January 16
Genesis 42:1-45:15
My favorite Broadway show was Les Miserables. There is a beautiful scene which takes place between Valjean (the convict on the run) and a Bishop. In desperate shape, Valjean is warmly invited into the house of the Bishop as a guest for the night. Valjean chooses to repay this kindness by stealing some of the Bishop's silver and running. He is caught and brought before the Bishop. If the Bishop confirms the robbery, Valjean would be back in prison, probably for the rest of his life. But in an act of mercy and grace, the Bishop states that the silver was a gift from him, and he even throws in two additional silver candlesticks. This gesture of grace transforms Valjean into a picture of grace throughout the remainder of the show, which is contrasted with Javert who is the picture of legalism, the officer who chases him throughout the show. Many are familiar with the Golden Rule, as spoken by Jesus in Luke 6:31, " Do to others as you would like them to do to you." As our Pastor, Lloyd Pulley pointed out recently, there were those, such as Confucius and Buddha, before this who gave a rule that was close to the golden rule, but approached it from the point of the negative, "What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others". But Jesus spoke it from the positive. He directed us into action in that we purposely step out, doing good to others. We see this beautiful rule played out in the life of Joseph.
Though Joseph's brothers had sold Joseph into slavery, not caring whether or not he lived or died, we see the brothers now starving and coming to Egypt for food. It has been around twenty years since they last saw each other. Though Joseph recognized them, they did not recognize Joseph who was now dressed like an Egyptian, spoke Egyptian, and was second in charge of the nation. As we read in Genesis 42:6, the brothers approach him and bow before him with their faces to the ground. As this scene unfolds Joseph recalls those earlier dreams from twenty years ago (Genesis 37:7-9). Joseph was in the perfect place to exact revenge. But after a delay of nearly two years, the brothers return with their brother, Benjamin, who was only three years-old when Joseph was led away into slavery. In one of the most heartwarming scenes in Scripture, Joseph in Genesis 45:4-5, " “Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives." That Joseph does not act in revenge is an example of mercy (not getting punished as our sins deserve). But Joseph goes further, as we read in Genesis 45:10-11, " You can live in the region of Goshen, where you can be near me with all your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own. I will take care of you there, for there are still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you, your household, and all your animals will starve.’” That Joseph chooses to take care of them and bless them is an act of grace (giving us, or extending a blessing to us, who don't deserve it).
There are so many ways that Joseph is a picture of Jesus. Both of them began their public ministry at the age of thirty. Just as Joseph was rejected and sold by his own, Jesus was sold by one of his closest disciples, Judas. Just as Joseph arose to great authority after being thrown into a pit, Jesus arose from the pit of Hades and rose to authority over all of mankind upon His resurrection. There are at least sixty similarities between these two, but a few more are seen in Genesis 45:4, as Pastor Chuck Smith, reveals, "Jesus came to His own people, and His own did not receive Him. He was despised and rejected by His brothers. The nation of Israel rejected Jesus when He came as Messiah. They did not recognize Jesus when He came to them the first time. Joseph's brothers did not recognize him the first time they saw him. But the second time Joseph's brothers saw him, he revealed himself to them. Even as Jesus will reveal Himself to Israel when He comes again as their Messiah." Joseph beautifully displayed for us what the "Golden Rule" looks like. Jesus commanded us to live out the "Golden Rule". Everyone who has accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior are recipients of His grace. May we now move forward in our own mission fields, in our own little spheres of influence, and be ministers of grace to a world who does not deserve it, just as we don't deserve the gift that Jesus gave us. This is a positive command, so pray about it and take action today.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: