This lesson is compatible with the "Joseph" Flash-A-Cards from Abeka Books.
Scripture References: Genesis 39:1-23
“Come on little boy! Keep up the pace! We need to get to Egypt soon, so we can sell you. You’re nothing but a slave, now. Poor little great grandson of Abraham. What’s he going to do now? Our grandfather Ishmael should have been given the inheritance of Abraham, but he was robbed by your family. You’ll see how your God will bless you now!” I imagine the Ishmaelites who bought Joseph for 20 pieces of silver were mocking him all the way to Egypt.
Joseph was 17, and had grown up used to the best food, the tents, and treatment of his father. Even at the expense of his 10 older brothers. He had only known good times at home, up until now. But things had changed once his jealous brothers dumped him into an empty well. Then they sold him as a slave. No more nice tent. No more delicious food. He probably got the gross scraps left over from Ishmaelites dinner. He was more than likely tied up and forced to carry things along the way to Egypt. I imagine Joseph had to work hard just to keep from crying in front of his slave masters. His life was completely different now. He used to boss people around, now he was being bossed around. He probably suffered beatings as a slave. His father wasn’t there to help him. His older brother Reuben, who sometimes felt responsibility to protect him wasn’t there either. He was all alone with no one on his side. Is that true? (Allow responses)
He wasn’t actually all alone. He must have remembered the stories his father told about God. He probably remembered seeing the sacrifices his father made to God. A lamb was killed, and the blood was spread on the altar as payment for their sins. He remembered hearing that the lamb was just a picture of someone who would come to be the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. He was part of the family God promised to use to bless the whole world!
His family that sold him. His family that had done horrible things, not just to him…to others. I wonder if Joseph ever doubted God could use a family like his to bless the world. It wasn’t a very nice family most of the time. But then, He heard his father say that God always keeps His promises.
The Bible doesn’t say exactly when Joseph began to trust in God, but it is clear that he trusted in God once he was sold again.
When the Ishmaelites arrived in Egypt with Joseph, they probably took him to the market to sell him. They wanted to make money off of him and could get more that they paid for him back home. In the market, Joseph must have looked around in amazement and fear. He didn’t understand much of what they were saying, as they spoke a different language. He saw big buildings made of mud bricks all around him. There was a large river nearby called the Nile river. As he was standing there, many people walked by and stared at him. Some even asked the Ishmaelites questions about him.
Finally, one man named Potiphar walked up to Joseph and began to speak to the Ishmaelites. “How old is he? Is he strong? His hands look soft, like he isn’t used to hard work.” Said Potiphar.
“Oh no, he is very strong. He will make a great slave!” they replied.
Potiphar handed them some silver, and Joseph knew there was no going back home. He was stuck here in Egypt. When he arrived at Potiphar’s house, he knew he was a VERY powerful man. The house was HUGE! His fields of grain were very large. And there were already many servants and slaves inside. I imagine he asked some of the other slaves who their master was.
“Don’t you know?!” they replied. “This is Potiphar. He is captain of Pharaoh’s guard! He keeps the prison where the criminals who are lucky enough to get a trial go. Most criminals are killed straight away, though. Our master is very important, and very rich!”
Joseph was amazed. Why had God brought him to be a house slave to a prison master?
He didn’t understand. But he knew one thing. There was no one for him to depend on except God. And if he was going to believe that God kept His promises, Joseph had to trust that God was going to bless the whole world through his family still. God could do anything, even use him and his messed-up family who were thousands of miles away. So, Joseph decided to trust God, even when he was doing hard, uncomfortable work as a slave. Even when he wasn’t being treated well, he decided to trust God. God began to help Joseph. And people were starting to notice how God was helping Joseph. No one heard him complain about the hard work. No one heard him complain about being hungry and tired. In fact, people heard him talk about how God was helping him! They noticed that Joseph didn’t pray to the idols of the Egyptian gods, like everyone else. In fact, Joseph never prayed to ANY statue! Instead, he lifted up his head and talked to someone named Jehovah! Jehovah is on of God’s names that means “the Lord”. People noticed that this Jehovah began to bless Joseph.
Come back next week to find out how Jehovah blesses him!
Right now, let’s pray and ask God to help us trust God. Even when we don’t understand why bad things might be happening, we can trust God to keep His promises. And God will bless us when we trust Him!
If you have never trusted in God and Jesus who died for your sins, talk to me after class.