Joseph believes that when he is raised to life, he will be raised in the Garden of Eden, in the very presence of God. This is significant for us because what it teaches us is the Christian hope of resurrection.

Return to Eden

When thinking of exile and return in the Bible, it’s critical to understand that the land of Israel promised to Abraham and subsequently occupied by Joshua and Israel throughout their history is a typological re-manifestation of the Garden of Eden. It is described in similar ways, as is the Garden of Eden.

This is especially true in Exodus, Numbers, and Joshua, but you can also see it in the book of Genesis. The land is not just a generic, geographically marked off space but serves this theological purpose of remembering Eden and hoping that someday the whole earth will return to that edenic state after a resurrection.

And that’s where Joseph’s story comes in.

Read More