A story of the birth of the sons of Jacob who compose the 12 tribes of Israel.
This is a story of envy, hatred, love, almost murder, bondage ... but God causes Joseph to prosper in everything he does: First as a slave in bondage in Egypt; then as a servant in the house of Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard; then when he was put in prison by false accusation of Potiphar's wife; then 2nd in power to Pharaoh in Egypt; and finally saving his family because of his position in Egypt.
God shows HIS power to cause success in the midst of terrible situations.
The great love of Jacob's life was Rachel. Jacob worked 7 years to be able to marry Rachel. He had bargained with Rachel's brother who deceived him. Laban deceived him into marrying Leah the eldest daughter who was "tender eyed" but Rachel was beautiful and well favored. Gen. 29:17 Jacob agreed with Laban to work another 7 years for Rachel. (Men of the Old Testament often had multiple wives and concubines.)
Genesis 29:31 And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
Leah bares 6 sons: Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Judah ... and later, Issachar and Zubulun
(Rachel cannot bear children so she gave her handmaid to Jacob and bare sons by her handmaid)
Bilhah bares 2 sons: Dan, Naphtali,
(Leah then gave her handmade to Jacob.)
Zilpha bares 2 sons: Gad, Asher
(Then God opens Rachel's womb.)
Rachel bares 2 sons: Joseph and then the youngest of the sons, Benjamin
These are the 12 tribes of Israel for God has changed Jacob's name to "Israel".
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Genesis 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
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God gave Joseph 2 dreams and the brothers hated Joseph even more after he reported these dreams for they showed that Joseph would rule over the family of Israel and all the brothers.
Genesis 37
6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
(Here God has put the 11th born brother in charge and has blessed him over the firstborn brother as was the custom. God gives us another example of the election of God in calling whom HE wants and by God's power to exalt one brother over all others.)
Romans 9
6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
(Here God shows us the elect of God, those chosen by God, vs those who are children of the flesh and therefore not chosen by God. In NT terms, the children of the flesh followed directions of the leaders of the churches, going forward , being baptized, doing other things by the will of the men of the churches, but not born of the Holy Spirit of God. Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.)
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Romans 9
7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.
10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15 For HE saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.
10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15 For HE saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
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Concerning Joseph: The brothers want to destroy Joseph because their father shows a special love toward Joseph that he does not show toward the other children. And he makes a coat of many colors and gives that to Joseph. And God has made Joseph into HIS own elect and has destined Joseph for many great things where he even saves the nation of Israel from perishing in a great famine.
So the brothers purpose to kill Joseph. They Joseph into a hole without food or water to let him die. They strip him of his coat of many colors and dip that coat in animal blood and when they return to their father they tell him they don't know what happened to Joseph, and Israel is devastated believing Joseph has been killed by some animal.
But their desire for money is used by God to save Joseph from death.
Genesis 37
24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
25 And they sat down to eat bread (they gave Joseph no bread or water in that pit): and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. (These brothers are really "good guys" or so they are trying to show us what they have done is good. The younger brother, Benjamin, who was Joseph's full brother with Rachel as their mother, wasn't in on this plan. And Ruben was away from them as they sold Joseph to the Midianites.
(Notice the brothers act like they have done a good thing by selling Joseph rather than letting him die in the pit, and they said "for he is our brother and our flesh." But really Joseph was saved by God for the calling of God and purpose God had in this world for Joseph ... and he was saved by the greed his brothers had for that money they could get for Joseph.)
Genesis 37
28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and
lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for
twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
32 And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no.
33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.
34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
(Those brothers who put Joseph into the pit and then sold him in slavery and present him as being dead to his father were the cause of all of their father's grief.)
35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.
36 And the Midianites sold him (Joseph) into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.
35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.
36 And the Midianites sold him (Joseph) into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.
Joseph was only a 17-year-old boy when he was sold into slavery in Egypt. He had only the clothes on his back when taken down to Egypt. What hope was there for him?
But every where Joseph went God made him to prosper! and gave him great favor and the tools he needed to gain favor in sight of his "masters" ... God gave Joseph great wisdom ... and several dreams which exalted Joseph in the sight of his owners in Egypt.
Proverbs 18:16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
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Pam Padgett tells of dealing with cancer by turning to God and following God: click here
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