1566. Joseph and Egypt

Joseph and Egypt

"And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.

"And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father" (Gen_45:1; Gen_46:29).

The story of Joseph is made prominent in the Word of God because it so fully portrays the life, death, resurrection and return of the Lord Jesus Christ. More space is given to the record of Joseph and to his experiences than is given to the creation and to the fall of Adam and Eve.

There is enough in this one story to fill many times the limits of a whole lesson.

We must pick out only a few salient points:

1. "Israel loved Joseph" (Gen_37:3).

Jesus Christ was the Son of the Father's love.

2. "Joseph dreamed a dream" (Gen_37:5).

In Joseph's dream the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to Him.

Jesus Christ is set above His brethren and worshiped by them.

3. "They conspired against him to slay him" (Gen_37:18).

The Lord Jesus lived daily under the hatred of the Jewish rulers, of the scribes and of the Pharisees. "They went about to slay Him."

4. "Let us sell him to the Ishmeelites" (Gen_37:27).

Jesus Christ was sold for thirty pieces of silver.

5. "And put him into the prison" (Gen_39:20).

Jesus Christ descended into hades.

6. "They brought him hastily out of the dungeon" (Gen_41:14).

"He is not here but is risen," this is the story of Christ's resurrection.

7. "Thou shalt be over my house" (Gen_41:40).

Jesus Christ at the Father's right hand turns to the Gentiles.

8. "And he gave him to wife Asenath" (Gen_41:45).

Jesus Christ, during Israel's rejection, receives a Gentile bride, the Church.

9. "The famine was so sore in all lands" (Gen_41:57).

The day of tribulation and distress, the hour of Jacob's trouble is herein typified.

10. "Joseph made himself known unto his brethren" (Gen_45:1).

We have now come to that part of the story of Joseph which so beautifully sets forth the Second Coming of Christ in its relationship to Israel.

The people who have so long been separated from their Joseph, the Lord Jesus; the people who were envious of him, who delivered him unto death, shall yet return to Him.

In the day of Christ's Second Coming, the children of Israel will cry, "Lord, whence didst Thou receive those wound marks in Thine arms, and He shall say, I received them in the house of My friends" (see Zec_13:6).

Just as Joseph's brethren wept upon his neck, confessing their sin, and pleading his favor–so shall the children of Israel weep and cry for mercy.

11. "Haste ye, go up to my father" (Gen_45:9).

After Joseph makes himself known to his brethren, he sends them to bring his father and all the Israelites unto himself.

The Lord our God will send forth and gather His people from the four quarters of the earth, and bring them back to their own land.

12. "And Joseph * * went up to meet Israel" (Gen_46:29).

The Lord Jesus will welcome back again the twelve tribes to the land. He will joy over them with joy, rejoice over them with singing, He will rest in His love.

13. "Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren" (Gen_47:12).

The Lord Jesus Christ will restore unto the earth its fertility; the deserts will bloom and blossom like a rose, the earth will yield its fruit.

Christ will abundantly sustain His own.

14. "Thou hast saved our lives" (Gen_47:25).

The Gentiles all came to Joseph for food, he saved them. Even after Israel's return to the land, the Lord Jesus will reach out His hand that the residue of men may be saved.

The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR