Joseph in His Egyptian Context
Some Bible critics claim Joseph was the invented hero of an Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) literary drama written years after the purported event. But ancient Egyptian records support the biblical account. Joseph’s legitimacy is important because it is the historical and theological bridge between the Hebrews’ spiritual decline in the land of Canaan and their spiritual rise to national status in tGet More Articles—Subscribe Today!
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How do the bible critics who claim that Joseph was an invented hero reconcile what is taught in Revelation 7? The tribe of Joseph is included in those servants – Jewish male virgin evangelists – who are to be sealed:
“… And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand…”
These are they which follow the Lamb wherever he goes.