Bitter Animosity Series

WHEN LIFE IS THE PITS: BITTER ANIMOSITY

A. Last week we began a new series on The Life of Joseph from Genesis 37-50 titled: “WHEN LIFE IS

THE PITS.”

1. We began this study by looking at how Joseph came from a very MESSED-UP FAMILY—some use

the word “DYSFUNCTIONAL”.

a. If you think your family is somewhat dysfunctional, Joseph’s family was off the DYSFUNCTION

CHART.

COMMENT:

Part of the PROBLEM was when there is 1 MAN who had 13 CHILDREN from 4 WIVES, there is going to be SIBLING RIVALRY. Especially when you PICK OUT one of those CHILDREN and make him so obviously the FAVORITE over all the others.

b. The FAVORITISM shown Joseph from his FATHER had created intense FRICTION between him and his OLDER BROTHERS—especially when Jacob gave him a ROBE typically WORN by nobility, ELEVATING Joseph above them—and “they hated him”- v. 4.

2. Then add to that the DREAMS that Joseph SHARED with his BROTHERS about how they will one day “BOW DOWN TO HIM”, you have the makings of BITTER ANIMOSITY brewing toward their LITTLE BROTHER. And that will be our FOCUS today.

B. To some extent, we have all been VICTIMS of ANIMOSITY—and maybe even BITTER ANIMOSITY.

1. Webster defines “ANIMOSITY” as “strong hatred, an active hostility.”

a. ANIMOSITY occurs when we FEEL someone has TAKEN SOMETHING FROM US that we

are POWERLESS TO GET BACK.

COMMENT:

We HOLD ON to the HURT in an attempt to REMIND ourselves and others of the INJUSTICE we’ve EXPERIENCED in the hopes that someone will SAVE US and RESTORE what we’ve LOST.

b. However, ANIMOSITY only makes our SENSE of the INJUSTICE grow.

COMMENT:

It does nothing to HEAL THE WOUND caused by the PERCEIVED INJUSTICE. In fact, it causes the HURT to become BITTER that only FESTERS and SWELLS and, unless DEALT with, has the power to DESTROY US FROM WITHIN and OTHERS FROM WITHOUT.

2. This is exactly what our TEXT reveals about the OLDER BROTHERS of Joseph.

MESSAGE:

I. ANIMOSITY SHOWN TOWARD JOSEPH

A. Jacob sends Joseph to CHECK ON his BROTHERS- Genesis 37:12-14a (READ)

1. Joseph’s BROTHERS are out doing what they normally do—in a FIELD somewhere CARING for

the LIVESTOCK.

COMMENT:

This was the family’s LIVELIHOOD. They had large HERDS of SHEEP and GOATS, that they had to take from PLACE to PLACE to find GREEN PASTURE to GRAZE and STREAMS of WATER to DRINK. In a given day, they could TRAVEL for MILES from HOME.

2. Did you NOTICE where 17-year-old Joseph is?

a. He is HOME while his OLDER BROTHERS are out WORKING.

COMMENT:

As I said last week, Joseph’s “ornamented robe” that COVERED his BODY to his WRISTS and ANKLES, was not CONDUCIVE to doing MANUEL LABOR.

So, he was allowed by his Father to STAY HOME and CHILL OUT—SLEEPING in his OWN BED, while his BROTHERS were out WORKING under the HEAT of the SUN and SLEEPING in TENTS as they took CARE of the LIVESTOCK.

b. You just know that the PRIVILEGES that has been given to their LITTLE BROTHER by their Father, is just adding to the ANIMOSITY that they already FEEL toward him

3. Jacob sends Joseph to CHECK ON his brothers, and then COME BACK and TELL him how

they are DOING.

a. Now, this give us FURTHER INSIGHT into what is said about Joseph in v. 2b- “…he brought

his father a bad report about them [brothers].”

b. Joseph is his father’s SNITCH. That is how his Dad has been using him—to SPY on his

BROTHERS and then come back and REPORT if anything is OFF.

COMMENT:

Jacob certainly had GOOD REASONS to wanting to KNOW what his SONS were up to—because they had PROVEN to be CONNIVING and RUTHLESS and IMMORAL on many occasions. But using Joseph to SPY on his BROTHERS has only created more DISTRUST and ANIMOSITY toward him.

B. “Joseph takes off looking for his BROTHERS and, after some searching, finally finds them near

Dothan, a small settlement about 12 miles from Shechem”- v. 17.

1. “As Joseph gets closer to where they are GRAZING the HERD, they SPOT him coming”- v. 18a.

a. Their ANIMOSITY toward Joseph has been SEETHING.

COMMENT:

They KNOW why he is there: “Daddy has sent his FAVORITE SON to SPY on us. He is coming to INSPECT US and TELL US WHAT TO DO and RULE OVER US, and then he’s going to RUN BACK HOME to Daddy and TATTLE ON US.”

b. But as Joseph gets CLOSER, the later part of v. 18 reveals something that is ABSOLUTELY

ABSURD, “…and before he reached them, they plotted to KILL him.”

COMMENT:

These GROWN MEN are planning to KILL their TEENAGE BROTHER! Yes, they may have reason to be UPSET with the whole FAVORITISM thing, but to RESPOND by KILLING