Joseph Seeking His Brethern

JOSEPH SEEKING HIS BRETHREN Genesis 37:12-36

Genesis 37:16 And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.

The father sent the son to seek his brethren.He was sent, and he was to return:

Genesis 37:14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

So our Lord Jesus Christ was sent on a mission, and He was to return to the Father Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

First notice,

I. HIS BRETHREN WERE BIASED 18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. 19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. (a) THE PROBLEM Jealousy

Genesis 37:8 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.

He was loved by his father, but he was hated by his brethren. They hated:

A. His Purity 2 and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

B. His Preference Genesis 37:3-4 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.

C. His Prophecies 5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.

John 8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. (b) THE PLAN 20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: They Planned His : - Death, Disposal, Their Defence (c) THE PRETENCE Genesis 37:29-33 False witnesses lied about Jesus.

A. They lied about the danger - The danger was not some evil beast, but some evil brethren!

B. They lied about the death - The lie of the "swoon theory" about Jesus

C. They lied about the deliverance -They brought him out of the pit, but said that Joseph was devoured.

(d) THE PURPOSE and we shall see what will become of his dreams. Hebrews 11: 22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. 1. God Trusted Him with Ability! 2. God Tested Him with Adversity!

A. He Faced Unforeseen Abandonment!

B. He Fought Unexpected Allurement!

C. He Found Unrivalled Advancement! 3. God Triumphed Him with Authority!

A. His Confidence in the Promise of God!

B. His Comparison with the Person of God! 2. HIS BRETHREN WERE BAD

Genesis 37:2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

Romans 3:9-10 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

A. Their attitude was bad - envious

B. Their affections were bad - unnatural Not natural to not love your own brother

C. Their actions were bad

1. They planned a murder

2. They plotted a sale THE PRICE 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.

What was Joseph's life worth?

A. It was the price of a servant

1. Christ died as the suffering servant of God.

B. It was the price of sin

1. Not the sin of Joseph, but of his accusers.

2. Christ died not for His own sin, but for the sin of His accusers.

C. It was the price of salvation

1. The betrayal of Joseph was instrumental in providing future salvation for his brethren during the coming famine.

2. Christ's death provided redemption for us.

3. They punished their father D. Their aims were bad Mt 27:22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: