Bible Study Lessons — Genesis 37:12-36
This is a reading you’ve heard before, where Judah and his brothers sell Joseph into slavery.
Taking matters into their own hands through the boiling anger, brothers first decided to kill Joseph.
Instead, they opted to sell him into slavery.
This study of Genesis explores how jealousy can make people do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do.
Let’s talk about anger and sin.
Joseph – Sold into Slavery!
Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood?
Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him.
Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver.
Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt. – Genesis 37:26-28 NASB
Do you have any brothers or sisters?
If so, at one time or another you may have been on the verge of selling one of them into slavery. Am I right?
Well, maybe you didn’t go that far but, as we saw in the previous passage Genesis 37:1-10 the brothers literally hated Joseph enough to plot his murder.
Their jealousy had become so profound that it was now more of a rage and out of control.
Joseph was only spared because God had something else planned for his life.
He worked through Reuben and Judah to spare Joseph for His service in Egypt.
Now, back to the opening statement. Have you ever been jealous enough of anyone (sibling or others) to think about killing them?
Before answering, look at what happened to Joseph.
Dealing with Jealousy
We all feel envy and jealousy in certain situations, and the time to deal with it is before the jealousy gets out of hand.
If you decide not to deal with the jealous feelings, these feelings could grow into unchecked rage.
By then it may be too late to control the anger.
The courts would call what Joseph’s brothers did a “crime of passion” which means there was very little time to plot and plan for premeditated murder.
At least they decided in the end to sell Joseph instead of killing him.
After all, he was “their brother“.
[easyazon_image align=”left” height=”160″ identifier=”0781414199″ locale=”US” src=”https://makingchristknown.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/51LIBYBeXEL.SL160.jpg” tag=”bobpardphot-20″ width=”107″]When you find yourself keeping tabs of what you have, and comparing to what someone else possesses, it’s time to deal with your jealousy.
Remember that sin is many times committed in the mind first. Maybe the action is never carried out but it’s still a sin just the same.
Let’s ask God to forgive us for our thoughts of doing harm to another human being and ask Him to help us with our sins of greed and envy.
Love in Christ
– Bob
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