As we have pointed out many times, the book of Genesis contains the seeds of nearly all the truths in the Scriptures. If we would get into the depths of the record of Joseph's life, we must find the seeds sown there and see that this record contains an account of a reigning life. Before we consider the seeds and the reigning life found in chapters forty-five through forty-seven, we need to consider two further points regarding Joseph as a type of Christ.
When all the tests were over and the time was ripe, Joseph revealed himself and his exaltation and glory to his brothers (45:8, 13). This typifies that one day Christ will reveal Himself to the remnant of Israel. Christ, the exalted One in the heavens, has His own temperament. He knows what He has to do to test Israel, and He knows how long the test should last. At the right time, the trial of Israel will end. After all the saints have been raptured and after the judgment at the judgment seat of Christ has been carried out, Christ, with the overcoming saints, will be revealed from the heavens, and the remnant of Israel will see Him. At that time they will realize who Jesus of Nazareth is and say, "Jesus of Nazareth is our Messiah. He has been exalted and enthroned as Lord of all."
When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, they no doubt were shocked to see him and to remember what they had done to him. However, Joseph's revealing himself to them was wholly a matter of grace. Likewise, as a matter of grace, Christ will reveal Himself to the remnant of Israel. At exactly the right time, Christ will reveal that He has been exalted and that no one in the universe is higher than He. When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, he said that God had made him a father to Pharaoh, the lord of all his house, and the ruler throughout all the land of Egypt (45:8). Even Pharaoh was under Joseph's instruction. When Christ will reveal Himself in His glory to the remnant of Israel, the Jews will realize that He is far greater than they expected their Messiah to be.