The following commentary covers Chapters 42 through 47.
Repentance
and humiliation bring blessing through the once-rejected
One
At the same time another
scene presents itself. His brethren, who had rejected
him, forced by famine, are brought, by the path of
repentance and humiliation, to own him at length in
glory, whom they had once rejected when connected with
themselves. Benjamin, type of the power of the Lord upon
earth among the Jews, is united to him who, unknown, had
the power of the throne among the Gentiles; that is,
Christ unites these two characters. But this brings all
the brethren into connection with Joseph.
Finally, Jacob and his
family are placed, as a people apart, in the most
favoured country of all that was under the power of the
throne of the great king. Nothing can be more touching
than the conduct of Joseph towards his brethren; but I
must leave these reflections to the hearts of my readers,
placing them as far as my hearty desires can, under the
precious influence of the Spirit of God. The rapid survey
I have given, gives the type a clearer application than
more detail would, and that is what is of the deepest
interest here.
Joseph revelaed to
his brethren in glory and grace
Only remark that here the
repentance is immediately in connection with the
rejection of Joseph; this is brought on the conscience of
Joseph's brethren. So in the end will it be with Israel.
It is not here in reference to the law—that we shall
have after Sinai—but in typical connection with the
Messiah Their consciences are fully convinced, and they
go back to all the circumstances of his rejection. It is
only gradually that Joseph reveals himself, and with many
exercises of heart, which his dealings work in his
brethren. In the end Judah is brought into prominence in
connection with Benjamin. It is when Judah takes the
sorrow of Israel to heart, in connection with Benjamin,
and the loss of Joseph, and puts himself into it, that
Joseph, in his glory, is revealed to them as their
brother it is a lovely scene. The perfect grace of Joseph
at the end is a wonderful picture of Christ's revelation
of Himself (chap. 45: 4-8, et seq.).
God's children and
the world
It is touching to remark,
when Jacob is presented to Pharaoh, though acknowledging
that, compared with those of his fathers, his life had
been a sad one, he can bless the monarch of all the
country, himself a despised shepherd; and "without
contradiction the less is blessed of the greater."
The least and most faltering of God's children has the
superiority, and is conscious of it, in presence of the
most elevated men of the world.
Israel blessed in
grace in connection with a risen Saviour
The coming down to Egypt
was according to God. so we have here Israel viewed as
abiding God's time, even when oppressed, not as cast out
and wandering as the effect of disobedience. Both are
true. God, remark, appears to him as the God of Isaac his
father, not of Abraham: his blessing comes under the
risen Christ. What hangs on promises Israel has lost by
the rejection of Christ; but God can appear for him in
pure grace, in connection with a risen Saviour, and
fulfil them according to His own faithfulness[1]; and so it is in figure here.
Therefore is Israel blessed in spite of all, though long
oppressed and a stranger. When he is in connection with
Joseph, the scene changes; that is, in his connection, in
the world, with a glorified Christ revealed to him there,
he has the best of the land, which is brought into
universal order and subjection as belonging to Pharaoh,
whom Joseph represented, and whose authority he exercised
over it. Beersheba, the border of Israel—from
henceforward he was a stranger—is the place of this
revelation of God.
One cannot fail to see in
the history of Joseph one of the most remarkable types of
the Lord Jesus, and that, in many details of the ways of
God in regard to the Jews and Gentiles.
[1]
This is the subject of Romans 11: 28-33. In verse 31 read
"even so have these not now believed in your mercy
that they also might be objects of mercy." They had
forfeited the promises, and take them now on no higher
ground than a Gentile; that is, pure mercy.
Genesis 42 Bible Commentary
John Darby’s Synopsis
Repentance and humiliation bring blessing through the once-rejected One
At the same time another scene presents itself. His brethren, who had rejected him, forced by famine, are brought, by the path of repentance and humiliation, to own him at length in glory, whom they had once rejected when connected with themselves. Benjamin, type of the power of the Lord upon earth among the Jews, is united to him who, unknown, had the power of the throne among the Gentiles; that is, Christ unites these two characters. But this brings all the brethren into connection with Joseph.
Finally, Jacob and his family are placed, as a people apart, in the most favoured country of all that was under the power of the throne of the great king. Nothing can be more touching than the conduct of Joseph towards his brethren; but I must leave these reflections to the hearts of my readers, placing them as far as my hearty desires can, under the precious influence of the Spirit of God. The rapid survey I have given, gives the type a clearer application than more detail would, and that is what is of the deepest interest here.
Joseph revelaed to his brethren in glory and grace
Only remark that here the repentance is immediately in connection with the rejection of Joseph; this is brought on the conscience of Joseph's brethren. So in the end will it be with Israel. It is not here in reference to the law—that we shall have after Sinai—but in typical connection with the Messiah Their consciences are fully convinced, and they go back to all the circumstances of his rejection. It is only gradually that Joseph reveals himself, and with many exercises of heart, which his dealings work in his brethren. In the end Judah is brought into prominence in connection with Benjamin. It is when Judah takes the sorrow of Israel to heart, in connection with Benjamin, and the loss of Joseph, and puts himself into it, that Joseph, in his glory, is revealed to them as their brother it is a lovely scene. The perfect grace of Joseph at the end is a wonderful picture of Christ's revelation of Himself (chap. 45: 4-8, et seq.).
God's children and the world
It is touching to remark, when Jacob is presented to Pharaoh, though acknowledging that, compared with those of his fathers, his life had been a sad one, he can bless the monarch of all the country, himself a despised shepherd; and "without contradiction the less is blessed of the greater." The least and most faltering of God's children has the superiority, and is conscious of it, in presence of the most elevated men of the world.
Israel blessed in grace in connection with a risen Saviour
The coming down to Egypt was according to God. so we have here Israel viewed as abiding God's time, even when oppressed, not as cast out and wandering as the effect of disobedience. Both are true. God, remark, appears to him as the God of Isaac his father, not of Abraham: his blessing comes under the risen Christ. What hangs on promises Israel has lost by the rejection of Christ; but God can appear for him in pure grace, in connection with a risen Saviour, and fulfil them according to His own faithfulness[1]; and so it is in figure here. Therefore is Israel blessed in spite of all, though long oppressed and a stranger. When he is in connection with Joseph, the scene changes; that is, in his connection, in the world, with a glorified Christ revealed to him there, he has the best of the land, which is brought into universal order and subjection as belonging to Pharaoh, whom Joseph represented, and whose authority he exercised over it. Beersheba, the border of Israel—from henceforward he was a stranger—is the place of this revelation of God.
One cannot fail to see in the history of Joseph one of the most remarkable types of the Lord Jesus, and that, in many details of the ways of God in regard to the Jews and Gentiles.
[1] This is the subject of Romans 11: 28-33. In verse 31 read "even so have these not now believed in your mercy that they also might be objects of mercy." They had forfeited the promises, and take them now on no higher ground than a Gentile; that is, pure mercy.