Wed.’s Devo - Joseph, the Picture of Jesus

Read: Gensis 37:1-38:30; Matthew 12:22-45; Psalm 16:1-11; Proverbs 3:27-32
There is not another story in the Bible that so adequately depicts the story of Jesus than that of Joseph. Joseph represents Jesus and his brother represent the religious leaders of the day - the Jewish nation. His dreams represent prophecies that foretell what will happen to Joseph just like the prophecies that foretold Jesus life. Like Jesus, Joseph was totally rejected by his brothers who were insanely jealous of his father’s favor and love. Only Reuben wanted to save him who stood for the remnant of the Jews that believed that Jesus was the Messiah. They faked Joseph’s death, which represented the cross. His blood was the proof. The Joseph that was sold to the Midianites who sold him to the Ishmaelites who took him to Egypt.
Next we have the story of Tamar and Judah sandwiched in the middle of Joseph’s story. Tamar was a Canaanite woman who was given to Judah’s son to marry. Judah’s son was so wicked, God killed him. Tamar was given to his second son to carry on the name of the first son. He was wicked and refused to give her his seed so God killed him also. She was promised the third son, but when it became apparent, it was not going to happen, she tricked Judah into giving her his seed. All she wanted was the seed of promise. She got her seed and had twins. He sons were named Perez (a breach) and Zarah (a rising as the sun). She stood for the grafting in of the Gentile nation. Her sons were grafted into the Hebrew line which would give us Jesus. She would be mentioned in the genealogy in Matthew.
The Jewish leaders had rejected Jesus but the Gentiles accepted him and were grafted into the family of God. It had been God’s plan from the beginning.
In Matthew we repeat the miracle in Matthew 9. Since this is one of the miracles the teachers of the law had deemed would be a Messianic miracle, they once again have to make a statement about how Jesus could do this. They declared again that he did it through the power of the devil. Jesus asked them that if he was casting out demons by the power of Satan, then who did they cast out demons by? But, if he cast out demons by the power of God then God’s kingdom was near and they were missing it. Then he explained that anyone could make that statement against him, but if they were making that statement and saying they heard this from God, then they were blaspheming the Holy Spirit and they would not be forgiven. They were a tree with bad fruit making themselves corrupt and one day they would be judged for their belief or disbelief.
Lord, thank you that the boundary lines you have placed in our lives have fallen in pleasant place. We have a delightful inheritance!