Further Study

Review Questions

These questions are designed to help you review important material covered in the lecture.

1. How did Joseph contribute to the disharmony between the brothers? How did his brothers respond to his behavior?
2. Moses highlighted the moral paths of Judah and Joseph after Joseph was sold into slavery. How did Joseph and Judah’s lives contrast during Joseph’s threatening rule in Egypt?
3. The reconciliation between the brothers developed over three highly dramatic journeys to Egypt by Joseph’s brothers. List and describe the major events that occurred during each journey.
4. How did Joseph’s benevolent rule in Egypt benefit the people of Egypt? How did it benefit his own family?
5. The end of the story of Joseph and his brothers focuses on the harmony among the patriarchs. How did Jacob’s blessings to his sons contribute to this harmony? How did Joseph’s final interactions with his brothers contribute to the patriarchal harmony?
6. What four emphases does the story of Joseph share with the records of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Give some examples of how we see these emphases in Joseph’s story.
7. In his narrative of Joseph and his brothers, Moses included the special emphases of national unity and national diversity. How did Moses expect these themes to impact his original audience?

Application Questions

Application questions are intended for group discussions.

1. Joseph suffered many injustices, yet he remained obedient to God and was eventually rewarded for his faithfulness. How might his example encourage you to stay faithful to God in the midst of difficult circumstances?
2. God gave Joseph and his brothers grace many times throughout this story, though sometimes it may not have seemed this way to them. How does this help you to recognize God’s grace and benevolence in your own life, even in the midst of life’s challenges?
3. Like Moses’ original audience, those to whom we minister need to remain loyal to God in all circumstances. How can you effectively encourage those in your church or ministry to remain faithful to God when sometimes our culture seems to be growing more hostile to Christianity?
4. At his return, Christ will provide his people with eternal blessings, just as he has promised in his Word. How might this promise of future blessings encourage and strengthen you in your present circumstances?
5. Christians are not only granted blessings, but we are also called to extend God’s blessings to others. What are some areas of need in the communities around you? What are some ways that you and your church might extend God’s blessings to those both inside and outside the community of believers?
6. We are united to all believers in all cultures as one people in the body of Christ. How should this impact the way we perceive our brothers and sisters in Christ — especially those who seem to be very different from us? How can we maintain unity with them?
7. The Joseph stories teach us that God desires diversity among his people. How has God gifted you in ways that are distinct from the believers around you? What gifts has he given others that he has not given you? How might this diversity of gifts cause you to see your need of others?
8. What is the most significant thing you learned in this lesson?