Rubbish I Say

“Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation…For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.” (2 Corinthians 7:4+8)

Recently Pope Francis addressed an audience at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences where he contradicted the Genesis account of creation arguing that theoretical science (Darwinian evolution and Lemaîtrian ‘big bang‘) are compatible with the Biblical narrative. That’s worth repeating: the Pope said God’s word and the unproven theories of men are agreeable, congruent, and coexistable.

The Big Bang, which today we hold to be the origin of the world, does not contradict the intervention of the divine creator but, rather, requires it. … Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation, because evolution requires the creation of beings that evolve.” – Pope Francis

Before I record my remarks, let me affirm that I am not a scientist, a Bible scholar, or a member of clergy. I am merely a man of faith who chooses to stand as firmly as I am able upon the Word of God. On issues scriptural, I maintain that I don’t have an opinion, I have a Bible. Furthermore I dismiss any source that does not agree with or affirm the Bible, not because I am an arrogant, Bible snob, but because there can only be one truth and I’m siding with God. I deem this stance the safest and most secure position known to mankind; the Word of God is the best defense for the Word of God. For my money, Charlie Spurgeon said it best: “The Gospel is like a caged lion. It does not need to be defended. It just needs to be let out of its cage.” I find this to be very freeing, pun intended. Christians don’t need titles, degrees, and strings of letters after their names. They just need the Bible and the God-given faith to trust it. If they also want to understand it, that’s a work of His Holy Spirit.

[T]he natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)

So in regard to the Pope’s disputation (and with as much love and respect as one can muster in the written word), I boldly pronounce his remarks to be rubbish, trusting that God and His Word have my back. I say to Pope Francis, either ‘all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,’ or it is not. Either God’s Word is truth, or it is not. You either take the warning to not add or subtract from God’s Word seriously, or you do not.

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Revelation 22:18-19)

I cannot imagine remaining under the tutelage of a school teacher who does not believe in their textbook, but by his own words the Pope essentially made that exact declaration of disbelief, plus the more grievous one — Jesus is a liar. Jesus believed in the Genesis account of creation, so much so He quoted from it in the Gospels, therefore it must be asked, “If Jesus believes it, why doesn’t the Pope believe it”?

“Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female” (Matthew 19:4)

If the Pope, or anyone else for that matter, has any doubt whatsoever about the legitimacy of the Old Testament text, your skepticism should be immediately exorcised when Jesus, who knew no sin and who by His very nature is incapable of uttering a lie, teaches from the manuscript. If you believe in Jesus, you must believe the Book He teaches from. If you don’t; if you still maintain evolution and the Genesis account of creation are compatible, you are deeming our Lord and Savior a liar.

If you believe in Jesus, you must believe the Book He teaches from.”

That’s Judgemental 

Yes, when sharing these same Biblical truths on social media, I was told (by a professing Christian) I was being harsh, judgmental, divisive, and even Pharisaic. I have come to expect those remarks from the atheist, and I even tolerate their opposing views for the sake of sharing Bible truth with them, but when professing Christians say such things I am deeply saddened. My heart breaks for those who selectively receive only specific Bible portions and summarily reject those parts they either don’t understand, don’t agree with, or worse, don’t harmonize with their lifestyle choices. They’ll call Bible-believers harsh and judgemental, but reject the notion that their additions and subtractions to and from Scripture is arrogant, pretentious, and perhaps just steps away from blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

That’s Harsh

Labels such as those are served up for one purpose only: to silence the Bible thumper (a term I use in the best possible sense). What they call harsh, I characterize as bold and true. For the record ‘harsh’ is when somebody (for example) sticks a sign in your face that reads, “Fags Go to Hell.” That’s coarse and devoid of love. Please don’t ever throw God-loving and God-fearing Christians into that group. I’ll add here that if you’re sensing an attitude of judgement and divisiveness, you might be onto something — it could be you’re feeling the conviction of the Holy Spirit and it’s causing you to squirm. It could be that the divisiveness you sense is real, but it’s the result of the barriers you’ve constructed about your skewed ideology. I was there and I know how that feels. I also have learned that [that] sensation subsides when you submit yourself fully to God and His word.

“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:5-7)

On Salvation

On this final point I want to be as crystal clear: I am not disputing anyone’s salvation, including the Pope’s. God only knows. But do I have an opinion regarding a person’s salvation if they elect to teach unscriptural doctrines? Yes I do, but I will not judge (condemn) anyone to hell — that’s God’s job. To say at this juncture, “The Pope is going to hell,” would be an opinion based on limited preponderance and access to all the facts. Repentance is always an option and one we should be praying for.

What we can affirm is that the Pope is adding and subtracting from the Word of God and that the act is a confessable and pardonable offense. Only God knows if the thin ice on which the Pope stands will support him in the interim. Salvation (in this regard) is perhaps a topic for another blog; my purpose for discussing the original issue was not to judge a man unto condemnation, but rather to judge him for the purpose of identification. In other words, let’s not glean from the Pope’s teaching on this one, for it unquestionably contradicts the Word of God. May it also serve as an admonition to those Christians who would do similarly. Let us rather rest in God’s Word and know there is nothing to be spiritually gained by glomming onto worldly wisdom at the expense of Bible truth.

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.  And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.  Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. (Psalm 37:1-7)

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Don’t Be Alarmed: Harold Camping Wasn’t That Far Off

A New Date for the Rapture

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. You turn man to destruction, And say, “Return, O children of men.” For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night. Psalm 90:1-4

It is recorded that this particular Psalm was penned by Moses and many believe that it wonderfully correlates with the Creation story found in Genesis. I would agree with that assessment. I also agree with Pastor Jon Courson’s evaluation that it not only parallels the seven days of Creation, but also the entire seven millennium history of mankind, including prophetically that which has not yet occurred. Of course the premise rests upon the Psalmist’s God-inspired phrase, “For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday.” We see the idea picked up in the New Testament as well.

But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Peter 3:8

I take the seven-day Genesis account of creation literally; that it was seven, twenty-four hour days. But I also believe that in God’s seven-day Design, He amazingly gave us a prophetic picture of what was in store for His creation over the next seven millenniums. The King James Version renders the 2 Peter 3:8 verse, “Beloved, be not ignorant,” emphasizing the importance of knowing that in God’s economy a thousand years is equal to one day and visa versa. Why is that critical knowledge? Well, as it pertains to the modern-day Christian, it helps us to understand that we are in fact living in the last days.

Day 1

In Genesis 1 we read that God begins His Creation. Aside from the Creation itself, what would you consider to be the most significant event in the first one thousand years of known history? Would you say that it is Adam’s eating of the forbidden fruit? I found it interesting that God said in Genesis 2:17, “In the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” While critics say, “Adam didn’t die; he lived for 930 years after he ate of fruit!” God might add, “That’s right! I AM true to My word; the lad didn’t even make it until the end of the first day.”

Day 2

You carry them away like a flood… Psalm 90:5a

In the Genesis account, on the second day God made places for the waters of the earth. Not coincidently, the big event in the second millennium was the Flood in the days of Noah.

Day 3

They are like a sleep. In the morning they are like grass which grows up: In the morning it flourishes and grows up; In the evening it is cut down and withers. Psalm 90:5b-6

On day three of God’s Creation, the earth brought forth grass and vegetation. The Psalmist’s words remind us of the big event of the third millennium: Jacob’s trek down to Egypt with the family. There, under his son Joseph’s protective hand, they flourished in the fields of Goshen. However, in time the nation was enslaved beneath the tyrannical rule of an evil pharaoh who forced them to cut down their own straw to make his bricks.

Day 4

For we have been consumed by Your anger, And by Your wrath we are terrified. You have set our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance. For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; We finish our years like a sigh. Psalm 90:7-9

On the fourth day, God created the sun, the moon, and the stars to give us light. It was by this light in the fourth millennium that Israel’s secret sins of idolatry were exposed. As a result they were led away into captivity by the Babylonians.

Day 5

The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Psalm 90:10

On the fifth day God made the fishes and the fowls; and the Psalmist records, “And we fly away.” In the fifth millennium, the big event was Christ’s coming, His death and resurrection, and Israel’s rejection. By 70 AD, the temple was destroyed and those Jews who weren’t slaughtered were dispersed across the globe.

Day 6

Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath. So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:11-12

We know that on the sixth day of Creation, God created man. Our Psalmist would remind us here that man, in this his sixth millennium, should be mindful to number his days, for the seventh day is rapidly approaching; the Day of the Lord is at hand. Roughly speaking, the sixth millennium ended in the area of the year 2000.

Day 7

Return, O Lord! How long? And have compassion on Your servants. Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days! Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, The years in which we have seen evil. Let Your work appear to Your servants, And Your glory to their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.
Psalm 90:13-17

On the seventh day God rested and in the Gospels Jesus repeatedly told us, “The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” Jesus is our Sabbath; i.e., our rest and His coming is nigh. How soon will it be? Consider the words of the Psalmist, “Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,” the idea being early in the day. By all accounts we would say, “Oh, satisfy us early in this millennium.” This passage from Matthew’s Gospel sheds some more light:

“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near–at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”. Matthew 24:32-36

In these last few weeks, with all the end-of-the-world predictions, we have been reading the, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only,” passage quite a bit. But focus for a moment on the verses preceding that one.

The fig tree in Christian typology represents the Nation of Israel. Many say (and I agree) that Israel became tender and put forth its’ leaves when in May of 1948, they became reestablished as a nation in the Middle East. The Gospel writer records that, “This generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.”

How long is a generation? Bible scholars cannot agree; some say fifty years, some seventy, and some say one hundred. The fact of the matter is that we are in the early years of the seventh millennium now. While we cannot be dogmatic about the length of a generation, we can say that somewhere between today and the year 2048, Christ’s return would be an answer to Moses’ come early prayer. The bottom line is that every Christian should behave as if Christ’s return were imminent…because it is.

Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. James 5:7-8

In regards to the mentioning of Harold Camping in the title, it was not my intent to give him any credence–the man is deceived and we should not ridicule him, but rather keep him and his followers in our prayers.  I only wanted to highlight the truthful doctrine that Jesus could come for his church at any time. 

These ramblings are typically (but not always) a byproduct inspired by God through my personal Bible study at SearchLight with Pastor Jon Courson and with my pastor at my home church, Calvary Chapel Coastlands

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Standing on the Promises

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2

What Promises?

I’m talking about the promises from God as a result of having been justified by our faith in God and the resurrection of His Son. In the precious light of the fabulous news the Apostle Paul reveals to us in Romans chapter four, we have peace with God, access to God, and joy in God.

We are at peace with the Father because we believe what Jesus accomplished on the cross was sufficient appeasement for our sin. By that same faith we have been given access to the Father by the power of His Holy Spirit. And finally, we rejoice because we know by faith our Heavenly hope is a sure guarantee; a done-deal. Fundamentally, the war with God is over—He is not angry, annoyed, or disappointed in us, for having been justified, He sees us in our glorified state.

How Can That Be?

This doctrine is vitally important towards the serenity and sanity of every believer, so pay attention. ‘How can the Lord see us in our glorified state when we have not yet received our glorified bodies? Let’s go back to Genesis and Abraham for that answer.

(As it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed–God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did… Romans 4:17

When the Lord told Abraham these things they had not yet happen, but He makes the statement in a tense that implies the event already was. In other words, Abraham at age 100 has yet to father a child, but God talks about him as if these countless nations already were.

(I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him. That which is has already been, And what is to be has already been… Ecclesiastes 3:14-15a

God has essentially told Abraham, “That which is has already been, and what is to be has already been.” It is an incredible premise and only one that God could accomplish—not only can God see the beginning from the end, He is able to operate in both realms simultaneously. Only God can give a future promise and then proclaim it as if it has already occurred. Think about that the next time you pray for a healing of some kind.

(For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. Romans 8:29-30

God can, in a sense, see the entire parade as if viewing it from the Goodyear blimp. Although the analogy is flawed, it loosely demonstrates how He can see the beginning and the end concurrently and how He is able to forecast with perfect accuracy to the person below what lies ahead. God can say, “You have seen the Underdog balloon,” before we have seen it, because He knows it is only a matter of time before we do. From our limited perspective we can only realize that which is directly in front of us, but by faith we are able to take God at His word. When we do, we are justified, and when we are justified, we are seen by God as glorified. If you believe that by faith, it should bring you much peace, access, and joy!

(Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. Hebrews 11:1-3

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You Have Got to See This!

You’ve Got to See This!

Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s children shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people. Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, And his teeth whiter than milk. Genesis 49:8-12

Israel Blesses Israel

Israel is on the verge of blessing his twelve sons, the offspring of which will become the twelve tribes of Israel the nation. Amazingly these blessings prophetically outline the nation’s entire history; from birth to its glorious restoration at Christ’s second coming in these the last days. These God-inspired prophetic illustrations are astonishing. Let’s look at all the blessings, saving Judah’s blessing, the fourth blessing out of the twelve, for last.

Reuben’s blessing prophetically speaks of the birth of Israel as a nation and their forty-year downfall in the desert. Simeon and Levi’s addresses the scattering of Israel and the two captivities they endured. Zebulon’s speaks to Israel’s exile as a result of rejecting Jesus and Issachar’s the continued prosperity of the nation despite their snubbing of Christ. It could be said that we are currently in this era of Issachar’s blessing.

Dan’s blessing entails the emergence of Antichrist and Gad’s speaks to the heightened persecution brought on by this global terrorist. Asher’s looks to the 144, 000 Jewish evangelicals who will come on the scene and Naphtali’s the sharing of that life-saving Good News message. Joseph’s blessing prophetically reveals Christ’s second coming and Benjamin’s to Israel’s victorious restoration following the Battle of Armageddon. Did you get all that? Read through Genesis 49 and compare notes.

Saving the Best for Last

I pulled Judah’s blessing out from the sequence so that we could spotlight it alone, for from Judah comes Shiloh, our Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. Reread Genesis 48:8-12 and check-out the remarkable prophetic images of our Jesus. For the most part they are easy to recognize, but what can we make of verse ten?

The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes… Genesis 49:10

Eyewitness News

In 30 AD, in the eyes of Israel, a terrible thing occurred that caused the nation much despair – the Jerusalem Talmud records that Jews lost the power of capital punishment (40 years before the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD).

This was devastating news to the Jews because the ‘scepter’ of their authority, as prophesied by Jacob, had ‘departed’ and their ‘Shiloh’ (Messiah) had not yet come forth. Their perception had to be that Jacob’s prophecy, i.e. God’s Word to His people, was a lie.

However, their distress was unwarranted because Messiah had arrived. In fact, it was at this very time a 30 year old Jesus appears on the scene to begin His earthly ministry. Although Israel would go on to reject Him, we know by means of God’s true word, they will be restored when they come to see Him for who He truly is—their (our) Messiah.

 

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Sacrifice and Praise

Sacrifice and PraiseSo Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac…Then he sent Judah before him to Joseph… Genesis 46:1 & 28

It Seemed Like the Right Thing to Do

I can scarcely begin to tell how many times I have advanced a decision to do something based exclusively on the notion that it seemed like the right thing to do. By God’s grace, not every choice was dreadful; sometimes things turned out well and other times, not so well. Our Father would rather our movements be in harmony with His and so, through His servant Israel He provides instruction, that if pursued will facilitate discerning His will before we leap haphazardly.

Digging Up the Past

Israel is about to enter Egypt and he stops. I suppose his memory drifts back to the days of his grandfather Abraham who found himself in a similar predicament—there was famine in the land and he too went to Egypt for resources. At the time, to Abraham it must have seemed like the right thing to do, but his grievous error was in not seeking God’s will. Despite the fact he returned a wealthy man, part of his yield included a slave girl named Hagar, who would bear him a son named Ishmael, the likes of which the world still struggles today.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2

Israel is unquestionably anxious to see his son Joseph and to obtain provision for his family, but he stops just short of entering in and inquires of God. While impatience, eagerness, and enthusiasm are my customary stumbling blocks, Israel demonstrates that selfishness will not stand between him and his relationship with his Father. Subsequently, God honors that sacrifice by authorizing and confirming Israel’s entry into Egypt.

“I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.” Genesis 46:3-4

Ready, Set, GO!

Not so fast. This is the stage where many of us would proclaim, “Gentlemen, start your engines!” as we geared-up to move forward with God’s blessing, but Israel’s reaction is quite different. Relaxed and poised he selects his son Judah to go before him and to greet Joseph. Why Judah? Because the name Judah (in Hebrew) means praise—Israel moves forth with praise and praise leads the way! Let us by sacrifice seek His will and then proceed with our praises toward Him.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. Psalms 100:4

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An Idiot for Jesus!

And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. Genesis 45:4-5God Can Use Your Biggest Mistake

For the believer and the nonbeliever, everything happens for a reason and nothing comes about by coincidence. Even this morning when I had a mini road-rage episode, God used the event to reveal some residual evil in my heart and to perform a little fine-tuning of my soul. It is in these moments I find myself thanking the Lord for answering my prayers (to make known to me my true heart), showing me what an idiot I still am, and for demonstrating His faithfulness and interest in this my sanctification process.

Joseph (a picture of Christ Jesus) is schooling his brothers in this doctrine. The brothers, led by Judah, had previously expressed their readiness to learn by the confession of their sin and as a result Joseph gives them pardon. The essence of Joseph’s actions were later summed-up in these words by Jesus on the cross.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Luke 23:34

Do we fully understand the implication of Christ’s words? On this day, everyone within earshot of Jesus; every Jew, every soldier, every sinner heard the same exact message that Joseph told his brothers, “do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves…for God sent me before you to preserve life.” Had they confessed they would have received a gracious pardon. For those with breath still in their lungs, the offer remains.

Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Acts 3:17-18

For those presently in Christ the good news is that we can stop beating ourselves silly over the mistakes we make. God has foreknowledge of our corrupt manner and has designed a purpose that will bless both Him and us mutually. The progression continues when we acknowledge our wickedness and confess our sin to Jesus. Christ will never give His approval to our sin, but He will turn it around as a Kingdom-building mechanism that brings honor, glory, and praise to Him.

But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more… Romans 5:20b

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The Treasure in Your Sack

So the men took that present and Benjamin, and they took double money in their hand, and arose and went down to Egypt; and they stood before Joseph. When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my home, and slaughter an animal and make ready; for these men will dine with me at noon.” …Now the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, “It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may make a case against us and seize us, to take us as slaves with our donkeys.” …But he said, “Peace be with you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. Genesis 43:15-16, 18, 23A Recap

Joseph’s brothers, still not recognizing him as their brother, are returning to Egypt with Benjamin just as he had commanded them and they are also returning the money Joseph had put back in their sacks after their last journey. Again, the typology (the prophetic parallels between Joseph and Jesus) run throughout this story. While these events truly happened and accurately chronicle the formation of Israel as a nation, they also point vividly to Jesus Christ as Lord and as Savior.

“Take these men to my home…”

The Lord is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works…for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Psalm 145:9 & Matthew 5:45b

When Joseph directs his brothers to be brought into his home, it further illustrates how everyone (this side of Heaven) is blessed by God, despite what they may or may not believe. This also speaks to how God continues (and will continue) to bless the Jew even though they have not yet come to recognize the Son as their Messiah.

“Now the men were afraid…”

Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more… Romans 5:20

Joseph brothers were very fearful; although they were not guilty of this particular act (stealing money), they were certainly guilty of other sins. Joseph knew and they knew. And despite their innocence regarding this deed, their consciousness of past deeds ate at them like a cancer—they were on the cusp of reaping that which they had sown. The good news is that they came to Joseph anyway and for that leap-of-faith they would realize the promise spoken of in Romans 5:20.

“Peace be with you, do not be afraid…”

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, ” says the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

At this point we might correctly assert that grace such as this does not make any sense—God’s response is not logical by worldly standards. God would remind us that He is not of this world and He alone is God and He alone is good.

“God of your father has given you treasure…”

The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein…The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, ’ says the Lord of hosts… Psalm 24:1 & Haggai 2:8

God teaches us that our salvation cannot be purchased. The fact that we occasionally get caught-up in trying to pay for it is an inane mission, especially in light of the fact we are paying with resources that never belonged to us in the first place. Jesus paid the price and even if there were a cost associated with our salvation we could not pay it because we don’t own anything.

The message; the application for every person is this: come to Jesus just as you are, by faith, confessing your sins, and receiving freely that which you never owned or could ever earn—today is the day of your salvation.

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Remember Me

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that …the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 1 Corinthians 11:23b-25We Are Going Through Genesis

When we started this portion of Genesis that spotlights the life of Joseph, I was quick to point out that he is a prophetic picture or ‘type’ of Jesus the Christ. The reality of that truth can be plainly seen in chapter forty of Genesis as we discover a correlation between those events of Joseph’s day and our contemporary observance of Holy Communion.

Joseph Gets Some Cellmates

It came to pass after these things that the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt…So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined. Genesis 40:1+3

We recall that Joseph (a picture of Jesus) is falsely imprisoned—we know that Joseph was not a sinless man, but the fact that the Bible records none of his sins make the parallels between him and Christ very compelling. Joseph is joined by two men—ultimately one will be saved and the other will be damned.

And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:12b

I believe it is safe to assume that prison life is no picnic; those who would describe it as a living hell have likely have nailed the imagery. I am fascinated by the correlation between Joseph witnessing to his cellmates in this hellhole (one saved and one doomed) and how Jesus during His three days of entombment would also come to visit hell.

Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” (Now this, “He ascended”–what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things. Ephesians 4:8-10

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the (*demonic) spirits in prison…1 Peter 3:18-19

In these two reports Jesus first visits the faithful; i.e. those who died prior to Christ’s earthly appearance, to enlighten them that His work was finished and that they were now free. Jesus then hops over to the other side of hell to inform the demonical that because His work was finished, they no long held dominion over the body; His faithful on earth. Praise be to God!

The Wine

Then the chief butler told his dream to Joseph…”Behold, in my dream a vine was before me, and in the vine were three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes. Then Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” And Joseph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it…within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place… But remember me… Genesis 40:9-14

Christ’s cup of suffering is our cup of salvation and as I read this account I cannot help but remember these words from 1 Corinthians 11:25.

In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

The Bread

When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and there were three white baskets on my head. In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.” So Joseph answered and said, “This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you.” Genesis 40:16-19

What a bleak contrast; the bakers dream reveals that which must be broken. As we see Joseph sandwiched between these two offenders, we can also envision Jesus suspended upon the cross between two thieves. In both these accounts one will be rescued and one shall be doomed.

And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Luke 22:19

The reason behind why the butler and baker are treated so differently is not known, although there is at least one application we can make for our individual spiritual walks. Grapes are essentially created by God—a work of the Spirit (so to speak), while bread is a work of the flesh. Wine is poured out when it is consumed and bread is broken before it is eaten. In Christ’s crucifixion we see a breaking of the flesh; i.e. His body that bore all of mankind’s sin and a pouring-out of His blood—for life is in the blood.

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 1 Cor 11:28-29

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“Take This Job and _______!” (*fill in the blank)

Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority. So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house and all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house and in the field. Genesis 39:1-5

W. J. W. D.

What do I do when I find myself in an adverse situation—do I lament, “This isn’t fair, ” or proclaim, “why has this happened to me?” Do I arrogantly declare, “My talent is being wasted, ” or do I swear vengeance against those who have wronged me? And what would I do if I were in Joseph’s sandals? If anyone had the right to gripe, Joseph certainly did, but instead chooses a superior course to follow and in so doing expresses what Jesus would do.

Christian Prosperity

A whole lot of churches are getting the wrong message about prosperity. If the Lord elects to bless a person with worldly wealth, so be it, but in so doing God is not declaring that this is what (godly) prosperity is or that we are all somehow entitled to it (wealth). Prosperity is characterized not by that we possess, but by an attitude we express. In Joseph we see a man who is blessed by what he has been given and not grieved over that which he does not have, demonstrating that in the pursuit of God’s righteous there is satisfaction.

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6

A Blessing to Others

I like that the Bible records that as a result of Joseph’s behavior and attitude, that the Lord blessed Potiphar’s house as well. My mind immediately goes to the work-place—can my boss say of me, “This is the best employee I have ever had—whatever he does is a blessing to me, ” or do I let my feelings get in the way of my performance? Wherever I find myself, are those around me somehow blessed because of my obedience to God? In emulating Joseph we imitate Christ Jesus—let our focus be on His promise and His provision for His honor, glory, and praise.

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God…If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Corinthians 10:31 & 1 Peter 4:11

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A Picture of Jesus–Really!

And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father. Genesis 37:2Not a Coincidence

The accounts of Joseph, the son of Israel (Jacob) begins here in chapter thirty seven of Genesis and continues on for thirteen more chapters—over twenty five percent of the book is focused on him. We might ask ourselves why considering God used only five words to explain His creation of the universe in chapter one. The reason is a basic one: Joseph is a picture of Jesus Christ. Don’t make a mistake here; Joseph is not Jesus, but rather a ‘type’ of Jesus—his character and his deeds prophetically picture those of our Lord and Savior.

As we go through the chapter I will highlight the New Testament references which illustrate the relationship (and which you can compare to the Genesis passages). To those who might suggest that these similarities are mere coincidences, I say to them that God’s purpose for the entire Scriptures is to point everyone who reads to His Son Jesus in one way or another. Essentially, Jesus can be found in every sentence of the Bible.

Let’s Begin!Joseph was a sinner, but not one of his sins are recorded in the Bible and that is where we can begin coloring in this picture, for we know Jesus was without sin. Starting with the opening verse, “Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father, ” some might ask is Joseph being a tattle-tale. Remembering that Joseph is a ‘picture’ of Jesus, I would say this passage points out how this son is always about his father’s business.

And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” Luke 2:49

It also demonstrates how Joseph feared the father and disregarded any fear of his brothers— similarly Jesus is submitted to His Father.

The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe. Proverbs 29:25

Back to Genesis

Read these passages from Genesis and compare the New Testament references to Jesus…

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. Genesis 37:3-4

He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. John 1:11

Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”…Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.” Genesis 37:5-7, 9

For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.” Romans 14:11

For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.” Romans 14:11

Then his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” So he said to him, “Here I am.” Genesis 37:12-13

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:16-17

Then he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.” So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem. Genesis 37:14 (*Hebron means fellowship; Joseph has been sent ‘out’ of fellowship)

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46

(*Israel–a picture of the Father, must have figured that Joseph would have been well received and respected by his other sons, assuming that they knew the authority he had given him. It reminds me of this parable from Jesus.)

“There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ’They will respect my son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ’This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ Matthew 21:33-38

Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, “What are you seeking?” So he said, “I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are feeding their flocks.” Genesis 37:15-16

For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10

Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him…But Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, and said, “Let us not kill him.” And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him”–that he might deliver him out of their hands, and bring him back to his father. Genesis 37:18, 21-22 (*We can picture  Reuben as a type of wavering Pontius Pilate).

So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands. Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.” John 19:1-4

So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it. Genesis 37:23-24

And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. Matthew 27:28

Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before. Luke 23:53

Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes. And he returned to his brothers and said, “The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?” Genesis 37:29-30

But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.  Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. Luke 24:2-3

So they took Joseph’s tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood. 32 Then they sent the tunic of many colors, and they brought it to their father and said, “We have found this. Do you know whether it is your son’s tunic or not?” Genesis 37:31 (*Reminds me of these guys who lied about the empty tomb)

Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.  When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 saying, “Tell them, ’His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ Matthew 28:11-13

The truth of the matter is that we have just scratched the surface (I likely deleted as many if not more Bible verses than I used for this blog. As an application for us, it really all comes down to one thing. Since every in the Bible purposely points to Jesus Christ (and since we have been made in His image), it is our purpose to point everyone to Him as well. Let every word and every action be a picture of Jesus Christ.

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