Genesis 37:5-11

And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. {6} And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: {7} For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. {8} And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. {9} And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. {10} And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? {11} And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

 

I.    There are two dreams, both of which mean the same thing.

A.     It is remarkable that the brothers correctly interpreted the dreams.

1.       Judges 7:13,14 - The Midianites both dreamed and interpreted a dream that was against them.

2.       Matt. 21:45 - When Jesus spoke a parable against the Pharisees, they understood it was against them.

3.       When the gospel is preached, lost sinners realize it is against them.

4.       When the truth is preach, saved sinners realize it is against them.

B.     It is remarkable that the brothers hated Joseph even more after he told them his dreams.

1.       You would think there was a limit to hate, but there isn't.

2.       Just as there are degrees to love, there are degrees to hate.

C.     It is remarkable that Joseph kept telling his brothers about his dreams, and their hatred of him grew stronger and stronger.

1.       You would think that Joseph could tell by the expression of his brothers faces that they didn't want to hear about his dreams.

2.       I believe God hid the brothers hatred for Joseph from both Joseph and Jacob.

3.       When Joseph's dreams come true, everybody will understand that God has used Joseph to keep Israel alive.

 

II.    It is also remarkable that Joseph correctly dreamed about future blessings, but he didn't dream about future torments.

A.     Most young people start out in life with no thoughts of trouble or problems.

1.       Their lives will be filled only with prosperity.  They simply don't think things will go wrong.  Maybe it will go wrong for somebody else, but not for them.

2.       This is the reason many young people get hooked on drugs.  They believe they are invincible, and the drugs won't hurt them, they will receive only the temporary joy drugs give.

3.       They don't believe the pre-martial sex will hurt them, they don't understand the consequences of sin will be paid for by a life time of regret and sorrow.

4.       They marry quickly, with little foresight, not understanding what a responsibility a marriage is.  Then when bills, children, and a broken down car, and disagreements come along, they don't know how to handle it.  So they leave the marriage, getting a divorce, because they think that is the only way out.  They do not understand the unending trauma of a divorce.

B.     God didn't show him the future trouble he would have because there was no need to discourage him before he was in a position to receive the blessings.

C.     It is very likely that Joseph continued trusting in God because of the future blessings that let him get through the times of trouble.

D.     Heb. 12:1,2 - Jesus endured the suffering of his life because he was looking forward to the joy that should come after.  So we should also.

 

III.    What is meant by the mother of the second dream?

A.     Joseph's mother was dead, so she certainly wouldn't bow down and give him obeisance.

B.     Joseph probably did have a substitute mother.

1.       We are not told this in scripture.

2.       Who it is we are not told.

3.       But it does sound reasonable that one of the women around there would take him in.

4.       I'm sure one of the women took in Benjamin, and nursed him, or else he would have died.

C.     I believe it is meant that the entire family of Joseph would recognize him as a ruler over them.

 

IV.    The rebuke by Jacob.

A.     Jacob, like the brother, immediately understood the meaning of the dreams.

B.     Jacob and his sons reacted differently to the dream.

1.       Jacob observed the saying.  This means to hedge about, to guard, to protect, take heed.  So Jacob kept these things in his mind, like Mary kept in her heart the things Simeon told her about Jesus, her son.

2.    The brothers envied Joseph.  This means to be jealous or zealous in a bad sense.  Their hatred for Joseph grew and grew until it reached unreasonable bounds.  Hatred is like a cancer that eventually eats life.