Joseph

2022-02-21

Joseph was a type of Christ, as the Scriptures explicitly define in Acts 7 via Stephen’s sermon. There is a pattern we see in the Old Testament that occurs no less than three times where the rejected one becomes the savior: Joseph, Moses, and Jephthah. Today, we will look at Joseph.

Joseph was rejected by his brothers because of the dreams he had and because of his father’s favoritism toward Joseph. He was sold into slavery to Ishmeelites and Midianites, who in turn sold him to Pharaoh’s officer Potiphar. The firstborn of Rachel was blessed there, but he was falsely accused by his master’s wife, which landed him in prison. The Lord blessed him there in the prison, so the warden would put him in charge of his affairs. Joseph interpreted dreams for Pharaoh’s servants, but he was forgotten by the butler until the hour of Pharaoh’s need. Then the faithful servant was freed from prison to be the vizier over the land, and his plan to rescue the world from famine was successful, all under the sovereignty of the Lord’s hand. “And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt” (Genesis 41:41). He was rejected by his family, his boss, and a man in need, but he ended up saving the world.

Jesus also was rejected by His family, His friends, His countrymen, and the entire world. Everyone was either responsible for nailing Him to the cross, or they were cowering in a corner somewhere, denying they knew Him. However, He was the one who became “the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe” (1 Timothy 4:10).

The sun, moon, and stars bowed to Joseph in a dream, representing his father, his mother (who had died already; consider this significance), and his 11 brothers (Genesis 37:9-10). “Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?” However, a greater than Joseph came from these: “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars” (Revelation 12:1). “And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne” (Revelation 12:5).

Joseph was given the birthright above his brothers: “Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph’s:)” (1 Chronicles 5:1-2). Nonetheless, Jesus fulfills being both the chief ruler and the firstborn, for He is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature” (Colossians 1:15).

Every promise in the Old Testament is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. One greater than Joseph has saved the world from something far worse than the great famine.