Joseph is the only one, as far as I can tell, that has walked faithfully in obedience to God throughout his life. Abraham took matters into his own hands to fulfill God's promise and slept with Hagar and you have the issue of lying about his wife. In Gen. 25:22 ff. Rebekah is told why there is a struggle in her womb...there are two nations, the older will serve the younger. Isaac determines to bless Esau regardless of God's promise of blessing on Jacob, Isaac lies about his wife too. (The sins of the father...watch your lives carefully men) Rebekah and Jacob conspire to steal a blessing that is already his, Jacob did not have to steal it, he simply had to trust God's Word of promise.
Again, Joseph is the only one who has walked and lived in faithful obedience through great afflictions. Remember God never clued him in on the plan! He never said, "Hey Joe, hold on I have some wonderful things in store for you remember those dreams you had they are getting ready to be fulfilled, just hold on and watch ME work on your behalf...this is going to be awesome!" You might say wait Mark, he did have those dreams from God, true...and Abraham received promises from God, as did Isaac and Jacob...they got impatient and tried to fulfill the promise themselves.
With that in mind consider Joseph's response to his brothers.
Ge 45:4-8 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please, come near me,” and they came near. “I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt. 5 And now don’t be worried or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting. 7 God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. 8 Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
Here we see Joseph as a beautiful picture of Jesus. God SENT me ahead to preserve life...for God so loved the World that HE sent...to keep you alive by a great deliverance...our salvation is a GREAT DELIVERANCE! Somewhere along the way God revealed to Joseph HIS plan or he simply was given understanding and it unfolded. Consider his words following Jacobs death.
Ge 50:15-21 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said to one another, “If Joseph is holding a grudge against us, he will certainly repay us for all the wrong we caused him.” 16 So they sent this message to Joseph, “Before he died your father gave a command: 17 ‘Say this to Joseph: Please forgive your brothers’ transgression and their sin—the wrong they caused you.’ Therefore, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when their message came to him. 18 Then his brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!”
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people. 21 Therefore don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
Doesn't that sound like Jesus? He comforted them and spoke kindly to them, he spoke kindly to those who plotted to kill him! Lk 23:34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” ] And they divided His clothes and cast lots.
This is amazing to me, stunning, breathtaking...my vocabulary fails me...YOU PLANNED EVIL AGAINST ME, GOD PLANNED IT FOR GOOD...please, please NOTICE it does NOT SAY THAT HE TURNED ANYTHING...I AM GOING TO SCREAM IF I READ THAT IN ANOTHER COMMENTARY...GOD TURNED NOTHING...YOU PLANNED AND GOD PLANNED...consider Acts 2.
Acts 2:22-24 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: This Jesus the Nazarene was a man pointed out to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through Him, just as you yourselves know. 23 Though He was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail Him to a cross and kill Him. 24 God raised Him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it.
God had a purpose and plan in Joseph's suffering, "the survival of many people." God had a plan in the suffering of Jesus...Heb 2:10 For it was fitting, in bringing many sons to glory, that He, for whom and through whom all things exist, should make the source of their salvation perfect through sufferings. His purpose is to bring many sons to glory!
The reading in Matthew is stunning in light of this...Jesus asks Peter "who do you say that I am?" "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!" Jesus blesses Peter and acknowledges that this revelation was given by HIS heavenly Father. After this confession Jesus begins to tell HIS disciples about THE PLAN, to "bring many sons to glory" and the suffering entailed. WHAT DOES PETER DO? HE REBUKES JESUS...LET ME COUNSEL YOU PLEASE DON'T EVER REBUKE JESUS...BAD IDEA!
We always focus on the first part of Jesus response...get the behind me Satan. WHAT IS AT THE HEART OF JESUS COUNTER REBUKE OF PETER? YOU ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT GOD'S CONCERNS BUT MAN'S!
My contention is that Christians in America, myself included, don't have a clue concerning God's economy when it comes to suffering...
I must stop for now but consider the following purposes of God in allowing suffering to come to HIS children and think back in your own life or consider your current circumstances and see if these don't resonate with you...O ye of little faith! Lord I believe, help my unbelief. I am saying this to myself too:)
love,
M
| 1. To produce the fruit of patience | Rom. 5:3; James 1:3–4; Heb. 10:36 |
| 2. To produce the fruit of joy | Ps. 30:5; 126:5–6 |
| 3. To produce the fruit of maturity | Eccles. 7:3; 1 Pet. 5:10 |
| 4. To produce the fruit of righteousness | Heb. 12:11 |
| 5. To silence the devil | Job 1:9, 10, 20–22 |
| 6. To teach us | Ps. 119:67, 71 |
| 7. To purify our lives | Job ; Ps. 66:10–12; Isa. 1:25; 48:10; Prov. 17:3; 1 Pet. 1:7 |
| 8. To make us like Christ | Heb. 12:9, 10; 1 Pet. 4:12–13; Phil. 3:10; 2 Cor. 4:7–10 |
| 9. To glorify God | Ps. 50:15; John 9:1–3; 11:1–4; –19; Phil. 1:19–20 |
| 10. To prevent us from sinning | 2 Cor. 12:7, 9–10 |
| 11. To make us confess when we do sin | Judg. 10:6–7, 15–16; Ps. 32:3–5; Hos. 5:15; 6:1; 2 Chron. 15:3–4 |
| 12. To chasten us for our sin | 1 Pet. 4:17 |
| 13. To prove our sonship | Heb. 12:5–6 |
| 14. To reveal ourselves to ourselves | Job 42:6; Luke 15:18 |
| 15. To help our prayer life | Isa. 26:16 |
| 16. To become an example to others | 2 Cor. 6:4–5; 1 Thess. 1:6–7 |
| 17. To qualify us as counselors | Rom. ; Gal. 6:2; 2 Cor. 1:3–5 |
| 18. To further the gospel witness | Acts 8:1–5; –34; Phil. 1:12–13; 2 Tim. 4:6–8, 16–17 |
| 19. To make us more than conquerors | 2 Cor. ; Rom. , 37 |
| 20. To give us insight into God’s nature | Job 42:5; Rom. 8:14–15, 18 |
| 21. To drive us closer to God | 1 Pet. 4:14; 2 Cor. 12:10 |
| 22. To prepare us for a greater ministry | 1 Kings 17–18; John 12:24 |
| 23. To provide for us a reward | Matt. –12; –29; Rom. –17; 2 Cor. 4:17 |
| 24. To prepare us for the kingdom | 2 Thess. 1:5; 2 Tim. 2:12 |
| 25. To show God’s sovereignty | Rom. ; 1 Cor. 10:13; Ps. 66:10–12; Gen. 45:5–8; 50:20 |