Make Christ's work prosper in me!

Joseph was cast into prison by the false charges of his master’s unfaithful wife (Gen. 39:1-20). In fulfillment (John 5:46), Jesus was falsely accused and delivered to Pilate and Herod by unbelieving Israel, the LORD’s unfaithful wife (Hosea 2:2; Gal. 4:25).

But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy (Gen. 39:21). He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. Though unbelieving Jews and Gentiles rejected Christ, the servant of the Lord, who came to serve and save His sinful people, yet God was with Him and blessed Him (John 16:32). Christ was made under the law with those and for those in that law prison (Gal. 3:22-23; 4:4; Rom. 5:20). He came to save them by His own willing imprisonment. He took their place under their burden and fulfilled all to God in their name. He found favor in the sight of the prison keeper, in the sight of God’s law and justice, in the sight of the LORD Himself. The LORD made all that He did to prosper.

The keeper of the prison put all of the prisoners into Joseph’s hand (Gen. 39:22). God the Father put all of His people in Christ before the foundation of the world by His electing love and predestinating purpose to make them His sons by Jesus Christ (John 17:2). Though His elect people made themselves prisoners under the law by their own sin and unbelief (Gal. 3:22-24), God the Father entrusted all of them to Christ. And “Whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it” (Gen. 39:22). Our Surety was ordained by God to do all in the place and in the name of His people. They are His inheritance (Eph. 1:18; Deut. 32:9). He is their Head. They are His Body. They are one with Him. All that is true of Him is true of them by virtue of this eternal union. They were joined to Him in eternal election. He must have them all. They must also be joined to Him by His Spirit of grace (1 Cor. 12:12-13). But for all that they did by sinning, He made full reparations to God. And all that He did in fulfillment of the righteousness of God’s holy law by His obedience and sin-atoning death, is their doing in Him (Rom. 5:12-21; 10:4; 1 Cor. 1:30-31). Thus, it is fulfilled, that “all that they did there, He was the doer of it.”

“The keeper of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand: because the LORD was with Joseph, and that which he did, the LORD made to prosper” (Gen. 39:23). God the Father committed all of His people to Christ. He gave them to Him to save, to have, to make known Himself to them, to give them eternal life, to bring them, to present them at last in the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, according to His eternal purpose that chose them in Christ to be holy and without blame before Him in love (John 17:2-3; Matt. 11:27; Eph. 1:4; Jude 1:24). Christ fulfilled all for them and in their name. Having fulfilled all by His obedience and blood in the court of heaven, He will let nothing go unfulfilled in them, because He purchased them with His blood (Rom. 8:23; Eph. 1:14; Heb. 9:15). He gives them His Spirit (Eph. 1:14; Eph. 4:24; Gal. 3:13-14; 4:4-6; Rom. 8:9-10). He conforms them to His own image (Rom. 8:29). He will finish the work He started (Php. 1:6; Eph. 5:25-27). All has been committed to Him in trust (Ps. 2:8; Matt. 11:27; John 3:35). All of the LORD’s people are Christ’s; they are His own inheritance (Eph. 1:22-23; 1 Cor. 3:21-21). He is the Heir of all (Gal. 3:16, 19; Heb. 1:2). The LORD makes all that He does to prosper. This is therefore the prayer of every believing sinner: “Oh, may the LORD make Christ’s work prosper in me!” He is Lord of all (Acts 10:36). He is the only Savior (Acts 4:12). He is all of my righteousness, all of my life, all of my salvation, all of my hope and all of my desire (2 Sam. 23:5; Ps. 27:4).

Rick Warta