1/20 Genesis 37 - Suffering and God's Sovereign Will
Life doesn't always go the way we want; and today as we begin to look at Joseph's life, we'll see that indeed, things didn't start out the way Joseph would have wanted either; but God had sovereign plans for Joseph's life and He was going to use Joseph to save His people. We may not always understand why God is doing what He does; but we know He has good and wise reasons. Join us!
DISCUSSION AND THOUGHT QUESTIONS: The following discussion questions can stand alone or be used in conjunction with the Key Chapters podcast. They can be used in a Small Group, family discussion, or for personal reflection. The idea is that the person/group/family will have read the Key Chapter and then answer the questions. Perhaps there would be time to listen to the podcast as well.
1. According to the podcast, 13 chapters are dedicated to the life of Joseph and the amount of material dedicated to Joseph exceeds Abraham by 25%. The podcast suggested that one of the reasons for this may be to help us make the connection between the life of Joseph and Jesus. How are both of their lives similar? Or to put in theological terms, how is Joseph’s life a “type” of Jesus? (A type is a theological term that refers to something in the Old Testament that foreshadows Jesus).
2. Joseph grew up without his birth mom (Rachel died in Genesis 35), he had multiple stepmoms, and 10 older brothers, and a dad who seemed to be disconnected from the dynamics of his own family. What kind of an environment is this for growing up? What was Joseph’s relationship to all these people?
3. The podcast mentions that Joseph’s coat was more like a robe which likely signified the dignity that Jacob wanted Joseph to have above his brothers, who had to go around wearing work clothing. What kind of animosity did this produce between Joseph and his brothers? Why do you think Jacob gave him this robe if it would create this division? How did the Lord use this division to bring about His will?
4. How was this robe something that was insignificant but used by God to redirect Joseph’s life? Has God ever used something that was seemingly insignificant in your life to change the path you were on?
5. What were the dreams that Joseph had and what did they signify? What reaction did this produce between Joseph and his brothers?
6. Although Joseph may have handled this situation with more delicacy, ultimately, he was not wrong for telling his brothers about these dreams. Has there been a time when you learned a spiritual principle, but when you told others, they reacted poorly? What can we learn from this?
7. In verse 21, Reuben convinced his brothers not to kill Joseph. How did that momentary decision change the history (or preserve it) for the children of Israel?
8. In verse 28, Joseph’s brothers sold him to some Midianite traders who, in turn, sold him to some Ishmaelites who brought him to Egypt. Who were the Ishmaelites descended from?
9. Even though Joseph was going through such hardship, he was exactly in God’s will. Does God promise us a life of ease if we are faithful to Him? How is Joseph’s life a reminder for us to trust the Lord no matter what He brings into our lives?
10. The podcast goes on to summarize Joseph’s life over the next couple of chapters. How did Joseph respond in the midst of life’s troubles? Where did this strength come from?
11. No doubt, when Joseph was facing the challenges of Genesis 37-39, life was not working out the way he had hoped. Why did God allow him to go through these sufferings (c.f. Genesis 45:7, 50:20)?
The Key Chapters Bible Podcast is a daily, 15ish minute podcast that goes over the key chapters of the Bible, one per day, explaining how it fits into the overall message of God and how it relates to our lives now. Jump in today or start back in Genesis 1!
To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org.
Available on all major podcast platforms, and now on YouTube.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv
Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819
As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 40 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com.
Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM.
Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.
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