Season 4 Genesis 41: 17-24 (Sue Wiberg)
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Genesis 41:17-24 Coming to the end of ourselves
Who are you, God, and what are you like?
Seeing Jesus through the lens of Joseph.
Presupposing the goodness of God.
Vs. 17 I’m struck by how quickly Pharaoh tells his dream to Joseph even after hearing he couldn’t interpret it, but God could.
Pharaoh had said no one could interpret the dream, and in verse 24, he told the magicians, and they could not tell him the meaning.
Pharaoh came to the end of all of his own resources and no answers. Heart was ready for God at the end of himself.
End of ourselves=humility=beginning of an open heart to Jesus
Humility is a modest or low view of one’s own importance. Freedom from pride or arrogance. Not believing you are superior to others. State of being humble. A true servant of God is humble. Humility releases!
Humility is the opinion of ourselves. Quality of being humble. Have humility (noun). Be Humble (adjective).
Humble is used to describe what Jesus is like His gentleness. Gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit.
I think, personally, it’s knowing what I am capable of without Jesus! The sin and harm!! Knowing that I need Him every day. Knowing that I do not want to go back. Being confident in Him, not in my own ability!
False Humility Humble people fully appreciate their own gifts and talents but don't esteem themselves above others. False humility, on the other hand, is pridefulness in disguise. We practice false humility when we intentionally devalue ourselves or our contributions in an attempt to appear humble.
2 Cor 1:8-11 We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. 9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. 10 And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. 11 And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.
Poor in spirit, the first step in a relationship with Jesus. Knowing we need Him.
Matthew 5:3-5 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 God blesses those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 God blesses those who are humble (gentle, mild, meek),
for they will inherit the whole earth.
Jesus, the humble servant Phil 2:1-11. We cannot live in true humility without Him. Having Humility is having Jesus! Humility is a person, Jesus. The Greatest Servant!
Humility submits! Willfully releases to God.
Humble is used to describe Jesus and His gentleness. Gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit.
Matt 11:29- Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Mark 21:5: “Tell the people of Jerusalem,
‘Look, your King is coming to you.
He is humble, riding on a donkey—
riding on a donkey’s colt.’”
1 Peter 3:4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.
1 Peter 5:5-7 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”[a]
6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time, he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
James 4:1-12 Pride vs humility, fighting for what we want or submitting to God.
What does true humility look like for us?
Definitely see Jesus through the lens of Joseph, who has served humbly! Served relying completely on God! Jesus gives us a picture in Phil 2:1-11
What does it mean to humble ourselves? Jesus gives an example in the Gospels.
Matt 18:1-6 Children show us.
I think the millstone is what all of us are capable of and deserve outside of Jesus. We will cause our children to stumble without Him—generational sin.
Prov 22:4 True humility and fear of the Lord
lead to riches, honor, and long life.
Reverence, fear of the Lord, and humility go together. It is knowing our position in relation to God. Hallowed be thy Name. Holy is He!
Knowing we are nothing without Him
John 15:4-5 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
Pointing back to Him, giving Him the Glory always.
Romans 12:3-5 Because of the privilege and authority. God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
No unity without humility. Humility receives Grace, but Pride does not. No unity without Grace! Unity happens in common experience of humbly receiving the Grace of Jesus. Knowing the need for Grace.
Released the glorious entitlements of His position and power. The One worthy of the greatest honor came to earth in most humble way, as a helpless baby placed in a manger!
I loved what Joy said yesterday about giving our hearts to magicians, deceivers, and lies that promise something to our hearts and never deliver. Smoke and mirrors the enemy behind it. Pharaoh had just exposed himself to the magicians, and nothing came from it!!!
He is aware there is something different. I could feel fear at past failure and stay back, but Joseph, like Jesus, has proven himself trustworthy and faithful!!!
God is revealing Himself to Pharaoh. His heart has been made ready by God! He is able. I love how Lauren talked about that on Friday. We have free will, which God honors and is able to use to bring about His plan. He created free will!!!
God’s timing is always perfect, and all of these circumstances impact many hearts at one time. It's amazing!!!
For Joseph, this could be one of these places of feeling fear as we are about to proclaim that God is the One, especially to the highest official in the land!
Joseph walks through any fear with God, and the obedience impacts hearts. Walks in Humility, relying on God’s power, faithfulness, and goodness!!!
Obey and leave the consequences to Him!
Also, it is a picture of a leader who is humbling self and listening to God. Something that we should pray for in all our leaders and ourselves wherever we are leading. All leading somewhere!!!o
In his dream, Pharaoh standing on the bank of the great Nile River. Standing. Observing.
Vs. 18 Seven cows came out of the river, fat and sleek (beautiful, fair). They grazed among the reeds (marsh grass).
Came out of the river, grazing on the goodness of God, on Jesus, a river of Life! Beautiful! River was the source of life! Provided grass to graze on. Seven pointing to the One who gives life, Jesus.
Vs. 19 After them, seven are scrawny, ugly, and lean. Never seen such ugly cows!
Maybe this shows the counterfeit of the enemy to satisfy! It never does and leaves us hungry, gaunt, weak!
Vs. 20 Lean, ugly cows ate up seven fat cows that came up first.
Vs. 21 But even after, they still were lean and ugly. No one could tell.
Cows provide much for people, such as work, milk, meat, skins, and horns. Possession of cattle implied wealth. Symbol of motherhood, fertility. They probably worshipped cows or had a god-like cow. When Israelites left Egypt and lost faith as Moses up the mountain with God, what did they make to worship, a golden calf. They were returning to the ways of Egypt when they thought God had left them! Believed lie about God!
Vs. 22 Another dream, two dreams again.