Scripture Reading: Gen. 37:2, 5-11, 19; 41:40-46
Ⅰ
Joseph's life was a copy of the life of Christ in the followingaspects:
A
In his being a shepherd—Gen. 37:2; John 10:11-16.
B
In his being his father's beloved—Gen. 37:3-4; Matt. 3:17; 17:5.
C
In his being sent by his father to minister to his brothersaccording to his father's will—Gen. 37:12-17; John 6:38.
D
In his being hated, persecuted, and betrayed (sold) by hisbrothers—Gen. 37:5, 18-36; John 15:25; Matt. 26:4, 14-16.
E
In his being cast into the prison of death with two criminals,one of whom was restored, and the other, executed—Gen. 39:20;40:1-23; Acts 2:23; Luke 23:32, 39-43.
F
In his being released (resurrected) from the prison of death—Gen. 41:14; Acts 2:24.
G
In his being enthroned with authority—Gen. 41:40-44; Matt.28:18; Acts 2:36; Rev. 3:21.
H
In his receiving glory and gifts—Gen. 41:42; Heb. 2:9; Psa.68:18; Acts 2:33.
I
In his becoming the savior of the world, the sustainer of life(the revealer of secrets)—Gen. 41:45; Acts 5:31; John 6:50-51:
１
First, Joseph was the revealer of secrets—Gen. 40:9-19;41:17-32.
２
Then, because he sustained the life of the people (vv. 47-57;47:12-24), he became the savior of the world (v. 25).
J
In his taking a wife from the Gentiles—41:45; John 3:29; Eph.5:23-27; Rev. 19:7.
K
In his supplying people with food—Gen. 41:56-57; John 6:35.
L
In his acknowledging his ignorant brothers and being recognizedby them—Gen. 45:1-4, 14-15; Rom. 11:26; Zech. 12:10;Rev. 1:7.
M
In his reigning in the kingdom over the whole earth—Gen.41:40—50:26; Rev. 11:15; Dan. 7:13-14.
Ⅱ
Joseph, a "master of dreams" (Gen. 37:19), dreamed thataccording to God's view, His people are sheaves of wheatfull of life and heavenly bodies full of light (vv. 5-11):
A
Joseph's two dreams (vv. 7-9), both from God, unveiled to himGod's divine view concerning the nature, position, function,and goal of God's people on earth:
１
In his first dream Joseph saw sheaves in the field bowingdown to his sheaf; this dream reveals that, at the most,Joseph was just a sheaf and that, at the worst, his brotherswere also sheaves; Joseph was a sheaf, and his brothers weresheaves—vv. 7-8:
ａ
The only difference between him and them was that Godhad chosen him to reign, but this does not mean that hewas better than they were; God's people are all sheavesof life in Christ.
ｂ
God spoke through Balaam, and Balaam said, "He hasnot beheld iniquity in Jacob, / Nor has He seen troublein Israel"—Num. 23:21a:
⑴
This word was spoken not according to the humanview but according to the divine view; in the sight ofGod, Israel is without fault.
⑵
In themselves God's people have many defects, but inGod's redemption and in Christ they have no defects;when God looks at His people, He does not see themaccording to what they are in themselves but accordingto what they are in Christ—cf. 2 Cor. 5:16-17.
ｃ
Elijah complained against Israel, saying, "The childrenof Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown downYour altars, and slain Your prophets with the sword;and I alone am left, and they seek to take my life"; however,Jehovah replied, "Yet I have left Myself seventhousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowedunto Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him"—1 Kings 19:10, 18; cf. Rom. 11:2-5.
ｄ
If we have seen the heavenly dream, then we have seenthat in God's view all His people are sheaves full of lifeto produce food for the meal offering to satisfy God andman—Lev. 2:4-5.
２
In his second dream Joseph saw the sun, the moon, andeleven stars bowing down to him—Gen. 37:9:
ａ
According to their fallen nature, God's people are evil andunclean, but in God's eternal view, His people are heavenlybodies full of light—cf. Rev. 12:1 and footnote.
ｂ
The reigning aspect of the mature life never condemnsGod's people; rather, it shepherds and appreciatesthem—Gen. 37:5-11; cf. 1 Cor. 13:4-8, 13.
ｃ
One thing is certain: whoever condemns the church orblames the saints will suffer the loss of life; however, ifwe praise the Lord for His saints being full of life andlight, we will be the first to participate in life—Gen.12:2-3; Num. 24:9.
B
Although God's people are positioned in heaven as the sun,the moon, and the stars, they are living on earth as sheaves(Phil. 3:20; 2:15), for sheaves grow in the field; today we arethe heavenly people living on earth.
C
We have to use the "divine telescope" to see through time andbehold the New Jerusalem, where there is nothing butsheaves full of life and stars full of light.
D
Although the sons of Jacob were sinful, Christ still came inthrough them—Gen. 38:27-30; Matt. 1:3.
E
The more mature in life we become, the less we will speaknegatively concerning the saints or the church; we are not theones to judge—7:1-5; Rom. 14:4.
Ⅲ
Joseph's dreams controlled his life and directed his behavior—cf. Acts 26:19:
A
Joseph behaved so excellently and marvelously because hewas directed by the vision that he saw in his dreams.
B
Joseph lived a life that corresponded to the vision he saw in histwo dreams; his brothers vented their anger (Gen. 37:18-31)and indulged in their lust (38:15-18), but Joseph subdued hisanger and conquered his lust (39:7-23), behaving as a sheaffull of life and conducting himself like a heavenly star shiningin the darkness:
１
While Joseph's brothers were drowning in the water ofhuman anger, Joseph, representing the reigning aspect of amature life, lived as a sheaf of life and emerged from thedeath water of human anger—37:18.
２
Judah behaved in a blind way, indulging in his lust indarkness (38:15-18); in contrast, Joseph, living as a star oflight, overcame his lust (39:7-12).
C
Joseph's life under the heavenly vision was the life of thekingdom of the heavens described in Matthew 5—7; by livingsuch a life, he was fully prepared to reign as a king; accordingto the constitution of the heavenly kingdom revealed in thesechapters in Matthew, our anger must be subdued, and ourlust must be conquered (5:21-32).
D
As the kingdom people in the kingdom life, we are beingtrained to be kings, to be Josephs, to manifest the reigningaspect of the mature life.