Joseph a Type of Christ
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
Genesis 36:1-43 presents to us the generations of Esau, who is Edom. The Edomites became a mighty people on the earth, but their glories centered in things which were carnal and temporal. Like their great sire, Esau, who was the head of their nation, they sold their birthright for a mess of pottage, and lived for the things of earth.
The best that could be said of Esau was that he was the father of the Edomites. There was nothing in him that looked beyond to the realms of light and life and glory.
Leaving the story of Esau, we come to the story of Jacob. In some respects Jacob was not the equal of his brother, Esau; yet, in spiritualities, he far outclassed him. Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, even in the land of Canaan.
That land was given unto Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and to Jacob's twelve sons and their descendants forever. When God divided unto the nations their inheritance, He purposed this land as the inheritance of Israel, As we now write, the Children of Israel are known to be scattered over the whole world, even as corn is scattered in a sieve. However, there is a remnant still in Canaan, and in Jerusalem. That remnant is growing rapidly in these last days. Jews from all over the world are turning their faces once more toward Jerusalem. Chartered ships are carrying the people home again. The Lord is granting unto the land much of its former fertility. Tremendous enterprises along commercial and educational lines are taking place. The papers recently have been discussing the unprecedented and almost incalculable wealth that has been stored, during the centuries, in the bosom of the Dead Sea. The Arabs still hold much of power and authority in the land, while the Jews are buying up great tracts of land and are steadily becoming the dominant power in Palestine. Eng-land has sponsored the cause of the Jews, and by her graces Israel is enjoying a freedom and authority in the land of the fathers which she has not known since her city was destroyed by Titus.
Those who know, through the Bible, the eternal purposes of God, are watching with intense interest the present-day course of Jewish history. During all of the centuries the Jews have been kept together against this very hour in which we live. God promised that they should inherit the land, and that they should no more be pulled down out of their land forever. This promise is about to be realized. At the Second Coming of Christ, the twelve tribes will be restored under one King, the Lord Jesus. The people, forgiven and blest, will dwell in their former habitations and will possess the land to its uttermost geographical bounds, as was promised by the Lord through the Prophets.
I. JOSEPH FEEDING THE FLOCK (Genesis 37:2)
Our text says, "Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren."
As we pursue our lesson and the two lessons which follow, we will discover that Joseph is one of the outstanding types of Christ in the Bible. The many Chapter s devoted to the history of this marvelous youth are given us in the Word of God, not merely to instruct us in the chronicles of ancient times, and of mighty seers, but they are given because this man Joseph delineates in no uncertain way the story of our Lord.
1. Joseph was a shepherd. Jesus Christ was the Good Shepherd when He was upon earth the Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep. Jesus Christ is now the Great Shepherd whom the Father brought again from the dead even the Shepherd who daily leads His flock. Jesus Christ will be the Chief Shepherd in the blessed hour of His Second Advent when He comes to reward His saints.
2. Joseph was a youthful shepherd. He was only seventeen years of age as he fed the flock. He is spoken of as "the lad." The Lord Jesus Christ lived upon earth as the Good Shepherd in His youth. He was only thirty-three years of age, so far as His life in the flesh was concerned, when He died for His sheep.
When He comes again as the Chief Shepherd, He is described thus by the Holy Spirit: "From the womb of the morning: Thou hast the dew of Thy youth."
3. Joseph was a shepherd associated with those who were evil. We read that he was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives.
Jesus Christ, likewise, was associated with evil men and yet with men of His own city and race.
Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. Thus Christ brought an evil report of the Jews. He likewise testified of the world that its works were evil.
II. ISRAEL'S LOVE FOR JOSEPH (Genesis 37:3)
Our text reads, "Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children." There are some who may condemn Jacob because of his favoritism toward Joseph. Be that as it may, Jesus Christ was God's well beloved Son.
To Abraham it was spoken, "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest." Thus, both Isaac and Joseph were types of God's love to His Son.
It is worthy of note that our text reads, "Now Israel loved Joseph." Jacob's new name is used. This increases the beauty of the type, inasmuch as "Israel" stands for covenant relationship. "Jacob" stood for the man of the flesh, the man who was a supplanter. "Israel" stood for the man who clung to God and prevailed.
1. Jesus Christ frequently spoke of the love which the Father had for Him. We know that the Father delighted to speak of His love for the Son. Out of the blue, on at least two different occasions, the Father called Christ His Beloved Son; and, out of the blue a third time, the Father said, "I have glorified [Thee], and will glorify [Thee] again."
Christ, as He neared the Cross, said, "Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life" for the sheep.
2. The love of God toward the Son is passed on unto all of those who are saved through the sacrifice of the Son. God loves us because we are sons. Our Lord once said, "That the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them." Again, Christ said, "Thou * * hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me."
Thus the love of Jacob to Joseph is a type not only of the Father's love to His Son, but to His sons whose sons we are. How these words should humble us and cause us to lift up our voices in praise! If the Father loves us even as He loved the Son, how great a love He hath toward us!
III. JOSEPH, THE SON OF HIS FATHER'S OLD AGE (Genesis 37:3, m.c.)
Here is the way our text runs: "Because he (Joseph) was the son of his (Israel's) old age."
The aged patriarch was more than rejoiced when Joseph was born. He was the son of Jacob's favorite wife, Rachel. When Joseph was born he was named Joseph because he was "added." In this name Joseph was a type of Christ, inasmuch as in Christ all things are added to us. In the first man, Adam, all was lost; in the second Man, Christ, all was regained.
1. The striking feature, which is now before us, is that Joseph was the son of his father's old age. The type is plain. Christ was the Son of eternity. He was the Eternal Son, He was without beginning of days, and without ending of days.
Of Christ it is written, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." When the Holy Spirit announced the birth of Christ through Micah, he said, "Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting " (Micah 5:2).
Thus it was that Christ spoke to the Father, saying, "And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with * * the glory which I had with Thee before the world was."
2. Once more the typology includes the saints, for they too are said to have eternal life. If it be argued that the eternal life of saints reaches only forward from the time that they were saved, we answer that is true. However, there is a sense in which even saints are made partakers of all the glory which Christ had with the Father before the world was.
3. Old age, as relating to Christ's Sonship and the Father's Fatherhood, by no means carries with it the conception of infirmity and lost strength. Jesus Christ is, at the same time, both the Son of eternity, the eternal Son, and the One who is to come to earth in the dew of His youth. God never is weary, and never grows old as we think of old age.
IV. JOSEPH'S COAT OF MANY COLORS (Genesis 37:3, l.c.)
Our portion of Genesis 37:3 says, "And he made him a coat of many colours."
1. This coat of many colors suggests the special distinction with which Joseph was crowned. His father saw fit to set Joseph apart from the other sons as one to be specially favored and recognized.
As we pause, seeking the analogy between Joseph and Christ, we discover that our Lord was distinguished from all of the other sons of Mary and also from all of the other sons of men. Christ was from above, others were from beneath. The human race had Adam to its father. All came by him, and all partook of his fallen nature in Adam death passed upon all men, in that all men have sinned.
Sainthood recognizes Christ as its Head. He is, in fact, spoken of as "The Everlasting Father." In Him we are made partakers of the Divine nature. In His flesh He was God incarnate. He knew no sin and in Him there was no sin.
Jesus Christ was distinct from all other men in that He was born as no other man ever was born; He lived as no other man ever lived; He spoke as no other man ever spoke, for it is written, "Never man spake like this Man."
2. This coat of many colors presented the special honor with which Joseph was set aside by his father. The other sons of Jacob immediately recognized this honor placed upon their brother, and they evilly entreated him.
Jesus Christ was honored of God in His birth. Not only did an angel announce to the shepherds the fact that He was born, but a multitude of angels sounded forth His praise. Beside this, a star, one of God's heavenly constellations, guided the wise men to the manger where the God Child lay.
Jesus Christ was honored of God at His baptism. He was honored at the transfiguration and honored in the ascension.
V. JOSEPH WAS HATED BY HIS BRETHREN (Genesis 37:4)
"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."
Three times the chapter tells us that Joseph's brethren hated him.
1. They hated him because their father loved him. As Jesus Christ moved among men, the scribes and the Pharisees realized that He was beloved of God. They saw that the hand of the Heavenly Father was upon Him.
Recently, according to the "Sunday School Times" there has been a re-trial of Christ in the city of Jerusalem before a large and august assembly. One noted Jew pleaded in behalf of those who crucified Him. He paraded Christ's false claims; His antagonism to Judaistic principles, and His seeking to inaugurate a new religion. For five hours he presented his pleas. The second noted Jew to whom was given the defense of Christ pleaded His sincerity, His holiness of life and of purpose. He demonstrated that Christ was absolutely innocent from those things whereof they accused Him. When the five jurors brought in their verdict, they stood four to one in favor of Jesus Christ, as against the scribes and Pharisees of His day. The Bible plainly says, "They hated Me without a cause."
2. They hated him because of his dream. Joseph related unto his brethren and to his father certain dreams which came to him in the visions of the night. These dreams showed Joseph's superiority and authority not only over his eleven brothers, but also over his own father and mother. It was for this also that they hated Christ. The Jews desired for themselves the first seats in the synagogue. They wanted to be called of men Rabbi, Rabbi, (Great Chief).
3. They hated him for his words. Jesus Christ spoke words that no man had ever spoken. In His twelfth year He amazed the rulers and the doctors of Law with His questions and answers. As a Man they acknowledged that no man spake as this Man and yet they hated Him the more for His Words.
VI. JOSEPH'S FIRST DREAM (Genesis 37:6-7)
And Joseph said, "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."
1. Some have suggested that Joseph should have kept the story of his dream to himself. They say that relating the dream only caused him needless hatred on the part of his brethren.
However, we need to view these dreams of Joseph in their relationship to Joseph's own future; and, more particularly, in their relationship to their prophetic message concerning Jesus Christ, Should Jesus Christ have kept to Himself the fact of His all-glorious might and power? Should He have refrained from telling that which seemingly did no more than anger the scribes and Pharisees? Should He have hid the fact that He came forth from the Father? that God was His Father? that He was equal with the Father? By no means.
2. The Lord Jesus is the pre-eminent Christ. When, on the occasion of the Transfiguration, Peter suggested that three tabernacles be made, one for Moses and one for Elias and one for Christ, quick as a flash, from the Heavens came the voice of God saying, "This is My beloved Son, hear Him."
When John would have fallen down to worship an angel, supposing that He was the Christ, the angel said, "See thou do it not; for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the Prophets."
The present-day tendency to deify man is an abomination with God. It is just as villainous as bowing down to idols according to the custom of the East.
VII. JOSEPH'S SECOND DREAM (Genesis 37:9-10)
This time Joseph dreamed, and he said: "And, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me."
The meaning of this dream was altogether too plain to suit his brethren; even his father Jacob 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?"
We, of course, know that this dream, as well as Joseph's other dream, met a literal fulfillment. His brethren did fall down before him and did obeisance when they came to Egypt for corn.
The far-flung prophecy of Christ, hidden away in Joseph's dream, stands forth in easily detected prominence. The time came when Joseph's brethren fell down before him, and the time is coming when every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Christ to the glory of the Father.
Joseph's brethren hated him for his dream and for his words, and they were moved with envy against him. Jesus' brethren in the flesh, even the Jews, hated Him for His statements concerning His Deity. They said, This man maketh "Himself equal with God," saying that "God was His Father." They even took up stones to stone the Lord. The Lord Jesus never, however, withdrew any statement that He had made. He rather emphasized, "That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father." He claimed that as the Father raised the dead, even so the Son quickened whom He would. He insisted that the hour was coming when all the dead would hear His voice and live. He said that as the Father had life in Himself, even so had the Son life in Himself.
Joseph's brethren envied him, and yet in after years they fulfilled his words, and did obeisance to him. Jesus' brethren envied Him, and yet, in coming years they will fall down and worship Him, and acclaim Him as their King.
AN ILLUSTRATION
THE RUSSET COAT
Jacob gave Joseph a coat of many colors. God gives us the coat of righteousness, "'Man is a proud creature, and would fain establish his own righteousness, and have somewhat wherein to glory in himself (Romans 10:3). Our proud heart takes up the old proverb and thinketh A russet coat of our own is better than a silken garment that is borrowed of another.' Man would sooner wear his own rags than Christ's fine white linen. Pride, however, is too expensive a luxury when a man must give up all hope of Heaven in order to indulge it. Such is the case. There can be no feasting with the King unless we wear the wedding-garment which He supplies. Our own silk and satin would not suit His courts, much less our russet and our corduroy. We must accept the righteousness of God, or be unrighteous for ever. Surely we shall be worse than madmen if we insist upon going naked rather than put on the royal apparel of free grace.
Lord, I cannot longer err in this fashion, for I perceive my righteousnesses to be filthy rags, and I am heartily glad to be rid of them. Clothe me, I pray Thee, with Thy righteousness.