Consider how Jacob’s son, Joseph, is a nearly complete ‘type’ or ‘illustration’ of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joseph delivered a message from God to his kinsman (brothers),

• just as Jesus of Nazareth came to deliver the message of the “Kingdom at hand” from God to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt 15:24)

What did their kinsman do? His brothers rejected Joseph,

• just as the Jews rejected Jesus.

What else did they do to Joseph?

His brothers took him and dropped him into a pit and left him for dead. They tried to kill Joseph.

• And what did the Jewish people do? They, along with the Gentile Romans, did kill Jesus.

Then what happened to Joseph? Along came a caravan that pulled Joseph out of the pit,

• which is a symbolic resurrection, just as Jesus was really resurrected.

Then what happened? Joseph went into a foreign country,

• just as Jesus went into a foreign country. He'd gone to Heaven.

Then what happened? Joseph took a Gentile bride.

• From heaven, Jesus saved Paul and sent him to be “the Apostle to the Gentiles,” to the members of “His body.”

When Christ completes the Gentile “Body of Christ” (Rom 11:25) it will be taken to heaven at the rapture, He will then take the next step as Joseph did.

Joseph revealed himself to his brethren (Israel), and his brethren accepted him.

• Jesus will one-day reveal Himself to His brethren, the believers of Israel, and the Jews will look upon Him whom “they have pierced” and they will weep and wail and mourn. (Zech. 12:10)

Ultimately, the Jewish remnant will receive Jesus as their Hamashiach, meaning as their Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14).

Now Consider These Parallels Between Joseph and Jesus (Genesis Chp. 37-50)