“JOSEPH HAD A DREAM!”

Genesis 37:3-11                             (ESV)

“3 Now ISRAEL LOVED JOSEPH MORE THAN ANY OTHER OF HIS SONS, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.

4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, THEY HATED HIM and COULD NOT SPEAK PEACEFULLY to him.

5 Now “JOSEPH HAD A DREAM”, and when he told it to his brothers THEY HATED HIM EVEN MORE.

6 He said to them, "Hear this dream that I have dreamed:

7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf."

8 His brothers said to him, "Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?" So THEY HATED HIM EVEN MORE for his dreams and for his words.

9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, "Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me."

10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, HIS FATHER REBUKED HIM and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?"

11 And HIS BROTHERS WERE JEALOUS of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.”

According to Scripture, Joseph was Israel’s favorite son (Genesis 37:3).  Because of his “favorite” status, he was HATED by his brothers so much so that they COULD NOT SPEAK PEACEFULLY to him! Joseph, however, apparently felt very comfortable speaking to his brothers, for he told them of a dream he had and told them exactly what he dreamed.  They didn’t like the dream because they perceived that they would be kneeling before him, subservient to him!  Keep in mind, they were all older which meant they SHOULD be ahead of him, as far the order of inheritance was concerned.  They HATED Joseph so much that they sought to eliminate his bothersome appearance.  

Eventually Joseph’s brothers threw him into a well, or a pit.  Then they saw an opportunity to sell him as a slave to some sojourners through their land.  That would solve two problems for them, and without killing their younger brother.  Joseph was sold him for twenty shekels of silver.  Was it because HIS BROTHERS WERE JEALOUS that they HATED him?  Was it possibly because he bragged about being elevated above them, or was it because they may have feared their youngest brother?  If so, what did they have to fear?  

We know that in Genesis 50:20 Scripture records “As for you (Joseph’s brothers), you meant evil against me, but GOD meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today”.  But did Joseph remember his dreams of grandeur while at the bottom of the well, or when his brothers sold him into slavery, or when Potiphar’s wife had him put into prison (Genesis 39:20)?  His dreams had him being BLESSED beyond measure, and now he found himself “in a pickle”!  

Now Scripture doesn’t specifically say that the dreams Joseph had were from GOD, but we now know that ALMIGHTY GOD had a Plan for Israel (Jacob), GOD’s Chosen people. Joseph understood that part of GOD’S Plan would be for him to serve GOD, be it in a pit or in a throne room.  He understood from these dreams that GOD had a Plan for him to be used to Glorify GOD and save his people.  Even in Joseph’s time, it was impossible to please GOD without walking by FAITH (Hebrews 11:6)! He had to follow what the Spirit of GOD was directing him to do, and bitterness towards his brothers for their decisions was not part of GOD’S Plan!  

“JOSEPH HAD A DREAM”, and that dream involved GOD using him to feed himself, his family, and even the Egyptians during a famine.  We know that GOD IS IN CONTROL, but at times we don’t know how HE wants to use us to accomplish HIS Plan for our lives!  We can have a dream, but just as Joseph did, we still have to live by FAITH to honor and glorify GOD ALMIGHTY.  “JOSEPH HAD A DREAM” and IN FAITH he lived out that dream.  By FAITH, may I complete HIS Plan for my life.....for HIS GLORY!!!