Joseph - God's Choice - Genesis 37:1-17
INTRODUCTION:
This morning we turn back to the book of Genesis and we will finish up the book this time, chapters 37-50. When we ended back in October I said we had one more section of Genesis, Jacob or by his new name Israel, is still on the scene, but he is no longer the main character, although we will see him from time to time in the rest of the book; the main character is now a person most of you are familiar with if you went to Sunday School anytime during your childhood, he is a favorite person to talk about in Sunday School. Nowhere in the New Testament is this man given to us as a type of Christ, yet no one is more like Christ, in his person and experiences than this man. All this cannot be accidental. We will look at these types in detail as we come upon them. This main character is the favorite Bible figure of my mother and so she named me after him, this morning we begin our study on the life of Joseph. Let’s pray and then we will get into our Scripture passage for this morning.
--PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bible to Genesis 37. When we finished in October we finished with the record of the generations of Esau. He has now passed from the scene and we will not see him again in the book of Genesis. This morning we will be reading Genesis 37:1-17, please stand for the reading of God’s Word and follow along as I read.
Genesis 37:1-17,
“Now Jacob lived in the land where his father had sojourned, in the land of Canaan. These are the records of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, when seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic. His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms. Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. He said to them, ‘Please listen to this dream which I have had; for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf.’ Then his brothers said to him, ‘Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?’ So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, ‘Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.’ He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, ‘What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?’ His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. Then his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock in Shechem. Israel said to Joseph, ‘Are not your brothers pasturing the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.’ And he said to him, ‘I will go.’ Then he said to him, ‘Go now and see about the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring word back to me.’ So he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. A man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field; and the man asked him, ‘What are you looking for?’ He said, ‘I am looking for my brothers; please tell me where they are pasturing the flock.’ Then the man said, ‘They have moved from here; for I heard them say, “Let us go to Dothan.”’ So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.” (Genesis 37:1–17, NASB95)[1]
THE GENERATIONS OF JACOB (Genesis 37:1-2a)
This passage begins by telling us that Jacob had settled in the land of Canaan, the place where his father had lived, the place where Abraham had lived, where they had lived as strangers. The book of Hebrews tells us, “By faith he [Abraham] lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:9–10, NASB95)[2] They lived in the land of promise because they had faith that God would give it to their descendants as He had promised. They knew that they would never have possession of it in their lifetimes, so they were looking for that heavenly city which has foundations unlike the tents in which they dwelt, whose architect and builder is God. At this time Jacob had settled in Hebron where Abraham and Isaac had lived. Isaac was most likely still living at this time and so Jacob was dwelling near him.
Then at the beginning of verse 2 we get those familiar words that has divided this book into its separate parts, “These are the records of the generations…” The first time we saw this phrase was in chapter 5, the book of the generations of Adam, then in chapter 10, the records of the generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, then in chapter 11, the records of the generations of Shem. In chapter 25 we have two records, the records of the generations of Ishmael and the records of the generations of Isaac. In chapter 36 we have the records of the generations of Esau. Each time this phrase is used then there is a list of the sons born to that father and their descendants. Except in the case of Isaac in chapter 25 and in the case of Jacob here in Genesis 37. In chapter 25 it speaks of Isaac’s marriage to Rebekah and how the birth of Esau and Jacob came about and it goes immediately into how Esau sold his birthright to Jacob. Here there is only one son listed and as soon as he is named the history shifts from Jacob to Joseph and we learn that we are going to pick up the life of Joseph when he is 17 years old. We are told that he was learning the role of sheep herding, he was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, or a young boy. This is what he was doing up to the age of 17, he was an assistant or an apprentice, learning how to care for the sheep from his older brothers, the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, he was becoming a shepherd. During this time, he brought a bad or evil report to their father about his sons. We are not told what these men were doing, but whatever their sin was Joseph felt that their father needed to know about it. Many want to point a finger at Joseph and say he was a tattle-tale, but the rest of the life of Joseph does not bear this out, instead it shows him to be a person of integrity and that does not just happen overnight. I believe that whatever his brothers were doing must have been terribly wicked, or Joseph would not have mentioned it to their father.
HATRED (Genesis 37:2b-8)
All of this happened in Joseph’s life prior to his 17th birthday. Joseph, we learn was Israel’s favorite, we read in verse three that he loved Joseph more than all his other sons because he was the son of his old age. What does this mean? I believe it means several things, Joseph was the last son born in Paddan-Aram, he was the firstborn of Israel’s beloved wife Rachel, he was not the son of Leah, the wife he never wanted nor the son of one the maidservants who his wives had given him as wives. He was the son of Rachel and she had him after the other 10 sons had been born. Possibly Joseph was most loved because now Rachel was gone and Joseph reminded his father of the wife that he had lost in his old age. Whatever the reason, Israel should have known better, he had come from a home where favoritism had caused trouble in the family that in the end sent him to Paddan-Aram away from his family for 20 years. But we know because we know the rest of the history that Joseph was singled out because God had chosen him. When he was 17 years old Israel gave to Joseph the famous “coat of many colors.” Scholars are still debating what this coat actually was. My translation says a “varicolored tunic,” the NIV says a “richly ornamented robe.” The only other place that this Hebrew word is used is in 2 Samuel 13:18 where it describes the garment worn by the king’s daughter. This coat or robe reached to the ankles and had long sleeves, it was the rich garment of a ruler and not what the well-dressed shepherd needed out in the fields. Israel by giving this coat to Joseph was making a statement to the rest of the family that he had chosen Joseph to be the heir. Joseph would receive the blessing and the double portion of the first-born. Reuben, the first born of Leah had forfeited his right when he had slept with Bilhah back in chapter 35. Simeon and Levi the next two sons who had been born were the ones who had slaughtered all the men of Shechem. The first four of his sons were the sons of Leah, Jacob had not intended to marry Leah, but Rachel, but Laban had deceived him. He may have thought that in God’s sight Rachel was his first wife, Joseph was her firstborn. Therefore, Joseph has the right to be treated as the firstborn.
Joseph’s brothers understood the meaning of the coat and saw the favoritism that Israel showed to Joseph and we are told that they hated Joseph because of it. They hated him so much that they could not speak to him on friendly terms. This phrase literally means that they could not even greet him with peace. The greeting in Israel is “shalom” which means peace and they hated Joseph so much they could not say “shalom” to him.
Then there was the matter of Joseph’s dreams, his first dream which he related to his brothers dealt with the harvest of grain, they were all binding grain into sheaves when Joseph’s sheaf rose and stood upright and all his brother’s sheaves gathered around Joseph’s sheaf and bowed down. No interpretation was needed, Joseph knew what it meant and the brothers knew what it meant and they let him know that they did not think that he would ever rule or reign over them. I can just hear them, “Do you think I am going to bow down to you? Think again!” Verse 8 says they hated him even more for his dreams and his words. I do not know what his words were other than telling them the dream. Should Joseph have shared his dreams with his brothers, notice it says dreams maybe there were others, maybe he had this dream multiple times and he would say, “I had that dream again last night.” They hated him that he was dad’s favorite, they hated that he was the heir, they hated that he had dreams that they were bowing down to him. Hatred is a terrible sin because it generates other sins. Proverbs 10:12 says, “Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions.” (Proverbs 10:12, NASB95)[3] 1 John 2:9 says, “The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now.” (1 John 2:9, NASB95)[4] Hatred can lead us to begin to think evil thought about the one we hate, then to plan evil to do to them, and finally if we do not deal with our hatred it can drive us to do those wicked deeds.
ENVY (Genesis 37:9-11)
We are told in verse 9 that Joseph had another dream and he wanted to tell it to his brothers as well, but this time he also told it when his father was present. Joseph dreamed that the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to him. Again, no interpretation was needed, the meaning was clear. This dream caused Israel to rebuke his favorite son. Asking him if he truly believed that his father and mother and brothers would bow down to him. Now there is no mention that these dreams are from God, but knowing the rest of the history we can assume that God was trying to prepare Joseph for the future by giving him a glimpse of it in these dreams. It is ironic that the first dream was about grain since it was for grain that his brothers first bowed down to him. We are told these dreams made his brothers jealous or envious, but that Joseph’s father kept these in mind, he pondered them. God had spoken to Jacob in a dream, maybe he thought God was speaking to Joseph through his dreams. Joseph might have been more tactful in the way he shared his dreams, but he surely was right in sharing them with the family. This wasn’t just youthful enthusiasm, this was God communicating with him. Had the brothers paid attention to these two dreams, they might have been better prepared for what happened to them 15-20 years later. If Israel had grasped the significance of the dreams he might have had faith to believe that Joseph was alive and that he would see him again. It is easy for us to criticize because we know the end of this bit of history.
Does God speak to us in dreams today? He did in the Old Testament, but we only see this a little bit in the New Testament. Now that we have the full revelation of God in His Word He does not need to communicate in this way. When people claim that God has sent them dreams for their instruction or guidance or for the instruction or guidance of others, we need to be extremely careful. God communicates with us today through the Spirit teaching through the Word of God.
Joseph’s brothers’ hatred had turned to envy. Joseph was his father’s favorite, chosen to receive the blessings of the firstborn, wearing a special garment, and now the recipient of strange dreams from God. Why should he be so special? Hatred and envy were brewing at the surface, something had to be done about this dreamer.
THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD (Genesis 37:12-17)
In verses 12-17 we are told that the brothers went to pasture their father’s flock in Shechem. As I read through this section several questions came into my mind. First, why were Israel’s sons pasturing the flock fifty miles from home? Surely there was pastureland closer to Hebron. Is it possible they didn’t want anyone in the family spying on them? Second, why did they return to the dangerous area near Shechem when Jacob’s family had such a bad reputation among the people there? Is it possible the brothers were involved with the people of the land in ways that they didn’t want Israel to know about? A third question: Knowing about the brothers’ hatred for Joseph, certainly Joseph knew this and possibly Israel knew, why would he send Joseph out to visit them alone and wearing the special garment he had given him? One of Israel’s servants could have gone. Why was there a man who found Joseph when he was wandering around the field who knew where the brothers had taken the flock? The answer to all of these questions is the same: The sovereignty of God, God was working to accomplish His divine purposes for Jacob and his family, and ultimately for the whole world. Psalm 105:17 says, “He sent a man before them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave.” (Psalm 105:17, NASB95)[5] God had ordained that Joseph would go to Egypt, and what the brothers would mean for evil, God would take and make it good. The brothers thought they would get rid of their problem, the object of their hatred and envy, God made sure that Joseph was where he needed to be to save his family. Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
CONCLUSION:
As we wrap up this morning I want to look at some of the experiences of Joseph that make him a type of Christ. I said in my introduction that there is no one more like Christ in his person and experiences than Joseph. Already this morning we have come across several items that make him a type. Let me define a type for you. A type is an Old Testament person, place, thing or occurrence that prefigures a person, place, thing, or occurrence found in the New Testament called the antitype. Understand that a type is an example, a copy, a shadow, a pattern. It is not the important thing, it is pointing to the important thing, the antitype. Beginning in verse 2 of our passage this morning we are told that Joseph was a shepherd, Jesus describes himself as a Shepherd, as the good Shepherd in John 10. In verse 3 we read that Joseph was the beloved son, in Matthew 3:17 God the Father speaking at the baptism of Jesus calls Jesus His Beloved Son. In verse 13 we read that Joseph obediently did his father’s will, in John 6:38 Jesus said He came to do the will of His Father, the One who sent Him. Joseph was sent to His brothers, in John 1:11 we are told that Jesus came unto His own, His own people, His own family. In verses 4 and 8 we are told that Joseph was hated by his brothers, in John 15:23-25 Jesus talks about those who He came to, the Israelites, His brothers hating Him. This is just a few of the many, many experiences of Joseph that prefigure our Lord Jesus Christ. We will continue to look at these while we go through the life of Joseph.
The overarching theme in the life of Joseph is the Sovereignty of God, when events happened in Joseph life that seemed to be bad, or were meant for bad, God used those events to bring about His purposes, His good. The theme verse for the life of Joseph is Genesis 50:20 which says, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” (Genesis 50:20, NASB95)[6] Do you believe that God is sovereignly in control in your life, that He is working to accomplish His divine purposes in your life and in the life of your family? When we view life this way it makes those difficult events in our lives become events where instead of focusing on the difficulties we can be looking for God’s hand in it and look to see what He is accomplishing in my life through this event.
[1]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[2]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[3]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[4]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[5]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[6]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995