JOSEPH-THE PATRIARCH OF LOVE
This morning I want to talk about Joseph the patriarch and how his life has impacted us in these days and what applies to our lives personally. The Mystical Order will continue to enlighten you through this website and our Facebook page and groups. It is my duty to minister daily the truths of God’s word. What we know “to whom much is given, much more is required.
Joseph is very different from his father. He is Jacob’s first and favourite son by Rachel, a master of a dream, sold into slavery by jealous brothers. (yes very jealous) He becomes a lord of Egypt who saves the nations in time of famine, leads his brothers to repentance before revealing his identity in a magnanimous act of reconciliation, and fulfils his father’s last wish by burying his remains in the land of promise. He is the consolation of his father’s old age, after having been the indirect cause of his broken heart.
The Joseph-saga (Genesis 37-50) is a superb presentation of the biblical doctrine of vicarious suffering, for Joseph, when triumphant, saves his brothers who had cruelly wronged him. Salvation comes through suffering; God makes the moment of Joseph’s apparent destruction the starting point of his ascent to glory. The whole story of how God overrides men’s evil purposes and out of their misdeeds works their salvation is found in both the Joseph-saga and in the passion and death of Jesus Christ. The wickedness of Joseph’s brothers is overcome by the goodness of Joseph. The act whereby they attempted to destroy him, eventually leads to their salvation in time of famine. Through love, Joseph and Christ “destroy” their enemies by converting them into friends, and in this remarkable way show how the psalmist’s frequent prayer for the “destruction” of God’s enemies is actually accomplished. Love is the way God “destroys” His enemies when the very crucifixion of the Messiah is turned by divine wisdom into the means of salvation for all mankind.
No tension between nature and grace, disbelief and faith are found in Joseph. He suffers patiently when treated with malice because he is the peace of a true friend of God, “God was with Joseph and was kind to him” (Genesis 39:21). Thus God’s loving friendship sustains him in prison and enables him to accept ill fortune as well as good. There is no wrestling with the deity (Jacob: Genesis 32:23-33). No tensions between faith and unfaith (Abraham) or sinfulness and grace (Jacob) appear in Joseph, but rather in his brothers.
Today we stand in the presence of God suffering inside daily from the jealous actions and behaviour of our brethren. Night and day they were the accuser of the brethren who are trying to serve the Lord. They have no conscience but to do the things since they are turned over to the will of the enemy. May Almighty God grant peace and mercy and bring everyone to the saving grace of God
Sir Godfrey Gregg
Divisional Patriarch
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