Joseph

As we saw last week, for a good portion of Jacob’s life, he was not a follower of God. He was a manipulator, deceiver, and self-centered. The home in which Joseph was raised was dysfunctional at best. We saw that Jacob had two wives, one loved and the other not. Those wives were sisters who were constantly vying for supremacy through having children. They even used their handmaids to have children. Sadly, sex being used as a means of self-centeredness was a theme in this environment. We know this affected the children as we see at the end of Genesis 35, Jacob’s oldest son sleep with one of Jacob’s wives.

Our Family Environment has an Influence in our Lives

We praise the Lord that he patiently worked with Jacob, and Jacob finally turned to the Lord the night before he met his estranged brother, Esau. At that point, God gave him a new name and a new identity, Israel. Now, he was no longer, deceiver and manipulator. He was now an overcomer in God.

Jacob’s story continues in Genesis 34, where we see Jacob’s sons learned deception and manipulation well from their father, as they tricked the men of a city to be circumcised, and then slaughtered them, taking all of their belongings as plunder.

Then, we pick up the history in Genesis 35. Here we see the Lord again appearing to Jacob.

Genesis 35:1–4 NIV

Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.” So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.” So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem.

Genesis 35:9–12 NIV

After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him. God said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.” So he named him Israel. And God said to him, “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.”

God’s Reminders

Genesis 37, shift to Joseph

Joseph - stood for what was right, told his father

More loved

hated

1st Dream - brothers hated him all the more

2nd dream - brothers plotted to kill him, father rebuked, but kept it in mind

Jacob sends Joseph for a report

Brothers saw him coming and plotted to kill him

Reuben says, don’t kill him

throw him into a cistern, after all what do we gain… let’s sell him for money!

brothers lie to father about Joseph

Joseph sold to Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh's guard

Judah and Tamar - In the line of Christ.

Matthew 1:3 NIV

Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,

God is still at work even though we sin

God is still at work even when others sin

Genesis 39:2–6 NIV

The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,

Joseph in Potiphar’s house

Potiphar’s wife

Genesis 39:8–10 NIV

But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

Family has Influence, not Determination

Potiphar jailed Joseph - usual punishment would have been death…

Likely did not believe wife, but could not let Joseph off in order to save face

Again, Joseph did not do anything wrong

But suffering because of other’s sins

Joseph jailed for doing what was right

God still at work

Genesis 39:21–23 NIV

the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

two prisoners

Pharaoh’s dreams

Joseph exalted

30 years old. 23 years after God revealed what would happen, he is becoming ruler of Egypt

Now, 7 years of plenty, followed by 7 years of famine.

Gen 42 Brothers come to Egypt

Do they care for Benjamin?

3 tests

Genesis 46:1–4 NIV

So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!” “Here I am,” he replied. “I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.”

Genesis 50:19–21 NIV

But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

Lies we believe:

Family environment determines ones life

Family environment is only an influence in your life. What choices will you make?

Good things happen to good people, bad things happen to bad people

Bad things happen, even if we are good

When bad things happen, I don’t see God in this

God is at work, even when we or others sin

James 1:2–4 NIV

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Joseph

Good things happen to good people

Bad things happen to bad people

Family Environment Determines one’s future

When bad things happen, God is not at work