Tuesday 5 June 2012

The Verse - Genesis 37-50

So as you know, 5 weeks ago I started a chronological Bible reading plan. Last week I finished off the story of Joseph. It was so great to read it again. I heard a sermon on some of the chapters a few years ago, during which the pastor pointed out that unlike us, Joseph didn't know that his frequently terrible circumstances would turn out as well as they did. When we read about him in jail, we have a tendency  to think: Don't worry Joseph, just 2 more paragraphs and you'll be free - but Joseph didn't know that! He just trusted in God. Plus, we don't know how long he was in jail for. Anyway, Luke is doing the same Bible reading plan, and he pointed out that in his MacArthur Study Bible there is a table showing how Joseph is a type of Christ. I had heard this before, but never in the same detail that MacArthur has gone into; and well, I just thought it was so neat that I wanted to share it with you.

1. A shepherd of his father's sheep
Joseph: Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. (Gen 37:2)
Jesus:  I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)
 
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. (John 10:27-29) 

2. His father loved him dearly
Joseph: Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. (Gen 37:3)
Jesus: ...and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matt 3:17)


3. Hated by his brothers
Joseph: But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.(Gen 37:4)
Jesus: "...For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world." For not even His brothers believed in Him. (John 7:4-5)


5.Sent by father to brothers
Joseph: And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. (Gen 37:13-14)
Jesus: For He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why He is not ashamed to call them brothers... (Hebrews 2:11)


6. Others plotted against him
Joseph: Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dream. (Gen 37:20)
Jesus: So from that day on they made plans to put Him to death. (John 11:53)

7. Robes taken from them
Joseph: So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. (Gen 37:23)
Jesus: When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took His garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,
“They divided My garments among them,
    and for My clothing they cast lots.”
So the soldiers did these things... (John 19:23-24)

8. Taken to Egypt
Joseph: Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?" (Gen 37:26)
Jesus: And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called My son.” (Matt 2:14-15)

9. Sold for the price of a slave
Joseph: Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.  
Jesus: 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)

10. Tempted
Joseph: And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” (Gen 39:7)
Jesus: Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matt 4:1)

11. Falsely accused
Joseph: Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home,  and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me. But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.”
As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, “This is the way your servant treated me,” his anger was kindled.
Jesus: Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put Him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward. (Matt 26:59-60)

12. Bound in chains
Joseph: And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison. (Gen 39:20)
Jesus: And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor. (Matt 27:2)

13. Placed with two other prisoners, one who was saved, the other lost
Joseph: And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. (Gen 40:2-3)
Jesus: Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with Him. (Luke 23:32)

14. Exalted after suffering
Joseph: And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” (Gen 41:41) 
Jesus: Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:9-11)

15. Both 30 years old at the beginning of public recognition
Jospeh: Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. (Gen 41:46)
Jesus: Jesus, when He began His ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli... (Luke 3:23)

16. Both wept
Joseph: Then he turned away from them and wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. (Gen 42:24)
Jesus: Jesus wept. (John 11:35) *You have no idea how hard my year 8 class searched for this verse when we got to choose our own Bible verse to memorise.
  
17. Forgave those who wronged them
 Joseph:  And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him. (Gen 45:15)
Jesus: And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide His garments. (Luke 23:34)

18. Saved their nation
Joseph: And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. (Gen 45:7)
Jesus: "...She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (Matt 1:21)

19. What men did to hurt them, God turned to good 
Joseph: As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. (Gen 50:20)
Jesus: But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Cor 2:7-8)

Wow! I mean, that's detailed. O.O Pretty amazing, huh?

Until next time :)


    

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