Finding Rest in Family Ties
THIRD QUARTER 2021
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #6
AUGUST 7, 2021
“FINDING REST IN FAMILY TIES”
You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen" (2 Peter 3:17, 18, NKJV).
It is hard to discern "Finding Rest in Family Ties" in the story of Joseph. Though he was cherished as a much-loved son by his father, the stories of Dinah and Hamor, the betrayal of Joseph into slavery, his experience in Potiphar's house and finally his being abandoned to prison were all fruits of family discord. Jacob's original sin of lying to Isaac about the birthright came back to haunt him with the deception his uncle practiced in giving him Leah in marriage. The addition of more wives only compounded his problems. Joseph was well-loved, but the turbulent spirits of his brothers made life hard.
Despite all their troubles, Jacob's and Joseph's names are listed among the faithful of all ages in Hebrews 11.
In this life we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith is depending upon the Word to do what it says. Joseph's journey of faith began in earnest on the road to Egypt.
"But, in the providence of God, even this experience was to be a blessing to him. He had learned in a few hours that which years might not otherwise have taught him. His father, strong and tender as his love had been, had done him wrong by his partiality and indulgence. This unwise preference had angered his brothers and provoked them to the cruel deed that had separated him from his home. Its effects were manifest also in his own character. Faults had been encouraged that were now to be corrected. He was becoming self-sufficient and exacting. Accustomed to the tenderness of his father's care, he felt that he was unprepared to cope with the difficulties before him, in the bitter, uncared-for life of a stranger and a slave.
"Then his thoughts turned to his father's God. In his childhood he had been taught to love and fear Him. Often in his father's tent he had listened to the story of the vision that Jacob saw as he fled from his home an exile and a fugitive. He had been told of the Lord's promises to Jacob, and how they had been fulfilled . . . " (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 213).
And from the watershed experience of being sold into slavery, Joseph determined to be true to God no matter the cost.
In the life of Joseph we see foreshadowed the Savior to come. The parallels are many.
Joseph was a shepherd. Christ is the good Shepherd.
Joseph was dearly loved by his father. Christ was the "beloved Son" in Whom the Father was well-pleased.
Joseph spent his formative years in the lovely surroundings of nature followed by a painful separation from his father. Christ left His Father, the love of adoring angels, and His beautiful heavenly home on a journey to the cross where He felt their separation was eternal, abandoned and forsaken by God.
Joseph was rejected by his brothers, sold as a slave for 20 pieces of silver, and taken to Egypt where he resisted tremendous temptations. He was as one who saw not and heard not. Jesus was rejected by those He came to save and betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. He came to our world (spiritually, Egypt) and humbled Himself to become a servant and submit to the death of the cross. Joseph was tempted in a most alluring manner. Jesus suffered, being tempted, in order to give aid to those who are tempted (Hebrews 2:18).
Joseph wore an exquisite coat of many colors. His brothers took that robe and stained it with blood to deceive their father. Christ offers us His spotless white robe of righteousness which was stained with His blood.
"Why is your apparel red, and Your garments like one who treads in the winepress? I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with Me" (Isaiah 63:2, 3). Jesus bore the weight of the sins of the world on the cross. Our sins crushed out His life. He gave Himself for us. Joseph must have comprehended something of the infinite love of the Father for him during those trying hours of loneliness and temptation, and it was thoughts such as these that gave him hope.
Joseph and Jesus both suffered in the family from unbelieving brothers. Jesus felt keenly the taunts of His brothers, as did Joseph.
That's encouraging, because none of us have come from perfect homes or families. While some may have been blessed with a more peaceful upbringing than others, no family since Adam has been unscathed by sin.
The first angel of Revelation 14 is heard proclaiming "with a loud voice, 'Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him Who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water' " (verses 6, 7).
There is more to this call than meets the eye. The call to "worship Him Who made the heaven and earth" points back to the creation of our world when God established the first family home in Eden. That home was characterized by agape (others-centered), unselfish love. Worshiping "Him Who made" involves a recognition of Jesus, the self-sacrificing Savior Who gave Himself for us and was the lamb slain "from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8).
"And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done (Genesis 2:2)." After creating Adam and Eve, God spent a full day with them, resting from His work of creation and simply experiencing the unsurpassed joy of communing with His new family.
The first angels' call to worship the Creator includes the invitation to remember the Sabbath day. So long trodden underfoot, the Sabbath will be proclaimed as the sign and seal of Christ's redeeming love. The prophet Malachi describes the fruit of this in the closing chapter of his book: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse" (Malachi 4:5, 6).
Sin has marred every aspect of our experience, but Jesus came to restore rest to our souls and peace to our families.
Recently, at prayer meeting someone remarked that a dear sister in our church family was feeling isolated and alone because of COVID. That sparked an idea. "Why don't we have a lawn vespers outside this coming Sabbath?" With two days to prepare, casual invitations were emailed and texted to church members, neighbors and friends: "Sabbath we are planning a lawn vespers at our home beginning at 6:30 pm with watermelon, popcorn, etc. You are welcome to come. Bring a lawn chair." The guess was perhaps 20 might come. In reality, almost 50 showed up, including several neighbors who joined heartily in singing hymns and sharing how God had blessed them that week.
Here's an example of one neighbor's response: "Hi ---. Thank you so much for the invitation to last night's vespers at your home. It was wonderful to see you, meet new people, sing of God's greatness, and gather in community. You are so gracious to open your home in such a way, and so appreciative. I hope you have a blessed week ahead."
The Sabbath rest is a treasure. God has entrusted it to us. When we share it with others, people respond. It draws families together. Perhaps we need to think in more expansive terms of how we share and live the message of the Sabbath with others.
Joseph and Jacob were reunited near the end of Jacob's life. Joseph had matured in his faith in God, and Jacob felt he could die in peace after being reunited with his son.
Jesus likewise was reunited with His heavenly Father after his ascension to heaven; but his heart still yearns to be reunited with His children, long separated from Him by our sojourn in Egypt.
"Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. . . . There remains therefore a rest for the people of God" (Hebrews 4:1, 9).