GENESIS 37–50

JOSEPH

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 JOSEPH
In this study, we will look at the life of Joseph, from his family background to his eventual rise to power in
Egypt.
Key Points

• God has a plan.

• God is always with us.
• The importance of forgiving others.
BIBLE READING: Genesis 37-50
MEMORY VERSE: "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that
many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”- Genesis 50:20

OVERVIEW
Here is a quick summary of Joseph’s life as recorded in the Bible:

A. Joseph's Birth and Early life

Joseph was the 11th son of Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, the father of the Israelites. Joseph was
Jacob's favourite son. Jacob showed Joseph more love than to his brothers, giving him a fabulous coat of
many colours. When Joseph was a young man, he had dreams that showed him as a ruler over his brothers
and family.
B. Joseph is Sold into Slavery (Genesis 37:17-28)
Joseph's jealous brothers plotted to get rid of him and sold him into slavery in Egypt. They told Jacob that
Joseph had been killed and put his coat of many colours in the blood-stained bag to make it appear as if he
had been attacked.
C. Joseph in Potiphar's House (Genesis 39)
Joseph was sold into slavery and taken to Egypt, where he was bought by Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh
and captain of the guard. Joseph worked hard, and God blessed him with success and favour in all he did.
He quickly rose through the ranks and gained Potiphar's trust.
C. Joseph in Prison (Genesis 40)
Potiphar's wife failed to lure Joseph into having an affair, so she falsely accused him of attempted rape. As
a result, Joseph was thrown into prison. But even in prison, God blessed Joseph, and he was put in charge
of the prisoners and all the prison affairs.
D. Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams (Genesis 41)
Pharaoh had a dream, and none of his wise men or magicians could interpret it. So Pharaoh heard about
Joseph and asked him to interpret the dream. Joseph was able to correctly interpret Pharaoh's dreams,
and he told of seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.
E. Joseph Rises to Power in Egypt (Genesis 41-45)

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Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of preparing for the coming famine. Joseph was made ruler of all of Egypt
and stored up grain during the seven years of plenty to prepare for the famine.
F. Joseph Reunited with his Brothers and Father (Genesis 45-50)
Joseph's brothers eventually came to Egypt looking for food and reunited with their long-lost brother.
Joseph forgave them and was reconciled with his father. He invited his family to live in Egypt.

LESSON GUIDE
1. GOD HAS A PLAN FOR GOOD - GENESIS 50:20
God has a plan for us, and He works all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). We can
see this clearly in the life of Joseph, who experienced unimaginable suffering and hardship, yet God
worked it together for good.
Joseph recognizes God's hand on his life in Genesis 50:20 when he says to his brothers, "As for you, you
meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive,
as they are today."
God can take even the most difficult situations and use them for good. In fact, God often takes heartache,
pain, loss, and troubles to create something beautiful and more meaningful than what was there before.
We may not understand why we are in painful moments or why they have to happen, but with faith, we
can be sure that God is working in the midst of it all.
We can trust God with our life's journey and challenges, knowing that, ultimately, everything will work
together for good, and that God remains in control. Circumstances may surprise us, but they never surprise
God.

2. ADVERSITY PREPARES US FOR OUR FUTURE - 1 PETER 5:10

Adversity is a common theme throughout the life of Joseph, from his brothers selling him into slavery to his
wrongful imprisonment and even his false accusations from Potiphar's wife. Despite all of Joseph's
suffering throughout his life, it was all part of God's plan to use Joseph's adversity to prepare for his future
calling.
Joseph needed to go through those struggles and hardships to be prepared to fulfil the role God had
planned for him. He needed to learn valuable lessons in trust, compassion, humility and leadership, which
would equip him to be second in command over all of Egypt.
It's difficult to understand why God allows us to endure adversity and suffering, but God often uses it to
shape us into the people we were always meant to be. It's important to remember that God's purpose is
not to make our lives miserable or difficult; instead, God has a perfect plan, and our troubles are often part
of God's strategy in unfolding that plan in our lives. At times, this means that He must allow trials into our
lives to reshape us for bigger and better things. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “Not only that, but we rejoice in
our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and
character produces hope," (Romans 5:3-4). Adversity helps us become more Christlike and teaches us how
dependent we need to be on Him. (see also 1 Peter 5:10)

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3. THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH - GENESIS 39:2
Throughout all of Joseph's challenges and suffering, one thing remained constant - God was with him. Even
though it may have seemed like Joseph was alone, God had not abandoned him in his time of need. In fact,
Genesis 39:2 says that the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in all that he did.
How was God with Joseph?
1. God was with Joseph allowing him to prosper in Potiphar's household and the prison. (Genesis
39:1-6)
2. God was with Joseph allowing him to overcome the temptation by Potiphar's wife. (Genesis
39:6-23)
3. God was with Joseph allowing him to remain faithful in the midst of unjust imprisonment.
(Genesis 40)
4. God was with Joseph allowing him to interpret Pharaoh's dreams and become second in
command over all of Egypt. (Genesis 41:38-45).
5. God was with Joseph allowing him to forgive his brothers. (Genesis 45:1-15)
God was with Joseph in every situation, teaching him valuable lessons and preparing him for his destiny. In
the same way, God is with us at all times. He is with us to give us strength, wisdom and courage to
persevere through trials and serve Him faithfully.

4. FORGIVE OTHERS - GENESIS 50:15-21

Joseph's story of forgiveness is a powerful reminder of the importance of forgiving those who have
wronged us. As Joseph was able to forgive his brothers for their wrongdoing, so must we forgive those who
have wronged us to find true freedom.
The Bible says a lot about forgiving others:
• "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive
you." - Matthew 6:14
• "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave
you." - Ephesians 4:32
We must learn from Joseph's example of forgiveness and forgive those who have wronged us. Forgiveness
is never easy, but it is essential for our spiritual growth and relationship with God. It requires humility,
compassion, and a willingness to let go of anger and resentment. As we forgive others, we reflect the love
and mercy of Christ, and we open ourselves to reflect the forgiveness and grace that God freely offers.

CONCLUSION
Joseph's life is an inspiring example of how God works in our lives, despite the hardship and suffering that
we may experience. God was with Joseph throughout his journey, granting him success in all he did. God
allowed him to overcome the temptation of Potiphar's wife and ultimately fulfil his destiny as second in
command over all of Egypt. Joseph also teaches us to forgive others, just as God forgave us.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE LIFE OF JOSEPH?

HOW HAS GOD USED A DIFFICULT SITUATION TO PREPARE YOU?

HOW CAN YOU REMIND YOURSELF THAT GOD IS WITH YOU?

DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO FORGIVE OTHERS? WHY?

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STUDY NOTES MIND MAP

1 2
GOD HAS A ______ FOR ADVERSITY _________ US FOR
________. OUR __________.
GENESIS 50:20 1 PETER 5:10

JOSEPH

3
THE LORD WAS ________ JOSEPH.
4 GENESIS 39:2
________________ OTHERS.
GENESIS 50:15-21

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 GAMES AND ACTIVITIES
COAT OF MANY COLOURS
1. Divide players into two teams.
2. Assign one player on each team to be the "Joseph" for that team. This player will wear the "coat of many
colours" once it is completed.
3. Give each team a roll of masking tape and a stack of scrap paper in different colours.
4. Players must add patches to the coat until the coat is large enough to fit their designated Joseph.
5. To make the game more challenging, players can be given a time limit to complete the coat.

COLOUR SCAVENGER HUNT

1. Create a list of colours for players to find, such as red, blue, green, yellow, purple, pink, orange, and brown.
2. Divide players into teams of two or more.
3. Set a time limit, such as 5 minutes, for players to find as many items as they can.
4. Players must work together to find items of each colour on the list and bring them back to their bag or basket.
5. Alternatively, a team can be given a specific colour such as blue and then have to find as many different blue
objects as possible in the given time.

JOSEPH'S JOURNEY
1. Create a giant game board with spaces representing different locations and challenges in Joseph's life story, such
as his childhood home, Potiphar's house, the prison, and Pharaoh's palace.
2. Prepare cards or other game elements to represent the challenges and obstacles that players will face at each
location.
3. Players take turns rolling a dice and move around the board.
4. When a player lands on a location space, they draw a challenge card or other game element to determine what
obstacle they must face. Reflect on the challenges Joseph faced to trust and honour God.
5. Players must successfully complete the challenge in order to continue their journey.
6. The first player to reach the end of the board and complete all the challenges wins.

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COAT OF MANY COLOURS
Decorate a coat of many colours for Joseph.

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 CROSSWORD
1 2

3 4

www.CrosswordWeaver.com

ACROSS DOWN

3 Who did Joseph interpret a dream for in
prison? (Genesis 40:1-23)
5 What did Joseph offer to his brothers
after revealing himself to them in Egypt?
(Genesis 45:5-8)
7 To whom was Joseph sold as a slave?
(Genesis 37:36)
8 What did Jacob give to Joseph as a gift?
(Genesis 37:3)
9 Where was Joseph thrown after being
falsely accused by Potiphar's wife? (Genesis
39:20)
1 Who did Joseph interpret a dream for
that led to his release from prison?
(Genesis 41:1-37)
2 What did Joseph have that made his
brothers jealous? (Genesis 37:5-8)
4 Which of Joseph's brothers did he keep
as a hostage in Egypt? (Genesis 42:24)
6 What did Joseph store up during the
seven years of plenty in Egypt? (Genesis
41:47-49)
7 Where did Joseph's brothers throw him
after they conspired against him? (Genesis
37:24)

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 VERSE ON FORGIVENESS
Joseph's story of forgiveness is a powerful reminder of the importance of forgiveness. What do these Bible verses
teach us.

BIBLE VERSE LESSON

Matthew 6:14-15

Mark 11:25

Luke 17:3-4

Colossians 3:13

Ephesians 4:32

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THE JOURNEY TO EGYPT

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 WRITE YOUR OWN STORY
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GENESIS 37–50

JOSEPH

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WRITE OUT THE MEMORY VERSE

Genesis 50:20

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