On week 2 of our Series "Unexpected: When God Changess Our Plans," Pastor Tim asked DCC Elder George Crabb to share how we can see Jesus in the Life of Joseph. Watch and read George's insights into how the life of Joseph shows us a picture of Jesus.
Why did God do This?
Because God purposefully wanted us to see His plan through the life of Joseph who was a portrait of the greater than Joseph, God the Son, Jesus.
Jesus in the Old Testament
George Crabb recently finished teaching a Sunday Morning class at DCC on the subject of "Jesus in the Old Testament." One of the things he looked at in this class were the parallels between the life of Joseph and the life of Jesus Christ. Below are his notes from that class.
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Joseph and Jesus Compared
- He had a miraculous birth by Israel’s most favored woman.
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Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” (Gen 30:22-23)
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He was the Father’s most favored son. (Gen 37:3)
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His own brothers despised and rejected him (Gen 37:4 “…they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.”)
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He shared how they will bow down to him through the prophetic dreams. (Gen 37:5-11)
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He was sent out of fellowship (Hebron: alliance or fellowship) with his father to those who hated him. (Gen 37:14-16)
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He comes to his brothers who were the shepherds of the father’s flock, and he finds them leading the flock in Dothan. (Dothan: Laws and customs)
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They conspired to murder him. (Gen 37:18 they conspired against him to kill him)
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“…the Pharisees went out and conspired to against him, how to destroy him” (Matt 12:14).
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They stripped him of his tunic. (Gen 37:23)
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Jesus was stripped (Matt 27:28-30)
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He was sold for silver, and it was his brother Judah who decided it. (Gen 37:28)
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Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. (Matt 26:14-15)
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The name Judas is derived from the name Judah.
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“Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel…” (Matt 27:9)
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He was handed over to the Gentiles.
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He was then falsely accused and sent to the place of the condemned (Gen 39).
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At the place of the condemned, two were sent there with him. He tells one of them that he will be restored to life in three days. The other was cursed to death in three days (Gen 40).
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Later he was raised up out of that place of the condemned and brought up before the throne.
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“Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit…” (Gen 41:14)
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As he stood before the throne, he was the only one fond worthy in all of the land, to reveal the secrets of God’s future plan.
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“…there is no one who can interpret it…” (Gen 41:14)
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Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals” (Rev 5:1-5).
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He was honored and placed at the right hand of the throne as all bow the knee to him except for he who sat on the throne.
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“Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” (Gen 41:37-41)
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“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Rev 5:11)
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“…they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. (Gen 41:43)
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…for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” (Rom 14:10)
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“Then Pharoah clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck.” (Gen 41:42
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“…one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. (Rev 1:13)
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He was given a new name.
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And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah. (Gen 41:45) (This new name means: “God speaks, and he lives” and “Savior of the Age”)
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“…and my own new name.” (Rev 3:12)
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He was given a Gentile Bride.
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And he gave him in marriage Asenath (Gen 41:45)
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Gentile Churches in Revelation 2-3
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All have to go to him to live.
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The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end, and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.” (Gen 41:53-55)
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“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14;6)
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After the great harvest, during the time of the great 7-year famine or great trouble, Israel is saved.
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“I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. Gen 45:4-5)
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“I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say…” (Rom 11:25 NLT)
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“…the spirit of their father Jacob revived. And Israel said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive…” (Gen 45:27-28)
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His new family (Gentile Bride) and his old family (Israel) are united as one family forever.
Joseph’s story takes up 1/4th or 25% of the book of Genesis. That is like majoring in History and spending your whole final year on one man.
One More Thing
One more amazing gem God placed in the scriptures: Jesus had an earthly stepdad with the name of Joseph. He was there when baby Jesus was wrapped in cloth and was born from a womb that was not defiled by man. At Jesus death, there was another man named Joseph who wrapped his dead body in cloth and placed him in a tomb (Like the womb) that was not defiled by any dead man. Then in three days Jesus burst forth out of that tomb, like the womb as the first fruit to God, and made it possible for us live.
Amazing how God did this! God is so good!
by George Crabb
Dungeness Community Church