Joseph's Dreams, God's Plan. Genesis 37

2024.09.29.Sermon Notes. Joseph’s Dreams, GOD’s Plan.

William Akehurst, HSWC

BIG IDEA: Joseph was the good son. But to his brothers, he took it too far. So they plotted to end it all, but GOD… But GOD had other plans as the story of Joseph unfolds.

Scripture: Genesis 37:1-36, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, James 1:14-15, Acts 7:9, 1 Peter 4:12-19, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Romans 8:28, Ephesians 4:31-32, Hebrews 12:1-2

GOD’S CALL ON JOSEPH’S LIFE

JACOB’S FAVOR OF JOSEPH – THE BELOVED SON OF THE FATHER

Genesis 37

1 Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2 This is the history of Jacob.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.

Vs. 2. Joseph brings a bad report to his father Jacob about his brothers’ behavior

Vs. 3. Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph above all his children. It says because he was the son of his old age, but let’s REMEMBER, Joseph was the first born of Jacob’s first love, Rachel. Jacob showed his favor by giving Joseph a coat of many colors. Jacob was treating Joseph as his “first born” with favor, and even the possible recipient of “the birthright”.

Vs. 4. The brothers hated him and spoke harshly towards him.

JOSEPH’S FIRST DREAM

5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. 6 So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”

8 And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

Vs. 5. Joseph had a dream, told it to his brothers, and they hated him even more.

Was this Joseph being naive or a prideful boast?

Vs. 6-7. The dream. My sheaf rose upright, your sheaves bowed to me. I will be exhalted above you, and you will bow down to me. You are below me. I am higher than you.

Vs. 8. His brothers’ reactions-they hated him even more for what Joseph said.

JOSEPH’S SECOND DREAM

9 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”

10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” 11 And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

Vs. 9. A second dream. Sun = father, moon = mother, and 11 stars=brothers would bow down.

Vs. 10. Jacob rebukes Joseph for his words

JOSEPH SOLD BY HIS BROTHERS

12 Then his brothers went to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.”

So he said to him, “Here I am.”

14 Then he said to him, “Please go and see if it is well with your brothers and well with the flocks, and bring back word to me.” So he sent him out of the Valley of Hebron, and he went to Shechem.

15 Now a certain man found him, and there he was, wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying, “What are you seeking?”

16 So he said, “I am seeking my brothers. Please tell me where they are feeding their flocks.”

17 And the man said, “They have departed from here, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them in Dothan.

Vs. 12. The brothers were feeding the flocks in Shechem, the place where they had killed and looted the men of the land.

Vs. 13-17. Jacob sends Joseph to check on them. Joseph travels about 15 miles on foot to find his brothers in Dothan.