Amazing Bible!

“But Joseph concealed his own identity from them and spoke sternly to them.” Genesis 42:7a

I like reading all sorts of books. I love “Pride and Prejudice” and all of Jane Austen’s books because I like reading about other times and diverse places. I just finished two of Daniel Silva’s excellent suspense thrillers. The author created quite a complicated protagonist who is a Jewish intelligence agent, assassin and art restorer. Too unputdownable! Now I am reading “A Woman of No Importance”, a true account of Virginia Hall, a glamorous American spy who changed the course of World War II. 

Whatever kind of story one likes to read, we may find it in the Bible. But the difference between the Bible and other books is we can see the mind of God through the Bible even if it is written by many authors. There is a common thread binding the books in spite of the fact that about forty individuals were inspired to put pen to paper or dictate what they wanted to set down. The books of the Bible were written over the course of about 1500 years by prophets, priests, shepherds, a physician, fisherman, tent maker, a king and even a tax collector! 

God used them all to share His love and His plan for all of us. And the proof that God was the inspiration behind the books is the “New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New” as Saint Augustine once observed. Indeed the key to fully understanding the Bible is to see how Jesus and His mission has been prefigured in many of the stories of the Old Testament, just like in the story of Joseph from Genesis chapter 37 to 50.

Joseph the dreamer foreshadows Christ our Messiah. Both Jesus and Joseph were beloved sons, sent on a mission, rejected, conspired against and sold. Just as Jesus was stripped of his clothes, Joseph’s many colored coat was taken from him. Both Jesus and Joseph were falsely accused and suffered for the sins of others. Jesus was put into a tomb and resurrected. Joseph was put into a pit and then pulled out. Joseph saved Egypt and the surrounding areas from famine. Jesus is redeemer of the world. The list goes on. But my favorite similarity is that Joseph was with two criminals in prison, one of whom was executed, the other set free. Wasn’t Jesus crucified between two criminals? Only one was saved. 

Father, thank You for Your Word. You made sure we would see Your movement in history, in Your God ordained foreshadowing of Your divine plan. When we read the Bible not only do we read about someone who changed the course of World War II, but we read about Jesus Your Son, who can change the course of our lives!