YOU CAN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN (47 OF 54)
by Keith Krell
Scripture: Genesis 4, Genesis 41
This content is part of a series.
You Can't Keep a Good Man Down (47 of 54)
Series: The Book of Beginnings
Keith Krell
Genesis 40-41
There is a parable about a farmer whose old dog fell into a dry well. After assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the dog but decided that neither the dog nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he planned to bury the old dog in the well and put him out of his misery. When the farmer began shoveling, initially the old dog panicked. But then it dawned on the mutt that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back he could shake it off and step up. This he did blow after blow. ''Shake it off and step up, shake it off and step up, shake it off and step up!'' he repeated to encourage himself. It wasn't long before the dog, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly out of the well. What he thought would bury him actually benefited him-all because of the way he handled adversity.
That story always reminds me of Joseph, who frequently found himself about to be buried in some hole. Yet, like this courageous dog, Joseph also had the resolve and courage to ''shake it off and step up.'' Genesis 40-41 explains how God uses adversity to benefit His servants. In fact, as we study this section we will learn that suffering can prepare ordinary Christians for extraordinary service.
Scene 1 (40:1-8)
Moses begins our story with these words: ''Then it came about after these things [cf. 39:20-23], the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt offended [cf. 39:9] their lord, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was furious with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. So he put them in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, in the jail, the same place where Joseph was imprisoned'' (40:1-3). These three verses ooze God's sovereignty. While Joseph is wasting away in jail, God brings some influential and unexpected guests. (The cupbearer and baker were responsible for Pharaoh's drink and food.) The word ...
Series: The Book of Beginnings
Keith Krell
Genesis 40-41
There is a parable about a farmer whose old dog fell into a dry well. After assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the dog but decided that neither the dog nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he planned to bury the old dog in the well and put him out of his misery. When the farmer began shoveling, initially the old dog panicked. But then it dawned on the mutt that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back he could shake it off and step up. This he did blow after blow. ''Shake it off and step up, shake it off and step up, shake it off and step up!'' he repeated to encourage himself. It wasn't long before the dog, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly out of the well. What he thought would bury him actually benefited him-all because of the way he handled adversity.
That story always reminds me of Joseph, who frequently found himself about to be buried in some hole. Yet, like this courageous dog, Joseph also had the resolve and courage to ''shake it off and step up.'' Genesis 40-41 explains how God uses adversity to benefit His servants. In fact, as we study this section we will learn that suffering can prepare ordinary Christians for extraordinary service.
Scene 1 (40:1-8)
Moses begins our story with these words: ''Then it came about after these things [cf. 39:20-23], the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt offended [cf. 39:9] their lord, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was furious with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. So he put them in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, in the jail, the same place where Joseph was imprisoned'' (40:1-3). These three verses ooze God's sovereignty. While Joseph is wasting away in jail, God brings some influential and unexpected guests. (The cupbearer and baker were responsible for Pharaoh's drink and food.) The word ...
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