King of Dreams & King of Kings 🌟✝️
Hi friends and Bible study buddies 💛 This study is on the parallels between Joseph (son of Jacob) and Jesus. In other words, how Joseph was a type of Christ.
Have you ever watched Dreamworks’ animated movie “Joseph: King of Dreams”? While it’s not as pretty as “Prince of Egypt”, I really appreciate the biblical accuracy of Joseph’s story. Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son, has prophetic dreams indicating his older brothers would one day bow before him. Enraged, his brothers throw him into a pit to die, even taking his multicolored coat and smearing goat’s blood (bonus symbol of Jesus🩸👀) on it to deceive Jacob into thinking a wild beast tore Joseph apart. But then, smelling opportunity, the brothers sell Joseph to slave-traders for silver. Joseph goes down to Egypt, serving Potiphar faithfully…before being falsely accused by his master’s adulterous wife that he’d tried to force himself upon her.
Imprisoned, Joseph reflects on his life. In the film, the song “Better Than I” starts to play, and David Campbell’s lovely voice sings about how, sometimes, we don’t know why God does the things He does. We don’t know why we’re hated and betrayed by our brothers, even though we try our best to do the right thing. We may never know why He doesn’t free us when we’re in bondage, nor why He seemingly leaves us to rot in a prison cell. But, friends…we have to trust that HE HAS A PLAN! ❤️🩹 And if we honor Him, He will honor us in due time…just as He exalted Joseph, and even more so how He exalted Jesus!
May you be blessed by this study! Until next time 👋
Love, Cathy
#biblestudy #devotional #bible #christianlemon8 #jesusisking
In this exploration of the connections between Joseph and Jesus, we see that Joseph was favored by his father, similar to how Jesus is beloved by God the Father. Both figures faced betrayal—Joseph by his brothers, Jesus by Judas—and both ultimately rose to positions of prominence after suffering injustice. Joseph’s dreams, depicting his future authority, act as a precursor to Jesus’ divine mission, marked by His own prophetic announcements and purpose. Genesis 37 depicts Joseph's dreams leading to resentment from his brothers, mirroring how Jesus faced hostility despite His righteousness, as reflected in John 15:25. The similarities extend to their respective betrayals: sold into slavery for twenty pieces of silver (Genesis 37:28), Joseph's fate parallels the thirty pieces of silver that Judas received for betraying Jesus (Matthew 26:15). This acts as a potent reminder of how both narratives are woven with betrayal and suffering yet lead to ultimate redemption and forgiveness. The choice of purity in the face of temptation is starkly illustrated in the lives of both Joseph and Jesus. Joseph resisted the advances of Potiphar's wife (Genesis 39:9), exemplifying his commitment to righteousness, while Jesus overcame temptations presented by Satan during His ministry (Matthew 4:10). Their innocence facing wrongful accusations lends further depth; Joseph was imprisoned for a crime he did not commit while Jesus remained silent during His trials, embodying the prophecy from Isaiah 53:7 of the suffering servant. Both were eventually exalted—Joseph became the second most powerful man in Egypt, and Jesus was ascended to be at the Father's right hand (Philippians 2:9). Their stories culminate in themes of forgiveness where Joseph, upon reuniting with his brothers, proclaimed that what they meant for evil, God meant for good (Genesis 50:19-20). Similarly, Jesus forgave those who crucified Him, emphasizing the redemptive power of grace (Luke 23:34). This study encourages us to reflect on our own lives: despite trials, betrayal, and suffering, we can trust in God's ultimate plan for our lives, just as Joseph and Jesus did. Let their remarkable stories strengthen our faith and resolve to forgive others, embodying the grace they both demonstrated.
The Old Testament has so many parallels! It’s such a good read! And I love the song better than I 🥰🥰🥰