The Red Thread: Part 3
Estimated reading time: 22 minutes
Joseph was a type of Christ.
Joseph represents the beloved son, loved by his father.
Isaac represented the unique one, the only begotten of the father. Joseph represents the beloved son. He was really loved by his father.
One way that often helps to distinguish types from shadows is that people are more like types, and shadows are events. A type makes a blow and imprint, and you can see what it foretells. It is like a prophecy. But we must be careful not to spiritualize types too much.
You can’t go through Joseph’s life and think that every little thing about him was a type of Christ. That’s taking the concept of a type beyond what God intended.
Joseph’s life is a type showing an imprint of the suffering and glory. All that went on in Joseph’s life, including the suffering, culminated in the fact that he became the right-hand man to Pharaoh.
After all the suffering, Jesus Christ is now seated on the right hand of God.
Genesis 37:1–3 KJV:
1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad [17 years old] was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age [Hebrew idiom meaning “a wise son”]: and he made him a coat of many colours.
People make a big deal of the coat of many colors, but from what we can see in the Word, it simply meant a richly ornamented robe. It symbolized Jacob’s favor for him. All these things (and perhaps Joseph’s apparent wisdom) made his brothers hate him.
Genesis 37:4 KJV:
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.
Joseph’s brothers symbolize Israel, the Pharisees and religious leaders (who were supposed to be the shepherds). The religious leaders, as they saw the things—the healings and miracles—that Jesus did and heard his wisdom, they developed a hatred for him. They were jealous of Jesus, just as Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him.
Joseph’s Two Dreams
Seventeen-year-old Joseph dreamed two very prophetic dreams.
Genesis 37:5–8 KJV:
5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. 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.
Remember, this dream was a prophecy. It didn’t matter how much his brothers didn’t like it; it would someday come true.
Genesis 37:9–11 KJV:
9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. 10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? 11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
The sun and the moon represented Joseph’s father and mother, and the stars represented his brothers. His father didn’t understand it and didn’t like it, though he loved Joseph. But his father did consider (“observed”) the saying.
The dream about the wheat sheaf is interesting. After the resurrection, when Jesus Christ presented his body in the resurrected form, the sheaves were presented in the Temple at the same time.
Consider the stars in the dream. Jesus is called the bright and morning star.
These dreams were prophetic and had not only a near-term fulfillment in Joseph’s life but also much longer-term, future fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
Now, let’s look at Joseph while he’s looking for his brothers.
Genesis 37:18–20 KJV:
18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. 19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. 20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
Their envy was taken to the extreme. The Pharisees and chief priest killed Jesus Christ for the same reason; their envy or jealousy was taken to the extreme.
Whenever you see religious envy, you know that it’s serious!
Religious jealousy easily leads to murder.
Genesis 37:21–22 KJV:
21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. 22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.
Reuben’s plan was to come back later, rescue Joseph out of the pit, and restore him back to his father.
Genesis 37:23–27 KJV:
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; 24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. 25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. 26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? 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.
That’s the same thing the religious leaders did with Jesus; they got someone else to kill Him so His blood would not be on their own hands.
Genesis 37:28 KJV:
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.
The pit represents death. Joseph and Jesus were both stripped of their robe. Both were sold for pieces of silver.
The beginning of Joseph’s suffering parallels or foreshadows the time of Jesus’s trial.
There is not a one-to-one correspondence between Joseph’s life and Jesus’s life; that’s now how types and shadows work.
Prophecy is like that, too. You can read, for instance, in Isaiah about something that has already been fulfilled and then about something that is still yet to be fulfilled sometime in the future. The timing of prophecy will not always be clear or obvious—except in hindsight.
For more details, refer to the teaching series on the Hope of Our Calling or the Thessalonians series.
What’s past (already fulfilled), we can see and understand. What’s future we can merely speculate, though we know that they will happen at some point.
The suffering continued for Joseph.
Genesis 39:1–2 KJV:
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. 2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
Remember when Jesus grew and waxed strong (Luke 1:80; 2:40)?
Genesis 39:3–6 KJV:
3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. 4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. 5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field. 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.
Potiphar’s wife had eyes for Joseph.
Genesis 39:9 KJV:
There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
Joseph had to make up his mind to do God’s will.
Hebrews 4:15 KJV:
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 didn’t give in to temptation, and later, neither did Jesus.
Genesis 39:10–20 KJV:
10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. 11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. 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.
13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, 14 That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: 15 And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. 16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home. 17 And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me: 18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.
19 And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. 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.
Just when things are looking up, Joseph is thrown into prison—for taking a stand for God. The same thing happened to Jesus Christ was put on trial—for teaching God’s Word and healing people.
Genesis 39:21– KJV:
21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. 23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.
In the prison, Joseph interprets dreams for two people. He asked the one receiving the positive interpretation to remember him when he was back with Pharaoh.
Genesis 41:1–8 KJV:
1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. 2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fat fleshed; and they fed in a meadow. 3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and lean fleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river. 4 And the ill favoured and lean fleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. 5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. 6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. 7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. 8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.
The chief butler had forgotten Joseph for a couple of years now.
Genesis 41:9–16 KJV:
9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: 10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard’s house, both me and the chief baker: 11 And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. 12 And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret. 13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.
14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. 15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. 16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
After all that Joseph had been through, wouldn’t this be a good time to seek a little glory? But now, Joseph shifts the focus from himself to God.
How did Joseph know it would be “an answer of peace?” God had already told him!
Pharaoh repeats the dream to Joseph in Genesis 31:17–24.
Genesis 41:25 KJV:
And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.
What’s still in the future is prophetic; Joseph is telling Pharaoh that this is a prophecy for him.
Genesis 41:26–35 KJV:
26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one. 27 And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine. 28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh. 29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: 30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; 31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous. 32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part [20%] of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. 35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
By saving 20% they accumulated enough to supply all the surrounding nations for seven years!
Joseph did not ask to be put in charge; he simply told Pharaoh how to solve the problem. How did Joseph know? God had shown him.
Genesis 41:36–37 KJV:
36 And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine. 37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
It wasn’t only Pharaoh who thought it was a good plan; his servants also thought so.
Genesis 41:38 KJV:
And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
Even Gentiles recognized that the Spirit of God was with Joseph. The same thing happened to Jesus in Tyre and Sidon, and the woman at the well.
Genesis 41:39–44 KJV:
39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: 40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. 41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. 42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; 43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. 44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt
After the pit and being in prison (symbols of death), Joseph is raised up and given new clothes (Jesus a new body), Joseph is given a new name (Jesus gets the name above every name), and Joseph becomes second-in-command to Pharaoh (Jesus becomes second-in-command to God).
Genesis 41:45–46 KJV:
45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
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.
Joseph started his new job when he was 30; Jesus started His ministry when he was 30.
Philippians 2: KJV:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
People bowed before Joseph; everyone will bow before Jesus. Both Joseph and Jesus got new names. Joseph got a new bride. Jesus will get his bride as described in the Book of Revelation.
There’s been much speculation among scholars as to the meaning of Joseph’s new name, Zaphnathpaaneah, but two commonly suggested meanings are “revealer of secrets” and “savior of the land.”
Joseph was sold into slavery at 17 and rose to power at 30, so he suffered for 13 years. That’s not a parallel with the suffering of Jesus. Remember, a type does not mean that everything pertaining to it corresponds to a future fulfillment of it.
After the seven years of plenty, in the second year of the seven years of famine, Joseph’s brothers come seeking food.
Genesis 42:6b KJV:
… and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him [Joseph] with their faces to the earth.
Remember Josephs dreams when he was 17? His brothers would bow down before him.
Genesis 42:7–10 KJV:
7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. 8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. 9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. 10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.
This starts a trying time for Joseph’s brothers. In the future, Israel is going to go through a very trying time of tribulation and have another opportunity to repent and turn back to God. There is a seven-year period described in the Book of Revelation as well.
Joseph tests them. He tells them to go get their younger brother and bring him back with them, but before they leave he has money put in their sacks. So they wait another whole year (they came during the second year of the famine).
The next time they come, Joseph has his cup hidden in Benjamin’s sack. After the brothers get some ways out of town, Joseph’s servants overtake them and accuse them of stealing Joseph’s cup. So they were already freaked out by the time the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
Eventually, Judah (the line of the king) is the one who stands up for Benjamin and offers to take his place. They come back thinking they will be thrown in prison and instead are taken to a feast in Joseph’s house. You should take the time to read the entire record.
Genesis 45:1–3 KJV:
1 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. 2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled [terrified] at his presence
That is what will happen to Israel when they see Jesus Christ come back to earth. Just as Joseph’s brothers thought they were about to be thrown in prison, they were rescued. Just as Israel thinks it’s about to be destroyed, Jesus Christ will rescue them. The brothers are so typically Israel
Genesis 35:4– KJV:
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. 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. 6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
Israel will see a great deliverance, too. God’s promise to Abraham will yet be fulfilled. That promise was not about how great or wonderful they were.
Joseph has compassion toward his brothers and shows God’s purpose throughout the whole affair.
Psalm 81:3–7 KJV:
3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. 4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob. 5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not. 6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots. 7 Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.
This was a testimony not only of how God delivered Jesus Christ from death but also of how He delivered us. We have Christ in us. When Jesus Christ was raised, we were raised with him. When he ascended, we ascended with him. When it will be glorified, we will be glorified with him.
It went from Joseph’s life to the time in the wilderness (Meribah), and in the middle, “thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee.” We can see, in just these four verses, how prophecy skips.
We can look back at the suffering and the glory (resurrection). Jesus was the beloved son of the Father. Israel hated him without a cause. He was sold for pieces of silver. They stripped him of his robe. But during His life, Jesus learned obedience (as did Joseph). And just when it looked the bleakest, God raised Him from the dead.
Now, Jesus still lives to make intercession for us. He is still doing the will of the Father. And there will come a day….
We don’t have to spiritualize everything in the types, shadows, or symbols. Here’s a quote from near the end of a book by Andrew Jukes:
“Such as those that live in the Spirit, know that we, too, are called with His calling, to rule, not to be ruled by. That the kingdom may be in earth even as it is in heaven. For Christ, our head, has reached to this and we are His members. As His members, we are predestined to be formed to Him.”
“But few get beyond faith or sonship; few reach to service, and fewer still to glory in tribulation, by the cross to rule the world, and to walk among the things of sense, confessedly superior to them all. Let such abide their time. They shall show that if we suffer with Christ, we shall also with him be glorified.”
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