Genesis 42-45

A lot of ground to cover this week, as we near the end of Genesis. This week's lesson takes us through an elaborate deception Joseph uses to alternately test, measure, and even "mess with" his brothers as they come to him to both symbolically and literally fulfill the prophecy of Joseph's original dream (they would bow down to him).

We can learn a lot from each of the characters in this story, including Joseph, Israel, and more than one of Joseph's brothers. The climax of the whole story, though, occurs when Judah, referring to himself repeatedly as Joseph's "servant" offers himself as the substitute to pay the penalty for the theft Benjamin is accused of. This is the same Judah who had cooked up the scheme to sell Joseph into slavery for profit and subsequently fake his death. It also is the same Judah through whose lineage would come another servant who would offer himself as the substitute to pay the penalty of others. How beautiful is God's word to explore?!

To download this week's lesson notes, click here.

God Bless You.

Matt