As I begin reading the story of Joseph, in Genesis 37, so many pictures of Jesus jump out at me--maybe because a close friend and I have previously studied this story in more depth.* But anyway, here's just a few examples:
1. Genesis 37:2: "Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. ... and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father." In His earthly ministry, Jesus also fed the flock (the people of Israel) with His brothers (the "church leaders"), and unfortunately he had to bring a bad report about them to His Father because they were not doing their work properly. They were hypocrites!
2. Genesis 37:4: "But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him." I think there was also jealousy from Jesus earthly brothers because of the special care and love his parents gave him. They probably felt he was treated preferentially at times. Of course the church leaders of Jesus' day hated Jesus and could not speak peaceably to Him, even more as they saw God's favor upon Him.
3. Genesis 37:5: "Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more." These dreams pointed to Joseph as their ruler. Also, we see in the Old Testament how the prophecies pointed to Jesus as the coming King and Redeemer. Did the church leaders, in their deepest of hearts, recognize Jesus as the fulfillment of those prophecies and hate Him even more?
4. Genesis 37:11: "And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind." Here I am reminded of what happened to Mary when the shepherds came worshiping Jesus. In Luke 2:19 we are told: "But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart."
5. Genesis 37:13: "And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." So he said to him, "Here I am." God sent Jesus on a long journey from His heavenly home to this earth, and Jesus willingly went, saying, "Here am I." What a lesson in total obedience!
6. Genesis 37:18: "Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him." King Herod conspired to kill Jesus before He was even close to being a potential threat. Jesus was still a baby.
7. Genesis 37:23: "So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic." Before being crucified, Jesus was stripped of His clothes.
8. Genesis 37:24: "Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it." Jesus was desperately thirsty on the cross. But there was no water for Him.
9. Genesis 37:28: "Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt." It was Judah's idea to sell Joseph. Likewise, Judah (Judas) sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. I also think we shouldn't miss the point here that Joseph was sold to the "Ishmaelites." He's basically a descendant of Isaac sold to the people, born of the flesh, the descendants of Ishmael. And so Jesus was sold to the people of flesh--in fact, He took our place so that we could be born of the Spirit.
10. Genesis 37:31: "So they took Joseph's tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood." A slaughtered baby goat reminds us of the temple sacrifices in Old Testament times. This text foreshadows Jesus dying at the hands of His brothers, the church leaders.
2. Genesis 37:4: "But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him." I think there was also jealousy from Jesus earthly brothers because of the special care and love his parents gave him. They probably felt he was treated preferentially at times. Of course the church leaders of Jesus' day hated Jesus and could not speak peaceably to Him, even more as they saw God's favor upon Him.
3. Genesis 37:5: "Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more." These dreams pointed to Joseph as their ruler. Also, we see in the Old Testament how the prophecies pointed to Jesus as the coming King and Redeemer. Did the church leaders, in their deepest of hearts, recognize Jesus as the fulfillment of those prophecies and hate Him even more?
4. Genesis 37:11: "And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind." Here I am reminded of what happened to Mary when the shepherds came worshiping Jesus. In Luke 2:19 we are told: "But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart."
5. Genesis 37:13: "And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." So he said to him, "Here I am." God sent Jesus on a long journey from His heavenly home to this earth, and Jesus willingly went, saying, "Here am I." What a lesson in total obedience!
6. Genesis 37:18: "Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him." King Herod conspired to kill Jesus before He was even close to being a potential threat. Jesus was still a baby.
7. Genesis 37:23: "So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic." Before being crucified, Jesus was stripped of His clothes.
8. Genesis 37:24: "Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it." Jesus was desperately thirsty on the cross. But there was no water for Him.
9. Genesis 37:28: "Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt." It was Judah's idea to sell Joseph. Likewise, Judah (Judas) sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. I also think we shouldn't miss the point here that Joseph was sold to the "Ishmaelites." He's basically a descendant of Isaac sold to the people, born of the flesh, the descendants of Ishmael. And so Jesus was sold to the people of flesh--in fact, He took our place so that we could be born of the Spirit.
10. Genesis 37:31: "So they took Joseph's tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in the blood." A slaughtered baby goat reminds us of the temple sacrifices in Old Testament times. This text foreshadows Jesus dying at the hands of His brothers, the church leaders.
As we continue through Joseph's story in Genesis, we will see even more illustrations and pictures of Jesus. Looking for Jesus in the Scriptures is so fascinating, and I hope more are inspired to do this with their Bible study.
*I am not the originator of all these thoughts. Many of these points are copied from earlier notes that a friend shared from reading Gen. 37. As a result of this study a couple years ago, my eyes really began to open to seeing Jesus in the stories of Scripture.
Tomorrow's Reading: Gen. 39-40 and Matthew 14
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