One of my goals this year is to read through Genesis 12 times. It has been quite a profitable exercise. The Genesis story reveals the story of all redemption with pictures and images of things to come.
Joseph’s authority in Egypt points to the authority of Jesus over all things. In Genesis 45:26, Joseph’s brothers return to their father from Egypt and declare: “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” Joseph was dead to his brothers, yet he was alive. It is hard not to consider the parallel of Joseph and our Lord. The gospels reveal the disciple’s absolute anguish and defeat at the death of their Lord. It was the proclamation that Jesus is alive by the women that began to undo the spiritual starvation of the nations.
Unlike Joseph, Jesus truly did die–though Joseph does go through a death experience in the pit (Gen. 37:22)–and the joy of a resurrected Jesus has far greater repercussions than the salvation of Egypt. “Jesus is alive” means He is ruler over all.
