What have you done in the past which you would like to undo?  It is impossible to undo past actions or take back spoken words. Reuben had sinned by having sex with one of his father’s concubines.  And his father learned of this act.  Nothing was said, but his father never forgot it.  At the […]

Seventeen year old Joseph was sold as a slave into Egypt by his ten older brothers.  What went through his mind?  Unbelief at the hatred and the viciousness of his brothers?  He was his father’s favorite; but, that did not protect him far from home. His brothers were intent on getting rid of Joseph by […]

Ten brothers sat down to a meal out in a field where they were working as shepherds.  As they were talking they saw a camel caravan coming from Gilead, loaded down with aromatic gum, balm and myrrh.  This caravan was going south, to Egypt. A younger brother, Joseph, was in a pit where they had […]

Have you ever been “blind-sided” by a supposed friend? Joseph’s father had sent him on an errand, to check on ten brothers shepherding the flocks and herds a long way from home. Joseph was “blind-sided” by ten of his brothers.  All of them were older.  They saw him approaching and decided to kill him.  Reuben […]

What were Reuben’s motives when he spoke up against killing his brother, Joseph?  Nine brothers wanted Joseph — dead! (Genesis 37:18-20) Reuben’s words to his brothers after they plotted to kill Joseph: (NASB) Genesis 37:21-22 “But Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands and said, ‘Let us not take his life.’ 22 […]

(NASB) Proverbs 10:12 “Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers a multitude of sins.” Ten Brothers of Joseph They were shepherding flocks and herds in pastures far from home.  They saw Joseph in the distance, wearing his many colored coat.  When they saw him, they plotted right then to take his life.  They were jealous […]

Joseph was 17, yet trusted by his father, Jacob.  One day, Jacob asked Joseph to go and see how his brothers were doing as they shepherded the flocks and herds.  He willingly said he would, so he left to find his ten older brothers.  They had taken the flocks to pasture in Shechem.  When he […]

How have you learned some hard lessons?  Did the Lord use your circumstances and/or individuals to teach you His truths?  Are you turning to God more often and with a growing understanding of what He is teaching you? Joseph had a lot to learn and so did his eleven brothers. Boastfulness is pride.  Arrogance also […]

Joseph was young, seventeen, and a favorite of his father.  He was filled with pride and boasted of his elevated status.  Not a good combination!  He was envied and hated by his brothers for a lot of reasons, one being he tattled on them to his father.  Another reason, his father loved him more than […]

Jacob had a favorite among his twelve sons, Joseph.  Joseph was given a special, beautiful gift of a many colored coat.  Joseph wore it everywhere, showing it off to everyone.  How this must have irked his eleven brothers.  (Genesis 37:3) What if … Jacob had treated his sons equally? What if … Joseph’s brothers had […]