Christ in all the scriptures Genesis chapter 41 Joseph exalted

 Genesis chapter 41

Joseph ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH name above every name

"And Pharoah said unto Joseph, forasmuch as God hath shown thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: thou shalt be over my house, and according to thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.  And Pharoah said unto Joseph, see, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.  And Pharoah took off his ring from off his hand, and put it on Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; and he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him "Bow the knee"! and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.  And Pharoah said unto Joseph, I am Pharoah, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.  And Pharoah called his name Zaphnath-paaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah priest of On.  And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt."      Genesis 41v39-45

The sweep of this chapter is truly breathtaking.  Joseph, by Divine manipulation of circumstances, rises from prison to the heights of vice regent of Egypt, the greatest power on earth at that time.  It could happen no other way than by God's mighty hand.  Rejected by his brethren, enslaved in Egypt, imprisoned unjustly, then forgotten by the man whose life he saved, is catapulted into the stratosphere of world power, with the life of every living soul at his mercy!  No man was so ill-treated, misunderstood, or humiliated as Joseph; now no man was ever exalted so high in a moments' time.   We cannot mistake, however, the astonishing honour bestowed upon him by the ruling Pharoah of Egypt: we hear overtones of an even greater honour given to the despised, and lowly Jesus.

"See I have set thee over the land of Egypt...";  Psalm 2v6-8, the world against God's anointed, clamouring to be rid of Him; God's answer "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion...ask of me and I will give thee the heathen(nations) for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession."

Ellicott explains; "as decrees became law when stamped with the royal signet, it was naturally the symbol of authority; and so with us, at the formation of a ministry the great seal is formally delivered into the hands of the highest legal personage in the realm, who is thus invested with power".  Of Jesus it was said in John 6v27, Him hath God the Father sealed-highest judicial authority. 

Arrayed in vestures of fine linen; this is historically linked with priesthood, and donned the wearer with religious rights over the people.  Added to his legal authority was priestly authority, making him the highest spiritual person in the land.  Of Jesus it is declared in Hebrews 8v1 and others that He is the great High Priest ruling over all God's house, ordering His house to His design.  He is endowed with full spiritual authority in the realm of religious practice.

Given a gold chain about his neck.  Bible hub comments, "the gold chain round the neck was a mark of distinction, and was conferred on Joseph by Pharaoh when investing him with authority and dignity (Genesis 41:42), and on Daniel by Belshazzar in the same way (Daniel 5:29; see Song of Solomon 4:9).  Thus Joseph was conferred with all the external regalia associated with regal dignity.  The external appearance of the glorified Jesus, likewise, caused John to be amazed, as will the world at large at His coming-Revelation 1v12-17, and 19v11-17.

He gave to him the second chariot, in which he travelled the length and breadth of Egypt, with the Pharoah's courtiers crying "Bow the knee"!.  Paul declares in Philippians 2v10, "At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things on earth, and things in heaven, and things under the earth."

Pharoah gave him a special name, Zaphnath-paaneah-scholars are undecided as to the meaning of this, but perhaps the mystery is deliberate for it separates him from all other rulers.  God gave Jesus a name which is above every name-Philippians 2v9; He had a name written that no man knew but He Himself-Revelation 19v12.  Of the names that can be known, there are three, namely, Faithful and True, the Word of God, King of kings and Lord of lords- Revelation 19v11-16.  These three titles refer to His three offices of dignity, that of Priest, Prophet, and King; for which He was anointed by God.

He was not alone for Pharoah gave him to wife, Asenath, the daughter of the Priest of On.  She is no doubt a picture of the Church, the bride, and ultimately the wife of Christ.  This points to the content of Ephesians chapter 1v22 "And hath put all things under His feet (Joseph was over all the land of Egypt, Christ is ruler over all things in every sphere) and gave Him, head over all things to the Church which is His body..."

All this was done hastily, v14-"...brought Joseph hastily out of the prison..."; Pharoah made him ruler over all Egypt in the spur of the moment; immediately he gave him control of all Egypt's food supply; immediately he conferred on him sole administration of all Egypt's resources.  During the next 14 years, Joseph presided over all the affairs of Egypt.  In a world, tortured by the effects of the fall of man, with tragedy upon tragedy appearing to prevail, Jesus will come at God's command to rule the world, and it will happen very speedily, for when God intervenes in world affairs, it will be sudden, and complete, just as the historical events outlined here.

Psalm 72v6-17 "He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth.  In His days shall the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.  He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth....His name shall endure forever: His name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in Him: all nations shall call Him blessed."

This is the seed of a theme that is developed throughout the scriptures, that the despised and afflicted Man of Calvary shall rule the world, of which Joseph is a faint type.  This whets our appetite to read on, and grasp the wonder of the man who came to save the world.