Prepared

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Bible History Overview
Week Seven - Joseph

• Prepared
• by
• Kelly
• Boyd

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BeeP SLoWly, JaKe CaRRieS CoCoa!
If we remove the vowels, the consonants form the
first letter of each period.
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BeeP SLoWly, JaKe CaRRieS CoCoa!

• B eginnings
• P atriarchs
• S lavery
• L aw
• W anderings
• J udges
• K ings

• C aptivity
• R eturn
• R estoration
• S ilence
• C hrist
• C onsummation

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Genesis 37-50

• The Life of joseph

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Joseph

• The remainder of the book of Genesis, chapters
  37-50, basically tells us of the life of a great
  man of faith, Joseph. Unlike his father, Josephs
  faith was firmly established at a young age, and
  continued throughout his lifetime. Here we see a
  man who would not give in to temptation no matter
  how much personal gain he might get from it, or
  even to save his own neck. Joseph definitely knew
  That in all things God works for the good of
  those who love Him and If God be for us, who
  can be against us? Romans 828,31

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Josephs Early Years in Canaan

• Joseph was definitely Jacobs favorite son, and
  he made this quite clear to his brothers. He made
  them angry by giving a bad report about them to
  their father, and then there were the dreams!
  Even Jacob was irritated by the suggestion that
  the whole family would someday bow down to
  Joseph, and his brothers were filled with hatred
  for him.

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Josephs Early Years in Canaan

• This all came to a head when Jacob sent Joseph to
  check up on his brothers near Dothan, and they
  saw the opportunity to get even. They knew that
  their father would never find out what they had
  done, but Reuben, the oldest, talked them out of
  killing him. They stripped him of his robe and
  threw him into a cistern.

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Josephs Early Years in Canaan

• But while Reuben was away, Judah hatched a plan
  to sell Joseph to some Midiannite traders, so at
  the age of 17 Joseph became a slave in Egypt. To
  cover up their act, the brothers dipped Josephs
  coat in goats blood and told their father that he
  had been killed by a lion. In all things God
  works for the good of those who love him.

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Joseph in Potiphars Household

• Potiphar, the captain of Pharaohs palace guard,
  bought Joseph from the Midiannites when they
  arrived in Egypt. Potiphar soon saw that God was
  with Joseph and blessed everything that he did,
  so he put him in charge of his whole house and
  entrusted to him everything he owned. Everything,
  of course, except his wife.

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Joseph in Potiphars Household

• But she had other ideas. She noticed this rising
  young mans handsome features and tried to entice
  him into bed with her. He refused, saying How
  could I do this wicked thing and sin against
  God? 399. She, however, didnt give up, and one
  day when they were alone in the house she made
  her move. She grabbed Joseph by his cloak and
  said Lie with me!.

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Joseph in Potiphars Household

• This time he ran, and she was humiliated. She
  told Potiphar that Joseph had assaulted her, and
  he had him arrested and imprisoned. If God is
  for us, who can be against us?

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Joseph in Prison

• The conditions in this prison were no doubt
  disgusting. But, the Lord was still with Joseph,
  and showed him kindness and granted him favor in
  the eyes of the jailor. The warden put him in
  charge of all the prisoners, and he had full
  responsibility for everything.

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Joseph in Prison

• While in prison, Joseph interpreted the dreams of
  two of Pharaohs servants who were there. As a
  result, one of these men was to receive his
  position back as chief cup bearer to Pharaoh.
  Joseph asked this man to remember him and tell
  Pharaoh of the injustice he had suffered, but he
  forgot. In all things God works for the good of
  those who love Him.

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Joseph Becomes High Egyptian Official

• Some 2 years later, when Joseph was still in
  prison, Pharaoh had dreams that no one could
  interpret. Suddenly the cup bearer remembered
  Joseph. Quickly Joseph was cleaned up and brought
  from the dungeon. Joseph interpreted the dream
  but was careful to give God the credit. There
  would be seven years of plenty followed by seven
  years of famine.

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Joseph Becomes High Egyptian Official

• But Joseph didnt stop there! In the boldness of
  the Spirit he declared what ought to be done
  about it! Pharaoh was so impressed with the
  wisdom of this prisoner that he put him in charge
  of the preparations, gave him his daughter as a
  wife, and made him second only to Pharaoh in the
  kingdom. If God is for us, who can be against
  us?

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Joseph Supervises the Famine Relief

• During the seven years of abundance, Joseph
  collected and stored the extra grain in each of
  the towns from the surrounding fields. These
  underground granaries have been found by
  archaeologists.
• Once the famine came, the people came to Joseph
  to buy grain, from all over the world. First,
  they used their money, then they traded their
  livestock, and finally they sold themselves and
  their land to Pharaoh.

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Joseph Supervises the Famine Relief

• We can see here that it was God who made Egypt
  the richest and most powerful nation on earth. He
  had a plan to pass that wealth on to his chosen
  people someday. Well see the fulfillment of that
  plan in the book of Exodus. In all things God
  works for the good of those who love Him.

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The Israelites Move to Egypt

• During the famine, the only place that had food
  was Egypt. Jacob and his family in Canaan also
  ran out of food, and he sent his sons to Egypt to
  buy some. When they arrived in Egypt, Joseph
  immediately recognized his brothers, but because
  of his clothing and manner, they didnt know him.
• After some testing on his part, to see if they
  had changed, he revealed himself to them. He had
  forgiven them. He said, it was to save lives
  that God sent me ahead of you..

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The Israelites Move to Egypt

• Joseph longed to see his father, so he sent them
  back to fetch the rest of the family. When Jacob
  (now Israel) found out that his son Joseph was
  alive, he was overwhelmed, and decided to go to
  Egypt to be with his son. After the wonderful
  reunion, they were given the best of the land to
  settle in and raise their children and flocks.
  They lived there peacefully for hundreds of
  years. If God is for us, who can be against us?

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Jacob Adopts Josephs Sons

• Joseph was still Jacobs favorite son, and so
  when he was about to die, he adopted Josephs
  sons Manasseh and Ephraim. This was so that
  Joseph would receive a double portion in place of
  Reuben, the first born, who defiled his fathers
  bed (Gen. 3522).
• Later when the Israelites entered the Promised
  Land, the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh received
  portions along with the tribes of Jacobs other
  sons. They became part of the 12 tribes of
  Israel. In all things God works for the good of
  those who love Him.

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Jacob Blesses His Sons

• Before Jacob died, he called his sons to him and
  said, Gather round so I can tell you what will
  happen in the days ahead. As Isaac had blessed
  Jacob, so Jacob now does for his sons. One
  important verse to remember is 4928, where it
  says giving each the blessing appropriate to
  him.
• These prophesies were a direct result of the
  lives that each of them had lived. The first
  three received negative blessings, which they
  deserved for the lives they had led.

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Jacob Blesses His Sons

• The next son, Judah, received a good blessing.
  Not only physically, but also spiritually,
  because his line would be the Messianic line. The
  rest of his sons received the blessing they
  deserved as well. If God be for us, who can be
  against us?.

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Conclusion to Genesis

• In Genesis 4929 to 5026 we see the deaths of
  both Jacob and Joseph. Jacobs body was taken
  back to Canaan and buried in the cave of
  Machpelah with Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah and
  Leah. The covenant with the patriarchs was still
  in full force, because Joseph said God will
  surely come to your aid and take you up out of
  this land to the land He promised on oath to
  Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (5024)

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Looking at Josephs Faith

• How could I do such a wicked thing, and sin
  against God? How are we doing at resisting the
  pressure in our culture to sin? What is your
  focus?
• Josephs focus was on God, not himself. He had
  good reason to hate his brothers, and plenty of
  opportunity for revenge. But he forgave them.
• As Potiphars steward, Joseph could have easily
  stolen, and likely gotten away with it. But he
  wouldnt do it, it was wrong. How about you?

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Looking at Josephs Faith

• How do you handle your disappointments? Imagine
  being sold as a slave, falsely imprisoned,
  languishing for years while you waited for God to
  deliver you. Would you have given up? Joseph
  didnt!
• Finally, Joseph is out of prison and second only
  to Pharaoh, the most powerful ruler in the world
  of that day. Time to look out for number one,
  right? Settle old scores, firm up the power base?
  Instead, he sets out to save the nation, not
  himself. And look at the success he became in the
  process.

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Looking at Josephs Faith

• Why did God not intervene in all of Josephs
  troubles? Simply because God doesnt always work
  this way. It is possible that a decision honoring
  God will turn into catastrophe. We know this by
  studying great men of faith throughout history,
  like John the Baptist, Stephen, and the apostle
  Paul. As we walk with God, we may be slandered,
  reviled and persecuted. Focused on God, these
  things actually can be seen as great honors!
  (Acts 541). They dont defeat us, but rather are
  a source of joy and great reward.

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Seeing Christ in This Passage

• Josephs life in many ways parallels the life of
  Christ.
• Sent into Egypt to prepare the coming of the 12
  tribes
• Jesus was sent to Egypt to escape Herod
• He has gone ahead to heaven to prepare a place
  for us
• Beloved of his father
• Rejected by his brethren
• Sold for pieces of silver
• In Jacobs mind, he was dead and brought back to
  life
• Suffering servant changed to triumphant king
• Forgave his brothers and saved them from death
• Genesis 4910 refers to Christ being of Judahs
  line

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Next Week

• Read Exodus chapters 1-3 and 12.