The Life of Joseph

Part 1 – The Beginning of Joseph

Joseph’s story begins with God’s story and with God’s plans for humanity.

Genesis 12:1-2The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”

• That “great nation” was Israel and Abraham was the father of the Jewish faith and the Jewish people.

• Why did God choose Abraham?

Romans 4:3. . . "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

But what if we aren’t Jewish?

Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

Abraham had two sons - Isaac and Ishmael

Genesis 17:15-21 God. . . said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her."

Genesis 17:15-21 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?" And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!" Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac.

Genesis 17:15-21 I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers

(Hagar) Abraham (Sarah)

Ishmael Isaac

Christians, Jews and Muslims agree that Ishmael is the father of the Arab race.

Abraham

Isaac

Abraham

Isaac

Jacob (Israel)

Genesis 29:16-18 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form, and beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "I'll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel."

• Jacob has relationships with his two wives (Rachel and Leah)

• Jacob has relationships with the two servants to his wives (Zilpah and Bilhah).

• Rachel could not have children.• Jacob and these four women have 12

sons total.

Jacob and his wife Leah

Reuben

Simeon

Levi

Judah

Issachar

Zebulin

Jacob and Zilpah (Leah’s Servant)

Gad

Asher

Jacob and Bilhah (Rachel’s Servant)

Dan

Napthali

Genesis 30:22 Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, "God has taken away my disgrace." She named him Joseph, and said, "May the LORD add to me another son."

Jacob and his (favorite) wife Rachel

Joseph *

Benjamin

The 12 Tribes of Israel (almost!)

Leah Zilpah Rachel Bilhah

Reuben Gad Joseph Dan

Simeon Asher Benjamin Napthali

Levi

Judah

Issachar

Zebulin

The 12 Tribes of Israel

Reuben Gad Joseph Dan

Simeon Asher (Manasseh) Napthali

(Levi) (Ephraim)

Judah Benjamin

Issachar

Zebulin

1. Our faith is not just for us.

Genesis 37:2-11 This is the account of Jacob. . . .

2. Being anointed (chosen by God for a task or having a God-given gift, talent or ability) is in no way a sign of spiritual maturity.

3. God gives all of us gifts, talents and abilities; we decide how to use or misuse them.

4. Are we allowing God to use us how he wants to use us, and not just how we want to be used?

Father God, use me the way that you want to use me and not just the way I want to be used.