Kids' Club: Genesis 37:18-36

Introduction: Friends, last week we considered how Joseph demonstrated selfishness and pride with his brothers. We can be guilty of the same and need the Holy Spirit to help us to live humbly, serving others.

Background: Tonight, we’re going to look at Joseph’s brothers and how they mistreated Joseph. Where we pick up in our passage, Joseph has been sent by his father, Jacob, to check on Jacob’s sons who were caring for Jacob’s sheep in a place called Shechem. Unfortunately, Joseph did not find them there but needed help to locate them in Dothan.

Transition: Let’s look at how Joseph’s brothers respond to Joseph as he approaches them.

Content and Explanation: Genesis 37:18-36

Genesis 37:18–36 “18 When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer! 20 “Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we will say, ‘A wild beast devoured him.’ Then let us see what will become of his dreams!”

Friends, Joseph’s brothers plan among themselves to do a terrible thing to him.

What is it that they planned to do to Joseph?

To kill him.

But they also planned to tell their father something about Joseph.

What is it that they planned to tell their father?

Joseph had been killed by a wild animal.

Would this be true?

No.

It’d be a lie.

Is it ever right to lie?

No.

God hates lying.

Friends, why would Joseph’s brothers plot to kill him?

Genesis 37:4 “4 His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms.”

Genesis 37:5 “5 Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.”

Genesis 37:8 “8 Then his brothers said to him, “Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.”

Genesis 37:11 “11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.”

Friends, Joseph’s brothers hated him because they were jealous of him.

Friends, what does it mean to be jealous of someone?

You see something that someone has and you want it because you believe that they don’t deserve it but you do.

You see someone treated a way that you want to be treated and you want that treatment because you believe that they don’t deserve it but you do.

Friends, at its core, this is selfishness and pride that’s no different from the attitude that we saw in Joseph last week!

In our memory verse, we’ll learn the way how God wants us to live instead of being jealous.

Well, friends, one of Joseph’s brothers attempts to keep Joseph from being killed.

21 But Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands and said, “Let us not take his life.” 22 Reuben further said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father.

Friends, Jacob’s oldest son, Reuben, tries to save his brother, Joseph, from death.

What does he suggest that his brothers do instead?

Throw him in a pit.

While this isn’t much better, it does mean that Reuben can try to rescue him later.

Notice next, friends, how Joseph’s brothers treat him.

23 So it came about, when Joseph reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him; 24 and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it. 25a Then they sat down to eat a meal.

Look at how cruelly Joseph’s brothers treat him!

As he’s suffering in the pit, they sit around and eat!

They obviously don’t care about Joseph!

25b And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing aromatic gum and balm and myrrh, on their way to bring them down to Egypt. 26 Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 “Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. 28 Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt. 29 Now Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit; so he tore his garments. 30 He returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is not there; as for me, where am I to go?”

Friends, we see one of Joseph’s own brothers suggest to sell Joseph into slavery, Joseph’s brother Judah.

Selling him as a slave meant that Joseph would be under the total control of someone else who could either be kind or nasty - yet the brothers did not care what would happen.

31 So they took Joseph’s tunic, and slaughtered a male goat and dipped the tunic in the blood; 32 and they sent the varicolored tunic and brought it to their father and said, “We found this; please examine it to see whether it is your son’s tunic or not.” 33 Then he examined it and said, “It is my son’s tunic. A wild beast has devoured him; Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!” 34 So Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 35 Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, “Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him. 36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s officer, the captain of the bodyguard.”

Friends, Joseph’s brothers made it look like Joseph had died instead of telling the truth to their dad.

They added to their sins lying to their father!

Friends, Joseph’s brothers remind us of how terrible this particular sin that they are guilty of can be.

Application: Be kind instead of jealous.

Identification of the sin: jealousy

Friends, what kind of attitude did Joseph’s brothers have towards Joseph?

They hated him and were jealous of him.

Friends, look at the other sins that their jealousy and hatred led them to choose to do.

Unkind words (Genesis 37:4).

Wicked thoughts (Genesis 37:18).

They hurt Joseph by taking his coat and throwing him in a pit (Genesis 37:23-4).

They took advantage of Joseph by selling him into slavery (Genesis 37:28).

They lied to their father about Joseph’s enslavement (Genesis 37:31-35).

Friends, the Bible tells us that jealousy is sin that our loving God hates; Galatians 5:19–21 “19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Modern Illustration of sin in our lives:

Friends, we too can be guilty of jealousy that leads to hatred and a bunch of other sins.

If I were to give one of you something but not to everyone, what might we all think?

That’s not fair.

We tend to think this way because we want to be given something.

And we’d be tempted to say and do things that were sinful (“that’s not fair;” “they don’t deserve that;” forcefully take it from them or do something to make sure that they didn’t receive that treatment next time)

Friends, Jesus died for all sin, including jealousy.

If you’re here and thinking, “I need Jesus to save me from my sins, including jealousy,” for the first time, Jesus will save you.

I’d be happy to share more with you about what it means to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your only Savior from your sins.

Scripture Memory - 1 Corinthians 13:4b “love is kind and is not jealous;”

Friends, if you have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as your only Savior from your sins, you might be thinking, “I’m guilty of jealousy, what do I do?”

First, you confess your sins to the Lord.

Next, we’re told that the biblical response to jealousy is love that demonstrates itself in kindness towards others.

Usually, we show kindness to someone who needs something.

This can be anything from a smile to giving someone some food that they need.

When we’re kind to someone, we’re demonstrating that what they need is more important than what it is that I want.

Friends, without the Holy Spirit helping us, this is impossible.

Friends, let’s seek the Lord’s help to love others and show them kindness when we’re tempted to be jealous.

Repetition - 1 Corinthians 13:4b “love is kind and is not jealous;”

Discussion Questions:

When Joseph’s brother saw him coming, what did they plan to do to him? - kill him

What did Joseph’s brothers plan to tell their father had happened to Joseph? - he was killed by a wild animal

Would the brothers’ story have been true? - no, it was a lie

What did Joseph’s brothers call Joseph? - dreamer

Which brother of Joseph’s attempted to rescue Joseph from being killed? - Reuben

What did Reuben suggest that the brothers do to Joseph instead of kill him? - throw him in a pit

When the brothers threw Joseph in the pit, what did they take off of him? - his coat of many colors

Which brother suggested to his brothers to sell Joseph into slavery instead of killing him? - Judah

How much money did the brothers make off of selling Joseph into slavery? - 20 shekels of silver

When the brother arrived home, what did they show their father, Jacob? - a torn coat of many colors that they had dipped in blood

What did Jacob believe had happened to Joseph? - he died

According to our memory verse, 1 Corinthians 13:4b, how should we treat others instead of being jealous of them? - kind