WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

An international Sunday school lesson commentary

For Sunday September 27, 2020

 

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REVEALED LOVE

(Jacob’s sons return to Egypt)

(Genesis 43 and 45:1-15)

 

   After Jacob’s flat out refusal to allow his youngest son, Benjamin, to go to Egypt (Genesis 42:38), even if it would save the life of another one of his son’s, Simeon, the famine continued to ravage on in the land of Canaan. It had been quite some time since the famine began, and still there was no relief in sight. And so, when the grain that they had previously purchased was almost gone, Jacob went to his sons again, and told them to go to Egypt to purchase more.

    However, Judah then reminded his father that the man in Egypt (Joseph) was serious when he said that they could not return to Egypt to purchase grain, unless their younger brother, Benjamin, was with them (Vs.3-4). And after some further scolding of his older sons, whom, Jacob blamed for such a demand from the leader in Egypt (v.6), he finally conceded that they must take the risk of sending Benjamin there, lest the whole family, including him, and the livestock, die from starvation. 

    And so Judah had succeeded where his older brother Reuben had Failed (Genesis 42:37), and now, Jacob realized that he must release Benjamin to go to Egypt for the sake of the whole family and its survival. In addition to bringing Benjamin along, Jacob instructed his sons to take gifts, and a double portion of money, to make up for the grain that they had gotten earlier and had not paid for. Little did they know that Joseph had tricked them, by returning their money to their sacks (Vs.11-14).

    The brothers then took Benjamin, the gifts, and the double portion of money, and they returned to Egypt where they presented themselves before Joseph. When Joseph saw that Benjamin was with them, he told his household manager that he was inviting all of the brothers to have lunch with him in his palace. The brothers were a bit leery and suspicious of Joseph’s kindness toward them. They thought among themselves that maybe Joseph was seeking to lure them into the palace to do harm to them, because of the money he thought they had stolen. Then too, they thought perhaps Joseph was planning on enslaving them, and seizing all the possessions that they had brought with them.

 

A FEAST AT JOSEPH’S PALACE

Genesis 43:19-34

   When the frightened brothers arrived at the entrance of Joseph’s palace, they informed the steward about the silver that they had found in their sacks when they made camp the first night, when they were returning home from Egypt the last time. The steward assured them that they did not have to worry, because it was the LORD their GOD, WHO put the money in their sacks.

    When the brothers arrived at lunch, Simeon was returned to them from his prison cell to join in the meal with them and Joseph. But first they were given water to wash their feet, and food to feed their donkeys. Afterwards, they prepared their gifts for Joseph’s noontime arrival. When Joseph arrived, they gave him the gifts, and they each of them bowed down low to him, not once, but twice.

    Joseph, seeing his younger brother Benjamin, could hardly contain himself, and in fact, he had to hurriedly leave the room because he could not hold back his emotions and tears. He shortly returned to the table, however, and at that point, he began to further increase his brother’s uneasiness by appointing them around the table according to their age, from the oldest to the youngest.

    And as the “spirit of favoritism” continues to reign in this chosen family, we see Joseph giving to Benjamin, “five times as much food”, as he did to the other brothers. Also, we see that, just as it had been foretold to him by GOD all those years ago in a dream, Joseph, would now begin to provide for his family, throughout the duration of the famine. And on this fateful day in Egypt, they would all bow low to their younger brother, Joseph.

 

 

JOSEPH REVEALS HIS IDENTITY TO HIS BROTHERS

Genesis 45:1-15

 

   After Judah’s heartfelt plea for Benjamin and his brothers’ freedom (Genesis 44:18-34), Joseph could not bear to test them any further. Judah’s earnest petition had finally convinced him that he and his brothers were no longer the evil men that they once were, when they sold him into chattel slavery, some twenty years earlier. Suddenly he shouted out to his attendants to clear the room so that he could be alone with his siblings. He was now ready to expose to them his true identity.

    When the room was clear, for the third time, we see Joseph weep for his brothers, and this time, he wept louder than ever, and in fact, his wailing was so loud it could be heard throughout the palace. Then he paused from his weeping and told them, “I am Joseph!”. “Is my father still alive?” His brothers all stood there speechless and stunned as they realized that their long-lost brother, Joseph, was alive and standing right in front of them.

    At that point Joseph beckoned his brothers to come closer, and again he said to them, “I am Joseph, your brother whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. He told the men not to be angry with themselves that they did that to him, because it was really the LORD WHO did it. HE sent me here ahead of time to preserve your lives (Vs.4-5).

    The spiritual person is always capable of seeing beyond their circumstances and perceiving the hand of GOD at work in any event. In Joseph’s situation, he was able to forgive his brothers because he embodied a deep spiritually and relationship with GOD, that could override any feeling of vengefulness that we might find in people less trusting of GOD’s sovereignty over all matters in life, good and bad.

    Joseph went on to explain to his brothers that they were only two years into what would be a seven-year famine, during which time, there would be no planting or harvest in the land. GOD sent him to Egypt to position him so that he would be able to keep their family alive, so that they could eventually multiply and grow into a great nation. And so, it was GOD, Joseph said, not them, who set him up for this great task of “salvation overseeing”, for his family.

    Then Joseph urged his brothers to return to Canaan and tell Jacob the good news that GOD had made him ruler over all of Egypt, and then, invite him to come to see him right away. He had already made plans for them to live in “Goshen”, “a place of isolation”, where their purity would be protected, and they would be able to multiply and grow without losing their identity to the Egyptians, by becoming “unequally yoked”. 

    And so, we see here the very origins of “the concept of the Christian Church” and how it should relate to world around it. The entire nation of Israel had now come into existence through the births of the progenitors of the twelve tribes of Israel, and now GOD would “set them apart” from the world (Egypt), and, at one and the same time, have them live in the world, separated unto Goshen (the community of GOD’s people). And now the burden of guilt had been lifted from his brothers, and Joseph embraced and kissed each of them, weeping in joy, and talking freely among each other, perhaps, for the very first time.

 

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

 

 

Larry Dell Alexander (1953–) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

 

LARRY D. ALEXANDER'S BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

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WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

An international Sunday school lesson commentary

For Sunday September 20, 2020

 

Over 250,000 readers worldwide

larrydalexander.blogspot.com

 

VICTORIOUS LOVE

(Joseph’s brothers go to Egypt)

(Genesis 42)

 

   Now that Joseph was firmly established as second in command in Egypt, it is time for GOD to incorporate the next part of HIS plan for the newly founded “nation of Israel”, which is, in essence, Jacob’s family. Here, in the midst of a “divinely forecasted famine”, that encompassed the entire area of the Mediterranean, Jacob heard that there was still plenty of grain available, but only in Egypt.

    And so, Jacob sent his ten eldest sons, plus several of his servants to the land of Egypt to purchase enough grain to help ride out the food shortage crisis in Canaan. However, Jacob was not about to risk losing his, now “favorite son”, Benjamin, the last son he had by Rachel, his “favorite wife”, and so he kept him at home with him, while the others went on to Egypt.

    People from all over the Mediterranean world beat a path to Egypt to purchase food grain so that they might survive the famine. And Joseph, the “long lost” favorite son of Jacob, was now in charge of all sales and distribution in Egypt. Joseph could not have possibly imagined, only a few years ago, how the providence of GOD would have steered his life thus far. Up until this point in his life, GOD had allowed him to, first, fall into chattel slavery in Egypt, and then, be able to rise up to lead this most powerful nation in the world at that time, to favorably heroic proportions and respectability among people everywhere.

    This account of Joseph’s life allows us to see how GOD can weave together the histories of millions of individuals, families, communities, and nations, into a single “quilt of dependency” upon each other, and, upon HIM. We all play a part in each other’s lives at one time or the other, and in such times, we have to trust each other and GOD, if we are to survive major crises, that can have a devastating, astronomical impact on humanity.

    When we focus on, listen to, and trusting in GOD, HE can allow us to “see around corners” and be able to plan and prepare ahead of time to meet and overcome whatever barriers the world has to offer. GOD, in HIS OWN brilliant sort of way, hits us HIMSELF, with just the right amount of tests, trials, and challenges that we need in order to build us up, and steer us, to where HE wants us to be, which is, of course, on the best path to our success in overcoming this world.

    When Joseph saw his brothers (v.7), he recognized them immediately; however, his brothers weren’t able to recognize him at all. And so Joseph’s mind flashed back to the dreams that he had had all those years ago, and perhaps feeling just a little bit of leftover bitterness toward his brothers, he decided to test them by handling them a little roughly (giving them a hard time), by falsely accusing them of being spies (Vs.8-12). However, underneath his rough exterior, Joseph still had great love and affection for his older siblings, and he really had no intention whatsoever, of harming either one of them.

    Joseph, by remembering his dreams at this particular time, perceived that GOD was now about to confirm and fulfill the contents of those dreams. And so he quickly devised a scheme that would bring his entire family, especially Benjamin, to Egypt, and subject them under his protection and rule, just as GOD had shown him in those dreams.

    In verse 17, we see Joseph tossing his brothers in prison for what turned out to be three days, probably just to soften them up, so to speak, and not to punish them for past wrongs that they had perpetrated upon him. For this act was not about revenge, but rather, it was about putting them into a position that would make them pliable to his plan to get them to bring his brother Benjamin, and indeed, the entire family to Egypt.

    The brothers, after sitting in prison for a while, were now thinking that Joseph would eventually kill them all, and they were pretty near willing to do anything that he might suggest that they do. After three days, Joseph came to them and told them that he had decided to let them live if they would do as he instructs them to do, however, one of them would have to remain in jail as a hostage to ensure that they would keep their end of the bargain that he was about to offer them (Vs.17-19).

    Joseph’s instructions to his brothers were that they return home (with their grain), and then bring their younger brother, Benjamin, back to Egypt. This, Joseph said, would serve as satisfactory proof to him, that they were not spies. The brothers agreed to Joseph’s terms, and then they spoke among themselves in Hebrew, thinking that Joseph would not understand what they were saying, because he had tricked them into thinking so, by using an interpreter to communicate with them all the while (Vs.21-23).

    Joseph heard his brothers as they were expressing their remorse to each other for doing what they had done to him years ago. They felt that the things that were happening to them now, served as retribution for their past sins against him. Listening to their now repentant attitudes, Joseph became beside himself with grief, mostly because of what he himself was now doing to his brothers. And so he had to excuse himself from the room, as not to allow them to see him crying.

    However, Joseph’s remorseful feelings did not cause him to abort his scheme against his brothers, and he pulled himself together and returned to the room, and he chose Simeon as the one who would remain in prison until the other brothers returned from Canaan with Benjamin. He then ordered his servants to fill his brother’s bags with grain, and he also gave his servants secret instructions to return the money to each of the brother’s bags. In addition, Joseph gave his brothers food enough to sustain them on their journey back home.

    On the way home, when the brothers stopped on the first night of their journey, they discovered that their money that they used to purchase the grain was still in their bags. They were terrified by their findings and felt that now for sure Joseph would have them all killed when they returned to Egypt, and that, poor Simeon was as good as dead, right now!

    When they arrived home, they told their father, Jacob, about all the things that had transpired in Egypt (Vs.27-35). Jacob was very grieved by what he heard from his sons, and he lamented these words, out loud, “You have deprived me of my children! Joseph has disappeared, Simeon is gone, and now you want to take Benjamin too. Everything is going against me!” (v.36) (NLT).

    Just then Rueben, who had ironically failed to prevent the loss of Joseph earlier (Genesis 37:29-30), stepped up and boldly proclaimed to his father, Jacob, that, “You may kill my two sons if I don’t bring Benjamin back to you. I’ll be responsible for him”, he promised (v.37). However, Jacob still refused to let his favorite son, the son of his darling wife, Rachel, go to Egypt in order to save the life of Simeon, his son by his “least favorite wife”, Leah. Stay tuned.

 

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

 

 

Larry Dell Alexander (1953–) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

 

LARRY D. ALEXANDER'S BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

larrydalexanderbiblestudies.blogspot.com

 

            Larry D. Alexander's Books and Publications Spotlight

 

Larry D. Alexander - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

                                 

LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website

 

Clinton Family Portrait - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

 

 

 

 

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

An international Sunday school lesson commentary

For Sunday September 13, 2020

 

Over 249,000 readers worldwide

larrydalexander.blogspot.com

 

OBEDIENT LOVE

(Joseph made ruler over Egypt)

(Genesis 41)

 

   Two years after Joseph was imprisoned by Potipher, the Pharaoh of Egypt, who, according to Egyptian records, at that time (1878-1843 B.C.), was Sesostris III, had two puzzling dreams that concerned him greatly. In the first dream, he saw himself standing on the banks of the Nile River, where he saw seven fat, healthy-looking cows suddenly come up out of the river, and began grazing on the bank. Then, just as suddenly, he also saw seven jaunty, ugly looking cows come up out of the river, and eat all seven of the fat, healthy-looking cows. At that point, the Pharaoh awoke from his dream and was bewildered.

    A short while later the Pharaoh fell asleep again, only to dream a similarly puzzling dream. This time, however, he dreamed he saw seven healthy heads of grain on one stalk, having every kernel well-formed and plump. Then suddenly, he also saw seven other heads of grain, also on one stalk, only these were withered and shriveled by the force of the east wind. Then, just as suddenly, the thin withered heads of grain, swallowed up the plump, healthy heads of grain, and the Pharaoh again was awakened to realize it was only a dream.

    The next morning the Pharaoh called in all of his magicians and wise men, but none of them were able to interpret his dreams to him. Just then the Pharaoh’s cupbearer, who was present, and, who had served time with Joseph in prison, remembered that Joseph had interpreted one of his dreams while in prison, and, that he had promised to put in a good word for Joseph to the Pharaoh upon his release. He suddenly felt convicted that he had forgotten all about Joseph when he got out jail, and instead, blended back into his old job at the palace, and never gave Joseph another thought until that moment. 

    The cupbearer then told the Pharaoh about Joseph’s uncanny ability to interpret dreams, and he sent for Joseph at once, and he was hastily brought before him. When Joseph heard the details of the Pharaoh’s dreams, he said to him, “Both dreams mean the same thing”. The seven healthy cows, and the seven healthy stalks of grain, represent seven years of prosperity in Egypt, while the seven skinny cows, and the seven withered heads of grain represent seven years of famine in Egypt. The seven years of famine would erase the memory of the previous seven years of prosperity. Having the dream twice meant that GOD had decreed it, and that both these events would soon occur. 

    Now here’s where Joseph’s faithfulness is rewarded because GOD gave him the solution to the problem before it physically became a problem. Joseph advises the king to set up a nationwide program by which they would store up one fifth of all the grain collected during the seven years prosperity, so that there would be more than enough food for the people to survive on during the seven years of famine.

   Impressed by Joseph’s GODly wisdom, and now convinced of his being filled with the SPIRIT of GOD, the Pharaoh put Joseph in charge over all of Egypt, second only to himself. Then Pharoah re-named Joseph “Zaphenath-paneah” which is interpreted “Savior of the world” and also “revealer of secrets” (Gen. 41:37-46). He then gave Joseph an Egyptian wife named Asenath, who was the daughter of Potiphera (which means “he who Ra the sun god has given), a priest of Heliopolis. Pharaoh hoped that Asenath would teach Joseph the ways of Egyptian life. She bore Joseph two sons, Manasseh, and Ephraim.

    Joseph’s marriage to Asenath may account for why no tribe of Israel is named for him directly, but instead, two half tribes bear the names of his sons, Manasseh, and Ephraim, who were only half-blood Jews. And in fact, it is only by Jacob’s adopting of Ephraim and Manasseh as his sons (Genesis 48:5-6), were they able to share in the promised allotments of land in Canaan.

    Joseph, who was a direct descendant of the covenant line of Abraham, should not have intermarried with the Egyptians or anyone else who was not a genealogical part of the Israelite community, and so there had to be consequences paid for his indiscretion. By doing so, he disqualified himself from his allotment in the “Promised Land”, but not from salvation.

    Just like for all of us, GOD’s plan for Joseph was to teach him humility through the things that he suffered in prison, and even earlier on in life, through his mistreatment by his brothers. And even though Joseph’s choice to accept Asenath in marriage may have been out of GOD’s perfect will for him, GOD still wanted, an otherwise faithful Joseph, to be able to serve HIM in “HIS wise plan and purpose for the Covenant Promise”. In HIS keeping with Joseph, GOD also gave him the privilege to serve in the eventual “Salvation plan offer” for all mankind that is contained in “the first advent of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST”. 

    Being in the Will of GOD is always “the right place to be”, and when we abide in that Will, especially when we are under duress from the pressures of the world, the time is even more right for the LORD’s blessings to be rained down upon us, in order to ease our oppressed situations.

    This passage of scripture serves to remind us that, even when we don’t understand the “why” for the unwanted things in our lives, we must still remain confident that GOD is at work in every life situation and experience, especially in those experiences that are most painful to us. And, although we may not be able to see it at that time, it is during those times, that we are in the best position to serve GOD as completely, as we always should.

 

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

 

 

Larry Dell Alexander (1953–) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

 

LARRY D. ALEXANDER'S BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

larrydalexanderbiblestudies.blogspot.com

 

            Larry D. Alexander's Books and Publications Spotlight

 

Larry D. Alexander - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

                                 

LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website

 

Clinton Family Portrait - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

An international Sunday school lesson commentary

For Sunday September 6, 2020

 

Over 248,000 readers worldwide

larrydalexander.blogspot.com

 

BIASED LOVE

(Joseph’s dreams and enslavement at the hands of his brothers)

(Genesis 37)

 

   In Genesis 37 we are given further evidence of how the damning effects of “favoritism” (“biased love”) can wreck a human life and destroy a family’s structure. Here begins the detailed biblical account of the life of Joseph, the oldest and “favorite son” of Jacob and his “favorite wife”, Rachel.

    This account takes up in the seventeenth year of Joseph’s life (Genesis 37:2), and ends about three generations later, with his death at the ripe old age of 110 (Genesis 50:26). At this time, Joseph was an innocent and naïve lad who was experiencing a lot of dreams, or “prophetic messages from the LORD” that seemed to forecast a future for him that was much brighter than that of his brothers, and even of his father, Jacob. In essence these dreams revealed how one day, he would actually rule over his entire family.

    However, because of Joseph’s naivety, he never really saw the great damage that, his honest relating of his dreams was causing to his already strained relationship with his brothers. In fact, he did not really fully understand the dreams himself, but, nevertheless, he kept them on his heart and continued to share them. The sharing of these dreams became “the straw that broke the camel’s back”, as far his brothers were concerned, and soon, even Jacob became concerned, as to whether Joseph’s dreams were valid, or not.

    Jacob, who was the “favorite child” of his mother, Rebekah, had always treated Joseph better than he treated his other sons, since his birth. His open display of favoritism toward Joseph had already “lit the flames” that were now being fueled by Joseph’s honest reporting of his dreams to his family. In the end, this all contributed greatly to Joseph’s brother’s hatred towards him, and ultimately, it led to their plan to eliminate “the object of their distain” (which, of course, was Joseph).

    In verse 12, Jacob unwittingly sets the stage for his older sons to have an opportunity to get rid of Joseph once and for all. Here he sends Joseph on somewhat of a “spy mission” to see what was taking his sons so long to return from their 50-mile trip to Shechem, where they were supposed to be pasturing Jacob’s flocks. Joseph’s charge from his father was to see what his brothers were really doing in Shechem, and then report back to him.

    When Joseph arrived at Shechem, he did not see his brothers, but a man noticed him wandering around the countryside, and he asked young Joseph, what he was looking for. When Joseph told the man that he was looking for his brothers, the man informed him that

they were no longer there, but rather, had gone over to Dotham, which was about 15 miles away.

    After his encounter with the man in Shechem, Joseph headed on over to Dotham to see what his brothers were doing there. However, when he arrived, his brothers spotted him before he saw them. Immediately, they saw this as an opportunity to get rid of their younger brother once and for all, and their first thought, unfortunately, was to kill him and throw his body into a pit.

    Here in verses 18-36, we see Joseph’s brothers struggling in a spiritual battle between their “sin nature” and their “sense of decency”. At first, their plan was to physically slay their little brother, and throw him into a deep pit (Vs.18-19). However, Reuben, the oldest brother, convinces the other brothers not to kill Joseph, but instead, to throw him into the pit alive, and leave him there to die. And so, they removed Joseph’s beautiful “coat of many colors” and they tossed him into the pit alive. Reuben, however, was secretly planning to come back later and rescue Joseph from the pit and return him to Jacob (Vs.21-22).

    However, after Reuben left, the other brothers decided on another plan. In the distance, they could see a caravan approaching, and so, they decided in the spur of the moment, to sell Joseph to the caravan, who turned out to be Ishmaelite travelers (descendants of Ishmael), that were headed to Egypt. The Ishmaelites bought Joseph from his brothers, and upon arriving in Egypt, they re-sold him (into slavery) to a man named Potipher, who happened to be the captain of the palace guards for the Pharaoh of Egypt.

    Meanwhile, the brothers were on the way home from Shechem, and along the way, they hatched up a lie to tell their father, Jacob. They came up with the idea to kill a goat and smear some the blood from that goat on Joseph’s tunic which they had taken off of him. Then they would tell Jacob that they found Joseph’s coat along the way, and that he must have been slain and eaten by wild animals in the wilderness.

    When they arrived back home, they told Jacob their fabricated account, and when he heard it, he couldn’t contain his grief, and he went into deep mourning for days and days at the very thought of such a thing happening to his favorite son. This was in total contrast to way he received the news of his daughter, Dinah’s rape by Shechem, or the news of his son Reuben sleeping with one of his “least favorite” wives, Bilhah. In both those instances, he showed absolutely no emotional reaction at all.

    This famous account from the pages of this book of Genesis, serves to show us some of the “spoiled fruit” that “favoritism” can produce. First of all, favoritism can victimize and make a person the target of all sorts of abuse and evil within a family, the workplace, and, even the church.

    Secondly, favoritism never considers the worth of others. One can never see the value of others if their focus is only on “one individual”. And finally, and perhaps most importantly, favoritism absolutely hinders spiritual growth in all people who engage in it.

    Joseph was an innocent sufferer, and he suffered greatly, even as the recipient of favoritism. Jacob, who was the donor of that favoritism, also suffered when he was deceived by his own sons into thinking that he had lost the one whom he showered his favoritism upon, Joseph.

    His “least favorite” children, Joseph’s brothers and sister, were victimized physically, emotionally, and psychologically, because they had to continually watch Joseph being exalted over them by their father all of their life. Jacob’s favoritism was at the root of his children’s sinful behavior against him and Joseph, and this account is a clear indicator of why man should abandon the practice of favoritism toward certain individuals on earth, and instead, begin to concentrate on seeking the “favor” of the Almighty GOD in Heaven.

 

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

 

 

Larry Dell Alexander (1953–) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

 

LARRY D. ALEXANDER'S BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

larrydalexanderbiblestudies.blogspot.com

 

            Larry D. Alexander's Books and Publications Spotlight

 

Larry D. Alexander - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

                                 

LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website

 

Clinton Family Portrait - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia