Joseph

For lovers of great stories, the life of Joseph has it all: intrigue, drama, villains, a hero, unparalleled adversity, astounding success, all iced with an emotional happy ending. But the thought that Joseph is a type of Jesus, the Messiah, is not what strikes the average reader. See if you can find the parallels as we review his story.

Joseph was born into a truly dysfunctional family. Four mothers bore to Jacob 12 sons and some daughters. The boys were wild, unruly, and most likely a source of constant anxiety and grief to their father—except for the two sons of Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife, who had died in childbirth. The oldest of the two, Joseph, was not only physically attractive and intelligent, but obeyed his father’s instructions and loved God. Jacob unwisely favored Joseph. Gen. 37:3.

Jacob’s preference for Joseph elicited jealousy from the older brothers. His injudicious