Genesis 37:12-22 – Ready To Kill
Jacob wants to send Joseph to check up on his brothers. Perhaps this is what happened before when Joseph was forced to bring back a bad report. Joseph is willing to do what his father says even though it must be an awkward situation to be sent by his father as a supervisor to his older brothers.
But when Joseph’s brothers see him coming, they can’t take it any more. Their hatred has grown so much that they decide to murder him in cold blood. They can’t stand his dreams and the thought of bowing to him. They decide to cover up Joseph’s murder with a lie. But no matter how much people hate God’s plans, they can’t thwart them.
God can raise up friends for His people even among their enemies because He holds all hearts in his hand. Reuben has the most reason to be jealous of Joseph because he is the first-born and the one who should be honoured, but he is the one who defends Joseph.
Joseph is a picture of Christ here. Even though Jesus is the beloved Son of His Father and hated by a wicked world, God sends Him from Heaven to visit us in humility and love, to seek and save us. Jesus came to His own people, but they did not receive Him. Instead, they conspired to kill Him. Christ allowed Himself to be killed in order to fulfil God’s plan to redeem and save us.
Questions
- What does Jacob send Joseph to do?
- What do Joseph’s brothers want to do?
- Who defends Joseph?
Prayer Points
- Pray that we would grow as Christians.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters