THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #9 | JOSEPH: THE FATHER OF LOVE #1

Pastor Christopher Choo

 Lesson 3690

THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #9

JOSEPH: THE FATHER OF LOVE #1

Although Joseph is not regarded as a Patriarch in the Hebrew Bible, he stands out as a Father Figure of God's Love.

Joseph is very different from his father. 

He is Jacob’s first and favourite son by Rachel, a master interpreter of dreams, sold into slavery by his jealous and murderous brothers. 

He becomes a lord of Egypt who saves the nations in time of famine, leads his brothers to repentance before revealing his identity in a magnanimous act of reconciliation, and fulfils his father’s last wish by burying his remains in the Promised Land. 

Joseph was the consolation of his father’s old age, after having been the indirect cause of his broken heart.

The Joseph-saga (Gen 37-50) is a superb presentation of the biblical doctrine of vicarious suffering, for Joseph, when triumphant, saves his brothers who had cruelly wronged him.

Salvation comes through suffering; God makes the moment of Joseph’s apparent destruction the starting point of his ascent to glory. 

The whole story of how God overrides men’s evil purposes and out of their misdeeds works their salvation is found in both the Joseph-saga and in the passion and death of Jesus Christ. 

The wickedness of Joseph’s brothers is overcome by the goodness of Joseph. The act whereby they attempted to destroy him, eventually leads to their salvation in time of famine.

Through love, Joseph and Christ “destroy” their enemies by converting them into friends, and in this remarkable way show how the psalmist’s frequent prayer for the “destruction” of God’s enemies is actually accomplished.

What is our spiritual lesson?

Love is the way God “destroys” His enemies.

The very crucifixion of the Messiah is turned by divine wisdom into the means of salvation for all mankind who were once His enemies.

In Joseph's case, his enemies were his own brothers.

In no uncertain terms, Matthew 10:36-39 reminds us of Christ's warning that our worst enemies will be the members of our own family. “Those who love their father or mother more than Me are not fit to be My disciples; those who love their son or daughter more than Me are not fit to be My disciples."

Jesus quoted those words from an Old Testament prophet, Micah 7:6,

“Your enemies are right in your own household” (New Living Translation).

To be able to forgive one's blood brothers is to be able the world as all men are brothers.

That is why Joseph stands out as being the most Christ-like of the Patriarchs.