264. JOSEPH AS A TYPE OF CHRIST
"These things happened unto them for ensamples"
The previous lesson traced the major events in Joseph's life. The suf ferings he experienced at the hand of "Jew" and "Gentile" gave way in the purpose of God to the glory of being Prime Minister of Egypt and the preserver of his kindred. When the lives of Joseph and Christ are com pared, the parallel is striking. It is apparent that the life of Joseph is a dramatic enacted parable. It was carefully superintended by the Most High, so as to set forth in detail His plan with His Son for the benefit of Israelites with spiritual vision.
Our aim in this lesson is to see how the events of Joseph's life foreshadowed those in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Genesis 37, 42, 45
INSTRUCTION FROM TYPES.
A type is a shadow of an approaching reality. As the purpose of God from creation centered in Christ, divine education in Old Testament times was largely concerned with portraying God's purpose with him. "The Law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ", Paul could say (Gal. 3:24). The Law's sacrificial code, tabernacle, feasts, etc., prefigured the principles to be revealed in Christ. They all pointed forward to and con centrated on him, and so, when he came, they waxed old and vanished away: he was the Word made Flesh. Likewise the lives of other famous leaders in Israel, e.g., Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Isaiah, etc., were in certain respects examples or types, of what would be seen in fullness in Jesus Christ.
After relating the sins of Israel during the wilderness wanderings, Paul says, "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples (margin = types)" (1 Cor. 10:11). The record of Israel's wanderings and failures have not been recorded merely as history but as a graphic lesson teaching God's principles in His dealings with man. They thus constitute a grim warning for all generations. This is so because God's ways change not, even as the lusts of men today are the same as then. Seeing Flesh and Spirit are constant, their inter-action in one generation must provide en samples (types or lessons) for all generations.
But the types were "shadows", and not the "substance" or the real thing (Heb. 8:5; Col. 2:17). The shadow of something outlines the image but lacks the details.
Thus the Old Testament types are broad outlines and care should be taken when aligning the similarities to remember the differences. It is possible to take the types too far, and likewise, not far enough. There is a proper balance to be noted and a propriety to be observed.
CHRIST AS SEEN IN JOSEPH'S LIFE.
Joseph's sufferings prepared him for glory. On the road to Emmaus, Jesus said, " 'O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?' And beginning at Moses... he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself" (Lk. 24:25-27). He may well have instanced the life of Joseph, which demonstrates the suffering and glory.
When Stephen, in his defence before the Sanhedrin, referred to the malice of Joseph's brethren and how that, in their time of need "Joseph was made known" to them "the second time", it is clear that, in his mind, history would repeat itself. The Jews had re jected Jesus but at his second advent, when utterly weakened by the hostile invasion of Gog, they will welcome him as a Saviour and say, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Acts 7:9-13; Matt. 23:39).
The following chart lists the incidents in which Joseph foreshadows Christ, and Joseph's brothers, the nation of Israel.
THE FIRST ADVENT
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Joseph |
Jesus |
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1. He was a shepherd. |
He is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14). |
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2. His name means "The Increaser".
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John said of Jesus: "He must increase" (Jn. 3:30). Isaiah said, "He shall see his seed" (53:10; cf. 22:21). |
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3."Joseph brought unto his father their evil report" (37:2).
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Jesus challenged Israel's leaders with being "the children of them that killed the prophets"; and he ad ded: "fill ye up then the measure of your fathers" (Matt. 23:31-32; cf. Jn. 8:37, 40, 44, 54-55). |
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"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matt. 3:17). |
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5. "His brethren said: 'Shalt thou indeed reign over us'?" (37:8). |
"We will not have this man to reign over us" (Lk. 19:14). "We have no king but Caesar" (John 19:15). |
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6. "They hated him" (37:8).
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"They hated me without a cause" (Jn. 15:25). |
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7. "Because of his dreams" (37:8). |
"When the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them" (Matt. 21:45). |
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8. "I will send thee unto them" (i.e. thy brethren € 37:13).
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"He sent unto them His son" (Matt 21:37). |
BETRAYAL AND DEATH
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Joseph |
Jesus |
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1. "They conspired against him to slay him" (37:18).
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"They consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety" (Matt. 26:4). |
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2. "Behold the dreamer" (37:19). |
"They mocked him" (Matt. 27:29).
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3. "Let us slay him" (37:20). |
"Let us kill him" (Matt. 21:38).
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4. "They stripped Joseph of his coat (37:23). |
"For my vesture they did cast lots" (Jn. 19:24). |
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5. "Cast him into a pit € lifted up out of the pit" (the grave € Ps. 40:1-3). "He brought me out of an horrible of the pit" (37:24, 28). |
"He was not left in hell (the pit, or grave) neither did his flesh see corruption" (Acts 2:31).
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6. "The pit was empty € no water init" (37:24).
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"The pit wherein is no water" (i.e. the grave € Zech. 9:11). |
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7. "Judah said...'Come, let us sell him' " (37:26, 27).
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"Judas (Greek for "Judah") communed how he might betray him"(Lk. 22:4). |
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8. "Twenty pieces of silver" (37:28).
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"Thirty pieces of silver" (Zech. 11:12; Matt. 27:3). |
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9. "They dipped Joseph's coat in blood" (37:31).
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"He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood" (Rev. 19:13), a symbol representing the sacrifice of the Lord (Jn. 19:34). |
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10. "This blood-stained coat have we found" (so deceiving Jacob € 37:32).
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"Say ye, His disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept" (Matt. 28:13).
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11. Imprisoned in Egypt € rejected by his brethren, and now by the Gentile, Potiphar (Gen. 39, 40).
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"He (Pilate) delivered him to be crucified" (Matt. 27:26), rejected by both Jew and Gentile. |
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12. Butler (restored) € Baker (executed) (Gen. 40).
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"Two thieves crucified with him" € one forgiven (Matt. 27:38). |
RESURRECTION
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Joseph |
Jesus |
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1. "At the end of two full years" (41:1). |
"He rose again the third day" (1 Cor. 15:4). |
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2. "Changed his raiment" (41:14). |
"I will clothe thee with change of raiment", symbol of immortality (Zech. 3:4). |
ELEVATION
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Joseph |
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1. "Thou shalt be over my house' (41:38-40).
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2. "Made him ruler" (41:43). |
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3. "Joseph's brethren came and bowed "Ye shall not see me until ye shall down to him" (42:6). |
SECOND ADVENT-WHEN THE JEWS RECOGNISED JESUS AS THEIR MESSIAH
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Joseph |
Jesus |
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1. "His brethren knew him not" (42:8).
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"One shall say, what are these wounds in thine hands?" (Zech. 13:6). "Who is this king of glory?" (Ps. 24:8). |
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"Thou shalt call to mind (thy sins) among the nations whither the Lord shall drive thee" (Deut. 30:1).
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"They shall look upon me whom they pierced" (Zech. 12:10). |
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"And they shall mourn for him" (Zech. 12:10).
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"He shall comfort all that mourn" (Isa. 40:1, 2; 61:3; cf. Rom. 11:26). |
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"He shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation", both na tional and individual (Heb. 9:28). |
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"My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the preserved of Israel" (Isa. 49:6). |
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"There shall come out of Zion the deliverer" (Rom. 11:26).
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"The stone which the builders re jected; the same is become the head of the corner; this is the Lord's do ing" (Matt. 21:42). |
GENTILES UNDER CHRIST
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Joseph |
Jesus |
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"Joseph bought all the land of Egypt "The nation and kingdom that will for Pharaoh" (47:20).not serve thee shall perish" (Isa. 60:12). |
"He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth" (Psa. 72:8). |
LESSONS FROM JOSEPH.
Joseph recognised the hand of God guiding and controlling the cir cumstances of his life in order to accomplish His purpose (Gen. 45:5-7; 50:20). Likewise Jesus realized early in life his vast responsibilities as Son of God and Messiah (Lk. 2:49). We also as sons and daughters of God must endure chastening as a preparation for glory, honour and immor tality. Through much tribulation we shall enter the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). We must pray and perceive the hand of God in our lives and allow Him to abide in us and direct us through His Word (Jn. 14:23).
LESSONS FOR US:
- The parallel between Joseph and Christ is obvious and striking; both suffered and then were glorified.
- Joseph's brethren answer to the nation of Israel. As the murderers of the Christ, they shall be humbled when in a time of national peril, they are forced to recognize him whom they pierced.
- The final vision in both cases is one of privilege € Jacob and his family dwelling in the best land, and Israel in the promised land restored as Eden, with Christ as God's vice-regent and their King.
REFERENCE LIBRARY:
"Elpis Israel" (J. Thomas) € Pages 274-279
"The Story of the Bible" (H. P. Mansfield) € Vol. 1, Pages 179-207
PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS:
- What is a scriptural type? What purpose do types serve?
- How were Joseph's brethren a type of the Jews who put Jesus to death?
- When Joseph made himself known to his brethren he foreshadowed the conversion of the Jews when Christ returns. Explain this.
ESSAY QUESTIONS:
- Show how Joseph's life foreshadowed that of Jesus Christ.
- Show the hand of God in Joseph's life. What lessons can we learn from this?
- Make a brief list of points from Joseph's life which show that he was a type of Christ.