Genesis 37-50

1. The Life of Joseph Genesis 37-50

2. Unconfirmed as a type • Lived over 1700 years before Christ • Parallels Christ in over 100 aspects • Takes up more chapter space than any other single person in Genesis • A patriarch – and an excellent example to us with his incredible character Joseph - Introduction

3. “In studying Scripture there is not only the literal application, which is always important, 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. Ordinarily when we speak of any individual in the Old Testament being a type of Christ, we refer to what he is officially, and not to his personal character. David, for instance, in his official capacity is a striking type of our Savior; Solomon, too, as the king of peace typifies Him who is yet to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords; but neither of these men could be said to typify Christ in their personal characters. With Joseph it is otherwise. His life shines forth from the pages of Holy Scripture as practically flawless. It is not indeed that he was actually sinless, for he had in himself the same corrupt nature that any other child of Adam has, but it has not pleased God to speak of any flaws or blemishes which His holy eye may have discerned in this devoted servant, but He has rather emphasized his faithfulness and practical godliness.” - Henry Allen Ironside

4. Types in the New Testament • τύπος • The other disciples therefore said to him, We have seen the Lord. But he said to them, Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. –Jn. 20:25 • Clear, direct, one-to-one relationship Joseph A Type?

5. Joseph’s Early Life in Caanan Genesis 37

6. Gen 37:2 “These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, fed the flock with his brethren; and he was doing service with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought to his father an evil report of them.” • A shepherd by occupation • A shepherd by character • patience • tenderness • sympathy • faithfulness Joseph ~ The Shepherd

7. John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” • Hebrews 13:20 “Our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep” • 1 Peter 5:4 “And when the chief shepherd is manifested ye shall receive the unfading crown of glory.” Jesus ~ The Shepherd

8. Genesis 37:3a “And Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was son of his old age; and he made him a vest of many colors.” • The son of his old age (vs. 3) • Jacob loved Joseph and showed partiality (vs. 3) • The son of Rachel (Gen. 30:23-25) “She conceived, and bore a son, and said, God has taken away my reproach. And she called his name Joseph; and said, Jehovah will add to me another son. And it came to pass when Rachel had borne Joseph, that Jacob said to Laban, Send me away, that I may go to my place and to my country.” Joseph ~ Beloved By His Father

9. Matthew 17:5 “Behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” • John 17:23 “I in them and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me.” • Jesus was uniquely loved by His Father • God the Father shows no partiality Jesus ~ Beloved By His Father

10. Gen. 37:3b “And Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was son of his old age; and he made him a coat of many colors.” • Gen. 37:31-32 “And they took Joseph's coat, and slaughtered a buck of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; and they sent the coat of many colors and had it carried to their father, and said, This have we found: discern now whether it is thy son's coat or not.” Joseph ~ A Unique Robe Connected With Death

11. John 19:2-3 “And the soldiers having plaited a crown of thorns put it on his head, and put a purple robe on him, and came to him and said, Hail, king of the Jews! and gave him blows on the face.” • Jesus colored coat was not given out of love, but out of hate • Jesus coat wasn’t just associated with reported death but actual death. Jesus ~ A Unique Robe Connected With Death

12. Genesis 37:4 “And his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, and they hated him, and could not greet him with friendliness.” • Why did they hate him? • Jealous envy of their fathers partial love • His upright character may have brought conviction • His dreams caused the hatred to grow more Joseph ~ Hated With No Just Cause

13. John 15:18 “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. • Why did they hate him? • Jealous envy of his authority which they wanted themselves • His upright character may have brought conviction • Despised and rejected by men, though innocent • Jesus, unlike Joseph was without sin. Jesus ~ Hated With No Just Cause

14. Genesis 37:5 “Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. 6 So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.” • He saw in a dream his brethren and all his father's house bowing down to him • Revealed to his brothers by God’s plan • He would be the means of blessing for all His brethren and His Father's house. Joseph ~ A Premonition Of Coming Glory

15. John 14:2-3 “In my Father's house there are many mansions; were it not so, I would have told you: for I go to prepare you a place; and if I go and to prepare you a place, I am coming again and shall receive you to myself, that where I am there you may be also.” • Hebrews 2:10-12 “It became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make perfect the leader of their salvation through sufferings. For both he that sanctifies and those sanctified are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren” • He both was and is the means of blessing for all His brethren and His Father's house. • More glory yet to come! Jesus ~ A Premonition Of Coming Glory

16. Genesis 37:10-11 “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? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.” • Joseph’s dream was from God and it made Jacob think as he too had had dreams from God that had significant meaning. Joseph ~ Made His Parents Think

17. Luke 2:19 “But Mary kept these things and pondered them in her heart.” • Jesus made his parents think just as he did the shepherds and just about anyone he ever spoke with! Jesus ~ Made His Parents Think

18. Genesis 37:13-14 “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. And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.” • Special mission • First required obedience • From the Valley of Hebron (a place of safety) to Shechem (a place of danger). Joseph ~ Sent By His Father

19. Over 40 times in John, Jesus mentions that His Father sent Him. • 1 John 4:14 “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.” • Hebrews 10:7 “Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.” • Special mission • First required obedience • From the holy splendor of heaven to the moral darkness of this earth Jesus ~ Sent By His Father

20. Genesis 37:15-17 “Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, “What are you seeking?” So he said, “I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are feeding their flocks.” And the man said, “They have departed from here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan.” • Joseph sought long and hard • His brothers had wandered far away. • They received him with mockery and hate Joseph ~ Seeking The Lost

21. Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” • Jesus sought long and hard and was received even worse than Joseph was(Jn.1:11). • Sinners had wandered even farther away, turning each one to his own way(Is.53:6). • They treated him with more mockery and hate than any man ever received(Luke 22:63). Jesus ~ Seeking The Lost

22. Genesis 37:18-20 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. 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. • Premeditated planned murder • They meant it for evil, God meant it for good (50:20) Joseph ~ The Plot To Kill Him

23. Matthew 26:1-4 “And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified. Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him.” • Premeditated planned murder • Acts 2:23-24 “Him being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, for it was not possible that He should be held by it.” • They meant it for evil, God meant it for good Jesus ~ The Plot To Kill Him

24. Genesis 37:23-25a “And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colors that was on him; And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat bread...” • Joseph stripped of his clothing by his brothers before they sat down to eat. • Experienced things like thirst(no water), loneliness, cold at night, hot sun during the day • Genesis 42:21 “And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. ” • Anguish in his soul Joseph ~ Stripped And In A Pit

25. Matthew 27:28a & 36 “And they stripped him...” “And sitting down they watched him there” • Jesus stripped naked. • Experienced thirst, loneliness, mockery, cold at the hands of his own people. • They sat down to keep watch, before going into the city to eat the passover • Psalm 40:1-2: “I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” • Joseph died figuratively • Jesus died literally Jesus ~ Stripped And In A Pit

26. No record of Joseph ever complaining • Genesis 42:21 “And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. ” • He only pleaded for his life Joseph ~ Silent In His Trials

27. Isaiah 53:7 “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. ” • Matthew 27:13-14 “Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him not a word; insomuch that the governor marveled greatly. ” • 1 Peter 2:23 “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not” Jesus ~ Silent In His Trials

28. Not just in the pit... • Genesis 37:26-27 “And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.” • Genesis 42:21 “And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.” • Though he was their own brother, it meant little as they treated him with hatred and contempt. Joseph ~ Forsaken

29. Matthew 27:46 “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” • Jesus was forsaken not only by His brethren, but by His Father – God Almighty. • What did God forsaking Jesus mean for us? (Heb. 13:5) Jesus ~ Forsaken

30. Genesis 37:27-28 “Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.” • An action motivated by greed and hate • An alibi that excused their sin as if it were a favor Joseph ~ Betrayed for Silver

31. Matthew 26:15-16 “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. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.” • An action motivated by greed (Judas) and hate (the Jews) • Matthew 26:48-50 “Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come?” • A close friendship and a betrayal disguised with a kiss! Jesus ~ Betrayed for Silver

32. Genesis 37:28 “Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit” • Genesis 37:29 “And Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit” • God protected Joseph and brought great blessing to him • Joseph was not forsaken by God and he did not die • God didn’t leave him in the pit, because He had plans for him! Joseph ~ Risen

33. Mark 16:6 “but he said to them, ‘Be not alarmed. Ye seek Jesus, the Nazarene, the crucified one. He is risen, he is not here; behold the place where they had put him.’ ” • God did not spare Jesus, but He did spare us from death! • Joseph was forsaken by God and He did die • God didn’t leave Jesus in the grave, because He had plans for him! Jesus ~ Risen

34. Genesis 37:31-33 “And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; And they sent the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no. And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. ” • The trickster was tricked, thinking Joseph was dead Joseph ~ Blood to Show His Death

35. Hebrews 9:12 “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” • Christ’s blood has been presented to His Father and to all, to bear witness of His death. • It is no deception. With Jesus it really happened. Jesus ~ Blood to Show His Death

36. Joseph a Slave & Prisoner in Egypt Genesis 39

37. Genesis 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 Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither. ” • A special trip to Egypt which saved his life. • God had more than one reason to use Joseph in Egypt as part of His divine plan. Joseph ~ Brought To Egypt

38. Hosea 11:1 “Out of Egypt I called my Son. ” • Matt. 2:13-15 “And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 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. • A special trip to Egypt which saved his life. • Jesus was to die by the hands of murderous sinners, but His time had not yet come. Jesus ~ Brought To Egypt

39. Genesis 39:1,4 “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 Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither.” “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.” • Joseph became a servant of Potiphar, an officer of Pharoah. • He was also a bondslave, because he was paid for and belonged to Potiphar – but was not paid. Joseph ~ A Bondservant

40. Phil. 2:7 “But made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.” • Matt. 20:28 “as indeed the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” • Jesus, the King of kings served better than any servant. But His greatest act of service was when he died for all. • He is like the Hebrew slaves who could have had freedom but instead said, “I love my master. I will not go out free.” (Ex. 21:5) Jesus ~ A Bondservant

41. Gen. 1:3-4 “And his master saw that Jehovah was with him, and that Jehovah made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found favor in his eyes, and attended on him; and he set him over his house, and all that he had he gave into his hand.” • Joseph’s own brothers had hated him and sold him. • In Egypt he was given a home by the Gentiles. • Those his people despised were the ones to give Joseph a place to prosper. Joseph ~ Treated Better by the Gentiles

42. Lk. 7:9 “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel” • Lk. 17:15-16 “And one of them, seeing that he was cured, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and fell on his face at his feet giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.” • Matt. 27:54 “Truly this man was the Son of God” • Delivered to be crucified by the Jewish leaders • It was Gentiles who were more receptive to Him, even than his own people! • John 1:11 – “He came to His own, and His own received Him not.” Jesus ~ Treated Better by the Gentiles

43. Gen. 39:2-5 “And Jehovah was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that Jehovah was with him, and that Jehovah made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found favor in his eyes, and attended on him; and he set him over his house, and all that he had he gave into his hand. 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. ” • Joseph, despite his circumstances found success at all he did. • The Lord made Him prosper. • Even when Joseph was later imprisoned we learn that Joseph prospered even more (vs.21-23), and rose to be 2nd in the land of Egypt (41:40). • Verse 5 indicates that not only did God bless Joseph, but also those whose lives he touched! Joseph ~ Power & Prominence

44. Phil. 2:9-11 “Therefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” • Jesus also had much greater power and prominence than even Joseph, because in dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead! (Col. 2:9) • Just as Pharoah realized the Spirit of God was in Joseph, (Gen. 41:38) so also Nicodemus said “No one can do these signs that you do unless God is with Him” (Jn. 3:2). • Jesus was the best blessing that ever happened to all those whose lives He touched. Jesus ~ Power & Prominence

45. Gen. 39:7-12a “And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph, and said, Lie with me! But he refused, and said to his master's wife, Behold, my master takes cognizance of nothing with me: what is in the house, and all that he has, he has given into my hand. There is none greater in this house than I; neither has he withheld anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife; and how should I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? And it came to pass as she spoke to Joseph day by day and he hearkened not to her, to lie with her and to be with her, that on a certain day he went into the house to do his business, and there was none of the men of the house there in the house. Then she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me!” • The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. • Not just once, but for days • Faced circumstances where it may have seemed harmless • The 2nd coat which caused him trouble, but through no fault of his own. Joseph ~ Faced Strong Temptation

46. 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.” • Matthew 4:1-11 – Jesus Temptation • The lust of the eyes: worship me and get the kingdoms of this world • the lust of the flesh: command these stones to become bread • the pride of life: tempt God by jumping from the temple pinnacle • Jesus was tempted from without, but could not be tempted from within, because in Him there is no sin. Jesus ~ Faced Strong Temptation

47. Gen. 39:12b “...and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.” • Joseph had strong reasons to resist temptation: • His mater trusted him (vs. 8) • He had an esteemed position (vs. 9a) • The woman was married to his master (vs. 9b) • It would be sin against not just Potiphar, but God! (vs. 9b) • Paul reminds us in 1 Thess. 5:22 to flee every appearance of evil. Joseph ~ A Man of Purity and Integrity

48. 1 John 3:5 “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. • Jesus had strong reasons to resist temptation: • His faithfulness and obedience to God required it • To yield would be to sin, and would show him to be unholy, disqualifying Him from the very purpose for which He came into the world. To be the Savior of sinners. • It would have discredited the Word of God and the prophecies concerning His sinless humanity. • 2 Corinthians 5:21 – “For He made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Jesus ~ A Man of Purity and Integrity

49. Gen. 39:13-20 “And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, that she called unto the men of her house, and spoke 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: 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. And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home. And she spoke unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me: And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out. And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. 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.” • Falsely accused • Innocently punished Joseph ~ Suffered for Righteousness Sake

50. 1 Pet. 2:19-21 “For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.” • No one ever suffered more than our beloved Lord, let alone suffered righteously. • He was falsely accused, and innocently punished a thousand times worse. Jesus ~ Suffered for Righteousness Sake