Intro: These verses tell us about this man Joseph the elder son of Jacob and Rachel. He was the most favored of all his father’s children, and he was a man of great character. He was hated of his brethren for his dreams from God concerning his future advancements in this world, so they sold him into slavery in Egypt. While in slavery he was imprisoned for a crime that he did not commit. After many years in prison, he was remembered of the butler for whom he had interpreted a dream while in prison. The butler brought him before Pharaoh where he interpreted two dreams for Pharaoh, which predicted a seven-year bumper crop followed by a seven-year famine. Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of preserving corn and food for Egypt during the good years and rationing it during the famine. At the time of famine Jacob’s sons came to Egypt twice looking for corn. Joseph revealed himself to them and sent for his father to come to Egypt. There both Jacob and Joseph died, but Joseph gave the people of God hope when he promised their Exodus from Egypt. They suffered for 400 years as slaves in Egypt, but when God sent Moses to lead them out, they took the bones of Joseph and buried them with Abraham and Sarah in Canaan. This life of Joseph is a type and shadow of the life of Jesus again and again. Joseph is called a fruitful bough in Genesis 49:22, and Jesus is called a tender plant, a root out of dry ground in Isaiah 53:2. The fruitful bough shows us the tender plant. We want to emulate our Lord, and if we emulate the life of Joseph, it will emulate the Lord. He was in a God-less society, but he bountifully brought forth fruit in a desert land.

Notice:

1.      Joseph’s Birth: Genesis 30:22, God opened the barren womb of Rachel and she bore Joseph unto Jacob. God worked a miracle in a barren womb. Take notice of this:

1. In A Practical Way: God can still work a miracle!
2. In A Spiritual Way: Joseph came from a dead womb, and God can give life to a dead sinner.
3. In A Prayerful Way: Joseph was an answer to Rachel’s prayer. God still answers prayer.
4. In A Typical Way: Joseph is a type of Christ. Jesus was born miraculously from a virgin just as Joseph was born miraculously from a barren womb.

2.      Joseph’s Trying Blows: He had a hard time. God gave him a vision, and God made the vision come true. However, he had to go through many trials and tribulations first. Yet he was a fruitful bough in the midst of a drought.

1. Experience of Growth: In a desert land like Egypt Joseph grew in knowledge and wisdom. You too can in a desert world grow in wisdom. Be a fruitful bough.
2. Experience of God: Gen. 49:24, His bow was made strong of the Lord to relieve his tension. Genesis 32 Jacob wrestled with God and was beaten but blessed. No doubt Jacob had told Joseph of that experience on many occasions. Joseph faced adversity with arrows shot at him, but through every trying blow God strengthened his bow. Joseph used this bow not to shoot at his enemies but at the will of God, the shepherd.

3.      Joseph’s Triumphant Blessings: It had been years since Joseph had been home, but God saw to it that He was blessed with his family.

1. Family was reunited
2. Fruitfulness was realized: He finally saw the fruits of his labor as he saw his family’s needs met through his provision.
3. Faithfulness was rewarded: God does not look at the results, but faithfulness. God promoted him and fulfilled all his dreams as his brothers bowed their heads. If we too will be found faithful, God will use and promote us according to his will.