God did, indeed keep His covenant with Israel in the life of Joseph. The psalmist reminds us that through Joseph, God provided for the family of Israel in time of famine. (Ps. 105:16-19)
Joseph was kept safe by God: (Gen 49:24-25) "because of your father’s God, who helps you, because of the Almighty,who blesses you with blessings of the skies above, blessings of the deep springs below, blessings of the breast and womb. Your father’s blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers."
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." (Gen 50:20)
Jacob as he blessed Joseph, was blessing the Lord, not only for delivering his son but for showing His faithfulness to the great promise that was the center of Jacob's life. God other than making his descendants a nation, God had raised up a son of him to be a blessing to the nations, to rule in wisdom for the preservation of life.
What God did and the way he did it was astonishing. Israel's sons did not gain control in Egypt by military or political power. They in fact tried to kill one of their own, precisely because of his prophetic gift. The way God did it was through Joseph's suffering. He suffered because of his faithfulness to God. And this path of suffering led to a throne and to the fulfillment of God's word, given by the revelation of his dreams. God had made the life of Joseph a sign of the way in which His blessing would come.
It seems surprising that Jacob blesses his blessing of the ruler's scepter and the obedience of the nations to Judah, not Joseph. It is Judah, not Joseph that Jacob sees his sons bowing (Gen 49:8). The dream that was fulfilled for Joseph, old Israel not puts in prospect for Judah. He likens Judah to a crouching lion, and continues: "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him;" (49:10)
Yes, Jacob knew that Judah was the leader. Judah had faithfully met the test Joseph had given to the brothers (Gen 44). Yet Jacob's blessing goes far beyond anything the aged patriarch could control or understand. He spoke by inspiration: it was the purpose of God that the Messiah would come of the tribe of Judah.
Was it difficult for old Jacob to confess again the promises of God? Jacob was again in exile, in Egypt. Yet, the blessing of Jacob looked forward to what God would do. The Ruler of God's choosing would eventually come and the scepter would be His.
The ancient prophecy is recalled again in the last book of the bible. John weeps because there is no one who can open the book of God's decrees. One of the elders in the throne room of heaven responds, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Rev 5:5)
Jesus, the Lion of Judah, is also the Lamb that was slain. He who is the Lord came as the Servant. Like the sign of Joseph and the fulfillment in Jesus, God's power is made perfect in weakness. Not by human might, but by the power of God's Spirit, the promises of His word are fulfilled. God's chosen ruler is His suffering servant, betrayed by His brethren, but raised up to fulfill God's promise.
References:
Edmund Clowney, The Unfolding Mystery
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