Victory Over Difficulties – Children’s Bible Lesson

Objective: When you are loyal and true to God, He will always be with you. With this comes strength and growth.

Bible Background: Genesis 37 to 45

Memory Verse: Ephesians 4:32 - Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Illustration: Use the chalkboard or dry erase board. Use the letters of Joseph’s name as an acronym to teach the main points of his life.

J – Jacob’s Favorite

O – Object of his brothers’ hatred

S – Sold as slave

E – Egyptian prisoner

P – Pharaoh’s minister

H – Helper of others

Story: You can use this summary below, or read from your favorite Bible story book.

Joseph the Dreamer

Joseph was the great-grandson of Abraham. When he was just a boy, he had a strange dream. This dream meant that he would occupy such a high position that not only his brothers, but even his father and mother would bow down to him. Perhaps he knew that this would make his brothers, who were all older than he, angry. In Joseph’s time people believed in dreams. So he did not hesitate to tell this dream.

A short time later, his father, who knew that Joseph could be depended on, sent him to carry a message to his brothers. They were a long way from home tending their flocks. The brothers were still angry with Joseph, not only because of his dream, but also because he was his father’s favorite. While they had the chance, they seized him and sold him to some traders who were going into Egypt.

Joseph a Slave

So Joseph became a slave. Could he be true, as he always had been, and yet be a slave? It was not easy, but we find him after a short time no longer a slave, but a trusted overseer in the home of Potiphar, his master.

Then someone who did not like Joseph sent a false report to his master. They told a lie about him. Potiphar thought the story was true, so he put Joseph in prison. Joseph knew that this was unfair, for he had done nothing wrong. But he made the best of the situation.

The keeper of the prison found that he was a man to be depended on, so he gave him a position of honor in the prison. He became a guard over a number of men. Two of these men were the butler and the baker of Pharaoh’s court.

These two men both had strange dreams which Joseph interpreted. After some time the dreams came true. The baker was hanged and the butler went back to the king’s court.

Joseph a Ruler

As time went on, Pharaoh, too, had a dream which no one could interpret, not even his magicians. What should he do? Through the butler, Pharaoh found out the Joseph was able to interpret dreams, so he sent for Joseph. Joseph listened to the dream; then, with God’s help he was able to interpret it. He

told the meaning: that there would be seven years of plenty and seven years of famine in Egypt.

From that time Pharaoh honored Joseph and made him the greatest man in the kingdom. He gave him great power. During the seven years of plenty, Joseph ordered that new granaries be built and all the corn stored away for the seven years of famine.

When the years of famine came, people all over the land heard that there was plenty of corn in Egypt, so they came to buy. Among the travelers were Joseph’s brothers. He knew them, but they did not know him.

Now it was Joseph’s time for getting even with his brothers. He could either punish them or save them and his father. Joseph was too great a man to think of revenge. He forgave them for all they had done, and showed them that he loved them.

Did he think of his dream? We do not know, but his brothers must have remembered. Did they bow down to him? Read Genesis 14:14.

So Joseph showed his nobility and kindness by forgiving and loving those who had tried to injure him. He also got help from Pharaoh in finding a home for them and for his father in the land of Goshen.

From “Twenty-Nine Bible Lessons for the Daily Vacation Bible School.” Copyright 1919. Adapted by Jessica Gerald of http://www.oldfashionedhomemaking.com. Commercial use is prohibited.