The Sons of Jacob - Part 1.
P. Ben [April 2015]
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Prophecy in the book of Genesis involves considerable
typology. Jacob’s household prefigures in a miniature the whole prophetic
substance. The twelve sons of Jacob can be viewed as two and ten. Two sons- Joseph and Benjamin prefigure
Christ. The other ten sons present the progressive moral and spiritual history
of the nation of
In Chapter 37, Joseph presents to us Christ as hated by the
nation of
* The blood smeared coat of many colours
in Ch 37:31 is to be taken for Christ’s death in the hands of the guilty nation
though in type this could not be.
In Chapter 38, the nation (
*Tamar presents the signet, bracelet and the staff to
In Chapters 39 and 40, Joseph though faithful was falsely
indicted and was put in prison. Joseph becomes in his humiliation an
interpreter.*
*The rejection of Christ by the gentiles is shown in
chapters 39 and 40. Though rejected by all, Christ was He who fulfilled the
prophecy of Ps 78:2- to utter things which have been kept secret from the
foundation of the world (Matt 13:35).
In Chapter 40, Joseph (Christ) becomes the head of the
gentile world.*
*Joseph gets the name of Zaphnath-paaneah
(revealer of the secrets and the saviour of the
world- Newberry Bible) and had children born to him by Asenath.
The firstborn son’s name was Manasseh (forget) and the name of the second was
Ephraim (fruitful). Chapter 40 presents to us the exaltation of Christ- the
anticipated glory of which in a figure unfolds in John 4 at Sychar-
the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. In John 4, the
Samaritans believed the woman because of her testimony that Christ told her all
that ever she did (Jn 4:39) and secondly, they heard
Him themselves that resulted in their believing that He indeed was the Christ,
the Saviour of the world (Jn
4:42). The first corresponds to the capacity to reveal secrets while the later
refers to mankind’s Saviour- both ideas are elicited
by the name of Zaphnath-paaneah. Asenath,
Manasseh and Ephraim answer to the church in fruitful (Ephraim) relationship
with the exalted Christ who has passed and at present beyond the agonies of
national rejection and scoffing (Manasseh- forget all
my toil). Joseph is the type of Christ
in heavenly glory, exalted and in fruitful relationship with the Church in the
heavenly places. Joseph’s sons were Manasseh (forgetting) and Ephraim
(fruitful). Christ separated from Israel on account of the latter’s refusal to
accept their worthy King, the glory passes on to the gentiles, that is the
Church, the type of which was Asenath. The thought
and sentiment of Christ in heavenly places with the church is reflected from
the names of Joseph’s sons- Manasseh- forgotten the painful experience meted
out to Christ by the nation and Ephraim- fruitful abiding of the branches in
Him who is the true vine (John 15).But, Moses presents to us Christ’s mind of
yet being a stranger in a strange land, for that is what the name of his son- Gershom meant. Though, refused to be the ‘prince and a
judge’ by his brethren, Moses still longs for them. He fled to Midian- glory of Christ gone to gentiles (Jethro and Zipporah), but yet he
names his child as Gershom. This is Christ, who has
still in His heart the longing to deliver His brethren, though at present
enjoined to the Church, the type of which was Zipporah.
In Exodus 18, the other son of Moses- ‘Eliezer’ is
revealed. Eliezer means ‘my God is help’ reflecting
Christ victory over the enemies of
Beginning from Chapter 42 till the end, the dealings of
Christ with the nation which now takes upon the character of a remnant is
presented. To be continued-
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