Bible Study - Relationships Collide - The Big Picture - Genesis 37:1-28 and 50:15-21 - November 17, 2013

Bible Study – Relationships Collide – The Big Picture – November 17, 2013

This is lesson six in our series entitled “When Relationships Collide.”

Our scripture is Genesis 37:5-8, 26-28; 50:15-21.

GOD works in mysterious ways. It is tough going through the dark times in our lives when all seems to be going wrong. Yet, it seems that GOD’S hand is involved in our lives. In our lesson this week, we see the hand of GOD at work in the life of Joseph. Many of us know that historical event well because Joseph is known for having a coat of many colors, which escalated a problem with his siblings.

There is a lot of history in our study which can be found in Genesis Chapters 25-50. We need to begin with Jacob who is the patriarch of the twelve tribes of Israel. Jacob and Esau were twins.  Esau was the first born and was the right heir to the blessings from his father, Isaac. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob in exchange for a bowl of stew because he was hungry. When Isaac was old and it was time for him to pass along his blessings, Jacob and his mother, Rebekah, deceived Jacob’s father, Isaac. They tricked Isaac into giving his blessing to Jacob rather than to Esau. Esau was very angry with Jacob and Jacob fled to live with his mother’s uncle, Laban. Jacob was married to Leah and Rachel, his cousins. Jacob sired eleven children with four women – 2 were his wives and 2 were the maidservants of each wife:

Jacob – Leah’s Maidservant – Zilpah birthed - Gad and Asher

-         Leah – Reuben, Simeon, [Levi]*, Judah,  Issachar, Zebulun, Dinah (Only Daughter)

-         Rachel – [Joseph]*, Benjamin

-         Rachel’s Maidservant – Bilhah birthed – Dan, Naphtali.

*Replaced by Joseph’s two sons Manasseh and Ephraim.

We need to keep in mind that GOD changed Jacob’s name to “Israel” after he flees from his father-in-law, Laban and prepares to meet with his estranged brother, Esau. It was during the night before Jacob was to meet with Esau that he wrestled with GOD and GOD changed Jacob’s name to Israel. Now let’s focus on the first born son of Rachel, Joseph. Jacob made no bones about it, Joseph was his favorite son.

Put yourself into Joseph’s shoes as we study the history of his life. He was 17 years old when this part of his life was recorded. He was in the dark regarding GOD’S ultimate plan for his life until near the end of his life. Yet, GOD had revealed some possibilities through two dreams. Joseph was raised to honor GOD. He had to trust that GOD would take care of him regardless of the circumstances surrounding him. Joseph’s story is an encouragement to us when we going through troubling times. Let’s explore.

Let’s read Genesis 37:1-8:

1 Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. 2 These are the family records of Jacob. At 17 years of age, Joseph tended sheep with his brothers. The young man was working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought a bad report about them to their father.

The sons of Bilhah were Dan, Naphtali and the sons of Zilpah were Gad and Asher. The sons were the offspring from the maidservants or Joseph’s half-brothers. Joseph brought a bad report about them to Jacob. This added fuel to an already troubled relationship. Nobody likes a tattletale. This just made bad matters worse.

3 Now Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than his other sons because Joseph was a son born to him in his old age, and he made a robe of many colors for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not bring themselves to speak peaceably to him.

Sibling rivalry is a bad thing, especially when it is obvious that the parent or parents favor a certain child over the other children. In the case of Joseph, the other siblings knew that Jacob favored Joseph when he gave him a robe of many colors. They hated him and their hatred of him was obvious every time they spoke to Joseph. You can almost hear their snide remarks and sharp criticisms of everything he attempted to do.

 5 Then Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the field. Suddenly my sheaf stood up, and your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 “Are you really going to reign over us?” his brothers asked him. “Are you really going to rule us?” So they hated him even more because of his dream and what he had said. 9 Then he had another dream and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun, moon, and 11 stars were bowing down to me.” 10 He told his father and brothers, but his father rebuked him. “What kind of dream is this that you have had?” he said. “Are your mother and brothers and I going to come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

Dreams in that day were often GOD’S way of revealing matters which were coming to pass. Joseph had not one but two such dreams. The first dream revealed that his brothers would bow down to him and the second dream revealed that the entire family would bow down to him. These dreams angered Joseph’s siblings even more.  Joseph’s father tried to defuse the matter by not taking the dreams seriously but he kept the dreams in his mind.

If Joseph had kept his dreams to himself, he would not have made matters worse but he didn’t. Was Joseph using his dreams as an opportunity to get back at his brothers who were treating him badly such as “Just wait and see one day I will be in a position such that you all will honor me!” We don’t know but GOD wanted all who read the account of Joseph to know that HE is in charge of our lives no matter what the circumstances surrounding us may be. We know that Joseph trusted GOD and the understanding and interpretation of dreams was an important gift that GOD used in Joseph’s life. But Joseph had an immature attitude and was a braggart. GOD needed to do a work in his life so HE could use him for HIS plan and purpose. Does that ring a bell in our lives?

Christians need to keep that in mind. We can all get too big for our britches so-to-speak, meaning that we have the wrong kind of pride. GOD needs to rein us in so that HE can use us. That is no fun until we realize, often in retrospect, GOD was leading and guiding our lives all the time to accomplish HIS plan and purpose.

FATHER, clear the obscurities in our lives and reveal your plan and purpose to us as we struggle with and through the matters of life. Then help us to be the clay in Your hands to be molded into the Christians You desire for us to become.

Joseph Sold into Slavery

12 His brothers had gone to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem. 13 Israel (Jacob) said to Joseph, “Your brothers, you know, are pasturing the flocks at Shechem. Get ready. I’m sending you to them.” “I’m ready,” Joseph replied. 14 Then Israel said to him, “Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are doing, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem. 15 A man found him there, wandering in the field, and asked him, “What are you looking for?” 16 “I’m looking for my brothers,” Joseph said. “Can you tell me where they are pasturing their flocks?” 17 “They’ve moved on from here,” the man said. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph set out after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

At his father’s request, Joseph set out to find his brothers. Jacob and his family lived in Hebron and Joseph had to travel to Shechem some 50-60 miles away. When he arrived in Shechem he was looking for his brothers when a man told him that they relocated to Dothan, some 15-20 miles further and was along a major trade route to Egypt.

GOD positions HIS children such that they can fulfill HIS plans and purpose. In our next scripture, we see those who had to “step in” for GOD’S plan and purpose to be accomplished. Stepping in to a situation takes courage and the wisdom of GOD. Let’s continue.

18 They saw him (Joseph) in the distance, and before he had reached them, they plotted to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes that dreamer! 20 Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal ate him. Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!” 21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to save him from them. He said, “Let’s not take his life.” 22 Reuben also said to them, “Don’t shed blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him”—intending to rescue him from their hands and return him to his father. 23 When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped off his robe, the robe of many colors that he had on. 24 Then they took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

Joseph was wearing his special coat of many colors when he located his brothers. Why was he wearing the coat that sparked animosity among his siblings? It reveals Joseph’s nature. GOD allows us to do some not so smart things when HE has a plan and purpose for us but our nature places us in the position HE wants us to be in. Joseph’s nature was interfering with his judgment.

Joseph’s brothers referred to him as “the dreamer.” They wanted to kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Reuben, the eldest son of Leah, came up with a plan to throw him into this pit. Reuben being the eldest was likely in charge of the group. Remember that Joseph had given a bad report to Jacob regarding the sons of the 2 maidservants. That would make Reuben the eldest trusted, first born of Leah, responsible for what happened while they were grazing the sheep. I think the reference to “this pit” meant that he wanted them to place him in that specific pit so he could come back later, rescue him and return him to Jacob.

They stripped Joseph of his special coat of many colors and threw him into the pit. The pit was a cistern which was bottle shaped. It was wide at the bottom and formed a neck or narrow opening at the top. Fortunately, the pit was empty. It would have been impossible for Joseph to climb out without help. Our next scripture reveals that his brothers had no remorse about what they had just done to Joseph.

25 Then they sat down to eat a meal. They looked up, and there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and resin, going down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh,” and they agreed. 28 When Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt.

The brothers who threw Joseph into the pit, sat down to eat. They did not consider that Joseph had walked so far, found them and likely had not eaten. This reveals their callous hearts.

They were near a major trade route, which was likely the reason for all the pits. Only GOD can work out perfect timing. In GOD’S plans there is no such thing as a coincident, it is divine appointment. The brothers looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming along on their way to Egypt. Judah the fourth son of Leah came up with the idea to sell Joseph and make some money rather than killing him. As a side note, JESUS linage goes through Judah. The brothers involved agreed and sold him to a group traveling with the Ishmaelites, referred to as Midianite traders for 20 pieces of silver. Joseph was on his way to Egypt.

29 When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. 30 He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone! What am I going to do?” 31 So they took Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a young goat, and dipped the robe in its blood. 32 They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it. Is it your son’s robe or not?” 33 His father recognized it. “It is my son’s robe,” he said. “A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has been torn to pieces!” 34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put • sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to • Sheol to my son, mourning.” And his father wept for him. 36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard.

As stated earlier, Reuben was the trusted eldest sibling in charge of the family shepherding group. It is not clear where he was while Joseph was being sold to the Midianite traders. It seems that the group left because Reuben came back to free Joseph. That is when he learned that they had sold him to a passing caravan. Reuben was very upset and tore his clothes. He was likely relieved that they had not killed Joseph. He knew that Joseph was the favored son of Jacob and realized that he was in deep trouble. So they devised a plan to kill a goat and apply the blood of the goat to Joseph’s coat of many colors. They sent the coat to Jacob for him to identify. Of course, as soon as Jacob saw the coat he knew that it belonged to Joseph. Jacob knew that wild animals roamed the areas where sheep grazed and immediately concluded that a wild animal had killed Joseph. That was exactly what the brothers wanted their father to conclude. They did not have to tell a lie or the truth.

As any parent would do, Jacob broke down and grieved bitterly for Joseph. Jacob’s family tried to comfort Jacob but Jacob was distraught and could not be comforted. This was a very dark time for Jacob and a test of his faith to GOD. The Biblical account then switches to Joseph.

Joseph was sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard in Egypt.

Joseph’s life took many turns in Egypt which at times looked dire but GOD was guiding him to the exact spot HE wanted him to be in at the exact time.

I encourage those who do not know the Biblical history of Joseph to read the account found in Genesis Chapters 25-50. Here is a very quick overview and much abbreviated, loose account.

Genesis 39 - As stated Joseph was sold to Potiphar and Joseph proved to be an exemplary servant. Potiphar eventually placed him in charge of his household, except the preparation of food. Joseph was handsome and well built. Potiphar’s wife wanted Joseph to have sex with her but he refused. She made up a false story about Joseph attempting to rape her, which was a lie, but it landed Joseph in prison. The fact that Potiphar did not either kill or have Joseph killed indicates to me that Potiphar likely knew the true account. But it was GOD’S way of getting Joseph into prison in order for Joseph to fulfill HIS plan and purpose.

Genesis 40 - In prison Joseph came in contact with Pharaoh’s baker and cupbearer or wine steward/cupbearer. Both the baker and the cupbearer had dreams relative to them, which Joseph interpreted for them. As Joseph had interpreted in the baker’s dream, the baker was hung and the wine steward was released from prison and returned to his position for Pharaoh. Joseph had requested the wine steward to put in a good word to Pharaoh in his behalf.

Genesis 41 - The wine steward/cupbearer forgot about Joseph’s request until Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret. The wine steward recalled Joseph interpreting his dream and he told this to Pharaoh. Joseph was summoned by Pharaoh. Pharaoh told Joseph about his dream and Joseph interpreted it. As a result Pharaoh made Joseph second in command in Egypt.

Genesis 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 – As GOD had revealed to Joseph through the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream, a wide spread famine came to the land. Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt and sent his sons to Egypt to purchase grain. Joseph recognized his siblings but they did not recognize him. He tantalized them until he could not hold back any longer. Finally, he told them that he was Joseph, their brother, who they had sold into slavery. His brothers were frightened. Since he was second in command they knew that he could have them killed or thrown into prison. Instead he welcomed them and Jacob’s entire family relocated to Egypt. Later, others came to Egypt.

Genesis 48 – Jacob blessed Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

Genesis 49 – When Jacob blessed his sons, he included Joseph and Levi. The twelve tribes of Israel with defined territory exclude Joseph and Levi as heads of tribes but include the two sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim.

Let’s read Genesis 50:15-21: (Jacob, the patriarch dies. Joseph’s brothers’ security has been removed. What will Joseph do to them now? Joseph’s dream fulfilled.)

Joseph’s Kindness

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said to one another, “If Joseph is holding a grudge against us; he will certainly repay us for all the suffering we caused him.” 16 So they sent this message to Joseph, “Before he died your father gave a command: 17 ‘Say this to Joseph: Please forgive your brothers’ transgression and their sin—the suffering they caused you.’ Therefore, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when their message came to him. 18 Then his brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people. 21 Therefore don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

This is the heart of the story. Joseph told his brothers that they meant what they had done to him for harm but GOD meant it for good. GOD used Joseph to save the lives of many people.

It is tough to see the hand of GOD at work in our lives when we are going through difficult times. It is during the dark times in our lives that we have to trust, when we know that we have not committed sin. Often, when we look back at our lives we see the hand of GOD working in our lives for us to see the "Big Picture". As Christians, we must trust in the dark what we learn in the light. Trust is critical and trust is developed through a personal, intimate relationship with GOD through CHRIST.

Proverbs 3:5 and 6 are worth memorizing:

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (KJV) (I learned these verses in the King James Version and it still reads best for me. But choose the version which speaks to you.)

Here these verses are in the New English Version:

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

GOD has a plan for your life. Step one, if you have not already done so, is to accept CHRIST as your Savior. Ask HIM to forgive you for your sins, believe that HE gave HIS life for you in order to pay, in full, the penalty for your sins and ask HIM to come into your life. HE will and you will experience the miracle of rebirth in your spirit. At that instant you become a child of GOD and receive eternal life. That relationship will never change. Salvation is ground zero and the beginning of your new life in CHRIST. It will not be easy but the indwelling Holy Spirit will teach, enlighten, empower, and direct you to the degree you will allow HIM. There is so much more, which you will realize as you walk with CHRIST, study, talk to HIM (Prayer) and build a personal, intimate relationship with GOD through CHRIST. CHRIST’S desire is for HIM to be your very best friend. That means trusting HIM and not holding back on your most secret thoughts, temptations, desires and needs.  Blessings!!!