Genesis 41:37-43
37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are.40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. 43 And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.
Prayer: O merciful and everlasting God, heavenly Father: We thank You that You have revealed to us the glory of Your Son, and let the light of Your Gospel shine upon us: We ask that you would guide us by the light of Your Word so that we may walk according to it and ever be strengthened by Your grace until we behold Your wondrous glory face to face; through Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. Amen.
A Glimpse of Glory
I. Joseph & Jesus
II. Jesus & Me
Dear Fellow Redeemed,
All of Scripture points us to Christ. There is no great divide between the Old and the New Testament. In fact, they are beautifully connected. They have one divine author—God the Holy Spirit. As Peter said in our Epistle lesson, “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” The Old Testament is not just Law; the New Testament is not just the Gospel. We have Law and Gospel throughout. Even more importantly, all the pages of Scripture point us to Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. As Jesus told his enemies, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me” (John 5:39). If we read the Bible and don’t see Jesus, we are reading it wrong. However, when we read the Bible and find Jesus, we will be blessed.
There are many ways in which the Old Testament points us to Jesus. One of the ways we see this is through types of Christ. Types can be places, events, or people in the Old Testament which the Lord used to prefigure or foreshadow the coming Messiah and what he would do to accomplish our salvation. We call this typology. For example, the temple in the Old Testament, where God dwelt, pointed to Jesus who became flesh and dwelt or tabernacled among us (John 1:14). Or the events of Jonah’s life, being trapped in the belly of the fish, which pre-figured Jesus who was buried in the tomb for three days (John 11).
When we consider the life of Joseph, the great-grandson of Abraham, to whom the Almighty appeared and said that from his seed the Savior would come (Genesis 12:3), we see how God used his life to picture Abraham’s far greater descendant, Jesus Christ our Lord. So, this morning, let’s look at how Joseph serves as a type of Christ.
As we heard last week, Jacob’s parental favoritism created great strife between Joseph and his brothers. He gave Joseph a multi-colored coat which in their culture showed that he would be the head of the clan even though he had ten older brothers. Added to this, Joseph had dreams that implied that he would rule over his brothers. It’s no wonder that Joseph’s brothers became jealous and lost any love that was between them. So, when they saw that “dreamer” coming to them all alone and away from their father’s protection, they plotted to do away with their brother. Yet, when they saw some traders traveling by, they decided to sell Joseph into slavery for twenty pieces of silver which in many cases amounted to a life of slow death.
The Bible tells us that Joseph was sold as a household slave to Potiphar, who was Pharoah’s captain of the guard. Joseph was a handsome and intelligent young man and was quickly put in control of the whole house. The Lord was with Joseph. Yet, we learn how Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him and then ended up falsely accusing Joseph which resulted in Joseph being thrown in prison. Here we see how Joseph kept the sixth commandment which is so often ignored by our society, even when it harmed his own personal future.
Joseph’s life is a picture of our Lord’s life on this earth in his state of humiliation. As Joseph, Jesus was the beloved Son of his Father. Yet, Jesus humbled himself and became man, not making use of his divine powers. As St. Paul says, Jesus took upon himself the form of a servant and endured great suffering like Joseph being sold into Egypt (Philippians 2:7). Joseph’s own brothers rejected him, and, concerning Jesus, Scripture says, “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (John 1:11). Joseph was sold for twenty pieces of silver by one of his brothers and Jesus was sold for thirty by one of his own twelve disciples.
Joseph endured slavery so that through him God would provide food for his people in the years of famine. He suffered for his people. In a similar way, our Lord Jesus took the form of a servant suffering in our place for the punishment we deserve so that he might save us from the famine of this world and give us the Bread of Life. By nature, we were lost and starving in sin. We were helpless and hopeless. But our Lord Jesus, the Greater Joseph, provides new life to his brothers, the very people who have sinned against him. He subjected himself to the lowest of the low and suffered for us, so that our sins could be forgiven.
Joseph sat in Pharoah’s prison, likely the great prison at Thebes. Yet, Joseph was raised up to an important position in prison. After interpreting the dreams of the chief cupbearer and baker, news about him spread to even the palace of Pharaoh, who was troubled by his dreams. Thus Joseph was called from the prison into the presence of Pharoah who was the greatest ruler on the earth at the time.
Through the help of the Lord, Joseph interpreted Pharoah’s dreams. The seven fatted cows and the seven good heads of grain represented good and bountiful years. The seven thin cows and poor heads of grain which devoured the good were seven years of famine. Seven good years would be followed by seven horrible years of famine. The Pharoah, overwhelmed by this revelation of the future by Joseph, immediately selects Joseph to serve as his right-hand man in preparing for times of famine. He raised Joseph the second most powerful position in all of Egypt! He took a ring from his own hand and put it on Joseph’s finger. He arrayed him with beautiful clothing and led him in a triumphant parade through the streets of the capital so that all would know Joseph’s power and authority. God used Joseph in this important position, to provide bread and life for his people during those seven years of famine.
The story of Joseph’s humiliation and now exaltation is wonderful. It would have been a glorious and wonderful scene to see Joseph decked in the Egyptian garments and in this important position. Yet, the exaltation of our Lord was far more wonderful than this. When Jesus rose from the dead, he now made use of all his divine powers and majesty communicated to his human nature, which he did not always use in his humiliation. Jesus wasn’t only freed from a human prison, he broke down the prison house of death, freeing us from its terrible grasp. Jesus wasn’t merely given a parade through an earthly capital; he descended into hell and, in a triumphant procession, proclaimed his victory over death and the devil. Jesus, who now sits at the right hand of God, now uses his power for the good of his church. The spoils that Jesus stored up for us by his life and death on the cross, he now gives to us. He freely gives us the Bread of Life—“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost” (Isaiah 55:1).
In our Gospel lesson today, we read how Jesus was transfigured on the Mount before Peter, James, and John. During his life, Jesus’ divine glory was hidden—but now it burst forth. The glory of the heavens exploded all around. His face shined like the sun and his clothes were as light as snow. Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared talking with Jesus and the Father declared from a bright and heavenly cloud, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
This scene was so great, and Jesus was so glorious, that all Peter could think to do was make tents so that he could prolong this experience as long as possible. But that could not happen. Before there could be permanent glory and heavenly bliss, our Lord Jesus needed to go the way of the cross. To remove the fear of Peter and all people, Jesus needed to make full satisfaction for the sins of the world. But so that his beloved disciples would not loss hope during the darkest hours of Jesus’ crucifixion, Jesus allowed his disciples a glimpse of his glory. He showed his true power, mercy, and might. He gave them a glimpse of the glory of their resurrected and exalted Lord.
It’s a lot easier to endure something difficult, if you know the end result. For example, running can be tiresome and challenging, but it’s a lot easier to do when you know that you are running for a prize. As Christians, we run a race. This race is difficult and challenging—we face obstacles on the track from the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh. There are times when we feel like giving up and throwing in the towel. But our Lord Jesus here gives us a glimpse of the prize at the end of the race—the glory and bliss that will be revealed. What Peter saw was only a glimpse, but it was so great that he hoped to extend it as long as possible. So, Scripture encourages, “let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
But you and I are weak sinners. Not only to we get caught up in the things of this world and so often show more concern for earthly things than heavenly, we also get frustrated and fearful when we face suffering and hardship. We can be bold like Peter, but then drastically fall. And we couldn’t blame God if he were to cast us aside for our sin and doubt. But he doesn’t. That is why the interaction between Peter and Jesus on the Mount is so comforting. Peter offers to build tents to extend the glory. But then the Father speaks, and Peter is terrified. The last words the Father spoke were: “Listen to him.” And what were the first words Jesus spoke? Jesus said, “Rise, and have no fear.”
We cower in fear because our consciences are plagued by the guilt and shame of our sin. But our Savior says, “Rise, and have no fear.” As if to say, “You have no need to fear, because I am going to the cross to pay for your sins. The glory that you long to have will one day be yours. You have my word.” On the Mount of Transfiguration Peter, James, and John received encouragement for their own crosses. They knew that the glimpse of glory they witnessed, which they did not want to end, would one day be theirs too. They knew their future! As Jesus said, “Because I live, you will live also” (John 14:19). And so do you.
What’s more, we have the assurance that as we run our race here on this earth, Christ our Lord, who rules over all things at the right hand of God is working all for our good, just as he did for Joseph. So may we learn to bear the cross with patience, as did Joseph, and look forward to the day when Christ will call us to be with him in all his glory which will never end. Amen.