Sep. 02, 2020

GENESIS

“DREAMS OF GREATNESS”

GENESIS 37:1-36

Consider the destructive forces at work in this family, forces that God in His grace overruled for their good. Where sin abounded, grace abounded more (Rom. 5:20).

1.   Hatred- Genesis 37:1-4

vs.4 “they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.”

Psalm 133:1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

Why did the brothers hate Joseph so much?

*Joseph had integrity- vs.2

*Joseph-the favorite son- vs.3-4

Genesis 49:23 “The archers have bitterly grieved him, Shot at him and hated him.”

Hatred is a terrible sin because it generates other sins.

Proverbs 10:12 “Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.”

1 John 2:9 “He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.”

2.   Jealousy- Genesis 37:5-11

Jealousy causes inward pain when we see others succeed, and malice produces inward satisfaction when we see others fail.

Should Joseph have told his dreams to the family, or was this just another evidence of his adolescent immaturity?

3.   Violence- Genesis 37:12-18

Because of their jealousy, Joseph’s brothers sold him to the merchants.

*Questions- vs.12-17- As we read this section several questions come to mind. Why were Jacob’s sons pasturing their flocks fifty miles from home when there was surely good grassland available close to Hebron? Why did they return to a dangerous area near Shechem when Jacob’s family had a bad reputation among the citizens there?

Why did Jacob knowing that his others sons hated Joseph, send him out alone and wearing his special coat that had aggravated them so much?

Psalm 105:17 “He sent a man before them— Joseph—who was sold as a slave.”

God had ordained that Joseph would go to Egypt, and this was the way He accomplished it.

*Conspiracy- vs.18-24

Who suggested that they kill him?

*Indifference- vs.23-28

It is difficult to understand how the men could sit down and calmly eat a meal while their brother was suffering and begging them to set him free (Gen. 42:21).

Jeremiah 17:9 ““The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?”

4.   Deception- Genesis 37:29-36

Prone to jump to conclusions, Jacob accepted the evidence, believed the story, and concluded the Joseph indeed was dead.

God providentially brought Joseph safely to Egypt and saw to it that he was sold to one of Pharaoh’s chief officers. Potiphar is called “captain of the guard” vs.36, which suggests he was head of Pharaoh’s personal bodyguard and in charge of official executions.

The working of God’s providence are indeed awesome, and this ought to be a great source of encouragement to us in the difficult circumstances of life. “He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him; “What have you done?” Daniel 4:35

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.