Genesis 37:1-11 - Joseph had a Dream

Genesis 37:1-11

Joseph Dreams of Greatness

1 Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. 2 This is the history of Jacob.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic 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 peaceably to him.

5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. 6 So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”

8 And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

9 Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”

10 So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” 11 And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

Israel’s history of beginnings is seen here, how he lived in Canaan where his father Isaac had sojourned as a wandering stranger and pilgrim as we are in this world in Christ (Ephesians 2:12, 19, Hebrews 11:13), seeking the homeland of a lasting country of promise.  His son Joseph the younger was the child of Rachel along with Benjamin the youngest was loved most by Jacob (now Israel) because he was the son of his old age and of his most-loved wife, and the other brothers were exceedingly jealous of the attention he received from their father.  They went out of their way to slander him to their father as if to make him less loved, but that did not seem to work at all.  The brothers got to the point where just seeing Joseph in the light of their father’s love made them furious with rage to the point that they were no longer able to speak peaceably with him.  How jealousy can tear the fabric of a family apart!  We are to guard against this sin with all our hearts to avoid what the brothers of Joseph were about to do in their hate.  The tipping point was when the LORD spoke to their brother in a dream which he told them in good faith to share the mystery of God’s revealed will to them all through Joseph.  He told,of how the sheaves of bundled grain from the harvest were in the field and how his stood up while the others bowed in submission to him.  They really had their blood boil in the pride of being older brothers and having to bow to the younger like this.  I imagine they thought he made up the dream and missed the point of what God was going to accomplish (Genesis 42:6, 27:29) through Joseph who would be in a position to later deliver them in the days he reigned by pharaoh’s side.  The brother’s hatred was incensed even more at the dream revealed to them as they unwittingly fought against God Himself.  They looked at his special coat of myriad colors and envied the love of their father for him, and now this dreamer dared to exalt himself over them!  It was just too much for their pride.  The second dream of Joseph just added fuel to the fire of their rage.  Joseph saw the sun, moon, and stars all bow down to him as if signifying that his parents and brothers would all bow down to his authority over them.  The sibling rivalry had peaked in wrath and jealousy, but Israel secretly pondered the meaning to him much like when Mary heard of the wonderful things of her divine child who was given to her to save the world (Luke 2:18-19), no doubt because he realized it was too wonderful to not be from the LORD God.  When the Lord moves one of His servants to speak or do something marvelous for the gospel’s sake, do we react in envy or in awe and give glory to God and thankfulness for the faithfulness of the ones He chooses to use instead of us?  Joseph had a dream.  We have His word, Spirit, and individual callings as members of His body that should work together and not in discord (Philippians 2:1-2, 3-4, 4:2) to serve our head who is Christ over us and working through us all individually (Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 12:11, 27) for His glory and the sake of the gospel of grace and peace.  What is our dream, calling, gifting, or leading to serve one another?  What is our motivation, jealousy or unity?