Joseph Enduring his Trials Genesis 29-30, 35,37,39-41

Choice 3: Genesis 29-30, 35, 37, 39-41. Joseph Endured His Trials

A) Jacob’s 12 sons
1. Reuben (Leah)
2. Simeon (Leah)
3. Levi (Leah)
4. Judah (Leah)
5. Dan (Bilhah)
6. Naphtali (Bilhah)
7. Gad (Zilpah)
8. Asher (Zilpah)
9. Issachar (Leah)
10. Zebulun(Leah)
11. Joseph (Rachel)
12. Benjamin (Rachel)

B) What was the Coat of Many Colors? What were some reasons that Joseph’s brothers were envious of him?
The Coat could have been many different things; in the Institute manual it explains that it might have been many colors or simply a long coat that reached to Joseph’s feet and all the way to his wrists. It might have been made of animal skins or cloth, this isn’t clear. The coat might have been the symbolism of Jacob passing on the birthright to Joseph because Reuben had forfeit it. It also makes it obvious that Jacob favored Joseph above all his brothers. It is also apparent that the dreams Joseph had didn’t help with his brothers’ jealously.

C) Challenges of Joseph
Joseph’s first challenge was not being believed about his dreams. Then it was being thrown into a pit by his brothers, then his brothers thought it would be more “profit” if they sold him into slavery. Joseph was then sold to Potipher, the Pharaoh’s captain of the guard. I wonder how Joseph felt about all this because we don’t ever hear his thoughts the whole chapter, but judging from his attitude during the rest of his challenges he knows that what the Lord has in store for him, and he knows that he will be protected because the Lord is with him. I think he is sad either way that his brother’s hate him but knows that in end he will be serving them. Today’s youth might face jealousy, when we are doing as the Lord would do then it is noticed. It doesn’t seem to be taken notice that the person is humble but when they are receiving lots of attention it’s natural for other’s to think they are conceited or don’t deserve what is given. I hope that no youth is being sold into slavery but they can be abused for their beliefs and speaking the truth like Joseph did with his dreams.

D) Similar Phrase in Genesis 39:2-3, 21, 23
“The Lord was with Joseph”

1. The reason that the Lord was still with Joseph because he didn’t fall to temptation and “lie” with his master’s wife. I think that this decition would have been made when we choose to follow the Lord. Joseph knows that you can’t follow God in some ways and not in others. When he understood that God would bless him and his seed he knew who to follow.

2. We learn from Genesis 40-41 that the Lord stayed with Joseph during his time in prison, we can see the evidence of this through the baker and butler. The Lord placed Joseph in prison so that in the end he could leave prison and save Egypt from the drought. If he had been but three days late then he couldn’t have met either of these men and showed them that the Lord was with him, making the interpretation of their dream impossible. I think that through Joseph’s faith and by not murmuring that we see how the Lord was with him so strongly during the terrible times in his life. I don’t know how he did it, it does seem that every time that Joseph did right he was punished but because of his faith he knew the Lord was with him and would bless him.

3. Unfortunately we are all going to have bad things happen, we will always be put in hard positions and by not complaining and by showing our faith we can be more than just workers we will become tools in the hands of God. We are often told that the Lord’s plan for us is so much larger than the one we have for ourselves, if we trust the Lord he will take us to places that we couldn’t imagine.

We can also learn how to forgive. I don’t know how Joseph found forgiveness in him for his brothers after then threw him in pit, sold him then told their father he was dead. It is an incredible feat to then look at them with love.

I also think we can remember that the Lord will bless us if we trust. It’s more that just knowing that the Lord will bless us but we have to remember that he will get us there on his time and in his way. The Lord’s timing is perfect and things will work together perfectly if we will just let him run the show. Joseph is a perfect example of this, he went where he was put and didn’t show anger at the Lord but trust because he knew that he was doing what is right.