OUTLINE: Genesis (origins) by content is comprised of two basic sections: 1) Primitive history (Gen. 1–11) and 2) Patriarchal history (Gen. 12–50). Primitive history records 4 major events: 1) Creation (Gen. 1, 2); 2) the Fall (Gen. 3–5); 3) the Flood (Gen. 6–9); and 4) the Dispersion (Gen. 10, 11). Patriarchal history spotlights 4 great men: 1) Abraham (Gen. 12:1–25:8); 2) Isaac (Gen. 21:1–35:29); 3) Jacob (Gen. 25:21–50:14); and 4) Joseph (Gen. 30:22–50:26). God’s blesses who he will. Multiple times the first born in Genesis is passed over through Ephraim and Manasseh.
God delights to bless us, but also wants us to stay blessable in His will as we follow Jesus. ~ kv
God delights to bless us, but also wants us to stay blessable in His will as we follow Jesus. ~ kv
He wants to bless us.. not so that blessing would merely terminate upon on us, but in order to make us a blessing to others. Yes, a blessing to cities the nations..but starting at home. He told us to go share the Gospel. You and I have a part in helping to bring others to Him -- in helping to bring closure with His Great Commission!
D. JOSEPH (the suffering and glory), Chapters 37-50
D. JOSEPH (the suffering and glory), Chapters 37-50
1. Jacob dwells in Canaan — Joseph sold into slavery, Gen 37
2. Sin and shame of Judah, Gen 38
a. Overseer in house of Potiphar — tempted then framed by wife of Potiphar — imprisoned, Gen 39
b. Joseph in prison interprets dreams of baker and butler, Gen 40
a. Joseph interprets dreams of Pharaoh — made overseer of Egypt — marries Asenath — birth of Manasseh and Ephraim (tribes that became more blessed than the tribes of Jacob's sons?), Gen 41
b. Jacob sends 10 sons to Egypt for corn — they gain an audience with Joseph — they leave Simeon there as hostage — then return home to Canaan with corn (wheat) and refunded money to them, Gen 42
God is on the throne – hasn’t fallen off. Won’t
ever fall off, and nothing surprises Him. You know nothing ever catches Him off-guard. You know He hasn't forgotten you or your situation. God hasn't abandoned me. And I indeed can have confidence. You can too. But the cry (of Genesis 42:36), "All things are against me" (looked like that to Jacob, but ) this was a false cry based upon fragmentary knowledge (We should never measure the problem by that which we can see outwardly). The Bible tells us that "all things are working together FOR good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). All things against us? No. What do "all things" include? "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Famine, persecution, nakedness, peril, sword? Nay, in all these things" (Romans 8:35).
These things may include famine. They may include nakedness. They may include peril. They may include sword. But if I have to endure these kinds of afflictions, whatever comes it's working together for good because I love God and they cannot separate me from the love of God. For "in all these things I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me. For I am persuaded, that neither depth, nor height, nor principalities, nor angels, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor any other creature, is able to separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:37-39).
c. Jacob sends sons (Benjamin included--didn't feel like sending) back again to Egypt — they were entertained in Joseph’s home (Joe doesn't reveal his identity to em), Gen 43
d. Joseph sends his brothers home — arrested by steward — cup found in Benjamin’s sack, — Judah (becoming a great man now) really pleads for Benjamin, Gen 44 (chaps. 42–45 are all about how God worked in setting up this family reunion)
--(Gen 44:1-5) Why did Joseph put the money in his brothers’ bags again?
a. As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away: The brothers left Egypt in high spirits. They were treated well, had their sacks full of grain, and Simeon was out of prison. Their father Jacob’s fear of something horrible happening would not be fulfilled.
b. Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money: As before, the grain sacks of the brothers are topped off by the money they paid for the grain, but this time, Joseph has his special silver cup put in the sack of Benjamin.
c. Why have you repaid evil for good? Some wrongly think that Joseph did this simply to use his position of power to torment his brothers in revenge for their cruelty towards him. Yet knowing the character of Joseph, this wasn’t the case. Guided by the hand of God, Joseph tested the hearts of his brothers and brought them to complete repentance.
d. He indeed practices divination: We know from other sources that ancients did use sacred cups as divination devices. It is possible Joseph did also, because there was not yet specific revelation from God that such a practice was forbidden. Yet, it was not Joseph who said he used the cup for divination, but his servant, who may have wrongly assumed Joseph’s spiritual insight and wisdom were more due to this cup than to his relationship with the living God.
--(Gen 44:6-10) The brothers claim they are innocent of theft and they were of this, but guilty of so much more--selling their bro into slavery. They’d sure weren’t honest with their brokenhearted dad.
Do you think of some kind of evil scheme, born from an inner grudge, jealousy, or of pure treachery, greed and hate?
Well, these Genesis passages deal with a conspiracy of selfishness and hate indeed (coming from the brothers towards Joseph), and these passages also deal with a very different kind of conspiracy: A conspiracy of selfless love masterminded by God together with Joseph.. that was toward his brothers.
We believers tend to ask precise diagnostic questions when witnessing. Wanna know.. is this person a believer, or unbeliever? Are they hardhearted-nominal or lukewarm spiritually, or carnally minded, or worldly..or spiritually dead inside?
There were some diagnostic questions and negotiations of sorts with Joe as well.. just to find out where his brother's hearts were at when they met up in Egypt. Did they still have those proud hard-hearts with that grudge? Where they self-seeking and covering their sins, or bitterness with unbelief and treachery? Were they now this way towards their brother Benjamin?
Joe so hoped they had change, and become right inside -- he longed to help and bless them! Really didn't want to get in God's way. We all reap what we sow..and can learn, know and grow. Joe didn't want to act as some co-dependent enabler just blocking (instructive) consequences that could lead to true repentance.. if zero change had happened there. He earnestly hoped they could together one day have that joyous family reunion! He SO missed his dad who had also been sinned against by them. What lessons did Joe and his big bros learn? So intriguing was this conspiracy of hate by the bros, as well as this conspiracy of love by Joseph!
--(Gen 44:11-13) The cup is found in Benjamin’s sack.
--(Gen 44:14-17) Judah commits himself and all the brothers to stick with Benjamin, even as slaves in Egypt.
--(Gen 44:18-32) Judah tells Joseph the whole recent story from the beginning (I LOVE HOW JUDAH SELFLESSLY INTERCEDES FOR BENJAMIN).
--When he Jacob sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die: Think about it, 20 years before Joseph’s brothers showed a callous disregard of their father when they reported Joseph’s supposed death (Genesis 37:31-33). Judah showed they were now greatly concerned for the feelings and welfare of their father. This was more evidence of a change of heart.
--(Gen 44:33-34) Judah lays down his life for Benjamin and his father. You recall how Judah was the one who suggested selling Joseph 20 years earlier. (37:26-27)
i. Moses was willing to offer himself for the salvation of Israel (Exodus 32:31-32), and so was Paul (Romans 9:1-4). Sacrificial love is evidence of our transformation (John 13:34).
ii. Through this chapter there is remarkable evidence of the changed hearts of Joseph’s brothers.
· Playing favorites was not wise for Jacob, but the brothers did not resent it when Benjamin was given the favored portion (Genesis 43:34)
· They trusted each other, not accusing each other of wrong when accused of stealing the cup (Genesis 44:9)
· They stuck together when the silver cup was found. They did not abandon the favored son and allow him to be carried back to Egypt alone (Genesis 44:13)
· They completely humbled themselves for the sake of the favored son (Genesis 44:14)
· They knew their predicament was the result of their sin against Joseph (Genesis 44:16)
· They offered themselves as slaves to Egypt, not abandoning Benjamin, the favored son, their brother (Genesis 44:16)
· They showed due concern for how this might affect their father (Genesis 44:29-31)
· Judah was willing to be a substitutionary sacrifice for his brother out of love for his father and his brethren (Genesis 44:33). There are only two kinds of people these days -- Judah-types and Reuben-types. Those who confess and forsake their sins and those who refuse to, but instead cover them. (Read more on this. Lost or saved, hell bound or heaven bound)
e. Joseph reveals identity — has a tender reunion with his brothers — invites his dad Jacob and all family members to Egypt, Gen 45
Notice with Joseph’s forgiveness of his bros--there was a realistic appraisal of their sin. “You meant it evil against me..” No: “Aww, you guys, don’t worry about it. Just forget it--It was nothing.” Remember that cheap or flippant forgiveness is no forgiveness at all. And apologies don’t try to do the job that only repentance can do. A nicely worded slippery apology is merely a courtesy to civility--it can be an end run around true repentance. How easy it is to be flippant in forgiveness or even in receiving forgiveness. It’s been said, “Forgiveness is never any better than our ability to receive it.” Have you? )
Joseph had fully forgiven them and said, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people. Therefore do not be afraid." Genesis 50:10-20
"You planned evil against me", "you intended to harm", "you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good…”
f. Jacob with family (70) move to Egypt with Pharaohs help — Jacob and Joseph reunited, Gen 46
g. Jacob and the brothers dwell in Goshen — are presented to Pharaoh — famine forces Egyptians to sell their lands to Joseph for Pharaoh — Joseph swears he will bury Jacob in Canaan where he wanted to be. Jacob believed in the promise, Gen 47
h. Jacob on deathbed blesses Joseph’s sons, Gen 48
Joseph wanted a blessing from his dad, Jacob, for the oldest of his two boys. Remember Manasseh and Ephraim? Grandpa Jacob basically said, Well it’s time, so bring your boys to me Joseph.. bring them up here close so that I can bless them now. You know in the Hebrew tradition it’s normal for the father to bless the older son -- giving him the first blessing by placing his right hand upon his head, and then after that to bless the younger by placing his left hand upon his head. But what happened? To Joseph's surprise and astonishment his dad, Jacob, reaches out and blesses Ephraim with his right hand. What’s sup with that?
It’s pretty interesting all through this book. Yes, go check out how it went with the oldest sons in Genesis -- it didn't always go as the family members expect it to go. Seth is blessed instead of Cain. Shem is blessed instead of Japheth. Abram is blessed instead of Haran. Isaac is blessed instead of Ishmael. Jacob is blessed instead of Esau. And now...here it's younger Ephraim getting blessed instead of Manasseh the firstborn. God's blessing often does flow through natural family lines, but anytime God chooses He can bless whoever He will... cuz He is God and we the people are not.
a. Jacob gives deathbed blessing and prophecy for 12 sons, Gen 49
b. Death and burial of Jacob in Canaan — death and burial of Joseph in Egypt, Gen 50
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