We are all familiar with the Gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and 
John, but perhaps not so familiar with the "Gospel According To Joseph."

   Let me start off by way of reminder that ALL the Bible is centered around the
Son of God, Jesus Christ; --- And the Old Testament is God's "Picture Book"
if you will.
   Now we call these "pictures" in the O.T. "types"; --- And the Bible says 
(concerning the patriarchs and certain people of the O.T. in (1 Cor. 10:11); ---
"Now these things happened to them as an EXAMPLE, and they were written 
for OUR INSTRUCTION; upon whom the end of the ages have come."
   i.e. Everything we read about in the O.T. was preserved by God, so that we,
as N.T. Christians might better understand God's ways and God's eternal plan.

   Now the word "EXAMPLE" is an interesting word in the Greek; --- 
It is "Tupos" (too-pos) meaning "TYPE", model for imitation, or "pattern".

   "Now these things happened to them as TYPES; --- " A type in the Bible is a
"picture tucked away"; --- It's like a parable, it's not a complete picture, but it is 
a picture. And if you look at it long enough and hard enough certain spiritual
truths begin to emerge.

   There is no more an intriguing story in all the O.T. than the life account of 
Joseph. And while the Bible doesn't just come out and say so in so many words,
you can judge for yourselves after the lesson, based on the evidence.
    But I'm persuaded though that Jacob's son Joseph is definitely a "type" or 
"picture"of Jesus Christ. And I thought this was just too beautiful of a lesson to
pass up.
    So why don't you get your pen out and follow along with me in your Bible and 
you be the judge to see whether these things be so.

   It might be expedient for us to break down the Gospel According To Joseph into 
four sections, or four chapters. So open your Bibles if you will back in the O.T. 
book of Genesis as we began our journey into the life of Joseph. And we'll call; 

++++ Chapter One ++++

The Beloved Son

  (Gen. 37:2) "These are the records of the generations of Jacob; --- JOSEPH; --"
Alright now, Joseph is listed first of all; --- notice his PRIMACY.

   Also notice the MEANING of his name:  (Gen. 30:22-24) God opened Rachel's 
womb, she bore a son and named him Joseph, saying, "May the Lord give me
another son. (Lit., add to me) or adder.  Jesus has been sometimes referred to as 
"The Great Multiplier!

   But not only do we look at the MEANING of his name, but also his NATURE.
Continue reading in (Verse 2);--- This [is] the history of Jacob. Joseph, [being] 
seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad [was] 
with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph 
brought a BAD REPORT of them to his father.

   At this point I'd like to point out one outstanding aspect of Joseph's nature; ---
He had an absolute HATRED for EVIL. And the Bible says; --- Joseph brought 
back a BAD or EVIL report to his father (concerning his brothers).

   Now it seems on the surface at least as though Joseph was just an out and out
"tattle-tell";  But Joseph was not a "Tale-Bearer", but rather a Truth Speaker!
   And Joseph had some very EVIL brothers. And because Joseph reported on his
brothers; --- They HATED him!    Does that remind you of Jesus?

   Well may I suggest that you write this Scripture out in the margin of your Bible
(next to Verse 2) --- (Jno. 7:7) Jesus speaking; --- "The world cannot hate you, but 
it hates Me because I TESTIFY of it that its works are EVIL."
    You see, Jesus brought to His Father their evil report!  And one of the reasons 
Joseph's brothers hated him so, was because he testified to his father against them.

   But not only do I want us to notice the MEANING of Joseph's name and his 
NATURE; --- But also how that he was the BELOVED OF THE FATHER:

   Look again in (Gen. 37:3); Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children,
And again this reminds us of our Lord, Jesus; --- You may want to write in the
margin of your Bible this verse; (Mt. 3:17) where God said; --- "This is My 
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
    Jesus was God's beloved Son, in whom He was well pleased --- Just as Joseph 
was well pleasing to his father, Israel.  And anyone who refuses the SON, insults 
the FATHER!!

   Now, the next thing I would bring for your consideration; --- Joseph's ROYAL
GARMENTS:  Look once more at (Gen. 37:3) ---  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. 
   (As a side note: (2 Sam. 13:18) --- Now she had on a robe of many colors, for 
the king's virgin daughters wore such apparel. --- A garment of ROYALTY.)
   And the coat that Joseph wore set him apart as ROYALTY;  He was destined
to RULE. Just as our Lord, Jesus Christ is the ROYAL regal Son of God; ---
dressed in His robes of ROYALTY!!

   And so, as we close CHAPTER ONE of the Gospel According To Joseph, let 
us remember Joseph as the BELOVED SON, but now as we go into the next
chapter, I would like to introduce Joseph as; ---

++++ Chapter Two ++++

The Rejected Servant

   Let's see farther how Joseph fulfills the TYPE/PICTURE; --- Jump on down to 
(Gen. 37:13); ---  And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers feeding [the 
flock] in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them."

   Now notice: He was sent forth by his father to his brethren.  Lets pick it up in
(Vs. 14); --Then he said to him, "Please go and see if it is well with your brothers 
and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me." So he sent him out of the 
Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem.

   Joseph was on an errand of mercy; --- He did not come to condemn them, but
to help them!!  He was sent by his father who also loved these EVIL brethren;
Sent on their behalf on a mission of mercy and love.
   You might write in the margin (1 Jno. 4:10); --- In this is love, not that we loved 
God, but that He loved us and sent His Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.
   You see, the Father sent the Son on behalf of His brethren!!

   Please notice Joseph's WILLINGNESS; --- His father says; "Joseph I want 
you to GO! And in the last  part of (Vs. 13), Joseph's response; --- "Here I am."

   Because it was said of Jesus in (Heb. 10:7); --- 'Behold, I have come -- In the 
volume of the book it is written of Me -- To do Your will, O God.' "
   Always, the Lord Jesus was saying to the Father; --- "Father, here am I; --- 
Send Me!"

   But not only do I want us to see how he was sent out by his father; --- But also,
how he was SCORNED and REJECTED by his brethren. 
   Look back in (Gen. 37:4); --- But when his brothers saw that their father loved 
him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to 
him. (Or on friendly terms -- NAS)

   No doubt about it, they HATED Joseph, but they had no reason to hate Joseph
except for the fact that the father loved him so much. (Sin of jealousy)
   You might want to write by (Gen. 37:4), (Jno. 15:24); Jesus speaking; ---
"If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have 
no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.
   So again we see; --- Just as Joseph was hated by his brethren; --- Jesus was 
likewise hated by His brethren!!

   Alright now, while we're talking about the scorn Joseph's brethren had toward 
him; --- Look at (Gen. 37:8); --- And his brothers said to him, "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.

   They knew about the ROBE; --- They knew about the FATHER'S LOVE; ---
They knew that this one was destined to RULE!! And so we can see their defenses
going up. They were saying in effect; --- "You're NOT going to reign over us!!"
"We're not about to bow down to you!!"
   Now you might jot down this Scripture off to the side, somewhere; (Lk. 19:14)
 "But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not 
have this [man] to reign over us.'
   That's exactly what they said in reference to our Lord, Jesus; --- 
"WE ARE NOT GOING TO LET THIS MAN RULE OVER US!!"

   Just as Joseph's brothers said; --- "YOU ARE NOT GOING TO RULE OVER 
US!!"
   SELF-WILL caused men to hate Jesus; --- And Hell will be full of PROUD/
ARROGANT sinners, come judgment day.

   Brief recap: --- He was sent from the father to his brethren on an errand of 
mercy; --- He was hated/scorned and resisted by his brethren. 

   And then; --- He was a victim of CONSPIRACY!!   (Gen. 37:18); --- Now when 
they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him 
to kill him. --- 
   Now there's a PLOT/ CONSPIRACY; --- These evil brothers put their heads 
together for one purpose; --- And that was to put Joseph to death, get rid of him!!
Which brings us to (Mt. 26:3-4); --- 
   Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the 
palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by 
trickery and kill [Him.] --- A CONSPIRACY!!
   All of them together, plotting as to how they could put Jesus to death. 
Now, are you beginning to see a little more about how Joseph could be a TYPE
of Jesus?  That it's more than just some COINCIDENCE??

   Now, the next thing I would like to point out for your careful consideration; ---
Joseph endured SUFFERING and SHAME; --- Read with me, beginning at; ---
(Gen. 37:23-27);  ---  So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, 
that they stripped Joseph [of] his tunic, the tunic of [many] colors that [was] on 
him. Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit [was] empty; [there 
was] no water in it. And they sat down to eat a meal. Then they lifted their eyes 
and looked, and there was a company of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead with 
their camels, bearing spices, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry [them] down 
to Egypt. So Judah said to his brothers, "What profit [is there] if we kill our 
brother and conceal his blood?  "Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and
 let not our hand be upon him, for he [is] our brother [and] our flesh." And his 
brothers listened. 

   And right out beside that verse you might want to write (Mt. 27:26-31); ---
Then he (Pilate) released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, 
he delivered [Him] to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus 
into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. And they 
stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of 
thorns, they put [it] on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed 
the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 
Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. And when 
they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His [own] clothes on Him, 
and led Him away to be crucified.

   Notice in (Gen. 37:23); --- That Joseph was STRIPPED, just as Jesus was 
STRIPPED, and it's interesting that the word "stripped" was used; --- He was 
not undressed, but STRIPPED.
   The Bible says in John's account (Jno. 19:23), that Jesus wore a tunic that was
seamless; ---Woven in one piece. You could not unbutton it. It was a garment worn 
next to the skin, that you had to be "stripped" out of.
   And that was the same kind of garment Joseph wore and they "stripped" him
out of this beautiful garment.  Stripped: --- (Lit.) to cause to sink out of.

   But not only is he stripped, he DESCENDS INTO THE PIT!!
(Vs. 24) Then they took him and cast him into a pit.  For in like manner, Jesus
DESCENDED INTO SHEOL/ GRAVE for us.!!!

   Now, let's look at something else; --- (Vs. 26)  So Judah said to his brothers, 
"What profit [is there] if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?
   You see; Judah wasn't too hot on the idea of killing his brother, Joseph; ---
But now he's saying; --- "Where's the profit??" Let's see if we can get something
out of it; --- Why don't we just sell him!!!

   Question: Who's idea was it to sell Joseph??  It was JUDAH'S idea.
   Question: What's the Greek name for the Hebrew name Judah??  It's JUDAS,
   It's the same name!!  Look for a moment over in (Mt. 1:1-2 KJV); ---
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 
Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat JUDAS and his 
brethren;

   And Judah/Judas said; ---"Let's sell him, let's get some profit from this betrayal!!
And (Vs. 28) says; --they sold Joseph to the Ismaelites for twenty shekels of silver.
Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt.
   Oh, what a victim of hypocrisy Joseph was; --- And What a victim of hypocrisy
Jesus was!!

   You see; --- Joseph's brothers wanted him dead and out of the way; --- But they 
didn't want to do the "dirty work". They didn't want his blood on their hands!!
   Is there anything like that in the N.T.?? Of course there is; --- (Jno. 18:28ff)
The Jews brought Jesus to Pilate, and they said; --- "Now Pilate you put Him to
death, you know it's not lawful for us to do it; --- We just want Him dead!!"
 
   But getting back to Joseph's brothers; --- They didn't want to do away with him
by their own hands; --- And so Joseph, like Jesus was a victim of hypocrisy!!

   Well, we've seen where Joseph was stripped, mocked, scorned, betrayed and 
where he was a victim of a conspiracy and hypocrisy; --- But you say; --- "But he
wasn't put to death!"   Oh, yes he was! (In a figure)   (Gen. 37:31-34)
    So they took Joseph's tunic, killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the tunic in 
the blood. Then they sent the tunic of [many] colors, and they brought [it] to their 
father and said, "We have found this. Do you know whether it [is] your son's 
tunic or not?" And he recognized it and said, "[It is] my son's tunic. A wild beast 
has devoured him. Without doubt Joseph is torn to pieces." Then Jacob tore his 
clothes, put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days.

    We can only begin to imagine the agony of this father's heart; --- In his heart/
mind of his father, Joseph, his beloved son, was dead!!   But as we see Joseph's 
blood soaked coat being handed over to his father; --- Our hearts are made to 
leap for joy as we are reminded the words of the Hebrew writer; --- (Heb. 9:22)
without shedding of blood there is no remission. (No forgiveness)