The Word of God is a complete, symmetric document. What is opened in Genesis is completed and closed in the Revelation. The Bible is symmetric. It is not just a random collections of myths, fables and stories.

There are also many pictures in the Bible that show us the Lord, His will and His plan. Joseph, the son of Jacob, is an example of these pictures. Please click HERE for pictures of Jesus in the life of Joseph.

Brother Ed. F. Vallowe, in his book Biblical Mathematics, has provided us with yet another picture of Jesus through Joseph. He notes that Joseph was seventeen years old when he was sent to do his father’s bidding. (Genesis 37:2) Shortly thereafter, Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. Jacob had Joseph with him for seventeen years, and then he saw him no more. Jacob was led to believe that Joseph was dead.

Of course, through the direction of the Lord, Joseph became the viceroy of Egypt. Only Pharaoh was above him in rank. When the famine came and ultimately the family of Joseph moved to Egypt, Jacob was astounded to find that Joseph was alive. Scripture tells us that then Jacob had Joseph with him for seventeen more years. (Genesis 47:28) You can see the symmetry.

At age seventeen Joseph had left Jacob to perform his father’s will. Here we have a picture of Jesus leaving Heaven to do His father’s will on earth. Joseph was hated by his brothers, just as Jesus was hated by his Jewish brothers. This is a picture or type of the First Coming of Jesus.

When Jacob next saw his son, Joseph was royalty! At the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus, He will be royalty! Joseph was a type of Jesus, and the time Jacob was with Joseph was a symmetric seventeen years, beginning and end.

But, there is more! Seventeen is the number of victory! The Lord Jesus was crucified on the fourteenth day of the first month, Nisan. But, He rose in victory over death three days later, on the seventeenth day of Nisan.

The exodus of the Children of Israel occurred on the fourteenth day of the first month. They traveled in the wilderness for three days. (Genesis 8:27) Pharaoh came after them with his army on the third day, the seventeenth of Nisan. Pharaoh and his army were drowned in the Red Sea, and the Lord had the victory!

There is nothing special about the number seventeen, or any other number. What is special is the consistent manner that numbers are used in the Word of God, to authenticate its all-knowing Designer. The Bible was written over a period of about fifteen centuries by as many as forty different men. And yet it is consistent, showing the Hand of God on His Bible. The symmetry of the Bible also shows the Hand of God. Praise His name for the Bible that we still have today, almost 3,500 years after the first books were written by Moses! Thank you, Lord.