Our Outline for Today: God’s Selective Work Focuses on Joseph: The Lord Reigns Over Israel, His Elect Nation!

The Account of Israel’s Deliverance Through Joseph Continues.  Joseph was born in chapter 30, and then in chapter 35 we read about how the full complement of twelve sons was accomplished and we will begin there —

• God Blesses Jacob at Bethel where he is commanded to live by God; Benjamin is Born and Rachel Dies; Isaac dies and is buried by Jacob & Esau; the Twelve Tribes are formally constituted as a family and nation (Chapter 35)
• Joseph is loved above the rest and is sold as a slave in Egypt — the turning point (Chapter 37)
• Joseph is blessed initially in Egypt, But … Potiphar’s Wife … (Chapter 38)
• Through Many Dreams and the Lord’s Working Joseph Is Elevated to Pharaoh’s Vice Regent!  (Chapters 39-41)
• The Saga of Joseph and His Brothers (Chapters 42-48)

Our Outline Today: God’s Selective Work Focuses on Isaac’s Son Jacob: The Lord Reigns Over Man!

• Isaac’s Sons are Born But the Younger Shall Serve the Elder — Chapter 25a
• But Due to the Weaknesses of the Flesh, the Elder Barters His Inheritance — Chapter 25b
• Even Esau’s Father’s Blessing Also Goes To Jacob By God’s Choice — Chapter 27
• Jacob Seeks and Finds a Wife in Haran — Chapter 28
• Through Two Marriages, Many Sons, and Trials on every side, A Nation of Twelve Tribes Is Created — Chapters 29-36
• Jacob Comes Face to Face with His Own Doubts and The Lord Blesses with a New Name, Israel

Our Outline:  The Divine Principle of Division Proves the Doctrine of Election

• The Lord Promises to Abraham a Vast Land and an Even Greater Nation in Opposition to Egypt’s Dominance — Chapter 15
• The Lord Confirms His Promises to Abraham of A Son in His Perfect Timing — Chapter 17

• The Lord Proves His Faithfulness in the Safe Deliverance of Lot — Chapter 19

• The Lord Provides the Son of Promise After A Long Barrenness of Sarah — Chapter 21

• The Lord Divides Isaac from His Other Sons by Blessings — Chapter 25a
• The Lord Provides Isaac A Seed As Well — Chapter 25b
• The Lord Continues the Promised Lineage through Jacob and Against Esau — Chapter 25c
• The Lord Again Blesses Isaac and a Gentile Nation, But Judges Egypt, Immediately After Isaac’s Failure — Chapter 26

Today’s Outline: 

Our Theme Continues: Sin, the Announcement of Coming Judgment together with A Promise of Deliverance, and then the Judgment Itself — In All These Working of Almighty God, Divine Election Operates in the Sphere of Divine Judgment.

• A Nation Perverts The Witness in the Stars At Babel and Its Demonic Monument Is Destroyed — Chapters 9-11
• After Babel God Seals That Nation’s Rejection By Calling Out Abraham — Chapter 12

Today’s Outline: The Only Saving Faith (Today) Is A Faith in Our Resurrected Lord:

• The Good News Includes Christ’s Resurrection
• Many Witnesses Testified of Christ’s Resurrection
• Without Christ’s Resurrection Our Faith Is Vain
• Our Election Demands Christ’s Resurrection
• Christ Within Us Is Empowered by Christ’s Resurrection
• Our Song of Victory Will Testify of Christ’s Resurrection

Today’s Outline: New Theme: Divine Election Operates in the Sphere of Divine Judgment

• Sin Came Into the Word and Death Through Sin — But God Provided Hope to His Children, Adam and Eve, Through A Promise
• The Heavens Declared the Glory of God — But Would the Generations After Eden, Cain and Abel, then Seth and Their Offspring Receive the Witness?
• God’s Response to Sin Was the Noahic Flood — But He Did Deliver Eight Souls!

Today’s Outline:

• Jacob — He Makes a Vow to Almighty God, “If God Will Be With Me” (Gen. 28)
• Jacob — The Lord Changes Jacob’s Name to Israel, A Prince with God (Gen. 32)
• Joseph — He Hopes Against Hope for the Blessed Nation by the Visitation of Almighty God (Gen. 50)
• Israel — He Dies with the Hope of a Future Resurrection in the Land of Promise (Gen. 50)
• Joseph — He Reaffirms Israel’s National Heritage In His Final Words of Testimony (Gen. 50)

• Adam — His Sin Brings the Plan of Redemption to His Fallen Race (Gen. 3 & Rom. 5)
• Abel — God Provides a Path to Fellowship with Sinners though a More Excellent Sacrifice (Gen. 3)
• Noah — He Preaches a Coming Judgment Never Seen Before (Gen. 6-8)
• Abraham — He Is Called to Walk by Faith Where No One Has Walked Before (Gen. 12-15)
• Abraham & Sarah — By Faith Their Weaknesses Are Turned to Strength (see Heb. 11 & Rom. 4)
• Abraham — He Offers up the Son of the Promise Expecting to Receive Him in Resurrection (Gen. 22)
• Isaac — He Blesses His Son Jacob through Weakness of Body but Strength of Spirit (Gen. 28)

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• Jacob — He Makes a Vow to Almighty God, “If God Will Be With Me” (Gen. 28)
• Jacob — The Lord Changes Jacob’s Name to Israel, A Prince with God (Gen. 32)
• Jacob — He Blesses the Sons of Joseph, of Him Who Was “Separate from His Brethren” (Gen. 49)
• Joseph — He Hopes Against Hope for the Blessed Nation by the Visitation of Almighty God (Gen. 50)
• Israel — He Dies with the Hope of a Future Resurrection in the Land of Promise (Gen. 50)
• Joseph — He Reaffirms Israel’s National Heritage In His Final Words of Testimony (Gen. 50)

Today’s Outline:

• Israel Blesses Joseph's Sons and Joseph Himself Prophetically Implying A Future National Heritage
• Israel Dies with the Hope of a Future Resurrection in the Land of Promise
• Israel’s National Heritage Reaffirmed in Joseph’s Final Words of Testimony

Today’s Outline:  The Lord Sovereignly Provides National Blessings for Israel:

• The Most Amazing Story of All is What Leads from Joseph’s Enslavement to His Final Words
• The Lord God Presents Jacob to Joseph and He Founds the Nation of Israel upon a  Resurrection Hope