In this message we come to Genesis 41, which unfolds more of the details of Joseph's life. As we have pointed out, Joseph represents the reigning aspect of a mature life. As the representative of such a life, he is an excellent type of Christ. It is rare to find in the Old Testament such a complete and full type of Christ. Therefore, on the one hand, Joseph represents the reigning aspect of the mature life and, on the other hand, typifies Christ in a full way. Throughout the record of Joseph's life there are two lines: the line of the type of Christ and the line of the secret of the reigning life. In this message we shall consider further the line of Joseph as a type of Christ, and in the next we shall consider the line of the secret of the reigning life. In previous messages we have covered eight aspects of Joseph as a type of Christ. In this message we shall cover seven more aspects.
Joseph typified Christ as the One resurrected from the prison of death (41:14; Acts 2:24). Christ was not arrested and cast into prison. Rather, He walked willingly into prison, that is, He went into the prison of death voluntarily. Although He entered into death willingly, the gates of Hades, which is the power of death, the authority of darkness, immediately rose up and sought to keep Him there forever. But as Acts 2:24 says, it was impossible for Him to be held by death. Christ stayed in the prison of death for three days. During those days, the power of death did its best to imprison Him. But Christ could not be held by death because He is resurrection (John 11:25). Which is more powerful—death or resurrection? Resurrection is definitely more powerful than death. Thus, death could not hold Christ, who was not only life, but also resurrection. Therefore, Christ walked out of death. To Him, this walking out of death was His resurrection. As Joseph was released from the dungeon, so Christ was also released from the prison of death.
All Christians should be familiar with three things: the incarnation of Christ, the crucifixion of Christ, and the resurrection of Christ. I believe that we in the churches know these three matters.