Scenes of Grace 26

In 1524 Lazarus Spengler wrote the hymn “All Mankind Fell in Adam’s Fall”.  The 3^rd stanza of the hymn expresses clearly the condition of all mankind: “From hearts depraved, to evil prone, flow thoughts and deeds of sin alone; God’s image lost, the darkened soul nor seeks nor finds its heav’nly goal.”  Each part of that verse is directly linked to a biblical description of our human nature.  In Genesis 42 Joseph’s brothers have returned home to Jacob after their first trip to Egypt to buy food.  Things didn’t go very well on their trip.  As they related the events of their first contact with the “ruler of the land”, who they didn’t know was their brother Joseph, they made this comment to their father Jacob, “But we said to him, ‘We are honest men’.”       

If anyone knew that line wasn’t true it would have been the one they told it to – Joseph.  How boldly they lied to the one whom they had sold as a slave.  Honest men might have been their own assessment of themselves, but Joseph knew far better.  Remember that Joseph is a profile of Christ.  While Joseph was not omniscient, he was fully aware in the case of his brothers to what extent of depravity their sins had dipped.  Christ knows it all.

Herein is grace.  Joseph sent them on their way with all the food that they needed.  He didn’t even charge them for it.  He kept one brother in jail in Egypt to guarantee that they would come back for more help that he would give them.  Jesus, who knows all our sins against Him, says to the sinner, “Come unto me.”  As Joseph paid the price for the grain his brothers took home with them, so Jesus paid the price for the wages of our sin.  He died that we might truly have the eternal bread of life.  That is grace abundant indeed.

Now we can look at the 5^th stanza of Spengler’s hymn: “As by one man all mankind fell and, born in sin, was doomed to hell, so by one Man, who took our place, we all received the gift of grace.”  Though confounded by the gifts of grace that Joseph had given to them; though unable to comprehend that they were even gifts; Joseph’s brothers would return to him again and falling on their faces receive the fullness of His grace.  We don’t always understand how it is that God is leading us to His wonderful grace, but we all need to fall on our faces with adoration that He is and that He does receive us when we come.  Oh, the abundant and wonderful grace of Christ!