How can we be like God? David Yeago on Genesis 45

How can we be like God? This is the question that Dr. David Yeago asks as he preaches the story of Joseph in Genesis 45. Joseph is not simply an example of God-like mercy and forgiveness which is shown to his brothers after they have done evil to him. No, Dr. Yeago likens treating Joseph as an example to that of a statue in a garden. The statue is able to be examined from all sides, studied as a subject, and yet it is lifeless and therefore it changes nothing for us. Rather, Joseph is a type of the One to come. Jesus would also be a Son of Israel rejected by his brothers, handed over to Gentiles where He is falsely accused and punished, only to be raised up punishment to be given supreme authority. In Joseph’s story, we see the gospel.

What we find in Jesus is God become human. Because God has truly become human, humanity is transformed through Jesus. Unlike Joseph’s example which changes nothing for us, Jesus’ works as God and man are given to us. We cannot be like God, but God has become a human being and because God has truly become human in Jesus He has transformed humanity that now by faith we can be united to Jesus.