Yet, as foolish as it seemed right now, Joseph could not shake the deep conviction that God meant to bring those dreams to pass. At various stages of his life, Joseph was a Was Father still alive? Hebrew. 0000001954 00000 n Genesis 3750 contains the biography of Joseph. Remembering these two themes, and learning from the Biblical example of Joseph, can bring believers closer to their Lord. Joseph made three critical errors in judgment: He was indiscriminatehe didnt recognize the troubled situation in his family. But even before that, when Joseph was a slave in charge of Potiphars house or a leader in the prison, he maintained a steady patience while doing a great job. Fortunately, God used that time to teach Joseph and help him grow. Of all his twelve sons, Jacob favored Joseph because he was the son of his old age (Gen. 37:3). While in jail, Joseph performed this act for servants in Pharaohs home, one of whom was pardoned and returned to serve the Egyptian leader. Joseph did not run or cower or cave. 0000011447 00000 n I plan to put it into practice. O Father. His brothers, already jealous, became furious. Josephs Difficulties and Me? (Gen 39) | Five Loaves and Two ! This was a genuinely great read. Pharaoh assigned Joseph the task of preparing his country for the years of famine as a result. 0000011581 00000 n His brothers would love this if they knew. My mom will tell you that, growing up, I would ask about dinner plans every day. In another early text, The History of Joseph the Carpenter, which was composed in Egypt between the 6th and 7th centuries, Christ himself tells the story of his step-father, claiming Joseph was 90 years old when he married Mary and died at 111. WebNature of God and Humankind. Whether you are looking for a lesson for a youth, a young adult, or someone well over middle age, part of what makes Josephs life useful for learning virtue is that it follows him from a young age until his death, and even beyond. Will a professing Christian go to hell if he never shares the gospel? They were praising God and singing songs to Himuntil there was a slight problem. We must not be tired or weary in the face of challenges. The dryness of the arid climate preserved bodies buried in shallow sandy pits, as in the image below. 0000013379 00000 n As a person who loves to solve problems, this principle really drives me nuts sometimes. Joseph and Mary Joseph - Walking with God And he remembered. Sometimes he wants to teach us something, and some lessons take time. Joseph 3. Patience is hard, but its great to hear that you can see God at work over time! 0000022426 00000 n (Gen 39:2, 39:21) Joseph Examine Josephs rise from being purchased as a slave to working as Potiphars overseer (39:1-6). However, this favour was short-lived. He was immaturehe didnt stop to think of the hurt that his actions could cause. Again, thanks for sharing. Unselfishly he offered to interpret the dreams of his two fellow prisoners, telling them that the knowledge came from God (see Genesis 40:8). Despite her many attempts to lure Joseph into sin, Joseph would not sin, But he refused and said to his masters wife, Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. Knowing this made the other brothers hate Joseph. We all love the fairytale ending of Joseph's story. Imagine the imprint this made on this young man! 1. We ended last week with a high point in the lives of the sons of Israel and Moses. Patience and grace are important, as Joseph illustrated. April to May 2023 CrossOver by Foursquare Wuse 0000037802 00000 n He was indiscriminate. He constantly got thrown under the bus, and then responded by continuing to work with integrity for those around him. God enabled Joseph to have the wisdom and guidance to perform this difficult task: During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly, and he gathered up all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. 0000037599 00000 n In this one, the sun, the moon and the stars were bowing down to him. He bragged to his brothers and parents about his prophetic dreams of power. Joseph was a man of strong conviction who lived out his beliefs in his actions. What challenges did But Joseph chose sacrificial love. Go deeper by registering for our course on the Story of the Bible. We can see how God operates in the big picture via Josephs tale. Joseph could have used his power to bring vengeance. WebGod was with him and prospered Joseph in everything he did. And while I am far from perfect, I dont believe that God allowed what happened because of pride. Belief In Gods Plan: Josephs total confidence in God is maybe the most important lesson to take away from his life. During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly. Ultimately, Potiphars wife lied about Joseph, claiming he assaulted her, and he was thrown in jail. Joseph wanted to scream. 0000010258 00000 n He put them through painful tests, but those plans and schemes had a goal. There will be good times and there will be hard times, but God loves you and is working in you and through you, even when you cannot see it or understand it. Just as with Mary and Joseph, troubles and trials in life are tools in the hand of God to mold us and shape us and make us into something beyond our imagination. Joseph is my Bible hero. I need to wait on God. Despite our best efforts to explain the benefits of the medicine, he did not want it. 0000002224 00000 n Joseph willingly obeyed God, in spite of the public humiliation he would face. His youth was seeping out the cracks of his cage. His brothers were jealous of the love that he received from their father and because of his dreams. He put in every city the food from the fields around it. I am studying it even more now. That being said, he certainly lived life with integrity and God worked through him in incredible ways. Hi Ayo! Despite being betrayed by his brothers and ending up a slave in a foreign country, things seem to finally be turning positive for Joseph. Despite being a man who consistently honored God, Joseph spent 16 years as a slave and then as a prisoner in Egypt. So it was not you who sent me here, but God (Genesis 45:5&7-8a). Regardless of what the future brings, however, Im slowly feeling more equipped to deal with the challenges. Joseph was the firstborn child of Rachel, who was Jacobs genuine love and one of his four wives. When he was reunited with his brothers, he could say sincerely, And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve lifeAnd God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. These things, in actuality, cannot prevent Gods plans; they can only postpone them. And yet, we are never promised this. Do We See Any Gospel Connections in the Book of Numbers? Web5.5K views, 279 likes, 250 loves, 655 comments, 255 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Joseph Z: A TERRIFYING END FOR THE WICKEDAnd YOUR GLORIOUS FUTURE! When Joseph arrived, they were not there. What does the Bible say about Josephs character? Some prosper materially and financially, but their spiritual life is in darkness. Catholicism is the largest and most influential Christian church. Honest, good-hearted people who hear Gods word, cling to it (Luke 8:15, NLT). Distant screams let Joseph know another fight had broken out in the barracks. Joseph was given the knowledge and direction by God to do this challenging task: Due to this, Egypts population survived the famine buyers traveled from all over Your email address will not be published. He thought back to the dream where God had told him he would become powerful. Some days, I remind myself that, while I am not necessarily enjoying whats going on with my new job, at least my brothers and sisters didnt sell me into this job or into slavery. It may have taken decades, but he was able to see why God put him through so many trials and tribulations. Joseph was an amazing servant leader. Joseph was not special because he was prophetic but because he knew how to interpret the dreams. He really did not do anything to warrant that treatment but he at least had the love and support of his father. 0000011515 00000 n You can get an overview of most of the Genesis story, including Josephs, in this great video from the Bible Project: Josephs story begins in Genesis 37, when he is seventeen years old. He was described in the Bible as a righteous man. When the famine finally hits, Egypt is well-stocked with food. Nowhere in Genesis, in any translation, does God say anything about Josephs pride. Some might argue that because of his pride his brothers sold him. He constantly got thrown under the bus, and then responded by continuing to work with integrity for those around him. Because of this, Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of preparing his nation for the years of want. Until finally the Pharaoh himself has a troubling dream. His timeline is different than mine. And whatever he did, theLordmade it succeed. And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance,like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured. Humble- the power and prestige of his position working for Pharaoh never changed him. What Does Colossians 2:6-7 Teach Us about Our Faith Walk? Last week I found myself pretty angry with God. And that leader would And yet, the reality is most of us need the practice. Red Church | Hope in Darkness - Facebook His brothers hated him and sold him into slavery; he spent years in jail for choosing not to engage in sin, and he was forgotten by those he helped for quite some time. WebA bible challenge to read the chapters in the book of Genesis concerning the account of Joseph. As a group they sell Joseph into slavery, but as individuals they deal with the following years and how they can make amends. He explains the meaning of the dream in Genesis 41 by saying: It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. Joseph wept, and the brothers fell before him offering to be his slaves. But God was with him (10) and rescued him from all his troubles. But Joseph did leave an instructive testimony to Potiphars wife and possibly others in the household. Yes, God does put him in different positions to help him learn leadership. I dont even recognize myself from only 3 or 4 years ago. His humility and love made him keep a level head, even when his brethren, who no longer recognized him, came to buy corn in Egypt. He did a great job and rose to the top position in each setting, but no one was going to let him out. He is working, even when we cannot see it or feel it. When the seven years of good harvests came, Joseph developed a stockpiling system to store the grain for use during the coming drought. ! How did Joseph demonstrate his faith in Matthew? Joseph said to his brothers, I am Joseph! We can say with confidence that this is what God wanted for Joseph. One day when they were tending their flocks away from home, Jacob sent Joseph to see if all was well with them. Bible However, as they were eating, a group of Ishmaelite traders came by, so they chose to sell him into slavery as a profit-making scheme instead. These spoke of God as three personsFather, Son, and Holy Spiritexisting together in a single being. We may never understand the work He is doing in our heart or recognize what He is preparing us for. Either way, I think Joseph is still an excellent Biblical hero. If there is a problem, I want to solve it as quickly as possible. After a few more journeys to Egypt, bringing with them the youngest brother Benjamin at Josephs request, he revealed himself, and extended forgiveness to them. 0000001557 00000 n How can you put others first when you think so highly of yourself? Since his purpose was to prevent hunger in the known world at the time, God permitted Josephs suffering. 156 0 obj<>stream Joseph became the overseer of a vast amount of grain that would deliver Egypt and many other people from a future famine. He didnt ignore his fears, he faced them by understanding there are two parts: Gods part and our part. 0000022824 00000 n 0000002381 00000 n Beitzel, Barry J. Biblica The Bible Atlas: A Social and Historical Journey through the Lands of the Bible. First, he sent wrong signals to Joseph about his position in the family over his older brothers. Recommended: Lessons From The Story Of Samson And Delilah. You miss the chance to grow in godly character and to demonstrate to God that you are expanding your understanding of and relying on the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the instant you succumb to temptation based on lame reasons. There was nothing Joseph could do to get himself out of slavery or prison. What are two principles of leadership you can take from the story of Joseph and apply to effective leadership? Joseph exemplifies this perfectly, and we would do well today to learn from him. Peter: Leaders recover from failure. Fists to his forehead he pleaded again with God in the dark for deliverance. Joseph made three critical errors in judgment: He was indiscriminatehe didnt recognize the troubled situation in Gods way, not mans way, is to be taken as the guide of action. For Joseph, even though it looked like horrible things were happening in his life, the challenges were a training ground to get where God wanted him to be !
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