“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive,”Gen. 50:20
Man’s nature is only evil every day, ever since the Fall of Adam. “Ye thought evil against me,” is the response of Joseph to his brethren, when they realized that with all of their lies and murderous intentions against him from the beginning had only served to accomplish God’s will for him on their behalf. Such is our case, for whom the LORD Jesus Christ was sent into this world. It was not the righteous He was sent to save, but sinners. Our nature is that of rebellion and evil against God and against His anointed one (Christ) [Psalm 2:1,2]. And yet, even as Joseph showed kindness to his brethren and forgave them, attributing to God the glory in ALL that came to pass, so we see in this a type of our LORD Jesus and His love and forgiveness of all those sinners whom God His Father sent Him to save. How precious to any sinners in whom the Spirit of grace has revealed the LORD Jesus, even as Joseph revealed himself to his brethren. Knowing the sinfulness of their sin, once Joseph was revealed to them, and all of their sinful corrupt actions and thoughts exposed, yet he loved them to the end. So it is with our LORD Jesus. [Romans 5:6-9: “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”]
God ordains all things for the glory of His Son and the salvation of His people. This fundamental truth of Scripture is clearly illustrated in Joseph’s response to his brethren. “God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” It was the very Spirit of God who put these words in Joseph’s heart and on his tongue, not just for their sake, but for our sake, who are God’s children, and the LORD Jesus’ brethren by the Father’s electing grace. Some have difficulty understanding how God could have ordained the Fall of Adam, and all of the evil world that is the consequence of that Fall. Nevertheless, reading the Scriptures, it is clear that God purposed such a world, even before He created it, because His Son was from eternity with Him, in whose ‘book,’ were the names of all those sinners that were to be saved by His Son as the Lamb slain in due time. If we are the LORD’S by God’s electing grace, then consider that it was our sins that nailed Him to the cross. It was due to our evil that Christ paid the debt. Those that nailed Him to the cross were our representatives. When they cried ‘Crucify Him, Crucify Him,’ they were but our spokespersons. And yet, all of the evil of our corrupt rebellious hearts that caused Him the suffering He endured, was exactly what God purposed, that He might save much people alive. [Acts 4:27,28: For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.] [Romans 11:33-O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!]
As with any, in whom Christ has revealed Himself, by His Spirit of grace, we can but bow in wonder, and His mercy and grace to sinners such as us, knowing that we deserve nothing but wrath and condemnation.
Older
Top
