Genesis 37:1-4, Genesis 37:12-28, Psalm 105:1-6, Psalm 105:16-22, Psalm 105:45, 1 Kings 19:9-18, Psalm 85:8-13, Romans 10:5-15, Matthew 14:22-33
A). AN UNSPOKEN PROVIDENCE.
Genesis 37:1-4, Genesis 37:12-28.
What are we to make of Joseph? A tell-tale teenager (Genesis 37:2)? A favourite son (Genesis 37:3)? A dreamer (Genesis 37:19)? Or perhaps a boaster (cf. Genesis 37:5-10)? Or even a prophet (cf. Genesis 37:11)?
What is the Joseph history without a doting father (Genesis 37:3) and jealous half-brothers (Genesis 37:4)? Yet the bookends of this section inform us that this is the history not of Joseph but of Jacob, aka Israel, (Genesis 37:1-2a), and the beginning of the history of how Israel came from Canaan to Egypt (Genesis 37:28; cf. Psalm 105:23). And, if we have eyes to see and ears to hear, there is an unspoken hidden providence behind all the changes and challenges of Joseph’s life!
There is also another thread in this narrative: that of Joseph as a Type foreshadowing Jesus Christ. Joseph was a shepherd (Genesis 37:2). Jesus is the ultimate Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep (cf. John 10:11). Joseph had to die to his own life of privilege and favouritism in order to go before his brethren - albeit unwittingly - and save them from starvation (cf. Psalm 105:17).
Joseph exposed evil (Genesis 37:2). So does Jesus (e.g. Matthew 12:34).
However unwise and tainted by sin Jacob’s favouritism may have been, the fact remains that Joseph was loved by his father (Genesis 37:3). As we know, Jesus is the beloved of His Father (cf. Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5).
Joseph was hated by his brethren (Genesis 37:4). Jesus ‘came unto His own, and His own received Him not’ (cf. John 1:11). He is the King in his own parable, whose citizens said, ‘we will not have this man to reign over us’ (cf. Luke 19:14).
Jacob sent Joseph to find his brethren (Genesis 37:13-17). The Father sent the Son to seek and to find ‘the lost sheep of the house of Israel’ (cf. Matthew 15:24).
Joseph’s brethren conspired against him (Genesis 37:18). The religious leaders held a council against Jesus, to determine how they might destroy Him (cf. Matthew 12:14).
Joseph was stripped of his distinctive coat (Genesis 37:23). Jesus lay down the regalia of His divinity at His incarnation (cf. Philippians 2:6-7). The soldiers gambled for His seamless coat at the time of His crucifixion (cf. John 19:23-24).
Joseph was thrown into a pit (Genesis 37:24). Jesus went down into death, and His body was laid in a tomb (cf. Matthew 27:60). Likewise, Joseph was raised out of the pit (Genesis 37:28), and Jesus was raised from the dead (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Joseph was sold for the going price of a slave (Genesis 37:28). Jesus was betrayed for the going price of a slave (cf. Matthew 26:15).
We could go on and on with this Typology, but I wish to return at this point to the whole question of God’s providence in the life of Joseph.
Young Joseph made the mistake of sharing his dreams with his brothers, and ended up in a pit, then sold into slavery, then falsely accused and thrown into prison, then forgotten by someone for whom he had done a favour. Yet God did not make a full end there: Joseph was remembered, released, promoted and, when he finally met his brothers again was able to say that what THEY had meant for evil, God had meant for good – not only for him, but for others as well (cf. Genesis 50:20).
We know that all things work together for good, for the good of God’s people (cf. Romans 8:28). Truly, God is good to Israel (cf. Psalm 73:1). What an encouragement to remain steadfast in the face of adversity!
B). THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD.
Psalm 105:1-6, Psalm 105:16-22, Psalm 105:45b.
PSALM 105:1. There is a call to “give thanks to the LORD.” It is always appropriate to remember and acknowledge the LORD’s gracious dealings with us.
Then there is an exhortation to “call upon His name.” We offer our praise and thanksgiving always to Him. His name (or names) represent who He is. We worship the one true and living God; the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel; and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And there is a call to “make known His deeds among the people.” Not just the people of God, but all the peoples of the earth. It is a call to witness; a summons to testimony; and a commission to world mission.
PSALM 105:2. The next imperative is to: “Sing unto Him.” It is to the LORD that we are offering our praises. It is not for the choir to entertain the congregation, but for all to lift their voices in praise to the LORD.
And the Bible even provides us with a hymn book: “sing Psalms unto Him.” The book of Psalms is full of ‘psalms, hymns and spiritual songs’ (cf. Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). And it is a part of the inspired word of God.
Then we are told what to talk about: “talk ye of all His wonderful works.” We can all find plenty to talk about, but the best conversation is godly conversation. The “ye” is plural, so that each one of His children is encouraged to speak of God’s mighty works of creation and of grace, and of mercy and love. We can share what we understand of Him from the Bible, and testify to what He has done in our own lives.
PSALM 105:3. Then there is a call to: “Glory ye in His holy name.” What a wonderful God we have! In this verse we are told that His name is holy. Everything about Him is holy.
And we are exhorted, “let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.” Our priority is to ‘seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness’ (cf. Matthew 6:33) – and it a joy to do so. Even after we have sought the Lord and found Him, it is a joy to go on seeking and learning in order to get to know Him better.
PSALM 105:4. So we are called to: “Seek the LORD and His strength.” We depend upon Him. His strength is made perfect in our weakness (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:9).
We are encouraged also to “seek His face evermore.” We desire His presence at all times, and look for the day when we shall see Him face to face, and be like Him evermore.
PSALM 105:5. And we are exhorted to: “REMEMBER His marvellous works that He hath done.” How can we forget? Yet time and time again His people do forget. Then trouble comes, and we are forced to remember: ‘Hitherto hath the LORD helped us’ (cf. 1 Samuel 7:12).
His marvellous works are described as “His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth.” God spoke, and it was done. Deliverance came, enemies were scattered. Both sin and death were vanquished at the Cross.
PSALM 105:6. These imperatives are addressed to: “O ye seed of Abraham His servant, ye children of Jacob His servant.” Abraham saw the judgment on Sodom. The children of Jacob saw His marvellous works in Egypt. Yet Christians, too, are children of Abraham, chosen in Christ Jesus: and we are called to remember what Jesus has done for us!
PSALM 105:16. It is the LORD our God who “called for a famine upon the land: He brake the whole staff of bread.” Bread, or any staple, is aptly called ‘the staff of life’ – for without his staff man must surely fall. But such things are in the hands of God.
PSALM 105:17. But prior to the summoning of the famine, “He sent a man before them, even Joseph who was sold for a servant,” or rather, “a slave.” Yes, even behind that injustice, the LORD was working out His own hidden purposes to keep Israel alive.
PSALM 105:18. “Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron.” Joseph was first thrown into a pit by his jealous brothers, who then sold him as a slave to the Midianites. They in turn sold Joseph to an Egyptian who before long elevated him to the head of the household. Then the master’s wife told lies about Joseph, and he was cast into a dungeon.
PSALM 105:19. “Until the time that His word came: the word of the LORD tried him.” Our times are in His hand (cf. Psalm 31:15), but ‘the time appointed was long’ (cf. Daniel 10:1). Joseph had to endure much, and persevere long; but there was for him, as for Jesus – as also for us - a ‘fulness of time’ (cf. Galatians 4:4).
PSALM 105:20-22. None other than the king himself sent and released Joseph. This began the exaltation of Joseph, from the prison to the palace. Then from the palace to the premiership. And he who had been a slave in bonds was now able to bind the wrong-doers at his pleasure, and to teach the senators God’s wisdom. What a turnaround!
PSALM 105:45b. “Praise ye the LORD.”
C). THE CAVE OF DOUBT AND THE CALL OF DUTY.
1 Kings 19:9-18.
While Obadiah was hiding others in a cave (cf. 1 Kings 18:3-4), Elijah hid himself in a cave.
I. THE CAVE OF DOUBT (1 Kings 19:9-14).
Why are YOU here?
Indignant self-righteousness.
Wind, earthquake,
and fire -
and a thin, barely perceptible voice in the midst of the silence.
Why are you HERE?
Indignant self-righteousness.
We might insert here some comparisons and contrasts between Moses and Elijah.
1. The LORD passed by Moses (cf. Exodus 33:19; Exodus 33:22; Exodus 34:6), just as he later passed by Elijah (1 Kings 19:11). But whereas Moses interceded for an idolatrous people (cf. Exodus 32:11-14), Elijah was here wallowing in self-pity (1 Kings 19:4; 1 Kings 19:10; 1 Kings 19:14).
2. This was the same wilderness, and the same mountain - but Elijah was going backward, not forward. However, both appeared later, with Jesus, in another mountain (cf. Luke 9:28-31).
II. THE CALL OF DUTY (1 Kings 19:15-19).
The LORD’s practical response to His despondent servant was to re-commission Elijah, and to give him the responsibility for the anointing of:
1. A foreign tyrant (1 Kings 19:15; cf. 2 Kings 8:11-13);
2. A new dynasty (1 Kings 19:16; cf. 2 Kings 9:3); and
3. A young apprentice for Elijah to mentor (1 Kings 19:16; cf. 1 Kings 19:19; 2 Kings 2:13).
This was delegation in operation (1 Kings 19:17; cf. 1 Kings 19:19; 2 Kings 8:13; 2 Kings 9:1-3).
Despite Elijah’s protests that he was ‘the only one’ (1 Kings 19:10; 1 Kings 19:14), he was told that: “There are yet seven thousand people in Israel who have not bowed the knee to Baal” (1 Kings 19:18). Neither are we, any one of us, as alone as we might imagine.
We can draw strength from the fact that the LORD has not deserted us. He is still with us in the cave of doubt. He is with us in the recall to duty. WE ARE NEVER ALONE.
D). THE FLOURISHING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Psalm 85:8-13.
The Psalmist - the believer, standing for the church - stops in his tracks and listens to what God has to say (Psalm 85:8-9). It is as we systematically and habitually study the Bible that we will be in a position to hear the still small voice which applies God’s Word to our own perplexities. This is a good place to receive an answer to our prayers.
The LORD promises peace, providing we do not return to folly (Psalm 85:8). When we have a true evangelical fear (reverence) of God, the fullness of His salvation draws near (Psalm 85:9). God’s glory returned to the Temple in Jerusalem (Haggai 2:9), and from there the peace of the Gospel emanated throughout the world (Acts 1:8).
The vision of this salvation is seen in the pencil sketches of the closing verses (Psalm 85:10-13). Four characteristics meet and embrace (Psalm 85:10), and heaven and earth work together to secure our salvation (Psalm 85:11-12). The LORD Himself is seen walking in our midst (Psalm 85:13), just as He did in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8).
The four characteristics are:
1. Mercy, arising out of a steadfast covenant love;
2. Truth, and faithfulness to the truth;
3. Righteousness, or justice, arising out of a right relationship with God;
4. Peace, indicating completion, perfection, fullness, health, success, well-being, rest, harmony, and prosperity.
Where do mercy and truth meet together, righteousness and peace embrace? In the Cross of Jesus Christ, where God is both just and the Justifier (Romans 3:26): meting out just judgment upon sin whilst at the same time being merciful to the sinners (Isaiah 53:4-6). There God’s justice is not violated, but rather His righteousness fulfilled; and there we are “justified by faith, and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
God’s truth is personified in our great High Priest, who in the incarnation effectively “sprang out of the earth” (Psalm 85:11). God’s righteousness looks upon those whom He has justified as being made righteous in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Thus we see the joining of the interests of heaven and earth in the mission of our redemption (Luke 2:14).
Subsequently, we see the earth yielding her increase (Psalm 85:12). This is clearly a gift of God, but also a consequence of right priorities (Matthew 6:33). Only when we put God first will righteousness flourish, and have free course in the world of men (Psalm 85:13).
E). CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW.
Romans 10:5-15.
Jesus is the fulfilment of all that the law signified, and met all its righteous demands against ourselves. He is the end of the law as a possible means of our becoming righteousness. In Romans 10:4, the Apostle Paul says (literally): ‘For the end of law Christ (is) for righteousness to everyone who believes.’
Breaking it down:
(i) Christ is the end of the law;
(ii) Christ is the end of the law (as a means) for righteousness;
(iii) Christ is (the only means for) righteousness to everyone who believes.
# The word ‘telos’ (= ‘end’) which the Apostle uses in Romans 10:4, signifies not only the law’s terminus, but also its abrogation as a possible (or perhaps impossible) means of salvation.
In our main passage, Paul alludes to what the LORD said at the mouth of Moses: ‘You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I (am) the LORD’ (Leviticus 18:5). This the Apostle calls, “the righteousness which is of the law” (Romans 10:5).
Under the law, says Paul elsewhere, we are all found to be sinners who have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). All that the law had accomplished was an awakening of our consciousness of sin (Romans 7:7). The law as a means of righteousness had failed, and was to be superseded by justification by faith (Galatians 3:10-11).
The Apostle again alludes to Moses when he speaks of the nearness of God’s word. The law was not inaccessible (Deuteronomy 30:11-14) - and neither is the gospel (Romans 10:6-8).
The idea of men trying to reach God through their own efforts is typified in the Tower of Babel. Even our best efforts at keeping the law have failed. But - praise be to God - God has already come down in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Moses speaks of the law not being beyond the sea (Deuteronomy 30:13). In the Greek, Paul interprets this as “the abyss” (Romans 10:7) - a possible pseudonym for Hades (cf. Acts 2:31). We do not need to search for salvation there, for Jesus ‘is not dead, but risen’ (Matthew 28:6).
For Moses, the word was ‘nigh thee, in your mouth and in your heart, THAT YOU MAY DO IT’ (Deuteronomy 30:14). The Apostle Paul makes a new application of this as “the word of FAITH which we proclaim” (Romans 10:8). This is not a word that we ‘do’ as was the law, but a word that we “BELIEVE,” as Paul goes on to expound.
‘In your mouth and in your heart’ (Romans 10:8) finds its match in Romans 10:9, where the Apostle pronounces: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God Him raised from the dead, you shall be saved.”
Paul then turns this the right way up as to our experience. First, man believes with the heart “unto righteousness” (Romans 10:10). This is not the same as head belief, of which another New Testament writer says that ‘the devils believe, and tremble’ (James 2:19). Secondly, heart belief goes further, and gives voice to its salvific conviction that JESUS, not Caesar, is Lord!
This belief is more akin to “trust” than the mere assent to a Creed. “Whosoever” puts his trust in Him will not be put to shame (Romans 10:11 cf. Isaiah 28:16). This “whosoever” consists of both Jews and Gentiles, and the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him (Romans 10:12).
The Apostle Paul’s next citation comes from the minor Prophets. ‘Whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered” (Joel 2:32) becomes “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord (meaning Jesus, as in Acts 2:21) shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). That is who we are: ‘those who call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord’ (1 Corinthians 1:2).
Paul poses a few questions.
1. How can anyone call upon Jesus without heart belief?
2. “And how can they believe in the One whom they have not heard?” (notice, it is not hearing ‘of’ Him so much as hearing ‘from’ Him through His preachers).
3. “And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14).
4. Finally, how shall the preachers preach unless they are commissioned - by Jesus Himself, no less?
The Apostle joins with the Prophet of old - and with us - to sing:
‘How lovely on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news’
(Romans 10:15; cf. Isaiah 52:7).
Let us therefore pray that ‘the Lord of the harvest’ will send forth labourers into His ripe harvest field to gather souls for Christ (Matthew 9:38).
F). THE STORMS OF LIFE.
Matthew 14:22-33.
1. The storms of life.
Sometimes the storms of life seem to overtake us, even when we are being obedient. Jesus told the disciples to get into a ship and go to the other side of the lake (Matthew 14:22), but we see the ship in the midst of the sea tossed with waves in a contrary wind (Matthew 14:24).
Such is life. Such is the Christian life. We are not called to a life of ease, but one that is full of dangers and pitfalls - only we have the assurance that God is with us to see us through.
Now it is the fourth watch of the night, and all does not seem well (Matthew 14:25). We watch, and wait, and pray - and suddenly relief comes. It is the Lord, but we do not recognise Him straight away...
2. Jesus walking on water.
Two feet walking on water was an Egyptian emblem of the impossible. But when Jesus came towards His disciples walking on the sea, He was exercising a divine prerogative (Matthew 14:25).
Psalm 93:4 reads: ‘The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.’
When He draws near in the midst of the storms of our life, we do not always recognise Him. We, like the disciples in that little ship, are troubled and fearful.
But as ever, He draws near in our trouble. He brings a word of good cheer, and vanquishes fear. ‘Perfect love casteth out fear,’ we read elsewhere (1 John 4:18).
3. Peter sinking in water.
Impetuous as ever, Peter wished to join Jesus walking on the water: “And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water” (Matthew 14:28).
It is not necessarily an unworthy thing to wish for reassurances of the Lord's presence with us. Gideon had his fleece... (Judges 6:36-40).
So Peter, endued by power from on High, took his tentative first steps onto the water.
Retrospectively, we who have begun the Christian walk know that He will see it through to the end. Yet at times we lose sight of that fact.
So with Peter: taking his eyes off Jesus, he began to sink. So with us: taking our eyes off Jesus causes even the faithful to fear, and to begin to sink.
4. Rising from the water.
In the moment of taking his eyes off Jesus, Peter began to sink. It is so easy to see the problems around us and to feel threatened by them. Yet even in the moment of despair, we raise our eyes again, and cry with Peter, “Lord, save me” (Matthew 14:30).
It is then that we discover the Lord's presence is still near, ready to pick us up when we sink beneath the billows and waves of this life which seek to consume us. He is ‘an ever present help in the day of trouble.’
Not only so, but when Jesus stepped into the ship, the storm was immediately dispersed. If we are closing Him out of our lives today, maybe we should invite Him back in!
After that we may discover, as did the disciples, “Of a truth thou art the Son of God” (Matthew 14:33).
Thus faith is renewed day by day in our experience of the storms of life.
