“Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Genesis 41:46 ESV). Joseph is a christological type. His story foreshadows the life of Christ, so that when the time came, the people of God would recognize Jesus as the Messiah. The Scripture records that Joseph was thirty years old
Chapter: 41
GOD’S CHALLENGE TO OUR MATERIALISTIC IDOLS
“Set forth your case, says the Lord; bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob. Let them bring them, and tell us what is to happen. Tell us the former things, what they are, that we may consider them” (Isaiah 41:21-22 ESV). The idolatry of today is not unlike that of Isaiah’s day. Explanations of
‘”It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.”’ (Genesis 41:16 NLT).
EXPECT GREAT THINGS; ATTEMPT GREAT THINGS The Pharoah of Egypt had a troubling dream and his cupbearer remembered that a Hebrew slave named Joseph had rightly interpreted his dream two years earlier. So Pharoah summoned Joseph and asked whether he could interpret dreams. Joseph answered that it was beyond his power, but that God was
“Then he measured the wall of the temple; it was 10½ feet thick…” (Ezekiel 41:5 HCSB).
THE TEMPLE THAT HAS YET TO BE BUILT The temple that was revealed to Ezekiel by the divine messenger with the measuring rod has never been built. When Ezekiel prophesied, Solomon’s temple had already been destroyed and Zerubbabel’s (which Herod super-sized) had not yet been built. Besides, the Ezekiel temple is much larger in dimension
‘“Present the case for your idols,” says the Lord. “Let them show what they can do,” says the King of Israel. “Let them try to tell us what happened long ago so that we may consider the evidence”‘ (Isaiah 41:21-22 NLT).
GOD’S CHALLENGE TO OUR MATERIALISTIC IDOLS The idolatry of today is not unlike that of Isaiah’s day. Explanations of origins were offered by the prophets of Baal. They offered materialistic creation stories and led the people to “exchange the truth about God for a lie, so that they worshiped and served created things rather than
‘“It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.”’ (Genesis 41:16 NLT).
THE DREAMER GIVES GOD THE GLORY Joseph had thoughtlessly shared his dreams with his older brothers, predicting how they would one day bow down to him. In their jealousy, they sold him into slavery. Yet after years in slavery and prison, Joseph had changed. He was humbled, giving God all the glory for any power
“Then Pharaoh gave Joseph a new Egyptian name, Zaphenath-paneah. He also gave him a wife, whose name was Asenath. She was the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On. So Joseph took charge of the entire land of Egypt” (Genesis 41:45 NLT).
DID JOSEPH SIN BY TAKING A FOREIGN WIFE?
When Pharaoh promoted Joseph to be his second-in-command, he also gave him a new name, “Zaphenath-paneah” (“God speaks and lives”), and a new wife, “Asenath” (“Gift of the Sun-god”). The Egyptian king wanted Joseph to have an Egyptian name and an Egyptian wife from an influential Egyptian family, the priestly family of Potiphera, “priest of On” (“On,” also known as Heliopolis, “The City of the Sun,” was the center of worship of the sun-god, Ra, located 10 miles northeast of modern Cairo.). This new title, name, wife, and family were given to him by Pharaoh. But really… weren’t they actually given to him by God?
For it was God’s purpose to put Joseph in power in Egypt to preserve Israel and to show His great power and glory 400 years later when He brought them out with a strong hand. Two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, were born to Joseph and Asenath. They became equal with the 12 sons of Israel when Jacob blessed them as his own sons (Gen. 48:5). Therefore, when God chose the tribe of Levi to be His own possession, the addition of Manasseh and Ephraim maintained the number of Israel’s tribes at twelve.
No, Joseph didn’t sin. He lived before the Mosaic law and the New Testament warning (2 Cor. 6:14). Joseph was obedient to God’s purpose for his life, of which he had dreamed when he was a boy.
‘“It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.”’ (Genesis 41:16 NLT).
THE DREAMER GIVES GOD THE GLORY
Joseph had thoughtlessly shared his dreams with his older brothers, predicting how they would one day bow down to him. In their jealousy, they sold him into slavery. Yet after years in slavery and prison, Joseph had changed. He was humbled, giving God all the glory for any power lent to him for interpreting dreams. He stood before mighty Pharaoh, a worshiper of false gods and one who had the power of life and death over his subjects, yet Joseph responded by attributing true power and glory to God. For he knew that God was over all, even Pharaoh. And he trusted his future into God’s hands.
“Blessed is he who considers the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble” (Psalm 41:1 NKJV).
The one who is considerate of the poor and helps, will be delivered by the Lord when trouble comes upon them. The one who helps the poor has come under the Lord’s blessing. This blessing is happiness with contentment. For the giver understands that the Lord is the Supplier and that they are merely the channel of His blessing. With this in mind the apostle Paul quoted the Lord Jesus, saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
“Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck” (Genesis 41:42 NKJV).
Joseph’s brothers stripped him of his coat of many colors that his father, Jacob, had given him. They threw him naked into a pit and sold him into slavery. But God raised him up. The Lord gave Joseph favor with Pharaoh, who put his own signet ring on his finger (A “signet” ring is like a “signature,” giving Joseph power to “sign” with Pharaoh’s authority). He put fine linen robes on his back and a gold chain around his neck. Joseph’s coat of many colors was now replaced. God exalted Joseph to an even higher place of favor than he had held before.
Again, we see Joseph as a Christological type. His life foreshadows the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Jesus was stripped naked and crucified, but the Lord raised Him up and clothed Him with glory and power, giving Him “all authority in heaven and earth” (Matt. 28:18).