Genesis 37:3; 39:9
Joseph is an amazing typology of Jesus in so many different ways. Both were children of Abraham and beloved of their father. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and Jesus was put on a cross by His brethren. Joseph was purchased with silver; Jesus was betrayed for silver. Joseph was revealed to his brothers the second time that they visited him; Jesus will be known by all of Israel at His Second Coming. Joseph married a Gentile bride, and Jesus has taken us as His Gentile bride.
Joseph’s ability to live above the fray is phenomenal, as he is an Old Testament type of a believer living under love and grace. Joseph lived over 4 centuries before the law was given to Moses at Mt. Sinai, so everything that he does is a type of living under a covenant free from works and performance. The covenant that God had with Abraham was such a covenant, which mirrors our covenant through Christ Jesus.
Jacob gave his beloved son Joseph a “coat of many colors”, which showed everyone exactly what the old father thought of his son. The confidence that this coat gave to Joseph must have been enormous as he knew in each and every circumstance of life exactly what his father thought of him. Jesus shared this knowledge as He was baptized in the Jordan River and heard His Father say of Him, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Having the knowledge in His heart of His Father’s love, Jesus was perfectly equipped to face the devil in the wilderness. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that Jesus overcame the devil with fasting; in fact, Satan waited until Jesus was at His weakest to attack Him. Jesus overcame the devil in the wilderness with the knowledge of His Father’s love and favor for Him.
God’s favor was on Joseph from day one as “his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand” (Genesis 39:3). Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard, promoted his slave Joseph to overseer of his house, putting everything that he owned into Joseph’s hand. Great blessing was on Joseph, thus great blessing landed on Potiphar (Genesis 39:5).
Potiphar’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and lusted after him. Left alone with her and completely trusted by her husband, Joseph had every opportunity to sleep with this woman, but he refuses, asking her, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). Notice that Joseph does not call it a transgression, but rather a sin. Sin exists whether there is law or not, but a transgression is a breaking of the law. Joseph had no law, as he is living prior to the Mosaic Law; so what causes him to say “No”, when it would have been so easy to say “Yes”?
Some say that grace is great but that you need law to know how to live. They are only half-right; grace is great, but law will only teach you how to sin! It is grace that appears to us and teaches us how to live (Titus 2:11, 12), while it is law that explodes sin within us (Romans 5:20). Joseph said no to Potiphar’s wife because he had an intimate relationship with God, birthed by his father’s love for him. The knowledge of that love gave him the power to face any temptation; just like Jesus did in the wilderness.
You have a coat of many colors, given to you by your Heavenly Father. Just as the prodigal was clothed in a robe, so you are clothed in robes of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). Look at those robes as a representation of your Father’s love for you. Fully comprehend that love and you too will live beyond the clutches of this world.
Joseph is an amazing typology of Jesus in so many different ways. Both were children of Abraham and beloved of their father. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and Jesus was put on a cross by His brethren. Joseph was purchased with silver; Jesus was betrayed for silver. Joseph was revealed to his brothers the second time that they visited him; Jesus will be known by all of Israel at His Second Coming. Joseph married a Gentile bride, and Jesus has taken us as His Gentile bride.
Joseph’s ability to live above the fray is phenomenal, as he is an Old Testament type of a believer living under love and grace. Joseph lived over 4 centuries before the law was given to Moses at Mt. Sinai, so everything that he does is a type of living under a covenant free from works and performance. The covenant that God had with Abraham was such a covenant, which mirrors our covenant through Christ Jesus.
Jacob gave his beloved son Joseph a “coat of many colors”, which showed everyone exactly what the old father thought of his son. The confidence that this coat gave to Joseph must have been enormous as he knew in each and every circumstance of life exactly what his father thought of him. Jesus shared this knowledge as He was baptized in the Jordan River and heard His Father say of Him, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Having the knowledge in His heart of His Father’s love, Jesus was perfectly equipped to face the devil in the wilderness. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that Jesus overcame the devil with fasting; in fact, Satan waited until Jesus was at His weakest to attack Him. Jesus overcame the devil in the wilderness with the knowledge of His Father’s love and favor for Him.
God’s favor was on Joseph from day one as “his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand” (Genesis 39:3). Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard, promoted his slave Joseph to overseer of his house, putting everything that he owned into Joseph’s hand. Great blessing was on Joseph, thus great blessing landed on Potiphar (Genesis 39:5).
Potiphar’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and lusted after him. Left alone with her and completely trusted by her husband, Joseph had every opportunity to sleep with this woman, but he refuses, asking her, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). Notice that Joseph does not call it a transgression, but rather a sin. Sin exists whether there is law or not, but a transgression is a breaking of the law. Joseph had no law, as he is living prior to the Mosaic Law; so what causes him to say “No”, when it would have been so easy to say “Yes”?
Some say that grace is great but that you need law to know how to live. They are only half-right; grace is great, but law will only teach you how to sin! It is grace that appears to us and teaches us how to live (Titus 2:11, 12), while it is law that explodes sin within us (Romans 5:20). Joseph said no to Potiphar’s wife because he had an intimate relationship with God, birthed by his father’s love for him. The knowledge of that love gave him the power to face any temptation; just like Jesus did in the wilderness.
You have a coat of many colors, given to you by your Heavenly Father. Just as the prodigal was clothed in a robe, so you are clothed in robes of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). Look at those robes as a representation of your Father’s love for you. Fully comprehend that love and you too will live beyond the clutches of this world.
