Joseph
was a famous person of the Old Testament. He was the favourite son of his
father, but hated by his elder brothers because of jealousy. His father sent
him to visit them, but they plotted to kill him instead. Finally, they sold him
into slavery in Egypt. Although Joseph turned from a beloved son into a slave,
he still feared God. The Lord was with him and gave him success in everything
he did, so that he gained the confidence of his master. Later on, he rebuked
the advances of his mistress, and was falsely accused and thrown into prison.
But God was still with him, and he found favour in the eyes of the prison
warden. The pain of wrongful imprisonment did not strip Joseph’s heart of the
fear of God. The Lord revealed what would happen in the future in a dream to
Pharaoh, and interpreted that dream to the king through Joseph. From then on
Pharaoh trusted Joseph, and gave him the important responsibility of governing
all of Egypt. So Joseph was elevated from a prisoner to the chief minister.
Pharaoh granted him the highest authority, and awarded him a noble name: “Pharaoh gave Joseph the name
Zaphenath-Paneah.” (Genesis 41:45) This name meant “all riches and glory are
bound to his person”. Joseph had surpassing wisdom and ability, and fully
received the help of God. In seven abundant years, he stored up much food for
Egypt. When the seven years of famine came, many people came to Joseph to plead
for food. So lives were preserved because of Joseph, and people from his whole
country and the surrounding areas all received his blessing.
In this age, people enjoy a
bountiful materialistic life. Yet vices and morality decay continuously. The
people of the world give free rein to their desires and commit transgressions.
They look but do not see the revelations exposed by the one true God within the
cosmos and throughout history, deliberately denying the existence of God, and
not knowing that a frightening destruction is about to befall mankind. Just as
had occurred to Egypt in the past, after the abundant harvest, a great and
fearful calamity would come. According to the Bible’s revelation, the course of
the world’s progression will only become more and more difficult. Natural disasters
and human tragedies will happen more and more frequently. The tide of false
doctrines, heresies, iniquities and opposition to God will become more and more
pronounced. Most will not care why God will judge the world, and won’t seek to
understand who Christ is.
God
loves deeply the people He created. Before the coming of that great and fearful
day of punishment, He first sent His beloved Son Jesus to earth. Christ served
humbly as a servant, preaching the Gospel of Salvation to mankind, and
testified to His true deity through miracles and signs. But the Jews were
hard-hearted and rejected Him, even nailing Him to the cross. God however
redeemed the sins of man through the death of Jesus, and also resurrected Him
from the dead, bestowing life to those who repented their sins to God and
accepted Christ as their Saviour. Not only that, God also exalted and glorified
Christ, giving Him the name that is above every name, so that at His name all
the living and the dead in heaven and on earth will bow down and worship Him,
confessing that Jesus is Lord and Christ, to the glory of God the Father
(Philippians 2:9-11). The honour and glory of Christ exceed that of Joseph, for
He owns many more noble and glorious names (Revelations 19:12, 16). The prophet
Isaiah in the Old Testament had long ago prophesied, “He will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
(Isaiah 9:6) The book of Matthew records, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the
name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins….They will call Him
Immanuel, which means, ‘God with us.’” (Matthew 1:21,
23) Jesus Christ became the eternal Saviour of mankind. The salvation He brings
far exceeds the work of Joseph. For He loves mankind and even died for sinners,
so that all who call upon Him and trust in Him will cast off their sins and
eternal punishment. Behold, there is one man greater than Joseph!
“Salvation is found in no one else,
for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be
saved." (Acts 4:12)
By:
Daniel To