Well, if you're turning your scriptures to Genesis chapter 39, you'll also find it printed in the bulletin before you. Genesis 39, beginning to read at verse 20 and reading through to the end of chapter 40. Genesis 30 and verse 29. This is the word of Almighty God. And Joseph's master took him and put him in the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison, Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed. Sometime after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord, the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard in the prison where Joseph was confined. The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody. And one night they both dreamed, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled, so he asked Pharaoh's officers, who were with him in custody in his master's house, why are your faces downcast today? They said to him, We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them. And Joseph said to them, Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me. So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, In my dream there was a vine before me, And on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossom shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. Then Joseph said to him, this is its interpretation. The three branches are three days. In three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office. And you shall place Pharaoh's cup in his hand as formerly when you were his cup bearer. Only remember me. when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house, for I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me in the pit." When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, I also had a dream. There were three cake baskets on my head, and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked foods, food for Pharaoh. But the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head. And Joseph answered and said, this is the interpretation. The three baskets are three days. In three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from you and hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat the flesh from you. on the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday. He made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cup-bearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. He restored the chief cup-bearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand, but he hanged the chief baker as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet the chief cup-bearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. Amen. Thanks be to God for this work. Indeed, Lord God, indeed, glorious is your name. And we do declare your wondrous works. Now we pray that you would declare your wondrous works on our behalf. And that you have sent your son to speak your word, to live and to die on our account. Reveal now through your word by the mighty workings of the Eternal Spirit, all blessedness as is found in Christ Jesus. For those of your children here present, Lord, we cry out, strengthen faith, build trust, sanctify us. And for those without faith, we cry out to you, Lord God, have mercy. and grant that as Christ is held up this night, all might see his beauty, all might see his sufficiency and worth, and trust in him alone for salvation. Great you are and greatly to be praised. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts as your children, Lord God, may they be acceptable in your sight. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, firstly, let me thank Pastor Van Doodewaard for that warm welcome. It is good to be back, indeed. I don't recognize many of you, which I think is a good thing. When I was here as a member, I think 2007, the church was much smaller, and God has blessed so richly, especially with covenant children. Wonderful to see, reminds me of my own church. I bring greetings from Shiloh Presbyterian Church in Raleigh to you all this night. Well, we're looking at Genesis 40, and just before that, the end of Genesis 39. There's always a danger when you parachute into the middle of a narrative that you actually misinterpret the narrative because you've not given sufficient care and attention to the context of that narrative. Here we are in the life of Joseph, stepping right into the middle of it in this time of trial and suffering. And so it would help us this night just to briefly think of the life of Joseph as a whole, so we can properly situate chapter 40 in its place. The pattern of the life of Joseph, you'll probably know, is similar to the pattern of the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. You remember, Joseph starts out as the beloved son of his father, who is hated, mistreated, and betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery. They tell their father that he is dead, and that's what their father believes. And he descends down into Egypt, where again he's mistreated. Chapter 39, with Potiphar's wife falsely accused and falsely imprisoned. After chapter 40, that we'll see tonight, Joseph will rise to power and fame in Egypt. Indeed, he will rise to second in command in all of Egypt. And that rise to power will see him become the material and physical savior of all of Egypt from the time of famine. And not just the saviour of Egypt, but the saviour of the known world at that time, as they flocked into Egypt during the time of famine. And not just the saviour of Egypt, not just the saviour of the known world, but the saviour of the covenant community, his own brothers, as he brings them food during the famine. Indeed, we can see broad lines of typology from Joseph to our Lord, even as we discuss the broad pattern of his life. But tonight, we're in chapter 40. He's yet to rise to the ascendancy and power and fame in Egypt. He's not the Savior at the moment. He's the sufferer. The prisoner, we find him in prison, unjustly charged, unjustly incarcerated. The last verse of the chapter poignantly tells us that he is forgotten and forsaken by the one to whom he brought good news. Joseph, the forgotten and forsaken prophet. but not forgotten and not forsaken by Almighty God. That's good news. Indeed, God was with him throughout this whole time in his incarceration. In this time of humiliation, even in prison, we have read this night, the Lord was with him. And I think, brethren, there are two principal examples for us as Christians today, or two principal lessons in the passage before us. Firstly, and experientially for us, we would have to acknowledge from the life of Joseph and from our own experience that the Christian may endure dark days of providence and trial. And during those dark days of providence and trial, it is quite possible that we might feel or might actually be forgotten or forsaken by our fellow man, but never forsaken by God. And the second matter is like the first, indeed it is the cause or the reason of the first. Why can we never be forsaken by God? This passage will also teach us to remember that there was one son, a beloved son, a faithful servant, an innocent man who was truly forsaken, objectively forsaken and judged at Calvary's cross, even the Lord Jesus Christ. And so we find our hope in this passage, we find our Savior in this passage, we find our strength during those times of trial and testing. Tonight we're going to examine Joseph in prison. And we're going to examine him, first of all, as the prospered prisoner. Joseph, the prospered prisoner. Secondly, we'll see Joseph, the prophetic prisoner. And third, we'll see Joseph, the forgotten prisoner. The prospered, the prophetic, and the forgotten prisoner. The end of chapter 30 reminds us that Joseph is in prison. And yet the great refrain of chapter 39, we read it there, that great refrain, the Lord was with Joseph. So much so, that in accordance with Joseph's earlier dreams while back in the land of Canaan, he begins this rise to prominence. The Lord prospers him even in an Egyptian prison. We read in verse 21, the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. No, Joseph was not forsaken in prison. Quite the opposite. The text repeats over and over, the Lord was with him. The Lord showed him mercy. The Lord prospered him and made him successful. So much so, that in verse 22, the keeper of the prison puts him in charge of all the prisoners. Moreover, we read in 23, the keeper of the prison paid no attention to what Joseph did. Why? Because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it a success. The blessing of God remained upon Joseph, even in his present circumstances. Even unjustly charged, unjustly imprisoned, God is there in the prison with his servant. A prospered prisoner, but a prisoner nonetheless. and no sign of release, even though he was innocent. Did you notice the timestamps put for us in the text? Chapter 40, verse one, sometime after this, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt committed sometime after this. Chapter 40, verse four, they continued for sometime in custody. Chapter 41, verse 1. After two whole years, Pharaoh dreams some dreams, which bring about the release of Joseph. Joseph is in prison for several years. We know not how long before chapter 40 begins. We know not how long after chapter 40, verse 1 and verse 4. Some time. He could have been in prison four or five years. And by chapter 42, verse 8, when his brothers appear before him, he is unrecognizable to them. Such is the passage of time, languishing in an Egyptian prison. Calvin writes of his prisoners, God chose to lead him around by circuitous paths, the better to prove his patience and to manifest by the mode of his deliverance that God had wonderful methods of working, hidden from our view. God has wonderful methods of working in providence, hidden from your view, dear Christian. Yes, God could have delivered Joseph far earlier. No doubt Joseph prayed to Him every day, deliver me, Lord God, but God chose to keep him in the prison. It was the will of God that his son and servant should be imprisoned. First, as Calvin says, that he might test and prove Joseph's faith. But secondly, that he might reveal his secret and hidden and his wonderful way of working in and through Providence. Remember this, friends. No Joseph in an Egyptian prison, no later advocate for his brothers when they come to Egypt. And I wonder, brethren, by way of application, can it be Can it be that this secret, hidden, wonderful working of God leaves us as Christians, and perhaps is leaving you presently as Christians, open to great trials and testings, not only that God might prove and strengthen your faith, but by that his wonderful workings he might through your own suffering bring great good to others." Is that not possible? We see it is. It's true in the life of Joseph. Why, it's the very paradigm of the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, who went through excruciating suffering and appalling humiliation, not just for the proving of his faith, but for the salvation of sinners. You see, sometimes, brethren, it is not ours to know what is happening to us and why it is happening in the moment. Sometimes it is our lot simply to suffer for a time. It is our task to trust God, the God that only does what is wise and holy and right. Meredith Klein, speaking on this passage of Joseph, makes the wonderful observation, he says, the closing of the prison doors on Joseph was designed by the Lord to be an opening of the door to the palace. From the prison to the palace, from suffering to glory. Yes, Jacob was most certainly prospered, but prospered in prison for no offense of his own. And yet, in the darkness of the Egyptian prison, the Lord was still with him." And so prospered is Joseph, in fact, that God almost anoints him, as it were, to be his prophet. The prophetic voice of Joseph is heard not in the promised land, but in the darkness of Egypt. In the darkness of an Egyptian prison, the revelation of God shines forth through Joseph. Chapter 41 speaks richly of this. We read in chapter 41 and verse 16, when Joseph is interpreting Pharaoh's dreams, he says, it is not in me to interpret, it is not in me, God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer. The same chapter, verse 25, then Joseph said to Pharaoh, the dreams of Pharaoh are one. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. Verse 38, and Pharaoh said to his servants, can we find a man like this in whom is the Spirit of God? They recognized something unusual about Joseph. That unusual thing was this. He had the Spirit of God. And it was through Joseph, the prophet, that God would reveal, not only to the cupbearer and to the baker, but to Pharaoh himself, the trials of the days ahead, the weeks, the months, and even the 14 years, seven of blessing, seven of hardship. God's gifts to Joseph are remembered by Stephen in Acts chapter 7. We read this, verse 9, the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt, but God was with him, and rescued him out of all his afflictions, listen, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Favor and wisdom on this peculiar servant of God. Think of this. God's favor is not principally found in these passages, is not principally found in the promised land. It's not principally found amongst his brothers who, frankly, are a bit of a mess right now. Just read Genesis 38. No, God's favor is found in the darkness of pagan Egypt. And not in a palace right now, but in a prison. Yes, that's where God's peculiar favor and blessing, that is where the Spirit of God set up His residence in and upon Joseph, that he might speak the prophetic word. Joseph at this stage almost comes across as God's solitary servant. I've no doubt God has his hand upon those in the promised land, the other brothers. But here we read a peculiar blessing, the Spirit of God being upon this one Joseph. And what is Joseph to do? He's to speak as a prophet. He's to speak as a prophet in interpreting the meaning of the dreams. And his words, as it was often for the prophets, his word for one is a word of life, and his word for the other is a word of death. Verse five, we are introduced to two new characters. Well, not introduced, but we take up the narrative again with them, the cupbearer and baker of the king of Egypt. They've got sideways somehow with Pharaoh. He's thrown them in prison for some time, And the Lord brings to them dreams. The Lord brings to them troubling dreams, and Joseph asked them the next morning, why are your faces downcast today? To which they reply, verse 8, we have had dreams and there is no one to interpret them. What does Joseph say? Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me. Do not interpretations belong to God? Brethren, this is a rather brief, but most excellent statement of Joseph's faith. The man who has been suffering now for several years, treated most harshly and abominably by his brothers, thrown into a prison unlawfully and unjustly, and his faith in God remains steadfast. He says, yes, interpretation belongs to God, to my gods. And if you tell these dreams to me, I will, on his behalf, interpret. He is saying, my God is the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth. He is the revealer of all truth. It's very significant. Joseph has not abandoned God, just as God has not abandoned Joseph. He's saying God is Lord over dreams. God is Lord over the future. God is Lord over revelation and illumination. Joseph is saying this, well, I don't know my own future. Nevertheless, I know and trust the one who is the Lord of the future. This God, the sovereign Lord, who disposes all things according to the counsel of his perfect, wise, and holy will, and for his glory, and for the good of his people. Here is Joseph. It's an evangelistic moment in a sense, testifying to the power and goodness of the true and the living God. That's surely worth us pausing for a moment and thinking on this matter. Dear Christian, you are one who in principle, though not necessarily in detail, who in principle knows the end from the beginning. Is that not true of you? You know, in principle, the end from the beginning. Why is that? Because we have an inseparable union and communion with the very One who has written the course of history. The One who dwells over and outside of history, who ordains all things. political unrest, social upheaval and injustice, illness that you face, or just the hopelessness sometimes that we face as Christians, God knows the end from the beginning. And so too, dear friends, do you know the end from the beginning, because you're united to the Alpha and the Omega of history. That's why Joseph is not backward at all in offering up his services as a prophet of God. He says in verse 13 to the cupbearer, Verse 12, tell me the interpretation, and tell me the dream, and the cup-bearer tells the dream, and Joseph says, verse 13, in three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh's cup in his hand as formerly when you were his cup-bearer. Notice, Joseph bears glad tidings. to the cupbearer. He's going to be released from prison. He's going to be restored to his former position of glory. To which, in verse 14, he then adds a plea. Don't forget me. Don't forsake me. I've brought you glad tidings, now only remember me. when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh." More of that in a moment. Now the baker, verse 16, seeing that the cupbearer gets a favorable interpretation, thinks he's going to chance his arm also. He wants an interpretation. He should really have thought better than to ask. The two dreams are very, very different. But he asks, verse 16, Joseph for an interpretation. And Joseph, as the prophet of the Lord, speaks with a straight voice to him saying, in three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head. from your shoulders, from you. And He will hang you on a tree, and the birds will eat the flesh from you." Now, friends, what is the test of a true prophet of God? Jeremiah 28 and verse 9 tells us. As for the prophet who prophesied peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent that prophet. And the interpretation of Joseph comes to pass. Verse 21, he restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand, but he hanged the chief baker as Joseph had. interpreted to them. Let's pause on that for one moment. What we see here is the Word of God is sure. The Word of God is certain. What our God says most assuredly comes to pass. This is yet another evidence of the trustworthiness of the Word of God. What our God says, He does. But I also think there's a lesson for us today in the way that we think and we speak from Joseph's conduct. Joseph is speaking the words of the Lord unvarnished. He's simply speaking what the Lord tells him to speak. And I think that has implications for each one of us here today. And the Christian church, especially in a society where communication has become an opportunity simply to score points over those who we think might be our enemies. Whether we stand behind a pulpit, Whether we're in a living room or a coffee shop, God's people are called to speak the truth regardless of consequences. Joseph here does not varnish the truth. He's not afraid to tell the cupbearer, sorry, the baker, the awful news that God has for him. He speaks the truth because he has regard for the God of truth. And we would have to say that those who dilute the truth in order to accommodate for society can neither be true ambassadors of the Word of God, nor could they be called true friends. The person who removes that which is uncomfortable in preaching can scarcely be called a minister of the gospel. A person who removes the offense of the truth could scarcely be called a friend. Joseph spoke the truth because he had regard for the God of truth. And that, dear friends, ought to be our mind also. We ought to be those who speak and only speak the truth. And yet, our manner in speaking the truth can, in so many ways, be as important as if we speak the truth. The apostle Paul writes in Ephesians chapter four and verse 15, he says this, rather speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head into Christ. Notice two main things are being said there, that we are to speak the truth in love. And the second thing is about maturity. Christians are to speak the truth, but we are to speak the truth in love. The love qualifies the manner in which we speak that truth. Just because we speak with love doesn't mean we stop speaking the truth. No, we continue to offer up the truth, to declare the truth, but we do so in a manner of love. The second thing that Paul is saying is that those who do speak the truth in love are mature Christians. Listen again. Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way. Speaking the truth in love is a mark of Christian maturity. Speaking the truth out of love or without it is, in fact, a mark of Christian immaturity. Let that sink into our hearts. for just one moment. Let us take great care, as Joseph seems to have done, that when we speak for God, we speak like God, both in content and in manner. In content and in manner. Joseph here is the prophet of God, He brings glad tidings to one of these men. Speaking the truth, even good news, is no guarantee that the recipients of the good news will do well by you. No guarantee whatsoever, because Joseph, lastly, we see in verse 23, is the forgotten and forsaken prophet. Look at verse 14 again. Only remember me when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. Verse 23, yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. A man who had glad tidings spoken to him by the prophet of God and promptly went away and forgot and forsook that prophet. Notice the double emphasis here in the English. Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember but forgot. One writer says that the double emphasis here underscores the total forgetfulness on the part of the cup-bearer. He completely forgot about him. His neck was saved for the moment, and he forgot about him. He forsook the bearer of glad tidings. So much so that in chapter 41, verse 9, he'll say, I have remembered my offense today, my sin. I've forgotten about Joseph. And I said I would remember him. Two years later, he remembers him. Oh, what forgetfulness. What appalling selfishness. Purely concerned with his own good, he got out of the prison, and yet the one who bore the word of God to him was left languishing in prison. Brethren, the sin of forgetfulness is a sin, I'm sure if you're like me, is a constant thorn in your flesh. It was also for the people of God, the Israelites. Psalm 106, a remembrance at this part of God's great work of salvation in the Exodus. We read this. He saved them from the hand of the foe, redeemed them from the power of the enemy. I'm in verse 11 now. And the waters covered their adversaries. Not one of them was left. Then they believed his word and they sang his praises. What do you think? That's wonderful. Verse 13, but they soon forgot his works. They did not wait for his counsel, but they had a wanton craving in the wilderness, and put God to the test in the desert. He gave them what they asked, but sent a wasting disease among them. I stand Condemned by my own words, as assuredly every preacher does, oh, how can we forget the grace of God? How can you, dear Christian, how can I forget the mercies of God so very quickly? The truth can go in one ear and almost immediately out the other, and we've forgotten the goodness of God that delivered us from our sins. Oh, how could we do such a thing? Brethren, you ought to be in your families. Praise the Lord for the many families in this place, whether we're families or individuals, and even individuals within families, it matters not. And as a covenant community here together, individually, familiarly, and corporately, you ought to be those who so rehearse the mighty works of God, that so rehearse his mercies to you, that you never forget You never forget His goodness to you. How could we do so? How could we forget the mercies of the God that sent His Son to die for us? And so because of the forgetfulness of this man, admittedly a pagan, but nonetheless forgetfulness, Joseph is the forgotten man. the forsaken man left in prison, waiting another two whole years before he is released. Dear friends, I hope I've painted a picture for you of the life and experience of Joseph, where it is not at all hard for you to see Joseph as a type of the Lord Jesus Christ, the anti-type, the fulfillment. The pattern of Joseph's life, the details of Joseph's life, lead us from him to our Lord. The beloved son, hated by his brothers, betrayed, left to die as it were, sold into slavery. Even when he comes to do his work and ministry, he's faithful in it, and yet is punished for that. and we'll see if we carried on in Genesis, Him rising to power and being a deliverer of a kind to God's people. The similarities between Joseph and our Lord are profound. Study the text, you'll see it for yourself. Yet there comes a point in typology when no matter how many similarities there are, there always comes a point of contrast. of difference, and often it's a staggering contrast. Joseph starts out the passage in prison and ends the passage in prison, but God is still with him. We're given no indication that God would depart from him. Indeed, that would be contrary to the character of God. No, Joseph is forsaken by man, but God abides with him. and remains with him. And that's where this type between Joseph and our Lord produces a great and a grand contrast. Joseph, though a sinner, not forsaken, though that would be the reasonable and just penalty for his own sins, and surely for us as well. Forsaken by God, judged by God, and yet not forsaken by God. How is this? How can it be that the sinner Joseph, though he's upright in the text, we know him to be a sinner, how can it be that the sinner is not forsaken by God, that he does not get his just desserts and rewards? It's because one stepped into the breach for Joseph and for you, dear Christian, to be actually and really abandoned and forsaken, his whole man, both body and soul of our Lord Jesus Christ, judged by God. And the grim reality of Christ's judgment and forsakenness at the cross is expressed by John Owen when he says, in his person, in his body, and in his soul, he was forsaken. Owen speaks of the suffering of Christ in this manner. First, he says, he suffered in his feeling, for he was full of pain. Second, in his tasting, they gave him vinegar, not to stupefy his senses, but to increase his torment. Third, he suffered in his seeing. He saw his mother and disciples standing by, full of grief and confusion. Fourth, his ears were filled with the reproach of blasphemy. Fifth, they crucified him in a noisome place. a place of stink and loathsomeness, a place where they cast the bodies of men from whose bones it got the name Golgotha. His hands and his feet and his side were pierced with nails and a spear. That's the forsakenness of Christ's body in place of his brethren. But Owen continues, not only was his body judged, But his soul was judged and forsaken. Owen writes, and on his mind was darkness. He says, on his mind, not in it, but on his mind. Judged with darkness, as it were. On it was darkness, hence was his cry. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Owen continues, though his faith was upon the whole matter prevalent and victorious, yet he had many sore conflicts with a sense of apprehension of God's wrath for sin and that desertion he was then under. God deserted his son at the cross. He made him who knew no sin to become sin, and God is too holy than to look upon sin. And so I ask you, Christian, how is it that you can confess, as I'm sure you have in the past, that I am not my own, that I'm not my own, but belong body and soul, in life and in death, to my faithful Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. How is it you get to confess that blessed reality? It's because unlike Joseph, and like us, the Lord Jesus Christ was actually in body and soul forsaken by God at the cross. And Christ having stepped into the breach for us has removed that threat, has removed that fear, has removed that prospect of you, dear Christian, ever, ever, ever being forsaken by Almighty God. I want to speak to any here tonight who aren't Christians. Old or young, it matters not. Listen carefully. The forsakenness of Christ was great. It was, but for a time. I want to say, if you don't know Christ, that your sufferings, the sufferings of this life, are not worthy to be compared with the sufferings that you will endure for all eternity in hell. If you die without Christ as Lord and Savior, it's plain and simple. That's the reality. Hell is real, judgment is real. I tell you this, not because I think I'm better than you, but because God's word tells us, each one of us, repent and believe for the forgiveness of your sins. You see, scripture calls Christ the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. That's why we call him our blessed substitute. That's why we can sing, in my place condemned he stood, sealed my pardon with his blood. Hallelujah. What a savior. Sealed my pardon. If you're a Christian. Do you not see, dear friends, Joseph need never ultimately fear this kind of forsakenness, notwithstanding the paucity of his present circumstances. Need never ultimately fear this kind of casting off by God. And I say to you tonight, if you're a Christian, neither do you and neither should you fear such casting off. It matters not how dark the days are presently, or how dark the days are to come. It matters not even illness unto death. It matters not unemployment that leads to desperation, loneliness that leads to despair. No fear, no anxiety, no undone-ness by providence can ever separate the child of God from His love. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. God can never leave or forsake His children. Brethren, remember, the Joseph of the prison is the same Joseph of the palace. The Christ of the cross and the grave is the Christ that sits enthroned in glory now and will come again at the last day to judge the living and the dead and to bring us into His presence. He has gone before us to prepare a place for you, dear Christians. The times may be hard now. The Christian that weeps will be the Christian that rejoices. Psalm 30, verse 5, weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning. Such is this life, a veil of tears, truly a veil of tears. But scripture speaks to us at the end of scripture of a day when there will be no tears. We read in Revelation 21, then I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, that's the church, the elect, the new Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, that's Christ. And I hear a loud voice from the throne saying, Listen, this is the opposite of being forsaken. Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. he will wipe away every tear from their eyes. And death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away. These present, which are former sorrows in Revelation 21, these present sorrows and trials will most certainly pass away and Christ will never leave you or forsake you, dear Christian. And so our prayer this night is may God grant us faith. May God grant us trust, and may God grant us grace to live in the light of future things, not the darkness of present, of former things. May God give us the grace to live in sure and certain hope of that which is to come. Let's pray. Blessed be you, O Lord, our God, the God of Israel, for you alone do wondrous works. Your glory excels. Blessed be your glorious name, both now and for all eternity. May the whole earth be filled with your glory. Amen. So shall it be. Work mightily in us, your people, Lord God. That faith that lasts and perseveres. Forgive us our many sins, almighty God. and be pleased, be pleased to work in us, so that this word would not be snatched from our ears this night, but rather might find a resting place in our hearts, both young and old, that Lord God, we might trust you. Be with the brethren of this church who cannot be here this night, suffering illness, suffering perhaps even to the point of being in hospital, Lord God, we cry out to you, have mercy upon your people. And even above health and healing for which we pray, we pray for faith and trust in you, our great God. Thank you, Lord God, for your word and bless it to us, we pray in Jesus' name, amen.