Bible Study - Pitfalls (1) - The Pitfall of Betrayal - Genesis 37:1-27 - January 23, 2022

 

Bible Study – Pitfalls (1) – The Pitfall of Betrayal – January 23, 2022

This is lesson one (1) in our series entitled, “How to Avoid Life’s Pitfalls.”

Our focus scripture is Genesis 37:1-5, 19-24, 26-27.

GOD is at work, even when it’s not obvious.

This is a wonderful study of GOD’S hands and plans at work even when we do not think HE cares for HIS chosen. We often focus on the coat of many colors in the story of Joseph and fail to focus on the fact that GOD was at work in the lives of HIS chosen children; and still is.

Often, whether we know we are HIS child or we are yet to be HIS child one day, we think the Biblical stories are for those times and not today. Wrong!!! The same GOD, YAHWEH, is alive and active in the affairs of mankind today as in Biblical times. HE has made HIS presence more intimate and personnel through those who are HIS Children through a personal, intimate relationship when a person becomes Spirit-born. How does anyone become GOD’S Child? It is through faith in JESUS. JESUS broke the sin barrier by the shedding of HIS blood on the cross. The shed blood of JESUS removed the sin barrier and opened the path between GOD and all of mankind, which includes, male and female. The path is open but every individual must accept JESUS as his or her Savior. When you accept JESUS as your Savior, HIS divine Spirit joins with your human spirit and you are Spiritually conceived and become GOD’s Child; never ever to become Spiritually unborn.

What does this mean? It means that GOD has a plan for your life and you have the indwelling Holy Spirit to lead and guide you through life.

This actual event in Biblical history is an example of GOD leading, guiding and positioning HIS chosen to be in the right place at the right time to minister and carry out HIS plan and purpose.

Our Biblical account is about Joseph and how GOD guided his life to where GOD desired for him to be at the right place at the right time. We know how the events in Joseph’s life worked out but Joseph did not know until after the fact. That is where each of us are today. That is where trust comes into our life, which results in building of our faith.

Let’s explore!

Let’s read Genesis 37:1-5 (focus); 6-18 (Background):

Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. ² These are the family records of Jacob.

At seventeen 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.

³ Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons because Joseph was a son born to him in his old age, and he made a long-sleeved robe^[a] 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.

Satan uses jealousy to produce all sorts of actions within our hearts. GOD uses the actions of others to get us to where HE desires for us to be according to HIS plan and purpose. Often, we do not consider GOD repositioning us as pleasant. We have to look back and see that HE repositioned us to be where HE desired for us to be. Let’s read on.

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.”

That was very clear. In Biblical times, GOD communicated through dreams and still does today. The Holy Spirit gives the interpretation and a person must be careful how he or she may interpret the dream. Ask JESUS what it means. I had a very vivid dream and when I awoke, I asked the LORD to reveal the meaning of the dream to me. When I went back to sleep, the Holy Spirit took me back through the dream and interpreted it. That was years ago and it is still unfolding today.

Back to Joseph’s dream:

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 eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

¹⁰ He told his father and brothers, and his father rebuked him. “What kind of dream is this that you have had?” he said. “Am I and your mother and your brothers really 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.

Maybe Joseph should have kept his dream to himself? No! By Joseph telling his dream we get to see through his life GOD’S plan for him being fulfilled. Life was uncertain for Joseph a number of times during his life upon earth. GOD desires for us to see that HE was always in control and Joseph was faithful.

Is GOD in control of your life? In the words of Dr. Vance Havner, “Practice in the dark what you learn in the light.” Hard to do but often, we have no choice. It is only in retrospect that we see GOD’S hand at work. When we do, that is a building block to grow our faith. It is awesome when we see GOD’S amazing handiwork in our lives. So, do not lose hope as you journey through life. Scripture reveals in Proverbs 3:5-6:

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall ^[a]direct your paths.

The events in the life of Joseph continue to unfold, as we read on --

Joseph Sold into Slavery

¹² His brothers had gone to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem. ¹³ Israel 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 Hebron Valley, 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.

¹⁸ They saw him in the distance, and before he had reached them, they plotted to kill him. 

It so happened that a man spotted Joseph wandering in the field and gave him direction. Yes, GOD positions people in our lives to give us direction to go where HE desires for us to go. Timing and direction are critical. GOD also calls us to point others in the direction HE desires for them to go. It is so beautiful to witness GOD’S direction in our lives. Our part is to follow HIS lead through the Holy Spirit. Can GOD lead a person even before he or she becomes Spirit-born? Absolutely! GOD desires for every person to see his or her need for salvation through faith in JESUS. GOD does not override a person’s freedom to choose. JESUS is a stumbling block that every person has to step over before he or she goes to Hell. In 1 Corinthians 1:23, we read:

²³ but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a ^[a]stumbling block and to the ^[b]Greeks (Gentiles) foolishness,

Let’s read Genesis 37:19-24:

¹⁹ They said to one another, “Oh, look, here comes that dream expert!^[b] 20 So now, come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of the pits.^[c] 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.^[d] 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 them and return him to his father.

²³ When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped off Joseph’s robe, the long-sleeved robe that he had on. ²⁴ Then they took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty, without water.

²⁵ They sat down to eat a meal, and when they looked up, there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and resin, going down to Egypt.

GOD provides a way to escape. In 1 Corinthians 3:13, we read:

¹³ No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.

GOD’S timing is perfect. GOD provides escape paths for HIS chosen and HE calls those who are in the right place at the right time to assist those who need to be rescued. Reuben stepped up and saved his brother’s life.

In Genesis 37:25, we read - ²⁵ They sat down to eat a meal, and when they looked up, there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and resin, going down to Egypt.

GOD provides when we are chosen for HIS purpose. It does not mean that we won’t face tense moments. The dark times are when we must trust in GOD.

Let’s read Genesis 37:26-27:

²⁶ Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? ²⁷ Come on, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh,” and his brothers agreed. 

Another brother, Judah, stepped up with a business solution for the fate of Joseph. GOD was saving Joseph not only for the future of the Israelites but for the many people in Egypt and surrounding Egypt.

As Christians, when we choose to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we will learn that there are no such things as coincidences. The Bible is clear as recorded in Psalm 37:23 - A person’s steps are established by the Lord, and he takes pleasure in his way.

We have to keep in mind that GOD desires for all people to see the truth and HIS redemptive plan in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of JESUS. Eternal life is in the shed blood of JESUS confirmed by GOD’S resurrection of JESUS from the dead.

You may recall, Ephesians 1:3-8: ³ Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. ⁴ For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.^[c] 5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.

⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸ that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.^[d]

GOD and JESUS have done their part but each person must do his or her part by accepting JESUS as his or her Savior. Yes, all are chosen but will we accept? The choice is up to each person. Choose wisely!

Blessings!!!