Joseph a Type of Christ.
In studying Scripture there is not only the literal application, which is always important and should never be rejected in place of allegory, type or symbol, but every part of the Word of God has a spiritual, typical, and dispensational application as well, and in Joseph's character and experience we have a wonderful type of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There are many characters in the Old Testament that typify the Lord Jesus, men like David and Solomon but whoever it is, we find that they were just men who God chose to reveal something of the coming and character of Messiah, Jesus Christ.
There is one in particular that typifies Jesus in far more detail and although this was also just a man who was born with a sinful nature just like us, yet there is not one verse that reveals his sin.
This man was Joseph, son of Jacob (Israel). Just as Jesus is the Son of God and a son of Israel.
Whilst we know from scripture, that Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”. Yet, when reading about the life of Joseph, it would be difficult to see how he lived anything other than a flawless life.
Of course we know that he was not actually sinless, in the way that Christ was, for he had in himself the same corrupt nature that any other child of Adam has, but for whatever reason, God chose not to reveal it to us. Instead God chose to emphasis his faithfulness and practical godliness.
One of the first things we notice is that Joseph, like Jesus,
Joseph had a miraculous birth.
Rachel, the mother of Joseph was barren but God heard her cries.
Gen 30:22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
Gen 30:23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:
Gen 30:24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.
Jesus was born of a virgin.
Mat 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Joseph was a shepherd.
Gen 37:2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren;
Jesus is the Good Shepherd.
Joh 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Joseph was hated and rejected by his brethren.
Gen 37:4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
Jesus was rejected and hated.
Joh 15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Joseph was destined to become a king from birth.
Gen 37:8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
Jesus was destined to King of Kings, born for this purpose.
Joh 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
Joseph answered his father’s request.
Gen 37:13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.
Jesus was sent by the Father.
Joh 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
John 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
Joseph was stripped of his robe.
Gen 37:23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;
Jesus was also stripped of His robe.
Joh 19:23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
Joseph betrayed and sold by Judah for 20 pieces of silver..
Gen 37:26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
Gen 37:27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
Gen 37:28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
Jesus betrayed by Judas for 30 pieces of silver.
(the price of inflation) 20p in 1900 BC, 30p in 33 AD, inflation.
Matt 26:15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
Both Joseph and Jesus taken to Egypt.
Gen 37:28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
Jesus taken to Egypt as youth after escaping death (Herod the great)
Mat 2:14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
Mat 2:15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
Both Joseph and Jesus became servants.
Joseph became a servant in the house of Potiphar.
Gen 39:1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.
Jesus came to serve.
Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Joseph was tempted and falsely accused but did not sin.
Joseph was innocent and yet was punished.
Gen 39:6 And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.
Gen 39:7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.
Gen 39:8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;
Gen 39:12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.
Gen 39:20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
Jesus also was tempted and falsely accused but did not sin.
Mat 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Mat 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Mat 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the
Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Mat 4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
Mat 4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Mat 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Mat 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Mat 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Mat 4:11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Joseph was sentenced with two criminals.
One lived and on died.
Gen 40:1 And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt.
Gen 40:2 And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.
Gen 40:3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.
Jesus sentenced with two criminals.
One died and one died and lived eternally.
Luk 23:32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.
Luk 23:33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Joseph was the same age as Jesus when he began his ministry.
Gen 41:46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
Jesus.
Luk 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
Both Joseph and Jesus forgave those who wronged them.
Gen 45:4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
Gen 45:5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
Jesus.
Luk 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
Both Joseph and Jesus became saviour of the people.
Gen 45:5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
Mat 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
All of these things were in the predetermined plan of God.
Joseph: Gen 45:5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
Jesus: Act 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
It is amazing how the wisdom of God comes through in the types and shadows of Christ in the Old Testament.
This can have the effect of building us up in the faith, when we see that God not only used explicit prophecies concerning Jesus Christ but He integrated people, places and events that prefigured the coming
Messiah, both His first coming and His second coming.
This should encourage each of us in that we see the fulfilment of Old Testament scripture in the first advent of Christ and therefore there is no reason whatsoever to cast doubt on the fulfilment of the Second
Advent of our Saviour.
