History of the Work of Redemption in Vol I of the Works - Edwards - III - Period I continued

Required readingHistory of the Work of Redemption in Vol I of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Part III and II of Period I.

My summary.

Today we continue the overview of the history of the work of redemption. The third period is from the calling of Abraham to Moses. 

Edwards notes the following important points of redemptive history::

(i) It pleased God now to separate that person of whom Christ was to come, from the rest of the world, that his church might be upheld in his family and posterity till that time;

(ii) There accompanied this a more particular and full revelation and confirmation of the covenant of grace than ever before;

(iii) God's preserving the patriarchs for so long a time in the midst of the wicked inhabitants of Canaan, and from all other enemies;

(iv) The awful destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the neighbouring cities;

(v) God again renewed and confirmed the covenant of grace to Isaac and Jacob;

(vi) God's remarkably preserving the family of which Christ was to proceed from perishing by famine, by the instrumentality of Joseph;

(vii) After this there was a prophecy of Christ, on some accounts more particular than any before, in Jacob's blessing his son Judah;

(viii) God's wonderfully preserving the children of Israel in Egypt, when the power of Egypt was engaged utterly to destroy them;

(ix) God's wonderfully preserving and upholding his invisible church in that nation, when in danger of being overwhelmed in the idolatry of Egypt.

What grabbed me

I liked the way Edwards pointed to the shadows of Christ in the life of Joseph: 

'This salvation of the house of Israel, by the hand of Joseph, was upon some accounts very much a resemblance of the salvation of Christ. The children of Israel were saved by Joseph their kinsman and brother, from perishing by famine; as he that saves the souls of the spiritual Israel from spiritual famine is their near kinsman, and one that is not ashamed to call them brethren. Joseph was a brother they had hated, sold, and as it were killed; for they had designed to kill him. So Christ is one that we naturally hate, and by our wicked lives, have sold for the vain things of the world, and by our sins have slain. Joseph was first in a state of humiliation; he was a servant, as Christ appeared in the form of a servant; and then was cast into a dungeon, as Christ descended into the grave. When he rose out of the dungeon, he was in a state of great exaltation, at the king's right hand as his deputy, to reign over all his kingdom, to provide food, to preserve life; and being in this state of exaltation, he dispenses food to his brethren, and so gives them life. So Christ was exalted at God's right hand to be a Prince and Saviour to his brethren, received gifts for men, even for the rebellious, them that had hated and sold him.'

Every page of the Scriptures whispers His name.

Next week's reading

Read Part IV of Period I.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.