Joseph a Picture of Jesus: Resurrection

Genesis 45:25-28; Matthew 28:5-7

In the story of the Prodigal Son, when the son finally returns home, the father proclaims, "For this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." And they began to be merry" (Luke 15:24). To the father, the son was dead. This was not because the father ever stopped loving the son. It was because the son became alienated from the father. There was such a degree of separation that when the son did return, it felt to the father like he had returned from the dead. He had been resurrected.

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Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father.  And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them. But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived. Then Israel said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

Genesis 45:25-28

But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

Matthew 28:5-7

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Just as in the story of the Prodigal Son, Jacob was so alienated from Joseph that he was dead to him. As a matter of fact, Joseph's brothers had led Jacob to believe that Joseph was indeed dead, even though they had sold him into slavery. Jacob had grieved the death of Joseph, so when the brothers showed back up stating that Joseph was alive, Jacob did not know how to respond. At first, he was in shock. Then, as he heard the message that Joseph had sent, and he saw the carts that Joseph had sent to help move the family to Egypt, he realized that his sons were telling the truth. Jacob rejoiced because relationally, his son was resurrected from the dead. I cannot imagine what that must have felt like. Joseph had been gone for around 12 years, and now Jacob hears that he is alive. That had to feel too good to be true. It must have come across as a cruel trick. It may have been beyond comprehension. And yet, there was evidence that it was true.

Joseph's "resurrection" makes him a type or picture of Jesus and His resurrection. The biggest difference is that Jacob had no reason to believe that he would ever get Joseph back. Jesus's disciples on the other hand were told that He was going to rise again after three days, but they did not expect Him to rise from the dead. They had every reason to be looking and were not. So, when they saw the angels and heard they message, they too were in shock.

The fact is, Joseph returned from being dead to the family. He was dead to his family because of cruelty, betrayal, and distance. Jesus returned from being dead to his family and the world. He was dead to his family and disciples because of cruelty, betrayal, and crucifixion. In both cases, it was only by the power of God that both men returned to their lives.

It was the perceived resurrection of Joseph that made the salvation of his family from the famine possible. It was the literal resurrection of Jesus that makes the salvation of the saints (His family) possible. What a great truth! Through His suffering, we can be saved from our suffering. Through His resurrection, we have the hope of resurrection. Though His life eternal, we have hope of eternal life. Death, the grave, and Hell had no power over Jesus, and if we are in Him, they have no power over us!

Father, thank You for teaching us this truth of Jesus from the beginning of Your book. You never hid Your plan of redemption from us. What a joy it is to study this plan and to see You sovereignly revealing it in the life of Your followers. Use us to reveal Your will to a lost and dying world as well!