Vol.13 No.2

God Sent a Man
Based on Genesis, Chapters 37, 39-50
By Hal Mayer

The biblical story of Joseph not only has many parallels to the life of Christ but also raises burning questions that defy human logic. And it provides us with insights into the nature of a mature Christian experience.

Doted on by his father, Joseph was prone to spiritual pride and self-righteousness. His coat of many colors was an unwise sign of favoritism which made his brothers envious. His dreams about them bowing to his authority ripened their envy into murderous hatred.

As the story unfolds in Genesis 37:12, Jacob had not heard from his shepherd sons for some time and was concerned for their welfare. He sent Joseph to find them. Likewise, God was concerned about the spiritual welfare of His lost children and sent Christ to find them.

Joseph’s brothers mistreated him, threw him into a pit and gave him no food or water. Christ was placed on earth—a “pit of sin”—and mistreated by his spiritual brothers.

Both Joseph and Christ were sold for the price of slaves. Joseph was sold to Ishmeelites who were family rivals, while Christ was “sold” by one of His own disciples and betrayed into the hands of the spiritual leaders of His own people.

Joseph was not stained by the atmosphere of ungodly Egypt, but remained true to principle, even though severely tempted by Potiphar’s wife. Christ was not stained by this sinful world while remaining true to His Father’s will.

Why didn’t Joseph flee Egypt after Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him? Why doesn’t the Bible show that he defended himself to avoid being thrown in prison?

Joseph had learned by this time to have faith that God had a much larger purpose in all his troubles. His mature, godly experience kept him silent because he knew that defending himself would put Potiphar in an awful dilemma. How could a slave accuse his master’s wife? Joseph submitted to the injustice in order to serve God’s fuller purpose, though he could not see what it was.

Christ was also falsely accused but did not open His mouth. Isaiah 53:7.

He viewed the larger picture. Like Joseph, He could not have saved the lost without this affliction. Christ submitted to injustice because He knew that the plan of salvation would be circumvented if He defended Himself.

THE HARDEST LESSON TO LEARN

How often have we taken matters into our own selfish hands and circumvented the larger purpose of God to save others through our suffering? True spiritual maturity is silent in the face of mistreatment. The temptation was to avoid suffering and injustice, but Joseph and Christ both trusted Providence to lead them through the shadows to a far greater good. This may be the hardest lesson to learn for human nature.

Joseph was punished as a wrongdoer, even though he did the right thing and fled from Potiphar’s wife. Though he couldn’t see it then, his suffering prepared him for his later role as the Prince of Egypt and ultimately saved his family.

Christ was also prepared for His mission by suffering. Satan, in the wilderness, offered Him the opportunity to avoid this, but Christ refused the easy way. Both Christ and Joseph were “made perfect [mature] through sufferings” and thus successfully carried out God’s plan. Hebrews 2:10.

When called upon to interpret dreams for Pharaoh, Joseph made himself of no reputation and gave the glory to God. Genesis 41:16. Likewise, Christ did not come to the earth declaring His power and glory. He shrouded it, making Himself of no reputation so that His true character could be demonstrated. Philippians 2:7.

When Joseph became Prime Minister of Egypt, why didn’t he send messengers immediately to tell his father and brothers? He waited more than nine years—well after the famine started—before he revealed himself to his brothers and revealed the truth to his grieving father. This lengthy delay reveals his deep sense of trust in God’s providence.

He knew the character of his brothers almost a quarter century before, but had they changed? He actually went against his own inclinations to wait for God’s timing to bring reconciliation with his brothers and be reunited with his father’s family. He sensed, no doubt, that if he contacted his family prematurely, he might be unable to fully reconcile with his brothers.

Perhaps he struggled with the dilemma of just how to approach this issue. But he had also learned that God would fulfill His purpose regardless of circumstances, and that if he waited on God to fully develop these events, the way would eventually be made clear to him how best to solve the problem.

GOD’S LARGER PURPOSES

Waiting nine years was tough self-discipline, but it shows again Joseph’s spiritual maturity and powerful trust in his Heavenly Father. He made decisions against his own interests in order to achieve God’s larger purpose.

Christ also had to wait. Would it not have been better to get His sacrifice over with at the beginning of the great controversy with Satan, rather than 4,000 years later? Yet, He knew that He must wait for bigger questions in the controversy to develop and mature—questions about His Father’s love, authority, and system of government. Premature action would have left room for doubt about His motives, so He allowed time for the issues to ripen so that the controversy would have an ultimate end.

BRINGING GOOD FROM EVIL

“But as for you, ye thought evil against me: but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” Genesis 50:20.

When Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers, he did everything he could to make them feel comfortable and show them that he was sincere. They had taken his princely coat of many colors from him by force many years before.

But he gave them each changes of clothing fit for a prince. He honored Benjamin by giving him five changes, but this was as much for his father’s comfort and a sign of his kinship as it was an honor for Benjamin. Joseph treated his brothers the opposite of how they treated him.

Through gifts of princely coats, he symbolically elevates them to his own rank in authority and power.

Christ also replaces our filthy spiritual garments with His spotless robe of righteousness. He gives His redeemed people the opposite treatment they have given Him. He elevates them to His own rank as actual kings and rulers for eternity. Revelation 1:6.

Joseph’s brothers had to confess their sin to their father Jacob and forsake it before they could come to Egypt to live with Joseph. Likewise, we must confess and forsake our sins before we can be eternally united with Christ in our heavenly home.

Joseph didn’t tell Pharaoh the trouble his brothers had caused, nordoes Christ, throughout all eternity, ever mention the wounds we have given Him.

Study the story of Joseph for yourself. See if you can find other ways in which Joseph was a type (representative) of Christ.

* Hal Mayer is a history professor at Hartland College in Rapidan, VA. He also directs the Stewardship Ministries Department for Hartland Institute.