Joseph Saves His Family

Genesis 42-46

For the first seven years, Joseph was in charge of gathering extra food for the people of Egypt.  That way, when hardly any crops grew, there would be plenty to eat.

The seven bad years began, and people in other countries had no food at all.  Even Joseph’s family did not have enough to eat.  So Joseph’s father sent his sons to Egypt to buy some food.

When the brothers arrived in Egypt, they went to Joseph and bowed down to him.  They did not know he was their brother.  But Joseph knew.  Joseph sold them some food.  Then the brothers left to go home.

Sometime later, they returned to buy more food.  Just as Joseph had dreamed, they bowed down to him—again.

“I am your brother!”  His brothers were afraid!

But Joseph told them not to be afraid.  “God meant it for good.  He had a special plan for me,” he said.  They all hugged.

Joseph’s brothers rushed home.  They told their father what had happened.  Jacob was so happy to hear that Joseph was alive.  The whole family moved to Egypt.

Discussion Questions

• What was Joseph in charge of in Egypt? Gathering extra food for the first seven years

• What happen the when the bad years began? People from other countries did not have enough to eat, even Joseph’s own family

• Did Joseph’s brothers know who sold them the food?   No

• Did Joseph know who they were?  Yes

• Joseph’s brother returned another time to buy food.  How did he know for sure they were his brothers? Joseph had a dream they would bow down to him again.

• Were the brothers afraid?  Yes, but Joseph told them don’t be afraid God meant no harm!

Prayer

Dear God, thank you for this story.  We pray that we are always faithful to follow God and forgive others.  Amen 

Memory Verse

“Lead me in your truth, teach me, for you are God my Savior.”   Psalm 25:5

Activity:  A Family Reunion

In our story Joseph was reunited with his family.  In today’s time, we often have a gathering called a family reunion to reconnect with family we don’t see very often.

Take time to plan a small family reunion!  Nothing fancy….gather at the park or picnic in your living room.  Invite your grandparents or other family members over to share a snack or meal.

During this time discuss the bible story!  

Forgiveness Activities:

MINDING MONEY: Scatter money over a large designated area inside your home. Divide your family into two teams and have children take turns running after ONE money bill and bringing back to offering plate for their team. Continue until all the money has been collected. Then count the money and see which team has the most money.

FORGIVING MUSICAL CHAIRS: Play musical chairs in the usual way but when someone is OUT (left without a chair), that one will share an idea about who or what we may need to forgive or ask forgiveness for and then will stand or sit in the middle of the musical chairs as the game continues.

Pharaoh’s Dreams

Genesis 39-41

The traders took Joseph to Egypt.  He was thrown into jail  But he did nothing wrong.  Joseph trusted God to help him.  He made friends with some of the prisoners. 

One of them had been a wine taster for Pharaoh.  Pharaoh was the leader of Egypt.  The wine taster said, “Last night, I had a dream.  I was picking grapes and squeezing them into Pharaoh’s cup.  Then I put the cup in his hand.  What does this mean, Joseph?”

Joseph answered, “You will be Pharaoh’s wine taster again.  Once you are free, please don't forget about me. Help me get out of jail, too.”

A few days later, the wine taster’s dream came true.  He got out of jail and became Pharaoh’s wine taster once again.  But he forgot about Joseph.

Later, Pharaoh had two strange dreams.  In one dream, he saw seven heavy cows and seven skinny cows.  The skinny cows ate up all the heavy cows.

In another dream, Pharaoh saw seven healthy plants.  Then he saw seven dried-up plants.  The dried-up plants ate all the healthy plants.  Pharaoh was confused.

Pharaoh’s wise men were confused, too.  Then the wine taster remembered Joseph.  He told Pharaoh that Joseph could explain his dreams.

With God’s help, Joseph told Pharaoh what his dream meant. “For the next seven years, plenty of food will grow.  For the next seven years after that, not enough food will grow because there will be no rain.”  Pharaoh said.  “Joseph, you are a very wise man.  I will make you a ruler over  Egypt.”

Discussion Questions

• Where did the traders put Joseph?  In jail

• Joseph was able to tell what dreams meant.  What did the prisoner’s dream mean? He would be Pharaoh’s wine taster again.

• Joseph told the prisoner to remember him when he got out of jail.  Did he remember?   No

• Pharaoh had some very odd dreams.  Who helped him understand his dreams?  Joseph

• Pharaoh gave Joseph a very important job.  What was it?  He was the ruler over Egypt.

Prayer

Dear God, thank you for teaching us to help others.  We know there will be times we don’t understand but You know what is best for us.  Amen 

Memory Verse

“Lead me in your truth, teach me, for you are God my Savior.”  Psalm 25:5

Treat to Eat: Black-Spotted Cows

Pour a bag of small chocolate chips into a bowl. Give your child a banana half, a craft stick, and a paper plate. Have him peel the bananas and push them onto craft sticks to create “banana-sicles.” Then show him how to press some chocolate chips onto their banana-sicles to make “black-spotted cows.” 

Distribute napkins, and let your family eat their creations. Remind your child of the dream about the skinny cows who swallowed up the fat cows just as they are swallowing up their bananas.

Lively Learning:  Family Fun Jailbreak

Use small, foam balls or crumpled newspapers to play this game. Direct family members to all stand along one wall. This will be your jailhouse, and family will pretend to be Prisoners. Choose one person to be “It,” and have that person toss balls at the Prisoners. Any person a ball touches can break out of jail and run to help “It” toss the balls. Play the game until the last Prisoner makes his or her jailbreak, and then talk with your child about what it might have been like for Joseph in jail.

Activity:  Camels

Supplies:  Brown paper bags or brown construction paper, scissors, cloths pins, google eyes, brown marker, and glue.

Instructions: Sketch a camel on the paper, cut it out, glue eyes on, and draw mouth with brown marker.  While the glue dries, color the cloths pins with brown marker.  

While you are helping your child with the project talk about how the camels are incorporated into the story.

  

Joseph's Colorful Robe

Genesis 37

Joseph was one of Jacob’s twelve sons.  Jacob loved him more than all of his other sons.  

Jacob made Joseph a colorful robe.  His brothers were jealous.  They wanted nice robes, too.  And they wanted to be loved as much as Joseph was loved.

Joseph had a dream.  He told his family, “We were bundling grain from the field.  Your bundles of grain bowed down to mine.”

Then Joseph had another dream.  He said, “This time, the sun and moon and even stars were bowing down to me.”  His father asked, “Does this mean our family will bow down to you someday?”

The brothers were even more angry.  They threw Joseph into a dry well.  

Along came some traders.  The brothers sold Joseph to them as a slave. 

They lied to their father and said Joseph had been killed by a wild animal.  But God was with Joseph.

Discussion Questions

• Who was Joseph’s father? Jacob

• Jacob loved Joseph him more than his brothers.  What gift did he give Joseph? A colorful coat

• Were his brothers angry?   Yes!

• What did his brothers do to Joseph? They threw him in a dry well and then sold him to traders as a slave.

• The brothers lied to their father about Joseph’s whereabouts.  What did they tell him?  They told him that Joseph was killed by a wild animal.

• Was God with Joseph during this time?  Yes!

Prayer

Dear God, thank you for reminding us that you are always with us.  Amen 

Memory Verse

“Lead me in your truth, teach me, for you are God my Savior.”   Psalm 25:5

Craft:  Joseph’s Colorful Coat

Use craft items around your house to decorate Joseph’s coat!   You can use crayons, markets, yarn, pom poms, tissue paper and more!