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Question: What are the main themes in the Joseph story? What function does this story fill in the unfolding story of Israel?
Joseph was his father’s favourite early in his life. He was gifted a coat “of many colours”, which made his brothers angry to the point of considering murder, but opted to sell him into slavery in eventually Egypt.
Long story short; this eventually led to him being appointed to be in charge of the food supplies in Egypt as he had foretold Pharaoh of a looming “7 years of plenty”, and “7 years of famine”!
Pharaoh had perceived that he was favoured “by his God Jehovah”, and that he had good morals!
Eventually his brothers visited Egypt and requested that Pharaoh sell them food. Joseph (who was still in charge of that function), kept his identity secret, and tricked his brothers into returning to Jacob to request that all the family return to Egypt, including his young brother Benjamin.
This took place, and eventually Joseph revealed himself to his family with much mourning and joy!
Approx. 70 people of the family arrived in Egypt, but in approx. 400 years later many thousands were released to travel to “the Promised Land”, which was delayed for 40 years due to the disobedience and lack of faith of the Hebrews in their God!
Jacob’s sons were the originators of the 12 tribes of Israel, and they developed into the nation of Israel after they finally entered the “Promised Land”.
Their history from that small beginning has developed through much anguish and pain, together with disobedience and unfaithfulness, to the modern state that is still struggling to survive in Israel today!
They have developed very strongly since their re-establishment in May 14th 1948, but have yet further to go!
In Acts 28:25–28, they rejected finally God’s Saving Provision in the sacrifice of Christ-Jesus, their promised Messiah, and were set to one side temporarily until the Gentiles have been “completed” Roman’s, 11:25–27.
That looks close to being completed, and when Israel see’s their long promised Messiah, they will greatly mourn! Zech.12:10!
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