And entrust what you heard me say in the presence of many others as witnesses to faithful people who will be competent to teach others as well.

2 Timothy 2:2 (NET)

Paul’s words to Timothy still apply to us today. The church needs teachers who clearly and fearlessly teach the Word of God. With this in mind, The Bible Teacher’s Guide (BTG) series was created. This series includes both expositional and topical studies, with resources to help teachers lead small groups, pastors prepare sermons, and individuals increase their knowledge of God’s Word.

Each lesson is based around the hermeneutical principle that the original authors wrote with the same goal as we write today—with the intention of being understood. Each paragraph and chapter of Scripture centers around one main thought, often called the Big Idea. After finding the Big Idea for each passage studied, students will discuss the Big Question, which will lead the small group (if applicable) through the entire text. Alongside the Big Question, note the added Observation, Interpretation, and Application Questions. The Observation Questions point out pivotal aspects of the text. The Interpretation Questions facilitate understanding through use of the context and other Scripture. The Application Questions lead to life principles coming out of the text. Not all questions will be used, but they have been provided to help guide the teacher in preparing the lesson.

As the purpose of this guide is to make preparation easier for the teacher and study easier for the individual, many commentaries and sermons have been accessed in the development of each lesson. After meditating on the Scripture text and the lesson, the small group leader may wish to follow the suggested teaching outline:

1. Introduce the text and present the Big Question.
2. Allow several minutes for the members to discuss the question, search for the answers within the text, and listen to God speak to them through His Word.
3. Discuss the initial findings, then lead the group through the Observation, Interpretation, and Application Questions.

On the other hand, the leader may prefer to teach the lesson in part or in whole, and then give the Application Questions. He may also choose to use a “study group” method, where each member prepares beforehand and shares teaching responsibility (see Appendices 1 and 2). Some leaders may find it most effective to first read the main section of the lesson corporately, then to follow with a brief discussion of the topic and an Application Question.

Again, The Bible Teacher’s Guide can be used as a manual to follow in teaching, a resource to use in preparation for teaching or preaching, or simply as an expositional devotional to enrich your own study. I pray that the Lord may bless your study, preparation, and teaching, and that in all of it you will find the fruit of the Holy Spirit abounding in your own life and in the lives of those you instruct.

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

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But Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, in the land of Canaan. This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, his seventeen-year-old son, was taking care of the flocks with his brothers. Now he was a youngster working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons because he was a son born to him late in life, and he made a special tunic for him. When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated Joseph and were not able to speak to him kindly. Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him even more. He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the middle of the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose up and stood upright and your sheaves surrounded my sheaf and bowed down to it!” Then his brothers asked him, “Do you really think you will rule over us or have dominion over us?” They hated him even more because of his dream and because of what he said. Then he had another dream, and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said. “I had another dream. The sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” When he told his father and his brothers, his father rebuked him, saying, “What is this dream that you had? Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come and bow down to you?” His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept in mind what Joseph said….

Genesis 37 (NET)

Joseph is one of the more exceptional characters in the Bible. In the fifty chapters of Genesis, one fourth of the book is devoted to his story. Abraham has fourteen chapters; Joseph has twelve. This in itself shows how special he is. God used Joseph to fulfill his promise to Abraham: that his descendants would spend 400 years in Egypt as slaves and then would leave with great wealth to enter the promised land (Gen 15:13-16). Though Joseph’s brothers sent him to Egypt as a slave, in God’s providence, God used Joseph to save his family during a famine. His character is so special, many commentators have called him a type of Christ. Though never specifically called that by Scripture, the resemblance is unmistakable. Matthew Henry said, “His story is so remarkably divided between his humiliation and his exaltation that we cannot avoid seeing something of Christ in it.”¹ Joseph was loved by his father, hated and rejected by his brothers, exalted to second in command over Egypt, and saved those who rejected him. Joseph is a magnificent figure.

With that said, Joseph’s story also shows us how God works in all of our lives. God doesn’t always work through miracles—suspending his laws of nature to bring change. God most often works through ordinary life events—guiding and overruling them for his higher purposes. That’s what he does in Joseph’s life, as God takes his brothers’ selling him into slavery, Potiphar’s wife’s lie about him that got him imprisoned, etc., and uses them for good. God does the same for us (Rom 8:28).

In this specific chapter, we see Joseph’s messy family background. He came from a dysfunctional home, which no doubt negatively affected him in various ways. This is no surprise, as many of the families in Scripture were broken. When sin came into the world, it hurt families. Cain killed his brother Abel. Abraham and Lot had to go separate ways because of discord in their two tribes. Abraham’s wives fought and his children fought. He eventually sent his second wife and child away. Jacob married two sisters who had birthing wars—trying to outdo one another—for Jacob’s affection. Joseph, too, came from a dysfunctional family. No doubt, many of the trials he went through were meant to rid him of negative roots that were deeply embedded because of his family background, which could spoil his calling. God often does the same with us.

As we study Joseph’s family, we learn principles about how to protect our family from sin and dysfunction. In the narratives of Scripture, God often gives us negative examples, not so we can model them, but so that we learn from them (cf. 1 Cor 10:11).

Big Question: What principles can we discern from the Genesis 37 narrative about protecting our families from sin and dysfunction?

To Protect Our Families, We Must Obey God’s Will

But Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, in the land of Canaan.

Genesis 37:1

As we begin this chapter, we must first notice a good thing. The narrator emphasizes that Jacob stayed in the land of Canaan, where his father, Isaac, formerly lived (v. 1). Earlier in Genesis 28, Jacob moved out of Canaan to Haran because of fear of his brother, Esau. There he worked for his uncle, Laban, and earned two wives. After twenty years, he eventually returned to Canaan—the land of promise (Gen 31). God promised Jacob’s grandfather, Abraham, that his descendants would inherit that land. Abraham lived there; Isaac lived there, and then Jacob lived there. It wasn’t an easy place to live; there were many ungodly people in it, so much so, that the patriarchs were not allowed to take wives from the land (Gen 24, 28). The sins of the Canaanites were part of the reason God was going to give the land to Israel (cf. Gen 15:16). While living in Shechem, a small city in Canaan, Jacob’s daughter Dinah was raped, and in return, Jacob’s sons murdered the men in the land (Gen 34). Life in Canaan was difficult, but it was where God called Jacob and his family to reside and to be lights in that community. Unfortunately, the Canaanites seemed to be having more of an effect on the Israelites than the Israelites were having on them. This is probably why God soon sends the Israelites to Egypt and providentially protects them through Joseph.

Similarly, if we are going to protect our families, there is no better place for us to be than right in the center of God’s will. Here are a couple of quick thoughts about being in God’s will with our families:

• Being in God’s will doesn’t mean life will be comfortable and easy—often, it will be uncomfortable and difficult. While Jacob lived in Shechem, his daughter shouldn’t have even been allowed to go anywhere unaccompanied. It was too dangerous (Gen 34). Similarly, the call to follow the Lord often means taking up our cross (Lk 14:27). It may lead us to places where we’re uncomfortable.
• Being in God’s will doesn’t mean we will be free from temptation—Jacob’s family was tempted in Canaan. They were tempted towards idolatry, sexual immorality, and violence. Even Christ was tempted while fasting in the wilderness. While in God’s will, we’ll still need to fight off temptation. We’ll also find that his grace is available if we’ll take advantage of it.
• Being in God’s will often means being a light in a dark place. It means being different from others, and also at times being lonely or mocked because of those differences.
• Being in God’s will isn’t static—meaning it doesn’t stay the same all the time. With Jacob, God called him to leave Canaan to go to Haran (Gen 28) and then later to return to Canaan (Gen 31). Soon God will call the entire family to move to Egypt for a season (Gen 46) and then return again (Exodus). Because of this reality in our own lives, we must remain close to the Father in order to hear his voice and stay on his path. Proverbs 3:6 says, “Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight.” Are you staying close to the Father?

In this aspect, Jacob did well. He was where God wanted him to be in the promised land—the narrator, Moses, reminds us of this. Similarly, the best place to protect our families is in God’s will. There will still be trials and temptations, but God’s grace is available so that we can remain faithful.

Application Question: How can we discern God’s will for our individual lives and our families (cf. Rom 12:2, Prov 3:6, 11:14, etc.)? What might be some consequences of neglecting God’s will for our family?

To Protect Our Families, We Must Work with Diligence and Integrity

This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, his seventeen-year-old son, was taking care of the flocks with his brothers. Now he was a youngster working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father.

Genesis 37:2

Out of the twelve sons, Joseph is the second youngest. His mother, Rachel, died while giving birth to his youngest brother, Benjamin (Gen 35). They were the only two sons of Jacob’s favorite wife. Jacob had three other wives from which the other ten sons were born.

At seventeen, Joseph was a shepherd. While working with four of his brothers—Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher (the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah)—he brought a bad report to his father. We don’t know exactly what the brothers did wrong, but it probably had to do with their work. Maybe they were slacking on the work or lacking integrity when they did it—leaving the flocks to do other things.

Even as a young man, Joseph possessed great integrity and was a hard worker. His work ethic, integrity, and leadership ability will be more clearly demonstrated throughout the rest of his narrative. He will be exalted to chief servant while working for Potiphar. He’ll maintain his integrity even when Potiphar’s wife tries to sleep with him. He will also be put in command of prisoners while imprisoned, and finally, he will be put in command of all of Egypt. From the beginning, Joseph worked diligently and with integrity as he served his family. These virtues stirred up jealousy and anger from his brothers. When others aren’t working hard and with integrity, they will at times get angry with those who are.

Working diligently and with integrity is very important for the health of a family. Parents need to work to provide for their family’s needs. Each family member needs to work to keep up and maintain a house: Somebody must cook, clean, and maintain the house. Though one may do the bulk of the work, this is often a shared family endeavor.

When members of the family don’t contribute to the household (whatever that means in each context—being a good student, cleaning, making an income, etc.), then negative emotions often develop, discord ensues, and the household begins to fall apart. Joseph was bothered by the transgressions of his brothers, and we can assume that Jacob was also. Similarly, in families, wives sometimes get upset at husbands because they feel like the husbands aren’t doing their part. Husbands become bothered when they don’t feel like their wives are fulfilling their roles. Children feel upset when their role is overly burdensome or unappreciated.

It takes work to provide for a family financially, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. When others aren’t working with integrity, things fall apart, which stirs up bitter feelings. In this part of Joseph’s narrative, four of his brothers weren’t doing their part or weren’t doing it with integrity, which caused conflict.

How has God called you to work to maintain a healthy household? Does that mean listening when one is upset, being a spiritual influence, contributing manually through cleaning, working a job, being a good student, caring for a sick family member, etc.? What it means to maintain a healthy household will differ between families. These responsibilities often need to be planned, discussed, agreed on, and put into practice by family members. When this is done correctly, it helps protect the family from needless disagreements and bitter feelings that can build up and destroy a family.

Application Question: What does working diligently and with integrity look like in your household or an ideal household for the various members? In what ways have you seen or experienced how bad feelings and conflict develop when members of the family don’t do their part?

To Protect Our Families, We Must Be Careful of Favoritism

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons because he was a son born to him late in life, and he made a special tunic for him. When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated Joseph and were not able to speak to him kindly.

Genesis 37:3-4

A major flaw in Jacob’s home was favoritism. He came from a background where favoritism was common, and he practiced it with his own family. Jacob’s mother, Rebekah, favored him, and his father, Isaac, favored Esau. This not only divided the parents but divided the children, as they competed for their parents’ affections. Though many children hate the negative patterns demonstrated in their homes, most repeat them. For example, people from backgrounds with alcoholism often struggle with alcoholism. People from backgrounds with domestic abuse often struggle with the same. Jacob repeated the flaws of his parents with his own children—creating discord among them.

Interpretation Question: What was the special tunic Joseph received and what did it represent?

In verse 3, Jacob gave Joseph a “special tunic.” Other versions call it “a coat of many colors,” “a richly-embroidered tunic,” or “an ornate robe.” It was the kind of robed used by royalty. In 2 Samuel 13:18, King David’s virgin daughter, Tamar, also wore this kind of tunic. The Hebrew phrase used here means that the tunic extended all the way to the wrists and ankles.² It was a robe of privilege. Typically, people wore shorter robes so they could work without any hinderance. Joseph’s tunic probably represented two things: (1) Joseph was made the manager over his brothers. They would work while he managed. (2) Joseph was to receive the right of the firstborn in the house, which meant receiving a double portion of his father’s wealth.

This caused great discord with the brothers. It was clear that Jacob loved Joseph more than them all. The brothers hated Joseph so much, they couldn’t even speak a kind word to him (v. 3-4). They probably tried their hardest to ignore him. The favoritism Jacob showed towards Joseph tore apart the brothers, just as Isaac’s and Rebekah’s favoritism tore apart Jacob and Esau.

Interpretation Question: Why did Jacob favor Joseph so much?

There were many reasons:

1. Verse 3 says he loved Joseph because he was the “son born to him late in life.” What does this mean? There are probably several aspects to this, which still happen in households today. Often older children feel like their parents are easier on the youngest child or children. This is not unusual because when young parents have a child, they are typically stricter. It’s their first child and they are just learning. When they have children later in life, they are typically less strict—whether because of learning from the first one, being tired, or other reasons. Also, the parents are often on a tighter budget, as they are developing their careers. Later in life, they are more financially stable, so the youngest often gets more things. Sometimes, this causes bitterness from older siblings. They cry out, “You weren’t like that with me!” This dynamic, undoubtedly, was at work in Jacob’s home. Also, parents typically mature and grow in wisdom with age. Sometimes, the children of their youth suffer because of their early lack of maturity. This was true of Jacob. As a young man, Jacob was a deceiver and didn’t trust God as he should have. This probably contributed to his older children being rowdy and deceptive—they were more like a gang. They murdered a whole village of people. The oldest, Reuben, slept with Jacob’s concubine (Gen 35). Judah, in Genesis 38, will visit Tamar, whom, he assumes, is a prostitute. In this narrative, they not only sold Joseph into slavery but lied to their father for many years about the event. Jacob’s rough and unruly children were a product of his early failures. As Jacob aged, he eventually wrestled with God (Gen 32) and experienced revival at Bethel (Gen 35). Joseph, the second youngest, probably benefited from Jacob’s growth which helped him become more respectful and disciplined than his older siblings. Therefore, it was easier for Jacob to love Joseph—compared to his brothers, he was the ‘better’ child. Again, this was largely a result of him being a child born to Jacob late in life.
2. Jacob also probably favored Joseph because he was the firstborn of Rachel, the wife he loved most. When Jacob initially started to work for his father-in-law, Laban, the deal was that he would work seven years for Rachel (Gen 29). However, on his wedding night, Laban gave Jacob the older sister, Leah, instead. Surely, Jacob always felt like Rachel was his real wife. That’s who he worked for, and when he initially committed to marriage before God, he thought he was committing to her. Therefore, he probably always felt that Rachel’s firstborn should receive the greater inheritance.
3. Finally, though Jacob favored Joseph by giving him the special robe—representing the leadership position, Joseph also deserved it. As mentioned, the older brothers were more like gangsters, as clearly seen by their later plot to kill Joseph, which they reconsidered, and instead sold him into slavery. They simply didn’t have the work ethic or character of Joseph. Joseph was the best leader.

Jacob was right to reward righteousness and punish bad behavior—that’s what God has called all authorities to do (Rom 13:1-4)—but Jacob was wrong for loving Joseph more than the others. The older children could sense that and hated Joseph because of it. In addition, from the beginning, Jacob shouldn’t have shown favoritism between his wives, which probably initially led to distrust and rivalry among the sons. Favoritism ultimately destroyed Jacob’s home.

Unfortunately, this same practice often divides our homes: (1) Parents favor one child over the other. They say, “Why can’t you be as smart as your sister?” “Your brother is such a better athlete!” “Your sister is so much more attractive?” This often causes insecurity and jealously—leading to discord. (2) Sometimes, favoritism is shown by a child to the parent. Children often gravitate to the easier parent—whoever they can manipulate and get their way with. Sometimes that’s the father, and other times, it’s the mother. This can make one parent feel discouraged and unloved, angry with the ‘easier parent,’ and/or angry with the child who is side-stepping him or her. (3) Another way that favoritism is shown is when parents focus all their attention on the children—to the neglect of their marriage. When God first made the family, it started with a husband and wife—representing how this was to be the priority relationship. Husbands and wives were even called to leave their extended family and cling to one another (Gen 2:24). When parents neglect their marriage to focus on the children, it ultimately hurts the children by fostering attitudes of pride and selfishness in them and setting a destructive model for future generations. Husbands are called to love their wives like Christ loves the church, and wives are called to submit to their husbands as the church submits to Christ (Eph 5:22-27). Parents must prioritize their marriage over their children. Certainly, there are seasons when children will need more attention—for example, when they are infants or when they are sick. However, that should not be the norm. A healthy marriage is the basis for a healthy family. Favoring children over the marriage is a recipe for disaster. No doubt, that’s the reason year twenty is one of the highest years of divorce. When the children leave home, there is no longer any marriage.

If we’re going to protect our families, we must be careful of favoritism. This can be difficult, especially when each child excels in different areas. Parents must make sure to honor each child’s uniqueness and remind them that God made them and has special plans for them. Parents must help children figure out their unique giftings and not put them in a box that society has made or a pattern that one sibling has set. This only leads to jealousy, discouragement, and conflict.

Application Question: Why are people so prone to show favoritism in their families and relationships? How have you seen favoritism negatively affect a family or some other relationship? How can we protect ourselves from showing favoritism in our relationships (cf. Jam 2:1)?

To Protect Our Families, We Must Cling to God’s Word

Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him even more. He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the middle of the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose up and stood upright and your sheaves surrounded my sheaf and bowed down to it!” Then his brothers asked him, “Do you really think you will rule over us or have dominion over us?” They hated him even more because of his dream and because of what he said. Then he had another dream, and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said. “I had another dream. The sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” When he told his father and his brothers, his father rebuked him, saying, “What is this dream that you had? Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come and bow down to you?” His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept in mind what Joseph said.

Genesis 37:5-11

After receiving the robe, God gives Joseph two dreams. In one, the brothers were working in the field binding sheaves of grain, and suddenly, Joseph’s sheave stood upright. Then, the brothers’ sheaves bowed to it. The message was unmistakable—the brothers would eventually submit to Joseph’s leadership. They hated him even more because of the dream. In the second dream, the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed to him, which represented Joseph’s parents and brothers submitting to him (cf. Rev 12:1). Even Jacob rebuked Joseph after this—though he kept the dream in mind and pondered it (v. 11).

Scripture confirms that the fact that these dreams came in pairs meant that God would surely complete them. God gave a pair of dreams to Pharaoh as well. When Joseph interpreted them, he said, “The dream was repeated to Pharaoh because the matter has been decreed by God, and God will make it happen soon” (Gen 41:32). The repetition represented the nearness and surety of the dreams. Similarly, God was soon to bring Joseph’s dreams to fruition.

Interpretation Question: Why did God give Joseph these dreams?

As with Pharaoh’s dreams, they were meant to prepare Joseph for the future. With the events that were going to happen—betrayal by his brothers, slavery, and imprisonment—Joseph was going to need hope to remain faithful. Even through the bad times, God was going to overrule them to exalt and favor Joseph. He needed to cling to those dreams so he could stand strong when circumstances were difficult. Paul said something similar to Timothy, “Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well” (1 Tim 1:18 NIV). By recalling the prophesies made about him, Timothy would be able to fight the battle well.

Often God may give a strong impression or a clear calling to something, so that we can stand firm when difficulties and discouragements arise. Most times, our understanding of God’s will is not very clear. We pray, gather information, pray again, and make the best decision possible—trusting that God is guiding us. At other times, God makes his will unmistakable: whether by closing or opening doors, through the confirmation of others, a supernatural peace, a clear, applicable passage in Scripture, or a combination of these. He often does this to not only guide us, but also so we can have ample courage to endure when things get tough. Pastors often say the same about their call to ministry—it was because of their clear call that they stayed in ministry instead of quitting when things got tough. In God’s sovereignty, he often makes his will very clear so we can battle well despite discouragements.

With that said, this is also vital when ministering to our families. We must cling to God’s words. He may not give a prophecy or a dream, but he has given us Scripture, with many promises in it (2 Pet 1:3-4). Apart from these promises, we will find ourselves weak, discouraged, and sometimes ready to give up when we encounter various trials in our family and life in general. Romans 15:4 says, “For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope.” Scripture was written to instruct us, to help us endure difficult times, to encourage us when we’re down, and to give us hope.

Families are messy, even ‘good’ families. We need God’s Word to be the foundation of our home. We need it personally through consistent, spiritual disciplines (Ps 1:2-3). We need to teach our children the Word—raising them in the instruction of the Lord (Dt 6:1-8, Eph 6:4). Husbands are called to ‘wash their wives’ with God’s Word (Eph 5:25-26)—practicing disciplines such as family devotions and regular church attendance. Establishing these routines will help families withstand difficult times.

This prophecy would help Joseph persevere and have hope while suffering in Egypt. It was probably also meant to encourage his father, Jacob—when confronted with the possibility of Joseph being lost forever.

Application Question: What are some practical ways for parents to build their home on God’s Word? Have you ever experienced clear direction from God, which was meant to encourage you to be faithful during a difficult season? If so, when and how?

To Protect Our Families, We Must Use Our Words Wisely

Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him even more. He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the middle of the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose up and stood upright and your sheaves surrounded my sheaf and bowed down to it!” Then his brothers asked him, “Do you really think you will rule over us or have dominion over us?” They hated him even more because of his dream and because of what he said. Then he had another dream, and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said. “I had another dream. The sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” When he told his father and his brothers, his father rebuked him, saying, “What is this dream that you had? Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come and bow down to you?” His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept in mind what Joseph said.

Genesis 37:5-11

Now, even though God gave Joseph dreams which were meant to encourage and strengthen him for the future, they weren’t given for everybody. It would seem that it was wise for him to privately share his dreams with his father, but it certainly wasn’t wise for him to share them with his brothers. They already hated Joseph because of the favor that his father had shown him—sharing the dreams with them only increased their hatred. In Matthew 7:6, Jesus said: “Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces.” Giving what’s holy to wild dogs and pigs is dangerous; they might turn and tear the offeror to pieces. Not everything God gives us is to be shared with others. In Luke 23:8-9, when Herod asked Christ many questions, hoping to see a miracle, Christ said and did nothing. It appeared to be an opportune time to share the gospel, but Jesus knew that Herod was a wild animal. He didn’t care about the truth; he just wanted to be entertained. In the same way, when Joseph shared the ‘pearls’ of his divine dreams with his brothers, he only endangered himself.

Similarly, we must use our words wisely, especially with our family. Proverbs 18:21 says the power of life and death is in the tongue. We can build up or destroy with our tongues. James compares it to a small fire that can destroy a forest (Jam 3:5-6). Marriages and families can be destroyed by the words we use: Words that may be true but fail to consider others’ maturity-level or their feelings, wound those close to us. Children often grow up with great insecurities because of evil words spoken to them by their parents: “You’re not smart enough, pretty enough, etc.” These wounds can fester forever. Some wives feel worthless in their marriage because of the words of their husbands. Many husbands don’t want to go home at night because of the nagging of their wives. Though Joseph’s words were true, they weren’t helpful or wise. They only poured lighter fluid on the explosive fire in his family.

Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) says this about our words: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (1) Paul says our words should never be unwholesome or corrupt. (2) They must be according to the needs of others. This means our conversations shouldn’t just be about expressing ourselves or our heart—they must also be given in consideration of our audience. “What are their needs? How will they receive this if I say it? What’s the best way to communicate this to them?” This is where many fail. They spend all their time thinking about communicating what’s on their heart or mind and not about the other person. Therefore, they miss the mark. (3) Our words must not only consider others’ needs but how to edify them by our words. The ESV translates 29b this way: “that it may give grace to those who hear.” “Grace” means unmerited favor. This means blessing those who don’t necessarily deserve it or who have hurt us. Yes, they may deserve our wrath or indifference, but we should give them unmerited favor instead.

Our words must be wholesome and uncorrupt; they must be according to the needs of others, and finally, they must impart grace. Joseph messed up because he wasn’t able to discern the feelings of his brothers. Clearly, he was really excited about his dreams and just wanted to share them. He probably had no desire to hurt his brothers, but nonetheless, he did. He failed to discern that they were hurting and frustrated. They needed encouragement. They needed him to be humble, and because he missed this, he only hurt them more.

In our families, we must put these principles into practice. We should never speak corrupt words. The Bible is clear: whatever we sow, we will reap (Gal 6:7). If we sow complaining and nagging, we won’t get back diligence. If we sow fear and insecurity, we won’t get back peace. If we sow anger, we won’t get back gentleness. What are we sowing into our relationships with our words? Sometimes, it’s best to say nothing, which is probably what Joseph should have done, at least when it came to sharing the dreams with his brothers. The dreams, though they were God’s promise, would only hurt and embitter them.

Application Question: How have you seen words destroy families and friendships? What are some other disciplines that will help us be wise with our words and use them in an edifying manner (cf. Prov 15:1, 25:15, etc.)? In what ways have you experienced how it’s difficult to rejoice with those who rejoice?

To Protect Our Families, We Must Guard Our Emotions

Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word.” So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” “I am seeking my brothers,” he said. “Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” And the man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan. They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him. They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.” But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt…

Genesis 37:12-36

The final lesson we learn from this section of Joseph’s story is the importance of guarding our hearts from wrong thoughts and emotions. The brothers probably started to dislike Joseph early on because he was born from the favored wife—Rachel. This dislike spiked when Joseph gave a bad report about his brothers’ work habits. It grew more when Joseph received the special robe. The negative emotions further intensified when Joseph shared his dreams. Finally, they spilled over when Jacob sent Joseph to check on the brothers while they were supposed to be taking care of the flocks in Shechem. Shechem was where the brothers killed all the men in the village for raping their sister, Dinah (Gen 34). Perhaps there was some type of famine going on, so they were willing to venture out fifty miles into dangerous area to feed their flocks. When Joseph got to Shechem to check on their welfare, they had moved to Dothan another fourteen miles north (maybe because of the lingering hatred towards them in Shechem).³ When they saw Joseph in his fancy robe coming in the distance to check on them, all their emotions exploded. They took him, ripped the robe off him, and threw him into a pit, with plans to kill him. After seeing some Ishmaelite merchants on their way to Egypt, they instead sold Joseph into slavery. His brothers must have figured that it would be impossible for Joseph to earn his freedom in Egypt—therefore, nobody would ever know of their wicked deed. They deceived Jacob into thinking Joseph was dead, and they thought they would never hear anything about him again.

The point to be emphasized is that the brothers harbored negative emotions—possibly for years—that continued to fester, eventually leading to their horrendous act. This happens in homes all the time. Wives and husbands harbor hurt emotions towards one another because of unsettled, unforgiven, past events which culminate in explosive blowups. The same commonly happens with children who are hurting emotionally.

We must beware of negative emotions that creep into our psyche—threatening to destroy our peace and relationships. Christ taught that anger was the moral equivalent of murder (Matt 5:21). When these negative roots are left unchecked, they lead to greater sins that we would initially have never thought could happen. James 3:14-16 says,

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfishness in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth. Such wisdom does not come from above but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every evil practice.

When we harbor negative emotions like jealousy and selfishness, though appearing harmless, they are really demonic in nature. Wherever these negative emotions lie, they can ultimately lead to disorder and every evil practice.

Apparently, some in the Hebrew Christian churches to whom James was speaking were harboring these emotions against one another—leading to quarrels and even murder. In James 4:2, he said, “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.” Instead of abiding in prayer about their heart issues, they instead harbored wrong attitudes which led to explosive conflict. Similarly, it’s good to remember that Jacob’s family was ‘the people of God’ during that time frame, and his sons committed a heinous act. The New Testament church today can commit these same types of evils—both in our families and local churches.

In Ephesians 4:26-27, Paul says, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” It’s not necessarily a sin to be angry; the question is, what do we do with that anger? If we hold on to it and let it fester, it gives the devil authority in our life and community—authority to bring depression, jealousy, and frustration which lead to ungodly actions. How many marriages and churches have been destroyed because people didn’t properly handle their unhealthy emotions?

Application Question: What should we do with our unhealthy emotions?

1. Don’t let negative emotions build up. First Peter 4:8 says love covers a multitude of sins. Some wrongs we should pray to God about and simply let go. They are not worth bringing up, and certainly, they aren’t worth allowing to rob our joy and destroy our relationships. Again, Paul said that we should not let the sun go down while we are angry, lest we give the devil a foothold (Eph 4:26-27).
2. Sometimes, we should have a conversation about those negative emotions with the person who offended us (cf. Matt 18:15). It is good to remember that our perception and feelings may be mistaken, and the other person may be totally unaware of our hurt or see things differently. Because of that, we should be humble when communicating these things with others. Our humility, by recognizing that we may be at fault, will often clear the pathway for good communication. If we approach them in a prideful, accusatory manner—not recognizing that we may be off—it might only inflame the other person and destroy any prospect for healthy communication. Therefore, we must be wise in these conversations—considering the other person and not just our emotions.
3. Sometimes, after a conversation with the one who offended us hasn’t resolved the issue, it may be wise to let the situation go and simply entrust it to God, or bring a wise, neutral third person into the conversation to help mediate (cf. Matt 18:15-17). Often, people outside of a situation can see more objectively than we can and can help hold us accountable.
4. Ultimately, we must forgive as Christ forgives us. Ephesians 4:31-32 says:

You must put away every kind of bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and evil, slanderous talk. Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.

Whether the other person repents or not, we must forgive as Christ forgives us. This doesn’t mean that there are not additional wise actions to be taken (like getting spiritual or civil authorities involved) or that we should remain in the same situation. This does mean, as far as our hearts are concerned, we cannot allow ourselves to become in bondage to unforgiving emotions. It’s too dangerous. It opens us up to God’s discipline (Matt 6:14, 18:23-35, 1 Cor 10:10) and also potentially allows the emotions to lead to greater sin. If we allow them to fester, we will handle them in unhelpful ways that can destroy our family or other relationships. We must recognize that unhealthy emotions open the door for Satan and lead to every evil thing—including lying, fighting, kidnapping, and murder, as seen in Joseph’s narrative.

Application Question: How do you deal with unhealthy thoughts and emotions? How have you seen how harboring unhealthy thoughts and emotions can lead to fractured relationships and further sin?

Conclusion

As we study the narratives of Scripture, it is clear that many of the families struggled with sin and dysfunction. David’s son raped his sister. Another of David’s sons killed that brother. Eventually, the son that murdered his brother tried to kill his father, David. Since sin came into the world, it has ravaged the family unit, as seen in the Joseph narrative. How can we protect our families? Often God gives us negative examples so we can learn from them.

1. To Protect Our Families, We Must Obey God’s Will
2. To Protect Our Families, We Must Work with Diligence and Integrity
3. To Protect Our Families, We Must Be Careful of Favoritism
4. To Protect Our Families, We Must Cling to God’s Word
5. To Protect Our Families, We Must Use Our Words Wisely
6. To Protect Our Families, We Must Guard Our Emotions

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

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¹ Preacher’s Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible – Genesis II.

² Guzik, D. (2013). Genesis (Ge 37:1–4). Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.

³ Hughes, R. K. (2004). Genesis: beginning and blessing (p. 444). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

After these things happened, the cupbearer to the king of Egypt and the royal baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials, the cupbearer and the baker, so he imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard in the same facility where Joseph was confined. The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be their attendant, and he served them. They spent some time in custody. Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream the same night. Each man’s dream had its own meaning. When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were looking depressed. So he asked Pharaoh’s officials, who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?” They told him, “We both had dreams, but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me.” So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: “In my dream, there was a vine in front of me. On the vine there were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes. Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes, squeezed them into his cup, and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” “This is its meaning,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches represent three days. In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before when you were cupbearer. But remember me when it goes well for you, and show me kindness. Make mention of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison, for I really was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews and I have done nothing wrong here for which they should put me in a dungeon.” When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the first dream was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread on my head. In the top basket there were baked goods of every kind for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them from the basket that was on my head.” Joseph replied, “This is its meaning: The three baskets represent three days. In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you and impale you on a pole. Then the birds will eat your flesh from you.” On the third day it was Pharaoh’s birthday, so he gave a feast for all his servants. He “lifted up” the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants. He restored the chief cupbearer to his former position so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand, but the chief baker he impaled, just as Joseph had predicted. But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph—he forgot him.

Genesis 40 (NET)

How does God prepare his leaders—those he especially uses to bless others?

There are common preparatory experiences that happen in the lives of those God fashions for great works. We see many of these in the life of Joseph. In Genesis 37, he had a vision of his parents and siblings bowing down to him—God was going to use him to lead. However, Joseph had no idea that God was preparing him to not only lead his family but a nation—Egypt. As second in command of Egypt, his leadership would not only bless Egyptians and his family but many nations during a widespread famine.

In Genesis 40, we find this unlikely leader in prison. Because of his brothers’ hatred for him, they sold him into slavery (Gen 37). While working in Egypt under the captain of the guard, Potiphar, Joseph was framed by Potiphar’s wife because he wouldn’t have an affair with her, which led to him being placed in prison. This seems like a strange pathway to leadership; however, that is how God often moves with us. His pathways are not typically linear—the direct path, as one might expect. They can be quite varied. From the outside looking in, the paths often don’t make sense. However, God is more focused on developing his people’s character than the chronological time it takes to get to a certain destination. Therefore, he paves various paths to develop godly character and competency for his peoples’ callings. We see this with Joseph’s path to leadership and many other saints God used in special ways.

In this narrative, we’ll learn principles about how God prepares leaders. He places them in various schools to equip them for future leadership and to be a blessing to many.

Big Question: What aspects of leadership preparation can we discern from Joseph’s experience in prison, right before his exaltation to leadership in Egypt?

To Prepare Leaders, God Trains Them in the School of Hardship

After these things happened, the cupbearer to the king of Egypt and the royal baker offended their master, the king of Egypt.

Genesis 40:1

Interpretation Question: What does “after these things” refer to?

“After these things,” refers to the unfortunate events Joseph experienced in the previous chapter (Gen 39). As mentioned, Joseph was framed for not sleeping with his master’s wife and then sent to prison. However, while there, God was with him and prospered him. Though a prisoner, he was entrusted with caring for other prisoners. These difficult circumstances were part of God’s preparation process for Joseph’s future exaltation.

Often in times of suffering, we’re tempted to think God is angry with us or that we are suffering because of sin. Many times, suffering actually comes because of our faithfulness and is a necessary path for increased ministry. John 15:1-2 says: “‘I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit.”

Pruning is cutting away from a branch so it can bear more fruit. Branches have a tendency to grow lots of foliage (and attract parasites) that can block sunlight and hinder growth. Gardeners, therefore, need to trim branches in order to create more productivity. If the branch was fruitless, the gardener would just get rid of it.

While in Potiphar’s house, Joseph had been fruitful. Genesis 39:2-3 says, “The Lord was with Joseph. He was successful and lived in the household of his Egyptian master. His master observed that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he was doing successful.” God blessed Joseph so much that Potiphar could discern the success was Divine in origin. Potiphar, who would have recognized many gods, was being introduced to Yahweh through Joseph. In fact, when Joseph was promoted over everything, God blessed everything in Potiphar’s house and fields for Joseph’s sake (39:6). Joseph, essentially, was participating in God’s promise to Abraham—that all nations would be blessed through his lineage (Gen 12:3).

Therefore, Joseph’s humbling circumstances were not because of God’s displeasure. Far from it! He was suffering for righteousness’ sake, and God was using this suffering to purify him, to take their relationship deeper, and to prepare Joseph for even more fruitfulness. Christ said it is to the Father’s glory that his disciples produce much fruit (John 15:8). Because of this, Christians will go through various seasons of exaltation (God using us mightily) and humbling (including seasons of little activity or influence), all meant to prepare us for greater fruitfulness.

With Abraham, after he left his father’s home in obedience to God’s command to go to the promised land, he encountered a country in the midst of a famine (Gen 12). No doubt, Abraham was shocked by the immediate hardship after obeying God. In another example, immediately after Elijah brings judgment on the prophets of Baal and ignites a revival in Israel, Jezebel promises to kill him (1 Kgs 18-19). Elijah then flees for his life and begins to struggle with depression and a desire to die.

Those unaware of this necessary leadership training often become disillusioned by the repeated trials they encounter. They commonly question God and ask, “Why?” Again, often it’s simply because they have been faithful, and God is preparing them for greater fruit and effectiveness.

Application Question: What is learned by believers during the school of hardship?

1. In the school of hardship, God teaches us humility.

When we are bearing much fruit, we are more prone to pride and self-sufficiency. Therefore, trials are a form of protection for us—keeping us from pride. This is what God did with Paul, who was very fruitful in his service to the Lord and had experienced many special revelations from God. In 2 Corinthians 12:7, Paul said, “even because of the extraordinary character of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me—so that I would not become arrogant.” For the one who is fruitful, trials are a necessary protection. If Satan could become prideful, without having a sin nature, while serving the Lord, how much more are we prone to this when we already have prideful inclinations in our flesh? God fights against the proud and gives grace to the humble (Jam 4:6). In one sense, reoccurring hardships keep God’s servants in a place of blessing—a place where God can give them grace in their weakness and use them more.

If we have exceptional advantages like Joseph—being good looking and having superior intellectual, spiritual, and leadership abilities—we may need more hardship than others to keep us from pride. With that said, we can trust that God will not allow us to be tried beyond what we are able to bear and is fitting to equip us for our calling (cf. 1 Cor 10:13).

2. In the school of hardship, God teaches us endurance.

James 1:2-3 says, “My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” “Endurance” is a word that simply means to “bear up under a heavy weight.” This is important because, like lifting weights at the gym, enduring trials builds greater strength in believers. This strength will allow them to not only stand in hard times but also to help others stand, which is important for leaders. It enables them to better carry others’ burdens and therefore fulfill the law of Christ (Gal 6:2). Trials build this type of strength in leaders. Without it, we won’t be able to help others, as we will crumble under the weight of our own trials and difficulties. In this narrative, Joseph ministered to the baker and cupbearer, though he was in his own trial—carrying their burdens, even as Christ carries ours.

3. In the school of hardship, God teaches us greater obedience.

David said this about his trials, “Before I was afflicted I used to stray off, but now I keep your instructions” (Ps 119:67). When life was easy, David was more prone to neglect God and sin against him, but the experience of suffering made David cling to and obey God more. This is what God was developing in Joseph’s life—great humility, endurance, and obedience to prepare him for greater responsibility.

With that said, though trials are meant to train and equip us for greater fruit, it is possible to become angry at God because of them—leading to greater strongholds. Satan’s desire through the trials he brought against Job was for him to curse God. Certainly, many leave trials with less faith and more entangling sin. Instead of turning to God, they turn to unhealthy endeavors: relational codependency, alcohol and drug abuse, dishonesty, or other toxic, harmful behaviors. God’s intention is to nurture their spiritual growth; Satan’s intention is to bring their spiritual demise. Each trial brings an opportunity for both. We must turn to God in our trials so he can train us for his purposes.

Application Question: Recall a season where God put you in the school of hardship. What were the difficulties and rewards of that season? Why is it so easy to neglect and sin against God in seasons of ease? How has experiencing hardship created greater humility, endurance, and obedience in you?

To Prepare Leaders, God Trains Them in the School of Service

After these things happened, the cupbearer to the king of Egypt and the royal baker offended their master, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh was enraged with his two officials, the cupbearer and the baker, so he imprisoned them in the house of the captain of the guard in the same facility where Joseph was confined. The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be their attendant, and he served them. They spent some time in custody. Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream the same night. Each man’s dream had its own meaning. When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were looking depressed. So he asked Pharaoh’s officials, who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?” They told him, “We both had dreams, but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me …

Genesis 40:1-19

While in prison, Joseph was tasked with overseeing all the prisoners; and at some point, he was given responsibility for serving two special prisoners—Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker. The cupbearer oversaw Pharaoh’s vineyards and tasted his drinks to make sure none of them were poisoned.¹ The baker prepared and oversaw the quality of all the king’s food.² These were high ranking officials in the government. Both of these men had the king’s ear and were in his confidential circle.

The narrator says that these officials “offended” Pharaoh, which led to their imprisonment (v. 1-3). We don’t know exactly what they did, but the fact that one of them ultimately received capital punishment implies they were suspected of a serious crime. Since both officials oversaw Pharaoh’s food and drink, most likely the suspected crime had to do with Pharaoh’s table—maybe some poison was intercepted. Also, the fact these two officials were not treated like common criminals but instead received favorable treatment in prison, probably meant that their guilt was not yet determined. Maybe both were guilty, or one of them, or neither of them. While they were imprisoned, Joseph served them and probably even befriended them.

God typically does this with people he is going to exalt. He first places them in the school of service—teaching them how to put others before themselves. With Christ, before taking the crown, he came down to the earth as a servant to serve people. Philippians 2:6-7 says:

who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature.

Paul continues to describe Christ’s humiliation and exaltation this way: “As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow —in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (v. 9-10). Serving came before Christ’s exaltation.

Similarly, Christ taught his disciples that the person who wants to be great must become the servant of all (Matt 20:26). God trains those he will use greatly in the school of service. Joseph entered this school at his father’s house—shepherding sheep. He continued it in Potiphar’s house as a slave and while in prison.

Application Question: What aspects of service are learned in the school of service, as seen from Joseph’s serving the political prisoners?

1. In the school of service, we learn to be sensitive to others’ needs.

In Genesis 40:6-7, it says,

When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were looking depressed. So he asked Pharaoh’s officials, who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?”

When Joseph approached the political prisoners one morning, it was apparent that they were depressed, and he inquired, “Why?” This is significant. In Genesis 37, when Joseph was a youth, he was very unaware of his brothers’ hatred of him. After Jacob exalts Joseph by giving him a special robe, Joseph shared with his brothers the dreams of him ruling over them. They were already angry at him and hurt by their father’s favoritism towards Joseph; Joseph’s sharing only made the situation worst. The brothers couldn’t even speak kind words to him (Gen 37:4). At that point in Joseph’s life, he had no comprehension of their emotions. He was too consumed with himself to discern his brothers’ murderous, emotional state. He didn’t seem to be sharing his dreams to antagonize them. He was simply totally oblivious to their pain.

However, after God allowed Joseph to experience the pain of betrayal, the pain of being a foreigner in Egypt, the pain of losing his freedom as a slave, the pain of suffering evil for doing good, God created a tremendous sensitivity in him—an ability to relate to others, feel their pain, and a desire to minister to them. How can we minister to somebody who is lonely if we’ve never experienced loneliness? How can we minister to somebody who has experienced loss if we haven’t? How can we minister to somebody who has experienced depression when we know nothing of it? It is through experiencing our own pain that God equips us with sympathy and compassion to better serve others. After experiencing various pains, we’ll often ache as we hear the stories of others. It will remind us of our own past pain and provoke us to help alleviate theirs.

In addition, not only did Joseph’s experience of hardship create sensitivity in him but specifically, it increased his capacity to care for hurting people. Serving others takes our mind off ourselves. It delivers us from being self-focused and makes us others-focused. As we vicariously experience the suffering and pain of others, God broadens our capacity for compassion and sympathy. Not only through hardship but also by serving others, God developed compassion and sensitivity in Joseph. God often does the same with us.

Certainly, this is, in part, why Christ became human. He became human to relate to us, so he could better serve us. Hebrews 2:17-18 says,

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. For since he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

Are you developing a compassionate heart for others? This is something God develops in those he prepares to bless many. This is one of the reasons that going on mission trips can be so helpful to one’s spiritual life. Many times, on the mission field—serving others—God delivers people from immaturity and selfishness and develops a compassion in them to serve others with their lives.

Application Question: How has God used both pain and serving others to make you more compassionate?

2. In the school of service, we develop our faith in God.

After the officials shared the fact that they were disturbed because of dreams, Joseph responded, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me” (Gen 40:8). Again, Joseph was speaking to pagans who worshiped various gods—each having dominion over different spheres (the water, the moon, the sun, the stars, etc.). However, Joseph essentially says the one God is over everything. He points them to God as sovereign over dreams and the interpreter of them.

Joseph’s response to their dreams is pretty remarkable and telling of what had happened in Joseph’s heart. After having his own dreams, being sent into slavery and then prison, it would be understandable if Joseph wanted nothing more to do with dreams. However, his response of seeking interpretations from God for their dreams implies that he still believed his own. Throughout those eleven years of slavery and imprisonment, Joseph persevered in believing God’s word to him—spoken through his dreams. In fact, after Joseph’s interpretation of their dreams came true, it confirmed his belief even more. God would one day set Joseph free and exalt him. Joseph had faith in God and, therefore, could help others have faith. And while he served others, his faith in God continued to grow. This is the same thing God does with us. As we minister to others and see God’s power move in their lives bringing healing, encouragement, and restoration, it builds our faith.

Again, this is one of the reasons it’s so important for young believers to get into serving ministries early on in their faith journey, as it will transform their little faith into big faith. Not serving or getting involved in ministries only keeps their faith stagnant. In order to mature in Christ, we all need to continually experience God using us to bless others. As we do this, it will build our faith and prepare us to help more people.

Application Question: How has serving others increased your faith? How have you experienced a decline in your faith when not serving?

3. In the school of service, we learn to faithfully share God’s Word

To Egyptians, dreams were very important, and therefore, the skill of interpretation was prized. They believed that dreams put them in contact with the netherworld.³ Because the high officials were in prison, they didn’t have access to professional interpreters who used dream books and other methods to interpret. Since Joseph had experience with his own dreams, he trusted God to interpret theirs. With nothing to lose, the officials shared their dreams with Joseph. In the cupbearer’s dream, he saw a vine with three branches. On these branches were buds that quickly blossomed and turned into grapes. Then the cupbearer squeezed the grapes into Pharaoh’s cup. We don’t know for sure, but it is probably wise to assume, that Joseph sent a quick arrow prayer to God—asking for grace to interpret (like Nehemiah praying while talking to the Persian king in Nehemiah 2). Then Joseph shared that the three branches symbolized that God would restore the cupbearer to his position of serving the king in three days.

Being encouraged by the positive interpretation of the cupbearer’s dream, the baker shared his dream. In it, he had three baskets on his head with baked goods for the king. However, there were birds eating from the top basket. This scenario was not uncommon: in those days, men and women both carried all sorts of items or heavy burdens on their heads. Also, in Egypt, birds were considered sacred and, therefore, were left unmolested. This made them a constant nuisance, especially when food was around.⁴ Birds swooping down to steal food was normal; however, the fact that the baker could not stop them would have been unacceptable. It was his job to ensure the safety and quality of the Pharaoh’s food—this would have been an utter failure on his part. Joseph interprets that in three days Pharaoh would have him decapitated. Perhaps this confirmed the fact that the baker had previously failed to protect the king’s food and would suffer the consequences. The cupbearer was the innocent party.

However, this is the point we must understand from this part of the narrative: in serving the officials, not only did Joseph have faith in God, but he also faithfully shared God’s word with them, which would encourage them to believe in the sovereign God. Indeed, it was easy to share the interpretation about the cupbearer’s release, but it must have been difficult to share the distressing message with the baker. It seems that Joseph didn’t hesitate—he simply spoke for God. This is where many Christians fail as servants, and therefore in their preparation for leadership: they won’t speak God’s Word at all, preferring to remain silent, or they speak only messages of encouragement and not messages of rebuke.

Every believer has the responsibility to speak for God. God has given us his complete revelation in Scripture, and we must share it with all. It has been given, according to Paul, for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness to equip God’s people for every good work (2 Tim 3:16-17). By sharing it with others, we equip them to be used by God, but we also equip ourselves by both our studying and sharing of it.

Consider what God said to Joshua as he began to lead Israel: “This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful” (Josh 1:8). Not only was Joshua to memorize and obey Scripture, but he was also called to never let it depart from his lips in order to be a successful leader. Essentially, Joshua was called to teach God’s Word: to share it with his family, friends, co-workers, etc. If he did this, God would prosper his leadership over Israel. Likewise, one of the ways God prepares us for fruitful leadership is by our faithful sharing of God’s Word with others—speaking both encouragement and rebuke. If God can trust us with his Word, he can trust us with other duties.

Is God’s Word constantly on your lips? Are you talking about it with your friends, family, and co-workers? In Acts 20:26-27, Paul said, “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.” We will be held accountable for not sharing all of God’s Word as well—both the good and the bad. This is one of the truths God teaches in the school of service—our need to be faithful stewards of God’s Word (1 Cor 4:1-2), which can only be done if we faithfully study God’s Word.

As seen with Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David and many others, preparation for leadership starts with serving others. Great servants become great leaders. Again, even God made his own Son a servant before he made him King, and Christ taught that the pathway to greatness was becoming the servant of all (Matt 20:26).

Who is God calling you to serve? Hebrews 10:24 says, “And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works.” We must consider others—thinking about how we may best serve and encourage them. For most, the school of service starts with our family, including a future spouse and children (cf. 1 Tim 5:8). If we don’t serve our families well, we won’t serve others well either. This is why potential elders must run their households well before even being put into church leadership (1 Tim 3:1-7). As we learn to excel in serving others (including our family), God by his grace, opens the door for greater responsibility.

Application Question: Recall a season where God put you in the school of service. What were the difficulties and rewards of that season? Why is serving others the best preparation for leadership? What lessons has God taught you while serving others? Who is God calling you to serve, as he prepares you for greater service?

To Prepare Leaders, God Trains Them in the School of Waiting

On the third day it was Pharaoh’s birthday, so he gave a feast for all his servants. He “lifted up” the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker in the midst of his servants. He restored the chief cupbearer to his former position so that he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand, but the chief baker he impaled, just as Joseph had predicted. But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph—he forgot him.

Genesis 40:20-23

After interpreting the cupbearer’s dream, Joseph asked the cupbearer to remember him and speak to Pharaoh positively about him (Gen 40:14-15). He had done nothing to deserve imprisonment. No doubt, the cupbearer responded positively. In three days, the king, on his birthday, granted clemency to the cupbearer while putting the baker to death.

After the cupbearer was set free, one would imagine that Joseph was very excited. Not only did this confirm God was going to bring Joseph’s dream to fruition, but also that he might soon be set free. Possibly, he could be set free the same day or within the week. Every time someone visited the jail, Joseph’s heart probably pounded in his chest as he looked up to see who it was. However, after weeks, the excitement slowly decreased. He realized that the cupbearer forgot.

Why did the cupbearer forget? We are not told. Maybe he was so wrapped up in excitement about his own freedom that he simply forgot about Joseph. Maybe he was busy completing all the work that had been neglected in his absence. Maybe he was just afraid to remind Pharaoh of the past by bringing up Joseph’s name, so he remained quiet. Whatever the reason, Joseph remained in the prison. He was there for two more years (Gen 41:1). Altogether, he waited thirteen years for God to exalt him, and over twenty for his dreams to manifest of his family bowing down to him.

Joseph was in the school of waiting—the same school God placed others who received his great and precious promises. Abraham waited twenty-five years for a child from his wife, Sarah. Moses waited forty years in the desert before God called him to lead Israel into the promised land. David was anointed to be king as a young child, but spent years in Saul’s army and, later on, running from Saul’s army before God made him king of Israel. Jesus also waited a long time to begin his ministry—thirty years.

Application Question: Why does God place his leaders in the school of waiting?

1. In the school of waiting, we learn that God’s work cannot happen through our flesh—ours or anybody else’s.

Waiting weans us from dependence on self or others until we trust solely in God. Jeremiah 17:5 and 7 says:

The LORD says, “I will put a curse on people who trust in mere human beings, who depend on mere flesh and blood for their strength, and whose hearts have turned away from the LORD…My blessing is on those people who trust in me, who put their confidence in me.

God has to teach his people through failure to not put their trust in their own hard work, wisdom, networking ability, good looks, family background, education, or resume. The blessing can only come through God. Therefore, God allows failure and disappointment to help us learn that the blessing must come through him and him alone

Certainly, we see this training process with Jacob. He was a deceiver. He had to fail at deceiving his brother Esau, his father Isaac, and even his uncle Laban—there was nothing he could do to receive God’s promises but trust in God and remain faithful to him. God buffeted Jacob’s flesh in the waiting season, and he does the same to us.

2. In the school of waiting, God rids us of many vices by developing many virtues in us.

Romans 5:3-4 says, “Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope.” James 1:4 says, “And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.” Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength; they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired.”

Are you waiting for some promise from God? Trust him. He is working on your heart, while at the same time working through circumstances to prepare you for his blessing. If Joseph would have been released from prison with the cupbearer, he just would have been free to return home. However, two years later was God’s perfect time. God was creating a leadership gap in Egypt that Joseph would fill to save nations including Egypt and Israel.

God is doing the same in your life through hardships, disappointments, and specifically waiting seasons. As you remain faithful, God is preparing you for more. Victor Edman, the former president of Wheaton College, said this, “Delay never thwarts God’s purposes; it only polishes his instrument.”⁵ Psalm 46:10 (NIV) says, “‘Be still, and know that I am God.” Hebrews 6:12 says, “so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherit the promises.”

What are you waiting on God for—healing in your family, wisdom for the future, open doors for further ministry? To receive the promises, you must faithfully persevere through waiting seasons and let God perfect you through them. Psalm 37:4-5 (ESV) says, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.”

Application Question: Recall a season where God put you in the school of waiting. What were the difficulties and rewards of that season? What major promises has God answered that he made you initially wait for? Are there some promises or dreams that you’re still waiting on? What are some of the fruits developed in waiting seasons? Why are waiting seasons so difficult?

Conclusion

How does God prepare his leaders—those he uses to significantly bless others? We learn principles from Joseph’s time in prison right before his exaltation to governor over Egypt.

1. To Prepare Leaders, God Trains Them in the School of Hardship
2. To Prepare Leaders, God Trains Them in the School of Service
3. To Prepare Leaders, God Trains Them in the School of Waiting

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.

¹ Morris, H. M. (1976). The Genesis record: a scientific and devotional commentary on the book of beginnings (p. 569). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

² Getz, Gene A.. Joseph: Overcoming Obstacles Through Faithfulness (Men of Character.) (pp. 73-74). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

³ Hughes, R. K. (2004). Genesis: beginning and blessing (p. 469). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

⁴ Morris, H. M. (1976). The Genesis record: a scientific and devotional commentary on the book of beginnings (pp. 573–574). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

⁵ Hughes, R. K. (2004). Genesis: beginning and blessing (p. 473). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you looking at each other?” He then said, “Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us so that we may live and not die.” So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “What if some accident happens to him?” So Israel’s sons came to buy grain among the other travelers, for the famine was severe in the land of Canaan. Now Joseph was the ruler of the country, the one who sold grain to all the people of the country. Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger to them and spoke to them harshly. He asked, “Where do you come from?” They answered, “From the land of Canaan, to buy grain for food.” Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. Then Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see if our land is vulnerable!” But they exclaimed, “No, my lord! Your servants have come to buy grain for food! We are all the sons of one man; we are honest men! Your servants are not spies.” “No,” he insisted, “but you have come to see if our land is vulnerable.” They replied, “Your servants are from a family of twelve brothers. We are the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father at this time, and one is no longer alive.” But Joseph told them, “It is just as I said to you: You are spies! You will be tested in this way: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not depart from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. One of you must go and get your brother, while the rest of you remain in prison. In this way your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If not, then, as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” He imprisoned them all for three days. On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do as I say and you will live, for I fear God. If you are honest men, leave one of your brothers confined here in prison while the rest of you go and take grain back for your hungry families. But you must bring your youngest brother to me. Then your words will be verified and you will not die.” They did as he said. They said to one other, “Surely we’re being punished because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress has come on us!” Reuben said to them, “Didn’t I say to you, ‘Don’t sin against the boy,’ but you wouldn’t listen? So now we must pay for shedding his blood!” (Now they did not know that Joseph could understand them, for he was speaking through an interpreter.) He turned away from them and wept. When he turned around and spoke to them again, he had Simeon taken from them and tied up before their eyes…

Genesis 42 (NET)

How does God lead people to repentance?

In Genesis 41, Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams—there would be seven years of abundance in the land, followed by seven years of famine. Joseph advised the king to select a wise and discerning person to rule over the land. He should collect twenty percent of the harvest during the years of plenty to provide during the years of famine. In response, Pharaoh selected Joseph to oversee Egypt during this critical time. Joseph went from the prison to the palace within twenty-four hours.

Genesis 42 begins more than seven years later. According to Genesis 45:6, these events took place sometime during the first two years of famine. Therefore, Joseph would have been around thirty-nine years old. Apparently, this famine did not affect only Egypt and the surrounding regions, it affected the whole world. Genesis 41:57 says, “People from every country came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain because the famine was severe throughout the earth.” Like the world-wide flood, maybe this was a global judgment, and God called for Joseph to not only save his family and the Egyptians, but nations throughout the world.

As mentioned, since the famine was so severe, it affected Joseph’s family who was living in Canaan. No doubt, caravans were passing Jacob’s house heading to Egypt for supplies, so he decided to send ten of his sons for supplies. When they arrived, Joseph recognized them and began to test them by accusing them of being spies and imprisoning them.

Interpretation Question: Why did Joseph test his brothers by calling them spies and imprisoning them?

Some think Joseph was being unfair in his ruthless treatment of them, and that he should have just revealed his identity. However, Joseph knew his brothers. Previously, they were a group of scoundrels. They murdered a village of men because of one man’s sin in raping their sister (Gen 34). Reuben slept with his father’s concubine in a power grab (Gen 35)—trying to become the leader of the family. Judah slept with his daughter-in-law because he thought she was a prostitute (Gen 38). And, of course, they all had a part in Joseph being enslaved in Egypt.

It appears Joseph had already forgiven them—as implied by his naming of his oldest son Manasseh. The name means “forgotten”—Joseph had forgotten the troubles in his father’s house (Gen 41:51). However, one-sided forgiveness doesn’t reconcile a relationship when there is no repentance from the other side for the evil done. There were many questions Joseph needed answered: Was his brother, Benjamin, still alive? Did they kill or enslave him because he now was the favored child? Was his father alive? Had they harmed him out of anger or jealousy? Reuben had already sought the inheritance by sleeping with Jacob’s concubine. Ultimately, Joseph needed to know if they had changed or if they were still the same untrustworthy people.

In his role as governor of Egypt, Joseph’s responsibilities would include overseeing legal disputes and handing down judgments (Gen 41). Romans 13:1-7 says government authorities are God’s ministers to reward the righteous and punish the wrongdoers. It seems that God was using Joseph as an agent of justice in Genesis 42. Joseph tested the character of his ten brothers by trying to compel them to true repentance for the evil they committed. God would ultimately use these tests to help prepare them to be heads of the tribes of Israel, who were called to be a blessing to the world. Through Joseph and other circumstances, God was drawing these men to repentance to prepare them for greater works.

As we look at how God works on the hearts of Joseph’s brothers, we can discern similar paths God leads us along to bring us to repentance. As we repent, he draws us away from various sins and into right relationships with himself and others.

Big Question: In what ways does God draw people to repentance, as discerned from how God worked on the hearts of Joseph’s brothers in Genesis 42?

To Bring Repentance, God Often Allows People to Experience Lack

While the famine was over all the earth, Joseph opened the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians. The famine was severe throughout the land of Egypt. People from every country came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain because the famine was severe throughout the earth. When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you looking at each other?” He then said, “Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us so that we may live and not die.”

Genesis 41:56-42:2

As mentioned, this famine was over the entire world—not just Egypt. In God’s sovereignty, the famine was probably being used as a form of discipline to turn people throughout the world to God. God at times uses weather, and its effects on the land, as a form of discipline. In Amos 4:6-8, God says:

“But surely I gave you no food to eat in any of your cities; you lacked food everywhere you live. Still you did not come back to me.” The LORD is speaking! “I withheld rain from you three months before the harvest. I gave rain to one city, but not to another. One field would get rain, but the field that received no rain dried up. People from two or three cities staggered into one city to get water, but remained thirsty. Still you did not come back to me.” The LORD is speaking!

Certainly, God was using the famine this way in the lives of Joseph’s brothers, who were unrepentant. With that said, it’s good to recognize that some natural disasters may be demonic in origin—though God is still in control of them. For example, in Job 1, Job experienced a “great wind” that destroyed his house and “fire” from heaven—possibly a meteor—that burned up his flocks and servants. These natural disasters came from Satan. God gave Satan permission to do such evils in order to test Job’s heart and help him grow in his faith.

Either way, God permits seasons of lack to turn people to himself. In seasons of ease, people are tempted to forget God, become comfortable without him, and/or comfortable with their sins. Therefore, God allows lack to show us that we need him and to turn us back to him. This is exactly what the father, who represents God, did with the prodigal son. He allowed the prodigal son to leave his household—spend all his money—and then experience a severe famine (Lk 15:14). While the son was taking care of pigs and starving, Christ said this about him:

But when he came to his senses he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food enough to spare, but here I am dying from hunger! I will get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired workers.”‘

Luke 15:17-19

It was when he was starving that he “came to his senses” and decided to return to the father’s house. Certainly, God often allows that in our lives when we are in sin. He allows us to experience lack—possibly financial lack, emotional lack, lack of health, etc., until we turn back to God. David said this about his experience of being unrepentant:

When I refused to confess my sin, my whole body wasted away, while I groaned in pain all day long. For day and night you tormented me; you tried to destroy me in the intense heat of summer. (Selah) Then I confessed my sin; I no longer covered up my wrongdoing. I said, “I will confess my rebellious acts to the Lord.” And then you forgave my sins.

Psalm 32:3-5

While refusing to repent, his body wasted away, and he groaned all day long. He experienced physical and emotional lack until he repented; then, God forgave him. Similarly, God allows us to experience forms of lack in order to lead us to repentance.

Application Question: Why are we so prone to fall away from God when things are good? How has God used trials and specifically the experience of lack to lead you or others away from sin and back to God?

To Bring Repentance, God Often Awakens People’s Consciences through Reminders of Unconfessed Sin

When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you looking at each other?” He then said, “Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us so that we may live and not die.” So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “What if some accident happens to him?” So Israel’s sons came to buy grain among the other travelers, for the famine was severe in the land of Canaan… Their father Jacob said to them, “You are making me childless! Joseph is gone. Simeon is gone. And now you want to take Benjamin! Everything is against me.”

Genesis 42:1-5, 36

As mentioned, it was clear that Egypt had resources during this severe, world-wide famine. As shepherds, this famine would have threatened not only Jacob’s family’s food source but also their business. Eventually all their flocks would die if not provided with grain. Therefore, Jacob looked at his sons and said, “Why are you looking at each other? … Go down to Egypt and buy grain?” (Gen 42:1-2 paraphrase). Apparently, when it became clear Egypt had grain, the brothers started looking at each other but not saying anything. This confused Jacob, so he said, “Why are you looking at each other?”

Most likely, the thought of going to Egypt was unattractive to the brothers, even if it meant saving their lives. This probably was because the thought of Egypt triggered memories of how they sold Joseph into slavery, after which he was sent to Egypt. Perhaps they would see him there. If so, what would they say or do? The word, “Egypt,” probably pricked their conscience—resurrecting memories of their sin, so they said nothing when it was brought up and just looked around at one another. God was jogging their memory—reminding them of their sin.

Observation Question: What are some other ways that God reminded the brothers of their sin against Joseph in this narrative?

God apparently reminded them in various ways: (1) When Jacob sent the brothers, he held back his son, Benjamin, who was Rachel’s second son after Joseph. Jacob said, “What if some accident happens to him?” (v. 4). This also would have reminded the brothers of their sin, as Jacob held tightly to Benjamin after losing his other favorite son, Joseph. (2) In fact, after the ten brothers returned from Egypt, they asked Jacob if they could return with Benjamin in order to get more food and get Simeon out of prison. However, Jacob responded, “You are making me childless! Joseph is gone. Simeon is gone. And now you want to take Benjamin! Everything is against me” (Gen 42:36). It seems that Jacob was blaming the brothers for his loss of Joseph, Simeon, and the prospect of losing Benjamin. Possibly Jacob always suspected that his sons had something to do with Joseph’s death, and the brothers could sense it.

Similarly, one of the ways that God draws us to repentance is by reminding us of unconfessed sin. Christ taught this was one of the Holy Spirit’s jobs (cf. John 16:8). The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, so we can repent and turn back to God; he does this through many means, including various reminders.

Difference Between Conviction and Condemnation

With that said, we must discern the difference between conviction and condemnation. Romans 8:1 says there is now “no condemnation” to those who are in Christ. Christ bore the judgment for our sins on the cross and gave us his righteousness (2 Cor 5:21). Therefore, we are always welcomed into God’s presence—in fact, we should come into his presence boldly (Heb 4:14-16). However, Satan often condemns us. He says that we are not worthy to come into the presence of God—not worthy to read the Bible or go to church. He condemns us for our failures in order to push us away from God and obedience to him. But the Holy Spirit convicts us so we can repent—turning away from our sin and returning to God and others.

Here, in this narrative, we see the Holy Spirit working on the brothers’ hardened hearts. Certainly, they didn’t want to think about Joseph or anything associated with him. They wanted to suppress the truth instead of letting the truth set them free (cf. John 8:32). Scripture describes how we tend to suppress the truth because of our sin (Rom 1:18). Therefore, the Holy Spirit gently, and at times loudly, uses various circumstances to remind people of the truth—that they sinned against God and others and need to repent. God loves us and died for us, so we would no longer be slaves of sin but of righteousness (cf. Rom 6:17-18). Thank you, Lord. Amen.

Application Question: How can we discern the difference between condemnation and conviction? Why is it important to do so? In what ways have you experienced the Holy Spirit’s pricking of the conscience when in unrepentant sin or to help you discern something was a sin? How have you experienced Satan’s condemnation?

To Bring Repentance, God Often Allows People to Reap What They’ve Sown

Now Joseph was the ruler of the country, the one who sold grain to all the people of the country. Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger to them and spoke to them harshly. He asked, “Where do you come from?” They answered, “From the land of Canaan, to buy grain for food.” Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. Then Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see if our land is vulnerable!” But they exclaimed, “No, my lord! Your servants have come to buy grain for food! We are all the sons of one man; we are honest men! Your servants are not spies.” “No,” he insisted, “but you have come to see if our land is vulnerable.” They replied, “Your servants are from a family of twelve brothers. We are the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father at this time, and one is no longer alive.” But Joseph told them, “It is just as I said to you: You are spies! You will be tested in this way: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not depart from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. One of you must go and get your brother, while the rest of you remain in prison. In this way your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If not, then, as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” …

Genesis 42:6-24

When the brothers reached Egypt, they came before Joseph to purchase grain. It is unlikely that Joseph, the governor of Egypt, had to meet with all who bought food. There were granaries set near various cities, with administrators over those granaries, from which people could purchase (cf. Gen 41:34, 48). Most likely, Joseph only met with foreigners who were seeking to purchase grain. As Egypt was a world power and one of a few, if not the only nation, with abundant resources during this famine, they would have enemies who wanted to steal from Egypt or conquer it—to take its resources. Therefore, screening the foreigners, as a means of national security, was an important job that it appears Joseph felt he should personally oversee.

When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them instantly; however, they didn’t recognize him. Joseph was sold into slavery at seventeen years old, and he was now around thirty-nine. Also, Joseph was dressed in Egyptian clothing, speaking through an interpreter, and was clearly royalty—none of the brothers would have suspected that the Egyptian governor was Joseph, their younger brother whom they sold into slavery.

After Joseph recognized his brothers, instead of revealing himself, he chose to speak harshly to them. Again, this was clearly a test. Joseph needed to see if Benjamin and Jacob were alive. He needed to see if the brothers had mistreated either of them and if the brothers had become trustworthy men. Therefore, Joseph spoke harshly to them and accused them of being spies three times. With each reply, they gave more information: (1) First, they answered that they were from Canaan—trying to buy food (v. 7). (2) Next, they said they were brothers and had the same father (v. 11). (3) Finally, they said they came from a family with twelve brothers, the youngest was with their father, and the other was no longer alive (v. 13).

After the brothers revealed that they had a younger brother, Joseph said that they must send one person back to bring Benjamin, so he would believe they weren’t spies. He imprisoned them for three days and then decided to detain only one, Simeon, while the rest delivered grain to their family and then returned to Egypt with Benjamin.

Interpretation Question: Other than to test the brothers, for what other reason did Joseph accuse the brothers of spying and then imprison them?

Many commentators believe that Joseph was actually doing exactly what they had previously done to him. In Genesis 37:2, Joseph was working in the field with his older brothers, after which he related a bad report about them to Jacob. They had done something wrong—possibly neglecting their duties. After that, Jacob gave Joseph a coat of many colors, which showed how he was favored but also possibly indicated how he was to be their manager. These types of coats weren’t worn by workers—they were worn by royalty, those who didn’t engage in manual labor. This angered the brothers, but they became even angrier when Joseph was sent to see how they were doing while they shepherded far away from home. Possibly, when the brothers first saw Joseph, they said, “What are you doing here? Are you here to spy on us? Are you going to tell daddy?” Though Joseph appealed to them many times, they put him in a pit and then sold him to slave traders.

Evidence that they recognized that this man (not knowing, of course, that it was Joseph) was repeating what they had done to their own brother is evidenced in their response after being accused as spies and then imprisoned. While in prison, they said: “Surely we’re being punished because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress has come on us!” (Gen 42:21). After they were subjected to similar treatment, they concluded that their circumstances were judgment for how they treated Joseph. Again, God was using Joseph to help the brothers remember their sin and repent.

God often does the same to us. We may think that nobody knows about some sin we’ve committed, but God knows. Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. For a person will reap what he sows.” We may think that we’re getting away with sin; however, there is a physical and spiritual principle operating in the world—what we sow, we will reap. When we sow apple seeds, we get an apple tree—not an orange tree. In the same way, our evil deeds and good ones have a way of reappearing in our lives. Numbers 32:23 (ESV) says, “be sure your sin will find you out.”

If we were an employee of a business or member of a church who complained and criticized our leadership, then many times, if we assume leadership positions, others will be inclined to criticize us. If we are dishonest in our dealings with others, we’ll often experience others being dishonest with us. Certainly, this was happening not only to the brothers but also to Jacob: He deceived his father, Isaac, to obtain the inheritance. Then his father-in-law, Laban, deceived him by giving him a different wife. Now, his ten sons were deceiving him about what happened to Joseph. His sins were finding him out. Similarly, God often does the same with us, allowing us to reap what we’ve sown in order to help us repent.

With that said, even after we have confessed our sins and experienced God’s forgiveness, many times the forgiveness doesn’t remove the negative fruit of the seeds we’ve sown. For example, after David repented for committing adultery with Uriah’s wife and murdering him, God assured him that he would not die, but that nonetheless, the sword would not depart from his house (2 Sam 12:10-13). His son, Absalom, killed another of David’s sons. Absalom slept with David’s concubines and also tried to kill David. Though forgiven, negative fruits still grew out of the seeds he had sown. Similarly, some have wondered if the tremendous persecutions Paul experienced might have, in part, been negative fruits of his initial persecution of the church. Among other things, he was stoned, whipped, beaten, and imprisoned (cf. 2 Cor 11:16-33), which were the same abuses he unleashed on Christians before he was saved (Acts 8-9). He was forgiven and redeemed, but the principles of sowing and reaping possibly were still at work in his life.

This principle has been noticed by most religions and even the unreligious—some call it karma. It seems that this is the way God made the world. Give and it will be given to you (Lk 6:38). Those who refresh others will also be refreshed (Prov 11:25). Those who show mercy to others will also receive mercy (Matt 5:7). What we sow, we will definitely reap, whether good or bad.

The principle of sowing and reaping is meant to turn us away from sin but also to encourage us to do good. In this narrative, the brothers experienced the fruit of what they had sown, and it reminded them of their unconfessed sin from more than twenty years earlier.

Interpretation Question: Why did Joseph choose to imprison Simeon and not some other brother?

It is possible that, after hearing that Reuben, the oldest, had tried to save him as the brothers discussed their circumstances (Gen 42:22), Joseph concluded that Simeon must have encouraged the treacherous act of his enslavement. Joseph knew the character of his brothers: Simeon was the second oldest. Along with Levi, they murdered the men of Shechem (Gen 34). Simeon was an ungodly person. In fact, when Jacob blesses the sons before he dies, Simeon and Levi received non-blessings. He called them weapons of violence and cursed their anger (Gen 49:5-7). Perhaps, that’s why Joseph imprisoned Simeon—maybe he needed it more than others. Certainly, Simeon was reaping what he had sown.

Application Question: How have you experienced reaping what was sown—both in a positive and negative sense? How should the principle of sowing and reaping encourage believers?

To Bring Repentance, God Often Allows People to Experience His Kindness

Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to return each man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. His orders were carried out. So they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left. When one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey at their resting place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack. He said to his brothers, “My money was returned! Here it is in my sack!” They were dismayed; they turned trembling one to another and said, “What in the world has God done to us?” … When they were emptying their sacks, there was each man’s bag of money in his sack! When they and their father saw the bags of money, they were afraid. Their father Jacob said to them, “You are making me childless! Joseph is gone. Simeon is gone. And now you want to take Benjamin! Everything is against me.”

Genesis 42:25-28, 35-36

When the brothers were going to leave for Canaan, Joseph first encouraged them with the fact that he “feared God” (v. 18). He wanted them to know that he was an honest man and that if they brought their younger brother back, he would free Simeon. Then, Joseph had his servants give them grain, return their money, and even give them provisions for the journey. On the way home, which would have taken perhaps three weeks of travel, they stopped to rest.¹ While resting, one of the brothers checked his sack and found his money there. When the other brothers heard this, they all became afraid and said, “What in the world has God done to us?” (v. 28). In fact, when they got home, they all found their money returned—making them all, including Jacob, afraid (v. 35).

The reason they were afraid was because they thought the Egyptian governor might accuse them of stealing. However, it doesn’t seem that Joseph was trying to trick them—he was trying to show them that he was a God-fearing, honest, and generous man. Later, when the brothers returned to Egypt, they shared about the mix-up with Joseph’s servant—how they found the money in their sacks even though they paid. Joseph’s servant simply replied, “Everything is fine. Don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. I had your money” (Gen 43:23). If the servant truly received the money, it is likely that Joseph paid for them.

Similarly, that is how God often works in our lives to draw us to repentance. He not only sharpens our conscience by reminding us of our sin, allowing us to experience lack, and reap what we’ve sown, but he also allows us to experience grace—his unmerited favor. Romans 2:4 says that God’s kindness leads people to repentance.

Application Question: How do we experience God’s kindness which helps lead us to repentance?

1. Sometimes God’s kindness is experienced by his giving of mercy—not giving us what we deserve.

With regard to the brothers, they deserved to experience serious consequences for what they did to Joseph—potentially life in prison or even death. However, they only spent three days in prison. David’s story also illustrates God’s unmerited favor. David committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered her husband. According to the law, the punishment for each was death. But God was merciful. David still suffered consequences, but he would not die. If we look back over many of our sins, we will see that God was merciful with us, as well. He didn’t allow us to experience the full consequences of our sin as things could have been much worse. Certainly, this is true in salvation. We deserve death and eternal separation from God because of our sins; however, Christ bore our penalty. God’s mercy is meant to bring people to repentance. This is also true in sanctification, as God forgives us when we confess and repent of our sins (1 John 1:9). God’s kindness shown through mercy is meant to turn us away from sin and draw us back to himself.

2. Sometimes God’s kindness is experienced by his giving of grace—giving us what we don’t deserve.

Certainly, we see God’s grace as Joseph blesses his brothers with provisions for their journey, as well as providing grain without cost. Again, this was to help them understand that Joseph was ultimately just and gracious. God, too, gives us grace in many ways: (1) For unbelievers and believers, God bestows common grace. In Matthew 5:45, Christ describes how God gives rain and sunshine to the just and unjust alike. Though undeserved, God blesses even those who reject him. (2) He not only died to pay our penalty, but he also gives us his righteousness if we accept him as Lord and Savior (2 Cor 5:21, Rom 10:13). Christ’s death demonstrates mercy—canceling the penalty we deserve. God imputes Christ’s righteousness to our spiritual account and demonstrates his grace by giving us unmerited favor. And this gift is offered to all. It’s truly amazing grace. (3) Certainly, his grace is seen in many other ways as well: He may bless our careers, families, or hobbies, even when we’re not faithful. When Abraham lied about his wife being his sister, Pharaoh took her for marriage and gave Abraham great possessions. However, though Abraham lied, God cursed Pharaoh’s household—ultimately leading Pharaoh to return Abraham’s wife (Gen 12). Abraham left Egypt not only with his wife but with great wealth. Similarly, when Abraham lied about his wife to Abimelech—also leading Abimelech to take her—God cursed Abimelech’s house until she was restored (Gen 20). Certainly, this was a great example of God’s grace, his unmerited favor over Abraham, even while he was not trusting God to protect his family. The Psalmist describes how goodness and mercy follow believers all the days of their lives because God is their Shepherd (Ps 23:6). God loves his people; therefore, the grace and mercy he allows in their lives are meant to draw them to repentance.

Misinterpreting God’s Kindness

Despite these examples, we can understand how many misinterpret God’s kindness and therefore continue to reject God and hold onto their sin. For example, when the brothers received their money back, they cried out, “What in the world has God done to us?” (v. 28). Also, when Jacob realized their money was returned and that they needed to bring Benjamin back, he cried out, “Everything is against me” (v. 36). Joseph’s family misinterpreted God’s gracious dealings. The returned money was a symbol of God’s love and provision—not his judgment. Also, for Jacob, sending Benjamin back to Egypt would only restore Joseph to him and open the door for more blessings from God, as Egypt would provide long-term protection and provisions for them. To not send Benjamin only delayed God’s blessings.

Sadly, many of us misinterpret God’s kindness as well: We cry out like Jacob’s family, “Why are you doing this?! Everything is against me!” Nothing could be further from the truth. Even our trials are for our good (Rom 8:28). At any moment, God is doing millions of things for our eternal good. He is the Sovereign over natural events, chance meetings, good gifts, and even the evil of men and demons. God uses all these for our eternal good. Therefore, we should recognize them as such and give thanks in all circumstances instead of complaining (1 Thess 5:18). When we don’t give thanks, but instead cling to wrong attitudes about God, others, or our circumstances, we can miss out on God’s blessings. Therefore, repentance tarries and so does our experience of God’s perfect plan.

Application Question: How does God reveal his kindness even to unbelievers in order to draw them to repentance? In what ways have you experienced God’s kindness in such a way that it drew you to repentance and worship? Do you remember a time when you misinterpreted God’s kindness—maybe through a trial or other confusing event—that ultimately worked out for your good? If so, please share.

Conclusion

How does God lead people to repentance? We get a clear picture of this from God’s work in the lives of Jacob’s brothers. Like Joseph, they had a great calling. They were to be heads of the tribes of Israel—the nation God called to be missionaries to the world. To fulfill this calling, God needed to change their character and bring them to repentance. God used circumstances and Joseph to begin the process of transforming their stony hearts into hearts of flesh.

1. To Bring Repentance, God Often Allows People to Experience Lack
2. To Bring Repentance, God Often Awakens People’s Consciences through Reminders of Unconfessed Sin
3. To Bring Repentance, God Often Allows People to Reap What They’ve Sown
4. To Bring Repentance, God Often Allows People to Experience His Kindness

Copyright © 2020 Gregory Brown

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¹ Boice, J. M. (1998). Genesis: an expositional commentary (p. 1007). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.