The New Kingdom in Egypt: Stephen Interprets Joseph Perfectly

I must shout praises to my God, who NEVER leaves us, or fails to provide! I woke up fairly empty of thought this morning. Just a few sweet songs in my head. Then I sat down to 'do something', work, read, who knows. But all seemed empty. So I decided to write. But even that seemed empty. The next step down from there is outlining, which should be something I can do in my sleep, without strain or thought.

Hence I turned to my outline for the series on Stephen's indictment of the stiff necked, and went to the verses I had next. Oh how wonderful is the Spirit of truth! It is not by our efforts that the pictures of our Messiah are revealed. The magnificent counselor, the abiding assistant, the righteous guide gets all of the credit!

I didn't even read the whole passage before seeing the details that were missing in my mind! How wonderful! Thank you Lord! Now, let us outline the steps here very briefly:

So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him. (Genesis 21:2)

And his brethren envied him; but his father kept the saying in mind. (Genesis 37:11)

And there passed by Midianites, merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt. (Genesis 37:28)

thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. (Genesis 41:40)

This is the path Joseph walked.

First there is the promised son. Sarah was barren, and old, yet God opened her womb miraculously. The lineage of promise is established by God. Yet we know that the righteousness attributed to Abraham was obtained before the covenant, that the descendants of the promise are pictured here in the physical, but the descendants in righteousness of Abraham are of God by faith.

Then Isaac has a son Jacob, who is Israel by the promise. Jacob is very fruitful, yet loves his son Joseph much. Joseph's brothers become envious of him. This is quite important! They were desiring the reality of their fathers love. The present situation of closeness and importance to Jacob. And by the dreams of Joseph, and his interpretation, they rejected the word of God, even the position of coming under Josephs rule.

God was moving, speaking forth His will and plan. Yet they rejected God, rejected the council of the Lord. One can argue that Joseph spoke out these dreams and interpretations out of his own desire, but that would be wrong. Consider that personally, he would have been aware of the implications. And it is doubtful that he intended to 'rub it in' against his brothers. But these prophetic visions were of God, and came to pass. He brought forth the word of God!

Out of this envy they acted. Envy spurred violent action, even the grave sin of killing an innocent brother. Cain could not accept the reality of God welcoming Abel. Instead of turning to God, he killed his brother. Here are more brothers, full of the same spirit, ready to commit murder. But the will of God is unthwartable.

Intervention arrives, and then the sale of Joseph into Egypt. So in 'death', he does survive. And perseveres, growing strong in the Lord. Then becomes the very ruler over all of Egypt, and the house of the King. Joseph became the King over the land and Pharaohs house. The reality and picture of the 'Lord of lords'!

At this point let us return to Stephen, to the nuclear intensity of his speech (Acts 7:11-14):

Now there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance. But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent forth our fathers the first time. And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's race became manifest unto Pharaoh. And Joseph sent, and called to him Jacob his father, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

On the surface this seems like a simple retelling of the story. There is no "you are like this" or "thus says God to you", just simple piecing together of events that transpired.

In fact, each of the listeners could have made the same connection, constructed the same quick overview of this section of Genisis. But something else is at work here! I am sure you picked up on the envy part. These men who Stephen was addressing had embraced envy, crafted it into action, and by that action plotted and then executed the Messiah.

Even scholars could grapple naturally with the metaphor of Joseph as Messiah. Chosen of the Father, put to 'death' by his brethren, revealed as the Lord of lords. Even the tightest literalist must acknowledge many parallels here. But there is something much more explosive. I never realized until this morning how the 'pace' of Stephen actually emphasizes a critical event.

When he declares "Now there came ...", I believe Stephen is making a paradigm shift. He deftly established the Messiah as a white hot fuse, and now is going to unload the main charge. It all hinges on three things. The identity of Pharaoh, the 'first time', and the 'second time'.

Pharaoh is in our imaginations many things. But this is the word of God. And if we replace the term with simply 'ruler of all Egypt', or even 'King of Egypt', some of the imagination fades away. But consider carefully the verse quoted above in Gen 41:40, the King has given over the authority to Joseph over all Egypt, and the Kings household. Let me wax prophetic and transliterative for a minute. Here is a restatement: Pharaoh (King of Egypt (the world), and by the term Pharaoh, the embodiment Great House) gave all authority in his house (the ruling realm, 'heaven', place of the throne) and over all Egypt (the world, the earth) to Joseph (the messiah figure).

Now we are getting closer! Do you see it coming? OK, the first time is signified by Stephen as one when there was great famine and Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt. Lets do this free form again, he heard there was life available in the realm where the anointed ruled, but Jacob knew not the ruler personally. Notice how Stephen wastes no time on the 'first time'? Because it was particularly obvious to those under this 'first time', those under the Law. The Law did not allow for one to stand in the presence of God. Even Moses fading reflection of the glory could not be looked upon.

They did not know Joseph, the very brother that they thought was dead, now ruled over life, even the source of life for the nations. And the Pharisee did not recognize that the man, Jesus, whom they delivered up for crucifixion, had arisen, ascended now to the throne. "All authority in Heaven and Earth has been given to me."

When they went the first time, when they received the Law, it preserve them, but did not end in life. The end of transgression, the result of rejecting the counsel of God is death. No man, no people, no one beside Christ can satisfy the Law. Without that righteous essence, the Law results in death. And that is what led to the 'second time', the need for sustaining life. The need for God's own provision for us.

As Stephen stated, "... at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren ..." It is especially brilliant that it implies revelation, divine control over the actions of Joseph. And then how wonderful is this part where his race became manifest unto Pharaoh! Through Joseph (the Messiah) those of his race, i.e. of the same blood, became known to the Authority. We are in Him, and He is in the Father, and the Father is in Him, and He in us! I have no words to convey how magnificent is our God! Mysterious in His timing, but perfect in all He does!

"Then Joseph sent, and called to him ..." What is this sent? Yes, Joseph sent messengers to his family. And called them to come and dwell where he was. This is a knife blade slashing into the hearts of the listener! It is the Word Manifest! Who is the messenger? Stephen is in this case. What is he doing? Calling to the natural descendants, calling to the rebellious house. Calling out any remnant that might possibly come to the Lord.

Can you see it? Stephen is preaching the GOSPEL in perfection. With love he is calling out to the descendants of Jacob, to the whole house of Israel, "Come to the Messiah!" Yet at the same time, this is the "article of destruction", the document signed with Stephens blood from God that the stiffed necked reject.

Stephen encapsulates in this section of his speech the two covenants, the order of God, and the source of life. The intensity of the Spirit in our brother that went before us is incredible. Filled with the Spirit indeed! All at once he teaches, preaches, and prophesies, while displaying the face of a holy angel. And at the heart is still love, even God's love that these ones would turn to Him!

Oh how our Lord loves us. How perfect is our God! Lord you are so much higher than all we could ever know. Your wisdom is immeasurable! May you be forever praised in the assembly of the faithful! Let this small piece of Your work in me be to Eternal Glory for Yourself! Be glorified!