Israel loved Joseph more than all his children. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.
The Lord showed Joseph in a dream that one day his brothers and even his parents would bow down to him. In this way, he was a type of Christ. Our Messiah was born into the human race but was hated for being the favored one of His Heavenly Father more than any other son born to people.
Pontius Pilate perceived the reason the religious leaders betrayed Jesus: “For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.” [1]
Joseph’s brothers hated him because of his dreams and his words. [2]
One day, Joseph’s brothers conspired to kill him. However, his oldest brother, Reuben, overheard their plot and urged them to throw Joseph into a pit instead. Reuben’s secret plan was to return to the pit later when his brothers were not around and rescue Joseph. The hateful brothers heeded Reuben’s advice, but while Reuben was gone, Judah advised them to sell Joseph to slave traders.
Here again Joseph is a type of Christ. Judas Iscariot, a disciple of Jesus, betrayed Jesus to the priests of Jerusalem for thirty pieces of silver. Jesus referred to His disciples as brothers. So, His “brother” sold Him out for thirty pieces of silver. Thirty pieces of silver was the going price of a slave. Thus, Judas Iscariot was shocked when he discovered that the priests planned to kill Jesus, and not sell Him off as a slave. Judas returned the thirty pieces of silver to the priests and hung himself. Judas is the New Testament name for the Old Testament name Judah. Judah sold Joseph for a slave. Judas sold Jesus presumably to be a slave.
“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.” [3]
The next story in the Bible after this one is the story of Judah’s wicked sons and his scandalous relationship with Tamar his daughter-in-law. The Lord slew the first two of Judah’s three sons. Judah deprived his father Israel of a son and was himself deprived of two of his sons.
After Judah’s wife died, he found a harlot and went into her. What Judah did not realize was that this veiled harlot that he had intimacy with was not a stranger, she was Tamar, his daughter-in-law. Judah’s third son was obligated to impregnate Tamar when his first two sons failed to do so before they died. Without a son, Tamar would have no one to provide for her in her old age. Judah had promised to give his third son to Tamar when he was old enough to marry but did not do so. Tamar felt obligated to deceive Judah into having intimacy with her because she wanted a son, and he did not keep his promise to her.
Judah sold his brother Joseph to slavers. He deceived his father into believing that Joseph had been slain by wild animals. Afterwards, Judah grieved the loss of two of his sons. He was also deceived by Tamar to bring about the sons she needed to survive in her old age. Judah should not have betrayed Joseph or lied to his father.
Joseph was the brother that God had chosen to save his family and the world from death during a worldwide famine. He was the son who was reported by his brothers be dead, but then, after a period of mourning, was discovered to be alive. In this way, he was also a type of the Messiah that was to come.
Jesus was also betrayed by one whom He treated as a brother. John the Apostle quoted Psalm 41:9 as being fulfilled in Jesus:
“I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.” [4]
“Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” [5]
Jesus Messiah was betrayed by His brothers, but praise God, He came back from the pit they had thrown Him in and redeemed us from our sins.
To be like Jesus. To faithfully reflect Him after a trusted brother’s betrayal: “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” [6]
[1] Mark 15:10
[2] Genesis 37:8
[3] Genesis 37:26-27
[4] John 13:18
[5] Psalm 41:9
[6] Psalm 55:22
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