Intermediate Level, Block 3—Good Land to Egypt
Week 25
Joseph—Cared For by God
Point to Emphasize: Whether things seem good or bad, God is always taking care of us.
Reference Reading: Genesis 37:12-36; 39:1-6
Memory Verse: Jehovah was with Joseph, and He extended kindness to him. (Genesis 39:21)
Story Sample
One day, Joseph’s brothers were out shepherding the flock, and their father sent Joseph to find them and see how they were doing. When Joseph’s brothers saw him, they were not happy though. They were still angry and jealous that their father had given him the coat of many colors and that he had had those two dreams about his brothers and father bowing to him. They were so angry that they came up with a plan to get rid of him. How terrible! They decided to kill him, throw him into a pit, and lie to their father saying that wild beasts had devoured him. Can you imagine someone being so cruel to someone else—especially their own younger brother? Joseph’s brothers were really terrible. They let their anger get the best of them.
The oldest brother, Reuben, realized they should not do these things to Joseph. He knew that this wasn’t the right way to treat another person, so he tried to make things a little better. He suggested that rather than kill Joseph, they just threw him into the pit. Secretly, Reuben had planned to come back later and rescue Joseph. The brothers agreed to go along with Reuben’s plan and let Joseph live—they would do as Reuben suggested and just throw him into the pit. This is not as bad as their original plan, but it is still a really terrible thing to do, isn’t it?
Nevertheless, they did just as Reuben had suggested. When Joseph came to them, they tore off his coat of many colors and threw him into the pit. They were planning to leave him there, but one of the brothers, Judah, had another idea. Judah said that they should sell Joseph to some traders who were passing by. These brothers! They were really something. Because they were so angry and jealous, they did such terrible things. They sold their brother, and lied to their father saying that beasts had devoured Joseph.
Can you imagine how Joseph must have felt? His brothers treated him so badly. I think I can understand a little how he felt. When I was young, I had a group of friends at school. We were really close, and we played together every day at recess. Then one day, we had a fight, and after that all the other girls turned against me. Everyone else was still friends with the others, but no one liked me. I hadn’t done anything wrong; it was just a big misunderstanding. But everyone was mad at me and I was so sad. Later, we all apologized and made up, but at the time, I felt so alone and disliked. [Storyteller, insert your own story.] I think that’s how Joseph might have felt—alone and sad. And he was probably scared, too! But he was going to be ok, because God was watching over him. God took care of Joseph and arranged for him to be sold to a man named Potiphar, who worked for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Joseph’s brothers might have wanted to see Joseph suffer a lot, but God was doing something else. Potiphar realized that God was with Joseph, and so he took care of Joseph and gave him authority and power in Egypt. Joseph ended up being one of the most powerful people in Egypt!
Sometimes we might feel like Joseph—it might feel like everyone has forgotten us, or doesn’t like us, or that we are not wanted. But God is with us, just like He was with Joseph. God took care of Joseph, and He is taking care of us. He is watching over us, caring for us, and loving us. Do you remember how we learned of Abraham talking to God? Well, when we feel like Joseph, we can talk to God, too. We can tell Him how we feel, because He is with us all the time, caring for us.