Genesis 37-41

Below are the quotes that were used in the video.

Joseph is repeatedly described as one who had God with him. From Joseph, we can learn that if God is with us, then things will work out. Yes, there may be difficulties where people don’t always like us, or we are falsely accused or misunderstood. But in the end, if God is with us, things work out very well. This week we will follow that theme as well as look at how Joseph is a type of Christ and receive some encouragement to ‘get our houses in order.’

Elder Jeffrey R Holland: “Moses (like, Joseph, and so many others in the Old Testament) was himself a prophetic symbol of the Christ who was to come” (Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon [1997], 137).

Comparing Jesus Christ and Joseph. What do the scriptures below have in common?
Read Mormon 5:14; Moses 4:2 and Genesis 37:3 - Both were a most beloved son.
Read Luke 4:16, 28–29 and Genesis 37:4 - Both were hated by the house of Israel.
Read Luke 2:46–49 and Genesis 37:2–11 - Both understood their missions in life at an early age.
Read Matthew 26:3–4 and Genesis 37:18 - People conspired against each of them.
Read Matthew 26:46–50 and Genesis 37:23–27 - Both were betrayed by people close to them who should have loved them.
Read Matthew 27:3 and Genesis 37:28 - Both were betrayed by men named Judah (Judas in Greek) and sold for pieces of silver.
Read Hebrews 4:15 and Genesis 39:7–13 - Both overcame temptation.
Read John 8:28–29 and Genesis 40:8; 41:16 - Both gave God the glory for the good things they did.
Read Mosiah 26:30 and Genesis 45:3–15 - Both willingly forgave.
Read John 6:35 and Genesis 45:7; 47:12 - Both were saviors to their people and provided saving bread.

Joseph of Egypt
His name was changed from Joseph to Zaphnath- paaneah (Genesis 41:45).	He had His name changed from His pre-mortal title, Jehovah, to His mortal name/title, Jesus the Christ.
Zaphnath-paaneah means, among other things, “Savior of the world,” “the giver of the nourishment of life,” “revealer of a secret,” and “the concealed treasure.”	Each of these titles finds direct application in the life and ministry of the Savior Jesus Christ.
He was a shepherd (Genesis 37:2).	He is the “Good Shepherd” (John 10:14).
He was his father’s chosen and dearly loved son (Genesis 37:3).	He is God the Father’s chosen and beloved Son (Mark 1:11).
He was clothed in authority and power by his father (Genesis 37:3).	He has been clothed in power and authority by His Father (JST Matthew 7:37).
He was a revelator (Genesis 37:5-10).	He is a revelator (Matthew 24).
He was fully obedient to the will of his father, responding to his call by saying “here am I” (Genesis 37:13).	He is fully obedient to the will of His Father, responding to His call by saying “here am I” (Abraham 3:27).
He was promised future sovereignty (Genesis 37:7).	He was promised future sovereignty (Revelation 11:15).
He was betrayed by his brother, Judah (Genesis 37:26).	He was betrayed by His brother in the Gospel, Judas (Matthew 10:4).
He was cast into a pit (Genesis 37:24).	He was cast into a pit (Isaiah 24:22).
He was sold for the price of a slave (Genesis 37:26-28).	He was sold for the price of a slave (Matthew 26:15).
He refused to give into temptation (Genesis 39).	He refused to give into temptation (Matthew 4:1-11).
He was falsely accused (Genesis 39:16-19).	He was falsely accused by the Sanhedrin (JST Matthew 26:59).
Joseph was 30 when he began his mission (Genesis 41:46).	Jesus was 30 when He began His mission (Luke 3:23).
He served as a savior for his people (Genesis 45:5 & 7).	He is the Savior of all people (1 Nephi 10:4).
He was initially unrecognized by his people (Genesis 45).	He was unrecognized by His people (the Jews) at His first advent (Acts 13:27).
He was only recognized and accepted by his people the second time they met (Genesis 45).	He will only be recognized by His people (the Jews) at His second advent (D & C 45:51-53).
All bowed to Joseph (Genesis 43:26-28).	All will bow to Christ (D & C 76:110).

Some suggest that it was some sort of a “ceremonial robe” with ornamentation or markings on it. For that reason, Joseph Fielding McConkie argues, “The ‘coat’ given to Joseph by Jacob was a priesthood garment.” (See Gospel Symbolism (Salt Lake City, UT: Bookcraft, 1985), 32-33.)
Genesis 37:19 - "dreamer“ is literally 'master of dreams’ (J.H. Hertz, Pentateuch & Haftorahs, Hebrew Text English Translation & Commentary, p. 143)

Hugh Nibley: “This makes it sound as though Jacob’s disbelief in the words of his sons was common knowledge in Moroni’s day. Yet, when the Book of Mormon came forth, there was no support for such a claim. However, in one 10th century Muslim document [written by Muhammad ibn-Ibrahim ath-Tha'labi], only recently discovered, we see the same story Moroni told about Jacob’s response to the news of Joseph’s death. It actually claims that Jacob told the boys “that the way the cloth is torn shows him that their story is not true: ‘Behold, if the bear had eaten him he surely would have rent his garment, and since he would (naturally) have fled towards the gate, verily the garment should have been torn behind.’ But since this is not the case it may be that Joseph still lives.” (See Hugh W. Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon, 3rd edition, (Vol. 6 of the Collected Works of Hugh Nibley), edited by John W. Welch, (Salt Lake City, Utah : Deseret Book Company ; Provo, Utah : Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1988), . 218-219.)

Compare and Contrast Judah (Gen 38) with Joseph (Gen 39) When faced with temptation, what did they do?

Judah	Joseph
Deceives a member of his family for his advantage (Gen 38:11-12).	Honest all the time (Gen 39:4, 22).
Immediately gave in to temptation.	Resisted temptation over a long period of time (Gen 38:10).
Tried to keep his sin a secret (Gen 38:22).
Humiliated when his sin was exposed (Gen 38:26).

Elder Hartman Rector, Jr: “I believe this is the greatest lesson that can be learned by the youth of Zion--to do the right thing because you love the Lord.” (Conference Report, October 1972:171).

President David O. McKay: “Resist evil, and the tempter will flee from you. If you keep your character above reproach, no matter what others may think or what charges they may make, you can hold your head erect, keep your heart light, and face the world undauntedly because you, yourself, and your God know that you have kept your soul untarnished.” (Gospel Ideals, p. 475).

In the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs (a document that comes from sometime after 250 BC) purports to be the last words of Joseph’s sons. In his last testimony, Reuben strongly condemned immorality. He speaks of his brother, Joseph, as a great example of fighting off such temptations. Reuben says that Potiphar’s wife had magicians try and hypnotize or entrance Joseph, and that she tried to get Joseph to drink potions or aphrodisiacs. According to Reuben, if you can’t control promiscuous thoughts and desires, Satan will have power over you. (See Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs - Testament of Reuben, 4:9-11, in James H. Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, two volumes (New York: Doubleday, 1983), 1:784.)

In Joseph’s last testimony, as recorded in this same ancient document, we are told Potiphar’s wife did the following things to Joseph:

She threatened Joseph’s life.
She had him tortured or beaten when he wouldn’t give in.
She offered him all that Potiphar had if he would lie with her (as she planned on killing Potiphar).
She would accost him at night in his chambers.
She would praise him for his moral strength and then ask to be taught the gospel.
She would say that she would join the Church and convince her husband to do so if he would sleep with her.
She threatened Joseph that she would kill Potiphar and then she would drug Joseph so that they would be married while he was drugged - and had no ability to fight her.
She threatened to commit suicide.
When in prison, she would send notes to him telling him that, if he would sleep with her, she would get him released from both the fetters and from jail. (See Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs - Testament of Joseph, chapters 3-9, in Charlesworth (1983), 1:819-821. )

Joseph in Prison - A narration

Narrator:
Sometime after Joseph was placed in prison, Pharaoh became upset with his chief butler and chief baker and placed them in prison. Joseph was assigned to be their servant. One night both the butler and the baker had troubling dreams. In the morning Joseph noticed that they were sad.

Joseph:
Wherefore look ye so sadly today?

Butler:
We have dreamed a dream …

Baker:
… and there is no interpreter of it.

Joseph:
Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me them, I pray you.

Narrator:
And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph.

Butler:
[Read Genesis 40:9–11, beginning with “In my dream …”]

Joseph:
[Read Genesis 40:12–15, beginning with “This is the interpretation …”]

Narrator:
When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the butler’s dream was good, he told Joseph his dream.

Baker:
[Read Genesis 40:16–17, beginning with “I also was in my dream …”]

Joseph:
[Read Genesis 40:18–19, beginning with “This is the interpretation …”]

Narrator:
[Read Genesis 40:20–23.]

President Gordon B. Hinckley: “I wish to speak to you about temporal matters.
“As a backdrop for what I wish to say, I read to you a few verses from the 41st chapter of Genesis.
Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, dreamed dreams which greatly troubled him. The wise men of his court could not give an interpretation. Joseph was then brought before him:

“Pharaoh said unto Joseph…

“I want to make it very clear that I am not prophesying, that I am not predicting years of famine in the future. But I am suggesting that the time has come to get our houses in order.

“So many of our people are living on the very edge of their incomes. In fact, some are living on borrowings... There is a portent of stormy weather ahead to which we had better give heed.

“I am troubled by the huge consumer installment debt which hangs over the people of the nation, including our own people…

“President Heber J. Grant spoke repeatedly on this matter from this pulpit. He said: “If there is any one thing that will bring peace and contentment into the human heart, and into the family, it is to live within our means. And if there is any one thing that is grinding and discouraging and disheartening, it is to have debts and obligations that one cannot meet” (Gospel Standards, comp. G. Homer Durham [1941], 111).

“We are carrying a message of self-reliance throughout the Church. Self-reliance cannot obtain when there is serious debt hanging over a household. One has neither independence nor freedom from bondage when he is obligated to others.

“In managing the affairs of the Church, we have tried to set an example. We have, as a matter of policy, stringently followed the practice of setting aside each year a percentage of the income of the Church against a possible day of need.

“I urge you … to look to the condition of your finances. I urge you to be modest in your expenditures; discipline yourselves in your purchases to avoid debt to the extent possible. Pay off debt as quickly as you can, and free yourselves from bondage.

“This is a part of the temporal gospel in which we believe. May the Lord bless you … to set your houses in order. If you have paid your debts, if you have a reserve, even though it be small, then should storms howl about your head, you will have shelter for your [family] and peace in your hearts. That’s all I have to say about it, but I wish to say it with all the emphasis of which I am capable.” (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1998/10/to-the-boys-and-to-the-men?lang=eng)

The ‘fine linen “is the material worn by the royal family and the highest officials of the kingdom.”

"The gold collar appertaining to the office of Grand Vizier. This … much-prized golden collar … was bestowed upon a public servant for distinguished achievement’” (.J.H. Hertz, Pentateuch & Haftorahs, Hebrew Text English Translation & Commentary, p. 157)

Joseph married into the elite of the nobility. His father-in-law was none other than Poti-phera, High Priest of On. This city was the great cultic center of the sun-god Re.

Joseph named the first-born Manasseh, meaning, "God has made me forget completely my hardship and my parental home."

And the second he named Ephraim, meaning, "God has made me fertile in the land of my affliction."

Teaching Thoughts:

From Joseph's life we learn that if God is with us, then …
What dating is to teenagers, _________ is to parents.
“The time has come to get our houses in order.” How?
Five-minute guest speaker on finances focusing on your class.
Discuss finances with family.
Continue to look for Christ in the stories of the Old Testament.