Leadership: Joseph as a Leader – SS2 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

To lead means to guide, conduct, persuade and direct affairs to achieve set goals. Joseph, the son of Jacob and Rachel, was sold into Egypt by his brothers and later became prime minister there. He stored food for the years of famine, forgave his brothers and gave God the credit for his wisdom.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• state the meaning of leadership;
• narrate how Joseph rose from slave and prisoner to prime minister of Egypt;
• list the major talents and qualities of Joseph as a leader;
• explain the lessons Christians can learn from Joseph’s life.

Joseph as a leader (Genesis 37:1-28; 41:1-57; 45:1-15)

Why did Joseph’s brothers hate him?

Joseph’s father was Jacob and his mother was Rachel. He was seventeen years old when he was keeping his father’s flock with his brothers. His brothers hated him because their father loved him more than them. Jacob made a coat of many colours for him because he was the son of his old age.

The relationship worsened further because of two dreams Joseph told his brothers, in which they bowed down before him. They then looked for an opportunity to kill him.

How was Joseph sold into Egypt?

The opportunity came when they were pasturing the flock at Shechem and their father sent Joseph to see how they were faring. They conspired to kill him, but Reuben said no and asked that he be cast into a pit. He felt this would allow him to rescue Joseph and send him back to their father. The brothers afterwards sold Joseph to Ishmaelite traders for 20 shekels of silver, and he was taken to Egypt.

How did Joseph rise to power in Egypt?

In Egypt, Joseph was sold to Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh. Joseph found favour in the sight of God and man, and Potiphar made him head of all the other servants in the house. He was later sent to prison because Potiphar’s wife lied that he wanted to sleep with her. After two years in prison, he interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh and was made prime minister of Egypt.

How did Joseph meet his brothers again?

Joseph saved enough food for the days of famine ahead. When the famine came, neighbouring countries came to Egypt to buy food. On one of these visits, he met the brothers who had sold him years before. He reconciled with them, and the whole family was united again.

What were the major talents of Joseph?

1. Joseph was a man of immense intelligence with a special spiritual gift of interpreting dreams.
2. Joseph was a good leader. He did the assignment of storing and distributing grain, which Pharaoh gave him, so well that other nations benefited from it.
3. Despite the wickedness of his brothers, he forgave them instead of taking vengeance. He saw their action as an act of God to fulfil his destiny (Gen. 45:5). This showed him to be a good leader.
4. He respected God in all his actions. This was why he refused to commit adultery with Potiphar’s wife.
5. He had a high sense of humility. He acknowledged God as the owner of the divine wisdom in him (Gen. 41:16).

What lessons can we learn from Joseph’s life?

God turns disappointment, frustration and misfortune into a blessing when one trusts and believes in Him, just as Joseph trusted and believed in the God he served. Joseph made this clear when he told his brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”

Christians should humble themselves and be at peace with everybody, because they do not know whom God will use to bless them. The chief butler recommended Joseph to Pharaoh because they had a good relationship while they were together in prison.

Evaluation

1. What does it mean to lead?
2. Give two reasons why Joseph’s brothers hated him.
3. Why did Reuben ask that Joseph be cast into a pit?
4. State three qualities that made Joseph a good leader.
5. Why did the chief butler recommend Joseph to Pharaoh?

Assignment

1. Joseph was sold to the Ishmaelites for _____ pieces of silver. (a) Forty (b) Thirty (c) Twenty-five (d) Twenty
2. Reuben advised his brothers not to kill Joseph but to cast him into a pit because he _____ (a) did not want them to shed the blood of an innocent person (b) wanted to rescue him afterwards and bring him safely to their father (c) loved his brother dearly (d) wanted to bury him alive in the pit
3. The Ishmaelites sold Joseph to _____ (A) Potiphar (B) Pharaoh (C) Ramses (D) Achan
4. The years of plenty in Egypt lasted for _____ years. (A) six (B) eight (C) seven (D) five
5. The official who was restored to his office by Pharaoh from prison was the _____ (A) baker (B) cupbearer (C) warden (D) housekeeper