Joseph Suffers – His Father Failed Him
Genesis 37:12-13 CSB – His brothers had gone to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem. 13 Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers, you know, are pasturing the flocks at Shechem. Get ready. I’m sending you to them.”
Genesis 34:25, 27-29 CSB – took their swords went into the unsuspecting city, and killed every male.
Jacob’s sons came to the slaughter and plundered the city because their sister had been defiled. 28 They took their flocks, herds, donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field. 29 They captured all their possessions, dependents, and wives and plundered everything in the houses.
Genesis 34:30 CSB – Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me…
James 3:14-16; 4:1-2 CSB – if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice.
What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from your passions that wage war within you? 2 You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and wage war
Resentment is dangerous—release it
Luke 23:34 CSB – Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.”
Hebrews 12:15 CSB – Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.
James 3:13 CSB – Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom.
Example for Parents
Joseph Suffers—His Brother’s Turn on Him
Genesis 37:13 CSB – Jacob says, Get ready. I’m sending you to them.” “I’m ready,” Joseph replied.
Genesis 37:15-17 CSB – A man found him there, wandering in the field, and asked him, “What are you looking for?”
16 “I’m looking for my brothers,” Joseph said. “Can you tell me where they are pasturing their flocks?”
17 “They’ve moved on from here,” the man said. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph set out after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
Genesis 37:18-20 CSB – They saw him in the distance, and before he had reached them, they plotted to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Oh, look, here comes that dream expert! 20 So now, come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal ate him. Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”
Hebrews 12:15 CSB – Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.
Genesis 37:21-22 CSB – When Reuben heard this, he tried to save him from them. He said, “Let’s not take his life.” 22 Reuben also said to them, “Don’t shed blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him”—intending to rescue him from them and return him to his father.
Genesis 37:23-24 CSB – When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped off Joseph’s robe, the long-sleeved robe that he had on. 24 Then they took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty, without water.
Genesis 37:25 CSB – They sat down to eat a meal, and when they looked up, there was a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying aromatic gum, balsam, and resin, going down to Egypt.
Genesis 37:26-28 CSB – Judah said to his brothers, “What do we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come on, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh,” and his brothers agreed.
28 When Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took Joseph to Egypt.
Genesis 37:29-32 CSB – When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes.
30 He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone! What am I going to do?”
31 So they took Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a male goat, and dipped the robe in its blood. 32 They sent the long-sleeved robe to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it. Is it your son’s robe or not?”
Genesis 37:33-35 CSB – His father recognized it. “It is my son’s robe,” he said. “A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has been torn to pieces!”
34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” And his father wept for him.
Job 5:7 CSB – …man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.
Genesis 37:36 CSB – Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guards.
Genesis 39:2 CSB – The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.
Colossians 3:23-24 CSB – Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, 24 knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord.
Genesis 39:3-4 CSB – When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he did successful, 4 Joseph found favor with his master and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority.
How to Rise Above in Adversity
In Good Days, Be Thankful
Ecclesiastes 7:14 CSB – In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that no one can discover anything that will come after him.
Troubling Days are Inevitable, Be Ready
1 Peter 4:12 CSB – Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you.
Remember: You Are Not Helpless. Take Responsibility
Galatians 6:9 CSB – Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.
In Days of Trouble, Fix Your Eyes on God.
Isaiah 43:2-3 CSB –
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you,
and the rivers will not overwhelm you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be scorched,
and the flame will not burn you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, and your Savior.
Psalm 119:71 CSB – It was good for me to be afflicted
so that I could learn your statutes.
