Guest Post: Joseph: A Picture of Jesus
- Olivia T
- Aug 12
- 3 min read
This week's post is written by guest author, Shadow! Don't forget to check out her blog, Shine Bright! You can read my article, "Mary's Obedience", posted on her blog here!
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Joseph’s story from the Bible? His dreams? His coat of many colors? Joseph’s story of his coat and dreams is often misunderstood. Have you ever been told that Joseph was showing off about his amazing coat or that Joseph was being stuck up with those dreams? I’m here to tell you that this is not accurate! But let’s start at the beginning of his story.
Joseph’s Story
Joseph’s family story is a messy and complicated one, so, here it is in simple words. Joseph’s father, Jacob, married two sisters, Leah and Rachel, then slept with the servants, Bilhah and Zilpah. In the end Jacob had 12 sons besides daughters. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Joseph, and Benjamin (You can look up the whole story in Genesis 35:16-29).
In a way, Jacob gave Joseph the rights of the oldest child. In this time period, the oldest child had something called a birthright. Take Jacob and Esau’s story, for example. Esau was meant to have the blessing, but Jacob took it. In His own way, God gave the blessing to Jacob. In Cain and Abel’s story, Cain was meant to have the birthright, but after killing Abel, Adam and Eve’s third child, Seth, took the blessing by continuing the family line.
Jacob's favourite child was Joseph, and the coat of many colors can be a sort of symbol of this love. In a way, Joseph "became" the oldest child.
Joseph’s Character
The more we look at Joseph, the more you’ll realize that he was not stuck up or selfish. After being trapped then sold by his11 brothers, Joseph showed responsibility and trustworthiness to Potiphar, his new master. (“So Joseph found favor in his [Potiphar] sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.” [Genesis 39:4 ESV.])
When Joseph was in prison, he asked God to help him (notice Joseph’s trust in God) interpret the dreams of the cupbearer and the baker, and God showed Joseph the meanings of the dreams! After Joseph told the meaning behind some of Pharaoh’s, he advised the king on what to do with the whole kingdom (notice Joseph's wisdom). Joseph was merciful to his brothers when they arrived in Egypt in search of food during the famine and loved them even though they had given him up for money.
Joseph was also a missionary of sorts. In Genesis 43, Joseph’s servant talked about “the God of your father” to the eleven brothers. Joseph must have told the servant and others about his faith. Lastly, Joseph gave grace to his brothers and forgave them for hurting him. Doesn’t this sound a lot like Jesus?
Joseph, a Picture of Jesus
Through this story we can see the picture of Jesus and salvation. The brothers represent us sinful humans. We need Jesus to change us, just as Joseph’s brothers were changed. In this story, we can see how God used Pharaoh to bless Joseph by bringing him out of his suffering. To complete the picture, Joseph represents Jesus, Who gave us salvation through His death - the death we caused - just like Joseph had to endure hardship and trials his brothers caused him.
And now, the ending of the story. The brothers and Joseph made up, then brought their families, plus Jacob, down to Egypt. In Egypt they prospered, all because Joseph, (the picture of Jesus) was sold by his brothers (us sinful humans) into slavery, which led to freedom, (our salvation). Joseph was sold into slavery that led to freedom, just as Jesus suffered for us, by us, which brought us our salvation.
Praise be to God!
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