God provided life, protection, and guidance for those he brought out of bondage in Egypt (Ex. 14:19-31 & Ps. 114). There is none other like him, majestic in holiness (Ex. 15:1-11, 20-21) and abounding in steadfast love and forgiveness (Ps. 103:1-13). Joseph sought to emulate God’s merciful character by extending forgiveness to those who had tried to harm him (Gen. 50:15-21). In the same way, Jesus teaches his followers to forgive others generously (Matt. 18:21-35). Jesus is Lord, therefore, bear with those who are weak in faith (Rom. 14:1-12).
In the Passover, Christians remember how God’s deliverance of Israel extends to all the world through the blood of Christ (Exodus 12:1-14). God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:7-11), but calls all people to praise him and delight in his commands (Psalm 149 and Psalm 119:33-40). Those who walk in righteousness seek to cast off the works of darkness and pursue the light of love (Romans 13:8-14). Believers are called to participate in Christ’s ministry by appropriately confronting sin (Matthew 18:15-20).
God is more holy than we can imagine or comprehend (Exodus 3:1-15). He has graciously revealed himself and called us to trust him. We respond in gratitude by choosing to walk in truth and love (Psalm 26). Remembering God’s faithfulness and promises (Psalm 105 & Jeremiah 15:15-21), we pursue love, joy, and patience in the midst of our adversaries. Like Jesus, we are to take up our cross and overcome evil with good (Romans 12:9-21). Jesus’ rebuke of Peter reminds us that God’s ways are often counterintuitive to our ways. We follow Jesus by turning from evil and choosing to love God (Matthew 16:21-28).
God provided deliverance for his people by raising up Moses to lead them out of Egypt (Exodus 1:8–2:10). He demonstrated steadfast love and care (Psalm 138) and saved those who seemed destined for destruction (Psalm 124). God’s promise of salvation in the past continues to be fulfilled in the present through Jesus Christ (Isaiah 51:1-6). He is the Messiah and Son of the living God (Matthew 16:13-20). In gratitude, followers of Jesus are exhorted to humbly serve the body of Christ by offering themselves as a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1-8).
After many years, Joseph is given the opportunity to reconcile with his brothers. This profound act of forgiveness prefigures the forgiveness offered by Christ (Genesis 45:1-15). God has been gracious to us (Psalm 67). In gratitude, we pursue unity with others; especially believers (Psalm 133). God wants us to avoid hypocrisy, cultivate pure hearts, and demonstrate a humble faith (Matthew 15:10-20, 21-28). Even though we are prone to fall into disobedience, God bestows His generous mercy upon us through Christ (Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32).
The story of Joseph has many parallels with the life of Christ (Genesis 37:14-, 12-28). As Joseph was thrown into the pit by his brothers, so Christ was crucified by His own, descended into the dead, and was resurrected so that we might live. This is good news and we must tell others (Romans 10:5-15)! The life, death, and resurrection of Christ have fulfilled the allusions we find to him in the Old Testament (Psalm 105). He is the embodiment of peace, salvation, and justice (Psalm 85). Like Joseph and Peter, we need not fear when we are sinking. He has promised to be with us and will help us when our faith is weak (Matthew 14:22-33).
“The framework of creation, this most perfectly ordered beauty, ascending from lowest to highest, descending from highest to lowest, never broken, but tempered together of things unlike, all praises God. Wherefore then doth all praise God? Because when thou considerest it, and seest its beauty, thou in it praisest God. The beauty of the earth is a kind of voice of the dumb earth…And this which thou has found in it, is the very voice of its confession, that thou praise the Creator. When thou hast thought on the universal beauty of this world, doth not its very beauty as it were with one voice answer thee, ‘I made not myself, God made me’?”
Jacob was broken and blessed by an awe-inspiring divine encounter (Genesis 32:22-32). The Lord is gracious to those who call upon his steadfast love and will satisfy those who seek his face (Psalm 145:8-9,14-21 and Psalm 17:1-7,15). He is overflowing with grace and promises good gifts to many nations (Isaiah 55:1-5). Through Israel, Jesus the Messiah was revealed to the world as the fulfillment of God’s covenant promises (Romans 9:1-5). Jesus demonstrated God’s grace by overwhelmingly satisfying the hunger of the crowds. The loaves were blessed, broken, and miraculously multiplied. An apt metaphor for his own life, death, and resurrection (Matthew 14:13-21).
Jacob suffered wrong and sacrificed much to win Rachel’s hand in marriage (Genesis 29:15-28). Wisdom and fulfillment are often the fruit of patient waiting and righteous pursuits (Psalm 128 and 1 Kings 3:5-12). These things may seem out of grasp, but we can still trust God to fulfill his covenant and bring about his purposes in the end (Psalm 105:1-11 and Romans 8:26-39), even in spite of human oppression and unfulfilled desires (Psalm 119:129-136). Followers of Christ are called to wholeheartedly seek God’s kingdom, wisely pursuing that which will last (Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52).
Jacob experienced a glimpse of God’s glory and a reminder that God keeps his promises (Genesis 28:10-19a). God eradicates all darkness and knows us better than we know ourselves (Psalm 139). Do not fear (Isaiah 44:6-8)! God’s steadfast love offers mercy and favor (Psalm 86). The Holy Spirit bears witness that we are God’s children through Christ (Romans 8:12-25). All creation patiently waits for evil to be defeated at the end of the age (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43).