Journey Through Genesis- Joseph (Gen. 37-50) by:Francis Jackson

                Israel loved Joseph more than any of his sons and gave him a tunic to wear which stirred up jealousy within his brothers (37:3-4).  A tunic was a special robe which labeled who the future leader of the household would be.  Culturally, this was an honor given normally to the firstborn son.  However, throughout Genesis we see God going against cultural rules all the time; communicating His sovereignty over mankind contrary to tradition.  In both of Joseph’s dreams, it was clear that he dreamed of all his family bowing before him.  This stirred more friction with his brothers.  Joseph is seen in this book as a “type” or, in other words, “a foreshadowing of Christ” in the flesh.  The parallels between their lives make this so. They both were shepherds of their father’s sheep (Gen. 37:2; John 10:11, 27-29). Joseph’s father loved him dearly (37:3; Matt. 3:17). He was hated by his brothers (37:4; John 7:4-5), was sent by his father to his brothers (37:13-14; Heb. 2:11), others plotted to harm him (37:20; John 11:53), they both had robes taken from them (37:23; John 19:23-24), and they were both taken to Egypt (37:26; Matt. 2:14-15).  He was sold for the price of a slave (37:28; Matt. 26:15), tempted (39:7; Matt. 4:1), falsely accused (39:16-18; Matt. 26:59-60), bound in chains (39:20; Matt. 27:2), and placed with two other prisoners in which one was saved and the other was lost (40:2-3; Luke 23:32).  He exalted after suffering (41:41; Philippians 2:9-11), both were 30 years old at the beginning of public recognition (41: 46; Luke 3:23), both wept (42:24; 45:2; 14, 15; John 11:35), forgave those who wronged them (45:1-15; Luke 23:34), saved their nation (45:7; Matt. 1:21), and what man did to hurt them, God turned to good (50:20; 1 Cor. 2:7-8).  However, Joseph, though his life has major significance in this book, is not listed as a patriarch.  The patriarchs are Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  There is no mention to Joseph amongst these names when God speaks to Israel of their fathers. Nonetheless, Joseph was a prominent man in the history of Israel whom God used as an instrument to deliver His people.

Insights of Joseph/Christ parallel from chart in The Macarthur Student Bible, p.66 (2000)

Journey Through Genesis- Jacob (Gen. 25:19-ch.35) by:Francis Jackson

             

      Jacob was the twin brother of Esau (Gen. 25:24) from Isaac and Rebekah.  His life was very much a roller coaster.  Arguably the most memorable thing about Jacob was his deceitful scheme against his brother.  Jacob’s name means “who schemes to take the place of another” (27:36) (Student Bible Dictionary-Dockery, 2000).  In the bible, names have major significance and are flags for attention.  For instance, this flag will appear again when Jacob’s name is changed to Israel (32:28) meaning “God’s fighter” or “strives with God” (Macarthur Study Bible-ESV, 2010).  Anyway, Isaac was getting very old and he asked his son Esau, who was a skilled hunter, if he could go out and catch some game for him to eat.  After doing so, he would bless him (27:1-4).  While Esau (also Edom-see book of Obadiah) was out hunting, Jacob made himself appear to be him with the help of his mother (27:5-27).  In result, Isaac ended up blessing Jacob instead of Esau (27:27-29) which made Esau furious and hated Jacob (27:41).  The fact that he received the birthright through deception is not justifiable even though he was indeed blessed (27:33) because it was already prophetically decided who would have it (25:23).  Jacob did not have to plot against his brother in order for God’s sovereign purpose to be fulfilled.  As a result, his sin did not go unpunished.  His actions had consequences.  One, his mother had to send him away (27:42-44) and he never saw her again.  His brother Esau wanted him dead (27:41).  His uncle Laban whom his mother advised he live with deceived him by having him labor seven only to give him purposely the daughter contrary to their agreement (29:18-26). Laban’s scheme allowed him to get seven more years of labor out of Jacob before finally having his desired wife Rachel (29:27-28).  He and Esau remained in conflict with each other as well as within their descendants throughout the bible.  However, the covenant promised to Abraham was confirmed with Jacob and not Esau (28:10-15).  He was blessed with thirteen children consisting of one girl, Dinah, and twelve boys (29:31-30:24, 35:16-18).  His sons formed the 12 tribes known as the children of Israel from whom the Messiah, Jesus Christ,  would come forth (49:10; Num. 24:17).