"Types" of Yeshua
Joseph is a “type” of Yeshua. The story of Joseph and his brothers foreshadows the history of Yeshua and the Jewish people (Genesis 37–50). Joseph is portrayed as being perfect without sin. His brothers turn against him. He is sold to a foreign people for silver. His brothers eat a meal before betraying him. He is placed down in a pit, taken down to Egypt, and again placed in a pit (prison) in Egypt as if he were dead. He is accused falsely by his brothers and Potiphar’s wife and is silent before his accusers. He in a sense comes back to life (comes out of prison), puts on new clothing, is presented before the king/pharaoh, and is made ruler over all the land of Egypt. Joseph is thirty years old when he enters the service of the king/pharaoh. He is said to have the spirit of God and can discern between good and evil. By finding a solution to the famine, he first saves Gentiles from death and later also saves his brothers. His brothers do not recognize him for a time as the one who could save them from death. They eventually mourn over their past rejection of him (see Zechariah 12:10).
Developing this theme further, one could say that the Pharaoh in the narrative represents God, and Joseph represents the Messiah Yeshua. According to the narrative in Genesis 41:38–44, Joseph is a man in whom is the Spirit of God (sounds like Isaiah 11:1-2). Notice that he is given “dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him” (sounds like Daniel 7:13-14). Even though Joseph is given great power throughout the land, there is never any hint in the narrative that Joseph’s position ever rivals that of the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh and Joseph are not on the same plane.
Yeshua is like Joseph. Yeshua is the superior, unique man who is given great power and responsibility to carry out the plan of God. Because of his kingship and service to us, he is given honor. However, he does not rival God.
It appears that Esther and Mordechai in the book of Esther both together represent a “type” of Yeshua also. Esther seems to represent Yeshua at his first coming while Mordechai characterizes Yeshua at his second coming.
In the first month of the Jewish calendar, the month of Nisan, Haman has lots cast before him to determine the day to kill the Jews (Esther 3:7). Haman then sends out his edict to annihilate the Jews on the thirteenth day of the month of Nisan (Esther 3:12). After Esther hears about the decree through her cousin Mordechai, that same day, she agrees to appear before the Persian king Ahasuerus (Achashverosh in Hebrew) to plead for the lives of her people. Esther does this against her own will and with the threat of death. Before going before the king, she begins a three day fast, presumably starting on the fourteenth day of Nisan. The fourteenth day of Nisan is the day the Passover lambs were sacrificed (Exodus 12:1-6).
Esther suffers a symbolic death at the same time the Passover lambs and Yeshua were killed. She fasts for three days and three nights as if she were in the grave for that period, like Yeshua. Then at the end of the three day fast she puts on royal robes and appears before the king to plead for her people. By extending his scepter to our representative Esther, the king gives all of us access to himself. (idea adapted from Michael Wechsler – Moody Bible Institute).
Mordechai is elevated in the Esther narrative. Rabbi David Fohrman (www.alephbeta.org) points out that when the Megillah (the book of Esther) is read in the synagogue on the holiday of Purim – three passages are read together by the whole congregation - Esther 2:5, 8:15, 10:3. They are all related to the greatness of Mordechai.
The book of Esther, like some other Biblical texts, has a chiastic structure. The central theme of the Esther chiasm is the elevation of Mordechai and the humiliation of Haman (Esther 6:1-11).
Mordechai exemplifies the royal Messiah. Like Joseph, he is given “dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him” (Daniel 7:13-14). The last verses in Esther (10:2-3) tell us that despite Mordechai’s greatness, he was still second in command to Achashverosh – the Persian king. He was not Achashverosh. Achashverosh still stood over Mordechai and was on a different plane. (As we discussed before, this is like Joseph before the Pharaoh.)
Yeshua, like Mordechai and Joseph, his “types,” is second in command to God. He is not God Himself. Sha’ul (Paul) says the same in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28.
Developing this theme further, one could say that the Pharaoh in the narrative represents God, and Joseph represents the Messiah Yeshua. According to the narrative in Genesis 41:38–44, Joseph is a man in whom is the Spirit of God (sounds like Isaiah 11:1-2). Notice that he is given “dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him” (sounds like Daniel 7:13-14). Even though Joseph is given great power throughout the land, there is never any hint in the narrative that Joseph’s position ever rivals that of the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh and Joseph are not on the same plane.
Yeshua is like Joseph. Yeshua is the superior, unique man who is given great power and responsibility to carry out the plan of God. Because of his kingship and service to us, he is given honor. However, he does not rival God.
It appears that Esther and Mordechai in the book of Esther both together represent a “type” of Yeshua also. Esther seems to represent Yeshua at his first coming while Mordechai characterizes Yeshua at his second coming.
In the first month of the Jewish calendar, the month of Nisan, Haman has lots cast before him to determine the day to kill the Jews (Esther 3:7). Haman then sends out his edict to annihilate the Jews on the thirteenth day of the month of Nisan (Esther 3:12). After Esther hears about the decree through her cousin Mordechai, that same day, she agrees to appear before the Persian king Ahasuerus (Achashverosh in Hebrew) to plead for the lives of her people. Esther does this against her own will and with the threat of death. Before going before the king, she begins a three day fast, presumably starting on the fourteenth day of Nisan. The fourteenth day of Nisan is the day the Passover lambs were sacrificed (Exodus 12:1-6).
Esther suffers a symbolic death at the same time the Passover lambs and Yeshua were killed. She fasts for three days and three nights as if she were in the grave for that period, like Yeshua. Then at the end of the three day fast she puts on royal robes and appears before the king to plead for her people. By extending his scepter to our representative Esther, the king gives all of us access to himself. (idea adapted from Michael Wechsler – Moody Bible Institute).
Mordechai is elevated in the Esther narrative. Rabbi David Fohrman (www.alephbeta.org) points out that when the Megillah (the book of Esther) is read in the synagogue on the holiday of Purim – three passages are read together by the whole congregation - Esther 2:5, 8:15, 10:3. They are all related to the greatness of Mordechai.
The book of Esther, like some other Biblical texts, has a chiastic structure. The central theme of the Esther chiasm is the elevation of Mordechai and the humiliation of Haman (Esther 6:1-11).
Mordechai exemplifies the royal Messiah. Like Joseph, he is given “dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him” (Daniel 7:13-14). The last verses in Esther (10:2-3) tell us that despite Mordechai’s greatness, he was still second in command to Achashverosh – the Persian king. He was not Achashverosh. Achashverosh still stood over Mordechai and was on a different plane. (As we discussed before, this is like Joseph before the Pharaoh.)
Yeshua, like Mordechai and Joseph, his “types,” is second in command to God. He is not God Himself. Sha’ul (Paul) says the same in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28.
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