JOSEPH

Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob, the grandson of Isaac, and the great grandson of Abraham is a treasure trove of typology. The early twentieth century theologian, Aurthur W. Pink, outlined one-hundred-one specific ways that Joseph foreshadowed Jesus. Let’s just hit a few of the high points.

Joseph was the chosen son of his father (Genesis 37:3), just as Jesus is the Beloved Son of His Father.

Like Jesus, Joseph opposed evil (Genesis 37:2), and was, therefore, hated by his brothers (Genesis 37:4).

Jospeh was sent by his father to his brothers (Genesis 37:13-14). When he arrived, his brothers persecuted him, stripped off his special robe, “and threw him into the pit” (Genesis 37:24). Jesus was stripped of his special robe (John 19:23-24) before he was put into the “pit” but by God’s sovereign grace, both men came out of the pit alive (Genesis 37:28)!

Having been profoundly tempted, Joseph remained sinless (Genesis 39:10) just as Jesus was “tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

“Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Genesis 41:46). And … “as he began his ministry, Jesus was about thirty years old” (Luke 3:23).

Much like Jesus, Joseph became the savior by providing grain to a perishing world (Genesis 41:55). Of course, Jesus is the “Bread of Life” (John 6:35).

Lastly, when his hateful brothers came to Egypt, Joseph could have arrested them, tortured them, killed them. Joseph had that power. He didn’t harm them, rather, he lavished them with grace.

In similar fashion, we can come to Jesus and receive undeserved grace and mercy!

“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).