Panorama-life of Joseph (section C)

Joseph was exalted

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. Gen: 41:39-41. Pharaoh gave his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger, dressed him in fine linen of Egypt, put a gold chain around his neck and made him ride in a chariot as his second in command. Here we see that Joseph from being condemned in prison went to be with Pharaoh’s right hand in a day and there was none greater than Joseph in the land apart from Pharaoh. This is again a beautiful picture of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who was dead and buried and resurrected and now seated at the right hand of God the Father in His high exaltation. Jesus said all authority is given to Him by His Father in heaven and the beautiful thing is He is interceding for us before His Father! This is mind blowing to me, overwhelming and again a picture of a suffering servant. Egyptians bowed at the feet of Joseph and Pharaoh had given all authority to him in the land.

 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; ¹¹ And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father and the entire world one day will bow at the feet of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Phil: 2:8-11

Joseph marries Pharaoh’s daughter

⁴⁵ And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. First of all Joseph was exalted by Pharaoh in Egypt and then Pharaoh’s daughter was given to him as a bride. This is again a huge picture of our Lord Jesus Christ after His ascension took the Bride for Himself which is the Church from among the Gentile Nations! So we continuously see the hidden Hand of God in the life of Joseph and this is very similar to our suffering servant Jesus Christ.

Seven years of famine

⁵³ And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended. ⁵⁴ And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. ⁵⁵ And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do. ⁵⁶ And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt. ⁵⁷ And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

This is where our study moves from the present, and into the future. Currently, the Lord Jesus Christ is taking for Himself a bride from the gentile nations (predominantly). But Scripture reveals that God has set aside one final seven year period, after the removal of the church, where He will again deal with the nation of Israel to bring them to repentance, and acknowledgement of their Messiah, Jesus; Ref: Dan 9:20-27. This is what we also see here in the life of Joseph. God used a seven year period of famine and extreme hardship to force Joseph’s brothers to seek out aid and help. This Jesus’ natural brothers, the Jews, will do but again it will only be a time of extreme hardship that forces them to do so. Speaking of that last seven year period, the Bible declares -³

Joseph could not refrain himself!

Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. ² And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. ³ And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. ⁴ And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. ⁵ Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. ¹⁴ And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. Gen: 45:1-5, 14.

Family reconciliation is always beautiful and also this is a time for emotional outbursts of joy, sadness and it is a time of mixed emotions. This scene is emotionally very hard for Joseph because there is reconciliation between Joseph and his brothers who had betrayed him and told his father that Joseph was dead. When the famine struck on their first visit Joseph did not reveal himself to his brothers, but he did reveal himself in his second visit. Joseph’s brothers would have been shocked and bewildered to note that the brother whom they betrayed is not only alive, but was the ruler of the entire land where they had come to buy corn because of famine in Canaan.

Israel did not recognize Jesus when He was born in a manger, but one can expect the weeping and huge reconciliation that is yet to come at His second coming. Prophet Zechariah spoke of that great and awesome day; ¹⁰And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. ¹¹ In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. ¹²And the land shall mourn , every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;Zech: 12:10-12.