The Story of Joseph and His Brethren/Part 2/Chapter 6
CHAPTER VI.
THERE were two leading objects which, according to Joseph's own statement, God had in view in so overruling events as to make them result in Joseph's elevation to the exalted station he occupied in Egypt; the preservation of the world in general, and of his father's house in particular. This he provided for by laying up corn, to satisfy their souls with bread in famine. Can we fail to see in this abundant provision for sustaining the natural life of men, the infinite provision which our blessed Lord, the heavenly Joseph, made by His incarnation and glorification for sustaining the spiritual life of men? He declared Himself to be the living bread that came down from heaven to give life unto the world, and that any man eating of this bread should live for ever. (John vi. 51.) The famine from which the Lord came to save man was that of which Amos speaks—"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land; not a famine of bread, nor of thirst for water, but of hearing of the words of the Lord." (viii. 11.) Such a famine as this prevailed in the world in general, and in the Jewish church in particular, when our Lord came into the world; and it was to supply the heavenly bread for which the souls of men were famishing that the Lord came, or as the Psalmist expresses it, it was to deliver their souls from death, and to keep them alive in famine (xxxiii. 19.) This was the great and universal famine, which the long and terrible natural famine that occurred in Egypt represented; and the Lord who came to supply the heavenly bread, to satisfy the hunger of the perishing souls of men, was the everlasting Saviour, of whom Joseph, the temporary saviour, was the honoured and appropriate type. In order that the unlimited extent of the Lord's redemption might be symbolized by that of His representative, Joseph, the inspired historian writes that "the famine was over all the face of the earth, and all countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy corn, because that the famine was sore in all lands." (Gen. xli. 56.) True indeed is this spirituality, respecting the famine of hearing the Word of God in our Saviour's days, and is still. And are not all lands coming, or being brought, to our Divine Saviour, for to buy "the corn of heaven," (Psalm lxxviii. 24,) which Jesus alone can supply, and which He is willing to sell, "without money and without price," (Isaiah lv. 1,) "to all who hunger and thirst after righteousness?" (Matt v. 6.) And the day will come when Jesus will literally be the Desire of all nations, and all nations whom He hath made will come and worship before Him. (Psalm lxxxvi. 9.) And as the Egyptians bowed the knee before Joseph, so at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil. ii. 10.)
I have remarked that one purpose God had in Joseph's exaltation was the salvation of his father's house in particular. Israel's house represented the Israelitish church or people, and indeed those within the church in every age, as distinguished from the heathen who are without. And besides the participation by the members of the visible church in the common blessing of spiritual abundance, provided under the dispensation of the Gospel, to them emphatically, though not exclusively, apply another blessing of redemption. In the passage from the Acts already cited, Peter says—"Jesus hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins." How strikingly was this typically exhibited in the conduct of Joseph towards his brethren, whose enmity he overcame with his love, the record of whose injuries he blotted out with the tears of his forgiveness! How beautiful an image do the spirit and conduct of Joseph towards his brethren present of the spirit and power of Jesus Christ towards those whom He has condescended to call His brethren! For what is the testimony of the Gospel on this subject?—"God commended His love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. If when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by His life." (Rom. v. 8.) Bitter enemies as Joseph's brethren had been to him, he had no enmity to them; and when he revealed himself to them, it was only as a reconciler and a saviour. Beautifully, indeed, does he hold up the mirror to that infinitely greater Reconciler and Saviour, and of that infinitely greater reconciliation and salvation which the Gospel makes known, and which it has expressed in these ever-memorable words—"God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." (2 Cor. v. 19.) God has never been our enemy, and has never needed to be reconciled. But we all are naturally enemies to God, and do, indeed, all of us need to be reconciled to Him. Therefore, the apostle continues—"Now we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."
The apostle, in the passage from the Epistle to the Romans already cited, says, that if we are reconciled to God by Christ's death, much more shall we be saved by His life. The salvation that follows reconciliation was presented by the house of Israel being saved from famine and kept alive by the provision which Joseph made for them, after he reconciled his brethren to himself, when our Divine Saviour has overcome enmity, and by His inconceivable love turned us into friends, then does He save by His life, feeding our souls with the living bread which is Himself. This salvation by the Lord's life is admirably expressed by the apostle, where he says—"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you; according to the riches of His glory, to strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge, that might be filled with all the fulness of God (Eph. iii 14.)
We cannot better conclude this part of the subject than by adding the closing description of the apostle—"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think, according to the power that worketh within us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end."