B. Hated, Rejected, and Put to Death
by His Brothers in the Flesh
Joseph was a type of Christ as the Beloved of God the Father, yet he was hated, rejected, and put to death by his brothers in the flesh (Gen. 37:4-5, 8, 18-28). His brothers could not speak peaceably with him because of their father’s partial love for him and because he brought to their father evil reports regarding them (vv. 2-4). Furthermore, he told his brothers that in his dreams they, signified by the sheaves and the stars, bowed down to him. This caused his brothers to hate him more and to envy him (vv. 5-11). Later, when he went to see his brothers according to his father’s will, they conspired against him to slay him. They said to one another, “Here comes this master of dreams. Now then, come and let us slay him...” (vv. 19-20). Eventually, because of Judah’s proposal, he was sold to the Ishmaelites (vv. 25-27) and thus escaped death. Then he was brought down to Egypt, sold to an officer of Pharaoh’s (v. 36), and later was delivered into the prison of death (39:20). Thus, he was hated and rejected by his flesh brothers, and eventually he was delivered by the world, signified by Egypt, into the prison of death.
Likewise, Christ as the Beloved of God the Father was sent to minister to God’s children (John 6:38), yet they hated Him. According to the record of the Gospels, the Jewish leaders hated Christ, conspired against Him, and plotted to kill Him. Eventually, He was betrayed by Judas, one of His twelve disciples, and was arrested by the Jewish leaders (Matt. 26:47-56), who delivered Him to Pilate (27:1-2) of the Roman government, signifying the world, and thus He was crucified (v. 35).
C. Numbered with Two Criminals
During the period of his imprisonment, Joseph was confined with two criminals, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker of the king of Egypt, one of whom was restored and the other executed (Gen. 40:1-23). These two criminals typify the two criminals who were crucified with Christ. After Christ was betrayed, He was put into the place of death (Acts 2:23). He was crucified between two criminals and was numbered with them. One of them was saved and the other perished (Luke 23:32, 39-43).
D. Released from the Place of Death
Joseph’s coming out of the prison of death (Gen. 41:14) typifies Christ’s release from the place of death (Acts 2:24). After Christ was crucified, He stayed in Hades for three days. In those three days the power of death did its best to imprison Him. But it was impossible for Him to be held by death because He is not only life but also resurrection. Therefore, He walked out of death. To Him, this walking out of death was His resurrection. As Joseph was released from prison, so Christ was also released from death.
On the same day Joseph was released from prison, he was given authority to become the actual ruler over the whole land of Egypt (Gen. 41:40-44). In like manner, after His resurrection Christ was given authority (Matt. 28:18). Acts 2:36 says that the crucified and resurrected Christ has been made both Lord and Christ. Hence, Joseph’s being made the ruler of a nation typifies Christ’s being exalted by God and made the Ruler over all things (Matt. 28:18; Acts 2:36; Rev. 3:21).