2022-Q2-L11

2022-Q2-L11: Joseph, Master of Dreams

Read for This Week’s Study: Genesis 37; Matt. 20:26, 27; Acts 7:9; Genesis 38; Genesis 39; Gen. 40:1-41:36.

Memory Text: “Then they said to one another, ‘Look, this dreamer is coming!’” (Genesis 37:19, NKJV).

Scriptures:

Matthew 20:26-27: It shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 27 Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant,

Seven Miracle Births (infertility)- which point to Jesus

Isaac - Sarah

Jacob (and Esau) - Rebekah.

Samson - Manoa (father)

Samuel - Hannah

Son of the Shunamite woman

John the Baptist - Elizabeth.

Joseph - Rachel

Three perspectives to the dreams in the Joseph story

Based on Studies in Parashat.

1. Deterministic (prophetic). Everything is known in advance. All is based on a Divine Plan.

2. Choice - morality. Freed of choice is not violated.

3. Causality. There is a cause and effect throughout the story.

SABBATH.

From the lesson: He is Jacob’s favorite son, who is ironically nicknamed ba‘al hakhalomot, the “dreamer” (Gen. 37:19), which means literally “master of dreams,” implying that he is an expert of dreams.

Notes:

Joseph's two dreams.

Joseph's second dream is not clear. Who was the moon in this dream?

SUNDAY. Family Troubles. Genesis 37:1-11

Scriptures:

2 Samuel 13:18 (ESV): 18 Now she was wearing a long robe with sleeves, for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed. So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her.

1 Chronicles 5:1-2: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father's couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, so that he could not be enrolled as the oldest son; 2 though Judah became strong among his brothers and a chief came from him, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph),

From the lesson: Furthermore, Joseph would bring bad reports to his father about any reprehensible behavior from his brothers (Gen. 37:2). No one likes a snitch.

EGW:

PP 209.2: But even this affection was to become a cause of trouble and sorrow. Jacob unwisely manifested his preference for Joseph, and this excited the jealousy of his other sons. As Joseph witnessed the evil conduct of his brothers, he was greatly troubled; he ventured gently to remonstrate with them, but only aroused still further their hatred and resentment. He could not endure to see them sinning against God, and he laid the matter before his father, hoping that his authority might lead them to reform.

PP 209.3: Jacob carefully avoided exciting their anger by harshness or severity. With deep emotion he expressed his solicitude for his children, and implored them to have respect for his gray hairs, and not to bring reproach upon his name, and above all not to dishonor God by such disregard of His precepts. Ashamed that their wickedness was known, the young men seemed to be repentant, but they only concealed their real feelings, which were rendered more bitter by this exposure.

PP 210.3: As the lad stood before his brothers, his beautiful countenance lighted up with the Spirit of inspiration, they could not withhold their admiration; but they did not choose to renounce their evil ways, and they hated the purity that reproved their sins. The same spirit that actuated Cain was kindling in their hearts.

Notes:

"Robe of many colors." May have been a robe wit long sleeves. It was worn by those in high standing, since long sleeves suggests he/she did not do manual labor.

Not that Joseph was a snitch, but that Joseph cared for his brothers.

Joseph's purity of character stood in contrast to his brothers.

MONDAY. The Attack on Joseph. Genesis 37:12-36. (Should be: The Sale of Joseph.)

Scriptures:

Acts 7:9 (ESV): 9 “And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him

Genesis 37:15 (ESV): 15 And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, “What are you seeking?”

EGW:

PP 211.3: But some of them were ill at ease; they did not feel the satisfaction they had anticipated from their revenge. Soon a company of travelers was seen approaching. It was a caravan of Ishmaelites from beyond Jordan, on their way to Egypt with spices and other merchandise. Judah now proposed to sell their brother to these heathen traders instead of leaving him to die. While he would be effectually put out of their way, they would remain clear of his blood; “for,” he urged, “he is our brother and our flesh.” To this proposition all agreed, and Joseph was quickly drawn out of the pit.

PP 211.4: As he saw the merchants the dreadful truth flashed upon him. To become a slave was a fate more to be feared than death. In an agony of terror he appealed to one and another of his brothers, but in vain. Some were moved with pity, but fear of derision kept them silent; all felt that they had now gone too far to retreat. If Joseph were spared, he would doubtless report them to the father, who would not overlook their cruelty toward his favorite son. Steeling their hearts against his entreaties, they delivered him into the hands of the heathen traders. The caravan moved on, and was soon lost to view.

PP 211.5: Reuben returned to the pit, but Joseph was not there. In alarm and self-reproach he rent his garments, and sought his brothers, exclaiming, “The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?” Upon learning the fate of Joseph, and that it would now be impossible to recover him, Reuben was induced to unite with the rest in the attempt to conceal their guilt. Having killed a kid, they dipped Joseph's coat in its blood, and took it to their father, telling him that they had found it in the fields, and that they feared it was their brother's. “Know now,” they said, “whether it be thy son's coat or no.” They had looked forward to this scene with dread, but they were not prepared for the heart-rending anguish, the utter abandonment of grief, which they were compelled to witness. “It is my son's coat,” said Jacob; “an evil beast hath devoured him. Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.” Vainly his sons and daughters attempted to comfort him. He “rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.” Time seemed to bring no alleviation of his grief. “I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning,” was his despairing cry. The young men, terrified at what they had done, yet dreading their father's reproaches, still hid in their own hearts the knowledge of their guilt, which even to themselves seemed very great.

Sale of Joseph vs. Cain and Abel - Am I my brother's keeper?

Type Cain & Abel Joseph & brothers

Voice

The voice of Abel's blood calls out from the ground

Joseph's voice calls out from the ground for help.

No response

But Cain stands by and does not respond

But brothers stand by and do not respond

Forgetfulness

Cain says he doesn't know what befell Abel--and is Ok leaving it that way

The brothers don't know what happened to Joseph (in Egypt)--and are content to leave it that way

Divine vengeance

Heaven might avenge Abel's blood

Brother's Worry: Heaven might avenge the blood of Joseph

Exile

Exile befalls Cain

Jacob's "blessing" to Simeon and Levi includes Exile and Dispersal

Curse

Cain experiences a curse ("arur...") at the hand of His Father in Heaven

Simeon and Levi's anger is cursed ("arur...") by their father

Sale of Joseph from Joseph's perspective

Joseph's perspective. He did not know that his brothers killed a goat, smeared its blood on his coat of many colors, returned to Jacob and made up a story. From his perspective, he was kicked out of the family and long forgotten.

This would have been parallel to the Abraham kicking out Ishmael, no longer the son of promise. And, Isaac not blessing Esau, but Jacob and Esau no longer the son of promise. Could it be that Joseph was to be forgotten just as Ishmael and Esau?

With Joseph in Egypt, there where dreams to be interpreted, there was the pit (i.e. prison) and there was a change of clothing and status. This was the same he had with Jacob, his father. There were dreams, there was a special coat, and there was the pit and then sold into slavery.

Pharoah becomes like a father to Joseph in Egypt. Joseph lives in Egypt with new identity and a better life.

TUESDAY. Judah and Tamar. Genesis 38.

From the lesson: The conclusion of this sordid story is the birth of Perez, meaning “breaking through,” who, like Jacob, was born second, and became first, and was named in salvation history as the ancestor of David (Ruth 4:18-22), and ultimately of Jesus Christ (Matt. 1:3). As for Tamar, she is the first of the four women, followed by Rahab (Matt. 1:5), Ruth (Matt. 1:5, 6), and the wife of Uriah (Matt. 1:6) who genealogically preceded Mary, the mother of Jesus (Matt. 1:16).

Judah and Tamar

Law of Yibbum - Levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5-10). Relative must marry the widow of the deceased brother.

Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah

What is a Big Question? A question that as long as you don't have an answer for it, you can't really say, "I understand this story."

Internal versus External questions. Internal questions are questions intrinsic to the story; whereas, external questions have to do with questions like a belief (or not) in miracles or in Creation, etc.

The Big Question: Why is this chapter (38) in the middle of the story of Joseph (chapters 37-50)? A self-contained story, independent from the story of Joseph.

Similarly, the story of Abraham (chapters 12-24) is interrupted by the story of Lot in Sodom (chapter 19).

Parallels to the Lot and Judah stories: See below.

Judah went down. See below.

Jacob mourning the loss of Joseph. See below

Judah's leadership: See below.

Parallels between Judah's and Joseph's stories: See below.

Parallels between Judah/Tamar and Abraham/Lot stories

The story focuses on a relative of the main character.

It is a seduction story. In Judah, a woman seduces her father-in-law.

The woman tricks the man because she fears he won't go along with it.

Woman's motive: Trying to make sure her husband's legacy isn't wiped out.

Judah's motives are less pure. In the case of Lot, he is willing to be made drunk.

With Judah, two children are born: Perez and Zerah.

Lot's story is similar regarding Lot and his daughters. The two children are Amon and Moab.

In the story of Ruth, these two stories combine.

Ruth is a Moabite who ultimately marries Boaz a descendant of Perez. Under the attempt to perpetuate a lineage (i.e. Law of Yibbum).

Judah went down

"Judah went down from his brothers..." (38:1), suggests loss of status/reputation with his brothers.

Note that Reuben is exonerated from guilt, because he sought to save Joseph from the plot to kill him. Simeon and Levi were the chief protagonists. Judah was next in line with the idea of selling Joseph into slavery. Yet, the brothers ultimately regret the sale of Joseph as well. See Genesis 42:17-24.

The brothers would have listened to Judah, if he had told them to return Joseph to their father.

Genesis 37:35: All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, “For I will go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” His father wept for him.

Genesis 39:1: Joseph was brought down to Egypt. Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the hand of the Ishmaelites that had brought him down there.

Three go "down": Jacob, Judah and Joseph.

Jacob's unconsolable mourning for the loss of Joseph

It's possible that Joseph's brothers thought that Jacob, their father, would ultimately cease from mourning the loss of Joseph over time and, that the support and love of his large family would ultimately console him. However, the sons did not expect Jacob to refuse to be consoled (Genesis 37:35). In other words, the loss of Joseph was a deep and unconsolable mourning for Jacob. Jacob's family could not console him.

Jacob could never stop mourning for his son, Joseph. God cannot grant the salve of forgetting those who are still living, but only those who are truly dead.

What is the purpose of a funeral service followed by a burial service? One is the celebration/memorialization of a life. The other is to offer closure and finality to that life.

Jewish laws of mourning:

1. No viewing of the dead in a dressed up state.

2. Burial is in a plain pine box.

3. Mourners shovel dirt on the grave. There is nothing more final than shoveling dirt on a casket.

4. Tearing of your shirt. This is done with a black ribbon in the service. It is irreparable loss.

5. "Mourner" can also be understood as "nevertheless..." There is a finality and there is the sense of moving on.

This is why Jacob could not stop mourning. He never saw a body. He never had the sense of finality. It's like, one day he's here and then the next he's not here. It felt unreal, unfulfilling, and in some sense, unresolved. The "story" of his death was to unreal and made no sense to him. Up to that point, all of life had meaning to Jacob, but this account of Joseph's (supposed) death did not fit into his understaning of God's ways.

Judah's leadership

Judah lost his leadership among his brothers in the sale of Joseph.

Judah gave Tamar symbols of leadership: the signet ring, cord and staff. As a pledge (effectively, collateral given to Tamar).

In the Joseph story, the collateral given to Jacob is Judah's own life for the safety of Benjamin. Judah redeems himself from his failure of leadership in the sale of Joseph by offering his own life to redeem Benjamin.

Judah - Ye-hoda'ah. Yahweh+thanks (admission/recognition). Thanks has both the concept of giving thanks and of admission (or recognition) of the kindness offered. It is a way of restoring balance, when the gift given cannot be reciprocated. A sales person (car dealer) will offer a token gift (like a coke) in order to (subconsciously) have the client feel the need to reciprocate. It also works in the negative sense. If I have done something wrong to you, then there is an inbalance. There is the need or desire to reciprocate with vengeance (getting even). Unless, I apologize and seek to make amends.

Judah has to recognize Tamar's evidence. Judah fulfilled his name.

In the Joseph story, Judah recognizes the lose of Benjamin would be beyond his ability to bear. When Joseph reveals himself, he (again) gives thanks and is relieved that he did not have to become a slave.

Parallels between Sale of Joseph (37) and Judah and Tamar (38)

Father figure (Jacob and Judah) is tricked by sons or daughter-in-law.

A goat is involved in both stories.

Articles of leadership. A coat in Joseph's story and a signet ring with cord (around the neck) and a (highly ornamented) staff.

First-born. The loss of a (murky) first-born child. In the story of Joseph, he was the first-born of his favorite wife. In case of Judah, the first-born and second-born had died.

Jacob and Esau story. Also parallel to Jacob and Esau where goat and coat are mentioned, and first-born is at play.

Perpetual mourning with Jacob and also Tamar (widowhood).

Seduction story. Joseph and Potiphar's wife. Also a seduction story, but reverse of Judah and Tamar. Lose of outer coat. Coat is used as evidence.

An evil report in each story. Joseph gives evil report of his brothers. An evil report concerning Tamar being pregnant. An evil report when Potiphar's wife accuses Joseph.

Element of disguise. Tamar is disguised. In later chapters, Joseph is disguised.

Element of collateral. Judah gives collateral. Later in the story, Judah becomes collateral for bringing Benjamin back. Collateral in both stories come with a heavy (or weighty) price.

Lost children? How many, who, and why.

In the Joseph story, two are lost (Joseph and Simeon), with a third possible lose of Benjamin (the youngest).

In the Judah story, two are lost (Er and Onan) with the possible loss of the third, Shelah (youngest).

Judah is put in the same position as his father.

WEDNESDAY. Joseph, a Slave in Egypt. Genesis 39.

Scriptures:

Genesis 39:1: Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.

Genesis 39:2-3: The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.

Genesis 39:21: But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

Genesis 39:23: The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed.

Notes:

Joseph kept losing his coat.

Why did Joseph not send a note to his father in the many years that he was a slave to Potiphar and especially when he became second to Pharaoh? Something like: Hi Father, I'm over here in Egypt. Doing well. Wish you were here. Love, Joseph.

The repeating phrase, "The LORD was with Joseph."

Neither Potiphar nor the keeper of the prison paid attention to anything as long as Joseph was in charge.

Your circumstances do not determine your relationship with God.

THURSDAY. The Dreams of Pharaoh. Genesis chapters 40 and 41.

Notes:

Two officers of Pharaoh with two dreams.

Two dreams of Pharaoh.

FRIDAY. Further Thought: Ellen G. White, “Joseph in Egypt,” pp. 213-223, in Patriarchs and Prophets.