<GEN 37:1-10>
The life and character of Joseph gives us a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ as the various incidents in Joseph’s life are revealed to us through this narrative. At the very outset, we are told of the special love of his father Jacob, and what this caused among his other brothers.
“Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons”
A parallel is seen in the love of God the Father for his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, although God’s love for Christ was on a much higher level. “even as you have loved me. “Father.….you loved me before the creation of the world.” .
Because of Jacob’s love for Joseph, and Joseph’s “bad report” on his brothers , his brothers hated him which eventually led to Joseph being sold as a slave. This can also be comparable to the life of Christ.
“When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. …. And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. His brothers were jealous of him”
After Joseph had related his dream to his brothers, and later to his whole family, each one understood that somehow and someday Joseph would rise to some form of prominence, which would result in them having to be subject to him. This thought, obviously, was not something to look forward to. “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us? ….Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” . This, no doubt, was God’s plan for Joseph; God was going to allow a series of circumstances to occur which would bring Joseph to hold a high office in the land of Egypt, and would ultimately bring a “salvation” for his chosen people.
On a future day, our Lord Jesus will also be crowned “King of kings” and rule over all the kingdoms of this world; thus completing our salvation. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.”
IN SEARCH OF HIS BROTHERS WHO SELL HIM INTO SLAVERY
“Israel said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.”….”Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.”
Jacob sending Joseph to search for his brothers reminds us of the fact that God the Father sent His Son, our Lord Jesus, into this world to “seek and to save” lost sinners who could not help themselves. “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn”
“So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan.”
His brothers for some reason had travelled far from home; no doubt seeking “greener pastures”. And so have we, always being lured by “sin’s greener pastures”. “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”
“But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.”