Person
Joseph → Suffering, Then Glory
Rejected by his brothers, saviour of the world
The shadow (Old Testament)
Joseph was the father's beloved son, rejected and sold by his own brothers for silver, falsely accused, thrown into a pit and later into prison, and then raised up to the right hand of Pharaoh — where he saved many lives, including the lives of the very brothers who had betrayed him (Genesis 37–50). It's suffering that gives way to glory, betrayal that ends in reconciliation.
- Genesis 37:18-28— Sold by his brothers
- Genesis 45:4-8— God sent me before you
- Genesis 50:20— You meant evil, God meant it for good
The substance (Christ)
Christ is the beloved Son, rejected by His own (John 1:11), sold for silver (Matthew 26:15), unjustly condemned, descended into death, raised to the right hand of God, and now the Savior of a multitude — including many who once rejected Him. Joseph's own words to his brothers sum up the gospel: "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20).
- John 1:11— His own did not receive Him
- Acts 2:23-24— Crucified… God raised Him up
Take it in
No injustice done to you is wasted in the hands of the God who raises sufferers to glory. Joseph's story is a promise, not just a memory.