Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday evening, December 14, 2003, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia. For more outlines, including zipped files of my sermon outlines of recent years, click on the link at the bottom of this note, and go to our website:
JOSEPH, JESUS, AND CORN IN EGYPT
by Michael D. O'Neal                    Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church                Albany, Georgia

Scripture Reading: Gen. 41:46-57

Text: Gen. 41:55

Genesis 41:55 And 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.

Introduction: Many Bible students have discovered that the Old Testament is full of what we call "types." These types are prophetic pictures, found in the Old Testament, of some New Testament person, place or thing. Probably the greatest PERSONAL type, or prophetic picture, of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Old Testament is Joseph, as I've shown you already on several occasions.

Because of his ability to reveal Pharaoh the meaning of his dreams and prescribe a remedy for the prospective trial, the king placed Joseph over all his kingdom. When the time of testing came, seven years of famine, Pharaoh directed the hungering people of other nations to come to Joseph for food.

One cannot read the instruction of Pharaoh in our text:

"Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do." without being reminded of an incident in the New Testament, where Mary directed people to the Lord Jesus Christ, when they ran out of wine at the wedding feast:

John 2:5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

The rejection of Joseph by his brethren, the selling of His person in betrayal, the false accusations, the imprisonment with two men, the exaltation to the throne, and now the answer to the "bread problem" of the world ALL point us to JESUS!

Let us look for Jesus here and see if we can find Him. Remember His words:

John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

and again in that chapter:

John 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.

I believe that Jesus may have discussed Joseph's provision of saving bread to the nations of the world when He met with two of His disciples after the resurrection,

Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

This evening I invite you to look with me in the story of

JOSEPH, JESUS, AND CORN IN EGYPT

as we once again look in the writings of Moses to see what was written concerning JESUS!

As we do, keep in mind the following New Testament verse about the need of mankind for the bread of God:

John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

First notice,

I. THE PROBLEM

Genesis 41:53-54a And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended. 54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands ...

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

A. The pleasure of this world passes away

B. The peace of this world passes away

C. The provisions of this world pass away

II. THE PLACE WHERE BREAD BECAME AVAILABLE

Genesis 41:54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

Remembering that Egypt is a type of the world, we are reminded that Jesus was sent into the world, even as Joseph was sent into Egypt. Man could not reach God through religion, but God reached down to man in salvation!

A. It was a place of sin
1. Egypt was a wicked place, with the mental genius of the Greeks and Romans and the moral wickedness of the jungles of Africa (Egypt is in Africa, which is today the AIDS
capital of the world).

B. It was a place of a savior
1. Joseph came to Egypt and people were physically saved by coming to him.
2. Jesus came into this world and salvation is through Him!

C. It was a place of supply
1. People don't have to go to heaven in order to get God's life; all they have to do is to go to hear the gospel of Christ in this world, preached in the power of the Holy
Ghost from heaven!

III. THE PLEA

Genesis 41:55A And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread ...

Acts 16:29-31 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

A. It was a cry from darkness
1. Africa is the "dark continent."
2. The jailor was in darkness, for he "called for a light"
3. All lost people are in spiritual darkness (Eph. 5:8)

B. It was a cry of desperation
1. The jailor "sprang in."

C. It was a cry of despair
1. The jailor "came trembling"
2. This is what we call "Holy Ghost conviction"

IV. THE PERSONAL SAVIOR

Genesis 41:55B ... and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.

John 2:5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

John 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

The one who was the savior of the world in Gen., like our own Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ:

A. Was one who was attacked by the family he came to save

B. Was one who was accused falsely and condemned with two other criminals

C. Was the one who was able to furnish salvation!

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