“Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Genesis 41:46 ESV).
Joseph is a christological type. His story foreshadows the life of Christ, so that when the time came, the people of God would recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
The Scripture records that Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh and the gospel of Luke records that Jesus was thirty years old when He began His public ministry (Luke 3:23). Joseph was betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery for pieces of silver and Jesus was betrayed by His own disciple, Judas Iscariot, for 30 pieces of silver. After a time of slavery and suffering, God raised Joseph up to rescue his brethren and after Jesus died on the cross and was buried, God raised Him up as Savior of the world.
The God-given dreams that Joseph had as a young boy were now being fulfilled. The very brothers who had wished him dead and sold him into slavery, now bowed before him and begged for bread. I wonder if Joseph felt that all the years of enslavement and imprisonment were now worth it. For it was his suffering that God used to elevate him to this place of ministry, not only to save his brothers, but the whole hungry world.
Are you going through a time of suffering? Don’t waste the pain. God has promised to cause all things to work together for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Rom. 8:28). Persevere and believe. God has a plan. He’s making us like Jesus.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we bow before You in worship and praise. We lift up Your name for You are awesome and Your plans for us are good. Even when we don’t understand, even when life doesn’t always make sense, we trust in You. For You are sovereign over all things and Your plans and purpose for us will come to pass. Strengthen us to stand by faith in You today. In Jesus’ name, amen.