The book of Genesis is a book of stories centered around six men: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And then there is Joseph, one of the favorite stories in the Old Testament. And that is one of the problems—it is looked upon as just an isolated story. Albeit a story with lots of good morals: don’t show favoritism, resist temptation and be sexually pure, be humble and God will reward you, and so on. That is true, but there is so much more.

Joseph fulfills, continues, and foreshadows the central themes and promises of Genesis. First, Genesis 1:28: 1) Be fruitful (have babies), which will be symbolized by the word “seed.” 2) Fill the earth … land—land for his people, land for a tabernacle, then a temple. Land for the promised Messiah, who will conquer the whole earth. Then the land of the new earth where God will dwell with his people forever. 3) Dominion. A theocracy in Israel, and then ruling with Christ in his kingdom.

Second, Genesis 3:15: 4) War – conflict between the godly seed of the woman and the