The Book of Genesis:Perspectives

Chapters 39-41

Life of Joseph – Exaltation

“in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”

Announcements• CHRISTeens Work Night after class tonight in the auditorium.

• All CHRISTeens Skits will practice Thursday, February 25, at 6:00 PM.

• WinGS tomorrow from 9:00-11:30 AM, at the church building.

• CHRISTeens Friday-Sunday, February 26-28. Servant Groups will not meet, but we will have evening services, with Dan Lightfoot, in the auditorium.

• GALs (Girlfriends at Lunch) will meet Tuesday, March 2, 11:30 AM, at Mulan’s.

• Golden Agers will meet Tuesday, March 2, 5:30 PM, at the Family Center, for an “Irish themed evening”. Corned beef and cabbage will be provided.

• WinGS potluck Thursday, March 4 after class in the Family Center.

• Girlfriends at West Side “Gab & Grab” Friday, March 5, 6:30 PM, at the Family Center. Ladies are asked to bring kitchen & decorative items (no clothes) and $2.00 for pizza. Items not “grabbed” will be donated to the LST garage sale in April.

• The Ben Janelle/ Josh Harrell Servant Group will host a food giveaway and breakfast Saturday, March 6, from 8:00-11:00 AM, at the Family Center. They are collecting canned food and non-perishables. Boxes will be in the foyer this Sunday night for supplies.

“in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”

Prayer List• Carolyn Williams – St. Mary’s #412B.

• Addie Bailey – Russellville Nursing Home #311; not doing well.

• Bill Hilton – came home from the hospital February 19.

• Bill Davis – tests for hip problems.

• Sue Martinelli – at AR Heart Hospital after surgery February 22.

• Grady Crain – had a surgical consultation February 22, in Little Rock.

• Eula Forbis (Linda Harrell’s mother) hopes to come home from the hospital Friday, February 26.

GenesisWeek Date Topic

1 09 Dec 09 Introduction and the Creation: 1:1-2:25 (Ben)

2 16 Dec 09 The Fall: 3:1-5:32

3 23 Dec 09 Elder Selection Discussion (Herb)

4 30 Dec 09 The Flood: 6:1-9:29

5 06 Jan 10 Table of Nations/Tower of Babel: 10:1-11:9

6 13 Jan 10 Life of Abraham – Part 1: 11:10-16:16

7 20 Jan 10 Life of Abraham – Part 2: 17-23; 25:1-10

8 27 Jan 10 Life of Isaac: 24; 25:11-26:35

9 03 Feb 10 Life of Jacob: 27:1-31:55

10 10 Feb 10 Jacob and Esau: 32:1-36:43

11 17 Feb 10 Life of Joseph – Corruption: 37:1-38:30

12 24 Feb 10 Life of Joseph – Exaltation: 39:1-41:57

13 03 Mar 10 Life of Joseph – Salvation: 42:1-50:25

Today’s Objectives• Provide a review of last week’s lesson

• Review historical maps

• Provide a summary of Genesis 39-41

• Learn about Joseph and Potiphar’s wife

• See how Joseph ends up in prison

• Learn about Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams, including the Pharaoh’s dreams

• Learn about the famine and Joseph’s role

• Learn about Joseph’s wife and two sons

Last week• Provided a review of last week’s lesson• Reviewed Genesis Chapter 37-38

• Reviewed a map of the area where Joseph lived

• Learned why Joseph is hated by his brothers – favored son of Jacob/Israel

• Learned what Joseph’s brothers do to him – sold him to Ishmaelite and Midian traders

• Learned about the wickedness of Judah

• Saw what happened between Tamar and Judah

• Learned about the sons of Judah

Authorship • Bible scholars attribute Genesis to Moses

– Inspired by God, Moses was the human instrument through which God spoke

– Also attributed to writing the first five books of the bible

• Date of writing– Uncertain– Probably between 1500-1400 BC– Spans more time than any other book of the Bible– Approximately 2370 years, more time than the other 65

books combined– Oldest and most detailed record of ancient history in

existence

Terminology• Bereshith

– Hebrew name for the book meaning “in the beginning”

• Septuagint– Oldest Greek translation of the OT, around 270 BC

• Torah– Hebrew word for “the law”, refers to the first five books

• Pentateuch– Greek name for the first five books of the OT

• Dead Sea Scrolls– Ancient manuscripts found in 1947 contain parts of all

books of the OT except Esther, confirming translations

Children of Jacob (30:1-24)

Genesis 39 Summary

• Resume with the life of Joseph after an interlude into the life of Judah in chapter 38

• Story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife

• Joseph ends up in prison due to false accusations from Potiphar’s wife

• God works through Joseph to fulfill His promise to the line of Abraham

Potiphar’s House (39:1-6)

• Potiphar buys Joseph from the Ishmaelites (v. 1)– Potiphar is an officer of the Pharaoh– Described as the captain of the guard and an Egyptian

• God was with Joseph (v. 2)– Joseph becomes prosperous– Lived in the house of his Potiphar– Potiphar sees the work of God in Joseph– Joseph and his house serve God

• Joseph becomes overseer of Potiphar’s house (v. 5)– God blesses Potiph

Potiphar

• Means “him whom Ra gave”– Ra is an Egyptian sun god– Pharaohs were seen as Ra’s manifestation on earth

• Lived around 1544 BC– Second Intermediate Period to the beginning of the New

Kingdom in Egypt, a period of transition in Egypt– Period of Hyskos rule– Most likely a wealthy man of great power– Chief of security for the national leaders

Potiphar’s Wife (39:7-18)

• Potiphar’s wife seduces Joseph (v. 7)– Joseph refuses– Considered it a sin against God

• Continues to tempt Joseph daily (v. 10)

• Potiphar’s wife concocts a story to get back at Joseph (v. 13)– Joseph had entered the house while she was there– No one else was in the house– The story is hatched– She claims Joseph tried to assault her

Joseph Imprisoned (39:19-23)

• Potiphar believes his wife (v. 19)– He throws Joseph in prison– With the king’s prisoners, mostly political

• God is with Joseph (v. 21)– He gains favor with the prison guards– Basically becomes a trustee– Joseph becomes an overseer of the prison– Gains the trust of the prison warden

Genesis 40 Summary

• Joseph is still imprisoned

• Two servants of the Pharaoh join Joseph in prison

• Both servants dream

• Joseph interprets the dream

• One servant is restored to the Pharaoh’s servant, the other is killed

Servant’s Dream (40:1-11)

• The Pharaoh’s butler and baker are imprisoned (v. 1)– Same location as Joseph

– They are put under the charge of Joseph

– He serves the two, they stayed there one season

• Both have a dream (v. 5)– Joseph ask them to share the dream with him

• Dream is told to Joseph (v. 9)– A vine appeared

– With three branches

– Forms blossoms, forming ripe grapes

– Grapes were given to the Pharaoh

Dream Interpreted (40:12-23)

• Joseph interprets the butlers dream (v. 12)– Three branches = three days– Within three days the Pharaoh will restore your job– Asks that the butler remember him when he speaks to the

Pharaoh

• Baker tells his dream (v. 16)– Three white baskets, birds eating the baked goods

• Joseph interprets (v. 18)– Three white baskets = in three days he would be

decapitated and hung from a tree– Indeed, Pharaoh killed the baker on the third day

Genesis 41 Summary

• Story of Pharaoh’s dream

• Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dream

• Pharaoh promotes Joseph

• Joseph is married and has children

Pharaoh’s Dream (41:1-13)

• Two years pass and Pharaoh has a dream (v. 1)– Standing by a river– Seven fine cattle come up out of the river– Seven other poor cattle come up out of the river– Seven poor cattle ate the seven fine cattle

• Second dream (v. 5)– Seven good ears of corn on one stalk– Seven thin ears came up after them– Seven thin ears devoured the seven good ears

• Goes to his mystics for an interpretation (v. 8)– None could interpret, servant suggests Joseph

Joseph Interprets (41:14-32)• Pharaoh consults with Joseph (v. 14)

– Joseph states that God will provide the answer, not him– Pharaoh relates his dream to Joseph

• Joseph interprets the dream (v. 25)– Seven good cattle are seven years– Seven good ears are seven years– Seven poor cattle and poor ears is a coming famine– Seven years of great plenty followed by seven years of

famine, consuming the land– Plenty will not be remembered, only the famine

• God had given Pharaoh two similar dreams to emphasize the point (v. 32)

Pharaoh Prepares (41:33-44)

• Joseph recommends Pharaoh take action (v. 33)– Wise and discreet man– Places one man to prepare the land for the coming famine– He appoints subordinate officers to assist with

preparation– Make up stores of food in the seven bountiful years

• Pharaoh selects Joseph to oversee the efforts (v. 39)– Joseph would be over Pharaoh’s house– Joseph would rule over the land of Egypt– Gives Joseph his ring, signifying supreme power

Joseph’s Reward (41:45-57)

• Joseph is named Zaphnath (v. 45)– “Revealer of truth”

• Given a gentile wife– Asenath– The daughter of Potipherah, a priest of On (Sun City)

• Joseph executes the plan (v. 47)– Gathers food in the seven good years– Famine begins– His plan to feed the people works

• Two sons are born– Manasseh and Ephraim

Review• Provide a summary of Genesis 39-41

• Learned how Potiphar’s wife seduces Joseph and Joseph ended up in prison after her false accusations

• Learned about Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams, including the Pharaoh’s dreams

• Learned about the famine and how Joseph led the Pharaoh’s efforts to avert the crisis

• Learned about Joseph’s wife and two sons

• Next week: Final class, Genesis 42-50