Reading 2
Genesis 37: 1-11; 43: 11-14; 45: 9-11, 21-28; 46: 1-4, 28-30
A.J.G We are considering the history of Jacob as illustrating the line following which the Holy Spirit works with us.
Yesterday, we had before us the truth of the house of God and how Jacob is led to be in line with that. It is this truth that must affect our conduct, as Paul says to Timothy: “… that thou mayest know how one ought to conduct oneself in God’s house”, 1 Tim 3: 15. God dwells in us by the Holy Spirit so that God is near to us at all times, and we ourselves near to Him, although we may not always be conscious of this nearness because opposing conditions produce distance; pride in particular introduces distance. God knoweth the proud from afar off, but “he looketh upon the lowly”.
In this second section of the history of Jacob that we are going to consider, one is not governed by the light of God’s house but by his affection for Joseph and by the position that Joseph occupies. Chapter 37 begins with Joseph. The Spirit of God expands on the fact that Jacob loves Joseph “more than all his sons”. And it is striking to notice that in verse 3 of this chapter, Jacob is called Israel by the Spirit, the name given by God: Jacob is considered as spiritual in the passage that occupies us. His spirituality is seen in the way in which he loves Joseph. The work of the Spirit has in view to make Christ supreme in our hearts.
The first part of the history of Jacob is in view of developing piety—that is to say, God is brought into all the ordinary conditions of life; the second part illustrates the development of spirituality.
For forty days that followed His resurrection, the Lord had in His mind to present Himself living to His disciples, coming in and going out although the doors were shut, in view of impressing them by spiritual conditions. It is the Lord’s prerogative to act like this in the assembly. When He spoke to them of the kingdom of God, this was nothing less than the domination of the Holy Spirit over us. This is linked with the first part of Jacob’s history and is a preparation for becoming spiritual.
It is Joseph who now appears especially before Israel. The testimony rendered by the two dreams had provoked the enmity of Joseph’s brethren, but it is said that Jacob “kept this word”, v 11. These dreams become a testimony to Jacob; although he did not understand them completely, he kept this word in his mind and in his heart.
Ques. Why is it said that Joseph was seventeen years old?
A.J.G. To indicate, I think, that the light is beginning to shine; it shone fully when he reached thirty years. Joseph is mentioned as young here, to bring out that Jacob and the brethren of Joseph had only a small appreciation of him; Joseph was young in their eyes; but later he would become great in their appreciation.
The first dream corresponds to the truth presented in the epistle to the Colossians, while the second corresponds to the truth presented to the Ephesians. In the first dream, it is a question of sheaves. Joseph says: “Behold, we were binding sheaves in the fields, and lo, my sheaf rose up, and remained standing; and behold, your sheaves came round about and bowed down to my sheaf”, v 7. Joseph’s sheaf which remained standing is an allusion to the assembly that, in the power of the life of Christ, can stand in superiority above all that man can put up. The other sheaves have been bound by the hand of man; it is impossible for them to stand upright. But what is bound by affection for Christ in the power of His life remains upright, to establish the supremacy of Christ over all things, One in whom all the fulness of the Godhead is pleased to dwell bodily. He is capable of maintaining the saints together upright through the time of testimony.
The second dream corresponds to what we read at the end of the first chapter of the epistle to the Ephesians: “… and he set him down at his right hand in the heavenlies, above every principality, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name named, not only in this age, but also in that to come”. This is how God has exalted Christ and this is how the great excellence is expressed of One under whose feet all things have been subjected; and whom God has given, in this glorious position, as Head over all things to the assembly.
The sun, the moon, the stars, that is to say all the heavenly authorities, bow down before Joseph according to the second dream. All this must be light for Jacob and leads us to the truth of the assembly as being united to Christ, living His life, drawing its character from Him.
Chapter 43, which treats principally of Joseph’s brethren, shows that unity has to be realised among the brethren before the truth can be brought in. The adjustment among the brethren is necessary in submission to Christ and in the appreciation of His Person. Joseph is the eleventh son of Jacob. His mother had said at his birth, “Jehovah will add to me another son”. The thought of twelve, a complete number, is unity in love. That suggests that something is accomplished according to God; there can be nothing without love, but all is easy where love is operating. Eleven or thirteen are unproductive numbers, with which nothing can be done; but twelve is easily used. It gives two times six, or four times three, and inversely, six times two or three times four. Twelve represents love which makes everything easy.
How difficult the situation was in Jacob’s family; there were four mothers, and as a result a lot of difficulty in going on together; but when Joseph was born—Christ comes in—then it is possible to envisage the thought of twelve, and with Benjamin, the difficulties are going to be levelled; all the brethren are led to appreciate Joseph.
Ques. Is that the reason why it is said, “These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph …” (the first mentioned)?
A.J.G. Yes, Joseph. As soon as Joseph is apprehended, a movement is brought about. Chapter 37 is the key that opens the second part of Jacob’s history. We see there what a great place Joseph has in Jacob’s affections.
It is impossible to arrive at the truth of the assembly if Christ does not have this place in the affections. The assembly is given to Christ so as to be united to Him as His body; His life is our life—hid with the Christ in God.
It was necessary that Joseph’s brethren should be adjusted. The first time they came to Egypt, Joseph tells them that they would not see his face again unless Benjamin was with them. Benjamin was Joseph’s true brother, son of the same mother and the same father; he corresponds to Christ in us subjectively, and it is an absolute necessity that this element is found among the brethren.
How would the truth of the assembly be realised unless Christ is seen characteristically in the saints according to Colossians 3: 11; “but Christ everything and in all”? It is the thought of the assembly as the body of Christ; every difference springing from what is natural being set aside in the power of the Spirit and Christ being everything and in all. Joseph seeks to provoke that; that is why he insists that Benjamin is found there.
Jacob had lost sight of Joseph for a long time; he had tried to live in natural things, but he had become more and more sad; his horizon is clouded because he has lost Joseph from view; he does not know that he is living. He says to his sons: “Ye have bereaved me of children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin! All these things are against me”. But in chapter 43, the work of God begins to assert itself. Jacob is named “Israel”, and he is able to give good advice: “take of the best fruits in the land”. In applying that to ourselves, we would see the fruit of the Spirit according to the epistle to the Galatians, in contrast with the fruits of the flesh. Jacob can counsel his sons to take the best.
Rem. In chapter 42: 7, it is said twice that Joseph recognised his brethren, but was not recognised by them.
A.J.G. The true state of Joseph’s brethren is exposed here. Joseph’s way of acting towards them is a combination of severity and grace: he is going to bind one of them, but on the other hand, he sends back their money in their sack. The Lord’s ways towards us can appear severe sometimes, but love motivates it. All is in view of leading us in liberty with Him and in affection one with another, so that we may enter together into the truth of the assembly.
Rem. The Lord always acts in love. He smites, but because He loves.
A.J.G. Yes, Joseph’s actions are very touching: he arranges that his cup should be put in Benjamin’s sack. With wisdom, he achieves the proof of his brethren. His servant is a figure of the Spirit. “And they hasted and laid down every man his sack on the ground, and opened every man his sack. And he searched carefully: he began at the eldest, and ended at the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. Then they rent their clothes”. All are entirely found out; they all had to be searched and the cup had to be found in Benjamin’s sack. He was tested and at the same time bore the test because he himself was innocent.
Judah represents here the work of repentance which appears among the brethren; he is ready to lay down his life for the brethren; in other words, he has consideration for his father; these features are agreeable to Christ.
The cup represents what gives pleasure to Joseph. If disunity exists among us, or something that displeases Christ, that has to be judged. All are accused of having stolen Joseph’s cup. Everyone protests, but when the cup is found, Judah says, “What shall we say to my lord? what shall we speak, and how justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of thy servants”. It is Judah who recognises the truth and as a consequence he is ready to lay down his life for his brethren.
Then Joseph could no longer contain himself; he is free to make himself known and invites his brethren to draw near to him: “And he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept on his neck. And he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them”. This achieved, Jacob can be brought in afresh. The message is sent to him to come down, and he could live in the land of Goshen where he would be near to Joseph.
From now on, Jacob is going to live in relation to Joseph on the latter’s proposal: Joseph gives changes of garments, that is to say that one must appear with different features before him.
It is very important to note that Jacob does take his journey to Joseph before unity among the brethren has been realised. There is no power at all to enter into the truth of the assembly until we are moving together in love. So, Joseph says to his brethren: “Do not quarrel on the way”. Joseph thereby reminds his brethren that they still carry with them what they are naturally, without however the intention of bringing that into view, but to indicate to them that they must move with Joseph’s spirit upon them.
Ques. What do the asses and she asses laden with corn suggest?
A.J.G. It is “the good things of Egypt … by the way”. They are the abundant riches that are in Joseph’s hands. He would attract Jacob by these riches out of all that is natural to live from now on in relation with him and all that he possessed. But “his heart fainted”. Jacob is still in unbelief. What a sad state that he needed to judge. It is a state which might well be found in ourselves; we can be believers, have received the Holy Spirit, but the things of the Spirit not be a reality for us because we are in unbelief! Paul says, “while we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen”. It is a question of faith, a direction to take by faith and the Spirit is ready to help whoever has faith in himself.
Rem. The things that are seen are for a time.
A.J.G. Exactly; the main point is to discern where Joseph is. It is the question that Jacob has to face so as to be delivered from what held him and to be able to live in relation to him. The sight of the waggons—the power of transport—revived Jacob’s spirit. He is named Israel again, and he says: “It is enough: Joseph my son is yet alive; I will go and see him before I die”. From now on, everything for him is focused on Joseph. The feeling that the Spirit is there to serve us is what is going to set us in movement towards Christ. The assembly is the great interest of the heart of Christ; all that the Lord desires to secure for Himself is found in His assembly.
Israel therefore departs; he is set in movement. It is important to remark that in Joseph’s history, Egypt does not represent the world, but the sphere where Christ is supreme. With Jacob, Egypt is considered as a figure of the sphere of Joseph’s interests and Jacob must come to Egypt.
Rem. In the verse quoted, it is said that “Israel departed”, but it is added, “and all that he had”.
A.J.G. Yes, that is very important; all that we possess must be considered as belonging to Christ. God would give Jacob confidence in saying to him “I will go down with thee”.
Ques. God addressing him repeats his name, “Jacob, Jacob”, as if to bring out the importance of the thing.
A.J.G. That expresses deep feelings; God is very occupied with the fact that Jacob sets himself in movement, and He gives him the assurance that Joseph will put his hands on his eyes, that is to say that Jacob’s eyes from now on will be closed for all that is not Joseph.
In the final passage, that is to say verse 30, we find Israel perfectly satisfied. It is actually like what Simeon expresses in chapter 2 of the gospel of Luke when he holds the little child Jesus in his arms and says: “now thou lettest thy bondman go, according to thy word, in peace … for mine eyes have seen thy salvation”. In the same way, Jacob having seen Joseph alive can say, “Now let me die, after I have seen thy face, since thou still livest”.
Rem. His salvation is reached.
A.J.G. Exactly. In reality, Jacob saw seventeen years more in power and in dignity. He has reached the point where Joseph is supreme, it is the level of spirituality. God brings in this light through the lives of certain men in view of making us understand the value of the assembly as the body of Christ, the great end that God has before Him for His service.
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