Genesis 45 verses 3 and 4 says, And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph. Doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him, for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. As we look at the types and shadows of Jesus found in the life of Joseph, one of the most exciting is found in the moment that his brethren realize that he's actually alive. Joseph looks at them and says, I am Joseph. Doth my father yet live? At that moment, everything changed for everyone. That was truly a life-changing moment, and it's no exaggeration to label it as such. A lot of preachers oversell their sermons and advertise them as life-changing messages. Technically, if any single person makes any single change to their life, it's a life-changing message, but the implication is that it's life-changing for all who hear it. And that's just not true. It's an oversell 99% of the time. So much so that other preachers joke about it, saying, I've heard so many life-changing messages, I don't even know who I am anymore. But in the case of Joseph's brother, and it's no joke, this changed their lives and the lives of all the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob forever, and the repercussions are felt forever, including in our lifetime. We don't have time to get into all of that, but in those first moments, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher, all of his brethren were just simply stunned and stood there in unbelief. Likewise, Jacob, when he was first told about Joseph being alive after he had pronounced him dead and been living his life believing that his son was dead, He reacted in disbelief. Genesis 45 verses 25 and 26 says, And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, and told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not. And you should recall then that the disciples of Jesus felt the same way when they were told that after three days had passed since they watched Jesus being murdered by crucifixion, they saw him die with their own eyes, but now he was alive. Mark 16.14 tells us that afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And we all remember Thomas, who is labeled Doubting Thomas through the centuries by many because of his reaction to the report that Jesus was alive. In John 20, 25 it says, But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. But Jesus accommodated Thomas, as we're told in John 20, verses 26 through 28. And after eight days again, his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst. Just appeared right there. And he said, peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands, and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, my Lord and my God. So Jacob, known as the man Israel at this point, came to accept the reports that Joseph was alive. And we read in Genesis 45, 28, and Israel said, it is enough. Joseph, my son, is yet alive. I will go and see him before I die. Much more could be said and more scripture could be quoted if we had time, but you get the idea. Joseph was accounted dead, but was found alive. Jesus was dead, placed in a tomb for three days and three nights, but was then found alive. Joseph's life paints a brilliant, even if shadowy, portrait of the life of Jesus more than 1,700 years before Jesus was born. In this case, foretells of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead as he conquered sin and death on our behalf so that we might live, those of us who believe on him, and live with him forever and ever. Up from the grave he arose with a mighty triumph for his foes. He arose a victor from the dark domain. He lives forever with his saints to reign.