Israel (Jacob's new name), of all people, should have learned that showing partiality and favouritism can only lead to trouble.  His own father had made only too plain his love for Esau, in preference to Jacob.  Nevertheless, Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons, and openly displayed this affection by giving him a beautiful coat of many colours.  As a result, his brothers hated him (Genesis 37:3-4).

      As we study the life of Joseph, we shall see that much of his life parallels the life of Jesus. We will point out these similarities using an asterisk*.      1.   *Jesus was also hated of his brethren:

"He came unto his own, and his own received him not" (John 1:11).

"For neither did his brethren believe in him" (John 7:5).

      Joseph dreamed two dreams.  (Read Genesis 37:5-9).   Both dreams seemed to be saying that the day would come when Joseph would be elevated above his brothers, and that even his own father would humble himself before Joseph.  Joseph related these dreams to his family. This caused his brothers to hate him even more.

      They began to call him "the dreamer," and they looked for an opportunity to kill him.  However, Israel kept the things in his heart that Joseph had revealed.

      One day, Joseph's brothers were out in the field keeping their father's sheep when they saw Joseph coming towards them.  All, but Reuben, wanted to slay him.  Reuben finally talked them into leaving Joseph in a pit.  His intention was to return later to the pit and free Joseph, and bring him back to his father.   However, while Reuben was away, they sold Joseph to some Ishmaelite merchants who were travelling to Egypt with a load of spices and perfumes.  The price of the sale was twenty pieces of silver. (Genesis 37:18-28)

      2.   *Jesus Christ was "sold" for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15).

      And so, Joseph was brought into Egypt.

      3.   *When some sought to take Jesus' life, he was brought into Egypt (Matthew 2:13).

      Joseph's brothers took the coat of many colours, and after killing a young goat, dipped it in the blood of the goat.  They then brought it to their father with a story of how they had found the blood-stained coat, and evidently Joseph had been killed by a wild beast.  Israel rent (tore) his clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned for Joseph many days, thoroughly convinced that Joseph was dead (verses 31-34).

      When Joseph was brought down to Egypt, Potiphar, an Egyptian captain of the guard, bought him from the merchants (Genesis 39:1).

"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" (verses 2-3).

      Thus was Joseph put over Potiphar's house and all that he had, and the Lord blessed Potiphar and his house for Joseph's sake (verses 4--5).

      Joseph was a handsome young man (a goodly person and well favoured). Potiphar's wife, casting her eyes upon him, begged him to lay with her.  Joseph refused.  Day after day she continued to urge him, but his reply was:

"...how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:9).

      4.   *Jesus Christ was tempted in all points, and yet did not sin (Hebrews 4:15).

      One day Potiphar's wife grabbed hold of Joseph and tried to force him to lay with her. Joseph ran away, but she managed to hold on to his coat.  With that "evidence," she lied to the men of the house and told them that Joseph had been trying to get her to lay with him.  When her husband came home, she repeated the lies to him.  She then got her revenge.  Joseph was put into prison, suffering for sins that he did not commit. (Genesis 39:12-20)

      5.   *Jesus Christ suffered on the cross for sins He did not commit Read Isaiah 53:5, 6; Romans 5:8; Matthew 27:35; Hebrews 2:18.

      Does it pay to be faithful to God?  Do you suppose Joseph had some doubts about this after being cast into prison?  Nevertheless, we read:

"But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison" (Genesis 39:21).

      Prison bars could not keep out the presence of the Lord.  He was with Joseph even there, and just as Potiphar had committed all things he had to Joseph's care, so did the keeper of the prison do the same.

      The chief butler and baker had somehow offended the Egyptian king and had been cast into the same prison where Joseph was.  One night, both men had dreams.  Read Genesis 40:1-20. When they told Joseph their dreams, Joseph gave them the interpretations:

      1.   In three days the baker would be hanged.

      2.   In three days the butler would be restored to his position.

      After Joseph gave the good news to the butler, he requested that the butler would remember him to the king:

"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" (Genesis 40:14-15).

      Just as Joseph had predicted, the baker was hanged and the butler was restored to his position.  Unfortunately, we read these words in the last verse of this chapter: "Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him" (verse 23).

      Two years after the chief butler was restored to his position, the king of Egypt had two dreams. (Read Genesis 41:1-7).  After all of the wise men were called and could not give the interpretation, the butler remembered Joseph.  He told the king about Joseph, and his ability to interpret dreams.

      Joseph was quickly brought out of prison, shaved, and dressed with fresh clothes.  He was then brought before the king.  After the king rehearsed to him the two dreams, Joseph had an immediate interpretation.  There would be seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine.

      Joseph advised the king to seek out a wise and discreet man who would be responsible for seeing that much corn was stored during the years of plenty, so that in the years of famine the people would not starve. (Verses 8-37).

      The king's answer was quick:

"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" (verses 38-40).

      Joseph was made ruler over all the land of Egypt.  He rode in the second chariot, behind the king's.   Everyone was commanded to bow the knee when Joseph approached (verses 41-43).

      6.   *Jesus Christ also went from a place of abasement to a place of exaltation:

"And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:8-11).

      Joseph was thirty years of age when he began to serve the people as a prime minister or governor (Genesis 41:46).

      7.   *Jesus was thirty years old when he began his earthly ministry.

      Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, was given to Joseph for his wife.   Two sons were born unto her: Manasseh and Ephraim (verses 50-52).

      The seven years of plenty did come to Egypt so that corn was as "the sand of the sea."  The seven years of famine also came, not only to Egypt, but to the whole world--but in Egypt there was plenty! (Verses 47-49, 53-57)

      During the time of the famine, Jacob (Israel) sent his ten oldest sons to Egypt to buy corn, for the famine was in Canaan, also.  It was then that the two dreams Joseph had years before were fulfilled:

"...and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth" (Genesis 42:6).

      Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him--and he was not yet ready to reveal himself to them.  He spoke roughly to them, accusing them of being spies.  He longed to see his younger brother again.   Because of this, he told them only if they would bring their youngest brother with them would he be convinced that they were not spies.   He also wanted to test them to see if they had changed.   He sold them grain only upon the condition that Simeon stay as a hostage until they brought Benjamin.  He then had their sacks filled with corn, and each man's money was returned and hidden in the sacks. (Verses 7-35)

      At first Israel refused to let Benjamin go with his brothers.   A trip was delayed until they were again without food and in desperate circumstances.  Finally, Israel agreed to let them take Benjamin with them.  He also sent a present of spices, honey, nuts and double money, in case the money they found was an oversight. (Genesis 43:1-15)

      When his brothers came the second time, Joseph prepared food for them, and dined with them.  When he saw Benjamin, he was not able to control his emotions, because of his love for his younger brother.   He quickly left the room and entered another chamber, where he wept.  Simeon was also released at this time. (Verses 16-34)

      Joseph's brothers still did not recognize him, and were frightened that they had been invited to eat with the man who was the king's top assistant. 

      Joseph commanded the steward of his house to fill his brothers' sacks with food, as much as they could carry.  Also, their money was returned to them again.  To further test his brothers, Joseph had his silver cup placed in Benjamin's sack.

      The next morning the men left to return home.  On their way, however, they were stopped by one of Joseph's servants, who accused them of stealing Joseph's silver cup.   The cup was found in Benjamin's sack.  The brothers returned to Joseph, who declared that Benjamin must stay in Egypt.

      At this point Judah pleaded with Joseph, saying that it would break their father's heart if Benjamin failed to return with them.  He even offered to take his brother's place and stay in Egypt:

"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" (Genesis 44:33-34).

      Joseph could restrain himself no longer.   He had everyone else leave the room, except his brothers, while he revealed himself unto them.  He wept so loudly that the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard him weeping.

      They were frightened that Joseph would take revenge against them, but soon they were convinced that Joseph's forgiveness was genuine.  Judah's plea on Benjamin's behalf was evidence of the change that Joseph had hoped to find in his brothers.   Joseph reassured his brothers that everything that had happened was according to God's plan:

"God sent me before you...to save your lives by a great deliverance" (Genesis 45:7).

      8.   *Jesus Christ is the Mighty God who "left his home" to come into the world and give His life for the sins of humankind, thus saving us by a great deliverance!

      Then Joseph sent them back to Canaan with gifts for his father and invited the family to move to Egypt to live, because there were still several years of famine remaining.

      At first, Israel did not believe that his son was still alive, but after seeing the wagons loaded.with food and clothing that Joseph had sent, he was convinced.

      On the way to Egypt, Israel stopped at Beersheba, where many years before Abraham had planted a grove of trees. Here God spoke to him:

"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..." (Genesis 46:3, 4).

      Years later, Israel and his sons remembered that promise.

      When Israel arrived in Goshen, at the edge of Egypt, Joseph and his father had a touching reunion.   He directed his family to stay there, while he talked with the king.  Sheep and shepherds were an abomination to the Egyptians, so Joseph knew he could not bring his family into the interior of Egypt.  While Goshen was on the outer edge of Egypt, it had some of the choicest of land.  Permission was granted by the king of Egypt for Joseph and his family to settle down and live in Goshen. (Genesis 46:29-34, 47:1-6).

"And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly" (Genesis 47:27).

      At the time of Israel's death, he remembered the promise of God, and commanded Joseph that whenever he left Egypt he was to take his father's bones with him and bury him in Canaan (verses 29-31).

      Also, shortly before he died, Israel "adopted" the two sons of Joseph as his own.   Ephraim and Manasseh were numbered among the twelve tribes of Israel, instead of Joseph and Levi (Genesis 48:1-5).

      Then all the sons of Israel were brought before him to be blessed by him.  As this God-fearing man laid his hands upon each son, he gave many prophetic utterances, including this prophecy concerning the coming Christ (Messiah):

"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" (Genesis 49:10).

      The meaning of "Shiloh" is "the Peacemaker," or "the Prince of Peace."  This is what Jesus is called in Isaiah 9:6.   It was no accident that it was given while Israel's hand rested upon Judah. Jesus came from the tribe of Judah!

      After the death of Israel, he was embalmed, and in keeping with the Egyptian custom, there was mourning for seventy days.  Then Joseph, with special permission from the king, gathered his whole family and went up to Canaan to bury him. (Genesis 50:1-13).

      Joseph's brothers feared that after the death of their father, Joseph would seek to take his revenge.   But Joseph reassured 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" (verses 19-20).

      9.   *What was meant to be evil done to Jesus, resulted in the salvation of multitudes of people.

       As the death of Joseph drew near, like his father Israel, Joseph made his kinsmen promise that when God visited them and brought them out of Egypt, they would surely remember to carry his bones with them, and bury him with his kindred in Canaan (verse 25).

"By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones" (Hebrews 11:22).

partiality . . . . . . the act of favouring one person over another

parallels . . . . . . having similarities or likenesses

revenge . . . . . . to punish in return

dungeon . . . . . . a dark underground cell or prison

discreet . . . . . . careful about what one says or does

abasement . . . . . . a low place, a place of humility

exaltation . . . . . . a place of honour and authority

   1.   How did Israel show partiality towards his son Joseph?

   2.   What name did Joseph's brothers give him?

   3.   Relate a dream Joseph had (Genesis 37:5-9):

   4.   What did Joseph's brothers want to do with him at first?

   5.   What did they finally do with him?

   6.  What great temptation came to Joseph while in Potiphar's house?

   7.   What reply did Joseph give to Potiphar's wife?

   8.   What lie did she tell concerning Joseph?

   9.   What two men had a dream while in prison?

10.   What two dreams did the king have (Genesis 41:1-7)?

11.   Who interpreted the dreams?

12.   What position was Joseph given by the king?

13.   How were his own dreams fulfilled?

14 - 18.   List five ways in which Joseph and Jesus had similar experiences.

19.   What important prophecy was spoken by Israel right before his death
             (concerning the coming Christ)?

20.   What did you find of special interest in this lesson?