Meant for GoodSample

THE DREAMER

Read: Genesis 37:5-11

Discover

Joseph receives two dreams indicating that he will one day rule over his family. His brothers respond with a deepening hatred towards their brother. Jacob rebukes his son, but continues to ponder these events.

Learn

The two dreams described in this passage are significant for what they foreshadow as well as their result. In the first dream, Joseph and his brothers gather sheaves of grain in the field. When Joseph’s sheaf stands upright, his brothers’ sheaves all bow towards his. When Joseph recounts the dream to his brothers, they respond incredulously: “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” (Genesis 37:8). The dream only deepens their hatred towards Joseph.

The second dream intensifies the prophetic message of the first. In this dream, the sun, moon, and stars all bow to Joseph’s reign. This time, Joseph tells both his father and his brothers, eliciting a strong rebuke from Jacob. Again, the brothers respond with growing envy towards their brother.

If the coat of many colors was a subtle hint at Joseph’s role as a future royal figure, this pair of dreams removes all doubt. The two dreams indicate that God Himself will fulfill them (Genesis 41:32). Even Jacob’s rebuke towards Joseph is softened as he “kept the matter in mind” (Genesis 37:11), showing his own inclination to believe the authenticity of Joseph’s dreams. Surely Jacob is reminded of God’s promise earlier in Genesis that “kings would come from his body” (Genesis 35:11).

Joseph’s dreams should be received with rejoicing and celebration – God is faithful to keep His promises! Yet, when God’s plans do not match Jacob and the brothers’ expectations, Joseph’s dreams are met with rebuke, skepticism, and hatred.

Apply

Like Jacob and the brothers, so often our trust in God’s plans and purposes is contingent upon meeting our expectations. When our path begins to deviate from what we anticipated – the loss of a job, the abrupt ending of a dear friendship, the sudden illness of a family member – we begin to question God’s faithfulness. Our slavery to unmet expectations blinds us to God’s goodness and faithfulness, driving us deeper into disappointment and unbelief. How have unmet expectations produced disappointment or unbelief in your life? Take some time to be honest about the discontentment in your heart and consider sharing what you write down with your group or group leader this week.

How do we fight the disappointment of unmet expectations? We cultivate hope in the Lord. The prophet Jeremiah declared, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD” (Jeremiah 17:7). The blessed man can be free from the chains of unmet expectations because he trusts the God who is faithfully sovereign over all things and will always keep His promises. Like a tree planted by the waters, hope in the Lord is an inexhaustible fountain that always produces fruit, no matter how withering the heat or prolonged the drought (Jeremiah 17:8).