The Biblical Account of Joseph
How the Old Testament Illustrates the Path of Salvation!
Joseph was an important man in the Bible; his story is an impressive account on the power of our Lord God and the importance of trusting Him regardless of what happens.
As believers, we are sadly not spared the injustice, suffering, death, and cruelty in a fallen, sinful, wicked world. If you feel betrayed, angered, hurt, and are facing trials, realize that you are not alone. The Bible is full of men who have already gone through similar things, and one of them is Joseph.
Who is Joseph?
Genesis 35:24 The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin:
The Biblical account of Joseph began when he was 17 years old, and the second youngest of all 12 sons of Jacob, whom he fathered with four women, Leah, Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah.
Most important, the story of Joseph is a powerful illustration in the Old Testament of the way of salvation. The enemies of Joseph (his own brethren) betrayed him and sold him into slavery, intending it for harm. Similarly, wicked men, under the influence of Satan, crucified the Lord Jesus Christ, intending it for wickedness and intending to snuff out our Lord and Savior. Just as it was with our Lord, Joseph was betrayed by those he was most close to for a payment of silver.
But just as God raised Joseph from captivity, the Father has also raised up the SON from the dead. While Joseph was in captivity, he was perceived to be dead by his father and his brethren, and similarly the Lord Jesus Christ was presumed dead. Just as God used Joseph's enslavement (a figurative death) to eventually bring salvation to his own enemies (his brothers), the Father also used the death of the Son in order to bring salvation to His own enemies, us SINNERS.
The story of Joseph is a powerful Old Testament illustration of salvation. It also serves to remind us of the importance of the Old Testament; time and time again, God uses illustrations in the Old Testament to point us to the way of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. The Old Testament is not simply some outdated literature and laws; the Old Testament is very much pointing to the Messiah. Joseph served as a figurative Messiah, saving his own people (his brothers) from death by starvation. The Lord ultimately saved HIS own people (us Christians) from an eternity of death in the Lake of Fire.
Joseph had rather humble beginnings.
Genesis 37:1-4 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad 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. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. 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 started out with a life of privilege; he was the favorite son of Jacob, and his father showered him with his preference, making him a coat of many colors. This provoked Jacob's other sons to envy and rage; this is an important lesson for parents that we DO NOT compare our children with one another! In the case of Joseph, his father openly preferred him over all his other sons, as he was a son of his old age. He was born when his father was quite old, which made him prefer him over the other ones. Jacob's preference for Joseph provoked his other sons to wrath and anger.
Genesis 37:5-8 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 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. 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.
When Joseph was just 17 years old, the Lord gave him two dreams about ruling over his brothers. In the first one, they were binding sheaves in the field (grain stalks) and Joseph's sheaf arose and the sheaves of his brothers bowed to him. This is a prophecy which God gave to Joseph, that his future was to rule over his brothers. Hearing this, his brothers were provoked to envy. Joseph was young and confident, and as we will see, he was also good-looking. This, however, also made him somewhat proud; if you know that your brothers are envious of you because of your father's favor, why would you tell them that God gave you the dream of ruling over them? I believe that Jacob's favoring of Joseph over other sons certainly made him feel special and a bit proud, which resulted in overconfidence and he recklessly told his family about the dreams he received about ruling over them.
Does this not tie in with our Lord and Savior? He came as a baby and lived as a meek and humble man, but DIED the death of a criminal and rose again, reigning with the Father in Heaven. And ONE DAY, just as Joseph ruled over the nation of Egypt, the Lord Jesus Christ will rule over all the Earth.
Genesis 37:9-10 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. 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?
In his second dream, the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed to him, which angered not only his brethren but also his father, Jacob. His father found it absurd that his son would eventually rule over them all. All this, coupled with the envy provoked by Jacob's favor upon Joseph, pushed his other sons to conspire against him and take his life. How? When he walked out into the fields where his brothers were feeding their father's flock.
Genesis 37:18-22 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. And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. 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.
This is a lesson on the dangers of envy. The other sons of Jacob were envious to the point where they were willing to take the life of their own brother! They refused to submit to God's plan; while it was true that Jacob wrongfully favored Joseph over other sons, the other sons of Jacob were ultimately motivated by pride. THEY wanted to be the ruler; THEY wanted the spotlight. It seemed unfair that God would choose their younger brother to reign over them.
Genesis 37:23-28 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; 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: 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. 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 Ishmeelites, 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 Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt
Joseph was stripped of his coat and cast into a pit, after which he was sold into the hands of the Midianites and then, the Ishmeelites. He was brought into the land of Egypt; it is in THIS land where the Israelites ultimately remained slaves for a period of 400 years. Joseph was the first slave.
Genesis 37:29-36 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go? 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 colours, 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. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him. And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.
While Joseph was not physically killed, in the eyes of his brethren, he was dead! His brothers took his coat, killed a kid goat, dipped it in blood, and said to their father that a wild animal had devoured him. This put Jacob into a horrible state of grief, having lost his favorite son.
The selling of Joseph into slavery is SYMBOLIC; it is similar to how the Lord Jesus Christ was nailed to the Cross and died. While He may have died physically, His spirit was NOT dead; He went down into Paradise for a period of 3 days and 3 nights, and rose again!
Joseph has a similar story. He was sold into slavery (effectively murdered, as God's Law puts kidnapping and human trafficking in the same category as murder), but God would raise him up, just like how the Father raised up His Begotten Son.
Servitude in Egypt
Genesis 39:1-6 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. And the Lord 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 the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. 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. 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. 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.
Joseph can teach us many lessons as Christians. We as Christians all have jobs outside the Church (most of us). Most of us work jobs that are not directly ministry-related. We may be doctors, lawyers, teachers, accountants, police officers, military servicemen, firefighters, engineers, or any other type of employee. Some of us may even be fast food workers or convenience store clerks!
Regardless, the Bible here gives us a straight example of HOW we ought to behave in the workplace in front of heathen men. Joseph was such an example; this was NOT even voluntary servitude. He was sold to a man named Potiphar in Egypt, but the Lord was with him. This can serve as a message of comfort; even when Joseph was in captivity and sold into Egypt, away from his family, all before the age of 20 years, the Lord was with him.
Even at such a young age, Joseph found grace in the eyes of God; he was a young man of great faith. He trusted the Lord in everything; he is not shown to have panicked. I am sure he felt startled, betrayed, hurt, and angered by the actions of his own brothers, but he maintained his faith in the Lord even when things were going tough.
Folks, this life will not always be easy! I know brethren in the Lord who are sick, disabled, injured, struggling financially, and all that. I myself have dealt with my own shares of trials, mainly in the form of illness. I know sisters in the Lord who deal with infertility, miscarriage, and a litany of problems. But Joseph shows us the importance of trusting in the LORD no matter what; GOD knows everything from the beginning to the end. From the standpoint of man, it seems that all is lost for Joseph; he is captured, a slave, and in a foreign country, away from his family.
He had NO Facebook, Instagram, Skype, TikTok, email, iPhone, or any other way of communicating with his family. To his family, he was all but dead!
Nevertheless, Joseph faithfully served NOT only the Lord but also his earthly master, Potiphar, a heathen man. He served faithfully and earned the favor of his master, to the point where he was made the overseer of the house! His master gave him great responsibilities as a result! This is how Christians ought to serve in the workplace; the workplace is NOT a time to preach the Gospel, but rather a time to get things done and work as quickly, efficiently, productively, and being as detail-oriented as possible. THIS is what makes the best testimony in the workplace, NOT simply preaching the Gospel.
Joseph here shows his faith in God through his works!
Being a Faithful Servant through YOUR WORKS!
Ephesians 6:5-9 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
James 2:14-18 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
1st Peter 2:18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
The Bible commands us to be respectful and obedient to our earthly masters, which, in modern context, means our employers and managers. Be respectful to them! Do not badmouth them, complain about them, or slack off at work! Such makes a POOR witness for a Christian!
Joseph is THE example, and what is more, he is NOT EVEN 20 years old at this point! He is only 17-18 years of age; if even a 17-year-old can do such, what do WE grown men and women have to say about ourselves?
Temptation
Joseph dealt with temptation, but even as a young man, he admirably resisted. Remember, he was only 30 years old when he rose to become Prime Minister of Egypt! At this point, we can assume that he was in his early 20s at best.
Genesis 39:7-9 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; 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 was a handsome man. He was hardworking as well, but this gained him not only the respect of his master, but also his master's wife, who asked Joseph to lie with her.
Joseph strictly refuses. He realizes that ultimately, ALL SIN is against God. He DOES NOT give into temptation; it would have been very easy to do so! But Joseph realizes that this is GREAT WICKEDNESS and a SIN AGAINST THE MOST HIGH! All sin is ultimately against God, and even at such a young age, Joseph understands this. He is a righteous young man who loves God and wants to keep God's law, which means staying pure until marriage and certainly NOT committing adultery, which God later prescribed the death penalty for.
Leviticus 20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
False Accusations
Like our Lord Jesus Christ, Joseph was imprisoned and punished for something He never did. If you, brother or sister, are dealing with such, realize that you are not alone.
Genesis 39:10-18 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. 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. 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. 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 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: 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 spake 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.
The second time Potiphar's wife tried to lie with Joseph, he fled, but he grabbed hold of his clothes. This allowed her to make up a false accusation against him of attempted rape, which landed Joseph in prison for some time! Such was the nature of a woman; she was a WHOREMONGER and a SLEAZY WHORE!
What is more, Joseph, like the Lord Jesus Christ, was FALSELY ACCUSED of something he never did. Like our Lord, he was punished despite his complete innocence.
Genesis 39:19-23 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. 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. But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. 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. 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.
The Bible is clear that even in prison, the Lord was with Joseph. The prison keeper (or warden in our modern language) placed Joseph over all other prisoners. Despite false accusations, Joseph trusted the Lord; he did not bewail his fate nor circumstances, but continued to trust in God, and God blessed him.
Dream Interpreter
Genesis 40:1-5 And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward. And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.
While Joseph was imprisoned, the Pharaoh's butler and baker offended him; for some reason, the Pharaoh was displeased with them, and threw them in prison. During their imprisonment, God gave them both separate dreams in regards to what would happen in three days. Take note that the concept of three days is again a foreshadowing to the resurrection of Christ, who rose again the 3rd day.
Genesis 40:6-11 And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day? And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you. And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.
The butler's dream consisted of seeing a vine before him, with three branches. The branches blossomed and eventually brought forth ripe grapes, which he squeezed into the cup which was in the hand of the Egyptian monarch. This, by the way, is the BIBLICAL definition of wine!
Revelation 14:18-19 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
The Biblical definition of wine is oftentimes what we call JUICE!
Genesis 40:12-15 And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days: Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler. But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.
What does Joseph say? He interprets the dream as foreshadowing the butler's restoration. In three days, the butler would be restored to his former position, but Joseph requests that the butler make mention of him in front of the king, because he himself was captured, sold into slavery, and unjustly imprisoned. Joseph was looking for legal remedies to hopefully get out of prison in a legal manner.
Genesis 40:16-17 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head: And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.
The chief baker, by contrast, dreamed that he had three white baskets on his head, and inside the top basket were all sorts of bread and baked goods for the Pharaoh. Instead, the birds at them all!
Genesis 40:18-23 And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days: Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee. And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand: But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.
Sadly, for the baker, his fate was going to be an execution by hanging! Three days later, everything unfolded as prophesied; the butler was restored to his butlership, and he gave a cup of wine into the hand of the Pharaoh. The baker, by contrast, was executed by hanging.
Unfortunately, the butler did not remember Joseph, the man who had interpreted his dream for him while in prison, but forgot about him completely! This was such an act of ingratitude; he had been imprisoned for 3 days and his fate was uncertain, but he forgot to return the favor to the man who interpreted his dream!
Salvation from Famine
The Lord raised Joseph as the man who helped save Egypt (as well as his own brethren) from the famine.
Genesis 41:1-7 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river. And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
The Pharaoh had two disturbing dreams. In the first one, seven skinny kine (buffaloes or cows) devoured seven fat buffaloes. In the second one, seven thin ears of corn devoured and seven healthy and full ears of corn. What was this all supposed to symbolize?
Genesis 41:8-14 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. Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: 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: And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. 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. And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged. 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.
The Pharaoh tried to get his magicians and wise men to interpret the dream. Just as many do today with fortune tellers, the Pharaoh tried to look for the truth in the wrong places! GOD is the only source of truth; HE knows everything including the past, present, and future! At that moment, the chief butler, who was imprisoned for 3 days before his restoration to his position, suddenly remembered Joseph and his ability to interpret their dreams by the grace of God. This prompted the Egyptian monarch to fetch Joseph and call him for help.
Genesis 41:15-24 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. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river: And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow: And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness: And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine: And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke. And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them: And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.
The Pharaoh is shown to be telling Joseph about his two dreams and the fact that nobody was able to interpret it nor help him in his great distress.
Genesis 41:25-32 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one. 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. This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh. Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: 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; And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous. 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.
Joseph explained that the land of Egypt was about to experience 7 years of abundance and prosperity, but immediately followed by 7 years of terrifying famine. This was imminent; it was going to happen very shortly, and this is why God gave the dream to the Egyptian Pharaoh twice in a row! As it later was with Daniel, Joseph was put in charge of the Egyptian nation and was given enormous responsibilities. He was to appoint officers over the land and help oversee the gathering of the food in the 7 prosperous years in preparation for the famine
Genesis 41:33-40 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. 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. 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. And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: 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.
The Pharaoh was impressed by Joseph's wisdom and ability to interpret dreams, and realize that he had the spirit of GOD! He was thus placed second in command in Egypt after the king himself.
Joseph was sold into slavery. The devil meant it for harm. Yet, God allowed it for HIS PURPOSES. It was wicked what Jacob's other sons did, but just as how the Jews crucified the Lord Jesus Christ, the brothers of Joseph sold him into slavery. Just as God raised Joseph up from captivity to second-in-command to save a nation from famine, in addition to his own brothers as we will see later.
Prime Ministership
Genesis 41:41-45 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. 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; 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. 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. 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.
Joseph was placed in charge and was recognized as the national leader, after the king himself. He had major responsibilities and leadership. Joseph is a great example of having been faithful in small things; he was faithful and true in small things including serving his master, Potiphar, and being an obedient and well-behaved prisoner, but now, the Lord raised him to do mighty works for HIM.
It IS true that Joseph was arranged to marry an Egyptian. THIS, however, is NOT GOD'S IDEAL as we see later in Deuteronomy 7:1-4 and 2nd Corinthians 6:14-18, not to mention 1st Corinthians 7:36-39. God is clear that HIS PEOPLE are to separate from the heathen, which includes ESPECIALLY MARRIAGE, where the unsaved person, no matter how virtuous he or she is, WILL influence the saved person.
Genesis 41:46-57 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. And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same. And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number. And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him. And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended. And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do. And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.
Joseph was 30 years old when he began to rule over Egypt. 30 is an important age in the Bible; it is a marker of maturity in the fullest sense. While 20-year-olds are definitely seen as men (Numbers 1:1-3) and old enough for warfare and marriage, not to mention that Joseph himself was not even 20 when he was sold into slavery yet showed great faith in God, the fact is that 30 is an important age in the Bible. David and Solomon were both 30 when they started ruling Israel, and the Lord Jesus Christ was 30 when He began His ministry.
However, there are a few things we ought to NOTE. Joseph helped gather large amounts of food during the 7 years of prosperity and good harvest, but DURING THE FAMINE, he sold them back to the Egyptians AT A PRICE, which ultimately helped enslave the Israelites in the nation. The famine was grievous, affecting all nations but Egypt. This made all nations look to Egypt to purchase their food.
Joseph gathered the crops from the Egyptians without charge, but REQUIRED THEM TO PAY MONEY in order to get them back. This was unjust treatment, and probably paved the way for Egyptians to enslave the Israelites.
The Dream Comes True!
Just as God had prophesied, the dream came true. Joseph’s brothers bowed down to him.
Genesis 42:1-6 Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another? And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him. And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan. And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
The dream finally came true! While the brothers of Joseph were furious at the prospect of bowing down to their brother, they finally did so upon the famine hitting all the lands, but Egypt was spared through Joseph, who learned of the coming famine from God’s divine revelation.
All of Jacob’s sons went, save for Benjamin, Joseph’s only full sibling; both of them were born to Rachel. Because Benjamin was the only other son of Rachel and Jacob, Jacob kept him close by, fearing that he too would fall into mischief as Joseph did, not knowing that Joseph was sold into slavery.
At that moment, Joseph was the governor over the land of Egypt. As the man in charge, his brethren bowed down to him in humility.
Symbolism of Salvation
This is a picture of SALVATION, friends.
As Christians, when we came to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we had to come in HUMILITY. We realized that we depend on HIM for everything and NOTHING comes from ourselves, except the sin which made it necessary. Salvation is NOT earned by our own good works, but by God’s perfect work.
In this case, the brothers of Joseph realized that they were destitute. They were lacking food and everything. They had to come in humility to Joseph to seek his aid. They despised him two decades ago (Joseph was 37 by the time the famine began) but they finally came to realize their need for him and his provision.
This is a provision of salvation, folks! We come to Christ in HUMILITY and realize that we are destitute beggars. We have nothing to offer for ourselves to pay our way into Heaven. We cannot offer our lives, our service, our good works, or anything as salvation. Salvation comes from GOD ALONE!
Imprisonment of the Sons of Jacob
Genesis 42:7–15 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. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. 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. And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies. And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not. And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies: Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
But when Joseph saw his brethren, he did not reveal himself but pretended to be a strange man. The sons of Jacob (10 of them) claimed to be part of a group of 12.
Joseph, however, insisted that they were spies and required them to bring forth their youngest brother. He ordered the group of 10 to send one of them to fetch Benjamin, and the rest of them would be imprisoned on suspicion of espionage.
Genesis 42:16-20 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies. And he put them all together into ward three days. And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God: If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.
They were imprisoned for three days, and Joseph commanded them to bring their youngest brother to confirm what they were saying, and one of them would be kept in prison. The rest of them would be free to carry corn back home to feed their family.
Genesis 42:21-25 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. And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required. And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter. And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes. Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.
At this point, the brothers of Joseph (the sons of Jacob) were desperate. They were unaware that they were standing before the same brother whom they had sold into slavery two decades prior, and they panicked. They were unaware that Joseph could fully understand their conversations, given that he had an interpreter. They were distressed by their own actions of having sold their brother into slavery.
Joseph gave them the food they needed and sent them on their way. Simeon, however, remained imprisoned and in captivity.
Genesis 42:26-28 And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence. And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth. And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?
When the brothers went home to the land of Canaan, they came to their father and told him everything, including Simeon’s imprisonment and the fact that the man in charge (unbeknownst to them, it was Joseph) demanded them to bring their youngest brother.
Return to Canaan
Genesis 42:29-35 And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying, The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country. And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies: We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan. And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone: And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land. And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.
Jacob, however, was reluctant. He refused to allow Benjamin to go with them. He had already lost one son to death (supposedly) and another one to the Egyptian authorities. Jacob was unaware of what was really going on.
Genesis 42:36-38 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me. And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again. And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
A father who had already lost two sons did not want to lose another.
Genesis 43:1-8 And the famine was sore in the land. And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food. And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food: But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother? And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?
The food they gathered in Egypt ran out. Jacob sent his sons once again to Egypt, but Judah made it clear that the man they encountered demanded that they bring their youngest brother with them. They were completely aware of the fact that this man was their brother, Joseph, who asked them whether their father was still alive and if they had another brother.
Second Trip to Egypt
Genesis 43:8-10 And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones. I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever: For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.
Genesis 43:11-13 And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds: And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight: Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:
Reluctantly, Jacob (Israel) relents. However, he also commanded his sons to take the best fruits with them in their vessels, as well as with some nuts, honey, and a good amount of money, as well as their youngest brother, Benjamin.
Genesis 43:14-17 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved. And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon. And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.
Joseph, seeing what they had brought, ordered them to be brought to his home for lunch. This, however, made his brothers uneasy and worried, fearing for their own lives.
Genesis 43:18-23 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses. And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house, And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food: And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand. And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks. And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.
The brothers of Joseph feared for their lives; they feared for the loss of their property and even their own freedom! Now, it was their turn to be afraid; they had sold their own brother into slavery 20 years prior, and at that moment, they were fearing for their own freedom.
The steward of Joseph’s home assured them that their money was in his hands, and he was going to give it back to them. Simeon was also freed from prison; he was held captive on the orders of Joseph.
Bowing before Joseph
Genesis 43:24-29 And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender. And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there. And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth. And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive? And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.
When noon rolled around, Joseph came forth and received the presents they were going to give him, including spices, nuts, and fruits. His brothers assured him that their father, Jacob, was alive and well.
Once again, they bowed their heads, fulfilling the dream. The same man they sold into slavery 20 years prior was now their boss; he was ruling over them and they had to submit to his orders. We have seen what Joseph had the power to do; he had his brothers arrested and imprisoned temporarily, and required them to bring forth their youngest brother in order to not only get more food upon their second trip, but also purchase the freedom of Simeon.
Genesis 43:30-34 And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there. And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread. And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another. And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of their's. And they drank, and were merry with him.
Joseph entered his own room and wept silently, and ordered the Egyptians to prepare their lunch. Unbeknownst to his brothers, the 12 sons of Jacob were reunited.
The Departure and Capture of Benjamin
Genesis 44:1-1-6 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth. And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses. And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing. And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.
Joseph ordered the sacks of his brothers to be filled with food. One command he gave was to place his own cup, a silver cup, into the sack of the youngest brother, Benjamin. Upon their departure, Joseph ordered his steward to pursue his brothers and accuse them of having rewarded evil for good.
Joseph’s actions were lifesaving; he saved his brothers’ lives. Yet, they had inadvertently taken a silver cup from him.
Genesis 44:7-14 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold? With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen. And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless. Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city. And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.
Joseph’s steward did as he was commanded; he pursued Joseph’s brothers and discovered the silver cup in Benjamin’s sack. Immediately, they returned to Joseph’s home.
Genesis 44:15-17 And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine? And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found. And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.
Joseph now declared that Benjamin, in whose sack the silver cup was found, would be declared a servant to him. He ordered the rest of his brothers to return home to their father.
Now, Joseph’s brothers were in a position where they had to beg for his mercy and grace. This is the same with us; we have all sinned against God and we all deserve an eternity of HELLFIRE (Revelation 21:8). The Bible warns that all unbelievers, idolaters, and all LIARS will face God’s eternal wrath in Hell.
Judah, on behalf of his brethren, begged for Joseph’s mercy.
Genesis 44:18-26 Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh. My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother? And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him. And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die. And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more. And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food. And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us.
Genesis 44:27-34 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons: And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since: And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life; It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.
Judah explained everything to Joseph, how their father asked them to go down to Egypt, and the fact that their father was deeply reluctant to let Benjamin go with them, fearing for his life. Judah knew that should Benjamin be captured and serve as a slave in Egypt, their father, Jacob, would be deeply troubled and perhaps die of sorrow.
Now, Judah offers to take the place of Benjamin in hopes of sparing their father of sorrow.
Joseph Reveals Himself!
Genesis 45:1-9 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. And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. 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 at his presence. 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. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 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. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not:
Upon hearing the pleas of his brother, Joseph revealed himself. He showed them forgiveness and mercy. Joseph is a story of forgiveness; I know that forgiveness is HARD, but the fact is that we are often harder on others than ourselves. When WE sin, we demand mercy and are less inclined for retribution, but when others sin, we are quick to demand retribution.
Joseph realized that God was ultimately in control of things, including evil. God DOES NOT cause sin, but He allows sin to bring about His purposes. He allowed the crucifixion of His only BEGOTTEN SON to save His people from Hellfire, and here, He allowed Joseph to be sold into slavery to save not only a nation, but his own family from famine.
Did that justify the wicked deeds of his brethren? Not at all. Their actions were wicked and God later instituted the death penalty for kidnapping and human trafficking under Mosaic Law (Deuteronomy 24:7).
Joseph, however, acknowledged that GOD sent him before them to save them.
Genesis 45:10-15 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
Joseph showed his brothers nothing other than mercy. Did they deserve it? NO.
Neither do we. We have ALL SINNED against God and OUR SINS nailed Him to the Cross.
Isaiah 53:4-6 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
God, however, used THIS WICKED ACT to provide us mercy and grace. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers (which is equivalent to murder under God’s PERFECT LAW) and similarly, our sins nailed our Lord and Savior to the Cross, even though He was innocent.
God used the wicked acts of Jacob’s remaining 11 sons to save them from famine. God used OUR wicked acts to SAVE US (His people) from HELLFIRE. But NOT ALL of us are children of God; the Bible makes it clear that MOST will in fact end up in HELL FOREVER!
Just as Joseph showed mercy and forgiveness, God shows us forgiveness. The story of Joseph, in and of itself, is a foreshadowing of the story of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Israelites Settle in Goshen
Genesis 45:16-20 And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan; And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is your's.
The Pharaoh welcomed Joseph’s entire family to Egypt, and asked them to bring their father and their own families with them as well. The Pharaoh treated them well, giving them the fat (the best food) of the land.
Genesis 45:21-25 And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment. And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way. So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way. And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father,
Genesis 45:26-28 And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not. And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.
Jacob learned the news that contrary to what he had believed all along, his favorite son was in fact, alive, and not only that, he was in charge of the nation of Egypt, leading them through a famine.
Genesis 46:1-6 And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him:
Jacob Reunites with His Favorite Son
Genesis 46:29-34 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive. And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
Jacob and his sons ultimately settled in the land of Goshen, which was allotted for the Children of Israel (Jacob and his descendants).
Genesis 47:1-6 Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen. And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers. They said morever unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen. And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee: The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.
The Pharaoh welcomed Joseph’s entire family into Egypt, into the land of Goshen, where they were treated with the best of the land. They had access to the best food and were spared of the famine that hit the other nations, including their homeland of Canaan.
This is a fulfillment of the Scriptures which stated that the Israelites would spend 400 years in Egypt, eventually as captives.
Genesis 15:13-16 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
All this was part of God’s plan unfolding.
Genesis 47:7-12 And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh. And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to their families.
Jacob was initially troubled by the fact that even he himself would bow down to the authority of his son, Joseph. The second dream that Joseph received was that the Sun, Moon, and 11 stars bowed down to him, and this symbolized his parents (Jacob and Rachel) as well as his brothers.
Keep in mind that Rachel only had two sons, Joseph and Benjamin, and died giving birth to the latter.
Idolatry of the Egyptians
Egypt was an IDOLATROUS NATION! Their idolatry was open for all to see!
Genesis 47:13-17 And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth. And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail. And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.
This is where the Egyptians are shown to be idol worshippers. Clearly, the false religions of Hinduism and Buddhism are rooted in Ancient Egyptian idolatry.
Given the lack of bread in the land, the Egyptians went to Joseph for help. They exchanged their cattle, horses, and sheep for bread.
This is strange. One might easily ask why the Egyptians did not simply just eat the animals. If they lacked food, they could have simply turned to consuming their livestock.
They could have easily eaten their cattle, for instance, and grilled themselves a few nice steaks! The same went for their horses and their flocks. Why did they not do so? CLEARLY, it is because they worshipped them, just as the Hindus do today and they treat such animals as sacred. A large number of their gods and goddesses were portrayed as cows, and thus, such animals were viewed as sacred.
THIS, along with all false religions, is an example of worshipping and serving the CREATURE rather than the CREATOR, who is blessed forever! AMEN!
Romans 1:21-25 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
The Egyptians were just that. They worshipped the CREATURE, not the CREATOR. Had they worshipped the one true God, they could have easily eaten their cattle. Such shows the dangerous nature of FALSE RELIGION and what fallen man does.
Genesis 18:7-8 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
The Bible permits all forms of meat consumption today, and only under Mosaic Law were certain meats restricted, but this DID NOT include beef! Such shows that contrary to the assertions of many false prophets, there is NO BIBLICALLY MANDATED DIET for Christians; there is NO DIET that can guarantee good health, longevity, and so forth, for we are ALL UNDER THE CURSE OF DEATH!
Purchasing the Land of the Egyptians
As Prime Minister, Joseph acted on behalf of the Pharaoh and purchased the land from the Egyptians.
Genesis 47:18-20 When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands: Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate. And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's.
In such a dire situation, the Egyptians sold Joseph (and thus the Pharaoh) their OWN LAND. This essentially turned Egypt into a communist state of some sort, as the state (or Pharaoh) owned all property. Joseph was only second-in-command; he was acting on behalf of the monarch in most cases.
Genesis 47:21-25 And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof. Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands. Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land. And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones. And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants.
Joseph moved the people of Egypt from one end of the borders to the other end. The only land that was not sold to the state was that of the priests; the Pharaoh had assigned them a piece of land. All other land was purchased.
Genesis 47:26-31 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part, except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh's. And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly. And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years. And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said. And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head.
The Pharaoh had a fifth part of the land. The land of the priests remained in their own hands. The Israelites lived in the country of Goshen, located in what is now the Northeastern part of Egypt that directly borders the modern state of israel.
Jacob lived to be an impressive 147 years. Just before his death, Jacob requested to be buried with his fathers (Isaac and Abraham) and be carried out of Egypt.
This also upholds the Biblical teaching that we as the people of God ought to BURY our dead, NOT cremate them. Cremation is sadly a much more common practice in modern Western Christianized societies, where as recently as a few decades ago, cremation was extremely rare. It should be noted that societies that practice cremation tend to be pagan and heathen societies such as Taiwan, Japan, India, and other societies that are predominantly non-Christian in nature, and predominantly Buddhist or Hindu.
It is true that most Western peoples have never been born-again Christians, but given the Bible’s influence on our society, historically, the most common practice has been burial. Now, this has NOTHING to do with salvation; salvation is an INDIVIDUAL decision and NOTHING can revoke it. You are permanently saved the moment you put all your faith in Christ to save you from HELLFIRE.
Of course, an unsaved man who is buried STILL ends up in Hell. A saved man who is cremated still ends up in Heaven. But this is symbolic, is it not? Burial represents the fact that God raises up the dead in Christ in HIM with celestial bodies.
What does cremation symbolize? Cremation is when a body is burned up, and this symbolizes HELLFIRE. It is true that disposal of a corpse is UNRELATED to your salvation. Still, this is symbolic.
The Land Belongs to Israel!
Genesis 48:1-5 And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed. And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession. And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.
The Lord promised the land to the SEED OF JACOB (Israel) for AN EVERLASTING POSSESSION!
This is an extremely important sentence. As Jacob lay dying, Joseph brought his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to speak with him one last time. The sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, would form the two half-tribes of the HOUSE OF JOSEPH, one of the 12 sons of Jacob.
The 12 sons of Jacob were the ultimate heads of the 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL.
Most importantly, we see that GOD gave the land to Israel as an EVERLASTING POSSESSION!
What belongs to Israel? The LAND. The LAND that God gave to them BELONGS TO THEM and ONLY THEM.
NOT to the Palestinians. NOT to the Arabs. NOT the Egyptians. And certainly NOT the Muslims. There is a REASON why the entire Middle East region is completely hostile towards Israel, with most nations not even having official diplomatic relations with the nation NOR recognizing it as a legitimate state.
Upon Israel’s reestablishment in 1948, the Arab nations all went to war with her. They are STILL hostile towards her, and it is a miracle that Israel survived in the face of all the odds against her.
WHO is doing all this? GOD. WHY? Because GOD said the land belongs to Israel as an EVERLASTING POSSESSION. The land belongs to them FOREVER!
Genesis 15:18-21 In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
What land, precisely? From the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates, which covers NOT ONLY all of modern-day Israel but the eastern portion of Egypt, all of Lebanon, all of Jordan, all of Palestine, over HALF OF IRAQ, over HALF OF SYRIA, and large parts of SAUDI ARABIA.
Why else do the neighbors of Israel hate her so much? Because they KNOW that they are sitting on the land that GOD gave to Israel. In doing so, their battle is NOT just against Israel, but against THE GOD OF THE BIBLE, the ONE TRUE GOD, whom they hate and whose people they persecute.
They wage war against Israel. They attack her. They threaten her. They persecute God’s people, who are Bible-believing Christians. They arrest them. They chop their heads off. They torment them.
Bible-believing Christians are the SPIRITUAL SEED of Abraham. The pagan nations hate Israel and they also hate God’s own people, the Christians.
But this passage makes it clear that GOD has given the land to JACOB and his descendants. In matters of salvation, it is of course by faith alone in Christ, and unsaved Jews are STILL headed for HELL!
In terms of the land? God gave it to Israel. When people chant, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” they are advocating the utter destruction of Israel and they are really pointing their finger against GOD.
If God has abandoned Israel and the land no longer belongs to her, are you saying that God is a liar? Are you calling God a liar who says one thing and does another?
Genesis 48:6-10 And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance. And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem. And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these? And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them. Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
Jacob finally meets his two grandsons from Joseph, and embraces them. By this point, he is nearly blind and unable to see at 147 years of age!
Genesis 48:11-14 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed. And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him. And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.
Genesis 48:15-19 And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
Here is where Jacob blesses his two grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh, and prophecies that they will become a multitude of nations. Most importantly, Ephraim’s seed is prophesied to become greater than the seed of his brother.
Genesis 48:20-22 And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh. And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
This is another example of the younger being greater than the elder. Jacob was the youngest of two sons (the oldest being Esau). Yet, the Edomites ended up serving Israel; God often uses the names of their patriarchs and founders to describe nations. Similarly, the children of Ephraim would build a bigger tribe than the children of Manaesseh.
The Sons of Jacob
Genesis 49:1-7 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father. Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch. Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
Jacob gathered his 12 sons and informed them what was to happen to them and their children in the land of Canaan.
Reuben is known to be unstable, as he was seen to have been impulsive and rash, making decisions in the heat of the moment rather than considering it. Simeon and Levi’s children were to be scattered in the land.
Genesis 49:8-12 Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.
Judah was to be the greatest of all the tribes of Israel. The nation of Israel split into two in 1st Kings 12, the northern kingdom and Judah. The kingdom of Judah remained under the rule of the bloodline of David, and consisted of only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. They had a mixture of righteous kings and wicked rulers, being in the bloodline of David.
The Northern Kingdom, which represented all other tribes, was mostly ruled by wicked leaders, with Jehu being the best of them, but still unrighteous.
Genesis 49:13-17 Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon. Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute. Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
Zebulun was to dwell near the sea. Dan, however, was going to play a major role in the Book of Judges. Samson, who possessed supernatural strength, came from the tribe of Dan.
Judges 13:1-3 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.
The Bible is clear that the tribe of Gad was to be a militaristic tribe, a tribe capable of warfare and fighting. Asher, by contrast, would yield great crops.
Genesis 49:18-21 I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord. Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last. Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties. Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.
The House of Joseph would not only be fruitful (in terms of agriculture) but also be militarily powerful and strong.
Genesis 49:22-27 Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren. Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.
The Tribe of Joseph was to be militarily strong and economically powerful and fruitful.
Genesis 49:28-33 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them. And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah. The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth. And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.
Jacob was buried alongside his fathers. This is again emphasizing the fact that we, as saved people should BURY our dead, not cremate them.
The Burial of Jacob
Genesis 50:1-3 And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him. And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel. And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days.
Genesis 50:4-8 And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again. And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear. And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen.
Genesis 50:9-14 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company. And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days. And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abelmizraim, which is beyond Jordan. And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them: For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre. And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.
The Israelites mourned their father’s death for 40 days. The Egyptians mourned for 70 days.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is a powerful and important theme in the narrative of Joseph. It is often assumed, even by saved people, that the Old Testament is all about wrath, anger, malice, and violence, but not so.
Forgiveness is a MAJOR theme in the Old Testament, and this narrative in particular foreshadows the ultimate pardon and forgiveness we have in Christ.
Genesis 50:15-21 And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
After Jacob died, Joseph’s brethren feared his wrath and vengeance, which they rightfully deserved.
Sinful men crucified our Lord and Savior, but He ended up ruling over them. While the Lord Jesus Christ walked on this Earth, He was despised and rejected of men, just as Joseph was despised and rejected of his brethren and was a man of sorrows and grief.
Joseph was kidnapped and sold into slavery by his own brethren. The Lord Jesus Christ was betrayed by his own disciple, Judas Iscariot, and crucified on the Cross!
In the eyes of the Bible, kidnapping is a crime that is EQUIVALENT TO MURDER and merits the same penalty, DEATH, under Mosaic Law. Why? Because man is made in God’s image, and when you kidnap someone, you are not simply stealing a man’s possessions (such as his wallet, phone, jewelry, car, or television), but a LIFE.
This is why God commanded the death penalty for both kidnapping and murder under Mosaic Law, as He considers kidnapping to be equivalent to murder. The laws of the heathen usually consider kidnapping to be a lesser crime, as most jurisdictions only punish kidnapping with life imprisonment at best (and oftentimes less than that) while only murderers receive the death penalty.
In either case, Joseph is a representation of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was sold into slavery, while the Lord was crucified. Joseph started out as the second youngest of his brethren; the Lord Jesus Christ started out as a newborn baby and a man who was meek and humble, of average appearance.
Isaiah 53:2-5 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Both Joseph and the Lord Jesus Christ started off humbly. They were destined for greatness, as prophesied. Initially, however, both started out in a humble fashion. The Lord Jesus Christ was a man of average appearance (if you are not a tall man nor a beautiful-looking woman, you can be comforted by that). Our Lord was not good-looking nor tall; he was at most of average height. His physical appearance was not at all impressive.
Joseph was despised by men and rejected. In their rejection of Joseph (and of the Lord Jesus Christ), they killed them figuratively and literally.
But in their deaths (figurative and literal), God raised them up as KINGS, ruling over their brethren, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, providing a way of salvation.
OUR SINS nailed the Lord Jesus Christ to the Cross. The sins of Jacob’s sons sold Joseph into slavery (an equivalent crime under Biblical Law).
Just as the Lord Jesus Christ rising from the dead and providing salvation to all who trust in Him alone, Joseph was raised from the dead (captivity is a form of death) and provided salvation to those who came to him. The Lord Jesus Christ provides salvation from eternal death in the Lake of Fire, while Joseph provided salvation from a physical death at the hands of a famine.
In both cases, God used the wicked actions of man for good. He used the wicked acts of the men who crucified His BEGOTTEN SON to save His people from Hellfire. He used the wicked acts of Joseph’s brethren to save THEM as well as Egypt from famine.
Genesis 50:22-26 And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years. And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
Joseph ultimately died at the age of 110, and was embalmed and buried. This again represents the importance of burying our dead, NOT cremating them.
What can we learn?
The story of Joseph is a foreshadowing of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a common misconception by many modernists and even many Christians that the Old Testament is an outdated book full of outdated commands and instructions, while the New Testament is a book of political correctness.
It is commonly believed that the Old Testament is about God’s harsh judgment and hatred of sin, while the New Testament is about love. Love, however, in the modern sense, is NOT the Biblical form of love. The Biblical form of love IS righteousness.
1st Corinthians 13:4-8 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
The story of Joseph shows otherwise. Above all, the story of Joseph is a story of GRACE, HOPE, TRUTH, LOVE, FORGIVENESS, and SALVATION.
Just as Joseph provided salvation to his enemies (his brothers) from famine after his enslavement (a figurative death). Just as how God has FORGIVEN US saved people of our sins, Joseph FORGAVE his brethren for their wicked acts and knew that God was in control no matter what, and how God worked out all things for good.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Are you going through hard times? Sickness? Illness? Disability? Pain? Miscarriage? Infertility? Death of a loved one? Persecution from family and friends? And difficult individuals? Realize that I have gone through most of these challenges myself (minus miscarriages and infertility).
Realize that Joseph went through most of these things; he was SOLD INTO SLAVERY by his own brothers and this, in the eyes of Scripture, is equivalent to murder. He was betrayed by his closest ones, but yet, God used that betrayal for HIS PURPOSES and ultimately, as a path of salvation.
Joseph forgave his brethren for their wicked acts. The Lord Jesus Christ likewise pleaded with the Father to forgive those who crucified Him.
Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
Maybe YOU are going through persecution at the hands of unsaved loved ones and friends. God wants you to forgive them just as He has forgiven us.
It is a MYTH, a BLATANT MYTH that the Old Testament is all about harshness, cruelty, bloodshed, violence, and an angry, vengeful God.
The ENTIRE PURPOSE of the Old Testament was to FORESHADOW the coming of Christ and God’s REDEMPTION PLAN for His people and His forgiveness. The ENTIRE PURPOSE of the Old Testament is to show God’s LOVE for HIS PEOPLE and HIS PLAN to redeem them from their sins and iniquities, and to save them from HELLFIRE.
The entire purpose of the Old Testament is to foreshadow God’s plan of salvation. Joseph symbolized the Lord Jesus Christ and His death, burial, resurrection, and His offer of salvation to ALL that come to Him.
Just as how Joseph’s brethren came to him when they recognized their utter poverty and helplessness in the face of famine, we come to know the Lord Jesus Christ when we realize our utter helplessness and poverty (in a spiritual sense) before Him. We may be strong, wealthy, fast, intelligent, and prosperous in a worldly sense, but before God, that means nothing. NO amount of money can buy your way into Heaven, nor can any amount of good deeds.
Salvation is free. All Joseph’s brethren had to do was COME TO HIM for food. The Lord Jesus Christ is similarly the BREAD OF LIFE. Joseph offered his people bread in the physical sense to save them from starvation, while God offers us SPIRITUAL BREAD in the form of salvation unto ETERNAL LIFE.
You see how this all works? You see how God’s grace and mercy is symbolized in this narrative?
John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
The Lord Jesus Christ offers eternal life to all those who believe.
Revelation 22:1-4 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
THIS, however, is only for the saved.
If you are NOT saved? God has nothing but HELLFIRE awaiting for you.
Joseph died (figuratively) and saved his people from starvation and physical death.
The Lord Jesus Christ died and saved His people from ETERNAL DEATH in HELLFIRE.
Revelation 20:10-15 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Hellfire is a place where you will be tormented WITH SATAN forever and ever. There will be NO RELIEF.
And worse, God WILL judge every man by his works. For the saved, their wicked works are washed away by the blood of Christ, the blood He shed on the Cross for HIS MEN.
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
The unsaved have NOTHING but HELLFIRE awaiting them. If you want to get saved by your own works and reject the free offer of salvation through CHRIST, you have nothing for but HELLFIRE.
Choose ye this day.
1st Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
THIS is the Gospel.
The Lord Jesus Christ was crucified on the Cross for our sins, despite His innocence. He died and rose again 3 days and 3 nights later.
THIS is your salvation from Hellfire.