The book of Genesis offers us so many vast topics from which to choose a theme hymn. As we are starting at the very beginning, I would like to give praise to our Creator of heaven and earth in singing
Hymn 320 – Lord of Creation and
Hymn 2 – All Creatures of Our God and King. The stories that follow creation will lean back towards our amazing God and what He has done for each of us in creation.

Sabbath afternoon’s introduction to our week of study brings back to us our previous studies during this quarter, reiterating the great patriarchs of Genesis prior to Joseph: 
Hymn 11 – The God of Abraham Praise and
Hymn 645 – God of Our Fathers. Sunday continues looking back to Isaac who “was only a ‘stranger’ “:
Hymn 445 – I’m But a Stranger Here.

On following the example of Joseph (Monday) all will be well with our fellowmen if we ask
O For a Heart to Praise My God – Hymn 323 and
Hymn 639 – A Diligent and Grateful Heart.

The outcome for Judah and Tamar (Tuesday) shows God’s Amazing Grace – Hymn 108 and Hymn 109 – Marvelous Grace.

Wednesday shares the story of Joseph as a servant/slave in Egypt showing his trust in God. Today we are able to be a servant for our God: Hymn 256 – Ye Servants of God and Hymn 597 – Ye Servants of The Lord. “The Lord acts, and it has an impact on Joseph’s relationship with the officer of the prison. Here, too, as in his master’s house, the Lord blesses”: Hymn 195 – Showers of Blessings.

The dreams continue on Thursday, this time for the butler, the baker and Pharoah. We can request dreams in
Hymn 47 – God, Who Made the Earth and Heaven (verse 1) or not request as in
Hymn 266 – Spirit of God. One of the most beautiful aspects of our dreams is to be
Nearer My God, to Thee – Hymn 473 (verse 2). At the end of Thursday, Joseph could be found singing
I Sing the Mighty Power of God – Hymn 88.

God’s abundant blessings this quarter as we study through the first book of the Bible which our gracious God has given. May we be faithful and all say “Come, Lord Jesus, come – very soon” so we are able to go to our new home in Heaven, as
We Have This Hope – Hymn 214.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing, but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

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The story of Tamar is not out of place here. This incident follows chronologically the sale of Joseph in Egypt (Genesis 38:1), and it is consistent with the fact that Judah has just left his brothers, which points to his disagreement with them. In addition, the text shares a number of common words and motifs with the preceding chapter, and it carries the same theological lesson: an evil act that will be turned into a positive event linked to salvation.

Read Genesis 38:1-30. Compare Judah’s behavior with that of the Canaanite Tamar. Who of the two is the more righteous, and why?

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Judah finds a Canaanite wife (Genesis 38:2) with whom he has three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. Judah gives the Canaanite Tamar as wife to Er, his firstborn, in order to ensure proper genealogy. When Er and Onan are killed by God because of their wickedness, Judah promises his last son, Shelah, to Tamar.

When, after some time, Judah seems to have forgotten his promise, as he goes to comfort himself after the death of his wife, Tamar decides to play the prostitute in order to force him to fulfill his promise. Because Judah has no cash to pay the prostitute, whom he does not recognize, he promises to send her later a goat from his flock.

Tamar, meanwhile, requires that he give her, in the meantime, as an immediate guarantee of payment, his signet and cord and his staff. Tamar will get pregnant from this unique encounter. When later, accused of playing the harlot, she will show to the accuser Judah his signet and cord and his staff. Judah understands and apologizes.

The conclusion of this sordid story is the birth of Perez, meaning “breaking through,” who, like Jacob, was born second, and became first, and was named in salvation history as the ancestor of David (Ruth 4:18-22), and ultimately of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:3). As for Tamar, she is the first of the four women, followed by Rahab (Matthew 1:5-6), Ruth (, Matthew 1:6), and the wife of Uriah (Matthew 1:6) who genealogically preceded Mary, the mother of Jesus (Matthew 1:16).

One lesson we can take from this story: just as God saved Tamar through His grace, transforming evil into good, so will He save His people through the cross of Jesus. And in the case of Joseph, He will turn the troubles of Joseph into the salvation of Jacob and his sons.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

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However horrible the events that were to follow, they’re not hard to comprehend. To be in that close proximity to, and even to be related to, someone whom you hated would inevitably lead, sooner or later, only to trouble.

And it did.

Read Genesis 37:12-36. What does this teach us about how dangerous and evil unregenerate hearts can be and to what they can lead any one of us to do?

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The brothers hated Joseph because they were jealous of God’s favor (Acts 7:9), a favor that will be confirmed at each step in the next course of events. When Joseph has lost his way, a man finds him and guides him (Genesis 37:15). When Joseph’s brothers plot to kill him, Reuben intervenes and suggests that he be thrown into a pit instead (Genesis 37:20-22).

It’s hard to imagine the kind of hatred expressed here, especially for someone of their own household. How could these young men have done something so cruel? Did they not think, even for a few moments, about how this would impact their own father? Whatever resentment they might have had toward their father because he favored Joseph, to do this to one of his children was, truly, despicable. What a powerful manifestation of just how evil human beings can be.

“But some of them [the brothers] were ill at ease; they did not feel the satisfaction they had anticipated from their revenge. Soon a company of travelers was seen approaching. It was a caravan of Ishmaelites from beyond Jordan, on their way to Egypt with spices and other merchandise. Judah now proposed to sell their brother to these heathen traders instead of leaving him to die. While he would be effectually put out of their way, they would remain clear of his blood.” — Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 211.

After they cast him into the pit, planning to kill him later, a caravan passes, and Judah proposes to his brothers to sell Joseph to them (Genesis 37:26-27). After Joseph is sold to the Midianites (Genesis 37:28), the Midianites sell him to someone in Egypt (Genesis 37:36), thus anticipating his future glory.

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

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Jacob has, at last, settled in the land. While Isaac was only “a stranger,” the text also says that Jacob “dwelt in the land” (Genesis 37:1). Yet, it was then, as he was settling into the land, that the troubles began, this time from inside the family. The controversy does not concern the possession of the land or the use of a well; it is, mainly, spiritual.

Read Genesis 37:1-11. What family dynamic predisposed Joseph’s brothers to hate him so much?

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From the very beginning, we understand that Joseph, the son of Jacob’s old age (Genesis 37:3), enjoyed a special relationship with his father, who “loved him more than all his brothers” (Genesis 37:4, NKJV). He even went so far as to make Joseph “a tunic of many colors” (Genesis 37:3, NKJV), a prince’s garment (2 Samuel 13:18), an indication of Jacob’s secret intention to elevate Joseph, Rachel’s first son, to the status of firstborn.

The future will, indeed, confirm Jacob’s wishes because Joseph will eventually receive the rights of the firstborn (1 Chronicles 5:2). No wonder, then, that Joseph’s brothers hated him so much and could not even engage in peaceful conversations with him (Genesis 37:4).

Furthermore, Joseph would bring bad reports to his father about any reprehensible behavior from his brothers (Genesis 37:2). No one likes a snitch.

So when Joseph shared his dreams, suggesting that God would put him in a higher position and that they, his brothers, would bow before him, they hated him even more. The genuine prophetic character of the dreams is even ratified by the fact that they are repeated (see Genesis 41:32). Although Jacob openly rebuked his son (Genesis 37:10), he kept this incident in his mind, meditating about its meaning and waiting for its fulfillment (Genesis 37:11). The implication is that, perhaps, deep down he thought that there might be something to these dreams after all. He was right, however much he couldn’t know it at the time.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Genesis 37:1-36; Matthew 20:26-27; Acts 7:9; Genesis 38:1-30; Genesis 39:1-23; Genesis 40:1-41:36.

Memory Text: “Then they said to one another, ‘Look, this dreamer is coming!’” (Genesis 37:19, NKJV).

The story of Joseph (Genesis chapters 37-50) covers the last section of the book of Genesis, from his first dreams in Canaan (Genesis 37:1-11) to his death in Egypt (Genesis 50:26). In fact, Joseph occupies more space in the book of Genesis than does any other patriarch. Although Joseph is just one of Jacob’s sons, he is presented in Genesis as a great patriarch, like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

As we will see, too, the life of Joseph highlights two important theological truths: first, God fulfills His promises; second, God can turn evil into good.

In this week’s study, we will focus on the early life of Joseph. He is Jacob’s favorite son, who is ironically nicknamed ba‘al hakhalomot, the “dreamer” (Genesis 37:19), which means literally “master of dreams,” implying that he is an expert of dreams. This title fits him very well, because he not only receives, understands, and interprets prophetic dreams, but he also fulfills them in his life as well.

In these chapters, we will see, again, that God’s providence is affirmed, even despite the evil and wickedness of the human heart.

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, June 11.

Sunday–>

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