S.S.S. Study Joseph part 1

Family School at Faith Baptist
S.S.S. Study
Joseph
Part 1

Childhood: Growing up as your fathers favorite (Genesis 37:3) sounds like a great childhood, but when you have a bunch of older brothers who hate and envy your fathers love and favor towards you life can get complicated.

Genesis37:4 Sums up the feelings Joseph's brothers had towards him, and why.

The Dreamer: Having a prophetic dream is a wonderful thing,
Genesis 20:2-9 (Abimelech) This is the first time God speaks to man through dreams and Abimelech is a heathen, just a reminder that God can reveal His word to anyone He wants
Genesis 31:4-13 (Jacob)
Genesis 40:5-41:15 (Joseph interprets dreams)

Numbers 12:6    "And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream."

1st Kings 3:5-15 (Solomon's dream)
Matthew 1:18-21 (Joseph's dream concerning Mary)
2Times after Christ's birth Joseph was directed in dreams (Matthew 2:13,19)
The Wise men were also warned through a dream in Matthew 2:12

Acts 2:17    "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:"

Joseph's dreams to him were a blessing (showed him as ruling his brethren), to his father they were something to rebuke openly but ponder inwardly, but to his brothers they were unbearable (37:10-11).
Never worry yourself about what others think of Gods plan for you.

Joseph's pit: Genesis 37:19-24
This is the first time in Joseph's life that we see him in absolute danger, suffering betrayal, an uncertain future, and in a position where if nothing changes then he will soon die. No water, no food, and no chance of escape.

Joseph's price: Genesis 37:25-36
Joseph was sold for 20 shekels of silver (37:28) very similar to our Lord Jesus Christ being sold for 30 pieces of silver. (Matthew 26:15) The attitude
shown by Joseph's brothers about the transaction is also similar to many Christians attitudes towards personal the Holiness that we can gain through Christ. Most times, most of us would rather trade our side by side relationship with our Creator and Savior for a little of this worlds goods (sin) instead of living with a "perfect brother" (Romans 8:17, Matthew 12:49).

Joseph's place: Genesis 39:1-6
Because Joseph was an upright man through his trial of fire, God blessed him greatly, we as American "christians" overreact to any slight inconvenience, or perceived offense in our lives but Josephs reaction to his situation was much more Christ like, after all when Christ prayed to His Father in the garden before His crucifixion He, knowing Gods plan ended His prayer (Luke 22:42) "nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.".

Did you know that this is the ONLY place in the entire Bible where the phrase "not my will" is found (Matthew 26:39 reads:"not as I will,") imagine the problems that would not exists today if we had "not my will" attitudes!

Joseph's temptation: Genesis 39:7  "And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me."

Every day you and I face many temptations, come watch me, come drink me, come laugh with me, come fit in with me, come lie with me. We act as though we are such great Christians because we don't immediately fall into sins traps, but that causes us to let our guard down.

Soon the good Christian teen boy believes that just because he isn't physically lying with a woman he isn't committing a great sin looking at that website. (Matthew 5:25)
Soon the good Christian teen girl believes that just because she isn't physically rebelling against her parents that she isn't sinning in her disobedient heart.

Joseph's reaction: Genesis 39:8-12
 Joseph not only refuses, but he explains (rather politely) to the sinner why he will not sin with her, he continues to refuse her (10) and he makes God the topic (39:9) how many temptors in our lives would flee if we made God the topic?

When you hear someone use Gods name in vain while handing out John and Romans at the Big House, quickly turn to him/her and offer him/her one saying "I noticed you talking about my God, would you like to read about Him?"

Memory Verse:
Genesis 39:21    "But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison."