Ep. 18. Genesis 37,39 | Joseph’s Dreams

EPISODE 18

JOSEPH'S DREAMS: GENESIS 37,39

We remember that Joseph was Rachel's firstborn son. Joseph was the favorite son of his father, Jacob (Israel). From the time we were children, we were told about the multicolored robe Joseph wore as a gift from his father. Whether it was multicolored or not is up for debate. Another reading of the text, as I'm sure your Bible's footnotes will reveal, could be "long sleeve." At any rate, something special about this coat sets Joseph apart from his brothers. When Joseph was about 17 years old, he had a couple of dreams that caused his brothers to hate him even more.

In the first dream, Joseph and his brothers were bundling wheat when his bundle stood up straight, and his brothers' bundles gathered around his bundle and bowed down to it. The brothers were furious, "Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?" And they hated him more fiercely.

The second dream had the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing down to Joseph. But this dream also brought rebuke from his father and hatred from his brother. "Shall I and your mother and your brothers come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?"

You may find it interesting that despite the rebuke he gave his son, Jacob did, in fact, "keep these sayings in mind." A similar thing happens when the shepherds proclaim to Mary and Joseph all the things they had seen and heard that evening from the angels. (Luke 2:19) It seems that Jacob (Israel) wasn't quite as put off by his son's dreams as the rebuke may have implied. (This telling of dreams will also be significant in our reading tomorrow.)

The brothers took advantage of an opportunity presented to them and decided to kill Joseph. Ultimately, they sold him so they could make a few dollars. We see in 37:25 that Joseph is sold to a caravan of Ishmaelites. We don't see the line of Ishmael very often, but here is a clear example of the slave son of Abraham. These Ishmaelites sell Joseph into slavery in Egypt. This is the beginning of the fulfillment of the words God spoke to Abraham in Genesis 15: 13-16.

Despite the hardship for Joseph, the Lord caused everything he did to become successful and gave him favor, first in the house where he served as a slave and then in prison where he had been falsely imprisoned. As we will see in a couple of days, all of this was orchestrated by God to preserve the promise he had made to Abraham.

ADDITIONAL READING: Genesis 15:13-16; Luke 2:1-19