Profiles of Faith: Joseph - Faithfulness Brings Blessing

Joseph was a dreamer-and one whose dreams came true. In a lifetime filled with extraordinary extremes, he never lost his trust in God. The story of Joseph is a saga of sacrifice, of one sent ahead by God to preserve life and restore and reconcile those who followed.

Joseph had many uncommon experiences, to say the least. An honorable existence among honorable men is much easier than a crusade that blazes a path seldom traveled. Yet Joseph, even as a young man, was moral and honorable when those around him were debauched.

Surely a young man who strives for righteousness will immediately reap the rewards of living a godly life. Or do trials plague even the righteous? Do matters go awry when one least expects?

Joseph and his dreams

Joseph's mother was Rachel, the great love of his father, Jacob. Even working seven years to obtain Rachel as his wife seemed to Jacob as "but a few days."

In time Joseph and his brothers would become the patriarchs of the 12 tribes of Israel. But Joseph, the 11th son of Israel (Jacob), soon became his father's favorite. Sibling rivalries and jealousies brought the young man Joseph considerable trouble.

At 17, Joseph was a delight to his father. Genesis 37 records that Jacob dearly loved Joseph, more than he loved his other children (Genesis 37:3Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
See All...). As a token of his affection, he gave Joseph a richly embroidered coat, a "coat of many colors" (King James Version).

The gift of the coat didn't endear Joseph to his brothers. They knew he was their father's favorite, so, seemingly inevitably, his brothers began to hate him. He contributed to their jealousy and hatred through his naïveté and inexperience. Family strife followed sibling rivalry.

God knows "the end from the beginning" (Isaiah 46:10Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
See All...). God inspired Joseph to have two dreams that had a common meaning. When he revealed the first dream to his brothers, they didn't appreciate it.

"Please hear this dream which I have dreamed," said Joseph. "There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf" (Genesis 37:6-7 [6] And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
[7] For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.

See All...).

The symbolism of his brothers' sheaves bowing down to his sheaf was not lost on his brothers: "Shall you indeed reign over us?" they asked incredulously (verse 8).

The second dream's imagery included not only his brothers, but his parents: "Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me" (verse 9).

When Joseph told his father and brothers of his night vision, his father rebuked him: "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?" (verse 10).

His brothers envied Joseph, but his father Jacob reflected on his son's dreams. In earlier years he, too, had received a dream from God (Genesis 31:10And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.
See All...).

With this background, we now see Joseph's life take a turn for the dramatic.

Where jealousy leads

One day Jacob directed Joseph to seek out his brothers to see how they and their sheep were faring. Following his father's instructions, he traveled far searching for them. The brothers, seeing Joseph approaching in the distance, concocted a hasty plan: "Look, this dreamer is coming! Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, 'Some wild beast has devoured him.' We shall see what will become of his dreams!" (Genesis 37:19-20 [19] And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
[20] Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

See All...).

But Joseph's oldest brother, Reuben, immediately reacted in hopes of sparing Joseph's life: "Let us not kill him. Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him" (verses 21-22).

When Joseph arrived, he was shocked as they stripped off his multihued coat and lowered him into a pit (verses 23-24).

Seeing a caravan approaching, Judah, one of the older brothers, also saw a way to spare young Joseph's life: "Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh" (verse 27). So his brothers sold Joseph for 20 pieces of silver.

To provide themselves an alibi in the eyes of Jacob, they conceived a deception: They killed a goat, smeared some of its blood on Joseph's beautiful coat, then sent the blood-stained garment home to their father. When Jacob saw the coat, he tore his clothes and mourned many days for his favorite son. He refused to be comforted, "for I shall go down into the grave to my son in mourning" (verse 35). None of the sons dared reveal the truth to their grief-stricken father.

Blessings and disasters

Sometimes a disaster can turn out to be a blessing in disguise, especially if God is working out events (Romans 8:28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
See All...). Learning to trust God is to learn one of the great lessons in life.

After the caravan reached Egypt, the slave traders sold Joseph to a high officer of Pharaoh, an Egyptian named Potiphar (Genesis 39:1And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.
See All...). Then things began to look up for young Joseph: "The LORD was with Joseph, and he was a successful man ... And his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority" (Genesis 39:2-4 [2] And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
[3] And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
[4] And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

See All...).

At this time Joseph's life took another unexpected turn. The Bible records that "Joseph was handsome in form and appearance" (verse 6) to the point that he caught the eye of his master's wife.

"Lie with me," she said (verse 7). But Joseph refused: "How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" (verse 9).

But she persisted, daily attempting to seduce the righteous Joseph. But he was steadfast in character and continued to refuse. Then one day, when Joseph entered the house, not realizing the other servants were outside, Potiphar's wife grabbed him. "Lie with me," she demanded. But he left his garment in her hand and fled from the house (verses 10-13).

The Bible elsewhere advises us to "flee sexual immorality" (1 Corinthians 6:18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
See All...). This Joseph did, setting an outstanding example to young people of both sexes of resisting such pressure.

Potiphar's wife then devised a plot to protect herself, accusing Joseph of attempted rape and holding his garment as supposed evidence. Joseph found himself thrown into the Pharaoh's prison (Genesis 39:14-20 [14] That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice:
[15] And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out.
[16] And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.
[17] And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:
[18] And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.
[19] And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.
[20] And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.

See All...).

Things now looked bad for this righteous young man. Although Joseph obeyed God, he had gone to prison. First his brothers had sold him into slavery, and now he had again lost his freedom. But God does not abandon those who trust in Him.

"But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing. The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper" (verses 21-23).

One might observe that Joseph could not stay out of trouble for long. But we could also note that Joseph could not stay away from blessings, either. Joseph was blessed almost immediately after being imprisoned.

And he wasn't finished with interpreting dreams.

The butler's and baker's dreams

Two of the Pharaoh's servants, a butler and a baker, offended the Pharaoh and were also imprisoned. Both had troubling dreams while there. The day after their dreams, they appeared sad. Joseph noticed their fallen countenances and spoke to them. Both explained they had had dreams but didn't know what they meant.

Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please" (Genesis 40:8And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.
See All...).

The butler told Joseph his dream; Joseph recognized that the dream meant the man would be restored to his former position in just three days.

The baker, hoping to hear similar good news, told Joseph his dream as well. But the baker was to hear bad news: In three days he would be hanged (verse 19).

Knowing the butler would be released, Joseph asked him to remember him to Pharaoh so he could be freed from his unjust imprisonment (verse 14). But the butler soon forgot about Joseph (verse 23), and Jacob's son spent another two years in prison (Genesis 41:1And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
See All...). God, however, had not forgotten His righteous servant.

Sometimes our problems are not resolved just how and when we expect. If disappointments occur, we have to learn to exercise faith and patience.

Pharaoh's dreams

Pharaoh himself then had two dreams. The first involved seven fat cows and seven gaunt cows. The gaunt cows ate the fat ones (Genesis 41:1-4 [1] And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
[2] And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.
[3] And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.
[4] And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.

See All...).

In his second dream Pharaoh saw seven heads of healthy, plump grain and seven thin, blighted heads of grain that grew up after and devoured the healthy grain (verses 5-7).

Pharaoh was troubled by his dreams, but none of his staff could interpret them. Then the butler remembered his experiences with Joseph and recounted them to the ruler. Pharaoh immediately had Joseph brought from the prison and recounted both his dreams. Joseph explained that God, not he, could reveal the dreams' meaning: Egypt would experience seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.

Joseph advised Pharaoh to plan well: "... Let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt ... to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain ... Then that food shall be a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine" (verses 33-36).

Pharaoh recognized the wisdom of Joseph's advice. It didn't take him long to decide who should become his new administrator: Joseph himself. "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?" (verse 38).

Thus Joseph went from prisoner to second in command in the kingdom of Egypt!

Pharaoh told him: "Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you" (verses 39-40). Joseph, now 30, was chief administrator over an extremely rich and powerful kingdom.

Joseph the governor

Joseph made an extended trip throughout all of Egypt, surveying the land and its resources (verse 46). As God had revealed, there were seven plentiful years. Crops were so bountiful that he stopped recording the grain brought in for storage, "for it was immeasurable."

During this time of abundance, two sons were born to Joseph and Asenath, the wife given him by Pharaoh. Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh ("causing to forget"), "for God has made me forget all my toil and all my father's house." In choosing a name for his second son, Ephraim ("I shall be doubly fruitful"), he thought: "For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction" (verses 51-52).

Joseph's two sons were to figure prominently in Israel's history because Jacob, their grandfather, counted them as his own sons: "And now your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine" (Genesis 48:5And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.
See All...). From then on they would be counted with the tribes of Israel.

After the seven years of plenty, famine struck Egypt and the surrounding lands. Because of the measures instituted by Joseph, Egypt had food after the surrounding nations' supplies were depleted. "So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands" (Genesis 41:54-57 [54] And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
[55] And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.
[56] And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
[57] And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

See All...).

At this point, Joseph's life took yet another unexpected turn.

Joseph the reconciler

Through these twists and turns, God had not lost sight of Joseph or his family, whom He had determined to spread far and wide on the earth (Genesis 28:10-15 [10] And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.
[11] And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
[12] And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
[13] And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
[14] And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
[15] And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

See All...).

As the famine worsened, Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy grain. They came to the official "who sold [grain] to all the people of the land," not knowing that this man was the very brother they had sold into slavery more than a decade before. "And Joseph's brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth" (Genesis 42:6And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
See All...). Joseph's earlier dreams of his family bowing to him (Genesis 37:10And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
See All...) were coming to pass, as was his desire to be reconciled to his family.

At first Joseph didn't make things easy for his brothers. He accused them of being spies (Genesis 42:9And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
See All...), then used this ruse to force his brothers to promise they would bring their youngest brother, Benjamin, to him (verse 15). The brothers began to argue among themselves as they realized this sudden turn of events might be divine retribution for the way they had treated Joseph years earlier.

They argued in Hebrew before Joseph, thinking he was an Egyptian and wouldn't understand their language. Watching their fear and anxiety became unbearable for Joseph, who "turned himself away from them and wept" (verse 24).

Joseph gave his brothers the grain they sought and sent them on their way. Nine brothers returned home, leaving Simeon behind to guarantee that they would return to Egypt with Benjamin. They remained there until Jacob instructed them to return to Egypt for more grain (Genesis 43:1-2 [1] And the famine was sore in the land.
[2] And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.

See All...).

This time Judah pleaded with Jacob to allow Benjamin to accompany them to Egypt. Jacob reluctantly gave in, realizing this was the only way they could get Simeon back and buy more grain.

When the brothers arrived in Egypt, they once again found themselves before Joseph. When they presented Benjamin to him, Joseph was again overwhelmed with emotion and retreated to his private chambers before returning to his brothers (Genesis 43:29-31 [29] And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.
[30] And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
[31] And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

See All...).

The plot thickened when Joseph gave his brothers as much food as they could carry back to Jacob. But this time Joseph had his servants place his personal silver cup in Benjamin's sack (Genesis 44:2And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
See All...). After they left, Joseph sent his servant to overtake them and examine their sacks of grain and foodstuffs.

When they found Joseph's silver cup in Benjamin's sack, the brothers were horrified! All they could do was to return to Joseph and plead for their lives (verses 14-34). They explained to Joseph that, if they didn't return with Benjamin to their father, their father would surely die.

Finally, after Joseph was satisfied that his brothers had learned the lesson of their former treachery, he was unable to keep his identity a secret any longer. He commanded his servants to leave the room and began to weep openly. He revealed his secret to his brothers: "I am Joseph; does my father still live?" (Genesis 45:3And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.
See All...).

But his stunned brothers didn't know how to react. They were, after all, still in the Egyptian official's home and presence, and Joseph could have punished them however he chose.

One sent ahead

The forgiving Joseph reassured and comforted them. "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God ..." (Genesis 45:4-8 [4] And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
[5] Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
[6] For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
[7] And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
[8] So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

See All...).

It was God, through Joseph, who brought about the reconciliation of Jacob's father and brothers, preserving their lives. In the process, God used him to save many thousands of Egyptians, as well as peoples from surrounding countries, from hunger (Genesis 41:56-57 [56] And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
[57] And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

See All...).

Joseph the restorer

Now reconciled to his brothers, Joseph turned his attention to his father, Jacob. "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,... you and your children, your children's children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have. There I will provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine"'" (Genesis 45:9-11 [9] Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not:
[10] And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:
[11] And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.

See All...).

So Joseph's brothers set out for home. When they came to their father, they told him some shocking news: "Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt" (verse 26). Jacob was overwhelmed that his favorite son was not only still alive, but governor of Egypt!

Jacob and his family loaded up their belongings and headed to Egypt. On the way, Jacob offered sacrifices to God.

Appearing in a vision, God told Jacob not to fear to go into Egypt, that He would make of him a great nation there (Genesis 46:2-4 [2] And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.
[3] And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:
[4] I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.

See All...). In Egypt Pharaoh welcomed the members of Jacob's family. He also offered them the choicest property in the land of Goshen (Genesis 47:1-6 [1] Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen.
[2] And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh.
[3] And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers.
[4] They said moreover unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.
[5] And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee:
[6] The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.

See All...), the part of Egypt in which they settled.

God used Joseph to reconcile Jacob's family and their descendants, allowing His purpose and plan for the children of Abraham to be carried out. This plan had begun with Abraham and was passed on through his son Isaac and then in turn to the grandson Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel.

God's promise was that Israel would become a great nation bearing his name. The sons of Israel became a prolific people within a powerful gentile nation. From the 70 who came to Egypt with Jacob, "the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them" (Exodus 1:1-7 [1] Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.
[2] Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
[3] Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
[4] Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
[5] And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.
[6] And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
[7] And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

See All...).

But Joseph's life had much in common with someone much greater.

Joseph and Jesus

Joseph's experiences were much like those of his coming Savior, Jesus Christ. Like Jesus (John 8:42-47 [42] Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
[43] Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
[44] Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
[45] And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
[46] Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
[47] He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

See All...), Joseph was persecuted for telling the truth. Like Jesus (Luke 22:2And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.
See All...), Joseph was marked for death, as Joseph's own brothers plotted to kill him. Like Jesus (Ezekiel 37:15-28 [15] The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
[16] Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:
[17] And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.
[18] And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?
[19] Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.
[20] And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.
[21] And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:
[22] And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:
[23] Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.
[24] And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.
[25] And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.
[26] Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
[27] My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
[28] And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

See All...), Joseph was a reconciler and restorer. And, like Jesus (Isaiah 11:1-5 [1] And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
[2] And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
[3] And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
[4] But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
[5] And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

See All...; Amos 9:11-15 [11] In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:
[12] That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.
[13] Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.
[14] And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
[15] And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.

See All...), Joseph was a skilled and wise administrator.

Like Joseph, but in a much greater way (Genesis 45:5Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
See All...), Jesus was similarly sent ahead to save mankind: "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly ... While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:6For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
See All..., 8).

Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of Joseph's role as reconciler, restorer and the one sent ahead "to preserve life," to "preserve a posterity for you in the earth" and "to save your lives by a great deliverance" (compare Genesis 45:5Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
See All..., 7 with Romans 9:27-29 [27] Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
[28] For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
[29] And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.

See All...; 8:20-21; John 3:16-17 [16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
[17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

See All...). GN