One of the clearest pictures
of Christ and salvation, as we are seeing, is Joseph, the story of Joseph. I have heard it a number of times
and am preaching it now myself, yet the half has not been told. There are innumerable gospel
messages As we saw this morning, we could spend a lot of time
on just one verse. There are innumerable gospel
messages and stories within this story. Now, back in chapter forty-one,
let's look back there again. Chapter forty-one, there is a
famine in the land. A famine is in the land of Egypt
and Canaan, all over the world. Chapter 41, verses 55 and following. When all the land was famished,
the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said unto all
the Egyptians, Go to Joseph, what he saith to you do. The
famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened
all the storehouses and sold unto the Egyptians. And the famine
was like sore in the land of Egypt. All countries came into
Egypt to Joseph to buy corn, because the famine was sore in
all the land. Joseph is the son of Jacob, and
he is now in Egypt. Look at chapter forty-three now,
and this is where we'll stay. Chapter forty-three, verse one. It says, "...the famine was sore."
in the land. And now he's talking about these
children of Israel, Jacob's sons. And it came to pass one day,
Jacob's family had eaten up the corn which their dad had brought
out of Egypt. Their father said unto them,
Go again and buy us a little food. And Jacob sends all his sons
to Joseph. They didn't know him, but it
was their brother, their older brother, the eldest son of Joseph. or Jacob had all the corn, and
he opened the storehouses to his brethren and gave it to them
for free. Well, this is a picture of Christ.
Christ is the eternal Son of God Almighty sent before us. He's the firstborn among many
brethren, like Joseph. Jacob had some sons before Joseph,
but his real son was Joseph. He was the firstborn. Joseph
was truly the firstborn among many brethren, and he was the
forerunner. Joseph went before his brethren,
and Christ went before his brethren. He went before them into the
veil, and he sits now as the provider for his people. He sits
now as the Mediator of the covenant, he sits now as the Lord reigning
and ruling. All authority has been given
unto him in heaven and earth. And he decides who gets what,
especially salvation. And the scripture says he opens
the storehouses. All that come unto God by him, he opens them.
And it's free. Salvation's free. Free. All the sons of God from the
beginning have been sent to Christ for mercy. for grace, for salvation. That's what Isaiah said. He said,
All thy children shall be taught of thee. And every man that hath
learned and learned of the Father, he goes to Christ for mercy. Go to him. He'll open the storehouses. And Christ, who was with the
Father from the beginning, opened the storehouses of mercy and
grace to all that have come before us, all who have been saved.
All our brethren have come to Christ." Bill, they didn't know
him. The Old Testament saints did
not know his name as you do. But they came to him. Moses did not know his name.
It was Jesus, and he'd come from Nazareth. But he came to him
for mercy. It said Moses wrote him. Abraham didn't know his name,
but he came to him. Abel didn't know his name. He
didn't know him like you do, but he came to him. He brought
the blood. Abraham said, He rejoiced to
see my day. He saw it and was glad. He came
to him. All the brethren before us have come to Christ for mercy. And he it was that fed them all
the way through. He's been the provider for his
people from the beginning. Several times he appeared in
the flesh, like Melchizedek, the angel of the Lord Jacob.
Christ was that manna. He was that rock. He's our elder
brother. Now, in this story this morning,
and Christ is all. Christ is in it all. Christ is
represented in many things. Christ is Simeon that was bound.
Christ is Benjamin, the son that must come, or else we're not
accepted. The surety we're going to see,
Christ is all and in all. But here in this type this morning,
if you're still with me, here in this type this morning, there
are going to be a few principal characters here. Joseph here
is going to represent the law in this type this morning. Joseph
will represent the law, if you're taking notes. Joseph represents
the law. now is going to represent Jesus
Christ, Judah. It's got a good ring to it. Jacob is going to represent God
the Father, and Benjamin is that sinner. He's the sinner, every
sinner that's brought to God. All right, all the sons are to
appear before Joseph. As I said, Joseph represents
the law. Joseph. And Joseph, it said back in chapter
42, spake roughly to them. We saw that Wednesday night,
didn't we? How when God deals with somebody, the first thing
He says to them is not sweet things, kind things, like these
preachers are saying today. The Word of God doesn't come
to a person that God is dealing with in salvation and first say
to them, God loves you. It doesn't do that. See, Genesis is the beginning.
This is how God deals with his people all the way through. God's
the same yesterday, today, and forever. He doesn't change. He
said, I'm the Lord, I change not. However I save people in
the beginning is how I save them in the end. However I deal with
men in the beginning is how I deal with them in the end. How I deal
with Abel is how I deal with you. How I dealt with Jacob is how
I deal with you. How I dealt, how I saved the sons of Jacob,
I'll say you sons of Jacob. That's how. In the law, God brings
us through an interpreter, through a preacher, a true one. Joseph
spoke through an interpreter. He didn't speak to him personally.
He spoke through another man. And the first thing he said to
his brothers was rough things, hard things, Marge says, hard
things. He said, you're spies. You remember
that? You're nothing but a bunch of
no good spies. They objected. No, no, no, no,
we're true men. We're this, we're that. He said,
no, you're not. You're no good spies. And that's
what the Word of God, the law, God brings us to the law. Yes,
we had no sin except by the law stand, right? God Almighty first
brings all men and women to the law. And you know what it says
to us? Not good things, not sweet things, not kind things, not
God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. No. Rough
things. Hard things. There's none good. No, not one. causes one. Causes no. The law says filthy rags even
your religion is filthy rags. He said it shall be perfect to
be accepted. He said your new moons your Sabbaths
your meetings your solemn days. There is a stench in my nostrils. He said none good. Nothing nothing
good about it any of it. That's what the law says. Whatsoever
things the law saith," Romans 3, 19, "...whatsoever things
the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law," who's
that? Every son of Adam. What does it say? "...that every
mouth may be stopped, and all the world become," what? "...guilty
before God." See, a man or woman has got to feel their guilt before
they receive mercy, or mercy won't mean a thing. Mercy doesn't mean a thing to
a man out there walking the street, does it? But it means something
to a man who's on death row. Grace doesn't mean a thing to
a man who's rich and increasingly good and has need of nothing,
but it means something to a beggar on a downhill. And salvation, blood and righteousness,
free through Christ, doesn't mean a thing to a self-righteous
goody-two-shoes find good, upstanding, moral Christian person. It means
something to an old, worthless sinner. And every one of these sons of
Joseph were brought to the point where they felt like we're guilty.
Sons of Jacob, they said we're guilty. We're guilty. Finally,
after he kept saying you're spies, you're spies, you're spies, you're
spies, they said we're guilty. We're not spies, but we're worse
than that. And the half wasn't told about
them, was it? They were them? And that's what the law, we come
before the law, and it says that Joseph took Simeon captive. Took
Simeon captive. Joseph did. And the law speaks
roughly to every son of Adam, first of all, and we're bound
and held captive to it. No, we're under the law, the
scripture says. And it says we must be brought
free from that wherein we're held. That's what Romans 5 says.
We're held captive to the law. Captive. Bound by it. Until,
and this is another story, until Boaz takes off his shoe. Rolls up his sleeve. Well, so
they come to Joseph. These brothers come to Joseph.
Joseph recognizes them, but they don't recognize him. That's the
same way with every son of Adam who comes to hear the gospel.
If they're one of his own, if they're one of Christ's sheep,
he knows them, but they don't know him yet. But bless God, if they're one
of his, he knows them. He said, they're going to hear
my voice. I'm going to reveal myself to
them. But first, I'm going to speak rough to them. And they're
not going to like it. But that's what they need. All right, the corn's gone. They
eat up all the corn. They go back home. And they come
and the corn is all gone. Even at Jacob's house. They ate
up all of them. Several years, well, months at
least went by. Simeon's down there in prison.
Didn't think too much of Simeon, did they? Well, he wasn't worth
much. But they've got to go back to
Joseph. They've got to go back. If they want some more corn,
they're going to have to go to Joseph. That's just all there
is to it. And here's another story. Judah said, he said, no, you're
not going to, we're not going to go back there until Benjamin
goes with us. That man solemnly protested, you're not going to
even see my face, except your brother be with you. That's a
picture of Benjamin being Christ. Christ, our representative, whom
God says, You're not going to see my faith. No man has seen
God at any time. The only begotten Son, which
is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared. And no man
can see God's face and live. We have. How? God has shined in our hearts
to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of a person. We've come by Christ. We've come
to God by Christ, and we've seen Him. We've seen God only through
Christ, by faith in Christ. Well, they've got to appear before
Joseph to receive any corn. They must stand before this sovereign
judge in Egypt. And Jacob, like I said, had a
son, Benjamin, the youngest son, who was still at home under his
care. Joseph was his oldest, and he was in Egypt. He didn't
know it, but he was. Benjamin was still at home under
Jacob's care. Now Judah. Now here's the fellow,
the principal character in this whole story. Are you with me?
You're going to miss it if you're not. Judah. This old boy came to himself. He realized. He finally came
to himself and realized. He realized that that Joseph was the well-beloved
son, and that Benjamin was his other beloved, that Jacob had
basically two sons that he really loved. He knew of his father's
love for Benjamin, and he says to his father, look at verse
8 now, "...Judah knew of his love to Benjamin, and was loath
to let him perish with these others." was not going to let
him perish with these others. He was not going to send him
at the risk of him perishing. But Judah convinces him. Judah
convinces him to send him. Look at verse 8. Judah said unto
Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that
we may live. If we don't go, we're going to
die. If you don't send him with me,
we will die. And let us, let him go with me,
that we may live and not die, both we and you. You'll live. You'll live. And our little ones,
they'll live. Just send this son with me. Send the lad with me. Put him
in my charge. Verse 9 says, I'll be a surety
for him. Give him to me. give him to me. I'll be surety for him." Now,
the word surety. Surety means, basically, it means
cosigner. Any of you ever had a surety? Well, back when I was a young
boy and there was something A bright orange car that I had my affection
set on. Orange? Yes, it was bright orange. A Firebird. Sixty-seven, Stephen. Four hundred, four-speed, four-barrel. Four tires on it. It wasn't in
a little while I burned them all. But I had my eyes all, and
I didn't have enough money. And I went to Dad. Dad, I've
got to have that car. And I'd never made a loan before
at the bank. Never. I had no collateral. I had nothing.
I was working a little job at it. Didn't pay much at a gas
station. It didn't pay much, does it?
And I went to Dad. Dad, would you please co-sign
a loan with me? And Dad did. That's the way dads
are, aren't they? That's the way dads are. put
me in that missile. Oh, but he loved me. He knew
I loved that scar, so he co-signed a loan for me. And you know who
was responsible for paying that loan? Not me. My name wasn't on the line. Right
up there on the top. You know who signed the top of
the dotted line? My dad, Henry Mayhem. If I did
not pay, and I thought I was paying, but I was not responsible. He was. If I missed a payment,
the law was going to come get him. Well, that car got paid
off, folks. It got paid off. No thanks to
me, Stephen. I tried. I tried, and I paid a little
bit. But Dad paid her off for me later on. That's the way dads
are. Well, it means to be totally responsible. He was my surety,
you see. He was totally responsible for my death. And also, a surety
is responsible for someone's safety, someone's welfare. They
can be that way, a surety. They can be in the stead of,
they will be held accountable for the one they are a surety
for. Held accountable. I love Philemon, the book of
Philemon. Paul says to old Onesimus, if he doesn't pay, you hold to
my account. But that's another story. But Reuben, you know who
tries to be the surety first? Reuben. Up there, and the reason
I had us read that, chapter 42, Reuben said, Father, I'll be
it. I'll be the surety. Send him
with me. His father said no. No. No way. Who's Reuben? Reuben is the oldest but illegitimate
son of Jacob. Who's he represent? Well, who's
the firstborn man on this earth? Huh? Who's the firstborn man? Who's man? Adam. Okay? Adam. But is he the son of God? Mm-mm. Mm-mm. Mm-mm. God has one begotten. one begotten son, one the seed
of God. Adam was just a man. But the God-man, Christ, is his
Joseph, his firstborn among many brethren. But Reuben comes, and
any son of Adam cannot be a surety. Any son of Adam cannot be a surety
for God's people. It won't work. Saint this, Saint
that won't work. Saint Mary won't work. Can't
be a surety or mediator. Cannot. Why? They're sinners. They're sinners. But the seed
of woman can. Sinless woman. And Ben's big brother. Old Ben's
big brother. Should have named that, shouldn't
we? Ben's big brother. Judah. This is significant. Have you thought about the names
in the scriptures that start with J? Joseph, Judah, Joshua, Joshua, Jehovah, Jesus. Significant people. Judah says, Of my hand shalt
thou require him. If I bring him not unto thee,
and set him before thee, let me bear the blame for ever."
Forever. Give him to me. I'll bring him
back. And he must have been convincing.
Look over at Revelation 5 with me. Why is Judah significant? Judah. Revelation 5. OK? Turn over there. You've got
to see this to know why. I was reading, you want some
good reading this afternoon or tonight or in the morning or
whatever, you go over there to Genesis 49 and read about Judah. I read
that this morning. I'm telling you, it's amazing. I can't wait to get to that.
Jacob blessing Judah. I'd like to read it now, but
I don't have time. All right. Revelation 5. Revelation 5. Now, as our story goes, man is
in the throes of famine. Jacob's family is in the throes
of famine. It's been a long time. It's been a long time. All the
corn is gone. Four thousand years after the
fall. Four thousand years after the
fall. going on, at a time when all
seemed hopeless on this earth. Malachi, you see, Malachi was
the last of the prophets, and God Almighty didn't speak to
man for four hundred years. Four hundred years. There was
no word. No fresh word. Four hundred years. God Almighty didn't speak. God's
people were in captivity. Darkness, a world full of sin,
iniquity, violence, and corruption. God was silent. Big famine throughout
the world, but God, who is rich in mercy, for
his great love, wherewith he loved the people, sent Joseph
into the land. He came. Who? Look at Revelation
5. I saw in the right hand of him
that sat on the throne, a book. A book. Written within and on the backside,
sealed with seven seals. What was in this book? It was
the names of all of God's people. All the people that got elected,
chosen from the foundation before the world began, were written
in this book. sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel
proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book,
and loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, no man. And like Israel, all through
the song, we want a little history here, through the song, they're
crying out, and through the minor prophets, they're crying out,
Help us, Lord, help us. Help us, God, come down, save
us. Isaiah 25, one of my favorites,
says it will be said in one day. It will be said. Here's our God. He's come. He's come. Finally,
He's come. He'll save us. But for 400 years
they were crying. God hadn't spoken. 400 years.
And here walks this man. And John, the last of the Old
Testament prophets. John the Baptist was standing
baptizing one day. He's the one that wrote this.
took dictation has spoken unto us by his son."
There he is. Who is it? One of the elders,
verse 5, saith unto me, Weep not, behold the Lion of the tribe
of Judah. That's who he is. Judah. The Lion of the tribe of Judah.
He alone is worthy. He's the blessed one. The King
of kings, the Lord of lords, it goes on to say, the only mediator
between God and men, the man, the Son of man, the Son of David,
the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the surety. And he came. It says he got the
book and opened it up and read the name, the High Priest. And
like Judah, back in our story now, turn back there. In the
beginning, before the foundation of the world, Christ appeared
before God the Father. Once, in the beginning of the
world, he appeared before God the Father and said to God in
an eternal covenant. Are you with me, please? He said
to the Father in a covenant before the world began. He said, Give
your people to me. Give them to me. And I'll go. I'll go to earth for you. Give
me your people for them. Put all your sons into my hands,
these who are going to become sinners. I'll go to earth. I'll
obtain mercy, grace, pardon, and peace for them by my blood,
by my righteousness. I'll go before the holy and righteous
law of God for them. I'll be their righteousness. I'll be their advocate. I'll
be their substitute. Give them to me. I'll take care
of them. Yeah, I'll save them. If I don't
bring them back, you required it in my hand. I'll be there
sure to give them to me." And he says, I'll give them eternal
life, and they'll never perish. That's the will of the Father.
The Father says, OK, they're yours. They're yours. And Christ said, This is the
Father's will which hath sent me, that all which he hath given
me shall never perish, but have
eternal life. Look at chapter 43 now. Judah knew that he couldn't appear
before this judge without a price. He's going to have to appease
this judge with gifts. Deborah, you're with me. He's going to have to give some
things to this great judge. He's going to have to appease
him with some precious gifts and a prize. He's going to have
to have a prize. He knows it requires a prize. Look at verse
11 through 14. Their father Israel said unto
them, It must be so, do this. Take the best fruits in the land
in your vessels, and carry down the man a present." Carry a little
balm, a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds. Take double money. Take double
price. Double money in your hand. The
money was brought again in the mouth of your sack. Carry it
again. Perhaps it was an oversight. But take your brother. Take him. Take your brother. Go to the
man. And God Almighty, God Almighty
give you mercy before the man. And send away your brother. And
send away Benjamin. Send them back. All right. Just as Judah came before Joseph
bearing precious gifts and a price, Jesus Christ came before the
law of God bearing a price. The law says you must glorify
God, thou must worship the Lord thy God, and Him alone must you
worship. The law says thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy mind, heart, soul, and strength. Then glorify the God. To this end man was created to
glorify God, but we have all sinned and come short of the
glory of God. But our surety says, I won't. I'll glorify Him. I'll bring a gift. I'll bring
something before Him that He can accept. I'll bring a righteous
life. I'll bring spices. Yeah, a righteous
life, a sweet-smelling savor. Christ's life was a sweet-smelling
savor to His Father. You ladies that have little children.
Teresa, that little girl, she just smells good, too. It says that one day God Almighty
smelled a sweet smelling savor of his son. He said, this is
my son. Don't over him. He's worth it. He's all together.
Isn't he lovely? Look at him. Here, let me show
you some pictures. Isn't he lovely? All together lovely. Isn't he
the most beautiful man you've ever seen? Huh? You better say
yes. His father didn't take lightly
to their being a rival. You better say yes. Isn't he
lovely? Altogether lovely? Significant that that woman,
that alabaster box of ointment, put that on his head, and sweet-smelling
spices. Spices, Christ's sweet-smelling
righteousness. It smells good to me, too, John.
Mine are filthy. This stuff stinks to me. My prayers stink, don't they? I get tired of praying publicly.
I'll just be honest with you. I get tired of it. I want somebody
else to do it. I get tired of hearing my stinking
voice. My prayers stink to me. Boy, John 17 doesn't know. That
sure smells good to me. Oh, my. That's the spices that
flow forth from him and balm, the balm he brought. What's the
balm of Gilead? Is there no balm in Gilead? Joseph could have said to Judah,
what you got there? Smells good. I need a little
balm. You got any balm? Yeah, I got
some good balm here. Good balm. That's the blood of
Christ, isn't it? The blood that He brings, the
balm of Gilead, this precious blood He shed for the life of
His people. Honey and almonds, what's all that? That's fruit.
Fruit. Here it is, the Father glorified
that you bear much fruit. Now you say, we don't bear much
fruit, do we? We're a fruitless fig tree. Thank God it keeps
dumbing us. Keeps putting us on the dumb.
Maybe one of these days, Nancy, maybe one of these days we'll
bear one little mustard seed, just one. But Christ is a fruitful
bough. That's what it said there in
Genesis 49. Judah is a fruitful bough. Joseph. It says Joseph is a fruitful
bough. Oh, he's like a tree planted by the rivers of living water.
His leaves bring forth fruit. Fruits under the glory of God.
Honey and almonds. A fruitful life to God. And double
money. Judah brought double money. What's
that? What's that, John? Isaiah 40
says, We have received of the Lord's hand double. for all our iniquities. Haven't
we? Well, we've received double,
haven't we? We've received not only pardon,
but we've received righteousness. God not only says, I find you
not guilty, but he says, yeah, I consider you holy. Justified. Justified. That means not only declared
innocent, but that means declared righteous. We receive not only forgiveness.
He said, I forgive you. We, husband and wife, sometimes
we get into arguments, don't we? And it's hard. One of the hardest things for
a man to say is, and woman, it's harder for women, really, is,
I forgive you. Yeah, I forgive you, but you
better not have to have me again. I forgive you. But it says that
not only we get that from God Almighty through Christ because
of our charity who brought it, forgiveness, we get approval. Not only forgiveness, but absolute,
total approval. Approval. Justification and sanctification. acquittal, not only are we acquitted,
all charges. We come before the law, the judge
of the universe, he says, guilty. Our surety, our advocate stands
before us and is slain on our behalf, and the law says acquitted
to us. Acquitted. All charges dropped. You know what else the law says?
Adopt him. How many of you would adopt a
hardened criminal? That's what God did. We've received
of the Lord's hand double for all our iniquities. Help my,
double. And Christ says unto us, look
down at verse twenty-three. So they brought the money, that
Judah did, brought the money and the spices and all that.
And he said, this is what Joseph says, Peace be to you, fear not,
your God and the God of your father have given you treasure
in your sack." Now, they come before Joseph, and Judah comes before Joseph
for them as a surety. And he comes bringing these spices
and these nuts and almonds and honey and this balm. He's carrying
a present down to this man, and here's what the man says after
seeing these gifts and seeing Benjamin, he says, Fear not. Fear not. It's all right. I accept all these things on
your behalf. I accept them. Accepted. What? Judah. What's your brother? What's your charity? I accept
all at peace. God sent him to treasure. God sent the treasure, before
we fear not. You're a God, and the God of
your Father has given you a treasure. Now, we have this treasure in earthen
vessels. What's the treasure? It's the
gospel. It's what you're hearing right
now. It's a treasure. That our Judah, the line of the
tribe of Judah, what He procured for us, what He did for us by
His life, by His death, and by His intercession for us. It's
a treasure. John, it's a treasure. For who? Children of wrath. Them. That He's done for us. That He's
come before the law on our behalf. He's come before the law on our
behalf. And He says to us, God Almighty says, Let peace be unto
you. Fear not. peace. Why? How? Because he's made peace.
The lion of the tribe of Judah made peace for you by the blood
of his cross. He has the price of our redemption,
and he'll bring his people out. Look down at verse thirty-four.
Look down at verse thirty-four. Not only this, but they went.
This is what we're going to look at Wednesday night. They came home with Joseph. It
said in verse thirty-four, that he set them at the table there. He said he took and sent messes. That's probably where that old
saying, the mess hall. John, here in service, the mess
hall. Where did the mess come from?
The Bible, the Scripture, the mess. Joseph prepared messes for them. messes and sent them before them.
But Benjamin's mess was five times
more than the rest. Give Benjamin a heat mess, a
bunch of it. Oh, my, that represents us, doesn't
it? How he's blessed us. We're blessed
with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. And they
drank and they were married with him. Benjamin had left his father's
house, and it also represents Christ, doesn't it? That represents
Christ, the son who left his father's house, and now he is
richer than ever before. But Christ said unto those who
come to God by him, he said, Verily I say unto you, there
is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father,
or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my sake in the gospel,
but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time. houses, and
brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and land, with
persecution, and in the world to come, eternal life." And he
makes us kings and priests unto God and communes with us at his
table. And that's Wednesday night's story. But I want you to look
in closing at chapter forty-four. It's not quite all the story
of this churitan. Chapter 44. It's not quite all
the story. There's more of this surety,
of this Judah mediating for these men. Chapter 44. Joseph had a trial in store for
his brethren. He's going to bring them down
some more, Sherry. He's going to humble them some more. They've got to
keep being humble, don't they? They probably took the corn for
granted after a while. They took it for granted. didn't
it? Joseph's going to bring them
down again. Bring repentance. Show them the
sovereignty of God. He had one of his men hide his
silver cup. Joseph had one of his men hide
his silver cup that he drank out of in Benjamin's sack. And
that's another story too. We're going to look at that next
Sunday. And he had him hide it in his sack to make it look like
Benjamin stole the cut. And now look at verse 4 in chapter
44. When they were gone out of the city, not yet far off, Joseph
said unto his steward, Follow after them, overtake them. And
when you find them, when you overtake them, say unto them,
Why have you rewarded evil for good? Why have you rewarded evil for
good? In verse 11 and following it
says, They took down every man his sack to the ground, opened
every man his sack, they searched, and they found it in Benjamin's
sack, and they rent their clothes. Oh no. In verse 16 they said, We are
guilty. How shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity
of our service." We're guilty again. Do you see the picture? Huh?
We come back to the Word of God after having heard of our surety,
after having heard of the gospel, after having heard of this book,
saying to my people, the warfare is accomplished. Comfort ye,
comfort ye, my people. Tell them their warfare is accomplished.
They've received of the Lord's hand double for all her iniquity.
Pardon! Approved! Accepted in the beloved! You've got a surety! Go free! Go home! Fill their sacks. But, Joe, we're found guilty again. Something happened. We're guilty
again. We sin. We sin. Be sure the scripture says your
sins will find you out. We say, oh, no. I'm guilty. I'm a goner now. I've sinned. No, I've sinned before in ignorance,
but I obtained mercy through my Judah. my surety, I obtained
mercy. And now, after having heard the
gospel, I have sinned again, and now I am a goner, and now
I am a goner." No, you're not! Judah speaks up again. Judah
speaks up again. Look at it. Verse 18, "...then
Judah came near." You see, Sin doesn't... Your sins do separate you from
God Almighty, but our Judah unites us. Come ye sinners poor and
needy, weak and wounded, sick and sore. Our Damesman John lays
his hand on God, his hand on us and brings us to God. But,
but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but,
but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but,
but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but,
but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but,
but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but,
but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but with it. You're guilty? Come now,
let us reason together in our due to reasons for us here. Look
at what he said. Look at what our reasoner says. Verse 30, Now therefore, he says
this to Joseph. He says this to the law, whom
we're found guilty before again. He says, When I come to thy servant
my father, And the lad be not with us, if
I don't save this boy, while his life is bound up in the land." Stan, did you read that with
me? His life is bound up in the land. Does your God live? Where's your
God now, David? You're going to die. Hey, Joe,
curse God and die. Where's your God now? Is he dead?
No. He lives. And I'm going to live
too. His life is bound up in mine.
His glory is bound up in my life. He said he's going to save me.
And if he doesn't, God's dead. If Christ isn't going to save
me, if Judah, my lion of the tribe of Judah, my surety isn't
going to save me, his bones are in a coffin somewhere in Israel. His life is bound up. Verse 31,
It'll come to pass when he seeeth the lad's not with us, he'll
die. Verse 32, Thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father,
and said, I'll bring him out. If I bring him not unto thee,
then I shall bear the blame to my father forever. Now, therefore,
I pray thee, Judah's pleading with him now, I pray thee, let
me abide instead of the Lamb. Bind me. I'm not going back without
Him. Bind me. Kill me. Slay me. Do what you have to. The boy's got to go. He's got to. He's got to. Let the lad go. Do you remember
when they came to our Lord in the garden and those worthless
two-bit disciples sleeping around on the ground? Christ was sweating
blood. Sweating blood on their behalf.
And they couldn't even stay away. And the soldiers came to him.
He was innocent. They should have took them. They came to him. He went before
them. He went out before them. He went, that forerunner, went
out before these soldiers that would come. He said, Who do you
seek? They said, Jesus. That's when
he said, I am. And they fell backwards. But
then do you know what he said? If you seek me, let them go free. Now, they should have gone with
him. Yeah, they should have. The law, they were conspirators.
That's what the law, all Roman law was hard. There was no leniency,
none whatsoever. Death to all conspirators, death
to all collaborators against Caesar. They should have gone,
but why didn't they? Why didn't they? Why did they
go free? The lion of the tribe of Judah. He said, You let them
go. Take me. Take me. Verse 34, How shall I go to my
father? And the lad be not with me. Evil
will come on my father. Oh my, the Lion of the tribe
of Judah has come to the Father, come before us, come before the
Father. He comes before the law for us,
he comes before Satan for us, he comes before God for us. He came near, and he prayed,
Father, those thou gavest me I have kept. And none of them
is lost. You see, if he hadn't kept one
of them, great evil would come on God
the Father, wouldn't it? God's word's not true. He said,
All that cometh unto the Father by me will have everlasting life. All.
And if one is lost, one lost. And he said this, too. He said
not only about the disciples, He said, other sheep I have which
are not of this fold, them I must marry. I must. The love of God
is at stake here. The honor and glory of God are
at stake here. And he says to the law, lay not
any charge to my people. Lay them all to my charge. All
these sins, past, present, and future, I have the price. I said
I'd be their surety, and I'm their surety. And he did. And one day, finally,
one day, all of Jacob's family ended up
together, and they lived happily ever after. Boy, did they ever. Joyful, oh, they were sitting
at Pharaoh's table, safe and sound. And then he appears after
that, safe and sound at Pharaoh's table. And I just believe that Joseph may have said, Ah, here's
my brethren, all my brethren, here safe and sound, saved, saved
and sound. And Christ said that to the father.
He's going to say that one day. And behold, I and the children
which thou hast given me, they're all here safe and sound. Safe
and sound. What about Benjamin? The smallest,
the youngest, the weakest. Right there. Right there. There's Benjamin. He's not missing. He's here. The chief of sinners
is here too. All present and accounted for,
thanks to the line of the tribe of Judah. Thanks for nothing. Oh, thanks to us. Not unto us,
not unto us, but unto thee. Be all praise and honor and glory.
The Lion of the tribe of Judah, he hath prevailed. He hath prevailed,
our surety. All right. Joe, do you have a
hymn picked out? 233? 233.