The purpose of this website is to provide free sermon manuscripts and sermon videos to pastors and missionaries throughout the world, especially the Third World, where there are few if any theological seminaries or Bible schools.

These sermon manuscripts and videos now go out to about 1,500,000 computers in over 221 countries every year at www.sermonsfortheworld.com. Hundreds of others watch the videos on YouTube, but they soon leave YouTube and come to our website. YouTube feeds people to our website. The sermon manuscripts are given in 46 languages to about 120,000 computers each month. The sermon manuscripts are not copyrighted, so preachers can use them without our permission. Please click here to learn how you can make a monthly donation to help us in this great work of preaching the Gospel to the whole world.

Whenever you write to Dr. Hymers always tell him what country you live in, or he cannot answer you. Dr. Hymers’ e-mail is rlhymersjr@sbcglobal.net.

This is the seventy-first sermon I have preached from the Book of Genesis in the past several months. We intend to edit these sermons and put them out as a book titled, “The Message of Genesis.” But this evening I am not starting with a text from Genesis. My opening text is from Luke, from the passage Mr. Prudhomme read earlier in this service. Please stand and turn with me to Luke 24:44 and 45. It’s on page 1112 in the Scofield Study Bible.

“These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures” (Luke 24:44, 45).

Jesus said, “All things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses...concerning me.” “The law of Moses” is what Jesus called the first five books of the Bible, which were written by Moses. That would of course refer to the first book, Genesis. All things concerning Christ in Genesis would be fulfilled. Now look at Luke 24:25-27. This is what Jesus said, on the afternoon of the day He was resurrected, to the two Disciples He met on the road to Emmaus.

“O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:25-27).

Focus on those words in verse 27, “And beginning at Moses...he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” You may be seated.

“Things concerning himself” were expounded by Jesus from the Book of Genesis. That statement clearly shows us that the Book of Genesis speaks of Jesus in “types.” A type is something in the Old Testament that points to something in the New Testament, which is the antitype. For instance, eight people were saved in Noah’s ark in the Book of Genesis. Thus the ark is a type of Christ, who saves His people from destruction. The type is the ark; the antitype is Christ.

As we come to the sermon tonight, we will see how Joseph, in the Book of Genesis, was a type of Christ. Dr. I. M. Haldeman, the long-time pastor of the First Baptist Church of New York City, pointed out one hundred and one parallels between Joseph in the Book of Genesis, and Christ in the four Gospels of the New Testament. Think of it! Christ was the antitype, or fulfillment, of one hundred and one types in the life of Joseph! I have no doubt that Christ pointed out at least a few of the types in Joseph that were fulfilled in Him, when “beginning at Moses...he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). I am certainly not going to give you one hundred and one parallels between Joseph and Christ! But I will give you several of them.

The main figure in the last fourteen chapters of Genesis is Joseph. More chapters are devoted to Joseph than to anyone else in the Book of Genesis! More chapters tell about Joseph than about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob or anyone else. One of the reasons the Holy Spirit told us so much about Joseph is because he is more Christlike than any other person in the Bible. The Scofield note on Genesis 37:2 says, “While it is nowhere asserted that Joseph was a type of Christ, the analogies are too numerous to be accidental.” I agree that “the analogies are too numerous to be accidental.” But I disagree that the New Testament never speaks of him as a type of Christ. I struggled with this for a long time, but I came to this conclusion – the type is Joseph in the Book of Genesis. The antitype is Christ in the four Gospels. Thus all four Gospels give us the antitype, time and again. That is why “the analogies are too numerous to be accidental.” Dr. Haldeman was right – Joseph is a type of Christ. I am going to give you fifteen parallels – in which Joseph is given as a type of Christ.

1. First, they were both deeply loved by their Fathers.

We read in Genesis,

“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children...”
       (Genesis 37:3).

Israel was Jacob’s new name. And Israel loved Joseph very deeply, above all the others. Joseph is the type.

When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, God spoke from Heaven and said,

“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”
       (Matthew 3:17).

Jesus is the antitype, the fulfillment of the type.

2. Second, they were both hated by their brothers.

We read in Genesis,

“When his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him” (Genesis 37:4).

The brothers of Joseph hated him and would not speak a kind word to him. Joseph is the type.

Jesus’ brothers spoke sharply to Him in John 7:3, 4. They rebuked Him and said, “Shew thyself to the world.” Then we are told, “For neither did his brethren believe in him” (John 7:5). Jesus is the antitype, the fulfillment of the type.

3. Third, they were both plotted against.

We read in Genesis that Joseph’s brothers said,

“Come now therefore, and let us slay him” (Genesis 37:20).

Joseph was the type.

The Pharisees did the same thing to Jesus, for we are told,

“Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death” (John 11:53).

Jesus is the antitype, the fulfillment of the type.

4. Fourth, they both had their robes taken from them.

We read in Genesis,

“And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat...” (Genesis 37:23).

Joseph was the type.

When Jesus was crucified the soldiers “took his garments...and also his coat” (John 19:23). Jesus was the antitype, the fulfillment of the type. Joseph was stript naked and cast into a pit. Jesus was stript naked and nailed to a cross. Jesus is the antitype, the fulfillment of the type.

5. Fifth, they were both taken to Egypt.

We read in Genesis that his brother Judah said they should sell Joseph, which they did, to a band of traveling merchants, “and they brought Joseph into Egypt” (Genesis 37:28).

When the angel told Joseph, the step-father of Jesus, that King Herod would seek to kill the baby Jesus, “He took the young child and his mother...and departed into Egypt” (Matthew 2:14). Jesus is the antitype, the fulfillment of the type.

6. Sixth, they were both sold for the price of a slave.

We read in Genesis that Joseph’s brothers pulled him up out of the pit they had thrown him into “and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver” (Genesis 37:28). Joseph was the type.

A couple of days before Jesus was crucified, one of His Disciples, Judas, went to the chief priests and said, “What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver” (Matthew 26:15). Twenty pieces of silver was the price of a slave in Joseph’s time, about 1759 years before Christ was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, which was the price of a slave in the time of Jesus. Jesus was the antitype, the fulfillment of the type.

7. Seventh, they were both tempted.

When Joseph was brought down to Egypt, he was sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. This man put Joseph in charge of his house and estate. When Potiphar was gone, his wife tempted Joseph and said, “lie with me” but Joseph resisted the temptation and fled from the house (Genesis 39:12). Joseph was the type.

In the New Testament we are told, “Jesus [was] led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil” (Matthew 4:1). But Jesus quoted Scripture and resisted the temptations. Jesus was the antitype, the fulfillment of the type.

8. Eighth, they were both falsely accused.

Potiphar’s wife lied when she accused Joseph of trying to have sex with her (Genesis 39:14-18). Joseph was the type.

In the New Testament we read that Jesus was also falsely accused when He was brought before the high priest the night before He was crucified. In Matthew, chapter twenty-six we read,

“At the last came two false witnesses, And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?” (Matthew 26:60-62).

Jesus was the antitype, the fulfillment of the type.

9. Ninth, they were both bound in chains.

Potiphar put Joseph in prison for allegedly trying to seduce his wife.

“And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison” (Genesis 39:20).

Joseph is the type.

In the New Testament, Jesus was also bound with chains,

“And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor” (Matthew 27:2).

Jesus is the antitype, the fulfillment of the type.

10. Tenth, they were both placed with two other prisoners, one who
was saved and the other lost.

“And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound” (Genesis 40:2, 3).

These two men were in prison with Joseph. One of them was spared, and the other one was executed. Joseph is the type.

In the New Testament, Jesus was crucified between two thieves.

“And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death” (Luke 23:32).

One of these thieves was saved on the cross. The other one perished. Jesus is the antitype, the fulfillment of the type.

11. Eleventh, both of them were exalted after suffering.

Through a series of providential occurrences Joseph was released from prison, “And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt” (Genesis 41:41). He was released from prison and became the prime minister of the whole land of Egypt! Joseph was the type.

In the New Testament, we read of the exaltation of the risen Christ,

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

Christ is the antitype, the fulfillment of the type.

12. Twelfth, they both wept.

In the end, Joseph’s brothers were experiencing famine in the land of Israel. To keep from starving they went down to Egypt to buy grain. They had to get it from their brother Joseph, who was now the prime minister. They did not recognize Joseph, because he was shaved clean, face and head, like an Egyptian. Five times we are told in Genesis that Joseph wept over his brethren. Here is one of the times,

“And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard” (Genesis 45:2).

Joseph is the type.

In the New Testament we read, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Again, we are told of Jesus weeping over Jerusalem,

“When he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it”
       (Luke 19:41).

Jesus is the antitype, the fulfillment of the type.

13. Thirteenth, they both forgave those who wronged them.

In Genesis we read that Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers. They could not recognize him after all those years, and because he was shaved and dressed like an Egyptian. But Joseph revealed himself to them and forgave them.

“And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt” (Genesis 45:4).

“And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him” (Genesis 45:14-15).

Joseph is the type.

In the New Testament we read what Jesus said, as He looked down from the Cross on those who had nailed Him there. The Saviour said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Jesus is the antitype, the fulfillment of the type.

14. Fourteenth, they both saved their people.

In Genesis we read that Joseph told his brothers not to grieve for what they had done, “For God did send me before you to preserve life” (Genesis 45:5). Joseph is the type.

In the New Testament we read that the angel said, “Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Jesus could have said what Joseph said, “God did send me before you to preserve life.” Jesus is the antitype, the fulfillment of the type. But there is one more, which is too important to overlook.

15. Fifteenth, what people did to harm them, God turned to good.

In the end, Joseph’s brothers came and fell down before him. Joseph told them not to be afraid of him. And Joseph said,

“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones.  And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them” (Genesis 50:20, 21).

Do I need to tell you that Christ Himself speaks through those words to you tonight,

“Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you...And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them” (Genesis 50:21).

Surely Joseph is the type, and Jesus is the fulfillment of it. So close is the parallel that those words could come from the very mouth of Jesus!

“Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you...And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them” (Genesis 50:20, 21).

It is easy to trust a Saviour like that! He will nourish you. He will comfort you. He will pardon your sins and cleanse you with His precious Blood. Come and trust Him tonight. If you want Jesus to save you, please go to the back of the room now. Dr. Cagan will take you to a quiet place where we can talk with you and pray. Go right now. Dr. Chan, please come and pray for those who have responded to this sermon.

(END OF SERMON)
You can read Dr. Hymers' sermons each week on the Internet
at www.realconversion.com. Click on “Sermon Manuscripts.”

You may email Dr. Hymers at rlhymersjr@sbcglobal.net, (Click Here) – or you may
write to him at P.O. Box 15308, Los Angeles, CA 90015. Or phone him at (818)352-0452.

Scripture Read Before the Sermon by Mr. Abel Prudhomme: Luke 24:36-45.
Solo Sung Before the Sermon by Mr. Benjamin Kincaid Griffith:
“Blessed Redeemer” (by Avis B. Christiansen, 1895-1985).