JOSEPH #12 ： JOSEPH AND CHRIST #1

Pastor Christopher Choo

Lesson 3608

JOSEPH #12

JOSEPH AND CHRIST  #1

There are moments in Joseph's life that echo Christ's earthly ministry.

To one fellow inmate in Potiphar's prison, Joseph said:

 " Within three days Pharoah will lift you up and restore you to your position as his chief cup-bearer". 

To the chief baker, he said: " Three days from now Pharoah will lift you up and impale your body on a pole " ( Genesis 40:13, 19 ).

Jesus on the cross was flanked by two notorious criminals. One said:" So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself - and us, too - while you're at it." The other criminal protested, " Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong." Then he turned to Jesus: " Remember me when you come into your Kingdom."

Jesus replied, " I assure you, today you will be with Me in paradise " (Luke 23:40-43 ).

Today's lesson draws our attention to the similarity between Joseph and Christ.

Just as Joseph was the means of blessing to one companion but the pronouncer of judgment to the other, Jesus gives eternal life to the repentant thief while the other perished.

Joseph asked the cupbearer to remember him to Pharoah because he was innocent. The repentant thief asked Jesus to remember him because he knew he was guilty.

Christ the truly righteous One has taken on our guilt. He was counted among the rebels as Isaiah prophesied ( Isa. 53:12 ) but He came to save rebels like us so that we could be accounted righteous in God's eyes.

Joseph's example foreshadowed the prophecy about Jesus in Isa.53:12. Just as Joseph though innocent of rape was cast into prison, so too Jesus who was falsely accused and unjustly sentenced to death.

We too were counted among the rebels but Jesus took our place on the cross so that we could stand one day among the congregation of the righteous in God's eternal Kingdom.