Leadership: Joseph As A Leader SS2 Christian Religious Studies (CRS) Lesson Note

JOSEPH AS A LEADER Genesis 37:1-28, 41:1-57; 45:1-15

To lead means to guide, conduct, persuade and direct affairs to achieve set goals. Joseph’s father was Jacob and his mother was Rachael.  He was seventeen years old when he was keeping his father’s flock with his brothers. Joseph’s brothers hated him because their father loved him more than them and as such made a coat of many colours for him and because he was the son of his old age.  Also, the relationship was further worsened by the two dreams Joseph had which he told his brothers: they bowed down before him.  They sought an opportunity to kill him afterwards.

 This opportunity came when they were pasturing the flock at Shechem and their father sent him to go and see how they were faring.  They conspired to kill him but Rueben said No that he should be cast into a pit.  He felt this would allow him to rescue him and send him to their father. They afterwards sold him off to the Ismaelite traders for 20 shekels of silver. Joseph was then taken to Egypt. In Egypt, he was sold to Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh. Joseph found favour in the sight of God and man Potiphar made him the head of all the other servants in the house.  He was later sent to prison because Portiphar’s wife lied that he wanted to sleep with her.  After two years in prison, he interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh and he was made the prime minister in Egypt.  

 After saving enough food for the days of famine ahead of them, neighbouring countries came to Egypt to buy food.  It was on one of such visits to buy food, that he met with his brothers who sold him off years back and reconciled with them and their whole family was united again.

 MAJOR TALENTS OF JOSEPH

1. Joseph was a man of immense intelligence with a special spiritual gift of interpretation of dreams.
2. Joseph was a good leader.  He performed the assignment of storage and distribution of grains which he was given in Egypt by Pharaoh so well that other nations benefited from it.
3. Despite the wickedness of his brothers, he forgave them instead of taking vengeance against them. He attributed their action to an act of God to fulfil his destiny (Gen. 45:5). This portrayed him as a good leader.
4. He respected God in all his actions; this was why he refused to commit adultery with Portiphar’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)

 LESSONS TO LEARN

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.  This fact was made clear in his statement to his brothers when he told them you meant evil against me but God meant it for good.

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

ASSIGNMENT

1. Joseph was sold to the Ismaelite for _____ pieces of silver.(a) Forty     (b) thirty    (c) twenty-five      (d)  twenty
2. Reuben advised his brothers not to kill Joseph but cast him in 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 Ismaelites sold Joseph to_______.  A. Potiphar B. Pharoah C. Ramses D. Achan

4. The years of plenty in Egypt will last for____ years in Egypt. A. six B. eight C. seven  D. five
5. The official that was restored to his office by Pharoah from prison was the____. baker B.cupbearer C. warden D. housekeeper