Jesus and the "Jars"

The Lion of Judah and the Worldwide Kingdom of the Almighty

(Genesis 49:1-27, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, October 25, 2015)

[49:1] Then Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall happen to you in days to come.
[2] “Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob,
listen to Israel your father.

(1-2) Jacob gathered together his sons knowing that he was giving more than his personal opinion regarding the future.

[3] “Reuben, you are my firstborn, (See 35:22 and 1 Chron. 5:1-2)
my might, and the firstfruits of my strength,
preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
[4] Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence,
because you went up to your father's bed;
then you defiled it—he went up to my couch!
[5] “Simeon and Levi are brothers; (See 34:25-26)
weapons of violence are their swords.
[6] Let my soul come not into their council;
O my glory, be not joined to their company.
For in their anger they killed men,
and in their willfulness they hamstrung oxen.
[7] Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce,
and their wrath, for it is cruel!
I will divide them in Jacob
and scatter them in Israel.
[8] “Judah, your brothers shall praise you; (See 43:8-9, 44:34, and 2 Sam. 7:8-16)
your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
your father's sons shall bow down before you.
[9] Judah is a lion's cub; (See Rev. 5:5-10 and Ps. 22:1, 27-31)
from the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He stooped down; he crouched as a lion
and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?
[10] The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,
until tribute comes to him;
and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
[11] Binding his foal to the vine
and his donkey's colt to the choice vine,
he has washed his garments in wine
and his vesture in the blood of grapes. (See Rev. 7:13-14)
[12] His eyes are darker than wine,
and his teeth whiter than milk.
[13] “Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea;
he shall become a haven for ships,
and his border shall be at Sidon.
[14] “Issachar is a strong donkey,
crouching between the sheepfolds.
[15] He saw that a resting place was good,
and that the land was pleasant,
so he bowed his shoulder to bear,
and became a servant at forced labor.
[16] “Dan shall judge his people
as one of the tribes of Israel.
[17] Dan shall be a serpent in the way,
a viper by the path,
that bites the horse's heels
so that his rider falls backward.
[18] I wait for your salvation, O LORD. (See Rev. 22:20)
[19] “Raiders shall raid Gad,
but he shall raid at their heels.
[20] “Asher's food shall be rich,
and he shall yield royal delicacies.
[21] “Naphtali is a doe let loose
that bears beautiful fawns.
[22] “Joseph is a fruitful bough,
a fruitful bough by a spring;
his branches run over the wall.
[23] The archers bitterly attacked him,
shot at him, and harassed him severely,
[24] yet his bow remained unmoved;
his arms were made agile
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (See Ps. 118:22, and 1 Peter 2:4-7, 5:4)
(from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),
[25] by the God of your father who will help you,
by the Almighty who will bless you
with blessings of heaven above,
blessings of the deep that crouches beneath,
blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
[26] The blessings of your father
are mighty beyond the blessings of my parents,
up to the bounties of the everlasting hills.
May they be on the head of Joseph,
and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers.
[27] “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf,
in the morning devouring the prey
and at evening dividing the spoil.”

(3-27) The sections of his prophesy about Judah and Joseph are most prominent. The Joseph part should surprise no one. But the word to Judah compared to the dark words to his older brothers is a great revelation that would unfold through numerous oracles over many centuries. But now the end of the ages is here. Now we have the final Word in King Jesus and in the Bible.

Jesus is the Lion of Judah. He is Lord. But how does His worldwide kingdom work? Through jars of clay (2 Cor. 4:7). The way that Christ reigns is not first about big names like Peter, but about Jesus, the Son, and the other children of God in His kingdom (See Acts 15). Faced with decisions? Open your heart to Jesus and the “jars” by meeting, praying, and obeying the Word.

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 150:2a – Praise Him for His mighty deeds.

Gospel Reading—Matthew 26:30-35 – Jesus foretells Peter's denial

Don't Count Out the Elderly - The Eternal Lord Can Use Them Well

The Risen Word

(Genesis 48:1-22, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, October 18, 2015)

[48:1] After this, Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is ill.” So he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. [2] And it was told to Jacob, “Your son Joseph has come to you.” Then Israel summoned his strength and sat up in bed. [3] And Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, [4] and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples and will give this land to your offspring after you for an everlasting possession.’ [5] And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are. [6] And the children that you fathered after them shall be yours. They shall be called by the name of their brothers in their inheritance. [7] As for me, when I came from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”

(1-7) Jacob reminded Joseph of the Lord's former blessings and the land of Canaan

Jacob was “ill.” His son Joseph came to him. Jacob “summoned his strength” in order to say what needed to be said before he went to be with his fathers. Jacob spoke of “God Almighty” and the “land of Canaan.” Any words of blessing that Jacob passed on to his descendants were to be understood in light of the blessings that he and his fathers had received from the Lord.

God had promised to make Jacob not just a numerous people, but a “company of peoples.” Israel would be given Canaan “as an everlasting possession.” For now, Jacob would have an important message for Ephraim and Manasseh. They would be treated as Jacob's sons—full tribes before God, meaning that Joseph would have the double portion of the favored son.

Jacob also spoke of his sorrow at the loss of Rachel so many years ago. Now he would soon join his beloved wife beyond the veil that separates this life from the next.

[8] When Israel saw Joseph's sons, he said, “Who are these?” [9] Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” And he said, “Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them.” [10] Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. [11] And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face; and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.” [12] Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. [13] And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near him. [14] And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands (for Manasseh was the firstborn). [15] And he blessed Joseph and said,
“The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,
[16] the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys;
and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
[17] When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he took his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's head. [18] And Joseph said to his father, “Not this way, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.” [19] But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.” [20] So he blessed them that day, saying,
“By you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying,
‘God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.’”
Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. [21] Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your fathers. [22] Moreover, I have given to you rather than to your brothers one mountain slope that I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.”

(8-22) In view of the mercies of God, Jacob also spoke words of blessing concerning events that would be fulfilled many centuries in the future.

Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manasseh with a firm grasp on the promises of God. The Lord had a plan for Israel under the sun, but His plans went beyond this perishing world. This great man who was ill, still grieving, nearly blind, and easily mistaken as making the mistakes that come from old age, brought a word of surprising blessing as an authoritative spokesman of the Lord's covenant.

Jacob was grateful. He had never expected to see Joseph again, but now he was blessing his grandsons. Joseph “bowed himself with his face to the earth.” He knew that this great gift had come to him from the Almighty. His God was the God of his fathers. They had “walked” before the Lord in the land of the living. This same Lord had been Jacob's Shepherd throughout a long and difficult life. God had “redeemed” him “from all evil.” Now he spoke of this blessing coming to Joseph's sons.

The surprise was that Jacob placed Ephraim before Manasseh, the firstborn. As in Jacob's case, the last would be first. Both boys would have many descendants, but in the centuries to come, the northern tribes in Israel would be especially known by the name “Ephraim.” The Lord used the words of this broken old man of faith (don't count out the elderly) to speak of important facts that would not be fulfilled for many centuries. Ephraim would be a “multitude of nations.”

Joseph struggled with his aging father over the preeminence being given to the younger son. He presumed that the old man was mistaken. Jacob fought back. “His father refused.” He knew what he was doing. Joseph was to have two portions of the inheritance where his brothers would only have one, and Ephraim would be more numerous than his older brother. Centuries in the future, the Assyrian Empire would send thousands from Ephraim out to other nations. The word of God had come from Jacob, a feeble man who would soon be gone. The plan of God would overrule much evil and weakness. The wisdom and power of God would prevail over all.

In his day, old Jacob was the leader of God's people. There were other great men who came before he was born, and still others would come after him, but eventually the final Mediator between God and man would be revealed. Jesus does not need to be replaced as the supreme leader of the church. Our final Prophet, Priest, and King lives forever. His mind is not too feeble and His hand is not too weak. His message is unstoppable. He is the risen Word.

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 150:1c – Praise him in his mighty heavens!

Gospel Reading—Matthew 26:26-29 – Institution of the Lord's Supper

The Chain of Command and the Lord of Lords

Serving the Master

(Genesis 47:13-31, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, October 11, 2015)

[13] Now there was no food in all the land, for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished by reason of the famine. [14] And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, in exchange for the grain that they bought. And Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. [15] And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? For our money is gone.” [16] And Joseph answered, “Give your livestock, and I will give you food in exchange for your livestock, if your money is gone.” [17] So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the herds, and the donkeys. He supplied them with food in exchange for all their livestock that year. [18] And when that year was ended, they came to him the following year and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord that our money is all spent. The herds of livestock are my lord's. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our land. [19] Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for food, and we with our land will be servants to Pharaoh. And give us seed that we may live and not die, and that the land may not be desolate.”
[20] So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for all the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine was severe on them. The land became Pharaoh's. [21] As for the people, he made servants of them from one end of Egypt to the other. [22] Only the land of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had a fixed allowance from Pharaoh and lived on the allowance that Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their land.
[23] Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have this day bought you and your land for Pharaoh. Now here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. [24] And at the harvests you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your households, and as food for your little ones.” [25] And they said, “You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be servants to Pharaoh.” [26] So Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt, and it stands to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; the land of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh's.

(13-26) Joseph was an honorable servant, making decisions for the good of his earthly master.

Tough times create opportunities for character development. They also present temptations that need to be rejected. Joseph had a plan for handling the famine. That plan was a condition of his appointment. He was a high-placed person in Pharaoh's administration, but he was not a man at liberty as we know it. Pharaoh, like almost all of the rulers of the world throughout history, was the absolute master of his territory. Should Joseph have become a freedom fighter to serve the interests of the Egyptian masses? That was not his role. He served God by saving the lives of many grateful people as he served the interests of his master, Pharaoh. As the story of tragedy and provision played out, the supreme ruler of Egypt became the owner of almost all the cattle, land, and even people in Egypt, and he allowed his subjects to keep eighty percent of the labor of their hands. Pharaoh became very prosperous, and the Egyptian people were thankful to be alive. Joseph was honorable in his service to the king, and he was able to provide for many people, including his family.

This was not Joseph's first job. He first served his father as an errand boy with a special robe, and he carried out that obligation in a way that proved to be a great annoyance to his brothers. He then worked for Potiphar, where he was the unjust victim of a false claim of sexual harassment. From there he secured an administrative position in a jail, where one of his fellow inmates, Pharaoh's cupbearer, was not true to his word in a timely manner. His current job as second-in-command in Egypt may have seemed like a great promotion, which it certainly was. Yet despite his honors, he never forgot that he served God, though within a chain of command.

[27] Thus Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen. And they gained possessions in it, and were fruitful and multiplied greatly. [28] And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were 147 years.
[29] And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh and promise to deal kindly and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt, [30] but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place.” He answered, “I will do as you have said.” [31] And he said, “Swear to me”; and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself upon the head of his bed.

(27-31) Israel prospered in Egypt, but he did not forget that Egypt was not the Promised Land. He wanted to be buried in God's country.

One day, Pharaoh's hold on Joseph would be gone. Knowing that God was His Master above every other master on earth allowed Joseph, though actually a slave serving a despot, to serve Pharaoh with great freedom and integrity, as one who was working for the Lord and not for men. (See Colossians 3:12-25)

The day of death was swiftly approaching for Joseph's father, Jacob. Here was a man with an interesting employment history! He was about to leave all that behind. Though he and his family had done well in Egypt, he remembered the promises of God, and he made his son swear that when the time came, Jacob would be buried in the Promised Land. The eternal provision of God was worth more to him than all the treasures of Egypt. He served the Lord God Almighty.

We serve the King of kings above all, and one day every other authority that stands in His way will have to step aside, but right now the Lord demands that we serve our earthly masters with integrity and obedience. In any endeavor, we need to give serious consideration to the vows we have taken and be true to our word.

Whether you are working your first job in a family setting or local supermarket, or are completing your career in a high-level corporate or government position, you need to be true to the Lord by serving with honor. What you have agreed to in taking your current job? Are you aware of the non-disclosure agreements and non-complete clauses that were conditions of your employment? Whether you are new to the world of work or serving in your final position on this earth, you can learn from Joseph, and from Joseph's Messiah. (See 1 Peter 2:13-25)

Some principles for your consideration:

1. Know your chain of command and respect it.
2. Consider the promises you made and keep them.
3. Stay close to your most honorable friend and become more like him. (See Jesus for the best in loyalty, diligence, knowledge, wisdom, and courage.)

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 150:1b – Praise God in his sanctuary...

Gospel Reading—Matthew 26:17-25 – The Passover with the disciples

Pharaoh and Jacob

A Solid Life

(Genesis 47:1-12, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, October 4, 2015)

[47:1] So Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan. They are now in the land of Goshen.” [2] And from among his brothers he took five men and presented them to Pharaoh. [3] Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, as our fathers were.” [4] They said to Pharaoh, “We have come to sojourn in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants' flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. And now, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.” [5] Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. [6] The land of Egypt is before you. Settle your father and your brothers in the best of the land. Let them settle in the land of Goshen, and if you know any able men among them, put them in charge of my livestock.”

(1-6) Safe and sound? Provision beyond their wildest dreams? Time would tell.

God would use Pharaoh to bless the chosen people. Joseph's plan seems to have worked perfectly. Of course, only the Lord knows the secret providences that will help to form Israel over the next 400+ years. The story of this entire period is told in Exodus 1:7-8.

[7] Then Joseph brought in Jacob his father and stood him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. [8] And Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many are the days of the years of your life?” [9] And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojourning are 130 years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojourning.” [10] And Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from the presence of Pharaoh. [11] Then Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. [12] And Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father's household with food, according to the number of their dependents.

(7-12) Jacob displayed an understanding of life that went beyond what might seem obvious and customary.

The chosen seed meets the leader of an empire. Jacob will bless Pharaoh, but the two men will operate in their separate spheres. Jacob understands his life in a way that may seem ungrateful or depressing. The key is that he knows himself to be a sojourner here below. His true worth comes from the Lord of eternal goodness who calls His children to the most solid life imaginable.

It should not shock anyone that the people of the covenant may see themselves and their lives in ways that appear unusual to others. When Jesus came into this world to accomplish the purposes of His Father, he lived and died in a way that displayed a different view of life than all those around Him. That right perspective on everything came from a more stable place than this fading earth. His kingdom is not of this world. His sufferings and glories may well be wrongly interpreted by those who do not speak the tongue of Canaan—the language of covenant love.

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 150:1a

Praise the LORD!

Gospel Reading—Matthew 26:14-16 – Judas to betray Jesus