genesis

Chaplain Daily Touchpoint #371: Studies in the Life of Joseph (Part 1)

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Bottom line up front: The Hatred of Joseph

Introduction: It is one of the most important stories in history and certainly one of the most important in Scripture. It is the story of Joseph, the son of Jacob/Israel and Rachel. Why is this such an important story? Because it is a foreshadowing of Christ.

Joseph was initially hated by those God sent him to save. Jesus was hated, too, viscerally. He was in fact murdered. But Jesus came for sinners. That’s us, folks. And it’s the good news that Christ came to save His people from their sins.

Following the Story: Jacob the patriarch had been renamed Israel by God:

And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel (Gen 35:10)

Joseph as Typology:

 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. (Gen 37:5-8)

Questions:

  1. Do you see how, when Joseph announced his news from God, the people resented him, even hated him?
  2. Do you see how God used symbolism to show how God was going to raise up this man Joseph for His (God’s) own purposes?
  3. Do you see how Joseph was predicted to become as one who has authority to reign?
  4. Do you see how this connects inextricably to the New Testament and to Christ?

Takeaway: Scripture is revealing one coherent story, guys. It’s all connected. It all redounds to God’s glory in Christ Jesus, but you have to be able to connect the dots and see how all of the historical events point to Christ.

*This is Part 1 of several I’ll do as we look into the life of Joseph, and how God used him as a type of the One who was to come later, God the Son incarnte, Jesus of Nazareth. For now, just notice how Joseph was hated, and how that hatred is echoed in the hatred Jesus experienced.

Chaplain Daily Touchpoint #369: Integrity vs. the Secret Life

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The Issue: Integrity vs. the Secret Life

The Story: The narrative is found in Genesis 27. It is the story of secret plots, scheming, lies, deception, and theft. It’s the story of Rebekah plotting to have Jacob, rather than Esau, receive the blessing of Isaac, the father of both boys.

Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau. ‘Bring me game and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you before the LORD before I die.’ Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you. Go to the flock and bring me two good young goats, so that I may prepare from them delicious food for your father, such as he loves. And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.” (Gen 27:5-13)

Teaching: Jacob went along with his mother’s scheme. He lied to his father, received his blessing, and Esau was driven out. In Isaac’s words,

“Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be,

and away from the dew of heaven on high.

By your sword you shall live,

and you shall serve your brother;

but when you grow restless

you shall break his yoke from your neck.” (Gen 27:39b-40)

Jacob lived up to–or we might say–down to, his name. (“Jacob” means He takes by the heel, or He cheats.)

Takeaway: The fallout from secrecy, deception, lies, scheming, and theft would lead to devastation, family strife, more lies, and bitterness for years because of this act of treachery. But God was going to show Himself sovereign and good through it all, however. Why? Because God is God and we are not. He sees. He is just. He does what is right. And the duty of all those who are God’s regenerate people must be to learn to lean into truth, to pursue truth, to live lives of transparency rather than darkness. Why? To quote Jesus, “the people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil” (Jn 3:19). Believers are to be better than that. We’re to be men and women of the light. Transparency is essential.