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He was Like Christ, March 14
The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: but
his bow abode in strength.
Genesis 49:23, 24
.
The life of Joseph illustrates the life of Christ. It was envy that moved
the brothers of Joseph to sell him as a slave; they hoped to prevent him from
becoming greater than themselves. And when he was carried to Egypt, they
flattered themselves that they were to be no more troubled with his dreams, that
they had removed all possibility of their fulfillment. But their own course was
overruled by God to bring about the very event that they designed to hinder. So
the Jewish priests and elders were jealous of Christ, fearing that He would attract
the attention of the people from them. They put Him to death, to prevent Him
from becoming king, but they were thus bringing about this very result.
Joseph, through his bondage in Egypt, became a savior to his father’s family;
yet this fact did not lessen the guilt of his brothers. So the crucifixion of Christ
by His enemies made Him the Redeemer of mankind, the Saviour of the fallen
race, and Ruler over the whole world: but the crime of His murderers was just
as heinous as though God’s providential hand had not controlled events for His
own glory and the good of man.
As Joseph was sold to the heathen by his own brothers, so Christ was sold
to His bitterest enemies by one of His disciples. Joseph was falsely accused
and thrust into prison because of his virtue: so Christ was despised and rejected
because His righteous, self-denying life was a rebuke to sin; and though guilty
of no wrong, He was condemned upon the testimony of false witnesses. And
Joseph’s patience and meekness under injustice and oppression, his ready for-
giveness and noble benevolence toward his unnatural brothers, represent the
Saviour’s uncomplaining endurance of the malice and abuse of wicked men, and
His forgiveness, not only of His murderers, but of all who have come to Him
confessing their sins and seeking a pardon
He who receives Christ by living faith ... has a living connection with God....
He carries with him the atmosphere of heaven, which is the grace of God, a
treasure that the world cannot buy. He who is in living connection with God may
be in humble stations, yet his moral worth is as precious as was that of Joseph
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21
Ibid., 239, 240
.
22
The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 1:1097, 1098
.
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