The talents of Joseph

SCRIPTURE:

Genesis 37-41

OBJECTIVES OF THE LESSON:

1. Explore this story to illustrate the definition of a talent as given above, that is, an aptitude, a capacity, natural or acquired ability;

2. Show that by using his natural aptitude to interpret dreams, Joseph accomplished great things for Egypt and for his family.

3. Encourage the children not to undermine their talents.

4. Encourage the children to love their brothers and/or sisters, even if they are more talented.

5. Encourage the children not to obliterate their talents, even if it causes jealousy.

INTRODUCTION:

Start the lesson with a short song and/or a prayer.

PRESENTATION:

Jacob lived with his children in Canaan where his father Isaac and his grandfather Abraham had lived. Jacob had 12 children and Joseph was the one Jacob loved most, because he had been born to him in his old age. He made him a coat of many colours (multicolour). Joseph’s brothers became very jealous of him, not because he misbehaved, but because of a particular talent that God had given him. This talent belonged to the domain of dreams. Joseph did not only have the gift of interpreting dreams, but also of premonitory dreams, meaning his dreams could forewarn of upcoming events. Actually, he had dreamt of his brothers binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly his sheaf rose and stood upright while those of his brothers gathered around his own and bowed down to it. Some other time it was the sun, the moon and eleven stars that bowed down before him. Even his father scolded him for saying such dreams: “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?”

One day, while his brothers went to feed the flock, his father called for him and sent him to go and check on his brothers to see how they were doing. But when Joseph met his brothers, they stripped him of his beautiful tunic of many colours and cast him into a pit.

They later sold him to a caravan of Ishmaelites who were travelling to Egypt. In Egypt, he valued his talent of interpretation of dreams. Unjustly accused by Potiphar’s wife, Joseph was thrown in prison. As the officer in charge of serving wine to pharaoh (butler) and the one in charge of making pharaoh’s bread (baker) were also prisoners, Joseph explained to each of them the dreams that troubled them. He told the butler that he would regain the favour of his master, while the baker would be hanged. So it came to pass.

But when the butler was freed, he forgot about Joseph. Two years later, pharaoh had a dream: in the Nile valley, seven fat and fine looking cows came and devoured seven ugly and gaunt cows. Then seven stalks of grain, plumb and good, were eaten by seven thin head stalks, blighted by the east wind. As nobody was able to explain these dreams, the butler remembered Joseph and asked pharaoh to let his dreams be explained by the young Hebrew. Joseph was brought to the palace. He explained to pharaoh that there will be seven years of abundance, then they will be followed by seven years of famine. He advised pharaoh to gather and pile food during those seven years of abundance and to redistribute in time of famine. Amazed by such wisdom, pharaoh made Joseph his prime minister and gave him the authority to govern over of Egypt.

When the seven years of famine came, people came from all over to buy food from Joseph. That is how one day Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to buy food. Joseph first made them go through tremendous hardship and finally revealed himself to them. Joseph magnificently settled his father and his brothers with their wives and children in Egypt.

SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION:

1. What are the two principal talents of Joseph as revealed by the Bible?

2. How did these talents manifest?

3. Do all dreams forecast future events?

4. Have you ever had a dream that came to pass?

5. Do you have any of Joseph’s talents?

ACTIVITIES:

Talents to guess

1. Blindfold a child; make him/her face the wall. Choose five other children among which an object is given to one of them to hide, then uncover the fold and ask the child to guess who among the other five is hiding the object;

2. Continue the game while changing the guesser;

3. Mimic the trading of Joseph to the Ishmaelites by his brothers;

4. With the available material, draw the multicoloured coat of Joseph.

RESOURCE PERSON:

Invite a pastor or someone else who is able to teach the children about the nature of dreams and their possible interpretation.

ACTIONS TO ENCOURAGE:

Organise a visit with the leader of the congregation to go and offer gifts to prisoners if possible or visit the chief’s palace in your locality.

MEMORY VERSE:

“But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to safe your lives by a great deliverance” (Genesis 45:7).

CLOSING:

Form a circle while holding hands and pray for families where there is no harmony. The children can repeat the words after you.