Sunday: Family Troubles
Jacob has, at last, settled in the land. While Isaac was only “a stranger,” the text also says that Jacob “dwelt in the land” (Genesis 37:1). Yet, it was then, as he was settling into the land, that the troubles began, this time from inside the family. The controversy does not concern the possession of the land or the use of a well; it is, mainly, spiritual.
Read Genesis 37:1-11. What family dynamic predisposed Joseph’s brothers to hate him so much?
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From the very beginning, we understand that Joseph, the son of Jacob’s old age (Genesis 37:3), enjoyed a special relationship with his father, who “loved him more than all his brothers” (Genesis 37:4, NKJV). He even went so far as to make Joseph “a tunic of many colors” (Genesis 37:3, NKJV), a prince’s garment (2 Samuel 13:18), an indication of Jacob’s secret intention to elevate Joseph, Rachel’s first son, to the status of firstborn.
The future will, indeed, confirm Jacob’s wishes because Joseph will eventually receive the rights of the firstborn (1 Chronicles 5:2). No wonder, then, that Joseph’s brothers hated him so much and could not even engage in peaceful conversations with him (Genesis 37:4).
Furthermore, Joseph would bring bad reports to his father about any reprehensible behavior from his brothers (Genesis 37:2). No one likes a snitch.
So when Joseph shared his dreams, suggesting that God would put him in a higher position and that they, his brothers, would bow before him, they hated him even more. The genuine prophetic character of the dreams is even ratified by the fact that they are repeated (see Genesis 41:32). Although Jacob openly rebuked his son (Genesis 37:10), he kept this incident in his mind, meditating about its meaning and waiting for its fulfillment (Genesis 37:11). The implication is that, perhaps, deep down he thought that there might be something to these dreams after all. He was right, however much he couldn’t know it at the time.
| Read Matthew 20:26-27. What crucial principle is revealed here, and how can we learn to manifest in our own lives what it teaches? |
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As we mentioned when we were discussing Jacob and Esau, sibling rivalry is very much part of family life. And when Jacob had his own family the rivalry increased. You can just imagine what it was like with 4 mothers and 13 children. There was a favourite wife, a wife that was the result of a deception and two concubines. There would have also been 4 "first-borns". Joseph was Jacob's favourite son of his favourite wife and it was very obvious where his affection and intention lay. Rivalry and jealousy had a field day.
I like to read ahead because Genesis 43, 44 show a very different story. The brothers had grown spiritually and were concerned about the well-being of their father and the safety and protection of Benjamin. Selfishness had given way to selflessness.
We like to concentrate on the miracle of God's foreknowledge in this story, but the real miracle is the change that took place in the hearts of the brothers. They were different men.
And the lesson is? The Gospel really has more to do with changed lives than fulfilled prophecy. The brothers hearts had been changed even before they knew that prophecy had been fulfilled!
Amen to that ! Changed hearts and minds ..
2 Corinthians 13:5; 4:6-7
Romans 8:10
Galatians 1:15-16; 2:20; 4:19;
Ephesians 3:17
Colossians 1:27
2 Thessalonians 1:10
Shalom 🙏
Thank God, Maurice, for the change of heart! I think that true change of heart (for good) is only possible because of the work of God within ourselves... Once I allow Him to do His work in my heart, it goes on a pace that it can be very fast! And what a blessing!
These scriptures show the REALITY (fulfillment) of the SHADOW in Joseph!
Matthew 3:17 (CSB)
A voice from heaven said: “This is *my beloved Son* with whom *I am* well-pleased.”
Revelation 5:8-14 (CSB)
8 When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and golden bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
9 And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slaughtered, and you purchased people for God by your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign on the earth.
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and also of the living creatures and of the elders. Their number was countless thousands, plus thousands of thousands.
12 They said with a loud voice, *Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!*
13 I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say, Blessing and honor and glory and power be to the one seated on the throne, and to *the Lamb* , forever and ever!
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
AMEN !
are we jealous ?
Very good analogy of Joseph story, however I am by no means jealous, Christ is my Saviour, my Brother, my Friend. I would be satisfied with Him just being my Saviour, but I know I need more and I realize He is more. And He is more. Through the Holy Spirit He is my comforter and guide. He is my advocate and intercessor and I humbly accept and surrender all. This all came about because I saw the love of God in His creations, I was a sinner in need of Christ. I repented, confessed, surrendered, and concecrated my life to Him in faith and acceptance, discipleship came about because of His love for me. All this disolved doubt and I rejoice in the Lord. Satan works harder, so I put on the armor of God. Now I confess I am by no means perfect but through it all I have learned to depend upon the Lord. I go back and repeat steps to Christ. God bless you Larry in your spiritual seeking. He certainly has blessed me in mine.
Today's lesson asks "what family dynamic predisposed Joseph’s brothers to hate him so much?"
John 1:5 tells us that, central to the issues of the Great Controversy/Cosmic Conflict, "The Light" (Jesus) came into this world and "the darkness" has not overcome it. While the darkness has not succeeded in overcoming the Light, that doesn't mean the darkness hasn't tried everything it could to overcome the Light. In John 3:19, Jesus utters a very revealing truth: "Light has come into the world but people loved darkness instead of Light because their deeds were evil.
Ever since Genesis 3:15, Satan had been working tirelessly to try and destroy the avenue for Messiah in whatever ways would do the job. These ways involved 'enticing' people to develop their character in accordance with the nature of evil (maleficence/lawlessness). How effectively Satan had 'infiltrated' the descendants of Abraham is reflected in the attitude and behaviour of Joseph's brothers towards Joseph. Thus the darkness was attempting to overcome the Light.
Great insight !
The cognitive human mind, even after mankinds fall, choosing to judge for themselves good and evil is further influenced by cosmic opposing powers.
Genesis 4:6-7 (CSB)
6 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent?
7 “If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”
Ephesians 6:12 (CSB)
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.
Hebrews 5:13-14 (CSB)
13 Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant.
14 But solid food is for the mature -- for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.
Thank you Father for the *perfected Life* of Christ in us.
But still the battle continues !
Phil, is Joseph in the Jesus' lineage
Hi Don
No. But Judah was and Judah participated in the mistreatment of Joseph.
I must rise to the defence of my favourite OT character - Judah! The firstborn blessing consisted of a double portion of wealth and the right of authority to rule over the clan. Uniquely, Jacob split it into two parts, giving the power and authority to Judah and adopting Joseph’s two sons, giving him the double portion part.
As an interesting aside Judas is the Greek form of Judah. Judah, one of 12 suggested selling his brother and Judas, one of 12 sold the Messiah…
Several things struck me as a parent in reading Genesis 37:1–36. The first thing that struck me was the introduction to the story, “2 This is the history of Jacob.” What follows is more a history of Joseph and his relationship with his brothers than of Jacob. What I learned from this is that, as a parent, I must be mindful that if God has blessed me with children, an important part of my history is how I have acted as a steward over their lives to “nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).”
What can I learn from Jacob’s parenting style? It seems to me that Jacob had a role in fostering the hatred of Joseph from his brothers. He most likely didn’t do this on purpose. His open favouritism was not only unfair on the rest of his sons, but put his favourite son at risk. Jacob has a hierarchy of affection in his home between his wives and between his children. Even in the dreaded meeting with his brother Esau, it can be interpreted that Jacob organised his family from least loved to most loved with the most loved at the back having a greater chance of escape should there be a slaughter. A parent’s affection and support greatly affects a child's cognitive and social development and their sense of well-being. Sons especially need affirmation from their fathers.
What harm am I doing as a parent that may be unintentional, but which none-the-less is having a damaging effect on my children? No imperfect human being can be a perfect parent. Even good parents will have prodigals, but how much heartache can be avoided if I take time to educate myself, to reflect prayerfully on my role as a parent?
Joseph was an exceptional son (indeed person) called by God for a special purpose. His gentle nature, obedient spirit, and handsome features must have made him easy to love. Does that remove Jacob’s responsibility to his other sons? Maybe we can learn best by looking at the example of the perfect Father as seen through his son Jesus. The Father spends more time running after the lost, the broken, the shameful, the sick, and the stiff necked. These are not easy to love, but the Father loves them with all his being - even unto death. There are lessons here for us as parents.
When I finish studying today's lesson I ask: is it a mistake nowadays for a father or mother to have a favorite child?
"No one likes a snitch." Jesus tells us how we are to deal with those that we feel are behaving in a wrong way in the counsel He left us recorded in Mathew 18:15-17. Three steps there 1. go to the guilty person "one on one first," 2. If we see no change for the better on the guilty one we then are to take another person (and possibly a second one) to be a witness with us about this, 3. It is not until the second step does not work that we then are to make it matter of "Church Comittees." Poor Joseph only knew what his father Jacob expected of him and made "a snitch," our of his favorite son, Joseph.
Matt 20:26 - "Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave"
In my not so many years of work, I've had to coordinate a series of campaigns and I have always been quick to rejoice in our collective successes and acknowledged the contributions of even those who just showed up the listen. It is also really hard to be usurped at every turn by my teammates who appeared in be in competition with me; wanted to show they were smarter, and wanted their time in the spotlight. I didn't like the spotlight.
I congratulate and encourage those in the spotlight now since I moved on to other things.
Ruben and the older brothers may have felt the same - working tirelessly for their father, yet never getting the love of their father. Perhaps their faults were amplified and successes ignored. It all went to Joseph, who in addition, was dreaming dreams of rulership over his brothers.
Joseph also felt the same: despite his hard work and devotion to his duty and God, the prison was his stay.
The crowning beauty is that God sees every effort and he is the faithful rewarder. We cannot tire of doing what is good and right even when our service is berated and ignored. We do it as doing it for God and not man. ...we always abound in the work of God, knowing that our labor will not be in vain" I Cor 15:58
After waiting until his 'old age', Jacob was blessed with Joseph, Rachel’s first born. Joseph was born from her, his first love. The other sons were born more or less through coerced manipulation by Laban, his uncle, but Joseph was the one most hoped for.
I wonder – God knowing all things – that He set things up in order for Isaac to have these many children by other women in order to quickly grow the clan to a good size; the children born based on those arrangements were not necessarily part of the emotional core-family of him and Rachel.
Joseph was only 17 when he showed that he knew right from wrong, good from bad - Jacob trusted him. I do not see anything wrong with "bringing a bad report back from the sons of Billah and Zilpah". Jacob/Israel seems to sent Joseph out occasionally to bring reports back from the fields. He also sent him to see how his brothers were doing in Shechem. He asked Joseph to “please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flock”; nothing more and nothing less. These reports have nothing to do with ‘snitching’.
Joseph was just plain and simply a different personality than his brothers; Esau and Jacob are described to be different from each other as well – different personalities, different work, different aims.
I see the trouble being caused by the ‘jealousy’ of his brothers, not by Joseph being who he was naturally. The brother’s relationship with their father was different from the type of personal intimacy that Joseph enjoyed with him; they were more concerned about their inheritance and the line-up of privileges they were to receive.
No one seems to have really understood that their God was working out His plan of salvation of all mankind by using their family - wrinkles all. All humanity with all their differing personalities are invited to come and join the family of God; He is no respecter of a person's standing in the world. All He looks for is the open and receptive heart that is willing to respond to Him.
However, Brigitte Humphrey, Jesus' counsel in Matthew 18:15-17 says that Joseph's bad report of his brothers to his father was "less than good." If Joseph had followed this type of counsel of Jesus (which neither Joseph or his father then had as Jesus had not come around yet to show them this,) with his brothers he probably would not have had his brothers hate him so much and they probably would not have sold him to the Midianites who then sold him to the Egyptians and the 400 years of Egyptian bondage would probably had not occurred either.
Pete, I don't any evidence that Joseph did not follow the counsel of Matthew 18:15–17. The counsel concerns, "If your brother sins against you ..." It does not address what to do about public behavior that is evident to all. The Matthew 18 counsel refers to personal matters which no one else likely knows about.
Example: If you do not like what a politician says, you do not have to go to him in person to voice your disagreement. On the other hand, the counsel of Phil. 4:8 is applicable. Joseph was acting on the request of his father, and I suspect that he had the fifth commandment firmly in mind.