I heard a preacher say that Jesus is on every page of the Bible, even when His name is not called, and if you read a page and don’t find Jesus, you need to read it again, because the Bible is about Jesus. I agree with that.
Today, I want you to see some ways that Joseph gives us a picture of Jesus.
He became a servant
Joseph went from being the favored son of his father to being an Egyptian servant. We see him going around with his “coat of many colors,” then all of a sudden he doesn’t have that any longer, but we see him wearing the robe of a servant, as he goes into servitude in the house of Potiphar.
Ph.2:6-8, in three short verses, tells us that Jesus left the glories of heaven, humbling Himself to become a servant.
Jesus could have come to the earth as a full grown man, and he could have gone to the cross the same day, and the payment for our sins could have been paid. But, Jesus gave us the perfect example of how to live; how to be a servant; how to wait for delayed gratification, and how to love those who do not love us first.
We are told that we are to be servants, also. In Ph.2:5, the Bible says, “Let this mind be in you , which was also in Christ Jesus.” Jesus said we are to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow after Him, if we want to be counted worthy to be His disciple.
Now, in all honesty, that’s not the Jesus most folks want , nowadays, is it? We want our Christian life to be the things that we pick and choose. We like to live in the blessing of God and the power of His Spirit, but we recoil at the idea of being a servant, or taking up a cross and having anybody not like us, because we stand for Christ. But, that’s the Jesus of the Bible. That’s the Jesus of Salvation. That’s the One who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man can come to the Father but by Me.”
He was falsely accused
Potiphar’s wife accused Joseph of trying to rape her, which was absolutely not true. Jus the opposite was true! She tried to rape him. He was put into prison as a result of the false accusation.
Jesus was falsely accused. They accused Him of blasphemy, of threatening to destroy the temple, and of wanting to overthrow the government. They found men who were willing to lie on the witness stand and accuse Him of these things. These false accusations led to His crucifixion.
Jesus said that we would be falsely accused, because we are His followers. He said that He was sending us out as lambs among wolves, and that were to be wise as serpents, but harmless as doves. He said the world would hate us, because it hated Him, but that the servant was not greater than his master.
When we read the book of Acts and the new testament, we see how that is exactly what happened. Should we not feel some conviction, if the world doesn’t have any reason to feel threatened by us?
He received a seemingly impossible release
Joseph was there in prison for a number of years. He came in contact with two men, who had been servants to the Pharaoh. One had been the chief butler, the other the chief baker. We do not know how long they were in prison, but they both had dreams that they couldn’t figure out, and Joseph was given insight by the Lord to interpret the dreams for them. They both were to be released from prison in just three days, and the butler was to be restored to his original position, but the baker was to be hanged.
We assume there had been an attempt to poison the king, and the butler, who also served as an official taster, had been cleared of any wrong-doing, but the baker had been found guilty. Joseph asked the butler to remember him, but the butler forgot all about him, until the Pharaoh had a dream that troubled him, then the butler remembered Joseph. So Joseph was brought out of prison, and as God would have it, he came out not to go back again.
Jesus was crucified, and placed in a tomb. His enemies thought they were finally rid of Him. But, three days later, up from the grave He arose! With a mighty triumph o’er His foes, He arose the victor from the dark domain, and He lives forever with His saints to reign!
Now when someone is dead and buried, that seems about as final as anything could be. But, God has revealed that it is not final! There’s something else after this life, and for the born again person, it’s heaven. Give this old world a hundred or so years, and nobody will even remember who you were, but if you’re saved, you’ll be very much alive over in glory.
He was highly exalted
Pharaoh gave him all the amenities and accolades that go with high ranking position. People would bow down when Joseph’s chariot passed by. He was the one to whom everybody had to go to get food.
Can you see how that pictures Jesus? Ph.2:9-11 says that Jesus has been highly exalted by the Father, and He has been given a name that is above every name, a name at which every knee should bow and every tongue confess. The name of Jesus is the only name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Jesus is the only way to the Father. He is the bread of life. He is rich to all that call upon His name. He sits at the right hand of the throne of the Father in heaven, and we are told that He ever lives to make intercession for us.
Back in the days of Joseph, when the people were hungry, because of the famine, and they found out that they could go to Joseph and get food, they went. Jesus says, “Whosoever will, let him come unto Me and take of the water of life, freely.”
You could live out your life without knowing anything about Joseph, and it wouldn’t matter all that much. But, I’ll tell you, if you miss knowing Jesus, you are in trouble!
When I was in the second grade, I missed the school bus to go home one afternoon. I saw the bus driving away, and it was the most lonesome feeling I had ever felt in my little seven year old life. I sat down on the steps in front of the school and began to cry, but soon my teacher sat down beside me and told me it was alright, not to worry, that she would take me home. How happy I was when we turned into our driveway. I missed the bus, but it was okay, I had a sweet teacher to take me home, but friend, if you miss Jesus, there is no one else to take you home.
Would you turn to Jesus today, surrendering yourself to Him?
