Joseph

Outline of Joseph’s Life

Jacob’s father, Israel, loved Joseph more than his other sons. This was initially bad for Joseph, but God ultimately worked things for good according to God's perfect plan. Joseph’s brothers hated him due to their father’s favoritism toward Joseph. Gen. 37:3-4.

“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic. His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms.” (Genesis 37:3-4, NASB)

Joseph’s brothers plotted to kill him. Reuben intervened to prevent the murder. Gen. 37:18; Gen. 37:22.

“When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death.” (Genesis 37:18, NASB)

“Reuben further said to them, "Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on him"—that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father.” (Genesis 37:22, NASB)

Joseph’s brothers saw a caravan on its way to Egypt. Judah suggesting selling Joseph to the Ishmaelites and Midianites in the caravan. Gen. 37:25-28.

“Then they sat down to eat a meal. And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing aromatic gum and balm and myrrh, on their way to bring them down to Egypt. Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood? "Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers listened to him. Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt.” (Genesis 37:25-28, NASB)

Joseph arrived in Egypt as a slave. Joseph was sold into the house of Potiphar. It was bad that it was slavery, but good that it was Potiphar. Gen. 39:1; Gen. 37:36.

“Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought him from the Ishmaelites, who had taken him down there.” (Genesis 39:1, NASB)

“Meanwhile, the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh's officer, the captain of the bodyguard.” (Genesis 37:36, NASB)

Potiphar’s wife lied, which caused Joseph’s imprisonment. Later, Joseph was placed in charge of the prisoners in the prison. Gen. 39:17-18; Gen. 39:22.

“Then she spoke to him with these words, "The Hebrew slave, whom you brought to us, came in to me to make sport of me; and as I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment beside me and fled outside."” (Genesis 39:17-18, NASB)

“The chief jailer committed to Joseph's charge all the prisoners who were in the jail; so that whatever was done there, he was responsible for it.” (Genesis 39:22, NASB)

Joseph had trusted in man to get him out of prison instead of trusting in God. Magicians and wise men were not able to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. Pharaoh had heard that Joseph could interpret dreams, so called for him from prison. This was part of God's plan for Joseph, but he didn’t realize it at the time. God worked this situation together for good to the benefit of Joseph and for God's plan. Gen. 40:14; Gen. 41:8; Gen. 41:15-16; Gen. 41:39-40.

“"Only keep me in mind when it goes well with you, and please do me a kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh and get me out of this house.” (Genesis 40:14, NASB)

“Now in the morning his spirit was troubled, so he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.” (Genesis 41:8, NASB)

“Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it; and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it." Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."” (Genesis 41:15-16, NASB)

“So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you are. "You shall be over my house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you."” (Genesis 41:39-40, NASB)

God’s grace turns cursing into blessing. God, in His omniscience, works all things (bad and good) together for the good of those who belong to Him.

The Bones of Joseph

When Joseph died, he was embalmed and his coffin remained in Egypt. He was not buried while they were in Egypt. Gen. 50:22-26.

“Now Joseph stayed in Egypt, he and his father’s household, and Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim’s sons; also the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph’s knees. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you and bring you up from this land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.” Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones up from here.” So Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten years; and he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.”  (Genesis 50:22-26, NASB)

Joseph was the number two man in the Empire – the Prime Minister. For 400 years, the Jews would go to Joseph’s sarcophagus and learn prophecy and doctrine. Gen. 15:13-16.

“God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. “But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions. “As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. “Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.”“  (Genesis 15:13-16, NASB)

In slavery, they had children and they had family life. In Bible doctrine, they had inward peace. The bones of Joseph functioned as the Bible long before the Bible was written – the Gospel was clearly declared. The Exodus generation that left Egypt was saved in that they partook of the Passover. They were a mixed multitude: Jew, Gentile, Ethiopian, etc. A regenerated generation walked out of Egypt - 2 million people, perhaps 900,000 were adults. Moses took the bones of Joseph with him. In Exodus 13:19, “solemnly swear” means he extracted a promise from the children of Israel.

“Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones from here with you.”“  (Exodus 13:19, NASB)

Joshua buried the bones of Joseph in Shechem which is the word for shoulder power. God’s Word is always powerful. Joshua 24:32.

“Now they buried the bones of Joseph, which the sons of Israel brought up from Egypt, at Shechem, in the piece of ground which Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for one hundred pieces of money; and they became the inheritance of Joseph’s sons.”  (Joshua 24:32, NASB)

He was buried in his own land near his ancestors. In resurrection, all will rise from the place in which they were buried. The principle of resurrection is pictured in the bones of Joseph. Joseph had his eyes on the Lord and he believed in the resurrection. The bones of Joseph tell us that the Word of God is the only answer. The concept of the bones of Joseph is a memorial to the fact that God keeps His word. Heb. 11:22.

“By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.”  (Hebrews 11:22, NASB)