A Model of Forgiveness Joseph, a Type of Christ And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.—Genesis 50:16,17 Robert
S. Seklemian Joseph typified Jesus. As
Joseph was the favorite son and constant companion of Jacob, Jesus was
God’s beloved son. Of him it is said that he was one brought up with God
and daily his delight (Proverbs 8:30). As Jacob sent Joseph to his brethren
in Dothan, the heavenly father sent his beloved son to the nation of Israel.
As Jesus himself said, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house
of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). As Joseph’s brethren hated him without
justification, Jesus said of himself: “They hated me without a cause”
(John 15:25). As Joseph’s mission to his brethren was not well received
but was rejected, so Jesus came unto his own but his own received him
not.” Also, “He was despised and rejected of men.” (Isaiah 53:3) As Joseph’s brethren were cruelly envious of him, we also read in Matthew 27:18 and Mark 15:10 that Jesus was delivered for envy. Joseph’s brethren said of Joseph: “Come now, therefore, and let us slay him.” In like manner the Jews plotted to kill Jesus, and shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” As Joseph was figuratively killed when cast into the pit by his brethren, Jesus was actually put to death by the Jews. As Joseph was sold in slavery at Judah’s suggestion, so was Jesus sold by Judas for silver, thirty pieces of silver being the price of a slave. Faithful Joseph spent three years in prison; our Lord Jesus, notwithstanding his faithfulness, was three days in the prison-house of death. As Pharaoh raised Joseph up from prison to be next to him the ruler of Egypt, Jesus was on the third day delivered from death and raised up to power and great glory, next to Jehovah God on the throne of the universe. Our Lord Jesus said of himself after his resurrection: “All power is given unto me, in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18). As Pharaoh decreed that all should bow down to Joseph and do him honor, so God decreed, “All men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father” (John 5:23). In the case of Joseph, disaster, treachery, and shame prepared the way for glory and honor as ruler of Egypt. So with Jesus: his trying experiences proved him loyal to God and led to his exaltation. “[He] endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). Joseph gave bread to all, purchasing for Pharaoh the land and the people. Jesus purchased mankind; during the Millennial age Christ will give life (himself—his merit) to all who desire it. As there was no life for the people except through Joseph as the representative of Pharaoh, there is no life for anyone in the world except in and through Christ representing the heavenly father. As Joseph’s brethren who originally rejected Joseph finally recognized him, the Jewish nation who rejected Jesus and crucified him will, after many humbling experiences and ordeals including “Jacob’s Trouble,” finally recognize and accept Jesus. Joseph’s brethren wept when Joseph revealed himself to them. So also we read: “They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him” (Zechariah 12:10). As Joseph judged his brethren not according to what they had done to him in the past nor their sins of the past but according to their attitude of heart at the time, so the future judgment of the world will be according to the condition of men’s minds and hearts at the time. Personal Lessons for Us The
story of Joseph was one of the stories my mother used to read to me from her
Armenian Bible when I was a small child. I remember vividly how I used to be
carried away by its high adventure. As the story unfolded, I imagined myself
in every situation of Joseph. I cried when Joseph was cast into the pit and
sold as a slave. I wept when his coat was dipped in blood and taken to his
father. I alternated between joy and despair as Joseph was in turn favored
and degraded. The supreme thrill for me came when Joseph was raised from the
dungeon to the rulership of Egypt. When
the story was finished and mother closed her Bible, I sat and mused. I would
say to myself: Why couldn’t a thing wonderful like that happen to me? Why
couldn’t God pick me for such care and such an exaltation? I didn’t say
this complainingly, but wistfully, yearningly; wishing with all my heart
that I could be Joseph. Years later when the Lord drew me, the wonderful
realization came to me that what happened to Joseph did happen to me. God
had indeed selected me and as with Joseph, every incident of my life was
noted by God and overruled for my good. I realized that I shall, finally,
receive an exaltation to a rulership far greater than that of Egypt. This
is true of each who are consecrated and running for the prize of the high
calling. The story of Joseph is the story of your life. As a member of the
body of Christ Joseph’s experiences represent your experiences. As
Jacob loved Joseph, God loved Jesus. So also it is written of you: “The
Father himself loveth you” (John 16:27). As Joseph was hated of his
brethren and as the Jews hated Jesus, Jesus said of you: “If the world
hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). As
Joseph was raised up from the dungeon to the throne of Egypt, so was Jesus
raised from death to the throne of God. It is written of us: “If we be
dead with him, we shall also live with him” (2 Timothy 2:11,12). As the
Lord was with Joseph, supervising all his affairs, making everything come
out all right, and as the heavenly father was with his son Jesus throughout
his earthly ministry and finally glorified him, so we have the assurance
“that all things work together for good to them that love God; to them who
are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). As Joseph’s
experiences of adversity rightly exercised him, developing beauty of
character, and as Jesus demonstrated his obedience by the things which he
suffered, it is written of us: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning
the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened
unto you; but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s
sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with
exceeding joy.”—1 Peter 4:12,13 As Joseph distributed food to save lives and as Christ will in his kingdom administer the bread of life to all, we as members of his body will share with him in restoring life to all humanity. There are some intimate and heart searching lessons to be learned also. The first, and one of the principal lessons, is the effect of envy. We should never be envious. It is extremely disruptive and destructive. Under the evil influence of envy, normal people are led to do and say the most outrageous things. As James expresses it: “Where envying and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work” (James 3:16). This being true, you may be sure Satan fosters and encourages envy, seeking to disrupt and destroy the church. It is a sad fact that the brethren who are the most widely and effectively used by the Lord arouse the most envy. Let us shun this evil thing. At the slightest sign of it in our hearts, let us earnestly pray for its eradication. Allowed to grow, envy can destroy the new creature. A Lesson About Pride Joseph provides a valuable lesson on pride. We read in the account that “the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor” (Genesis 39:21). This fact is expressed several times in the story. Even under adverse conditions he was favored in many ways. Joseph could have permitted these experiences to develop a great deal of personal pride. He might have reasoned to himself that he was merely lucky, or that he was naturally bright, attractive and smart—that this was the secret of his success, that this was the reason his father loved him so much. He might have thought this was the reason that when he was sold as a slave he was bought by a good master, that it was his personal brilliance that caused him to rise to eminence in Potiphar’s house. He could have thought that it was his superior abilities that gave him the authority in prison, that it was his keenness of intellect that enabled him to interpret dreams. He might have thought that all these things made him stand head and shoulders above other men and hence he had earned and deserved his success as a matter of right. Joseph could have reasoned this way. It would have been quite human to do so. But he reflected the attitude of Jesus whom he prefigured. Jesus gave all the credit to God, saying: “I can of mine own self do nothing” (John 5:30). If Joseph had not taken this attitude, he would not have been exalted, but would have fallen instead. We read, “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). So let us ascribe to the Lord every good thing we receive remembering: “Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). Also: “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge; he putteth down one and setteth up another” (Psalm 75:6,7). Then there is the lesson of patient endurance. Sometimes when we are serving the Lord and the brethren to the best of our ability and when apparently we have the Lord’s blessings and favor upon our affairs in a most marked degree, suddenly trouble may arise and adversities come upon us. The powers of darkness seem to triumph. We seem to be forsaken by divine providence. The Lord seems to have abandoned us. These are Joseph’s experiences; Jesus too had such an experience when he cried: “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Anyone can have them. When this happens, let us react as did Joseph, with a quiet, persevering faith, doing the best we can from day to day not only waiting, but working and waiting. Remember that Joseph did his best to effect his own deliverance from prison by asking the butler to mention his case to Pharaoh. But one of the most outstanding and heart-warming lessons of this story is the graciousness with which Joseph forgave his brethren. Seeing his brethren ill at ease when he revealed himself to them, his first and instant reaction was of pity and mercy. He was gracious in his forgiveness. He almost made them believe that they had done him a favor to sell him as a slave to Egypt! Listen to his loving words: “Be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you, to preserve life … to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God” (Genesis 45:5,7,8). Such gracious words! His brethren knew they had been guilty of a great sin, a sin equivalent to murder. Joseph knew it too. But he also knew that the Lord had overruled it for the highest good. So that is the part he mentioned, and only that part. As he talked, the guilty terror left their hearts and for the first time in 23 years their minds were at ease concerning Joseph. Let us, like Joseph, be merciful toward those who sin against us. Let us study to always give the gracious answer using loving words. Had
Joseph been a saint of this Gospel age, begotten of the holy spirit and
running for the prize of the high calling with all the revelations and
admonitions of the Bible available to him, with a knowledge of the divine
plan of the ages revealing the character and purpose of God, his conduct
would still be compatible with the very highest type of Christian
development. But when we think of the circumstances and conditions under
which his character was developed in that heathen land and with but a small
revelation of God’s character and plan (the Bible not yet written, the law
and ordinances not yet given), we are amazed. When we think of this, what
manner of persons ought we to be considering our great advantages every way?
With all our advantages, would we have proven as noble and generous and
gracious as Joseph under the same circumstances and conditions? These are
things to ponder. Does
your heart glow when you consider the story of Joseph? Do you live the
story? Are you able to identify yourself with Joseph’s experiences,
sympathizing with him in his difficulties and rejoicing with him in his
successes? Do you think that what Joseph did was good, and right, and Godlike? Does it make you love and praise God the more? If so, this is the finest evidence that you are of the “Joseph” class whom the Lord loves and will exalt. We
thank the heavenly father for the example of Joseph and of our Lord Jesus
Christ whom he typified. May we be helped to copy the traits and
characteristics illustrated so we too may be worthy of exaltation in due
time. |