JOSEPH’S EXALTATION
Genesis 41:37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? 39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: 40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. 41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. 42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; 43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
The Book of Genesis starts off with the first Adam, and then proceeds with the persons of the Lord’s choosing (Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob…etc.), in order to reveal God’s dealings with mankind in salvation. He now brings us to see Joseph, a picture of the Last Adam – our Lord Jesus Christ entering into his glory. And here he is, having been brought out of prison, (Isaiah 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation?), and exalted to the throne. Then everyone was commanded to “Bow the knee.” And so it was with the Lord Jesus! Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 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;
And all this was done to fulfill the scriptures. For in Genesis 37:7-10 we have it recorded that all would bow to Joseph. And even in that passage we are told that his brothers hated both his dreams and his words. So we find that this was true of our Lord. John 15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
For everything in the scriptures has reference to the Eternal Son of God! John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. Luke 18:31 Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.
Luke 22:37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. 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.
And his exaltation was in accordance to the church’s need. Joseph’s father and brothers would not have been fed except that he was Lord over Egypt. And our Lord Jesus Christ, upon accomplishing redemption, sat down in majesty, with all authority given him in heaven and in earth. He is presently reigning Lord! Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
For the elect believer obtaining the gift of faith is directly attributable to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Acts 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 1 Peter 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
For one must call upon ‘the name of the Lord’ for his personal salvation! Romans 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
And Joseph was the only prisoner recommended to Pharaoh! Genesis 41:9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: 12 And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret. And the Lord Jesus Christ is THE only name ever given to men for their salvation! Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. For the Lord Jesus Christ is alone, declared to be the Son of God with power! (Romans 1:4).
Consider these testimonies revealing his uniqueness: His disciples – Matthew 14:33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. By a Roman Centurion – Matthew 27:54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
By the temple officers – John 7:46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.
By the man born blind – John 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. 32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
By two angels – Acts 1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
By Christ himself – John 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. Acts 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And it was only a former, fellow prisoner who could exalt Joseph’s name to Pharaoh. Angels can sing, “Holy, holy, holy,” as they exalt God’s character. But they can only exalt his person, never having known redemption. For when they rebel against God they are immediately cast into darkness! Jude 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Hebrews 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. That is, he did not ‘take on’ the responsibility to redeem angels from their bondage. He only took on himself the responsibility of redeeming ‘the seed of Abraham.’
For it takes a redeemed sinner to exalt him in the highest! For God’s good will towards them brings glory to God in the highest! Luke 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
God is the merciful God! Exodus 34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, And he, like his mercy, shall endure forever! Psalm 118:1 ….his mercy endureth for ever. But mercy is of absolutely no use except it have a guilty object upon which to bestow and display itself. The redeemed sinner providing God with a guilty object upon which to manifest his sovereign grace, can alone sing the new song of redemption! Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; Revelation 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
For they only are allowed to enter into the fellowship of his sufferings, for whom he has entered into the likeness of their sinful flesh! Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
And Joseph on the throne was entirely different from the Joseph that his brothers had known. He both looked and spoke differently. Genesis 42:23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter. The world of religion, with its unlawful pictures and statures of ‘Jesus,’ shall be in shock in his actual presence one day. Remember that after his resurrection and before his ascension he was not recognizable even to those most familiar with him before. Mary thought him to be the gardner until the Great Shepherd called that sheep by name. John 20:15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
And the two on the Emmaus road thought him to be but a stranger to Jerusalem. He was already appearing in a changed form. Mark 16:12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.
Christ’s change of appearance physically, was to show the change of the redeemed spiritually, once their resurrection into life is accomplished. 2 Corinthians 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
And by this we learn that salvation is a resurrection. For the condition of the sinner is that he is ‘dead’ in trespasses and sins. Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; John 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
The religious of our day speak most often of ‘souls being saved.’ They find it strange to their ears that the sinner requires a resurrection from the death of sin. Therefore such verses as the following, are not understood in their religious mind set. Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Those who cannot hear his word, cannot understand his speech. John 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. It is only his sheep who have both hearing ears and following feet. John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: For it is in hearing that faith is granted! Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. And those who are not his sheep cannot hear, or believe his word. John 10:26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
Then in Genesis 41:42 we read that Pharaoh took off his official signet ring and placed it upon Joseph’e hand. This was the official state seal. It carried with it the absolute authority of Pharaoh and the might of the state of Egypt. And so it is with the Son of God. All the authority of the Father is his. See Matthew 28:18 listed above. John 8:16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. John 8:26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.
The Harlot Church asks the wrong question. They deceptively ask, “What will you do with Jesus?” The real question is, “What will the Lord Jesus do with you?” For he has already centered his judgment at his cross. John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
Pastor Gene Breed
August 27, 2016
