Joseph

Joseph

Larry Meshew—STAC Elder

JACOB’S FOUR WIVES – Laban, Jacobs Uncle, had two daughters Leah and Rachel.  Laban gave Zilpah to Leah and Bilah to Rachel as maids.  Jacob served Laban 7 years for the hand of Rachel in marriage, but Laban deceived him. 

Matthew 19:4 – 6  4  And He answered and said,  “Have you not read, that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE,  5  and said, ‘FOR THIS CAUSE A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER , AND SHALL CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE;  AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’?  6  “Consequently they are no longer two, but one flesh.  What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

In this polygynous marriage there was constant competition between Leah and Rachel.  Leah bore Jacob a total of six sons, but when Rachel and Leah could not bear sons they gave their maids to Jacob to produce sons for them.

Genesis 30:22-24  22  Then God remembered Rachel and opened her womb.  23  So she conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken my reproach.”  24  and she named him Joseph saying, “May the Lord give me another son.”

Genesis 35:16 – 18  Then they journeyed from Bethel; and when there was still some distance to go to Eprath Rachel began to give birth and she suffered severe labor.  17  And it came about when she was in severe labor the midwife said to her, “Do not fear for now you have another son”  18  And it came about as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Benoni; but his father called him Benjamin.

The competition between the two sisters continued with Jacob’s sons: 

Genesis 37:2 – 4  2  These are the records of the generations of Jacob.  Joseph, when seventeen years of age was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives.  And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father.  3  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.  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.

Genesis 37:5-34 

Joseph in Egypt 

Genesis 37:36  meanwhile the Medianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s officer, the captain of the bodyguard.  Even though Joseph is a slave God blesses him with success.

Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams. 

Genesis 41:1-16; 25-45

Joseph in Second Command under Pharaoh

Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers and sends them back to Canaan to bring Jacob and all his family to Egypt to settle in Goshen

Sovereignty of God 

Sovereign – Above or superior to all others; greatest; supreme.

Forgiveness  

Joseph forgives his brothers 

Matthew 7:13 & 14  13  “Enter by the narrow gate for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction and many are those who enter by it.  14  “For the gate is small. and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.  Matthew 18:21 & 22  21  Then Peter came and said to Him,  “Lord how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him?  Up to seven times?”  22  Jesus said to him,  “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Joseph finished well 

II Timothy 4:7  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;