Genesis Lesson #59

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GENESIS 42
LESSON #59
GOD’S PLAN IN PROGRESS

• MEMORY VERSE: MAT 6:14

• READ GEN 42:1-20
• JOSEPH, AS PRIME MINISTER OF EGYPT, SPENT 7 GOOD YEARS OF PLENTY STORING GRAIN FOR THE 7 YEARS OF FAMINE AHEAD.
• WHEN THE YEARS OF FAMINE CAME TO THE MIDDLE EAST, HIS FAMILY BACK IN THE PROMISED LAND DECIDED TO JOURNEY TO BUY GRAIN IN EGYPT.
• JACOB, JOSEPH’S FATHER, SENDS THE 10 BROTHERS TO EGYPT
• BUT HE DOES NOT SEND THE YOUNGEST, BENJAMIN.
• REMEMBER THAT ONLY JOSEPH AND BENJAMIN WERE THE NATURAL BORN CHILDREN OF JACOB’S FAVORITE WIFE, RACHEL BEFORE SHE DIED. JACOB BELIEVED THAT JOSEPH WAS DEAD. HE KEEPS BENJAMIN AT HOME BECAUSE HE WANTED TO PROTECT FROM LOSS SINCE HE WAS HIS ONLY OTHER CHILD BORN FROM RACHEL. (4)
• THE BROTHERS HAVE IT IN MIND TO “BUY” THE GRAIN AND 5 TIMES IN THE FIRST 10 VERSES IT MENTIONS THIS INTENT.
• JOSEPH HAD BEEN A TEENAGER WHEN HIS BROTHER LAST SAW HIM. HE IS NOW ABOUT 37 YEARS OLD (41:46,53-54). NOW HE SPOKE EGYPTIAN, DRESSED LIKE AN EGYPTIAN, AND HAD GREAT POWER AND AUTHORITY. IT IS NOT SURPRISING HIS BROTHERS DID NOT KNOW HIM.
• THE BROTHERS BOW BEFORE HIM, AND JOSEPH REMEMBERS THE DREAMS HE HAD BACK IN GEN 37:7,9.
• (DISCUSSION) DESCRIBE JOSEPH’S ATTITUDE TOWARD HIS BROTHERS (7-17)
• IS THERE RESENTMENT OR JUST CAUTION?
• IS THERE A PLAN OR UNCERTAINTY IN JOSEPH’S MIND?
• IS THERE PUNISHMENT OR GRACE IN JOSEPH’S ACTIONS?
• THE AGREEMENT:
• ONE BROTHER WOULD BE KEPT HOSTAGE UNTIL THEY BROUGHT BENJAMIN BACK WITH THEM.
• (DISCUSSION) WHY DO YOU THINK JOSEPH DID THIS?

• READ GEN 42:21-38
• SIMEON WAS LEFT IN EGYPT. WHY SIMEON?
• SIMEON WAS THE SECOND BORN SON, REUBEN BEING THE OLDEST. THE OLDEST WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WELFARE OF HIS BROTHERS. REMEMBER REUBEN TALKED THE OTHERS OUT OF KILLING JOSEPH. REUBEN DID NOT KNOW THE OTHERS HAD SOLD JOSEPH INTO SLAVERY. JOSEPH PROBABLY DID NOT PICK REUBEN BECAUSE OF THAT. THE NEXT IN BIRTH ORDER WAS SIMEON. EVIDENTLY JOSEPH SIMPLY CHOSE THE NEXT IN LINE.
• (DISCUSSION) WHAT DO YOU THINK THE BROTHERS HAVE LEARNED IN THE YEARS SINCE JOSEPH LEFT HOME?
• THE BROTHERS IN GENERAL:
• JOSEPH RECOGNIZED THE REMORSE AND WEPT. (24)
• REUBEN ONLY JUSTIFIES HIMSELF (42)
• MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH: THE FAMILY REACTION: (28, 35-36)
• JACOB’S SORROW AT THE LOSS OF SIMEON.
• THE BROTHER’S FEAR AT THE RETURN OF THEIR MONEY.
• (DISCUSSION) WHY DO YOU THINK JOSEPH RETURN ED THEIR MONEY?
• NOTICE THEIR REACTION IN VERSE 28:
• “WHAT IS THIS THAT GOD HAS DONE TO US?
• THIS IS GUILT OVER THEIR SIN OF SELLING JOSEPH INTO SLAVERY. THEY ARE CONVINCED THAT GOD IS AGAINST THEM.
• (DISCUSSION) ARE THEY RIGHT?
• READ JAM 4:6
• JACOB’S FEAR AT THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF BENJAMIN.
• REMEMBER THAT FEAR IS THE OPPOSITE OF FAITH. WE DO NOT SEE EITHER JACOB OR ANY OF HIS SONS TURN TO GOD FOR HELP, FOR GUIDANCE, FOR FORGIVENESS, OR FOR PROTECTION.
• VERSE 21 INDICATES THAT THE BROTHERS HAVE LIVED WITH THEIR SIN FOR A LONG TIME WITHOUT EVER FORGETTING WHAT THEY HAD DONE TO THEIR BROTHER, JOSEPH. THEY HAVE A HEALTHY FEAR OF GOD, BUT THEY DO NOT KNOW THE MERCY AND FORGIVENESS OF GOD. IT’S OFTEN THE OPPOSITE WITH US TODAY. WE HAVE A KNOWLEDGE OF GOD’S MERCY AND FORGIVENESS BUT WE OFTEN DO NOT HAVE A HEALTHY FEAR OF GOD.

• JOSEPH A PREFIGURE OF JESUS CHRIST

JOSEPH AND HIS FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS	JESUS AND HIS FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
JOSEPH’S BROTHERS ARE DRIVEN OUT OF THEIR OWN LAND. GEN 42:1-3,5	THE JEWS REJECT CHRIST AND ARE DRIVEN OUT OF THEIR LAND IN 70 AD.
JOSEPH’S BROTHERS LIVED IN A LAND WHERE THERE WAS NO GRAIN. GEN 42:5	THE JEWS, ALIENATED FROM GOD, LIVE IN SPIRITUAL FAMINE. AMO 8:11
JOSEPH’S BROTHERS WISHED TO PAY FOR WHAT THEY RECEIVED. GEN 42:3	JESUS’ SALVATION IS A FREE GIFT OF WHICH NO ONE CAN BUY OR EARN. ROM 5:15-17
JOSEPH WAS UNKNOWN AND UNRECOGNIZED BY HIS BROTHERS. GEN 42:6,8	JESUS IS UNKNOWN AND UNRECOGNIZED BY A MAJORITY OF JEWS. 2TH 2:10-12 2COR 3:13-16
JOSEPH SAW AND KNEW HIS BROTHERS. GEN 42:7	JESUS HAS ALWAYS SEEN AND KNOWN GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE, THE JEWS. JER 16:17 HOS 5:3
JOSEPH BREAKS DOWN HIS BROTHERS’ PRIDEFUL ATTITUDE. GEN 42:7-9	CHRIST BREAKS DOWN THE SINNER’S PRIDEFUL ATTITUDE BEFORE HE BRINGS HEALING. MAT 15:25-28
JOSEPH PUNISHED HIS BROTHERS. GEN 42:7,17	GOD CHASTENS THE JEWS BECAUSE HE LOVES THEM. HOS 9:17 HEB 12:7
JOSEPH’S BROTHERS WERE PUT INTO PRISON FOR 3 DAYS. GEN 42:17	JUST AS JESUS WAS IN THE TOMB FOR 3 DAYS PAYING FOR OUR SIN, THE SINNER IS MADE TO REALIZE HE DESERVES ONLY PUNISHMENT. ROM 6:23
JOSEPH’S BROTHERS FELT GUILTY BECAUSE OF THEIR SIN AGAINST JOSEPH. GEN 42:21	THE SINNER FEELS GUILTY BECAUSE OF SIN. 2COR 7:10
JOSEPH SHOWED A WAY OF DELIVERANCE THROUGH SUBSTITUTION – SIMEON GEN 42:17-19,24	JESUS SHOWED A WAY OF DELIVERANCE THROUGH HIS OWN SUBSTITUTION FOR SIN. ACT 5:31
JOSEPH MADE IT CLEAR THAT DELIVERANCE IS BY GRACE. GEN 42:25	JESUS MAKES IT CLEAR THAT SALVATION IS BY GRACE. EPH 2:8-9
JOSEPH MADE PROVISION FOR HIS BROTHERS WHILE THEY WERE IN A STRANGE LAND. (JUDGMENT TEMPERED WITH MERCY) GEN 42:25	THE LORD MAKES PROVISION FOR THE JEWS, BLESSING THEM ABUNDANTLY, WHILE THEY ARE FAR FROM GOD. JER 30:11
JOSEPH’S BROTHERS ENJOY A BRIEF RESPITE FROM FAMINE BEFORE FEAR SETS IN. GEN 42:26	JESUS’ WORKING WITH THE SINNER, GIVES A TEMPORARY SENSE OF PEACE BEFORE THE SINNER REALIZES HE NEEDS A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD.
THE HUNGER OF JACOB AND HIS SONS EVENTUALLY BECOMES MORE ACUTE. GEN 42:27-28	THE SINNER REALIZES MORE AND MORE HIS DESPERATE NEED FOR A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST. ACT 16:30-31

• HOMEWORK
  GENESIS 43-44
  THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF GEN 42
• WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM GENESIS 42 THAT CAN HELP YOU WITH TROUBLED FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS?
• PREPARATION FOR GEN 43-44
• READ GEN 43 AND GEN 44
• WHAT DO YOU SEE IN JUDAH’S ACTIONS THAT REMIND YOU OF CHRIST? 
• BASED ON THESE CHAPTERS, LIST AS MANY WAYS AS YOU CAN IN WHICH JOSEPH IS A PREFIGURE OF JESUS CHRIST. 
• MEMORY VERSE: HEB 7:22