The Israelites in a Foreign Land

Genesis 47:1-12

GOLDEN TEXT: “Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.”—Psalm 90:1

JOSEPH’S place in God’s plan was that of a ruler—typical of Christ, who is to rule as King of kings and Lord of lords. (Rev. 17:14; 19:16) And the manner in which Joseph became ruler is typical of the experiences which led to the crowning of Jesus—the giving to Him by Jehovah “all power” in heaven and in earth. With Joseph, as with Jesus, the way to rulership was that of humiliation and suffering. Both were cast off by their brethren. Joseph was falsely accused and put into prison; and Jesus also experienced shame, and as a consequence was cast into the great prison house of death.

Thus we see that Joseph played a very important typical part in the divine plan, besides being used to save the chosen people of God from starvation during a time of severe famine. Joseph possessed natural qualifications for the work he was given to do. God knew this and in the exercise of His foreknowledge indicated to him in advance, through dreams, the high position of honor he would ultimately occupy in relationship to his people. (Genesis 37:5-10) It was the relating of these dreams to his family that stirred up his brethren to jealousy and led to his being sold as a slave into Egypt.

But Joseph was destined to be a ruler. First, because it was in the plan of God that he should be, and also because he applied himself faithfully and conscientiously to the work that was given him to do. He was not only conscientious, but also capable. In whatever position he was placed he soon demonstrated his ability to do the work better than the average man, and this led to his advancement. The “keeper” soon discovered that Joseph was trustworthy and capable of managing the affairs of the prison, and he was glad to have him do so.

But we should not suppose that Joseph made his way to the position of rulership in Egypt wholly because of his own brilliance. The great secret of his success lay in the fact that he trusted God and looked to Him for guidance and help. God blessed him with the ability to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh’s butler and baker who were fellow prisoners with him. It was this which ultimately led to his release and exaltation to rulership.

The butler was released from prison, and two years later when Pharaoh had dreams which none of the supposedly wise men of Egypt could interpret, the butler remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh about him. Joseph was brought before Pharaoh and he revealed the secret of his wisdom by announcing to the king that his ability to interpret dreams was due to the fact that God helped him. He took no credit for himself, but gave it all to God.

There have been many wise rulers, and this Pharaoh was one of them. He sensed Joseph’s ability, and in the interests of the nation he made him a dictator throughout all Egypt, particularly with respect to the food supply. Joseph was the first national food administrator of historic record. He was given this high position just prior to a time of great plenty, and later saved the Egyptians, and his people too, from starvation through that which he had stored up.

In this, too, we can see in the experiences of Joseph that which illustrates a greater life-saving program to be inaugurated by Christ. In this picture Egypt typifies the world of mankind, sin-cursed and dying, while Joseph typifies Christ, who, during the thousand years of His Kingdom will provide the bread of everlasting life for the people.

There are also practical lessons in the life of Joseph which the Lord’s people of today will do well to learn and to follow. One of these is Joseph’s great faith in God, a faith which enabled him to maintain his integrity under very trying circumstances. It would have been natural for Joseph to conclude that inasmuch as God permitted him to become a slave in Egypt there was really no use in trying any longer to serve Him. But Joseph was not one to measure God’s care and interest by material advantages and blessings.

Joseph’s own dreams were to him a revelation from God of a great purpose to be worked out in and by him. He knew that that purpose was in some way related to the promise God had made to his fathers. In this great purpose of God Joseph put his trust, and was willing to wait on the Lord, and meanwhile endure without complaint whatever of hardship or privation divine providence might permit.

Let us then, be like Joseph. If today the way seems hard let us not faint nor become weary in “welldoing.” (Gal. 6:10; II Thess. 3:13) Let us not conclude that God has forgotten us if today our pathway is not strewn with roses. God has not given us “dreams” of future rulership, but through the inspired writers of His Word, He HAS promised that if we are faithful now in suffering with Christ we shall in due time reign with Him.—Rom. 8:17; Rev. 2:26,27; 3:21

QUESTIONS:

In what way did God reveal to Jacob that he was doing right in going to Egypt?

Is there any significance in the fact that Joseph selected five of his people to represent the entire family before Pharaoh?

Will the Israelites always be strangers in strange lands?

| Home Page | Table of Contents |