Typology is a form of biblical interpretation where we
see God and His truth illustrated in individuals and events in the Bible.
We then say they are a "type" of Christ, salvation, etc. Joseph
(the coat with many colors) is an Old Testament type of Jesus. One person
listed where Joseph is like Jesus in 99 different ways! From both being
betrayed to both having tragedy turned into triumph, the many similarities are
striking! Both are certainly great examples of forgiveness.
Joseph is impressive in his faith in God despite
multiple challenges. He was rejected, sold into slavery, tempted,
falsely accused, imprisoned and forgotten – yet continued to honor God!
What a lesson for us to worship and follow our Lord even in our bad
times. HE has promised NEVER to leave us or forsake us.
Joseph had been hatefully sold by his brothers into
slavery and taken away from his homeland. God's grace carried him through
years of difficulty and he ultimately ended up as the #2 ruler of Egypt.
His brothers came after many years seeking food there because of famine.
They did not recognize Joseph but he knew them immediately. Some question
that if he truly forgave them, why did
he put them through weeks or months of testing before revealing his identity
and God's purpose in turning their evil treatment into good i.e., by
Joseph being able to rescue them from the famine and preserve the "chosen
seed".
Bible teachers generally agree that Joseph was truly
forgiving and was not seeking revenge. It seems to have been a matter of
establishing that his brothers were truly sorry and had changed. We can
appreciate that because even when we are forgiving there is often still a
period of consequences for wrong behavior and/or a probationary time to prove
repentance or change.
Comparing Joseph and Jesus can help us gain a fuller
understanding of forgiveness.
See you Sunday!
1. Who is the famous Joseph of the New
Testament? Matthew 1:18
2. In our sermon passage how many times does
Joseph (O.T.) acknowledge God and His purpose?
3. Can you think of times when you honored
the Lord even when things went terribly wrong? Acts 16:22-25
4. Amazingly, God's purpose to save His
people takes place despite evil! Mark 14:21
5. Google comparisons of Joseph and Jesus.
6. What special Bible list does Joseph
make? Hebrews 11:22
7. How thankful we should be that the forgiveness
of Jesus is IMMEDIATE! Read Luke 23:39-43
