20. Closing Comments About The Lives Of Joseph And Our Lord
Closing Comments About The Lives Of Joseph And Our Lord
Myrrh
Joseph experienced deeply both the bitterness of the myrrh and the blessings of the dew of heaven. Both of these precious sets of lessons are developed in his life in the school of God with his brethren and in the world of his time. He knew what it was to be rejected by his brethren, to overcome evil with good, but to still not be fully trusted. In all he is a wonderful type of our Lord and is a rich role model for each of us to follow.
We have already noticed Joseph’s relationship with his father and his brethren before their separation. In spite of known and felt animosity, Joseph would be faithful in doing his father’s bidding, and he was ready and willing to go to seek the welfare of his brethren. He is like our blessed Lord who "came unto His own, but His own received Him not” (John 1:11).
Both were rejected and sold. They could not walk together with their brethren. There could be no unity because of the different ways and lifestyles. Both were hated for their upright lives; that produced hatred in the hearts of their brethren. The rejections of both came from those whom they loved so dearly and for whom they desired the very best. Both lived upright lives in spite of the false accusations and continued to seek the welfare of their brethren and were willing to forgive, even without forgiveness being requested. Evil was overcome with good. Blessings were rendered in place of mockery and cursing.
Joseph was stripped of his beautiful robe and "wrapped" in the "myrrh train" that took him to Egypt (Genesis 37:25-27). He felt so very deeply the rejection of his brethren. Later, his brethren admitted their guilt concerning their brother, in that they saw the anguish of his soul when he besought them, but they would not hear (42:21). He deeply felt the bitterness of the myrrh, but he carried the fragrance to others. God was with him and made all that he did to prosper (39:3). While he deeply felt the afflictions, he kept them inside (rolling them on his God), so that on the outside he could be so useful to and trusted by others in the new strange land. Even in the new land, there were severe testings, but he remained faithful to his God and to those whom he served. We read of no attempt to return evil to any. Our blessed Lord veiled His glory, entering this world under the poorest of circumstances. We find Him wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. He was unknown by most during the first thirty years of His life. When He did make Himself known to His brethren the vast majority rejected Him. His good deeds were ascribed to evil powers. Very few (but how precious they were to Him) brought myrrh to Him as noted above. The Psalms and Prophets are full of expressions of the anguish of His heart. The Song of Songs describe His appreciation of the myrrh with its bitterness and fragrance. Yet He willingly asked for forgiveness for His enemies and even today is still willingly receiving all who have grievously sinned against Him when they come in repentance to Him, asking for His mercy. On the cross He exhausted the wrath of God for sins. Two of His own wrapped His body in linen, with myrrh and aloes, and laid Him in the new tomb. But He rose from the dead and is now ascended to the right hand of the Father. Now there is wonderful blessing for all who accept Him as Saviour. The day is coming when Israel will come to the end of herself. After the soon-coming terrible persecution befalls her, she will in absolute desperation call on Him whom she has long rejected. She will then be restored to Him. The bitterness of His myrrh will be replaced by its fragrance!