Joseph: Honorable Son, Hated Brother, Part 1

If you have your Bible, I would invite you to turn with me to the book of Genesis, the 37th chapter. We are about to embark on the last main character of the book of Genesis. His name is Joseph, a great man of God. A man that is so relevant to your life and to mine. And my prayer for you that as we study these last 14 chapters, is that you will see God in the life of Joseph in such a way that you realize what God wants to do in your life. Many of us miss that. And we're going to be able to see something about this man.

You know, there's only a few people in the Old Testament where there's nothing you see evil about their life. There's Daniel, there's Jonathan, there's Joseph. Great man of God. We can learn so much from this man. And we want to look at this man's life today.

The Bible says that this is a generation through Jacob in Genesis chapter 37. And it begins with Joseph, 17 years of age. In fact, let me read it to you.

Just the first couple of verses because we're not going to get much past that today anyway. It says, And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons because he was a son of his old age. They made him a very colored tunic. And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers. And so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms. Joseph, honorable son, hated brother. An amazing story surrounding this man.

And just I want to give you this morning some preliminary comments. But not in your notes, just to kind of set the tone. The first thing I want you to notice is that this man's life was very purposeful.

If you don't understand the life of Joseph, you're not going to understand the book of Exodus. Because there's a great transition between Genesis to Exodus. And when we're done with Genesis, we're going to go right into Exodus. Because you need to see that transition. When Israel goes to Egypt, there are 70 people in his family. 70. But when you come to Exodus chapter 1, there's somewhere between 2 and 3 million Israelites. Joseph is now the leader in Egypt. But when you come to Exodus chapter 1, you realize something very significant.

Because it says this in Exodus chapter 1, verse number 8. Now a new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, And the more they spread out so that they were in dread of the sons of Israel. It's an amazing story. Israel would be in bondage for 430 years before Moses, the deliverer, would come and lead them out of that bondage. But in order to understand how Israel grows from the promised land of Canaan down to Egypt, back to the promised land again, you need to understand the story of Joseph.

Because Joseph is very purposeful in the events surrounding the nation of Israel. The next thing you need to understand about the life of Joseph is that it's very painful. Very painful. And this is where it really relates to you and me. I don't know where you are today, but Joseph was a man who experienced much pain. In fact, in our text today, we realize that his brothers hated him. They hated him so much that they wanted to kill him. In fact, it says down in verse number 8, And then it says over in verse number 18, It says in verse number 24, It says in verse number 27, It says then over in the 36th verse of chapter 37, And then he realized that Potiphar in chapter 39 throws him into prison.

He's there. He interprets dreams. And the cupbearer promises to tell Pharaoh about him and forgets all about Joseph. He's there another two years. The man's life was completely full of pain. He was neglected. He was forgotten. He was a man who was committed to his God, but his life was full of pain. And yet in spite of all that, the third thing I want you to notice about this man's life is that it was very prosperous.

You say, well, of course it was. I mean, he went from the pit to the palace, and he was second in command to Pharaoh, and he had everything that Pharaoh had there in Egypt.

No, I'm not talking about that. I'm not talking about that. He was prosperous way before he was ever the ruler there in Egypt. In fact, over in chapter 39, turn there with me if you would for a moment. It says, And the Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. Now, Joseph doesn't know what's happening. All he knows is that his brothers have sold him into slavery. And then it says in verse number three, Thus, the Lord's blessing was upon all that he owned in the house and in the field.

God was with him. And God made this man a very successful man before he was ever the chief ruler there in Egypt. And you know the story in Genesis 39 where Potiphar's wife lied, and he was thrown into prison? The Bible says in verse number 23, Whatever he did, the Lord made to prosper.

So even when he was in prison, this man's life was prosperous. Why? Because there was something about this man's life that God touched and used in a mighty way. That no matter what our circumstances, no matter what difficulties we face from moment to moment, God can make you successful. God can make you prosperous. And we need to understand biblical prosperity in the true sense of the word. And through the life of Joseph, we'll come to understand that. This man's life was purposeful. This man's life was painful.

This man's life was prosperous. Because God was doing a mighty work in the life of Joseph. The fourth thing I want you to see is that Joseph's life was providential. And he understood the providence of God. The one thing you're going to have to grasp is God's sovereignty. And everything that takes place in Joseph's life, and remember, we can see the end of the book. We can read the end of the story. Joseph could not do that. We know that when he was in prison and he told the cupbearer to remember him when he went to Pharaoh, we know that it would be two years he would still be there before he would ever get out of prison.

Joseph didn't know that. And those two years can seem like an eternity. If you don't know from day to day you're ever going to get out of prison. And for many of us, we can't see tomorrow. We don't know the next day. We don't know the next week or the next month or the next year. We don't know what's going to take place, but God knows. Because God is orchestrating the events of life to bring about his sovereign purpose. Because he's going to use your life to bring glory to himself. And God will do whatever it takes in your life to bring about glory to his name.

And Joseph would have realized that. In fact, over in chapter 45, when Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers, when they come down to Egypt, it says this.

And now do not be grieved, verse number 5, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. God sent me here to preserve your life. God is providentially in control of all things. If it wasn't for what you did, you would not live. If it wasn't for your sin in my life, you'd die. Because God sent me here to preserve your life. He goes on to say this, verse number 7. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.

Even though you sinned against me, my brothers, even though you sinned against our father, even though you sinned against our God, God is still in control and God is going to bring about a great deliverance through me because of your sin against me. There's a man who understood the providence of God. And that's the life of Joseph. Folks, here's a man whose life was under the providential care of God from the get-go. And he understood it. Do you? My prayer is that through our study of Joseph, you'll come to grips with that.

So no matter what happens in your life tomorrow, what happened in your life yesterday or last week, you'll be able to see the mighty hand of God moving in and among your life. And that leads us to this. Not only was his life purposeful, not only was his life painful, not only was his life prosperous, not only was his life providential, but his life was prophetic. His life was prophetic. Because of all the Old Testament characters, there was one man who stands out above all the other men as the supreme illustration of Christ, who is the supreme deliverer.

And that is Joseph, who would bring deliverance not only to his people, but to the whole nation of Israel, who would keep them alive, who would keep them from starvation because of God's hand upon this man's life. As our Lord Jesus Christ was the chief shepherd, so Joseph himself was a shepherd. As our Lord Jesus Christ was hated by his brothers, so was Joseph hated by his brothers. As our Lord Jesus Christ was looked down upon by his father in heaven, who said, this is my beloved son, whom I am well pleased, so Joseph was the favorite son of his father, Jacob.

So, what have we learned so far? This man's life was purposeful. This man's life was painful. And this man's life was providential and prosperous and prophetic. This man's life was pure. Oh, it would take more than the allurement of Potiphar's wife. It would take more than advancement in the palace. It would take more than adversity in the pit to cause this man to turn from his God. Because this man lived a pure and holy life before God and before man. And again, that's my prayer for you and for me, that we would understand what it means to live a pure and holy life before God and before man.

Joseph is that supreme example of what it means to lead in government. Joseph and Daniel are the supreme examples of what it means to lead in a nation. They are what it means to lead in a family. Joseph is a man of great integrity. And you're going to see this in our study of Joseph. Those are just some preliminary comments I wanted to throw at you this morning. Point number one in our outline is this, the preparation of Joseph.

What made Joseph the way he was? What is it about Joseph's life that caused him to stand head and shoulders above everybody else? There are four times that Joseph's name is mentioned before chapter 37. And they're mentioned strategically in the Bible. He mentions Joseph's name because it is very instrumental to this man's development. And I want you to notice with me four aspects of this man's life that prepared him for what he would face when it comes to Genesis chapter 37 when he was 17 years old.

17 years old. I mean this man could stand strong when he was 17. If you're a teenager this morning, you need to look at Joseph as your model.

He is your example of what it means to live a pure and holy life. He's the man you need to look to to understand how to face adversity in your life. Here he is 17 years of age. But there were four events that took place. Many, many events, but specifically four of them that are mentioned in the Bible where his name comes up that I want to show you this morning that will help you understand how God would use those events to prepare him for the future. Why? Because God has allowed things to happen in your life to prepare you for today.

To prepare you for tomorrow. And sadly a lot of us miss those opportunities. A lot of us miss what God's trying to tell us. And so we get to a point in our life down the road and because we missed the lesson God wanted to teach us two years ago, three years ago, ten years ago, we're unable to handle the difficulty we face this day. But Joseph, honorable son, hated brother. How did he face life in the pit? How did he face the fact that his family, his brother specifically, hated him? How did he deal with that?

What prepared him for that? For that, turn with me to Genesis chapter 30. The very first mention of Joseph's name.

You know the story, we've already covered it, verse number 22. Then God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and opened her womb. So she conceded and bore a son and said, God has taken away my reproach. And she named him Joseph, saying, May the Lord give me another son. Rachel was barren. She cried to Jacob, Give me children or I die. Leah was having children. Bilhah, Zilpah, the handmaids were having children. But Rachel had no children. And she wanted a child so bad. And finally the day came where God opened her womb.

And she gave birth to Joseph. And he was born. And think with me for a moment as a mother. What you would do with that little boy as he began to grow. Would you not teach him about the sovereignty of God? Would you not teach him about how God in his own providence opened your womb so you could bear a child? Would you not teach him about how you prayed for God to do a mighty work in your life? And finally the day came.

You conceived and you bore a child. And it was Joseph who was born. Sure you would. You think Rachel and Jacob ever talked to Joseph about the significance of his birth? Absolutely. Absolutely. And I believe through this event that Joseph would learn to recognize God's sovereignty. He would learn to recognize the sovereign control of the creator. That God would do this work in the life of my mother, in the life of my father to bring about a tremendous purpose. And that God would add to her another son.

She was so convinced of what God did in her life that God would add another son and he did. Benjamin, we'll talk about him in a minute. But he learned to recognize God's sovereignty. So when you see him in the pit. When you see him running from Potiphar's wife. Fleeing from temptation. When you see him thrown into jail for having done nothing wrong. You see a man who did not give up on the faith. You see a man who honored the Lord God of the universe. And did not turn his back because he believed in the sovereignty of Almighty God.

So that when you get to the end of the story he says, You meant it evil, but God meant it for good. He had to learn that someplace, right? Somebody had to teach him. Faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the word of God. So someone had to teach him what God was doing. How God was working. I'm sure Rachel and Jacob taught him well. The second event in which he's mentioned is over in Genesis chapter 33.

When Jacob meets Esau. We've covered this one too. It says, Now just reading through that. You'd think not much about it. Except for the fact that Rachel was his favorite. Rachel he loved more than Leah. We knew that Rachel was the heartthrob of Jacob. And she would bear Joseph. And Joseph then would become very significant in their family. But what do you see? Not only did he learn to recognize God's sovereignty. He would learn his responsibility toward his family. That's what he'd learn. He knew of Dad's love for Rachel.

He knew that he was completely committed to her. And would do everything he could to protect this prized possession. And as the son of Rachel, he would realize how God was interested in protecting him as well. And Joseph would learn at a very young age his responsibility toward his family. So much so that when it comes to confronting his brothers who sold him into slavery. When it comes to dealing with his brothers, he understood family. He understood how to deal with his family. Many of us don't understand that.

We don't know how to deal with our brothers or our sisters. Our parents. But Joseph did. He understood that family is important. He understood that dealing with your family in a very significant way is important because they need to be led toward a relationship with the living God. And Joseph would be used in his family to lead them to a deeper relationship with the living God of the world. Because he understood at a very young age the responsibility he had toward family. The third episode that's mentioned in the same chapter, chapter 33, is down a little further when it says in verse number 7, And Leah likewise came near with her children, and they bowed down.

And afterward Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed down. Remember this is when they encountered Esau and they would go before him and bow before Esau. This man learned not only to recognize God's sovereignty, not only his responsibility toward family, but he learned to respect authority. He learned to respect authority. And as you read through the life of Joseph, 7 to Genesis 50, the last 14 chapters, this man had a supreme respect for authority. He never overstepped his bounds. He was submissive to those who ruled over him.

And that is so important to learn at a very early age. And Joseph was a young man at this time, but he learned respect for authority. Most young people today have no respect for authority. They don't, but Joseph did. And it is so imperative to understand that if you want to one day lead, you need to be a great follower. You need to learn to respect those in authority, those who rule over you, those who are adults. A lot of children just don't respect adults. They don't care what they say. They could care less about how their parents even deal with them.

But at a very young age, Joseph had learned to respect authority by bowing down and submitting to those who are older than him. Would it be great if young people in America learned to respect authority? Sure it would. It'd be great if people in the church, young people in the church learned to respect authority. Three episodes. He learned to recognize God's sovereignty. He learned his responsibility toward family. He learned very significantly to respect authority. In the last one, over in chapter 35, it lists the sons of Israel, and Joseph's name is mentioned.

It's mentioned right after the death of his mother and the birth of his younger brother, Benjamin. Listen to me carefully. You say, well, you might be reading into the text a little bit there, Sparks. Well, maybe. But understand this. This man learned the reality of adversity was the route to intimacy. He learned it. He would watch his father come limping in to camp one day after wrestling with God all night. He would learn through the events of Esau and what all happened with him and his dad, several things, that the godly are never exempt from adversity.

In fact, he would learn that in order to be godly, you'd have to experience adversity. So now you understand this man, as you read Genesis 37 and Genesis 50, how he was able to respond the way he did because he realized that the route to intimacy with God was adversity. And through the death of his mother, he would realize that in order to be the kind of man that God wanted him to be, he couldn't go through life on easy street. There would be difficult times ahead. And when we come to Genesis 37, the difficult times escalate.

But never once does he back away from God. Never once does he doubt God. Never once does he debate with God. Why? Because, you see, Joseph learned something. He learned something from a very early age that would stick with him as he grew. Let me ask you this.

What have you learned from a very early age that God has taught you that you might be the kind of person he wants you to be today? When I was growing up, I can recall as if it was yesterday, my folks and the battle they faced in their church over doctrinal purity. I can recall my dad standing up in the church and reciting the Bible and quoting the Bible and reading the Bible to the congregation as they were going through a very difficult time in the history of our church there in Delaware concerning doctrinal issues.

And my dad would be one of the very few men on the elder board who would stand strong on the authority of the Word of God and never back down. And I would sit in that pew, second seat from the front, with my mother, with my sister, and watch my father stand against all odds when it came to the authority of the Word of God and submitting to what the Scriptures say.

And people would get up and they would defend their view by saying, Well, you know, I've experienced this, and I've seen this, and I know that. And my father would get back up and he would go right back to the text and read the Word of God again and say, This is what the Word of the Lord says. This is what we must do. And I sat right there, second pew, right to the front, never forgetting that when people mocked my father, they called him names, and they left the church, and they were angry at him and angry at my family.

My dad never flinched. He stood strong on the Word of God. And that has stuck with me from the time I was 16 years of age to the time now I'm 44 today. It's not my birthday. I'm not 44 today. I'm just 44 today. You know what I'm saying? And that has stuck with me. I'll never forget that. And through all the difficult times that church split, and half the church left, but that church stayed strong, and that church is a vibrant, growing church today because one man on the elder board would stand strong against the other man.

He stood strong on the authority of the Word of God and would not flinch amidst adversity. And I look at my father and my mother and realize the difficult times they went through and the names that people called them and how they abused my parents, but my parents never gave up doing what the Word of God says.

And now I see myself following the footsteps of my mother and father. God was teaching me something when I was 16 years of age. Whatever God says, you do, no matter what anybody else says.

No matter how many people threaten to leave your church, or how many people actually do leave your church, you stand strong on what the Word of God says because God says so.

You see, my dad stood strong because one day God knew I would have to stand strong, and I would have an example to look to and to follow. So let me ask it to you this way.

As a parent today, and you're leading your children, what is it your children see about you that stands out in their mind, that will develop them into great men and women of God tomorrow? That's important, right? Sure it is. And I think so many times as parents, we forget about the example we give to our children in order to help them grow deep in their walk with the Lord. Because God is going to use you to develop your children to be stronger than you in the future. And now God wants to use you as their teacher, as their leader.

And you see, when we go through difficult times, when we go through hardship, what do we think of? We think about ourselves, right? And yet the Bible says very clearly in 2 Corinthians 1 that God allows things to happen in your life so that you might learn to strengthen your brother when they go through similar trials.

So God is allowing something to happen in your life so you might be more effective in helping your brother down the road, or your children that day down the road. You see that? How was it Joseph was the man he was? Did he just wake up one day and say, God's in control, I'm just going to trust God because he's a sovereign ruler of the world, and I'm just going to trust God. No, somebody had to teach him to trust and to believe in the providential care of God. It's going to be a great study. I trust you'll be with us from week to week.

Let's pray together.