We’ve seen Joseph the son, the slave, and the seer. Today we consider Joseph the savior and the uncanny way he foreshadowed the life of Jesus.
Joseph, a shepherd from Canaan, stunned Pharoah with his remarkable God-given wisdom. He’d warned Pharoah concerning the approaching seven years of abundance and seven years of famine, so “Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you are’ ” (Genesis 41:39). Likewise, “the crowds were astonished at (Jesus’s) teaching” (Matthew 7:28).
Pharoah bestowed upon Joseph great power, authority, and honor (Genesis 41:40-44). Like Jesus, he could say, “all authority has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18). Both men were thirty-years-old when they began their service (Genesis 41:46; Luke 3:23).
Pharoah highly exalted Joseph and gave him a new name, Zaphenath-paneah (Genesis 41:45). Likewise, “God highly exalted (Jesus) and gave him the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:9).
As a gift to the new prime minister, Pharoah awarded Joseph a bride… a Gentile bride. And, as a reward for His faithful service, Jesus has been given a bride, a mostly-Gentile bride, the church (Ephesians 5:32).
During the seven years of abundance, Joseph successfully gathered a great storehouse of grain, making his king abundantly wealthy. During the seven years of famine, Joseph’s administration was able to meet the needs of all who came. God is “rich in mercy” (Ephesians 2:4) and is able to “richly blesses all who call on him” (Romans 10:12). Jesus promised, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Joseph dispensed the bread of life! Jesus said, “I am the bread of life … No one who comes to me will ever be hungry...” (John 6:35).
Truly, Joseph became the only savior of the starving world (Genesis 41:57). Today, “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through (Jesus)” (John 14:6).
Hungry? Come to Jesus!
“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).
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