Destined to Lead—Joseph’s Dreams of Leadership Genesis 37:2-11

Dr. Jerry A. Collins

The History of the Twelve Tribes of Israel

The 12 tribes of Israel were the family groups descended from the biblical patriarch Jacob. The tribes are important because God worked through the tribes to fulfill His promises—especially the promise of bringing from the tribe of Judah, Jesus the Savior, the Lion of Judah behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David (Revelation 5:5). The 12 sons of Jacob were offspring of two of his wives and two concubines. The promises to Abraham of a land, people, and blessing would be passed onto these family groups. The future nation of Israel would be identified by these 12 sons of Jacob.

Joseph’s Leadership Over the Family Genesis 37

· This chapter provides the introduction to the Joseph story in that it lays the foundation for the crisis between Joseph and his brothers. It foreshadows through Joseph’s dreams the final resolution to the family crisis. The story develops further the history of the patriarchal family with its old animosities and its propensity to deceptive practices. The Joseph story, like the Jacob story is constructed around a journey out of the land, which was caused by deception within the family.

· Unlike Jacob, Joseph’s return to the land is not reported in the story but rather the story ends with preparation for the exodus of the family out of Canaan into Egypt. Joseph, like Jacob, endured a twenty-year period of separation from the family and ended it with a reconciliation with his brothers. However, they came to Egypt. Joseph did not return home. Like Esau, the brothers exhibited a profound change from their earlier hatred of Joseph.

The story of Joseph serves as a paradigm for the for the future 12 tribes own experience as a nation.

· Just as Joseph lived in bondage in Egypt before his deliverance and supremacy over Egypt, so would the 12 tribes as the nation of Israel.

· Just as suffering and the bondage formed tests for Joseph to see if he would keep faith and was worthy of the promise, so too the bondage of the nation was a means of discipline and preparation for the nation’s future responsibilities.

In the end, Joseph and the 12 tribes served a God who was infinitely superior to Egypt—one who controlled Egypt’s economy and whose wisdom outstripped the wisdom of Egypt. This reality would be evidenced in the nation once they settled in the Land of Promise.

· In Genesis 37 is the report of Joseph’s dreams which reveal Gods call and choice of Joseph to lead the nation. The immediate effect of this choice was the jealousy of his brothers. This jealousy eventually turned into murderous hatred. Joseph is portrayed as simply faithfully serving his father’s interests.

PT—When God chooses someone to lead, there may be envy and jealousy of the choice, and even bitter hatred, by those who may feel more qualified to have the position of leadership. The one chosen must be careful not to give occasion to find fault.

Joseph is Destined to Lead Genesis 37:2-11

Joseph, when seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic. His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms. Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. He said to them, "Please listen to this dream which I have had; for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf." Then his brothers said to him, "Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, "Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?" His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

Verse 2—Joseph, when seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives—The beginning of the story portrays Joseph as a faithful young son. The occasion for this portrayal is Joseph keeping his father’s flocks along with some of his brothers Dan and Naphtali, and Gad and Asher.

· And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father. —Joseph delivered a report of their evil deeds to Jacob. This is the first glimpse of the evil activity of Joseph’s brothers. This ‘bad report’ implies the brothers, particularly Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher in this instance, were participating in some serious wicked behavior.

PT—Such a report would not be popular and before the story gets very far, the brother’s evil will be turned upon Joseph. On the one hand, Joseph is being faithful to his father. On the other hand, he will suffer at the hand of his brothers for being a sort of tattletale because they take the evil lightly.

An Application—Joseph was faithful to his father in little things, even though unpopular—and so he will eventually be given authority over greater things. Those who would be leaders must prove faithful in the smaller responsibilities.

Verse 3—Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons—This information explains in part the brother’s animosity toward Joseph. The statement brings forward a motif that played an important role in the family of Isaac—parental favoritism. Jacob surely knew what that had done to him and his brother Esau, and to his own family. But now he showers affection on Rachel’s son Joseph. Favoritism had a long history in Jacob’s family (Isaac’s preference for Esau, Rebekah’s for Jacob, and Jacob’s preference for Rachel). In every case it created major problems. Leah was unloved, and her sons hated (cf. 29:31, 33).

· because he was the son of his old age— Son of his old age means wise son, or son of wisdom. Joseph was old for his years; he had the wisdom of age in his youth. Joseph was born when Jacob was 91 years old, but he was not Jacob’s youngest son. Benjamin, one of Joseph’s brothers, was younger than he.

· and he made him a varicolored tunic. —Jacob’s love was expressed in giving Joseph a distinctive tunic. Rather than the traditional understanding of a ‘coat of many colors’, it most likely described a sleeved coat that reached to the wrists and ankles. In any case, this tunic set Joseph apart from the rest of the clan as the favored one.

PT—One would think that Jacob would have remembered his own childhood and early days of marriage what a display of favoritism would do to his family. It had separated him from his mother, and now it would separate him from Joseph. His decision doomed his family to the same strife he had experienced in his father’s household.

Verse 4—His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers—Joseph’s brothers observed exactly what was going on between Jacob and Joseph. What they knew was that Joseph was their father’s personal favorite.

· and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms. —What is interesting is that they hated Joseph, but not Jacob. This was not unlike Cain and Abel, when Cain attacked Abel, not God. The envious usually turn their animosity toward the one who is favored. The hatred was so palpable that the brothers could not even speak to Joseph on friendly terms.

PT—The outcome of this incident reveals that Jacob acted unwisely. If the tunic anticipates Jacob’s bestowing the birthright upon Joseph, it was a premature and insensitive way to demonstrate it. The birthright would belong to Joseph, the eldest son of Rachel, due to Reuben his eldest son, forfeiting it. But Jacob had exposed Joseph to the envy of his brothers, and years of personal affliction for both himself and his son, due to distinguishing Joseph in this way.

Verse 5—Then Joseph had a dream—These dreams were revelations from God. God used dreams to predict the rule of Joseph over his family. God confirmed Jacob’s choice of his faithful son to be the leader. Joseph had two dreams—one introduced his role as leader and the other reiterated that role.

· and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. —Joseph regarded the dreams as important and so reported them to his family. The unfortunate outcome is that they hated him even more.

Verses 6-7—He said to them, "Please listen to this dream which I have had; for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field—The first dream had agricultural symbolism, possibly anticipating the manner by which Joseph would come to power in Egypt.

· and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf."—The key idea of the dream is that the brother’s symbols in the dream bowed down to Joseph, showing an act of submission. The report is vivid stood erect… and bowed down making the report both striking and animated.

Verse 8—Then his brothers said to him, "Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?"—They questioned the audacity of Joseph to actually suggest such a thing. Their interpretation of the dream was correct, and so they forcefully scoffed at such an idea. It is as if Joseph’s brothers said, “You don’t really think you will rule over us, do you? You don’t really think you will have dominion over us, do you?”

· So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. —In response to this dream report, the brothers hated Joseph all the more. The dream bothered them, as well as his telling them. One would think that Joseph would ‘get it’ by now and not incite his brothers all he more. However, it is God who is moving the narrative along and forcing the brothers to have to come to terms with God’s choice in the matter.

Verse 9—Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers—God continues His revelation of Joseph’s status within the family, and thus, amongst the 12 tribes. The additional dream would indicate this was more than just Joseph’s opinion—it was God speaking. Since it is a second dream, God, with the repetition, is underlining His choice of Joseph.

· "Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me."— This dream, using celestial images, is just a vivid as the first. The sun, moon, and stars are easily recognized for the significance for rulership. This dream, with the symbols bowing down in acts of submission, also symbolized the exaltation of Joseph over his whole family.

PT—Incidentally, the brothers would also have positions of authority and leadership, as the symbol of the stars represented, but that point was missed when all they saw was the supremacy of Joseph.

Verse 10—He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him— Jacob took note of these revelations but resented the possibility that his son might be in a position of authority over him. At first he reacted strongly, rebuking his son. The question of who should rule can be offensive to others, even to those closest to you.

· "What is this dream that you have had? —The question what is this dream that you have had? expressed Jacob’s dismay at what he perceived to be Joseph’s audacity.

· Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?"—It is as if Jacob said, “You don’t really think we will come…to bow down…do you?” Both the brothers and the father react similarly. The brothers were incredulous at the prospect of their brother ruling over them. Jacob was skeptical of the family bowing down in submission to Joseph’s leadership.

PT—God chooses faithful, righteous individuals for positions of leadership, but those chosen may experience the jealous hatred of their brethren. Many people today also are offended by God’s election of some to special prominence and usefulness. The choice of Joseph marked a change from the normal societal order, but did not differ from previous narratives in which the younger son was made lord over his older brother.

An Application—When God works out His plan for us it may often cause problems for others and for us to have to manage in order to participate in that plan. You just might get sold into slavery.

Verse 11—His brothers were jealous of him—Joseph’s brothers were already jealous of him, but this made it even worse. Such jealousy easily leads to action, as the next episode in the story shows. Yet dreams were considered a form of revelation, and their jealousy was not only of the favoritism of their father, but of the dreams.

· but his father kept the saying in mind. —After his initial reaction, Jacob then observed the saying. Apparently, Jacob kept the matter in mind due to the possibility that the dreams were actually revelation from God. He would have observed the repetition of his own beginnings in the beginnings of Joseph’s career. He would personally have known that God would select the younger over the older declaring his choice in advance by oracle or dream.

PT—His brothers hated Joseph before he ever had a vision (37:4). When he had the dreams, he simply made them known. Should we not make known the Word of God as we learn it? We know little about Joseph’s maturity or motives at this time, so there is no point in guessing. What we do know is he was (1) truthful, (2) honest, (3) obedient to his father (verse 13), and (4) he made known the Word of God, and he did that even when it caused him to be rebuked by his father and hated even more by his brothers. We should not go about preaching to everybody. But there are many significant occasions where we should make known the Word of God to those close to us, even if it affects our social standings with those people.

An Application—God will choose a faithful, righteous person for a position of leadership and influence in spite of the jealousy of others around him. Chosen leaders must discharge their duties faithfully. Those who must submit even if they feel more qualified must not become jealous nor let jealousy turn into cruel hatred.

Implications for the 12 Tribes

· That the 12 tribes would learn that God had chosen Joseph to be elevated so as to rule over his brothers.

· That like the original brothers, their posterity could create conflict due to envy and hatred based upon the tension created by the positioning of the tribes in the land.

· That God would continue to sovereignly select faithful righteous leaders amongst the tribes who would lead honorably in accord with God’s commands. The people must not set themselves against them, whether judges, priests, kings, or prophets.

· That there would be no place in leadership for such uncontrollable hatred and envy as noted amongst the tribal family of Jacob. However, leaders will unfortunately often face such opposition.

Application—God is in charge of elevating those whom he chooses for whatever purposes he has for that choice. It is a reminder that our God is orchestrating outcomes that we may not understand but require that we not set ourselves against them by jealousy, anger, or disrespect.

PT—The 12 tribes would observe that God was governing the affairs of the tribes as he did the original brothers to fulfill His promises to them. That would require faith in God’s sovereign choices for the tribes and their nation.

Review of the origins and beginnings of the 12 Tribes of Israel

· Abram is called to follow the Lord by leaving the familiar to pursue the unfamiliar Genesis 12

· Gods confirmation of Abram’s call by cutting4 an unconditional covenant with him Genesis 15

· Gods testing of Abrams faith in the promise of a son and possession of the land Genesis 22

PT—The 12 tribes had adequate credentials to be God’s people and to possess their destiny in the Land of Canaan by means of God’s promise to Abram. However, this would not come easy for either Abram or the 12 tribes.

First, Abram would have to trust God for another 25 years, approaching 100 years of age, before Isaac, his child of promise, would be born.

Second, the 12 tribes would be enslaved and oppressed for 430 years in Egypt before traversing to the Land of Canaan promised to them by God.

PT—Matthew 2:13-15 tells us that Jesus’ own exodus from Egypt fulfills Hosea 11:1, He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called My Son", identifying Jesus with Israel, God’s people.

Third, the 12 tribes would have to dispossess the Canaanites before possessing the land themselves. They would have to fight to possess their possession.

· Joseph would gain prominence in the family due to his being the firstborn and favorite son of Rachel, the wife Jacob loved.

· Jacob’s favoritism would provoke the jealousy of Joseph’s brother and the dreams God gave him would verify Joseph’s prominence amongst the brothers.

· This would lead to the next drama in the history of the patriarchal brothers—Josephs sold into slavery.