THE KING WHO KNEW NOT JOSEPH

“Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.” (Moses in Exodus 1:8).

 

“Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.” (St. Stephen in Acts 7:18).

 

The words of Moses that are cited above were quoted by St. Stephen as he defended himself against those who wished to silence his Christian witness.  Stephen became the first Christian martyr to die for standing up for the truth of the Gospel, following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ his Lord and Savior.  The more I consider these words, the more I am convinced of their relevance to the things we see happening around us in government and in society at large. 

 

Society is breaking down and crumbling all around us, and it seems like no one has the power or the will to stop it.  Aggressors are labeled as the oppressed, and victims are identified as the aggressors.  Right is wrong, and wrong is said to be right.  It should be clear that we cannot fix what we see happening in the world through politics.  The root cause goes beyond what money or legislation can repair because it’s a spiritual problem.  We must go to the Word of God to discover the answers for what we see going on.

 

The life of Joseph in the Bible is an extraordinary story.  Through betrayal, hardships, temptations, and hopes deferred, Joseph emerged as one of the best examples in scripture of how adversity can forge character in the hands of the Master Blacksmith.  Rather than allowing bitterness, hatred, and unforgiveness to define his life, Joseph was transformed by what he suffered.  He let God etch His own likeness in him.  Standing before the same brothers who had sold him into slavery and would have killed him, he found grace to forgive them.  He came to see and accept all his hardships as being permitted by God for his perfection.  He was then able to understand God’s plan for him through those trials and give glory to the Father for them.  Consider how many ways Joseph’s life paralleled that of Jesus Christ:

 

·        They both had a vision of future glory.  Joseph was given dreams that revealed he would be exalted above his brothers and his parents and have authority over them.  Jesus understood that His Father was preparing a throne for Him, and that He, too, would have dominion, in the end, over the nations.

·        They both were hated by their “brethren” who wished to kill them because of their words and because of the gifts God had given them.  Jesus received a glorious ministry from His Father which encompassed all the gifts and offices of the Holy Spirit.  He was a teacher, a prophet, an evangelist, a shepherd, and the apostle of our faith.  He could heal, raise the dead, detect and dispatch evil spirits; and He could discern the thoughts in the hearts of man.  He had the gifts of wisdom, understanding, faith, and knowledge.  Joseph was given a glorious “coat of many colors” from his father who loved him dearly.  This coat was diverse in its many colors just like all of God’s gifts are to His children.  Joseph also was given the gift of interpretation of dreams which served him well in achieving the plan God had for him to accomplish.

·        They both were betrayed by those who should have loved them, and they both suffered many things because of those betrayals.  Though they both were destined for greatness, yet they learned obedience through the things that they suffered (Hebrews 5:8).

·        They both laid aside their own lives and their own feelings to model the love of God toward those who had hated them and wished them evil.  When Joseph finally faced his brothers, he told them, “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life…So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God.” (Genesis 45:5, 8).  And Jesus, while He was on the cross, said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34).  There is no greater love than someone laying down his life for others, but it is one thing to lay it down for those who love us, and another thing to lay it down for those who don’t. 

·        They were both sent ahead by God to preserve life and save the world.  Joseph’s sacrifice was meant to save the world from death by starvation because of the famine that was everywhere but Egypt.  Jesus’ sacrifice was meant to save mankind from sin and ultimate destruction.  He was sent to be the Bread of Life to those who were starving for lack of spiritual truth and nourishment. 

 

Now consider that God has called us also to manifest the likeness of His Son to the world.  He sends us ahead to preserve the lives of family, friends, work associates, and strangers by being witnesses of His grace and mercy.  The trials that we endure are just tools that help us to release the things of the flesh and embrace the character of Jesus.  God’s goal is that we let go of resentments, disappointments, bitterness, anger, and hatred, and put on the love of God.  When we can love, even our enemies as we love ourselves, then we know we have begun to put on Christ.

 

The King of Egypt during Joseph’s time was one who recognized the hand of God on this young Hebrew and thought him worthy to be rewarded with honor, riches, and power.  He also encouraged Joseph to bring his father, Jacob, all his family, and all he owned to Egypt where they would be honored and cared for.  This Pharaoh had learned to trust Joseph and trust in the hand of God that was upon Joseph.  He believed that the decisions that Joseph made concerning the welfare of the kingdom of Egypt were trustworthy and born out of the young man’s faithfulness to his God.  Because he knew Joseph and all that he did to save, not just Egypt but the world, he took care of Joseph and of Joseph’s family.

 

“Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.” (Exodus 1:8).  Man has a very short memory.  Hearing about what someone great has done in the past, and knowing them and seeing firsthand their greatness, are two very different things!  Heroes become legend, and legend becomes myth until history is lost in the mists of time.  Joseph’s life and works were no longer relevant to Egypt’s present circumstance.  Israel had grown abundantly in numbers and possessions and “…the land was filled with them.”  There was, therefore, a fear that gripped the heart of this new king, and it began to influence his policies and decisions concerning the Israelites.  He was afraid that the Hebrews would rise up on the side of their enemies at some point and defeat the Egyptians (see Exodus 1:9, 10).  What was his remedy?  He began to enslave the Israelites, setting taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens and exhaust their strength.  The more they were afflicted, however, the more they grew.  So, the Egyptians made the lives of the Hebrews all the more bitter with “hard bondage.” 

 

Scripture states, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.” (Psalms 33:12), and “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34).  For much of America’s history, its’ leaders feared and honored God.  The Pilgrims and Puritans risked everything to come to this new continent in pursuit of religious expression.  For this reason, God’s people have enjoyed a great deal of freedom in this country.  The language of our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution presupposes the existence of Almighty God and acknowledges His participation in mankind’s affairs.  When we continue to remember and honor the Creator and our Savior, He will continue to bless our nation.  When people forget God and choose sin and unrighteousness over godliness, the LORD will forsake that nation. 

 

We see so much turmoil and confusion in the nations of the world today.  Things that we would not have imagined happening ten years ago have become commonplace.  It is because we have set those to govern over us who do not know Jesus Christ.  They neither fear God nor honor the Son of Righteousness.  They are afraid of the Church and of the power of God’s people.  They know that Christians will stand against their humanist policies and speak out for the sanctity of life.  They know that Christians will hold their school boards accountable for decisions they make regarding their children, or they will pull them out of the corrupt system altogether and teach them the principles of right and wrong.  They know, too, that Christians will not endorse the flood of sexual perversions that are being promoted as normal and natural, but will speak out for purity of thought and action regarding gender and relationships. 

 

There are still those leaders in the world who fear God and honor those who serve Him.  They have seen the good that Christians do for their nation, and they become advocates for them.  They recognize that God’s people are the salt of the earth and cities on a hill.  The light of their witness and of their character help keep the darkness and destruction at bay. 

 

I see new kings arising who don’t know Christ and don’t recognize the stabilizing influence of God’s people on the nations in which they reside.  Fear motivates these new kings just like it motivated the King of Egypt in Moses’ time and the Jews in Jesus’ time.  The closer we move toward the end days, the more we are going to see an all-out assault against the Christian Church.  It will begin with the overturning of laws that have protected believers and their churches in the past.  Already we have seen such attacks.  It isn’t a question of IF such an assault will take place, but simply a matter of WHEN.  God’s people must pray!  Pray for those who are on the front lines and facing such attacks.  Pray for those who stand in the gap and are voices for truth.  Pray for our leaders at every level to choose to honor God and be committed to preserving Christian principles.  Pray, more importantly, for the Church, that it will lay aside its foolish debates and prejudices and strive, instead, for the unity of the faith in Christ.  We can’t fight a spiritual enemy when we’re consumed with fighting one another!  Pray for the spiritual wickedness in high places to be checked by the power of the Holy Spirit and faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.  Remember also the Apostle Paul’s exhortation: “Recompense to no man evil for evil.  Provide things honest in the sight of all men.  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:17-19).  “And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto Thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak Thy word.” (Acts 4:29). 

 

Remember, “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.” (Isaiah 59:19).  The Prophet Daniel spoke out concerning the evil one that will arise against God’s people in the last days, saying, “And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” (Daniel 11:32).  God is raising a people who do know their God, and their works and their witness will be glorious!  They will be hated and persecuted for their testimony, however, just like their Lord was; but Daniel goes on to say that “…they that understand among the people shall instruct many.”  This will be the final call to mankind to repent and be saved.  Many will respond, but not all will be sincere.  Read Daniel’s prophecy and understand just how close we must be to its fulfillment: “Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen [helped] with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.  And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.  And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.  Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.  But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.” (Daniel 11:34-38).  This is the character of the king who the world will ultimately exalt – a king who doesn’t know Christ.  This is the Antichrist who will deny both the Father and the Son.  John wrote of him in the first century saying, “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.” (1 John 2:18). 

 

Consider the persecution of the Church during the first century.  Men and women were crucified, beheaded, burned in the fire, fed to fierce beasts, and mutilated for their faith.  The world’s hatred toward Christians knows no bounds!  After Jesus’ birth, Herod’s fear of a new king of Israel moved him to slaughter the children from a whole village in order to kill the Messiah.  In Egypt, the king who didn’t know Joseph tried to destroy all the male Hebrew babies to check Israel’s growth.  What atrocities will the Antichrist employ to silence the followers of Jesus?

 

As we see the days darkening, and the signs of Jesus’ return being fulfilled around us, what should be our response?  Peter writes, “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.” (2 Peter 3:11).  We must pray for grace to fight the good fight, and strength to earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the Church.  Just as surely as the enemy will seek to enslave and weaken God’s children, the Deliverer will just as surely rise to say to Pharaoh, “Let My people go!”  Do not let your heart fail you for fear - God doesn’t give His children a spirit of fear, but He gives us love, power, and a sound mind.  Let us therefore be strong and courageous for our God!  Let us put on the armor of God!  Let us stand as Children of Light!