Monday: Choosing a New Direction
Joseph takes pain, complicated relationships, and anxiety with him as he travels to Egypt, where he is to be sold as a slave. This was not a restful trip as he fought back the tears.
“Meanwhile, Joseph with his captors was on the way to Egypt. As the caravan journeyed southward toward the borders of Canaan, the boy could discern in the distance the hills among which lay his father’s tents. Bitterly he wept at the thought of that loving father in his loneliness and affliction.
Image © Lifeway Collection at Goodsalt.com
Again the scene at Dothan came up before him. He saw his angry brothers and felt their fierce glances bent upon him. The stinging, insulting words that had met his agonized entreaties were ringing in his ears. With a trembling heart he looked forward to the future. What a change in situation — from the tenderly cherished son to the despised and helpless slave! Alone and friendless, what would be his lot in the strange land to which he was going? For a time Joseph gave himself up to uncontrolled grief and terror. …
Then his thoughts turned to his father’s God. In his childhood he had been taught to love and fear Him. Often in his father’s tent he had listened to the story of the vision that Jacob saw as he fled from his home an exile and a fugitive. … Now all these precious lessons came vividly before him. Joseph believed that the God of his fathers would be his God. He then and there gave himself fully to the Lord, and he prayed that the Keeper of Israel would be with him in the land of his exile.” — Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, pages 213, 214 (italics supplied).
Some cultures emphasize the role of the community over the individual, while other cultures are inclined to emphasize the role of the individual over the community. While we find a balance between these two in Scripture, there is clearly a call to personal as well as corporate commitment to God. Joseph begins to find rest in his relationships by making a personal decision to follow God.
What do the following verses teach us about personal commitment? (Deuteronomy 4:29, Joshua 24:15, 1 Chronicles 16:11, Psalm 14:2, Proverbs 8:10, Isaiah 55:6).
To find rest, we each must make a personal decision to follow God. Even if our ancestors were spiritual giants, this faith and spirituality aren’t transmitted genetically. Remember, God has only children, no grandchildren.
| Why is it important every day, even every moment of every day, to choose to commit yourself to God? What happens when you don’t? |
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Joseph was a bit of a spoiled kid growing up. The oldest son of the favourite wife, Israel treated Joseph with preference. He made him a colourful coat and apparently he wore it everywhere. Then he started telling them about his dreams where everyone bowed down to him. He would have been what we describe as a tall poppy and I am sure that his brothers hated him. It is no small wonder that when he was sent on the errand of finding out what his brothers were up to, they decided to take him down a peg or two. These older brothers were not to be messed with. They had tempers and could use weapons with deadly effectiveness. They did a lot more that mess up his colourful coat!
To cut the story short, Joseph entered the school of hard knocks and quickly had to adapt. To his credit he learned quickly. All of us know how the story ended Joseph grew up quickly learning from his situation and became a man of integrity and wisdom. The brothers too, matured over the years and ultimately showed concern and compassion that appeared to missing from their early life.
I guess the lesson we can learn from Joseph's experience is that we can rise above the circumstances of a dysfunctional home and while that offers hope. It is also a challenge. As a teacher I had to deal daily with students from homes where circumstances were challenging. The story of Joseph was a reminder to provide those students with the help and encouragement that they needed.
Maurice - I think the birthright-standing of Joseph being the first-born of Jacob's favorite wife might also have played a role in the decission of the brothers to prevent him from inheriting the 'headship' over his siblings families.
It is a marvelous thing to see God's longterm strategies and planning unfold in the life of Joseph.
Today's lesson states:
When Joseph's situation and mood pulled him DOWN, he chose to look UP. Focussing our attention upward to God when life drags us down is a theme you will find recurring throughout scripture (eg, Numbers 21:4-9 + John 3:14; Psalm 121).
Here is Australia we have safety signs for overhead power lines that say "Look up and live". Will you look up and live today?
Choosing a New Direction
At this time of his life Joseph was helpless. He had no one to rescue him from his evil, wicked brothers. It is so strange the bible seldom focus on in-laws, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandmothers etc and how those relationships affected other. The bad, envious, hateful and wicked relationships always come from the immediate families. Why?
Joseph was beloved by his father because he was a child of his old age. Joseph was the elder child from his wife whom he had loved but now she was dead. Was it wrong to show this open love for one child over others?
Lesson stated Joseph was grieving for a time. He gave himself up to uncontrolled grief and terror.... In difficult circumstances, many times Satan can use those same situations for us to doubt Jesus about his love, power to save and protect.
Despite what he was going through which was very difficult, Joseph made a conscious choice to choose his father's Lord and Savior. It is so great to tell children about our experiences while we were growing up and the challenges we faced but the Lord was with us all the time as he was with Jacob. Now Joseph can turn to the same Great One who was a help in time of trouble to his father. He was committed to serve the Lord no matter what.
Are we committed in these times of uncertainty? These times when we already lost so much and the covid is beginning to rise.
The story of Joseph comes with one of the biggest surprises in the Bible -Joseph forgives his family.
He blesses them with land and homes in Egypt. You see, they expected revenge and he has every right to get revenge. They’ve always been a family that goes for revenge.
So why does Joseph forgive his dysfunctional family? It is because forgiving is the only way to heal. The alternative is to hold a grudge and keep the wound open.
Years before hunger struck and his family came to Egypt looking for grain, Joseph has a son and names his 1st son
Ephraim, which means *“I have forgotten.”* It means I forgive. It means I do not hold a grudge. It means I won’t bring up the past the next time we meet.
Holding a grudge is letting someone live for free in your head/heart!
Unless we forgive and let the past go, we carry the anger from the past in our heart we cannot choose a new direction in our lives.
And the more anger we carry around in our heart, the less we enjoy life. We must change our thoughts, Joseph did and he went a new direction - We can't be happier than their thoughts.
Many blessings.
Jared- but remember we are looking back into years of Joseph life and what took place and seeing the summary of them. But to Joseph he was living everyday in the moment of the troubles, trials and tribulations that he did not created. I doubt if Joseph comfortably embrace his new life in a heathen culture. A slave does not have the privileges' of worship on the Sabbath. That Kingdom had no fear of the Creator at that time. Doubt if there was even a place to worship Jehovah in that Kingdom. He was unaware if his father, last little brother or even his ten brothers were alive. He never knew the outcome but still trusted in Jesus. That is faith. Despite the outcome, we cont to make the Lord of the bible our Lord and Savior.
Shirley you said-'Rules without relationship result in rebellion.' Them how can we explain
1. Aaron had four sons but two burnt strange fire before the Lord?
2. What about Samuel sons who challenged the Lord to ask for a King?
3. Eli sons who went into the most Holy place and took out the Ark of the covenant?
4. The rebellious Israelites in the wilderness?
5. Cain who slew his brother Abel?
My question is-did all rebellious children had rules without relationships in their homes?
Lyn, you are correct, even if some had both rules and love in their home growing up, when they became adults they made their own choice in respect of whether they obeyed and loved the LORD. As you listed they rebelled against the LORD. As we know even in heaven one third of the angels rebelled against God's government.
We are not given insight into all the families you have listed as to why the children chose to rebel against God. We are told that Eli didn't rebuke his sons but he did raise Samuel to be God-fearing.
As the lesson states
"To find rest, we each must make a personal decision to follow God. Even if our ancestors were spiritual giants, this faith and spirituality aren’t transmitted genetically. Remember, God has only children, no grandchildren."
We cannot continue blaming our families. We have to make personal decisions.
Prov 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Eph 6:4, Deut 6:5-9, Deut 11:9, Gen 18:19
How do we instill the love of the LORD in our children?
What is the balance between love and rules?
While growing up I attended Seventh Day Adventist boarding schools for 6 years. My experience was that Institutional training concentrated on outward behavior - obey the rules - more than developing a relationship with the LORD. How many children are taught - Jesus loves me more when I am good and less when I am bad?
What has been your experience?
I believe the best way to mold ones children's character is by a loving Christ like example from the parents and recounting the lives of those recorded in the Bible.
Rules without relationship result in rebellion.
I can only praise God and give glory to Him for all my troubles! For many times they seem to overcome me. And they do! My sufferings really serve to break down my ego, while I learn to depend solely on God! May the name of Jesus be glorified! Thanks be to Him Who is able to change people's hearts through His love, the most amazing miracle!
Genesis 50:20 What you meant for evil, God meant for good. God so often takes the messes we make of our lives and others and turns it into good.This is why Jesus Reminded the Israelites in Matthew 7:12 how they should treat one another. Joseph's forgiveness of his brothers is symbolic of Christ's unmerited forgiveness of us. Just like Joseph's brothers when Christ forgives us we don't believe it. Just image what Christianity would look like if we all submitted to the will of God and sought for transformation Romans 12:1,2? This question I have to ask myself is - am I Joseph's brothers trying to kill or Joseph forgiving? I pray to be forgiving.
Joseph is a type of Jesus. His name means May He ( Jehovah ) add.
Here are some similarities between him and Jesus :
1. He was the object of his father's special love.
2. He had promises of Divine exaltation.
3. He was mocked by his family.
4. He was sold for pieces of silver.
5. He was stripped of his robe.
6. He was delivered up to the Gentiles
7. He was falsely accused.
8. He was faithful amid temptation.
9. He was thrown into prison.
10. He stood before rulers.
11. His power was acknowledged by those in Authority.
12. He saved his rebellious brothers from death when they realized who he was.
13. He was exalted after and through humiliation.
14. He embraced God's purpose even though it brought him intense physical harm.
15. He was the instrument God used at the hands of the Gentiles to bless his people.
16. He welcomed Gentiles to be part of his family.
17. He gave hungry people bread.
18. People bowed their knee before him.
We must realize from this story of Joseph that he was not ignorant of the choice he had, should he desire to make it. How important that children be taught early of the Lord, and the salvation He offers to all who would be saved. Imagine not having the knowledge of this choice, and being hopeless as so many are! Salvation is personal, and individual. Each must choose for himself.
Jesus taught that there is no earthly relationship that will save another, except through individual repentance and faith in Him, the only Savior of the world.
Last week's lesson was about taking Jesus' yoke upon us, and learning of Him. No one can do this for another. There is no salvation by proxy or even the closest of human relations. I must wear the yoke of Jesus(same idea as “abiding in the vine”, or, denying self, take up one's cross and follow Jesus) on a constant basis. We cannot separate from Jesus for a moment without great peril to our soul.
What difference it makes if ‘we give ourself fully to the Lord’! Even Potiphar, the officer of Pharaoh, acknowledged that ‘the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand’ – Gen.39:1-3KJV.
The type of environment in which a child grows up in certainly matters; at least this is the established conclusion of those who study societal dynamics. Though, followers of the Faith of Christ know there is a spiritual aspect undergirding all that concerns the life of humanity which 'science' does not necessarily consider.
We are given guidance from the source of life; wise, loving instructions pointing us to the way we ought to live life. These spiritually based but practically applied instructions, if absent in the family’s life, will cause much pain; there is no guarantee that all members respond to this influence in a healthy way, though.
I do not know of a Scripture reference pointing explicitly to Joseph's commitment to follow God’s leading, but I am aware that God gave young Joseph dreams which implied that his life was being influenced by God.
By observing the dysfunction within the children of the family of Jacob, would it not be the most reasonable deduction that the heavenly Father looked at the heart of Joseph and, finding it willing to be directed by Him, chose him to fulfill His promises through Him?
In my opinion, nothing is more important in the life of the follower of the Faith of Christ as he lives in the spiritual kingdom here on earth, then to keep one’s heart and mind fully focused on maintaining the relationship with the heavenly Father.
Prov. Chapter 3 KJV –
v.1-7 - “My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments; for length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
This is the new direction!
Robert – may I comment on your statement ‘that no one can take Jesus’ yoke upon oneself on behalf of another person’. As I understand ‘Jesus’ yoke’ - it is by taking up His yoke that we demonstrate that we ‘help carry each other’s burdens’; this is the evidence that we are carrying the ‘yoke of Jesus’.
Is not the meaning of carrying His ‘yoke’ all about demonstrating our faith in the renewing power of His Word as we change how we relate and interact with each other? Is not sharing each other’s burden the evidence of a changed heart and the reflection of what He has done for us?
Certainly, ‘there is no salvation by proxy’, though, only by “abiding in the vine” do we derive our life-giving, spiritual disposition of loving and caring for one another from its root, Christ Jesus. Salvation is not limited to the responsibility of taking up our personal cross, but it is directly tied to participating in the Salvation experience of others by helping them to also carry their cross.
Is not “following Jesus on a constant basis” demonstrated as we show that God loves them by participating actively in the lives of those who would benefit from our helpful engagement? Man shows that he loves God by loving his fellow man – 1John4:20KJV. ‘Hate’ is a strong word, but disregarding our fellow man’s plight for help is, at its core, an expression of callousness and disregard toward the spirit of God’s Love wanting to express itself.
Yes, “we cannot separate from Jesus' ” active outreach of His love without great peril to our soul.’
Perhaps my meaning wasn't clear Brigitte. I was referring to personal salvation, not outreach. The Bible is very clear on this in passages such as Eze 14:14-18, Luke 17:34-36, Prov 11:21. This is made clear as well in Matt 16:24, which speaks to every individual who would be saved. There is only one name whereby any will be saved(Acts 4:12). Each must take Jesus' yoke upon them if they would be saved.
Yes, if taking Jesus' yoke, one will be found like Jesus, "who went about doing good"(Acts 10:38).
I would like to make some Parallels between Joseph and Jesus but before I do that let me correct the anomaly in my previous submission, the first similarity was : 1. He was the object of his father's special object should have been : He was the object of his father's special love.
Having corrected the anomaly, I wish to draw the Parallels between Joseph and Jesus as follows :
. Both men were greatly loved by their Fathers ( Genesis 37: 3 ; Matthew 3 : 17 ).
. As shepherds, they both took care of their Father's sheep. ( Genesis 37 : 2 ; John 10 : 11, 27 ).
. Both Joseph and Jesus were sent to their brothers by their Father. ( Genesis 37 : 13, 14 ; Hebrews 2 : 11).
. Both were ridiculed and rejected by their brothers. ( Genesis 37 : 4, 19 - 20 ; John 1: 11; 7 : 5 ).
. Both were sold for the price of a slave. ( Gen. 37 : 28 ; Matt. 26 : 15 ).
. Both were taken to Egypt. ( Gen. 37 : 25 ; Matt. 2 : 14, 15 ).
. Both were falsely accused and condemned. ( Gen. 39 : 13 - 20 ; Matt. 26 : 57 - 68 ; 27 : 11 - 25 (.
. Both were placed with two other prisoners , one was saved and the other not. ( Gen. 40: 2, 3 ; Luke 23 : 32 ).
. Both were bound in chains. ( Gen. 39 : 20 ; Matt. 27 : 2 ).
. Both men were 30 years old at the beginning of their public recognition ( Gen. 41 : 46 ; Luke 3 : 23 ) and were exemplary servants. ( Gen. 39 : 1 - 6 ; Philippians 2 : 7 ).
. Both were tempted. While both Joseph and Jesus didn't give in to temptation,( Gen. 39 ; 7 - 12 ; Matt. 4 : 1- 11 ), Jesus also never sinned. ( Hebrews 4 : 15 ).
. Both were stripped of their clothes ( Gen. 37 : 29 - 31; Matt. 27 : 27 - 28 ) Joseph was thrown into a pit. ( Gen. 37 : 24 ( and later cast into a dungeon ( Gen. 39 : 20 ) , Jesus was condemned to death before descending to hell (John 19 : 23 ; 1 Peter 3 : 18 - 20 ).
. Both forgave those who wronged them. ( Gen . 45 : 1 - 15; Luke 23 : 34 ).
. While men plotted evil against them ( Gen. 37 : 20 , John 11 : 53 ) , God used it for good ( Gen. 50 : 20 ; 1 Corinthians 2 : 7 - 9 ).
. Both saved not only their people , but also many others ( Gen. 45 : 7 ; 50 : 20, Matt. 1: 21 ; Luke 24 ; 1 Corinthians 15 : 1 - 11).
. Because Joseph's actions helped the nations of the world survive the famine ( Gen. 41 : 57 ), God partially fulfilled His promise to Abraham to bless all nations ( Gen. 12 : 1 - 3 ) , God completely fulfilled His promise to Abraham when Christ died for everyone's sin and commanded to " make disciples of all nations ....." ( Matt. 28 : 19 ).
Reflection :
Like Christ, Joseph endured rejection and persecution. Yet - like Christ - he forgave . Joseph and Jesus not only became a blessing to those around them , but were also a blessing to those who hurt them. How can we apply this principle to our lives ?
Part of Ellen White's quote states: 'What difference it makes if ‘we give ourself fully to the Lord’! Even Potiphar, the officer of Pharaoh, acknowledged that ‘the LORD was with him (Joseph), and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand’ – Gen.39:1-3KJV.
At what age can one choose a new direction? We all come to the Lord by Faith, so even children can choose Him to direct their lives. The type of environment in which a child grows up certainly matters, but what influence will be present when a child choses to come before the altar of Grace?
All can receive guidance from the source of life - wise, loving instructions pointing to the way we ought to live life. Though Joseph was a thorn in his sibling's side, in the eyes of his heavenly father he must have been special in same way. God gave young Joseph dreams which implies that his life was being influenced/directed by God.
When reading about the dysfunction of the family of Jacob, would it not be the most reasonable deduction that the heavenly Father looked at the heart of Joseph, finding it willing to be directed by Him? He needed to choose one of Jacob's children in order to continue fulfilling His promise!
Our life takes on a new direction when we choose to live in the kingdom of heaven. In my opinion, nothing is more important in the life of the follower of the Faith of Christ then to keep his heart and mind fully focused on maintaining the relationship with the heavenly Father.
Prov. Chapter 3 KJV –
v.1-7 - “My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments; for length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
This is the new direction!