Genesis 37-50 Study

Outline

Why This Study?

Overflow of my sermon study

Fall in love with scripture

See how God works so we love/trust Him in the present

What We’ll Do

Answer the question: “Why is this story here?”

Joseph takes up 25% of Genesis, why!?

See this story in light of the book of Genesis and all scripture

Walk through Joseph’s story, keeping an eye on the themes of Genesis and how they are developed and fulfilled here.

Themes so far in Genesis

Promises of God

Land

Seed (be fruitful and multiply)

numerous, kingly

Blessing (blessing to the nations)

Threats to the Promises

Violence within (family strife)

Cain and Abel (Gen 4)

Jacob and Esau (Gen 27)

Violence without (peoples of the lands)

Abraham in Egypt and Gerar (Gen 12, Gen 20)

Isaac in Gerar (Gen 26)

Jacob’s violent sons (Gen 34)

Famine

Gen 12, Gen 26

Joseph’s story is the “Anticipatory fullfillment” (Emadi) of these promises

Main characters

Joseph

Jacob

Judah and his development

ch 37 - Joseph Sold

Continued Themes

brotherly conflict

Cain and Abel

Jacob and Esau

parental favoritism (like Isaac)

Royalty and Rejection

“Royal” robe

2 Sam 13:18 might not be varicolored but long-sleeved. Regardless, denotes royalty

“Royal” dreams

Genesis 17, 35 promises of “kings” coming from their line

3x “bow down” prediction to come later

Considering the royal promises and expectations of one to come, the reader may be wondering “are you the one who is to come or should we expect another” (Emadi pg 55)

v20 “come and let us kill him...then let us see what will become of his dreams”

Parable of landowner

Intro to Judah - Heartless and Opportunistic

Joseph and Judah intersect at 3 most important points

Here to start the conflict

ch 45 at the conflict’s climax

ch 49 at the resolution of the entire book

v25 heartless. learn later on about joseph crying from the pit

taking away the beloved son from their father

v28 sold for 20 shekels (shepherd)

like Zechariah 11 (shepherd)

like Jesus (shepherd)

Mislead their father in a similar way that Jacob deceives his own father

Joseph’s “death” and later “resurrection”

Ps 30:3, “pits” correlated to death

Cliff-hanger ending

Sold to Egypt (the serpent??)

ch 38 - Judah and Tamar

abrupt transition

“went down”

develops the character of Judah

11 out of 12 reference to Yahweh in 37-50 happen in 38 and 39, tying these chapters even more together (Emadi pg 58)

takes a daughter of the Canaanites - not good

foreshadowing the sons of Judah

Judah contrasted with Joseph

Levirate marriage and why it was done

preserve the line of the older son (Deut 25)

temple prostitute, potentially showing he’s worshipping other gods

Judah’s clothing used against him

Judah’s hypocrisy by his response to Tamar

v27 twins, like Jacob and Esau

This is the line that leads to David, and then Jesus

Tamar included in genealogy of Jesus

Why is this chapter here?

Contrast Judah and Joseph

God’s sovereign plan working out even though sinful people

Judah’s potential repentance and turning point in his character

ch 39 - Joseph and Potiphar

Joseph “taken down” to Egypt by force whereas Judah “went down” by free will

“Executioner”

Blessings (Genesis 12:3)

Joseph is a partial fulfillment of God’s promises

Joseph’s purity contrasted with Judah

Joseph’s “robe” appears again (second disrobing act)

Resisted temptation

Vessel for good use (2 Tim 2:20-22)

Abstain from fleshly lusts (1 Peter 2:11-12)

Lights in the world (Phil 2:14-16)

From Prisoner to Prince: The Joseph Story in Biblical Theology Joseph and Judah in Genesis 37–50

Joseph’s purity is the foil to Judah’s promiscuity

Hints of Adam

everything given to Joseph but one thing, like Adam but Joseph passes

“Would not listen to her”

Gen 3:17 Adam and Eve

Gen 16 Abraham and Sarah

Focused on his relationship with God, which is why he doesn’t sin

Prov 29:25 “the fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts the Lord is safe”

God’s sovereignty still working in that Joseph gets put in the prison where the “king’s prisoners go”

Royal imagery still present

“The further that Joseph descends in social rank, the closer he gets to the throne” - Sam Emadi

Heidelberg Cat question 28

Joseph prefigures Jesus

rejected by brothers

tested/tempted but refused

etc (See Bible Talk episode: Tamar included in genealogy of Jesus)

ch 40 - Joseph and Prison

ch 41 - Joseph and Pharaoh

Joseph now receives robe (from ch 37)

ch 42 - Joseph and His Brothers (1)

ch 43 - Joseph and His Brothers (2)

ch 44 - Joseph and His Brothers (3)

ch 45 - Joseph’s Revealed Identity

preserving of the seed

forgiveness due to God’s sovereignty

Joseph is the anti-Cain, undoing the cycle of brotherly violence with forgiveness (see Emadi pg 80)

“joseph is ruler” fulfills ch 37 prediction and brother’s sarcastic comments

Joseph now “gives the robe” to his brothers (see Emadi chart pg 81)

ch 46 - Jacob Moves to Egypt (preservation and proliferation)

See Emadi pg 65 “Seed”

From Prisoner to Prince: The Joseph Story in Biblical Theology Preservation and Proliferation

Yahweh’s rationale for sending Israel to Egypt in order to multiply may be alluded to later in the Joseph story.

ch 47 - Jacob Settles in Egypt

fruitful and multiply (see above in ch 46)

see table 2 pg 76 in Emadi

psalm 105:24

ch 48 - Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons

ch 49 - Jacob Blesses His Sons

Judah, not Joseph, gets the royal line! See Emadi pg 60ish

ch 50 - Jacob Dies, Joseph Dies