, And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had, and they cried before him, Bow the knee! And he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And we'll see the same thing happen in Daniel, who is also an incredible type of Jesus Christ, by the way. Verse 44, And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt." Now, he's not saying, I am Pharaoh, as though Joseph doesn't know who he is. He's saying, I am speaking with authority. I am Pharaoh. God says this, I am the Lord, and then he speaks. It's to declare his authority and then make his statement. In verse 45, Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-paneah. And he gave him to wife Asenath, the daughter of Potiphar, priest of On, and Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. I've never been able to talk any woman, including my daughter, into naming their child Zaphnath-Paniah. And I'm only joking. I'm not sure I'd want that name tagged on any of my grandchildren. And obviously I didn't use it for any of my children. It's believed to mean one who reveals mysteries, but there's also a group that believes, and these are etymologists, and they're trying to figure out what the name means, and there's a group that thinks it means savior of the world. Now, either one of those would be true because, in a physical sense, he would be the savior of the world, physically saving the world from a mass famine. uh... so in that sense it's true and it's also interesting joseph's interpretation comes true just as he said it would and note that he his ministry his ministry begins when he's thirty years old uh... if you don't believe me go back to romans thirteen fourteen those in authority in government are called ministers of god and just as jesus Well, let's read it. Verse 46, And Joseph was thirty years old, thirty years old, when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went throughout all the land of Egypt. And Jesus, Luke 3, 22-23, It says, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him after his baptism. And a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased. And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age. Now listen, not only is he thirty, being as was supposed, the son of Joseph. Isn't that amazing? I just love it. It's amazing. Here, Joseph is basically adopted by Pharaoh as his son, his heir. He's given Joseph everything he would give his heir. And Joseph begins his ministry, Romans 13, 4. He begins his ministry at the age of 30. Then you fast forward and there's Jesus beginning his ministry at the age of 30. And what's his father's name? Humanly speaking, his adoptive father is Joseph. Has that ever dawned on you? That's just some amazing stuff. I wish we could spend more time. We've got to close this thing out. Verse 47 says, And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. Just as Joseph said, it's coming to pass. Verse 48, And he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities, the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up. in the same verse forty nine and joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea very much into a left numbering for it was without number huge prosperity but then verse fifty we take a stop here to look at the fact that during those years joseph uh... gets married has kids verse fifty says in an under joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came which Asenath, the daughter of Potipharah, priest of Onn, bear unto him. So again, on types, you can only push them so far. Jesus didn't do this, and Joseph was a human being and a sinner, but again, the types are there, but we just can't push it on everything. Verse 51, and Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, for God said, he hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. And verse 52, in the name of the second, called he Ephraim, for God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. And we'll talk more about these two boys and their descendants later. Verse 53, in the seven years of plenteousness that was in the land of Egypt were ended. Verse 54, in the seven years of dearth began to come. According as Joseph had said, the dearth was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. Verse 55, when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread, and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph, what he saith to you, do. Oh man, this is so good. We're going to pick up here in our next study. Verse 56, And the famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold unto the Egyptians. And the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt. Verse 57, And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn, because that the famine was so sore in all lands. We're going to pick up there in our next study.