Genesis 37 — Jacob loved all his children, but he loved Joseph supremely. It is easy to understand why this is so, for Joseph and his father had communion. But the father had no communion with his other sons; and Joseph could have no communion with his brethren.
Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. These sons are away from their father, and Joseph among them; but he could have no communion with his brethren in their evil. He was compelled to witness it; if he had not power to prevent it, he would go and lament over it to his father, and pour out his heart to him.
In Joseph we have a type of Jesus, the holy, harmless, undefiled One, in the midst of sinners: He came into an evil world and He saw nothing to have communion with, but much to weep over; He wept over Jerusalem. His communion was with the Father.
The love of Jacob for Joseph was not a selfish love — he could give up Joseph to seek the welfare of his brethren. There was also a readiness in Joseph to go and seek the welfare of his brethren, who hated him.
Though Jacob was thus sending Joseph, it was not that the father was ignorant of the mind of the brethren toward Joseph; but the father’s heart is going out in love to his children, having many anxious fears, yearning over them with bowels of compassion.
As Jacob gave up Joseph, so God gave up Jesus His Son. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
God looked down and He saw that the wickedness of man was great; but He looked on them in love.
When Joseph’s brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. This is the way of the world towards those that walk in the ways of the Lord. So it was with Cain and Abel; so it was with Jacob and Esau — Esau sought to kill Jacob; so with Saul and David — David the man after God’s own heart, and Saul hunting him as a partridge upon the mountains, to kill him.
Thus it was with Jesus; the manifestation of the love of God brought out the enmity that was in the hearts of the Scribes and Pharisees.
In simplicity of heart and in openness, Joseph told them his dreams; but they hated him yet the more. When he told his father their evil report, it was not in malice or ill-will: but he could have no communion with them; and he mourned over them, and laid it before his father.
The Lord showed Joseph what awaited him in his exaltation: and his heart was comforted and strengthened to go through suffering. So it was with Jesus. The Lord graciously deals with us. The dreams of Joseph showed the coming kingdom and glory.
When Joseph told them his dreams, they rightly interpreted them, “Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us?” So it was with Jesus: when He spake His parables, the Jews sufficiently understood them to know that He would take the place of king. But they thought that they would put Joseph to death, “they conspired against him to slay him.” So with Jesus — they crucified Him. But there is that scripture that says, “Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee: the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain.” Psalms 76:10.
It is our comfort to know, that when the wrath of man would go further than would bring about God’s purposes, He then restrains it. Concerning the wicked there is an expression in Scripture, “I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy lips.” Isaiah 37:29. He can allow the evil to run as far as He pleases, and then he taketh the wise in their own craftiness. The very means they took to destroy Joseph, proved to be the very means that brought about his exaltation, The world may go on with its plans, but God will bring about His own purposes.
The only path that leads to ultimate glory is the path of the cross. Joseph had a pleasing prospect before him, but there was a painful path to it. So with Christians, “If so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified tether.” Rom. 8:17. To go with the stream is not the way that leads to glory.
Joseph was not at home in Shechem — he had no rest there — “he was wandering in the field.” Genesis 37:15. The world in Scripture is called the field. Matthew 13:38. As with Joseph, so with Jesus; He could find no resting place in the field. Joseph went to seek his brethren, and Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. None but those who are found of Him are truly blessed.
HE that hath God’s heart cannot want
His arm. God’s love sets all His other
attributes at work.