Life of Joseph 2 (2)

INTRODUCTION

The American Dream: Rising above your circumstances.

The life of Joseph is an illustration of a man rising above his circumstances.

If we are to appreciate Joseph and understand the impact he made on his generation, we need to understand the background of his early life and the forces that helped shape him.

Genesis 37:1–11 ESV

1 Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. 5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. 9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

Joseph and His Hereditary Involvements

Joseph did not have godly parents and a godly home.

Mom, Rachel, was an idolater

She stole her father’s household idols for Jacob’s house.

Jacob was a crook.

Jacob= “trickster” or “grabber”

Swindled Esau out of birthright by offering food when he was starved.

Offered a bowl of stew in exchange for birthright.

Tricked Father Isaac and stole his brother’s patriarchal blessing.

Used goatskin while Esau was hunting.

Esau returned to find he had been cheated again.

Jacob ran off to stay with uncle Laban, only man on earth who was a bigger crook.

Jacob fell in love with Rachel– agreed to work 7 years for her.

Laban threw a big marriage feast and presented Leah under a veil.

Jacob had to work another 7 years for Rachel.

Then found he had two wives that did not get along.

Joseph comes from a mother who is an idolater and a father who is a swindler– great example

Discord Among the Brothers

Joseph’s brothers hated him (3 times in chp. 37)– because of parents.

Jacob was married to Leah, who he didn’t really love.

She gave birth to four sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah

Jacob was married to Rachel , whom he did love, but she could not have any children. (see figure on student page)

Rachel had handmaid, Bilhah sleep with Jacob two sons: Dan and Naphtali

Leah used her handmaid Two sons: Gad and Asher

Rachel and Leah made a deal to allow Leah to sleep with Jacob again. (Issachar and Zebulun)

Imagine what trouble this brought to the family.

Rachel had not been able to have children, but after trying every trick in the book, she finally prayed to God for a son.

Genesis 30:22 “22 Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.”

She had Joseph and later Benjamin

There were twelve boy, but it was the youngest two who had been born to Rachel, the love of Jacob’s life.

Deaths in the Family

Deborah

Joseph’s nanny.

Scriptures say she was a wonderful women.

Died while Joseph was young.

Isaac

Grandfather

Joseph was among the entourage that carried him to family tomb.

Rachel

Mom

Died while giving birth to Benjamin.–

Joseph was 16– Bible says this placed a heavy burden on his shoulders.

Honor Given Him By Jacob

Reminded him of Rachel

Son of His old age– treated like a grandson, more tolerant.

Coat of Many Colors

Genesis 37:3 “3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.”

Signified that Joseph was to be Jacobs heir.

Other boy’s coats were short-sleeved and short-waisted in order to work every day.

Joseph’s went down to his ankles and symbolized that he was exempt from household work.

Reuben was first-born but 1 Chronicles 56 reveals that he slept with one of his father’s concubines, defiling his father’s bed and surrendering his birthright to the next wife’s first born.

Result: Genesis 37:4 “4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.”

Joseph and His Holy Life

Joseph was taking care of father’s sheep with Bilhah and Zilpah and caught the other boys doing something evil.

Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Ahser were putting Jacob’s reputation on the line.

Joseph was determined to keep family name holy.

Joseph was hated for this.

Holiness brings condemnation in a fallen world.

Joseph’s pure life was a source of great irritation, because he was holy and they were not.

Joseph and His Heavenly Visions

Genesis 37:5-8 “5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: 7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.”

Joseph had dreams that he would one day be great, and that his father and brothers would bow before him.

Probably should not have shared that dream.

Joseph was given a clear vision of God’s plan for his life, and his great sense of purpose was misunderstood by his family as pride. They hated him more.

Genesis 37:9-11 “9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” 10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.”

A leader is sometimes mistaken as a climber or an opportunist, but often he is simply a man who knows where God wants him and is unafraid to walk in step with the Lord to get there.

Our Response

How grateful we ought to be for the advantages God has given us.

Joseph had a tough family.

Even if you have had a rough life we need to thank God.

We can either allow those circumstances to defeat us, or we can rise above our circumstances.

There are too many people in this world who want to use their circumstances as an excuse for evil.

We can rise above our circumstances; and achieve great things for God in our own generation.