Expert: Marilyn - 1/30/2005

Question
  Hi Marilyn,
    Was reading my bible in came across
I Chronicles 5.  In this section it is
spoken of the first born sons of Reuban
and the transfer of his birthright unto
the sons of Joseph.  What was Reuban
wrongdoing and who was this Joseph?
Thanks for your help.
                       Fred

Answer
Hi Fred;

The Bible doesn't say Joseph was a type of Christ, but the analolgies are there:  
1) Both were beloved of their fathers, Genesis 37:3; Matthew 3:17; John 3:35; 5:20  
2) both were hated by their brothers, Genesis 37:4; John 15:25
3) both of their claims of superiority were rejected by their brothers, Genesis 37:8; Matthew 21:37-39; John 15:24 & 25
4) their brothers conspired against them to kill them, Genesis 37:18; Matthew 26:3 & 4
5) Joseph figuratively slain by his brothers, Christ was literally slain, but rose from the dead, Genesis 37:24; Matthew 27:35-37
6) each became a blessing among the Gentiles and gained a bride, Genesis 41:1-45; Acts 15:14; Ephesians 5:25-32
7) Both saved their people, Joseph through the storing of food, Jesus through being "The Bread of Life," Genesis 41:25-43; 56 & 57; John 6:35-59
8) Joseph was reconciled to his brothers and afterward exalted them, so it will be with Christ and His Jewish brethern, Genesis 45:1-15; Deuteronomy 30:1-10; Hosea 2:14-18; Romans 11:1, 15, 25 & 26

I could go on quite awhile about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph etc., but I stuck to answering your question, then decided to add more about Joseph today--answering more in depth about who he was.  

Sometimes questions are vague to me, I don't always "get it" and I don't know which way the questioner is going.  When I feel led, I add in material beyond what the question seems to ask for.  I didn't feel any particular leading to add something specific to my answer below, but I have felt led to relate to you my sometime problems with how to answer questions.  If you don't feel you've gotten the answer you needed, please view this as a dialogue and post a follow-up.  

Sincerely,
Marilyn

Reuben was the first born of Jacob.  Jacob, the younger twin of Isaac, was renamed Israel when he fought all night with the Angel of the Lord and demanded a blessing, see Genesis 32.  

Reuben was born of Leah, Genesis 29:32; 49:3, the oldest daughter of Laban.  Reuben slept with one of Jacob's concubines, Bilhah, Genesis 35:22 and thus defiled his father's "marriage" bed.  

Benjamin and Joseph were Jacob's sons by Rachel, his beloved wife, for whom he labored 7 more years after Laban tricked him into wedding Leah.  Joseph was the older of the two and was quite a braggart.  In a fit of jealous rage, his older half-brothers sold Joseph as a slave, Genesis 37.

Joseph's bondage into Egypt, which initially looks like an evil deed designed to ruin his life, turns out to be the best for everyone involved.  Joseph repeatedly overcomes adversity to become a very wise man devoted to God.  He is the one who interprets dreams for the Pharoah and becomes second only to Pharoah, saving not only the people of Egypt from famine, but all the surrounding territory as well.  The story of Joseph is found in Genesis 37-50.

Jacob always regarded the sons of Rachel as more precious to him than his other sons.  When Reuben sinned, it was no doubt easy to give the birthright to Joseph's sons.

The story of Jacob and his sons is found in Genesis 25:24 through Genesis 50.  Joseph's two sons were Ephraim and Manasseh, Genesis 48, and are known as the half-tribe of Manasseh and the half-tribe of Ephraim composing what would have been the tribe of Joseph except the birthright bypassed Joseph to go to his sons.

In Revelation the tribes named are:  Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin, Revelation 7:4-8.  The sons of Israel named in Genesis 46 are:  Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan and Naphtali.  Manasseh, as a complete tribe unto itself, replaces Dan in Revelation.  I have yet to learn why this occurs.

Glad to hear from you,
Marilyn