Joseph as a Leader Genesis 37:1-28, 41:1-57; 45:1-15
To lead means to guide, conduct, persuade and direct affairs for the purpose of achieving set goals. Joseph’s father was Jacob and his mother Rachael. He was seventeen years old when he was keeping his father’s flock with his brothers. Joseph’s brothers hated him because their father loved him more than them and as such made a coat of many colours for him and because he was the son of his old age. Also the relationship was further worsened by the two dreams Joseph had which he told his brothers: they bowed down before him. They sought an opportunity to kill him afterwards.
EVALUATION
Describe the love of Jacob for Joseph.
This opportunity came when they were pasturing the flock at Shechem and their father sent him to go and see how they were faring. They conspired to kill him but Rueben said No that he should be cast into a pit. He felt this would give him an opportunity to rescue him and send him to their father. They afterwards sold him off to the Ismaelite traders for 20 shekels of silver. Joseph was then taken to Egypt. In Egypt he was sold to Portiphar, an official of Pharaoh. Joseph found favour in the sight of God and man Portiphar made him the head of all the other servants in the house. He was later sent to prison because Portiphar’s wife lied that he wanted to sleep with her. After two years in prison, he interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh and he was made the prime minister in Egypt.
After saving enough food for the days of famine ahead of them, neighbouring countries came to Egypt to buy food. It was on one of such visits of coming to buy food, he met with his brothers who sold him off years back and reconciled with them and their whole family was united again.
EVALUATION
Describe the dreams of Joseph.
Major Talents of Joseph
- Joseph was a man of immense intelligence with special spiritual gift of interpretation
of dreams.
- Joseph was a good leader. He performed the assignment of storage and distribution of
grains which he was given in Egypt by Pharaoh so well that other nations benefited
from it.
- Despite the wickedness of his brothers, he forgave them instead of taking vengeance
against them. He attributed their action to an act of God to fulfill his destiny (Gen.
45:5). This portrayed him as a good leader.
- He respected God in all his actions this was why he refused to commit adultery with
Portiphar’s wife.
- He had high sense of humility. He acknowledged God as the owner of the divine
wisdom in him (Gen. 41:16)
Lessons to Learn
1. God turns disappointment, frustration and misfortune to blessing when one trust and believes in Him, just as Joseph trusted and believed in the God he served. This fact was made clear in his statement to his brothers when he told them you meant evil against me but God meant it for good.
2. Christians should always humble themselves and be at peace with everybody because they do not know whom God will use to bless them. It was the chief butler that recommended Joseph to Pharaoh because they had a good relationship while they were together in prison.
JOSEPH’S EARLY LIFE AND ARRIVAL IN EGYPT
Joseph was ordained by God to be a leader. He dreamt twice about it but his brothers who were jealous of him sold him into slavery in the land of Egypt. It was there in Egypt that he rose to become to the governor. Joseph was a God-fearing man who also demonstrated leadership qualities of discipline, hardwork, accountability and responsibility. He was a man of tender heart who reconciled with his brothers despite what they did to him when they came to Egypt to buy food during the time of famine
JOSEPH AS THE GOVERNOR OF EGYPT (Genesis 41:10-57)
Two years after Joseph had interpreted dreams in prison, Pharaoh himself had two dreams in his first dream, seven lean cows ate up seven fat cows. In his second dream, seven ears of grain ate up seven plump ears of grains. Pharaoh called all the magicians and wise men in Egypt, but none of them could interpret the dreams. The butler then remembered Joseph who had interpreted his dream in prison. Joseph was taken out of prison to interpret the dreams. He interpreted that the seven fat cows and the seven plump grains represented seven years of plenty while the seven lean cows and the seven thin grains represented seven years of famine.
After the interpretation was done, Joseph recommended to Pharaoh that he should appoint a wise and discreet person to be govern in charge and store enough grains during the seven years of plenty which could be made use of during the seven years of famine. Then Pharaoh appointed Joseph as governor of Egypt because Pharaoh could sense that the spirit of God was in him. Joseph rose from slavery to the position of high authority and influence in Egypt. Joseph was thirty years old when he became the governor of Egypt. Joseph started work immediately he was appointed. He was in his office directing affairs. After his appointment, the travelled throughout the land of Egypt.
When directing seven years of famine began, people went to Pharaoh for food, But he directed them to Joseph.
Joseph wisely sold the food to the people so that everyone could have enough during the seven years period of famine. People from other countries also came to Joseph to buy food.
JOSEPH RECONCILES WITH HIS BROTHERS (Genesis 45:1-15)
Joseph did not reveal himself to his brothers when they came for the first time to Egypt to buy food instead he said they were spies and threatened to put them in prison.
The second time Joseph asked all the officers and workers in his house to go out: when he was left alone, he wept loud and then forgave and reconciled with his brothers. After he had wept, he said to his brother: “I am Joseph, is my father still alive?”
His brothers were shocked and surprised by what had happened. They were speechless, because they fell guilty. They did not expect that Joseph could become a governor in Egypt. They thought he would punish them for what they did to him in the past.
Joseph could read their mind and then asked them to draw closer to him and said to them again:
“I am your brother Joseph whom you sold into Egypt”. He told them not to be distressed for what they did to him was in accordance with the plan of God so that their lives could be preserved. He said they should return and bring their father to Egypt because the famine remained five years.
He also told them to bring the entire family with their property so as to dwell in Egypt for the period of famine. Joseph’s family settled in Goshen where they multiplied and prospered greatly.
EVALUATION
Mention three talents of Joseph.
GENERAL EVALUATION/REVISION QUESTIONS
- Describe the life of Joseph in Portiphar’s house.
- Describe the skills of Joseph as governor of Egypt.
- What five lessons can we learn from Paul’s reconciliation bid?
- State two reasons why a Christian should forgive others
READING ASSIGNMENT
Comprehensive Christian Religious Knoledge for SS 1-3. By Martins I. Amaechi, pgs 25-27
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT
- Joseph was sold to the Ismaelite for _____ pieces of silver.
(a) Forty (b) thirty (c) twenty-five (d) twenty
2. Reuben advised his brothers not to kill Joseph but cast him in a pit because he ____
(a) did not want them to shed the blood of an innocent person (b) wanted to rescue him afterwards and bring him safely to their father (c) loved his brother dearly (d) wanted to bury him alive in the pit
3. The Ismaelites sold Joseph to_______. A. Portiphar B. Pharoah C. Ramses D. Achan
4. The years of plenty in Egypt will last for____ years in Egypt. A. six B. eight C. seven
D. five
5. The official that was restored back to his office by Pharoah from prison was the____.
A. baker B.cupbearer C. warden D. housekeeper
THEORY
- Describe the life of Joseph in Portiphar’s house.
- Describe the skills of Joseph as governor of Egypt.
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