Substitute

The famine that God had foretold to Joseph through Pharaoh’s dream was, not only upon the land of Egypt, but also was spreading to the rest of the Middle East making its way to Canaan where Jacob and his 11 sons were living. We are starting to see how all things work out for the good to those who love God and are called to His purpose. As the famine hits the land of Canaan Jacob (Israel) sends ten of his sons to Egypt to buy grain. As they arrive in Egypt they are directed to the man who is in charge of grain distribution who turns out to be their brother Joseph who they had sold into slavery years before.

They all bow down in front of their brother, who they do not recognize, then upon lifting their faces from the ground begin to make their request to buy grain. Joseph recognizes his brothers and treats them harshly, accusing them of being foreign spies who were just there gathering information about the land. He binds Simeon and puts him into prison and requires the remaining brothers return to Canaan and bring back their youngest brother Benjamin to prove that they are not spies.

When they return, Joseph now commands his stewards to secretly put his cup into the sack of the youngest brother Benjamin. As they are leaving Egypt on their return trip to Canaan, Joseph’s servants over take them and inspect each brother’s sack until the cup is discovered in Benjamin’s sack. Joseph pretends to be furious and requires that the man responsible will become his slave. There is a moment in every man’s life when he has an opportunity to shine. Now, its Judah’s turn to step up to the plate and takes a good hard swing at a home run for his brother Benjamin.

The situation looks hopeless to all the brothers and they know their father Jacob will surely grieve and die if Benjamin is not returned to him. Remember, Jacob loved his wife Rachel and the two sons she brought into the world were very precious to him. He already has been told and believes that Joseph was torn to pieces by wild animals and so, if Benjamin was lost, it would just be too much for the elderly patriarch to handle. If this scene were performed in a theatre then, at this moment, the house lights would begin to dim and a spot light would find its way to focus and illuminate Judah as he begins one of the most beloved monologues in the bible.

In Genesis 44:33-34 Judah speaks “Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?” As the spotlight fades and the house lights come back up we realize Judah has just stated he is willing to take the place of his brother and pay his debt in full. Judah is willing to give up his own life so that his brother may continue to live.

At this point in the story, we can look back and link Genesis chapter 38 into the chain. Remember chapter 38 looked really out of place in Joseph’s story, sticking out like a sore thumb. The chapter told a story about Judah becoming Tamar’s “kinsman redeemer” or goel, basically the family’s savior. Now, here before his all his brothers, Judah willingly lays down his own life for his brother Benjamin. Much in the very same way our Lord Jesus became our substitute. In the gospel of John 15:13 Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends”. So here in the book of Genesis, Judah becomes a prophetic illustration of how one day God’s own beloved Son, Jesus, would willingly lay down His own life to become our substitute sacrifice.

If this were the only place we found such an interesting parallel that would be one thing but, the fact is, the entire bible is full of these types of illustrations that point to the coming Messiah. Leviticus 16:6-10 describes the Day of Atonement, where the scapegoat is set free.   The Passover feast is another one of those parallels where a substitution lamb was killed in place of the first born male. Jesus died on the cross during the “Last Passover” and became our Passover Lamb, our sacrifice and our substitute.

 

 

 

 

God Is In Control

God is in control. I like the way those four words sound in my head and especially the way they roll off my tongue. “God is in control” is probably what Joseph kept repeating to himself as he counted the days while in prison for a crime he did not commit. “God is in control” should be four bold words printed on banners hoisted high above every court house, state and federal building in this great country of ours. I would love to shout those four words from the rim of the immense Grand Canyon, the roof’s edge of the once great twin towers or through the public address system of a giant sports stadium. God is in control and He has a plan.

As we wrap up in the book of Genesis we find Joseph still in prison. He had asked Pharaoh’s butler to remember him when he gained his freedom but when released the butler forgot all about Joseph’s request. The young Hebrew had to endure two more years in prison until at last the butler remembered him. Joseph had once correctly interpreted his dream and the dream of a baker who was in prison with him. The baker was later hanged but the butler was reinstated to his former position as cupbearer to Pharaoh. Now it came about that the Pharaoh of Egypt had a dream that troubled him and needed someone to interpret it for him. So Joseph was released from prison where he shaved, cleaned himself up then brought before Pharaoh to interpret his dream. 

The Pharaoh of Egypt had dreamed that seven fine and fat cows came out of the river and fed in a meadow. Then seven ugly and gaunt cows came out of the river and ate up the seven fine and fat cows. The Pharaoh had another dream where seven heads of grain grew up on one stalk, plump and good. Then seven thin heads blighted by the east wind came up and devoured the seven pump heads of wheat. Pharaoh encourages Joseph that he has heard of his success at interpreting dreams but Joseph gives all the glory to God in Genesis 41:16 “So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, ‘It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace’”. Joseph explained to pharaoh that the two dreams are really one; Egypt would have seven years of plentiful harvest followed by seven years of extreme famine. 

Joseph goes on to advise Pharaoh to appoint a wise man to oversee the collection-storage of surplus grain and officers to help in collection of one-fifth of all the produce produced in Egypt during the seven years of plenty. Just as an aside here, it’s interesting to note that Egyptian farmers were compelled to surrender one-fifth of all their produce produced during these seven years. Abraham and later on the nation of Israel would give one-tenth of their earnings to God. Most of us complain about giving one-tenth of our income to God, can you imagine what it must have been like to give one-fifth of your produce to the state? The Pharaoh being a wise man not only listens to Joseph’s advice but makes him the overseer of the entire land of Egypt. We read in Genesis 41:39 “Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.’” Joseph is beginning to see that “God is in control” as he goes from prison to being second in command of the largest metropolitan city on earth

When it comes to having great faith I only wish that I measured up to Joseph. He endured an incredibly hard childhood followed by an even more challenging time as a young adult sold into slavery. From the text it seems that Joseph did not give up when all odds were against him. He persevered during the hard times and continued to do what was right even though it cost him everything. Then at last his breakthrough came and overnight he was elevated into Pharaoh’s court. So why is it so hard to hold on during times when we are being tested? When a steel sword is being tempered it has to be heated up super hot and then cooled. When purifying gold the metal must be heated up to a high temperature turning it into liquid before the dross can be separated. 

The next time God turns up the heat in your life take a second to remember He is in control and loves you very much. Believe in your heart that God is in control and He knows exactly what He is doing! From putting us in a place where we are forced to get along with others to raising us up to become second in command of a large corporation, God is in control. So let’s take our eyes off ourselves for a moment and look past our current situation to a future, yes a very bright future that God has prepared for us all.

From Pit To Prison

When Joseph arrives in Egypt he is sold as a slave to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the Egyptian guard. In Genesis chapter 39:2-4, the text says that the Lord was with Joseph and that he was a successful man. It goes on to say that even his master saw that the Lord was with him and that He made all things that Joseph did to prosper in his hand. Joseph soon becomes the head administrator of Potiphar’s house and is in charge of all activities under his roof. The text says that the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake and that the blessing extended to all that he had in his house and out in the field.

It seems like just when things are improving in our lives trouble comes along to test us by turning up the heat. Potiphar’s wife begins to cast longing eyes at Joseph who refuses to be seduced. Joseph at one point has to shed his coat and flee from her grasp.  Joseph is falsely accused of forcing himself upon her in her bedroom. Her husband’s anger is aroused against Joseph and he chooses to put him into the king’s prison.

In Genesis 39:21 we read, “And he was there in the prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” Once again Joseph is elevated to the position of an overseer and the text says that the Lord was with him and that all he did prospered. Before moving on in the story, it’s important to see that even though Joseph chose to honor God in the way that he lived, he was not rewarded right away for his good behavior. There is a great spiritual truth here in Joseph’s life; when we choose to do the right thing and live in a way that pleases God we might have to endure hardship for it.  We will see later on in the story how God raises Joseph up from the pit and prison to go on to become second in command of all the land of Egypt.  

While in prison two of pharaoh’s servants, a cupbearer and a baker, are thrown into the part of the prison where Joseph was. They both have dreams one night and ask Joseph to interrupt the meaning of their dreams. The cupbearer told Joseph his dream of three vines full of ripe grapes that he pressed into Pharaoh’s cup and placed in his hand. Joseph’s interpretation was that in three days Pharaoh would restore him back into his role of cupbearer and he would once again put the cup back into Pharaoh’s hand. Joseph asks the cupbearer to remember him when his position is restored and to ask Pharaoh to release him from prison.

The baker, upon hearing the cupbearer’s favorable interpretation, tells Joseph his dream. “There were three white baskets on my head with the uppermost basket overflowing with baked goods for Pharaoh. Unfortunately, birds were eating out of the basket that was on my head.” Joseph explains that in three days, Pharaoh would lift off his head and hang him on a tree where the birds would eat his flesh. Both dream interpretations came to pass exactly as Joseph predicted where the cupbearer was restored and the baker was hanged.

There are a couple of similarities between Joseph and Jesus that can be seen in this story.  Joseph was tempted by Potiphar’s wife and he refuses to succumb to it.  Jesus was also tempted while out in the desert and rebukes Satan each time by using scripture. Joseph was falsely accused of a crime, sentenced and forced to bear the punishment in prison. Our own Lord Jesus was also falsely accused, sentenced, beaten and crucified on a wooden cross for trespasses He did not commit. Later we will see how Joseph is rewarded for his tremendous faith as God places him in a position of authority over all of Egypt.

Two prisoners come to Joseph for help, a wine steward and a baker; one’s life is restored while the other is hanged. When Jesus was dying on the cross there were two thieves on crosses hanging on each side of Him.  One thief asked Jesus to remember him while the other mocked Jesus until he died. God seems to be giving us an illustration of the choice all humanity must one day make. To receive Him, the free gift of salvation or to mock Him, be separated and lost for all eternity. What will be your choice?

Kinsman Redeemer

The last thirteen chapters of Genesis tell a story of redemption. It describes the family life of Jacob, his twelve sons and God’s provisions for their life. The story really focuses on Joseph, Jacobs second to youngest son. It deals with the apparent tragedies of Joseph’s life culminating in the family’s salvation through God’s providence.  There are many parallels in the story to our own Lord, Jesus Christ, who also suffered in life but triumphed over death to redeem the entire human race.

No sooner do we begin reading these last thirteen chapters that we come to chapter 38. This chapter, at first glance, seems to be out of place and sticks out like a sore thumb. Why did God inspire Moses to include this sordid tale of perversion right as we begin to read about Joseph and the many pitfalls of his life? If chapter 38 were made into a motion picture it would receive an “X” rating. If you enjoy racy romance novels then this chapter is one for the books. Many ministers, pastors and teachers skip this chapter altogether not wanting to embarrass their congregation with the details included in it. But God not only included it he stuck it in a very prominent location, so it must be here for our benefit.

The story of Judah and Tamar illustrates our tendency to make bad choices and do the wrong things and points out our inability to redeem ourselves. It’s the story of a father and a daughter- in- law who both fail to do the right thing. The inclusion of this off beat story at this point in the book of Genesis, smack dab in the middle of Joseph’s story, begs the question as to why? The text says that Judah married Shua who had three sons by him, Er, Onan and Shelah. Tamar married Judah’s first born son Er. While we are not told specifically what Er did to offend God, it says in Genesis 38:7 “But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord killed him.”

At this point in the story of Judah and Tamar, we are introduced to the Hebrew practice of a “levirate marriage” which was performed by the kinsman redeemer. The most important relationship of the kinsman was between a father and the oldest son. If the eldest son was married without a son and he died his next brother was obligated to take his brother’s widow, marry her and have children. The hope was to have a son to carry on the family’s name and to receive an inheritance. The surviving brother was known as the dead brother’s goel or his redeemer. In chapter 38 of Genesis, Onan deliberately fails to perform the function of the goel.

 Judah promises his youngest son Shelah to Tamar but that never materializes.  Out of desperation Tamar disguises herself and plays the harlot in hopes of getting Judah himself to produce an heir with her. Her plan works and she becomes pregnant with Judah’s child. Judah, while not knowing that he was the one who was responsible for the pregnancy, demands that Tamar be burnt for her offense. Tamar is able to display the signet, cord and staff that Judah had given to her when she played the harlot. Confronted with this evidence, he recants on his threat to burn her. In Genesis 38:26 “So Judah acknowledged them and said ‘She has been more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Shelah my son.’ ” Tamar goes on to have twins Perez and Zerah.

So why did God inspire Moses to write this 1450 years before Jesus Christ was born? Why did He interrupt the story of Joseph to insert this seemly out of place sordid tale? To get the whole picture we need to look at the writings of Matthew, who was an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Matthew 1:1-17 we have the written account of the genealogy of Joseph, the husband of Mary. In Matthew 1:2-6 we see Judah, Tamar and Perez mentioned all the way down to Jesse and David king of Israel.

The importance of this connection is paramount to establishing Jesus’ right of succession to the kingly line of Judah and the throne of David. God is showing us the exact line that our Lord would be descended from 1450 years before Jesus was born. It reveals to us the fact that His plan is going to succeed even when we do the wrong things. Out of twelve sons that could have been inserted into chapter 38 God choose Judah the kingly line that reveals our own kinsman redeemer, Jesus.

 In Genesis 49 Jacob prophesizes over his twelve sons and in verse 10 specifically of Judah and the fact that the scepter would not pass from the tribe of Judah until Shiloh comes. Shiloh is related to the Hebrew word shalom which means “peace”. To put it all together, the prediction was that from the tribe of Judah the Messiah would one day come but until that time the tribe of Judah would rule. Keep in mind that when this was written the Israelites had not yet crossed over into the Promised Land, or even crowned their first king.

God sent His own Son into the world to become our Kinsman Redeemer. If the church is the bride of Christ then Jesus paid for His bride with His life. In Ephesians 1:13 it says that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.