GENESIS 37 – by James Fire; for the Facebook video teaching go here.
INTRODUCTION: We have seen it with Abraham, we have seen it with Isaac – and now we are seeing it continue with Jacob: family favorites! In Jacob’s case, his favorite was Joseph, the son of his dearly beloved – not Leah, but Rachel.
When cycles of sin are repeated from one generation to the next in families, they seem to become more pronounced. Alcoholism in the first generation may be bad, but the second generation very often becomes worse, and the third generation even more so.
In this case however, Jacob’s sons, representing the fourth generation do something even worse than what their Uncle Esau intended; Esau intended on and threatened to kill their Dad, Jacob – but here we see the sons of Jacob are plotting to kill their half-brother Joseph and would have done so if Reuben and Judah didn’t intervene.
They are plotting evil against their half-brother Joseph.
Among those who would intend evil against you, the one at the top of the list is the devil: he wants to steal from you, he wants to destroy you, he wants to kill you (JOHN 10:10). Others in the world despise those of us who live godly in Christ Jesus (2 TIM 3:12) and we find ourselves often persecuted in some way.
Know for certain that what everyone who intends evil and harm on you, the LORD certainly will turn it around for good.
This is a lesson that Joseph learned after this long, long trial that begins here and continues for what would be a few chapters for us, but two very long years for him!
The conclusion of this evil plot by Joseph’s brothers is understood by Joseph as part of the Sovereign plan of GOD Almighty!
GENESIS 50:20
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.