JOSEPH COMETH UNTO THEE
Genesis 47:27 ¶ And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years. 29 And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: 30 But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said. 31 And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head.
Genesis 48:1 ¶ And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.
You will notice in verses twenty-seven and twenty-eight of our Genesis forty-seven chapter that there are two different names mentioned. We see both “Israel” and “Jacob” listed. And upon reading Genesis 32:27, 28 we understand that both these names refer to one man. Genesis 32:27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
But we are more accustom to the name “Israel” referring to the nation of Israel rather than to the man Jacob. Therefore we understand that in verse twenty-seven of our text that the name “Israel” refers to the household of Israel, soon to become a nation when it exits from its Egyptian bondage.
And we also see from that verse twenty-eight the man “Jacob” was given to recover the seventeen years he had formally had with his son Joseph, before they were separated. For according to Genesis 37:2 Joseph was seventeen years old when his brothers sold him into slavery to the Midianites, who sold him to Potiphar, the Egyptian captain of the guard, who brought him down into Egypt.
But this was all purposed of the Lord. Psalm 76:10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. For the Lord God would focus the entire world’s attention upon the land of Egypt by prospering its production of grain in an abundance not here-to-fore seen. For he would then bring a grievous famine, breaking the staff of bread for the entire world, in order to exalt Joseph to the throne.
Psalm 105:16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. 17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: 18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: 19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him. 20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. 21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: 22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.
For as the world was made to hunger naturally for physical bread, in order for God’s man, Joseph to be received, so those who hunger spiritually are blessed to receive God’s man, Christ, as the spiritual Bread of heaven! Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
And Jesus Christ is the name above every name, given forth by the Lord God to be exalted above all, sitting him upon the very throne of God the Father! Philippians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
What a glorious character the man Joseph was! He is rightly said to be the greatest personal picture of Christ in the Old Testament! For all are to reveal Christ to us, but Joseph brings a special view of our Savior. Luke 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. Hebrews 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
And as Jacob, in his life of chaos, pictures the suffering saint, we see in our Genesis 48:2 verse a picture of the believer, represented by Jacob, being strengthened at the end of the age upon the return of Christ, represented by Joseph. For the Apostle Peter writes that there is a special grace reserved for that segment of believers at that end time event! Carefully read this passage, for there is a grace, now reserved, ready to be revealed in the last time!
1 Peter 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
Therefore we see that in Genesis 47:27-31 Jacob has already settled it with Joseph concerning his death. Just as the believer has already rested by faith in the hope of his eternal wellbeing, now that he is a new creation in Christ. And as the future faith and trust in each believers wellbeing is yet to be acted upon in the moment of their death, so for the church it cannot be realized until the actual event of the ending of the age upon the return of Jesus Christ to this earth. However when that event does occur, the Holy Spirit has a special grace reserved for believers who shall then be suddenly thrust into the brilliant glory of the highly exalted Lord. For he shall no longer just be in his present mediatorial glory, but shall then be God, all in all! 1 Corinthians 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. And they shall have to endure this brilliant glory for even that moment, even that brief twinkling of an eye moment before they are changed, they shall greatly need that end time grace reserved for them. 1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
And as those celestial beings, although created to stand in God’s immediate presence have to shield their eyes with one-third of their wing power, how great is the need of that end-time grace for believers, momentarily still in their mortal bodies for that special grace reserved for that time? Isaiah 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
And remember God’s instruction to Moses when he requested to see his glory. Exodus 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And others could not even bear to look upon the shining of Moses’ face, insomuch as he had to wear a veil! Exodus 34:35 And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
For as Rebekah sought a covering upon coming in the presence of Isaac, so we shall require that covering of grace upon being brought into the glorious presence of our exalted Lord! Genesis 24:64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. 65 For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.
There has already been one of us in his present physical body, who had to stand in the, yet to be more highly exalted, Lord’s presence. Consider how it affected him: Revelation 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
But thanks be to our Lord, we shall be afforded that change. Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
It is seeing the Lord Jesus in his glory that changes the believer. It brings on their justification. John 2:11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
It brings on their sanctification. 2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
And has already been stated, it is the effect which shall bring on all believers glorification! 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
It was due to his brothers sinfulness that Joseph was sent into Egypt. Genesis 37:28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
And it is from our sinfulness that our heavenly Joseph was sold into sin’s darkness! Matthew 26:15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
And it is due to the approaching death of Jacob that caused Joseph to come unto him. Genesis 48:1 And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.
And it was due to Jacob’s death that Joseph returned to Canaan. Genesis 50:13 For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre. 14 And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.
And it is due to all the believer’s ‘death’ that the Lord Jesus shall return to earth! 1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
Pastor Gene Breed
May 13, 2022