Shadows to Substance: Joseph - DJ Dickerson

This morning we continue in our our

study our series entitled Shadows to

Substance.

And as we have noted throughout this

series uh and will again this morning

there one of the most remarkable

features of the Bible is its unity. One

story, one God breathed author, one plan

of redemption from Genesis to

Revelation. every page pointing toward

Jesus Christ.

The Old Testament, as we have noted, God

revealing his plan, not only through

prophecy, but but both as we find types

and shadows, real people, real events

that foreshadowed the coming of Christ.

The Old Testament giving us those

shadows, hinting and outlining of what

was to come. And the New Testament gives

us the substance, the fulfillment of

those shadows in Christ. And we notice

this numerous times throughout this

series at the very beginning. Colossians

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2 and verse 17. It talks about a

shadow of things to come. But the

substance is of Christ. He was speaking

back to the old law in the Old Testament

as he's also pointing back again forward

to that of what what actually found in

Christ. So we went through a lot of

people so far. Uh and then we also last

Sunday we looked at uh well looking at

the tabernacle and there was a lot of

information on that one I know and so

I'm going to jump back to people again

and the person that we're going to be

looking at I I say one of the most vivid

in in our study this morning especially

is that of Joseph the son of Jacob. Now,

his story

is recorded in Genesis 37 through

chapter 50. That covers a lot of the

Bible right there, doesn't it? Uh

several chapters in Genesis that reads,

I would say, like a masterpiece of of

divine providence. Uh it's filled with

so much like betrayal,

suffering, forgiveness, and ultimate

victory.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Joseph was a shadow.

Jesus is the substance. So, Joseph, as

we look at him as being a type and

shadow of Christ, he was a servant who

suffered and was later exalted to save

his people. Jesus is the savior who

suffered, was exalted to glory, and

saves all who come to him.

This morning, we're going to trace the

parallels between Joseph and Jesus, the

shadow and the substance, and see how

God's hand was at work in both lives to

save many souls

alive.

We're going to go from Genesis

back and forth the New Testament. Now,

as we do this, I want to make a note

here

that as you probably got a chart

already, if you notice they were in the

back,

you're probably thinking he's about to

cover there's about 30 I should have

labeled how many there were. I think 38

somewhere around there. 38 39 possibly

of parallels between Joseph and Jesus.

I'm going to go ahead and tell you we're

not doing all of these in this lesson. I

always give you a handout with extras

that you go home and you look at them.

I'm only giving you a little bit of all

the parallels. So, make sure to grab a

chart. If you didn't get one and they're

already out back there, uh, let me know

if you want them in PDF form. I will get

those for you as well. There's a lot in

the life of Joseph. I submit to you. So,

Genesis chapter 37. Let's start there.

Genesis 37 · chapter mention

Genesis 37 in our Old Testament, we're

going to find Joseph being uh

where we we take this parallel starting

out in Genesis 37 with this of Joseph

and Jesus is the fact that they were

both beloved sons that were rejected by

their own brothers. Now, Genesis chapter

Genesis 37 · chapter mention

37 3 and 4 shows us that now Israel

loved Joseph more than all his children

because he was the son of his old age.

Also he made him a tunic of many colors.

We talk about the coat of many colors,

right? But when his brothers saw that

their father loved him more than all his

brothers, they hated him and could not

speak peacefully to him. You know, one

thing we definitely know about Joseph is

that he was uh the father's beloved son,

but yet as we note, he was certainly

despised by his own brothers. And

thinking about Joseph's rejection, when

you go through the passage, Joseph's

father, of course, Jacob, he clothed him

with that coat of many colors. And it

that was really a visible sign of of

love and and favor. But that very symbol

of affection obviously that had some

jealousy that was stirred. There was

hatred among his brothers. Uh we might

remember as we go through chapter 37

that that he shared some dreams, didn't

he? dreams that foretold of his future

exaltation.

And they responded, didn't they, in

verse eight, shall you indeed reign over

us, or shall you indeed have dominion

over us? So they hated him even more for

his dreams and for his words. So their

jealousy boiled over until they

ultimately conspired to kill him

initially. Right.

Well, it's interesting when you, you

know, look at this, you think, well,

what about Jesus? I remember Jesus in

Matthew chapter 3 that Jesus was

Matthew 3 · chapter mention

rejected.

Even right on the onset in Matthew 3:16

Matthew 3:16

and 17, remember when he had been

baptized, Jesus came up immediately from

the water and behold, the heavens were

open to him. He saw the spirit of God

descending like a dove and a lighting

upon him. And suddenly a voice came from

heaven saying, "This is my beloved son

in whom I am well pleased."

Well,

Joseph was definitely beloved by his

father. Jesus obviously was a beloved

son of the father.

But remember as even spoken of in the

book of John in John chapter 1 in verses

John 1 · chapter mention

10 and 11 his own people the Jews those

who should have been ready to accept him

because remember we talked a lot about

prophecy in a series not too long ago

that pointed to this Messiah that would

come.

But John 1 says he was in the world and

the world was made through him and the

world did not know him. He came to his

own and his own did not receive him.

Remember his own brothers, right?

So like Joseph's brothers, remember the

religious leaders,

they envied him, didn't they? Remember

in Mark 15, we have this account that's

recorded Pilate as Pilate is there

answered them saying, "Do you want me to

release you the king of the Jews?"

For he knew that the chief priests had

handed him over because of what?

Envy.

Envy. Jealousy.

They despised his message and they

plotted his death.

I I think there's a lot that we we take

from these lessons. And I like I said, I

I've done a series on on the life of

Joseph in the past. Love to bring those

up from time to time. The kids like me

to bring that that series back up.

But one thing we also learn it's from

both Joseph and Jesus is is love many

times it often breeds jealousy doesn't

it uh among those who do not share it

and I I thought about the father's love

that shone through the son how much

hatred grew and and when we live

faithfully for God some will not

understand they will not accept us but

God can use even rejection to fulfill

his purpose and you're going to see how

this all comes back near the end of the

lesson but what Something else we find

about Joseph and Jesus. Not only were

their beloved sons

that were rejected by their own,

but also we find that Joseph and Jesus

were innocent,

betrayed, and both were sold.

Genesis chapter 37 records for us in the

Genesis 37 · chapter mention

life of Joseph where here they have

gathered together and Judah said to his

brothers, "What profit is there if we

kill our brother and conceal his blood?

Come and let us sell him the Ishraelites

and let not our hand be upon him for he

is our brother and our flesh and his

brothers listen." And Midionite traders

passed by. So the brothers pulled Joseph

up and lifted him out of the pit and

sold him to Ishelites for 20 shekels of

silver and they took Joseph to Egypt.

[clears throat]

Now here you have Joseph being betrayed

obviously being sold by his brothers for

silver

sold into slavery and taken to Egypt.

Now I will submit to you that when you

look at the shadow here, Joseph betrayal

was not just uh cruelty.

Uh it was part of God's unfolding plan.

And I'm going to kind of skip ahead a

little bit because I think this fits in

here. When you think about God's

unfolding plan and you're talking about

chapter 37 all the way to chapter 50,

that's a lot, isn't it? A lot of ground

there.

But all the things that Joseph went

through in his life, those waiting

rooms, I've called them before in the

past in those series. Look what it all

came back to when Joseph was talking to

his own brothers who rejected it.

But as for you, you meant evil against

me. Genesis 50:20. But God meant it for

Genesis 50:20

good in order to bring it about as it is

this day to save many people alive.

You see what men meant for evil, God

meant for good. Through betrayal and

bondage, Joseph was positioned for

future deliverance. What does that point

forward to? Y'all see that with Jesus?

The substance

was Jesus betrayed for silver. Sure was,

wasn't he?

Not by brothers in the flesh, but by a

close companion himself, Judas.

Remember in Matthew 26 14-16,

this plotting that was going on in the

background obviously. Then one of the 12

called Judas a scariot went to the chief

priests and said what are you willing to

give me if I deliver him to you and they

counted out to him 30 pieces of silver.

So from that time he sought opportunity

to betray him. Now interesting is both

Joseph and Jesus Judas Joseph and Jesus

were betrayed both were innocent right?

Both were sold. What were they sold for?

The price of a slave.

And both were delivered in the hands of

Gentiles.

The shadow

Joseph betrayed by brethren and sold

into Egypt and the substance Jesus

betrayed by Judas and delivered to the

Romans to be crucified.

And as you go through the life of Joseph

and and again when he was cast into that

pit, what did that mean? What did that

symbolize?

Rejection and death.

Think about the grave. We could even

look at that. The grave that held Jesus.

That ultimately again that could not

keep him either could it?

Because this thread between Joseph and

Jesus teaches us that even when others

betray,

God's providence

can turn tragedy into triumph.

What else do we see? Joseph and Jesus,

they are both faithful servants, tempted

yet victorious.

We might remember in Genesis chapter 39,

Genesis 39 · chapter mention

you might remember verses 7 and 12, it

captures an instance there with with

that of Joseph and Piper's wife.

Remember, and it says in verse 7 of

Genesis 39, "And it came to pass after

these things that his master's wife cast

longing eyes on Joseph, and she said,

"Lie with me." But he refused and said

to his master's wife, "Look, my master

does not know what is with me in the

house, and he has committed all that he

has to my hand. There is no one greater

in this house than I, nor has he kept

back anything from me, but you, because

you are his wife." How then can I do

this great wickedness and sin against

God?" So it was, as she spoke to Joseph

day by day, that he did not heed her, to

lie with her, or to be with her. But it

happened about this time when Joseph

went into the house to do his work. And

none of the men of the house were inside

that she caught him by his garment,

saying, "Lie with me." But he left his

garment in her hand, and he fled and ran

outside.

We know as we study Joseph that Joseph

was faithful in Piper's house, and he

even brought that up. He he absolutely

refused to sin even under great

temptation.

Joseph was tempted, but did not yield.

And and I always think about that verse

9 of Genesis 39 what he said. It wasn't

about well potterer might find out and

all this other but he really brings it

home when he says this. How then can I

do this great wickedness and sin against

God?

That was his number one concern wasn't

it?

though falsely accused.

It's interesting. Joseph maintained his

integrity and was cast into prison.

When you think about the substance of

Jesus that comes along in Matthew 4:es

1-1,

we might also remember Jesus was

tempted. Now, Jesus being tempted not by

a woman but by Satan himself. Verses

1-1. Read with me.

Then Jesus was led up by the spirit into

the wilderness to be tempted by the

devil. And when he had fasted 40 days

and 40 nights afterward, he was hungry.

Now when the tempter came to him, he

said, "If you are the son of God,

command that these stones become bread."

But he answered and said, "It is

written, man shall not live by bread

alone, but by every word that proceeds

from the mouth of God." Then the devil

took him up into the holy city, set him

on the pinnacle of the temple, and said

to him, "If you are the son of God,

throw yourself down. For it is written,

he shall give his angels charge over

you, and in their hands they shall bear

you up, lest you dash your foot against

a stone." Jesus said to him, "It is

written, you shall not tempt the Lord

your God." Again, the devil took him up

on an exceedingly high mountain and

showed him all the kingdoms of the world

and their glory. And he said to him,

"All these things I will give you if you

will fall down and worship me." Then

Jesus said to him, "Away with you,

Satan, for it is written, you shall

worship the Lord your God, and him only

you shall serve." Then the devil left

him, and behold, angels came and

ministered to him. So Jesus too refused

to sin, answering every temptation with

what was his ultimate concern?

God,

the word of God.

So, both were righteous men that were

accused falsely. Both suffered though

innocent. Both endured humiliation

before exaltation.

You think about the character that's

being signified here.

I think that's added here is that

character is is proven not when you are

watched.

That's the very definition I think of

integrity. Someone says, "Well, what's

integrity is one has said is doing the

right thing even when no one's

watching." Right?

When no one sees but God. And Joseph's

unseen victory in Piper's house prepared

him for greater service.

And we can definitely make that

application as well

in our lives.

Faithfulness in secret prepares us for

usefulness in the open.

Even as Matthew 5:8 talks about the pure

Matthew 5:8

in heart. Blessed are the pure in heart

for they shall see God.

What else do we see in the life of

Joseph and Jesus? Well, both were

suffering servants that were exalted by

God in Genesis chapter 41.

Genesis 41 · chapter mention

Genesis chapter 41.

Genesis 41 · chapter mention

A couple verses that I I want to bring

out in this in this chapter.

In Genesis 41, look at verse 14.

Remember, Pharaoh had some dreams. In

verse 14, Pharaoh sent and called Joseph

and brought him quickly out of the

dungeon, and he shaved, changed his

clothing, and came to Pharaoh. Read on

down to verse 39-41. Now then Pharaoh

said to Joseph, "In as much as God has

shown you all this, there is no one as

discerning and wise as you, and you

shall be over my house, and all my

people shall be ruled according to your

word. Only in regard to the throne will

I be greater than you." And Pharaoh said

to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all

the land of of Egypt." Now we know that

the visions that the dreams the dreams

that Pharaoh had that Joseph was able to

uh interpret them. And of course, Joseph

gave credit where credit was due, right?

God.

And just think about this that after

years of injustice, Joseph was lifted

from the dungeon to the throne. He was

second only to Pharaoh.

That's the shadow. Joseph's rise from

the pit to the palace prefigured even

Christ's resurrection and exaltation.

From bondage to blessing, from suffering

to sovereignty, God lifted his servant

to save his people. Y'all see that in

this? It's amazing, isn't it?

The scripture reading this morning, you

notice specifically verses 9- 11 that

brother Aiden Mosley read for us in

Philippians chapter 2. Therefore, God

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

also has highly exalted him. He's

talking about Jesus. He exalted him and

given him the name which is above every

name that at the name of Jesus every

knee should bow of those in heaven and

of those on earth and those of those

under the earth and that every tongue

should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord

to the glory of God the Father.

There's your substance. Jesus was taken

from the prison of death and exalted to

the throne of glory.

Joseph was set over the land of Egypt.

Jo Jesus was set over all

here. Think about how Joseph received a

gentile bride. Even Jesus receives the

church, his bride from among all

nations.

When Joseph left the dungeon, he

exchanged prison clothes for royal

robes.

When Jesus left the tomb, he exchanged

death shroud for eternal majesty to sit

at the right hand of the throne of God.

There's a lot of lessons in each one of

these

that even though there is suffering, the

suffering is never wasted. You ever

notice that suffering is never wasted?

God exalts the humble in his own time. I

think we see that from this too. 1 Peter

5 and verse 6. Therefore, humble

yourselves under the mighty hand of God

that he may exalt you in due time. And

you see that in both Joseph and Jesus's

life.

Well, Joseph and Jesus,

they're also known as both saviors of

their people.

In Genesis chapter 45, we have recorded

Genesis 45 · chapter mention

when Joseph was revealed to his

brothers, he revealed himself to his

brothers.

Finally,

in Genesis 45 7 and 8, look what he

said.

And God sent me before you to preserve a

posterity for you in the earth and to

save your lives by a great deliverance.

So now it was not you who sent me here

but God.

And he has made me a father to Pharaoh

and lord o of all his house and a ruler

throughout all the land of Egypt.

Remember that in that vision of the

dream that Pharaoh had those

that time of famine that would strike

the land.

And when famine struck the land, who

came

to Joseph?

It was the same brothers who betrayed

him.

Those same brothers came to Egypt. You

know what they were seeking? They were

seeking food. They were seeking

substance.

And what did they do? Y'all remember

they bowed before the very one that they

had sold.

Interesting in Joseph.

Joseph could have taken revenge. Now,

how many of us

sitting second to that of Pharaoh see

our brothers show up? Well, well, well.

Fancy seeing you here, right?

Vengeance. It's so easy, isn't it? That

that revenge.

Joseph could have done it. He could have

taken revenge,

but he offered forgiveness.

That's a powerful powerful application

in this.

He told them in Genesis 50 and:e 19, he

told his brothers, "Do not be afraid for

for am I in the place of God."

He said, "It's not for me."

He recognized God's providence as we saw

in Genesis 15:20. But as for you, you

Genesis 15:20

meant evil against me, but God meant it

for good in order to bring it about as

it is this day to save many people

alive. And those people were his own

brothers who sold him into slaveries.

He became the savior of nations because

he was providing bread to a starving

world. Oh, that sounds familiar, doesn't

it?

We think about the substance that Jesus

is.

Jesus was also rejected and betrayed as

we noted before. Yet what did he say of

those who who were crucifying him? The

ones that shout to crucify him. Crucify

him. Luke 23 and verse 34 Jesus said,

"Father, forgive them for they do not

know what they do."

And they divided his garments and cast

lots.

Joseph was able to give substance. He

was able to feed the world the very

grain. Remember all that was collected

able to feed

[clears throat]

those that were starving with bread with

sustenance.

Isn't it interesting that when you fast

forward in John chapter 6:33-35?

For the bread of God is he who comes

down from heaven and gives life to the

world.

Then they said to him, "Lord, give us

this bread always." And Jesus said to

them, "I am the bread of life. He who

comes to me shall never hunger, and he

who believes in me shall never thirst."

Through his suffering, Jesus became the

savior of the world, offering eternal

life to all those who come. He is the

substance.

And you look at Joseph, he opened the

storehouses of Egypt.

Jesus opened the storehouses of grace.

I think there's a lot of lessons in in

this, but I'll give you another one real

quick. Is true greatness is not found in

revenge. True greatness is found in

forgiveness.

Joseph and Jesus teaches that, don't

they?

Because we reflect Christ when we show

mercy to those who wrong us as well. Oo,

there's so many lessons.

It's a chart that's that's that's in the

handouts, but I'll submit to you all of

these that are that are here before you

that's in this lesson are are just a

little bit of what I'm sharing with you

this morning for time sake.

You go through and you look at that

handout front and back at all of the

difference. I mean, there's there's all

the parallels

that are given.

It's absolutely astonishing.

It's even mentioned Joseph's coat dipped

in blood. Jesus garment dipped in blood.

Prophetic. Look how deep that is right

there. It's it's just amazing.

So what you see the blood son of of the

father hated by his brothers own people

rejected betrayed for the price of a

slave silver stripped of his coat

stripped of his garments. Jesus was too

was falsely accused

cast into prison. Jesus condemned to

death.

Joseph was exalted to the right hand of

Pharaoh. Jesus himself was exalted the

right hand of the throne of God.

They gave bread. Joseph gave bread to

the hungry and Jesus gives himself the

bread of life.

So what I think we've seen in a lot of

this already is how I want to end this

is God's providence in the shadow and

the substance.

The account of Joseph and Jesus teaches

actually one central truth. If you'll to

take it all together and all of all of

these that we've considered and and even

more from the chart that I that I give

you,

God's providence turns pain into purpose

and suffering into salvation.

You see that in both of their lives

because Joseph's brothers try to destroy

him

their very own sins.

What they meant for evil, God used in

turn to save them.

The Jews tried to destroy Jesus.

Their very own envy and hatred

would be used to redeem the world

at every step. The message is clear.

You cannot stop the plan and purpose of

God. You can't do it. People have been

trying for as long. And guess what? We

still have his word.

And Romans 8 verse 28 rings forth even

Romans 8:28

from the life of Joseph. And we know

that all things work together for good

to those who love God, to those who are

called according to his purpose. And I

always say when I read this verse that

we we sometimes like to to to put, you

know, mark out his purpose and we put my

purpose or our purpose. That's not the

way it works.

Joseph understood this. Jesus certainly

understood this. And we should

understand the same according to his

purpose.

Because the joy that was found in the

cross,

although that sounds weird when we read

Hebrews chapter 12,

Hebrews 12 · chapter mention

it wasn't the experience of actually

having nails

piercing through his arms, his feet,

or the spear that went to his side,

or the crown of thorns

that was placed upon his head and beat

up on there

or the mockery and the ridicule,

scorging.

We don't consider that joyful doing.

That's not what that means.

What it means is Jesus saw the greater

good. He saw the greater purpose. It was

a joy that resulted from that suffering.

It was, as moments ago I said, pain into

purpose and suffering into salvation.

That's what Jesus saw. And Joseph

looking at his life and looking how it

came all the way back from being put

into a pit

and ultimately saving many people alive.

Oh, the shadow and the savior.

From the pit of

that he was cast into to the throne of

Egypt. Joseph's life points to the pit

of Goltha and the throne of heaven.

Joseph forgiveness saved a family and

many people.

Jo Jesus forgiveness saves the world,

all mankind.

Joseph even told them, remember when he

told his brothers, "Come near to me."

Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to

Matthew 11:28–30

me all you who labor and are heavy

laden, and I will give you rest. Take my

yoke upon you and learn from me, for I

am gentle and lowly in heart, and you

will find rest for your souls. For my

yoke is easy, yet my burden is light."

friends,

bringing together the themes of

forgiveness, redemption, ultimately

salvation. Look at all we covered a lot

in just the the the parallels that I was

able to share with you in the time that

we have this morning. But what that

does, all of this solidifies the

parallels between Joseph and Jesus.

To Joseph's brothers, he was good as

dead.

They originally plotted to end his life

and although they stopped short of

murder, they still handed him over to

others who held authority over him. And

in that dramatic reversal,

Joseph later became the one with power

over them.

And his choice to forgive both them and

their actions serves, I believe, as a

powerful foreshadowing of Jesus Christ

himself.

Similarly, the Jewish leaders lacked the

legal authority to execute Jesus, didn't

they?

So, they turned him over to those who

car who could carry out the sentence.

But while hanging up on the cross, Jesus

possessed the power to overturn

everything and retaliate against those

who harmed him.

But doing so would have contradicted his

character and his mission. Because what

did Jesus say? I came to seek and save

that which is lost.

Joseph's preservation of his family and

thereby the lineage through which Christ

would come, y'all remember that. That is

a key point, too.

Forhadowed God's greater plan to secure

eternal salvation for all mankind

through his son. So the efforts to

destroy Jesus only served to fulfill

prophecy and open the very way for

mankind to be redeemed from the sins

committed against the one who was truly

innocent.

The shadow has passed

and the substance remains. Jesus Christ

the righteous, the redeemer and ruler of

all.

The one who God has highly exalted

and given him the name which is above

every name that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow of those in heaven

and of those on earth and of those under

the earth and every tongue should

confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of the

glory of God the Father. I'm asking you

this morning, are you willing to confess

Jesus to be the son of the living God?

And if you answer that and say, "Yes, I

am." Then repent of your sins,

confess him, and be baptized for the

remission of those sins to rise and walk

in newness of life. Because friends, you

have to leave the shadows to enter the

substance. Jesus Christ, the righteous

and ruler and redeemer of all as we

submit our life to him because he is the

bread of life. He is the one who

sustains

us spiritually that goes beyond this

earthly life

into eternity.

If you need to put on the body of Christ

in baptism, be added to his church, you

can do that this morning. All things

stand ready to rise and walk in newness

of life, forgiven, restored, and saved

to serve the king.

But thinking about brothers,

if you've wandered far from God like

Joseph's brothers, I submit to you that

there's still forgiveness at his feet.

Because the same savior

who turned betrayal into blessing

can turn every sin, your sin, into

salvation.

I stand amazed every time I do one of

these studies.

Amazed. I gave you just a glimpse, a

little of what the parallels between

Joseph and Jesus are.

Go and look at all those others that you

have on that chart.

And I believe that you will stand even

more amazed

for having done so.

The lesson is in your hands.

And as the very

passage

from Matthew chap 11 comes back right

around to the song of invitation, hark

the gentle voice.

Come near to me, Joseph said.

And Jesus says, "Come unto me all ye

that are that labor and are heavy laded

and I will give you rest." He will give

that to you today. Are you subbed in the

invitation call? Won't you come as we

stand as we sing the song that's been

selected?