Joseph as the Shadow, Jesus the Fulfillment: My Paradigm For Suffering the Loss of Family Relationships

I’ve heard certain evangelical ministers decry the “Dare to be Like Daniel” applications of the Old Testament. I understand their concern (that it boils down to moralistic teaching and hardly lifts up the Lord Jesus Christ) but I will risk going against their grain in this post. (Though I do intend to present Christ!)

The story of Joseph has been my favorite story in the bible since the Sunday School classes of my youth. I always identified with him because he was a “dreamer”. I have always, and I mean always, had very vivid dreams in my sleep. As I got older, more and more details of Joseph’s story came clear to me and I saw many more parallels between he and I. But the one’s that were most important I didn’t see. I mean this man had a character and tenaciousness in his devotion to God, that I can only yet hope to attain. But now I’m starting to realize why the Lord had me to identify with Joseph. And also why, in a greater since,  the demeanor of the Lord Jesus Himself is my goal. Let me explain…….

1. Like Joseph, I am the son of my father’s old age. (39) My dad didn’t love me more than my brothers, or my sisters for that matter, but I am the only one that he raised from birth to high-school graduation. I think that this is by God’s design because my dad became a Christian shortly before I was born. Therefore, he was saved while he was raising me. Seeing him study the bible constantly, and believing him to be the smartest man in the world, it caused me to develop a love for studying the word of God.

2. Jesus was His Father’s only begotten Son. He was special to His Father in ways that cannot be exhaustively explained. However,  He had the testimony, that “I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” (John 8:29) Though I have definitely not reached a point to be able to make such a claim, nor could I ever truly make it, I do desire to have the dedication to God the Father that our Lord had. Even if it means I lose family relationships. 

3. Like Joseph, God has decided to show me many things in that study for which, not just my brothers, but my mother and many others despise me. I have issued challenges to them all at different times to show me where I was wrong. They either copped out by saying, “I don’t won’t to argue” or “I’ll get back to you”. Well, I’m still waiting.

4. Jesus was rejected by His brothers until after His death and resurrection. He was truly despised and rejected of many men.  (Isaiah 53:3) According to Hebrews 12:3 he “endured such hostility by sinners against Himself”. And there is no doubt that at times this included His family. But His attitude was “whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.” Again, I desire to take this attitude as my own in regards to my allegiance to Christ and Him alone. (I request that those of you who are reading this pray for me in this area.) I desire to “go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.” (Hebrews 13:13)

5. Like Joseph was by Potiphar’s wife, many of my family members are falsely accusing me of many horrible things. I’m even having my motives and intentions for breaking with my father’s church and the entire COGIC organization questioned. They all believe that I am following men instead of God. And none of them would admit that if that man that I was following was them, then they wouldn’t have a problem. Like Potiphar’s wife, I believe that they may be convicted and embarassed by the progress in biblical knowledge that I’ve made so their only course is to invent and harbor false accusations and false assumptions. In the case of Joseph, we never see him pleading his innocence. (Though we can imagine he may of.) But we do see him enduring while receiving undeserved punishment. Trust me, this is a major area of struggle and failure for me. So another prayer request comes in here.

6. We all recognize that our Lord was falsely accused many times. He was falsely accused of speaking against the temple, threatening to destroy it (Matthew 26:61). He was falsely accused of falsely claiming to be the Son of God. (John 19:7) But according to Isaiah 53:7, “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.” (see also Matthew 27:13-14) The very One who when rightly judged was found without fault (Luke 23:13-15) said nothing nor did anything to defend Himself that He might fulfill all righteousness before the Father, on behalf of all those who would believe on Him. (Again, I must insert yet another prayer request here. I’ve already asked several brothers personally for their prayers in regards to this. I chafe at false accusations. I practice self-defense all the time. But I won’t to be more like Christ in this regards.)

7. After all that Joseph suffered, right at the time that he had the upper hand on his brothers and in the many subsequent opportunities that he had where he could have exacted revenge, he had this to say: “”As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.’ So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” (Genesis 50:20-21)

8. And here’s what the scripture declares concerning our Lord’s attitude toward His suffering, “fixing our eyes on Jesus, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame,… (Hebrews 12:2) He suffered greatly for the joy that was set before Him. And He refused to feel the shame that so easily overtakes me when I believe that I’m suffering wrongfully.

I want to close with a few texts of scripture:

Matthew 16:24-27

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny Himself, and take up His cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it  profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Luke 14:26-27,33

“If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes; and even his own life, HE CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE…..So then, none of you can be my disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.”

I ask that you pray with me that the Lord would apply all the correct attitudes demonstrated in all these verses to my heart so that I will willingly desolve any and all relationships that keep me from being the Lord’s disciple. Whether it be family, friends, mentors, etc. I want to have one-heart devotion to my Lord and Savior.

No matter the cost!