I’m finished studying Genesis. It took 11 months. But before I let go of it and move on, I find one more prophetically telling point to make about Joseph, whom I’ve said is one of the greatest types of Christ in the Old Testament. He pictures Jesus as savior of the world, and especially of Israel.
When Jacob/Israel called each son to his side before he died in order to give their prophetic futuristic blessings, he had a memorable one for Joseph that was reminiscent of Christ. Joseph is a fruitful bough, (main branch of a tree) 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. (Gen. 49:22-26)
You see how as proxy for Jesus, Joseph’s legacy lives on eternally, clear to the crown on his head, which Jesus still doesn’t have to this day. It’s a prophesy for Joseph/Jesus that is still in the future.
- Joseph pictured the bough or branch prophesied here: Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. (Jer. 23:5) The Branch is a King. Kings wear crowns. Coming soon.
- Joseph pictured Jesus the Shepherd from God. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. (Ps. 80:1) For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. (1 Peter 2:25) Didn’t Joseph’s brothers return to him as the Shepherd who took care of them? Won’t Israel return to Jesus in the end as He Shepherds the remnant through the Great Tribulation?
- Joseph pictures the stone of Israel. And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (Isa. 8:14) When you think of Joseph picturing that stumbling stone, it kind of makes sense how he made his brothers trip in their comings and goings to Egypt for food. Israel is still stumbling over the stumbling stone while God has turned His attention to the Gentiles (Rom. 11). When the Church Age wraps up, His attention goes back to Israel, which will eventually quit stumbling and start accepting.
If you go back and re-read the blessing again that Jacob gave to Joseph, you will see even more than I pointed out here. But what you are seeing is the end from the beginning. You are seeing the Gospels and Revelation from Genesis.
By the time Jesus came, lived and died, the Gospel had already played out many times in the Old Testament.
The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. (Ecc. 1:9-10)
It’s a true statement: History repeats itself.
R&J Shee
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