Joseph and The Gift of The Fear of God

Today I am thinking about Joseph, one of my favorite characters in the Bible. Just like Jesus, Joseph was so much like his father, Jacob. And the similarities between Joseph and Jesus are amazing to me. In fact, most scholars believe Joseph is an archetype of Jesus.

Joseph occupies a very important place in Rabbinical literature, and no patriarch was the subject of so many Midrashic narratives. Rachel, his mother was visited by the Lord on Rosh ha-Shanah (Talmud).

Joseph is represented as a perfectly righteous man (tzadik gamur) and as the counterpart of his father; not only did Joseph resemble his father in appearance and in having been born circumcised, but the main incidents of their lives were parallel. Both were born after their mothers had been barren for a long time; and both were hated by their brothers; both were met by angels at various times. Joseph is extolled by the Rabbis for being well versed in the Torah, for being a prophet, and for supporting his brothers.

According to Phinehas (the grandson of Aaron, and son of Eleazar the high priest), the Holy Spirit dwelt in Joseph from his childhood until his death. So Joseph and his father, Jacob, shared much in common, with the exception of the deceitful nature of Jacob.

Remember: Joseph, being pursued by Potiphar's wife was not deceitful and suffered for years because of it. What intrigues me most about Joseph is the scene relating to his brothers coming to Egypt to appear before The King, or his viceroy, to beg for food in the middle of a devastating drought. When last he saw them, he was being thrown into a pit to die. Then they changed their minds and decided to sell him as a slave.

Joseph suffered through years of empty promises, undeserved slavery, and testing by God, only to become the absolute last word in Egypt as Ruler over Potiphar's house. His power was absolute. One could die or live with just one word from Joseph the judge.

What has always intrigued me was how he behaved towards his brothers. He was very tough -- almost mean, I think -- to them. Then he left the room to weep in private. Then back to his brothers, who still did not recognize him, with the same vengeance as the judge. He was only Zaphenathpaneah the Egyptian viceroy of The King to them, for their eyes had not been opened. Then back to weeping in private so his brothers could neither hear nor see.

He demanded they make two long journeys back to his father's house, even setting them up to be unjustly known as thieves. He demanded them to offer up what was most precious to them (and to his father) before he gave them badly needed food. Finally, the time came when he revealed himself to them, and they were petrified. With their eyes wide open, they wondered what would their brother do to them? They deserved worse than death, and they knew it!

Their fear of Joseph was real, deserved, and got their undivided attention. But what pours out of Joseph? Only grace, embraces, provision, tears of joy, and gratitude for the supernatural reunion with his brothers and then his father. Joseph then intercedes for them, winning them VIP status in Egypt. This whole scene is so inspiring to me because it bears such a resemblance to Jesus The Savior, Jesus The Resurrected, Jesus The Judge, and Jesus The Advocate.

It encourages me beyond comprehension to believe in the ultimate grace of God -- the same God Who tried Joseph in order to build up a healthy respect (fear) of God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

I believe God has often put me through my paces to bring me to that same place: running back to Him. I think it is part of His love, this ordering of events. There are times I would not have dropped to my knees, nor hovered under my covers crying out to God in desperation had it not been for those trying times. Those times of utter pain that have put me in a position to open up to Him, willing to submit to His sovereignty no matter what happens.

It has only been my own insufficiency that has made me realize just how badly I need His Absolute Sufficiency. Years ago, I prayed, "God please do not let me be as the donkey in the Bible who had to be hit over the head before he would obey." I still pray that prayer.

I do not wish to be as my earthly parents were, but as Jesus was and is. He humbly walked to the cross after a night of wailing and begging for another way if there was one. He broke out with actual bleeding through his skin because of His anguish. But in the end, He said Nevertheless, not my will, but Your will be done. He was talking to His Father. He was like His Father in every way. He distinctly said, If you have seen Me, you have seen The Father.

I have to admit, though I want to be like Jesus, I am not asking for the same suffering. I am a coward and I know it. But what's more important is that God knows me. He knows what I can and cannot survive, and He has promised He will not give me more than I am equipped to bear.

So once again, I ask to be more like Jesus, just as He was like The Father: sort of like Father, like daughter. I'm grateful today for the gift of a healthy fear of God. It is His gift to me so that He can further gift me with wonderful grace and joy, unspeakable and full of glory.

(c) 2008 by April Lorier

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_(Hebrew_Bible)
Psalm 111:10
Mark 14:36
John 14:9