Joseph, Gen Ch 37 v2, was 17 year of age when he brought to his father a bad report concerning Bilhah & Zilpah.
He was 30 years old when he entered the service of Pharoah.
Debate is held over how long Joseph was in prison. This is based on a variety of views and variable, as we do not know how long it took Joseph to come into Egypt nor how long he served Potiphar before being sentenced to prison.
But, Josephs age is highlighted in scripture as central to the commencement of the narrative. Ch 35 of Genesis ends with the death of Isaac with Rachel having given birth to Benjamin and having died in so doing at the entrance to Bethlehem.
Chapter 36, is concentrated on Esau and his descendants as is not the continuing narrative of the seed of promise, through Jacobs seedline.
Thus, the commencement again of the seedline of promise, of the birthright & of the Fathers blessing specifically informs us that Joseph was 17 years of age.
What was he doing at 17 years of age? He may have had his dreams at this age & it is possible that even his entrance to Egypt happened within his 17th year. But scripture does not give us this specific timeline of events.
But it does state that Joseph at 17 was shepherding the flock and was out in the field with the flock and his brethren.
This information, gives us the important context. The original blessing of God was fruitfulness to both the field & the flock. Through the fall the earth was cursed and Cain did not know the abundance he had previously, after he had shed innocent blood.
Cain, was a tiller of the ground and when his offering was not accepted, he led his brother into the field where he rose up and killed him.
A spiritual principle is here highlighted that runs through all scripture, we are not saved by are own righteousness or works, but we are saved by the blood of the lamb. God himself clothed Adam and Eve with animal, lamb, skins.
God accepted Abels offering as it was according to the pattern given & it was an act of faith that trusted God for the future generations, rather than giving God a portion. Worship is in Abels act, rather than the personal 9/10ths acquisition.
The Prodigal was clothed with a mantle the Father had reserved, as the Lamb had been slain before the foundations of this world. He was hungry, impacted by famine to the extent that he would eat pigs foods. Yet, the Father did not withhold the covering by which he covered Adam & Eve, despite him having no portion to bring from his hard labour in the fields.
Jacob, has moved in obedience and his family extended has been saved for catastrophe, Simeon and Levi having betrayed their Fathers trust in taking matters into their own hands.
Yet, Jacob own journey has required wrestling with God himself. Jacob, needed a saviour from himself & another man who was able to reconcile him with those he had robbed and offended. Jacob needed, God, to be reconciled with his brother.
Therefore, nature being what it is, and the law of reaping what you sow, we know that all Jacobs sons needed the central narrative of redemption: Simeon & Levi, & Rueben having already clearly manifested the impulsive natural mans passions. That which Laban had sown into Jacobs marriages, had contention firmly fixed, a contention that brings nations to war, sons of Hagar etc, the root being not the son of the Fathers pure love.
Thus, the 12 sons of Israel, incorporated the principle of contention, as God in the penultimate scheme of things, has no favorites and no Ismaels (deprived of a Fathers love – Islam lacks the Father heart of God), and he has the ‘Well Done my beloved Son’ for all and any who look to the Cross for their Salvation, where God himself Finished the great work of redemption, his beloved sons blood being poured down upon the earth, crying far better things than the blood of Abel.
Joseph dreams about 7 years of plenty, 7 years in which the earth in incredibly fruitful. And then 7 years of famine.
- One thing I read around timelines speculated that it took Jacob 3.5 years to get into Egypt from the start of the famine.
It is of interest that the baker, is working with the fruit of the field. Whereas the cup bearer is with the vine, a type of the crimson line of our redemption. The communion wine being for the forgiveness of mans sins the blood of the covenant.
Genesis Ch 47 v28 – informs us that Jacob lived for 17 years in the land of Egypt, with his Son Joseph.
Thus, the uniting of Joseph and Jacob in Egypt is recoded as being the same amount of time as when Jospehs narrative really begins and when Jacobs continues after his own father and love of his life have died.
Scripture, highlights 17 years at the start and close of events in the going down into Egypt.
17 is the 7th Prime number.
Genesis Ch 6 affirms that the Lord saw the wickedness of man was great on the earth. In grieved God to his very heart, to the extent that he was sorry that he had ever made man.
Yet, BUT, Noah found favor in the eyes of God. Akin, to some in his seedline, he walked with God, blameless in his generation.
Noah did as the Lord had commanded him, and built the ark.
Noah was 600 and two months old and 17 days when he entered the ark!
https://creation.com/how-long-was-noah-on-the-ark
For 40 days it rains hard.
And after the ark came to rest on the mountains top, after 40 days he sent forth a raven and a dove.
Then after 7 days and again after 7 days and the dove did not return.
Matthew Ch 26 v30-31 – Jesus ascended from this mountain and will return upon this mountain.
God commanded Noah to leave the ark – it was on Gods timeline. But his focus is not on a timeline that is not entirely focused on that which is within his heart! The timeline is defined by the age of Noah, Gods focus is not on the science it is on reaching and conveying his love unto the sons of men. God loves mankind, and in the fullness of time sent forth a Saviour from within his very own heart.
God reproduces the original blessing unto his image on the earth, he can not change in nature. He must Judge ultimately the wicked, but his heart does not change, his heart is blessing and fruitfulness.
God makes a promise to Noah, BUT it is not just to Noah it is to the whole of creation.
When God speaks to Noah to build the ark, there is a very distinct repetition of the word ‘every’! This is again highlighted when the are commanded to leave the ark! There was not a mouse, allowed to inhabit a forgotten corner of the ark for the remaining days of its life.
God smelled the aroma of the obedient and willing sacrifice, and God spoke from his heart! The heart that had been sorry that he had made man in his image.
This covenant to Noah, is a covenant promise from the very heart of God unto ‘EVERYONE’ that beliveth upon Jesus Christs sacrifice at Calvary.
Every time it rains, and the sunlight is seen at the correct vantage point the eternal word of God is manifested in the heavens, from whence the heavens where opened, and a dove rested upon his well beloved Son, in whom he is well pleased.
The rainbow, the multi colored robe that spans the heavens, is Gods favor manifested. All the colors shinning forth from between the angels of 40-42 degrees.
Noah then plants a vineyard and gets drunk!
Ham exposes his fathers nakedness unto his brothers!
Whereas, Shem and Japheth cover their fathers nakedness.
Noah speaks very seriously concerning a distinction over what had happened. Love covers a multitude of sins. Being clothed by the lamb, having a multi colored robe, is designed so that when you are met in a field by another man, that the blessing received from the Fathers love, reproduces the spiritual principle of reconciliation: Joseph was seeking his brethren, the Fathers mission is the welfare of ‘EVERY’ – Jacob had to meet a man in a field before he was reconciled to his brother. Will you let go of your own strength and righteousness, your defenses, will you entrust all into your Fathers hands. Jospehs multi colored robe was sealed with the outer crimson reconciling blood – the last of the light from the 42nd angle and last spectrum of the bow, not for just himself, but for his brethren
From Ham, came, Nimrod, Babel and Babylon. Egypt itself has its roots to Ham. And the people of Gaza, the Philistines too. And the people who dwelt in Sodom & Gomorrah and Amorites unto whom God speaks specifically concerning their sin reaching its outworking, before the people of Israel would possess the land of promise.
Prior to Abraham, the Gospel of Jesus Christ has clearly been preached through Noah and his building of the ark. Even the land of promise has been contrasted in nature, that his seedline is to be akin to Shem & Japheth not in ethnicity but through Spiritual receptivity to that which was within Gods own heart: a love that covers.
This is demonstrated on the day of Pentecost when God, gives an enabling to speak in new languages so that the ‘EVERY’, may hear and receive from the heart of God his unchanging and original blessing: To see the Fathers love through his beloved Son – thus they began to call upon the nature of the LORD – a new creation, the uncorrupted nature, the ancient of days.
God promised to give to Abraham and his descendants the land of Canaan. And on cue Moses was carried on the waters of the Nile in an ark of bulrushes.
- – – – –
Genesis Ch 8 v4 – they had been all at sea (Psalm 77), but again land is beneath them, and it is the start of moving again from the 2nd day into the 3rd day of creation: a reproduction of the seed that has died to become fruitful.
Last blog post touched upon the blessing that Jacob imparted to his 12 sons. And showed how Judah’s redemption was total, having reciprocated his Fathers heart, who had sent Joseph to enquire how his brethren faired, just like Jesse had. Reciprocated it, by offering his own life that the youngest might go free, that his father might not be grieved.
Judah, the worst transgressors of the 12, has his sins blotted out by his fathers prophetic blessing. Not said to condemn Ruben! No, all sin must be judge, and the sons of Judah transgression did not have a good testimony. Cain was the first fruits of Adam & Eves fall, but God still encouraged him, that he was accepted in the well loved, immediately he believed that ‘God shall provide himself a sacrifice’ – not the labour of my hands simply to thy cross I cling.
Born of the line of Judah. The Lion of Judah, born King of the Jews.
God is speaking through the narrative of Judah, unto all sons of contention. His blessing from the father was actually so that the real Joseph, the man who when he was baptized in the flood waters of the Jordan, and the window of heaven opened, that it was done for ‘Every’ one who had been baptised, the Father is well pleased as soon as we repent of are sins in sincerity unto his embrace.
Genesis Ch 47 v13-26
Joseph gave the people of Egypt seed for the field. He brought ‘everything’ under Pharaoh, a type of Noah within the ark: all under one roof – all together with one accord. God clearly sovereign far above any towers yet to be built. Do we not all exist according to the divine order of creation, that God has spoken into being.
Personal, I do not think that Joseph was out of sync for doing this. I have heard a preacher state that due to enslaving the people, God did not continue the statement of being the ‘I AM’ of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob. No I do not agree, despite their being mystery here. No I believe that Jospeh fulfilled his appointment with distinction, and for this reason Jesus when he was born according to prophecy, was born in Bethlehem because his earthly covering and father Joseph, was not exempt from the edict that had been given unto the whole known world.
Yet, BUT!
The children of Israel settled in Egypt in the best pastures for their flocks, in Goshen. As they where shepherds, by Gods design to be watching over their flocks by night.
But, despite the famine, despite not being in the very land of promise, God was being faithful to his own purposes and plan of redemption unto the whole human race. Had not God answered Abraham, when he offered the sacrifice and the birds. God was intent on multiplying his people greatly, during the sojourning in Egypt.
Jospeh, JESUS, the good shepherd who gave his own life to the pit, that the seed is never through the labour of are hands. The provisions all come from him, the ordination and the gifts and callings. The land, the earth, has a distinction, the promises of God – Gods Word is the sacrificial lamb who was silent before his accusers, this is the only seed from Israel, from Issac and Abraham that God blesses ‘EVERYONE’ through, nations and families.
They had cattle and seed from Joseph, they were not enslaved. And that is the mystery, as where Gods Spirit is their is liberty.
From Abraham to Jesus Christ 42 generations – the biblical figure who follows Noah. And then overcoming the powers of the fall, the chief architect of rebellion to loves call, Satan himself. 40 days in the wilderness and he ate nothing: Luke Ch 4 v18-19.
The Cross is the only doorway out of Egypt, out of Ham, out of Noahs drunkenness, out of Adam. The blood sealed the Passover, flowing down to the earth, now after he ascended to appear on mans behalf, then as the wind of heaven blows upon 12 brethren in unity already multiplied. The cross is the covenant promise from within Gods heart that which he is well pleased with, the aroma that does not return void. And GOD said: Go out of the ark, into all the world and preach this gospel, no other gospel but my Son by which men must be saved.
From Calvary to Pentecost, 3 days descended preaching to those in Noahs day! 40 days with his apostle, 7 days unto Pentecost.
The day of Pentecost the breadth of Gods ark.
Born in a manger, no room for hm in the Inn. Born amongst the cattle and sheep, and a donkey too. Born where famine hit the hardest, fain to have filled his belly. Wise men lead their by a Star, placed their according to the covenant promises of God Gen Ch 1 v14 & Ch 8 v22.
Born when an edict was given that the whole world should be tax.
It is with interest that the G7 have agreed a minimum 15% Corporation tax. Quite right too. Of more interest to hear the consenting voices of the corporations. But, does it not speak of a growing tightening of opportunity for the sole trader or a start up to big business too. The consent is largely due to being at the table at a global arrangement.
Did the early Church lack? They certainly didn’t avoid paying their taxes, but know doubts Stephen witnessed the miracle of the breaking of the bread, to meet the needs of a growing multitude.
Born into a virgins womb, water all around.
Baptized, by John after all the people, despite a sinless life.
Upon the Cross, water & blood came out of his side.
How much greater, is the cleansing tide that comes from Calvarys side! How much more to make a rebel a priest and a king. How much more to manifest the covering colored robe of all the Fathers love. His robe was the outer bow, when mocked and taking the curse of all mans wickedness upon his own very head. All the ‘thoughts’ of men’s heart having been wickedness from his youth up.
Bullinger on the number 17 and its significance. Perfection of Spiritual Order.
Romans Ch 8 v35-39 or famine! In Joseph day, God wrought a type perfect Spiritual Order, Joseph wept, the shortest verse in the Bible. The water coming from within before his final road to calvary when the door to the ark was opened wide.
None of these things, Covid, being required to be registered/vaccinated, shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I like the illustration given in the creation article, especially as it would be particularly nice as it would tie in with blog post ‘The Promised Land’ that speaks into the Western division of the land of promise. All sons of Joseph on that side.
I like that it is one day short of a solar year the time within the ark. I like it as Noahs first full day upon the new earth would be a complete Solar year, the earths full rotation around the SON of all Gods love and the provision of life for ‘ALL’
Born in Bethlehem where Rachel gave birth sacrificially for Benjamin, the place Jerusalem was originally. But Judah gave himself to unite their borders. She had cried, give me children or I die. And Benjamin speaks into all the benefits of his sacrifice, brought to us through the big BUT of Gods heart the repents not at the Lamb slain before the foundations of the World.
The spring equinox, the likely time of his death at Calvary. The setting of the Sun. All Sons of Joseph, who cried carry my bones into the land promised my fathers, as God shall surely visit you.
Five months, the waters abounded during the flood. Five bleeding wounds at Calvary.
The book of Acts is the outworking of the 5th wound received at Calvary, the birthing of the Church from his side.
Winter Solstice his conception and his baptism – the lay of the land Eastern: Judea, Issachar & Zebulun.
The fourth, five and sixth sons of Leah. His land of birth and the land he lived out his days until his ministry started at 30 years of age. The rising of the Son.
The covering has never changed. The seed that would crush the serpents head. Covers are nakedness, and the fruit of having done evil.
Jesus Christ is the centre of all the promises of God – he is the well beloved Son.
Bullinger makes mention of Psalm 83 and a prophetic utterance of 10 nations against Israel. And of a historic previous 7 defeated.
And are we not living in days in which we can be sure of all Gods promises to Israel. Not just in the natural but in the new covenant perfection of spiritual order.
And to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
Better things, the blessing of Fathers hearts turned to their Children and Children unto their Fathers, this is the generational blessing God always intended for Israel as a light unto all the nations (no sacrifices to the Baals etc) and manifested through the 17 years pre and post Josephs separation from him. This is the backdrop to the promised covenanted land. The blessing unto Noah included the whole earth, but unto Israel a specific portion has been promised – we the wild olive are engraftment in from all the nations.
Revelation Ch 21 v13-17.
Wash your robes like Judah, Come into the ark of all his covenant promises.
eternalrays 