Genesis 44

"And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken" (Genesis 44:2).

Is not this cup an emblem of the cup of salvation?

Doth not Jesus put it Himself in the hands and hearts of His people?

Psalm 116:13.

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"[And] when they were gone out of the city, [and] not [yet] far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?" (Genesis 44:4).

And doth not this plan of Joseph to detain his brethren, lead the reader to remark how graciously Jesus useth means to detain our hearts, in order to bring them home to Himself?

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"" (Genesis 44:17-18).

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Genesis 43

"And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother [be] with you." (Genesis 43:3).

If the reader be taught of God the Holy Ghost to read this spiritually, he will perceive that the same is said respecting Jesus.

We cannot see the face of God except that Jesus be with us; John 14:6.

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"I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever" (Genesis 43:9).

I detain the reader to remark the character here assumed by Judah as a surety, in which he was an eminent type of Jesus.

It was Jesus who from everlasting undertook to answer for His people.

And in this great office He hath fulfilled all righteousness, and expiated all offences; and is now pledged (as Judah said here), to bring all His people and set them before His father.

Sweetly is it said of him that he restored that which he took not away; Psalm 69:4.

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"And their father Israel said unto them, If [it must be] so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds" (Genesis 43:11).

Observe, though Canaan wanted corn, yet it abounded with honey.

Reader! there are many parts of the earth which are blessed with the gifts of common providence: but what are these without the special gifts of grace.

Bread is the staff of life.

And what bread is to the body such is Jesus to the soul.

Lord, evermore give me this bread! John 6:33-35.

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"And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses" (Genesis 43:18).

Is there not a spiritual illustration here!

Are not awakened souls alarmed when first brought into Jesus' house and presence?

Read that scripture, Revelation 1:17.

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"And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there" (Genesis 43:25).

Is not this expected interview between Joseph and his brethren similar to that which we are looking forward to between God and ourselves?

But as the presence of Benjamin with them ensured their gracious reception, so if Jesus be with us we have no cause to fear ours.

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Reader! let you and I turn from the table of Joseph amidst his brethren, while they are thus merry and happy with him, to consider the spiritual interest which we have in these things.

The world which we dwell in, like that of Canaan to the Patriarch's family, is a world of famine in bread for the soul. And if you know what spiritual hunger means, you will know also that this heavenly corn for ourselves and our household can nowhere else be had but of the lord of the country, even from the Lord Jesus, of whom Joseph was the type.

Shall we not arise and go to him?

We will not, like Jacob's sons, take a present in our hand, for he is too rich to be benefitted by our favours: and his blessings are too great to come within the price of purchase.

But like Jacob, let us pray that God Almighty may give us mercy before the man, even the God'man Christ Jesus.

Dearest Lord, behold us now before Thee!

Oh! say to Thy stewards the ministers of Thy table as Joseph did to his; bring these men home and make ready, for these men shall dine with me at noon.

And oh! the wonderful condescension, Jesus indeed receiveth sinners and eateth with them.

We see Thy face. We behold Thy glory. We hear Thy voice. We rejoice and are merry like the brethren of Joseph, while our brother Jesus saith, Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.

And dearest Redeemer! we would pray do Thou make our meeting gracious in drawing nigh to us by Thy Holy Spirit, in opening to our minds the Holy Scriptures, and in making Thyself known to us in breaking of bread and in prayer.

Then shall we fully understand and have our souls refreshed indeed in the experience, that Thy flesh is meat indeed, and Thy blood drink indeed.

"" (Genesis 42:1).

Reader! recollect that at our last view of Jacob we left him in a state of the greatest affliction, on the supposed loss of Joseph; Genesis 37:35.

Here we find him in the midst of his family, likely to perish for want of bread!

Remember what Jesus saith, John 16:33.

Then read that sweet Scripture, Isaiah 33:16.

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"" (Genesis 42:7).

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Jesus, Our Wonderful Counsellor, The Revealer of Secrets - Genesis 41

"" (Genesis 41:38).

Reader! do not overlook our great spiritual Joseph through all this.

While Pharaoh exclaims with astonishment in the view of the Spirit of God in Joseph, how ought we to admire and adore Him, who received not the Spirit of God by measure, but in Whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily? John 3:34; Colossians 2:9.

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"" (Genesis 41:40).

How sweet are those words applied to, and spoken of, Jesus!

John 15:5.

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"" (Genesis 41:42).

When the Church is adorned in the robes of the Redeemer's righteousness then, like Joseph, how differently clad from the former wretchedness!

Psalm 45:9-11.

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"" (Genesis 41:45).

Zaphnath-panneah, a revealer of secrets.

And is not Jesus a revealer of secrets?

Is He not at the right hand of God, to teach us His Father's will, dispensing spiritual life and food to a famished world?

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"" (Genesis 41:46).

Jesus was about the same age when He entered upon His public ministry (cf. Luke 3:23).

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"" (Genesis 41:55).

Sweet thought suggested here, in view of the perishing Egyptians going unto Joseph; to teach perishing sinners how to go unto Jesus.

Hebrews 12:2.

The Lord Jesus is With Us even in the Prison Experiences of Life; Genesis 40

Reader! mark this down in the memorandums of your life, that whether in a prison or a palace, the faithful have God for their portion.

And what a sweet thought is it, that, as no walls can confine the souls of God's people, so neither can bolts or bars shut the Lord out.

If you are the Lord's prisoner, this is preferable to being the world's freeman.

And when we recollect how precious the enjoyments some have found in those seasons, very evident it is that the Comforter is with them, and that to bless them.

But even here in Joseph's history let me not lose sight of the Lord Jesus, who was taken from prison and from judgment, and who shall declare His generation? (Isaiah 53:8).

Blessed Lord! let me never forget the afflictions of my spiritual and almighty Joseph, nor the cause of them; but in all events of life as well properous as distressing, cease not to remember Thee!

The Sufferings of Christ Previewed in Joseph, Genesis 39

Who doth not feel pity in the review of Joseph's unjust and cruel treatment!

Behold the Patriarch a little before the object of his father's love. And now look at him as a bond slave and a prisoner in a strange land!

To what a reverse of circumstances are even good men exposed in this waste and howling wilderness.

But reader! never forget that Jesus is with His people always, and in all their afflictions He is afflicted.

Suitable, seasonable grace shall be given them as they stand in need. And as their day is, so shall their strength be.

But is there nothing in this chapter which prompts the heart to discover some faint sketches of Him of whom Joseph was a type?

Oh yes! certainly a greater than Joseph is here.

• How was the Son of God when upon earth sold and tempted, and led into prison and unto death!

• If we look at Joseph suffering by unjust imputation, can we forget for a moment Him to whom our sins are imputed; though He did no sin and in whose mouth there was found no guile.

Did He not bear our sins in His own body on the tree when He died, the just for the unjust to bring us to God.

Lord, grant that as in so much mercy, Thou didst condescend to be sin for us who knew no sin, we may be made the righteousness of God in Thee.

The Bloodline of Christ – from the Royal Tribe, but including some Rebellious Transgressors; Genesis 38

This chapter is a digression from the subject of Joseph's history, but it becomes a very interesting one because it records the race of Judah, another of Jacob's sons.

Ans as our Lord sprang out of Judah, according to the flesh (Hebrews 7:14), it is indeed highly important to trace the descent of Judah until we find it terminate in Christ.

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[ Verses 1-9 ]

Reader! pause over this history.

Who shall take upon him to say to what extent this unnatural sin hath been prevalent in all ages!

Though hidden from human observation, with what malignity must the vast mass of such works of darkness come up before God?

Oh! how precious, increasingly precious, is Jesus, in every renewed consideration to the mind conscious of sin, whose blood alone cleanseth from all sin.

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"And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep" (Genesis 38:13).

Judges 14:1.

It is worthy remark, that though there are, I believe, but four women named in the list of the ancestors of Christ, after the flesh, in Matthew's relation of the pedigree, this is one of them; Matthew 1:3.

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What hath sin wrought in all ages!

What a dreadful bias to evil is naturally in the mind of every man!

What awful examples doth the Lord sometimes proclaim, in punishments, of His utter displeasure of sin!

But, my soul! while thou art seeking grace from God to avoid every appearance of sin, let that state of humbleness, that astonishing and unequalled state of humbleness, to which Jesus submitted when He came to do away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, endear the Redeemer yet more and more to thy heart, and form Him there the only hope of glory.

Was it not enough, dearest Lord, when Thou condescendest to take flesh and blood for the purposes of salvation, that Thou didst not abhor the virgin's womb, but didst even appoint Thine ancestors, after the flesh, to be such as were more particularly marked with unworthiness?

Gracious Redeemer! may it serve to teach my heart those sweet lessons, that Thou wert pleased to be made in all things like as we are, yet without sin: and although Thou wert made in the likeness of sinful flesh, yet Thou didst partake of none of the corruptions of flesh; and that in Thy tender alliance with our nature, Thou dost not refuse that alliance even with the vilest of our nature; but where sin aboundeth, grace doth much more abound; that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord; Romans 5:20-21.