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Amen. So Genesis chapter 50, and we're going to do it in one. So this is our final sermon on our Bible study of Genesis, and we did do chapter 49 in two goes, where Jacob, if you remember, he prophesied of the last days of the 12 tribes. The key verse was Genesis 49 one, verse one of Genesis 49, which said, And Jacob called unto his son and said, Gather yourselves together that I may tell you that which shall before you in the last days. That was the key verse, and when those, you know, those last days were varied, didn't it? But once you understand that, it's talking about the last days for each tribe, it helps to understand the prophecies more, because otherwise it could be a bit confusing if you're looking at just one time period, perhaps, or maybe if you just think it's just talking about things that are going to happen during the tribe's days, it was talking about the last days. Judah, for example, continuing all the way through to the millennial reign, really, through the Lord Jesus Christ, through faith in Christ. Benjamin, until the end of the physical nation, and we looked at each of the tribes and the prophecies relating to those tribes. After the prophecies, we then saw Jacob command them to bury him in the family burying place, it was called, and then eventually he died. He gathered his feet into the bed, he died, and it was described also as being gathered unto his people, and that was a term that we've seen used with saved people in the book of Genesis. Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and then also later in the Bible we see it with Aaron and Moses too, okay, all described as being gathered unto their people, not being buried for a while to come, and obviously, you know, as we see it with others such as Moses, where no one even knows where his burying place is, it was about his soul going to his people in heaven. I know we looked at that previously, when we looked at that previously in the book of Genesis, in our Bible study, it said in verse 29 of chapter 49, he charged them and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people, bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, but he's not talking about the burial with his fathers, because if we carry on we're gonna see it, so in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for possession of a burying place, there they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebecca his wife, and there I buried Leah. The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth, and when Jacob had made an end of command of his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people. Then Genesis 50 verse 1 says, and Joseph fell upon his father's face and wept upon him and kissed him. I'd like to pray and then we're gonna get going with this final chapter. Father thank you for your word, thank you for this great book of the Bible, Lord, this book that we've been studying now for over a year, and I pray that you just, you just fill me with your spirit now as I preach this final chapter, Lord, and do it in a way that you'd want me to, Lord, and just in an accurate way as well, please just help everyone to just have a tent of ears and to just pay attention to what your words say, Lord, and the message is from it that I believe you've laid on my heart as I've gone through this final chapter now, and we ask you to do all these things in Jesus Christ's holy name, Amen. Okay, so it says Joseph fell upon his father's face and wept upon him and kissed him. We saw in the verse before that he was gathered unto his people, and this is long before what we're gonna see, the embalming, the mourning, the trip to Canaan, so clearly he was gathered unto his people, and ultimately he's gathered unto his people up in heaven, that's what it's talking about. And we've seen the death of Jacob, okay, who was, you know, born in chapter 25, okay, so this is when we started looking at Jacob, all the way back to chapter 25. He's been a central figure pretty much from chapter 27, yes I know that we've kind of veered off with Judah and obviously Joseph in some of these final chats, but ultimately it's still been about really Jacob or Jacob's sons. He's been a massive part of the book of Genesis, hasn't he? And we've just been looking at Jacob and Jacob's sons, and for the last pretty much, you know, majority of the second half of the book of Genesis, which is quite interesting, isn't it? It said in verse 1, Joseph fell upon his father's face and wept upon him and kissed him, and you can feel the emotion in that one verse alone, can't you really? This is someone that clearly loved his father a lot, he was clearly very emotional, it didn't matter that his father was of such a ripe age as well, you know, regardless when someone goes that you love and care about, even though you know you're gonna see him in heaven, even if you know they're saved, it's still an emotional thing, isn't it? Okay, it's still an emotional time and people sometimes say weird things about this, well, why would you mourn if you're, you know, you're gonna see them again? It's like, look, you're gonna mourn, okay? You're gonna care, you feel that sense of loss, it's someone that you've been, especially in his later years, he's been very used to being around there, having had a long period of time without his father. He obviously loved his father a lot, said in verse 2, and Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father and the physicians embalmed Israel. Now, it's kind of got a nicer name than actually the reality of what embalming is, so you kind of think of maybe like a bit of wrapping in toilet tissue, like when they used to do like the Egyptian mummy stuff in like school plays or stuff, if anyone remembers that sort of thing, and it sounds very nice, maybe like a bit of like just some smooth oil over them or something like that. Well, it is a way of preserving the body from decomposing, but it is pretty grim, okay? So it involves removing the intestines, okay, which isn't so nice, and replacing with sweet-smelling spices and stuff that prevents decay, okay? And I think it seemed to be pretty effective, because they seem to preserve these bodies for a long time. It's probably not the best job out there, but I don't know, these people get desensitized. You ever think that way? I know we got like the funeral parlour across the road and just think, how'd you get into that? Because really the reality, it's not just that they're just carrying coffins, they do some pretty rough stuff, right? But I think it's a lot of the types of family business, isn't it? And I don't know how people get into, well, how they first get into it, but I suppose you just kind of get desensitized to that sort of thing, don't you? Well, I'm sure these embalmers, it's a pretty similar thing, isn't it, to what goes on kind of behind closed doors at funeral parlours, it's not the nicest stuff to think about. However, they embalmed him, and the reason would have likely been the 40 and 70 days described in the next verse. So verse 3 said of 40 days were fulfilled for him, for so have fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed, and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days, so that's 70 days. So the 40 days, I believe probably a sort of open and coffin type thing, okay? So it talks about him being embalmed and then 40 days being fulfilled and being fulfilled for the day, you know, those that are embalmed. So where people come and visit and come and kind of, you know, see that person, at least a physical, in their physical form. And 40 days, though, is also a number that we often link with tribulation, okay? And we see, you know, many kind of forms of different types of tribulation in the Bible lasting over 40 days, and obviously a time of mourning is a kind of a time of tribulation as well. It is a hard time, isn't it, when you go through that sort of thing. But you know what it also makes you think of, well maybe it does for you, it did for me, is the 40 days that Jesus was seen after his death. Because he's being embalmed as a sort of open coffin type thing, and ultimately he's going to be getting seen for 40 days, isn't he, after his death. Acts 1, 3 that says of Christ and the Apostles, to whom also he's shown himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs being seen of them 40 days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. So we've got Jacob here, dying, being embalmed to be seen of people for 40 days. As far as I'm concerned, that's the point of the embalming, the preservation here. And I believe he is clearly a picture of Christ, there are probably other pictures of Christ as well. For example, the tomb being carved out of a cave of some sorts as well, okay, so he's going to eventually get buried in an inner tomb from a cave, and obviously Jesus Christ is buried in an inner tomb carved out of the rock. And also it's not his tomb, is it, and Jesus Christ was buried in Joseph of Arimathea's tomb, and in the same way this is the family tomb, it's not his tomb. So there are definitely pictures of Christ here, and also you could say as well, Jacob's death here results in them entering the promised land, don't they, so they go there to bury him. So after his death, and again I think a picture of salvation there as well. You know, there are some, there's probably some more there as well, but definitely there is a picture there, I believe, Jacob's death here picturing Christ in a few different ways. The 70 days of mourning though, it's obviously the Egyptian way, and it definitely gives the impression that Jacob and Israel were popular at this point, doesn't it, as well. So, you know, the Egyptians seem to care, they want to, you know, they do this Egyptian sort of 70 days thing, and, you know, they clearly care about them, as we're going to see in a minute as well now. Obviously at this point, you know, we've talked about whether or not that Pharaoh at the time was saved. I believe, like, there's at least, you know, hints that he was, however, that definitely changes in the kind of centuries to come. But look at verse 4, it says, and when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, if now I have found grace in your eyes, speak I pray you in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, my father made me swear, saying, lo I die, in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me, now therefore let me go up, I pray thee and bury my father, and I will come again. And Pharaoh said, go up and bury thy father according as he had made thee swear. So Pharaoh seems pretty honorable here, doesn't he? What a contrast to when Moses asked leave of the later Pharaoh in a few centuries to come, and they don't get any leave to go anywhere to do anything, but here he's like, yeah, go ahead, and there's a big contrast here at this point as well. Verse 7 says, and Joseph went up to bury his father, and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, and all the house of Joseph and his brethren and his father's house, only their little ones and their flocks and their herds they left in the land of Goshen. So leaving them showed they were coming back, but like I said, notice how all the elders of the land of Egypt went to. So obviously held in high regard, the elders are going to, they're mourning him as well, and it's a big deal here, isn't it? Okay, that Jacob has died. Verse 9 says, and they went up with him both chariots and horsemen, when it was a very great company. And they came to the threshing floor of Etad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation. He made a mourning for his father's seven days. Now, Etad means thorn, okay? The threshing floor was where they separated the weak from the chaff, which is a waste of the corn, of what they're growing, the chaff, that is. And continuing the picture of the Lord Jesus Christ here for me as well, what did his death do? It separated the weak from the chaff, didn't it, as well. Okay, so his death separated the weak from the chaff, because ultimately you either put your trust in that death, burial, or resurrections, paid for your sins or not, you know, and that's what it comes down to, doesn't it? He that believeth on him shall not be condemned, but he that believeth not shall be condemned, because he's not believed, and he's only become the Son of God, and that's basically what it comes down to, doesn't it? In Matthew 3.12, John the Baptist, you have to sort of preach for him, saying, whose fan is in his hand, preacher of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will thoroughly purge his floor and gather his wheat into the garner, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Okay, so you've got that, that threshing picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, and here, you know, where do they go? They go to a threshing floor. So again, continuing the pictures of the Lord to come, verse 11 says, when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the morning in the floor of Etad, they said, this is a grievous morning to the Egyptians, wherefore the name of it was called Abel Mizraim, which is beyond Jordan. So Abel Mizraim means Meadow of Egypt, and it feels like the Canaanites have a phone to them all as Egyptians here, doesn't it? You notice that? So they just call them all Egyptians, and the inhabitants of the land picturing, for me, I think the Jews of Christ, they are referring to the morning of the world ultimately, because they end up being, well, being separated by the death of Christ, don't they? And that's what I think is probably a picture there. Verse 12 says that his sons did unto him according as he commanded them, for his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for possession of a burying place of Ephron the Hittite before Mamre. Now this was back in chapter 23 when Abraham wanted to bury Sarah, if you remember, and Joseph returned into Egypt, he and his brethren, all that went up, with him to bury his father after he buried his father. So I think probably a picture of the gospel, they're going out to the world, going back to Egypt, they go out, they return to Egypt, he and his brethren after that burial. And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will pay adventure, hate us, and will certainly require to us all the evil which we did unto him. So, okay, so, right, they're worried, okay, that Joseph has only basically gone easy on them for their father's sake. So they're getting a bit concerned here, they're like, right, now he's, now he's gone, what's Joseph gonna do? Okay, so, so let's see what they do. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph saying, thy father did command before he died, saying, so shall you say unto Joseph, forgive I pray thee now the trespass of thy brethren and their sin, for they did unto the evil, and now we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. Do you think that really happened? Sounds like a bit of a porky pie to me there. Now, I don't know, you can't say for sure, but there doesn't seem any, at least God doesn't give us any evidence of this happening, right? So I think they're just back to their old tricks again, they're kind of coming together, going, okay, what are we gonna do? I know, we'll say that he said this, you know. I mean, we do weird stuff like that, don't they sometimes? Oh, well, they said on their deathbed this, and you'd be amazed what people come out with and stuff, and, you know, a lot of the time people just lie, don't they? People lie a lot, and it's something that, you know, again, we just need to, you know, people need to get right on this stuff, okay? And just because you can lie, just because you might be able to get away with a lie, just because you think that a lie might actually benefit you to one way or another, it doesn't mean it's okay, does it? And again, we don't know for sure they're lying here. I get the feeling like they are probably lying, and, you know, God's people do that a lot, they just lie. Lie, lie, lie for an excuse, lie for this, lie to kind of keep themselves safe, lie, and we shouldn't be like that, should we? We should consider a lie as a serious thing, because it is a serious thing, you know, lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, right? I think they are, but again, I can't prove that, let's see what happens. Verse 18 says that his brethren also went and fell down before his face, and they said, behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, fear not, for am I in the place of God? Okay, so I believe that he's saying that it's not his place to seek retribution, okay, to punish them, that's for God, that's what I think he's saying, fear not, for am I in the place of God? Yeah, and I think, I want to briefly talk about this, because I think this is a good reminder for us, okay, that when people wrong us, when they trespass against us, and you're gonna get wronged in life, you're gonna get trespassed against by people, that's just life, isn't it? When they do evil unto us, okay, and that's gonna happen to you. Turn to Romans 12, okay, God wants us to put it in his hands, he really does, he just wants you to put it in his hands. Now, of course, okay, people go too far with this stuff, there are those that would at least claim to take this too far anyway, so I think there are those that maybe, maybe whether they do or don't go too far, they at least pretend they would go too far with this. So, you are entitled to defend yourself and your family, okay, so you get these people that, yeah, I would just pray for someone if they did this to me. It's nonsense, okay, yeah, of course you're entitled to defend, to protect yourself and your family, you don't just have to let yourselves get completely beaten, abused, or whatever you can imagine, okay, and also there are those that claim that they would never go to the law. Now, when we look at 1 Corinthians 6, it's talking about petty matters, it's talking about, you know, things where someone's been defrauded. However, look, if someone does a serious crime against you, go to the law, yeah, okay, the law's there for that reason, the law is meant to be there to punish evildoers, okay, and we should live by the law as much as we possibly can without going against the law of God. As a church, for example, there's church discipline, so it's not that we just go, oh well, you know, we just, you know, don't worry, we just put it all in God's hands and things will work out. No, because God, God wants us to punish evildoers at least in, in certain ways with church discipline and stuff because we have a job to protect the church, okay, and that's how God wants things done, but the point being is that it's not Joseph's job to seek vengeance against his brother, so that's not his job, that's not what he needs to be doing, it's not our job to seek vengeance against those that wrong us, that betray us, that harm us, and, and people will wrong you, people will betray you, people will harm you, you don't have to seek vengeance. We leave it in God's hands, he sees it all, doesn't he? Okay, look, the Lord, put it in his hand, okay, he's your protector, he's your fortress, he knows what's a fitting punishment, he knows what does and doesn't need doing, and whether they're saved or not saved, he can, look, he knows what's best, he knows how to deal with things best, you need to put it in God's hands, and I think as soon as we start taking it into our own hands, we're trying to take it out of God's hands, and that's the problem, as we see in Romans 12, it says in verse 17, Romans 12-17, recompense to no man evil for evil, provide things honest in the sight of all men, if it be possible as much as life in you live peaceably with all men. So we want to try and live peaceably with people, and I just want to just make a quick point on that as well, because obviously there are those haters of God that, yeah, we're told to hate, okay, we're given that example by the psalmist, you know, to hate them that hate the Lord, right, however, that doesn't mean that we have to live unpeaceably with them. So you don't have to like, you know, he's a sodomite, I'm gonna have to tell him he's a sodomite, I'm gonna have to like, you know, tell this wicked false prophet he's a wicked false prophet, look, if it comes to the crunch, sometimes you have to, but a lot of the time I think people seek out strife, seek out problems, seek out grief, and then go, oh, look at the persecution, oh, look, I just can't believe this has happened, it's like, well, if it be possible as much as life in you live peaceably with all men, you know, we don't need to like waste your time with that stuff, we've got more important stuff to do, like go and preach the gospel, right, and sure, look, we need to, look, from behind the pulpit I'm gonna preach on stuff, we're gonna preach on false prophets, we're gonna preach on sodomites, and do that stuff because it's part of the Word of God, but we don't just need to be going out in all areas of our lives just trying to find people to get aroused with, and, you know, have all these issues of contention with, and even when you're soul winning as well, just find a way of avoiding the rouse. Doesn't always happen, sometimes it does happen that it gets a bit, you know, you can get grief sometimes out, but it shouldn't be every week, okay, it shouldn't. You should be able to just live as much as life in you live peacefully with all men, if someone doesn't want to hear the gospel, move on, right, you knocked on their door. He said, dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath, for it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay saith the Lord. So we want God to be able to deal with our, to deal with our issues. He said, avenge not yourselves, give place unto wrath. Try not to be full of wrath, usually when you're full of wrath you end up doing things wrong anyway, you end up getting it wrong, and sometimes there's a time for it, but most of the time you probably find that it's not that time for it. Therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him, if he thirsts give him drink, for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Now, the clear point here is, it is talking about our enemy, thine enemy, okay, it's not talking about God's enemies, okay, and I've preached this many times and, you know, there is a difference, okay, I'm not gonna go and find the nearest false prophet, the nearest sodomite, the nearest, like, you know, reprobate and go and start feeding them and doing nice things for them, okay, that's not what we're called to do, but someone I don't know is that, that I can't be a hundred percent sure is that, my own personal enemies, people that just do bad things to me, that do hateful things to me, within reason, it's not that I'm gonna go, oh well, you know, they hate me, come on round and babysit the kids, you know, no, that's not one, I'm gonna be sensible, you know, we don't have to take these things too far, however, I don't have to, like, try and punish them myself, and that's something we should all remember in life, you ain't gonna punish them in a way that, that God couldn't have done much better, as soon as you start trying to do it, you start taking out of God's hands, and when you put it in God's hands, when you're nice and you're friendly and you just kind of, and you, you basically, you, you, you, you, you're being kind to people that hate you, you're putting it in God's hands, and you, he because of far and ahead, because God's gonna deal with it then, you're not dealing, and your petty ways of solving things, you're like, I'll just say a comment at the right time, that'll get them, it's like, God's not just gonna say a little comment to them, all right, oh well, if I give him a real nasty look, that'll teach him a lesson, you know, it's like, let God deal with it, right, because he'll do more than a nasty look if they need more than a nasty look, right, and it's stuff like that, like, what really are you gonna do, you know, even you think, someone who really want me out, I'm gonna go and beat them up or something, if you, you know, sort of kind of thing that might go through your head again, like, really what are you gonna achieve with that, all you're really gonna achieve is probably more problems, more trouble, and people just basically, you know, having then stuff to be able to criticize you with, put it in God's hands, okay, he said, be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good, okay, now again, let's talk about our own personal enemies, all right, and here's another thing with that as well, you're not feeling much better too, don't you, you never notice that, when you treat your enemies well, it's actually quite refreshing, I don't know if you've ever noticed that, when you've got people who just, you know, they're just a problem, you know they hate you, you know that they just try, you know, they just want what's worse for you, you see it all, and you just treat them nicely, it kind of, it's a bit freeing, because when you just are, you know, locking eyes and all that stuff, and you don't feel any happier, you don't feel any better, you don't really achieve anything from that, and again you just take it out of God's eye, in God's hands, and while I've given him a nasty look, well, you know, that's a shame, because God could have given him a whooping instead, right, well with that in mind, back in Genesis 50, I think Joseph is saying that it's not his place to deal with it, he said in Genesis 50 in verse 19, it says and Joseph said unto them, fear not, for am I in the place of God, he's basically said, look, don't worry, I'm not, look, I'm not God, I'm not, I don't think I'm in the place of God, I need to punish you, I need to deal with it, he said, but as for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass as it is this day, to save much people alive, so they thought the evil, yeah, but God used it for good, and now this is a big truth in the Christian life, and I know that we looked at it briefly a few chapters back, but I want to just kind of go through this again, okay, because it's something that I think we need to understand, because sometimes, look, if you don't understand this, it could be, the Christian life can be frustrating, frustrating when the different attacks come, when the different problems come, when a different problem people come, when all these different areas seem to be hindering what you do, hindering maybe your church, hindering your spiritual life, hindering your family life, and everything else, it could be frustrating, however, okay, they thought the evil, okay, they thought it, but God used it for good, God can use bad behavior, okay, he can use bad intentions, he can even use bad people to save much people alive, and it's not like, it's not a coincidence, this, the end of this verse here, to save much people alive, there is definitely a spiritual lesson from this verse, all right, no, look, the really bad people aren't, can't get people save themselves, in case anyone's gonna misquote me here, no they can't, they can't get people saved, they can go through the motions, they can preach exactly the same gospel as we can, they can't get them saved, they're never actually saved, okay, but they can be used by God towards the end result of saving much people alive, and this can work in a variety of ways, okay, so for example, okay, we've had it here, and, and all churches, so if anyone's ever wondered about this, okay, you talk to any of the kind of more recent church plants, talk to any of the pastors, they've all ended up kicking out a load of people, usually fairly early on as well, okay, they all had the same sort of stuff in one one way or another, where a load of bad people were, for example, a great, just clear to see example, for example, okay, so of wicked behavior that would just ruin the Christian's life, so we've had it, all other churches have had it, where there are people who are just so blatant, so in your face, it's just brilliant, in a way, now at the time it's not, you're just like, man, what on earth, you know, but they're just a great example, because they're a great example to others, not just afterwards, after the event, you can be like, wow, you didn't want to behave like that, look at that, that, that's, you know, and you get those examples, but also, also at the time as well, so for example, that you know, we saw like, just open covetousness, didn't we, and many, look, it's the same stuff, all the same sorts of people, they're always the same, they're always all grouped together after, they always do the same stuff, always just goes the same way, every time, the open covetousness that we just saw, just, just, just everywhere, didn't we, really, now in hindsight, it's ridiculous, like, ridiculous, expensive cat breeding schemes, you know, where like, oh, you know, come and, you know, come and take my, whatever it is, my male studded with breed, and overbreed, and breed, breed, breed, and it's like, remember one of them telling me once, that like, they were arguing with the vet, who was like, these cats suffering, it needs to be put down, I wanted to give birth to those kittens first, you know, it's just like, that's weird, right, and it was that stuff, and all these other schemes, and you know, just being pushed and promoted, and the, like, what on earth, right, around the church, it's like trading, covetousness, just a great example for us, right, showing off wads of cash, you know, it's like, okay, you just don't want to be like that, right, just like, what, you know, just like, you know, getting out, flicking out the cash, going, oh, no, my cash is in my car, you know, and it's just like, under, like, the armrest, like, wads of cash, like, you know, in front of everyone, just putting some money in the offering, you know, it's just like, you know, stuff like that, it's just great, like, great examples for us, right, by the way, for the cat breeders here, okay, they were selling them, okay, so anyway, because I know we've got a couple that have got a few cats, but they're giving them away free, okay, it's slightly different, okay, in case they're looking worried there, okay, so the hints of drunkenness, for example, where there's kind of that stuff's coming out, and you're just like, wow, okay, like, yeah, these people were like boozers, the holier-than-thou stuff was just ridiculous, wasn't it, in hindsight, at the time, maybe some, many people were seeing it, maybe some did, but it was ridiculous, okay, so we see, you see all this stuff, these people, they're thinking evil, they're just like, I'm gonna, you know, holier-than-thou, these people are, they're gonna feel like, I'm so holy, I'm so great, and everything, and promote it, and push it, and subtly, and not so subtly, the neglectful parenting, you know, and we talked about that, like, it was just ridiculous, yeah, it was just bizarre, it was completely, like, we saw, like, the example of rumour, just nuts stuff, you know, the division-causing, you know, that eventually a lot of it came out afterwards, but a lot of it kind of was going on, people could see some of this going on, and what they do is, on one hand, they inspire preaching, and when I say they inspire preaching, so I'm seeing this stuff, and I'm preaching on stuff that I'm like, man, like, this stuff needs to be sorted out, these people are right, these people are saved, they need to get this stuff out of their lives, now, they ain't responding to it, but there are people in the church, who it's like, man, he must have known what I've been doing, you know, and it's like, no, I didn't, I was preaching to the obvious people, but what it ultimately does, is it then, it inspires me to preach stuff which then sorts out the genuine people's lives, so so many sermons that I've preached over time have ultimately been inspired by people bad, but people good have managed to get that stuff out of their life that would have weighed them down, without those devils driving them to just be there and destroy, without that in you, with the Holy Spirit, you wouldn't have even been in church, because of all those weights that would have just weighed you down, right? But it's great, you know, so they thought evil against, you know, whoever it is, against the church, against the leader of the church, against the pastor in various churches, but God meant it unto good. To bring to pass it is as it is, it's there to save much people's lives, because ultimately, if you ain't getting that stuff preached, where are you going to end up? Not in church in the end, because those weights will weigh you down, will drag you down and will pull you out. So, you know, they can be used in many different ways, right? But here's another thing, is that also they present an option at the same time, OK? That's what happens with these types of people, like the tribe of Dan did, they judge the people, OK? They present an option, they give you the option, do you go that way or do you go God's way? And in various ways. Now, sometimes people get conned for a bit by these types of people, OK? So it's like, OK, well, you know, like that seems, they seem really holy. I mean, maybe, you know, I should just kind of walk around and, you know, go, I'm going soloing for the 10th time this week, you know, I don't know, is that holy? You know, it seems holy, right? So there's that sort of stuff. But what happens is eventually, OK, people have to make a choice when it comes to these types of people, OK? And whether it's a behaviour or ultimately the people. And believe me, like when the bins get taken out, OK, any rubbish that goes with them is a result. It's great. So when, and this just happens regularly, so obviously we had a big event, right? But it just continues in the church's life, OK? So when the bins get taken out and sometimes the bins kind of, like self-taking out bins sometimes, they're like wheel themselves out, you know, automatic bins. Sometimes, sometimes they need wheeling out, OK? Sometimes, you know, you need to even take the stuff out of them as well, right? Sometimes that happens. But, but when, when bins get taken out, you want the rubbish to go, don't you? Turn to 2 Timothy 2, by the way. Because don't you just hate it when bins get taken out and the rubbish is left behind? That's frustrating, it is alright. You know, if ever, like, it's like it's bin day and it's like, no, I forgot to get the rubbish out with them, OK? That's, that's not what you want, because, and my point is, is that these people, they benefit. If the rubbish was really bad, OK, and when it comes to church life, it wasn't going to save anyone, but it was just hindering salvation. This is another thing that happens with these types of things, they just hinder salvation. Sometimes it's subtly, sometimes it's not. Sometimes it's very subtle ways of hindering, of preventing, of stopping, and sometimes it's not. Sometimes it's just obvious stuff, right? But also the purging process is needed really for the weak and lame too. Because often, regularly, God is basically, with a church, with a church like ours, a church who's going forward and preach the gospel and doing things. You know, he wants to see, are you going to get on your knees and not even look around and just bury your head in the water? Are you going to lift it up and you're going to bring it to your mouth and have your eyes open? And it's the ones with the eyes open, the lap with their tongue, like Gideon's 300. They're the ones that God can use for a work going forward. So often, you know, that's what these people do is they present a choice, you know, and you kind of get to show what you're made of when these things happen. And it's not always just bad people that go. Sometimes it's people that will never make it, will never make the cut in the future. My point is, if someone gives up on God, okay, and chooses some holier than thou clown, okay, they would never have lasted in the long run. They would never have made it. I mean, if they really like and, you know, people do this stuff, you know, they're like, if they choose, and this is in a variety of church, the same stuff happens. Where with time they get weakened and their head gets turned, they go and it's like, it's actually a good thing. You know, it's like they meant evil, yeah, the people there and yeah, they might have pulled some people out, they might have turned some heads, they might have made some people use, find something for an excuse, but ultimately it's great. Really, for the work of God to continue and to be effective, because a little leaven leavens the whole lump. 2 Timothy 2 says, nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having the seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his, and let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth and some to honour and some to dishonour. So what's a great house? A house of God. In every house, and this is just a fact of the Christian life, okay, the Christian life, the truth of it is that the bins need to need regularly taken, it just happens. It's just, it will continue to happen, sadly, okay, and that's the way it is, is that there will be vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth, some to honour, some to dishonour. God uses it for good though, okay, because look, if a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the master's use and prepared unto every good work. The ultimate good work is saving much people alive, and what happens is the evil, people that think evil against you, all this sort of bad stuff, it just purges the church, it just carries on strengthening a church, those that then remain just get stronger and stronger, you know, and it's just a regular process, purging is regular. Purging, you know, if you're talking about it in terms of gardening, it's not something that you do once, you just regularly have to purge. This will just happen in our lives here, we'll keep having it, we'll regularly have wicked people trying to get their hooks into people, that's what happens in the church. It regularly happens, it will continue, it's not that we have to do a witch hunt, we don't really have to worry too much, obviously, look, as a leader you've got to, you know, as a pastor you need to shepherd the sheep, keep an eye on things, you need to help people, you want to try and protect them to a degree, but ultimately it is kind of, it becomes just constantly like that option, that choice, okay, they'll get their hooks in, we saw it before, the classic stuff, trying to be everyone's best friend, you know, that's not normal, you can't be everyone's best friend, if you're everyone's best friend, you're not genuine, okay, because not everyone can be best friends, forming their own little groups, trying to influence people negatively in subtle little ways, okay, that happens regularly, fake holy standards that people get their heads turned by, always away, always the same, okay, always, we've seen it already, it's always the same in other churches, it's just a part of the spiritual battle, that's just life, that's what you've just got to accept, this part of it, these people, these people ultimately judge everyone like the tribe of Dan, like we see that, just to judge, they're just judging, they're giving you, presenting you an option, okay, he said in verse 21, if a man therefore purge himself from these, he should be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, a meat for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work, however, it's not just bad people that do that, so we see here, obviously, when you look at 2 Timothy chapter 2, that's what it's talking about, okay, it's talking about those types of people, it's talking about people having to purge themselves from these, okay, then they can get stronger, then they're prepared unto every good work, that's just standard, that's just what happens, okay, but so many negative experiences we have in life can also be used for good as well, so it's not just about people, turn to Romans chapter 5, from dealing with bad people, to life events, to even mistakes that we make, okay, it can all be a learning experience, which results in a better end product, okay, so Romans chapter 5 says it like this from verse 1, Romans 5, 1, says, therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, okay, pretty clear, isn't it, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God, and not only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, so again, this is separate now, not only do we have that grace through faith, but we glory in tribulations, why? Knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us, so on the back of verse 2 there, where it said, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God, I believe that really the end result is that our hope is stronger, basically, our faith is stronger, when we go through stuff, and then we start getting that patience, we get that experience, the end result ultimately is hope, is stronger faith, the more that we see God coming through for us, the more that we see things work out, the word of God succeeding, the more you're going through something and you do what God tells you to do, and you see that succeeding, you see things work out, the more hope, the stronger faith that we have, which ultimately results in what? More soul winning and saving much people alive, the stronger faith you have, the more, look, it doesn't take much faith to get saved, you put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, okay, you're saved, but after that, there's levels, aren't there? There are people that, okay, they've got that saving faith, but they don't kind of go on to do things, and that's why a lot of the weakening, the false doctrine, all that sort of stuff, the kind of where people have a bit of doubt and a bit, they're a bit unsure, it stops it going out and getting people saved, but when you have that conviction, when you're living the Christian life, when you're in the word of God, when you're seeing it coming through, you're seeing God coming through for you, it gives you that stronger faith, doesn't it? It's, I want to show other people, I want to show people the gospel, but it comes from tribulation, there's a funny old thing, isn't it? You have to go through the hard times to get that patience, to get that experience, to then get that hope, because you're just constantly seeing things work out, you're seeing God come through, seeing God solve problems, solve issues, things where you think, I don't know what I'm going to do next, this looks like, you know, my back's against the wall here, I don't know what's going to happen now, and just God comes through, God comes through, God comes through, and you're like, wow, yeah, and it just strengthens your face, strengthens your faith, and we're funny creatures, aren't we? You could go through a hundred different things, you just see God doing all this sort of stuff, and then you can pull away from the things of God, and your faith just goes down like that, it's like the health bar in a video game, isn't it? You know, it's like, once it starts getting hit and getting hit and getting hit, it's nearly, it's like, you're done, you know, it's like, you could have been up there, you could have, you could have had your health bar, you could have your faith bar up there, you know, and you could have, you could have just been full of faith and seeing God work your life, and as soon as it starts getting hit, you stop keeping that faith up, you stop going through things, you stop basically living for God, you stop seeing him working in your life, then the faith bar drops, doesn't it? And obviously, that's not a good thing, right? The more hope, the stronger faith, right? And that's what it ultimately is, and the result, well, he said, and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in the hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us, and the result is us going out and doing more work for God. So what's the take home? Well, in Genesis 50, said in verse 19, Joseph said unto them, Fear not, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Really, try to glory in tribulations, whatever they are, whether it's wicked people, whether it's bad situations, whether it's problems in your life, because it can all be used for good. Whatever happens, whatever, if you, if you turn back to God, if you draw an eye to God, you know, he'll draw an eye to you, and it will all just eventually come work out for good in the end. But if you let it, don't just, don't let it destroy you. Don't like be saying, I just can't believe this has happened, you know, we're trying to do this, and then this has happened, and something's come in, and hindered this, or this person, or this problem, or I just can't believe this is going on now. No, it's just going to help you just just get stronger and stronger. It can all be worked for good. People might think evil against you, but God meant it unto good to bring it to pass as it is this day, to save much people alive. The end result is just more salvations, and that's ultimately what happened. God can do great things with a few people, and we've, we're seeing that here. Like I said, I've just been out in Switzerland, you're just seeing salvations, just a few people going out and preaching the gospel, right, and God can do great things, right, and you've got to remember that, that whatever happens in life, God can mean it unto good, okay. You said in verse 21, now therefore fear ye not, I will no issue in your little ones, and he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. And Joseph twelfth in Egypt, he and his father's house, and Joseph lived in 110 years. And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation, the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh, were brought up upon Joseph's knees. So that was also the second generation of Manasseh's children. He, it's said that he saw Ephraim's children of the third generation. Now whether or not, I don't know, maybe he saw Ephraim's children, but the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees, so obviously like very close to him, you know, and that's a blessing, isn't it? Okay, like don't, don't mistake that, that is a massive blessing for Joseph. Joseph may have only had two sons, okay, but he obviously had a good enough relationship with them, or at least with Manasseh or his grandson, Machir, from that to enjoy the blessings of his grandchildren being close to him or his great grandchildren. He obviously enjoyed his grandchildren, Machir, then his great grandchildren, Proverbs 17.6, it says, Children's children are the crown of old men, the glory of children are their fathers. So ultimately, look, children's children are the crown, it feels like a reward, maybe even is a reward, okay, and it's a much appreciated one, isn't it, as well? So that's a great blessing if you're, you know, as you grow older and you become a grandparent, you know, basically you get all the enjoyment without the harder parts of raising children. They're like good time parents, grandparents, aren't they? Some people get frustrated because they drop the kids with the grandparents and it's like, they don't tell them off, they don't seem to do a lot of the discipline that they should do and everything else, and they kind of get the enjoyment part, right? But it is a blessing, isn't it? Because they don't have that day-to-day stuff and they just get to enjoy their grandkids, it is a blessing. And Joseph got blessed here, didn't he? Okay, to be able to, not only, you'd imagine he had a good enough relationship with the grandson, then the great grandchildren as well have brought up upon his knees, and we just see what a great blessing, because it's one thing, look, you could have kids, but if your kids, you end up having a bad relationship, your kids go off and you don't get to have a relationship with your grandkids, you're great. That could be quite a hard thing for people, can't it? That could be a bit of a, you know, sad kind of end to life if they don't get to experience their grandchildren, that could be a very sad time for people. Well, what a blessing for Joseph there. So he had that blessing in his later life. Verse 24 said, and Joseph said unto his brethren, I die, and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which is swear to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. So this does eventually happen in the Exodus around 400 years later, probably a bit under that from this point. And Exodus 13 19 says, and Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, freely sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you. So it does happen, okay, they do eventually carry up his bones from hence. It's a long time after, but it does happen. It said, so Joseph died being 110 years old, and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt, and seemingly kept in that coffin for 400 years, I think, I don't know. Unless they kept the bones somewhere else, maybe they were just like put in a drawer somewhere, I don't know. But eventually they carried him away many years later. Now, okay, we get, this is kind of the end of, obviously, of chapter 15. In case you've been sitting there thinking, well that was a long Bible study, I hope he chooses something shorter next time. Don't be so sure, okay. But we did start this over a year ago, okay. It was actually on the 5th of April, I went on our channel just to see, when did I do the first Genesis? 5th of April 2023, I looked a lot younger as well, and Genesis seems to age here. Must be Genesis. Okay, we've just covered, in case you're thinking that's long, we've just covered over 2,300 years of human history in one chapter of the Bible, okay. So it wasn't actually that long, okay, in case everyone's thinking that. Okay, 2,300 years of human history over that, okay. Over a third of the world's history covered in 50 chapters of the Bible. It's pretty cool, isn't it? Okay, so we've gone through a long period of time in those 50 chapters, and we didn't split many of them into two, but hopefully, you know, I try to go through every verse of it though and make sense of each verse. We've gone from, in that time period, I was thinking about this, we've gone from the creation of the world, we've gone to the first people, the first sin, the first reprobate Cain, okay, the first of the two witnesses, in my opinion Enoch, okay, my opinion, all right, okay, but I believe so with Enoch not tasting death. We went through the flood, okay, Babel and the dividing of the nations, if you remember as well, and that seems like a long time ago now that stuff, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, and of course Judah. Don't forget Judah, okay, because he's a very important part of it all. We've seen pictures, we've seen prophecies, we've seen doctrines alongside real history in a way that only God could do it, and often you go through it and you see this picture and you're unwrapping it, and like, how on earth did we get such a vivid picture there of something to come, of a prophecy to come, and at the same time telling us an absolute truth of history? For me it's been amazing, okay, I've loved going through Genesis, I love obviously all the Bible studies, but I've learned a lot, I don't know about you, okay, but I've learned so much studying Genesis for the past year, so much in the book of Genesis, for me has kind of popped out and found things in there, gems in there, I've really enjoyed it. So with that in mind, I've got a few thoughts about what to do next, okay, but I'll let you know by next week, so don't count on it being short, all right? On that, that was Genesis chapter 50, that was the end of the book of Genesis, and on that we're going to finish in a word of prayer. Well, thank you for, well, the book of Genesis, Lord, and what we've learned over the last year of studying the book of Genesis, and I pray that those messages and, you know, that the truths we've uncovered and the teachings we've got from your word, Lord, won't just be forgotten, you know, people will be able to remember them in time and apply them to their lives and apply the teachings and the doctrine and just the faith strengthening that comes from studying your word, Lord, and seeing just how just rich it is and just how much, you know, different truths we can find from just individual verses, and Lord, I pray that you just strengthen the faith of this church, Lord, and everyone in this church. Just help us to just be stronger, help us to be bold in our faith, Lord, bold enough to just go and preach the Gospel in a clear and bold manner is such an important thing when we're trying to get people saved, Lord, to be bold in our faith. Help us to all be just, you know, just strengthened from this last year of studying Genesis. Please help me to, you know, choose the next book wisely and something that you want our church to hear at this period of time, Lord, and it's just ultimately to be guided with you, with what we study next, in the way that only you can with just the dates and the times and when we look at things to just be at the right time for our church, Lord, we pray that you just guide us with that. Please just bless everyone as they go on to finish their week and help everyone to return on Sunday for another day in your house. In Jesus' name, pray all of this. Amen.