After Jesus rose from the dead, he taught his disciples "what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." He did this "beginning with Moses," meaning the first five books of the Bible (Luke 24:27). One of the remarkable evidences for the Bible is the way that verses and stories in the Bible have layers of meaning that fit together in a beautiful way. Even in Genesis, there are stories that teach important lessons but also fit a pattern of prophecy that even speak of events in our future.
Take the story of Jacob wresting with a "man" in Genesis 32:24-30. Multiple times the text says that Jacob wrestled with a "man." But Jacob concludes that this man was actually God (32:30). Yet, for the entire night, God could not "overpower" Jacob. Does this story teach that Jacob had superhuman strength, making him an equal match with God in physical strength? Clearly not. The story shows us the possibility of a God-man, pointing us to Jesus. In addition, God limits his power and wrestles with Jacob all night as an occasion for making a prophecy. The point of the whole story is explained in Genesis 32:28 when God tells Jacob, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome." The wrestling match was really a mini-version of the much longer story of the nation of Israel. As the ancestor Jacob/Israel wrestled with a God-man all night, so the nation of Israel will struggle with God and man throughout their history, and ultimately prevail. Israel has struggled with men, facing possible annihilation from the Assyrians, Romans, Persians, Arabs, Crusaders, Germans - just to name a few. Yet they are still a nation today! They have struggled with God. The prophets in the Old Testament warned them to turn to God in repentance or face God's judgment. Throughout history, the majority have rejected God's Messiah, Jesus. Yet here too, they will overcome! The Bible speaks of a time when Israel will recognize Jesus as the true Messiah (Zechariah 12, Romans 11, Acts 3).
I would call the wrestling story a "prophetic mini-drama," an acting out in one night the basic elements of another story that would take place over the many following centuries. I think the same thing is true of the Joseph story in Genesis 37-50. Much of the story speaks about the first coming of Jesus, but one part speaks about the second coming.
Consider the parallels between Joseph and Jesus:
Joseph was Jacob's favorite son (Genesis 37:3)
Jesus was God’s beloved son (Mat. 3:17)
Joseph was born when God opened Rachel’s womb (Gen.
30:22-24)
Jesus mother Mary also had a miraculous birth. (Luke
1:26-27)
Joseph’s brothers envied him (37:11), Jewish leaders envied Jesus (Mt. 27:18).
Joseph was sent to his brothers by his father (37:4). Jesus was sent to Jewish people by the Father (Acts 3:26).
Joseph was betrayed by brothers and sold for twenty pieces of silver, the going price for a slave (37:28), Jesus was betrayed by Judas for thirty pieces of silver, the going price for a slave.
Joseph was handed over to foreigners (37:28), Jesus was handed over to the Roman governor, Pilate and the Roman soldiers.
Joseph was "killed" by his brothers. While they did not literally kill him, they slaughtered a goat and put the blood on Joseph's robe. For the next several chapters, the brothers and Jacob refer to Joseph as dead. In Genesis 42:22 Reuben says "we must give an accounting for his blood." Jacob says Joseph is "dead" (Genesis 42:36, 38). The slaughtered goat immediately draws parallels with the Passover lamb or goat, the ram that replaced Isaac, and the two goats from the Day of Atonement. All picture the sacrificial death of Jesus that saves us from sin. Jesus died as a sacrificial lamb in our place.
Joseph went to Egypt and later returned to Canaan
(After his death, see Gen. 37:28, 45:5). Jesus also went to Egypt and returned to Canaan (Mat. 2).
Potiphar’s wife tempted Joseph, but he remained blameless (39:7-12), Satan tempted Jesus and he remained sinless (Mat. 4).
Joseph was 30 years old when he began to serve Pharaoh (Gen.
41:46)
Jesus was 30 years old when he began his public service to
Israel (Luke 4:1).Two men imprisoned with Joseph, one restored, the other executed. (Genesis 40). Two men were crucified with Jesus, one saved, the other lost (Luke 23).
Joseph was not bitter toward his brothers (41:39-40), Jesus
forgave from the cross.
Joseph was made second in authority only to Pharaoh (41:44),
Jesus was seated at the right hand of God the Father (1 Cor. 15:27).
Joseph’s actions bring salvation from starvation to all
Israel and to the Gentiles. Jesus’ actions bring salvation from sin and death
to Jews and Gentiles.
All bowed to Joseph (41:43), every knee will bow to Jesus
(Phil. 2:10).
Jacob (Israel) was deceived and thought Joseph was dead
(41:29), Jews today think of Jesus as dead.
Joseph appeared like a foreigner to his brothers in
language, dress, and appearance. Jesus appears like a foreigner to the Jews
today.
Joseph’s brothers repent and embrace Joseph, Jews will
repent and embrace Jesus.
While much of Joseph's story applies to Jesus' first coming, the last three parallels listed above apply to Jesus' second coming. Joseph looked Egyptian to his brothers. He spoke Egyptian and wore Egyptian clothes and make-up. Jesus appears foreign to Jews. In paintings he does not look Jewish. The Jesus most Jews are familiar with does not practice the Jewish customs (although the real Jesus did), he does not speak Hebrew, and he seems to be a god for foreigners. However, these perceptions do not match reality. Jesus is the Jewish Messiah.
Peter picked up on this in his preaching to the Jews at Pentecost. Compare what Joseph says to his brothers when he reveals himself to them with what Peter says about Jesus:
Joseph:
Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Please come closer to me." And
they came closer. And he said, "I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold
into Egypt. 5 "Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves,
because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6
"For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are
still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7
"God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to
keep you alive by a great deliverance. 8 "Now, therefore, it
was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh
and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9
"Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, 'Thus says your son Joseph,
"God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. 10
"You shall live in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you
and your children and your
children's children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have. 11
"There I will also provide for you, for there are still five years of
famine to come, and you and your household and all that you have would
be impoverished."'
"Therefore let all
the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and
Christ-- this Jesus whom you crucified,” and “For the promise is for you and
your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will
call to Himself." And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept
on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!"
(Acts 2:36, 39-40).
There are many parallels in these two speeches. If the Joseph story is prophetic, it means that one day the Jews will embrace Jesus just as Joseph's brothers finally recognized and embraced Jesus. The exciting thing is that we are seeing this beginning to take place right before our own eyes! Jews are coming to see that Jesus is the Messiah like never before. The other exciting thing is that Peter connects this event with the return of Jesus. Consider Acts 3:19-20 where Peter is preaching to the Jews in front of the Temple:
"Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20 and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 21 whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration"
I think the greatest evidence that we are nearing the return of Christ has to do with the growing numbers of Jews who recognize Jesus as the Messiah!
Trust the Bible is a weekday radio program that begins at about 8:10 each morning on WDOG 93.5 in Allendale, SC. You can listen to previous programs online here: http://www.fairfaxfbc.org/trust-the-bible.html
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