Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little inferior to the angels because of the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death on behalf of everything.
It is so amazing to see how the life of Joseph is a copy of the life of Christ! So many things that Joseph went through together with his attitude toward these things typify Christ’s living on earth, the processes He went through, and His attitude toward these things.
There’s no other single person in the Old Testament that typifies Christ to such an extent as Joseph did, and the book of Genesis ends with Joseph reigning over the whole earth by supplying people with food. Christ will reign for ever and ever over all the universe by ministering Himself as food to His people for eternity.
Hallelujah! What a perfect copy of the life of Christ we see in Joseph’s life!
Joseph portrayed Christ perfectly, and his life plus the Lord’s life are not mere objective things or facts in history – Christ Himself is being constituted into our being right now as the reigning part of a mature life.
As we go through situations and things sovereignly arranged by God to deal with us, break us, transform us, and bring us to maturity, Christ is being constituted into us as the reigning part of the mature life to make us His co-kings to rule over the earth with Him.
Little by little and day by day Christ is being wrought into our being to be constituted into us, and we need to allow this constitution to take place until we are fully mature, when we will have the full expression of His reigning life!
As we look at Joseph’s life and history recorded in the last chapters of Genesis, we have seen that he typifies Christ in his being a shepherd, in his being his father’s beloved, in being sent by his father to minister to his brothers according to his father’s will, and in being hated, persecuted, and sold (betrayed) by his brothers.
Furthermore, today we will see how Joseph’s life is a copy of the life of Christ in his being cast into prison with two criminals, in his being released from the prison of death, in his being enthroned with authority, in his receiving glory and gifts, in his becoming the savior of the world and the sustainer of life, in his taking a wife from the Gentiles, in his supplying his people with food, in his acknowledging his ignorant brothers and being recognized by them, and in his reigning over the whole earth. Hallelujah, what a Christ!
Joseph’s Life was a Copy of the Life of Christ – and how this Applies to Us (Part 2)
5. Both Joseph and Christ were cast into the Prison of Death with Two Criminals
Joseph was not only hated by his brothers and sold into slavery by them, but later he was put into the dungeon together with two criminals (the baker and the cupbearer), one of whom was restored and the other executed (see Gen. 39:20; 40:1-23).
In a similar way, Christ was crucified, put in the prison of death, together with two criminals, one of whom was released (he received the Lord and was saved) and the other died (see Acts 2:23; Luke 23:32, 39-43).
Joseph’s imprisonment was a type of Christ’s crucifixion in the prison of death at Golgotha.
6. Both Joseph and Christ were Released (Resurrected) from the Prison of Death
Acts 2:24 Whom God has raised up, having loosed the pangs of death, since it was not possible for Him to be held by it.
Joseph was in prison for ten years, a long period of imprisonment, and at one point he was released; his release from prison typifies Christ’s resurrection from the prison of death (Gen. 41:14; Acts 2:24).
Unlike Joseph, Christ walked into the prison of death willingly, going to death voluntarily. Satan and the authority of darkness and death tried to hold Him in Hades, but after three days Jesus Christ resurrected – He walked out of death, being impossible for Him to be held by it.
Christ Himself is resurrection life, which is stronger than death, and no matter how much death tried to hold Him, He simply walked out!
No matter how long we may be in a situation of death, Christ as resurrection life will break through and bring us into resurrection; death cannot hold the resurrection life!
7. Both Joseph and Christ were Enthroned with Authority
Joseph was released from prison and went from the lowest dungeon to the highest position in the world at that time, being second to Pharaoh himself only; he was enthroned with authority over Egypt and all the land (see Gen. 41:40-44).
In a similar way, Christ was raised from the dead and He was enthroned over all things with authority; He has been made both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36), and He was given to sit with His Father God on His throne (Rev. 3:21).
Christ was raised from the lowest point in Hades and set on the highest position in the universe, on the throne of God, and He was given all authority over heaven and earth!
Hallelujah for such a Christ! This One is being constituted into us and, when we will arrive at maturity, we will reign with Him over everything.
8. Both Joseph and Christ Received Glory and Gifts
Joseph was enthroned to rule with and for Pharaoh over Egypt, and he was given gifts: he received glory, robes, a ride in the second chariot of Pharaoh, a signet ring, a golden chain, and much glory and authority (Gen. 41:42).
In the same way, in His resurrection Christ received glory and honor, and He received gifts from the Father, which He also gave to the church (see Heb. 2:9; Psa. 68:18; Acts 2:33).
Hallelujah, now all that Christ is and has accomplished is to the church, which is His Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all (Eph. 1:22-23). We simply need to stay connected to Him and hold Him as the Head, and the transmission of all His riches and attainments will be uninterrupted.
9. Both Joseph and Christ became the Savior of the World, the Sustainer of Life, and the Revealer of Secrets
When Pharaoh uplifted Joseph from prison to the throne, he changed his name into Zaphenath-paneah, which means savior of the world, the sustainer of life, the revealer of secrets (see Gen. 41:45).
First, Joseph was the revealer of secrets (Gen. 40:9-19; 41:17-32), and then, became he sustained the life of the people (Gen. 41:47-57; 47:12-24), he became the savior of the world.
In a similar manner, when He was on earth Christ revealed to us the secrets of the kingdom of God; the kingdom was hidden, but Christ unveiled it and spoke extensively concerning it (see Matt. 5-7; 13) so that we may receive His life and enter into His kingdom.
Also, Christ Himself came to be life and the sustainer of life; if you need life, come to Him and believe into Him, and He will give you eternal life (Acts 5:31; John 6:50-51). Life today is only in Jesus Christ, and if we want to have eternal life, we need to come to Him: He gives us life abundantly, and He sustains life.
10. Both Joseph and Christ took a wife from the Gentiles
After Pharaoh put Joseph on the throne and gave him glory and gifts, he gave him Asenath to be his wife (she was from among the Gentiles, see Gen. 41:45).
While Joseph was rejected by his brothers, he picked up a wife from among the Gentiles. While Christ was rejected by His brothers, the Jews, He as the Bridegroom turned to the Gentiles and picked up a wife from among them, the church (see John 3:29; Eph. 5:23-27; Rev. 19:7).
Because they rejected the Messiah, God has put aside the people of Israel for a while and has opened the gate to His kingdom for all the Gentiles who would believe into Him.
Now the church is mainly composed of us, the Gentiles, and we have the privilege to become the wife of Christ, His beloved from among men. Praise the Lord!
11. Both Joseph and Christ Supply People with Food
John 6:35 Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall by no means hunger, and he who believes into Me shall by no means ever thirst.
Joseph supplied Egypt and all the nations around them with food, and people would come from far and wide to buy food for their existence during the famine (Gen. 41:56-57). When Christ was on earth, He came as food for His disciples to eat, and He continues to be our spiritual food today and throughout the ages (John 6:35).
Joseph had all the food, and people came to him for food. The real food is Jesus Christ Himself, and He has all the food; when we come to the Lord Jesus, we are fed and satisfied, and He supplies us with spiritual food.
In the church age we can enjoy Christ as our bread, our meat, our life-supply, our daily manna, and all that we need to be supplied in our Christian life.
12. Both Joseph and Christ Were / Will be Acknowledged by their Ignorant Brothers and were / will be Recognized by them
When Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to buy food, they didn’t recognize him; but at one point, after he dealt with them very wisely, he revealed himself and was acknowledged by his ignorant brothers, being recognized by them (Gen. 45:1-4, 14-15).
In a similar way, when Christ was on earth He was not recognized by His brothers, the Jewish people, and even up until now, He is hidden, not acknowledged or revealed.
But a day is coming when Christ will return the second time, and He will be acknowledged by His people; the people of Israel will see Him and recognize Him, and they will repent and cry (see Rom. 11:26; Zech. 12:10; Rev. 1:7).
The people of Israel will see Christ coming on the clouds and they will recognize Him as the One they pierced, the Firstborn Son of God who has many brothers (the church), and they will repent.
13. Both Joseph and Christ Reigned in the Kingdom over the Whole Earth
Pharaoh appointed Joseph to reign over all Egypt, and Joseph reigned over all the known earth at that time by dispensing food to them; Joseph was the ruler, being second only to Pharaoh himself (see Gen. 41:40-50:26).
In a similar way, the kingdom of the world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever (Rev. 11:15); His dominion is an eternal dominion, which will not pass away, and His kingdom will not be destroyed (Dan. 7:13-14).
When Christ returns to rule in His kingdom, He will reign over all the earth and over the whole universe for eternity, and we as His co-kings will reign with Him. Hallelujah!
Lord Jesus, praise You for being the Real Joseph, the Savior of the world, the Revealer of secrets, and the Sustainer of life. We come to You to receive life and have life abundantly. Lord, thank You for choosing us, Gentile people, to be part of Your wife. Thank You for constantly supplying us with food. Praise You for Your death, resurrection, and enthronement. Keep us feeding on You to be constituted with You as the reigning part of the mature life so that we may reign with You at Your second coming!
References and Hymns on this Topic
- Inspiration: the Word of God, my Christian experience, bro. James Lee’s sharing in the message for this week, and portions from, Life-study of Genesis, msgs. 112-113, as quoted in, the Holy Word for Morning Revival on, Crystallization-Study of Genesis (3), week 7 / msg 7, The Life of Joseph as a Copy of the life of Christ and Living as a Sheaf of Life and as a Star of Light (you can buy this morning revival book here).
- Picture credit: Heb. 2:9 picture via, Christian Pictures Blog.
- Hymns on this topic:
# He has risen and gone up into heav’n, / That life eternal might be fully giv’n; / Just receive Him, believing in your heart, / Then all you need He will impart, / So you need Jesus! (Hymns #1024)
# I am the living bread, which came down out of heaven; / If anyone, if anyone eats of this bread he shall live forever. (Song on John 6:51)
# I have found life’s Giver, and the Prince of Life; / He has quenched my thirst, and vanquished all my strife. / He, my living bread, became my daily meat; / Death has died in me, Life’s triumph is complete. (Hymns #827)
# He shall reign o’er all the earth, / He who wore the crown of thorn, / Whom they deemed of little worth, / Whom they met with hate and scorn; / Send the tidings forth, that all / Humbly at His feet may fall. (Hymns #919)
