We shall continue with
the study of the Book of Genesis this week.
(1) Joseph somehow saw the hand of God in his interpretation of the dream of the chief cupbearer of Pharaoh, but he had to wait another two “full” years (NIV). Apart from being a test of faith, what other practical reasons might there be for having to wait another two full years?
(2) What lesson might we learn from this?
(3) What was Pharaoh’s first dream? How absurd was it?
(4) What was his other dream about? How absurd was it?
(5) If you were to interpret them, what common-sense answers might you have?
(6) We can be pretty sure that the Egyptian wise men and magicians would have come up with some kind of interpretation. They might have logical answers, but not necessarily a divine one. What was Joseph’s immediate reply to Pharaoh? Why did he have to say that? Compare Joseph’s reply to that of Daniel in Daniel 2:28. What do they have in common?
(7) The chief cupbearer referred to his forgetting Joseph as a “shortcoming”, but the original Hebrew word (het) means “sin”. Why would it be a sin?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
(1) Joseph was simply hoping to get out of prison (40:14), but what he got far exceeded his wildest dream (or did it really?). What might be the lesson we can learn from this?
(2) In interpreting the dreams, Joseph pointed out that God has revealed to Pharaoh, “what He is about to do”.
a. How significant was this statement to Pharaoh?
b. How significant was this statement to the Egyptian magicians?
(3) According to Joseph, why did God give Pharaoh the same dream in two forms?
(4) Joseph’s speech was in two parts: The first part was the interpretation of the dreams, and the second part was his recommended action to Pharaoh.
a. What did his proposal entail?
b. How important was his plan of advice?
c. What might be the most difficult part of the plan to implement?
d. Do you think Joseph had himself in mind in being appointed as “the” wise man to be put in charge? Why or why not?
(5) What, in essence, was Pharaoh appointing Joseph, the Hebrew slave, to do? What risk was Pharaoh taking? Why then would he make such a bold move?
(6) Try to imagine the huge change of status of Joseph, almost within minutes. What might be the most improbable change of it all? How can one explain such an improbable change?
(7) Both Joseph and Daniel were given a native name (and in the case of Joseph it probably means “God speaks and lives” and he was further given an Egyptian priest’s daughter as his wife). Did it have any impact on their own faith in Yahweh? Why or why not?
(8) We like to say, "like father like son". What do you think would become of Joseph’s marriage? Can you find in the Bible that he took other wives? (You may want to read the last part of the book of Genesis to get an idea.)
(9) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
(1) How old was Joseph when he was sold by his brothers to Egypt? (See 37:2)
(2) Try to recount his life in the last 13 years and the major changes that took place in his life.
(3) Though the Bible never mentions them again, how do you think Potiphar and especially his wife took the news of Joseph’s change of fortune? How long did it take for his vindication to take place?
(4) In what ways might part of your life resemble that of Joseph?
(5) The Bible does not mention any opposition faced by Joseph in conducting his duties as the number two man in Egypt. But logically, what might he have to face? What might be the toughest part of his duties as he stored up huge quantities of grain for Pharaoh?
(6) The names of the two sons give us much insight into Joseph’s frame of mind in dealing with his past:
a. What does the name Manasseh tell us of how Joseph looked upon his past in his family?
b. What does forgetting “all my father’s household” mean?
c. What does the name of Ephraim tell us of how Joseph looked upon his first 13 years in Egypt?
d. And how does he now see his life in Egypt?
(7) What might the people and Pharaoh be thinking towards the end (but not quite the end) of the seven years of abundance? How would Joseph have felt?
(8) If there were skepticism and opposition in the first seven years, what happened when the years of famine began “just as Joseph has said”?
(9) How severe was the famine? How might such a tragedy speak to Romans 8:28?
(10) In what way is Joseph a type of Christ?
(11) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
(1) Of course, Jacob did not know how long this famine would be, but as others in Canaan went to Egypt for food, he too ordered his sons (whose inaction appeared to have bothered him) to go. Why didn’t Benjamin go? Why did Jacob continue to show favoritism?
(2) Why did Joseph treat his brothers so harshly? Did he still hold a grudge? Should he? Would you?
(3) Why would the reminder of his dreams (which were not totally fulfilled at this point) cause him to accuse them as spies? (v. 9) Do you think Joseph really thought that this reunion would actually happen one day? (See 41:51)
(4) Was it not natural that ten men coming as a group and claiming to be one family, should arouse suspicion?
(5) Joseph almost died in the hands of these brothers because of their jealousy. What would he be most concerned about at this point, seeing only ten of his brothers?
(6) According to Joseph, how could they prove their innocence? How would such a command jeopardize the lives of his father’s family in this time of famine?
(7) What effect might the imprisonment of the brothers for three days have on them?
(8) Why didn’t the brothers recognize their own brother Joseph while Joseph could recognize them? (Later on in v. 23, we read that all their dialogue was done through an interpreter.)
(9) What did Joseph intend to do by putting the brothers into prison for three days?
(10) What is the main message to you today?
(1) Why did Joseph change his mind and imprison only one of them and let the rest go?
(2) Joseph knew that his youngest brother and his father were starving at home. He should also know how grievous it would be for Jacob to allow Benjamin to come. Why did he choose to play games with the brothers?
(3) What did his tactic do to the brothers? Why would it remind them of their sin?
(4) What further insight into Joseph’s suffering was provided by the conversation among the brothers?
(5) What caused Joseph to weep?
(6) Why did Joseph choose to detain Simeon, the second oldest, and not Reuben, the oldest brother?
(7) How did Joseph’s action relate to the first dream he had remembered?
(8) As much as Joseph was teaching the brothers a lesson, what did he do to show his love for them?
(9) What then is the essential message of today and how may you apply it in your life?
(1) What did the discovery of the silver in their sacks mean to the brothers? Why did they tremble and their hearts sink?
(2) V. 28 records the first time these brothers mentioned the name of God in the entire scenario. What might they mean by “What is this that God has done to us?”
(3) What did Joseph promise them if they could prove their story to be true?
(4) How did Jacob respond to their dilemma? Why did he consider Simeon no more? What did he intend to do for Simeon?
(5) What did Reuben offer to his father and why?
(6) Why did Jacob say that Benjamin “is the only one left”?
(7) Why did he not accept the offer of Reuben, his oldest son?
(8) In self-pity, Jacob exclaimed, “Everything is against me.” Have you ever found yourself feeling the same?
(9) In Jacob’s dilemma, what should he have done? What would you have done?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
(1) Given what had happened, how did Jacob have the guts to ask the sons to go back to Egypt? How desperate was he?
(2) Simeon was held captive in Egypt, Reuben apparently had lost his credibility before his father (remember that he slept with his father’s concubine), and so Judah stepped up to speak, assuming unknowingly his role as the chosen heir of the Abrahamic Covenant. How did he succeed in convincing his father?
(3) In allowing Benjamin to go with them, what attitude did Jacob take that he did not have before?
(4) If Jacob chose to remember the various appearances and promises made to him by God, how would this have affected his attitude in dealing with the dire consequences of this severe famine?
(5) Why didn’t he remember or rely on God’s promises?
(6) What did he rely on now?
(7) What is the main message to you today?