ALL SCRIPTURES POINT TO JESUS (PART VIII)

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“Joseph and Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness”

By Akin Ojumu

Repeatedly in this commentary series, the point has been stressed that the entire Scriptures are about Christ. For the most part, stories, events, and characters in the Old Testament are simply types and shadows that point people to future events that would culminate in the Person and life of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Earlier in the commentary, we did allude to the fact that of all the Old Testament patriarchs, the man Joseph is one whose life, by far, most parallels that of Christ. When you take a bird’s eye view of Joseph’s life story, what you see is a beloved son who basked in the glory and splendor of his father, lived a cherished and sheltered life, whose life was subsequently upended when he was sold as a slave to a foreign land where false witness was brought against him that landed him in prison, but who later on experienced a change in fortune when he was restored to glory, exalted to the second highest office in the land, and made to sit at the right hand of the king.

In so many ways, this high-level summary of Joseph’s life has an uncanny parallel to that of Christ. The Lord Jesus laid down His glory, took on the form of a slave, endured hate and persecution, suffered shame, humiliation, and death, rose again from the dead, ascended to Heaven, and then restored back to glory, and made to sit at the right hand of the Father in Majesty.

These similarities are the subject of this commentary series. There are so many dots to connect, it’s virtually impossible to connect them all in one commentary series. The readers are encouraged to, on their own, dig into Joseph’s story and connect the dots we might have missed. 

Last time, we stopped at Connection 20 which is the parallel between Joseph’s death (as believed by his father) and the Lord Jesus dying on the Cross. Today, we’ll take it from there.

Connection 21
Even as an ordinary slave in Egypt, Joseph was highly favored. He was full of wisdom and successful in all he did. Everything Joseph blossomed. In similar fashion, Jesus grew up full of wisdom and stature. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
 
Genesis 39:2-6
“The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field. So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate.”

Luke 2:40-52
“And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him…And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”

Acts 10:38
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.”

Connection 22
At his weakest moment, while he was far away from home and alone as a slave in Egypt, Joseph resisted the temptation of his master Potiphar’s wife who wanted him to sleep with her. Joseph refused to fall for Satan’s deception, even when no one was looking.

Similarly, when Christ was at His weakest moment, being alone in the wilderness (i.e., symbolic of Egypt) hungry, having been fasting for forty days and forty nights, He resisted the temptations of Satan who wanted Jesus to rebel against God. Even when no one was looking, the Lord Jesus refused to fall for the lies of Satan.

Genesis 39:7-10
“And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.”

Matthew 4:1-11
“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God…”””

Stay tuned for more.

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