Children of the Bible

Children of the Bible

Lesson 4

Lesson Text—Genesis 37:5-7 Genesis 37:5-7 5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:

Lesson Text—Genesis 37:5-7 7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.

Lesson Text—Genesis 37:8-9 Genesis 37:8-9 8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

Lesson Text—Genesis 37:8-9 9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

Lesson Text—Genesis 37:10-12 Genesis 37:10-12 10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

Lesson Text—Genesis 37:10-12 11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying’ 12 And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem.

Focus Verse—Genesis 50:20 Genesis 50:20But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Focus Thought Joseph viewed the circumstances of life in the proper perspective, realizing that what God had promised him in his visions would come to pass.

Culture Connection Living Your Dreams I. Joseph’s Early Years Dreams are mysterious mental commotions that flutter through our brains and sometimes disturb our sleep. Occasionally, their residue lingers into our waking hours. Dreams can be quite dramatic and bring deep emotional feelings. We are helpless as our dreams take us to strange and unseemly places. They are without normal boundaries and can take us to the heights of grandeur or to the depths of despair.

Some believe dreams are expressions of the dreamer’s deepest fears and desires. It is from this idea that some individuals use the dream metaphor to refer to personal vision of achievement. The ability to envision our future is an ability that separates humans from animals. Although life is unpredictable, we are able to plan and plot our future. God dreams and envisions the future as well. The prophets of the Bible manifested God’s vision of the future. His dreams are not “pipe dreams,” but they become reality. I. Joseph’s Early Years

I. Joseph’s Early Years God has given us the ability to plan and envision. So let’s dream about lofty attainments and then endeavor to achieve them. The dream comes first and then reality. Just don’t sleep too long!

Contemplating the Topic I. Joseph’s Early Years Words such as dreams and visions resonate with Spirit-filled believers. After all, on the Day of Pentecost, Peter took his text from Joel 2:28. “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams” (Acts 2:17).

Surely Joel’s message does not mean visions and prophecy come only to the young and dreaming is relegated to the old. Instead, it means that the lives of those upon whom the Spirit is poured are characterized by the miraculous. They prophesy, uttering words given to them by the Holy Spirit. They see divinely inspired visions. They dream dreams that come from God. (See Acts 16:9-10; 18:9, in which the word translated “vision” can refer to something seen in one’s sleep.) I. Joseph’s Early Years

Dreams like those experienced by Joseph and the dreams promised by Joel and Peter have their origins in the Holy Spirit. They are supernaturally given; they would never occur to the dreamers on their own. They take the dreamer beyond himself or herself, out of the realm of the natural and into the supernatural. God gives the dreams to suit His own purposes and to accomplish His will. The secular concept of dreaming is something quite different. I. Joseph’s Early Years

It springs from the idea that there is nothing a human being cannot do if he just puts his mind to it. We can be anything we want to be if we think positively enough, dream vividly enough, cast a large enough vision, and refuse to take no for an answer. Such dreaming is often whitewashed with sacredness by the claim that we want to dream big dreams for God. But God may have something else in mind. The dreams He gives may lead to betrayal, to a pit, to false accusations, or to prison. I. Joseph’s Early Years

They may, in the end, lead to a palace, but they may not. God has a unique plan for each of us. We must avoid the attractive but deluding philosophy expressed in William Ernest Henley’s poem Invictus: “I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.” The poem, celebrating man’s “unconquerable soul” while ignoring the necessity of faith in God, leads down the path of despair. God is the master of our fate; He is the captain of our souls. I. Joseph’s Early Years

A person who, like Joseph, recognizes the divine origin of Heaven-sent dreams can put his entire life—regardless of where his dreams lead—into the eternal perspective. He knows that what God has promised will come to pass, no matter how impossible it may seem on the journey. He is the kind of person who sees God at work even in human failure. Like Joseph, he can say, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive (Genesis 50:20). I. Joseph’s Early Years

Searching The Scriptures Joseph’s Early Years A. Joseph’s Miracle Birth Joseph’s Miracle Birth Divine involvement in the lineage of the Old Testament patriarchs was frequently marked by miraculous births for barren women like Sarah and Rebekah. Jacob’s wife Rachel was also barren, but she too birthed a son whom she named Joseph and who became one of the most significant figures in early history.

Genesis 30:22-24 “And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb. And she conceived and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: and she called his name Joseph” (Genesis 30:22-24).

Joseph Favored by His Father B. Joseph Favored by His Father Joseph’s relationship with his brothers was troubled from his youth. When he was seventeen years old, he gave Jacob a bad report about the roguery of the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, a tale which the older half-brothers resented.

Genesis 37:2, NKJV “Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father” (Genesis 37:2, NKJV).

Joseph’s tendency to tell his father what his brothers were up to was not the main reason for the jealousy and discord among the siblings. The bad feelings stemmed from Jacob’s open favoritism of Joseph. (See Genesis 37:3.) According to the Septuagint, this coat of many colors reached to the ankles. It was apparently the mark of a tribal chief (Samuel J. Schultz, The Old Testament Speaks, 5th ed.). I. Joseph’s Early Years

Joseph Envied by His Brothers C. Joseph Envied by His Brothers “And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. . . . And his brethren envied him” (Genesis 37:4, 11).

I. Joseph’s Early Years Every time Joseph’s brothers saw him in his new coat, their disdain increased. Their hatred, rude insults, and threats eventually goaded them into betraying their little brother and deceiving their elderly father. But since we know the end of the story, we know God used their hatred and envy to bring about something good not just for Joseph, but for the entire family and nation.

Joseph’s Visions II. Joseph’s Visions “And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: for, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.

I. Joseph’s Early Years And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me” (Genesis 37:5-9).

Brought Rebuke from His Father A. Brought Rebuke from His Father Jacob did not let his fondness for Joseph hold back his sharp reprimand.

Genesis 37:10 “And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?” (Genesis 37:10).

I. Joseph’s Early Years Still, Jacob, who had himself experienced divinely inspired dreams, must have wondered if his son’s dream had also come from God, for he “observed the saying” (Genesis 37:11). As the New Living Translation puts it, he “wondered what the dreams meant.”

I. Joseph’s Early Years His father had mixed feelings about Joseph’s dreams, but his half-brothers viewed him as a downright arrogant upstart. However, had Joseph’s dreams been simply expressions of personal ambition, the end of the story would have revealed an overdeveloped ego. But to the contrary, the outcome revealed Joseph’s humility, love, and benevolence.

Brought Deceitful Acts from His Brethren B. Brought Deceitful Acts from His Brethren Following Joseph’s revelation of his dreams, his envious brothers led their father’s flocks to Shechem, located in the valley between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim on the route taken by Abram when he left Haran and journeyed to Egypt. Jacob sent Joseph to Shechem to see how his brothers fared.

I. Joseph’s Early Years Along the way Joseph learned that his brothers had moved the flocks to Dothan, meaning “two wells,” located a short distance north of Shechem. Joseph’s brothers hated the very sight of the one who betrayed their actions to their father. They conspired to kill him.

Genesis 37:19-20 “Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams” (Genesis 37:19-20).

But Reuben, Joseph’s oldest brother—born to Jacob by Leah—said, “Let us not kill him. . . . Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him” (Genesis 37:21-22). Reuben planned to deliver Joseph from his brothers and to return him to their father. When Joseph caught up with his brothers, they stripped off his coat and threw him into an empty, waterless pit. I. Joseph’s Early Years

They ignored his cries and sat down to eat only to be interrupted by an Ishmaelite caravan en route from Gilead to Egypt. Apparently Reuben was away from the campfire when Judah said, “What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh” (Genesis 37:26-27). I. Joseph’s Early Years

The brothers agreed, and they hauled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver. Perhaps their last sight of him was his piteous backward look as his new owners led him away. When Reuben returned and peered into the pit, it was empty. He tore his clothing in anguish and said, “The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?” (Genesis 37:30). It is possible that as the eldest son, Reuben, had always been blamed for the machinations of his younger brothers. I. Joseph’s Early Years

I. Joseph’s Early Years Evidently the rest of the brothers told Reuben what they had done, but none of them could summon the courage to tell Jacob. So they dipped Joseph’s beautiful coat in goat’s blood and took it to Jacob with a fake display of innocence and remorse. “This have we found,” they said to their father. “Know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no” (Genesis 37:32).

Recognizing the coat, Jacob cried, “It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces” (Genesis 37:33). Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned for many days. His sons and daughters tried to comfort him to no avail. Jacob said, “I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning” (Genesis 37:35). In the meantime, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to an officer of Pharaoh, a captain of the guard named Potiphar. (See Genesis 37:36.) I. Joseph’s Early Years

Brought Strength for Deliverance C. Brought Strength for Deliverance What can a dreamer do when his dreams seem to vanish? If a dream came from God, he can dream on, for it will come to pass regardless of the seeming hopelessness of life’s circumstances.

1. From the Pit. Joseph’s dreams did not include the pit. He saw only the sheaves, the sun, the moon, and the stars bowing down to him. But God does not always give us all the details of His plan. God’s purpose is more powerful than man’s. His brothers thought they had found a profitable way to get rid of him, but actually they were acting by God’s direction to get Joseph to Egypt so he could deliver the very ones who sold him into slavery. I. Joseph’s Early Years

2. From Prison. Not only did Joseph’s dreams pass over the pit, they also left out the prison. At first, when Potiphar bought Joseph, it looked as though things were going well. Joseph performed his duties in such an excellent manner that his master promoted him to overseer and placed all of his affairs under Joseph’s authority. Potiphar did not have to tend to anything but the food on his plate. I. Joseph’s Early Years

But Joseph’s favorable circumstances went awry when Potiphar’s wife developed a lewd infatuation for her husband’s handsome overseer. She tried to seduce Joseph but he refused her. I. Joseph’s Early Years

Genesis 39:8-9 “But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:8-9).

How easy it would have been for Joseph to set aside his dreams for a moment of pleasure! But he knew his God-given dreams would be fulfilled only if he remained faithful. Joseph continued to refuse the advances of Potiphar’s wife until she became so aggressive that he fled from her presence. She managed to capture his garment as he turned to run, and she used it as evidence to accuse Joseph of trying to rape her. I. Joseph’s Early Years

She claimed Joseph left the garment behind when she screamed for help. In a rage Potiphar thrust Joseph into the prison where the king’s prisoners were kept, and there “they bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons” (Psalm 105:18, NIV). Rather than succumb to bitterness and hopelessness, Joseph showed himself such a model and trustworthy prisoner that the keeper released him from the chains and gave him the oversight of the prison. (See Genesis 39.) I. Joseph’s Early Years

After Joseph stepped into his new position the king sent his butler and baker to prison. One night they both had dreams, which Joseph interpreted with the help of God. The news was good for the butler: he would be restored to his former position. The news was bad for the baker: he would be executed. Before releasing the butler, Joseph told him his own story and asked him to appeal to Pharaoh for his release. (See Genesis 40.) But the butler forgot. I. Joseph’s Early Years

Two years later Pharaoh had a dream none of his wise men or magicians could interpret. Only then did the butler remember Joseph’s kindness and request. He explained his friend’s giftedness to Pharaoh and the king ordered the prisoner’s release. God gave Joseph the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream and the king was so impressed with Joseph’s abilities and manner that he promoted him to a place of power and authority next to Pharaoh himself. I. Joseph’s Early Years

Joseph ruled over Pharaoh’s house and over all the land. (See Genesis 41.) 3. From Revenge. Joseph’s dreams not only kept him from despair in the pit and in the prison, they also prevented him from seeking revenge against his brothers when they finally did bow their knees to him, just as Joseph’s dreams had foretold. I. Joseph’s Early Years

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