Genesis 39-50 5. THE GOD OF THE FUTURE Preparation: Read Genesis 50 The story of Joseph (from Genesis 37 to 50) forms the final section of the book of Genesis. Having focussed on Judah, we need to see what we can learn Joseph, the main character! We left him in a desperate situation at the end of chapter 37, and pick up his story in Egypt in chapter 39. If you re not familiar with the story of Joseph already, you should try to read it through in a single sitting. It s a great adventure! In this study we re going to skim through the highlights. POTIPHAR S WIFE (ch 39) Joseph finds himself a slave in the home of rich Egyptian Potiphar. a. According to verse 2-3, what s the reason for Joseph s success? The Lord is with him and gives him success b. What goes wrong in verse 8, and how does Joseph respond? When she wants sex with handsome Joseph, he flees. c. When Joseph refuses an illicit affair with his master s wife she has him thrown in jail. Things seem to be going from bad to worse (v21). But what hasn t changed, and what cycle is repeated? Though thrown in prison, the Lord is still with him; so he is put in charge again. DREAM A LITTLE DREAM FOR ME (40-41) Famous dreamer Joseph finds himself in exactly the right place when his fellow prisoners have dreams. d. How does Joseph s connection with God set the scene in 40:8? God is the one who gives interpretations of dreams - so Joseph can tell them what their dreams mean because God will enable him to. 20
e. When Pharaoh has a disturbing dream in chapter 41, his cupbearer remembers that he had met Joseph the dream-reader in prison. Why can Joseph help? (41:16) I can t do it, but GOD will give Pharaoh the answers he desires. God is at work bringing all this together! Pharaoh s dream is all about a coming economic disaster. Forewarned, Joseph knows exactly what to do to be ready. f. What s the next step up for Joseph, and why? (v39-43) He becomes Pharoah s top man in all of Egypt since GOD MADE IT ALL KNOWN TO HIM. God is at work behind the scenes engineering all this. Notice in verse 51 and 52 that Ephraim and Manasseh are born during this time (v51-52.) They later become the names associated with the two half tribes of Israel;; Joseph himself does not give his name to a tribe. FAMINE AND FAMILY (42-44) The famine predicted by Joseph finally hits, and people from everywhere are coming to Egypt to buy from Joseph s stockpile of grain. Old Jacob and his remaining sons are no exception. g. How does 42:2 give a hint of the reason for God s background activities so far? (Clue: What s special about Jacob and sons?) It would be disastrous if Jacob and his sons were all to die, because this is the family of God s promise! This is the line that is going to bring blessing to the whole world. h. This whole sorry story began with a dream that made Joseph s brothers angry (37:5-11). What do you notice in 42:6? They are bowing down to him, just as they did in the dream. This is the scene that the whole story has been moving towards! Joseph goes to extraordinary lengths to humble his brothers and arrange for them to bring their other brother back to Egypt with them. The concern of the older brothers for Benjamin s safety in chapter 43 is a contrast with the harsh way they treated Joseph! i. Joseph might appear tough on his brothers, but how is the whole episode affecting him? (See 42:24 and 43:30) He is weeping - perhaps a mixture of sadness and joy? Ask people in the group why they think he s so emotional! 21
In another elaborate ploy in chapter 44, Joseph (still unrecognised by his brothers) sends Benjamin home with a silver cup in his sack - then has him arrested on the road. Older brother Judah has guaranteed to his dad that he ll bring the boy home safely. j. How does Judah s reaction in 44:33-34 show a change of heart? When the brothers sent Joseph into slavery and told their dad he was dead, they had no regard for the grief this caused. Through this whole incident it is clear that they are full of remorse for this. Judah s willingness to give himself in exchange for the life of his youngest brother shows his heart has softened. SAVED! (ch45-50) k. Read the big reveal in 45:1-8. Why does Joseph say all these things have happened? v5, it was to save lives that God sent me here ahead of you. v7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. v8 It was not you who sent me here but God. l. There s a happy re-union for poor old Jacob in chapter 46. How does God refresh the covenant promises in that have been running right through this book? (v3) God says to Jacob in a dream, Don t be afraid to go down to Egypt - I will make you into a great nation there! m.how do things work out by 47:10-12? (Who blesses who, and why?) The Pharaoh has granted Joseph s family prime farming land for their flocks. They are very blessed! But it s interesting that Jacob blesses Pharaoh in verse 10. It s a reminder that even though he s a poor old man in front of a King, he s the one who carries God s line of blessing - and everyone who blesses Abraham will be blessed! n. In chapter 48, Jacob passes on the blessing of God s covenant promises to Joseph s sons Ephraim and Manasseh. Oddly, he reverses his hands so the younger is blessed above the older (v17-18). What earlier episode does this bring to mind? Jacob himself was the younger brother who received the blessing (though by trickery!) Somehow, in God s line of blessing, the younger and less impressive ones keep coming out on top. Least and greatest constantly get reversed - as with Jesus! o. What is one of Jacob s major concerns as he dies in this far off land of Egypt? (47:29-29, 48:21-22) He wants to make sure he is buried back in the promised land - he guarantees to Joseph that God will take him, too, back to the land promised to his fathers. In chapter 49, Jacob blesses his own sons before he dies. In the previous study we learned how this was all leading to Judah s descendant Jesus. 22
p. Jacob dies at the end of chapter 49. Then chapter 50 draws the Book of Genesis to a close with the account of the death of Joseph. How are the events of the last 12 chapters summarised in 50:20? Joseph s brothers intended to harm him, but God intended it for good - the saving of many lives. q. In what way, much later, could the same thing be said of Jesus? Even though Jesus was nailed up on a cross, God had things under control. What the Jews and Romans who killed him intended was not what God intended! (Take a look at Acts 2:23-24!) s. Are there things you find difficult in your own life (and that even bring you to tears) that God may be intending to use for good? How does this section of Genesis encourage you? Read Romans 8:28 for encouragement. (Also read v 29-39 if you like!) Even in the worst of times and circumstances, God can somehow engineer good outcomes. It s just that we might not see it at the time! If you can think of any examples in your own life, share them with the group. Keep in mind that you might not have reached the part of the story in your own life where you see what God had in mind all along! t. These studies in Genesis have introduced some of the biggest ideas in the bible - and the threads of a story that will run all the way through to the new testament, and us! Can you summarise these ideas? Look out for these themes whenever you dip in to the Bible! What personal connection do we have with this big story? Pray together, giving thanks for our part in God s plans for the world! 23
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