IN WHOM THERE IS JOY

Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows,

He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities,

The chastisement of our peace was laid upon him.

With his stripes we are healed.

The Lord has laid on him the iniquities of us all,

He is brought as a lamb to slaughter.

(Isaiah 53)

Enduring the unspeakable suffering of Gethsemane, exhausted and bathed in blood and sweat from the agony, betrayed by one and forsaken by the rest who loved Him (Matt 26:56), Jesus was arrested as a thief in the night and forced to walk to Caiaphas' Palace, to the Antonia Fortress, to Herod's palace, and back to Antonia Fortress. In the process he had been without food for twelve hours, slapped, beaten with fists, palms and rods and mocked and scourged. Treated like the basest of criminals and betrayed for the price of a slave yet innocent of all the charges they could bring against Him, He subjected Himself to the cruelest and most unjust of all trials and deaths, for the greater good of all who in the realms above had chosen Him to pay the ransom for their souls and to bring them to life eternal.  

Accused unjustly for blasphemy during an illegal nightly court held by the Sanhedrin, Jesus was taken to Pilate, the Roman procurator who had the power to sanction death, the power which the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish court of justice and the supreme legislative council at Jerusalem, did not possess. The Sanhedrin condemned Jesus to death for blasphemy but knowing that blasphemy would bear no weight with the Roman law, they accused Him of treason against the Roman State saying He claimed He was the King of the Jews, unwilling to pay tribute to Caesar. Not being able to find any fault in Jesus (Luke 23:4) and attempting to pass the judgment of death onto Herod and the Jewish people with no success, Pilate violated his own best instincts and indulged his hypocrisy by condemning Jesus to death. Pilate feared the Jewish people because of many minor acts of violence, extortion and cruelty which the Jews held against him. 'He realised that his tenure was insecure, and he dreaded exposure. Such wrongs had he wrought that when he would have done good, he was deterred through cowardly fear of the accusing past' (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, pp 648-649). Making it clear to this man of hypocrisy that it is not really within his power to save or take away His life, the Saviour just about exonerated him from His imminent death by telling him: "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world" (John 18:37). 

"Reproach [had] broken [his] heart; and [he was] full of heaviness: and [he] looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but [he] found none."

(Psalm 69:20)

"Stripped, He was raised on the cross with a mocking sign over His head: 'JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS'. As He hung in anguish, the rulers and people gaped and cursed and condemned Him, taunting: 'He saved others; let him save himself' (Luke 23:35). Through the anguish, He had only loving words. To His mother, Mary, who must have felt the pangs of near-death in her own body, it was concern that she be cared for. To the thief who would repent, He gave hope. At noon the heavens grew black for three hours, as if the universe itself were weeping for the agony of the Creator. In that time all the infinite agonies and merciless pains of Gethsemane returned, and His Father's spirit itself withdrew that the victory might be His. At the ninth hour, 3:00 pm, 'Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying....My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me? (Matt 27:46). In that eerie mid-afternoon darkness, someone ran and filled a sponge with vinegar. Having received the vinegar, Jesus said: 'Father, it is finished, thy will is done' (JST Matt 27:54). As He died, the veil of the temple was rent, and the earth quaked and rocks were rent as if to say with a nearby centurion, 'Truly this man was the son of God' (Mark 15:39). (Scot and Maurine Proctor, Lesson 26, To This End Was I Born, Meridian Magazine)

We may ask ourselves why the suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane alone did not suffice as the Atonement for the sins of mankind? Why all this emphasis on the shedding of blood? Why is the Atonement incomplete without it? Why do we need to dwell with such emphasis, and so repetitively, on Christ's death and the manner in which it was executed? The reason is startling and compelling: "Where salvation is concerned, we are dealing with life and death; we are born into mortality so that we may have the privilege of dying and coming forth in immortality. In our search for salvation, we are dealing with mortal life and the natural death; we are dealing with immortality and eternal life; we are seeking to learn how mortality becomes immortality, and how men, having bowed to the natural death, can yet come forth and gain eternal life. To crystallize in our minds and to dramatize before our eyes what is involved in all this, the Lord has chosen blood as the symbol of both life and death" (McConkie, The Promised Messiah, p. 259).  It was never the flesh of the sacrificial animals that was required for mortal men to understand the infinite sacrifice that would bring life eternal, but the blood. Because life is in the blood (Lev 17:14), blood is the element and symbol of life, thus the necessity for the blood atonement, for as the shedding of man's blood brings death, the shedding of Christ's blood brings life. Thus the blood atonement becomes the symbol of eternal life.

It was through the agony of Gethsemane and the blood Atonement of Calvary that the Saviour could offer freedom and eternal life to those who languished in spirit prison following His crucifixion. With what joyful hope they must have received word that they could be freed from the prison of death, of hell and of endless torment now that the sacrifice was complete. That they would, through repentence and acceptance of His gospel be 'free from the sorrow of sin, free from the chains of hell, free from that spiritual death which is to be dead as pertaining to the things of righteousness - all this is part of the glorious doctrine of salvation for the dead, and it includes the fact that our Lord ministered personally to the spirits in prison' (McConkie, The Promised Messiah, p 240).  It was of these captives that Zechariah prophesied when he spoke of 'prisoners of hope', that the Lord their God would save them 'by the blood of thy covenant', meaning the gospel covenant, which would only have effect through the shedding of the blood of Christ (Zech. 9:11,12). With what gratitude those in spirit prison must have bowed before Him knowing the atoning blood had been spilt, the mercy extended, the justice satisfied. 

And what of us who had not yet been born, who were valiant in our testimonies of Jesus? Could we have been been with the departed spirits of the just who had rejoiced to hear of the accomplished sacrifice and had gathered to welcome the triumphant Saviour back into their midst? If we shouted for joy at the time of creation (Job 38:6,7), we must have shouted for joy at the time of redemption: "And there were gathered together in one place an innumerable company of the spirits of the just, who had been faithful in the testimony of Jesus while they lived in mortality; And who had offered sacrifice in the similitude of the great sacrifice of the Son of God, and had suffered tribulation in their Redeemer's name. All these had departed the mortal life, firm in the hope of a glorious resurrection, through the grace of God the Father and his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. I beheld that they were filled with the joy and gladness, and were rejoicing together because the day of their deliverance was at hand (D&C 138:12-15). How joyous we must have been knowing that godhood which we so valiantly fought for was now within our reach. For if the chosen Saviour had overcome the world, the power would be ours to do likewise. And so 'trailing clouds of glory' we each took our turn, with eagerness and joy, coming to a fallen world to work out our salvation through the grace of Him who has paved the way, Immanuel, The Lord of Hosts, The Lord of Glory, Eternal King, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

"Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel........Let the mountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness.. Let the woods and all the threes of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the morning stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever!" 

(D&C 128:22)

JOSEPH, THE PURE IN HEART

"My life is but a weaving, between my God and me,
I do not choose the colours,  He worketh steadily.
Oftimes He worketh sorrow and I, in foolish pride,
Forget He sees the upper, and I the underside.
Not till the loom is silent, and the shuttles cease to fly, 
Will God unroll the canvas, and explain the reasons why
The dark threads were as needful in the skillful weaver's hand, 
As threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned."
- Anonymous

"The scriptures give us the opportunity to watch some great people come out of broken homes.  Abraham was one whose life was threatened by family members.  Joseph was another.  We are told of his brothers that 'they conspired against him to slay him' (Genesis 37:18).  And yet few men rose higher in life than these two.  It may be hard for people who suffer from imperfect families to convince the Father on judgement day that their lack of devotion and obedience ought to be excused because of what happened in their homes."
(Ted L. Gibbons, OT Lesson #11, "How Can I Do This Great Wickedness?")

We see in Joseph of Egypt a perfect study in commitment, dedication, determination, persistence, endurance and faithfulness to God under any circumstance. Joseph is a perfect example of someone 'willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him' (Mosiah 3:19), willing to endure valiantly through trials with faith unshaken, not knowing the reason why.  Father Lehi lamented over his son Lemuel by saying: "O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord" (1 Nephi 2:10).  This is exactly what Joseph was like: firm, steadfast and immovable like a valley.  Jesus claimed if we had faith 'as a grain of mustard seed' we could move mountains (Matt 17:20). The brother of Jared did just that (Ether 12:30) and proved that even something as formidable as a mountain can be moved but the valley, however, is firm, steadfast and immovable.  This was Joseph of Egypt. Because he was steadfast and trusted God in all things, God made of him a mighty man, a prototype of the Saviour himself.

At the tender age of 17 Joseph was torn away from his family by the brothers who were supposed to love him and protect him and spent 13 years as a slave or a prisoner. You could say he had every reason to believe that the Lord had dealt with him unjustly despite his devotion to the God of his fathers.  Joseph, however, knew he had an important destiny which was revealed to him through his dreams, and he chose to continue to believe in God by recognising opportunities that could turn his tragedies into blessings.  He trusted the Lord at every turn throughout all his tribulations.  The scriptures are replete with the Lord's promises that He will prosper those who keep His commandments (1 Nephi 2:20, 1 Nephi  4:14, 2 Nephi 1:9, 2 Nephi 1:20, 2 Nephi 4:4, Jarom 1:9, Omni 1:6, Mosiah 1:7 etc)  As Joseph sat in prison, stripped of his position and livelihood and unjustly accused because he chose to resist evil,  he could have been excused for believing that this promise did not apply to him.  Joseph, however, proved that God keeps his promises under any circumstance.  Where ever Joseph was, he endeared people to him because 'the Lord was with him'.  We read in Genesis chapter 39:

"And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man, and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.  And his master saw the the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.  And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.  And it came to pass from the time he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.  And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat.  And Joseph was a goodly person and well favored." (Genesis 39:22-6)

Imagine having earned such respect and trust of someone that they put all their financial affairs in your hands, to the point that they don't even know how much money they have but trust that you would provide their next meal.  This is the kind of man that Joseph was.  This kind of trustworthy and good character can only come through obedience to God and his commandments.  Consider this:

"This blessing comes only by obedience, and in this case it came to a young man who had every excuse to be disobedient.  His faith in God had not seemed to help him avoid troubles.  His obedience to the commandments had not prevented tragedy.  He cannot ask the bishop for an interview nor seek a blessing from his father.  No thoughtful members of his priests' quorum will be by to offer support in his troubles. He is alone and utterly on his own.  He has no reason to keep the commandments unless he wants to. If he does not, other than God, who will ever know?"  (Ted L. Gibbons, OT Lesson #11)

Joseph's ultimate test of faith came in the form of a woman.  This test of faith became the crowning glory of proof that he would never stray from his faith and commitment to live God's laws.  Joseph referred to Potiphar's wife's invitation as 'great wickedness' (Genesis 39:9).  The following insight into Joseph's character helps us have appreciation of Joseph's tenacity and his ability to overcome what could have been an overwhelming sense of hopelessness as his life took a turn for the worse:

"Young man, a thousand miles away from home, can you keep the standards of your mother and father?  One man changed the history of the world by taking into a foreign country these standards: He was good looking, he had personality; he was young.  Because of his physique and general carriage, he carried prestige.  She was a woman of importance - yes, I presume she was attractive. She tempted him once - she tempted him twice - yes, and many more times.  Each time he remembered the teachings of his folk at home.  He looked sin in the face and stood like a rock.  Yes, as the saying goes, he took it on the chin.  For just a moment what a price he paid to keep straight - and don't forget he was praying all the time. When she found herself unvictorious, she caught his garment as he fled.  The sample of the clothing was shown to her husband and if we can use our imagination, a remark from her treacherous lips went to her husband about as follows: "Well, here's the evidence. You thought he was lily-white, didn't you?"  Into a dark dungeon he went for two years.  And he was still praying.  And when he was sold into Egypt by his brothers for a few pieces of silver, he was praying.  Does the Lord really answer prayers? But let's shift to the last act of our play. The curtain goes up with an entirely different scene. "And they came from all nations to buy corn". Who was head of this great commissary department? Who was it that was next to the king of the land? Joseph, who was sold into Egypt, the boy who could say "no" - the lad who took the standards of his parents into a foreign land!  It was that boy who stood at the crossroads all alone". (Bisop Marvin O. Ashton, Improvement Era, Vol. XIviii, December, 1945, No. 12)

Joseph never failed to recognise that something good always comes out of something bad.  He believed that even his unjust imprisonment was a blessing.  The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs quotes Joseph as saying "I gave thanks to the Lord and sang praise in the house of darkness, and how I rejoiced with cheerful voice, glorifying my God, because through her trumped-up charge I was set free from this Egyptian woman".
(James H. Charlesworth, The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Apocalyptic Literature and Testaments)

It is staggering to think of what lay on the line when Joseph was tempted by his master's wife.  Had Joseph succumbed,  his destiny, the destiny of his family and the destiny of his descendants would have all been in peril. Had he chosen the life of sin, he would never have become the man that he became.  Joseph became the temporal saviour of his father's house by saving them from famine.  According to the dream he had where his brother's sheaves of grain bowed to his, Joseph was elevated to his position, not to be worshipped by his brothers, like they had supposed, but to serve them.  Their bowing 'was an act of receiving their brother's help, not meant to establish some kind of family pecking order'. (Phillip Allred, OT Lesson 11, Meridian Magazine)

Just as Joseph saved his family temporally, his progeny is to become spiritual saviours to their brethren of Israel and the rest of the Father's children.  The JST records the responsibility of Joseph's seed in our day:

"Wherefore thy brethren (the other tribes of Israel) shall bow down unto thee, from generation to generation, unto the fruit of thy loins (Ephraim and Manasseh) for ever; For thou shalt be a light unto my people, to deliver them in the days of their captivity, from bondage; and to bring salvation unto them, when they are altogether bowed down under sin". (JST Gen. 48:10-11)

"During this last dispensation, Joseph's descendants are charged with providing the covenants, ordinances, and saving truths of the gospel for the rest of the family.  With this in mind, it is exciting to see our modern temples as veritable spiritual granaries or storehouses where souls are literally delivered and saved while all around a famine seeks to lay waste precious mortal opportunities". (Phillip Allred, OT Lesson 11, Meridian Magazine)

"It is Ephraim who is building temples and performing the ordinances in them for both the living and for the dead. When the 'lost tribes' come, and it will be a most wonderful sight and a marvelous thing when they do come to Zion, in fulfillment of the promises made through Isaiah and Jeremiah, they will have to receive the crowning blessings from their brother Ephraim, the 'firstborn' in Israel".  (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 3:252)

What a glorious destiny Joseph stood to lose!  When his father Jacob gave Reuben, his first born, his final blessing he began the blessing with some powerful words, "Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power....".(Gen. 49:3)  What amazing words those are.  Reuben was the birthright son who stood to receive the priesthood blessings of the fathers and through whom the patriarchal line should have continued but Reuben did not abstain from temptation like Joseph did.  Reuben committed a terrible sin by committing adultery with one of his father's wives, Bilhah.  Because of this he lost everything.  What should have been an amazing blessing ended with:
"Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it..." (Gen. 49:3)

Because he was 'unstable as water' Reuben's birthright was inherited by Joseph who received a double portion for his sons.  If you poured water into different shape glasses, the water would take the shape of the glass that it is in.  If however, you tried to put a brick into three different containers, the brick would not change its' shape.  The containers would have to change their shape instead.  While water is changeable, variable, mutable, unsteady, uncertain, transitory and unstable; a brick is entirely opposite. While Reuben was 'weak as water',  Joseph was as strong as a brick and because of it, he in the end had it all.