Saved by a Suffering Servant
How Joseph’s Story Points Ahead to Israel (and Jesus)
The Bible is one interconnected story that ultimately leads to Jesus, and Genesis 1-12 sets the stage for how that story of salvation unfolds throughout the rest of the Bible. God created a good world, but then sin came along and changed everything. Our sin separated people from God, turned them against each other, and started spreading throughout the world like an aggressive form of cancer. Despite being given ample opportunities to turn back and seek God, people doubled down on their rebellion. They were lost without even realizing it.
Despite all that, God was not giving up on his people.
Instead, he decided to launch a plan of redemption to rescue and restore the world. That plan involved choosing one man (Abraham) to form a special nation (Israel) that would live differently and ultimately bring forth a savior (Jesus) who would be a blessing to all the peoples of the Earth. The rest of the Bible describes the way that plan unfolded in each successive generation of Biblical history.
The Story of Joseph
The story of Joseph is the last major story in the book of Genesis. On its own, it is a powerful lesson about staying faithful to God in the face of unjust suffering. But it also serves an important role in the bigger picture story of salvation in the Bible. More specifically, we can view Joseph’s life as a foreshadowing of the way Israel (and eventually Jesus) will contribute to God’s plan of redemption.
Let’s think about some of the primary themes from Joseph’s life:
Rejection: Joseph was a favored son, but his own brothers rejected him and betrayed him out of jealousy.
Oppression: Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt.
False Accusations: Joseph faced trumped-up charges from people in authority and was imprisoned for crimes he never committed.
Restoration: Joseph was released from prison and given a prominent place in Pharaoh’s court.
Divine Providence: God put Joseph in the right place, at the right time, to save the world from impending disaster. Through his God-given gift of interpreting dreams, Joseph was able to know in advance about the upcoming family and make the necessary preparations to endure it.
Loving Your Enemies: Joseph chose to forgive and save the very men who were directly responsible for his bondage, suffering, and imprisonment.
Salvation: Joseph was eventually able to recognize how his story connected with God’s bigger picture plan for the world: “But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance” (Genesis 45:7, NIV).
Israel’s Story
The story of Joseph was an important roadmap for the people of Israel. God knew that other nations on Earth would grow fearful and jealous of his chosen people. Israel would be oppressed in Egypt under false pretenses, but that would not be the end of their story. Instead, one day they would be freed so they could do their part to save the world from destruction. Just like in Joseph’s story, not everyone on Earth even knew there was a problem, but God was working providentially to ensure that people would have a way to be saved. Israel’s job was a lot like Joseph’s. They were told about the problem in advance so that they could partner with God in preparing the solution.
The lesson for Israel was clear: being part of God’s plan of redemption does not guarantee them an easy life. Instead, they should expect trials, hardships, and seasons of unjust suffering. But they should also take heart in the fact that God is faithful, and God will put the right people at the right place at just the right time to accomplish his plans. God will vindicate his suffering servants, and their perseverance through the trials they face (whether unjust or self-inflicted) will one day be worth the cost. After all, what could be more rewarding than realizing that everything you had been through was a crucial part of God’s plan to save the world from disaster?
The Story of Jesus
Joseph’s story helps us understand the role Israel plays in God’s plan of redemption, but it also points ahead to Jesus. Just like Joseph, Jesus was rejected by his brothers, falsely accused of crimes, and arrested by the secular rulers of the age. But just like Joseph, Jesus was also instrumental in God’s plan of deliverance. God was bringing the right person to the right time and place in history to save the world from destruction. Except this time, it wasn’t a physical problem; it was a spiritual one.
And just like Joseph, Jesus chose to offer grace to the very people who betrayed him.
Conclusion
Joseph’s story is an important one on its own. But it’s especially meaningful when you consider how it connects to the rest of the Bible. This story helps us understand the way the world was barreling toward a catastrophic disaster it knew nothing about and then promptly turned against the very person God sent to save them from it. Instead of exacting revenge on the people who betrayed him, God’s suffering servant saved the world and extended the gift of grace to all his enemies.
Today, we are part of God’s chosen people, and God has called on us to help save people by leading them to Jesus. Our lives won’t always be easy, but the struggles we go through on account of the Gospel message will always be worth it.