the ways of god

1. The acquired flawed family• Gen 35:22 … Now the sons of

Jacob were twelve: • Gen 35:23 The sons of Leah;

Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun:

• Gen 35:24 The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin:

• Gen 35:25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali:

• Gen 35:26 And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid; Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram.

2. The loss of a loved one

• Gen 35:18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.

• Gen 35:19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.

3. The betrayal of loved ones

• Gen 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors.

• Gen 37:4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

4. The separation from loved ones

• Gen 37:27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

• Gen 37:28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

5. The loss of freedom

• Gen 39:1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither.

• Gen 39:2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

6. The reward for being faithful

• Gen 39:20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.

• Gen 39:21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

7. The long-lasting uncertainty

• Gen 40:21 And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand:

• Gen 40:22 But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.

• Gen 40:23 Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgot him.