Shadowland: Beginnings

Shadowland: Beginnings: Week 49

Genesis 42

Authur Pink aptly describes the significance of this sudden return of focus to Joseph's brethren:

Joseph foreshadowed the Beloved of the Father, sent to His brethren according to the flesh, seeking their welfare. But they despised and rejected Him. They sold Him, and delivered Him up to the Gentiles. The Gentiles unjustly condemned Him to death, and following the crucifixion, His body was placed in the prison of the tomb. In due time God delivered Him, and exalted Him to His own right hand. Following the ascension, Christ has been presented as the Savior of the world, the Bread of Life for a perishing humanity. During this dispensation the Jew is set aside: it is out from the Gentiles God is now taking a people for His name. But soon this dispensation shall have run its appointed course and then shall come the tribulation period when, following the removal of the Holy Spirit from the earth, there shall be a grievous time of spiritual famine. It is during this tribulation period that God shall resume His dealings with the Jews - the brethren of Christ according to the flesh.

42:2 In 37:24-25, the brothers eat while Joseph starves. Now the brothers are starving and must come to Joseph to buy food. As a few years after rejecting Joseph, the children of Israel were forced by famine to leave their land, so a few years after rejecting Christ, Israel was forced out of their land by Rome.
42:4 Jacob doesn't trust the 10 brothers. Joseph and Benjamin were raised after Jacob wrestled with God, and have an entirely different character from the other brothers.
42:6 The fulfillment of Joseph's first dream.
42:7 Joseph's aim is to lead his brethren to confess their sin, that it may be forgiven. "Made himself strange" - 2 Corinthians 3:14-16
42:8 "Joseph knew his brethren" - as God's eye is on Israel, even during their time of rejection.
42:17 "in prison 3 days" - as Joseph was 3 days in the pit
42:25 Joseph will not accept payment for the food, as our salvation is "by grace, not of works, lest any man should boast."
42:36 Jacob believes Joseph is dead, as Israel has believed Jesus is dead since rejecting their Messiah, and do not know of His resurrection and exaltation.