Joseph – Part I

a.    Abraham was the father of Isaac

b.    Isaac, which means laughter, was the father of Jacob

c.    Jacob was renamed Israel and was the father of Joseph

d.    This story takes place in the land of Canaan and Egypt. Canaan is modern day Israel

e.    Egypt was the most powerful country at this time in history they were led by Pharaoh = king

f.     Joseph’s brothers are the fathers of the 12 tribes of Israel

g.    It is a historical account of the birth of a

h.    It is a historical account of God transforming Joseph’s life

2.    The Love of God

a.    Genesis 37:3-4 “Now Israel  LOVED Joseph MORE than all his sons because he was the son of his old age and he made him a varicolored tunic

b.    The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ loves you

c.    Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever

d.    The Love the Lord has for his followers will always draw the hatred of those who do not know Him

e.    Humanity will be divided until the Lord comes back

f.     Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her Seed.  He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise His heel

g.    Revelation 12:1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven a woman clothed with the sun and with the moon under her feet and on her head a garland of twelve stars.  Woman = Israel 12 stars = 12 tribes

h.    Revelation 12:4 His tail drew a third of the stars of and threw them to the earth.  And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth to devour her Child as soon as it was born

i.      This hatred is originates in the spirit world and is manifested in the natural

j.      Because God chose Israel to be His channel of blessing to the world they have and will be persecuted.  Because Jesus is God’s gift of love and salvation His followers will be persecuted

k.    The good news is the Lord loves you

l.      The bad news is the Lord loves you and the world will hate you for it

3.    Dreams and Visions

a.    37:5-7 Then Joseph had a dream “Behold we were binding sheaves in the field and lo my sheaf rose up and stood erect and behold your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf”

b.    1st Dream 35:7 The sheaves represent Joseph and his brothers

c.     2nd Dream 35:9 The sun represents his father the moon represents his mother and the stars represent his brothers

d.    God gives Joseph the same dream in two forms

e.    God gives dreams and visions to sustain us through difficult times

f.     GOD WILL COMMUNICATE WITH YOU

g.    37:6-9 Joseph unwisely tells of the dreams he had to his brothers and father

4.    God’s will

a.    The problem =  Favoritism = Joseph was the son of Rachel

b.    We are to love our kids unconditionally

c.    Don’t favor the child that offers the least resistance

d.    We are not to go by feelings

e.    You will pass on to your children what you are

f.     They will do what you do and not just what you say

g.    37:4 And 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.

h.    The tunic is a symbol of Jacob’s favoritism and also becomes a symbol of the brothers hatred toward Joseph

i.      Nothing justifies hatred = a behavior that is taught to children

j.      37:19-20 And they said to one another here comes this DREAMER now then come and let us kill him

k.    Their plan became the exact means by which God brought the dreams to pass

l.      50:20 And as for you, you meant evil against me but God meant it for good

m.   We will fulfill God’s will however it is your choice to either receive blessings or consequences

5.    Rejection

a.    37:28 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 to Egypt

b.    Joseph was 17 years old when his brothers sold him into slavery

c.    Divorce = rejection message

d.    Prejudice = rejection message