Jacob’s Twelve Sons — Joseph
The oldest of Rachel’s two sons, he is one of the most beautiful and complete types of the Lord Jesus in the Old Testament. We read, “Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: the archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: but his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)” (Genesis 49:22-24).
He was loved by his father, hated by his brethren, sold into slavery, falsely accused, sent to prison and eventually became ruler over all Egypt, given a Gentile bride and a name that means “Saviour of the World.” “And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt” (Genesis 41:45). From this we can see the beautiful picture of Christ, and it is a good challenge to the heart and soul to go through the story and jot down the numerous details that correspond to the character, life, and work of the Lord. The story spans from Genesis 37 to Genesis 50.
