We are all familiar with the record of the extraordinary life and experiences of Joseph as written in the Book of Genesis, wherein we read of his unusual trials and afflictions and also of his deliverance and exaltation in the divine providence and grace to be next to Pharaoh in the land of Egypt.
One of the main features of his history concerned the envy and hatred of his brethren, the sons of Jacob, manifested toward him, as stirred up in their evil hearts by the gift to him of a coat of many colours by his father Jacob, and then by his disclosure to his father and mother and brethren of the dreams which he had, which indicated that they all would at some future time bow down and do obeisance to him. (Genesis chap. 37). Then another outstanding part of his experience was the course of affliction and sufferings which he endured, and from the human standpoint originated by his own brethren when they cast him into a pit and later sold him into Egypt in their cruelty and wickedness toward him. And afterwards he was cast into prison by reason of the lying and evil testimony of Potipher’s wife, in Egypt. Truly for a while, Egypt was the land of his affliction, and that affliction to a great extent, deep and grievous trouble of heart and mind. And of course the deliverance out of prison, his interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams as to seven years of plenty and seven years of famine, and his exaltation to rule for the good of Egypt, and to be next to Pharaoh in the Kingdom, were all most vital and bright periods in his history.
Then a remarkable and solemn part of Joseph’s history is when he and his brethren meet again. Whatever Joseph’s expectations were based on his dreams which were the Word of God to him, his brethren never thought to see Joseph’s face in the World again. But they did meet; as we read, in Egypt, and obtained corn for themselves and their father, to keep them alive; Joseph ultimately making himself known to his brethren. What a day! What an experience for them and for Joseph! They could not answer Joseph, “for they were troubled at his presence.” Genesis, (chap. 45, v. 3). And no wonder they were terrified at this revelation, while they recalled their wicked treatment of their brother, and the undoubted sufferings he must have met by reason of their conduct. Yet Joseph calmed their fears at this stage; and thereafter brought his father Jacob and his brethren to reside in Egypt and to be sustained under his immediate supervision.
Now in course of time, Jacob their father died and was buried in Canaan. Then Joseph’s brethren said, “Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him,” (Genesis, chap. 50, v. 15); and in their fear they sent a messenger to Joseph beseeching him to forgive their trespass and their sin. In reply Joseph spoke very kindly unto them, and among other things said; “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good . . .” (Genesis, chap. 50, v. 20). God meant it unto good, for Joseph himself, for multitudes in Egypt, and for Jacob his father and all his brethren. God over-ruled the desperately wicked conduct of Joseph’s brethren for good, and likewise all the grief, sufferings and affliction which Joseph himself passed through. Joseph does not exonerate his brethren with respect to their original evil designs toward him; but he recognises the merciful and beneficial purpose and government of God in all the trials he had experienced. God had revealed to him in dreams when he was a lad much that had now been fulfilled; and in looking back over a life of adversity and ultimate prosperity, he clearly discerned the hand of God in it all, for great good to others and to himself.
And so it is still, that many of the Lord’s people meet and pass through severe and trying afflictions of varied kinds which in cases are not related to any particular sin or backsliding on their part. They are sustained and upheld therein by the grace and Word of the Lord, and the presence of their Saviour Jesus Christ, who sticketh closer than a brother. And in the Lord’s own good time they are delivered in the way and by the means divinely appointed; their trial or affliction being so ordered and overruled that it is obviously seen to have been permitted or appointed by God for good to the afflicted themselves and to others also. “All things work together for good to them that love God, to whom are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans, chap. 8, v. 28).
Again Joseph, in certain respects, is a true and clear type of Christ Jesus. Jesus came unto His own and His own received Him not. He was sold for thirty pieces of silver by Judas into the hands of His enemies. Later the Chief priests and the people cried out, “Away with him; crucify him.” Jesus was put to death, being “obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross.” And He was buried in the grave also according to the Scriptures. But God raised Him from the dead. And all the enmity of wicked men poured out against Jesus, and all the humiliation and sufferings even unto death endured by Him, can have this declaration attached to it all, “But God meant it unto good.” God’s glorious and sovereign purpose of salvation for a great multitude of the lost race of Adam, was revealed and manifested in and through the trials, sufferings and death, of Jesus Christ, and also by His resurrection and exaltation to the right hand of God in heaven. Let us here quote Romans, chapter 8, verses 33, 34; “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” And so, all that wicked men did to the Son of God, and all that He suffered in His state of humiliation, God meant it unto good, to save much people alive, with an everlasting salvation. As Paul again writes in Romans, chapter 8, verse 32, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things.” Here we have the divine Joseph of the New Testament, the Saviour of destitute and perishing sinners.